From the Headmaster Dear Parents, At the Prep School Prize Giving last term, I announced the inaugural “Mums’ Night Out” to great excitement. At the Senior School PTA meeting this week, such an event, planned for next term (19th January) was also met with much enthusiasm. The dads at Prize Giving and the Senior School were fairly ambivalent of course. They have had “Dads’ Nights Out” for years and there has no doubt been a collective shrug of the shoulders and , “Have fun…” muttered somewhat disingenuously. It was no surprise then that Prep School mums turned out in force to the Union in Paddington Basin. This large, purpose built bar was, at one point, wall to wall Wetherby mums – quite a sight – and the ever cheerful bar staff mentioned to me several times during the evening that they’d never seen anything like this before. I did send an email to the bar manager this morning, apologising for taking over and they replied simply, “Everything was more than alright; it was a great vibe!” I agree, it was great fun. The staff and I really enjoyed your company and though perhaps different topics of conversation to “Dads’ Night Out” were aired, you all treated the event in the spirit of which it was intended – our sense of friendship and mutual will to get the very best out of all these Wetherby boys. Some mischievous mums claimed that this event must be better than the dads’ one. I’m not daft enough to take sides of course but I do think the attendance was larger at the mums. And, when I left at my usual 10:30pm, there were definitely more mums remaining than there would have been dads at that stage. Just saying… You will by now have received a separate email regarding my future role at our schools. I hope that you will trust my judgement and experience, as a Headmaster and School Governor for ten years, that I would always make a decision that serves best the interests of any school and its pupils that I am involved with. I’m not going anywhere; I’m still at Wetherby, and both schools will ultimately be stronger as a result of my change of remit.
Have a good weekend,
2 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
DIARY Monday 14th Year 9 and 10 Choir
Monday Clubs 13:15
Tuesday 15th Rugby Year 10 WSS A/B vs Mill Hill A/B (H) GCSE Drama Trip to Theatre Year 9 English trip to The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre
Tuesday Clubs 14:40 13:30-16:30 13:30-18:15
Wednesday 16th Football Year 7 & 8 WSS E/F vs WPS E/F (A) Football Year 7 & 8 WSS B vs WPS B (H) GCSE Music African Drumming workshop at Portland Place
Art and Design Bridge Climbing Football Graphic Design MFL Cinema Club Quiz Club Wetherby Scientists YAD Fitness
Wednesday Clubs 14:30 14:30 14:30-16:00
Thursday 17th Year 7 & 8 Choir Year 10 Spanish boys to La Tasca restaurant
Performing Arts Basketball Cricket Documentary Photo Club GCSE Art and Design GCSE Graphic Design Social Action Club Quiz Club Videography YAD Fitness
Performing Arts Duke of Edinburgh Award Community Service
Thursday Clubs 13:15 1730-1900
Book Club Classics Club Food Chemistry Junior Geographical Society Lego Club
Friday 18th School Council Meeting WSS All Stars (Orchestra) Guitar Club HM Assembly - Hinde Street Methodist Church Christmas Cabaret tickets on sale on parentpay
13:30 13:30 13:30 15:00
Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 3
NOTICEBOARD Year 9 Trip to The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre On Tuesday 15th November, all Year 9 boys will be going to see a performance of 'The Woman in Black' at the Fortune Theatre at 3pm. All boys will require an Oyster Card to get to and from the theatre. Any boys who would like to make their way home from Covent Garden or Baker Street will need to provide written permission from a parent or guardian. The boys should be back at school by 18:15 at the latest. Many thanks, Miss Kirk.
News from the PTA DATE FOR YOUR DIARY! ‘Mum’s Night Out’ will be on Thursday 19th of January. Details TBC. FUNDRAISING BALL: Following our first meeting of the year we have decided to organise a fundraising ball in aid of the charity which is being established in memory of Marcos Burnett. This will be in the Summer Term and dates with be confirmed soon. JOIN US! If you would like to join the PTA and help organise the above then please do contact dena.deedat@wetherbysenior.co.uk or pia_lene@me.com (Mother of Adin De Carlucci, Year 10). We are particularly looking for Year 9 parents, a parent of someone in Mr Dawson’s tutor group and a parent of someone in Miss Ridley’s tutor group.
Peddle My Wheels DO YOU HAVE A SPARE BIKE AT HOME AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME MONEY? As part of our Community Service programme, Year 10 boys assist at St Mary’s Bryanston Square Primary School every week. St Mary’s have asked if we have any spare bicycles which we could donate to their sale on Wednesday 16th November. If you do, please drop them off at St Mary’s between 08:00 and 10:30.
Date for your diaries: Christmas Concert This will be in Hinde Street Methodist Church 18:00 on 7th December. All boys in Years 7-9 will be performing in the concert, as well as any Year 10s in Choir, All Stars or Guitar Club. The concert will last approximately 1 hour and will be followed by drinks and mince pies in the Drama Studio. All friends and family welcome. Further details will follow in the Barometer towards the end of November.
GCSE Spanish outing to La Tasca On Thursday 17th November, a number of Year 10 boys are going to 'La Tasca' tapas restaurant by St. Christopher's Square. Meeting at 17:00 at school. Boys are to make their own way home after the meal around 19:00.
4 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
NOTICEBOARD Spanish Department Trip to Andalucía 13th -17th October 2017. Visits to Ronda, Puerto Banus, Mijas, Granada and Málaga. Open to boys studying Spanish currently in Year 8, 9 & 10. For more details/a letter: see Mr McFaul.
German Department Trip to Cologne On 14th -17th December 2017 (first few days of the Christmas holidays). Visits to Christmas Markets, Chocolate Museum, Phantasialand Theme Park, “Kaffee und Kuchen”, Sport and Olympic Museum, Haribo Outlet, Cologne Cathedral… Open to: ALL pupils in Year 7 and 8. So that means pupils currently in Year 7 and new pupils starting Year 7 in 2017. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CURRENTLY BE STUDYING GERMAN TO PARTICIPATE ON THE TRIP. See Frau Eaves/The Barometer for further details. Deadline for expression of interest: 25th November 2016
School Council Members 2016 2017 Mr Hartley writes... We really value the opinion of the boys about their experience of school life. The School Council is the means by which boys can raise concerns or make suggestions about their experience of school life with members of staff. Each Trib sends one representatives to the School Council meetings which take place once per term. The members of the council – elected by their peers - are responsible for representing their fellow pupils’ interests. Suggestions and comments they make are considered by the Head Master and members of the Senior Leadership Team. Once the Head Master has considered the suitability of student proposals, the Trib representatives inform their peers about decisions that have been made. Congratulations to the following boys who have been elected to the School Council this year: 7 Fleet Cornaby
Jude Brazier & Oscar
7 Tyburn Hajjar
Gabriel Tournant & Rafael
7 Walbrook Marinof
Sasha Elgen & Raphael
8 Fleet
Lucas Kane & Luca Grinceri
8 Tyburn Mekky
Max Hashem & Adam Ahmed
8 Walbrook Bektas
Tommaso Saveli & Robert
9 Effra Megaritis
EduardoUsai & Evangelos
9 Fleet
Tobias Teichman
9 Tyburn
Sacha Ross
9 Walbrook Marchant
Hisam Iftikhar & Alex Le
10 Fleet Manuel Costa & Jack H-G 10 Tyburn Sean Masri & Salem Nusseibeh 10 Walbrook Zundel
Nicholas Mantafounis & Tom
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 5
ARMISTICE DAY Remembrance Day – an ex-soldier's perspective Mr Dawson writes... Sixteen years into the new millenium, war is still prevelant across the globe. The British Army has been involved in at least one conflict every decade since the end of the First World War, and this is unfortunately just a fraction of the world's conflicts. Wetherby Senior's boys have been born into a time that has seen troops deployed for the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the again to Afghanistan in 2004 with the resurgence of the Taliban. The first Remembrance Day was held one year after the end of the Great War and although I do think about the incredible sacrifice whole nations and families made during the First World War, I find that my day of Remembrance is focussed on my personal experiences in Afghanistan. I thought I would share with you two stories from my time in the Army, to give some context as to why I remember and perhaps why it is important that everyone should remember conflicts past and present.
the only cover was an irrigation ditch in a farmer's field. Ben naturally sought cover during the firefight and this is when he stood on the device. Ben was a slight lad, who grew up in Yorkshire, working weekends with his dad who was a gamekeeper. Ben was a great soldier, but because he was so slight he couldn't be given any of the heavy equipment soldiers generally had to carry on patrol; as otherwise, he wouldn't be able to keep up. Ben was very seriously injured by the blast and his small frame didn't help the situation. After the dust from the explosion settled, all was quiet, and for a split second we hoped that no one had been injured. But, this didn't last long, as soon Ben began to scream. Our medic treated Ben in a muddy ditch, with basic dressings and tourniquets, whilst the firefight continued. It took 30 minutes for the helicopter to arrive to evacuate him to hospital, all the while Ben was conscious. Ben was only 18. When I returned to the UK, I drove up to Selly Oak hospital in Birmingham, where they treated injured soldiers, to visit Ben. As you can imagine, it was terrible seeing him lying in bed in that state; however, I was told that the doctors thought he would keep his legs, which was very good news. The thing that stands out most in my memory though was meeting his mother (she herself was only in her late thirties). She was stood by Ben's bed, and although she was sad, she was also so relieved. The irony of being thanked by her, for getting her son home safely, was not lost on me; he had sustained life changing injuries. This really illustrated to me just how hard conflict can be on families back home whilst their child, sibling, partner or parent is away at war. The fact that Ben's mother was relieved, despite what had happened to him, spoke volumes.
2009 and 2010 were the British Army's bloodiest years of conflict in Afghanistan. Of the few thousand troops on the front line, 71 soldiers lost their lives and approximately 500 others were admitted to Camp Bastion hospital when wounded in action. A significant proportion of these had lost one or more limbs through explosive devices. Of these casualties, three were from my team of ten. It was often absent from the media, but our Afghan partners had a much higher casualty rate; two of our team's Afghan partners were also killed and one severely injured. My second lasting memory from that tour happened shortly before the The first memory I wanted to share with battalion returned home. The team was you is of Private Ben Bainbridge, who visiting another small patrol base a few was 18 at the time, only three years kilometres from our location, when we older than our Year 10s; he wouldn't heard a distant explosion. Looking out have looked out of place in a school from the sentry tower, a large plume of uniform. Halfway through our tour, Ben smoke could be seen a few hundred stepped on a pressure activated metres in the distance. There were no improvised explosive device during a British troops out on the ground, so it firefight. The enemy had purposely was assumed that the enemy had attacked the team in the open where accidentally detonated their homemade 6 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
explosives (this being quite a common occurrence). Five minutes later, a large group of locals turned up at the base's gate, shouting for help, carrying the two bodies of a father and son. The boy cannot have been older than 13 and the device had taken one of his legs. The father had severe burns to his back. The boy had accidentally stood on an improvised explosive device the enemy had laid in their village. The device was intended to target the British soldiers; but the enemy had failed to tell all the locals of its location. Both the father and son were taken by a British helicopter for treatment. When I look back on Remembrance Day at my team's experiences I do so with a mixture of pride and sadness. Pride because of the bonds we forged with our Afghan counterparts and because of what the team went through. This is tinged with sadness though for the lives of those who were lost to the conflict or whose lives changed forever. Sadness for the families who are still grieving over the loss of loved ones, or watching their sons and daughters battle through life with crippling disabilities. The relief in Ben's mother's eyes to have her son home said it all to me; it must be an incredibly difficult thing to be sat at home waiting for a knock at the door or being too afraid to turn on the news whilst a loved one is away at war. I also think about the ordinary families who were caught up in the conflict and the suffering they so helplessly endured. That 13 year old boy will now be nearly 20. These stories are just from my time in Afghanistan. That is just one conflict in many; both past conflicts, but also current conflicts around the world. So on Remembrance Day, I think about the soldiers I have had the privilege of leading and also their families. I think about the families of those civilians who were injured or killed when caught up in the conflict and how wasteful conflict often is. No matter what people's political views are about these campaigns, that is not what Remembrance Day is about. I hope Remembrance Day gets people thinking about the effects of war, so that we, and future generations, do not repeat the mistakes of the past.
CURRICULUM NEWS From the Art & Graphic Design Department Mr Meyer writes... A new unit for this year, Year 8 have created a 'Stationery Pot' using Stoneware clay. Created over the first seven weeks of the term, boys were able to fine tune their, already impressive, ceramic skills by exploring a range of techniques from using a loop tool to glazing their work. All work is on display around the school, so do please pop in and have a look at your son’s fine work.
Leo Maydannik
Maxime Hashem
Manu Dixit
Alexander Piggott-Testa
Mikhail Demichev
Frejvid Gislev The Barometer - 11/11/2016 7
CURRICULUM NEWS From the Spanish Department Mr McFaul writes... This week, Mr McFaul has been busy purchasing lots of reading material to help you develop your skills in Spanish. We have now a larger collection of books, short stories and plays in Spanish, of which many you may already be familiar with. Did you know that reading in Spanish is one of the best ways that you can improve your understanding? Furthermore, having previous knowledge of the plot, storyline, characters and outcome mean that you can focus more on the language itself and the vocabulary that you are learning. We have lots of books from ‘the Gruffalo’ … or ‘el Grúfalo’ (en Español) to the Harry Potter series and Roald Dahl’s classics! For boys at GCSE, we have a series of short stories, plays and novels that will challenge you to engage with more advanced but ultimately more rewarding reads! Come and pick one up today! Remember, if the idea of a whole book is too much, why not pick up one of our magazines and flick through that instead!
8 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
Spanish Department Trip to AndalucĂa From the IT Department
OCTOBER 2017
13th -17th October 2017 Visits to Ronda, Puerto Banus, Mijas, Granada and MĂĄlaga. For boys studying Spanish currently in Year 8, 9 & 10 For more details/a letter see Mr McFaul
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 9
When: 14th -17th December 2017 (first few days of the Christmas holidays) Where: Cologne, Germany What: Christmas Markets, Chocolate Museum, Phantasialand Theme Park, “Kaffee und Kuchen”, Sport and Olympic Museum, Haribo Outlet, Cologne Cathedral… Who: ALL pupils in Year 7 and 8. So that means pupils currently in Year 7 and new pupils starting Year 7 in 2017. You do NOT have to currently be studying German to participate on the trip. See Frau Eaves/The Barometer for further details. Deadline for expression of interest: 25th November 2016
10 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
CURRICULUM NEWS From the English Department Miss Ridley writes… This half of term has seen the English department energetically introduce a number of different Shakespearean plays to every year group. 8B, 9A and 10B have all enthusiastically embraced this new challenge: Billy Macpherson and Robert Bektas adopted the roles of Much Ado about Nothing’s Benedick and Beatrice, performing comical mimes whilst Max Hashem and Frejvid Gislev narrated the first verbal conflict between the two lovers. Billy’s mime of an ‘old jade’ was particularly enlightening. In the year above, before embarking on the journey of the ‘star-cross’d lovers’, 9A gave Mark Zuckerberg a run for his billions by producing an array of Facebook profiles for William Shakespeare. Using the historical context studied in lessons, and that which was developed through prep research, the boys uncovered and highlighted some of the less widely known information about the Bard’s life. Finally, 10B demonstrated their initial knowledge of the Macbeth characters by playing “Who am I”? Later in the week, this progressed to the boys becoming ‘experts’ on various characters and performing some very adept Hot-Seating interviews. Adin de Carlucci embodied an especially narcissistic Lady Macbeth by implying that Macbeth, her third husband, was worth her time but that her two previous husbands had sadly met their untimely deaths in ‘unknown circumstances’.
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 11
CURRICULUM NEWS From the English Department Mr Chidell writes... In English this week Year 10 have been finding out about the social and historical contexts of Shakespeare's Macbeth (or 'The Scottish Play' if you are superstitious and happen to be reading this week's Barometer in a theatre!) The boys learned about the life of the Bard himself, the significance of The Globe theatre, James I's fascination with witches and the supernatural, the social expectations faced by women at the time, and the ways in which the play does (and doesn't) conform to Aristotelian conventions of Tragedy. Once all this information had been absorbed and discussed, the boys were asked to find a creative way to distil and present the key ideas. One group (pictured) chose to perform a rap, laying down a solid beat before Nelson Tobin fired off
some impressive rhymes that covered much of what we had learned - including a catchy couplet summarising a key plot point: 'They made sure the guards were drunken / So Macbeth went in and killed King Duncan'. Watch out for the first hit single!
From the Drama Department Miss Twomey writes... In their module on The History of Theatre, Year 10 have been exploring Absurd Theatre. So, what is Absurd Theatre and where does it come from? It is possible that Absurd Theatre was inspired by a myth called ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ which explains a punishment that Sisyphus was given. In Greek mythology there are a number of stories, with no definite answer, to explain why Sisyphus was being punished in the first place. His punishment was this: according to the myth, Sisyphus was condemned to roll a rock up to the top of a mountain, only to have the rock roll back down to the bottom each and every time he attempts this. He was to continue this work all 12 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
day, every day, for all time. The gods who gave Sisyphus his punishment were said to have perceived that an eternity of futile labour is a hideous punishment. The key features of this myth are evident in Absurd Theatre; stories with a plot that goes round in a circle, characters with no purpose and questions answered with other questions. The Year 10 boys have been staging the famous play Waiting for Godot whilst learning about Absurd Theatre, which is the most famous play of this genre and includes all of these features. Bennet Dye summaries Absurd Theatre very well on his beautifully presented information page (see overleaf).
CURRICULUM NEWS Absurd Theatre Information Page What is Absurd Theatre? Absurd Theatre or ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ is a style of theatre originating from the 1950s and encompasses broad philosophical topics like whether human life has a meaning in it’s often at times very comical and awkward performances. Famous Absurd playwrights include Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett. The play’s stories never progress, often loop and are very irrational. This form of theatre is referred to as ‘absurd’ because Albert Camus used it in his 1942 essay ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ Why was this form of theatre created? The 1950s and 60s is a time of new thought and political ideas and movements such as pacifism, and ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ is very much philosophically linked to the idea of Existentialism. This was a very unique and unexpected form of theatre and most of those in the crowd were surely surprised by the illogical plots and loops. This movement rose swiftly after the Second World War, in which men, women and children of nations in every continent died. An estimated 60 million died, 3% of the population on Earth at the time. Because of the sheer amount of death, life was questioned, what was it’s meaning? Was dying in the war worth it? Waiting for Godot Profile Plot: Two characters; Vladimir and Estragon are locked in what is thought to be an existential loop where they wait for ‘Godot’. They have looping conversations where ultimately nothing is achieved. At one point they casually consider suicide Name: Waiting for Godot by hanging themselves on a nearby Playwright: Samuel Beckett tree, but once again no decisive Premiered: 5 January 1953 answer is made.
Original Language: French Main Characters: Vladimir, Estragon
Why this play is Absurd: The play debates existentialism and uses repetition, answers questions with other questions and loops so that nothing comes out that alters or progresses the plot in any way. The Barometer - 11/11/2016 13
CURRICULUM NEWS From the Chemistry Department Miss Hoskins writes... This week in Chemistry the Year 10 boys have been studying hydrogen gas and its properties. Balloons were filled with hydrogen gas and ignited from afar with a lit splint on the end of a metre ruler. The hydrogen ignites, reacting with the oxygen in the air, to form water vapour. The green colour shown is due to the addition of some copper sulphate powder which contains copper ions. These ions produce a green flame colour. This linked in nicely to the time of year with it being fireworks/bonfire night last weekend. If you went to see a firework display then all the colours you would have seen would be due to different metal compounds being present in the different fireworks.
14 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
CURRICULUM NEWS This week the Year 7 boys have continued learning about solids, liquids and gases and they were introduced to the idea of nonNewtonian fluids. I gave each boy a pot of corn flour and they added water to make a mixture which looked like a liquid and obeyed the rules of ‘filling its container’ and ‘flowing’. However, when they applied stress to the corn flour mixture it appeared to turn solid. Apart from making a colossal mess in my lab, they thoroughly enjoyed playing with the mixture made.
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 15
CURRICULUM NEWS From the Biology Department Mrs Skinner writes... The Year 8 boys have been learning about the respiratory system in Biology. This week the boys have carried out an experiment looking at anaerobic respiration in yeast, where they got to brew their own beer! They also enjoyed dissecting a pair of sheep’s lungs and watching them inflate as I breathed air into them!
16 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
SPORTING NEWS From the Games Department Mr Sullivan writes… Please be aware that if you intend to pick up your son from fixtures or training you must email your son’s games teacher by midday. Make sure you have read the fixture sheets for the right address, kick off times and other details. This is important because our attention will be focused on coaching the boys after this time and emails sent may not be received. It also improves the efficiency of us returning boys to school which is essential for the day to day running at Wetherby – Thank you.
Lost Property The Games Department are always telling boys to look after their kit and ensure it is named. The reality is that if boys’ property is left lying about, in the interests of keeping the School tidy and, sometimes, in the interests of safety, all Games lost property from around the School is gathered up and deposited in the Games Office. Named items of kit will be returned to the owner however it is impossible if they are not named. It is astonishing to see the amount of lost property we collect during a term: new trainers, single shoes, tracksuit tops/bottoms etc. Due to the large volume of items, lost property will be handled as follows: Named items will be returned as quickly as possible; After 5 days, any items remaining shall be placed into storage until the end of that term; At the end of each term any unclaimed un-named items will be disposed or given to charity A fair amount of money is in question here so can I please therefore stress the importance of naming items of school kit.
Games Kit Winter is finally here! Please see below for our attire: Wetherby Training kit: Plain black beanie, wet top, training shirt, base layer, black leggings, shorts and black socks. After training: Wetherby hoodie or tracksuit top, white polo shirt, track suit bottoms and clean socks and footwear. Just in case of bad weather please could boys bring showering equipment (Towels, trunks, shampoo etc.) to wash before changing into fresh, dry and clean Wetherby Sports kit. Please visit Perry uniform for Wetherby Sports kit. Link is below: Click here
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 17
SPORTING NEWS Year 7/8 Football WSS A vs. North Bridge Mr Montgomery writes‌ Wetherby played North Bridge House Year 8 A team on Wednesday and despite fears the game would be called off due to the heavy and persistent rain fall we were able to play it. There was a strong wind which influenced the game making it very hard to clear the ball from the south side of the pitch. Wetherby showed a fantastic attitude from the start of the game tracking down players trying to win the ball and were rewarded with a corner after five minutes of play. Wetherby could not capitalise on this opportunity though and were unfortunate not to take an early lead as the ball was hit well over the cross bar. Despite the boys best efforts North Bridge house proved too strong although it was great to see the boys show such a fantastic attitude in the face of adversity, always trying and always being positive with each other.
WSS B vs. North Bridge Mr Underwood writes... The sixth game of the season saw Wetherby entertain North Bridge House on a cold Wednesday afternoon. In an eventful and highenergy affair, North Bridge House took an early lead in the game, scoring two goals within the first few minutes. Despite our best efforts, Wetherby struggled to penetrate the final third of play. As a result, North Bridge 18 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
were comfortable in possession and attacked regularly. As the game progressed into the second half, Wetherby raised the standard of play, gaining a firm grasp on the game and beginning to exert their dominance. However, as North Bridge House has scored their goals early in the game, they simply defended and our efforts came up short. The Man of the Match award goes to Oscar Cornaby. Oscar was a constant threat for us as an attacking force, regularly beating the opposition with his skills and speed. Well done Oscar!
WSS C/D vs. Northbridge Mr Betts writes.... On Wednesday the U13C team faced off against North Bridge House. It was a cold afternoon but that wasn't going to stop the boys from playing in this exciting game of football. The smaller sized pitch meant there was an action packed game of football with flashes of brilliance from all the boys, our Goalkeeper Danny Barta in particular. The boys are clearly improving as a team and this is showing in all areas of the pitch. Unfortunately we were unable to win this competitive fixture today but I was very impressed with the boys’ efforts and commitment in the cold conditions.
SPORTING NEWS Year 9 Rugby WSS A vs. UCS Mr Sullivan writes‌ Focus points: Communication and express yourselves Another week and another fixture for the Year 9 As. This time we went away to University College School. We have become accustomed to playing in dry conditions over the course of the term and today would be no different.
drive towards the opposition try line. Everyone was working hard in both the backs and the forwards. The hard work paid off when Nour Hammad finished off another great team try. There wasn't much time to play and UCS had the ball. We made tackle after tackle, run after run keeping all the pressure on UCS. The whole team deserves a mention today as their attitude and willingness was outstanding especially in front of a London Irish Academy scout. A well-deserved win.
After a quick warm up and the toss from Monty Cortazzi - we were off!
Man of the Match: Jock Saeger
UCS started well putting pressure on the Wetherby defence. We held strong in the pack with some fantastic tackles from Jock Saeger, Abdul Fattah and Harry Holberton. After several plays UCS managed to break through down the left hand side but with the determination by our full back Ignacio Garricos Garcia made an exceptional trysaving tackle.
Mr Murphy writes‌
From one amazing tackle our confidence grew and grew! The tackles were flying in all areas of the pitch, mainly through Antonio Mendes Esteves, and WSS held strong for several passages of play that forced an error and awarded us a scrum 10m out. From the solid scrum Captain Monty Cortazzi zipped the ball out to backs creating space which lead Antonio de Brunner scoring under the posts. With a new focus for the second half everyone noticed the change in approach. Everyone was rucking, hitting lines, expressing themselves, most importantly everyone was tackling and nobody was giving up. We stole the ball from a ruck on 5m out from our own goal line and continued to drive up the rest of the pitch. About 10 passages of play later and Harrison Sotir ran in to complete a well-deserved team try. Wetherby retained the ball and started another
WSS B vs. UCS After heavy rainfall on a cold winters day Wetherby Bs entertained UCS at the UCS Sports ground. From the off there was determined tackling from both teams with one cracking tackle from Andrei Mhitarian in particular showing the spirit needed to play a strong UCS side. At Halftime the score was 17-0. Second half: UCS started with a flourish powering through for some tries despite valiant tackling from Wetherby. Leo Khasis scored Wetherby's only points with a brilliant solo try to run down the wing and outpace the UCS backline to create a rare opening from a disciplined UCS side. Some good tackling and rucking gave Wetherby some good field positions with Eli Al-Baho putting in some ferocious hits. There was much to be happy with despite the score line with boys showing excellent development in their tackling and rucking skills. Man of the match Andrei Mhitarian
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 19
SPORTING NEWS Year 10 Rugby WSS A vs. UCS Mr Sullivan writes… After a long relaxing half term Wetherby As first game back was against UCS. Although Wetherby conceded two quick tries, we soon came back into the game when JP Cairaschi returned a poor kick and ran down the left wing and took on, what appeared like, the whole back line before being tackled and recycling the ball quickly which lead to Nelson Tobin scoring in the corner. Our running and expansive style of rugby continued throughout much of the second half and paid off when JP Cairaschi made another line break but unfortunately we dropped the ball. Although gaps in Wetherby's defence saw us concede further points, the boys can take a lot of heart away from their performance. This can be best highlighted with their ability to tackle; run confidently with ball in hand and improved rucking. JP once again shone, tackling with conviction and breaking the line. He was awarded Man of the Match as a result of his efforts. This all bodes well for the rest of the season, where a victory against Mill Hill is surely only around the corner.
WSS B vs. UCS Mr Underwood writes... The Year 10 B team hosted UCS on Tuesday afternoon at WSG. From the first whistle, our boys struggled to get into the game. With UCS using the ample space on the pitch in the initial stages, they were able to score early tries to gain control of the game. After a pep-talk from Vadim Mandel, Wetherby started to gain some momentum and stemmed the opposition tide. With some good work from Jack Connolly and Lachlan Walker, we began to gain ground and advance towards 20 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
our first score of the game. After superb rucking from Talal Hangari and Adin De Carlucci, James Hall picked up the ball and pushed for the line. Wetherby had a well-deserved try, just before half-time. With the win in our sails, we continued to exert pressure on the opposition. Regaining the ball close to the opposition try line, we worked it wide, using space effectively. Luca Lobefalo advanced, side-stepped a defender and scored the second try of the game for Wetherby. Into the second half, the game became a stalemate for 10 minutes. Both UCS and Wetherby locked horns, with neither giving ground. After a Wetherby error, UCS took advantage of a loose pass, scoring their fifth try of the game. The remainder of the half passed without incident, with some good play from both teams. The game came to a close after a superb try from Wetherby. The boys managed a turnover on their own try line before Vadim Mandel advanced down the line, holding off three tacklers, to run the length of the pitch to score. A fitting end for a good performance, thoroughly earning the Man of the Match award for the team.
Sports Quote of the Week Sports Quote of the Week: ‘BLOOD, SWEAT & RESPECT. First two you GIVE. Last one you EARN’ Follow us for results and updates on Twitter via @WetherbySSports #teamwetherby
CLUB NEWS Science Club Mr Hasthorpe writes... This week in Wetherby Scientists the boys have been learning about projectile motion. The launcher is pumped up using a bike pump, storing compressed air at high pressure. When the firing switch is activated the compressed air fires a projectile into the air. This is not technically a "rocket" as it does not expend fuel on the journey. Instead it is a projectile as it has been fired into the air. The boys used mobile data loggers to measure the initial firing speed. This was recorded at 29 m/s, which is over 60 miles per hour! The photo shows the boys of Wetherby Scientists with their "rockets" before firing them. They were first tested in the stairwell and then for the most successfully designed, in the courtyard. Thankfully, none managed to clear the building and escape into Marylebone!
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 21
CLUB NEWS Drama Activity In Year 7 Performing Arts this half term, the boys are dramatically exploring the haunted Darkwood Manor. Last week, the boys created a detective character, who will be employed to search for proof of ghosts in the mansion. In Monday's session we learnt about soundscaping, which one boy described excellently as a 'landscape made not by scenery, but with sounds'. This week's performances were very unusual, because we did not watch them - the audience had their eyes closed for the duration of the performance! Instead, the actors performed a journey through the grounds of Darkwood Manor told through the narration of our actors and the sounds created by the ensemble. It was a very atmospheric lesson of wind whistling through trees, whispering in the distance, creaking doors and distant footsteps. A particular mention must go to Raphael (Marinof), Matteus and Ishaan whose great contributions to their team helped them win 'performance of the week' and Sacha, Benjamin and Luca, who all created excellent narratives.
22 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
CLUB NEWS Junior Quiz Club Mr Atkinson writes... Catching up on the last two week of Junior Quizzing: Last week – Adam Ahmed-Mekky and Olly Gosling were winners this week with some impressive teamwork throughout. This week – A close battle but Elis Mosaku and Max Hashem emerged victorious!
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 23
CLUB NEWS Food Chemistry Club Miss Hoskins writes... This week in Food Chemistry Club the boys investigated how sugar burns. To begin with we filled a bowl with sand and petroleum spirit (fuel). We then made a pile of icing sugar and bicarbonate of soda on top and lit the petroleum. Large orange flames were seen and the sugar began to caramelise and then burn. As it burnt, the bicarbonate of soda began to fizz and trapped air in the carbon being formed. A large ‘snake’ was seen to rise out of the dish over a 15 minute period. The size of it at the end was really quite impressive for the small amount of sugar we started with. The boys then applied their Chemistry to the art of roasting marshmallows…over a Bunsen burner. A few sandwiched the toasted marshmallows with digestive biscuits to create the newly named Wethersmore.
24 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
CLUB NEWS
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 25
VOTES FOR SCHOOLS This week’s topic has been:
Do wars ever
solve problems?
Next Week’s Topic will be: Should
student councils decide on how to deal with bullying? 26 The Barometer - 11/11/2016
ON THE HOTSEAT Hello and welcome to Week 6 of “On the Hot Seat”. As much as we have been enjoying interviewing our fellow teachers and watching them squirm under the heat of our gruelling questioning, we decided this week it was time for a change. Yes, yes a change, but nothing too crazy, have no fear. This lady is an integral cog in the Wetherby machine; no organisational challenge is too big, no stationery request too small… Ms Simpson has it all! Readers, did you know that Ms Simpson is a talented polyglot who speaks four languages and has lived in Italy, France and Australia at various times in her life? Perhaps it was whilst on her travels that she discovered her love for cooking and eating all types of food! But there’s more to her than just languages and travelling she is also, (we presume) a talented musician. “What instrument could this lady possibly play?”, we hear you cry. Readers… the didgeridoo! So, on that bombshell let us begin… 1) Chips or mash? Chips 2) Spanish or Italian? Italian (Señor McFaul rolls his eyes in disgust) 3) Pizza or pasta? Pasta 4) Starter or dessert? Dessert 5) Wine or beer? Beer 6) Christmas or birthday? Christmas 7) Singing or dancing? Dancing 8) Jane Austen or Emily Brontë? Jane Austen 9) Brie or Camembert? Brie 10) Cluedo or Monopoly? Monopoly 11) What website couldn’t you live without? Facebook 12) What 3 items would you want if stranded on a desert island? Pip my cat Sunglasses Hammock
The Barometer - 11/11/2016 27
From the Editor On this week’s front cover: A stack of gold notes! On the back: Year 9 Rugby players prepare for a scrum against UCS
For all comments and feedback please email: henry.warner@wetherbysenior.co.uk
http://www.wetherbysenior.co.uk/