Bi-Weekly Waffle Longbenton High School
Issue
1 - 18/02/2025
A Welcome Message from Ms Doucet
To our Longbenton Community,
We’re so proud to introduce you to the Sixth Form’s newest project: a bi-weekly culture newsletter, where our Sixth Formers (and the occasional Year 11) tell us about their most recent passions and pursuits It’s not a newspaper, it’s a twice-a-month round up of what has caught our attention: games, books, films and sport, for example You’ll also find art, puzzles, a weather report, and some little bits of silliness to brighten your week
When I put out the call for participants for this newsletter, I certainly didn’t expect what happened: a group of enthusiastic Sixth Formers who showed up in a meeting room in the back corner of the school with a fully realised vision–the vision you see here, organised with nods to the corridors of the building some have inhabited since they were 11 As the most embedded members of the school community, they are very familiar with its lingo–students don’t just go to Maths, they go to ‘Green’
‘I’m in Purple next’ is an incomprehensible phrase to an outsider, perhaps, but one that efficiently gets the message across to any of us! What better way to organise our newsletter than with these categories: Communicate, Explore, Evaluate, Perform, Create It’s what we all do here everyday, and it’s what this newsletter hopes to capture
As for the name? As an English teacher, I’m used to hearing the word; students use it to express their frustration with having to just go on and on in writing. To give opinions endlessly, to say things that aren’t important or direct To say 8 things when 2 would do To this I say: that sounds fun to me! When the name was suggested, it seemed immediately to capture our intentions: what you’ll read here isn’t definitive, it’s just a conversation between friends and we’d love you to join in.
Come waffle with us!
Rowan’s Rows
"Are Jaffa Cakes cakes or biscuits?"
This conundrum has long sparked debate among fans of the popular confectionary
On one hand, Jaffa Cakes are often grouped together with biscuits like jammy dodgers and bourbons, both in conversation and on supermarket aisles Some students have argued that if they asked for “some biscuits”, they would expect Jaffa Cakes to be in the selection Most significantly though, in 1991 a court case legally classified Jaffa Cakes as biscuits for tax purposes, as biscuits are taxed at a lower rate than cakes, seemingly finalising the argument.
However, the spongy, not crunchy-like texture cannot be disputed, along with the “cake” title being a huge indicator of its true form Crucially, the same court case that classified Jaffa Cakes as biscuits also led to the conclusion that they are technically a cake because they go hard when stale, just like a cake does. What do you think?
In two week’s time…
Do you think listening to music helps you to study?
Creative Writing Prompt
These are photos from within Chernobyl’s Nuclear Exclusion zone. The area still has extremely high levels of radioactivity. Now that humans are gone, the city has become overgrown and wildlife is prolific
Write a story or a description that takes place in an abandoned, overgrown city like this one.
Evie’s Politics Roundup
This week Starmer faced Trump, following his lacking appearance at his inauguration, with a phone call where they discussed the means of the UK and USA’s “special relationship” in order to maintain it after centuries of agreement. However, there is no doubt the two simply tolerate each other considering their opposing liberal and conservative governing styles. I am sure the next few weeks of Trump's executive orders will be a telling sign of how our relationship with his government will continue to be, as well as his relationship with Farage who was present at the inauguration.
In other news, in the House of Commons the government announced their inquiry into whether Axel Rudakubana’s Southport attack could have been prevented by authorities, who were aware of safety concerns before the three young girls Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were stabbed at a dance class last year. Evidence has shown that Rudakubana had been reported by both himself and his family to authorities prior to the attack of his dangerous mental state meaning a lack of action from public authorities may have been the catalyst in the case of these three young girls' tragic murders
On a lighter note, Kemi Badenoch, conservative and official opposition leader in the House of Commons, has claimed “sandwiches are not real food” and that she isn't “ a sandwich person ” causing debate surrounding the popular lunch food as she claims it should only be eaten for “breakfast” Let us know your thoughts on sandwiches and what your preferred fillings are
Ms Doucet’s Poem of the Moment
By Andrew Greig Orkney / This Life
It is big sky and its changes, the sea all round and the waters within. It is the way sea and sky work off each other constantly, like people meeting in Alfred Street, each face coming away with a hint of the other’s face pressed in it. It is the way a week-long gale ends and folk emerge to hear a single bird cry way high up
It is the way you lean to me and the way I lean to you, as if we are each other’s prevailing; how we connect along our shores, the way we are tidal islands joined for hours then inaccessible, I’ll go for that, and smile when I pick sand off myself in the shower. The way I am an inland loch to you when a clatter of white whoops and rises…
It is the way Scotland looks to the South, the way we enter friends’ houses to leave what we came with, or flick the kettle’s switch and wait. This is where I want to live, close to where the heart gives out, ruined, perfected, an empty arch against the sky where birds fly through instead of prayers while in Hoy Sound the ferry’s engines thrum this life this life this life
Ask A Year 13: University Open Day Advice
Going to an open day can feel overwhelming, especially if you are going alone I attended my open days by myself during June and September 2024, and I have some advice for those who are worried about attending an open day Firstly, planning travel in advance is the best thing you can do to ensure a successful open day Sometimes things go wrong and trains or buses are delayed, or have planned works Checking for any planned works in advance can help you plan what day you want to go, as universities will offer many open day dates that you can choose from and book for With this, making sure you have plenty of time for travel Going earlier is always beneficial as it avoids the trouble that comes with delayed trains and buses.
Secondly, read the university open day guides Every university will have an open day guide on their website which should include a map of the campus and the talks that are on. Reading this is essential as it will also have information and guidance on how to book for the open day and the times that talks are on Keep in mind that some talks may overlap; use your notes app to note down the talks you want to attend, the time they are being held and what room or block they are in Only pick the talks that you feel are essential, such as subject talks or student finance talks
Lastly, don't be afraid to ask university staff and students for help Often at open days, the university students volunteer to help and will have a badge or shirt that indicates they are assisting with the open day. Ask any questions that you have they are there to help you!
Molly McGuire, Y13
Coming up next!
Here’s a handy list of important upcoming dates for the next two months:
24/02/25 – 28/02/25 Half Term Holiday
28/02/25 – 30/03/25 (approx) Ramadan
4/03/25 Pancake Day
4/03/25 Y12 Writing Workshop (PSHE)
10/03/25 – 19/03/25 Y11 Mocks
25/03/25 Y11-Y13 ESH Career Workshop (PSHE)
27/03/25 Post 16 Reports sent home
30/03/25 Mother’s Day
31/03/25 – 10/04/25 Y12 Mocks
11/04/25 Training Day–No classes
11/04/25 – 25/04/25 Easter Holidays
Ask a Year 13: Maddie’s Oxbridge Advice
It is firstly important to make the vulnerable admission that you might be interested in applyingand you should if you're passionate about a subject and did well at GCSE and it's looking similar at A level Although scary: the acceptance rates are low and it feels unattainable at times, it will be embarrassing if you don't get in, intentionally aiming high does so much. Even if you have so much doubt in the possibility of success, it is absolutely worth it for a few reasons Your applications for other Universities will be so strong when you have an Oxbridge style throughout your application and getting all your applications sent off so early brings a massive weight off your shoulders- it is definitely not a waste of time.
This admission allows you to be so proactive, allowing you to do what I think is also key to your applicationapplying to every program you can - sign up for both Oxford and Cambridges’ outreach emails or particular colleges (outreach at either institution will demonstrate similar skills to aid application to either) or just regularly check University and college websites for what outreach they are running – I remember Cambridge having a comprehensive list Even programmes from other universities are so useful to show super-curricular engagement in your subject at a University level Most of these I attended were completely free. I gained invaluable advice; in some cases I could visit a new place, gain independence similar to what it would be like to live at Uni and meet new people from all over the UK that love my subject, many of whom I still talk to now During these events, I ended up spending extensive time supervised by or sat next to admissions and outreach tutors and student ambassadors alike, whose brains I could pick about the application process and get insider tips - they want you to get in, it's why they do these programmes! To my surprise, most of these opportunities are not well advertised, so just staying intentional and proactive in keeping an eye out for these is so important I got involved, in year 12 alone, with UNIQ Oxford, Cambridges Future Museum Voices programme, Apply Cambridge, UCL’s Sutton Trust and the Pelican Programme, although there are so many more to apply for In these applications just display your passion for the subject and perhaps express a disconnect you feel from these prestigious universities having grown up in the North East and attending a non-selective state school.
Another key to success is starting early - early entry creeps up quickly. Even just reading a few books you find interesting now to do with a subject will help massively in deciding what specific course and why –both Oxford and Cambridge also have recommended reading lists for subjects if you are stuck. From here, think of exploring similar topics in different forms of media where you might gain more knowledge of a niche aspect of that book. Oxbridge likes this form of organisation; I was told to think of writing my personal statement being almost a line of discovery, for example: I went on X programme where I found out Y which encouraged me to read this book where I discovered Z which led me to this podcast/lecture etc etc. You won't be able to include everything you do but it's a great place to start, and then gradually selectivity will come Unfortunately Oxbridge don't care about extracurriculars and the transferable skills from these or part time jobs, unless they link very directly to the course applying for For super curricular reading, I recommend not just reading content within your subject but about the study of the subject itself – what conflicts are there in your field of academic study and where do you stand on these? This can make a perfect overarching theme that isn't necessarily taught at A level for your personal statement, where you apply different theories or schools of thought within your subject to your personal interests.
Finally, it's not what you know but who you know! Through programmes especially I developed a network of people who were able to help me in the application process Being vocal about your intentions of applying as aforementioned also helps, you never know who someone might know who is willing to complete a mock interview with you or look through your personal statement- don't be scared to just ask, I myself would be happy to answer any further questions on anything! Take any opportunity that comes your way but equally don't wait for it to find you, be eager and find it yourself!
Maddie Egner, Y13
Alma’s Nerd Alert - Game Review
NOSFERATU
‘Born at the End of the Universe’: How Outer Wilds finds hope in the face of the great unknown.
In June of 2023 I hesitantly bought Outer Wilds after a few months of deliberation To be honest, I’d been very apprehensive. I was worried about the graphics from the trailer and I’d never been all that interested in spaceexploration games, but when I tell you this game changed me as a person I cannot express the degree to which I mean it This is my favourite video game of all time, if not my favourite story ever told I will avoid spoilers, but this is a story best experienced blind. If ever there is something to take a leap of faith for, trust me, it is this.
Outer Wilds is a story-centric puzzle game set in a fictional solar system called the Outer Wilds (funnily enough) Released in 2019, you play the game as a four-eyed blue ‘alien’ called the Hatchling You live on a quaint, small and charming home planet called ‘Timber Hearth’. Your species hasn’t many members, and in terms of advancement, your species’ leap into the era of space-travel seems premature at best, your earliest spaceships requiring ‘a breathtakingly liberal definition of the word flight’. The outlook of your species is that of optimism and hope towards great new horizons. You’re waking up to the morning of your maiden voyage into space as a part of the Outer Wilds Ventures space programme
Outer Wilds employs a ‘curiosity-driven’ approach to exploration and a non-linear storyline The game’s pace is set by you and your intrigue alone. It takes a little while until you start remembering the names of characters in the little bits of ancient history. You slowly decrypt each piece of information through gorgeous fibbonaci-spiral alien writing left behind There’s an unmatched dopamine release in those moments when you finally piece together a solution or explanation after exploring for loop after loop. A captivating domino effect of realisation. You know the question of ‘what one thing do you wish you could forget so you could experience it again’? This game is always my answer, every time
You’ll find that something unusual is at play in your universe. After freely wandering through space, exploring whatever planets float your boat, visiting your Hearthian companions, you hear a rumble Accompanied by a blinding, skyconsuming blue flash, the sun spontaneously explodes All you can do is watch The blue light approaches, you’re blasted by the supernova The next second, you’re awake again. Its the morning of your maiden voyage. As this repeats several more times, you discover that you’re caught in what appears to be a twenty-two minute time loop in the moments before the death of your universe
Outer Wilds
Age Rating: 12+ (Existential themes, mild threat)
Alma’s Rating: 14 2 billion*/10
*Will make you question your existence and research quantum physics
Outer Wilds is never about escaping fate, it is about maximising the happiness, love and positive potential of whatever comes next. Through each twenty-two minute loop, you can watch as every star in the sky supernovas and disappears before your own. There’s no saving your star, but through experiencing everything your dying universe to offer, you ensure that whatever happens next is the most loving possibility of them all.
I hope I’ve convinced you. The soundtrack for this game is of course stellar too There’s also an expansion DLC called ‘Echoes of the Eye’ which touches on a darker, frightening side of your universe at least at face value I couldn’t continue to explain without spoilers, but uniquely in Outer Wilds, there’s never a real villain. Only the universal struggle for hope against the unknown, and how different people (and aliens) react to that conflict I’ll probably review the DLC in the future, once I’ve made best use of this platform to preach about my favourite games ever. Until next time!
Alma Finnegan, Y12
”The future depends on the past, even if we don’t get to see it.”
Outer Wilds Gallery EXPLORE
Your home planet, Timber Hearth
The sun looks awful big, I’m sure that’s not a bad sign
Another Planet, Brittle Hollow, consists of a fragile outer shell surface, held together by a black hole at the centre Don’t fall in! Or do its a time loop after all
The
This note is from Solanum, she’s o allowed a favourite despite them b
Nomai, an ancient alien speci
I made a sculpture of this Nomai statue
The six planets, three moons and one comet of the Outer Wilds
Lauren’s Puzzles - Sudoku
NOSFERATU
Easy (5-10 minutes)
Hard (15-20 minutes)
Medium (10-15 minutes))
CREATE
Grace’s Film Reviews
Nosferatu (2024)
Nosferatu follows the story of Ellen Hutter (Lily Rose Depp), a troubled young woman harbouring a dark secret, and the newly married wife of Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) A real estate agent who, in order to get a promotion from his employer, Herr Knock, (Simon McBurney) travels to Transylvania to sell a property to the reclusive Count Orlock (Bill Skardgard), leaving Ellen in the company of his wealthy friend Freidrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), his wife Anna (Emma Corrin). As Ellen begins to become increasingly disturbed, the Hardings enlist the help of Dr Wilhelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson) and occult scientist, Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Dafoe) What follows is a gothic tale of desire, tragedy and obsession between a grotesque vampire and a young bride, the object of his infatuation, bringing despair and sorrow to all those involved
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film ‘Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror’ directed by F W Murnau, which itself was an unauthorised adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel ‘Dracula’, following the same plot but changing the names of the characters to avoid facing problems with the copyright This attempt failed as the makers behind the film were sued by Bram Stoker’s widow, Florence Balcombe, and ordered to destroy all copies of the film. However few copies of the film survived and were restored and released following Balcombe’s death and the expiration of the copyright Director Robert Eggers credits the 1922 film for igniting his passion for cinema, having watched a VHS copy of the film and becoming fixated on the titular character portrayed by Max Schrek He was so engrossed by the film that when he was 17 he directed and starred in a stage adaptation of Nosferatu, in complete silence with the actors painted monochrome to resemble the original film, which he was later able to stage professionally, Eggers credits this as the moment that cemented that he wanted to pursue filmmaking as a career stating it “Marked me forever with Nosferatu”
Eggers is a director known for his intricate detail when it comes to period filmmaking; this is clear in his previous films ‘The VVitch’ (2015) and ‘The Lighthouse’ (2019), films renowned for their historical authenticity One way that detail manifests itself in Nosferatu is though the character of Count Orlock, who is portrayed as a Romanian aristocrat Eggers, inspired by Slavic vampire-lore, characterises Orlock in that tradition: painting him as a corpse-like Transylvanian nobleman In addition, Eggers has Orlock suck blood from the chest of his victims rather than the neck, as vampires did in folklore, adding depth to the story and connotations of a sensual nature. Furthermore, this detail references the superstition that this connected to sleep paralysis, something that Lily-Rose Depp’s character, Ellen, suffers with intensely--the belief being that a supernatural entity was sitting on a person ’ s chest, a credence that was associated with the idea of a vampire sitting and feeding off of them
Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgard, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson
Genre: Gothic Horror, Fantasy, Mystery
Rating: 15 (bloody violent content, graphic nudity and some sexual content)
Runtime: 132 minutes
Lily-Rose Depp delivers a spellbinding performance as Ellen; part of what makes Depp’s performances so bewitching are her unearthly body contortions during scenes of possession. To prepare for these she trained in the Japanese dance form butoh which is also known as the ‘dance of utter darkness’ This is a reimagining of the iconic Dracula tale with the addition of the feminine mysticism, with the Ellen Hutter/Mina Harker character being portrayed as powerful female heroine, being relentlessly stalked by the vampiric creature as the subject of its desire, and as a result is plagued by visions and seizes, rather than being a helpless damsel, as the character has often been presented in previous adaptations, with the Ellen/Mina character consequently becoming solely an extension of the Thomas Hutter/Jonathan Harker character, rather than a character in her own right Eggers and Depp twist this narrative by instead portraying Ellen Hutter as a complex young woman with a psychic connection to the creature that has haunted her in her dreams since unintentionally summoning the creature in childhood, and is therefore the heart of this gothic tale.
Egger’s Nosferatu as an innovative, complex and nuanced take on the iconic Dracula story with enthralling performances from the entirety of the supporting actors, full of macabre frights and gothic, romantic and religious imagery, testing the bounds of faith and reason, as well as a deep exploration into vampiric folklore and historical influences, dialogue, costumes and sets authentic to the 1830s time period The stunning cinematography presents a muted colour palette giving it a near-monochrome look, evoking the essence of the original Murnau film whilst still being able to bring something new and fresh with Eggers masterful direction possessively captivating you into this melancholic tale Nosferatu, as well as being a haunting chronicle and one of, if not the best vampire story put to screen in recent times, becoming an instant classic and a marvel in gothic cinema, is also more than anything, a uniquely styled social commentary on the desires of women and the constraints that dominate them, giving audiences certainly more than enough to sink their teeth into
Nosferatu Gallery CREATE
PERFORM
Alex’s Sports Round-up
Powerful Plymouth knock out lacklustre Liverpool in a shock cupset
An impressive performance from Plymouth to advance to the next stage of the FA Cup despite a 44 place gap in between the two teams Plymouth beat Liverpool 1-0 in an incredible performance by the Pilgrims
The Philadelphia Eagles triumph the Kansas City Chiefs in a one-sided affair
On Sunday night, extending into the early hours of Monday, the Eagles beat the chiefs emphatically in an action packed Super Bowl thriller, beating them 40-22
Six nation news:
With the beginning of the six nations there has been multiple shock results and many teams who have impressed us all so far, France, the hosts, kicked off the tournament with an outstanding 43-0 win over Wales A brave England side then beat the favourites France 26-25 after losing to a superb Irish team. After gameweek 2, Ireland sit on top the table on 10 points, 4 points ahead of second place France.
Sixth Form’s Current Tunes
Newcastle news:
Newcastle beat Arsenal earlier last week in a convincing win over the gunners which leads the Geordie boys heading to Wembley for the final of the cup in March Later in the week Newcastle beat stubborn Birmingham City in a thrilling 3-2 victory for the magpies
Song of the Waffle - Alex Not Like Us by Kendrick
This was the song of choice due to the Super Bowl halftime show being the highlight of music this week where Kendrick targeted Drake yet again with his song Not Like Us
by Ichiko Aoba
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel
Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson
Lamar
CREATE
Longbenton’s Artists — Featured Work
Bonus:
Caption this drawing! The best caption will be featured in the next issue!
Art by Alma Finnegan
Art by Ashton Proctor
Art by Aidan Rickard