No. 4 - Autumn 2013

VeritasSt Mark’s Catholic School

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Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party

Secret Santa

On Wednesday 11th December, Year 12 hosted the annual Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party. A lot of hard work prior to this event took place, including Ms Ferguson organising the event and students helping to put systems into place to enhance the atmosphere of the party.

Invitations were made and then sent to local nursing homes by the FIA class, who were also responsible for shopping for food as well as preparing it, decorating the hall, fundraising for the party and purchasing the presents for the raffle. The money to pay for all of the necessary purchases was raised through the Staff Karaoke, which proved to be quite a popular event. Ms Jackson’s class, alongside the school choir, spent many weeks arranging the entertainment.

As part of the Year 12 Faith in Action project, a class of students have worked to give children in social care a chance to have a better Christmas. Through a range of fundraising events, they have raised money to give these children a Christmas present which they would not otherwise have had.

The events included a staff car wash and a hot chocolate morning where students had a chance to relax and pay only 50p for a cup of hot chocolate. There was also a “Krazy” Krispy Kreme sale that sold out in an instant, as well as a very successful Year 7 fancy dress party. With tickets at only £2 it was, “Really fun and exciting to be able to dress up for a good cause”.

The Secret Santa project is

The party kicked off at 1:30pm in the hall. The elderly people were excited to take part in bingo and the raffle. The students willingly interacted with the elderly people – seemingly enjoying the party just as much as the elderly did! Ms Jackson’s class and

the choir sang beautifully, lifting up the atmosphere and getting everyone into the Christmas spirit! Even those who were not performing sang along, including the elderly. Ms Reid’s FIA class were very helpful – waitressing and ensuring that everyone was alright.

Some of the elderly people may not get visitors this Christmas.

Who wants to spend Christmas without their friends and family? Through all of their efforts, Year 12 have helped to brighten many people’s Christmas this year.

run by the Children’s Services Christmas Appeal. With so many children in England living in social care their work is essential for giving those who will not be with their parents this Christmas a chance to have the same festive experience as any other child, which is why St Mark’s has chosen to support this charity the best they can. With the money that was raised the students bought presents for all of the children involved in the project. So, thanks to the Year 12’s hard work and pupils’ contributions, more children will have something to look forward to this Christmas.

Faith in Action

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HeadLine

Veritas TeamThanks to our fantastic Sixth Form students for their determination, dedication and sheer hard work as reporters, photographers and editors. The Veritas team members are: Abinav Bhattachan, Edona Doci, Vanessa Donkoh, Flora Edwards, Tony Egan, Rebecca Horner, Joe Jackson, Beya Kabelu, Anna Lisova, Funmi Odunewu, Michaela Onuchukwu Angel Pon-Waye, Peter Rutzler and Rhema Thomas-Johnson.

Welcome to the Autumn edition of our School Magazine. The term got off to a flying start with the Summer’s superb examination results. Well done to all the students involved. Ofsted have recently produced “RAISEonline” analysis of our GCSE results giving the School a value added score of 1019.9 and placing the School comfortably within the top 20% of Schools in the country. At ‘AS’ and ‘A’ Level students achieved the best ever results at the School and once again value added was rated as outstanding. Congratulations to teachers and also parents who play such an important role in this success.

It has been a lively, rewarding and enjoyable term as demonstrated in these pages. There has been a strong focus on the Catholic Life of the School with regular Masses, Retreats and opportunities for students to put their faith into action. I am always impressed by the students’ commitment towards making a positive difference for those in need. There have been a wide range of cultural and sporting activities which enhance school life. Fulfilling God given potential is not simply about academic achievement, participation in these activities helps to develop the whole person.

I would like to wish all members of the St. Mark’s School Community a peaceful and enjoyable Christmas.

PrizegivingPrize Giving Evening is always a very special occasion in the school calendar. The prizes awarded go to all year groups and are given in recognition of hard work, progress, and achievement in all areas of school life.

Mr Enright congratulated the many students who were receiving prizes, awards and certificates on the evening, and offered a warm welcome back to students who have now left the school.

Special Awards were given to students who had demonstrated exceptional talent and achievement. Some of these Special Award winners are pictured below and on the front cover:

(L to R)Sian Hyland (Gail Brammer Cup): ‘I’m surprised and delighted to receive this award for Science.’ Luigi Medri (Donelan Cup - Orchestra):‘Music is my passion – I’m honoured to be chosen.’Annalise Williams (Father Allen Cup):‘I worked really hard in RE; I’m proud of my A grades at GCSE and AS.’Kamil Zelechowski (Mary Anderson Cup): ‘It’s cool to be chosen out of the whole year group to get this cup for my contribution to Year 7. I had loads of ideas in student Council!’Angela Chalamana (Philip Lawrence Memorial Cup for Academic Achievement): I’m very proud and thankful to receive this award. I was thrilled to get 10 A* grades at GCSE.’

The special Guest at this year’s event was former pupil Daniel Okusaga. After graduating from Oxford, Daniel went on to study law. He has recently joined Fasken Martineau LLP, an international Law firm, which specialises in mining and energy and oil & gas related transactions.

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HouseMusic

Drama

Our annual House Music competition was held on Thursday 24th October. The evening was full of talent, ranging from piano playing to acoustic singing. Our KS3 winner was Pole House, whose group consisted of Luigi Medri, Harsh Makwana, Anderson Speck Randam, Matthew Emil and Freda D’Souza. Our KS4 winner was Dea Feddersen-Doyle from Campion House who played one of her own songs.

Students gathered in the Drama room full of eager anticipation to watch the performances for this year’s House Drama Competition. The theme was Modern Day Shakespeare, and the groups had to include still images and thought tracks in their performances. Modern day versions of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Hamlet were performed on the evening.

As a House Captain, I was able to see first-hand the hard work and effort put into the preparation for each performance, with rehearsals taking place after school for weeks before the event itself.

Fisher was the winner from KS3 with More coming second and Pole third. The winner from KS4 was Clitherow, and in second place was More.Edona Doci

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CompetitionsCake

You really know Christmas is approaching when the annual Cake Decorating competition comes around. As a house captain you find yourself looking through the calendar searching for the various competitions, and Cake Decorating was always the one that I was most excited for.

An action packed hour was spent planning, preparing, creating and organising each team member’s role and trash talking between opposing Houses - all in the name of banter! There was a bit of everything: icing, chocolate, sugar, candy canes, marshmallows, and more icing! The competition was always going to be fierce, with bragging and blagging between Head of Houses, House Captains and classmates. Confidence was the most dominant feeling around the kitchen. “We are the best House with the best design and best team members!” a member of Becket assured me. However, some of that confidence turned out to be sadly misplaced, with members of the Campion team proudly proclaiming, “Campion are the champions!” before their cake fell below their expectations.

The majority of forms were inspired by the nativity scene with various ingenious edible building materials used to construct the stable in aesthetically pleasing designs. Personally I believed that Clitherow produced the most attractive decoration, though opting to display Jesus walking on water was an unusual interpretation of the Christmas theme!

The judging was conducted by all members of the senior staff. They wove their way with their

notepads between each bay, examining each cake in turn and sneaking unused decorations as they passed. To conclude the event Mr Enright made a customary relaxed speech, but clearly even he didn’t believe the, “And of course it is not all about the winning because you are all winners” as the eyes of the entire room bored into him waiting to find out who had won! The result was joint winners this year, with Pole and Becket sharing the sugary glory – well done to them both!

At one point in the proceedings I stood back and gazed across the room at each bay of different Houses and witnessed a combination of concentration, laughter and jokes between the youngest Year 7s up to Sixth Formers and teachers. This to me this was a wonderful spectacle that really underpins the Christmas spirit and the strength of the St Mark’s community, and explains the success of such competitions.Beya Kabelu

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Krazy KaraokeThe lights went dim. The music cut off. Year 7 sat still with their chins up high, gazing at the stage in anticipation.

Ms Ferguson’s Faith in Action group had been working day and night to make sure the Staff Karaoke Night ran smoothly. An aura of silence had filled the hall as staff and students sat at the edge of their seats waiting to be captivated... then Mr Alexander ran on stage followed by Dr Callaghan. Stylishly dressed in ‘CHOOSE LIFE’ T-shirts and skinny trousers, they resembled the 80’s pop duo Wham! in their ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ music video. Needless to say they sang the infamous song, taking the staff more than the students back to the 80’s. During the final verse, Mr Alexander jumped off the stage and dragged Ms Smith to the front to take part in a lively jive. Their dramatic entrance was indeed equally matched by their climatic exit.

Likewise, the Deputy Divas (Ms Murphy, Ms Crouch and Ms Bryne) were a hit among the crowd winning the audience over with their flamboyant 70s disco outfits and bright blue hair. Their choreography to Abba’s ‘Mama Mia’ was sensational and got the audience hooked during the chorus.

Many other staff surprised us with their amazing vocals, some of whom included Ms Reid, Mr Yiu, Ms Thomas and Mr Harvey. Ms Jackson and Mr Donnelly wowed us all with their acoustic mash-up of today’s pop hits, while Mr Haley played cool and sang us all an old country song.

As for the group of Year 12s who made this night a success, they were pleased with the turnout. A grand total of £300 was raised with tickets only £1 each sold by members of 12RGR. The money was used to fund the Senior Citizen’s Party for residents from local care homes.

Ms Ferguson was extremely proud of all the effort and hard work her FIA group put into the Staff Karaoke Night. She was particularly impressed

by Madga Szablinska’s enthusiasm, who despite being ill on the day performed her duties as backstage IT crew.

“It was a surreal experience,” commented a Year 10, “but it was a reminder of the fun side of the teachers at St Mark’s. I’d pay to watch it all over again!”

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Jack PetcheyAdvent Carol Service

Christmas Concert

On 22nd November 52 Year 10 students took part in a day long workshop called, ‘Learning how to speak in public and to communicate easily with confidence and enjoyment’. In this they learnt about each other’s likes and dislikes, ranging from liking Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, guitars and top hats to disliking spiders, rival football teams and clowns!

Students then discussed how to structure and deliver speeches in order to prepare a two minute speech of their own. Topics included: Why books are better than films, Global warming, Why we should learn Mandarin in school rather than French, Fear of Heights, Subliminal Messaging and The Importance of Family.

All who took part were fabulous and gained real insight into how to be more confident when speaking in public. However, two students, Matthew Bainbridge and David McConnell, performed exceptionally well and were selected to go through to the Regional Final.

The Final itself was fiercely competitive with 19 students competing from 13 Hounslow schools. All contestants were prepared with a workshop before the main event got underway. Both Matthew and David delivered excellent speeches on Video Game Violence and Subliminal Messages respectively. They had passion, humour and clarity of deliver. Congratulations to them!

On Tuesday 3rd December, Year 7 and 8 students in the Liturgy Choir were invited to attend The Catholic Children’s Society, Westminster Diocese Advent Carol Service with Archbishop Vincent Nichols at 2.00pm at Westminster Cathedral. The students were accompanied by the Chaplain and head of the Liturgy Choir, Ms Jackson. Students watched the re-enactment of Jesus’ life and the nativity play which consisted of a real life donkey and sheep! They also got a tour around the Cathedral and had the chance to play on steel-pans. One student, Phoebe Visvakula in 7 Fisher, who went thanked the Chaplain for organising this trip “I just want to say thank you for taking me on the trip to Westminster cathedral. I had a brilliant time! Thanks for an amazing experience.” A big thank you to all who attended!

St Mark’s staff, students and parents gathered together on the evening of Thursday 12th December for our annual Christmas concert.

The evening opened with ‘Away in a Manger’ which was sung beautifully by Raul Saib and was a brilliant way to start the evening. The choir sung ‘Silent Night’ with a solo performance from Tyler Lewis, continuing the calming start to the cold evening. Veronica Tembo and Freda D’Souza soloed alongside the choir and orchestra for ‘In the Bleak Mid-Winter’. An exciting performance of ‘Sanctus’ from Roquiem was performed by the choir, orchestra and rock band, merging together the sounds of various instruments and tones.

The KS3 Drama club performed ‘The Dexfactor’, an alternative of the X Factor where christmas decorations compete for a spot on the tree. This was a unique way to spread the Christmas

message and captivated the audience.

The evening ended with a memorable solo performance of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ which was sung by Olivia Zakrocka Dos Santos. The evening truly brought together the community and emphasised the importance of celebrating Christmas together as a community.

Mr Martin summed up the event as, “A very enjoyable way to celebrate Christmas with the community. There were excellent performances from the choir, orchestra, drama group and the soloists. The students have worked very hard to achieve the high standard that we heard tonight”.

A special thanks to Mr Martin who organised the whole event as well as the choir and orchestra, to Ms Jackson who rehearsed with the choir, to Ms Reyes who coordinated the drama performance and to Mr Cox who worked on the sound throughout the evening.

Year 7 Welcome Mass

Retreat

The transition from primary school to secondary school can be a nervous

and anxious time for students. However, at St Marks we believe that it is important to give students a warm welcome into the St Mark’s community and make sure the new Year 7’s feel a sense of belonging as

they embark on a new chapter in their education. On the 19th

September a Year 7 Welcome Mass was organised by our Chaplain at our

neighbouring parish St Michael and St Martin’s Church led by Fr. Derek McGuire.

The Mass gave students, their parents and form tutors the opportunity to reflect on their first few weeks at St Marks. The theme of the Mass was that every individual is created by God and is precious to God, reinforcing the school’s aim to nurture and support every student. Some students took part in the gospel drama which was based on the passage Mark 4:35-41 called ‘Jesus stills a storm’ and every student wrote a prayer which was displayed during the Mass. We hope that all students have settled in well and wish them the very best in their educational journey here at St Marks.

During October and November, each Year 7 form attended a retreat at Botwell House in Hayes with their form tutor, RE teacher and the Chaplain. This day out gave the students the opportunity to interact and get to know their form tutor, RE teacher and the Chaplain as well as each other. It was also the chance for the teachers to bond and learn about their students. The day was jam packed with various spiritual activities which students participated in, based around the theme, ‘Every student is the image of God’. Students were also given the chance to write a letter addressed to their future self to be opened at the Year 11 Leavers’ Mass, describing what they hope to be like and what they would have liked to achieve. Overall, the students’ feedback was very positive, enjoying the variety of games and commenting on how much they had learnt and bonding with each other.

“On the 24th October 7 Fisher spent the day together on retreat. I really loved the trip, as it was fun, entertaining and very relaxing. We were not just there to play, the retreat also gave us time to think about others and pray for those with difficulties or problems. It also allowed us to reflect on our lives; is it OK, or is it not? It helped us to relax and let all our problems rinse away, like rain.” Maiara Madureira 7 Fisher

Year CouncilWhen I first came to St Mark’s, I was very nervous and I did not know anyone. Now after only a few weeks I have lots of new friends and I am really enjoying Year 7. The lessons are

(usually) fun and the teachers are (mostly) nice!

When we were first asked if we wanted to stand for class representative I was not sure if I would do it. After some thought I just decided to go for it. My speech went OK, but then came the year rep hustings. I was

really nervous on the day, but I had prepared well.

I think the speech I gave was alright - hopefully people will agree and vote for me! As I said, “I am your choice for a strong pupil

voice.”

Gabriel Millin

When I first arrived I

felt scared, but the teachers welcomed me in with a warm

heart.

Eliza Padama

I have w o n d e r f u l

teachers who help me and encourage me

to make my work excellent. Every day I wake up wanting

to go to school.

Callum Brookfield

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HillsongAs part of this year’s anti-bullying week, ‘Hillsong’ a company who strive, “To reach and influence the world by building a large Christ-centred, Bible-based church, changing mind sets and empowering people to lead and impact in every sphere of life” visited the school to present the ‘String Movement’.

During a unique presentation with film, a speaker and live band they worked to spread this movement which aims to end bullying, giving young people a voice and empowering them to make a difference in their school by simply tying a string around their wrist to say, ‘We are not okay with bullying’. This programme was created by The I Care Revolution, an organisation that works in schools to promote a message of anti-bullying and self-worth in hope that young people rise up and take responsibility.

LourdesLourdes has been amazing. St Mark’s students teamed up with the Westminster Diocese and were lucky enough to be Red Cap volunteers and help the elderly people, the malades, to enjoy their pilgrimage whilst also having a fun experience throughout.

When we arrived in Lourdes we found our hotel situated in a scenic spot right next to a large river with a lovely view of the huge mountains ahead. Also, it was very close to the Grotto which was great. When you’re at Lourdes, there’s a sense of peacefulness and tranquillity. As you walk around the grotto, listening to the wind brushing the trees and the flow of the nearby stream you start to contemplate and consider a lot of things. All your worries and concerns are almost lifted from you.

The Red Caps were given a briefing and told what our jobs were, which involved being a ‘Greeting Committee ‘ outside all of the main events in order to create a welcoming atmosphere. We welcomed the people attending the mass, greeting them and waving whilst holding our multi - coloured umbrellas and flags. We also sold books and bags associated with the Westminster diocese. Of course, we also pushed the wheelchairs of the elderly around Lourdes to help them go to and from the events. This enhanced our social and

communication skills as soon the malades were our friends too. When you’re part of the Red Caps, you’re essentially part of a big family.

The duties of a Red Cap required hard work but it was a pleasure to be part of such a team and experience a week full of memories. The experience that we had this year was unforgettable and we would love to go again if given the chance. We highly recommend it to anyone considering going, whether the intention is to find inner peace or meet new friends.

Alyssa Paala

Year 13 Biology TripYear 12 Biology TripJust before half term, Year 13 biology students had

the chance to return to Juniper Hall for the second time this year. Juniper Hall

is where the sixth form biology students get a chance to

complete some of their coursework outside of an exclusively c l a s s r o o m - b a s e d environment. It is located just a kilometre away from the famous Box Hill – which was where part

of the Olympic cycling route took place – so we

were able to learn practical skills in the form of field work

in a completely unspoilt area protected by the National Trust.

Upon arrival, everyone got to work almost right away to sample and measure the biodiversity on Box Hill. Despite the rain, everyone was more than able to work effectively to gather the information needed using the facilities and skills taught in the programme. By the end of the day, we could all agree that it had been a well-spent and very productive day which was reflected in everyone’s results.

Juniper Hall is an ecologist’s paradise. The isolation from the loud cars and trucks provides a perfect area to relax, brew tea and take in the scenery. As soon as we arrived, we had to step into wellies and walk through the forest. We learnt the difference between coppiced and mature woodlands and their effects on the wildlife around it. The area was beautiful with an abundance of trees and a smell and feel of freedom that no amount of Xbox could compete with.

The common room provided a warm area for people to sit down, chat, drink tea and watch some telly. The respite did not last long however, as we were up by 7am the next morning. The work allowed us to learn more about biodiversity in the area, and about drawing plants and lichens accurately.

The trip ended with a wonderful show of a snake and three different tarantula species. My favourite part was the first day, when we were walking through the forest. I love the outdoors, especially the woodlands. If I were to describe the trip in one word, it would be simply be ‘green’, due to the vast of greenery around Juniper Hall.

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STEMIt has been a busy term for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) at St Mark’s. Students across the school have been involved in some inspiring activities and events promoting careers in these fields.

The whole of Year 8 took part in a challenge day with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers looking at some of the biggest problems facing society in the next 50 years – such as climate change – and gaining an insight into the day-to-day work of engineers and the challenges they face.

Maths and Science A-level students also

participated in a Smart Cities Workshop where they had to think creatively about new

applications for technology. The winning team from this challenge will be

visiting the UK headquarters of Capgemini, one of the world’s

largest technology consulting and outsourcing companies.

In late November sixty students in Year 9 participated in a Maths in Architecture Workshop where they studied some of the Maths behind the design of bridges and

then created their own. Mr Enright made a guest

appearance at the end of the session to judge the most

structurally sound bridge.

Other events have included a trip to GlaxoSmithKline for Year 10 students

and a new STEM Club aimed at Year 9 girls who will be participating in

the nationally renowned CREST award scheme, initially looking at the role of scientists who are catching drug-cheats in sport.

Get Involved!

There are some exciting events planned for the coming year, so if you are interested in a career in STEM or studying STEM subjects at GCSE, A level or even university, make sure you come

and see Ms Wickenden or Mr Wilkinson to see how you

can get involved.

Parents – do you

work in STEM?We are looking for parents who work in STEM-related fields such as engineering, medicine, science or mathematics who would be willing to take part in our STEM breakfast programme. This would involve an informal meeting with a small group of students over breakfast to chat about what is

involved in your career. Please contact Ms Wickenden or Mr

Wilkinson if you are able to participate.

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filled with excitement and anticipation about what the next two weeks could hold.

We stayed in the Salvation Army Hostel in Accra for the first two nights. Here, we were able to explore the bustling capital city and organise the week ahead. One of the highlights of the trip most definitely was the degree of independence that was given to us. It was us who had to look after the finances, book cross country bus tickets as well as confirm bookings.

Once set, we headed for the rural village of Akome, in Volta Region, eastern Ghana. Akome is situated amongst some stunning picturesque scenery, and it was here that we would spend five days staying in the village, and most importantly, helping the local secondary school, ‘Akotech’, to construct a new sanitary block.

The welcome we received is something we’ll never forget. Gathered in the centre of the village, all of the villagers turned out singing, dancing, and celebrating our arrival. The village Chief blessed us before we were covered in ceremonial flour and handed a string bracelet, which signified that we were part of the village.

It’s not e v e r y

day that you get the

opportunity to make a difference

to a community in a far-flung country, but

thirteen St Mark’s students did just that in the Summer

holiday when we flew out on an expedition to Ghana, in West Africa.

We were given the opportunity to help a secondary school in the remote village of

Akome with the construction of a brand new sanitary block, whilst having the chance to explore the capital Accra, as well as to visit sites such as the Wli Waterfalls and Kakum National Park.

The students; Joe Alexander, James Elliman, Jonathan Gilks, Weronika Koromowska, Johnny McMichael, Peter Rutzler, Paul Thornton and Ella Whiddett from our current Year 13s and Laura Courtney, Dionne D’Sa, Chloe Fitzgerald, Luke Maxfield and Daniel Trussler from last year’s Year 13s had been fundraising for the trip for almost two years leading up to the trip, running events such as a Sponsored Golf Day as well as continuously fronting the tea stand at school events.

But on July 19th their long wait finally came to an end, when we, accompanied by Mr Jivan and Kathryn Fitzpatrick of Outlook Expeditions, flew into Accra’s Kotoka International Airport

Ghana T

rip

Peter R

utzler

The warm reception was experienced throughout the week, with locals coming up to us declaring emphatically, “You are welcome!”. The local children were swept away with excitement at the sight of us, chanting, ‘Ye vu!’ wherever we went, urging us to come and say hello. Frequently we found ourselves swamped by excited children, and they always greeted us with smiling faces.

We worked with the locals to construct the block, carrying material, mixing cement, laying the bricks and even having a go at plastering! After five days, the finishing touches were added, a brush of paint along with our hand prints. Being able to complete the block was certainly a rewarding feeling, knowing that when we got home, we would be safe in the knowledge that we made a real difference to the school which had been lobbying for a new block for many years.

Besides the project work, we were able to meet and talk with the locals, visit the local market as well as witness a cultural festival. The festival saw school pupils competing from across the region, singing, reciting poetry and dancing.

We were also able to meet students of the same age at the secondary school, and compare school life in Ghana to that in the UK. There were a lot of similarities, with the exception being the use of the cane, which is still used in Ghanaian schools!

The week would not have been complete of course without a mixed England vs. Ghana football match!

After a closely fought battle in hot and humid conditions (and a fiercely English favouring bias referee), the match finished 2-2. In the penalty shoot-out that followed, it was the visitors who would emerge triumphant!

Before departing, we had the chance to feed some Mona Monkeys at the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, and visit the impressive Wli Waterfalls - the tallest West Africa. Having donated gifts to the local village schools, we bade farewell to the wonderful Akome.

From there, the adventure continued onto the Cape Coast, and then Kakum National Park. In Kakum, we spent the night in a 40 ft. tree house in the heart of the forest! Surrounded by creatures ranging from millipedes to elephants, it was certainly a night to remember!

The expedition gave us a chance to discover an entirely new culture and way of life. From eating the local cuisine, such as maize and Gari, to watching (and also at times participating!) in Ghanaian dancing and singing, we really got a feel for what

life is like in a country so far and different from home.

After 12 fantastic unforgettable days, it was time to bid farewell to Ghana and its people. It brought to an end to an experience that was very much a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you are

ever given the chance to do something similar, we can emphatically tell you; do it!

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Year 13 Media Trip

Year 12 Media Trip

On a crisp day in late November, Year 13 Media students embarked on an A Level Study Day at The British Film Institute on the Southbank in order to expand their knowledge on the ‘Making of Music Videos’.

The first session of the day comprised a fascinating, well-illustrated summary of the history of music videos. Examples shown included the early ‘Soundies’ found in 1930’s US Diners, Scopitone performances from France, ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ - the first video ever shown on MTV, seminal videos like Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ and modern day controversial videos like Miley Cyrus’ ‘Wrecking Ball’ and Lily Allen’s ‘Hard Out Here’.

AS Media Studies students attended a Making Film Openings conference held at the British Film Institute, Southbank.

Hosted by Pete Fraser, Chief A level examiner and avid online blogger, we were given a presentation on conventions of film openings and how to recreate them. As entertaining as watching and grading previous AS productions of thriller openings was, we also

Alongside this, students were given top tips for making their own music videos for their A2 coursework by Pete Fraser who is the chief examiner for the OCR Media A level. Tips included what songs to choose and what camera shots and angles to experiment with in production work.

Students were given the task of pitching an idea for the video of ‘Behold the Hurricane’ by The Horrible Crowes, and then got the chance to view the existing video which was directed by Corin Hardy.

got a clear idea on what works with the audience and what doesn’t. These hints and tips were extremely useful to us as we too will soon be producing our own openings to thriller films for our AS coursework.

The second session featured Simon Frame who produces visual effects for the hit drama series Da Vinci’s Daemons. He offered us an industry insight as to what goes on during the process

To end the day, students participated in a question and answer session with Corin Hardy himself. As a well-established music video director; Corin has worked with the likes of Keane, McFly, The Feeling, Paolo Nutini, Biffy Clyro and Olly Murs.

Students also got to view some of Corin’s work including

The Horrors ‘She is the New Thing’ and The

Prodigy’s ‘Warriors Dance’. Students were particularly

interested in his recent works i n c l u d i n g ‘Watchtower’ by

Devlin featuring Ed Sheeran and

‘Skip to the Good Bit’ by Rizzle Kicks.

On top of this, students bagged the opportunity to view the first premiered screening of John Newman’s ‘Losing Sleep’.

Students ended the day with a stroll through the Southbank Christmas Market; a lovely festive end to an extremely beneficial experience for all Year 13 Media students.

of making films and TV shows, focusing on the VFX and graphics.

Following lunch, we were privileged to experience a private screening of the first 15 minutes of Sixteen. Producer and Bournemouth Film School graduate Jake Hume discussed his role as producer of the film which is yet to be on commercial release.

So, a great day of exam tips and techniques and insider industry information!

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Eton Summer School Breast Cancer Awareness Day

Year 13 French Work Experience

Seven of our Year 12s had the chance to board at the world famous Eton College for ten days in July.

The pupils; Eric Addy, Ella Whiddett, Joe Alexander, Bethany Ames, Alex Bandarian, Laura Tanswell and Peter Rutzler followed in the footsteps of the likes of David Cameron and Princes William and Harry as they had a chance to experience a taste of all that Eton has to offer.

The experience was both enriching and enjoyable as they were able to explore their individual chosen subjects in greater depth as well as being provided with excellent advice for University applications. Despite the intense workload, the pupils met many new people, whom they hope to stay in contact with for some time to come.

As contributors to important charitable organisations, St Mark’s Sixth Form were involved in raising money for a Breast Cancer Awareness day on Friday 25th October 2013. Last year, hundreds of thousands of people in the UK put on something pink and the charity raised a staggering £2.1 million to fund breast cancer research. In the Sixth Form everyone made a great effort to change their usual attire and found something pink to wear in an bid to raise money for this amazing cause and to show support for the many people who are, or have been, affected by breast cancer.

In September, six Year 13 French students had the chance to stay in Normandy in Northern France to do work experience for a week to practise and improve their French.

The students; Shanice Adjei-Ampofo, Bethany Ames, Hannah Burke, Nathalie Châteauneuf, Sara Lopez Pinzon and Peter Rutzler, stayed in a converted Cider Press, Le Clos de l’Ancien Pressoir, near the historic town of Bayeaux.

Four of the students, Bethany, Hannah, Shanice and Peter, went to a lycée (sixth form college), where they had the chance to follow and help out in lessons as well as meet and interact with students of a similar age. Sara and Nathalie worked in the department store Eurodif, helping the staff with stock as well as talking to customers.

Besides working, the students also had the opportunity to visit landmarks such as Mont

St Michel, historical sites such as the First World War cemeteries as well as visiting the Bayeaux Tapestry.

The week saw the students totally immersed in French, and although tricky at first, they soon acclimatised and saw their spoken French come on leaps and bounds by

the end of the week.

Certainement, c’était formidable pour leurs françaises!

16

Candlelit Poetry

Calais Trip

Year 7s and 8s had a chance to showcase their creativity on National Poetry Day, through reciting poetry they had written or chosen.

This event took place in the LRC in the late afternoon, accompanied by candle light and refreshments. As well as being a celebratory event, it boosted

As part of French A level I was fortunate to be able to travel to France with my class to learn French first-hand. We were put to the test through buying, ordering and speaking to locals in French to improve our speaking skills. It proved to be frightening at first but handy, as were able to speak French more confidently.

We all had to meet at school in the early hours from where we travelled to France by mini-bus and ferry. By the time we had arrived in France we were all awake and ready to start our day in Calais. Firstly we visited

the confidence of the students; offering younger students the opportunity to recite poetry aloud in front of an audience. This can be a daunting task for some students but they all delivered their poems with confidence and style. It was a lovely event.

Well done Year 7 and 8!

key places like the Hôtel de Ville with the famous statue by Rodin of “The Burghers de Calais”, as well as see historic artefacts from WW2 which proved to be very interesting.

Whilst I was captured by the history of Calais my eyes were drawn to the bakery shops there; fresh pastries were laid out in the shop windows ranging from lemon meringues to pain au chocolat, alongside fresh breads straight out of the oven. I gave in after passing two pastry shops and bought myself a handful of pastries - they were delicious!

We then headed off to a local French restaurant; we had a choice of many French dishes such as chicken with mushroom sauce served with French fries, but unfortunately no snails!... maybe next time. But this was where it got quite tricky for most of us as we had to order in French; although most made mistakes we got there in the end and the right food arrived!

We ended our day in France being able to explore the town independently. We set off as a group and went shopping. We found a supermarket and perused the shelves in search of French sweets. I ended up with more French food whilst others had found some French magazines and some French sweets.

The day proved to be successful as not only did I get my hands on some delicious pastries but we were able to converse in French and experience France first hand!

Matthew Popli Year 12

17

Year 8

Debating Matters

On the week beginning on the 7th October, Year 8 took part in their Charity Week in which they aimed to raise money for their three chosen charities.

Events throughout the week included a smoothie event, tuck shops, a celebrity-themed raffle, sweets in the jar, hot chocolate morning, Krispy Kreme sale, basketball and football matches and a movie night

With so much variety, there was something on offer for everyone to participate in.

Many congratulations to 8 Pole, who were the form to raise the most money, managing to raise a whopping £164 with their breakfast bar idea, and to the whole of Year 8, who in total raised over £654 for their three chosen charities.

Their chosen charities were: ‘The Shelter Project, Hounslow’, who run shelter projects for homeless people and ‘Across’ who take people with special needs on pilgrimages to places such as Lourdes. Also, some of the money raised was allocated to ‘The City Of Hope’ charity who work with disadvantaged people in Lusaka to build schools, homes and vocational skill centres for teenagers and adults.

The week was a tremendous success. It allowed the whole of Year 8 to get actively involved, to have fun, and to put their money towards a fantastic cause.

Debate Mate has launched again at St Mark’s on Mondays after school in C12. The school has competed in two public speaking events so far this year, including the Catenians event for Tom Devlin and Conor Bateman.

In the Rotary Club Youth Speak held at Hounslow Civic Centre, both the senior and junior teams won their events. The senior team consisted of Ellie Haines, Giselle Babaran and Ellen Bandarian speaking on the topic,’ Does Art Matter?’ The Junior

team consisted of Sophie Dawson, Oscar Crowe and Eoin Hanlon speaking on, ‘The Importance of Sport for Girls.’ Oscar also won the Junior Best Chair. We look forward to the next round.

The school is once more entered in the European Youth Parliament, where we hope to continue our current success in the New Year!

Congratulations to all involved in representing St Mark’s so fantastically well!

Year 10Year 10 held a number of events to raise money for Charity Week. One was an X-Box session where students paid to compete in a game of FIFA, another was the ever popular game of ‘Guess the Number of Sweets in a Jar’! Other than this there were also plenty of sweet treats, with a cake, sweet and hot chocolate sale.

Also a unique and keenly anticipated event was planned - ‘Sponsored Movember Day’ - where students paid £1 to wear a fake moustache for the day! Many students took part and helped to raise more money. There was also a ‘Sponge the Teacher’ event; special thanks to Mr Grover, Mr Taylor, Mr Davies and Mr Wilkinson who all took part much to the amusement of the students and many staff.

Thanks to all of Year 10’s hard work and the generous contributions of students and staff, an amazing £403.37 was raised and donated to charity.

Charity Week

18

Art TripFine Art A Level students from Years 12 and 13 visited the Institute of Education to participate in four lecture-style talks around ‘The Creative Process’.

The day gave students the opportunity to meet leading internationally recognised artists and understand the context of their work through hearing them talk about their personal interpretations and explorations that leads to the development of their ideas. Alongside this, students were given an idea of how they can go about making a living from their own artwork in the future.

The first lecture was taken by Chris Orr MBE. This lecture explored the relationship between images and storytelling. The students were given an insight into life as a narrative artist and the power of visual communication.

The second lecture, which was based on ‘The Art Of Sound’, was taken by Aura Satz. As an artist, she works with film, sound, performance and sculpture.

Lecture three was taken by the programme director of graphic communication design at Central St Martins, Rebecca Wright. Her lecture on ‘Graphic Design; Everyone and Everywhere’, looked into how graphics plays a crucial role in our daily lives.

The final lecture on ‘Art from Mass-produced Materials ’was delivered by special guest, David Mach, who has exhibited across the globe. Students learned how mass produced materials can be used to reach new audiences and what range of materials can be used to create pieces of artwork; varying from bricks, tyres, cars, magazines and coat hangers. Students were able to see some of his inspiring works such as his famous sculptures, installations and comic collages.

Demand for places had been high, so students were lucky to be reserved tickets for the event. The day was an inspirational experience for students, feeding directly into their coursework.

Globalisation

Britain’s Black and Minority Ethnic Politicians: The Next Generation

The 22th October saw the Globalisation Conference take place at Gumley House Convent School. Members of St Mark’s Sixth Form along with other students, united to debate the question, “Can we truly be ethical in a globalised society?”

Upon hearing what the guest speakers had to say, students gathered in groups where a workshop took place, stimulating the debate. After this, they returned to fire some interesting, thought-provoking questions at the guest speakers, who ranged from university lecturers to different organisations.

The event had the aim of raising awareness on the topic of globalisation and inter-related with some of the subjects the students are currently studying.

Earlier this term, Sixth Form students attended a Parliament Week event celebrating Britain’s women and ethnic minority politicians. The event took the format of a round table discussion with influential figures such as Diane Abbott (Labour MP), Helen Grant (Conservative MP) and Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece (Liberal Democrat peer).

These discussions sought to tackle some of the big questions about social representation in parliament, one of the main questions being, “What needs to change if political Britain is to really represent the face of 21st century Britain?” The debate raised the importance of political engagement amongst young people of a diversity of

backgrounds in creating Britain’s next generation politicians. It was an insightful evening which certainly helped to inspire those who attended.

19

French Play

ONE Maths’ Challenge

On Friday 17th November, a French Theatre company came into school to perform a play entirely in French to Year 9. Many students were apprehensive about being able understand the performance, but found it was not too difficult to follow the story as they had come across most of the language in lessons.

One November Sunday I was lucky enough to perform in

the Drury Lane Theatre in the West End, which is the biggest theatre in London. I was in the performance of ONE, with my drama youth theatre club called Starlight. It was so scary to perform in front of so many people, but it was amazing at the same time, especially as backstage was all the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory set!

Lissy Coggins

The largest senior entry for many years saw 46 St Mark’s Sixth Form students take on one of the toughest mental challenges of their young lives (so far), along with a tenth of a million other young mental athletes countrywide.

2 Gold, 12 Silver and 16 Bronze awards were hard won by our number whizzes. Special mention goes to Alex Bandarian and Nahom Yemane Yacoub, both of Year 13, who in addition to

their Golds earned entry to the Senior Kangaroo and British Maths Olympiad 1 follow-on rounds respectively.

Many congratulations to all our award winners, and also to those who missed out on the Bronze

award (this time), for putting themselves

through this gruelling test of their numerical mettle.

Mr Gold

Also the body language and facial expressions of the actors told half the story, which was about a girl called Hélène. Today

is her fifteenth birthday, a fact which her dad has not grasped, as he thinks she is fourteen today, and treats her like she is six. Hélène wishes for a cooler dad, and the ensuing chaos teaches us the moral of the story: be careful what you wish for!

Louise Wiener

CAFOD Soup Day

Year 13 post of responsibility students cooked a delicious tomato and vegetable soup for our annual CAFOD Soup Lunch on Friday 25th October. The whole school came together and the afternoon was a great success once again. Over £337 was raised for CAFOD.

Anti-Bullying Week

On the week of the 18th of November, 30 Year 11 Peer Mentors set out to promote National Anti-Bullying week.

There was an Assembly for both KS3 and KS4 where Ms Adams and the Peer Mentors spoke and a video was shown that was put together by James Beagley,

Vonn Abeabe and Joe Tiongson about bullying.

Every day from Monday to Friday at lunch we sold badges, pencils and rulers. We sold to everyone from Year 7’s to teachers and even Ms Byrne bought a badge and pencil. We raised awareness and a grand total of just over £100. All of this money will go to charities that the Anti-Bullying Alliance supports.

20

New Sports FacilitiesThere has been much excitement and talk about the new sports facilities which we are lucky to have being built at St Mark’s at the moment which will give students further opportunities to express themselves through sport, as well as to compete and improve their sporting ability.

You’re all probably wondering where the money for the new Sports Hall and other exciting facilities has came from, and no, unfortunately Mr. Grover hasn’t quite yet chemically modified a tree to grow money. Only a matter of time though I’m sure...

The school was fortunately successful in a bid to the Education Funding Agency for

£1.275million, which is being put to marvellous use to build our new sports facilities. The estimated total cost of the project is £2million; the rest of the funds have been accumulated through money saved by the school to meet this shortfall.

The Project is designed and managed by Useful Simple. Useful Simple Projects work with organisations to develop and deliver sustainability objectives through strategy, design and innovation. The contract and construction have been awarded to Quinn following a tendering process.

The Project will include a large sports hall as previously

mentioned, as well as facilities which will provide the opportunities for sports such as Badminton, Basketball, Cricket and many others. The project will also feature; an Activity studio, a PE Office, a new set of larger changing rooms, multiple storage areas and finally a large open and spacious garden area, which will feature a range of plants and trees to make the area look beautiful.

The expectation is for the facilities to be in use by May 2014.

Tony Egan

21Sport

The Year 7 Rugby team have played some successful fixtures this year. Building on winning their first fixture against Heathlands, they managed to qualify for the Middlesex rugby festival. Placed in a tough group against schools with a strong rugby tradition, they did well to beat Vyners School and qualify for the Shield competition. The boys played some fantastic rugby but unfortunately lost to Grey Court school in the quarter finals.

The boys all showed a high level of performance and should be congratulated on their efforts. New players are always welcomed and should attend training on Mondays if they want to become part of the team.

SquadOisin Murphy, Elliot Dorsey, Reuben Cryer, Sam Cornes, Callum Brookfield, James Pettigrew, Charlie Sullivan, Alvin Maher, Jordan Ramos, Jack O’Mara, Jack Stafford, Nana Gyamfi, Joseph Saville, Samuel Sowinski, Joe Devereux and Luke Bonner.

St Mark’s Rowing club has continued to go from strength to strength this year. Regular indoor and outdoor rowing clubs have been running on Fridays, as well as our GCSE PE students having access to the excellent facility at Chiswick boathouse through London Youth Rowing.

The club is open to all years, with Year 7 being allowed to attend sessions on the water towards the end of the year when they have developed their technique at the Indoor Rowing sessions.

Anyone who is interested should contact Mr Taylor for more information.

The Year 7 Football teams have made an excellent start to the season with the A Team maintaining a 100% record. Wins in the Borough League over Isleworth and Chiswick, coupled with County Cup wins over St Thomas More and Cardinal Wiseman, have ensured they can enter their quarter final match against Mill Hill with plenty of confidence. The whole squad has performed really well with standout performances from Captain Lewis Richards and Dennis Gyamfi.

The Year 8 Football team lost their County Cup match to Douay Martyrs. Despite taking a two goal lead they were unfortunately pegged back and went on to lose the game. The boys can now focus on defending their status as Borough Champions.

Well done to all those that took part in the Hounslow Cross Country Championships. There were a number of notable performances, with the Year 9 Boys’ team winning their overall age group competition. Students should look out for future competitions and races which will be coming up in the future.

The 1st XV have also had an excellent cup run this year. The boys managed to reach the quarter finals of the Middlesex cup beating Twyford and Heathlands on route to an unlucky defeat against St Ignatius School.

The year 8, 9 and 10 Rugby teams have also sampled success this year with victory over Heathland school. The Year 8 team have also been very competitive against a tough Gunnersbury school side. It is hoped that with regular attendance at training that these teams can develop further and St Mark’s can consistently be a rugby force to be reckoned with.

Rugby

Rowing Football

Cross Country

Sport

22

On Monday 21st October, two Year 8 girls’ football teams from St Mark’s attended the Football League under 13s Girls’ Cup 6-a-side tournament, run by Brentford Football Club. The competition is open to girls from schools in the Boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow and Richmond.

St Mark’s has entered this competition in the past and had notable success winning this round of the competition, going on to represent Brentford Football Club at the National stage.

The standard of football at this tournament is always strong but it was really pleasing to see the St Mark’s teams equip themselves extremely well. Both teams played some good passing football, but it was the ‘A’ team that went on to be unbeaten in their group stage, comfortably beating teams and scoring some excellent individual and team goals.

In the semi-final stage they continued to show the same level of team spirit and determination and played some superb football. It was a closely contested game and full of end-to- end action. Unfortunately, the St Mark’s team couldn’t quite find the goal that would overcome their opponents

We have had impressive numbers at basketball training for all age groups this year. All of our basketball teams are now in the top Hounslow

leagues and it is hoped that this progress can be

sustained next year.

Year 9 and Year 10 have made successful starts to the season and it is hoped this can

be matched by Year 7 and Year 8 when

they start their league fixtures.

St Mark’s pupil Natalia Lechocka has become a National Wild Water Racing Champion, less than a year after taking up the sport. Natalia claimed two titles at the English Wild Water Racing Championships, taking the classic 5K down river race, including several sets of rapids on the North Tyne. Natalia doubled up on the second day of the competition, winning in the Sprint Championships on the River Tees. This was a sprint of around 200m down a set of rapids, with competitors having to race twice, with their combined times being used for the final result.

and they ended up eventual runners-up in this game.

Well done to all – a fantastic squad effort!

SquadGrace Fox-Clinch, Shauna Kelly, Bronwyn Polley, Aleksandra Malesinska, Sarah Baka, Ona O kechi-Nworjih, Maria Harris Sutton, Ciara John, Rachel Gorton, Eve Considine, Jessica John, Megan Da Cruz, Dami Adeleye, Piper Lewis, Tyler Lewis, Milly Brand.

Year 8 Girls’ Football

Boys’ Basketball Canoeing Champion

23

A girls’ basketball team has finally been formed! Basketball really kicked off for girls at St Mark’s with an abundance of girls attending the after school club, however with the help of Mr Davies an official team has now been assembled.

Training takes place every Monday after school from 3:15-4:30 where we improve and gain new skills which are vital for us during our games. Even the novices pick it up really quickly and are able to dribble that basketball in next to no time. New drills are always introduced to us by Mr Davies such as the “Three-Women-Weave” and the “Suicide Run”. Don’t be intimidated by these terms,

instead come along and have a go at them!

We had our first game against Lampton School which is a basketball academy and has a wealth of experience to draw upon. Despite being slightly intimidated by them we gave it our best shot! After a closely contested fixture we narrowly went down 50-37.

Our second game was again based in Lampton and this time we came prepared. The effort put in by Mr Davies in the training sessions really improved our basic skills which helped our performance and confidence. Claire Fernando, Louise Weiner, Elly Smith, Virtue and Shishigina

Evans started the first quarter on fire finishing the quarter 2-8 ahead. We continued in similar vein during the second quarter with the score at 6-12 to St Mark’s. We were displaying all the skills and tactics that we had worked on so diligently in training. Unfortunately Lampton made a comeback and came out eventual winners 32-22. However, we did an outstanding job and left Lampton with our heads held high. The perseverance not only to carry on with a few injuries against strong opponents, but also to continually attend and enjoy training makes our team a formidable force for the future.

Claire Fernando

Girls’ Basketball

8 More - Winners of the Year 8 Notice Board Competition

The Software Development Life-cycle in Computer Science School Christmas Card designed by Charlee Barrett

Year 9 & 10 Celebration of Achievement Assembly

Year 8’s Outstanding Work Week

St Mark’s observed Remembrance Day