THe
BAROMETER JuNE - july 2020
HALF TERM 6
FROM THE EDITORS CONTENTS:
Dear Readers, It has been an eventful yet rather peculiar academic year for us all, though the continued release of The Barometer is a testament to the fact that lockdown has not hindered life at Wetherby Senior School. This final edition is packed with the usual multitude of different things to read about, including the many remotely run interTrib competitions that boys have enjoyed from home. All of our previous issues from this year can be found online; simply visit the School’s website and click on News>Barometer.
Online Learning at WSS- Henry B Lockdown Photography The Fourth Plinth Schools Award The Economics of Star Wars Tom Z Why is Adidas successful and what caused its success? - Niclas S Leben in Isolation - Life in Lockdown Baking in Lockdown - Sam M Buckingham Palace - Henry B What Causes Cancer? - Evangelos M
Have a delightful summer holiday!
Poetry from the English Department- Alex Z, Nikolaos P, Stuart H, Oscar J, Taddeo B, Sebastian A, Asad J
Henry B Senior Editor
Year 13 Book Reviews - Lachlan W, Oli L, Nizami P
Bennett D Media & Communications Prefect
Lockdown: A Poem - Arjun D Inter-Trib Music - Edward P Year 9 Book Reviews - Dan R, Ben R, Marcus M Chess Story: A Book Review Tommaso S Celebrate and Educate Reading Scheme - Henry B British Airways - Preparing for a Different Future - Henry B
Cover photo: Oscar R Photos (right) were entered as part of the Lockdown Photography Competition. From top: Edward H, Hashim S, Jeremy B, Zac M
A Visit to the Politecnico di Milano - Henry B Film Reviews: What to watch in Lockdown - Tommaso S
ONLINE LEARNING AT WSS Henry B, Year 11 writes… Wetherby Senior School closed its red doors on the 20th March. However, this has not hindered boys’ ability to learn from home and the marvellous teaching team at WSS has worked tirelessly to provide the usual superb standard of education. Whereas it took a week or so to get accustomed to it, online learning proved to be beneficial for everyone. As well as the existing Firefly intranet where one can find general information, learning material and revision resources for all subjects, the school is making use of Microsoft Teams, an online platform with multiple functions. Some teachers are also using external websites to consolidate lesson work with interactive tasks, such as quizzes. Microsoft Teams allows boys to stay in contact with their teachers and peers by using the chat function. The lessons themselves take place on video call, although the structure can vary depending on the teacher; some may remain on the call for
the entirety of the lesson whilst others will outline tasks before ending the call and being available to provide assistance through the chat for the duration of the lesson. The ability to share one’s screen facilitates teaching, as content can be shown to students on a digital whiteboard, making it easier for teachers to cover new concepts and ensure understanding. It is simple and easy for teachers to set assignments, after which boys can quickly hand in work and receive feedback directly. There is even a teachers’ team for “Staff Room Socialising” and most inter-Trib competitions have endured the lockdown, including, but not limited to, inter-Trib sport, inter-Trib music, inter-Trib photography and more. Boys have also been able to continue with the majority of their extracurricular activities. Indeed, The Barometer team has also been communicating via Microsoft Teams and email.
Year 11, who would have been on study leave were it not for the unforeseen cancellation of GCSE examinations, have begun working on an A Level foundation course, which aims to prepare pupils for Sixth Form study. This is an exceptional opportunity to get ahead on some of the content and become more confident with the crucial skills required, as well as being something to keep us busy for the last few weeks of the academic year. Needless to say, the systems that have been implemented for online teaching and learning have been more than effective. In fact, Wetherby Senior is one of few schools that are continuing remotely with the curriculum for all year groups. Despite that, I feel that everyone is looking forward to school returning to normal, even if it means getting up earlier. again.
LOCKDOWN PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Mr Warner writes... Thank you to all who have submitted their entries to the Lockdown Photography Competition. When I first suggested a competition I thought it might be for a month, but we have had three months to play with our cameras. I have been really impressed with the breadth of subject matter the boys have come up with. We have
had landscapes, cityscapes, macro images, collages, action shots, still life compositions, drone shots, wildlife and portraits. Everyone who has submitted a photo deserves credit for taking the time to try and express their lockdown experience in this way. As ever judging is a tricky business, but after much deliberation, the panel has decided on the following:
Winner: Oscar R Runner up: Nico S-C Highly commended: Enzo T Callum H Anselm R Stepan K Miss Bradley writes... It has been wonderful to see so many boys engaging with photography over the last few weeks, through this competiton and during Art lessons as well as for general personal enjoyment and I have been very impressed with some of the work that I have seen. I would encourage all boys to keep taking photographs throughout the summer. Whether you are working with a professional camera or a phone, read up on tips, tricks and techniques and see what you can capture!
Photographs: Opposite page from top: Oscar R, Nico S-C This page clockwise from top left: Stepan K, Callum H, Anselm R, Enzo T
THE FOURTH PLINTH SCHOOLS AWARD This year, in response to The Fourth Plinth Schools Award, Year 7 created sculptures based on the theme of “London”. At Wetherby we also ran this as an InterTrib competition and the entries were judged by Mr Lawrence and Mr Atkinson. Read their commentary below:
Winner : Daniel A, 7S (50 points) A striking and topical entrant. Daniel had clearly thought through the potential impact of having a piece of work placed on the Plinth. An opportunity to turn heads and bring to light London’s ongoing fight with knife crime.
Mr Lawrence and Mr Atkinson write…
Runner Up : Ludo S, 7W (25 points) A fun, but carefully constructed, entry from Ludo. A piece that reminds us that London is the place many of us are proud to call home. For Ludo, carefully placing the “H” near Marylebone showed the time he had spent considering what London meant to him
The high-quality work submitted certainly gave the two judges a headache when trying to decide winners, but a consensus was eventually agreed! We were looking for pieces that had clearly been thought through on a conceptual level and that these ideas had been realised effectively in the creative stage.
Runner Up : Elijah N, 7W (25 points) A beautiful and deceptively complex piece from Elijah. Elijah showed the connected
(but also complicated) nature of London through his exploration of the connection between what is above and below street level. Commended (10 points each) : Oreum L, 7S; Abdo A, 7S; Deni D 7S; Che A, 7W; Fergus M, 7W; Leo L, 7S; Ryan S, 7S and Leonard L, 7S. Many of the entrants showed a clear love of London and a wider admiration for the UK. From Oreum’s playful nod towards London’s “natural wildlife” to the re-imagining of the Gherkin from Fergus, we felt that the above entrants managed to take something iconic about London and run with it. Finally, congratulations to all of the entrants for giving Mr Atkinson and Mr Lawrence lots to think about during lockdown!
Daniel A
Elijah N
Ludo S
The ECONOMICS OF STAR WARS
Tom Z, Year 13 writes... When the second Death Star is destroyed near the end of Return of the Jedi, we celebrate the liberation of the galaxy as the Galactic Empire’s leadership is toppled and its greatest asset is destroyed. However, beyond the jubilations on Endor, the Rebels face a far greater threat that the Imperial Military: economic depression. Firstly, it’s important to see why such an economic crisis would occur. The Death Stars themselves are expensive, to say the least. In fact, Professor Zachary Feinstein of the Washington University used real-world comparisons and the wider Star Wars lore to calculate the costs of the Death Stars and the size of the Galactic Economy. He measured that even at 0% interest rates and with as much as half the costs of the first Death Star already paid for, the losses from defaults (which would’ve occurred given the fall in the Galaxy’s debtpaying potential as result of no institution being stable enough to collect revenues like taxes) would measure as large as 3% of GGP (Gross Galactic Product). Not only is this a plausible figure given
the immense size of the Death Stars and speed with which they, particularly the second one, but it is also a huge blow to the stability of the banking sector. Such a monumental collapse in their loans will require a bailout by itself as many banks will already be out of money as a result of this. However, panic among the citizens of the Galaxy could cause a bank run if the government doesn’t provide security on their deposits and/or financial support directly to the bank to protect it. Furthermore, a wider economic shock following the destruction of the second Death Star which is likely would further damage the banking sector as households and businesses default on their loans too. Feinstein further estimates that a banking bailout, depending on the severity of the wider economic shock, could range from 15.4% to 21.5% of GGP. This is a reasonable sum given that this would be a financial crisis, unlike anything the galaxy has seen for generations but is certainly too high a figure for the Rebel Alliance to pay immediately after the Battle of Endor with them still lacking control of most of the Galaxy and therefore not being able to gather such a sum fast enough to prevent the consequences of the financial
sector’s collapse. Therefore, with a substantial financial crisis, it’s highly likely that lending within the Galaxy will dramatically fall, as it did after the 2008 financial crisis as banks like the InterGalactic Banking Clan will seek to protect their balance sheets over granting risky loans. This would have the effect of cutting consumer spending as many are unable to maintain the same disposable income without loans to support them. Subsequently, corporations across the Galaxy will see sharp revenue declines which would certainly result in employees being laid off to cut costs, increasing galactic unemployment which harms spending further, perpetuating the cycle. Furthermore, the Galactic Banking Network, created by Emperor Palpatine, tried to streamline the economy by acting as a lending company with many spacers (typically those who transported freight) mortgaging their freighters with the organisation. Given the scale of the crisis, it’s very likely that such a corporation would go bankrupt and there would be high uncertainty as to what would happen with the mortgages with the likeliest outcome being that they are transferred to another bank which would charge far higher interest rates than the GBN. Either way, this would further strain the position of the Galaxy because if spacers struggle to operate and must sell their ships to pay their debts which would greatly damage the efficiency and capacity of the Galaxy’s trade routes. It should also be noted that many nationalised corporations by Return of the Jedi e.g. the Kuat Drive Yards which
of living, disposable income and higher unemployment, it seems that when it comes to destroying the second Death Star, as Admiral Ackbar says: “It’s a trap!”
References:
means that there are high levels of state control and a centralised economic policy. Therefore, the toppling of the current head of government with no clear direction or ability to manage these companies, economic activity would further suffer as essential production would be left in limbo and essential items for citizens of the Galaxy would be completely unavailable. At the same time, there will be a significant effect on the currency. The single most important currency used in the galaxy is the Galactic Credit which is a fiat currency meaning that it has little/ no intrinsic value of itself and is valuable because the government says so like with many currencies in the modern world. With that fated explosion, confidence in the credit would’ve completely collapsed. As a point of reference, following the 9/11 attacks, the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 dropped overnight by 14% and 12% respectively. It makes sense that the largest terrorist attack in the Empire’s history and a widespread financial crisis would trigger a similar, if not greater, confidence collapse. Such an occurrence could lead to different systems distributing their own currencies, either backed by a rare metal or a more stable fiat one, which would make inter-
galactic trade far more challenging to conduct and potentially result in goods and services for consumers to rise in price and fall in availability/choice which would harm the standard of living of the Galaxy’s citizens. This would be worsened by the inability for corporations like the Galactic Trade Federation to take on debt to finance additional trade routes or cover their losses at a time when trade may be slower due to less demand in a depression. This would mean that entire trade routes may have to be abandoned and stopped in order to cut costs which, given the specialisation of many planets in the Galaxy, could leave systems with severe resource shortages for years to come. It is also likely that the cost of the crisis would be exacerbated by pirates and raiding groups that take advantage of the instability to plunder trade routes and planets of their resources. In closing, the effect of the destruction of the Death Star, whilst certainly a short-term victory for the Rebels, has a very high chance of triggering a once in a generation economic crash caused by the dual damage of an unprecedented terrorist attack and financial crisis. As such, given the great cost that’s incurred by the people of the Galaxy in terms of lower purchasing power, standard
https://moneywise.com/a/the-notso-far-far-away-economics-of-thestar-wars-galaxy https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zR1wh0lh0J8 https://fee.org/resources/whatsso-bad-about-the-galactic-empire/ https://www.fultonsun.com/news/ local/story/2016/sep/21/star-warseconomics-researcher-analyzesempire/641152/ https://www.businessinsider. com/death-star-financialcrisis-star-wars-science-201512?r=US&IR=T https://starwars.fandom.com/ wiki/Galactic_Banking_Network https://starwars.fandom.com/ wiki/Galactic_economy https://arxiv.org/pdf/1511.09054. pdf
WHY IS ADIDAS SUCCESSFUL AND WHAT CAUSED ITS SUCCESS? Niclas S, Year 13 writes... Jeder auf der Welt kennt die Marke mit den 3 Streifen. Die Tatsache, dass es nicht nur auf der Hauptstraße, sondern auch unter Profi-Sportlern allgegenwärtig ist, ist der Beweis für den Geschäftserfolg. Warum ist das so? Adidas wurde 1949 von Adolf Dassler in Herzogenaurach gegründet, um Sportschuhe und Sportklamotten zu produzieren. Die Weltmeisterschaft 1954 war für Adidas das wahrscheinlich bedeutendste Ereignis, weil Adidas der Offizielle Ausstatter der Nationalmannschaft war als sie ihren ersten Titel in Bern gewannen. Diese Veranstaltung hatte für Adidas bleibende Auswirkungen, die ihren Erfolg bis heute charakterisiert haben. Heute ist Adidas der Ausrüster für mehr als 20 top Clubs der Welt sowohl Deutsche Mannschaften als auch Internationale Mannschaften, wie zum Beispiel FC Bayern, Real Madrid oder Juventus Turin Adidas ist so erfolgreich, weil die Marke sehr innovativ ist und sie Fußball als Sport verändert und verbessert hat, dank der Schraubstollen und den jetzigen Sockenschuhen. Dies weist alles darauf hin, dass Adidas wohl beliebter und auch erfolgreicher ist als andere Ortsansässige Marken wie Puma oder Internationale Firmen wie Under Armour. Durch ihr gelingen hat sich Adidas im Bereich Sport erweitert
und stellt Schuhe und Klamotten für Sportarten wie Tennis, Golf und Joggen her. Deswegen zieht Adidas so viele Promis wie Kanye West oder Lionel Messi an und produziert Schuhe und Zubehör mit ihnen. Deutsche Stars, wie zum Beispiel Tennis Ass Alexander Zverev oder Weltmeister Toni Kroos haben auch eine eigene Sportlinie herausgebracht und zeigen damit ihre Loyalität zu dem deutschen Hersteller. Die Vermarktung der Produkte wird sehr clever gemacht und die Nutzung ihrer Medienpräsenz hilft der Firma in mehreren Hinsichten. 1. Was für ein interessantes Thema. Warum haben Sie dieses ausgewählt? Ich habe dieses Thema ausgewählt, weil Adidas eine der bekanntesten deutschen Firmen weltweit ist und eine sehr reiche Geschichte hat, die die Firma geprägt hat wie sie heute ist. Adidas hat mich aber auch sehr interessiert, weil die Firma nicht weit von dem Geburtsort meines Stiefvaters gegründet wurde und eine persönliche Verbindung hat. 2. Sie haben erwähnt, dass die Vermarktung besonders klug ist. Können Sie mir mehr darüber erzählen? Adidas vermarktet sich durch ihre enorme Medienpräsenz sehr gut und erreicht damit sehr viele Menschen. Nicht nur durch soziale Medien aber auch durch
Werbekampagnen mit berühmten Weltstars. 3. Sie haben behauptet, dass Adidas beliebter ist als andere Firmen wie Puma – können Sie das mehr bearbeiten? Warum ist es so? Ja Puma und Adidas haben eine lange Rivalität, denn die Gründer der beiden Firmen waren Brüder. Adolf Dassler hat Adidas gegründet und Rudolf Dassler hat Puma gegründet. Adidas ist aber die weitaus berühmtere Firma, weil sie im Jahr fasst 6-mal so viel Umsatz machen, einen größeren Marktanteil haben und eine viel größere Medienpräsenz haben. 4. Also, vor diesem Wettstreit hatten die Brüder zusammen eine Fabrik – hatten sie schon zu dieser Zeit Erfolg? Erzählen Sie mir bitte mehr von dieser Geschichte. Die beiden hatten zusammen eine Schuhfabrik, die sich die Gebrüder Dassler Fabrik nannte. Viel Erfolg hatten die beiden nicht und haben sich in die Haare bekommen und so haben sich ihre Wege getrennt und die Brüder gründeten ihre eigenen Firmen und haben nie mehr miteinander gesprochen. 5. Wie sieht die Zukunft der Firma aus? Was werden die Herausforderungen der nächsten 10 Jahren sein? Was werden die Folgen von politischen Ereignissen wie Brexit sein? Ich glaube, dass sie Zukunft von Adidas noch sehr hell sein wird. Ich glaube, dass die jetzige Coronakrise eine sehr große Herausforderung nicht nur für Adidas aber alle globalen
Firmen ist. Herausforderungen wird es aber bei jeder Firma geben, ob es ein Skandal oder eine Katastrophe ist weiß keiner wirklich, weil wir nicht wissen was die Zukunft hält. Brexit wird laut dem Geschäftsführer von Adidas, Kasper Rorsted, ein großes Problem sein, weil es negative Auswirkungen auf die europäische Wirtschaft haben wird. Da Europa 30% des Umsatzes ausmacht, könnte es schwere Folgen haben. 6. Wir haben festgestellt, dass Adidas eine erfolgreiche Firma ist, aber gab es zuvor irgendwelche Kontroverse, die sie überwinden mussten? Adidas hatte schon ein paar Skandale und Kontroverse, wie zum Beispiel den Spruch von Kanye West, dass die Sklaverei eine Wahl war, oder, dass der Black History Month Schuh komplett Weiß war. Aber der Skandal über die Kinderarbeiter in den Asiatischen Fabriken hat
die Firma wahrscheinlich am negativsten betroffen. All diese Skandale haben dazu geführt, dass die Adidas Aktien gefallen sind. 7. Angesichts solcher Schwierigkeiten, wie erhält eine Firma ihre Kundenbindung aufrecht? Adidas hat es immer wieder geschafft sich nach Skandalen wiederaufzubauen und durch einen starken und treuen Kundenstamm konnte die Firma einfach wie vorher weitermachen. 8. Wird Adidas noch als deutsche Firma betrachtet, oder ist die jetzt eher eine internationale Firma, weit von ihrem Ursprung in Bayern entfernt? Für mich gesehen ist Adidas immer noch die deutsche Firma, die sie immer war. Adidas hat ihr Hauptquartier immer noch in Herzogenaurach und ist immer
noch der Sponsor der deutschen Nationalmannschaft und dem deutschen Rekordmeister FC Bayern München. Obwohl Adidas in der ganzen Welt berühmt ist hat die Firma ihre Wurzeln noch in Bayern. Bei Adidas stehen viele deutsche Top Athleten unter Vertrag: Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos, Alexander Zverev. Adidas hat aber auch eine Internationale Seite und ist in Kontinenten wie Asien oder Nord Amerika sehr beliebt. Adidas ist auch der Sponsor von anderen Internationalen Teams und Stars wie Real Madrid, Juventus Turin oder Arsenal. Fußballspieler wie Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba sind auch unter Vertrag bei Adidas und machen die Firma so bekannt. Pharell Williams oder Kanye West tragen auch zu dem Erfolg bei. Man könnte sagen, dass Adidas eine Internationale Bayrische Firma ist, weil beide, Hand in Hand arbeiten und zu ihrem Erfolg beitragen
WHY IS ADIDAS SUCCESSFUL AND WHAT CAUSED ITS SUCCESS? Translation: Everyone in the world knows the brand with the three stripes. The fact that it is omnipresent not only on the high street but also among professional athletes is proof of the business’ success. Why is that? Adidas was founded in 1949 by Adolf Dassler in Herzogenaurach to produce sports shoes and sports clothes. The 1954 World Cup was probably the most significant event for Adidas because Adidas was the official outfitter for the national team when they won their first title in Bern. This event had a lasting impact on Adidas that has characterised its success to this day. Today Adidas is the kit supplier for more than 20 top clubs in the world, both German and international teams, such as FC Bayern Münich, Real Madrid or Juventus Turin. Adidas is so successful because the brand is very innovative, and it has changed and improved football as a sport thanks to the screw studs and the current laceless technology. This all indicates that Adidas is probably more popular and more successful than other local brands, like Puma, or international companies like Under Armour. With its success, Adidas has expanded in the field of sports and produces shoes and clothes for sports such as tennis, golf and running.
That’s why Adidas attracts many celebrities, such as Kanye West or Lionel Messi and produces shoes and accessories with them. German stars, such as tennis ace Alexander Zverev, or world champion Toni Kroos, have also launched their own sports line and show their loyalty to the German manufacturer.
marketing is clever. Can you tell me more about it?
The marketing of their products is very clever, and the use of their media presence helps the company in numerous ways.
3. You said Adidas is more popular than other companies like Puma can you say more about that? Why is that so?
1. What an interesting topic. Why did you choose this?
Yes, Puma and Adidas have a long rivalry because the founders of the two companies were brothers; Adolf Dassler founded Adidas and Rudolf Dassler founded Puma. However, Adidas is the more famous company because it generates six times as much revenue per year, has a larger market share and has a much larger media presence.
I chose this topic because Adidas is one of the most famous German companies worldwide and has a very rich history that shaped the company as it is today. I was also very interested in Adidas because the company was founded not far from my stepfather’s birthplace and it therefore has a personal link. 2. You mentioned that their
Adidas markets itself successfully due to its enormous media presence and thus reaches a lot of people. Not only through social media but also through advertising campaigns with famous world stars.
4. So, before this competition, the brothers had a factory together were they successful at that time?
Please tell me more about this story.
accounts for 30% of sales, it could have serious consequences.
The two brothers had a shoe factory together, which was called “Dassler brothers’ factory.” The two did not have much success together and so they parted ways. The brothers founded their own companies and never spoke to each other again after Rudolf had an affair with Adolf ’s wife.
6. We found Adidas to be a successful company, but was there any controversy that they had to overcome previously?
5. What does the future hold for the company? What will be the challenges over the next 10 years? What will be the consequences of political events like Brexit? I think the future of Adidas will be very bright. I believe that the current Coronavirus crisis is a very big challenge not only for Adidas but for all global companies. But there will be challenges at every company, whether it is a scandal or a disaster, nobody really knows because we do not know what the future holds. Brexit will be a major problem, according to Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted, because it will have a negative impact on the European economy. Since Europe
Adidas had a couple of scandals and controversies, such as Kanye West’s speech where he said that “slavery was a choice”or that the shoe to commemorate Black History Month was completely white. However the Child Labour scandal in the Asian factories probably hit the company hardest financially speaking. All of these scandals have led to Adidas shares falling drastically. 7. Given such difficulties, how does a company maintain customer loyalty? Adidas has always managed to rebuild itself after scandals. With a strong and loyal customer base, the company was able to continue as before. 8. Is Adidas still considered a German company, or is it now more of an international company,
far from its origin in Bavaria? For me, Adidas is still the German company that it always was. Adidas still has its headquarters in Herzogenaurach and is still the sponsor of the German national team and the German champions FC Bayern Münich. Although Adidas is famous all over the world, the company still has its roots in Bavaria. Many top German athletes are under contract at Adidas: Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos, Alexander Zverev. Adidas also has an international side and is very popular in continents like Asia or North America. However, they are also the sponsor of other well-known teams and stars such as Real Madrid, Juventus Turin or Arsenal. Football players like Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba are also Adidas superstars. Pharell Williams or Kanye West also contribute to the success through their collaborations with Adidas. You could say that Adidas is an international Bavarian company because they work hand in hand and contribute to their success worldwide.
LEBEN IN ISOLATION - LIFE IN LOCKDOWN In their online German lessons, students in Year 8 and Year 9 watched a video all about “life in lockdown” in Germany. They were then challenged to make their own! Boys answer a variety of questions such as “How long have you been in lockdown?”, “Are there things you can’t buy at the supermarket?”, “What’s the worst thing about lockdown?” and “Have you learnt anything about yourself during this time?”
Isaac E, Year 9 Isaac displays some impressive tea-making skills in his video and tells us all about his daily life with his parents and cat.
Hamdan R, Year 8 Hamdan is currently residing in Dubai - see how he is finding life in quarantine!
Paul C, Year 9 Paul is currently a German beginners student, making his video on lockdown all the more impressive! Watch to find out how he’s been keeping himself busy.
Ramzi K, Year 9 Ramzi is currently residing in Egypt. In his video, he tells us the things he has learnt about himself during the lockdown period.
Arman A, Year 9 Arman is one of the few to have managed to get a haircut during these troubling times! He is currently residing in Germany. Watch to find out his opinion on the closing of restaurants – spoiler: he’s not happy.
Sam M, Year 9 In Sam’s video, two PlayStation controllers tell us their story about life in lockdown. Watch to find out the new skill he has learnt during this time.
Here are the results of this fascinating experiment, where we get to see the experiences of the boys as they are scattered across the globe.
Ben R, Year 9 Ben is accompanied by a koala for his video on lockdown. Watch to discover what he would rather be doing right now!
James U, Year 9 James displays his editing skills in his video, in which he tells us all about watching Netflix between online lessons.
BAKING IN LOCKDOWN Sam M, Year 7 writes... Lockdown has frustrated us all and changed our way of life. One of the things we have enjoyed is baking. We can continue to bake savoury and sweet foods like cakes and muffins; during lockdown I have continued to do baking in my free time. What I have baked during lockdown: 1. Cheese scones Cheese scones are a very quick bake and you only need to put them into the oven for 15 minutes. Also they taste heart-warming with a number of platters of dishes. 2. Triple Chocolate Cake This bake was for my mother’s birthday and came out very rich and sweet and this bake should be kept until after dinner and you shouldn’t eat too much of it otherwise you might have a bad reaction in your system. 3. Pita This bread was very hard to make as the pita can rise quite a lot when they are in the oven and the air bubbles can also expand, you need to bake these carefully with skill otherwise you overbake them but they go together with barbequed foods and you can also put food in them like a sandwich if you cut inside of it. 4. Cookies A recent bake that I made came out very scrumptious and sweet. We made two batches: a double chocolate chip batch and we took them over to a friend’s house and they gave them good reviews and
I know that everyone likes a good cookie so this recipe is never going to get old and I will continue to bake them. 5. Flapjacks My family have made flapjacks numerous times and they are always perfection in a golden brown colour when they come out of the oven. You can pick up the ingredients from your local supermarket and convenience stores and the recipe has a good number of steps to it but it’s worth it in the end. Extra For Dog Owners: Over the course of my dog’s first year we have been making homemade dog treats and he munches on them happily and we use peanut butter and other ingredients. We got the recipe from the web and it has 5 star
ratings and it doesn’t disappoint. These treats will improve your dog’s mood in just a few seconds and we also used moulds to make them look like bones Buster was happy with the result. Baking recipe for you to try: Ingredients for a simple bake, cheese scones: 200g plain wholemeal flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp sugar ¼ tsp salt ¼ black pepper 50g butter 150ml milk 100g cheddar Serves 8 people
Buckingham Palace Henry B, Year 11 writes… Originally built in 1703, Buckingham House was commissioned as a residence for the Duke of Buckingham. It wasn’t until the 19th Century that it underwent its refurbishment, rendering it a Palace for the Royal family. Each year, thousands of visitors make their way up the grand staircase to the state rooms when attending receptions or investitures. Compared to similar aristocratic London townhouses built during the same period, the staircase at Buckingham Palace occupies a notably smaller space. To compensate, its architect, John Nash, placed more emphasis on the vertical dimension, with bright daylight falling down from above through a shallow dome of glass. The journey up from the relative darkness of the grand hall creates a sense of excitement and expectation.
Once the staircase has been reached, one is immediately struck by the magnificent gilded bronze balustrade. The decoration of the staircase, which employs a white and gold colour scheme, was introduced by King Edward VII soon after his accession in 1901. The plaster reliefs around the walls depict the four seasons and the walls surrounding the staircase are adorned with a series of fulllength portraits of members of Queen Victoria’s family, so that whoever climbed the staircase would have been introduced to the Queen’s ancestry before even meeting her. Arguably, the highlight (quite literally) is the dome, which allows daylight down into the grand staircase and is made from forty panes of glass, etched with figures of angels. The throne room is one of the most dramatic chambers at Buckingham Palace. Nash designed every element to draw the eye through the theatrical proscenium arch to the throne
dais, set under a high canopy. The main attractions of the throne room are the two chairs of estate, both of which are made from carved and gilded beechwood; their style is characteristic of English chairs from the late 17th Century. On one wall hangs a full-length portrait of Her Majesty, in which she wears the collar and robes of the Order of the Garter, while her dogs – Candy, Holly, Vulcan and Willow – gather at her feet. The plaster frieze running around the top of the room represents episodes from the Wars of the Roses, the series of wars during the 15th Century wherein the Houses of Lancaster and York fought for the English throne. It is divided into different scenes: over the proscenium arch is the Battle of Tewkesbury; opposite the windows is the Battle of Bosworth Field; and finally, over the windows, the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York which consolidated the two houses. Along with national heraldic emblems, this decoration
London. The Queen hosts her annual garden party here, as well as using it as a designated helipad.
expresses the role of monarchy in unifying factions and enabling peace to flourish. Among the most beautiful of the palace’s state rooms, the white drawing room is a symphony of white and gold. It is dominated by one of the palace’s famous crystal chandeliers, once described as “frozen waterfalls of light.” Incorporated into the room’s design is a hidden door, which enables members of the Royal family to enter and leave the state rooms discretely. One of the most striking aspects of this room is the contrast between the white-painted walls and the bright gilding on the furniture, the piano and the picture frames. Between the windows, one can see a set of four stands for lights. These stands are still used to support elaborate candelabra on them, which originally would have used candles but have now been converted to electrical lamps. Their strong neo-classical form and height is emphasised by the use of elegant cranes, who bend their necks to support the top tray. Also in this room is a roll-top desk made around 1775, probably by one of the greatest French cabinetmakers, or ébénistes, Jean-Henri Riesener, and intended for use by a very
wealthy member of the French court, or possibly a member of the French Royal family. Purchased by George IV in 1825, it is veneered with marquetry and inlaid with trophies and flowers. The elaborately decorated grand piano by Erard was intended as a showpiece for the state rooms at Buckingham Palace. The gilded case is decorated in the early 18th Century French style with cherubs and singeries, comical scenes involving monkeys playing musical instruments and making mischief. The ornate ballroom features an organ, originally commissioned for the Royal Pavilion in Brighton by Henry Cephas Lincoln in 1818. It is a three-manual instrument with a maplewood console, housed in a painted and gilded case in the form of a triumphal arch, flanked by life-size seated plaster figures and two roundels of Handel. It is often played when the palace hosts musical events and it is in exactly the same condition it was when it was first built; the only alteration was the addition of electric motors to engage the once manually-operated bellows. Behind the palace itself is the garden, which is forty-two acres large, rendering it the most expansive private green space in
Intriguingly, the Royal Collection is the largest in the world. Whether you are an art or antique fanatic, or simply curious as to what is beyond the gates of Buckingham Palace, the official website offers a unique and insightful glimpse into the wonders of the Royal residence, including ample detail and historical context regarding the vast miscellany of artefacts and paintings.
WHAT CAUSES CANCER? Evangelos M, Year 12 writes... Cancer occurs when the rate of cell multiplication is faster than the rate of cell death. This causes the growth of a tumour, often in tissues with a high rate of mitosis. These tissues include lung, bowel, gut or bone marrow. Cancers are caused by damage to the DNA. DNA is easily damaged by physical factors, such as UV light or asbestos. It can also be damaged by carcinogens, which may be in the environment or can be produced by cell metabolism. In addition to this, mutations can also occur when the cells divide. If DNA is copied incorrectly in gamete formation, an inherited form of cancer can result. In the UK, one in three people will suffer from cancer at some stage during their life. Also, one in four people will unfortunately die from cancer. According to data from Cancer Research, there are around 165,000 cancer deaths in the UK every year, that’s around 450 every day (2015-2017). Cancer accounts for more than a quarter (28%) of all deaths in the UK (2017). In females in the UK, there were around 77,700 cancer deaths in 2017. In males in the UK, there were around 88,900 cancer deaths in 2017. The most common types of cancers worldwide are listed below courtesy of the World Health Organization. - Lung (2.09 million cases) - Breast (2.09 million cases) - Colorectal (1.80 million cases) - Prostate (1.28 million cases) - Skin cancer (non-melanoma) (1.04 million cases) - Stomach (1.03 million cases)
Here is a graph showing the number of cancer registrations in England in 2015. Image and information courtesy of the Office for National Satistics.
Cancer cells don’t respond to the control mechanisms. Two types of gene have a role in control of the cell cycle and play a part in triggering cancer. Oncogenes code
Cancer is caused by a mixture of our genetic makeup and the environment. If we were able to understand the way cancer is created due to a combination of both genetic makeup and the environment we would be on the way to finding means of prevention and care.
for the proteins that stimulate the transition from one stage in the cell cycle to the next. DNA mutations or epigenetic changes, such as less methylation, in these genes can lead to the cell cycle being continually active. This may cause excessive cell division, resulting in a tumour. In addition to oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes produce suppressor proteins that stop the cycle. DNA mutations or epigenetic changesfor example, more methylation inactivating these genes-mean there is no break on the cell cycle. One example of a tumour suppressor protein is p53. This protein stops the cell cycle by inhibiting the enzymes at the G1/S transition, preventing the cell from copying its DNA. In cancer cells, a lack of p53 means the cell can’t stop entry into S phase. Such
Research into the molecular causes of cancers has shown that epigenetic changes to DNA and histones also have a significant role in the development of cancer. Abnormal methylation of genes in cancer cells can lead to activation or deactivation of genes that are involved in the control of the cell cycle. Examples includenlower levels of methylation than in healthy cells, which could cause activation of genes that promote cell division.
cells have lost control of the cell cycle. Loss of tumour suppressor proteins has been linked to skin, colon, bladder and breast cancers. Cancers can also be inherited. Most common cancers occur more frequently in close relatives of cancer patients, suggesting an inherited component. Many gene defects have been identified that predispose people to cancers including bowel cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, retinal cancer and some types of leukaemia. For example, mutations in the gene BRCA1 predispose a person to breast cancer. The functioning BRCA1 gene produces a protein used to repair DNA. A child who inherits one defective BRCA1 allele may get cancer later in life if the other allele becomes damaged in breast tissue cells. Having a single defective BRCA1 allele doesn’t therefore mean that breast cancer is inevitable. It simply means that such individuals are more susceptible to cancer through environmental DNA damage. Women who inherit a single BRCA1 mutation have about 60% chance of developing breast cancer by the age of 50 compared with only a 2% chance for those who inherit two normal BRCA1 alleles. The mutation confers a high risk but is relatively rare, accounting for only 5% of breast cancer alleles. On the other hand, cancers are believed to be linked to the environment and not just gene mutations. Damage from the environment can be either chemical or physical. The greatest chemical risk is from smoking. Smoking increases the likelihood of many forms of cancer, especially lung cancer, via carcinogens in tar. Tar lodges in the bronchi and causes damage to
DNA in the surrounding epithelial cells. Furthermore, UV light damages DNA in skin cell. Sometimes, a mole that has been affected by UV light may start to grow bigger and can develop into a tumour. If a tumour isn’t removed, cancer cells sometimes spread to other parts of the body, carried in the blood and lymphatic systems. New cancers may then form in other organs. Finally, diet is also linked to cause and prevention of cancer. A diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables provides antioxidants that destroy radicals. Radicals are chemicals from the diet, from environmental factors, such as smoke and UV, or produced by the cells own metabolism. Radials contribute to ageing and cancer through DNA damage. Cancer risk increases as a human gets older. Age is the biggest single risk factor for cancer. Risk increases significantly after age 50, and half of all cancers occur at age 66 and above. According to the National Cancer Institute, one quarter of new cancer diagnoses
are in people aged 65 to 74. The median age of diagnosis varies in different cancer types – 61 years for breast, 66 years for prostate, 68 years for colorectal, and 70 years for lung – but the disease can occur at any age. Bone cancer, for example, is most frequently diagnosed in people younger than 20, and neuroblastoma is more common in children than in adults. Cancer can be treated with multiple methods. Some people with cancer will have only one treatment. But most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. You may also have immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or hormone therapy. Clinical trials might also be an option for you. To summarise, cancers are caused by a combination of genes and the environment. However, numerous sources claim that lifestyle behaviours and environmental factors account for around 70-90% of cancer cases. Poor diet is also believed to cause cancer.
POETRY & REVIEWS FROM THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Miss Murray writes‌
Stuart H, Year 11 writes...
In the run up to the time that should have been study leave, our Year 11 and Year 13 classes had their last ever English lesson. Without a focus of exams, it has hopefully become even more apparent to the boys that reading is a love and a skill that goes beyond school and a GCSE grade. The English Department have been spending this remote time enjoying the opportunity to explore literature that GCSE and A-Level specifications have never given us time to get around to: a silver lining during these times. We have really been in awe of the creativity and engagement that these two year groups have still shown during this time.
Unknown
Alex Z, Year 11 writes... Success Amongst the greatest is where I want to be, but What is success? It has never been mine. In their different ways people define: Some see success as money to your name, As a lack of such a barrier to fame. Though others with such thinking do not agree: Success, in quite a different way, they see. They will tell you that you cannot know of success If in your mind, there is no room for happiness.
Nikolaos P, Year 11 writes... In a year that could almost be refundable, nature's body remains grounded by its roots. the hummingbird still sings and the raven still lurks in the shadows. Streets are emptied from their common cacophony of sirens and a facade is placed over an expressionless face. laughter and happiness is isolated. Death is like a thief in a lawless world, whilst hope and patience has fizzled into poverty This year has become an anomaly.
Expansive, bright stars stared at the earth Blessing the planet with pure rays of light. Watching, waiting and spinning in circles. Light danced around the nest like Playful deer in a forest. Warmth whirled and Rested on the earth entrapping the planet in A warm embrace. Silence echoed around the cavernous Space as planets spin around encaged in orbit, Red giants and white dwarfs, supernovas and Nebulas crowded the unknown, ever expanding. Mysterious planets loomed light years away. Blackness Surrounds everything like a flame in a cavernous cave. Meteors, made of solid rock, rolled across the empty Unknown like a bullet, threatening and rapid as They journey to nothing in the Unknown. Away from warmth and shelter commits orbit the Solar systems. Made of inhospitable, freezing iceMelting closer to the sun, warm white rays accepting Life and love. Freezing as it goes so so far away, shunning the Embrace of pure life. But perhaps nature continues, even in the Darkest deep of the unknown.
Oscar J, Year 11 writes...
Asad J, Year 9 writes...
Quarantine
Pause
The world outside is wide I tell myself to stay inside All six walls are constantly closing And the life I had is constantly going It takes endless hours of lying awake Waiting for the quarantine to break People die every day alone And it makes me feel fear while at home My family starts to wear thin Missing my GCSEs starts to appear less of a win Should summer end it would break my heart As it seems likely the world will fall apart.
The hustle and bustle of the instantaneous morning rush Tubes screeching, buses revving,
Taddeo B, Year 11 writes... The insults hurt them both More than the fists or the plates Thrown in anger across the table. This conflict will not be resolved. Bags will be packed, close friends called A bed left half empty, a sofa filled. Human hearts break easily. They are as fragile as the glasses Which once decorated the wedding tables. Those memories were a lifetime ago, The people in the photos are now strangers Driven apart by the tide of time. Her tears fall and hit the floor While his eyes are fixed on his shoes He struggles to say "I'm sorry" Just two magic words that hold As much power as "I do"
The laughs and gossiping of the hyper school children Car horns roaring, drivers screeching, Sebastian A, Year 9 writes... Birth, Gather and cook We live in an edible world, Everything starts in the dark. First, a spec of bright colour, Shining through a battlefield Of origin, home and birth. Then, the spec of hope grows, It shoots up to the sky, Along with the others They travel in the wind. Then. The end, arrives, Ripped out of its home, Carried to a lake Of death. The others boil. The end, the end, the end.
The fresh pastries of the bakeries constituting a thick aroma Bread steaming, Cakes sizzling The air overrun with life as the streets danced in a corresponding unity Music blasting, Toddlers jolly Suddenly, Silence. Stillness. Nothing. The whispering emerald leaves awakening the lonely oak trees Swaying shrubs, untouched weeds, The cold blue birds and robins starved of an audience to impress Desolate branches, flightless birds, The frosty breeze passing by the empty cars and lifeless shops searching for life Howling gusts, hollow winds, The unseen grey dandelions and roses starved of their ego Bobbing buds, scentless perfume, The world is put on halt, put on pause.
Miss Murray writes... Year 13 English Literature A-Level students have been exploring literature beyond the barriers of their exam specifications. After two years of studying American Literature between 1880 and 1940, Year 13 have begun to delve into more modern texts and writers including Allen Ginsberg and The Beat Movement, Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’, Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold Blood’ and Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘Cat’s Cradle’. For the last few lessons, they have been reviewing some of their favourite reads:
Lachlan W, Year 13 writes... Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘Cat’s Cradle’ Cat’s Cradle is a novel by Kurt Vonnegut that lies between the genres of science fiction, comedy and satire. The book written in 1963 spends a considerable amount of its page count forming Bokononism a fictional religion bases on aphorisms like “Anyone unable to understand how useful religion can be founded on lies will not understand this book either”. Phrases like these scattered throughout the book give it a strong slant of religious satire that to some readers may become the thematic core of the book. The destructive power of science also plays a large thematic role in the book with the cast of the book being the children of one of the creators of the atom bomb. The book introduces its analogy of the bomb in the form Ice-9 an indiscriminate
biological weapon. The book often plays science and religion off one another, emphasising man’s ability to destroy itself yet also the impersonal practices of religion. The Bokonon religion does not have a god and places little meaning in the advancement of one’s life beyond the emotional understanding of yourself and so is a purely humanist religion. Cat’s Cradle to me came off as a book written to amuse the author, it’s a cocktail of ideas and themes wrapped in a plot that barely touches the deeper subtext of the book. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the first entry in Maya Angelou’s biography documenting the story of herself growing up in the south of the USA. The prose of the novel are written to be evocative of Maya Angelou’s precise thoughts at the time and so the word choice remains simple. This allows for great effect in the harrowing parts of the text as the narrator has less understanding of the context of her situation than the reader. Being set in the south of the USA most of the book discusses the life experience of a black woman under the racism riddled era of the 1930s. Maya Angelou’s childhood noted in the book is not written for a young audience but rather was written as part of her activism to raise awareness of and end structural racism within America. Maya Angelou followed many other creative careers such as singing, dancing and acting, but she has gained the most acclaim for her poems. Like her poems, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ deals solely with issues of racism: this (coupled with the books being an autobiography) can make the book monotonous at times, but as the book was written to educate
on the experience of growing up in a black household in the great depression the book succeeds and is worth reading individual chapters as it is one of the rare novels where chapters can be separated from one another and still be enjoyed just the same.
Oliver L, Year 13 writes... J.D Salinger’s ‘The Catcher In The Rye’ Cast into the intense thoughts and feelings of a sixteen-year-old, J D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye movingly delves deep into the struggles of adolescent, Holden Caulfield. Amidst a post-war (Second World War) American society, Holden struggles with feeling a sense of purpose as he finds the world surrounding him is becoming increasingly superficial and material. Paralleling to this feeling, Holden fears entering adulthood which appears riddled with bitterness and hate. Holden’s evocative and relatable feelings are illustrated through Salinger’s clever first-person narration. This takes the reader on a journey through Holden conscious as he is about to be expelled from his, now, fourth boarding school. In protest he runs away to New York. In New York, Holden loses some control over himself, drinking heavily and embarrassing himself in front of others. Within this mess, Holden reflects on his past experiences
emotionally recanting memories of his late younger brother, Allie, who passed away from Leukemia a few years earlier. Through these moments, his struggles and past traumas become very real to the reader. I personally love this book. It has so much depth in its portrayal of a teenager who is struggling a lot with his own mental wellbeing. I think many teenagers can relate to Holden’s feeling of uncertainty and insecurity. Like many of us here at Wetherby, Holden is suspended between adulthood and childhood. This place is dark and frightening. The unknown is immense, and the intimidation of years ahead is overwhelming. But like Holden, we learn there is a way out of this emotional turmoil. This is why I encourage you to read this book, even though you may not feel the same way as Holden, the emotional ride is heart-warming.
Nizami P, Year 13 writes... Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is arguably one of the most moving and eye-opening poems ever written. This title had great significance to Angelou, as it was the title to her life story. In her writing, Angelou focused on the struggle of being a black author and poet. She often felt that her words were not heard because of the colour of her skin. She felt that, in some ways, she was still experiencing slavery. Although African American people were free in Angelou’s time,
there were still many restrictions on them in society, meaning many black Americans did not feel free at all. This poem reveals the depth of those feelings. Angelou lived through a tough life in a world that was cruel and diabolical because of her ethnicity. Angelou’s story begins when she describes how and why her parents are getting divorced, and that they sent her to live with her grandmother, Momma Henderson. What struck me most about her character is probably how she takes and accepts guilt for everything going on, such as on a train to her grandmother’s, when she feels rejected by her parents and states that “I’m being sent away because I’m no lovable”. She creates angry emotions and buries them deep inside of her. These emotions and experiences only fuel her personality and make her stronger, as the readers learn throughout the novel, given everything that Angelou has managed to achieve despite her disadvantages. Being sent away was difficult on Angelou, but not merely as much as what happened when she reunited with her parents - when a man named Mr. Freeman assaults her, leaving an innocent girl with a burden for the rest of her life. Maya could not bear this pain, so she decided to never talk again because her words would only hurt those she cared about. She eventually started to talk again, and this was in no small part thanks to Mrs. Flowers, a woman that read poetry to Angelou about twice a year. Angelou’s poetic and artistic selfprompted her to speak again, and that in of itself demonstrates her literary genius, also showing the immense influence of literature on the girl. Angelou used a reflective tone in her writing, especially towards
the main character. She was able to infiltrate her emotions and her vision into the book, and to grant the main characters with traits that portray precisely this vision and these emotions. Angelou creates many scenes that portray images clearly, for example, when Maya was hiding her underwear stained with blood trying to not worry her mother. Maya Angelou uses simple language and clear, but simply explained life stories to convey key themes of abuse and rejection, reflecting the zeitgeist of the times. She has a unique way of portraying ideas and themes through fragments in her writing as well as by deploying parenthesis regularly. Angelou’s dialogue choices are also rather intriguing as she uses extremely simple vocabulary to connect the reader to her world and uses the broken English sentence style often. “My race groaned. It was our people falling…It was hounds on the trail through slimy swamps.” As can be witnessed via this short extract, the language of Angelou’s novel is simplistic and she goes with a sentence structure of simple, short sentences to create a sense of abruptness. Despite this, the language can be very heavy, especially when discussing race matters directly, such as in this short extract. A sense of rage and anger on Angelou’s part is certainly portrayed and her unique way with words make it seem like this is not just Angelou’s, but the whole black race’s resentment that is illustrated in the novel. The personal pronouns combined with a sense of unity within the black community create an interesting paradox between the ‘I’ and the ‘We’ in Angelou’s novel.
LOCKDOWN: A POEM Arjun D, Year 9 writes... Heads turn to the colourful window. Just to see the deserted paradise outside just out of our reach. Cars cease to a halt like frozen icicles in the Arctic winter. The word commute has become foreign. As I walked a mile to my front door. The cold floorboard burned my feet. Strangely as I looked out all I could see was happiness. Trees standing prouder than ever, with a boasting green. Famillies started singing, dancing, even baking. The shores and roads bore more
wildlife. Pigeons started commuting like us in a busy train station. The sun’s rays wriggled to every lone grass. Lifting our spirits. I looked away and then looked back. People were doing daily exercise. Maintaining social distancing like Bison family in a herd. People wearing all sorts of masks some professional some just enthusiastic.
It was then that I realised instead of seperating us the virus brought us together. Tomorrow I looked out my plain window and thought it is just another day. I then thought of those people and thought: happy birthday to someone in the world. Then amongst the houses I saw new hope being born.
That did not compare to happiness of the people. Phoning their mums. Looking after each other. The lockdown reminding us we are a collective.
Inter-trib Music Competition Edward P, Year 10 writes‌ Music at Wetherby has continued to strive and impress even in these difficult conditions. We recently had the inter-Trib music competition, which involved students sending a recording of any chosen performance to the head of music, Mr Martin. When preparing my chosen piece of music in quarantine, I found that I had a lot more time available to practise as I always had a piano at my disposal, ready to be played. However, I found that learning the notes and practising by ear simply wasn’t enough. When recording a piece of music, especially on a Samsung phone, some notes sound much louder or quieter than usual. Therefore, most of
my practice went into trying to adapt my style of playing to benefit the quality of the sound in a recorded version. I think it is great that Wetherby Senior School
is continuing to arrange extracurricular activities and interTrib competitions despite school closure.
YEAR 9 BOOK REVIEWS Dan R, Year 9 writes... “The Witcher: The Last Wish” by Andrzej Sapkowski
I am currently engrossed in the fantastic “Witcher 3: Wild Hunt”, so I decided to have a gander at the book series which has very positive reviews. I was not disappointed. Every page of the book uses exotic imagery and incredible characters, immersing you in an alternate medieval history where monsters exist. In this world, monsters do exist alongside a witcher (monster hunter) named Geralt of Rivia. Throughout the eight books he comes across a unique sets of people and monsters, each encounter providing a new and unique action and outcome. This first book consists of multiple short stories, which serve to introduce and explain Geralt’s relationship with other recurring characters and provide a very enjoyable experience overall. The world of the witcher is very robust with lots of deep lore to immerse yourself into, which is cleverly explained by the books. As time progresses there are changes both in Geralt’s personal life and the world around him. However, this series is not for everyone, as it contains many mature themes and concepts. There has also been a few times where I have found the story predictable. Overall, I think this is a very good book and is the perfect introduction to the witcher or the fantasy genre in general.
Ben R, Year 9 writes... “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 is set in a dystopian future where books are banned. People who keep books have their houses burnt down by firemen, who start fires instead of putting them out. The main character, Guy Montag, is one of these firemen. When he meets a mysterious young girl, he starts to question his life and begins to hide books inside his home. The book follows Guy as he re-evaluates his profession in a society that fears thinking and books. The book is quite similar to 1984 because both of the main characters are agents of the government whose job descriptions are very different from what we would expect. Guy Montag is a fireman. Instead of putting out fires, his job is to destroy books by starting fires. In 1984, Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth and instead of producing truthful articles, he edits them so that they are false. In both books the main characters also begin to rebel against the way the government tries to control their lives. I enjoyed Fahrenheit 451 as I really like futuristic novels. I would recommend Fahrenheit 451 to all sci-fi lovers and fans of dystopian novels.
Marcus M, Year 9 writes... “The Martian”, by Andy Weir The Martian tells the story of Mark Watney an astronaut who gets marooned on Mars through no fault of his captain and how he manages to survive on the desolate planet and eventually return to Earth alive. Watney is an enjoyably irreverent scientist who is completely confident in his own abilities but is none the less striving against impossible odds. He analyses that his fate is death through either suffocation, dehydration, starvation or selfexplosion – or as he summarises “f***ed [my elision.]” The book has far more detail and science than Ridley Scot’s excellent film based on the novel and is equally good. Watney’s struggle for survival is a must read for science enthusiasts and those who enjoy a race against the clock. The Martian is gripping from the first sentence, “I’m pretty much f***ed.” Smart, funny and white-knuckle intense, it is to this day one of the most gripping books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
CHESS STORY: BOOK REVIEW Tommaso S, Year 11 writes... “Chess Story” by Stefan Zweig I remember when I found this little book; my dad was cleaning a multitude of books which were all gathering dust at our house. As I helped, I stumbled upon this really interesting book. I was really keen to read it because I recently reignited a hobby which I kind of forgot as I grew older: chess. Many consider those who dabble in this amazing game as nerds and intellectuals but chess is more than a game - it’s an art. Great men across time have challenged themselves at mastering the black and white battlefield, all the way back to the sixth century in India where it is believed that the game’s earliest predecessor originated from. There’s a nice TEDEd video which addresses these origins, if anyone has some free time️ and is interested to discover more about the most popular board game. In more recent times, Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand (it took me a while to pronounce it) are only two of the vast group of chess grandmasters and enthusiasts the world has to offer but humanity still isn’t satisfied. Because of many technological advancements emerging nearly every day, some have developed computer systems that can actually go mano a mano with some of the greatest chess players , like “Fruit” and “Deep Blue”. The Royal Game also known as “A Chess Story” in the original German Schachnovelle (“Chess Novella”) was written by the Austrian author Stefan Zweig in 1941. Unfortunately, one year later, the author took his own life though. It’s quite a short book
so it’s suitable even for those who aren’t avid readers, perfect to devour when sipping a cup of tea or during a flight. Chess world champion Mirko Czentovic is travelling on a cruise ship to Buenos Aires. Dull-witted in all but chess he begins challenging the passengers aboard, of which he literally obliterates them. But
on the same ship a man known as Dr B holds a powerful attraction towards the tantalising game as well. As he plays, he tells of the evil which he has suffered for all his life during Nazi imprisonment and becoming insane and haunted by the same game he so desperately loves️. Enjoy!
CELEBRATE AND EDUCATE READING SCHEME Henry B, Year 11 writes… In a world fraught with prejudice, it is more important than ever that new generations are educated to be accepting of everybody regardless of their race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or other parameters. Inclusivity is a crucial part of our ethos at Wetherby Senior School. This, combined with recent news headlines, prompted the introduction of the Celebrate and Educate Reading Scheme, which aims to introduce students to these concepts through the medium of literature. In her storytelling and deep reflection, Michelle Obama invites the reader to live her experiences through her eyes, from her childhood to her years as an executive, balancing motherhood with work. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private. “Becoming” is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman who has steadily defied expectations and whose mesmerising story inspires us to do the same. Perhaps the most insightful part of the book is the introduction, wherein Michelle outlines the essence of what makes her who she is today. She reveals herself as an individual and as a woman of colour living in the United States. In the rest of the book, she predominantly discusses her husband and their marriage, and we also learn a lot about the emotional struggle of constantly being in the public eye as one of
the most iconic and compelling women of our era, despite the unforgiving media glare. As First Lady of the United States of America – the first AfricanAmerican to serve in that role – she helped to create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful
advocate for women and girls in the USA and around the world. She drastically changed the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives for the better, and she stood with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. It’s truly an eye-opener.
BRITISH AIRWAYS - PREPARING FOR A DIFFERENT FUTURE Henry B, Year 11 writes… A mere few months ago, a British Airways aircraft would take off from somewhere in the world every 90 seconds. The airline carried up to 145,000 customers every day. On a yearly basis, those customers were served 25 million cups of tea, 9.9 million bottles of wine and 1.25 million bottles of Champagne. Now, only a handful of aeroplanes are still flying and most are operating as cargo charter flights, whilst the others are grounded for the foreseeable future. The global aviation body IATA said that the industry has never seen a downturn this deep before. It is expected that full year passenger revenues could plummet by 55% compared to 2019, while air traffic falls by 48%. Despite efforts to protect as many jobs as possible by working with the UK Government and Trade Unions, British Airways has been forced to dismiss 12,000 employees – over a quarter of its entire workforce. With no knowledge of when countries will reopen their borders or when the lockdowns will lift, British Airways must reshape itself in order to create a new future for its employees, its customers and the destinations it serves. The scale of this challenge requires substantial change, but fortunately the airline is in a competitive and resilient position to address not only the immediate effects of the pandemic, but also to withstand any long-term reductions in customer demand, economic shocks or other events that could affect it. Mr Álex Cruz, Chairman
and CEO of British Airways, adamantly confirmed that “we will ensure that British Airways has a strong future and continues to connect Britain with the world and the world with Britain.” Repatriation British Airways has already flown back thousands of travellers from destinations across the globe, as part of a constant effort between the airline and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. In India, British Airways is serving eleven airports across the country, with special flight departures over a period of two weeks. As well as departing from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, the airline has extended its operations to serve Goa, Amritsar, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. Bookings British Airways has updated its Book with Confidence policy, meaning that anyone with a booking until 31st July 2020, or a booking made from 03rd March 2020 for travel before the end of the year, is eligible for a range of flexible rebooking options. What’s
more, all vouchers can be used on new bookings until April 2022, irrespective of the date they were issued. Cargo With demand for passenger travel still very low, British Airways is trying to use its grounded aeroplanes in creative ways to support the global response to the pandemic. In April, the airline began carrying crucial cargo in the passenger cabins of its aircraft, in addition to the hold – the first time it has ever done so in its 101year history. Since then, several Boeing 777-236(ER) jets have had their interiors and seats stripped, providing an additional 100m3 of space. The company flies 21 aircraft a week from China to London, each carrying up to 770 tonnes of personal protective equipment (PPE) – goggles, face shields, gowns and more – ventilators, and hand sanitiser. So far, over 100 flights have been operated in a joint endeavour between British Airways, its IAG partners including IAG Cargo, the UK Government and the British Embassy in Beijing, in order to
provide NHS hospitals around the UK with medical equipment. Volunteering A company-wide taskforce of more than 1,100 colleagues is bringing their skills and expertise to communities across the UK. Their advanced first aid qualifications and natural passion for helping people allow them to apply both technical training and kindness to a range of desperately needed roles with the NHS, care homes, food banks and other charities such as the British Red Cross. Some volunteers have been paired with St John Ambulance to aid their emergency response units and many have joined the London Ambulance Service to take phone calls, triaging callers and placing them in clinical queues to speak to a qualified medical professional. British Airways has donated in excess of 200,000 items to more than 90 community projects, including 74,000 toothbrush/ toothpaste kits, 32,000 pairs of First class socks, 24,000 blankets, 30,000 disposable razors, 4,000 eye masks, 3,500 amenity kits, 390 First class pyjama sets, 4,000 handwash/creams, 11,000 snacks, 12,000 food tray boxes, 2,600 soft drinks, 500 cereal bowls, 500 spoons and 6,300 kids’ activity packs for charities assisting vulnerable children. Finally, money that British Airways’ customers and employees have raised through Flying Start, the airline’s partnership with Comic Relief, is contributing immensely to the charity’s response, enabling it to reach out across their network to those most in need, such as people who are homeless or experiencing
domestic abuse. In short, British Airways and its staff are doing everything they can to help during this crisis. Despite the uncertainty, their positive and relentless attitudes have supported the country and will continue to do so.
A VISIT TO THE POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Henry B, Year 11 writes… Established in 1863, the Politecnico di Milano is the largest technical university in Italy, with about 42,000 students. It was ranked as the 16th best in the world as of 2020. My cousin, Professor Franco Auteri teaches at the Department of Science and Aerospace Technology, but he has also worked with many industry leaders, including Boeing, Airbus and several Formula 1 teams. One of his most recent ventures is that of “Smartwing”, a project which focusses on designing a wing which can morph during flight in order to achieve optimum aerodynamic efficiency, resulting in a lower carbon footprint due to reduced fuel burn. This technology is inspired by birds and is already used on the Airbus A350, of which British Airways has five in its fleet, with a further thirteen on order. Long before the lockdown, I was in Milan to visit family and my week there happened to coincide with his doctorate course about computations involving incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in the field of fluid dynamics, so I asked if I could attend. The idea of the course was to offer students a brief summary of the various sections of the topic over the period of one week – covering all the details would have taken up to a month. Hence, the lessons were quick-moving
and fairly intimate, consisting of only five students, so Prof. Auteri could provide them with individual support and allow them to develop their knowledge of the specific section that interested them most and was pertinent to their research. The four-hour lecture was riveting. Prof. Auteri began by outlining the intricate processes behind solving these complex equations, as far as discretisation and uncoupling are concerned. Firstly, it is important to bear the Reynolds equation in mind, namely “the rate of change of mass within the control volume is equal to the mass flux entering the control volume through its surface.” The Reynolds equation was crucial in the derivation of the Navier-Stokes equations. As a matter of fact, incompressibility is a “rude” approximation, as thermodynamics is completely expunged since it is unnecessary in the incompressible model, where the conservation of energy is disregarded. It is possible to discretise the Navier-Stokes equations, but this is not as simple as it sounds; many issues can arise and it is not easy to organise the multitudes of data in the memory of a computer.
Also, the matrix arising from this approach is singular for two different reasons, and if the Peclet number is significantly larger than “1” then wild velocity oscillations are generated. Using staggered grids, collocated grids or structured grids can prove to be helpful. Following discretisation, one obtains an algebraic system of non-linear equations, which can be solved using the SIMPLE (Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equations), which is quite popular and very complicated even though its name suggests otherwise. As someone who is considering an degree in engineering, I found the lecture to be most fascinating. It offered me a taste of university study and gave me a small glimpse into the vast world of physics research in which anyone can potentially be involved in. As I am of Italian origin, it was also a useful experience given that I am considering the possibility of studying in Italy rather than in the UK. The Politecnico di Milano has a very prestigious engineering faculty, so this could be a viable option for me. Who knows? This might not be the last time I find myself in a classroom with Prof. Auteri.
FILM REVIEWS: WHAT TO WATCH IN LOCKDOWN Daisy refuses to let Hoke into her life, accusing him of stealing food from her and not letting him drive her to the market but eventually she gives in. As the years go by, Miss Daisy begins to appreciate his company as well as his many skills, eventually promoting him to a sort of butler role. The main theme explored throughout this movie is racism, which is seen in several situations, such as when Miss Daisy accuses Hoke of stealing a food can, or when Hoke is stopped by cops, asking for his licence. This movie is heartwarming and a true classic that I would recommend watching! Tommaso S, Year 11 writes... Driving Miss Daisy I said that I was going to write about old movies and that’s what I am going to do. As you have probably noticed, I am a big fan of Morgan Freeman and because of this, I decided to watch Driving Miss Daisy (1990) which boasts nine Oscar nominations and four wins (Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Makeup along with Best Adapted Screenplay). Yesterday evening, I couldn’t think of any ideas on what to watch but I remembered hearing Morgan Freeman mentioning on a talk show that this film was part of his start in the movie business. The film is set in 1948, Atlanta, where Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy) is an 72-year-old Jewish️ widow who accidentally drives her 1946 Chrysler Windsor into her neighbour’s yard. Her son, Boolie, (Dan Aykroyd) decides to buy her a new car and hire a black chauffeur named Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman). At first, Miss
Solar Opposites This is going to be a fairly short review, mainly because the series is only a couple of episodes long, which I found quite annoying because I loved it so much! From the producers of Rick and Morty, Solar Opposites (a play on words) is a great series with mind-blowing and hilarious gags! A group of five aliens manage to escape from their planet, Shlorp, just before an asteroid️ destroys it killing all the other Shlorpians. As
they are flying in the cold vacuum of space, they crash land on Planet Earth right in a suburban neighbourhood in the USA. Adult Shlorpians Korvo and Terry along with their “replicants” (children) Yumyulack and Jesse, navigate the horror and beauty of human life. The group also has a yellow pupa by their side, which is literally a baby Schlorpian. It’s so adorable! Unfortunately, it is destined to turn into a planet-destroying super weapon which will eradicate all human life and turn Earth into the new Schlorp. The alien family does its best to fit in and help the earthlings adjust to the new immigrants. For Korvo, that means diligently working to repair the group’s ship and gathering intel on the humans. For Terry, that means making friends with his neighbours and enjoying the multitude of pleasures provided by domestic life. Jesse and Yumyulack are enrolled into high school. There, Yumyulack begins to shrink and abduct both teachers and students for research which Jesse enjoys immensely️. To sum it all up, it is a really cool series to watch. Hope you enjoy it!
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