Contents 3. An interview with Mrs Borrageiro-Maier 5. New Drama studio review 7. 2017 in review: Top Albums 10. Physics in Films 12. Poetry 13. A comparative essay 15. The Turbulence of Time Travel 17. Art 19. Recipe for gingerbread biscuits 20. Culture in WHSG 22. Opinion piece on Fleetlights 23. Photography 24. Review: How to Win Against History 25. Christmas gift guide 27. Christmas concert review
Front Cover: Crossed Out EtÊ Thurgood – 11 Sharman
SCHOOL LIFE An interview with Mrs Borrageiro-Maier What's your favourite part of being a teacher? Watching students blossom- suddenly getting a difficult idea or gaining some confidence they didn’t have before, or creating amazing work. I often get goosebumps from watching excellent work. And I love that students teach me ideas and ways of seeing things as well. I’m a firm believer in being a lifelong learner and also that school is not just about learning knowledge- it’s about growing into the person you are meant to be as a whole. Why drama and media? – I originally was going to do Medicine but was put off by work experience- the reality was not that glamorous- and I’d been doing Ballet/ Drama as an extra subject from very little (from about 4). I was awarded a bursary on the strength of my school results to study a Bachelor of Arts (English/ Drama) at University in South Africa for free (in South African you pay A LOT for University- it’s all private), and knew we couldn’t really afford a medical degree so I decided to do that degree first and if I wanted to study Medicine further I’d take it from there. I found I was quite happy doing what I was doing already so then read an Honours in Drama there, then came over to the UK and read my Masters in Media- I needed a subject that would not involve too much of my time as I could only do it part time as I was working in the I.T. Department at Prudential. I learnt lots! Also, that many of the theoretical concepts I’d learnt were transferable across the subjects. What subjects did you study at school and university that you really enjoyed? I loved History both at school and university- I did one year of it at University and regret not reading a triple major with it but I just couldn’t fit it in with my work load. I also obviously loved English and Drama at both school and University but I also loved Biology at school. I seemed to have a knack for languages back then- I did French and Afrikaans at school, spoke English and Portuguese at home, and studied Spanish and Zulu at University. I found it easy, so I enjoyed it (!). However, Politics and Sociology at University are the ones that pushed me the most and what I learnt the most from at University. I found choosing what to study at University really tough because I was generally just good at being a student- I knew that whatever I picked I could do well in through sheer determination. But that also made me dither. So, I chose a degree that was extremely broad- which was scary- but also meant I grew in ways I hadn’t thought I would. What I’ve learnt is that it doesn’t really matter what you study … as long as you are stretching your brain and enjoy it. I could easily have gone into being a Business Analyst rather than teaching (this was what I was being trained up for at Prudential). And several times I was tempted into finally going into Medicine (I eventually did a stint as a radiographer trainee at The Royal Marsdenwhere the idea was after seven to ten years to become a consultant- just before I came to teach at this school. But I just kept remembering… vomit and diarrhoea from
that work experience. YUK. That’s not to put anyone off- but just to be careful that you’re studying what you want rather than what everybody else wants you to study. You should be true to yourself. What do you remember most about studying in school and uni? Erm ... being a last minuter and always having a million things going on at the same time. School was great because it had structure and that made it a safe place to learn. I think University was easier as nobody was watching me or telling me what to do - because I was already very strong at independent learning this suited me. It was also not just about the exam results but creating new ways of thinking. It was a place of ideas and making new connections between ideas and I loved being to read ideas and discuss them and write about it. I loved not having to do subjects that I found dull and predictable (sorry Maths!). It was also the first time I encountered real sexism- I had an English professor who decided I couldn’t be very good at English because I was a girl and of foreign heritage. He actually said this out loud to the tutorial group. I really enjoyed the look on his face when he realised he’d given me the top mark. I had deliberately not written my first name out on the paper. What has changed the most about you since you started teaching? My parents were not native English speakers and really stressed the importance of a good education. My father in particular felt that a good education was a gift that that you could take with you wherever you went in the world so I guess part of my becoming a teacher was to honour that idea. When I first started teaching I couldn’t believe some students did not WANT to learn- how could you not??? Learning stuff is AMAZING. Now I don’t force it as much- I try to let students learn at their own pace and in their own way. I make an effort to not do all the thinking work for the students I teach and let them actually learn. Through struggling we learn! My ideas about my role have changed- now I see it as being to facilitate and guide that learning rather than tell students exactly what to do (though if they need this I will step in and do so). A huge thank you to Mrs Borrageiro-Maier for participating in this interview.
SCHOOL LIFE The new Drama Studio has arrived! Students are really pleased with this new space for the well-loved subject
The Drama studio F3 has been for a long time an amazing place for students to express themselves and to experiment with acting and performance, a place to build skills and grow in confidence. So, the fact that an additional room, F2, has become a studio for the Drama department to use for lessons, workshops and rehearsals is already proving very beneficial. This room is larger than the studio adjoining it, blacked out for Drama, but still seeming very spacious; a fantastic space for GCSE, A level and KS3 classes as well as extra-curricular clubs and groups to use.
Drama was definitely in need of another studio. Throughout our GCSEs it was sometimes difficult in one black box studio; I'm very happy we now have the space to work properly and explore our ideas. I’m sure all the current students are very pleased with the extra, larger space. Students will no longer have to work in the foyer! – Rebecca Nomafo, Year 12
The new space for Drama is really great - it’s spacious and gives students even more opportunity to explore their ideas. As well as its immediately obvious use for Drama lessons, it can be used for LAMDA, Sister Act rehearsals, other drama or music workshops. As a space it was very useful when students were rehearsing and getting ready for House Music as well – it won’t only benefit the Drama department and the students who will use it for their lessons. This really is helpful for the whole school, and it has been renovated with excellent quality. Overall, I’m very pleased with this new facility and encourage everyone to use it well and often. Rhiannon Abrams 12 AST
MUSIC My Top Albums of 2017 - Anya Desai, 12 SET Between ‘Man’s Not Hot’ charting and the inescapable flood of diss-tracks, it’s safe to say 2017 was an interesting year for music. Here’s a reflection of some of my highlights!
Wamp 2 Dem Artist: Giggs Release Date: 6 October 2017 For lovers of… Lethal Bizzle, Migos Best track? Ultimate Gangsta ft. 2 Chainz About: In his newest mixtape Giggs offers a thrilling insight into a darker London. Drawing on trap influences, Giggs responds to recent criticisms surrounding his work with Drake whilst enlisting the assistance of big names such as 2 Chainz and Young Thug. This album is exciting, hostile and comical, it’ll get you angry but in a fun way. Melodrama Artist: Lorde Release Date: 16 June 2017 For lovers of… Haim, Florence + the Machine Best track? Sober About: Lorde’s second studio album epitomises strong female pop in 2017. This album embraces emotion in every form from the pain of a break up to fear of self-identity all whilst maintaining an acute awareness of every element of every song. Amongst the tantalising synthetic beats and chilling harmonies, Lorde manages to produce a flawless array of soft ballads and dance tunes. QTY Artist: QTY Release Date: 3 November 2017 For lovers of… The Strokes, The Killers Best track? Cold Nights About: QTY’s eponymous debut album contributes to the vast scene of New York indie rock whilst bringing something modern and interesting to the table through Dan Lardner’s distinct vocals. This album is perfect easy listening for any mood.
Utopia Artist: Björk Release Date: 24 November 2017 For lovers of… FKA twigs, Kate Bush Best track? Courtship About: In her self-described ‘tinder album’ Bjork creates a feminist sci-fi world for the listener. Experimental and avantgarde, Utopia presents an admiration for life, uplifting and inspiring to any listener. Bjork combines peculiar electronic elements with her distinctive vocals and employs the use of several chamber instruments to demonstrate an optimistic and hopeful perspective, which is much welcomed after the deeply saddening nature of her previous album.
Saturation Trilogy Artist: Brockhampton Release Date: 9 June 2017- 15 December 2017 For lovers of… Childish Gambino, Flatbush Zombies Best track? Gold About: 2017 has very much been the year of Brockhampton so I felt it was warranted to sneak three of their albums on here as everything produced by this hip-hop ‘boyband’ has contributed to their undeniable success. Across the Saturation trilogy, Brockhampton experiment with various approaches to style, verging on the ludicrous. Simultaneously, they manage to explore taboo themes such as rape culture and poverty.
The Hype Artist: Hoodie Allen Release Date: 9 September 2017 For lovers of… Kanye West, Macklemore, Childish Gambino Best track? Sushi About: I love this album because it’s fun; Hoodie delivers an original take on pop rap which borders on the ironic whist still being immensely enjoyable. Allen’s wordplay and peculiar reference pool makes the album comedic in style whilst also being extremely audibly pleasing.
Love in the 4h Dimension Artist: The Big Moon Release Date: 7 April 2017 For lovers of… Wolf Alice, The Libertines Best track? Happy New Year About: The Big Moon’s debut album draws influences from modern pop, noughties indie rock and a darkness reminiscent of 90s grunge. This album feels gloriously nostalgic whilst being an original and refreshing change from the same Arctic Monkeys wannabe boybands currently flooding the indie scene.
Flower Boy Artist: Tyler the Creator Release Date: 21 July 2017 For lovers of… Frank Ocean, Rex Orange County Best track? I Ain’t Got Time About: This album is journey that takes the listener on a tour through Tyler’s psyche, exploring interesting corners of his identity. Many of the tracks move away from his previous abrasive style and even border om mellow and sensitive with features such as Kali Uchis and Rex Orange County.
2017 was an interesting year for music with many artists venturing into unexplored realms under a climate of political uncertainty. See you in the new year!
SCIENCE I’m Defying… Physics? The Day After Tomorrow In the film The Day After Tomorrow, catastrophic storms hit the earth causing it to enter a new ice age. These storms are described as gaining their freeze-ray powers by quickly sucking cold air (around -100°C) down from the Earth’s troposphere to the surface. However, despite this making a compelling film, this logic would not quite work in the real world. Atmospheric pressure in the upper troposphere is roughly one tenth of what it is down on the surface meaning that as air falls to the surface and its pressure increases, its volume will decrease as dictated by Boyle's law (the law states that pressure is inversely proportional to volume given that the temperature is constant). Very little energy will leave the system as the volume changes allowing the work done to compress the air to be converting into energy. This would in fact raise the air’s temperature. In perfect conditions, the -100°C air would be heated to a sweltering 57°C by the time it reached the ground creating quite the opposite effect the movie intended. Even in realistic conditions where some energy may be lost to other external factors, the temperature would rise to a cool yet by no means freeze-ray capable 0°C. At worst, all the New Yorkers would need to do is put on an extra layer of clothing but the film would suddenly become a lot less dramatic for sure.
Star Wars From the blasting of turbolasers to the explosion of battleships, sound is definitely one of the iconic parts of the sci-fi film Star Wars. However, there is a major problem with this: there’s no sound in space.
Sound travels in waves much like light and heat but, unlike the other two, requires something with molecules in order for it to travel through. This is because sound travels by making the molecules vibrate. On Earth, sound travels to your ears by vibrating air molecules. However, in deep space, the lack of such particles means that no matter how big the battle is no one would be able to hear it. But I think we can all agree the films would be far less interesting if they were silent.
Spiderman In an attempt to save the one he loves, the force from Spiderman’s ‘rescue’ web may actually be the cause of Gwen Stacy’s death after the Green Goblin pushes her from a 300 foot building in the Spiderman comics. Using v²=u²+2gh where the initial velocity is zero, the final velocity can be calculated to be around 95mph (42 m/s). Then, using F=ma (or force x time = mass x change in speed) where Gwen’s weight is assumed to be 50kg and the time taken to stop her from falling is half a second, the overall force needed would be 4200 Newtons (roughly 430kg). That’s almost 10 times her weight! Being stopped by the web in such a short time interval would surely cause severe injuries and almost definitely a broken spine. At least Spiderman knows for next time to slow a falling person down first.
Chanelle Oyemade
POETRY Mithu Sumeshkumar explores changes and subtleties in her everyday life through a series of short comical, allegorical comic poems.
In the winter it is cold, And for the people who are bald, They are sometimes told, To wear a hat.
Socks Poem I miss my socks, They were stolen by a fox, Even when they were held down by rocks, Oh, that stupid fox, Took away my beautiful socks!
Sushi Food is good, Especially in da hood. Food, food I want some more but please don’t give me that fish cooked raw, Cause when I went to the restaurant I saw, Something which was against the law – Unhygienic fish killed sore, But then again…I shouldn’t be a bore.
The train came fast, But I thought this stop was the last, Then it went past, Whilst I stood and watched everyone.
Snow Snow is white, It is very light, Lets have snow fight, I think I might, Go to write, My name in white, With great height, O’ Snow is white.
ENGLISH A Comparison of Poetry by Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes ‘Nature, for Plath and Hughes, is a source of potent symbolism and shocking sensation’ – an extract One can see examples of Plath and Hughes using nature as a source of bold imagery using sensation and symbolism to convey meaning in their respective poems ‘The Moon and the Yew Tree’ and ‘Full Moon and Little Frieda’. In Plath’s poem ‘The Moon and the Yew Tree’, the moon is presented as a symbol of a distant and cold mother, who doesn’t offer the emotional support that is usually associated with maternal figures; this is contrast to Hughes’ use of moon imagery to present a loving and sustaining parental figure. Plath illustrates this idea with vivid imagery that conjures up sinister and frightening sensations for the reader; when the moon (which Plath establishes is a symbol for the speaker’s mother in the third stanza) is described as having ‘blue garments [that] unloose small bats and owls’ and the maternal figure is presented with connotations of witchcraft: it seems very sinister. Notably, the moon has ‘blue garments’ which parallel the attire of the ‘sweet’ virgin Mary; one interpretation of this may be that neither the lifeless Mary nor the distant ‘moon’ – the speaker’s actual mother – can provide the maternal comfort for which the speaker yearns and searches. Alternatively, it could be seen that the moon disguises itself as a maternal figure – Mary – with a matching appearance, yet its outer façade unleashes ‘bats and owls’ which could represent how the speaker’s mother behaviour and attitude towards the speaker causes emotional harm to her. Here these poignant sensations are derived directly from the visual stimulus of the moon in the blue sky, surrounded by it, with night creatures seen flying around, coming from the blue. Hughes also uses images of the parental moon figure in his poem ‘Full Moon and Little Frieda’, but with a meaning and purpose distinct from Plath’s; Plath’s purpose seems to be to expose, through imagery of the traditionally maternal, distant moon, the reality that not all mothers are comforting and loving whereas Hughes uses the image in a different, but still unexpected, way. Hughes presents the moon as a symbol of either a mother or a father – in a typically mythological androgynous form by linking it to maternity yet referring to it as ‘him’ – who oversees and loves the child. Hughes’ use of the moon is unconventional as it seems to echo the ancient mythological Moon Goddess, yet is described as a male: an interpretation is that
the moon in this poem is linked to the speaker, who is a father – who, it could be argued, is the poet himself. The moon is presented in sensory way in the last two lines; it is ‘like an artist gazing amazed at a work/ That points at him amazed’ which suggests that the moon is a paternal symbol as the masculine pronoun ‘him’ is used. Here, nature is again being used as a potent symbol of parenthood, with imagery creating a shocking sensation as the distant, usually maternal moon is presented as an enraptured father: the phrase ‘gazing amazed’ uses internal rhyme which intensifies the tone, focusing the reader’s attention on the feeling of wonder. It seems credible that the moon could be viewed as a paternal symbol as the simile compares it to an artist looking at his own creation which implies that the moon is the origin of Frieda, the child exclaiming in the poem. However, an alternative interpretation has been widely considered that Hughes presents the moon as an androgynous parental figure, that although the moon is referred to as ‘him’, the consistent imagery of circles throughout the poem – the spider’s web, the mirroring surface of water in the bucket, the ‘looping…wreaths of breath’ – and the strong links drawn between the cows and the presence of the moon mean that the moon is not simply presented as male or female but as an androgynous, all-seeing parent. There is evidence to suggest that the philosophical idea of the Moon Goddess influenced both Plath’s and Hughes’ ideas about the moon and subsequently their purposes in presenting it as a parental symbol using strong imagery in their poems. The Moon Goddess is a pagan religious icon, an idea developed by Robert Graves’ writing about the White Goddess which Plath and Hughes both seemed to subscribe to. The goddess’ anima, in Jungian terms, is a cow – hence the prevalence of the cow’s presence in ‘Full Moon and Little Frieda’; it is significant that their passage down the lane is described as a ‘dark river of blood’ which links them to the essential life-blood which sustains bodies, and the Moon Goddess’ sustaining powers over life. Furthermore, the aforementioned circle imagery in ‘Full Moon’ adds to the idea of completion and stability within nature, that the moon, distant and overseeing in the sky, creates and maintains. Thus, the use of the moon as a symbol of a loving and powerful mother is more expected – Hughes inverts the reader’s expectation by describing the moon as ‘him’ which not only surprises the reader, but perhaps is used in order to pose the idea that fatherhood, also, is an essential, loving and life-giving role in a child’s life. Nevertheless, both Plath and Hughes use shocking sensation in their poems by way of vivid imagery inverting the normal expectations of the moon as a symbol of a distant, powerful and loving maternal figure.
Rhiannon Abrams 12 AST
SCIENCE The Turbulence of Time Travel By Alisha Bissoondoyal Time travel itself is notorious for its implications on timelines and the surrounding people in the life of the traveller. For those of you who are ardent fans of CWs The Flash, we can all simultaneously agree that Barry’s contentious odyssey into the past was completely catastrophic and had detrimental effects on his world and everyone in it. However, for those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, allow me to explain. Before I continue I believe it is necessary to point out that in the field of time travel I am far from an expert; this is more an avid theoretical physicist (the GCSE version) talking. Imagine your entire life on a timeline, with every single event mapped onto it until the second you have just finished reading this sentence. Now imagine that ‘the future’ is a nebulous cloud of infinite possibilities still waiting to be followed. If right now, you travelled back in time to the day you took Wallington’s entrance test and met your past self, it’s possible that half of your life as you know it would be erased from existence- allow me to explain. On any mundane day, one would expect so see the usual people like family, friends or if you lean towards the more ‘it’s all about me side’ probably your reflection in the mirror. So naturally seeing a future version of yourself would petrify you on first glimpse or at least distract you from the entrance test you are about to partake in. Therefore, one plausible possibility is that you might be so awestruck that your mind is led away from the simultaneous equations or the metaphor you’re trying to incorporate in your writing, and beckoned towards your older self. Therefore, you may not have passed or done extremely well in your test and the place you hold may have been delegated to someone who hadn’t just met their future self. From that moment in time, everything leading up to the moment you are reading this article may have changed. If you didn’t go to Wallington, you may not have moved closer to this school. If you didn’t go to Wallington you wouldn’t be procrastinating by reading this article instead of doing the tortious pile of homework on your table. If you didn’t go to Wallington, you may not have the same friends you do today. By travelling back in time, you have managed to erase your current house, your friendships, and your homework (thank god) out of existence. In essence, this little conundrum only exemplifies my point of how dangerous time travel can be. If your house, homework and friends dissipating into nothingness doesn’t terrify you then allow me to persist in proving my point. Erasing yourself out of existence only requires you to travel back to one day. In fact, though it’s rather ambitious of me, I believe it to only take five minutes. If you were to travel back to the
day your parents met and alter one minute thing such as your dad’s car tire which he was relying upon to get him to the place where he would eventually meet your mum, or snapped your mum’s lipstick in half which meant that she wouldn’t accidently bump into your dad as she left the bathroom at coincidently the same time as him, then this would have irreversible effects on your timeline. However, if your parents saw each other more than once over a period of time then this kind of meddling would not be efficacious in erasing your existence. That one thing being altered could lead to egregious effects, which is exactly why Time Travel is something that I don’t condone if amateurs were to be permitted to do it. If the above scenario gave you a sense of Deja Vu then let me remind you that in Wizards of Waverly Place The movie Alex Russo wishes that her parents never met and consequently nearly erased herself out of existence. However, her magical wand was able to save her, and unfortunately for us muggles magic isn’t a feasible solution to time travel mistakes. I believe it’s fair to say that while physicists are voraciously trying to find a physical way to time travel, the corollary of uneducated interference with the fragile nature of time is somewhat calamitous! Time travel would help solve multitudinous secrets such as the origin of the universe or humanity’s existence. However, it is perhaps also capable of answering one of the most incendiary questions in philosophy: Is the future predetermined? This will be explored in the next terms edition! Thank you for reading!
ART Some brilliant examples of A level students’ work
Pavethra Jegatheesan Through exploring work at the Welcome Collection, I have been exposed to the ways in which the environment could change in the future. Ideas about the future include technology taking over nature and destroying nature to make money. These thoughts about the environment constantly changing due to construction reminded me of how not only is the environment transforming but also the people around us are constantly growing and developing. Overtime, we learn various skills and behaviours that result us to change the way we are. This colour pencil drawing aims to show this connecting theme of changes around us. Lucy Page
Elena Ferguson This piece uses visible brush strokes to emphasize the shadows and contours of the face. The muted and limited colour range helps to express the solitude of the piece. Leaving the background blank draws the attention to the face and extreme detail of the face. Olivia Rumsey This piece is meant to reflect the roles of women in the art industry as something to be observed and the concept of being trapped within the birdcage. The use of embroidery in the piece is to play off the traditional roles of women in society to sit, look pretty and create pretty (perhaps even useless) things. The use of black and white is inspired by Maggi Hambling and is to present the lifelessness and monotony that the bird cage creates.
Danya Tahir
Riddhi Kanetkar My painting is based around my chosen theme of 'identity', for my A-Level coursework project. Within this painting, I have chosen to explore the theme of feminine identity.
The circle, which has been left blank, but will soon be filled in with red tones, is symbolic of the emotions that a woman is expected to repress. Red normally denotes anger and passion, and these can be a part of a woman's identity without them being considered as 'uncharacteristic' or 'unfeminine' qualities.
RECIPE
Hav
Christmas Gingerbread biscuits Prep: 45 mins Cooking time: 12-15 mins Difficulty: Easy Serves:15-20 Ingredients: • • • • • • • •
175g dark muscovado sugar 85g golden syrup 100g butter 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1egg, beaten
For decoration: Ready made writing icing and chocolate buttons or sweets
Method: •
Melt the sugar, golden syrup and butter in a saucepan, then bubble for 1-2 mins. Leave to cool for about 10 mins
•
Tip the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large bowl. Add the warm syrup mixture and the egg, stir everything together, then gently knead in the bowl until smooth and streak-free. The dough will firm up once cooled. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins
•
Remove the dough from the fridge, leave at room temperature until softened. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line two baking trays with baking parchment
•
Roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin, then cut out gingerbread people with a cutter. Re-roll the excess dough and keep cutting until it’s all used up
•
Lift the biscuits onto the trays and bake for 10-12 mins, swapping the trays over halfway through cooking. Leave to cool on the trays for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Use the icing to decorate the biscuits as you wish, and stick on sweets for buttons. Leave to dry for 1-2 hrs. Will keep for up to three days in an airtight container
CULTURE Meg Riser - 12SET Our school is an incredibly diverse environment that represents many different religions, ethnicities and lifestyles throughout. I asked 6 girls the same 5 questions about their backgrounds and ‘cultures’ in order to give an insight into how much diversity we have in our school, showing different traditions and ways of life. Thank you to the following 6 girls that represent a mixture of religions and ethnicities (written in brackets so that you can understand the traditions in context that are relevant to the answers) Obioma (Nigerian), Amy (Ghanaian), Isha (Muslim, South Indian) , Anonymous (South Indian), Ahila (Sri Lankan, Norwegian nationality) and Afreena (Muslim)
What type of food do you eat at home and what’s your favourite dish? OBI: So at home, we usually eat a lot of rice such as rice and stew, jollof rice and even fried rice which would be my favourite out of the three. A good side dish that most Nigerians enjoy is fried plantain, which can even be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Other foods we eat a lot are pepper soup (not my personal favourite), garri and soup or fried yam! For snacks it is always great when someone from Nigeria has returned home with a box of kilishi/suya or a bottle of ground nuts. AMY: We eat a range from rice and beans, fufu with soup, rice and stew, rice and abenquine, rice and soup, kenke, banku and tilapia, plantain and waachi. My favourite dish is rice balls and soup! ISHA: One example of a traditional dish is biriyani.
Do you celebrate Christmas and if so how? OBI: I celebrate it in an average fashion. I wake up early and go to church and usually celebrate with my close family and exchange gifts with my cousins. We don’t usually do anything ‘special’ AMY: I wake up early and go to church, open presents and cook our own Ghanaian food – normally jollof rice. We then go to visit family and have a party which includes playing loud Ghanaian music and lots of dancing! ISHA: Our family aren’t massively engaged in Christmas celebrations but I love it! I decorate the tree on my own but on Christmas day we do have a roast dinner and watch Christmas movies. Although, we don’t exchange gifts! AHILA: Yes of course I do! My family have a Norwegian Christmas tradition where we celebrate on Christmas eve and have traditional food called Pinnekjøtt (ribs from lamb) and on Christmas day we have a gingerbread house competition
Do you have any religious/cultural celebrations and if so which is your favourite? OBI: The only celebration that follows us into England is Independence Day. However over here it is more of an acknowledgement than a celebration. In Nigeria, they do not go to school and participate in a marc to wave at the government. In my family we have an ‘Egemonye’ (their family’s name) meeting every year, so that all of us come together from far and wide to integrate as a family. Anon: My favourite celebration would be Onam because there is so much food! ISHA: As I am a Muslim we celebrate Eid but also due to my South Indian roots we celebrate Diwali which is ‘quite lit’ (very eloquently put). For Eid we have a special prayer in the Mosque but all of our family come together and eat food and open presents (our Christmas equivalent). AHILA: I love Hindu weddings. This is because they are bright, colourful and energetic! AFREENA: We celebrate Eid twice a year. We greet friends and family with gifts and sweets and have a grand feast.
What type of clothing do you wear at home or for special occasions? OBI: For special occasions we usually would wear kaftan. I don’t have to wear this but my mum often does with a wrapper around her head. I have some kaftan pieces but I don’t really have anywhere to wear them or things to wear them with. So at home I usually wear a ‘wrapper’ which is similar to a long piece of cloth that wraps around like a skirt. (I usually wear this when I can’t actually be bothered to wear trousers!) I also have waist beads which used to be indications of pregnancy or weight gain…now it’s just for fashion. AHILA: For special occasions I wear Saris or a Churidar. At home I wear my onesie or ccf jumper… ISHA: I wear mostly Indian traditional clothes for special occasions but they’re really itchy and uncomfortable but they look good and that’s what matters! AFREENA: On special occasions we wear traditional clothing such as salwar suits.
(Bonus question) What is your goal in life? OBI: I don’t know right now…but to have enough money to live freely. ISHA: I would like to be able to have earnt enough to give back to my parents and extended family in India who haven’t had the opportunity to have the same experiences that I have had in England Anon: My life goal prior to philosophy was happiness but utilitarianism has proven that to be nonsense so I think now I want to be the best version of myself as well as sticking true to what I believe. AMY: I’d like to be able to give to my family and have no financial worries. Hopefully these mini interviews have provided an insight into a (very very small) selection of the cultural backgrounds of the girls at this school- even more exists! The last question interestingly showed how despite different ways of life and upbringings lots of the girls have very similar goals! Culture/religion/ethnicity is something that makes us different but not separate and these differences create an interesting mixture of culture and individuals within our own school. Thank you to all of the girls that answered to the questions!
OPINION PIECE Fleetlights It still baffles me that even in our day and age, a fear of the dark is still such a prominent terror. The dreading of someone – or something – being there, in the black, that you would not be able to notice until it has got you for good. It also baffles me that although we have sent satellites out of the solar system and have created robots, mankind still has been unable to create the dreams that everyone dreams for whenever they see a film: the invention of hover boards (Back to the Future); a metal heart (Iron Man) or even a huge spaceship for humanity to live on once the world has been destroyed by us (Wall-E). But fortunately, the merging of new technology and a fear of the dark has been created in the invention of: Fleetlights. Now I know that 99% of you don’t know what that is, and that 1% are the people who watched the video on it with me in Computer Science, but Fleetlights are drones that basically light up the paths for whoever needs it and has access to the app: a girl walking down a dark road, a cyclist travelling through the night, emergency services who can’t see the road moving through the countryside. These drones can find your location using your phone and they have LED lights on the wings so that directly onto the path ahead of you, a stream of white lights will show you the way forward. So, what is the application of this? Fleetlights can aid us as humanity in a number of ways. Imagine if these could be outsourced to continents like Africa or South America? Instead of trekking one hour in the dark barefoot for water, Fleetlights would provide a safer journey since you would be able to see where you’re going, or perhaps instead of bystanders being unable to do anything against, for example, a robbery or a stabbing, just activating Fleetlights would reveal their position to everyone surrounding them and cause them to panic and leave. But obviously, we must learn to walk before we run, and perhaps these idealistic dreams belong in films. In conclusion, not every inanimate phobia is undefeatable. You’ve just got to watch out for it. Shamita Datta, Year 12
PHOTOGRAPHY Eté Thurgood – 11 Sharman
THEATRE Review: How to Win Against History Winston Churchill famously claimed that ‘History is written by the victors’, in his first musical Seiriol Davies gives a voice to the flamboyant Henry Cyril Paget, an Edwardian aristocrat written out of history by his vengeful family for living a life of controversial hedonism. Instead of following the path expected of him, a life of upholding respectability and maintaining social status, Henry strips his family chapel and in its place, builds a theatre, puts on fabulous plays starring himself, charges around Europe in spectacular dresses and burns through his family’s wealth eventually dying a poor man aged 29. After his death, his vengeful heirs burn every trace of him in an attempt to write him out of history out of shame. How to Win Against History presents a tongue-in-cheek telling of this story through constructing a play within the play with the narrative told by Henry himself. Seiriol creates comedy by scrutinising upper class society and its values, satirising Henry’s experiences with institutions like Eton in a wonderfully comedic manner likening the Etonian ‘fagging’ tradition to slavery and accusing the aristocracy of ‘playing God’. The merits of this play lie within its topic matter, providing an insight into a forgotten element of history and spending an hour and a half educating the audience on the wonderful and wild nature of the past that are so often overshadowed in classical study. The music in the play is delightful and brilliantly presented by the three performers who manage to bring the miracles of Broadway to a small stage with just a keyboard and their voices alone. The tone of the play is satisfyingly camp and sarcastic allowing the audience to form a liking to this peculiar protagonist. How to Win Against History is currently on at the Young Vic and we would encourage all readers to go and watch it.
BOOKS Christmas Gift Guide Gift giving can be stressful, luckily, we’ve compiled a helpful list of 9 books to help you get the perfect present for any type of reader in your life.
1. How Not to Be a Boy by Robert Webb Robert Webb takes a comedic lens examine his own life and the role that social ideas of masculinity have played. This book takes an interesting, critical glance at the expectations placed on men from childhood to adulthood whilst also maintaining a hilarious tone.
2. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi In this graphic novel, Satrapi explores Iranian history and her own childhood whilst being raw, honest, poignant and humorous. The book provides a terrific insight into daily life that would benefit anyone to read.
3. 1001: Albums You Must Hear Before You Die edited by Robert Dimery Perfect for any music fan in your life, this book supplies an interesting surplus of fantastic suggestions as well as wonderful contextual and tonic insights into classics we know and love
4. The Power by Naomi Alderman Winner of the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction 2017, The Power is a 2016 dystopian science fiction novel by the British writer Naomi Alderman. Its central premise is women developing the ability to release electrical jolts from their fingers, thus leading them to become the dominant gender
5. Feed Me Vegan by Lucy Watson Packed with comforting, easy-to-make and totally delicious recipes, Feed Me Vegan will show that you can be vegan and still have your cake (and mac and cheese, and lasagne, and pancakes) and eat it. Passionate vegan Lucy Watson has you covered with tempting meals from breakfast to supper - as well as all the sweet treats and snacks you need in between!
6. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green A great gift for any lovers of YA fiction in your life, combining mystery, love, truth, courage and the meaning of real friendship, Turtles all the Way Down stands as John Green’s most personal story yet, drawing deep on his own experience of growing up in an uncertain world.
7. Star Wars Where's the Wookiee? Great for any Star Wars fans. A sci-fi twist on a classic activity book, wonderful for young children and nerdy teenage journalists‌
8. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur From Rupi Kaur, the top ten Sunday Times bestselling author of milk and honey, comes her long-awaited second collection of poetry. Illustrated by Kaur, the sun and her flowers is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising and blooming. It is a celebration of love in all its forms.
9. The Infinite Monkey Cage - How to Build a Universe by Brian Cox and Robin Ince Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince muse on multifaceted subjects involved in building a universe, with pearls of wisdom from leading scientists and comedians peppered throughout.
SCHOOL LIFE WHSG Christmas Concert 2017
This year our music department pulled out all the stops for the termly concert on 12th December. We had a programme even more busy than usual, with some debut soloists and new performances, and a hall full of parents, friends and supporters. There were performances from both junior and senior orchestra; junior, chamber and gospel choir; a brand new acapella group; flute choir; Indian Ensemble; a saxophone, and four vocal, soloists. As well as bringing plenty of fun, the performers brought some festive excitement to the evening with some well-known Christmas songs which seemed to be really enjoyed with the seasonal refreshments: mulled wine, mince pies and other snacks. Some performers share their thoughts about the evening: "The Christmas concert has always been the event that musicians look towards over the autumn term. Choirs, orchestras, ensembles and soloists work at their pieces for weeks prior to the performance and it is therefore so satisfying to be able to perform at the end of term, all that work finally paying off. From Year 7 to Year 13 I've always loved the Christmas concert, both performing and watching the performances - there are so many talented musicians in the school who really flourish up on the stage. I know of many students who miss these concerts greatly after leaving the school and I don't think I will be any different." Jenny Crompton, Year 13 "The concert, as it is every year, was a memorable experience. I was fortunate enough to perform solo as well as with gospel choir and acapella. The atmosphere was buzzing both backstage and on. During the performance the audience was very engaged yet restrained. All in all, it was a great experience and showcased the wide range of talent and cultures in the school." Rebecca Nomafo, Year 12
Our school’s music teachers were very pleased with the concert: The Music department was well attended on Tuesday December 12th and there were a huge amount of students involved. All performers had spent a great deal of time and effort ensuring that they were prepared and well rehearsed. There was a very wide range of styles throughout the evening including year 7 student Grace Wexler singing ‘Down by The Salley Gardens’ and the Indian ensemble performing a mash up of Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of you’ with some Carnatic singing. The gospel choir did a fantastic version of Kirk Franklin’s ‘I Smile’ and ‘The Color Purple’ from the musical of the same name. There were stand out solo performances from Rhiannon Abrams, Eona Johnston, Rebecca Nomafo, Sunmi Babalola, Feyi Oluwa, Harini Alagu Pandian and Eva Main. The Junior Orchestra and Senior Orchestra provided some excellent performances of some familiar pop songs, Christmas songs as well as a Les Miserables medley. The finale was the Chamber Choir and Senior Orchestra performing a rousing rendition of the extremely famous and Christmas favourite, ‘The Hallelujah Chorus’ from Handel’s Messiah. I would like to extend a massive thank you to all the Directors of the ensembles; Kathy Gunn, David Cox, Jackie Cox, Harini Alagu Pandian and Aarini Raveenthiran for all their hard work over the past term and for producing such fantastic performances. I would lastly like to say a huge congratulations and thank you to all those who performed on the evening. You all performed so well and I am extremely proud of the high standard of musicianship that you are achieving. Jennifer Yard, Head of Music We would like to thank all the performers for their commitment, including the rehearsal time, and energy. The concert was fantastic and much praised for its variety and quality. Bravo performers! Mrs Gunn, Music teacher
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 Christmas 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!