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Is religion damaging?
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TH TR E FRI TH UTH AGHTE RO WA BOU NING WA T OU YS OC R IET Y
Does fashion have a price?
GIR LS Is t he i OR lon g te nvestm BO valu rm inv ent in e? YS? est me to fem nt o ale
WHAT IS T OF THE ROHE POINT YAL FAMILY
WE SHOUL LEARN CHI D ALL NESE!
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AQUILA
Disney vs. Brothers Grimm
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The large Hadron Collide
Fundamentality of controversy
? I T I F F A R G R O BANKSY: ART 24/06/2014 10:29
CONTENTS
CONTENTS 02 CONTENTS
13 Banksy: Art or Graffiti?
EDITOR
03 Notes from the Editor 03 A word from the Headmistress
EDUCATION
22 Girls or Boys? Is the investment into female education the best long term investment or do boys offer a better value?
33 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
35 VALETE
COMMUNITY
23 We should all learn Chinese!
TALKING POINT
04 What is the point of the Royal Family? 05 Ivory trade: Sacrifice or slaughter? 06 The Afterlife 41 Head Girl’s Report
06 Protect our children! Arm our teachers!
HEALTH AND SCIENCE
07 Performance enhancing drugs ... Can their use ever be justified? 08 The Large Hadron Collider 08 To clone or not to clone? 09 Is artificial selection “one step too far?” 10 Embryonic screening - What would you do?
ECONOMICS
14 Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend? 15 Is the money going into space exploration worth it?
24 The Travellers Storyboard and review
CONTROVERSY IN FOCUS
42 Milton
43 Mandeville
43 Penn 44 LAST WORD Upper Sixth - where are they going?
26 Is religion damaging?
ARTS AND CULTURE
42 Hampden
ECONOMICS
TALKING POINT
16 The frightening truth about our throwaway society 16 America - War Criminals? 17 Should capital punishment be abolished?
ARTS AND CULTURE
11 Disney vs. Brothers Grimm 12 Defying dance politics 12 Controversy in dance
HEALTH AND SCIENCE
18 Is public healthcare the way forward? 18 Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR)
29 Does fashion have a price? 30 Is Mathematics relevant in 2014?
19 Genetically Modified Foods
30 Is the Chinese economy really taking over the world?
20 Should we try to cure all diseases?
21 Fundamentality of controversy
ARTS AND CULTURE
31 The pressure on men in the media 32 Controversial plays 32 What is Art?
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EDITOR
EDITOR This year we thought we’d mix things up in the magazine. Instead of having the normal review of events from the academic year we decided to make it much more like a magazine you would buy in a shop, full of opinion articles. With the increasing popularity of debating in school the Deputy Editors and I felt that theming the articles around “controversy” would really provide the girls with something they could sink their journalistic teeth into. By asking the girls to write their own articles about topics they are interested in it gave them an opportunity to express their views and thoughts on global issues. We have found it very interesting to see the range of topics the girls have written about, which cover things they study in school and also things not on the syllabus. I am so glad we had the support and guidance of Miss Conroy and Mrs Parrett throughout producing this publication. Also I need to thank the members of the committee who helped to organise and create the magazine. So thank you to my two
very efficient Deputy Editors Georgina W and Emma S. Also, to Pearly S, Sammi M, Gemma U and Kate R, who have spent their time choosing photos and reading articles to ensure that the content of the magazine is of a high quality. The committee and I had no challenge collecting in articles as the students were very keen to write about something they found interesting. The school magazine develops every year and I have loved seeing it evolve during the time I have been here. This year’s magazine is much different to previous years and I hope the idea of producing an articles-based magazine carries on. I have the heart wrenching task of handing this role to the Lower Sixth who I know will carry on the work, we and previous years have done. It doesn’t feel that long ago that I got the email saying I had been chosen to be Editor and I remember being really excited about being selected
Committee Members
to produce this amazing piece of Pipers history. My one piece of advice to the Lower Sixth is to use your committee to your advantage and keep them informed of what’s going on because they can help spread the load! And as every Editor says every year, don’t underestimate the time and commitment that the magazine requires. I now have the honour of introducing you to the new version of Aquila. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you: Aquila, Controversy Style. Enjoy! Catharine W Editor of Aquila
A WORD FROM THE HEADMISTRESS The theme of controversy is very fitting for this year’s edition of the Pipers Corner School magazine. It could be suggested that the publication itself is controversial, given that its style and content are so very different to previous editions. When the editorial committee first discussed doing something “a little bit different” this year, I was not only impressed by the clarity of their thinking but also proud that our girls had things they wanted to say and were confident enough to put their thoughts into print. As you browse through this magazine you will read articles that cover a wide range of topics, from the
question of “What is art?” to a consideration of the benefits of NHS. From the issue of drugs in sport, to a discussion about whether the Royal family is still a fitting institution for modern society. The variety of the content reflects the breadth of interests the girls at Pipers have providing an intriguing insight into the thoughts of our girls as they mature into confident, opinion formers of the future. It is important that we encourage our students to think for themselves and equip them with the skills they need to debate issues with others. The transcript of one of our senior debates (included on page 30) demonstrates how
lively the exchanges in our debating society can be and clearly shows how our girls are learning to think on their feet and sensibly put their individual points of view across. So I encourage you to read without prejudice and see what our girls have to say. In the words of Mark Twain “Our opinions do not really blossom into fruition until we have expressed them to someone else.” So I hope that this magazine will encourage our girls to keep thinking, carry on sharing their opinions and be proud of who they are. Mrs Ness-Gifford Headmistress
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TALKING POINT
WHAT IS THE POINT OF THE ROYAL FAMILY? DATING AS FAR BACK AS 871 AD, ENGLAND HAS BEEN RULED BY KINGS AND QUEENS. BUT WHAT IS THE POINT OF THEM?
Going back several hundred years, the Plantagenets, the longest ruling family who reigned for over 300 years, divided the country over their lust for power. Between them, they had ultimate control, and with this, the ability to tear the country apart through civil war, known to us today as “The Wars of the Roses”. Today, it would not be possible for such a thing to happen. It is our government who decides how things are done, and they are the ones with the power. Our Royal family, especially Her Majesty the Queen, acts as a figure head for the country. She does not however, have any power over the political issues of the country or how it is governed. Essentially, the Royal family exists to uphold the long lasting tradition that has remained over the centuries, acting as a reminder of those Royals who changed our history. In 1553 Mary I, a devout Catholic, came to the throne of England after the death of her Protestant half-brother, Edward VI. England erupted in chaos and fear during Mary’s reign, as those who refused to convert their faith, were mercilessly executed. This is but one example of the authority
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that Royalty held when they were monarchs and figure heads, as well as politicians. As Lord Acton argued “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. So with this in mind, it is perhaps a blessing that we live in a democracy and that our Royal family do not hold all the authority. So what is the point of Royal family if they have no authority within the country? It is arguable that they are not really necessary. Yet, despite their lack of power, they have remained a constant throughout British history. The Royal family bring excitement and anticipation to the people of the United Kingdom. They bring us together as a country and as a community. The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now known as the Duchess of Cambridge, truly showed how enthusiastic we really are about our Royal family. Similarly the recent birth and christening of Prince George sent the country in to a frenzy of excitement. Therefore, even without the power, the Royal family still bring pleasure and entertainment to us. This is the point of the Royal family. Kate R (Upper Sixth)
The ivory trade: sacrifice or slaughter?
A mother’s limp body covers her young squealing baby. Bullet holes rip and puncture every inch of the mother’s skin and her face is butchered and hacked at with a chainsaw. Her child struggles under her, screaming, trying to wake her up from her everlasting sleep. The baby frantically suckles at the corpse’s breast, trying to squeeze the last drops of milk out. This is murder: plain and simple murder. But according to The Independent, such acts of atrocity occur between 25,000 to 36,000 times per year to the elephants of Africa. There is blood which spills across the bloated elephant carcasses. The corpses are a trophy for human greed. However, around the corpses of the butchered, men are stopping to pray on their knees, their hands soaked in blood, smearing it on the angelic white of the ivory tusk. Religion is a huge part of the need for ivory. The National Geographic reminds us that “large, glassencased figures” fill religious places like churches, their delicate and beautiful configuration are dazzling to the eye. There are structures of beautiful ivory icons of Jesus, hung from a cross. Ironic, isn’t it? The subject and portrait being so brutal, an image of Christ on one of his last days, but also a portrait which is made out of a material which has taken lives to be received. Death hanging from death, how symbolic!
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TALKING POINT
China, Hong Kong and Japan are the countries which are normally accused of having the highest rate of ivory smuggling; however, according to Jim Dwyer in The New York Times, it is New York which has the biggest ivory business in America and the United States is the second-largest consumer, behind China, of illegal animal products like elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn and tiger bone. The criminal charge in New York is also very lax. Stop thinking of elephants like small insignificant animals; imagine them as humans. 36,000 humans are being gunned down or poisoned every year, many of them children. Before they are even dead their teeth and nails are sawn from their mouths and fingers using an electric chainsaw. These disfigurements are then produced into beautiful petite figures, leaving the real dead figures of once living beings behind, left to decay and be consumed by animals, tearing at their flesh. And their justice is not delivered; the man who sold 100 nails and teeth paid a 45,000 fine and didn’t go to jail even when he was found guilty. 100 dead humans, 100 dead elephants; there is no difference. Calculated sacrifice is serial slaughter. The loss of these humongous animals will have a negative impact on their ecosystem; for example, the animals which are affected by their eating habits, and surprisingly the African public. Elephants are placed into two main groups, the savannah and the forest elephants. Fruit-bearing trees all rely on forest elephants as their primary means of seed distribution, a process known as mega faunal dispersal syndrome. The loss of these fruit bearing trees could have wide-ranging ecological
after all; humans are the most overpopulated colony in the whole world, but I don’t see anyone being killed just to keep our numbers down. Ed Cook, a commentator from Zimbabwe, also announced that the growth of the population resulted in an increase “in damage to crops and local villages” and that if the elephant population was left to grow uncontrollably, they would die anyway of starvation. He suggests that they should “control the number of elephants and put the revenue gained from effects. According to Scientific the sale of ivory into the local America “These trees also feed economy”. Poaching is illegal at the many herbivores and frugivores moment and still the population is such as bats, birds, insects and decreasing. I would ask Mr Cook, other mammals. For example, chimpanzees and bonobos in certain what do you think will happen if it is legal? Where is the line? How forest areas rely on the fruit of one do we decide when the elephant of the elephant-dependent trees, population is too vast? Who makes Irvingia gabonensis, for months this judgement and will it change at a time.” The WWF charity also if new problems arise with our support this view as according to them, elephants are really significant population? Elephants will be equal to Africa as “their future is linked too to slaves; their deaths calculated and chosen by us. much to Africa’s rich biodiversity”. The public need to be educated Elephants are also looked upon by about why we need to protect the Scientists to be keystone species elephants and realise who are the because they help to maintain real culprits behind it. It may come suitable habitats for lots of other as a surprise to you, but it is people species in savannah and forest who buy ivory. If there was no ecosystems. The human population interest in the material there would would also suffer as these fruit bearing trees are used for medicines be no poaching, no extermination of species, no brutal pictures which in forest ecosystems; the locals find flash through all the newspapers. it hard to get access to western Another problem which needs to medicines. According to Africa be addressed is the lack of money Safari Information Online elephants and rangers in Africa, especially are the “second favourite animal in Kenya. There are only 350 rangers the safari” for many tourists. in Kenya which is not enough to Ted Osborn retaliating to a BBC stop the on slaughter of elephants News article wrote that we should across the country. Writing in the “simply manage the elephant British newspaper The Telegraph population as you would any in Britain, the Duke of Cambridge other resource” and that “ivory argued that “if our generation should be exploited through fails to stop the slaughter, it will proper channels”. Elephants are be too late”. Action needs to be not simply commodities; they are taken, now. Ivory poachers and not a belonging for humans to businessmen involved with this control and they are certainly not trade need to be imprisoned and less important than humans. The jailed. Education is key. We must money given by the Americans ask, why is ivory needed? Every for aid also goes into the African time one ivory trinket is bought national economy to boost it; an elephant is mercilessly hack to the economy is mainly directed death. Is personal human greed and around tourism. Elephants are status really more significant than a a big part of tourism; however life, especially a life of one of these recently fewer people are going on majestic creatures? safaris because of the littering of Alice W (Year 11) elephant bodies. It is hypocritical
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TALKING POINT
THE AFTERLIFE We live in a society where afterlife is a certainty. Heaven has become a destination which we are expectant of. Humans assume that a land of extravagance is waiting for them. A land which is filled with gold and pearls and platinum beds – a man-made paradise. We cannot even begin to imagine paradise. We have become accustomed to material instead of peace so it seems only right that we should see “paradise” as what we have been programmed to see. If heaven holds the same landscape as paintings and pictures show, then we are fated to arrive in a hallucinogenic world as soon as
we are laid in a coffin - we are destined to be in an eternal void of reality. I find it incomprehensible. How can death be a place? It must be a journey. There cannot just be one place where we will all end up for that isn’t freedom – that’s a prison. Peace cannot be the partner of death if there are bars trapping you from exploring infinity. Freedom is peace and without it the wings of an angel are useless. Imagine that you are on a railway station platform, traveling with a figure that you are yet to ask the name of. There are no times or places projected on the television screen which sit in front of you. You have no idea where you are
to go when you clamber on to the express train. A few faceless individuals climb into the same carriage with reluctance simply because they are scared of being taken to the unknown. Death is a train without a destination and it is something that we will all have to face. The travels that are to come remain unseen by the mortals that are forever in curiosity. Collectively we try and figure out these secrets, never coming close because death is a mystery which cannot be caught or used but held close to us, until the day comes where a silhouette will reveal itself, where the mystery will go and we will be taken away by a figure known as death. Ruby B (Year 9)
Protect our children! Arm the teachers! On 14 December 2012, 27 people were needlessly murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. On 14 February 2008, five people were killed and many were injured at the Northern Illinois University. On 20 April 1999, 13 people were killed at Columbine High School in Colorado. The list goes on and on. The solution to avoid more incidents like this? Could it be to arm the teachers with weapons? The examples of school shootings mentioned above only took place in America, where gun laws are entirely different to the United Kingdom. In the US guns can be easily obtained and you do not need a licence to own them. In the UK fewer people have guns because they have to go through the lengthy process of acquiring a gun licence. It even states when you are trying to get a licence: “You must also prove to the chief officer of police that you are allowed to have a firearms certificate and pose no danger to public safety or to the peace”. Our police force is very thorough when someone wishes to own a gun 6
licence, this way fewer unstable people are able to possess guns. But it still doesn’t mean a stranger won’t suddenly appear at your child’s school armed with pistols and bombs.
if they knew the teachers were armed? Do you think they would stand a chance being one against an army of teachers that are prepared to fight for the lives of the children?
In order to protect children from vicious perpetrators is there a need to arm the teachers? Of course you may think, “What if the teachers are unstable? What if the children get hold of the guns?” However with every idea there are potential pitfalls. It could be argued that if the teachers are armed they would be able to protect their classes from potentially deadly attacks.
So think about the next generation. Do you want them to study in a safe, protected establishment filled with well-equipped, knowledgeable teachers that are prepared should the worst happen, or the exact opposite?
There is the argument regarding the location of a school. If a school is situated in a notoriously dangerous area, is it more appropriate for teachers to be armed in order to protect the children? Or does violence breed violence and if teachers, people in positions of authority, have weapons, is there the danger that it is then seen as acceptable? Think about the gun-toting sociopath. Do you believe they would risk attacking a school
Lydia B (Year 11)
“OR DOES VIOLENCE BREED VIOLENCE AND IF TEACHERS, PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY, HAVE WEAPONS, IS THERE THE DANGER THAT IT IS THEN SEEN AS ACCEPTABLE?”
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HEALTH AND SCIENCE
CAN THE USE OF PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS EVER BE JUSTIFIED? AFTER A LENGTHY INVESTIGATION BY THE UNITED STATES ANTI-DOPING AGENCY SPANNING THREE YEARS, ON 13 JANUARY 2013 IN AN INTERVIEW WITH OPRAH WINFREY, LANCE ARMSTRONG, SEVEN TIMES TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER AND SUPPOSEDLY ONE OF THE GREATEST CYCLISTS IN THE HISTORY OF SPORT ADMITTED USING PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS TO HELP HIM WIN RACES.
To anybody who follows cycling this announcement was not met with a great deal of shock or surprise; indeed, the sport has been blighted by drug use all the way through the 1990s and 2000s with even more riders failing drugs tests leading up to and at major sporting events. In some years the title of winner had fallen to the rider placed as low as 7th place because the riders placed above him had failed the drugs tests. This poses the question: why are drugs used so much in sport, particularly cycling, and can it ever be justified? One of the reasons drugs were so prevalent was because the athletes thought they could get away with it. As childish as this may sound, it was undeniably the case; drug use had become a culture in cycling all the way through the 1990s and knowledge of how and when to use them and more importantly how not to get caught was passed from team member to team member, team bus to team bus and from race to race until it was so ingrained in the sport and become the “norm”. The pack mentality had become a part of cycling, “Well they can’t ban us all!”
has been blamed for the death of 20 athletes over the space of four years when it was at its height and there are hundreds of other compounds that are known to pose a significant risk to life. Cycling has athletes, races and fans all around the world. Along with Football and Formula One it is one of three truly global sports, but before the late 1980s this was simply not the case. Armstrong, Valverde and Contador are household names that have all been caught doping but still have legions of fans that turn out to support them when they race. The era of doping in cycling was known as one of the most exciting in sports history and is publicised and televised to this day. This may pose the question: is drug use in sport justifiable if it pulls sport out
of its niche and into international fame? Isn’t infamy preferable to obscurity? After all, there is no such thing as bad publicity. In cycling’s case, unfortunately there is. Armstrong’s accusation and admission saw a drop in the viewing figures for cycling races as the public saw a man that they once idolised uncovered as a fraud and shamed publically. A great many viewers lost faith in the sport and in its competitors as the extent of the drug use came to light, and now it is impossible for a man to win a major tour without facing accusations of cheating and drug use. While performance enhancing drugs may have prompted the rise of cycling, there can be no doubt that its discovery has caused lasting damage to the sport. Caitlin N (Upper Sixth)
Another issue was the testing. Drug testing equipment is developing all the time; new methods are being created and new substances are being identified and banned. However, new and different drugs are being created each day that cannot be detected and these are making their way into sport and this is dangerous. Performance inhabiting drugs come with long lists of side effects; one drug, a hormone supplement called EPO boosts the level of red blood cells produced, but comes with an extreme risk of clots forming. EPO PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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HEALTH AND SCIENCE
THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER
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he Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is located about 100 metres underground, beneath the border between France and Switzerland. When the LHC is turned on, it projects two beams of particles along two different tubes, one going clockwise and the other beam of particles going anticlockwise. The LHC then accelerates the beams of particles to almost of the speed of light, before forcing the two beams of particles to collide, so that scientists can record what happens. Scientists hope that by running these extremely costly experiments we will be able to discover more about how the universe began and what exactly the universe consists of. With the cost of building the LHC being more than $6 billion, many people believe that this type of research is a luxury we cannot afford. Even after paying the enormous $6 billion bill, the LHC still requires 800,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year. This adds up to a just under $30 million each year in electricity bills, for a project that doesn’t even operate in the winter months. This is why many people believe our money
could be better spent on other schemes, such as cancer research helping to improve lives in the future, rather than looking back on the past. Additionally the LHC detectors collect 15 petabytes (15,000,000 gigabytes) of data each year. Therefore finding ways to store and use such vast amounts of data has been extremely difficult. The solution to this problem is the LHC Computing Grid, where a large network of computers is connected to a centralised computer, where each computer analyses a small section of data. This method of collecting and analysing data is more cost effective than building large supercomputers. However it has its downfalls, due to the enormous amounts of data being sent through this computing grid this network could not rely on firewalls. Therefore people worry about the security of the data generated and the consequences of the network being hacked. However, the LHC may lead us to discover the Higgs boson particle, which may answer questions about mass. such as “why does matter have mass?”. Furthermore scientists are hoping the experiments will help improve our understanding of dark matter.
Currently we are only able to observe a fraction of all the matter that is predicted to exist. For example the movement of galaxies implies that there is a lot more matter to the universe than we can detect, this undetectable matter is called dark matter. In addition, dark energy is predicted to be the cause of the universes continuous expansion. Scientists are hoping that the LHC will lead to further evidence for the existence of dark energy and dark matter. Also don’t forget that Sir Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist at CERN, invented the World Wide Web to help scientists working on the LCH to share their ideas with people around the world. In conclusion many scientists are hopeful that the research will provide vital evidence for the creation of the universe and also expand our current knowledge of the universe. Nevertheless, the research is extremely expensive and people believe the money could be better spent elsewhere. With 21 governments coming together to support the research, doesn’t that say something about the price we’re willing to pay for the answers about our origin? Maddie R (Year 11)
To clone or not to clone Cloning is one of the most significant and controversial topics of the times, with increasing awareness of the endless possibilities it could bring to the future. Cloning could be responsible for either eradicating or making huge differences to many genetic medical disorders - all supported by biomedical engineering. Many people are trying to find new ways of treatment, in particular for 8
hereditary genetic conditions, but also as people hope to be able to replace lost pets who they feel have left too early or they cannot cope without. One of the most controversial questions is whether it is ethically right to clone someone or something which has died. At the moment this is not possible, but if scientists continue to clone pets and cells, who knows what we could achieve? Is it right to meddle with nature like this? With an unknown future in cloning there are also unforeseen problems
which will only be realised years later when it would already be too late; perhaps we would have already become dependent on cloning. We have already seen some examples of people who have cloned their pets and we all know of the first cloned animal: Dolly the sheep. Farmers now are starting to clone their animals so they can have more calves from their prized cows. Cows usually only produce eight to ten calves in their working life, but with cloning they are now able to produce many more. These calves
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HEALTH AND SCIENCE
Is artificial selection “one step too far”? Natural selection is the main mechanism of evolution, theorised by Charles Darwin with the “survival of the fittest”, whereas artificial selection is when the most productive alleles have been selectively passed down through the generations and have become more prominent in the population through the intentional reproduction between individuals with desired characteristics. Selective breeding has enabled there to be a further phenotypic variation of plants and animals within a short window of time. The process of selective breeding differs to that of natural selection as it involves the breeding of the individuals with the phenotypes which are the most desired by the human, and this which ultimately alters the average phenotype within the species. Brassica oleracea is a weedy small herb that grows on limestone that outcrops all around the coastal Mediterranean region. The herb uses food reserves stored over winter in its rosette of leaves to produce a spike of yellow flowers before dying in the end of its second summer, and these nutritious leaves make the Brassica oleracea important for its domesticated derivatives. The wild form of Brassica oleracea has been selectively bred to produce six separate vegetables through the development of different parts
will have exactly the same genes as each other; this could potentially cause issues if a disease came along, as there would be no genetic variation and all of the calves would suffer and potentially die as a result. Even if people want to clone their animals it will cost a great deal and may take several attempts before it works. Should these people be cloning these dead animals, or should they house the already massive number of animals needing homes? Why are we focusing on cloning our dead pets when there
of this particular plant species. The new vegetables include Brussels sprouts - developed from the lateral buds of the Brassica oleracea; Broccoli - developed from the inflorescence; Cauliflowerfrom the flower; Cabbage - from the terminal buds; Kale - from the leaf and Kohlrabi - from the stem. Because these are all related breeds, despite the fact that they have visible differences, all six can cross-pollinate if they are allowed to flower, as they are still considered to be the same species due to this capability of being inter-fertile and producing fertile offspring. It has been suggested that the Brassica oleracea is one of the earliest cultivated plants by humans, and so one of the earliest to be selectively bred. Records have shown that it was consumed by Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, and is popular in northern Europe due to its ability to thrive in harsh environments where other plants couldn’t grow. The domestication of the Brassica oleracea could also be because the wild species spread in its natural habitat in the UK and France, followed by a spread throughout Europe and then diversified into specialized forms e.g. Brussels sprouts and winter cabbages in northern Europe and cauliflower, broccoli and kohlrabi from the Mediterranean region. Kales and cabbages have been
are much more useful things we could be using the resources and money for? Is cloning restricted to whole animals? What if we could eliminate the waiting times for people waiting for organ transplants by creating customised cloned organs from their own cells. Another benefit of this would be that there would be no risk of rejection, thereby eliminating the continued intake of antirejection drugs. Cloning advocates have touted this type of science
tracked back to around about 2000-3000 years while Kohlrabi and Brussels sprouts are more recent crops which have been tracked back to about the late Middle Ages. “The Cambridge World History of Foods” has stated that there are 400 types of cabbages alone, and this fact in itself shows that the brassicas can be exceptionally diverse. However, due to the fact that brassicas have been developed to be uniform and have inbred lines, the old varieties have been cultivated and have been decreased. Thankfully many brassica breeds have been conserved in genebanks, and it has been estimated that more than 78,000 samples of the major brassicas and their wild relatives, with more than 130 collections around the world available. There are downsides to artificial selection: it makes the species vulnerable due to genetic variation which means that the whole species can easily be wiped out with a disease or a sudden change in climate. Some people believe that artificial selection is one step too far and say that encouraging the selective breeding of animals implies that we are ready to endorse the selective breeding of humans in order to create the “perfect race.” Hannah M (Upper Sixth)
as therapeutic cloning. This is different from reproductive cloning, since therapeutic cloning deals with embryos only, not human babies carried to term. Controversy aside, how would cloned organ transplants work? Here’s where stem cells come in, along with recent scientific breakthroughs that sidestep cloning altogether. This brings with it a whole new debate on “Stem Cell” research. Charlotte B (Year 11)
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HEALTH AND SCIENCE
EMBRYONIC SCREENING – WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHAT IF YOU COULD SCREEN EMBRYOS FOR DISEASES BEFORE THEY BECAME BABIES? WHAT IF YOU HAD THE POWER TO CHOOSE THE TRAITS YOUR BABY WOULD HAVE? WOULD YOU USE IT?
In April 2008, Dartmouth College Ethics Professor Ronald M. Green’s essay, “Building Baby from the Genes Up,” was published in the Washington Post. Green presented his case in support of the genetic engineering of embryos. “Why not improve our genome?” he asked. Two days later, Richard Hayes, Executive Director of the Centre for Genetics and Society, rebutted, warning of a “neo-eugenic future” and “the danger of genetic misuse.” These practically polar opposite opinions are two sides of a debate taking place around the world. Here are a few points which I feel are important when considering which side of the debate we want to be on. Some couples with an inherited condition in their family may be worried that their own children will also develop the condition. Therefore, to help them decide whether or not to continue with a pregnancy, the couple can have any developing embryos tested during that pregnancy. Cells from the embryos are checked. If the embryo is affected, the parents have a choice; they may decide to continue with the pregnancy and the child will be born with the genetic disease and live with the knowledge that the child may not live past middle age, or they could chose to abort the foetus. Some couples with an inherited disorder in the family can have embryos screened before they are implanted into the mother. Embryos are produced by IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and then doctors remove a single cell from each embryo produced and screen it for genetic disorders. Only healthy embryos are implanted back into the mother so that only babies without the genetic disorder are born. However, some people think that this is immoral because you should not abort a foetus just because it has a genetic disease. You should love a child whether it has a genetic disorder or not.
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Some people think it is better not to know if your child has a genetic disease so that the child can live a normal life until they start to develop symptoms. For example, most people suffering from Huntington’s disease develop symptoms at the age of 3555 (although you can develop symptoms at any age) you could potentially live 35 years without being scared of the future, if you were not diagnosed from birth.
embryonic screening could lead to scientists being able to change the sex of the embryo to please the parent, which many believe is immoral.
Some would argue that the peace of mind that embryonic screening would bring for the parents is invaluable, but also, many feel that all embryos have the potential to become babies and therefore it is wrong to experiment on them.
Other people think money and resources used to screen embryos should be put towards trying to cure genetic diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis which currently can only be managed but not cured, to help people today and in the future. However embryonic screening cannot treat any diseases it simply tells the individual that they have the disease.
Some people believe that genetic screening could lead to “designer babies” because embryos could be screened for inherited characteristics such as eye colour, hair colour etc. This could lead to genetic engineering as a parent may really want a girl but the embryo is male. Some believe
Some feel genetic screening is unethical because the embryo cannot give its permission to be screened unlike adults who can give their permission to be genetically screened for muscular dystrophy. Embryos do not have this choice.
The question is how important is this knowledge and does it outweigh the value of research to cure genetic disorders? Kirsty J (Year 11)
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ARTS & CULTURE
Disney Fairy Tales vs. Brothers Grimm
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alt Disney and his magical children’s films are celebrated worldwide for their happy endings and creative animation, although many people do not know that the original storylines were written by the Brothers Grimm for their children’s fairy tale books. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s fairy tales were seen as inappropriate for young children due to their scenes of violence and cruelty. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was Walt Disney’s first full-length film and released in 1937. The colourful animated film was one of the most successful films of its time; however, Walt Disney and the film’s successful storyline is owed to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale entitled “Snow White”. Even though the film is based on the fairy tale from the 1812 Grimm’s Fairy Tale, there are many differences which Disney adapted to make the film more child appropriate. Both fairy tales include the famous elements of a young girl called Snow White, a jealous Queen and her mirror, seven dwarfs and a Prince. One element which Walt Disney altered was when Snow White was taken to be killed. The Disney version shows Snow White being taken into the woods by the Huntsman. The Queen wanted Snow White’s heart in a jewelled box as proof she was dead. In the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the Queen demanded the return of Snow White’s lungs and liver so the Queen could eat them and truly know she was the fairest in the land. Walt Disney adapted the fairy tale so the idea of the Queen eating Snow White’s internal organs were censored. Thankfully, in both versions, Snow White’s life is spared and she is allowed to flee. Another drastic difference between Disney and the Brothers Grimm is how both fairy tales end. Disney’s “Snow White” ends with Snow White and the Prince riding off to be married and live happily ever after with the Queen accidentally falling from a cliff. The Brothers Grimm ends in a far less happy and perfect ending. Snow White is awoken by the Prince
and they too are married. The Queen, however, is still alive and is invited to the wedding. When the Queen arrives, it is revealed the true reason for Snow White’s invitation: her punishment. A pair of hot iron shoes are placed before the Queen and she is forced to wear them and dance with them, until she drops dead. Personally, my favourite Disney film is “Tangled”, which was released in 2010. The storyline is about an old woman who keeps a young girl, who is in fact a princess, trapped in a tower deep in the forest. The young girl and her magic golden hair meet a young man, and together they run away from the tower and travel to see the floating lights. Eventually the old woman falls from the tower, Rapunzel finds out she is a princess and they live happily ever after; however, this fairy tale is not the same storyline I remember as a child. The Brothers Grimm fairy tale does not include a princess with magic hair, a lovable thief or include any animated animals. The Brothers Grimm fairy tale and the Disney version begin very differently. In the Disney version Rapunzel is stolen from the King and Queen by the old witch who uses Rapunzel’s magical hair to keep herself looking young. In the original fairy tale, Rapunzel’s parents are not royal and they end up having to give Rapunzel to the witch in exchange for a stolen Rapunzel plant. The slight alteration to the opening of the film consequently affects how the rest of the film’s storyline pans
out. One of the biggest differences is the male hero within the fairy tale. In Walt Disney’s version, Flynn Rider, otherwise known as Eugene Fitzherbert, is a lovable rouge who is looking for somewhere to hide while on the run, and comes across Rapunzel’s tower. The characters meet and he agrees to help Rapunzel visit the float lights. In the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the male hero is a prince, who discovers Rapunzel by hearing her enchanting voice. He finds his way into the tower and the two characters meet. The two fall in love and plan how Rapunzel is to escape. Walt Disney obviously adapted the original Brothers Grimm Fairy tales to make them more child friendly and consequently increase his profits as a businessman. Looking back at my childhood favourites, they all have darker meanings behind the happily ever after. This makes me question what we allow young boys and girls to be influenced by. After researching deeper into the plots of Disney classics, I have noticed a great deal of sexism, especially towards the heroine of the animated film. The heroines are treated with little respect by other characters, and often men, in the films. I can only assume the reason for this is due to the period in which they were released. Fortunately, more recent films demonstrate a more modern desire to present empowered, active heroines. Anya J (Lower Sixth)
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ARTS & CULTURE
CONTROVERSY IN DANCE A VERY CONTROVERSIAL TIME IN DANCE WAS DURING THE 1950S. DANCE WAS VERY MUCH A PURSUIT FOR THE UPPER CLASSES AND CLASSICAL BALLET WAS THE MOST POPULAR DANCE AT THAT TIME. PEOPLE WERE USED TO SEEING PETITE, WHITE DANCERS PERFORMING THE BALLET. THEN ALONG CAME ALVIN AILEY WHO CHANGED THE FACE OF DANCE IN AMERICA.
There were few performing black dancers in America during the 50s and no ballet or contemporary dancers; and Ailey growing up in Texas and living with the discrimination and segregation all his life set out to change this. Ailey set up the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in 1958 to give black dancers a chance and give them work in order to make a living. He wanted to carry out his vision of a company dedicated to enriching American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience. Ailey, coming from an ancestry of black slavery, incorporated these stories into his dances. In his choreography there are clear messages of the hardship and pain
of the black people but also the strength and hope they had. Ailey was also a very religious man and shows images of the Holy Ghost and God in his choreography. The songs he choreographed to were gospel songs which reinforced his religious nature. Ailey’s Dance Theatre Company was controversial as it attracted all audiences to empathise with the history of black people in America and the dance movements were very different to what society was most familiar with, classical ballet. Ailey changed the face of dance in America and went on to be an ambassador for the country, touring the world with his Dance Company sharing his passionate works with the world.
A When you type the name “Banksy” into Google, it comes up with two subtitles: art and graffiti. However, when you click on each of these subtitles the same art work or graffiti is shown. So is his work graffiti as it is on the walls of the UK, or is it art because many of his works have harsh and quite startling meanings behind them? For instance, take his piece entitled “Slave Labour (Bunting Boy)”. It was on the wall of Turnpike Lane, Poundland store in Wood Green when it went
Martha M (Upper Sixth)
DEFYING DANCE POLITICS THE CLASSICAL BALLET WE WATCH AND TALK ABOUT HAS THE SAME VISUAL IMAGE, SLIM LIMBS, FINE LINES AND IS VERY PHYSICALLY DEMANDING FOR THE DANCER. WE HEAR HORROR STORIES ABOUT ANOREXIC BALLERINAS WITH BULLYING BALLET MASTERS, SOCIETY BROUGHT TO LIFE WHEN WATCHING FILMS SUCH AS “BLACK SWAN” OR “THE RED SHOES”. A recent television series called “Big Ballet” was aired on Channel 4, recently took on the challenge to transform the ballet world. Wayne Sleep, presenter of the programme, hoped to change people’s perceptions of ballet with a performance showing that it doesn’t matter what size you are to dance. The company people in the company ranged in age from 18 to 50 and dress sizes 18 to 26. Wayne sleep assembled the dancers to perform the classical ballet “Swan Lake”. After years of being told they are too big for ballet, it was quite uplifting when the dancers got their chance to perform. Even though it possibly won’t change the perspective of the ballet professionals or the way people think about ballet, it allowed the dancers to do something that they loved without being judged just by their size. It showed us that talent and passion have nothing to do with look, size or conventional perceptions. Emma W (Upper Sixth)
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ARTS & CULTURE
BANKSY:
ART OR GRAFFITI? missing a week after the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It was found being put up for auction in Miami for over $500,000 to $700,000 (approximately £323,000 to £450,000). The piece of work is of a barefooted boy sewing Union Jack bunting together, in what appears to be a sweat shop. The work is a comment on the suffering and hardship of children. Banksy created the piece to condemn the use of child labourers and to mock the (then) forthcoming Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It suggests hardship and never ending child labour
which gives this piece a sense of grief and change. The idea that it has morals and the internal motifs of thought implies that it is is a piece of art. Art, in the Collins Dictionary is said to be a piece of work of beauty or of special significance. “Slave Labour” is of special significance as it shows the development of human nature from child labour to children in education. However the piece can also be classed as graffiti. In the Collins Dictionary, graffiti is said to be drawings or words scribbled or sprayed onto a wall or poster. This piece is on a wall in the middle of
North London and Banksy’s style is to use spray paint and a stencil to get the precision and neatness of the lines. Now to some people this piece may be just a piece of wellcomposed graffiti. However, having considered both sides it can be argued that the purpose behind many of Banksy’s works is to make people think of how others are treated within society and whether our political and judicial systems are fair. Therefore as something of significance it can be classed as art. Catharine W (Upper Sixth)
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ECONOMICS
ARE DIAMONDS REALLY A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND?
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he question of whether we should mine in cold environments is one that is regularly discussed. There are many advantages to the practise and, like everything else, there are disadvantages too. So what are people actually mining? The answer is valuable minerals such as gold and diamonds, along with the extraction of oil. These are commodities that are essential to us in a 21st Century modern society, as we all know life would be difficult to live without oil. Not only that, but, in some cases, it would also have a major impact on the national economy. Let us begin by looking at the advantages of mining and extracting oil in cold environments. The main advantage is that the economic impact is huge; the mining companies can make considerably large profits. Also it can provide employment for the unemployed in the mining regions where other jobs are few and far between. Mining for coal, gold and other ores are valuable because they are useful in manufacturing useful consumer products. The country in which the mining takes place will also benefit from the taxes being paid by the companies conducting the mining and the revenue from exports. Some may say that it doesn’t matter if we mine in these cold environments because no one will see; however, even if no one can see the destruction there are still consequences.
to recover from. The Greenpeace activists were arrested by the Russian police and held in prison for 100 days. Six of the 30 activists were British. Should we agree with the activists, or do we think that Russia has a right to drill? Another issue we should think about is whether we should extract precious minerals that have been found in Greenland? The government in Greenland want to increase their mining industry, as only fishing and hunting are their big economic factors; nevertheless, the country is divided on opinion as the locals say it will ruin their beautiful landscape. One local said to the media that “People coming to Greenland are looking for something pure. It’s the last corner of the world not touched by pollution. If there is any kind of radioactivity in the area, they will not like it.” But the government are saying that Canada and France are doing it, so why can’t they? Furthermore, scientists say they have discovered compelling evidence that diamonds exist in the icy mountains of Antarctica. Whilst at the present time it is illegal to mine in Antarctica as its fragile ecosystem cannot be tampered with, scientists suggest that in the future new technology will advance and there will be a way to
extract the diamonds effectively. But for today there is mining happening all around the world in cold environments and the amount of removal of natural vegetation involved due to these activities is astounding. Not only is it a scar on the landscape but the wildlife suffer too. There is always the risk of oil spills and as we hear on the news they do occur even with our new technology. It takes years for the ecosystems to recover and sometimes the destruction caused by mining causes irreparable damage. To conclude, we can see that there are many advantages and disadvantages to mining in cold environments and it is understandably a controversial topic. The chief executives and people in charge of the mining operations should be educated to think carefully as to the cost to future generations. We must weigh up what is really important when mining in cold environments for more oil. Yes, expansion and development of new technologies is vital for progress, but this increase and demand for oil could be the beginning of the end of our planet and who do we blame for that? Harriet D (Lower Sixth)
When considering the disadvantages of mining in cold environments it is worth considering the events in Russia last November when Greenpeace activists protested about the Russian government allowing oil drilling to take part in the Arctic Sea. The Greenpeace activists were against it because they do not believe the Russian government have the correct technology to extract oil safely in these cold waters. If there was an oil spill it could lead to drastic issues which would be hard 14
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ECONOMICS
Is the money going into Space Exploration worth It?
The world’s space agencies spend billions of dollars a year on space exploration. Is this economically viable, or is the money better spent elsewhere? Space exploration has given rise to many new technologies, including the Internet, satellites and mobile phones. Exploring the universe educates us about how rare and isolated Earth is, and therefore encourages people to conserve the finite resources we have. NASAfunded research is also used to scan the skies in order to detect and monitor potentially dangerous asteroids. As the society we live in is becoming more and more dependent on technology, we
need more young people to study Mathematics and Science to a higher level in order to fill the new jobs available. The Apollo missions inspired a generation of students to carry on studying Mathematics and Science. Furthermore, space exploration endeavours to answer gargantuan questions such as “Are we alone in the universe?” and “How did the universe begin?” However, some people disagree with the volume of money going into space exploration. Arguably, there are a lot of problems on Earth that the money could be better spent on, such as aid for people in poverty and research into cures for disease.
exploration could solve a lot of Earth’s biggest quandaries. For example, there have been plans made to research into mining asteroids. If this is successful, then the resources on Earth will no longer be limited. Currently, the NASA budget represents approximately 0.7% of the US government’s budget of half a trillion dollars. This is a relatively small proportion of money which benefits everyone on Earth in different ways. Danielle S (Lower Sixth)
Although there are worthy causes on Earth that need our attention, the long term benefits of space PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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TALKING POINT
THE FRIGHTENING TRUTH OF OUR THROWAWAY SOCIETY How long have you had your current mobile phone? One month? Two months? A year? The average life of a mobile phone in 2013 was less than a year. After this short period of time the phone was thrown away and replaced by a new device. 34% of the phones were discarded simply because the owner wanted a new phone and this is becoming a major problem in today’s society. Every year or so a new iPhone is brought out, unveiled to the world in a frenzy of publicity and hysteria as people line the streets outside of Apple stores to get their hands on the brand new product. This phenomenon is not limited to iPhones but extends to other mobiles, tablets, laptops and games consoles and it is causing a global problem. The estimated amount of working electronic gadgets discarded every year is 5 million metric tonnes and this is the ultimate sign of our throwaway society. The average TV set contains £400 worth of copper and silicon, £80 of precious metals and £550 worth of reusable components, but 75% of functioning televisions are scrapped because they are considered “out of date” with little thought given to the material value of the object. A TV set has a material value of
over £1000 pounds, but less than 20% are recycled so they more often than not end up contributing to the 5 million metric tonnes of “e-waste”. Our reluctance to recycle electronics is causing huge problems on a global scale as the number of electronic devices mounts up. Due to the compound nature of electronics, many dangerous compounds are released during their breaking down and less than 22% of gadgets are recycled. And this is just the functional ones. Built-in or planned obsolescence is the idea that a product is designed to break or cease to work after a given period of time. The fact that this production model is currently used in the majority of large scale manufacturers around the world is undeniable and the social, economic and environmental impacts of this are devastating.
be 15 billion mobile phones. That will equate to 3 million metric tonnes of mobiles in five years discarded due to our desire for a newer model. Many mobile phones contain plastic components which do not break down, as do all electrical waste products. With the number of discarded gadgets on the increase, this causes a huge environmental headache. While there have been notable drives to increase the amount of electrical components recycled, there is still a major problem with the attitudes of many people towards electronics as something that can simply be thrown away; this is an attitude that needs to change in the near future to counter this potentially major environmental issue. Caitlin N (Lower Sixth)
66% of mobile phones have components which fail within the first two years of their use and, while this figure includes accidental damage, you have to agree that this figure is unacceptable. The combination of built-in obsolescence and the throwaway psyche in society means that the answer to my first question is probably no more than two or three years. There are an estimated six billion mobile phones in use on the planet and that number is on the rise. In the next five years it is estimated that there will
America – War Criminals? Droning is the use of an unmanned aircraft that can be navigated remotely. They can be navigated without human control, using devices such as GPS or by pilots based in control centres many miles away from the drones’ target. Drones can be used as spy aircraft, or they can be armed and have missiles attached to them. However, they are not always accurate in selecting their targets. America uses drones in its war against terror. It operates its drones from the 16
Nevada dessert to bomb locations in Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to the Bureau of Investigations, the use of American drones has killed between 2,5373,645 people, 416-951 of which have been reported as civilians and 180-200 of whom where children. However, the American definition of “civilian” is questionable, as many people have been killed and branded as “militants” and therefore not civilians, however, a “militant” has not been defined by America,
and many of these “militants” could also be innocent. Under the Obama Administration over 330 drone strikes have been reported, yet the effects of these drones are often unreported. Pakistan civilian deaths have reached large numbers, yet the average person reading this would not have heard of droning. Even though American drone strikes are reported in the Western media, often the causalities and death tolls released are not reliable. US administration
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TALKING POINT
Should capital punishment be abolished? Capital punishment is a much debated topic, with a pretty much split opinion; half of the population want to abolish it and the other half want to enforce it. But which opinion is the right one? There are many extremes to which people argue their points, some say we want to keep it but only for people who commit the most extreme crimes such as murder or rape. Others say that a lifetime of solitude imprisonment is more punishment. So is the death penalty the right solution? More than 15,000 people have been executed in the US alone. The practise goes back to colonial times and methods used today include the electric chair, and a lethal injection which shuts down the vital organs of the person injected. Over the centuries “Criminals” such as witches, pirates, murderers, or even slaves have all suffered by being put to death. So what are the main arguments for abolishment? Human rights play a big part in it, along with the effectiveness of death as a punishment. Some people believe that if we give the offender the satisfaction of a nice quick death we stoop down to their level, and that a more effective punishment could be life imprisonment in solitude. Solitude is basically them “living” in a cell, alone with barely anything which can drive almost
described civilian death tolls as “rare – in the single digits”. This statement conflicts with several investigations, claiming the civilian death toll has exceeded 1000 people. We are very aware of the damage and effects of the actions of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, but do we really understand the damage and effects of America’s actions? One victim, Sadaullah Wazir, a teenager, was severely injured in September 2009 in a drone strike on his grandfather’s home. He reports
anyone insane. There is a lack of human contact and days split up only by a 15 minute shower slot and 20 minutes for exercise. The phrase “once a killer always a killer” is used a lot by people in favour of the death penalty as they argue that if killers are ever released that they may kill again. But has this ever really been proven? Yes, in some specific cases the killer is mentally unstable so has the potential to re-offend, however, there is no solid scientific evidence that this is always the case. Some argue that if we use the death penalty we are murderers ourselves and in the same category as the person being put to death. Others argue that murder can be committed as a crime of passion or other highly emotional circumstance and as such people should be given the opportunity for rehabilitation.
“Before the drone strikes started, my life was very good. I used to go to school and I used to be quite busy with that, but after the drone strikes, I stopped going to school. Two missiles were fired at our hujra and three people died. My cousin and I were injured. We were having tea and then there were missiles. . . . When I gained consciousness, there was a bandage on my eye. I didn’t know what had happened to my eye and I could only see from one. Before the strike, my life was normal
Finally consider this; when a child is growing up, they might hang out with the wrong crowd, get into fights and steal, just small things like electronics or food, say they get caught and go to prison. When they get out of prison they have learnt some sort of lesson and for most this will probably put them off for a very long time, but say one child out of many gets out and happens to have a mental disorder and commits a more serious crime like murder? So they are put in prison again, however this time they are put on death row, what lesson does that individual learn? How can people like this be expected to be reformed and try and change if society teaches us that to fix a problem you must kill it, or just get it out of the way? Leina E (Year 11)
and very good because I could go anywhere and do anything. But now I am not able to do that because I have to stay inside, I live in fear.” Sadaullah lost both of his legs and an eye in the attack. Sadaullah is an innocent teenager. Is it justified that America can bomb his home? More people have died in the American drone attacks than 9/11. Should America be branded as war criminals, or are their actions justified in their quest for freedom? Elizabeth B (Lower Sixth) PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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HEALTH AND SCIENCE
IS PUBLIC HEALTHCARE THE WAY FORWARD? THE NHS WAS FOUNDED IN 1948 AND IS STILL TODAY A PUBLIC SERVICE FOR BRITISH CITIZENS. IT SEEMS AMERICANS ARE NOW LOOKING TO FOLLOW SUIT.
The US President, Barack Obama, has recently attempted to implement a new healthcare system which has already run into difficulty, with a failed website which left many Americans with no healthcare insurance. However, since December, The White House has said that there will be no more technical problems, and to prove its success on the day of its opening around two million Americans visited the site. The USA’s NHS, Obamacare, should be a signal to us that public healthcare is the way forward and we should be more supportive of the NHS. The USA is proof alone that from trying the two methods, it is clear that free healthcare is the better of the two. Although people complain about the NHS and its long waiting lists, would
we really be without it? Those that can afford private healthcare do; however, for the rest of us would healthcare be too great a financial burden? Nonetheless, it is equally arguable that the NHS requires updating and reform since it has become apparent that many operations granted by the NHS are not necessarily needed for survival. One could consider the cases involving faulty breast implants which the NHS were forced to remove from patients, despite the fact that they weren’t initially responsible for implanting them. It is situations such as this which clearly anger the average tax payer; however, is it not inevitable that a minority will abuse the system? The great majority do not undermine the NHS and in fact there are many success stories which separate our public health system from others.
For example, there are a number of grants offered to medical students which allow many a career in medicine that they otherwise may not have been able to afford. We must also consider the number of lives they have saved, and the close work they do with charities which have helped many families through hard times. Of course it’s easy to see pitfalls in any project, and those reporting on any kind of healthcare tend to see the glass as half empty rather than half full. It should be remembered that however lucky we are to have easy access to medical advice, especially when compared to poorer countries which subsequently see high mortality rates, and a genuine reason to see a half empty glass. Georgina W (Upper Sixth)
Embryonic Stem Cells Research (ESCR) Stem cells are the basic building blocks of life and have the potential to develop into any cell in the body, i.e. they are immature cells which haven’t yet specialised into other body cells, for example muscle cells, during early life and growth. These stem cells can also serve as an internal repair system that can divide to replenish other cells as long as the organism is still alive. Moreover, stem cells have the capability to renew themselves through cell division even after long periods of inactivity. There are two forms of stem cells found in animals and humans that have been most researched by scientists: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic “somatic” stem cells (found in adults). Perhaps the most important potential application of human stem cells is the generation of cells and tissues that could be used for cellbased therapies. For example, it may become possible to generate healthy 18
heart muscle cells in the laboratory and then transplant those cells into patients who have suffered heart attacks. Today, donated organs and tissues are often used to replace ailing or destroyed tissue, but the need for transplantable tissues and organs far outweighs the available supply. Stem cells therefore provide a renewable source of replacement cells to treat a wide range of diseases. This research is not without controversy. Issues include where to draw the line on ESCR. In truth, what divides the scientific and ethical views is whether embryonic stems represent people or property. Furthermore, proponents of ESCR often use the term pluripotent. This word implies that ESC cannot make or reform the outer layer of the embryo called the trophoblast which is required for implantation of the embryo into the uterus. Is pluripotent accurate terminology?
Can stem cells in a petri dish reform the trophoblast creating an implantable embryo of the originally sacrificed embryo? James Thomson, who was among the pioneers that first isolated and grew embryonic stem cells in the laboratory, says that the trophoblast can reform under certain conditions, so after months of continuous proliferation of the cells, implantable cloned human beings of the original embryo might be forming as the stem cells are grown in petri dishes. Stem cell research is regarded as taking the mystery and majesty out of the beginning of life and transforming it into a marketable commodity. This promises to be big business and offers huge financial rewards and prestige to the pioneers and biotech companies who master their secrets and harness the power of life through ESCR. Grace G (Upper Sixth)
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HEALTH AND SCIENCE
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS
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ver since genetically modified foods have been introduced there has been much controversy and discussion surrounding them due to economic, social and ethical issues concerning genetic engineering which need to be considered when making judgements about the use of them in science today. GM foods can produce larger, hardier, tastier and more nutritious foods. But are they safe? One GM food that has been developed is a type of rice. Scientists have added a gene to wolf rice that makes it produce beta carotene. This changes the colour of the rice to golden but it is also needed by humans to make Vitamin A. This could be used in areas where Vitamin A deficiency is common and can help prevent blindness which is commonly associated with Vitamin A deficiency. This could be beneficial to so many people as up to 500,000 children go blind due to Vitamin A deficiency every year. However there are fears that the new GM plant will crossbreed with and contaminate wild rice. Current worries are that GM organisms are harmful to humans as we are unsure about the long term effects. Many also think that the beta carotene levels are not high enough to make a difference in people’s diet. Though GM foods have these possible benefits we are still unsure if they are beneficial or if they could have serious harmful effects? Scientists have added genes to crop plants that make them resistant to herbicides. This therefore reduces the quantity of herbicides that need to be used which in turn saves money as less is bought. Although this could be beneficial to people and farmers there are some potential disadvantages of this genetic modification. Weeds could develop herbicide resistance and there would be a loss of biodiversity as fewer weed species survive as a food and shelter for animals. These GM foods will not just affect us but will affect animals as well. This will stop crop spraying, so our food will be cleaner and cheaper
“GM CROPS ARE SEEN AS VALUABLE AS THEY COULD GROW IN DRY CONDITIONS, SAVE MONEY FROM SPRAYING CROPS, THEY GIVE A HIGHER CROP YIELD AND KEEP WELL TOO, THEREFORE GM FOODS ARE CONSIDERED A GOOD THING.” but do these pressing issues outweigh the benefits? GM crops are seen as valuable as they could grow in dry conditions, save money from spraying crops, they give a higher crop yield and keep well too, therefore GM foods are considered a good thing. However, when you dig deeper you can see they are perhaps not as favourable as you may think. Some GM crops don’t form fertile seeds which means farmers, especially poorer farmers, are not able to keep seeds from previous year’s crops as they will have done in the past. They must now buy new seeds every year, which is more effort and more expensive. Bt corn is another example of a GM crop, however, unlike the golden rice which has more positive outcomes, Bt corn has many issues surrounding it. Bt corn was modified to make the corn toxic to caterpillars and the pollen from the modified plants might be fatal to the Monarch butterflies. Harmful side effects like the ones Bt corn has can have an effect on other organisms that live
with or depend on the organism that is genetically modified. In order for us to have these small benefits that come from GM crops we may have to destroy other animals to achieve it. Is the murder of these other animals and insects justified because of this? Genetically Modified crops will constantly have opposition there will always be people not satisfied with the current standard of GM crops. Though we may find a way to make them beneficial for the economy it still may have the social and ethical concerns following. Is it worth it? Yes they will be cleaner, last longer and may contain benefits now but in the long term could have horrible dangers. It costs more to farmers, kills animals, could mutate other plants and will reduce biodiversity. Should we really live in a world with GM crops? Surely we are evolved enough to see how damaging the issues are. Lisa B (Year 11)
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HEALTH AND SCIENCE
SHOULD WE BE TRYING TO CURE ALL DISEASES? IMAGINE LIVING IN A WORLD WITH NO HIV, MALARIA, CANCER, DIABETES, FLU OR EVEN THE COMMON COLD. IT SOUNDS IDEAL: THE THOUGHT OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE A MAGIC PILL THAT WOULD CURE YOU OF ANY DISEASE. HOWEVER, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK DEEPER INTO THIS, YOU WOULD SOON REALISE THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE THE MIRACLE THAT EVERYONE WOULD HOPE FOR, NOR WOULD IT HAVE THE IMMEDIATE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS THAT OTHERS MAY BE EXPECTING.
Eradication of disease would change the whole infrastructure of our world in relation to survival of the fittest, something that has occurred from day one. Without survival of the fittest we will not progress as animals and the arms race that we and our ancestors have been fighting would soon become of little worth. On top of this, our survival instinct would weaken substantially. This may not, however, have the catastrophic effects that one may think – throughout our time on this planet we have been searching for ways to cure and prevent diseases and if we look back in time to the New Stone Age (2,000BC) and compare it with 2014 we can see that a lot of progress has already been made in the eradication of diseases that once plagued us. In the New Stone Age we would be looking at a life expectancy of about 20 years which is quite a considerable difference to today, in which we would be expecting the average person to live for 80 years. With the progress that has been made, it is fair to say that there is still a significant amount of survival
instinct left in us. Racaniello, a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons made the statement that “people are already kind of artificial animals… We have these ways of intervening when people get sick, when otherwise they would have died and we would see some natural selection for people with more robust immune systems.” However, he further went on to comment that there is no need for natural immunity whilst doctors have a way of treating us. It is also important to consider whether diseases such as the common cold play any major factor within the evolutionary cycle; however, there is the theory that getting this disease regularly as a child may aid immunity later on in life against other stronger and more serious strains of “the cold”.
their 200s? With age increasing, more diseases/syndromes seem to be revealing themselves. Dementia would have been extremely uncommon thousands of years ago: people were only living to the age of 20 and the ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities is far more related to people over the age of 65. The curing of diseases would become a constant battle, not to mention financially draining to the healthcare system. If we are to cure all diseases, we must think about those that are far rarer: Cutis Laxa, a disorder of the connective tissue. This disease has only 200 reports of families suffering worldwide. Curing rare diseases, of course, is hugely important for those suffering, but where will we find all the money to fund research? How will we split resources between diseases such as cancer and those diseases that are far rarer?
If we were able to cure all diseases, what would be the average survival rate? Would it increase dramatically and lead to people living well into their hundreds? Would the oldest person soon become someone in
It is fair to say that it is an issue that has no right or wrong solutions and one that will run and run. Catherine K (Lower Sixth)
“PEOPLE ARE ALREADY KIND OF ARTIFICIAL ANIMALS… WE HAVE THESE WAYS OF INTERVENING WHEN PEOPLE GET SICK, WHEN OTHERWISE THEY WOULD HAVE DIED AND WE WOULD SEE SOME NATURAL SELECTION FOR PEOPLE WITH MORE ROBUST IMMUNE SYSTEMS.” 20
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The Fundamentality of Controversy Often controversy in mathematics is considered to be a bad thing. Having a contradiction in a correct calculation would show us a fundamental flaw in our understanding of mathematics and would potentially leave the subject in ruins. However; in society, controversy is a natural state something may take before becoming accepted or normal and academia is no exception. Mathematics in itself, however; is one of the only subjects we can be sure is free from the potential to be tainted by human imperfection. Mathematics simply cannot be manipulated to suit the mathematician or “agree” with a certain hypothesis because mathematics is based on undisputable universal truths. However; not every problem can be solved, some mathematical problems are beyond the mathematics we have and are accepted to have been proved as unsolvable by the mathematical community. This does not exclude it from controversy though. Not long ago, a group of mathematicians claimed to have proved that the sum of all the natural positive numbers (1,2,3,4,5,6…) totals -1/12, this was an announcement that created much controversy in the mathematical community. However, after the proposed proof was published, flaws were found and it was disproved. Without the scrutiny of the many mathematicians who checked the suggested idea we would have continued under the impression that this was true, potentially something that could later have been damaging to the understanding we are able to accomplish. This is one of countless times where controversy has positively impacted mathematics and provided the “safety net” that stops us from regressing in academia. This example also shows us that even the most famous and experienced mathematicians may
be taken in by by an incorrect proof so it is important that anyone can gain access to the proof to check for themselves. By doing this we know that the problem will be approached from all angles, and will be checked countless times significantly reducing the chance there is a mistake. Furthermore, I think it is important that we find these problems and attempt to solve them, even if at first what we conclude is wrong, because it is this process that interests, inspires and progresses todays mathematicians. I would argue that in order for mathematics to retain its integrity we must continually debate and question what we are presented with. This is instrumental in any further progression as it allows us to be sure that what we build on is correct. If we were to accept a conjecture that turned out to be false it could be to the detriment of years of research and set us back considerably in the search for knowledge. However; there have been many examples of in history where mathematicians have built up volumes of knowledge based on doubtable conjectures that were yet to be proved. This is a controversial approach as potentially the conjecture may be proved wrong which would discredit anything that
relied on it. An example of this was in the 20th Century when mathematicians created whole sections of mathematics that were reliant on the Taniyama-Shimura conjecture being true. At the time it was unproven, but luckily in 1995 Andrew Wiles proved the conjecture, which subsequently proved all new conjectures that had been made around it. One conclusion that can be drawn from this is that controversy and doubt are the pillars of modern academia as they allow mistakes and queries to be identified and solved, therefore allowing our field of knowledge to expand without falsities tainting any areas we explore. “Archimedes will be remembered when Aeschylus is forgotten, because languages die and mathematical ideas do not. ‘Immortality’ may be a silly word, but probably a mathematician has the best chance of whatever it may mean.” G.H. Hardy Tara S (Year 11)
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EDUCATION
Is the investment into female education the best long term investment or do boys offer a better value? The resources for education in developing countries are incredibly scarce and therefore difficult choices need to be made in how money should be invested. In developing countries, research shows that girls are very likely to have one child, and possibly more, by the age of 18.
This research is supported by the World Health Organisation which suggests that over one in three girls give birth every year in poorer countries. By the time those girls are 18, they are likely to go on to raise children and run households and possibly manage crop production in order for the family to eke out a subsistence living. So, given this predictable vicious circle for girls, which precludes them taking advantage of greater educational opportunities, it could be argued that education for boys could be seen as more beneficial as they are more likely to seek employment than girls in poorer conditions. In the cold reality of deciding how such scant resources for schooling should be spent, it might seem genuinely difficult to argue that any investment in female education, particularly at the expense of boys, is the best use of such limited finances? Indeed over 60% of children interviewed 22
in India for “Plan”, an international children’s charity, agreed that “if resources are scare, then it is better to educate a boy instead of a girl.” However, this argument could be seen as polemic because, organised in an effective way, studies show unequivocally that education for girls has the potential to be one of the most powerful tools in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. It is not, in fact, that girls do not have the potential to thrive in education, rather that potential is not released because cultural and short-term economic pressures condemn them to early marriage and thus to an early pregnancy by the culture in which they are raised. For instance, every year 10 million girls are coerced into a marriage and are not allowed to be educated; it is a global disgrace that some 65 million girls are out of school worldwide. If this negative cycle
could be broken and girls were to marry and have children later in their life, the outcome would be significant and economic benefits for both their families; one extra year of school boosts a girl’s future wages by 10 - 20 percent and gaining an education dramatically reduces child marriage. In addition to this, statistics show that in developing countries 70% of a girl’s income spent on the family compared to 20% income of a boy. Research further shows that a girl with seven years of education will marry four years later and have 2.2 fewer children. In addition, significant economic benefits could be realised by the countries in which the girls live. Indeed, an increase of only 1% in girls secondary education attendance, adds 0.3% to a country’s GDP, because girls education directly impacts productivity levels and participation rates in the labour force; thus education could be
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“STUDIES SHOW UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT EDUCATION FOR GIRLS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL TOOLS IN BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF POVERTY.” seen as a vital contributor to building a stronger economy. For agrarian communities, four years of schooling may increase farmers’ annual productivity by 9%. In the short term, a girl receiving education is growing her own skill set – both professionally and socially as education empowers girls, and later as women, by introducing new ways of thinking about traditions and issues and helps a girl to feel respected and potentially be respected by others. Plan UK’s extensive research across a wide range of developing countries indicates very strongly that focusing on girls education is the single most effective way to improve the lives of individual families and to reverse the cycle that would bring them out of poverty, raising the economic and developmental prospects for their own families subsequently. Girls who are educated are less likely to be exploited, less likely to fall victim to trafficking and less likely to be infected with HIV. The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS states that: “If every child received a complete primary education, at least seven million new cases of HIV could be prevented in a decade.” Furthermore, it establishes a positive cycle where
educated women are more likely to have educated, healthy children of their own. In addition, education lowers infant, child and maternal mortality rates, as each additional year of female education is calculated to reduce child mortality by 18 cases in every 1000. In conclusion, as the UNESCO report remarks, children whose mothers have no education are twice as likely to be out of school as children whose mothers have some education. Uneducated women also have higher fertility rates, lower opportunities for financial independence and earning power, increased rates of HIV/AIDS, and higher infant, child and maternal mortality rates. The key to reversing the cycle of poverty and raising families beyond subsistence living is through greater investment into female education rather than less. Girls’ education then, isn’t just an economic issue which would improve the earnings potential in the long term. Investment in girls has the transforming power to lift families out of poverty. Girls’ education is an absolute investment into the future which extends from families to communities and then to countries; ultimately it is an investment in life over death. Diva D (Lower Sixth)
WE SHOULD ALL LEARN CHINESE! THE LANGUAGE OF CHINESE IS BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST USED LANGUAGES IN THE WORLD. THIS IS NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING CHINESE POPULATION, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE FASTGROWING ECONOMY IN CHINA. KNOWING HOW TO SPEAK CHINESE SEEMS TO HAVE BECOME AN IMPORTANT SKILL TO HAVE. IT IS RECOGNISED THAT SPEAKING CHINESE CAN BE ONE OF THE MANY SKILLS THAT INCREASES THE COMPETITIVENESS OF STUDENTS WHEN THEY ENTER THE JOBS MARKET, AFTER UNIVERSITY. THEREFORE, SCHOOLS SHOULD PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS WITH THE ABILITY TO SPEAK CHINESE ALONGSIDE FRENCH, SPANISH AND GERMAN.
中文逐漸變成世界 上最多人使用的語 言之一。原因並不 是只有中國人口極 速增長，中國正在 快速成長的經濟也 是主因。能使用中 文已經成為一種重 要技能。當學生踏 入社會時，中文可 以加強學生的競爭 能力。因此，除 法 ` 德` 西班牙 文外，學校也應該 教導它的學生們中 文，為將來準備。 Sammi M (Upper Sixth)
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ARTS AND CULTURE
“THE TRAVELLERS” A REVIEW
On Friday 22 November, I went to see the Pipers Corner School production. It’s something I always look forward to whether performing or just as a member of the audience. This year having not been involved at all I didn’t know what to expect, all I had been told was that it was “different”. I was apprehensive. As we arrived we were greeted by singing gypsies dancing around a campfire by a caravan. We entered the hall as usual to find the cast running around
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singing, dancing, chatting, and playing games. For a split second I thought that maybe they hadn’t realised that the audience were beginning to arrive! To be honest I really didn’t know what to think of it. It wasn’t until the show actually started that I came to the conclusion it was all a piece of creative brilliance not just a group of hooligans dancing around. The performance was absolutely fantastic. It was exactly as I had been told…different.
It made me immensely proud to see some of my best friends taking on lead roles within the cast and of course my sister, who I know has a passion for Drama quite clearly having the time of her life up on stage. When the show finished I could see there wasn’t a single person in the room without a smile on their face. It was definitely something we are all going to remember for years to come. Millie S (Lower Sixth)
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IS RELIGION DAMAGING? A transcript of a Pipers Corner Senior debate Religion is certainly not damaging in many respects, especially considering the founder of Christianity – Jesus Christ – who was a revolutionary, striving for good in every way. Being a pacifist he said people should “love thy neighbour,” no matter the circumstance. For example, when an adulteress was being stoned for her sin, Jesus turned to the stoners and said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” At once, these stoners felt ashamed and dropped their stones. Even though people disapproved of his peaceful ways, Jesus persevered in promoting non-damaging religion and gained much success in followers, until the power-paranoid Romans forced him to sacrifice himself on the cross rather than fighting fire with fire. In the midst of being beaten, he cried to the Lord “forgive them for they do not know what they do.” What an incredibly inspiring source of peace to all – even to the non-religious - that is certainly not damaging. I’d firstly like to address a fatal flaw in my opponent’s argument. The title of the debate is that “religion” is damaging. The concept of “religion” predates Christianity by thousands of years, however; if my opponent wishes to limit her argument to merely one limb on the proverbial “religious body” I shall not object. My opponent began with the examples set forth by Christ: a Palestinian who lived thousands of years ago, thousands of miles away, whose adventures are told through a book written years after his death by his supporters, who have everything to gain from Jesus looking good. Is it in any way logical that we should base our decisions, or worse: our children’s, on the morals laid down by a Roman terrorist? I for one can offer my child many role models who offer the same lessons, without the hypocritical preaching thrown into the mix. I also find objection with my opponent’s idea that, by getting himself crucified, Christ is all the more a role model 26
for our children. Surely we do not want to raise our children to believe that actions of acceptance, peace and tolerance are met, by my opponent’s own admission, with violence and “disapproval”. Thus, religion is damaging. Of course, the concept of religion has been a part of our society for as long as we can remember, with the earliest written records conveying a belief in religion. Throughout time, Jesus is one extraordinary figure amongst thousands worldwide who, by
“THROUGHOUT TIME, JESUS IS ONE EXTRAORDINARY FIGURE AMONGST THOUSANDS WORLDWIDE WHO, BY RELIGIOUS MEANS, HAVE PROMOTED PEACE.” religious means, have promoted peace. But what my opponent fails to realise is that Christian peace is only a minor factor amongst an entire spectrum of non-damaging aspects to religion. Consider the freedom fighter Gandhi, along with the anti-segregation revolutionaries such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, to name a few! Although religion has been used as an excuse to initiate war, it has stopped just as many, if not more, with figures such as this. As for Jesus being a Roman terrorist - I believe this is taking Jesus’ position in society to an illogical extreme. This is hypocritical, considering my opponent so patronisingly disregarded the teachings of Jesus as being “illogical.” Much like my opponent, the Romans failed to understand that a terrorist is actually defined as someone who has bad intentions, being determined to earn power. Evidence suggests Jesus had good intentions, using his humble nature to inspire kindness amongst
humankind – not to satisfy a greed for power, emphasising that religion is not damaging. Biblical evidence tells us that the Roman man who was responsible for Jesus’ death – Pontius Pilot – reluctantly authorised the crucifixion of Jesus under pressure from a relentless crowd. John’s Gospel tells us that Pontius Pilot actually agreed with Jesus’ teachings and wanted him to be released from custody. My opponent’s argument thus far is not dissimilar to a poorly thatched roof: charming in its traditionality but unable to hold water. Ironically the very same liquid that Pontius Pilate uses to “wash his hands” of Jesus, teaching children everywhere about how, when condemning an innocent man to a painful death, purely due to a little peer pressure, it’s better to publically denounce him through a symbolic display of personal hygiene, rather than to stand by your own sense of integrity and intervene. Surely the idea that it is acceptable to mould your morals on the mood of the crowd is a damaging one? Secondly, I find it laughable that my opponent has chosen figures such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela as the perfect followers of Christian teaching. Is this the same Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela who both had affairs? I will never claim to be an expert in all Christian teaching like my opponent, but from the brief indoctrination I received at primary school, I seem to remember the concept of marriage as being a “sacred” one? After a quick leaf through my Old Testament, I see that “Thou shalt not commit adultery” is commandment number seven: not quite top five but jolly good by X Factor standards. Now I am not for one moment suggesting that both these men’s contributions were not great ones: both changing thousands of lives, undoubtedly, for the better. Nonetheless, I can present hundreds of men and women who are not followers of religion,
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who have also done good, if not greater things. James Watson and Anthony Crick, co-discoverers of DNA - one of the most remarkable breakthroughs in the history of science - were both nonbelievers. Their contribution to science has allowed knowledge of genetic conditions to, not so much blossom as explode over the last half century, saving millions of lives and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why my child shall have a poster of that globally recognized double helix-structure on their wall, not a man with thorns wrapped around his head. I would firstly like to address my opponent’s false accusations that my debate is narrow, focusing mainly on the Christian aspects to religion. However observant my opponent is, she fails to recognise my reference to a “few” of the many great religious figures (from different denominations) when there are so many others from a diverse range of religions. As much as I would like to win people over by listing these out, unfortunately we do not have the room to provide all examples of how religion is not damaging because it is just too good! Thus I will indulge in naming a few, but this time I will acknowledge those from a variety of religions such as Buddha and Albert Einstein who was Jewish. The example of Einstein shows that it is possible for the brilliance of both religion and science to
THE EXAMPLE OF EINSTEIN SHOWS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE BRILLIANCE OF BOTH RELIGION AND SCIENCE TO COMBINE INTO CREATING ANYTHING BUT THE DAMAGING, combine into creating anything but the damaging, contrary to my opponent’s assertions. Although I would never go as far as to argue that religion is the only source of good, it is undoubtedly the base of
morality’s very existence. Hinduism – the oldest religion - was created 4000 years ago, and its Holy Book – the Vedas – contained a great number of morals. The Bible itself was created 2000 years ago and is still in use. Undeniably, it is not era dependent due to the goodness and order it brings to societies, with commandments such as, “Do not kill” being used in our laws today, most probably inspiring a mixture of atheists and theists to implement these. This is why all religions are argued to have a “common core” and much of this core is responsible for the best elements of society. Finally my opponent has managed to stumble into what the debate is actually about. So, let’s talk religion. I confess, I very unattractively scoffed at my opponent’s assertion that religion is the “base of morality’s very existence”. How absurd. Tell me, my worthy, idealistic opponent, where was the “morality” when religion decided to endorse Honour killings, stoning, blood sacrifices, genital modifications and mutilations, Holy wars and religious terrorism? If religion is truly “not damaging”, then why do 82% of the British people believe that religion is socially divisive and that this effect is harmful? If religion truly brings “good and order” to society, why did a study in 1998 find “140 instances of child fatality due to religion-based medical neglect”, most of the cases involving religious parents relying on prayer to cure the child’s disease, and withholding medical care? My opponent may believe that religion is “just too good” to offer any true detail to her argument, but what if I asked Sir Elton John, who believes that “organised religion promotes the hatred of homosexuals”. What if I asked the two Iranian men, aged just 16 and 18, who, in July 2005, were publicly hanged for homosexuality just because they were living in a Muslim country? What if I asked the little Islamic girl on the eve of her ninth birthday, when her religion, as of tomorrow, permits her marriage to men older than her grandfather? Would my opponent like to explain to the Islamic 10 year old girl who was
married and raped in Yemen, a Muslim country, why her 12 year old friend had to die in childbirth? Can my opponent truly claim that religion isn’t damaging when it is wielded like a sword by corrupt or immoral leaders, suppressing scientific progress as well as art and literature? Finally, although I congratulate my opponent’s attempt to widen the debate to include figures from other denominations, I confess my disappointment that, when choosing a Jewish scientist to indicate how science and religion could work in harmony, she opted for a man who, although believing in a superior power, did not believe in organised religion as, according to Einstein “the unaltered Jewish religion, like all other religions, is an incarnation of the most primitive superstitions.” I’ll just let that soak in. To conclude, religion is ultimately not damaging as it promotes having an open-mind with religious figures - such as those I have mentioned – positively impacting on our world with their revolutionised thinking. Do you like cake? Taking into account of the way my opponent is debating so far, she would take away all things, such as cake, that bring good and bad. But I think, people have the common sense to recognise that despite the fact that cake can be unhealthy, in moderation, it is delicious and brings great nostalgia. And yes, similarly, religion has been misused as my opponent referenced, and taking the example of terrorists, they misuse religion. This does not mean religion is damaging in every circumstance. This is rather a case of cultural differences, with Islamist groups in the Middle East demonstrating their narrowminded ways in many other aspects to their society, including in their treatment of women. It is rather the people, not religion itself, which are damaging, who use religion as an excuse for their bad behaviour. They need to reform their attitudes, and refrain from proposing notions that are contrary to their own core religious beliefs. It is often such hypocritical attitudes that lead to damaging acts. Furthermore, PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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the scientific world which my opponent appears to treasure so much can be equally misused due to those who use unethical scientific experiments as an excuse for perfecting the evolution of the human race. This includes the malformed animals created from cloning and experimenting with drugs on humans that on one occasion, fatally caused their heads to enlarge. So I encourage the optimists and those who raise their glasses half full - to believe that religion is not damaging. I am trying to contain my laughter. I tried my darndest to continue my opponent’s patisserie-related anecdote; imagine my surprise when I failed to find any account of the overconsumption of cake leading to the systematised, frenzied and merciless butchery of non-cakeeaters. Never, to my knowledge, have patrons of Greggs the Bakers, sailed in great numbers to new lands to wage wars against generations of unsuspecting biscuit supporters; however, I can find plenty of examples of that happening with religious people. I would like to start with Crusades one through nine, swing though the India/Pakistan border, Europe from 1524 – 1648, and end, closer to home, in Northern Ireland. So, now I have shown my opponent’s cake metaphor to be at best: half-
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baked and, frankly, patronising and evasive, let us return to discussing religion. I fear that my opponent will always stick with her religious convictions, as is, of course, her right, seeming to claim that the entire concept of peace came about through religion, and that a world without it would be a darker, more threatening, place. And perhaps it would be. Perhaps, without the warm embrace of an omnipotent protector we would feel alone and afraid. But, whilst it may allow you some sense of safety and belonging, using this omnipotent protector as a threat, to be held over the heads of misbehaving children and “outsiders” is morally wrong. To divide up the human race into exclusive little groups and argue about which of us most deserves to live forever, whilst declaring that anyone who believes anything different is less worthy, is disgusting. Why is a supposedly “peace-loving” practice drowning in the blood of thousands of innocent people of all ethnicities, nations, ages and sexual preferences? Whilst religion may offer its followers comfort and support, what it inflicts on anyone that falls outside the circle of religious belief is pain, insecurity and self-
WHY IS A SUPPOSEDLY “PEACE-LOVING” PRACTICE DROWNING IN THE BLOOD OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE OF ALL ETHNICITIES, NATIONS, AGES AND SEXUAL PREFERENCES? loathing. How can anyone argue that religion is harmless when it encourages even one human being to feel any less worthy or important than another? I return to a man my opponent heralded earlier in her speech to close mine. In the words of Albert Einstein “Sometimes I think it would have been better if Jesus had never lived. No name was so abused for the sake of power!” Zakiya G (Upper Sixth) and Hannah E (Upper Sixth)
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DOES FASHION HAVE A PRICE? OVER 1,100 DEAD. ABOUT 2,500 PEOPLE INJURED. DO YOU REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT THE BANGLADESH EIGHT STORY GARMENT FACTORY BUILDING COLLAPSE IN 2013? IT’S NOT JUST THE VICTIMS WHO SUFFERED; FAMILIES MINUS ONE MEMBER MAY FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. ONE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT YOU REALISED THAT POPULAR BRANDS SUCH AS MANGO AND PRIMARK WERE SOURCING THEIR CLOTHES FROM THAT DESPICABLE FACTORY.
You may be wondering why those saddening facts have just been thrown at you and if they are of any use. The message is that the fatalities were preventable! Khandkar, the head of a government committee investigating the disaster, said “substandard building materials, combined with the vibration of the heavy machines used led to the horrific collapse.” It gets worse: the building developed cracks a day before the collapse. The owner, Rana, called engineer Khan to inspect it, who appeared on television that night and told Rana that the building should be evacuated. However, Rana told people the building was safe and factory workers were ordered to go back inside, hours before the collapse. That’s right, one selfish person (who is now in prison) decided the fate of thousands of people.
If we continue to invest in clothes made in factories like these, then the clothes will continue to be made in the same way and history has a chance of repeating itself. Is that what you want? If it doesn’t take another tragedy like this to push people to make changes, then what will? Next time you buy a top, have a think about the person who is sat behind the sewing machine, in cramped conditions for long hours, to stitch together your pretty new garment. The person who may even be in the UK and “worked up to 12 hours a day for £3.50 an hour”, as claimed by a recent undercover BBC investigation. Again, what can you do about this? Ignorance is not an excuse. We all could do with appreciating what we have a lot more and it would be well-mannered if we checked out the labels in our clothes and did a little research on our new iPhones
to find out if they were made in humane conditions. Don’t stop there! Don’t buy the clothes if you find they were made in inhumane conditions, or you are suggesting that those conditions, like the Bangladesh factory, are moral. Neil Kearney, International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation argues that, “There’s no such thing as cheap clothing; somebody has to pay.” Is this true? Have you heard about TRAID? Why not give it a quick Google search? I urge you to recycle old clothes. Donate them to charity shops and TRAID can help, thereby not wasting the clothes that workers bent over backwards to produce. A last little thought, have you thought about upcycling your clothes? If you don’t know what that means, it might be a good idea to look it up! Hannah W (Lower Sixth) PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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ECONOMICS
IS MATHEMATICS RELEVANT IN 2014? THE CHANCES OF YOU ENDING UP IN A JOB THAT REQUIRES YOU TO USE SIN, COS AND TAN EVERY DAY, OR KNOW ALL SIX CIRCLE THEOREMS IS VERY SMALL. HOWEVER, YOU WILL USE MATHEMATICS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. FROM THE MOST SIMPLE PROBLEMS LIKE MAKING SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH CHANGE FOR THE BUS, TO DECIDING WHETHER THOSE PAIR OF SHOES THAT ARE IN THE SALE ARE ACTUALLY A BARGAIN.
Another example is when you go out for a meal with friends. You probably don’t think about it, but the owner works out the cost of meals by calculating how much the raw ingredients will be, the wages of the staff and other overheads such as rent of the premises. These costs are put against the number of customers they are expecting, to in the end hopefully come out with a profit. Even after you have placed your order the mathematics involved with your meal continues. The chef uses ratios and proportions, to ensure that the food is cooked to a good standard, and to ensure that all the food is ready at the same time. Then there are other everyday problems like booking a holiday with friends in the summer to
celebrate the end of exams. You have to factor in everyone’s budget and then work out what is the best deal possible for that price. There is the rating of the specific hotel you are planning to stay at, ratings are worked out with averages, and you have to know whether they are reliable or swayed by anomalies. Then once the holiday is booked you need to divide up the price so everyone pays an equal amount. There is also the working out of flight times and which ones give you the maximum time at your destination. So it is absolutely possible to argue that Mathematics is relevant to everyone and a skill that we should all strive to master. Emma S (Upper Sixth)
Is the Chinese economy really taking over the world? THE CHINESE ECONOMY IS THE FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY IN THE WORLD AT THE MOMENT. AT THIS RATE, IT CAN BE SEEN THAT THE CHINESE ECONOMY IS TAKING OVER THE WORLD. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONLY JUST ON THE SURFACE OF THE TRUTH. IN FACT, THIS RAPID GROWTH IS FUNDAMENTALLY BASED ON BORROWING. The central government of China has delegated power to local authorities to develop the cities. This has led to the increasing amount of building and reconstruction in these cities. But where does all this finance come from? The answer is the bank. The Chinese government has encouraged the banks to allow as much borrowing as possible and not to worry about the consequences. As a result, no one yet knows how much exactly has been borrowed. To make the problem worse, there has also been a rise in “shadow banking”. This is another pathway for the local authorities to borrow finance. To conclude, the Chinese economy seems to be based on borrowing. It is questionable whether the Chinese economy can pay back all their borrowing; if not, the whole Chinese economy may collapse. It is hard to say whether the Chinese economy is actually taking over the world as the Chinese economy has always been unpredictable; nevertheless if the Chinese economy did collapse, the rest of the world would definitely be affected. Sammi M (Upper Sixth)
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AQUILA 2013 - 2014
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ARTS AND CULTURE
THE PRESSURE ON MEN IN THE MEDIA
W
e are always hearing that women are subjected to victimisation due to the fact that the mass media pressures us into believing we need to adapt ourselves to fit a desirable and expected mould. Are we aware that we only make up 50% of the population? Why do we, as women, never look at the other 50% of our population? It is reasonable to question why women are assumed to be more impressionable and are portrayed as being more oppressed by the mass media than men. In “Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity” by Jackson Katz, he attempts to prove that women are not alone in feeling pressured by the mass media to fit certain gender moulds. While women are
supposedly forced to believe that being slim and feminine are the paths to happiness, men similarly have stereotypes to fulfil. The hegemonic masculine characters include dominance, physical strength and risk taking; however, it is apparent that not all males will respond to the stereotype accordingly. Men’s magazines and advertisements often contain images of what the mass media defines as “masculine.” From an early age, boys are taught to be tough and physical. The mass media create and reinforce gender stereotypes in a number of ways; for example, the boys are often depicted as superheroes in comics, who will rescue their desired girl which reinforces the concept of dominance and independence. Harry Brod, a philosopher concerned with studies into masculinity, describes the “real man” as being “physically strong, aggressive, and in control
“ARE WE AWARE THAT WE ONLY MAKE UP 50% OF THE POPULATION? WHY DO WE, AS WOMEN, NEVER LOOK AT THE OTHER 50% OF OUR POPULATION?”
of their work.” Along with being in control and powerful, male driven advertisements depict “violent male icons.” Taking this into consideration, how is it possible that men are completely resilient to the mass media and the stereotypes they should abide by? The answer is, they aren’t. Male bodies are now emerging in advertising as sex objects to sell products, in much the same way women’s bodies seem to have always been used. New emerging masculine identities are becoming more concerned with appearance. This view is supported by the fact that 8% of surgery is now carried out on men and the proportion is rising, with the growing use of face lifts, nose jobs and tummy tucking. An Observer and Nivea for Men survey in 2004 found that 83% of men were extremely interested in their own appearance, and 21% admitted that they were on a diet. These statistics would suggest that perhaps the mass media does play a role in how men now see themselves. We are typically only aware of women being undermined in the media; however, it is becoming more apparent that men respond to the media as well. Not only do men simply worry about appearance, there is also a growing rate in anorexia and other eating disorders which contradicts the stereotypical view of it only being women that suffer with eating disorders. One could argue that the society we are immersed in today still rejects the changing of stereotypes. For men, who are traditionally bound to the stereotypes of being rational and practical, it is becoming exceedingly difficult for them to express concerns about themselves due to the mass media. It could be argued that this is because society struggles to allow each gender to stray away from what is expected of them; unfortunately, this eventually has consequences and causes great strain for men who do not necessarily feel they can express how or what they feel. Sarah B (Lower Sixth) PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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ARTS AND CULTURE
CONTROVERSIAL PLAYS
WHAT IS ART?
any plays have 1906 because theatres considered been received in it too controversial and unsuitable controversial ways for audiences. and have caused “A Children’s Hour”, by Lillian uproar among Hellman, (1934) is a drama about a society; however, small girl who starts a rumour that today we have the two teachers who run a school a much more open mind about are in a relationship. They are both what is being put in front of us. For women therefore this brings up the example, when we look at Ibsen’s taboo subject of homosexuality. “A Doll’s House” (1879), a play that The topic was so frowned upon follows a 20th century housewife by society that it was banned who decides to leave her husband in Chicago, Boston and London. and children, the play ends with The two teachers are not in any her banging the door of her house way engaging in a relationship, with her husband and children but the rumour confuses one of on the inside. At the the teachers and time the play was she feels that her written, society was in “THERE ARE MANY friendly love for her outrage about how a MOMENTS OF friend is something wife could possibly do more. In a stressed, CONTROVERSY IN this to her husband exhausted and and children. However THEATRE BECAUSE confused moment what people didn’t she confesses her IT IS A WAY OF consider was the romantic feelings. position the wife was SHOWING SOCIETY Her friend responds in - suffocated in a by saying that she ISSUES WHICH house where she had is out of her mind, THEY MAY NOT no voice or freedom. simply tired and she We may argue that must rest. This leads OTHERWISE HAVE an audience today to the climactic CONSIDERED.” wouldn’t be so moment of the play shocked - it is now when instead of “just another divorce” going to lie down - however, in the late 1800s, it she goes off stage and shoots caused such controversy that Ibsen herself. The play caused outrage was forced to write another ending. and high levels of controversy; Theatre pushes boundaries, evokes however, it has led to more modern heated conversation and can even (and equally controversial) plays, incite public uproar. such as: “Angels in America” by
I think what is considered to be Art has now got out of hand. Artists are producing successful pieces that even amateurs could produce. Some are so abstract that even babies could produce the work! For example, a piece by Mark Rothko sold for £17 million and I think everyone at Pipers would be capable of creating it. It is just rectangles painted onto a different shaded background. How is work like this deemed acceptable to be classed as Art and to be displayed in galleries?
M
“Spring’s Awakening”, by Frank Wedekind, stands for the rights of young people and switches the stereotypical ‘terrible teenager’ role and the ‘parent is always right’ roles around. This means the adolescents (who are also the main characters of the play) are youthful, likable and naïve whereas the adult characters are stubborn and ignorant: they are everything society believes a teenager is. The adults take charge, using shame and anger instead of being compassionate and open towards their children, which affects the children badly. The play was written in Germany in the late 1800s; however, it was not performed until
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Tony Kushner, “Torch Song Trilogy” by Harvey Fierstein, “Bent” by Martin Sherman and “The Laramie Project” by Moisés Kaufman. These plays are just a few examples of controversial plays; however, there are many moments of controversy in theatre because it is a way of showing society issues which they may not otherwise have considered. Theatre may push boundaries, evoke heated conversation, or even public arguments, but it can teach us to be more open to different topics and make us think before we act.
I believe there should be a meaning behind some work which is clear to the viewer, it certainly isn’t with these paintings and with a lot of others. Marcel Duchamp is famous for his urinal which is considered to be art and this is even more surprising because nothing artistic has been done to it, yet it still features in very respectable galleries. Another piece by Duchamp is a plain piece of a white background with a black circle painted on it. This piece sold for approximately £1 million. A recent survey by the BBC showed that the average person spends approximately £1.5 million in their life time and this could be made by simply painting a black circle. If you were Duchamp, you might never have to work again! Should one painting really be worth £150 million? I think that however impressive a painting may be, it should never be worth such a huge sum. Paul Cezanne is the artist that earned this extortionate amount from one painting alone. His one painting alone is worth enough money to support 100 people for a lifetime. What is art, and should we really be able to give it a “price tag”? Gemma U (Upper Sixth)
Rebecca J (Lower Sixth) and Amreen B (Lower Sixth)
THE AQUILA 2014 - 2015
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
LETTERS TO THE EDITIOR
D
ear Madam,
I am writing to you to outline my concerns about the role of women in business. Every day there is evidence of the business world becoming increasingly controlled by men. It is my view that women feel they must emulate men in the workplace and suppress their feminine side in order to achieve success. The situation is spiralling out of control, with a widening gender pay gap, increasing harassment charges in the workplace and an increasing need for women to focus more on their strategy to achieve success than on success itself. Maria Miller, former Minister for Women and Equalities, published an action plan in November 2013, in which she outlined the need to “harness female talent” and “maximise competitiveness”. There is growing evidence that women focus much more on the long term implications of their career and business decisions. Recent studies from the University of Cambridge and the University of Pittsburgh suggest that women take less risks than men and give more consideration to the whole family picture and how this will be affected by their work. This can make women appear less competitive, but their versatility and balance should be seen as positive rather than negative qualities. It is my view that Ms Miller’s action plan is therefore undervaluing the social contribution of women and undermining their business contribution as well. I have noticed the pressures that women come under to alter their appearance or comply with the socalled expectations of the business environment. Men giving women tips on how to improve their assets and minimize their looks is all very well, yet ironically in our society looks are a determining factor in this “man’s world”. The difference between men and women is that men have never been
judged by appearance, yet if women appear to be less well kept, or not perfectly groomed, they are accused of “letting themselves go”. Ultimately I question why is it so wrong to look attractive and be successful in business and why indeed looks have to matter, regardless of gender. This is just one aspect of sexism levelled at women and I should like to explore this issue more fully. It is my view that, if a woman is appointed, it will only be a short period of time before her male colleagues begin to groan about how long it will be before she will be off on maternity leave, or begins to manipulate her sick pay. Men constantly accuse women of blaming “mythical sexism” in the workplace for their own failures, when in fact there are glass ceilings created by a woman’s desire to start a family at some point. Women may have the same potential talent and ability as their male counterparts, but they are faced with different social expectations. The Government has invested £200 million in science and engineering to get more women into these fields; however, it is not the ability of women to study and excel in these areas that is in question. The problem is that women with the same qualifications as men struggle to juggle their careers with childcare. They are unable to hold the top positions and earn the same salaries as men, as many have to take career breaks in order to have children. If more money were to be invested in childcare solutions and more money was available to guarantee equality of pay in the top positions, I think this would make a real difference and empower women in the workplace. This would be much more effective than simply investing in education, that is, in my view, not essential to our success. Equally there is no need for women to imply that they are somehow better than men in the workplace; this is no way to achieve equality either. It is unnecessary to make men terrified of having their actions or words classed as sexist, when they didn’t mean to
cause any offence at all. We will all come across many different sorts of women in industry, ranging from “firebreathing dragons, delicate flowers, and combative battle axes” (as The Observer’s Victoria Coren cleverly put it). Yet men can be completely oblivious to this, and so have become terrified of anything that might be interpreted as sexist. It is not so much the qualifications as the social attitudes we hold that make all the difference. Our education system needs to address those attitudes from primary school up and I would like to think about the changes we could make in this respect too. I have mentioned changing social attitudes in children at school and I have talked about real help for women on the childcare front and in equality of their pay. Ms Miller recommended a national careers service to teach younger girls how to challenge stereotypes in business. It is my view that this is the right course of action. A woman’s job in the home is an “unconscious decision”, but how are we going to change these archaic attitudes? The BBC have concluded that the top quarter of power in the political and business world only employ five women out of 22 people, which I find quite appalling. Furthermore the BBC report that women hold fewer than a third of top jobs, which can only suggest that the Government taskforce is not doing its job properly. Where do these so called “increasing improvements” actually lie? I question why the ratio of men to women is so drastically unbalanced? I have tried to show you why I think that women still feel frozen out by social forces and assume that they just can’t penetrate the business world. There is a real shortage of female talent in the business world; this need not be the case and we would all benefit enormously if this situation were not allowed to persist. Yours sincerely, Hannah W (Year 11)
PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
D
ear Madam,
I am writing this letter in response to an appalling media crisis which is causing damage to people’s health and has even claimed the lives of innocent children. I am in shock that this issue has not been addressed before, so now I write to you, not just to complain but to put an end to this crisis. I am speaking of the presentation of health issues in the press, such as The Daily Mail and other tabloid press in particular. I feel that newspapers should not be allowed to present any kind of health issues at all. This may seem bold, and you may think I am intending to destroy the value of freedom of speech, but I am not. Do lies and overblown scare stories count as freedom of speech, when they are linked to the spread of diseases and other health problems? To support my bold proposal, I would like to remind you of the 1998 Andrew Wakefield catastrophe. As you may well remember, this now discredited doctor published a twelve patient study proposing a link between the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine with autism and bowel disease. The Lancet published his study on 28th February 1998 and the media soon latched onto this, taking this opportunity to make money through over blown headlines and scare stories. I am not stating that all newspapers were to blame as I am aware that some papers, such as The Guardian, published reasonably balanced reports or at least less ‘sensational’ accounts of Wakefield’s research. Wakefield only used 12 children in his study and several of these children’s parents were already suing the MMR company. This study was completely biased and inaccurate, but rather than report this, newspapers such as The Daily Mail did not emphasise enough what a poorly conducted study this was. And now we pay the price of these money grabbing headlines, and people are suffering because of it. How then have newspapers allowed this to continue? It may not be happening on as larger scale as this, and might not be as serious a threat but it is still continuing. If something does not change, how can we be sure that something this devastating won’t occur again? I would also like to address the overblown claims that statins cause muscle pain and weakened joints. The Daily Mail published an article by Jenny Hope on 4th June 2013 headlined, “Statins can weaken muscles and joints: Cholesterol drug raises risk of problems by up to 20 percent”. One of the first pictures in the article is a
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woman sitting in a car, gripping the back of her neck with her head thrown back and an expression of pain on her face. People just glancing at this article may instantly form a negative opinion of statins without even reading it. But the importance of statins is barely highlighted in this article. I’m sure if the first picture in the article was of someone dying of a heart attack, the audience’s opinions would instantly be different. Can you see how even just the cleverly chosen images in this article are being used to manipulate us? The article only mentions briefly at the end that statins are a lifesaving drug and prevent fatal heart attacks. This can cause problems, especially if someone only reads the first section of the article, the reader will miss the importance of statins and how crucial they are to saving lives. You may wonder what pictures and facts have to do with health issues in the media, and how could this affect people’s health? Although they don’t look as if they will have much of an impact, patients on statins may get put off taking them even though they are a drug which could potentially be saving their life. Even if they know that there is a higher risk that they may suffer a heart attack, it is hard for the public to see themselves as a statistic. Overblown headlines and ‘cherry picking’ information can lead to more health issues that it tries to stop. Surely you must agree that a little muscle pain is better than a heart attack? An online article was published in “Health News” on the NHS Choices website entitled “Claim that statins damage muscles ‘overblown’” in response to the Daily Mail articles on the link between statins and muscle pains. It explained the truth behind these headlines, giving and accurate and balanced report on the risks of statins but also the benefits. However, this had little effect as the majority of people are more likely to read The Daily Mail than the NHS Choices “Health News” which can only be accessed online. If more of these tabloid newspapers presented accurate and balanced articles on issues such as this statins debate, then it would help people on statins make the right choice. On a much smaller scale, there are often stories written about these magic ‘wonder foods’ (such as ‘Crisps to crunch down the pounds’ – Express Online, 30th August 2013) that are meant to revolutionise dieting and weight loss, or even drinking a glass of wine to reduce the risk of depression (Nick Collins, The Daily Telegraph, 30th August 2013). I’m not disagreeing that these ‘wonder foods’ do not have some scientific importance or that there is nothing special about them. My point is
that when the public, particularly those unhappy with their bodies, see these articles, they try out these ‘wonder foods’ to see if they work. There would be nothing wrong with this except for the fact that some are under the false impression that just eating these foods will solve their dieting problems, but they miss out the point that a balanced diet is needed as well as regular exercises. They merely add these ‘wonder foods’ to their normal diet, expecting them to work their magic just as the newspapers said they would. This does not help people get back into a healthy lifestyle which could damage their health further. Another problem with these kinds of articles is these ‘miracle cases’ which are glamorised in the media and latched onto by the public. An example of this is an article published by the Express entitled, “Man cures his diabetes in 11 days with starvation diet”. Surely you must be able to see the problem with this? This is an example of the glamorisation of health issues in the media, even health issues as serious and as life threatening as starvation diets. The article is feeding it into our minds that a starvation diet is the solution for curing diabetes! How have these articles not been dealt with? If they had specified in the article that perhaps this was a one off case and reminded everyone not to go and starve themselves to death to try and cure diabetes, then maybe these articles would be more acceptable. Young people in particular are vulnerable to articles such as this as if a young person is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes it can be a very stressful, emotional time for them. If newspapers (which people regard as highly trustworthy sources of information) are telling young people that the cure for their disease is a starvation diet, then this is going to have a huge impact on their health. I also have a solution to offer. Health issues that are to be published in newspapers should be written or verified by a scientific body or company to ensure that the articles are balanced, accurate and contain all of the facts from both sides. That way, we do not impress the biased opinions of money grabbing headlines onto the public and we can avoid any chance of an event similar to the Andrew Wakefield study in the future. This in no way limits freedom of speech; it simply stamps out these lies and scandals and will have a positive impact of the health issues in Britain. This is the only way that we can stop these overblown, sensational headlines from manipulating the public, without harming our precious gift of free speech. Yours sincerely, Abbie V (Year 11)
AQUILA 2013 - 2014
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VALETE
VALETE HEATHER ANDREW HEAD OF PERFORMING ARTS FACULTY, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL Heather is truly an inspiration to the people around her each and every day. Her passion, energy and desire to nurture a love of learning has not only motivated her students but those who have had the pleasure to work with her. She has always believed tirelessly in every one of her pupils, supporting them through the challenges of a busy school life and yet always allowing them to become independent and resilient. As a Head of Year she has been a guiding light to many young girls who need a bit of extra encouragement and leadership. As a Drama practitioner, Heather has never lost her joy of the theatre and what it can offer, not just for those with practical talent but for all children. She
CANDY HADLER - HEAD OF DANCE Candy started at Pipers in 2002 as a full-time member of staff teaching the Senior School, GCSE and A Level Dance. Her enthusiasm for her subject was instantly apparent and she has built up a strong department which is a vital part of the Performing Arts Faculty. Candy has many interests and her love of art and her own ability as an artist led her to teach Art in the Prep Department for a short time. Candy has always been keen to develop the extracurricular Dance programme and give as many girls as possible the opportunity to participate in musical productions. She introduced the Senior Dance company five years ago and has choreographed performances for assemblies and the Carol Service where we have found the visual beauty of her dancers mesmerising to watch. Candy has choreographed for performances for Energise at the Wycombe Swan
JANE RYAN SCHOOL NURSE Jane joined the school in 2000 working part time alongside Sister Hamiliton, since then, Jane has become the full time school nurse and has been influential in developing the provision available to the girls, particularly ensuring that all jabs are up to date! Jane is always available to girls through the school day and provides
understands the power of drama to motivate, inspire, build confidence and heal, and this belief empowers her students to find courage in their own abilities. Heather has particularly enjoyed the opportunity in LAMDA lessons to work more closely with students, watching them develop as performers and pushing them further than they ever thought they could achieve. Many girls have gone on to realise amazing dreams because of Heather’s role in their lives, some examples including professional acting roles, professional technical jobs and working within casting agencies. The annual senior production is a shining example of all that she believes in, and over the years we have been privileged to be in the audience for dramas and musicals of the very highest and superlative standards. As a colleague, Heather is an absolute role model for us all in the Department. Her endless energy and commitment to the girls inspires us all to give the very best we can each and every day of our professional career. She has been a driving force and a privilege to work with, and she will be missed whole-heartedly. Mrs Coe, Teacher of Drama
Theatre and national dance competitions. Candy was for a short time been a Form Tutor for Year 10 and also Head of Hampden House; and in the last few years she has taken on the role of charity coordinator and visited St Mark’s School in Uganda in 2012. She will be visiting again this year with some of the girls from Pipers as part of World Challenge. Her Christian faith has always been at the forefront of her teaching and we have greatly valued the experiences she has given to many girls. She leaves us to spend more time on her art and continuing to live out her Christian faith in the wider community. Heather Andrew, Head of Performing Arts Faculty
a musical haven in her waiting room. Her love of music was also apparent as she played the role of a singing nun in the school production ‘The Sound of Music.’ Jane has worked with many members of the school community as she has ensured that girls have a good knowledge about how their bodies work, and has been particularly supportive of girls in Prep and Year 7 in their PSHE lessons. As Jane’s triplets have progressed on to university, Jane will be leaving the school in order to relocating to Preston in order to be closer to family. Mrs Derbyshire, Acting Deputy Head (Pastoral), Head of Sixth Form
PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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VALETE
TANJA CLARK - HEAD OF HOSPITALITY AND CATERING I was delighted to be asked to write a few words for this publication as Tanja and I were colleagues at Pipers for a good 10 years and shared many interests as well as our subject area. After an uncharacteristically quiet start, Tanja went onto to involve herself fully in the life of the school. As a native of South Africa, it took us a while to tune in to some of her terminology and likewise there was always amusement over some of our ways that she found bizarre. Tanja enjoyed a great relationship with the girls and her subject became a hugely popular option as she, along with Mrs Crompton made a great team, producing vast quantities of delicious food for tea at the Art and Textiles Exhibition and managing such events as the Bonfire Night, with enormous efficiency and confidence. Of course there were many other events that benefited from the talent and dedication of her students to produce food and a sense of occasion, for example the senior resident’s events. She was an active supporter of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, with several nights under canvas and I understand the skiing trips with Tanja were always eventful and undoubtedly great fun. Visits to the Good
MEGAN COFFEY LACROSSE COACH Megan joined Pipers in September 2013 from her home town of New Hampton, USA. She has played Lacrosse to a high level, and has coached regularly whilst at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts. As soon as she arrived she made a positive impact, working with all the squads from Year 7 through to Sixth Form. Megan’s passion for all things Lacrosse rubbed off on the girls, and the reinstated Senior Lacrosse Tour to
JO COX - TEACHER OF ENGLISH The excitement with which we welcomed Jo to the English Department is almost matched by the disappointment we have in losing her so soon. We count ourselves lucky in having had her with the girls even if just for one year. Jo brings extraordinary and outstanding zest for life and literature: an inexhaustible panoply of stories of Victorian heroines, dramatic occurrences in candle-lit productions of Jacobean mayhem, expostulations at literary outrages and bloody shearings of anecdotes of rabbit farming in Iceland. It is hard to tell which are fictional, and which actual occurrences in her household in North London, which must surely rival the Durrells in its denizens’ brilliant, idiosyncratic eccentricities.
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Food Show and Disneyland Paris were also important calendar events to enrich the girls’ learning in relevant and real situations. She was very involved with the design and set up of the new classroom in the Lady Buckinghamshire Studios where we were fortunate enough to put forward our ideas and plans for new teaching areas. Another area where Tanja put much of her energy, was in her role as House Co-ordinator. Here she inspired girls to have confidence in their own abilities to organise and encourage younger members of the House. She always set high standards both within the House and in her subject area. The enthusiasm, hard work and dedication that Tanja showed to support her students and colleagues was certainly much appreciated. The qualities of kindness, thoughtfulness, support for her friends and colleagues and commitment makes her certainly a Pipers person of distinction. Mrs Tebb, Head of Textiles
Edinburgh in February was a huge success. Megan is also an excellent skier, having competed over a number of years back home in America. Her assistance on the ski trip to Italy at February half-term, was invaluable, and all the girls loved chatting and skiing with her. She’s a pretty good dancer too as we found out during the impromptu talent show! Megan has made a huge contribution to the PE Department in a number of areas and has helped keep us all in line at times. After finishing at Pipers, Megan plans on returning to Boston, and hopefully continue her academic studies. She will be sorely missed and I wish her well for the future. Miss Poore, Head of Physical Education
Jo has found transportation each morning impossible and we sympathise with her daughter for the reality of countless rainy mornings at the bus stop waiting for the mythical local bus and empathise with Jo’s frustration. Jo turned around the achievements of many girls in just a few months. Jo is a veritable tornado which now will fall to land in other classrooms. At Pipers Corner, it leaves not devastation but ripples of excitement on water now found to be deeper than was assumed. Mr Gifford, Head of English
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NATASHA DORAN HEAD OF PREP Natasha joined Pipers in September 2005. From the outset Natasha’s bright, lively personality and enthusiasm was evident and she was keen to ensure that the curriculum was effective and girls were nurtured right the way through the Prep Department from Year 3 to Year 6. Her kindness and understanding of the girls’ pastoral needs has always been acknowledged by grateful parents. Natasha started a gifted and talented group called the Challenge Club which a number of girls benefited from joining. She personally spent time with the girls inspiring them with a range of challenging activities. As an English specialist, Natasha was very keen to ensure girls had sufficient time to read and that progress was tracked, so she introduced the Accelerated Reader programme which has been hugely successful. Natasha also championed the Prep Department Curriculum
CHRISTY GRIMES DRAMATIST IN RESIDENCE It is hard to believe that Christy has only been our Dramatist in Residence since September 2013, as she slotted so easily into the Department and in her quiet but extremely efficient and organised way she quickly established herself as someone who was greatly appreciated by all her Drama colleagues and by the girls. Christy was keen to run a Drama Club and she has a large number of very loyal Year 7 who have loved their weekly workshops and have also had the opportunity to perform in front of their friends and parents in an adaptation of “Aesop’s Fables”. Christy was an excellent production manager for the Senior Drama production of “The Travellers” in the Autumn Term, building up a good relationship with all the girls who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
MARK KNIGHT - PREP DEPARTMENT AND YEAR 7 ENGLISH TEACHER Being 6”6 Mark has a unique perspective of school life at Pipers. Having worked in the Prep Department, Senior School and, prior to gaining his teaching qualifications, the School Office, Mark boasts an unmatched breadth of experience concerning the day to day workings of the school. Mark joined Pipers in November and immediately hit the ground running. With a new class and new subject responsibilities. Mark also had the added challenge of Form Tutor responsibilities and mid-term reports to compile, all in his first few months!
Evening which runs in early September. Natasha also believed in encouraging leadership skills and developed Leadership Club and Prep Playground Friends. In the year before her departure Natasha initiated the use of Learning Logs in the Prep Department. These too have been a resounding success. Natasha has worked incredibly hard to build the Prep Department into what it is today. She took time out for maternity leave in 2008, coming back with renewed enthusiasm for change and growth working with Mrs Rushforth, our Head of Pre-Prep to ensure the transition for Year 2 girls was seamless. She was so dedicated to making this transition smooth she took on the role of Form Tutor for Year 3. She worked tirelessly both in the classroom, as a Form Tutor and as a Head of Department, fitting in a myriad of responsibilities, including monitoring, tutoring and supporting closely those girls with Learning Support needs in English. Natasha left in December to take up the role of Head of Pre-Prep at Thorpe House School. We all miss her warm and bubbly presence, however, we wish her well in her new post and her future career. Ms Walmsley, Deputy Head (Academic)
She has supported GCSE and A Level practicals not just by filming them but by freely giving her own time to advise and watch their rehearsals. She has taught LAMDA and supported curriculum lessons in all areas of the Prep and Senior School, so it is hardly surprising that Christy wants to teach! We are thrilled that she has been accepted to go to Cardiff University to start her teacher training in the next academic year. We wish her every success and feel confident she will make an excellent drama teacher. Heather Andrew, Head of Performing Arts Faculty
Needless to say Mark tackled every challenge thrown at him and maintained a commendably cool, calm demeanour. Having established himself within the rhythms and routines of school life, Mark quickly became a popular member of the Prep teaching team with both the staff and students. Mark’s debating club is a firm favourite and having observed his engaging and interactive lessons, it’s easy to understand why the girls have progressed and enjoyed his lessons so much. We have been fortunate to benefit from Mark’s skills and experience in business as he mentored the girls when they sought to establish a pop up Italian restaurant as part of this year’s Prep Captain challenge. Mark leaves us to pursue new challenges in Sheffield and we wish him every success. A talented teacher, a valued member of the team, and a gentleman. Mr Leith, Head of Prep
PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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LOU WALTERS JUNIOR HOUSEMISTRESS AND TEACHER OF DRAMA Lou was our first Dramatist in Residence arriving at Pipers as a ball of blonde energy and enthusiasm in September 2011. I was thrilled to have found a young graduate with a first class Drama degree who not only looked good on paper but was our bright star in the Department from the second she arrived. I realised very quickly that we had found a real treasure. Lou has shared with me a passion for production work and she has been manager of
TREENA PARTRIDGE – LEARNING SUPPORT Treena joined us as a Learning Support Assistant in the Individual Learning Department last April. Treena is a fully qualified teacher and her knowledge and background meant that she quickly settled into the
HILLARY MURPHY DEPUTY HEAD (PASTORAL) When I first came to Pipers Corner nearly ten years ago, Hilary had already been Deputy Head for many years. As a fellow member of the senior management team, she gave me a very warm welcome as she did all new staff, for she was always deeply interested in people whether staff or students. It was always Hilary who took the NQTs under her wing and helped to launch them on their teaching careers. She was very often the first person people turned to when wanting to discuss any personal matter and in need of a sympathetic ear and sound advice. Equally she had a clear vision of right and wrong and was forthright in making her views clear to girls and, indeed, to their parents when necessary. As Pastoral Deputy Head, Hilary was in her element and she was very proud of the school’s excellent reputation for pastoral care. She possessed the rare ability to be able to discuss challenging and sensitive pastoral issues with empathy and tact. She also had a keen sense of humour and would often see the funny side of difficult situations. As Deputy Head, Hilary also had many other responsibilities including the daily task of providing cover for any absent staff and the annual challenge
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two shows, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Sound of Music” and then Assistant Director for “The Travellers”. Her creativity has been outstanding and she has turned her hand to all technical areas, hair and makeup, lighting and sound very successfully. She has run rehearsals single handed, initiated different Drama Clubs, taught LAMDA, been part of the teacher input for A Level and GCSE practicals, run the box office for two shows, shown true professionalism as a Year 9 Form Tutor and supported Head of Prep Drama, Sue Halton in all her Prep productions. No task has ever been beneath her and she has always shown a complete commitment to Pipers. She leaves us to marry her childhood sweetheart Al, a newly qualified doctor, but her own career promises to be bright and successful. We will miss her. Heather Andrew, Head of Performing Arts Faculty
busy and varied supportive role from Pre-Prep through to the Senior School. Treena is an enthusiastic member of the team and her positive approach and sense of humour meant that girls quickly warmed to her and readily accepted her support role. Treena has left us to pursue her ultimate career goal of returning to classroom teaching and I have no doubt she will be a great asset to her new school and our loss is certainly their gain. We wish her all the best as she begins her new role. Mrs Olcot, Head of Individual Learning
of creating the lesson timetable – for reasons we won’t go into, creating the Pipers Corner timetable is one of the most complex problems anyone could be asked to solve, rather like a quintuple three dimensional Samurai Sudoku. No computer programme has yet been invented capable of providing a solution but Hilary managed it year after year! Hilary’s career was founded on a true love of academic learning and her particular love was classics and classical civilisation. She generated a great deal of enthusiasm for these subjects, results were very good and a number of girls took their studies further at university. She has now stepped back from school management after 18 years to take the opportunity to introduce yet more students to the delights of the classics. I know that I can speak on behalf of all the many staff who have known her at Pipers when I wish her every success for the future. Mr Forrester, Bursar
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KATE NEWSON TEACHER OF MATHEMATICS Kate came to Pipers in 2004. She brought with her a gentle teaching style, and the first comments I ever heard from her new pupils were to say how kind their new teacher was. She has immense patience with her students and has always been happy to give up her own time to help struggling girls in order to raise their confidence. During her time at Pipers Kate has been
PENNY PETHERBRIDGE - HEAD OF MATHEMATICS Penny joined Pipers as an Assistant Teacher of Mathematics in 1999. She quickly made her presence felt as an excellent teacher and soon became the Head of Mathematics in 2001. Since that time Penny has built a strong teaching team who consistently produce good academic results at GCSE and particularly A Level. She is a strong believer in encouraging the gifted and talented mathematicians, often giving them her time and nurturing them to early entries at GCSE and A Level, entering girls into the Freestanding Additional Mathematics qualification in Year 11. Penny was responsible for initiating our entry to the UK Mathematics Challenge and she also was a strong believer in entering girls for Statistics if they were able mathematicians resulting in GCSE Statistics becoming an after school option. Every other year Penny promoted a “Mathematics day”, encouraging all subjects to concentrate on Mathematics in lessons. Penny is a strong voice on the Senior Academic Team bringing her experienced, insightful and rational contribution to meetings, influencing not only her own Department but also the girls’ wider experience of education at Pipers. Penny is one of the great problem solvers in life. She is also
LUCY TOLLINTON TEACHER OF MATHEMATICS Lucy came to Pipers in 2006, originally as a teacher of Mathematics and ICT, and her time was split between the two Departments. In fact Lucy’s flexibility and willingness to take on new challenges meant that for a long time she did not have two consecutive years when she was not needing to learn new work. As well as teaching Mathematics throughout Years 7 to 11, she has taught ICT to students across many age groups including
a most accommodating and supportive member of the Mathematics team, and as a lady of many skills has taught a wide variety of ages, and right across the ability range: from a lower set in Year 6 in the Prep Department at one end to Upper Sixth Further Mathematics A Level at the other. Although latterly a part-time teacher, for many years Kate was full-time, and proved to be a caring Form Tutor to Year 8 and 9 classes. She has taken part in the extracurricular programme offering various activities over the years including chess club and craft club. The Mathematics Department has been privileged to work with Kate and her quiet manner and gracious spirit will be missed by girls and staff alike. She leaves to spend more time with her family, especially her four lovely grandchildren (soon to be five!). Mrs Petherbridge, Head of Mathematics
a team player. Penny was a stalwart on the DofE Team for ten years supporting groups and camping with them. She was also fantastic in her front of house role for a huge number of Drama productions often in school at the weekends to help Miss Andrew. Reliable and diligent, Penny does her best to support girls both academically and pastorally, particularly as a Sixth Form Tutor and Deputy Head of Sixth Form. Penny will be much missed by the whole of Pipers community. Her kindness will certainly be missed in the staff room and girls will miss her wise counsel and considerate support. Penny is wholeheartedly committed to the school and of course excellence in and although the decision to retire has been a difficult one, she is looking forward to spending more time with her husband and wider family circle, including several grandchildren. We wish her the very best of luck for the future and a happy and healthy retirement. Ms Walmsley, Deputy Head (Academic)
in the Pre-Prep Department. More recently Lucy was asked to teach in the Business Studies Department. She has also been happy to take on unfamiliar work within Mathematics including the GCSE Statistics course and she was the first one of us to tackle Additional Mathematics Free Standing Qualification as an extension for the most able Year 11 students. Lucy was for a long time one of the staff running the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme and she and I both know the fun involved in camping with the girls, supervising them cooking breakfast outside in the pouring rain and helping them not to get lost around the wild Chiltern Hills! Lucy loves wild places and she leaves to spend more time walking and climbing as well as plenty of other outdoor activities. Mrs Petherbridge, Head of Mathematics
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CAROLINE MOSS - DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Caroline Moss is what can only be described as a “Tour de Force”! I have been at Pipers Corner School as a visiting singing teacher for the past 15 years and I have seen the Music Department grow and develop into what it is today. When Caroline joined Pipers, she fitted into the existing Department seamlessly and made a great effort to get to know everyone and considering that we have so many visiting peripatetic teachers that is no mean feat. It wasn’t long before she became Head of Department and that’s when things really started to move. Caroline put in place the annual Music Tour for the girls, created a Community Choir for young and old alike to enjoy, raised the bar at the Christmas Carol Service and who can argue that “Jazz on the Terrace” has not been a storming success? All of these accomplishments are very obvious to everyone but Caroline has secret skills that are magical in the classroom. After asking for some input from her colleagues, here are the opinions of two: “Caroline has been a fantastic colleague, during the time I have had the pleasure of working with her. She manages
JUDY WELLER - LEARNING SUPPORT Judy has been a member of the Learning Support Team and then the newly formed Individual Learning Department since 2011. Judy has delivered specialist advice and teaching in both Mathematics and English support enabling girls to gain confidence to achieve their full potential. Her specialist qualifications have contributed to assessments in the Department alongside her teaching role with individuals and small
to be a true professional, yet still maintains a high degree of fun in all that she does. Caroline is a great communicator and a true inspiration to the girls. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Caroline and will miss her wonderful sense of humour.” “There are no words sufficient to describe Caroline! Whether she is conducting/training a choir/orchestra, teaching a class or comforting a girl who is feeling “blue”, she gives 150% of herself, no matter what’s going on in her or her family’s life at the time. Her passion for music is electrifying and she inspires people (both pupils and adults) to perform at a higher level than they could possibly imagine. She is one of the most honest, straightforward and genuine people I have ever worked with.” For my own part, I think Caroline Moss is absolutely wonderful and I shall miss her. Julie Gossage, Head of Vocal Studies
groups from the Prep Department to the Senior School. She retires from teaching in July and looks forward to enjoying her retirement with her first grandchild who was born last Christmas. Mrs Olcot, Head of Individual Learning
ELEANOR WILSON MUSICIAN IN RESIDENCE Eleanor joined the Music Department in September 2013, and made her arrival known very quickly by her astonishing piano skills. Her smiley face, her “can do” attitude and her incredible musicality have made her a crucial member of the Department this year. There have
JOHN WOODHALL PRE-PREP MUSIC TEACHER John Woodhall joined us this year to help cover the maternity of Jo Hembrough. Having played a role in the 2013 production of “The Sound of Music”, he is no stranger to the school, but he really made a noise teaching in the Pre-Prep Department this year. His lessons have been full of fun and
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been many occasions when jaws have dropped as she breezes through a phenomenal piece of accompanying and I know many students have her to thank for some excellent examination submissions this year. She will leave Pipers to move on to another Musician in Residence job, and her new school are very lucky to have her. Mrs Moss, Director of Music
musicality, and I know from talking to parents that his input has been much appreciated. His Pre-Prep concert was a triumph and it is reassuring to know that our very youngest students have been given a valuable musical grounding – a grounding that will help us to develop them into young artists as they grow. We will miss him very much. Mrs Moss, Director of Music
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COMMUNITY
HEAD GIRL’S REPORT Unnerving. Unfathomable. Unforgettable. Three words that best describe my experience at Pipers. Unfathomable mainly relates to my understanding of implicit differentiation in A Level Mathematics. Strange as it may be, I now have to talk about my experience here as being in the past, as the time has come for my fellow members of Upper Sixth and I to move on to new beginnings. It seems like only yesterday we were in Year 7, stumbling around the corridors with our monstrously large backpacks, running as fast as our legs would carry us on our way to lunch. To be perfectly honest, Upper Sixth still do run to lunch more than they care to admit. It goes without saying that being appointed Head Girl has made my last year all the more exceptional. Leading a school like Pipers has been an amazing experience, and one I will treasure for years to come. I can just imagine myself walking into the lecture hall on my first day of university, ringing a bell and proclaiming “Please Stand!” in front of everyone. I think I would get some quite concerning looks. Of course, I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much if I didn’t have my Head Girl and Prefect
team. I must thank Martha M, for supplying endless energy and enthusiasm to the team (even on a Monday at 0830 hours); Katie M for always being on hand whenever you need her and Hannah M for her incredible organisation and world class minutes after every meeting. I must also thank the rest of the team - Lily A, Lucy I, Sophie A, Livvy H, Hannah E and Ellie T - for putting up with my endless stream of emails and for being an incredible support to not only me, but to the whole Sixth Form. As the theme of this year’s magazine is “Controversy”, I can’t help but think of how this has influenced my time at Pipers. I have found that controversy does two things. Firstly, it makes things more interesting to talk about. It’s pretty boring if everyone has exactly the same opinion, so a little bit of dispute keeps things stimulating. This has been especially prevalent in my last year at Pipers, as girls have been encouraged to become more involved and share their individual ideas. We have a fantastic School Council, where girls of any age in the school have a chance to voice their opinion and encourage change. Debating, the pearl of controversy, has soared from no one really knowing that debating existed in girls’ schools, to Pipers taking part in competitions such as
ESU. If anyone knows our debaters, you will know that controversy and dispute are never in short supply at our weekly debates. Secondly, controversy also generates discomfort. As you will see in the article I have written about controversial research in Science (page 22). As uncomfortable as it may be, controversy is needed to fuel new ideas and cutting-edge research which could potentially benefit us in the future. In the wise words of NASA engineer Jay Greene, ”If it matters, it produces controversy.” Just as Head Girls have done before me, I must wish the best of luck to the Head Girl and Prefect Team for next year, and to the rest of the new Upper Sixth. The year goes past within the blink of an eye, so enjoy every moment and seize every opportunity to push yourself into being the best you can be. Don’t be hesitant to give your own opinion and ideas, no matter what your role is next year. Trust me, it cannot be worse than my ingenious idea to get a Sixth Form micro-pig. It is time for me to bid farewell to a school that has given me so much and that I hope I have given something in return. One final word to describe my Pipers experience: Accomplished. Grace G (Upper Sixth) PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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HOUSE NEWS HAMPDEN HOUSE Becoming Head of Hampden had always been my goal throughout my time at Pipers. I joined Hampden in 2003, aged just 7, and I remember being so fascinated by the community feel at my first House assembly. Little did I know that 11 years later I would be running the House! It has been a privilege to be Head of Hampden, however it has not been without its challenges! Trying to think of a new idea for an assembly each week becomes difficult but we spend a lot of our time planning upcoming events. This year we have managed to raise just under £500 for our charity St. Mark’s School in Uganda. We started the year by creating our “harvest baskets” which is a separate charity initiative. For this, we all donated tins of food and any other nonperishable items that could
be donated to the Wycombe Homeless Shelter. Then we had the Bonfire Cake Sale with an overwhelming amount of cake donations from the Hampden girls to sell, so much so, that we took the overflow round the school on a trolley! The classic Hampden Talent Show is always the highlight of the school year, and yet again was a success. The Lower Sixth showed initiative and worked so hard to make sure they could create the best show possible – which they did. These charity initiatives resulted in many House Spirit badges being awarded to the girls at the end of the year, with even a few girls who have reached the last stage badge that you can possibly get! I am so proud of what Hampden has achieved this year, even if we were nor the best at sport! But none of this would have been possible
without the rest of my Upper Sixth team; Rebekah, Hannah, Zakiya, Lucy, Emma, Megan, India and Melissa. They have all been so supportive and are always offering to help. In particular though, Rebekah has been my rock. I couldn’t have asked for a more pro-active, passionate Deputy Head who has done so much for the House, and myself. It leaves me now to wish the new House Team for 2014/15; Rosie, Amreen, Harriet, Scarlett and Megan, the very best of luck for the upcoming year. You were chosen for a reason and we know you will do a great job! I would also like to thank Miss Clifford for guiding us and for being so organised prior to House events! Finally, to all my Hampden girls who I am so proud of. Please remember, a quitter never wins. Olivia H (Upper Sixth) Head of Hampden House
MILTON HOUSE In Milton House we have had a fantastic year regarding our charity’s incentives and also our sporting and other House activities. Our harvest festival collection was a great success. Every girl in Milton was incredibly generous with their donations for “One can trust”, a charity which is extremely relevant to the girls of Milton House as it is helping people in poverty in the surrounding area. I feel this made the girls want to give more as the situation is happening very near to them. Another charity event this year was Milton’s Haunted Hall, for St Mark’s School in Uganda. This was a great success, and also great fun. The Milton girls really came together to make the event so fantastic. I want to thank all the girls who helped us with this event, as without them we would not have been able to do it. In the spring term, came our annual Valentine’s Day cake sale. Again, this was to 42
raise money for St Mark’s School. St Marks is extremely important not only to the girls of Milton but to the school, and I feel extremely honoured that I get to visit the school this year for World Challenge and I will be able to see what a difference our support has made. I would like to thank our Charity Rep Emma, for doing an incredible job with all these event. In sport, I feel that Milton has really blossomed over the past few years and with Sophie as our Sports Captain this was no surprise. From lacrosse to swimming, girls have put in the effort to turn up with determination, competitiveness and also confidence. Girls who have never even held a lacrosse stick played and I feel this really showed the brilliant House Spirit we have. This year Milton won the InterHouse netball, I am incredibly proud of the girls who played and so
happy that the effort that was put in was shown. I would like to thank the amazing House Leadership Team. They have all been extremely helpful and very supportive. The team has lead us to achieve some of the most amazing things this year. I would like to thank all the girls in Milton House for the amazing opportunity to be Head of House. I will truly miss the prep girls singing, dancing and laughing and Year 7’s constant questions. I feel that within Milton House we are not only a team but a family and I can honestly say that I will miss and never forget that. Finally I would like to thank Milton House, for everything over my seven years at Pipers, and I can honestly say I will always be a Milton girl and I will wave my yellow flag with pride throughout the rest of my life. Grace E (Upper Sixth), Head of Milton House.
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HOUSE NEWS MANDEVILLE HOUSE It has been another successfully great year filled with commitment from everyone within the House. Our first event that kick started our wonderful year was the Harvest Baskets, which were delivered to the elderly in High Wycombe. The year continued with constant enthusiasm and we were getting excited for the Inter-House Debating competition. Bryony and Lizzie showed passion and bravery by representing the House and putting up a fantastic debate in true Mandevillian style. Then the Christmas Fair arrived, where the entire House showed their artistic skills again by wrapping presents and donating them to our House stall which raised money for St. Mark’s School in Uganda, the School’s Charity. The Spring Term brought with it our biggest event of the year, The Mandeville Quiz Night. After an incredibly
successful night last year we had big shoes to fill, Poppy and Lauren, our Charity Reps, put together a fantastic evening of true Mandeville entertainment. Everyone, girls, family and friends, had a great time participating in the quiz, enjoying some good food and donating to our charity. We raised over £525 for “Back Up” a spinal injuries charity and close to the heart of a member of our House. Shortly after this came the Inter-House Music competition. Ellie and I were so proud of everyone in the House on that day. Everyone pulled together to make Mandeville’s entry entertaining and unique. Sport has always been strength of ours so it was no surprise that Emma, our Sports Captain, brought our fighting spirit to the lacrosse field, netball courts and the swimming pool (even though we didn’t win). Seeing the girls bring
their energy into each sport and put all their effort into the success of the House reminded me how much the house means to each girl, and also, how much each girl means to the House. In Mandeville we are a team, and we work to achieve success together. In my final of eight years in Mandeville I have watched Pipers girls come together and achieve anything. I will truly miss the House, the laughter and adventures we have shared, from the little Prep girls who always have something to say, to the Senior girls who constantly show their competitiveness for the House. This year for us has been full of enthusiasm and excitement as the House continues to flourish, and may the spirit of Mandeville live on forever. Martha M (Upper Sixth) Head of Hampden House
PENN HOUSE Moving to Pipers in Year 7, the House System was alien to me. Then, led by the staff, I remember how perplexed I was by the entire practice; wondering why it was that when you got an “order mark” for bad behaviour, resulting in four House Points being withdrawn from the House total, girls would break down in floods of tears. Why did they get so upset about such an irrelevant thing? Now, looking back almost a decade on, I see that that was the point: for those girls, the House wasn’t irrelevant, for those girls, letting down the House was worse than letting down themselves and for those girls, the House mattered. Growing up in Penn, the feeling of its importance has only ever intensified and the opportunity to lead it, along with some of my closest friends, was, although terrifying, an unbelievable honour. We started in September with the
stated goal of “just not coming last in anything”. However, ambitions were raised almost immediately at Christmas when Penn stormed to victory in Inter-House Debating (thanks to Catherine for being such a wonderful partner). As the next competition on the agenda was the Inter-House Lacrosse Tournament and given Penn’s lamentable record in this competition, it will be understood that we were delighted, if somewhat shocked, to win that as well, thanks to our amazing Sports Captain Meg T and her team. The House did not rest on its laurels and, after a significant effort by everyone, coordinated by Meg and Bethany, we retained the title of Inter-House Music champions for the second consecutive year. As well as Inter-House competitions, Penn have also turned their hand to fundraising, organising a cake sale and a fun sports day that was
overseen by Charlotte. I must also thank Katie, my wonderful Deputy, for her fantastic support and enthusiasm in everything. It’s incredible to be able to say, completely truthfully, that our House has gone from strength to strength this year, a fact that is not just shown through our “Grand Slam” of victories, but also in the growing sense of responsibility and pride the girls now feel for the House. I leave Pipers, happy in the knowledge that we leave Penn House better than we found it. Finally, we would like to wish the new leadership team: Catherine, Grace, Fran, Aggie and Diva all the luck in the world for the upcoming year. Good Luck Penn girls with any dreams you may have- the future is only ever getting brighter! Hannah E (Upper Sixth) Head of Penn House PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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LAST WORD
A LAST WORD FROM THE UPPER SIXTH. THEIR DESTINATIONS... LILY-MAY A
A LEVELS TEXTILES, CHEMISTRY, MATHEMATICS DESTINATION BUCKS NEW UNIVERSITY TO STUDY ART FOUNDATION
SOPHIE A
POLLY A
A LEVELS PE, DRAMA, PSYCHOLOGY DESTINATION GAP YEAR AND THEN TO STUDY SPORTS COACHING
MELISSA D A LEVELS MATHEMATICS, BUSINESS STUDIES, ART DESTINATION APPRENTICESHIP OR TO UNIVERSITY TO STUDY BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
A LEVELS HOSPITALITY AND CATERING, DRAMA AND THEATRE STUDIES, RELIGIOUS STUDIES DESTINATION APPRENTICESHIP IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT
ANNABEL B A LEVELS TEXTILES, HOSPITALITY AND CATERING, PSYCHOLOGY DESTINATION GAP YEAR
HANNAH E
GRACE E
A LEVELS ENGLISH, DRAMA AND THEATRE STUDIES, RELIGIOUS STUDIES DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF YORK TO STUDY WRITING, DIRECTING AND PERFORMANCE
A LEVELS HOSPITALITY AND CATERING, PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGIOUS STUDIES DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF SURREY TO STUDY INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
ZAKIYA G
GRACE G
A LEVELS RELIGIOUS STUDIES, ENGLISH LITERATURE, PSYCHOLOGY DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM TO STUDY THEOLOGY
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LUCY I
A LEVELS ENGLISH LITERATURE, GEOGRAPHY, TEXTILES DESTINATION OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY TO STUDY ART FOUNDATION
A LEVELS BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, MATHEMATICS DESTINATION IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON TO STUDY BIOMEDICINE
AQUILA 2013 - 2014
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OLIVIA H
EMMA S
A LEVELS PSYCHOLOGY, BUSINESS STUDIES, RELIGIOUS STUDIES DESTINATION KINGSTON UNIVERSITY TO STUDY CHILDREN’S NURSING
A LEVELS PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, ENGLISH LITERATURE DESTINATION CANTERBURY CHRISTCHURCH UNIVERSITY TO STUDY COUNSELLING, COACHING AND MENTORING
POPPY J A LEVELS RELIGIOUS STUDIES, BUSINESS STUDIES, PSYCHOLOGY DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON TO STUDY LAW AND CRIMINOLOGY
KATIE S
REBEKAH J
CHARLOTTE M
A LEVELS BUSINESS STUDIES, MUSIC, PSYCHOLOGY DESTINATION GAP YEAR
A LEVELS PSYCHOLOGY, DRAMA, ENGLISH LITERATURE DESTINATION GAP YEAR THEN TO UNIVERSITY TO STUDY MIDWIFERY
HANNAH M A LEVELS HISTORY, PSYCHOLOGY, BIOLOGY DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF EXETER TO STUDY HISTORY
MARTHA M A LEVELS DRAMA AND THEATRE STUDIES, DANCE, PSYCHOLOGY DESTINATION LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY TO STUDY DRAMA
SAMMI M A LEVELS BUSINESS STUDIES, CHEMISTRY, MATHEMATICS DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK TO STUDY ECONOMICS
A LEVELS FRENCH, SPANISH, MATHEMATICS DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM TO STUDY FRENCH AND SPANISH
LAUREN M A LEVELS DRAMA AND THEATRE STUDIES, ENGLISH LITERATURE, SOCIOLOGY DESTINATION GAP YEAR AND THEN TO UNIVERSITY TO STUDY DRAMA
MEGAN M A LEVELS HISTORY, FRENCH AND CHEMISTRY DESTINATION GAP YEAR
BETHANY P A LEVELS MUSIC, DRAMA, ENGLISH LITERATURE DESTINATION COVENTRY UNIVERSITY TO STUDY MUSIC PERFORMANCE
KATE R
ELLA S
A LEVELS ENGLISH LITERATURE, RELIGIOUS STUDIES DESTINATION OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY TO STUDY ENGLISH LITERATURE
A LEVELS ART, TEXTILES, BUSINESS STUDIES DESTINATION ARTS UNIVERSITY BOURNEMOUTH TO STUDY FASHION
PIPERS CORNER SCHOOL
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LAST WORD
EMMA S
INDIA W
A LEVELS MATHEMATICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL TO STUDY MATHS AND FINANCE
A LEVELS ART, PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGIOUS STUDIES DESTINATION DURHAM UNIVERSITY TO STUDY THEOLOGY
MAISIE S A LEVELS BUSINESS STUDIES, ENGLISH LITERATURE, SPANISH DESTINATION SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY TO STUDY INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS WITH LANGUAGES
PEARLY S A LEVELS SOCIOLOGY, ART, GEOGRAPHY DESTINATION OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY TO STUDY SOCIOLOGY AND EDUCATION
ELLIE T A LEVELS ENGLISH LITERATURE, DRAMA, RELIGIOUS STUDIES DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF EXETER TO STUDY PHILOSOPHY
MELISSA T A LEVELS PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGIOUS STUDIES, TEXTILES DESTINATION UNIVERSITY TO STUDY PSYCHOLOGY
CATHERINE W A LEVELS MUSIC, ART, ENGLISH LITERATURE DESTINATION CAMBERWELL COLLEGE OF ARTS TO STUDY ART FOUNDATION
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MEGAN T A LEVELS HISTORY, ENGLISH LITERATURE, DRAMA AND THEATRE STUDIES DESTINATION ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY LONDON TO STUDY ENGLISH AND DRAMA
EMMA T A LEVELS BIOLOGY, MATHEMATICS, TEXTILES DESTINATION SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY TO STUDY FORENSIC SCIENCE
GEMMA U A LEVELS MATHEMATICS, TEXTILES, PHYSICS DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF EXETER TO STUDY MATHS WITH FINANCE
EMMA W A LEVELS HOSPITALITY AND CATERING, DANCE, BUSINESS STUDIES DESTINATION GAP YEAR THEN TO OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY TO STUDY INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
GEORGINA W A LEVELS RELIGIOUS STUDIES, BUSINESS STUDIES, HISTORY DESTINATION UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX TO STUDY BUSINESS
AQUILA 2013 - 2014
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS 02 CONTENTS
13 Banksy: Art or Graffiti?
EDITOR
03 Notes from the Editor 03 A word from the Headmistress
EDUCATION
22 Girls or Boys? Is the investment into female education the best long term investment or do boys offer a better value?
33 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
35 VALETE
COMMUNITY
23 We should all learn Chinese!
TALKING POINT
04 What is the point of the Royal Family? 05 Ivory trade: Sacrifice or slaughter? 06 The Afterlife 41 Head Girl’s Report
06 Protect our children! Arm our teachers!
HEALTH AND SCIENCE
07 Performance enhancing drugs ... Can their use ever be justified? 08 The Large Hadron Collider 08 To clone or not to clone? 09 Is artificial selection “one step too far?” 10 Embryonic screening - What would you do?
ECONOMICS
14 Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend? 15 Is the money going into space exploration worth it?
24 The Travellers Storyboard and review
CONTROVERSY IN FOCUS
42 Milton
43 Mandeville
43 Penn 44 LAST WORD Upper Sixth - where are they going?
26 Is religion damaging?
ARTS AND CULTURE
42 Hampden
ECONOMICS
TALKING POINT
16 The frightening truth about our throwaway society 16 America - War Criminals? 17 Should capital punishment be abolished?
ARTS AND CULTURE
11 Disney vs. Brothers Grimm 12 Defying dance politics 12 Controversy in dance
HEALTH AND SCIENCE
18 Is public healthcare the way forward? 18 Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR)
29 Does fashion have a price? 30 Is Mathematics relevant in 2014?
19 Genetically Modified Foods
30 Is the Chinese economy really taking over the world?
20 Should we try to cure all diseases?
21 Fundamentality of controversy
ARTS AND CULTURE
31 The pressure on men in the media 32 Controversial plays 32 What is Art?
2
AQUILA 2013 - 2014
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? e n lo c o t t o n r o e n lo c To
Is religion damaging?
r do
TH TR E FRI TH UTH AGHTE RO WA BOU NING WA T OU YS OC R IET Y
Does fashion have a price?
GIR LS Is t he i OR lon g te nvestm BO valu rm inv ent in e? YS? est me to fem nt o ale
WHAT IS T OF THE ROHE POINT YAL FAMILY
WE SHOUL LEARN CHI D ALL NESE!
e boy ducati o s of fer n the a be bes tter t
AQUILA
Disney vs. Brothers Grimm
Pipers Lane Great Kingshill High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP15 6LP e: theschool@piperscorner.co.uk t: 01494 718255 www.piperscorner.co.uk www.facebook.com/PipersCornerSchool @PipersCornerSch
E F I L R E T F A E TH www.bainesdesign.co.uk A59337
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The large Hadron Collide
Fundamentality of controversy
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