16 july – NEWSLETTER

Year 12 Chemistry students recently visited UCL to experience chemistry in a university research environment. The day began with an inspiring lecture from a PhD researcher on cutting-edge chemical research before students carried out the nitration of an aromatic compound in a professional laboratory.

Students worked with specialist equipment and reagents, including concentrated acids and a Büchner funnel with a vacuum pump.  They then analysed their products using an infra-red (IR) spectrometer, applying the spectroscopy skills they had recently learned in lessons!

The visit was an excellent opportunity to develop practical skills, explore university-level chemistry, and gain an insight into life as a research scientist. 

The day began with a walk through the grounds of the Louvre, where Maryam enjoyed taking photos of the impressive architecture, glass pyramid and beautiful gardens. From there, students made their way to the Musée d’Orsay, Ashari enjoyed seeing the amazing artwork on display and was especially impressed by the statues and the impressionist collection.

Later in the day, the group took a boat trip along the River Seine, which Ashari described as a great way to see the sights of Paris. Seeing the Eiffel Tower from the boat was one of the most memorable moments of the visit.

For Florence, the best part of the trip was spending time with her friends while exploring Parisian culture. She enjoyed discovering different parts of the city, soaking up the atmosphere and experiencing a new environment together with her classmates.

The trip was a wonderful opportunity for students to develop their cultural understanding, build confidence in their language skills and create lasting memories. Throughout the day, students represented the school brilliantly and embraced every opportunity to learn from the experience. We are proud of their enthusiasm and look forward to future educational visits. 

This year’s Culture Week was a fantastic celebration of the rich diversity within our school community. Throughout the week, students had the opportunity to take part in a variety of engaging workshops, learning about different cultures, traditions, art forms, music and customs from around the world. The workshops provided valuable opportunities for students to broaden their understanding, share their own experiences and appreciate the many cultures that make our school so special.

The celebrations continued with our spectacular evening performances, where students took to the stage to showcase an incredible range of talents. From energetic dance routines and musical performances to cultural displays and spoken word presentations, the audience was treated to an unforgettable evening. The confidence, dedication and enthusiasm shown by all performers highlighted the importance of celebrating identity, heritage and community.

Last week, Year 7 went out to sunny Highbury Fields to complete an infiltration test as part of their geography fieldwork lessons. They assessed the impact humans have on flooding by investigating how the desire path impacts the levels of infiltration.

A desire path is an unplanned small trail formed by erosion caused by human or animal traffic. The path usually represents the shortest or the most easily navigated route between two points, which is why Highbury Fields was such a great place to find an example of it.

Watersports is a unique club that has been running this summer term. It has been an opportunity to make good friends with students from different year groups and a chance to build trust as they all work together. Watersports club says:

“It is great fun, enjoyable and boy do you get fit while you go, we are all so much stronger now.  It really puts you in a good mood, it is such a great form of exercise. You learn to capsize a kayak, swim, paddle board, and be brave enough to jump in the water from stacked up paddleboards.  We love it and we will go again in the autumn, come and join us we would love to meet you.”

– Erin, Augustina and Natalia / Year 8

Year 10 started the day by splitting into groups and getting the number 4 bus down to the Tate Modern. Once there, they started working through a checklist of exhibits to find around the gallery. They saw a multitude of different art forms and exhibition and had a great time exploring the vast gallery.

The Year 10s then had lunch outside the gallery, before heading off towards St Paul’s Cathedral. They walked around downstairs before making their way up to the whispering gallery where they could hear each other talking through the walls. Many of the students then made their way up to the next level to see the outside view, whilst some others decided to head back down the 257 steps to the nave.

Once all the students and staff had come back together, they set off back to Highbury Fields just in time for the end of the day. The staff are very proud of the students for their concentration and behavior in the blazing sun.

Our Year 9 students took part in Enterprise Day on Friday, designed to develop the skills needed for future education and employment. The day began with a Jack Petchey Foundation workshop, focusing on employability skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership.

In the afternoon, students put their learning into practice by working in teams on a presentation challenge. They collaborated to prepare pitches and present their ideas with confidence and creativity. The presentations were judged by a panel of our Sixth Form students, who were impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity demonstrated by the students.

Enterprise Day was a valuable opportunity to build confidence and gain experience of presenting ideas to an audience. We are very proud of the effort and commitment shown throughout the day.

To celebrate an incredible year of effort and fantastic academic achievement this year our Year 8 cohort traded the classroom for the great outdoors on a mini-Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) trip at the historic Gilwell Park. Designed as a mini-expedition, the day was a brilliant blend of skill-building, teamwork, and serious physical stamina. The students threw themselves into two massive challenges that defined the day:

• Working in small teams, students had to master the art of erecting expedition tents.
• We clocked up some serious mileage! The students walked miles across the woodland paths of Epping Forest.

Despite the tired legs and the heavy walking, the team spirit never wavered. It was wonderful to see them supporting each other, sharing laughs, and embracing the true spirit of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

240 Merits
BOARD OF GOVERNERS MERIT

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Year 7: Adele, Isra, Bilen, Jawhariyo, and Meriem
Year 8: Jessica, A’Kaylah, and Lily-Rose
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500 Merits
Commitment to Learning
Merit
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Year 7: Ela and Molly

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Year 7
7/Chimamanda Adichie – Issi-Iyak
7/Junko Tabei – Emmylou

Year 8
8/Jane Goodall – Taliya, Shannon, and Molly
8/Nawal El-Saadawi – Beau-Lily

Year 9
9/Katherine Johnson – Aisha
9/Maya Angelou – Le’Mae
9/Wangari Maathai – Soliyana

Year 10
10/Jacqueline Du Pré – Savanna
10/Mae Jemison – Sadie

Year 7 return date

4 SeptemBER

yEAR 8 RETURN DATE

8 september

year 9 return date

8 september

year 10 return date

8 september

year 11 return date

7 september

year 12/13 return date

7 september