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Sept 2013 - Jan 2014

MAGAZINE2014

Chiswick SchoolAchieving Excellence - Perficio Excellentia

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Dear Parents/Carers and Friends,

It struck us a while ago in conversation, that there are so many good things going on across the school at the moment, it would be all too easy to take them for granted and not bring them to your attention. This twice yearly magazine will assemble some highlights from the previous term and will celebrate them; hopefully giving you a real feel of the energy within Chiswick at the moment.

I am personally delighted at the progress that the school is making. Our school vision document provides a clear direction of travel over a three year span, we are ahead of target and the staff and students never cease to surprise me with the speed with which we are progressing.

I believe this magazine admirably demonstrates the breadth of opportunity and wealth of talent on show at Chiswick, I really hope that you enjoy the read!

Yours faithfully,

Mr A RyanHeadteacher

Chiswick School

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Up, Up, Up and Away! Chiswick School students get Record GCSE Results.

Chiswick S chool Students achieved record GCSE results across the board in 2013. All measures were up in an increasingly tough national picture. The headline measure of 5A* to C with English and Maths was up a massive 6% on last year to 67%. More able students achieved brilliantly with an 8% increase in students achieving at least 5A* to A grades. Around one quarter of students achieved at least 5As and 63% of students achieved 5A*s to B with over half of GCSE entries translating to at least grade B. The number of students achieving the EBAC was also up an astonishing 13% from 22% to 35%.

Maths results were up with above 80% of students achieving at least a C and English results recovered from the exceptional circumstances of last year with 71% achieving a C, up by 4%. Science results were up too with 82% of students gaining at least two sciences, up by 5%. Overall 98% of students achieved 5 GCSEs or equivalent at 5A*to C. The school also achieved its highest value added score to date, 13 points above the national average showing that whatever their starting point in Year 7 , s t u d e n t s a r e a l l m a k i n g exceptional progress at Chiswick.

Dylan Carty broke all school records achieving an incredible 9A *s

and 5As. ‘I feel very excited about these results’, he said. ‘I worked really hard and it paid off. I would like to thank the staff who were very helpful in getting me these results’.

Nina Pryce and Laura Reid, long standing friends through their years at Chiswick did exceptionally well. Laura achieved 7A*s and 5 As and Nina 7As . Both girls were delighted.

Giulia and Laura Piscatelli are identical twins who achieved 21 A*s to A between them. Giuilia was particularly pleased. ‘I was ill during the examinations and still managed t o d o w e l l ’, s h e s a i d . H e r a c h i e v e m e n t i s p a r t i c u l a r l y admirable as Giulia overcame dyslexia to achieve these grades. Her sister Laura said, ‘I am delighted by my results and am looking forward to the sixth form’. Both girls also achieved the Extended Project Qualification which is A level standard.

Benedict Segal achieved 12A to A*s and was very complimentary about the school. ‘I am really glad’, he said. The whole year deserves credit as we all pulled together to get these results. I want to say a huge thank you to all my teachers.’

Several students achieved far more than they expected. Ajmal M irzad achieved 8 As. ‘ I am a b s o l u t e l y s p e e c h l e s s ’, h e commented, ‘and am looking forward to the sixth form.’

“We are delighted for our students and for their parents who trusted and supported us to deliver. One final word of thanks must go to Chiswick staff, as a Head teacher I could not ask to work with a more dedicated team of professionals,’ said Tony Ryan (Head teacher).

‘I worked really hard and it paid off. I would like to thank the staff who were very helpful in getting me these results’

- Dylan Carty

EXAM RESULTSeptember 2013

Chiswick School

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‘Congratulations to all our students and the staff that supported them, for their dedication and hard work. Chiswick School Sixth Form is going from strength to strength.’

- Tony Ryan

Sixth Form Students Break Records Again

Chiswick School sixth formers broke more records with this year’s astonishing results. A record seven students achieved three A or A stars in their A levels, whilst nearly one third of entries were graded A* to B. The results reaffirm the school’s reputation for academic excellence and inclusion with examples of students achieving against the odds.

S t u d e n t s a c h i e v e d t h e i r potential in a range of subjects from Humanities to Sciences and are now looking forward to the next stage in their education at university s t u d y i n g e v e r y t h i n g f r o m Astrophysics to Politics.

Marcus Lovatt is looking forward to his astrophysics course at Sheffield. Delighted with his results, he said ‘Whatever I do with my degree I intend to be looking upwards...a lot!’

Izzy Duddy achieved two As and an A star in History in which she achieved full marks. She is going to Exeter to study politics. ‘I am overwhelmed’, she said, ‘ I never expected to achieve so much. I want to study American politics and do something to make the world a better place’.

S e a n a n d J a c k H o d g e s , inseparable identical twin brothers both achieved their aims but in very different subjects. Jack will study politics at Durham after achieving 2 As and an A star and wants to be a journalist or political researcher in a think tank. ‘I am ecstatic’, he said. His brother Sean on the other hand has obtained a place in Newcastle to

read Maths with two As and a B. ‘It will be great’, Sean explained, ‘We will be far enough away from each

other to make our own way and meet new friends but close enough to meet up sometimes.’

The school’s Head Boy and Girl showed that taking a leadership responsibility is a big plus when it comes to being accepted at university. Rhena Eames will be going to study Biomedicine at Sheffield and James Carty, Maths at Southampton.

Chiswick School sixth form succeeds with students of all back grounds. Zak Abdille is the school’s highest achieving student of Somali origin to date and will be studying medicine at Kings College. ‘I am delighted to have achieved my ambition,’ he said.

Students succeeded beyond expectations in vocational subjects too with Sophie Gayfor Evans achieving a triple distinction star in her Health and Social care course and will follow a midwifery course. S h a z e b H a s s a n s a i d h e w a s ‘gobsmacked’. ‘I never thought I would make it all the way’, he continued. ‘I thought I was going to be thrown out but I got two distinction stars in Business anda B in Photography A level.’ Shazeb is n o w l o o k i n g t o s t a r t a n apprenticeship.

Other students who achieved three As plus were Caitlin Duffield, Chris Whitehouse, Roy Peel, and Sammy Mziu, and Alex Boulding.

‘Another fantastic set of results’, commented Tony Ryan Headteacher. ‘Congratulations to all our students and the staff that supported them, for their dedication and hard work. Chiswick School Sixth Form is going from strength to strength.’

Chiswick School

September 2013

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Chiswick School runs Duke of Edinburgh Award

Chiswick School is now running the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. Previously the school had to rely on external assessors, but now the school has enough trained staff to run the programme itself. Miss Jesson will be leading with 12 other teachers and pupils from Year 10 will be able to apply for the Bronze Award, which takes about 3-6 months to complete.

It provides young people with the opportunity to develop their skills, helping the community, and taking part in an expedition with friends while taking away new experiences.

The award is achieved by completing a personal programme of activities in four sections 1) volunteering- helping out with the local community, 2) developing practical, social skills and personal interests, 3) physical improving in an area of sport, dance or fi tness, 4) an expedition - planning, training and then completing an adventurous journey in the UK.

The levels become increasingly difficult, with the Gold Award requiring working abroad. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a nationwide scheme in which many others from across the country participate. The Bronze Award will be available for this years Year 10 and within two years all three awards will be offered.

By Gabby Smith, Year 11.

This year a wealth of new extracurricular activities are coming to Chiswick! With the enormous amount already run, you’d think it would be hard to improve... But you’d be wrong.

Chiswick now has over 50 clubs for students to enjoy. Mr H u n t e r, e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r coordinator, said “We already had a lot of really good clubs, especially from the PE, Music, Art and Drama departments, but what’s great about this is that there’s now an even broader range across the curriculum. Students have more opportunities to do extracurricular activities than ever before.”

There is a link between the extracurricular activities students do outside of school and their progress in lessons possibly because the students feel more connected to the school and want to try harder, said Mr Hunter.

Students received their extracurricular timetables a few days ago and every pupil is encouraged to pick two clubs to attend. It won’t be hard to fi nd something they l i k e - t h e r e c e r t a i n l y i s something for everybody!

Some of the new clubs set up include Pottery Club, Film-Making Club, and Philosophy Club (to name a few!) with Vocal Group, PE clubs such as Netball and Football, and, of course, Mr Hunter ’s own wildly successful Science Club continuing on from last year.

October 2013

Duke of Edinburgh

Award

Clamour of Clubs for Chiswick Students

Chiswick School

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New Year 7s make themselves at home and impress the Public

We’re several weeks into the first term and so the Chiswick News team thought that it would be a good idea to talk to some Year 7s about their experiences at the school so far.

Was their fi rst day scary? What’s different from their primary schools? How have they been fi nding the lessons?

Katy Hobson from 7 Chatsworth sa id “you don’t s tay in one classroom”, which is one of the main differences between primary school and secondary school.

Another thing that changes when you go to secondary school is that you have to make new friends, which can be daunting for quite a lot of people. Another new Year 7 student, called Isabelle Makonnen, from 7 Fielding said that she was “nervous but so many people were kind” and that now she feels “so much better”.

Finally, one thing that all Year 7s worry about when moving to Chiswick School is how they will find their way around. It always feels a bit overwhelming to have to come to a new school and find your way around.

Hannah Wilson from 7 Fielding said that she is less worried now, and she said that “if you are lost then the older children will help you find your way”.

This is a testament to how friendly and welcoming we are here a t C h i s w i c k , a n d h o w o u r community atmosphere really makes a l l new students feel welcome.

Ms Elks said “The new Year 7s have adapted to the new routines

very well. They are all very positive, polite and all have excellent futures ahead of them."

Not only have they adapted to secondary school life well but a member of the public even wrote into the school commenting on how well behaved the Year 7 pupils were out of school. She said “they definitely kept up the good name of Chiswick School even when they were in public!”

The Year 7’s new Learning Coordinator Miss Corbin said “it's amazing how quickly they have matured and how quickly they are adapting to the different rules and regulations in secondary school.

We hope the Year 7’s now feel at home and continue at the high standards you have started out at. We wish you the best for the rest of your first year at Chiswick.

By Jasmine Ketch-Neumann, Year 11.

WELCOME Y7

“if you are lost then the older children will help you !nd your way”. - Hannah Wilson

Chiswick School

October 2013

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MUSEUM VISIT

Year 7s visit the British Museum

On the 22nd October half of the new Year 7s went on a trip to the world famous 'British Museum'. The other half of the year had been on the same trip earlier in the term.

Established in 1753 and home to approximately 8 million objects, the British Museum is ranked 1st nationally and 3rd globally in the number of visitors it has and we couldn't wait to start exploring.

The reason we went to the museum was so that we could look up close and personally at the '100 objects'. A history through 100 objects was a joint project of BBC Radio 4 and the British Museum. It consisted of a 100 15 minute broadcasts, each broadcast looked at one of the different objects. The objects are all things that can be seen in the British Museum and are seen as being very important in human history. The oldest is a fl int axe and the newest is a credit card!

Throughout the day we went to different rooms so that we could try to spot an object from a history

through 100 objects. Our teachers had supplied us with sheets showing where all the different objects were. The rooms were all named after where the objects were found (e.g the Rosetta Stone is from Egypt so it would be in the room called Egypt).    

As we walked through the different rooms we took pictures of the objects we found and wrote down the information about them. We had already been working on the objects at school, but the pictures and extra information were really important because we could add them to the websites we were making in class as part of our project.

As a conclusion, to round off, I think everyone in Year 7 enjoyed the trip as it brought fun to our Opening Minds project and a fun aspect to our learning. I personally benefited from this trip as it was a great new way of getting   information   for my project other than just researching on our iPads and from books. I think i t was a great , fun learning experience that helped me produce high quality work.

By Brandon Guru, Year 7.

Chiswick School

October 2013

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Record Numbers Come to Open Evening

The School’s Open E v e n i n g w a s

e v e n b e t t e r attended this year by curious

p a r e n t s a n d exc i ted Year 6

children. They were treated to tours of the school ably guided by Year 8 students. In each curriculum area an exciting display or activity was in evidence.

Unsuspecting children visiting the Histor y depar tment were surprised by teachers in period costume. To illustrate how crude medicine was in the past volunteer children submitted themselves to mock amputations.

In Science, there were more teachers in costume and a panoply of whizz bang experiments and activities. On entering C15, the

drama studio, parents and children were treated to extracts of ‘As You Like It’ being performed by Year 8 as part of the Shakespeare in Schools Festival. Children and parents participated in Language games and a n E n g l i s h l e s s o n , w a t c h e d Gymnastics, listened to Music, ate freshly cooked cake and saw Chiswick students painting in the art rooms. These were just some of the experiences on offer.

To start or fi nish the evening parents and students sat in the s c h o o l h a l l a n d w a t c h e d presentations from Alex Fell and Anja Keeping, Head boy and Head Girl, a group of Year 7 students and the Headteacher Mr. Ryan.

‘Chiswick School is on a journey to being an outstanding school’, he said. ‘And I want the best for every student who comes here’.

The Year 7s enthused their audience with their description of their fi rst weeks at Chiswick. They described the teachers, amazing lessons, the dining hall and the range of wonderful clubs they had joined.

Some comments from visiting parents were:

‘Good to see the school, great to see enthusiastic staff and pupils’

‘History was excellent, tour guides ver y di l igent, science enthusiastic’

‘The children talking in the presentation were really good. The Head’s presentation was inspiring and the teaching staff were helpful and informative.’

By Jasmine Ketch-Neumann, Year 11.

Male suada Quis  Dolor

Set Ipsum

NovemberOctober 2013

Chiswick School

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Keri is European Acrobatic Gymnastics ChampionKeri Rothwell-Douglas Year 13 was crowned European Champion in Acrobatic Gymnastics in Lisbon Portugal on October 25th. Our new editor Maryam Khalifa interviewed her.

M: What did you have to do to be able to win the title ‘European Champion’?Keri: I had to get selected to be on the GB team; this meant I had to do three trials, and then win them- which I managed to do, so I went to the European Championships as a part of Team GB. When in Portugal, I had to do three routines: one balance routine, one tempo routine a n d o n e c o m b i n e d r o u t i n e . However, you were only able to do the combined routine if you ranked within the top 8 in tempo and balance; essentially the combined is the ‘finals’ following the tempo and balance. The scores of all three routines then got added together; following this, there was then a balance final and a tempo final after the combined routine- which my partner and I won!M: Where did it happen?Keri: I went to went to Lisbon, Portugal a few weeks ago for the European Championships.M : How long had you been preparing for it?Keri: I had been preparing my routines for the six weeks prior to the event, but had spent the last year practicing.M: Who was there, was it a large event?Keri: My mum, dad and sister

surprised me by flying out to watch. There were loads of people!M: Was it scary?Keri: Yes, I was nervous because I d idn’t want to mess up but thankfully my routines went fine!M: Was it televised?Keri: It was, when I was out there, the fi lms of the routines are online http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjXpBt5WBwI&feature=youtu.beM: How long were you in Portugal?Keri: We were there for 8 days, and spent 2 of the 8 days training- then did a routine each day. M: Where else has gymnastics taken you?Keri: I’ve visited; The Ukraine, Bulgaria, I have also have been to Portugal before- all due different competitions.M: What is the next step?Keri: Next year is the World Championships, if I win that then I will officially have the title of ‘World Champion.’ I’m trying not to think about it - I’m not sure if I want to remain as a gymnast, or go to University.M: How long have you been a gymnast?Keri: I had been a gymnast when I was younger, but quit. I then started again in Year 8.M: How often do you train?Keri: I train 8 times a week: I train Tuesday and Thursday before school, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday after school-and I also spend the day training on Saturday. The evening sessions are three hours, whilst the morning sessions are two. It’s a massive dedication.Chiswick News would l ike to congratulate Keri on her fantastic achievement.

‘Next year is the World Championships, if I win that then I will officially have the title of World Champion.’

- Keri

Chiswick School

October 2013

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Year 7 Parents Trained in iPads in the Classroom

On three separate evenings Year 7 parents attended training sessions where the iPad as an educational tool was presented to them. These focused events were in preparation for year 7 receiving their own iPads o n S a t u r d a y 2 6 t h October...this after more than a year in planning.

O n c e t h e y h a d l i s t e n e d t o t h e H e a d t e a c h e r ’ s i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e philosophy behind the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h i s technology to learning at Chiswick, “this is not a PR exercise or a gimmick; but a measured initiative to assist our students to make even better progress in lessons”, parents were treated to a carousel of activities led by members of staff from a range of different subjects.

Literacy was the theme of one session and parents were shown how the iPad would be used to support students' work across the curriculum but especially to support t h e “ A c c e l e r a t e d R e a d e r ” programme, now proven to improve

students reading ages, irrespective of starting ability. A second area was numeracy where a range of Apps to improve students' number skills and confidence within this area were demonstrated. There were also sessions on remaining safe when travelling to/from school with the machine, led by local police officers, a Science experiment was recorded and annotated to explain the process in full, the Opening Minds curriculum was explored through use of relevant Apps and last, but

not least, Mr Lawrence and Ms Milovanovic demonstrated

some of the learning content that has been c r e a t e d t o s u p p o r t learning in lessons and at home.

One parent, enthusiastic about the technology, said “I

am really excited about the introduction of iPads to learning at Chiswick, it makes me wish that I was eleven years old again!”

“It was a very bene!cial evening.” Said Mr McGeough, Director of ICT and organiser of the event. “Some parents initially sceptical of how useful iPads could be as a tool for learning were thrilled by the opportunities they will provide our Year 7 students”.

Year 7 will be starting to use their iPads in lessons and for other learning activities immediately on their return from half term.

Chiswick School

October 2013

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Norwegian Teachers Amazed by Chiswick School Lessons

Chiswick School hosted 45 teachers, deputy head teachers and a head teacher visiting from a school in Norway. It was a very successful trip, with the Norwegian School singing Chiswick School’s praises!

The school came over to England on a ‘fact fi nding mission,’ investigating how the English education system works. They chose Chiswick School, looking at how we operate, and what it is that makes us such a thriving institution. Their d a y c o n s i s t e d o f a n explanation of the state e d u c a t i o n s y s t e m , provided by Mr Ryan. They then had a look at our vast range of facilities and lessons, guided by a group of Year 9s.

They observed many l e s s o n s a c r o s s t h e curriculum, including; M u s i c , G e o g r a p h y , Opening Minds, History and DT. “It’s amazing how many subjects you have to offer, and the teaching m a t e r i a l s e e m s s o interesting,” one teacher said, as she observed a Year 12 History class.

The teachers were very impressed with the teaching and learning that was happening in the classroom, at how engaging the lessons were and the motivation that was present.

“It’s really great to see the teachers and students interacting

with such enthusiasm. We really struggle with this at our school.”

T h e y w e r e e x t r e m e l y complementar y towards our students, and were amazed by the good behaviour.

The Norwegian teachers were stunned at the strong team of IT, the Wi-Fi and the electronic devices we had. “You are very lucky to have such a wide range of technology; you are a very advanced school” a deputy head teacher told me.

Their trip was undertaken with hopes that the visit could help improve their Norwegian schools, and it is a compliment that they chose Chiswick School to achieve that.

This visit builds on the China trip that happened several months ago. “What’s great is that this Norwegian trip was so similar to links that are currently being built in Uganda, Zambia and now China- this is another opportunity for us to provide international links for the students, and allow them to interact

with the other countries through different subjects. It’s an easy thing for us to achieve, but much more difficult for Zambia and Uganda. However, we’re working towards

achieving this, starting off with Skype conversations with in smal l groups, discussing subject specific c o n t e n t .” M r S y k e s , Chiswick School Business Development Manager, was telling me. With the student visits to Uganda coming up, to see these international links being made is really exciting for Chiswick; as it i s s u c h a d i v e r s e , international school.“The beauty about these visits is that it is not just o n e o r t w o p e o p l e helping out nor is it just the head teacher. It’s a team of people dedicated to helping the school prosper, and giving up

their time.” said Mr Sykes. All in all, the visit was both very

successful and a good PR exercise for Chiswick School.

By Maryam Khalifa, Year 12.

Chiswick School

October 2013

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"It was really rewarding to take a group of such well behaved and enthusiastic students. They were a credit to the school".

- Ms Hayes

A Busy Time For PEOver the half term Miss Middleton

took a girls team of Years 7 and 8 to a football tournament. They played really well and came 2nd in their group securing a place in the quarter finals. With a great effort they came up slightly short and were knocked out of the quarter-finals by Drayton Manor. Bonnie Francis, Year 8, played in the tournament as well as 3 Year 7s and 5 Year 8s. They all said they had a brilliant time and enjoyed playing football together. Miss Middleton said “the girls all played really well and did deserve to go further, but they never let Chiswick school down!” Unlucky girls and really well done.

Miss Middleton has been very busy as on Tuesday 5th November, again she took her Year 7 team to face Green School in their fi rst ever match for Chiswick. Unfortunately they lost 3-1 but they all showed their potential for the future games.

Chiswick Latinists Get a Taste of Roman Life

On the last day of term, Latin students from Years 8 to 11 went on a trip to the Roman Baths. The trip was designed to give them a greater insight into the way that the Romans lived, therefore helping them in their lessons.

The students had to be at school by 7:30am, where they got on a coach to take them to Bath. Upon arrival, some of the students started to take pictures of the lovely surroundings, which included the museum itself.

They got to spend most of the day looking around the fascinating museum and getting a feel of what it was like to live in Roman times. The o lder Lat in s tudents had the opportunity to translate some of the gravestones into English, while the younger years were tested on mythology. The students were even able to taste water from the spring at the end of the tour; however, judging by the faces they were pulling, it was far from delicious.

It was an enjoyable day out for both the students and teachers, and everyone came home with lots of new knowledge about the Romans (and their bathing habits).

Ms. Hayes, Chiswick ’s Latin teacher, was delighted by the day. "It was really rewarding to take a group of such well behaved and enthusiastic students. They were a credit to the school".

Chiswick School

November 2013

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Chiswick Wedding of the Year. Mr and Mrs Parsons-Moore In Mr and Mrs Quiz

During the half term, two teachers at Chiswick School - Mr Parsons Moore and Ms McDonald – got married after getting engaged last April.

So, the Chiswick News Team thought we would see how well they know each other by playing a game of ‘Mr and Mrs’ with them.

When asked what type of film Ms McDonald would see at the cinema, Mr Parsons Moore said ‘thriller’, but Ms McDonald said that she would see a rom-com. So it was a slow start for Mr Parsons Moore, but he still had a chance to do well.

The next question was where they would go on holiday out of China, Wales and Australia. Ms McDonald said that she would go to China, but Mr Parsons Moore guessed (incorrectly) that she would

say Australia. With half the questions over and no correct answers, it became less likely that Mr Parsons Moore would get any of the

questions right!However, in the fi nal two

questions, Mr Parsons Moore guessed correctly both times, proving that

he knows Ms McDonald (quite) well. With only half

the questions correct, we hope that next time Mr Parsons Moore is tested on something... he revises first!

Then it was Ms McDonald’s turn to guess, with a score of 2 to beat. To our amazement, she guessed correctly 4 out of 4 times – getting a perfect score! This proved that she knew her husband well, and with the final score at 4-2 to Ms McDonald, we had a clear winner!

Ms McDonald fi nished off her interview by saying she was glad that “so many people are so happy for us”, and it’s safe to say that we at Chiswick News wish them all the best for the future!

Mr and Mrs Quiz

Thanks to the bake sale held during Chiswick School’s Sixth Form Open Evening, on Wednesday 13th November; Chiswick Sixth Formers and M i s s M a r c e l l r a i s e d a n astonishing £130 for the Philippines, raising funds to help those affected by the devastating Typhoon. Thank you to all who contributed to this amazing achievement whether it be through the donation of a cake or buying one, your help and support was greatly appreciated.

By Maryam Khalifa, Year 12.

Chiswick Sixth Form Bake Sale

Chiswick School

November 2013

[14]

Shakespeare Star Performs 'As You Like It' on Crutches

Anna Pryce starring as Rosalind in Chiswick's Shakespeare for Schools production of 'As You Like It' at the Richmond Theatre on 12th November, performed the whole show on crutches. Anna is a member of the year 8 theatre group who wowed a packed theatre with the 400 year old play.

Mr Meadows directed the production using an ensemble approach. As well as acting specific roles, the group became trees in the forest or part of a crowd watching the wrestling. The group were totally focused throughout the piece and enabled the audience to understand the complicated plot.

I t w a s h a r d t o p i c k o u t individuals from such a committed company. Nabil Mahamed played a credible love struck Or lando wandering through the forest. The famous 'All the world's a stage s p e e c h w a s d e l i v e r e d w i t h imaginative accompanying gestures by the excellent Visnja Jovanovic.

Despite being on crutches because of tear ing her k nee ligaments in rowing Anna moved fluently around the stage and ably played courageous Rosalind exiled to the forest by her cruel uncle played by a confident Ciara Mallon.

At the end the group were cheered off by a rapturous audience. 'It was a pleasure to work with a group of students with such a p r o f e s s i o n a l a t t i t u d e ,' s a i d a delighted Mr Meadows. 'They delivered a wonderful performance on the night.'

AS YOU LIKE IT

Chiswick School

‘It was a pleasure to work with a group of students with such a professional attitude,'

-Mr Meadows.

November 2013

[15]

"It was really rewarding to take a group of such well behaved and enthusiastic students. They were a credit to the school".

- Ms Hayes

Tasty Tapas Treats for Tip-Top Chiswick Students

Chiswick’s hardworking Spanish students were well-rewarded recently with a trip out to a local tapas bar!

The trip, which took place on Friday 18th November, saw students out of school at the beginning of second break and off to La Mancha on Chiswick High Road for some delicious Spanish tapas!

Students sampled authentic Spanish dishes such as ‘Patatas Bravas’- potatoes with a spicy sauce- and tortillas, croquettes and olives.

But the trip wasn’t just about eating! Students were only able to speak to waiters in Spanish, meaning t h e y g o t i n s o m e v a l u a b l e conversat ional prac t ice ! Hope McDonald, 11HA, said the trip was “Cu l t u r a l l y e n l i g h t e n i n g” a n d “beneficial for the conversational aspect of our GCSE.”

We would like to thank the Chiswick PTA, who kindly paid for the trip making it free of charge for all students, Ms Dyer for planning and organising the excellent afternoon out and Mr Walsh and Ms Moult for accompanying the students and Ms Dyer. By Jasmine Ketch-Neumann, Year 11.

Sixth Form Open Evening Pulls in the Punters

Two halls full of eager students and their parents came to fi nd out what Chiswick sixth form had to offer last week. The strong reputation of the sixth form spread far and wide as over 100 students from other schools came to take a look.

A new format proved a great success as students and parents were taken to the subject teaching rooms to view resources and current students’ work as well as hear from teachers and students about the courses on offer. Potential sixth formers were also taken over to the sixth form centre to view facilities and meet pastoral and careers staff. Teaching staff reported a busy evening. ‘It was as busy as the Year 7 Open Evening,’ said Mr Mathews, Head of English. ‘The students asked excellent questions about A level English and it was great to see they h a d d o n e a l o t o f t h i n k i n g beforehand.’

In the Hall students and their p a r e n t s h e a r d a r a n g e o f presentations. Mr. Ryan spoke about how important it was that the sixth form team at Chiswick intervene as soon as there were any signs of underachievement. Alex Fell and Anja Keeping, Head Boy and Head Girl, both spoke about the support teachers had given them in the sixth fo r m a n d t h e ra n g e o f ex t ra opportunities available to students. Mr Whiting explained the application process. ‘We care’, concluded Ms. Blount, Director of Sixth Form, after explaining the values and ethos underpinning the sixth form at Chiswick.

Two Year 11s were very pleased with the event. ‘It was well organised and much better than last year’, said Hannah Moyce. ‘Having the teachers in classrooms meant you could talk to them properly without too many other people getting in the way.’

‘It was a really good event,’ said Lily McCrystal Hunt. ‘The teachers were very friendly and I am definitely making Chiswick my first choice.’

Chiswick School

November 2013

[16]

French Trip to Amiens, France

At ten past five in the morning on Friday 29th November, 44 sleepy students got their passports checked before they waved goodbye to their parents and boarded the snazzy coach.

The journey to the Euro-Tunnel was quick and easy. Once at the Euro-Tunnel, the four teachers, Ms Dyer, Ms Murray, Ms Kelly and Mr. Walsh, organised us into groups and informed us of what was going to happen.

Moving onto the train was of some fascination to students who had never been on the Euro-Tunnel before and we were excited to get on it. Again, going through the Euro-Tunnel couldn’t have been quicker. Once at the other end, the coach stopped at a giant shopping centre and we had time to do some shopping and have our lunch. We then retreated back to the bus and made our way  to Boulogne where we were given some more time to look around the area, which for most meant popping into the bakery to order a croissant!

After looking around Boulogne and the old town, we went back to the coach and travelled to the Château where we had a tour of the hotel and some free time to unpack our stuff. Each of the rooms had two bunk beds, a bathroom and toilet and stairs to a little landing where there was a single bed. After everyone had unpacked, we went down to dinner and we had a choice of lamb (de l’agneau) or chicken (du poulet) and rice (du riz) or pasta (des pâtes). We then had an evening activity which consisted of lots of games and quizzes. Soon after eight, we retreated to our dorms and had an hour before we had to switch the lights off and go to sleep!

In the morning, we went down to breakfast (le petit déjeuner) which was traditionally French with pains au chocolat, croissants, nutella and cereal. At half past nine, we boarded the coach and headed to see some WWI trenches and cemeteries. The fi rst stop was the Somme memorial at Lochnagar Crater where we walked around the site and learnt a bit about the Somme. While we were traveling to the next memorial, we saw, in the distance, a church with a gold medallion on the top and learnt that there was a myth that if that gold medallion were to fall off the church the village would fall.  During WWI the gold medallion toppled over but didn’t fall off the church. This gave the village hope and they built scaffolding around the church to keep the medallion on there.

  We then travelled to the Thiepval Monument and looked at the names of the   73,000 British missing that were carved into the walls.  We also looked around the museum, where we could learn more about the Battle of the Somme. Next we boarded the coach again and headed to our next destination while sipping on our soup. The next visit was to the actual WW1 trenches, where we walked above the trenches and l o o k e d a t h o w t h e y w e r e constructed.

On the Sunday, we packed our stuff, had breakfast and said goodbye to the hotel as we made

our way to the centre of Amiens in the Picardy region. It took about an hour and three quarters to get there, but it went quickly as the radio was on and all of us were s i n gi n g a l o n g to C h r i s t m a s songs….even the teachers!  When we got there, we were given a map and a guide of the Christmas Markets and we visited Amiens cathedral which is a UNESCO world heritage site.   And what a grand cathedral it was! The arches were towering high above our heads and the stained glass windows were detailed to the very limit. We looked around, took in the splendour for a bit and learned about how the cathedral was built and then we marched on to the Christmas Markets. Whatever we did or bought at the Christmas Markets we loved and it was such a beautiful and festive market too. Soon it was time to leave and we boarded our coach once again and drove to the Euro-Tunnel. We had to get out at Passport Control to have our passports checked but that only lasted for about fi ve to ten minutes. We got on the train and said (au revoir) goodbye to France.  We then drove straight to school and when we arrived at school it was around 8 o’clock. We thanked the bus drivers and teachers (Mr Walsh, Ms Murray, Ms Dyer and Ms Kelly) for a truly wonderful weekend and went home….ver y t ired, but ver y enriched.By Lucy Duddy - Year 8 Grove

Chiswick School

December 2013

[17]

Year 11 Receive Employability Awards at Chiswick Business Park

C h i s w i c k S c h o o l h a s teamed up with Chiswick Business Park (Enjoy Work) and Spark to enable students to complete a City & Guilds certificate in ‘Employability and Personal Development’ over the course of two years. This equates up to a Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) qualification, allowing employers to recognise that students have the skillset needed for work.

Whilst academic success has always been important; resilience, initiative, self-motivation and preparation for the world of work are now even more crucial. More and more companies are looking for these skills in their employees.

On Tuesday evening, Year 11 students gathered at Chiswick Business Park in an evening of celebration: ‘Future Focus’ where a majority of students collected their Level 2 certificate.

The programme consisted of talks from Headteacher Mr Tony Ryan, Ms Kay Chaston (Chief Executive of ‘Enjoy Work’) and Mr Mike Smith (Operations Director at Aker Solutions) who both work at Chiswick Business Park- which has 5,000 employees who work for 45 of t h e U K ’s a n d E u r o p e ’s t o p companies. In their encouraging and

inspirational speeches they advised students on the keys to success. These included choosing a job you love, and that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

B o t h s p e a k e r s w e r e v e r y encouraging about the number of jobs available to young people in the near future, and reminded Chiswick students in particular of the great opportunities on their door step. Carl Peel, a Year 11 student said 'The venue was very impressive and it was so nice to hear such positive encouragement from experienced heads of companies.'

In a time where careers are rapidly changing, Chiswick School hopes that the alliance created with t h i s f o r m i d a b l e h u b o f t o p companies wi l l put Chiswick students one step ahead of the game for their prosperous futures; helping bridge the passage from higher and further education, into the world of work.

FUTURE FOCUS

'The venue was very impressive and it was so nice to hear such positive encouragement from experienced heads of companies.'

- Carl Peel, Year 11.

December 2013

Chiswick School

[18]

Year 11 and 12 in Maths Mentoring Morning

Getting extra Maths tuition is always a bonus and some parents pay a high price for one to one tuition for their offspring. But what if the ‘teacher’ is a student one year older than the pupil and is studying A level Maths?

‘We know exactly what a Year 11 student is going through’, said Alfie Howell, a Year 12 A level student. ‘We were going through the same thing last year. It’s really rewarding for me too,’ he continued. 'Its great when you can see your pupil finally understand.'

The dining hall was the venue for the Maths Mentoring Morning and 19 Year 11s were each paired with a Year 12 student. They worked from 8.15 through to 9 as the Year 11s were coached by their Year 12s through a factorising work sheet, in return for a free breakfast.

Kwabela Boateng, Year 11, said, ‘It really helps you develop your memory for Maths and learn better’. N o u r a E l -To u r g m a n c a m e t o Chiswick Sixth Form from Ellen Wilkinson School. 'I am really glad to help out,’ she said. ‘My session is going very well.’ Her mentee Millie Twyman was pleased too. ‘I find factors easier to work out now and it's going to make my lessons easier’. The fi rst session was deemed a great success and will now be repeated every Monday and Friday morning.

‘Its amazing to see how much the Year 12s want to support the

Year 11s and make a real difference’, said a delighted Ms. Sen Siong, Head of Maths, who organised the scheme.

Maths InspirationOn Tuesday, Chiswick School’s

Maths department took the Year 12 mathematicians to London, Palace Theatre, for a series of lectures run by the ‘Maths Inspiration Team’. Maths Inspiration is one of the l a r g e s t m a t h s e n r i c h m e n t programmes for teenagers in the UK. It's a chance for Year 11s and sixth formers to experience the UK's most inspiring maths speakers live, in big venues, presenting mathematics in the context of exciting, real-world situations.

T h e s h o w f e a t u r e d t h r e e interactive talks, given by: Rob Eastaway, an independent lecturer, Steve Mould, a comedian and a science communicator- with a Master’s Degree in Physics from Oxford and Ben Spark, who is a m o n g s t o t h e r t h i n g s , a mathematician, a musician, and a twin. All three talks kept the audience riveted to their seats from start to finish.

The Year 12 students left the theatre feeling both inspired and ready to continue learning maths, 'The speakers were interesting to listen to and made the maths they were explaining seem exciting. It was surprising that maths is in everything and can be solved using what we learn in lesson.' Saiima Bered, Year 12.By Maryam Khalifa, Year 12.

Chiswick School

December 2013

[19]

David Tennant in Richard II

Chiswick students watched David Tennant starring in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Richard II. They also had a question answered by both Tennant himself and the director, Gregory Doran, in a live question and answer s e s s i o n w h i c h f o l l o w e d t h e performance.

The students (ten from both Year 9 and 10) were taking part in the first ever Young Shakespeare Nation broadcast; with hundreds of schools all around the country having the fi lm streamed l ive into their classrooms.

As it was the fi rst time the Royal Shakespeare Company had filmed one of their productions, there were many technical issues to deal with. Congratulations to Chiswick’s IT department, who worked tirelessly to ensure that the students were able to take part in this event!

The production of Richard II was performed in Stratford upon Avon. Students watched video diaries of rehearsals and behind the scenes footage in the weeks leading up to the screening, so they had a good understanding of how the play was put together.

The most exciting part was when David Tennant answered the question put to him by Chiswick students. “What was the most challenging part of a production like this, where you are performing for both a stage audience and a film audience?” Our question was one of only 10 chosen by the leading actor and director.

This is part of an ongoing relationship between Chiswick School and the RSC, with students having the opportunity to watch the next screening – Henry IV Part 2 starring Anthony Sher – sometime next year.

By Mrs Jones, English department.

Drama Department Draws in the Professionals

The Drama department believes that contact with professional theatre is an essential part of a students experience.

On 3rd December, the Year 10 GCSE drama students, and the Drama Club students were the lucky recipients of visits from LAMDA Drama School and Ollie from the ‘ B i g f o o t ’ T h e a t r e C o m p a n y respectively. It was an inspiring day, leaving the students eager for the work ahead!

LAMDA performed Twelfth Night for the Yr 10s in the morning, “it was an exciting performance, with the students really engaging in what was being shown” Mr Meadows told me, “it’s so fantastic for them to be given this opportunity so early on in the GCSE course”.

Ollie, from the 'Bigfoot' Theatre Company then worked with the Drama Club, helping them through their devised drama work. “It was so good having feed back from a professional; he really helped our pieces improve!” said Anna Pryce, Year 8.

Following the drama workshops, on Tuesday 10th December, Year 11 drama students went to the Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square to watch a performance of 'Let the Right One In.' “It was a spectacular show and the students were impeccably behaved.”- said Mr Harrington.

With the ‘Arts Leaders' initiative being launched three weeks ago- giving responsibility for Year 9 students and above to organise and promote Arts events, working with Year 7, Year 8 and local primary schools-and all the enrichment activities that have been happening this month, the Drama department has been very busy this term!

“it was so nice to come back as champions especially as we beat Gumley in the !nal!”- Maryama Bashir

Year 10 Netball Champions!

Year 10 netball team travelled to Green School to take part in a borough tournament. They started off by winning their group and progressed through to the semi-finals. They won that match against Heathland and went on to face Gumley in the final.

They played well and showed great skill. They ended up returning to school borough champions for this year. They had never beaten Gumley before so this was a great accolade. Lucy Davies and Maryama Bashir played in the tournament and said “it was so nice to come back as champions especially as we beat Gumley in the !nal!”

In Girls football, Year 10 and 11 girl’s football team travelled off to Heathland, to play them in their fi rst match of the season. Chiswick started off the fi rst half by scoring a wonderful goal. Shannon Read was the goal scorer and the assist came from Yasmine Ferchiche.

Unfortunately Heathland g o t t h ro u g h C h i s w i c k ’s defence in the second half to level it up. The whistle blew and it fi nished 1-1. It was a great start to the season.By Katie Davies

Chiswick School

December 2013

[20]

Year 12 Students to Visit Partner School in Uganda

Next July, a group of lucky Year 12

g e o g r a p h y students will be travelling

to Uganda’s c a p i t a l c i t y

Kampala, for a 9-day trip t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e environment, culture and way of life of the people who live there.

The trip includes the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a Ugandan child; with students going to school with them, and observing how they live from day to day. There will be a visit to the slums to appreciate the hardships homeless children face; the students will then be visiting an orphanage dedicated to taking in homeless children from the slums.

The keepers at a Ugandan National Park will be waiting to welcome our

students, as they will participate in a survey of the wildlife present in the park’s region. Setting a completely contrasting tone, in the evening students will be meeting the people wanting to chop down parts of the forest to make way for sugar cane plantations.

A strong relationship has already been forged between our school and the school in Uganda, with Year 9 pupils making Skype calls to Ugandan students and Chiswick providing new laptops for the school. This trip will be an exciting new link in the relationship; Niralee Patel, 12Ma, said “I’m really excited to experience the lives of Ugandan children and I think it will be a great trip.”

By Laura Reid, Year 12.

Male suada Quis  Dolor

Set Ipsum

Chiswick School

December 2013

[21]

Year 13 Superstars Are Moving On Up!

Chiswick School’s Sixth Formers have done fantastically this year, with 80 students having applied to university, a further 9 applying to Art Foundation courses and 15 who are taking a gap year. However, these are not final figures, as there is still over a month to go until the UCAS application process closes- further offers are to come pouring in!

Two notable achievements have been, both Louisa Barrett– who received an unconditional offer to study Mechanical Engineering at Portsmouth University and also Andrew Osborne, who, following studying with us in Year 12, secured a prestigious apprenticeship with a firm of Chartered Surveyors. “I am overjoyed, this could not have been done without the amazing help of all my teachers, and the pastoral care that Chiswick Sixth Form provides” - Louisa Barrett.

One student received an offer from Oxbridge, Isabel Ireland, who will read English at Somerville College, an incredible achievement, as only 25% of applicants who are called for an interview are offered a place.

Jay Polley, Timo Quallington and Ashkun Zolfagharinia have all received offers from top universities.

Other Year 13 students have also received some fantastic offers; Jelena Vukovic has been offered a place at Manchester to study Architecture. BTEC students have also received some impressive offers, 5 sports students being offered places on courses ranging from Footbal l Coaching to Fitness Training.

Students this year have applied to specialist institutions in subjects as diverse as Equine Management, Dance and Contemporary Music. “I am so proud of the broad range of subjects our students are going onto study. It really highlights how, with a strong set of motivated students and hard working teachers, our students can really accomplish anything” Mr Moore, Head of Year 13 told me.

By Maryam Khalifa, Year 12.

JACK PETCHEY AWARD

“She really did our school proud!”.

- Miss Dyment

On 5th December, 26 Year 10 students took part in a workshop to develop their p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d communication skills. This was such a great experience for them, and despite many nerves- they did wonderfully. Suheila Hassan won, and represented Chiswick in the Borough Final, held at Heston C o m m u n i t y S c h o o l , o n Monday 9th December. “She was brilliant” Miss Dyment said, “She really did our school proud!”.

Suheila Speaks Out!

Chiswick School

December 2013

[22]

Year 7 Talent on Show at Winter Concert

On the evening of Wednesday 11th December students, parents and teachers alike fl ocked to the magical scenery of St Nicholas’ Church to enjoy the annual ‘Winter Concert’, organised once again by the talented and hardworking music team.

The night consisted of acts from Year 7 students, along with a few older students who would offer inspiration to the younger talented performers- with both groups giving us traditional and alternative acts. The evening began with a warm rendition of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and H. Blake’s Walking in the Air by the 21 students in the orchestra. This was followed by many group and solo acts the likes of which included Rowan Holtham who blew the audience away with her amazing version of Dream a Little Dream of Me.

The night’s main performers, the Year 7s, definitely did not go unnoticed. ‘Just Glam’ (an all year s e v e n g r o u p ) p e r f o r m e d a marvellous cover of The Cup Song from the fi lm ‘Pitch Perfect.’ As well as this the Year 7 steel pan group and the Advanced Ukulele group both showed off their skills by performing a variety of songs highly enjoyed by the audience. As the evening closed to the end the whole of year 7 came together to give one final performance medley of ‘Price

Tag’, ‘Paparazzi’, ‘Hey Soul Sister’ and ‘Happy Ending’.

The ‘Arts Leaders’ consisting of older musical students really helped the evening to come together and were thanked by Mr Ryan and Ms Raven for all the behind the scenes work they do.

Christmas Concert: Showcase of Talent

On the cold, wet night of Thursday, 12th December, Chiswick School hosted what promised to be ye t a n o t h e r e xc i t i n g a n n u a l Christmas Concert. The event was brilliantly put together (as per usual) by the two talented music teachers – Miss O’Leary and Miss Raven. They sat through many great auditions from the talented musicians from all years, but could sadly pick only a few.

The evening started off with amazing acts such as the Year 9 steel pans, Katie Hull and Caleb Max. The audience then heard Year 13’s Taga and Alice who both gave equally stunning performances of ‘Santa Baby’ and ‘At Last’.

As the night went on, the talent just kept coming as many gifted performers showed us their skills. Jonathan Ajayi and his sister Esther both wowed the crowd with their self- written pieces.

It was a sad night for Year 13s, as the evening would be the last of t h e i r m a ny p e r fo r m a n c e s a t Chiswick School, which have amazed and inspired many other students in the lower years. Let’s hope next year we can showcase the new up and coming talent.By Joe Smale, Year 11.

CONCERTS

Chiswick School

December 2013

[23]

The Eco TeamWhat is the Eco Team?

The Eco Team consists of students throughout the whole of the school from Year 7 to year 13.

We look at both local and global issues that are effecting the environment negatively and decide what we can do to help, this term we have been looking at what we can do to help save energy.

What is switch off fortnight?

Switch off fortnight is a scheme that encourages students and teachers to switch of electrical devices that aren’t being used at school and at home.

What we did?

We decided that we would focus on getting teachers and students to turn off monitors before they went home as we found out that many were being left on overnight which creates a large impact on the amount of energy used.

How did we promote this scheme?

Members of the eco team did presentations to all form groups explaining the goals and how we were going to achieve them during switch off fortnight; also they got the class to sign a pledge promising that they would do their best to save as much electricity at school and at home. In addition to this we gave stickers to teachers reminding them to turn off their monitors when they were finished using them.

How did we measure the progress?

Some members of the Eco Team took the electricity readings of the school before and during switch off fortnight allowing us to compare the results and see if there was any s i g n ifi c a n t c h a n g e . ( R e s u l t s displayed on the left)

Was it effective?

As you can see from the results there was a significant reduction in the amount of energy we used during switch of fortnight. With the prices of electricity continuously increasing it is very important that the school continues to save energy, allowing u s t o p u r c h a s e i m p o r t a n t equipment.

However money is not the only thing being saved. As most people know fossil fuels are a finite resource meaning that it won’t be long until they are no longer available, but by doing our bit to save energy we are reducing the amount of fossil fuels required.

What can we do to improve?

Although switch off fortnight was very effective we still had days where we used above average electricity. This could have been caused by an increase in heaters being used as the temperature got cooler later in the month.

We could improve next year by focusing on more than monitors and look at other important factors that increase our electricity output such as leaving lights on overnight. In addition to this we should make sure that everyone is aware of the advantages to this and that switching off real ly makes a difference.

By Aria Carter, Year 10.

ECO TEAMDATE ENERGY  USED

Monday    11th  November

1662.1

Tuesday    12th  November

1666.4

Wednesday    13th  November

1671.6

Thursday    14th  November===================Pre-­‐  Switch

1712.7Off  fortnight===================

Monday    18th  November

1687.3

Tuesday    19th  November

1429.3

Wednesday    20th  November

1497.2

Thursday    21st  November

1430.5

Friday    22nd  November

1521.7

Monday    25th  November

1725.3

Tuesday    26th  November

1729.5

Wednesday    27th  November

1537.0

Thursday    28th  November

1644.1

Friday    29th  November====================Switch  Off

1632.7Fortnight======================

Chiswick School

December 2013

[24]

My name is Billy and I am a student in 7 Kent. My class had a cake sale to raise money for children in less economically developed countries. All the other forms in Year 7 are doing or have already done a cake sale too. By the time the cake sales are completed we hope to have raised enough money to sponsor 2 children so that their lives can be improved.

The money will go towards things such as helping the children in their education and providing clean water. The money won’t just help the 2 c h i l d r e n , b u t t h e i r w h o l e communities.

We did the sale as part of our work about Justice because we thought it was really unfair that some people in the world have so much, but others have hardly anything.

Our cake sale was a good occasion. We enjoyed making the cakes to sell and people were happy to buy the cakes, It got really busy and we could have sold twice as much as we had! The other form’s sales have also been good. Mr Gill’s form have raised the most money so far, about £70, But most forms have raised about £25 for a good cause.

By Billy Beatty, Year 7.

Chiswick School

December 2013