July Review 2011
Website address: www.clapton.hackney.sch.uk
Clapton ReviewThe newsletter of Clapton Girls’ Technology College & Sixth Form Centre
July 2011
Message from Cheryl Day,
Headteacher
Welcome to the ‘bumper’ edition of Clapton Review.
As we end the school year it is wonderful to look back
at all that was achieved last term.
This Summer edition is full of fantastic success stories,
wonderful trip reports and many accounts of community
activities. It proves once again that ‘Clapton Girls’ are not only
everywhere but are also talented, inquisitive, enthusiastic and generous.
I look forward to continuing to work with all our stakeholders as Clapton
Girls’ moves into its next exciting phase of development.
We Are Hackney!The final stage of the Tick 4 Change project took place on 2nd and 3rd
July when a new twenty foot mural entitled ‘We are Hackney’ was
painted on the wall of Downs View Special School. The mural was
designed to celebrate the rich diversity of the neighbourhood and
raise public perceptions of the borough.
The project was the brainchild of a team of Clapton Sixth Form
students who have been part of the Envision Schools’ Programme
which supports young people wanting to make a difference in their
communities. Artists from Soulful Gallery kindly donated their time to
help the students pull together contributions from the community and
provided the mural design. The Clapton Team are thrilled that so
many different community groups were involved in their project.
Student team leader Rashida Khanom said, “We wanted to show that
young people care. Looking back to where we started sitting round a
table talking about ideas and now seeing the mural up with all the
bright colours, I feel we’ve really achieved something.”They achieved even more on 7th July when the Tick
4 Change team joined with over two hundred young
people to celebrate a year of amazing Envision
‘make a difference’ projects in their schools and
communities. There was plenty of opportunity for the
teams to showcase how and where their projects
had created legacies in their community through film,
photos and a massive legacy map before the
Envision Award ceremony began. The nail-biting
moment arrived – the announcement of the winning
projects. Big smiles broke out as the Clapton Sixth
Form Tick 4 Change team were announced the My
London, My Legacy Team winners.
TERM DATES
Autumn Term startsWednesday 5th September
Please check the website for the
start time for each Year group
Despite heavy rain thousands of people turned
out for the Clapton Festival over the weekend
of 11th-12th June. There were film screenings,
music, fun and games. Over a hundred people
joined in with the swinging, clapping ‘Clapton
Walk’ which made its way down Lower Clapton
Road to Clapton Square where the
entertainment continued on the main stage
with live bands.
BTEC Business students made the
most of the opportunity and
demonstrated what they had learnt
at an events management
introduction at Linklaters and an
introduction to visual merchandising
at Mark & Spencer’s office, by
organising a tea party for festival-
goers. They put into practice their
communication, problem-solving,
team work and management skills
while visitors enjoyed refreshments and listened to the school
choir performing on the steps of the Portico. The tea party
successfully raised £100 for the charity ‘Shelter’!
Thirty three years of
polishing the
corridors at Clapton
Girls’ Technology
College were over on
20th May as the school wished cleaner, Hannah
Somers a happy retirement. Throughout her
long service Hannah witnessed many
milestones in the school’s journey, cleaning new
buildings as they were added to the site starting
with Curie (built in 1978), then Tereshkova (built
in the 1990s) and more recently the Nightingale
building (built in 2009). Hannah began her
employment when the school was known as
Clapton Girls’ School and then through its years
as Clapton Girls’ Technology College. She now
leaves at another momentous time in the
school’s life as it converts to become an
academy. Hannah said, ‘I will miss Clapton
– for a while!’
Long
Service
The Big LunchClapton FestivalUndeterred by the drizzle, over a million people the
length and breadth of the UK got together in their
neighbourhoods for food, fun, games and
conversation at thousands of Big Lunches on 5th
June! The Eden Project started the Big Lunch in the
belief that, as a society we are better equipped to
tackle challenges when we face them together.
The residents of Powerscroft Road proved this as
they pulled off a team effort with their Big Lunch on
the school’s running track area. It was a real
community affair as those who came enjoyed a
delicious feast made up of dishes they had brought
before making full use of the ready-made facilities
with an impromptu sports day. Both grown-ups and
children took equal delight in three-legged, piggy
back and wheelbarrow races!
Resident Violet Koska said, ‘We've recently moved to
Powerscroft Road and, though we know a few
neighbours, we were keen to get to know more of
them and create an opportunity for others to do the
same.’ This year’s event was so successful plans are
already being discussed for Clapton’s next Big Lunch
which will fall on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
celebrations in May 2012.
Pathways2CitizenshipSixth Formers, Nida Dyer, Hafsa Khatun and Fataima
Begum scooped three of ten national awards at a
Pathways 2 Citizenship award ceremony on 9th July. A
further award went to ex-Clapton student Maariya Ahmed.
The girls took home a trophy and £100 each!
The scheme, run by Muslim Aid, recognises the talents of
young muslims and the work they have done in the
community. Our students won their awards for completing
over two hundred hours of community service throughout
the last year in a wide range of activities through the Police
Cadets such as fixing sports courts, marshalling at the
royal wedding and the Race for Life and also through the
school such as the Duke of Edinburgh programme, Work
Experience, Young
Enterprise, Envision
and the Hackney
Schools’ Mentoring
Programme.This month Clapton GTC’s parents’ committee, CASP has registered
with Clipper Woven Labels as part of an initiative to raise funds for
Clapton’s after-school and weekend programmes. This means that for
every order of identity labels purchased by parents/carers our school will
receive a donation of £1.00. The labels are available in a variety of
styles, colour and finishes that can be easily fixed to school uniforms,
personal belongings and footwear. Samples of these labels are available
for viewing at the school’s Reception desk.
An order form is enclosed with this issue of Clapton Review for you to
complete and send straight to Clipper Woven Labels Company, or
alternatively you can order on-line at www.clipperwovenlabels.co.uk. For
on-line orders please enter our registration number (22223) to ensure the
£1.00 donation goes directly to our school. Additional order forms are
available at the school Reception desk and at all CASP events.
Name it!
Our YardAs part of their Geography
curriculum, Year 7 students
completed a survey of the
shops and services, traffic
and environment on Lower
Clapton Road in May,
using describing,
comparing and explaining
skills and recognising
different viewpoints and
perspectives.
Most students were surprised to find out just how many shops
there were; almost a hundred! They presented their data in a
series of different graphs and then used it to compare our street
with one in Port Antonio, Jamaica.
July Review 2011 July Review 2011
Year 12 Wild Swan students, Briony Lambert,
Tania Hossain, Titilope Badru and Alexie
Telan went on an amazing weekend trip to
Londonderry in April as part of the Wild
Swans Programme. The programme
promotes the values of women’s leadership
and addresses the gender gap in business,
environmental and social leadership.
We went to meet the Irish Wild Swans and take part in leadership
workshops with them. During our flight to Derry, we had a mixture
of feelings but our hosts quickly made us feel that Ireland was our
second home. Over the weekend, the girls took us on a tour
around the maiden city, which included looking at the remarkable
view of Derry from its historic walls built between 1614 and 1619
and showing us the fantastic murals in the Bogside (the
neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry).
It was hard leaving
the girls, even
though we had only
just met them.
Fortunately, we are
going to meet them
again for our next
trip during the
summer holidays to
South Africa!
Alexie Telan 13P
At the end of the school year it is a good time to review the past year’s exciting activities involving
the school’s partners and students, as well as looking forward to our new future as an academy.
Students have had the chance to expand their cultural horizons with a book club, drama workshop
and trip to the theatre offered by Clare College Cambridge. Clare also gave students the chance to
feel like a real Cambridge undergraduate student for a day, hosting visits to the College and lectures on Italian literature and the
History of Science. Students were also introduced to the world of advocacy, citizenship and employment through Linklaters, the
law firm. Literally hundreds of students from Years 7 to 12 got involved in debating and community action ideas, developing an
understanding of politics and leadership. Mentoring from Linklaters staff also exposed the students to future employment
opportunities. Finally the University of East London has also been motivating and inspiring
students with health and social care sessions, business studies workshop and assistance
from members of staff on how to make the most of university applications.
We were privileged this
term to have the
opportunity to visit the prestigious
Oxford University that has formed so many great minds, and
been home to many Harry Potter scenes.
Our day started by attending a Classics taster (the study of
ancient Greek and Roman civilisation). We learnt the basics
of Greek scriptures and were surprised to learn how
influential the Greek language is on modern dialect today.
We experimented with ink on papyrus, scalpels on clay and
hard wax, which made us realise how much we take paper
and pen for granted! The trip also included a tour of
Christchurch where we marvelled over the size and beauty
of the architecture and were given a talk from the admissions
officer. We ended our exciting day with a fun scavenger hunt
around Oxford.
We had a great day and were encouraged to aim higher,
think bigger, work harder and be the best that you can be!
Faatimah Bhana & Melika Everitt 11A
As an Olympic ambassador I have learnt about the
Olympics and Paralympics and the regeneration 2012 is
bringing to East London. I can also appreciate how the
Olympic park will change the lives of people living in
Hackney and East London.
I went to the Olympic Park
on 6th July for an event to
mark the end of my
involvement with the
construction crew project.
As this was my last day with
the project, I had the honour
of being among the first
group of people to actually go
inside the Olympic Stadium which is huge! I was
privileged to meet another famous athlete, gold
medallist Marlon Devonish who runs the 100m
and 200m sprint races. Later, some of the current
construction crew members and members of the
ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) made speeches
about their experiences throughout the project.
Being part of the Olympic Construction Crew has
been a wonderful opportunity, it has changed my
life, making me more confident. I have seen the
Olympic site built from beginning to almost
completion, I have met famous people, I have
made new friends and learnt skills such as
leadership and teamwork. One thing is for sure is
- I won’t forget the London 2012 Olympics!
Khadijah Hibbert 9A
Clapton GTC's
trampolining team
headed down to
Bridge Academy for
the annual borough
trampolining
competition in May. Our students competed in
the Advanced category in which the routine
includes complex twisting combinations and
finishes with a front somersault. As a team, we
came 2nd with an outstanding 105 points.
Special mentions go to Elizabeth Kaethner and
Ikoney Hall, who received medals for 2nd and
3rd place, and their exceptional scores of 9.5
and 9 out of 10 respectively.
This term many Sixth Form students had the
great opportunity of completing the BTEC Level
2 Award in event stewarding. This rare
opportunity guarantees us an interview to be a
steward at the 2012 London Olympics. Not
only will we be able to apply for a job at the
games but we can steward at many other
events such as concerts, sports events, music
festivals, educational events and award
ceremonies. Arta Azemi 13D & Hazera Begum 13G
An aquathlon is a sporting event,
which involves swimming then
running. I participated with four
other Clapton GTC students in an
aquathlon in London Fields in
April. The event was organised by
London Fields Triathlon Club. We had to
swim 100m then run 1km.
Once I got into the swing of the event I
found it really enjoyable, although at times exhausting
too. When you get out of the pool you have to quickly put
on your trainers, T-shirt and shorts. It felt a little odd
running soaking wet but also a relief as it cooled you down for the long,
sweaty run ahead. I am really glad I took part. The people who organised it
were extremely friendly and encouraging. I loved it! Jessie Feeney Davies 8C
Global DimensionsConstruction CrewOn 23rd June, Year 7 went on a Sports trip to the
University of East London to participate in
activities based on the global dimensions of the
2012 Olympic Games.
We took a 245 bus to Stratford, catching a glimpse
of the Olympic Stadium on the journey. Once there we were put into two
groups to invent a country with its own flag, national costume and anthem!
After lunch we had a treasure hunt where we had to run all around the
whole university to find the brown letter and then answer questions about
the Olympics. The first group back to the classroom would win the prize and
get gold certificates. We were all given UEL goodie bags for our contribution
during the day. Courtney Finch & Eman Benatallah 8A
On 5th May, Clapton
GTC Trailblazers joined
with over eighty other
secondary schools at an
event in the House of
Lords. The students
enjoyed afternoon tea as
they focused on the
theme of new
technologies and their innovative use in schools. Zoe
Sunu 8N and Leila Hutchinson 8A gave a presentation
to the gathered audience of over three hundred people
including students, teachers, business leaders and
other well-known figures like presenter Kat B about
their Digital Leaders’ role in Clapton GTC.
The event finished with students suggesting how to use
social networking sites to promote success in Hackney
schools. They live-tweeted an imaginative range of
ideas via the Twitter profile @hackneysuccess. With
only sixty-seven tweets they reached a staggering
13,600 people in less than three hours!
Clapton GTC has now joined the social networking
world. Follow us through our Twitter profile
@ClaptonGTC or view our Facebook page, Clapton
Girls’ Technology College.
Tweeting Trailblazers
Partners’ Review
It was a wonderfully
warm morning in April
when Year 8 Gifted and
Talented students
stepped off the coach in
Cambridge. Our guides
from Kings College and
Clare College told us
about the college and Lady
Elizabeth de Clare, the granddaughter of King
Edward I who founded the college in 1326. We were then split
into two groups to go on tours of the town and the Zoology
museum where we saw different species of animals and
insects that are no longer in existence. In the afternoon we
were introduced to some Maths professors who gave us some
very annoying but fun problems. We had to convince them
why an odd number, added to another odd number equals an
even number!
We were also given helpful information about entry
requirements, student loans and told what the students study
at the college and what they get up to at weekends!
Shalom Onyeukwu & Edie Sharples 9C & Beatrix Webb 9N
Oxford & Cambridge
A q u a t h l o n
In my year as an Ambassador I have passed
on what I know about the games to other
young people in Hackney, promoted sports
participation amongst them and represented
Hackney at a variety of 2012 related events.
The Olympics is not just about winning
medals but about encouraging everyone to
pursue their dreams. Another benefit of my
role is that I will get tickets for events, get to
steward at the games and be part of
presenting the medals. If you would like to
become an Olympic Ambassador you can
apply through www.younghackney.org
website or see Ms Keatley. The programme
lasts one year, with all training in the evenings
or at weekends. Ara Brace-Sartaj 10C
A m b a s s a d o r s
Event Stewards
Trampolining AthleticsThis term saw students in
Years 7 to 10 competing in
the Borough Outdoor Athletics
Competition at Mile End
Stadium. In the Year 9 & 10 competition Akwaugo Dike 9C won the shot putt,
Akina Okoye 10T & Ikoney Hall 9P won the hurdles, Sharlia Odoi 9T won in the
200m and Sakinah Muhammad 9L in the 100m. In the Year 7 & Year 8
competition Clapton GTC finished in an amazing second place, narrowly
missing out on first place. The following students all came first in their events;
Olbunmi Abbass 7L in shot putt, Taitu McMorris 7L in the 200m race and Hayley
Ozdemir Lloyd 8A in javelin. As a result of coming either first or second place
at the Borough Athletics competition five students were selected to join the
Hackney Secondary Schools Athletics Team in the London Secondary Schools
Outdoor Athletics Competition - Taitu McMorris, Olbunmi Abbass, Hayley
Ozdemir Lloyd, Milly Croft and Oluwaseun Adeduntan.
July Review 2011 July Review 2011
The Expressive Arts department held
two fantastic art exhibitions in June.
The creativity of GCSE and AS and A
Level students was very much on
display. Visitors were impressed not
only by the quality of work but also the
sheer range and variety of the media
being used by our talented young
artists. It felt like professional gallery
shows.
H a p p y E n d i n g s
Debating clubs take place on
Tuesdays from 4 – 5pm in
Drama Studios 1 and 2.
DebateMate is for Years 8 & 9
when a university mentor
comes in each week to train
students in debating skills. The
Debating Society is for Years
10-13 where students engage
in more complex debates with
their peers.
eXtra opportunities
Portrait
Awards
K e y S t a g e 4Jamiah Okoye 11L, Najma Ahmed 10C and Rommana Delair
10L represented Hackney in the English–Speaking Union
(ESU) London Debate Challenge at Central Hall, Westminster
on 1st July. As winners in the borough debating competition in
March they now found themselves up against other champions
from twenty-five London boroughs!
Our girls were successful in their three preliminary rounds
debating on topics including protecting the environment, using
performance enhancing drugs in sport and abolishing private
education and were in the four teams with the highest overall
scores to go through to the finals. They prepared a final debate
against Lambeth in only fifteen minutes on the motion “This
house believes students should be allowed to skip school to
take part in political protests.” Having less than a year’s
debating experience between them they disguised their nerves
well as they argued forcefully in favour of the motion to an
audience of one hundred and fifty people including students,
judges and various mayors! After careful deliberation the
judges announced that Hackney were the winners of the
competition with their ability to form structured arguments and
defend their points rigorously when faced with scrutiny.
The students were ecstatic! Their prizes included ESU
Scholarships for the Debate Academy. They will now focus on
competing to join the England Debate Team to debate on an
international level, as well as helping to train other students in
debating at Clapton and local primary schools.
Turkish TilesContinuing our partnership with
Üsküdar Altunizade Hafize Özal
School in Istanbul, the Art department
hosted two visiting artists in May to
work with a group of Year 8 students.
The workshop focused on Iznik
Turkish tiles, and students learnt new
painting techniques to create their
own original designs. Each student
created a detailed artwork and these
were combined to form the finished
banner which will be viewed by
thousands of visitors to the Thames.
On Show
This September Clapton GTC will be offering an even wider
range of new and exciting clubs.
Students will be able to sign up for Beginners Latin and
Beginners Classical Studies - great opportunities for students to
widen their curriculum for only £15 each term per course.
Another great new club starting for students is fencing. A chance
to learn the art of the sport in six consecutive sessions at a cost
of £50 (cost includes the hire of equipment).
Parents/carers are not forgotten as from September ten places
are on offer to adults at beginners pottery classes on Saturdays
(10am-11.30am) at a cost of £30 for six sessions.
This term staff have already tried out new Zumba and Punch Fit
classes. These fitness sessions will continue next term, together
with Body Combat and Salsa Dancing!
For further information please e-mail Ms Fennell, Associate
Assistant Headteacher on [email protected]
For our AS Level Drama students, several months of
rehearsal and intensive preparation for their Unit 2, Text
in Performance practical exam came to fruition on 25th
May, in front of the external examiner and a supportive
audience of friends, family and staff. Working in two
groups, the girls performed edited versions of two very
different plays, ‘The Gut Girls’ by Sarah Daniels and
‘Looking for JJ’ adapted by Marcus Romer. Following
this, they had the challenge of performing a two minute
monologue either solo, or a slightly longer duologue with
a partner from a range of classic and modern plays.
The demanding rehearsing paid off as they gave some
very accomplished performances, impressing their
audience who were full of appreciation. As the
performance counts for 60% of their overall AS exam
marks we look forward to seeing their achievements
reflected in some excellent results in August!
Stage Call
K e y S t a g e 3
K e y S t a g e 5
After five rounds of gruelling
auditions Rashmika Torchia, who
graduated from the Sixth Form
last summer, is overjoyed to have
been awarded one of only fifteen
places this year for female
actresses at the Royal Academy
of Dramatic Arts (RADA). Selected
from over 3,500 applications Rashmika is no stranger to
success, being congratulated in August 2008 by Edexcel, the
UK’s largest examination board for having one of the top ten
GCSE Drama results in the country.
Since leaving Clapton Rashmika, already an accomplished
actress in performances of A Midsummer Night’s Madness at
the Hackney Empire and the Edinburgh Festival; Macbeth at
the Arcola Theatre and on TV in Spooks has also been passing
on her talent to other aspiring young actors at a Saturday
morning youth theatre in Bethnal Green.
S p o t l i g h t s On 29th June, seven Year 13 students
went on a trip to the National Portrait
Gallery in Central London. They were
visiting the BP Portrait Award, an
exhibition showcasing a huge range of
portraits, from photo-realist to more
loose expressionist styles, and taking
part in a portrait painting workshop.
After looking at and discussing the
pieces in the exhibition, students were
encouraged to consider composition,
background and colours for their own
self portraits. Each student was given
a mirror, easel, A2 canvas and a
limited range of acrylic paints and
challenged to work as professional
artists directly from life. The result was
a diverse collection of portraits
representing the range of skin tones,
facial features and painting styles of
the students.
Debate Champions
Join the Debate
Eda Ergan 10L, Elizabeth
Kaethner 8L and Lucienne Labep
11C recently participated in ‘Sum
of Parts’, a new work by the
prestigious Sadlers Wells Creative
Learning department, Connect, in
which six companies were formed comprised of dancers from a
variety of backgrounds and groups.
Following ten weeks of rehearsal at the Urdang Academy with
Zoonation Youth Hip Hop dance company, the students performed
their piece which explored questions of identity and belonging
alongside other youth dancers from across London on the main
stage at the Sadler's Wells theatre in the half term holiday. Their
performance is a real achievement for Clapton GTC as it is our
second performance on this stage this year, reinforcing that we
have some real dance talent at school!
July Review 2011 July Review 2011
Ella Belton-Saunders 8N has had her work
recognised by the National Trust. Inspired to put
pen to paper for the Trust Magazine’s first ever
competition, ‘Landlines’ Ella’s poem was among
over 1,700 received from all over the country,
written to the theme of ‘the Outdoors’.
Looking particularly for poems that startled,
surprised and excited, judges Jo Bell (Director of
National Poetry Day) and Ian McMillan (presenter
of Radio 3′s The Verb) whittled the poems down to
just twelve placed in two categories! Ella’s poem
was a runner-up in the 16s and under category.
Her winning entry, The Blue Lake can be seen on
http://ntmagazine.wordpress.com/ and will also be
published in the National Trust Magazine in
September and in an Ode to the Countryside
poetry book. She also won a VIP day out at a
National Trust attraction.
I visited the British Library and the Dickens
Museum with a group of Year 9 students
on 31st March. Starting with the British
Library, the smell of the past hit us
instantly as we stepped through the doors.
Old books, ink, perfumed memories - the
smell wafted everywhere as we embarked
on our tour. We were encouraged to gather
words, nouns, adjectives and adverbs that described our surroundings
to write a group story in a creative writing workshop after the tour. It was
an immensely rewarding and satisfying experience.
The second half of our trip was spent at the Dickens Museum. Again, it
felt like we stepped back in time. We learned interesting facts about
Dickens’ life and saw the legacy of his hard work. It was an experience I
will remember forever.Carey Osborne 10T
Out of Shadows
On 21st June at 9.00am, students from all over
Hackney gathered at the Tomlinson Centre for the
annual Carnegie ‘Ask the Author’ event. They were
greeted by three of the best authors in the country,
Jason Wallace (Out of Shadows), Meg Rosoff (The
Bride’s Farewell) and Geraldine McCaughrean (The
Death Defying Pepper Roux), who were all
shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie award. The
Carnegie award is given every year to the author of
the best new book for Young Adults, so called after
Andrew Carnegie (A Scottish-born philanthropist,
who set up a series of libraries all over the world).
The Clapton GTC team, from 9P, 9T & 9N, had been
shadowing the long list for a while and put together
a short presentation about Out of Shadows, which
they had read in their own time. There was a
competition for the best demonstration, and Clapton
did very well being the runner-up out of all the
Hackney schools represented. Autographs were
collected and opportunity given to ask questions of
the authors. It was a wonderful experience.
Isabella Harter & Florence Adeoye 9T
Keats on the
HeathFifty Year 8 students headed to Hampstead Heath on 20th May to
visit John Keats’ house. Keats was a romantic poet in the early
nineteenth century. His most famous poem is called Bright Star
which has been adapted for film.
We set off on a short walk across the Heath to the house after we’d
eaten lunch enjoying the views and the sun! The house was much
smaller when Keats lived in it than today and it was fascinating
looking at many of his possessions close-up in cabinets. It was a
great experience and we learnt a lot about the history of the house,
as well as gaining information about Keats himself. His poetry was
greatly inspired by Shakespeare’s work, but he also often included
the scenery around in his poems. Keats moved to the house
because of the wonderful views that we had been seen earlier - the
city skyline was stunning. We had a great time and were very
pleased that we all went, it would be great to see it all again.
Mathilda Wesley-Weeks & Humairaa Patel 9T
Poetry
in
Motion
Make-up, costumes and jazz
hands can only mean one thing:
dance competition! On 26th May
Clapton GTC’s junior and senior
Dance Elite groups participated in the Hackney Schools’ Dance
Platform at Bridge Academy. We were confident we would do well as
we had amazing choreography composed for our piece ‘Blackbird’,
by Sixth Form Dance Leader, Sophie Jemeljanova.
We presented three dance pieces of contemporary, broadway and
street styles against tough competition. The winners were
announced and we were very proud to be the only school awarded a
placing (second) and a certificate for the ‘Best Teamwork’ for our
brilliant showcases. All dancers also received medals.
Rebekah Fisher & Zara Hennessy 8L
To celebrate International Book Day la
Lectura on 23rd April, the UK Instituto
Cervantes centres, in collaboration with the
Education Office and the Office for Cultural
and Scientific Affairs of the Spanish Embassy,
held the II Short Story Competition with the
theme "El Quijote de tu vida".
Twelve students from Clapton GTC got in the Spanish mood as they
set off for the Awards Ceremony on 25th May. On arrival the award
winners were asked about their interests and hobbies and then
introduced to the audience alongside the guest of Honour – Eliacer
Cansino, a Spanish poet. One by one the winning short stories, based
on Don Quixote were read out by their authors before the prizes were
awarded. Clapton had two winners in the 8-12 year old category,
Lizzy Diggins 9T (2nd place) and Beatrix Webb 9N (3rd place). Their
stories had been selected for their expression, creativity and originality
and their overall response to the question posed.
Lizzy Diggins 9T & Beatrix Webb 9N
The Salters’ Festival of Chemistry
at the Queen Mary University of
London on 6th May saw three
students from Years 7 and 8
competing against teams from
eleven other schools to solve a
mystery case. Using their creativity and forensic analysis,
including flame tests and precipitation reactions, the girls
did really well and unravelled the criminal details of the
‘murder’. In their second challenge lots of investigative
and innovative skill was required to identify different
solutions without access to any pH measurement. The
students really enjoyed the experience, especially using
the university’s laboratories.
The day finished with a variety of exciting interactive
demonstrations, from seeing liquid oxygen to the catalytic
reaction produced by the bombardier beetle, given by Dr.
Sheriff from the Chemistry department.
The Hackney Maths
Challenge on 27th
June saw our Years 7,
8 and 9 teams battling
it out at Queen Mary
College against eight
other Hackney
secondary schools.
Twelve problems had to be solved in an hour. The panel
gave out the first question and the clock started ticking –
each question had to be accurately answered before
another was given. When the time was up the students
were given a tour of the College before going back to the
hall for the results. The Year 9 team narrowly missed 3rd
place by one point, the Year 8 team went to a tie break for
2nd place and the Year 7 team of Bridie Goddard-Hunt,
Emily Armes, Thuong Nguyen and Ella Popper came in an
amazing 1st place and received medals and certificates for
being ‘best in Hackney’.
On 7th July it was the turn of the Year 11 team. Again a
well-fought competition saw our team finish in 3rd place.
Crime Scene
Scores on the Doors
Clapton’s results for the UK Maths Challenge this year
were the best-ever. The Intermediate Challenge took place
in February and the results saw eleven students receive
certificates from Leeds University for their achievement,
double the amount of students than in 2010. Eight bronze
certificates, two silver certificates and one gold certificate
were awarded. Phoebe Ballantyne-Brown received the
highest score at this level.
The Junior Challenge took place in May and the results
saw fourteen students receive certificates, five more than in
2010 – five bronze certificates and eight silver certificates.
Lizzy Diggins received the highest score, just one point
away from a gold certificate!
Step back in time
Spanish Tales
On 29th June Year 8 and 9 students went
to BSix for a Science and Technology
competition. We were put into teams of four
consisting of a pair of Clapton students and
a pair of students from another school.
Our first challenge was to build a bridge
made from twenty-five pieces of paper,
masking tape, nails and screws, strings and a
hole punch. We tested its strength by adding weights to see how
much it could take. We also made a robot and had to operate it,
making sure it went round a route marked out for us. A lot of
thought was put in and we did an amazing job. Our last task was
to make a motor vehicle from a few pieces of equipment. We had
to make sure the circuit was working and the motor placed
accurately. This was by far the hardest task for our team but we
got our car to work perfectly!
The day went fantastically well. Not only did Clapton GTC win the
competition, we learnt a lot in a fun way! Milly Croft 9L and Beatrix
Webb 9N will now go on to represent Hackney in the semi-finals!
Latifa Haque 10C
Building Bridges
UK Maths Challenge
Sum of Parts
Dance
Platform
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