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BAROMETER June - July 2022
HALF TERm 6
Dear readers, Inclusivity is a hallmark property of Wetherby Senior’s community ethos. When I was appointed Senior Editor three years ago, I felt that my objective was to ensure that The Barometer epitomised just that. I think it’s fair to say that I have succeeded in that regard, based on the countless emails I receive every half-term from parents and teachers who comment on the splendid variety of topics that feature in each edition. Whereas many school magazines have a clear theme, we encourage boys to write about whatever they please and – whilst we do include articles about classroom work – our writers are welcome to discuss anything that interests them. I am very grateful to Ms Bradley, who was very supportive of my endeavours and was the reason
CONTENTS: Trib Fair - Henry B Diversity Week - Leo A and Ben D New Marvel Serise: Ms Marvel - Santino G
The 47th by Mike Bartlett Ivan G GCSE and A Level Exhibition - Kaveh K
I became involved with The Barometer in the first place (she gave me the role of “music and drama correspondent” when I was in Year 10). I must also extend my huge thanks to Ms S Smith, who has done an amazing job of organising the team and was also very understanding during my intense period of A Level revision towards the end of Year 13. Most of all, I’d like to thank all the boys who have brought their enthusiasm and ideas to The Barometer during my tenure; they are the reason that this publication is so special. I feel privileged to have been at the helm of such a vibrant magazine and it has given me great joy to hear from pupils of all ages who read The Barometer. Many of them remark that they learnt something or that a particular article ignited a curiosity for a new topic. The team has grown steadily and we now
Spring and Summer - Miguel AC and Redford Y Interview with Alex McLeish - Harris R Summer Concert - Aarav S Volunteering - Dan R Monkeypox - Maksims K England Test Cricket - Felipe E
have a fantastic group of boys who are passionate about journalism. For those who are wondering, my numerous editorial duties will be split up between several individuals, so nobody will find themselves burdened with a workload as massive as mine. I’ll be starting a degree in biochemistry at Imperial College London later this year. Meanwhile, The Barometer will certainly be in good hands. Yours, Henry Bush Senior Editor of The Barometer 2019-22
Star Wars - The Jedi - Aarav S, Cyrus D, Iakov L, Lev L A Level Plus - Tamerlan P and Zach G
Jerusalem Review - Theo W Game Review: Celeste - Zain S Lower School Play (Actor’s Perspective) - Marty V
Year 8 Sleep Out - Ishan A
Lower School Play (Audience Perspective) - Henry B
The UK and Iceland Fish Wars, the Cod Wars - Frederik B
The Story of the SR-71 Blackbird - Stepan K
Interview: Mr J Silvester Felipe E and Henry B
Razer Blackwidow V3 Tenkeyless - Zain S
M1 MacBook Pro 14 - Zain S
Poetry Writing Challenge:
Symmetry in Architecture Daniel W
Cover Photograph: Ms S Smith
Trib FaIR
More to come next issue!
Diversity Week Leo A, Year 7 writes… I am not sure if you know this, but this week 33 was Diversity Week. Diversity is not just about our culture and heritage, but about differences in our self as individuals on many levels. The very word diversity means a variety of different things, this means everyone is diverse and yet special as an individual. There have been many fun activities and things to do. I have been to most of them, such as the language learning and the culture quiz, to mention a few. Personally, my favourite event this week was the neuro-diversity talk. I thought that it was great, it was presented well, and the speaker knew a lot about the subject explaining how every brain is wired up in its own individual way. He also gave us a unique insight into the subject, as he had dyspraxia himself, and described the way in which his unique situation was eventually identified, explaining many of his challenges and successes. I also enjoyed learning Farsi, a language from Iran. It was great fun, I have learnt to say hello and how was your day. I am sure many of you also experienced the food in the lunch hall, with a wide variety of dishes from different countries of the world. I am sure all the food tasted great. Certainly the ones I tried did! It is important that we learn about diversity in a society that is full of it, we must respect others, their beliefs and customs. Having a knowledge and understanding about these things will help us all
in getting along and flourishing as a global community. There are many different ways for someone to be diverse such as their age, income, beliefs ,race, sex, skill, religion, nationality. These all make up who you are and what you think. Diverse voices mean there are many different people who stand up to people who discriminate their race or culture. Some examples are Martin Luther King and Maya Angelo, Rosa Parks and Frederik Douglas. These are people who have fought for their race and culture, to help us be more racially accepting of diverse people/people who are different to us.
Ben D, Year 12 writes… Monday 20th June marked the beginning of Wetherby Senior’s Diversity Week, in unison with the Diversity Week organised by the LGBTQ+ charity, ‘Just like us’.
During this week, our Diversity Committee organised a variety of events to celebrate diversity within our School community. This week commenced with a workshop lead by Tobi about the similarities between the three Abrahamic religions and the history behind each of them. Following that, on Tuesday, many boys were treated to lessons in both Farsi and Italian by Kaveh and Edward respectively; this included both lessons on common greeting, as well as a tasting session on some of the most popular snacks in both countries. On Wednesday, our PTA provided a selection of food from countries around the world, which included everything from samosas from India to spicy beef patties from Jamaica. This was then followed by a series of Kahoot’s which challenged some of our younger boy’s knowledge on various different countries. Finally, our Diversity Week was wrapped up by a very insightful
talk by Josh S, which was all about dyspraxia - how it can affect people’s daily life and how he personally deals with it. All in all, I think that it was a very successful week full of very enjoyable and interesting activities and I personally cannot wait for next year’s iteration.
New Marvel Series: Ms. Marvel Santino G, Year 7 writes... *Spoiler warning for episode 1 of Ms. Marvel*
Ms Marvel is a new Marvel series about a major Marvel fan, Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American who lives in New Jersey. Kamala is making an outfit to go to a Comic-Con in New Jersey but feels something is missing. She wanted to add some of her culture to her Captain Marvel cosplay/ outfit, so she went looking for something that would add some of her culture to her outfit. She finds a bangle in a box labelled junk. Kamala is intrigued by this heirloom but before, she could investigate it, Kamala’s brother, Aamir, was told to take it to the attic by their mum. Kamala later snoops in the attic for her family heirloom because she believes it is what her Comic-Con outfit is missing because it is part of her background. She then asks her
Mum if she can go to Comic-Con with her friend Bruno, but her Mum says no, so she plans with Bruno so she can sneak out to go to Comic-Con in her new and improved Captain Marvel outfit/ costume, with a touch of her background. After she arrives at Comic-Con, she decides to join the costume contest because there was a Captain Marvel contest, and she is in a Captain Marvel costume. In the toilet, while she is changing, she struggles to open the bangle which she added to her costume, so she walks out and tries to get her friend Bruno to help her open it. They were struggling and it was already the final call for the people dressed as Captain Marvel to come to the stage for the contest. At the last second the bangle opens, and she puts it on but as soon as she does, she felt a sensation. The rest is on Disney+. I am mentioning her in this article as she is the first Muslim superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and our School has just hosted a Diversity Week. She shows how women and people of colour can also
be superheroes. She also shares some of her culture in the show, such as the Djinn which is a spirit with immense power in Arabic mythology.
Ms Marvel also shows more of her culture in further episodes, with her brother’s wedding showing how their culture does weddings in a beautiful way. It also shows her being in the Mosque, showing Mosque etiquette. I hope they show more of Kamala’s culture in the upcoming episodes but also a lot of action to display her power as a Muslim woman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and to show her true potential as a superhero.
The 47th by Mike Bartlett Ivan G, Year 10 writes... “I know, I know you hate me,” declares a fictionalised Donald Trump, commencing British playwright Mike Bartlett’s 2022 blank verse interpretation of American sociopolitical affairs, now showing at The Old Vic Theatre, directed by Rupert Goold, with whom Bartlett previously collaborated on his critically acclaimed King Charles III. The 47th – the play’s title – refers to the as-of-yet unelected 47th President of the United States, whose “democratic” election a contest for them, the winner serves as Bartlett’s focal plot point. of which will inherit his wealth. Shakespearean motifs are present The 47th, set in a pragmatically throughout the entirety of the envisioned 2024 that is still play, including further reference plagued by current crises, begins to King Lear in the deliberate with a scene amongst the Trump blinding of Charlie Takahashi’s family, an incongruous group liberal reporter, Charlie Takahashi, of Bertie Carvel’s swaggering as well as in Ivanka Trump’s Donald, Oscar Lloyd’s faintultimate betrayal of her father, hearted Donald Jr., Freddie in allusions to Richard III in Meredith’s asinine Eric, and the anarchic Trump, who stops Lydia Wilson’s collected, elegant at nothing in his campaign for Ivanka. Here, in a moment of clear presidency, and an emulation of reference to Shakespeare’s ‘King Lady Macbeth in Simon Williams’ Lear’, Carvel’s Trump informs his unhinged Joe Biden. children that he intends to set up
The play continues by following a series of chaotically unfolding events, all leading up to the election of the 47th P.O.T.U.S., which is never shown itself. Highlight scenes include Trump’s irreverent appearance at a Republican rally, during which he initiates his haphazard presidential campaign with an inaugural slogan (“AMERICA RULES”); a televised debate scene between Trump and the play’s heroic protagonist, Tamara Tunie’s resilient Kamala Harris, who, in the play, has become America’s 46th president; and a prolonged speechless sequence evocative of Artaud’s Théâtre de la Cruauté, in which a group of Trump supporters, led by Joss Carter’s bestial horned Shaman, participate in a grotesque ritualistic dance, as the stage is lit crimson red. Carvel’s Donald Trump, alongside Wilson’s Ivanka Trump, Williams’ Biden, and Tunie’s Harris constitute the play’s outstanding performances, with each actor adapting their respective public figure imaginatively for the stage. Carvel skilfully captures
the infamous essence that brought Trump to fame, from his gesticulative mannerisms to his stomachforward posture, and inflates it to a scathingly comical caricature. He is contrasted by Wilson’s duplicitous, cool Ivanka, whose attitude of detached determination is encapsulated in a speechless, visually striking interaction between her and Carter’s Shaman, in which she leisurely places an unlit cigarette in her mouth, he lights it with a lighter, and she proceeds to walk up-stage in a slow, strikingly confident fashion. Williams’ Biden appears somewhat briefly as a nervous president in conversation with Carvel’s Trump, reappearing soon as a comically unstable
somnambulist, plagued by the prospect of Trump’s second presidential term. Finally, Tunie brings a sense of inner conflict to her dignified Harris, who struggles to deal with Carvel’s mischievous Trump without violating her own moral principles. The most prominent set piece that is present throughout the entirety of the play, albeit not constantly turned on, is the screen, which functions as a backdrop. It portrays, at times, a starred and striped flag, as well as serving to amplify chaos in certain dynamic scenes by showing what appears to be unstable camera footage from on-stage characters’ mobile phones.
GCSE and A Level Exhibition Kaveh K, Year 10 writes... The GCSE and A Level Art and Graphic Design exhibition was held on Thursday 9th June. This was the first art exhibition held at Wetherby Senior since the beginning of the pandemic and there was quite a buzz, with parents, pupils and staff celebrating the hard work of this years art and graphics pupils. Following a day of assessment by moderators, others were allowed to see the exhibition. There were dozens of beautiful and elegant artworks, ranging from advertising films and video games to 3D sculptures and illustrations of figures. In GCSE Graphic Design, pupils are required to make a book cover project, as well as designing a brand new chocolate box. Some boys, in addition, made advertisements and posters for their products. Following this, pupils make advertising displays for their books and chocolate boxes, in the form of a point of sale display. I was extremely impressed with how profressional all the work looked. I could definately see these book covers in actual book stores. In GSCE Art, pupils explored the themes of ‘Natural Forms’ and ‘My Environment’. Each theme took on a personal direction and allowed the boy to explore ideas that meant something to them. It was great to see so many different interpretations of the themes and all the different materials used from painting, to scultpure to printmaking to photography. In A Level Art and Graphic
Communication, pupils get to explore a theme of their choice. Again, it was great to see how unique and personal each boys’ theme was. One created huge sculptures through the theme of chance and spontaneity. Another wrote and animated his own childrens book through his exploration of the theme of emotional connection. One, studying graphic comminication, created his own playable game! I tried a number of times but I didn’t manage to make it to the end of the level. It was really fun watching other boys and staff try to the beat the game. The exhibition opened with work by Oscar T. He had produced a short advertisement for his new variant of Hubba Bubba bubblegum, in a gripping James Bond-style film with clever
camera work to create the illusion of multiple actors on set. There were also photorealistic collages of someone “on the chase”, an illustration of a girl chewing bubblegum, and even a model of a classic camera with film reels of the “vintage” advertising superimposed onto it. He also made an illustration for his book cover project in Procreate, as well as a display. I am studying graphic design, so I found the exhibition really inspiring. I am excited for next year’s, where I will get the opportunity to display my hard work. If you are considering art or graphic design, I recommend you attend the exhibition next year.
The UK and Iceland fish wars, the Cod Wars Frederik B, Year 7 writes ... We all love the fish Cod, don’t we? ¼ of our population eat fish and chips once a week, especially on Fridays because the catholic religion states that it is a requirement to abstain from eating meat on Fridays. Fish and chip shops have been open in England since 1860 in Lancashire but the very first idea of it originated 50 years prior. Cod and fish is as big as a thing in Iceland as it is here and the waters south of Iceland has an abundance of cod because of the cold waters. More proof of how much Iceland loves cod, is that the fish used to be on their coat of arms. Fish is so important to Iceland and always has been because the fishing infrastructure employs 5% of the total workforce and is responsible for 11% of its total GDP. There were three ‘wars’ between the UK and Iceland, one in 19581961, one between 1972-1973 and the final ‘round’ between 19751976. The way this all started is, because we love fish and chips so much, the waters around the UK were being overfished to keep up with all this demand so, British fishing vessels head up to the Norwegian and Nordic seas (the water between the UK and Iceland). The fact that Icelandic fishing vessels and British ones both went into these waters was
no problem, until after WW2 when the global superpower, the USA, was calling the shots on an entirely new trade world order, which meant that people could sell their produce and make money for their country. Iceland was now starting to participate more in the global fish trade but when they wated to go further into these waters, they saw loads of British fishing vessels, which was fine because these were international waters and Iceland’s exclusive waters only extended out 4 nautical miles (about 7.5 km) out and Iceland did not like this so, they extended it to 12 nautical miles (22km) which meant that British fishermen were fishing in Icelandic ‘territory’ but England didn’t care because Iceland, a tiny nation with no military or international support was now pulling the strings on England’s favourite food which they have been fishing by the ton. The fact that England ignored their new boundary, annoyed Iceland and with no navy to enforce this, Iceland sent out their coastguard up against the English fishing trawlers. This strategy does not work for long however, because Britain sends out the navy, the strongest one in the world in 1958 and so starts; cod wars, round 1. A deal was now signed between the UK and Iceland, stating that English fishing trawlers could
only fish there from October to December. Yet, the Icelandic coast guard still send out their ships to detain British fishing boats and every time, they are confronted by the royal navy who fired warning shots but the Icelandic boats still don’t back down because they love cod. Now, you may think that this scares off the coast guard, but Iceland make England obey their boundary. Britain now finally recognises this 12 nautical mile boundary and so ends the first round of cod wars.
Cod peace is restored for 10 years, but Britons are getting tired of their expensive fish, so British fishing boats head back to Iceland, leaving the waters depleted. Now Iceland is really getting frustrated and declare a 50 nautical mile (93 km) boundary in hopes to scare off the British boats. As well as annoying the UK with this, they also annoyed west Germany and Denmark who also had boats in the area but Iceland did not care. And so, in 1972 cod wars 2 starts. This time, England went to court with Iceland and England won. Now, you may think this is over but no, Iceland completely ignored it. Now England send their navy out again, who escalate the situation and ram the Icelandic coastguards but guess what? The Icelandic coastguard still didn’t
back down. Iceland is now as annoyed as the other nations involved so they decide to pull out their only weapon in all of this, their alliance with NATO and they have a fairly important role in NATO, even though they don’t have a military and that important role, is their position in the Atlantic, between Europe and north America, a very strategic place. Iceland said that if English fishing boats still go out into their unofficial ‘territory’, they will withdraw from NATO. If the UK has fault in Iceland’s withdrawal from NATO, the US will not be happy, so Britain ‘surrenders’ and loses yet another round of cod wars. Iceland is winning 2:0. Two years later, in 1975, cod wars round 3 starts, the final round commences. Round 3 is a repetition of rounds 1 and 2, Britain’s fishing boats go out along
with the navy and they ram the coastguard up to 55 times etc. this time however, Iceland wants 4x the boundary what they had before- they want 200 nautical miles (370 km) off their coast for their exclusive fishing. The US now, acting like the ‘big guy’ basically told them to worry about
more important things, the cold war. Now the UK has stopped fighting and recognised this 200 nautical mile boundary. 2 years later, the UN puts out the United Nations convention of the sea, which states that every country has 200 nautical miles boundary themselves.
Razer Blackwidow V3 Tenkeyless Zain S, Year 9 writes... Whether for productivity, gaming or entertainment, you want a good keyboard. I’m a computer nerd, so I would find it hard to use a membrane keyboard for my daily computer usage. Therefore, I saved up a bit and bought a mechanical keyboard, as I type a lot and I wanted to make sure that I was able to type well. The keyboard I bought was the Razer Blackwidow Tenkeyless, and I love how it isn’t some standard gaming keyboard, but instead brings a minimalistic and sleek design to the mechanical gaming keyboard industry. It comes with two choices for
the switches: the Razer Green Switches, which give a clicky and tactile feel; and the Razer Yellow Switches, which give a more silent and linear feel. I went for the green switches, and they make the Blackwidow TKL the most satisfying keyboard that I have ever used. The Blackwidow TKL is essentially the Razer Blackwidow in a smaller size without the 10 side keys. I personally prefer the tenkeyless feel as I never really used the number pad, and I prefer the slightly smaller size, although it would have been better if it came with a wrist rest as it can be more comfortable than using it without
a wrist rest. Razer sells wrist rests separately in sizes that fit all their keyboards. The normal version comes with a wrist rest and the number pad and is of course a bit more expensive. There is also the Razer Blackwidow V3 Pro, which comes with dedicated entertainment keys, a volume wheel and USB-A passthrough.
Poetry writing challenge: Spring and Summer Miguel AC, Year 9 writes... The yellow bright sun seen high and low, Soon sets underneath the cold white snow. With its powerful and relaxing bright rays, Creating many longer and lighter days. As the long cold winter is melting away, A single red bird was spotted today. In just a few weeks the river will flow, Blossoms on trees will start to show. Summer is waiting a few months beyond, As we carry on making family bonds. There is still emotion and feeling in the springtime air, But the memory of winter will never disappear and always be there. Winter has lingered a little bit too long, As the memory and cold weather no longer belongs. The calendar cries the last day of winter, And so say the snowflakes that fall down to the ground. As soon it all disappears as the start of spring and summer, Once again is ready to begin…
Redford Y, Year 8 writes... I do remember the seaside. Sprinkle, squish between my toes, The smell of ocean to my nose. I can feel each grain of sand, It falls from air into my hand. The shells I find along the shore, Picked up by birds that fly and soar. They sparkle like the ocean’s waves, as I brave the shoreline caves. The soft sea calmly slides through the coast, Softly spread like butter on toast. Beautiful calm clear and clean, the most glorious sight I have ever seen.
Interview with Alex McLeish Harris R, Year 11 writes…
You were 17 years old when you joined Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen Football Club in 1976 from youth team Glasgow United. What was the transition like? It was amazing! I was offered a 2 year apprenticeship at Aberdeen FC. In those days, an apprentice had to polish the boots and clean the showers. I travelled up with 9 other hopefuls. One of those was Jim Leighton who subsequently played for Aberdeen FC and Scotland. Another included Dougie Brown who went to Sheffield United and then he emigrated to Australia. Dougie phoned me the other day and told me he is best friends with the new Celtic FC manager - they used to play together. We stayed in a hotel on Christ Street, just off Union Street, and it had dormitories in the basement. When the owners finished running it, we ended up in digs all over Aberdeen. But it was one big party in the dormitories, although there were never any drink or drugs. Aberdonians like to know you before you are accepted into
the city, but as football players we were always made to feel welcome.
You must have been incredibly proud when you won the European Cup Winners’ Cup with Aberdeen FC in 1983, particularly having an assist with the first goal. Did winning drive you to keep winning? I had an assist with the second goal too! Our manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, worked a strategy where I would stand 20 yards out of the box and come in late, and Gordon Strachan would land it on my head. It was a great formula that we repeated 2 or 3 times including against Rangers in the Cup Final.
You played professional football for 17 years and then managed clubs for 25 years. Do you prefer to be on or off the football pitch and why? There is nothing like making the grade as a professional footballer. Playing the game was really special, winning the cups and making the fans happy was really, really special. It was my dream from a young boy to play football. When some of my friends were called for trials with Rangers and Celtic, I was wondering why
I wasn’t recognised. But at age 14-15 I stretched, and it made me faster and stronger. And determined! I was invited for a trial at Chelsea FC but when Aberdeen FC made a solid offer, I grabbed the opportunity. As a football player, first you need to be talented but second, you need to be hungry and never give in. Sir Alex Ferguson always preached humility and values and I have remembered that.
Which club had the biggest impact on you, both as a player and as a manager? I only ever played for Aberdeen FC. It wasn’t the same as it is now where you could move around Europe playing football. But I did decide when I was a manager, if I could, I would move to a higher level. My first job as a manager was at Motherwell FC and it was a sensational year. For the first time we were second instead of Rangers or Celtic. It was the year of the Bosman ruling which allowed players to leave their club for free. This is when I realised that recruitment is the second most important job for a club (the first being appointing the manager). I had a player at Motherwell who left and I tried to replace him with someone with similar movement. But he didn’t have the knowledge or instinct in the box. He was too young. Nowadays, clubs use data science, algorithms and statistics when recruiting a player. But in my days, I used to watch the player with my own eyes, and I wouldn’t pass that responsibility to anyone
“Did you know I picked you for my all time 11?” Ronald replied: “I was a great player!”
What do you look for in an assistant manager - what traits do they need to have? Your assistant manager is crucial because he has your ear, he has your back and he is a very learned and top trainer. It is someone you trust implicitly. Normally it is the assistant who does the training drills and the manager is left to the man management of the players. At Motherwell FC, I took the advice from Sir Alex said: he said, when you join a club as Manager, “take your own staff if you can” - that is the physio, the sports scientists, in every department appoint your own. I am always conscious of redundancies. It is a cutthroat business as I found out at Motherwell FC. The Chairman said to me I couldn’t get rid of everyone and then you find out who you are friends are. else.
team’s training.
I spent 1 week with Arsene Wenger and I asked him what makes a great manager. He whispered in my ear: “great players”.
Yes, he is a sensational person. Unique. A lot of coaches give everything, but he is something else. Who is the most skilful player you have managed?
If you don’t have the correct player... well it is difficult getting players to play above their standard. It is very fulfilling when you introduce a young player and see them develop and go all the way to the top e.g. Allan McGregor.
Harris: I like Marcelo Bielsa, [when he was at Leeds United]; he used binoculars to spy on another
I was born in Glasgow and moved to London in 2020. My favourite team is still Rangers FC. Who was your favourite player at Rangers and do you have a favourite moment from your time there? Ronald (De Boar) - for technique.
Kenny Dalgleish, Ally McCoist, Richard Goff, El Hadji Diouf, Ronald De Boer. Ronald was brilliant, he glided across the pitch. Even on icy surfaces he could keep balance and could turn ‘ordinary’ into ‘brilliant’.
Barry Ferguson - he was a wonderful midfield player and instrumental, in my case. I took him to Birmingham [FC] and then back to Rangers. He was such a confident player. He was never intimidated with the stadium, no matter where in the world he played.
Ronald was Dutch and the Dutch can be quite bullish about themselves! I said to him once:
Claudio Caniggia - the Argentinian, he had incredible
technique too. Arthur Newman. Amoruso - he gave everything for the club. My favourite moment was winning the first 5 trophies. I couldn’t believe it. I was living the dream. Dick Advocaat, who I took over from, was struggling with the team. He said to me “it’s up to you now”. And I felt that I was able to do quite a lot with the dressing room. I tried to man manage the players and I changed a couple of tactical things. The most spine tingling thing of all time - helicopter Sunday - was the day Rangers won the league. Celtic needed to lose their game and we [Rangers] needed to win. [It was called helicopter Sunday because the trophy was in a helicopter going between the 2 stadiums]. Nacho Novo [Rangers] got the winning goal. I told the players we need to win regardless of how Celtic do. And then we see what happens. I told the players we would have sleepless nights for years to come if we don’t win. I heard a roar at half time and this is when I knew Motherwell [FC] had scored against Celtic, making them 1-1. And then, before the final whistle, Motherwell scored again so they were 2-1 up. It was the greatest moment of my life (apart from my kids being born!).
You switched from rivals Birmingham City FC to Aston Villa FC in 2011. That was a brave and curious decision. Can you tell me about it? I could have waited for other
offers, but I respected both Birmingham and Aston Villa. I fell out with the Birmingham owners and then the Villa offer came in. It was a tough year though as they needed to considerably reduce wages. My most experienced player (Stalin Detro) had a terrible illness (leukaemia) and I played kids in midfield in his place. They came good thankfully, and I kept Villa in the Premier League despite the loss of wages. It was a tough time, but I came out of it stronger mentally.
I haven’t thought about motivational speaking but I am going to think of it as a second career now!
You played for the Scottish national team and had 77 caps. You also managed the national team on 2 occasions. I read that (after your first Scotland cap) your Dad asked Aberdeen manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, to persuade you to continue training as an accountant. Are you glad you didn’t?!
I did my foundation accountancy exams. I didn’t get my accountancy diploma. I decided to stop when I was offered a full time football professional contact and was hoping not to need my accountancy skills till I was a manager! [When I started at Aberdeen [FC] I used to go You do try and keep levels of to college 3 nights per week and excitement down, but more work in an accountant’s office one perspiration goes into a derby afternoon a week; sometimes I game especially if you aren’t [as was tired at football matches at the strong]. I would say to the players: weekend. keep your standards and don’t get carried away with yourself. Sir Alex Ferguson would say: you can beat this team (in the derby) but if you don’t beat them, keep your humility. I once told a player [when we (Rangers) lost against Celtic]: you don’t need to do that, you’re a Rangers player.
How did you prepare your teams for a derby match? Are the teams usually even more motivated for a result or were they always as motivated? Did you ever think of being a motivational speaker after your managerial career ended?
Summer Concert Aarav S, Year 7 writes... The following bands were in our Summer concert, and all played miraculously. • • • • • • • • • •
Brass band Year 8 brass band Year 7 brass band Cello ensemble Guitar ensemble Senior guitar ensemble Year 8A Choir Year 8B Choir String ensemble Vocalize/Year 7 Choir
I would like to say well done to anyone who participated and, for those of you who watched our concert, I hope you enjoyed it. It was fantastic.
I was the drummer during the concert and played in our Year 8 brass band, as well as the main brass band. I thought the performance went very well, and I particularly enjoyed the Pirates of the “Wetherbeen” played by the cello ensemble, and the Harry Potter theme, played by the string ensemble. I personally found that the main brass band, that I was playing in, had an interesting introduction to one of the songs, with Mr Lewis choosing me to read it out. Let me say, it was exceedingly long and had lots of jokes that I was extremely nervous to read in front of 100 people! Overall, our Summer Concert was fabulous and an enormous success.
Volunteering Daniel R, Year 12 writes... The numerous knocking of the doors was exhilarating but scary and had infinite potential. I had no idea who would be standing behind them and what problems they would complain about. Were they open to us? Were they a lifelong supporter? It was impossible to tell. I experienced this feeling every time I and the labour candidates were knocking on the door to a residents house. For the past few months I had been canvassing for labour every Sunday for the local council elections that occurred on May 5th. I accumulated copious amounts of knowledge and gained invaluable information about government function and grassroots democracy. And the best part is: they won! For the first time in 58 years Labour won Westminster council and the
candidates in my local area were part of that. But this win wasn’t about the party. It’s about helping the struggling citizens in our local area and the UK as a whole. I am 16 and am disappointed with the direction the UK and my home, the American colonies are heading in. No matter what political party you affiliate yourself with our generation can step up and fix this and save the people who need help the most. This I why i volunteered! Any bit helps,
and for our sake more people need to see that.
Monkeypox Maksims K, Year 9 writes… As of Friday 20th May, eleven new cases were recorded for the newly emerging virus: monkeypox. The disease was first found in monkeys but can spread to humans. Sajid Javid has updated the total toll of cases in the UK and claimed that “most cases are mild,” with an addition that the smallpox vaccine is effective against this virus as well. Fortunately, the Government has stocks of the smallpox vaccine, however it’s only offered to those that were in very close contact with the infected.
Monkeypox cases are usually reported in Western Africa. It’s thought that it is spread through mostly rodents and you can catch it if the infected animal bites you or if you touch its blood, body fluids, spots or blisters. It is also possible to catch the newly emerging virus, monkeypox, by eating meat from an infected animal that has not been cooked well enough or by touching animal skin or fur. Unfortunately, it can still be spread through humans by touching infected patients’ clothing, bedding, monkeypox skin blisters or scabs, and it can also transmit through coughing and sneezing.
Multiple cases were reported across Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia, which caused alarm amongst public health experts. As long as you haven’t been travelling to western or central Africa and in close contact with the infected recently, your chances of catching the virus are highly unlikely. Although your chances of catching the virus are very slim, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly and eat meat which has been cooked well.
England test cricket Felipe E, Year 7 writes... On Thursday 2nd June, England’s test team began a new era under Brendon McCullum as their new test coach and Ben Stokes as their new captain. Things got off to a great start. Matty Potts was given his debut. England had a great start having New Zealand 1 for 1 after 3 overs with that wicket courtesy of England’s Jimmy Anderson’s amazing bowling. Then Potts got in the action and get 3 for 8, including the wickets of Kane Willamson, Daryl Mitchell, and Tom Blundell, ending up with figures of 4-13, truly impressive considering this was his first redball game at Lord’s (he had only a white ball game - a hundred game). Lord’s is often associated as one of the harder bowling tracks to
bowl, as there is a slope. Normally you want to go down the slope, as you get more slope. If you were wondering about Jack Leach, he got a concussion and so England brought Matt Parkinson down from Lancashire. Now we move onto England’s batting. England had a strong 59 run opening partnership, which was a good start. Zak Crawley edged another ball outside of his off stump driving and it looked all too similar for England. Olly Pope got out, nicking a fifth stump driving a fifth stump ball. Joe Root got out driving a short ball. Stokes got out inside edging. Jonny Bairstow got out driving an eighth stump ball. England fans were telling themselves: not this again. But then there was the fight that England showed in New Zealand’s second innings. To bowl New Zealand out for
under 300, after starting the day 239-4, was a huge achievement, as this meant England only needed 277 for a victory in the first test match. Alex Lees scored 20 runs - a good innings but not enough. Crawley then fell next over, that meant Pope and Root were batting again with barely 50 on the board. Pope nicked a good ball to slip, Bairstow got out edging a ball into his stumps. Then Stokes came to the crease and smashed 50 off 110 balls. England seemed to be heading in the right direction but was it going to be sustainable? Stokes got out trying to uppercut Jamieson. Ben Foakes was England’s last hope before the tail. Root was in control - the mindset was just getting the scoreboard ticking. New Zealand tried to get a good ball replaced, as it did not look like it was doing anything. This backfired hugely; the ball that they picked was harder
and didn’t swing, meaning that England could now go on the attack. The scoring of runs at a fast rate meant that England were able to effectively take that second new ball out of the equation. The feeling was that the more runs you score now the better, as New Zealand’s bowlers will be refreshed the morning after. New Zealand had included a spinner - Simon Doull said that now was the time to use it because there were more than 100 runs left in the game. The spinner doesn’t need to get wickets, it can just allow the seam bowlers some respite and control over who has the strike. Ajaz Patel bowled 2 overs. Kane just has not known how to captain spin bowlers; New Zealand have a dominant pace-bowling attack. The pitches are so that you don’t need a spinner. When England came back the next morning, they controlled the game. Joe Root got his 10,000 runs and a hundred and fifteen not out. Foakes got a solid 32 not out, helping Joe Root pile on towards the winning run rate. What a win for England. Now we move on to Trent Bridge. England wins the toss and elects to bowl first on a flat pitch. New Zealand got 84 in their opening partnership. In hindsight. bowling first was not the right decision. Devon Conway then got 46. It was Mitchell and Blundell who carried their team to get above par first innings score with a 236-run partnership. This carried New Zealand to over 400. Michael Bracewell then added almost 50 more to that. England were looking at a score of nearly 500. It then took England around 20 overs to bowl New Zealand out, leading them with 553 on the board after asking New Zealand
to bat first. The run rate was 3.80 an over, not the best in the world. It was another lower score for Crawley who only made 6. However, another success for Lees, he got 65 runs in a 141-run partnership with Pope.
in the first over, New Zealand rebuilt with a 100 run partnership between Conway and Young. Conway got out quickly after and so did Young. New Zealand then collapsed, leading England only 299 to chase.
This brings me on to Pope’s hundred. It was so good to see Pope get some runs after a terrible two years following his first test hundred, at Port Elizabeth, in early 2020. Those who will have watched his innings will know that he had his luck. Yet, in test cricket, you need luck to succeed.
This was the test of England’s new era - would England be willing to chase 299 in 72 overs? Lees had another solid knock at the top, Zak Crawley the opposite, whilst Lees was batting well at the other, and Boult had Pope and Root gone within 5 overs. New Zealand knew that they were in the game now. Stokes and Bairstow played it safe till tea then a ham and chesse toastie, and a coffee, prepared him for what was the most epic onslaught after tea that you will ever see. Matt Henry was doing the job that Jamieson or Wagner should have done. Bairstow was hitting consecutive sixes, Bracewell as well. Bracewell did well on debut but it wasn’t enough - Bairstow’s hundred and 32 was one of the greatest innings you will ever see. Stokes’s square cut to finish the game was of reminiscent of Headingly 2019.
Joe Root’s 175 also helped England to get to 539, only giving New Zealand an 18 run lead. This was crucial as it meant New Zealand had it all to do. Latham got out
A great moment in English cricket. I can’t wait for a huge summer of cricket!
Year 8 Sleep out Ishan A, Year 8 writes... On Thursday 16th June, Wetherby Senior launched a charity and volunteering event for all of Year 8 to participate in, where we would spend a whole night, outside, sleeping at school! We were to bring only a sleeping bag, a yoga mat (to put under our sleeping bags) and a pillow. This challenge was to raise awareness for homeless people that have to sleep outside every night. When we arrived our School at 6:30pm, we were led to the Recital Room, where we heard from Annie, who worked for ‘End Youth Homelessness’. This was the charity for whom we were raising money and we managed to raise over £1,500! She gave us a very informative and sensitive speech on why and how they help people on the streets aged 1624. We learnt that people are not necessarily homeless because they can’t get a job, it’s mostly because they were very unlucky and now can’t join society normally again. After that, we watched a movie called A Street Cat Named Bob. It was very good but also had an important message of how hard the lives of homeless people are. At around 10pm, we set up our sleeping bags on the terrace and tried to sleep. It was a very hard
night, mostly because of how uncomfortable it was. Homeless people also have to suffer many different weather conditions, due to not having a roof over their heads to protect them. That night, it was very hot and many of us couldn’t sleep. We were woken by the very early sunrise at around 5am, so we got up and got dressed for the day. Many of us really struggled to get through the day. We had some hot chocolate and breakfast that kept us going (slightly)! This event helped us realise how hard the lives of homeless people are.
The Story of the SR-71 Blackbird Stepan K, Year 12 writes... Amid the Cold War, two MiG-25 raced to intercept a threat along the Soviet border; they are the fastest interceptors ever built, able to push their engines to Mach 3.3. Yet it’s not enough because what they are chasing can outrun and out-climb any threat, a plane engineered to be invulnerable.
The Cold War locked the USA and the USSR into a massive conflict and, with both superpowers pouring enormous resources into their military, it was crucial to have the upper hand. For that to be achieved, one had to know the other’s next move. In
the 1950s, very little was known about facilities deep in the Soviet Union. Impressive radar coverage and an array of highly capable interceptors kept the west away from peeking behind the iron curtain. This all changed when, in 1956, the U-2 spy plane was launched to fly across the state. Neither fast nor stealthy, the U-2 flew so high that no Soviet aircraft could reach it. Even the US President, Eisenhower, was assured that Soviet readers couldn’t even detect the U-2 at that altitude. But how wrong they were! From the first mission, the Soviets were able to track the plane, and it was only a matter of time before they managed to bring one down.
To achieve this, the Lockheed engineers had to innovate the entire jet. The SR-71 BlackBird could cruise at Mach 3.2 right at the edge of space. To sustain such high speed, the planes were powered by Pratt & Whitney J58 In the spring of 1960, a surfaceram jets. Below Mach 2, they to-air missile was finally able to functioned as normal afterburners. shoot down the U-2. The wreckage However, above that, an adjustable and pilot pervaded Russia and cone inlet would ram the air were used as a sign of western around the afterburner, allowing aggression. Now, more than ever, it to be accelerated to tremendous the Americans needed a genuinely speeds as it exited the engine. dominant plane in all categories, This ensured that the SR could and what Lockheed came up with cruise at such high speeds for long was truly revolutionary. periods and, as a result, it could outrun all of its threats. During its super-cruise, the exterior fuselage would heat up beyond 300 degrees Celsius, which would be enough to soften conventional aircraft aluminum, so titanium was used for 92% of the plane. Both its unusual shape and special black paint allowed it to reduce its radar signature and give it the now legendary name - BlackBird. The BlackBird flew in the sky uncontested for over 20 years but, by the 1980s, new sophisticated MiG-31 was roaming the sky. Coupled with their enormous
R-33 missiles, they posed a legitimate threat to the SR. However, the greatest threat to the BlackBird wasn’t an enemy aircraft. It was itself. Out of the 50 built, half of them were lost due to accidents; one latterly disintegrated around its pilot during testing. Additionally, each plane was massively expensive, siphoning around 300 million dollars out of the US defense budget. Moreover, advances in satellite technology self manned reconnaissance
drones and politicos, meant that, by the late 1980s, the SRs’ days were numbered. They were officially retired in 1998, with two sent to NASA for testing. Their technology, although over 50 years old, still stands to be contested. Still the fastest planes to fly in the sky, they were indeed a marvel of American engineering which shaped the air race during the Cold War into what it became to be.
M1 MacBook Pro 14 Zain S, Year 9, writes... A matte black keyboard on a matte black panel. A beautiful metal chassis, available in Space Grey or Silver. A 3024 x 1964 HDR screen with 500 nits of brightness. This is the M1 MacBook Pro 14. This super-powerful computer contains Apple’s M1 Pro chip at minimum, with an M1 Max chip on the higher end model. If you don’t know what these chips are, read the article ‘How Apple just changed laptops with the M1 Pro and M1 Max’ from the previous edition of The Barometer. It is also equipped with Apple’s updated Magic keyboard. Some users may be disappointed by the removal of the touchbar, which was present in recent previous models, but Apple wanted to return to function keys because they thought that ‘Pro’ users would prefer the mechanical function keys instead of a touchbar. Personally, I feel like it would have been good with a touch-
bar, but I don’t mind that Apple decided to remove it.
you can still charge it through USB-C.
They also removed the bezels present in the slightly older 13inch model and instead, to allow there to be a webcam, they added a notch, which is similar to the notches present on iPhone models from the iPhone 10 onwards. One other feature added is more ports. While there is still no USB-A port, Apple has added an HDMI port and a MagSafe port. While MagSafe is meant to be the main method of charging this device,
Overall, the M1 MacBook Pro 14 is the perfect laptop, but because of that, and because it is Apple, is quite expensive. If you want an Apple ecosystem for entertainment and work, which doesn’t require a lot of power, I recommend the M1 MacBook Air. However, if you need higher power, the Pro might be better for you.
Symmetry in architecture Daniel W, Year 8 writes... As we journey into the frantic urban jungle, we often find symmetry through the chaos with our architecture. Let’s start with the entrance to any building and doors, specifically double doors (or French doors if they have windows). Both doors mirror each other and fit more people through, serving a functional and aesthetic purpose. For French doors, the windows allow light to come in (especially useful when they are near balconies) and were useful before the advent of indoor lighting.
Skyscrapers are a common example of symmetry, with their uniform windows that pattern the exterior. Although windows blur together from afar, you realize the scale of each individual window that makes up the exterior when up close.
Skyscrapers are one of the most recognizable landmarks and one of the most popular building designs in any city, despite how expensive and time consuming they are to construct. Tower Bridge is another example of symmetrical architecture in cities. Crossing the River Thames to the Tower of London, it was designed by Horace Jones and constructed from 1886–94. Tower Bridge is comprised of two towers that are more emblematic of Victorian architecture than the medieval Tower of London itself, considering the 820-year gap between their construction. There are also motifs of crosses among the spires of the towers, and throughout the exterior, that were included due to the majority of England being part of Christianity. Flats, especially in London, adhere to symmetry in their exterior design and position among other flats in the street. Flats, unlike singular houses, are uniform by design and rows of flats usually have the same dimensions, with the occasional exception in height, and most flats were renovations of previous Victorian or Georgian
houses, which were divided into separate buildings. Although it was not popular, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, flats became more common as people sought after residence in the increasingly crowded London. It seems that symmetry is a common trait in city architecture, even though cities are often chaotic and busy. Symmetry is somewhat a reprieve from this because of its tranquility and there has been evidence that this can benefit people with stress, wellbeing and, in rare cases, recovery times from surgery. The fact that symmetry is common in city architecture is possibly linked to our biological roots, seeking order. Throughout the evolution of humanity, we still find strong bonds to our roots, and that is evident in our architecture.
Star Wars - The Jedi Aarav S, Cyrus D, Iakov L, Lev L, Year 7 write... The Jedi order in Star Wars is an order of force-sensitive beings, sworn to protect the peace and the galactic republic. The Jedi use their unique weapons, lightsabers. The lightsaber is powered by a Kyber crystal, which is imbued with the force. The Jedi have seven main forms of lightsaber combat (seen below). What are the lightsaber colours? There are eight colours and they
all mean different things.
Windu.
The most common lightsaber colours are blue and green. They indicate a balanced mind.
White is a colour that indicates a change from the dark side of the force to the light.
Yellow indicates a change in identity and Jedi temple guards use this colour as they have given up their identity to protect the Jedi.
Red is the colour of the Sith, the Jedi’s sworn enemy. This colour is obtained by using the dark side to make the Kyber crystal bleed.
Purple is a rare lightsaber colour, used by few. It indicates passion and strength. A notable Jedi who uses the purple lightsaber is Mace
There is one unique colour, which is black. There was only one ever made, known as the Darksaber, wielded by the legendary Tarre Vizsla, the only Mandalorian Jedi.
A Level Plus Tamerlan P, Year 12 writes...
Zach G, Year 12 writes...
“Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children.” One of the most iconic quotes of the French Revolution was said by Jacques Mallet du Pan, describing how the revolution killed the very people that brought it about.
To set the scene, Andromeda is a character from the story of Perseus, who ends up marrying him. As the story goes, as he is back from slaying Medusa, he spots a woman chained to rocks about to be killed and eaten by a sea monster. This was due to her mother, Cassiopeia, bragging that her daughter was more beautiful than the Nereids, fifty famous sea nymphs, who were named after their father Nereus. Poseidon, as the god of the sea and husband of one of the Nereids, sent the sea monster to protect their honour. The only way Poseidon would be appeased was the sacrifice of Andromeda. At this moment, Perseus flew in with his flying sandals and used Medusa’s head to petrify (literally turning it into stone) the sea monster, saving Ariadne. From there he took Ariadne’s hand in marriage and the story continued. Why then, you may ask, am I interested in Andromeda’s appearances in art? At a glance, you’ll mostly see impressive artworks, but nothing out of the ordinary for Renaissance paintings of GrecoRoman mythology. However, I left one part of the story out, Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess. While there is some debate whether the Iope refers to a place in Ethiopia or modern day Palestine, she wouldn’t have been white (she would have been black, as the Greek word for Ethiopians meant ‘burnt-faced’). I think it’s likely down to a mix of xenophobia and pretty overt racism. Many of the reasons these artists had for the design would come across as stupid and nonsensical.
The Death of Marat by JacquesLouis David is one example of this. In a covered bathtub, against a dull background, the Jacobin leader lies in blood with his hand, still holding a piece of unfinished writing. This gruesome scene became one of David’s most iconic works, styling Marat as a Christian martyr. Jean-Paul Marat was largely responsible for the September Massacres with saw as many as 500 prisoners killed by revolutionaries all over France. (Marat was killed by political opponents opposing for his own radical views for France’s future).
1830, the revolution was long finished and the country had gone through three republics, a military dictatorship, and a restoration of the monarchy. However, this painting should not be quickly dismissed as a detail of history, since the turmoil of the French Revolution and it is fight for unity and equality, in France, continued into the 1830’s. The Uprising of 1830 predated the Rebellion of 1832, and the sacrifice of the French people continued. Therefore, this beautiful painting remained a representation of French political struggle well into the nineteenth century. An outsider’s view can offer yet another perspective of the French Revolution. As a famous British artist, William Hamilton found the French Revolution an endless source of fear and fascination. But what shocked him most was the demise of the extravagant and powerful Austrian-born queen Marie-Antoinette, who followed her executed husband after a year of trials.
Liberty Leading the People, by Eugene Delacroix, is a painting as iconic as the revolution itself, with its portrayal of Liberty becoming an icon of France and its turbulent early nineteenth century. When it was painted in
Theatre Review: Jerusalem Theo W, Year 12, writes... On Wednesday 8th June, Year 12 boys studying A Level English went on a trip to see the revival of Jerusalem, a play that has been hailed as 2the greatest play of the twenty-first century”, at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was a fabulous experience which will live long in the memory. Written in 2009 by Jez Butterworth, Jerusalem presents ideas about identity, loyalty, and what it means to be English. The play revolves around Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron, whom the Kennet and Avon Council wish to evict because he lives in a caravan in the self-proclaimed ‘Rooster’s Wood’ and pays no rent. It depicts life for the lower classes in rural England with its imagined setting of Flintlock, Wiltshire. We get a clear sense that this rural identity is a representation of what it means, in the eyes of Jez Butterworth, to be English. Mark Rylance puts in a dazzling
performance as Johnny Byron, a character who stands out from the rest of the characters because of his lines and the sheer effortlessness of Rylance’s delivery. He really is the master of having maximum impact with minimal output. Rylance is superbly supported by Mackenzie Crook, as Johnny’s loyal friend Ginger, Ed Kear in the role of Davey and Eleanor Worthington-Cox as Phaedra.
Butterworth brilliantly uses different tones in the three acts in which the play is staged. He stated
in an interview, following the play’s original run in 2009, that his aim was to have the audience forget, as quickly as possible, how they got to the theatre, and he achieved this aim superbly: within seconds of the play starting, we were hooked by the welldeveloped set and effortless acting. This play is very different to anything you will have seen before. It has everything. From brilliant English humour to lively exchanges between Johnny and those around him, this play will bring your emotions round full circle. I can say with some confidence that this is one of the most memorable productions I have seen. I thoroughly recommend that you see this play over the summer but be quick because its run ends on 7th August. Beware of some strong language!
Game Review: Celeste Zain S, Year 9 writes... Many of you might have played Celeste, a platformer game about a journey to the top of a mountain. If you have played Celeste, you would know that this is not just an ordinary mountain, and this mountain has the power to create physical forms of anxiety. The game isn’t just about getting to the top of the mountain, but also about the journey of Madeline, the protagonist, to overcome her panic attacks. At the start of the game, her anxious thoughts take a physical form as the antagonist of the game, Badeline, and enemies encountered in the levels, are often physical manifestations of anxiety. However, the theme of anxiety is also explored in the music. The composer of the music, Lena Raine (who also made the music for the Minecraft updates 1.16 and 1.17) has created the music to express different forms of anxiety in the audience by using her own personal experiences of anxiety.
Many studies have proven that there is a link between music and stress. High-intensity games commonly abuse this link by having high-intensity soundtracks full of pounding, loud music that created stress in the player, while low-intensity games typically have more relaxing soundtracks which help you relax. As a game about anxiety, Celeste needs to be stressful, but also enjoyable and not too overwhelming. Positive stress is called eustress and causes productivity. Video
games are great at tapping into eustress by providing small challenges to complete. This is what allows difficult and stressful games to ultimately be a fun and rewarding experience. Celeste encourages eustress by finding balance in its difficulty and balancing out more difficult levels with calmer music. Dying quickly respawns you at the entrance of the scene, minimising the frustrations of failure. All of this prevents Celeste from causing too much negative stress, or distress.
In one of the first areas, one of the more peaceful tracks, ‘Resurrections’, plays. It starts with a slow place of 72 beats per minute and features an arpeggiating synth line with ambient synth pads quietly in the background. The game isn’t too difficult at this point, but as it is early in the game, players are still learning and will die quite a few times. However, the music takes away the sting of it by lowering your stress levels. Games can also cause distress, intentionally or not, by being too difficult and overloading the player. In Celeste, boss chase sequences can lean on the side of distress: sections are often much longer than a single screen and they force you to rapidly bound through the level while avoiding projectiles and hazards. The music is excitable and chaotic. All of these create a more tense and distressing experience. In one area, when Madeline has a panic attack when the cable car that she is in stalls half-way across a chasm, you can hear a hesitant variant of her theme on the piano. This quickly evolves into a panic attack and her theme is completely engulfed by massive synths that sound like a blaring alarm. These synths keep getting louder and louder until you can’t hear the piano anymore. This combines with the background going dark, the clouds going red, and closing in on the cable car causing a sense of claustrophobia in the player. This all helps the player connect with Madeline during these panic attacks. In the third level, Madeline visits the Celestial Resort, a hotel which doesn’t see a lot of guests and is in a messy state, not helped by the mountain manifesting the
owner, Mr Oshiro’s, anxiety in the form of plagues of dust. Madeline decides to help clean up, but this exacerbates Mr Oshiro’s anxiety as he is embarrassed that a guest at his hotel has to clean. There are three areas to clean up and, after each one, the music changes its instrumentation. After you clean
each area, Mr Oshiro’s mental state becomes more and more unstable. However, despite the increasingly frantic music, the music never creates distress and only creates eustress as the player is in control of Madeline and Madeline is in control of the situation.
Lower School Play (actor’s Perspective) Marty V, Year 7 writes… As most of you know, our Lower School play is a yearly performance especially for Years 7-9. This year, our play was directed by Mr Tibbles. It was the first play that he has directed at Wetherby Senior and it was really amazing that he came up with the plot based on Mr Hayes. I was a storyteller, the most important role (in my opinion). My fellow storytellers and I had to bring the narrative to life by miming with our bodies. Every Thursday, we would go to the Drama Studio and practice our routine whilst trying to remember our cues. Sometimes, after lunch on Fridays, we would go to the Drama Studio with the whole cast and practice the protest scene. One thing I really loved is that I got to know everybody really well, much like in the Trib Drama competition (refer to the previous issue of The Barometer). I have been able to forge relationships with more of the older boys by taking part in so many plays. On the day of opening night, our entire cast were off timetable so that we could finalise the play. I think that our rehearsal was really good, so we knew our cues for going on stage. After school, we had one hour to get food and relax with our friends. At 5:30pm, we went into the Drama Studio and did one quick rehearsal before letting the audience take their seats. We also warmed up our voices by doing a tongue twister before the play. I must get better at them for sure. Fortunately, the first storytellers’ scene went smoothly and with no mistakes. However,
the curtain got jammed during our second one and Mr Tibbles had to come onto the stage to sort it out! Once it had been sorted, everything well. In the end, I think the first night went very smoothly, curtain issues aside. One the second night, we had to arrive at 5:30pm and get ready for our warm-up. As usual, my tongue twisters were horrible. The second performance went smoothly, as well. At the end, I asked everyone to sign a copy of my programme. Considering that it was his first, I think Mr Tibbles did an excellent job of this play and I can’t wait to do more plays with him as my director.
Lower School Play (audience Perspective) Henry B, Year 13 writes… Over the last four years, my notebook and I have attended every major drama production at Wetherby Senior to write a review for The Barometer. This performance was especially sentimental for me since it was my last, so I am glad that it was such a terrific success.
The Useless Tree is Mr Tibbles’ first play. He sought inspiration from numerous other productions and even attended a writing course, which evidences his dedication to the boys and his drive to produce a script that they would enjoy. The audience clearly appreciated the narrative and the several important themes that were breached and explored throughout. Since the performance coincided with Pride month, I was particularly pleased to see some LGBT+ representation, both in the cast and the characters. Mr Tibbles is clearly a brilliant writer, as well as a very able director. During one of the scenes, one of the curtains got stuck halfway across the stage! Thankfully, the situation was quickly resolved and the audience – despite being taken aback – embraced it rather humorously. It was the first time in my four years as drama correspondent that there had been such a mishap, so I think we should let them off! Mr Tibbles affirmed that “climate change and protest are certainly major themes, but [the play] is also about memory, grief, community, and our collective relationship with the local environment.” Remarkably, the storyline was influenced by a real-
life dilemma: Mr Hayes, another English teacher at Wetherby Senior, was telling Mr Tibbles about the planned destruction of the land at the bottom of his garden to make way for a new block of flats. Mr Tibbles was “struck by [Mr Hayes’] attachment to the land and inspired by his passion for the environmental impact on the area.” Hence, the plot alludes to the importance of communities and the collective impact they can have on protecting their homes. Alexandre N (Year 9) ably represented Walbrook in this year’s Trib Drama competition and made another return to the stage for The Useless Tree. His powerful vocal skills lent themselves splendidly to his portrayal of one of the lead roles. Moreover, I was extremely impressed by the masterful dialogue between Lukas O’D (Year 7) and Graydon Y-A (Year 8), whose changes in tone and pace were superb. Manu K (Year 7), a newcomer to Wetherby Senior’s drama scene, delivered his lines with exceeding
clarity and fabulous enunciation – a formidable achievement for someone of his age. That being said, many of the cast members were taking part in a major drama performance for the first time, so it was thoughtful of Mr Tibbles to incorporate some nonspeaking roles in order to give everyone a chance to get involved. The storyline was rendered three-dimensional by the use of voiceover with actors miming and lip syncing alongside. This year’s Lower School play also marked the debut of Abe F and Kaveh K (both Y ear10). After many years of expertly operating the light and sound system, Mrs Atkinson is leaving our School for pastures new, but she couldn’t go without training up the new recruits. I thought this was an excellent example of pupil leadership and responsibility. Lighting designers are just as creative as actors and, in my opinion, they are equally crucial to ensuring that the audience know what’s going on. Given that it was not possible to fit an ambulance in our theatre, Abe and Kaveh had
the foresight to signal the arrival of the ‘ambulance’ towards the end of the play by coordinating blue strobe lights and an acute siren sound effect, both of which were highly effective. The boys are so fortunate to be able to make use of the professional set design and equipment at our Marylebone Lane Drama Studio.
The Useless Tree is definitely the best Lower School play I’ve seen, with the actors treating us to a rousing performance. I was hooked the whole way through. The attention to detail was tremendous and Mr Tibbles was so creative and imaginative in conveying the story, though I am sure he was assisted by Miss Twomey’s expertise. What’s more, the quality of the acting was very promising and there is certainly potential for the future; I would love to see these actors progress and take part in Upper School plays.
Throughout my Wetherby Senior career, I have striven to advocate the innumerable ways to get involved in school life – whether through music, drama, or writing for our much-loved School newspaper. Not long after the show, I congratulated all the actors on their involvement in the play and one of them (Redford) responded, “Thank you, we had such a great time making it.” There
couldn’t be a more marvellous exemplification of our School’s inclusivity and community ethos. If there is one message I leave with Wetherby Senior, it’s precisely that: do what you enjoy and make the most of your time at school.
Interview: Mr. J. Silvester Felipe E, Year 7, and Henry B, Year 13 write… Mr Silvester read theology and religious studies at the University of Bristol before going to the University of Birmingham to study for his postgraduate certificate of education and, later in his career, completing an MA in education management at King’s College, London. Following nineteen years in the teaching profession, seven spent in senior leadership roles, Mr Silvester has proven to be a strong communicator and academic leader, and has significant experience in working with governors, staff, pupils, and parents. He is also a keen sportsman and a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Innholders. Mr Silvester joined Wetherby Senior in September 2021. For this edition of The Barometer, he very kindly made some time in between his busy schedule of meetings to tell us more about his education, career, and what motivates him as Wetherby Senior’s Headmaster.
Good afternoon, sir. Thank you for speaking with us today. Where did you work before Wetherby Senior? Before Wetherby Senior, I was the Deputy Head Academic at Bancroft’s School. Before that, I worked at City of London School as a teacher of religious studies.
What has been your favourite Wetherby Senior moment so far?
At the end of my very first week, when we had our first School assembly of the year, I walked out of assembly and stood on the steps outside Hinde Street Church. Most of the boys wanted to say hello, shake my hand, and introduce themselves to me. It made me realise what a welcoming school this is and how privileged I am to be the Headmaster here.
What makes Wetherby Senior special to you? The things that make Wetherby Senior special are the boys, the staff, and the parents. All of the people connect with our School. They are all very special and they make this a wonderful place to be a pupil studying, a member of staff teaching, or a parent whose son is at Wetherby Senior. The location is also special. What our School achieves in terms of how much is on offer here, all the things the boys can do, all the support that they receive… These are the things that make it really special.
What do you find most exciting about your job as headmaster? And most boring? The most exciting part is being interviewed by journalists from The Barometer. Coming to work on a Monday morning and looking forward to getting stuck into the week ahead is exciting: each week is different and brings new opportunities and challenges. Every week, this year, has been really fun. There aren’t many boring bits about being a headmaster.
Which GCSEs/A Levels did you take? GCSEs: English, maths, sciences, French, geography, religious studies, and design technology. A Levels: English literature, history, religious studies, and general studies.
What is your favourite book? I think that’s a really difficult question. Probably – oh, that’s
really difficult – I really like Donna Tartt and Hilary Mantel. Oh, I just can’t pick a favourite. Can we come back to this one?
to be used for other things (eg gold notes)? How would you use them for gold note?
Work hard and enjoy yourself. Make the most of all the opportunities that are on offer here at our School.
Which is your favourite sport?
You could connect them to SIMS (our Shool’s student information management system software).
Take time to pause and reflect on how fortunate you are to come to such an amazing school.
I would like to use them for printing credits, taking books out of the library, and paying for items at a tuck shop (if we ever have one).
Did you have a favourite article from the last issue of The Barometer?
To play or to watch?
To play. One of cycling, rowing, or golf. At different times of my life, I have really enjoyed all of them.
Which sports team(s) do you support? None in particular.
Tell us something surprising about yourself. My wife would say that nothing is surprising about me.
A lot has been said about the introduction of electronic wristbands to sign in and out of buildings. Is there a plan for them
We could look at things like the prefects or sixth formers opening doors. I think that printing and purchases in school are a good direction to start with. Software and hardware was implemented last year, but it wasn’t launched until recently. It took time to introduce, but the system is now up and running, and it seems to be working well.
What advice would you give to pupils at Wetherby Senior?
I really liked reading about the Field Day trips – the Duke of Edinburgh expeditions are always good.
Do you have any lasting words to say? I think the most important thing for me to share is how much I’ve enjoyed this year as Headmaster here, and how fortunate and privileged I feel to be here with everybody. I think our School is a very special place indeed.
Thank you, sir.
Are you enthusiastic and hard working? Are you interested in a job in journalism, editorial, marketing, advertising, graphic design, management or leading a team?
The Barometer wants you to join our team!
E R A E W ING R I H
Leadership positions available for 2022-23:
Production Team Editors (Proofreading team) Department Managers (checking all articles and images have been submitted in your assigned department) mail ley an e er d a r B s Send M eptemb ay 8th S and d s r u h T by job title nces) with the sente (in a few best in la p x e be the ld u o w . u why yo te for the role a nt candid y releva n a e d lu c s. Please in and aspiration nce experie
Art and Marketing Team Photographers (Taking photos of school events) Advertisers (Creating and hanging posters) Permissions Managers (Checking all boys have publishing permissions) Cover Manager (Running of cover competition)