HISTORY

This week has seen revision taking center stage as Year 11 prepare for exams which start on Monday. The exams are being staged to provide evidence towards teacher’s predicted grades which will need to be submitted to the exam boards. In year 7 students are continuing to study life in medieval Europe and in Year 8 the focus remains the French Revolution, with students producing leaflets about the Storming of the Bastille.

GEOGRAPHY

Besides focusing on Geography this week where the Year 7 students continued with their topic Rivers, zooming in on flooding, the Year 8 students actively engaged with their topic Coasts, looking at flooding and the impact on our coasts and the Year 9 students looked at the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, we thought it important to focus just a little more on mental health and staying active. These are certainly unprecedented times for everyone and we find ourselves in a situation where we have to think about doing most things slightly differently and that includes our learning. Being confined to our homes, is not what the human race is ‘wired’ to do so this will impact on our mental wellbeing. It is thus important for students and their families (as well as teachers) to stay active while in isolation. This will definitely break the monotony and help us focus a little better on the tasks we need to complete. After chatting to each of my students this week, it is really reassuring to know that they are exercising, reading, playing games (just not online games) and doing other activities while also completing their various tasks for their teachers. I have been very impressed with each one of them and the maturity they have displayed dealing with their isolation. We have taken so many things for granted and this period will definitely make us appreciate each other and the time we spend with each other at school a little more. These are special and precious moments as we reconnect with those closest and dearest. Keep up the good work everyone, we are proud of you.

MUSIC

Year 7 and 8 are working on the project My favorite artist. Year 9 works on jazz history, theory concepts like triads and intervals and perfomance of Senorita arrangement.

SCIENCE

The past week was a busy one filled with hard work on the one hand, and fun on the other. There was also a realisation that life is going on amidst the strange circumstances we find ourselves in, and what was out of the ordinary yesterday, is quite normal today.

Like many of my teacher-colleagues I made a few major changes in my house – furniture was moved, pictures and educational posters went up, the home computer was upgraded. I have now the full equivalent of a home office, one that will keep me happy in my chair for as long as this lock down will take.

I noticed a change in my students too - it seems as if they adapted to the new way of learning by submitting more work on Canvas (on time). Whereas some students like to interact in live conference calls, others are doing better by themselves in the comfort of their isolation. And that is fine too, what works for each one of us to get the job done is good enough - as long as the job gets done

In Biology the focus was, quite suitably, on the Survival of Species. The Year 7’s learnt about the meaning of the term Species, Year 8 tackled the difficult topic of the Human Reproductive Organs, and the Year 9’s explored how Natural Selection takes place in nature to ensure that a Species survive and evolve.

Chemistry, also quite suitably, focused on Changes. Year 7 discovered how to plan an Experiment to determine which Antacids neutralise stomach acids the best.

In Year 8 we learnt the difference between Chemical and Physical Changes and that, for example, when a glass breaks it is still glass because a Physical Change took place and not a Chemical one.

The Year 9’s discovered that Salts are formed when Acids combine with Metals, and they had to memorise the Chemical Formulae of three common reactions in which acids are formed.

Lastly, but probably most importantly, the IGCSE Exam became a reality for Ivan Fedortsov in Year 11. I wish him well in this exam. That he will find the will to work hard, be clear headed whilst writing, and that he will pass with flying colours. Good luck Ivan!

During this time it is an unfortunate reality that we will have to say a few good byes, and it is with sadness that we have to say good bye to Yishan in Year 8 who’s family needs to return home. Your place in class will be empty and we will miss you dearly.

MATH

This week students worked harder than previous week and produced good works

Year 7 started with using a coordinate plane to draw and represent relationships for example y =x -7. They are learning how to draw straight line (linear) graphs.

The Year 8’s is leaning about the golden ratio. How do we use ratio and to enlarge or reduce 2D and 3D shapes?

The Year 9 is exploring units specifically compound units. Units that are created by other units multiplied or divided by each other. Units like speed (meter per second𝑚𝑠⁄, Distance over time 𝑑𝑡) or Density (mass per volume𝑔𝐿⁄, mass over volume𝑚𝑉)

Ivan in Year 11 has started his revision for his mock exams. We are working through past papers analysing the pit falls etc which he could expect as well as the different terminology used in these exams

ENGLISH

The lessons continue online as lockdown continues. The classes have got into a rhythm as all have adjusted to the circumstances.

The Year 7 class have finished their adventure following the exploits of Dracula and the fear, and attraction, he created. Is he a devilish character who must be stopped? Or is he a troubled sole who is distraught about the death of his love? From Varna on the Black Sea, to the rugged north east coast of England, down to advanced and cultural London, death follows.

Demons and ghosts have been causing nightmares and fear on the tropical island as the boys own imaginations run wild as they struggle to maintain order and sense in their stranded community. Year 8 are delving deeper into the minds of the boys in Lord of the Flies as the divisions in the boys’ authorities and allegiances grow bigger and more dangerous.

In Year 9 the class have been enjoying more lighter content. We analysed Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare, a poem in which Shakespeare proves that true love exists because he has the arrogance and conceit to state it does, and proves it by writing that it does! How does this relate to modern music? We looked at the structure and rhythm of the poem and saw how it is an early version of rap, albeit with an Elizabethan twist. We then used the music and structure of Vanilla Ice’s ‘Ice Ice Baby’ to adapt 116 (sung as ‘one one si-x’) to 1990s Miami rap, showing the class that ‘old’ music and songs does not mean bad music.

The Year 11 class have had more mundane but equally as important work to do as they continue in their preparations for their upcoming examinations.