Contents 2.
Interview With Mrs Grantham
4.
Zero Waste
6.
A trip to Germany
8.
Theatre on a Budget
9.
A Day at Oxford
10.
Creativity
12.
The Musician’s Son
13.
This Storm
14.
Tube
15.
Why Scientist’s Should study English
17.
Poetry
22.
Gym and Dance Display Review
24. Fountains Abbey 25. Music 27. St Pancras’ Poet Laureate
SCHOOL LIFE An Interview with Ms Grantham Riddhi Kanetkar Name: Julia Grantham Position: Art Teacher A-Level Options: Art, English, Economics Degree: BA (Hons) Painting, Farnham MA Art History, Kingston
An insight into your life: What was the best year of your life? Every year- I enjoy every moment in life. What is your favourite food? Greek mezes and Spanish tapas. What was your favourite holiday? Yosemite Park, 2012 Tell us about your hitch hiking days: I was poor but I loved travelling. I went all around Europe; I went grape picking in France, and slept on doorways and train stations and beaches. We even got onto a boat for free (we went with a lorry). Favourite TV show? The OA Favourite actors? Will Smith and Dame Judi Dench Favourite artists? Paula Rego
Some random quick fire questions: You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What colour would you be and why? Forest green- I love being outside and I love nature. I also love walking through woods. What was the last gift you gave someone? An iPhone. (Very generous!!) If you weren’t an art teacher, what career would you pursue? A theatre prop maker Describe the colour yellow to somebody who is blind. Warm, shiny, happy If you were on an island and could only bring three things, what would you bring? I stole this from the Guardian! • Tennis ball machine • Tennis Racquet • Ball If you were an animated character, who would you be and why? Mr Potato head, because his personality can be changed. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Flight What is the weirdest dream you’ve had? I was floating on my back on the sea, and a massive white liner went past, and someone’s eye fell out and fell into mine. If you won the lottery, what would you do? I would give it out to family and friends. I would also travel the world, and see places like Mexico or New Zealand. What are you most afraid of? Upsetting people. How would your friends describe you? Calm; very aloof at first, but then when they get to know me, I’m lovely!
Science
A big thank you to Ms Grantham for giving up some of your free time to participate in this interview!
Zero Waste Xenia Magdaleno-Tseng
What is Zero Waste? “Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. No trash is sent to landfills or incinerators. The process recommended is one similar to the way that resources are reused in nature.”[1] But why encourage this lifestyle? And what is it like to truly create a zero waste environment? Researching about the amount of rubbish we throw away has made me more aware of everything that is placed in the bins. On average, each person in the UK throws away their own body weight in rubbish every seven weeks and the UK produces more than 100 million tonnes of waste each year. One tonne is about the weight of a small car. [2] Now, onto what is actually in that waste: Plastic Plastic accounts for much of the waste we produce. We produce and use twenty times more plastic today than we did 50 years ago. Think of the last time you threw away plastic - it is most likely within the past few days. The plastic cutlery used at the canteen, the packaging on food or even the price tag of new clothes you buy. All of these are most often sent straight to the landfill, and decompose for hundreds of years. Most plastic shopping bags are
used only once and a plastic bag can take more than 100 years to decompose, so anything that is thicker only adds to the number of years. Cans Each can could be recycled into a new can. This would save a lot of the natural resources needed for new cans if we all just recycled the ones that we use. Paper and Cardboard Paper and card make up about a fifth of the typical household dustbin. About half of this consists of newspapers and magazines. Although the average UK family throw away 6 trees worth of paper in one year, it is clear that with 2/3 of paper being recycled in the UK it is one of the strongest areas in terms of recyclability. Food Waste A shocking amount of food is wasted here in the UK, especially during festive seasons. It is estimated that most UK households throw away between £250 and £400 of potentially edible food every year. Considering there are many ways to reduce this waste, it is uncertain as to why people don’t. Perhaps there is not enough exposure, or it is too much of a hassle, or maybe some are simply unaware of the impact and potential threat this could pose on the world. Whatever the reason, we will be focusing on the values of zero waste and hopefully learning something new. ZERO WASTE: producing no waste that is sent to the landfill or thrown into bins. It is encouraged to recycle and compost in this lifestyle. Steps to take to achieve Zero Waste When I first heard about Zero Waste, Lauren Singer was the first person who gave all the alternatives. Her blog (trashis4tossers) [3] outlines her journey into the Zero Waste lifestyle, and luckily for us, she’s given a whole list of alternatives for anything and (almost) everything you can think of here: http://www.trashisfortossers.com/2013/08/zero-waste-alternatives-ultimate-list.html . Here are a few things YOU can do to make your life more eco-friendly: 1. Water bottles – if you bring your water in a re-usable bottle, well done! If you don’t, think about investing in a water bottle that can be used daily. Using a new bottle each day increases the amount of plastic sent to the landfills and if you can do something about that, take action! (note: try and use stainless steel bottles) 2. Food – many, if not all, of the school population go to the canteen. Think of how much plastic is wasted by just taking the cutlery! If we all bring in our own cutlery we will all achieve greatness! 3. Plastic bags – these are everywhere. You can do something about it. Instead of taking a plastic bag every time you go shopping bring some organic cotton tote bags that can be reused again and again. [1] Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_waste [2] https://www.cbenvironmental.co.uk/docs/Recycling%20Activity%20Pack%20v2%20.pdf
Travel
[3] http://www.trashisfortossers.com/
A Week in Germany Alice Kirk
During the February half term, myself and six other girls visited Germany as part of an exchange and to complete a week's worth of work experience. After a 3 hour delay to DĂźsseldorf due to the sudden onslaught of snow and ice, we were relieved to finally arrive and meet each of our exchange partners. Monday, the first day of work experience, was upon us seemingly before anyone had had a chance to unpack their suitcases and we all ventured off into varying parts of Solingen using frankly bewildering bus tickets (which, I learnt later in the week, I hadn't been using correctly at all). For my placement, I had the excitement of travelling to Hotel Lohmann, a prestigious and renowned romantic getaway for newly weds, which offered a vast expanse of rooms with scenic views, spas, pools, gardens as well as a restaurant and bar. My work mostly entailed setting and clearing the tables, organising rooms for birthdays and important meetings, drying glasses and tidying away plates. If you made the assumption that these tasks were trivial, however, you would be mistaken: this was not Subway, but a four star hotel with expectations for quality and appearance beyond belief. I learnt how to make swan serviettes, but later was informed that my sorry attempts did not meet the standards; I was even given a lesson on the best way to dry a wine glass. By some unbeknown miracle, I managed to suffer only minor catastrophes in the hotel- dropping a box of candles, rolling to meet the feet of some people dining in the restaurant, to which one of the staff apologised, 'Sorry Sir and Madam, for she is an English student' as I feverishly salvaged those not so battered on my hands and knees. A week with the hotel was an experience I will always treasure: I admired the community amongst the unified body of staff who were all very friendly and hospitable. I hope that my German speaking skills also improved and came more naturally as I was certainly definitely subjected to many imperative verbs during my shifts in Hotel Lohmann. Overall my work and the exchange in general was an invaluable experience which taught me communication, organisation, independence, determination with which I gained confidence in German abundantly. It has also developed my fascination with language itself, and the immense ability it seems, at least to me, to be bilingual: I never knew how mentally and physically exhausting
it was to speak a language which was not fluent every minute of the day and when I had arrived home, I was perhaps more conscious (and grateful) for my fluent English to work without hurriedly trying to conjugate verbs mid-sentence in a panic. The week long trip has consolidated the fact that I have a lot of work to do yet to improve in German and has motivated me further to achieving this.
Culture A trip to the theatre on a budget Ireland Ross and Emma Rapley The Glass Menagerie is currently being performed at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London. Tickets are available at £20 or less until the final performance on 29th April 2017. After seeing the stunning production myself I would highly recommend a trip to the theatre. John Tiffany’s Broadway production of Tennessee Williams’ is beautifully played with Tiffany conjuring theatrical magic throughout the whole performance. The play depicts a vision of love and a strange dream of America, falling through the night. The Glass Menagerie is a memory play narrated by an aspiring poet and character in the play: Tom Wingfield. Set in St Louis, 1937 the play follows the Southern family, consisting of Amanda a pushy mother, Laura a painfully shy daughter, and Tom the narrator and supportive son. The audience is informed at the start of the play that the father ran away years ago, leaving a single postcard and has not been heard from since. Tennessee Williams’ heartbreaking classic is beautifully presented by the universally acclaimed creative team bringing 1930s St Louis stylishly to life. This is further supported by the stunning lighting, sound, and music composed by Nico Muhly. An amazing evening of entertainment for just £15! It doesn't get much better than that for all you theatre fans. Over the years I have found so many deals online for some of the most critically acclaimed plays and west-end shows in London. Below I have ranked my favourite websites for getting the best bargain on those shows you just can’t wait to see. 1. https://www.mousetrap.org.uk/ For 15-18 year olds tickets for monthly theatre picks are priced at just £5 for every show on offer. Some of the shows they have recently had tickets for are Wicked and Kinky Boots as well as The Royal Ballet’s production of Sleeping Beauty. It’s free to sign up and this reputable company can be trusted to buy tickets from. 2. https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/ Sign up for free to receive discount codes and monthly deals for various shows through their email communications. Shows cost as little as £15. 3. http://www.lovetheatre.com/ This is a website offering large discounted deals for theatre shows with as much as 70% off on some of London’s most popular shows such as The Lion King and Dreamgirls. 4. http://www.lastminute.com/theatre/
Education
Large range of theatre sho on offer for under £15. It is one of the most reliable websites for obtaining cheap theatre tickets.
A Day at Oxford Isabel Valdes The day started early with an effort to travel up to the English Faculty at Oxford University. Now is a good point to tell all of you that I was adamant I would not be a potential Oxbridge candidate and I voiced these opinions to my parents on the long drive north. Needless to say by 3 o clock that same day, I was filled with a new desire to go away and start my application to apply for a place at Oxford. The university put on Access schemes to encourage state schools (like ours!) to put forward people as Oxbridge applicants. The day was very informative and we were treated to a lecture by an Oxford Professor. I chose to attend one on how Shakespeare can be interpreted as a text instead of a play. This was an eye opening experience, as it both armed me with knowledge that I will no doubt use in the Shakespeare part of my A-level course, but also gave me insight into the high level topics one can expect to discuss at Degree level. Following this, we were split into groups to go and look around one of the 38 colleges that Oxford has to boast. We took the short walk to Mansfield College, a picturesque block of buildings that expressed the quintessential Oxford style. As we all entered the dining room to get our lunch, there were audible gasps as we felt like we were walking into Hogwarts. The ornate woodwork and long dark wood tables were quite different to the canteen we eat in at school! (For fellow English geeks out there, scenes of the early Harry Potter movies were filmed onsite at Chris Church College). To avoid a monotonous ramble about the ins and outs of my day, I feel it would be more productive to explain what I learned from the experience and how this can help you consider applying to Oxbridge. Speaking as someone who has always seen Oxbridge as an unattainable prospect, I understand people who see it this way. However, we must consider that we all go to a selective grammar school and just for being here; all of us are capable of getting into one of those much feared interviews. Oxbridge are constantly under pressure to distance themselves from the ‘only admitting middle class white boys who attended private schools’ tag which is seen from the recent statistics that 59.2% of undergraduates admitted came from state schools. Furthermore, going to an all-girls school, we have an advantage; namely, we are girls! For people considering a STEM related degree, Oxbridge should definitely be a serious consideration. There is a great deal of interest in pushing girls into STEM related careers and this is reflected in the increasing number of girls Oxbridge is accepting into STEM degrees. Only 29% of the STEM workforce is made up of women, so it is our turn to change these statistics. Moving away from STEM, studying any subject at Oxbridge allows you to do so surrounded by passionate people who genuinely want to learn more about their subject and see you excel in it too. At our school, it is common that people feel they are not good enough (‘I only got an A!’). However, it is about time we put ourselves out there and take these wonderful opportunities. After all, you will never know if you never try.
Science Creativity and Mental Health Hafsah Rahman
The mind itself is a complex entity, practically unknown to man and never fully understood. It controls us on an intensely intimate level and is an immense part of who we are. Like anything, it can fall victim to illness – consisting of different stages – and can be controlled by internal and external factors, such as the environment or even our personalities. A creative mind is one that is quintessentially complex, composed of intricate thought processes that are often difficult for others to follow. This commonly results in creative people feeling alone in their thoughts, unable to but desperately trying to achieve some sort of common ground with the people around them. It could also allow them to flourish, to use this creativity, this ability to think contrarily and beyond what others can, to understand alternative views or behaviour to an extended degree. These traits are not exactly recognised or valued, primarily due to the textbook fashion in which society chooses to understand people. What has been shown through history, by the works of authors and philosophers, is that a mind that is creative withholds the ability to properly understand the vast amount of grey area within a person. We often overlook the fact that everyone is different and has led a different life. The smallest of experiences combine to form the person we are today – even if we are not aware of what has caused what. Studies have shown that creative people are some of the most likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. This is because of them feeling alone in their thoughts, unable to connect with others in the easy way most people are accustomed to. It is important for the benefit of society as a whole that this issue is addressed, because having members of our community consistently struggling to understand what they’re feeling is quite dangerous. Whether your feelings of anxiety are continuous butterflies or hot and cold flushes or full blown panic attacks or all three and more, it is important to make it known that there are others that feel the same, that can understand. If society continues to ignore those that are struggling with what is so common yet so rarely spoken of, it can end up destroying people from within. There are many mental health conditions in which the one suffering does not actually understand what they are going through and what the possible causes are. This could be because they’re brushing off any feelings that are relatively new or felt before, but just a lot more often. Since this lack of understanding or ignorance on the subject is so widespread, it should be the duty of one of the biggest, most powerful forces we have in conveying information to young people – schools. Schools should make it their duty to incorporate education on mental health issues and the different triggers for it – even if that trigger was a personality type. Students should be aware that something they’re feeling is not alien, that there is help
available for them. There could be a student that is unaware that they even need help as they do not sense a problem, or have been told that their mental health condition is a ‘teenage phase’. All students should be aware of the variety of mental health disorders there are – particularly the ones that most commonly affect students such as anxiety and depression. It is easy to overlook issues within society that mainly affect individuals on a more internal level, despite the more general damage it causes to a large or small community. It is long overdue that the government assign this more importance and a permanent place in our education system, as the system itself was made for the benefit of society. Allowing mental health to be part of the syllabus only allows this system to function more efficiently and like it was designed.
Creative Writing The Musician’s Son Hareny Nithiyananthan The rain was beating down on the window, like bullets fighting to smash through and only cause chaos and sadness, in an already desolate grey room. I was a slouching figure on my soft, comforting bed. It was the only comforting thing in this shoebox of a flat. I lived only with my mum, a tall blonde haired woman, driven by determination, to be a perfectionist. She was the perfectly pointed pencil you find before your maths test, among the annoyingly blunt ones. While reading the same book I read a thousand times before, I sat flicking, lazily, through the yellow, stained pages. But I never grow tired of reading this book. Not when I'm reading about him...Imagine a boy: fifteen years old, shaggy hair and blue eyes, not much to look at. However, I felt so much like him but nothing like him. He was famous, and me, I was mud in clear water. Let me tell you about him. He started off as a humble poet and songwriter. After winning a popular music competition, hid career took off and he became famous and married a beautiful lady. They had a son called Liam. They lived in a giant mansion and were so happy. But it didn't last long. He died on the Cancer Ward, on a Tuesday, four years ago. His son was only eleven years old. On arrival at the hospital Liam and his mother, stood in front of the clean white counter. Liam stood on tiptoes, staring down the plump, bored-looking receptionist. They followed the receptionist, Nurse Emily (which the boy read on her name pin), to a kindly looking doctor who looked like he was in his mid-forties, but then again the boy was never very good at judging ages, and he wasn't going to ask. As his mother started to consult the doctor about 'symptoms and worst case scenarios' the boy stood as tall as he could to peer over the only circle of clear glass in the ward's door. Almost as if his father had a sixth sense, he lifted his head wearily, and stared straight into the boy's eyes, penetrating his soul. An army of goose bumps invaded Liam's skin, winning the battle. 'Remember me.' gasped the musician. 'I will' whispered Lim, biting back tears, with despair. The musician lowered his head.... His head rested peacefully... He closed his eyes. The electrocardiogram let out a piercing scream. Liam's mum's tears formed a stream. Black eye make-up smeared the apples of her cheeks. It was all over: no more mansion, family holidays, nothing. Liam is fifteen now. He lives in a flat with his mum. He reads his dad's biography a thousand times. Liam misses his dad.
Creative Writing This Storm Raagave Thayaruban The fields quivering, the skyline was a grimace. Pushing through the fighting wind, I manage to pull myself through the drag of the rain. The nearest shelter is nowhere to be seen. Drenched from the saltiness of the rain, I fail to stand. The tears of the clouds can be heard from afar, dripping, splashing, falling. The cold wind had reached my conscience and I struggled to stand. This storm had erupted from one feeling. Two days before, I had happily returned from my trip to the market. Mum had been at work and dad had gone to Norway for a week. My spirits were high. I rushed straight to my bedroom with the intention to stay up reading comic books. Maybe it had been the winter wind running through the crack in my window, but the air had changed. No, a lingering uncertainty was there. Confused, I jumped up in bed and waited for the insistent feeling to go away. Why was it still there? The next day awoke. Slowly drifting away from my dream, I went to clutch my pillow. It was....hard and wet. Spiky too. I forced my eyes to flutter open, and that air haunted me again. My surroundings merely contained glass, rocks and mud. What had happened?! I felt the wind picking up. The world was a blur of green and meticulous grey. Grey. It seemed to be the only colour the sky wanted to be coloured in. I sprung from my position; I needed to get away from this...nightmare? My thoughts and feelings were fresh. My body turned into an icicle, and the more I ran, the more my surroundings were scarily unfamiliar. More times than I could count I stumbled over a rock, my bruised legs started to tear what spirit I had left in me. This was real. One day later and I'm still here. Nothing new for miles ahead and my feet are sore from running. I groggily stood up after taking a break. What more could I do? Running wasn't the answer. Droplets of rain circled me like mocking children and I wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow me whole. My eyes glanced up to meet a red glint in the distance - was the rain tricking me? Nevertheless, it was something that caught my attention enough to make me spirit towards it, clinging to whatever hope it could be. Approaching it carefully, I recognised it as a ladybird. The poor bug was sheltering itself from the rain with a single leaf and - though it was a bug - sorrow gripped my heart. I took it in my hands and covered it properly. This world was washing away; I clung to the ladybird. I blinked my eyes once and we were back overlooking the front of my house while the ladybird fluttered up to my bedroom window. Grinning, I ran after it, forgetting what had led me here.
Creative Writing Tube Aliya Asaria A deep rumbling echoed through the cavernous walls of an area deep underground. The floor rattled and the lights flickered briefly. There were people pushed into every crack and crevice in the room and it was completely silent other than the occasional rustle of newspapers and sighs. The ground was only three metres wide and then there was a sudden drop onto the tracks below; the tracks were then fed into a hole of seemingly never ending darkness, an unpleasant place that echoed whines throughout. The area surrounding the black opening was devilishly hot, stuffy and humid. As it was so far underground, the ventilation units weren't of much use and so all who stood there were uncomfortably aware of the dense atmosphere around them. People gasped with horror a dirty, hairy rodents crawled out from the seemingly never ending darkness, scurrying along. It was not necessarily a desirable place to be standing. Suddenly, a piercing whine shrieked through the walls, and nobody moved. They could sense something was coming... And then‌ Something emerged from that deep, dark hole... A tube. Several metal carriages conjoined rattles down the tracks, slowing to a halt. Those metal venus flytraps opened as a flood of people escaped the confines of that small, crowded space while others piled into the carriages with no regard for personal space. The flytraps beeped and snapped shut. With a great whooshing the tube sped off into the other black hole opposite, cleverly hidden in the wall. You could see the passengers inside sway as the carriage left without warning, promptly before being sucked up by the darkness. All was quiet. The newspapers danced on the floor noiselessly and coffee cups ceased to swirl. Slowly but surely, people poured into the station and the process was put on a loop: more seek metal tubes passed through the station; more newspapers rustled then stopped. More lights flickered and more people stood uncomfortable aware of the stuffy, humid atmosphere.
Advice Why Scientists Should Study English Tiffany Patterson, Jennifer Jesuthasan & Yuki Kan
In a school where the most popular subjects at A-level are the sciences as well as maths, do you not think that having a subject of escapism would be great? If you know that you want to go down a specific career route, are you struggling to choose your fourth subject? Why not choose English Literature? We are so glad that we chose to study English Literature. There are so many ways in which it has enhanced not only skills of English Literature but also skills which are applicable in science based subjects- not to forget maths. For those of you who are considering taking maths A Level, you may or may not know that statistics is one of the key modules that you will study. Statistics is different in that most of the questions require analytical techniques and application skills in which a student of English Literature would have the upper-hand. In terms of biology and chemistry, what students found to be the hardest transition from GCSEs to A-Levels was applying the context in which they have learnt to the exam questions. Having studied this analytical subject, this has given us the upper hand and has made that slightly easier in terms of understanding what the examiner wants to be included in an answer to score the top marks. If you are aspiring to become a future scientist, you may have noticed that certain questions require you to take into consideration that ‘The quality of written communication will be assessed.’ often symbolised with a pencil next to the question. This requires you to use formal language with the correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar all of which will come naturally when you study English Literature. With this essay-based subject, you will most definitely become more confident in your writing skills and the aspects of your grammar and punctuation will become instinctive. ‘In the gentle time of a late summer, a creek over boulder flowed smooth. As autumn fell, floating leaf after leaf skipped round the rock, chasing like giddy schoolgirls playing ‘Follow the leader’. In winter’s depth, all frozen stood, ice on stone, stone on ice.
The bright thaw springs a maelstrom, water currents churning and swirling as drunken Maypolers.’ An extract taken from ‘Pearson A- Level Physics’ text book. This section of a poem above may seem ordinary to you, but would you have ever guessed that it was taken from a physics textbook! The question that came with this poem stated ‘Explain these poetic observations of the flow of a Lake District stream’. Although this question is just from a textbook, these types of poetic questions are becoming more common and may even be in future examination papers. By studying English Literature, after analysing many poems and literary texts, you would be able to answer these types of questions without any hesitation. Studying this mind-blowing subject will give you qualities that will be advantageous when applying for any job involving communication and analytical skills. Studying this subject will require you to study novels, poems, extracts and plays and analyse them thoroughly- this will demonstrate to any employer or interviewer, having heard that you have taken such a valued subject, that you are a well-rounded individual, who can look at more than one interpretation of texts and understand different viewpoints. Are you someone who views English as a pointless subject? Are you someone who has always thought, 'What is the point in 'learning' English if we already speak and read it fluently?' Well then, has it also occurred to you that there is more to a language than being able to speak and read it eloquently? There are so many benefits of studying English literature, even if you know that your future pathway will not be obtaining an English degree as such. English will help you with your writing skills in essays and questions that require your quality of written communication. If you are one that loves reading, English is the right place for you as you will explore amazing texts and analyse it as part of your curriculum. Even if you do not consider yourself as someone who reads frequently, don’t let that discourage you- see this as an opportunity to grow to love reading as statistics has proven that those who read more are less likely to be stressed. No matter how much of a stressful day you’ve had a school, when you enter your English Literature class, I guarantee that you will feel relaxed and will enjoy the lesson which allows you to be creative whilst also learning written and analytical skills that you will be using for the rest of your life.
Poetry Introduction Aisha Loader On Saturday the 11 March, myself and two other students had the opportunity to attend an English faculty day at Oxford University. There were three lectures on offer, American Renaissance, Shakespeare and Romantic Poetry (the latter of which I attended). The lecture was led by Professor Abigail Williams who gave us the opportunity to look at one of Wordsworth’s poems ‘Daffodils’ and asked us to consider how important experience was when looking at a piece of poetry such as this which is formed on the basis of experience. This was particularly useful later on in the lecture as we also looked at Post-Colonial interpretations of ‘Daffodils’ led by Jamaica Kincaid who was forced to learn the poem despite having never seen a daffodil before. We were asked to explore many questions on the beauty and appreciation of nature, the serenity of the surroundings and the power of the poem from a single incident. In light of this idea, year 8 have produced some poetry of their own based on Daffodils and we have selected the top 3 to be published in this addition of the Wally Street Journal. A massive thank you to work we received, they were all beautifully written and it was extremely hard to pick the best ones, it was a true honour to read them all. A special thank you as well to Mrs Elliott for providing us with this amazing experience on what was an extremely interesting and worthwhile experience.
Poetry Poem 1 Thirsha Amuthaseelan I pondered alone as the night sky, That watches all the good and bad things that happen, When I was four I saw a butterfly, A bundle of elegance built in, Besides the meadows, beneath the caves, Shimmering and dancing in the waves, Significant as the stars that dance, And add a golden touch to the meadows, They captured me at one glance, Along a row of crows, Joyfully soaring through the mid-summer breeze, All this done with elegance and ease, The gentle breeze swiftly moving on but they, Fluttered and soared higher than the eye can see, This was the best part of my day, Soaring as far as the sea, I studied- and studied- but little happiness, Was ever to be granted but scrappiness, After all, I am lying on my back, In a reflective and happy mood, The memories flash within a clack, At that moment I sink into the life I want, And now nothing shall daunt.
Poetry Poem 2 Anarya Kriti Running in the mighty woods, As the wind blows through the trees, All was calm and all was good, I was at peace, I was free When all the mud gets on my shoes, When the waves get in my hair, I get to see all the hues, When I’m floating through the air, Even near the end of the day, The Milky Way is just alive, When some sleep and others play, Then we can all learn to thrive, Now when I think back to then, Running in my very thoughts, Over and over again, Through the woods I will trot.
Poetry Poem 3 Antonia Hristova
It’s hard to think about my life, Of all the things I have been, The creatures I have become, And undone of, The cry of the unholy, These songs of the damned, Forever eternal and yet, Too touched by humanity, I sit beneath the canopy, While the breeze forgets to brush my face, Some feral child tamed for the moment, These bones of mine become displaced, And for a second I will breathe, Forgo the threats of violent concrete, Where love is a keepsake, Bruised by vulnerability, I forgive myself here, Beside a stream that cries more than I have ever cried, Where the duality of life and death is equal,
To the paradox in every heartbeat, Names fall without ambition, Just like dead leaves, In these, My letters to God.
Review Gym and Dance Display Review Jess Tait
This year's highly anticipated Gym and Dance display concluded last night, on the 17th March 2017, and it was marvellous! For those who were fortunate enough to see the talent over the two nights must agree that there was an intense passion from start to finish; all the way from the year 7 girls to the year 13s. The show began with an introduction of the gymnasts bouncing and flipping over the stage as the coloured lights brightened and dimmed accordingly. Immediately everyone in the audience knew they were in for a fantastic evening as, within the first two minutes of the display, the twists and turns of the gymnasts caused open jaws and impressed glances - myself included!
However, these reactions did not stop there. As the girls continued to unravel their talent to the crowd, there was a joyous enthusiasm from the girls that showed how much they enjoyed their own performances and the pride they felt, deservedly so. A particularly stunning performance that caused many cheers and applause from the audience was from a year 10 student, Yasmin, who wowed the crowd with an array of jumps and flips to a classic Ed Sheeran song, as well as Emma Coates who performed beautifully in many routines - showing the range of talent within in our school. Nonetheless, I cannot fail to mention the remarkable year 7 gym club performance which reminded both me and the other year 11s of the great experiences we had in our first year. Here, the effort of the girls was highlighted as they executed their routine with charisma and smiles. After the interval in which girls in the Sixth Form sold refreshments in order to raise money for World Challenge, the talent continued.
Beginning with the Year 11 GCSE dance students who performed their rendition of the dance Rosas. The dedication to the subject was clear through both the powerful message within the dance and the expression of determination.
As the display continued, the incredible dances did too all the way from the creative cats dance to the brightly coloured parachute within the 7Johnson group! Furthermore, the choreography from both the P.E teachers and the students was commendable. I had a special admiration for the girls who created wonderful dances for the crowds and chose fantastic music - such as the groovy Alt-J in Anna-Tina's piece, but did not feature in the performances themselves.
Despite not seeing the display on Thursday, I have been told of its excellence and, from Friday's performance, could assume this myself.
Well done to both the girls and the P.E department, you once again delivered a wonderful evening.
Creative Writing My Romantic Diary entry (inspired by Dorothy Wordsworth) Fountains Abbey Beatrice Pengelly My hair whipped across my face like waves on a white-chalk cliff. The river twisted like a rippling ringlet of hair along the sparsely tended banks. The blanket of trees rose with the hill and climbed towards the flushed clouds. The sun assaulted the trees with rays of sharp light. I had escaped the clutches of society. I felt like a leaf, being controlled by a gentle but insistent wind. I walked further along the river with the soundtrack of wild water ringing through my head. Then I saw it. The Abbey jutted through the ground - a mass of stones held together by its rich history. Children climbed all over the aged walls: it was their playground. Adults marvelled at the pillars of stone: it was their wonder. Owls perched on the solitary pillars and squinted for intruders in their territory: it was their sanctuary. Raindrops dived towards the lush land of grass and flora, until the clouds cleared with sudden obedience to the monarchy of light and warmth. The sun reached out to a small white structure on the hill; the vast, dirt plinth had disguised the temple. It glittered with angelic song; crystals of its radiance floated towards me and lodged themselves in my memory. It was beauty.
Music Soundtrack to your Week Manon Garnham and Beth Drury Hi pals! We have taken over the music section for this issue to share with you some of our favourite Feel Good Songs.
Next Storm – Frank Turner This is a song about bravery and tackling any obstacles that come your way- resilience is an important quality for everyone to have. From the album ‘Positive Songs for Negative People’, Frank manages to capture enough happiness that even the angriest of people can relate to.
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N – Noah and the Whale This is a perfect reminder that there is always tomorrow: if today goes badly, you try again in the morning. Light-hearted and upbeat, this song is a classic pick-me-up. The whole album follows the theme of finding value in life and having a good time.
I Wanna Get Better – Bleachers Pretty self-explanatory, this one. Upholding our overarching theme of positivity, this optimistic anthem never fails to lift my mood.
Gravel to Tempo – Hayley Kiyoko Hayley Kiyoko, as seen on Disney shows like ‘Lemonade Mouth’, is a strong advocator for loving yourself. From her recent EP ‘Citrine’ this song is all about picking yourself up and doing your own thing without worrying what anyone else thinks.
Let’s Dance to Joy Division – The Wombats A Masterpiece accurate to everyday life. Everything is going wrong, but we’re fine with it. We can get through whatever comes our way!
School Life St Pancras Poet Laureate Archita Sinha
My name is Archita Sinha and I am St. Pancras' Poet Laureate. My role entails me to write 3 poems for the year. The company which is in charge of St. Pancras will give me a theme to write a poem about and I have already written a poem called "The Hologram Tree" which can be seen on the St. Pancras website. What I enjoy about this role is that the different experiences I have had. For example, I have had a tour of St. Pancras where I discovered many unbelieveable facts and I have been able to go in a live studio for an interview on London Live. My experiences have been very unique and I know I would not have been able to achieve it if I had not put my name in 'for fun'. When I write a poem, I sit there for an hour just thinking about writing it. When I wrote Hologram Tree, I was so frustrated as I had some nice sentences but I could not link them together to form a poem. So what I did is write down some words and sentences and try and put them together into something I can work with. Usually, the first draft if absolutely horrible and I cringe at it. I change it again then read it and repeat this until I have something that I can call a poem. I think the huge thing that helps me write poems is when I read one. I recommend poets such as Wilfred Owen as their poems make you think about our world and it is a way we can connect with others even after many decades. I would recommend everyone to try something new even if they think they can't do it because if I hadn't tried, I would not be where I am right now.
Thank you for Reading! The newspaper committee would like to extend a large thank you for reading this Edition of the Wally Street Journal! We hope you enjoyed it!
We hope that you all have an amazing Easter Break and that you all continue to write such amazing articles and essays and submit them to the School Newspaper folder in the shared area.
If any of the articles in the newspaper pique your interest, please feel free to write an article in response.
Thank you and goodbye for now!