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CONTENTS

CULTURE CORNER……………………………..PAGE 3 – 7 CURRENT AFFAIRS……………………………..PAGE 8 – 15 TEACHERS AND RHS………………………….PAGE 15 – 24 FASHION, FESTIVALS, POETRY AND SPORTS………………...............PAGE 25 – 32

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“ALICE” CREATES “WONDERLAND” AT RHS: JUNE, 2014 By Miss Danks

Eighty-four 11 – 14 year olds. Who would be brave enough to try to combine the talents, excitement and energy of this combined force and craft it into a cohesive acting ensemble? Introduce Miss Mears, only in her second year of teaching, who not only stepped up to the challenge, but did so with terrific vision, enthusiasm and – almost all the time! – calm. “Alice in Wonderland” was the project selected by Miss Mears to showcase these young people’s talents. Curious readers who didn’t have the privilege of watching this production may well be wondering how on earth 84 students could be usefully and creatively employed in a stage retelling of this well-loved tale, but there the creativity and flexibility began! As well as the Alices (note the plural!), Tweedledum and Tweedledee, White Rabbit, Dodo, Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cat we know and love, Miss Mears found parts for spouses (a Mrs. Mad Hatter), multiple Cheshire cats and a duck, caterpillar and a pair of sheep among many others. The audience was indeed transported to Wonderland from the very start with the beautiful backdrop, painted by Mrs. Kane, the sensitively selected music, atmospheric lighting and a squabbling Tweedledum and Tweedledee reminding us to switch off our “walkie-talkies”! From then on, it was easy to be transported to Lewis Carroll’s crazy and wonderful Wonderland world as the actors

presented with conviction the terrific array of characters. Minimal props were present and physical drama and choral speaking were used inventively to convince us that Alice was passing through doors, eating, drinking, shrinking and growing before our very eyes. When we emerged blinking into a rather stuffy school hall, the sight of the enormous cast beaming at us from the stage reminded us, as Miss Mears wrote in the programme, that this was “a true ensemble piece”. Miss Mears, ably assisted by co-director Miss Allison, had directed a magical performance through patient crafting and careful and reflective dramatic judgement. It may have become a rather drizzly night outside, but the audience scuttling to their cars had been to Wonderland and could still see the glimmer of magic and madness from the corners of their eyes...

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“The Fault in Our Stars”

Graces Our Screens

(Finally) by Sophia Unger

And here it is - the film we've all been waiting for. Whether you're a major fan who has absorbed the novel (more than once - admit it...), or have simply caught wind of this phenomenon of fiction, you are almost guaranteed to have at least the slightest urge to go and see it at the

cinema. Unlike Hazel Grace Lancaster, the feisty yet humble protagonist of the 2014 screen adaption of John Green's international bestselling novel, audiences it seems did not fall in love with the movie "slowly" - just the "all at once" part. The well-loved story revolves around Hazel Grace Lancaster (played by Shailene Woodley), a seventeen year-old cancer patient who becomes romantically involved with the witty, handsome Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort). As much as it is, yes, a love story, “The Fault In Our Stars” captures elements of dealing with loss, life, and the raw truths of the world we live in - all rolled into one to make one huge emotional rollercoaster. But did the film live up to expectations? They say that there is no friend as loyal as a book. Luckily, the “TFiOS“ movie proved to be, much to many fans' delight: it seemed to be almost a visual representation of the novel. However, this proves to be the film's both strength and limitation: there is some element of wish-fulfilment, in the sense that avid fans of the novel got precisely what they may have

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wished for - an almost perfect reproduction, as loyal to the book as any film can be. The limitation, however, is that there seemed to be little breathing room for artistic creativity - could the story not have been enhanced by the big screen? Could the screenwriters have veered away from recreating page on screen, and focused more on creating a more significantly wonderful visual experience for cinema? Despite this, Shailene Woodley's performance as Hazel Grace was near enough flawless. Cutting her hair to achieve the pageboy haircut Hazel Grace sports in the novel, Woodley embraced the role with the passion and in-depth understanding of the character, proclaiming to be a fan of the book. John Green commented that not only did Woodley give excellent auditions, but she "[Shailene] just understood Hazel as I imagined her". Any avid reader will agree that there is nothing better than seeing well-loved fictional characters portrayed in a way that exceeds her own imagination. With a

perfect and heartfelt performance from Woodley, and a particularly moving performance from co-star Ansel Elgort (see scene near the end of the movie with Gus - no spoilers...) to boot, what more could any avid fan of “TFiOS” ask for? RHS Sixth Former Atreyi commented on the film: “It was tear-jerking. I love the story – it’s beautiful. The film did miss out some major parts, though. Some of Isaac’s key parts were missed out, but apart from that it was mostly loyal to the book. I loved it.” For the film, the general consensus seems to match the overwhelming response John

Green himself received for his bestselling novel: of joy, laughter, broken heartedness and raw emotion. It seems that if you do anything this summer, you should go to see the long-awaited “The Fault in Our Stars” movie adaption. Okay? Okay.

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Top 5 Recommended Books for this Summer Roza Kudla

If you are a year 7 and looking for a gripping read for this summer then here is a list of the top 5 books recommended by other year 7. Enjoy!

1) “The Fault in our Stars” by John Green is definitely compulsory if you haven’t read it

already. It charts the developing love between Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus

Waters, two teenagers who meet at a support group for young people with cancer.

When I asked Tabatha Luckhurst (who was the first of many in our year group to

recommend it), she said, “The best book ever - wait, don’t put that, it is beautifully

written, very emotional but a laugh out loud book as well.”

2) “The Recruit” by Robert Muchamore is a book which I hadn’t heard of before but

Emily and Amulik (who both recommended it) say, “It is adventurous, never a dull

moment, it’s about spy kids; what can be better than that!”

3) “Geek Girl” by Holly Smale is probably a more relaxed and easy read (perfect for the

summer) and Harriet when asked why says, “Because it is about an ordinary girl (who

is a geek!) but then she gets a sparkling opportunity to change her life.”

4) “Emerald Star” by Jacqueline Wilson, recommended by Marina, is also an easier read

but more emotional. It’s the final book in the Hetty Feather trilogy. Hetty was

abandoned at the Foundling Hospital as a newborn baby. Marina says, “It is so

gripping and when I read the book, I felt I could not physically put it down!”

5) “Fallen” by Lauren Kate is a book which is a personal favourite of mine and is a gothic

and romance novel about a young woman who is sent to reform school. I was the

one who suggested it to Alishah and now she is recommending it to all of you. She

says, “It is enchanting, deeply romantic and I’m a sucker for romance. It gives you a

fantasy that is so life like you could reach out and touch it.”

I hope you will find these recommendations useful and will enjoy them as many others have.

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Cinema Releases The Cinema has been exploding recently with new releases such as “22 Jump Street” and “The Fault in our Stars”, both of which have smashed through the roof in ticket sales. So what has made these films such hits? Starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, “22 Jump Street” hit the cinemas on the 6th June. Following its highly acclaimed “21 Jump Street” predecessor, “22 Jump Street” certainly had a lot of expectations to live up to. The success of the first film set the audiences up, ready to pounce on seats the moment they were available. From reviews, one can gather how highly recommended it is for everyone to go and see. The question is now; will there be another film to follow this sequel?

Of course the most recent film to hit our cinemas, the film known for making grown men cry is “The Fault in our Stars”. This film was based on the book by John Green, which in the minds of many youngsters (and adults too) is one of the freshest books around. The book is the main reason the film has such high expectations. Based around the lives of two young adults who fall in love, it will certainly be seen by a lot of people, and will probably use up all the nation’s tissues. The other film that has taken the nation by surprise is “Maleficent” starring Angelina Jolie. Personally I wasn’t expecting much from the film, but the unravelling of the untold story was truly magical. It grabbed our attention with a promised plot twist (and Angelina Jolie’s cheekbones), and then it shows us a different side to all the

characters.

So what other films are due to hit the big screen? Well nothing too big is currently lined up in the near future, but we do have the well waited for sequel to “How to Train Your Dragon” to look forward to. The first film arrived five years ago and has been a big success so far. In the more distant future, the world is preparing for “Finding Dory”!

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WHAT IS A TRUE ‘BRITISH VALUE’?

By Lauren Wills

As education secretary Michael Gove announces that ‘British values' should be taught in the school curriculum, we asked your form what you considered to be a truly British ‘value’. Here are your suggestions:

The Royal Family

Caring (such as with the NHS)

Equality and fairness

Respect

Democracy; freedom of speech and

expression

Tolerance

Politeness

Acceptance of other cultures

Queuing (requiring patience and politeness)

Honesty

Justice

Not upholding stereotypes

British spellings

Support for our sports people

Benefits

American Literature (possibly put forward in backlash against Michael Gove

suggesting that this should no longer be taught in British schools)

Drinking tea

Fish and chips

Many students feel that as Britain is a multi-cultural society, it makes it difficult to define any particular values as inherently “British”. If we are all treated equally, in the true British spirit, then surely a promotion of ‘British’ values contradicts this ideology.

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GOOD-BYE

COURSEWORK

Cutting down our coursework in order to try and stay within the word count is something which almost all of us will have undoubtedly suffered, but something which we no longer have to worry about. Coursework is being scrapped at GCSE. In what is being called the “biggest shake-up of exams in England for a generation” the changes will see coursework being scrapped for most subjects (as well as a new grading system using numbers instead of letters).

The changes will occur in stages, starting with pupils due to take GCSE exams in Maths and English in 2017 – those who turn 13 this academic year will be the first to experience the new system.

We sent a survey around the school in order to gain your opinion of coursework being scrapped. In response to the question “Do you agree with coursework being removed from the assessment of GCSE?” 95% of you said ‘No’, 4% abstained from giving an opinion, and only 1% said that they did agree with it. On top of this, in order to delve into its possible impact, our Radar team questioned Miss Allison to get her view on scrapping English coursework.

She expressed the concern that it would have a serious effect on less able students (thereby perhaps not having as much of an impact on us at Rugby High) and that those who don’t work well under pressure in exams might suffer. Inevitably, there will be

more pressure on the students for the exams and on the teachers too.

The loss of English coursework could result in a loss of skills, as coursework provides students the opportunity to develop their writing style techniques independently and practice and explore skills essential for later life and university. A further loss is a developed ability to manage time, something which we have to learn to perfect when coursework planning.

Clearly, many students at RHS are concerned about coursework no longer being part of the assessment process at GCSE and see it as detrimental; however, the end of coursework will eradicate the chance of students bumping up their grades by having too much assistance in their coursework.

A possible outcome of these changes will be that fewer students across the UK will pass their GCSEs. Don’t worry though, Rugby High Girls. The English department will do their utmost to prepare you thoroughly for the new challenges of 100% exams!

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Leaving Year Eleven By Evie Kane

Leaving Year 11 was an event I didn’t think would ever occur; I simply assumed that the recent bout of tiring exams would go on forever but, despite this, eventually, after what seemed like years of excruciating torture and heaps of stress, they did draw to a close. Which leaves me, and I’m sure most of year 11, with a dilemma: how on earth are we going to occupy ourselves for 11 whole weeks? Of course there will be a lot of sleeping and copious hours spent rocking back and forth in the corner slowly spiralling into the depths of madness dreading and simultaneously longing for results day, but this still leaves a lot of time for extreme boredom to creep in. One of the phrases I haven’t been able to escape is ‘Oh haven’t you grown up, I can’t believe you’ve just done GCSEs.’ Parents’ friends can’t help themselves but use patronising statements of the sort. But aside from belittling you, they do make a fair point. For example since year 7 I’ve

changed a lot; I acquired glasses, I grew taller, I’m a lot less ginger than I was back then (thankfully!) , somehow I have even more freckles and I’d like to think I’ve become slightly more mature. I can understand their disbelief at my finishing Year 11 as these people probably still remember me as a child with cute ginger curls spilling over my head as I was bounding around the playground or playing with my Barbie dolls, so I think it is strange to see somebody grow up so quickly. But there is part of me that is also in shock; most mornings I wake up and panic as it’s 8 o’Clock and I’m going to miss the bus, but then I realise that I’m on holiday already. I just don’t feel old enough to have done GCSEs; I think I’d have preferred a game of Playmobil or a session in my dolls’ house or something I feel my imploding brain could deal with. Even though I’ll be returning for sixth form (touch wood), I have a strange misplaced sense of nostalgia making me feel extremely old. I won’t be

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leaving but I still know there are many things I’ll miss about our unique School. For instance, the extreme range of conversations to be overheard: in one room people could be at one another’s throats furiously debating about the Scottish independence debate, some people are discussing their emotional dependence on fictional characters and others are planning their inevitable rise to power as dictators. I feel genuinely privileged to have been educated at RHS for the past five years and to have the opportunity to continue on for another two years. The school is a buzzing hive of ideas, intellect and inspiration and I am thankful to have been spent the past years here and it has been fabulous spending time in such a unique and stimulating school, filled with a community of people who want to learn and achieve. Not only are we driven to academic success we all are able to experience a good time and form wonderful memories. Take our mad dressing up days; where else do students express their love for books by dressing up as the Gruffalo, Elmer

and a range of other characters? My RHS experience has been amazing and I can’t wait for the next two years to come. It feels unbelievably strange to be leaving for such a long time but to be honest I do need to sleep, maybe even hibernate to recover from the exams. So I have 11 weeks of stress, sleep and searching for a summer job.

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Curriculum changes and their impact on you

Hope Purcell Though almost every post GCSE student was aghast at the idea that people will no longer be studying “Of Mice and Men”, some of you may have been left wondering what these new education rules really mean and exactly what impact they will have on you. Last month, Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, and the Department of Education as a whole were given the power to close free schools and academies if they do not showcase "fundamental British values". However, this is a very ambiguous statement as these values are very hard to define. When asking around school, ideas of what these values may be were ‘politeness’, ‘kindness’ and ‘acceptance’ amongst others. Though it is unlikely a school will be shut if they do not manage to queue in an orderly fashion (everyone’s

favourite British value), there will be obvious changes. The area affected most, especially at RHS, is the GCSE English set texts. Now every student has to study Romantic Poets, a 19th century novel, a Shakespeare play and another British text. This therefore has an impact on the freedom of text choice for teachers and, perhaps for some, how much they enjoy studying English. In turn this could risk building resentment and dislike of British literary heritage, something which many A Level Literature students were very worried about. On top of this, there is the obvious fact that from 2015, GCSEs will move from coursework and continuous assessment to exams at the end of two years. Needless to say, Rugby

Above: Mr Michael Gove

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High will deal with these changes, but whether or not these changes will be positive or negative is something that will only be seen over time. I asked Ms Marten for her response to the examination changes. “In many ways these changes are taking us back to how it was when my generation sat A levels and O levels: lots of high stakes examinations with no opportunity to resit and no coursework. The new examinations are designed to be challenging and there will be a lot more content for students to learn. These changes are being introduced gradually over a number of years. English and Mathematics are the first GCSEs to change in 2015. We have already begun discussing with staff the changes that we will need to make to the curriculum and to the school

calendar to ensure that students will be well prepared and we will be discussing our plans with you in Student Council and also with your parents. The educational pendulum is swinging away from able students sitting large numbers of GCSEs. Most people agree that in future eight or

nine GCSEs will be the norm. This does mean some pretty dramatic changes to our curriculum. The situation may change if the government changes as a result of

next year’s general election as the Labour Party have very different ideas, especially about A level, so we won’t be doing anything very dramatic in the short term.”

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Scottish Independence : should

younger citizens be allowed to

vote? Hannah Peto

On the 18th September 2014 a referendum will be held in Scotland posing the question ‘should Scotland be an independent country?’

The Scottish Independence Referendum (Franchise) Bill has given 16-17 year olds the right to vote in this referendum. This would mean many Year 11 students would be eligible to cast their vote and have an impact on the running of Scotland and the UK. The question is girls, would you feel informed and able to make a political decision which would alter the future of the UK?

In Scotland, in recent polls, only a quarter of 16-17yr olds would actually vote ‘yes’ for an independent Scotland with 45% saying they should be allowed to vote because ‘it’s my country too’. One of the reasons for this desire for union has arisen from the increasing popularity of Harry Styles and his fellow bandmates with the study of 5-17 year olds revealing that a fifth of Scottish children’s favourite thing about being part of the UK is One Direction. Moreover 15% of the children involved in this poll where under the impression Alex Salmond (leader of the Scottish National Party and First Minister for Scotland) was captain of the Scottish football team. Cameron wasn’t as well-known as he might have hoped though, as one in ten (10 per cent) Scottish kids are under the impression that the UK

Prime Minister is the Queen’s husband. Luckily for Alex Salmond, not all of his future voters were entirely sure what the Scottish referendum actually was – as a sixth (15 per cent) thought that it referred to the moment when Scotland votes to elect a new King or Queen, and three per cent thought that it was when Scotland votes for a Eurovision entry. These figures suggest that a voting age this young is ill advised. Contrastingly Grant Costello MYSP, member of the Scottish Youth Parliament said that ’16 and 17 year olds’ are smart, rational, articulate people who should be treated as full citizens’. He said ‘Young people rely on public services such as transport and schools, but they have no influence over policies which affect their lives - it's no wonder they are disengaged. Lowering the voting age gives these young people the chance to have their say over the society they want to be part of. Recognising that the important issues equally affect young people, acknowledging they are capable of making decisions, and encouraging them to be part of society - those are the reasons why 16- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote.

However, as you ladies are in or heading for this age group, what is your opinion?

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International news update: what’s going on in Thailand? Holly Patrick

On 22nd May 2014 the leader of the Thai military announced that the army would be taking over the government. This came after months of public protests against the ruling party and is Thailand’s 12th coup since 1932.

Protests against the former government started in November 2013 when tens of thousands of

opposition supporters took to the streets in Bangkok. This was sparked by botched economic policies which alienated Thai farmers and unpopular former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, refused to step down. However, the pressure on the Prime Minister continued to mount and she was forced to bring forward elections to February 2014. These elections were later declared invalid as they were interrupted by opposition supporters. The constitutional court then ordered the PM and several key ministers to stand down over numerous claims of corruption; it was amidst this confusion the army took over.

The army then set about consolidating its power, calling in journalists, academics and key political figures and persuading them to co-operate with the new regime. At the beginning of this month General Prayuth Chan-ocha (chief of the Thai military) said that new elections will not be held for at least another year. The army has faced resistance; however this has been limited and deteriorated in the weeks after the coup.

The army has received the royal endorsement of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and has stated that its aims are to bring stability back to Thailand.

Teachers Pet- Mr. Marley and Toby Emmie Cleaton

We caught up with Mr. Marley this week to find out about his dog Toby, a 9 month old Springer Labrador cross. Why did you decide to get a dog? My wife and I would like to have children and so before then we needed a dog as we both knew we wanted one. Also, dogs are fun and walking is jolly - good exercise too.

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What’s the funniest thing that you’ve experienced with Toby? Trying to get out of a duvet I wrapped him in, or Toby circling Katie’s dad with the lead and knocking him over. What’s Toby’s favourite food? Dog food – we don’t want to give him human food in case he comes to like it and then tries to snatch it from our children when we have them. How often do you walk Toby? We walk him for 40 minutes in the morning from 6-6.40am then he gets an hour to an hour and a half in the evening. We walk him all over the place, trying to vary his route to keep him entertained. Does Toby have any annoying tendencies? Eating my strawberries! Why does he do that - why? He also tries to box with me occasionally. Has Toby caused any arguments? Not really, only silly ones like who will let him out if Masterchef is on. Is your dog well trained? If so, how did you train him? Yes- he can sit, lie down, roll over, give his paw, crossover, and wait and stay for 30 metres. Toby was trained using repetition and rewards. Can he do any impressive tricks? He can bounce incredibly high: he will often jump on the kitchen counter - pesky boy! Would you consider getting another dog? Not yet as it wouldn’t be fair on him, maybe when he is older he could have a little pal, but he is quite happy with us and his cousins (Katie’s parents’ two dogs).

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THE GOLDEN AGE OF

A GOLDEN TEACHER

By Atreyi Chakrabarty

As most of us know, Mrs Watts, the wonderful head of sixth form, is bidding farewell to RHS soon. Having been a part of the RHS family for 21 years, she says “I must leave before people realise that I am a relic!” Of course all of us would protest against that because Mrs Watts is like gold in the treasure chest. So before she escapes I thought we needed an insight into her glorious career and her time with us so far.

About 35 years ago, having studied for a joint honours degree in English Literature and Psychology, Mrs Watts embarked on VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) in Indonesia. She volunteered as an English teacher in a small village in central Java, living in a basic house lacking basic amenities such as water and electricity. She taught English and Drama at a teacher training college. She spent two years there with little or no communication with home: “no emails, no phone calls, only air mail letters,” she says with a smile,

reminiscing over the good old days. Near the end of those two years, Mrs Watts met her husband. Together they moved back to the UK, to London, and Mrs Watts started working in language schools. After a while, they got married, and decided to move back to Indonesia, to Jakarta, the capital city. There Mrs Watts became director of studies at a language school, and trained Indonesian nationals to teach English as a foreign language. After 3 years, she returned to the UK for further qualifications. Then the couple, with their new baby, moved to West Africa, Senegal and then Burkina Faso, for a year. There Mrs Watts was teaching in a desert under a canopy – anyone interested in learning English who turned up, she would teach. After this fantastic volunteering experience, they moved back to Indonesia for three years, during which time Mrs

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Watts had her daughter. She taught part time in a school there during this time. Then the family came back to the UK to raise their children where they could have roots; Mr Watts had got a job at Practical Action, a technological charity based in Bourton-on-Dunsmore which is what brought them to Rugby. This is when Mrs Watts started using the other half of her degree and switched to teaching Psychology at Rugby College, teaching adults.

In 1993, Mrs Watts took her first steps into RHS. Now, she originally planned

to be here for 2-3 years and then move somewhere else, but due to her children she settled here – how lucky for us too! “It was very surprising that I joined RHS because I went to a girls’ grammar school in Sheffield and I absolutely hated it there,” she says. When asked about her first impressions of RHS as of 1993, Mrs Watts said that “the students, called ‘pupils’ in those days, were very passive and were not given any responsibility. They were lovely people. But the school seemed complacent compared to other places,” she was tentative in saying so but of course means no offence! Over her time in the school, she saw RHS gradually changing for the better to be where we are now – “the students are significantly empowered. For sixth formers, the more responsibility they are given the better they are. The staff student relationships are very mature, and the students’ feedback indicates the same.” She also said that RHS is lucky to have such “amazing staff”. The staff Mrs Watts met back in 1993 who are still present here today are Madame Chabert, prof de français, and Mrs Gorton – commonly known as the super Mrs G! These two lovely souls have been in Mrs Watts’s whole RHS career. There have been many other new staff over the years, who all

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became part of a big family. Mrs Watts has been to weddings celebrated pregnancies and new arrivals, and sadly attended some funerals. “We have gone through many ups and downs together, being part of a sort of big family”, she adds wistfully.

Well, all good things come and go, and that is also true for Mrs Watts. Retiring from RHS, she will be moving to Monmouthshire, in Wales, and doing some new part time work – she has no idea what that might be yet! “I will truly miss the busy-ness here at RHS”, she adds. I asked her for some

parting words to share with us to impart some of her wisdom and she readily said this:

“Money isn’t everything. Make the most of your life!”

Mrs Watts is embarking on a new adventure and we at RHS would like to wish her all the success and convey our best wishes in whatever her exciting life holds for her next! We will treasure her legacy over many more years to come.

You shall be sorely missed Mrs Watts.

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UPdate from DOWN under By Mrs Wallace

So in the several weeks that Miss Botting has been living in Aus, what has she been up to? Not being one ever to sit still for long she really did hit the ground running and within the 1st two weeks had completed numerous courses, ranging from Health and Safety to Tennis coaching. Miss Botting and her partner Dave then had planned a 2 week holiday to Brisbane, as this was an area they did not have time to visit on their last trip to Australia. Whilst there they visited the famous Australia Zoo, set up by Steve Irwin, and had the chance to cuddle with Koalas and watch staff wrestle with crocodiles. Once back in Adelaide it was time to find somewhere to live. Thankfully, after not too much house hunting, they have found a gorgeous place to rent that is 5 minutes from the beach and has an en suite bathroom hidden behind what looks like a sliding wardrobe door. They have also purchased a Smart Car with a soft –top (I can only imagine what the two of them must look like cruising around in that!). Dave has also been successful in being appointed as senior research and evaluation officer for the department of communities and social inclusion; Miss Botting however is unable to expand on what that actually means and what he will be doing! They report home via Skype weekly and I have been lucky enough to be given one of her precious time slots on a couple of occasions. The pair of them are looking fantastic and with a combination of continuous sunshine and socialising with new friends at BBQs they really have settled into Aussie life well. Miss Botting sends her love to all students and staff at RHS.

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Scout DuMont: the school dog? By Freya Davis

In the past couple of years, an idea has been bubbling ... Ms DuMont has been thinking of introducing, Scout, her dog, to the school. Would this choice be good for the school and would the introduction of a dog affect the school positively? Ms DuMont says, “I'm not sure we could say that my dog, Scout, is our school dog, although that was certainly my intention when I got her two and a half years ago. She still has some growing up to do before she could come into school in any long term official way. I do sometimes bring her into school to play ball with the girls at lunchtime, but we haven't done this for some time.” A school dog could comfort students in times of need, especially as dogs seem to act like friends to humans. However, if students were allergic or afraid of dogs might this

cause a problem? Ms DuMont adds “Scout and I have appeared in Radar before and I hope you will be able to read more about her in an edition in the not too distant future. By then I'll have a much better idea of how Scout will respond to people (she needs to jump up to greet people a lot less than she currently does), and how well she'll cope with being our school dog.” What do you think about the possibility of Scout becoming the school dog? E-mail The Radar via Miss Danks (danksr@rugbyhighschool.co.uk) to share your views.

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THE SECRET SKILLS OF

MRS SHIRLEY Estella Haynes

Everyone can do that little something that they keep hidden: something they learnt in their childhood, or learnt naturally. Perhaps you can juggle, or maybe walk the tightrope. But what hidden skills does Mrs Shirley have?

When she was at university, Mrs Shirley was into jiving with friends. She started jiving because there were so many parties and discos at university at which she and her friends got bored of normal dancing, so they started jiving.

“We didn’t do a proper jive, we made up our own special one handed jive.”

They entered all types of competitions, and when Mrs Shirley worked at a youth club, she could give others dance lessons, and put on shows.

“I did really enjoy it, because it boosts your confidence, and it’s just something different. Once you have done one thing like this you feel more comfortable in everything else you do.”

Another skill that Mrs Shirley has kept hidden is her experience in the past of bull fighting!

“When I was spending a year in Spain, the teacher I was working with was madly into flamenco dancing and bull fighting; he was typically Spanish! One day he got me to try bull fighting; it was in a small village, and I was in a small ring with a cape which was pink on one side and yellow on the other. I got to practice waving it for a bit, and then he released a baby bull into the ring.”

It’s certainly not what you expect Mrs Shirley could do!

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GOODBYE, MRS MOORE

Chloe Pressler

As we bid a sad and very fond farewell to Mrs. Moore, we take the opportunity to find out a few of her reflections of her time in teaching... First of all, may we ask about your MBE? It’s for service to education and I’ll receive it in about six months’ time. How long have you been a teacher and what are your best memories? I have worked at RHS for 15 years but before that I was a teacher in Leamington and I was Head of Hall. My best memories at RHS...there are so many! Probably when I'm sitting in my office working and there's a knock at my door and there are students eagerly suggesting exciting new charity events. I am inspired by the enthusiasm and there are fantastic young people working in school. Also the support on sports day; I love watching girls supporting their friends and running with them, it's fantastic! Have you got any bad memories? There have definitely been more

good times than bad! What are your plans for the future? I’d like to travel some more; I've been to Europe, Latin America and Indonesia but I haven't had the time recently. I also want to spend time with my dad and catch up with friends. What is your advice to RHS students? Never lose enthusiasm and the capacity to take part in a variety of things. Just go for it. Be aware of how fantastic you are! This is such a special school with fantastic adults! They're so dedicated and generous with their time - it's a real delight!

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Anjali Neel reports on MFL teacher Ms

Vann’s Favourite Things.

Favourite Colour: Turquoise

Favourite Outfit: Jeans, T-shirt and Birkenstocks

Favourite Animal: Cat

Favourite Celebrity: The Queen

Favourite Sport: “I’m afraid that I don’t like any sport!”

Favourite Food: Chocolate: “nothing else comes close!”

Favourite Artist: “Shakira of course!”

Favourite Clothes Shop: Monsoon

Favourite Day of the Week: Wednesday - “my day off!”

Favourite Season: Spring

SLUG CLUB ADVANCED NOTICE FOR SEPTEMBER!

Slug Club* will be switching to a once a month event focussed group next year from its current once a week format. Look out for more details of upcoming events on the new Slug Club board outside Gurdon Lab. Mr. Koe. *Note for new readers: Slug Club is Rugby High School’s extra-curricular environmental group.

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FESTIVAL FASHION By Deanna Baldwin

So you've seen the line-up of music festivals are going on across the

country. Even if you're not going to a festival this summer you can still

channel the laid back vibes that come with the vibrant festival lifestyle.

Remember to put theses festival essentials on your check list so you can

make the most of the summer days that lie ahead.

If lazing around in the sunshine is your idea of a

perfect summer then a low key no fuss outfit is

what you'll want Take some inspiration from the

past and throw on some cut-off dungarees for a

laid back look. They’re simple and stylish and you'll

be sure to have fun in the

sun.

We all love some time out in

the sunshine but sometimes we forget the need to

stay protected when the sun’s rays are at their

strongest. It can be hard though to find a way to

cover up and stay cool. No worries when you can

beat the heat in a Kimono. Safeguard from the sun

and feel fabulous by draping a silky kimono over

your shoulders.

Sunglasses: the sun will be shining this summer,

not in your eyes though if you pick up a pair of

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sunglasses. It's all about eyewear that really makes a statement. There’s a

whole selection of styles to suit your preference but why not try out the

trend with some rounded shades.

The summer holidays may be the time of year

we look forward to for the days of endless

sunshine which we've already seen so far this

year. However there's no doubt the weather can

be very temperamental and take a turn for the

worse. Never fear though! A sudden downpour

is all part of the festival experience. Pack a mac

with you, it’ll be light enough to carry round

when exploring the festivities whilst ensuring

you stay covered in the rain. This clear one is

great if you've collated a fabulous outfit that

you don't want to hide with another layer.

And what would a festival be without a few

flowers in your hair to really make you feel at

one with nature? Essential for getting in the

spirit of the great outdoors, whether you're

wearing simple daisies or an extravagant wreath

intertwined with your locks. You'll be sure to

feel like royalty either way in a floral crown.

Whatever you've got planned for the summer months remember to relax,

stay safe and have a wonderful time!

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The Radar Festival Guide 2014 By Holly Patrick

Latitude: 17th-20th July, Suffolk The Independent claims that “Latitude remains queen of arts festivals”, and with a large number of comedy, theatre and literary acts plus live music, this is certainly true of the nature of this festival. Music this year includes sets from Two Door Cinema Club, Damon Albarn, The Black Keys, Editors, Haim, Bombay Bicycle Club, Tame Impala plus many more. Comedy acts such as Kevin Bridges, Dara Ó Briain, Simon Amstell, Josh Widdicome are also at Latitude, as well as

theatre performances from the likes of the RSC and other companies. Bestival: 4th-7th September, Isle of Wight Winner of the Best Major Festival 2012, Bestival promises a great atmosphere and performances from artists such as Outkast, Foals, Chic ft. Nile Rogers (who has challenged the festival to create the world’s biggest disco ball for their set), Disclosure, Chvrches, London Grammar, Sam Smith and Wolf Alice to name but a few. Make sure to take your fancy dress if you go – this year’s theme is yet to be decided.

Reading and Leeds: 22nd-24th August Popular amongst young people, Reading and Leeds have brought in some of the biggest names in music to play this year - Queens Of The Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, Blink-182, Paramore, Jake Bugg, Vampire Weekend, Peace, Papa Roach, The 1975 are just a few examples. It usually sells out, so get your tickets quickly if you’re thinking of going.

Lovebox: 18th-19th July, Victoria Park (London) Lovebox always book big names, and this year they’ve managed to bring on board Chase and Status, M.I.A, Nas, A$AP Rocky, Katy B, Crystal Fighters, The Horrors, V V Brown, Sub Focus,

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Maverick Sabre together with many more huge acts. Described as “a place to come to dance in the sun, to let your hair down, to be whatever you want, to forget your worries, and above all, to celebrate life and love”.

V Festival: 16th-17th August, Chelmsford/Staffordshire V Festival offers a bill of predominantly crowd favourites: acts this year include Justin Timberlake, The Killers, Ed Sheeran, Paolo Nutini, Chic ft Nile Rogers, Lily Allen, Blondie, Miles Kane, Tinie Tempah, Rizzle Kicks; alongside comedy sets from Alan Carr, Adam Hills, Dapper Laughs and many others – V festival caters for a wide audience.

What to pack:

Tent and sleeping bag/blanket

Torch (plus batteries if needed)

Sun cream and insect repellent plus any medication/plasters – painkillers may be

useful to bring too

Clothing for all seasons (especially waterproofs) plus spares

Strong shoes plus plenty of clean socks

Bum bag/small bag

Toiletries (deodorant, dry shampoo etc) and small towel

Makeup – if you really need to bring it, bring as little as possible!

Baby wipes, tissues and hand sanitizer

Camera (pocket sized or disposable)

Mobile phone and charger/extra battery

Money or cash card (cash withdrawals are usually charged)

ID (check the age restrictions before you book tickets)

Cooking equipment/food (although you can buy food there it may be expensive

Water bottles

Toilet roll – some festivals (such as Reading and Leeds) don’t provide it!

Remember your ticket!

Only bring what you can afford to lose. There is no way of making a tent secure, but most festivals offer a locker service to store valuables in for a small fee, which can be very useful for storing phones and some even include phone charging stations (although taking expensive mobile phones is not advised). Before you go to any festival, check their website to make sure you don’t take anything that will not be allowed into the site, for example glass.

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Poetry….

Need a cut?

There once lived a pretty girl,

Her head was filled with pretty curls,

As she grew so did her hair,

Until it became so long and fair.

Her mum and dad could not believe,

What her hair could achieve,

And when she brushed it, with her brush,

It shined so bright, it looked so lush.

It stunned the world, and the stars,

It stunned the bikes, and the cars,

It stunned the people, of the town,

And yet still, did she frown.

Her mother asked, “My dear what’s wrong?”

She replied “My hair does pong!

I wash it every day and night,

But it stinks so much it gives a fright!

Oh what would the people think?

Knowing that my hair does stink?”

Her mother replied with a smile,

“Wash it again, and leave it for a while”,

So she did as she was told,

She washed it until it looked gold,

She waited for a several hours,

In her bedroom, then the castle towers,

She was so bored of waiting there,

How was this helping her hair?

She hung it out the window high,

Hoping that her hair would dry,

Improved area

But when she felt a tug, tug, tug

She saw nothing and gave a shrug,

But then when she turned around,

She looked behind and what she found,

Was a figure in a cloak,

And it said with a croak,

“Read this letter, and you will learn”

As she read, her stomach churned,

It was a letter from a stranger,

Could her hair be in danger?

She didn’t know, what it meant,

But this puzzle did torment,

Her little brain, it couldn’t perceive,

So she put it up her sleeve,

She ran to her mum and asked her why,

What it was, she started to cry,

“Oh mummy, oh mummy who could be

Who could be so cruel to me?”

Her mother sighed and said quite low,

“Your hair is too long; it just grows!

You need to sort it out tonight,

Because that note is all quite right”.

And the note sure enough,

Did not lie it did not bluff,

It said, “You don’t need a prince or a king,

Or any special diamond rings,

To cure your sadness, you don’t need a

professor,

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, call a hairdresser!”

Hannah Brookes

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World Cup 2014 By Verity Wade

The long awaited 2014 Brazil World Cup will be remembered for years to come, as the year the England team were knocked out of the cup after only two matches. After losing 2-1 to both Italy and Uruguay, England’s only hope was that Italy would then go on to win both their remaining matches. Unfortunately, Costa Rica’s victory was our defeat, and we were sent home whilst still in the group stages for the first time since 1958. However, England’s short-comings aren’t the only detrimental effect of The World Cup this year. Before the football even began, police raided the shanty towns, leaving many people dead - including children, killed by stray bullets.

In addition, the country’s government is spending little to no money on education or healthcare, meaning many of the Brazilian people are living in poverty. This has caused a stir amongst the Brazilian people and a lot of anti-FIFA graffiti has been found around Brazil, as well has many protests being held. Also, many people have taken to social media, to raise awareness of this

awful truth, using the hash-tag #NotGoingToBrazil in order to promote a boycotting of the World Cup, so that fans are not funding a government who would rather spend millions of pounds on an eight-week game rather than on their own people. Protesters have been present throughout the games, and have been attempting to send a message across the world of

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the injustice of the World Cup, and hopefully raise awareness of the current state of their country. One protester in Rio de Janeiro said: "A country that doesn't have health, has no education, no security, proper homes – and yet they invest 30 billion reais1 in a World Cup which brings nothing to us – no benefits,”. Who knows how they will cope with the 2016 Olympics. Another one bites the dust

On Tuesday the 24th of June, Luis Suarez, who plays for both Uruguay and Liverpool, bit a member of the opposing team, during an Italy vs. Uruguay game. Georgio Chiellini, the receiver of the bite, immediately reacted to this exposing the area to the crowd, and shouting, presumably at

the ref, who failed to react to this incident. Suarez, after initiating the bite, fell to the ground holding his mouth in pain, not concealing what he just did at all. Luis Saurez was banned from playing for nine matches, meaning he

missed the rest of the World Cup. The ban is the biggest in World Cup history, beating the eight games given to Italy's Mauro Tassotti for elbowing Spain's Luis Enrique in 1994. This is not the first time an incident like this has happened. He has been found guilty of biting

opponents three times now. Whilst playing for Liverpool, Saurez bit Chelsea defender, Branislav Ivanovic, in 2013 and Otman Bakka in 2010. Young boys and girls all over the world will be watching Saurez’s behaviour, and think it is the appropriate way to behave; he said in an interview: "These are just things that happen out on the pitch". This ban will hopefully teach him that his actions have consequences, and will also serve as revenge for scoring both goals against England in their match against Uruguay!

1 reais plural of reals – Brazilian currency.

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Sports Day Results

Year / Position House Points

Year 7

1st R 69

2nd G 68

3rd H 60

4th S 48

Year 8

1st R 87

2nd H 79

3rd S 58

Year 9

1st H 75

2nd R 70

3rd S 68

Year 10

1st R 76

2nd H 74

3rd S 63

Full school

1st R 302

2nd H 288

3rd G 272

4th S 237

Result if Glennie score is

multiplied by 4 for full

representation

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CREDITS MISS DANKS

SOPHIA UNGER

ROZA KUDLA

LAUREN WILLS

EVIE KANE

HOPE PURCELL

HOLLY PATRICK

EMMIE CLEATON

HANNAH PETO

MRS WALLACE

ATREYI CHAKRABARTY

FREYA DAVIS

ESTELLA HAYNES

CHLOE PRESSLER

ANJALI NEEL

DEANNA BALDWIN

HANNAH BROOKS

VERITY WADE

PREFECTS

PHOTOCOPYING: MS CLEWLOW WE THANK THE PTA FOR GENEROUSLY PAYING

FOR THE PHOTOCOPYING OF THE RADAR. EDITING AND PUBLISHING: ATREYI CHAKRABARTY SPECIAL THANKS TO MISS DANKS!

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