School Events:
w/c 16 April 2018
Week A
MFL ORAL EXAMS ALL WEEK; REVISION AND PREPARATION ASSEMBLIES
Mon 16th Apr:
Registration at 8.35am;
Year 10 (small group) employability skills project;
Contemporary dance workshop, hall: 3.15-4.15pm
Tue 17th Apr:
Performance platform concert, hall: 4-6pm
Wed 18th Apr:
Year 12 UCAS fair: all day; Year 9 peer mentoring: 12.15-1.10pm; Early close for PSHE planning: years 7-11 dismissed: 1.15pm (year 13 lessons go ahead as normal)
Thu 19th Apr:
Crossteach lunchtime club starts: 1.10pm
Fri 20th Apr:
Year 10 science trip to St George’s – clinical skills taster day: all day
Sat 21st Apr:
DofE Silver award practice hike (returning 23rd April)
Following Week:
Mon 23rd April:
School marketing photography (boys to come to school tidy and in full uniform); Contemporary dance project
Tue 24th April:
Year 10 vaccination catch-ups; Year 12 MFL mock oral exam
Wed 25th April:
National Gallery Project presentation & celebration; French cinema trip
Fri 27th April:
German film trip; Balletboyz trip
Coming Up:
30th Apr – First Aid training for 10B;
3rd May – Dogs’ Trust sessions begin; Govs’ SIMP committee mtg;
4th May – INSET day
Spring Term News
As usual, this has been an extremely busy term. Although the weather hasn’t been great; with dark overcast days and the snow causing some disruption we kept up our spirits with some great events that have already featured in our main news items on the school website, so do please make sure you check it regularly. These include: The Big Bang Fair in Birmingham, The RAF Rocket Launch Day, The WESPA Quiz Night hosted by David Baddiel and the Year 8 & 9 Paris trip. (further details can be found under the “News Posts” tab).
The term ended with the WESPA table top sale and best ever WESPA Spring Shindig – full details will follow on the next website front page News Post.
We really appreciate all the support that our parents give the school and look forward to a busy, but successful summer term.
WES GOT TALENT!
This term, the annual House Competition “WES GOT TALENT” took place. There was a great turnout and a fantastic vibe in the main hall as students cheered on their houses.
The show opened with a fantastic performance from our Tavaziva dance troupe. As well as dancers, we had poets, singers, bands and drummers take the stage in an effort to win the trophy for their House, along with some staff performances from Mr Difusco, Mr Glover and Ms Conran. Performers from across Houses and Year groups delighted the audience with their exceptional performances.
After much difficult deliberation, and praise for all the boys that took part, the judges announced the results:
Winning House – Fenton
Individuals:
Special Mention – Alex 8L for playing different instruments in multiple bands!
3rd Place – Peter 8B (Singer)
2nd Place – Roko 9W (Drummer)
WINNERS – Billy, Dany & Jake 9F and Roko 9W (Band)
House News
In addition to WES Got Talent the Houses have been running various competitions throughout the term – from lunchtime dodgeball competitions, a Spelling Bee, Year 7 Volcano eruptions, World Book Day – “Best Opening Titles”, Floss Dance Competition, Chess competition and Basketball competition.
A selection of the many volcanoes produced by Year 7.
Student Council News
This year’s elected student council is as follows:
9B – Zakiyy; 9F – Billy; 9K – Santi; 9L – Anes; 9W – Jack; 11B – Fortune; 11F – Erin; 11K – Nasrudin; 11L - Alioune and 11W – Andy with a support team of Burt, Casey and Roko.
We look forward to their input into helping improve the school for all students.
Anes has already shown how he is engaging with local community issues.
Firstly, he was invited to take part in round table discussions at the Camden Centre, with around 100 participants to help draw up a programme of creative ideas for the Somers Town neighbourhood. The area is about to face a period of change and renewal due to the impact of the new High Speed 2 rail line. He joined a diverse group of participants from the Somers Town area including those from neighbouring institutions and corporate headquarters.
Secondly, he decided to run for the Camden Youth MP role. He has been campaigning hard in school and voting slips went off to Camden to be counted on the last day of term. Locally, he is against a strong challenger from PHS – Asma. We look forward to the results in the new year.
Fundraising:
At the request of the school council the school has agreed that the last day of each half term will be a non-uniform day, with boys bringing in £1 towards a charity if they want to wear their own clothes.
At Christmas the boys raised - £600 for Save the Children and Shelter
and at half term - £460 for Mosaic LGBT Youth
Film Studies Students Visit Warner Brothers Studio Tour
On January 10th, 28 students from LaSWAP Film Studies, along with a group of students in Year 9 who had participated in the Film Project last summer, were taken to the magical Warner Brothers Studio Tour to learn about the filmmaking wizardry behind the Harry Potter film series.
Students were able to walk onto the famous sets, take choreography lessons and even experience the thrill of riding a broomstick over London with the help of some green-screen technology during the day. Ms Kay-Kreizman even got in on the action with some wand lessons with our sixth formers!
As well as being a hugely enjoyable trip, students also relished the opportunity to learn more about the craft of filmmaking and speak to industry professionals about their experiences working on the iconic film series. Roko in 9w said this about his experience on the day “The trip was very interesting for me, I learned to love Harry Potter and learnt a lot about filmmaking in general and I am grateful for the chance to have gone! What a magical day!”
#METOO
Deep Learning Day (DLD) in January involved the boys exploring a range of topics around the #METOO campaign. Year 7 had sessions on “Being a Gentleman”, “Inspirational Women” and “Equality Activism”; Year 8 - “No more boys and girls”; Year 9 – “Masculinity” and Years 9, 10 and 11 - “Gender Equality and Sport” and “Everyday Sexism”.
Mr Glover, who organised the sessions wrote at the end of the day:
“A huge thank you to everyone who participated in today’s Deep Learning Day.
I am incredibly proud of the response from the boys already and from the enthusiasm that was put into the day from staff. We created some powerful moments, moving discussions and, genuinely, changed some minds and attitudes about gender equality.
A huge thank you to Mr Pratt for the extensive work that went into the sessions for Year 8, culminating in some powerful speeches from the students about their learning on DLD”.
Performance Platform
In February, Mr Forbat, Head of Music hosted a termly Performance Platform in the hall. The event was supported by a good crowd of parents and staff. There were 23 boys performing with a highlight being ABBA’s “Super Trouper”, performed by Junior Brass. Congratulations to all the boys that took part, specially our new Year 7s – many were performing on their instrument for the first time.
Royal Albert Hall Concert
Throughout the term our musicians were practising regularly to take a leading role in the Camden bi-annual concert held at the Royal Albert Hall. We were especially pleased when Adam in Year 11 was chosen as a soloist and that the WES boys involved in the On Mass project were to perform. Mr Forbat, Head of Music was charged with being the lead on co-ordinating the musicians from all the Camden schools – with over 2,500 children taking part, and Mr Singleton, Music Teacher led the Secondary Choir.
Peter West, Head of Music Services, with his Deputy Deborah Rees and Primary Music Co-ordinator wrote to Mr Forbat and Mr Singleton:
“Thank you so much for your help at Monday’s event. I thought On Mass brought a spectacular contrast to the evening and it was amazing the students learnt the piece so speedily. They performed with great energy, musical skill and confidence and most importantly, they made it fun. On Mass certainly added a new dimension to the event and we have received many highly complementary messages.
The secondary choir were similarly brilliant, in fact they have never sounded better, both in the massed items and when performing Grow and Human on their own. They also performed with great musicianship and style and we have received many similarly complimentary messages, and thank you both for conducting so superbly.
I would like to thank you both for all you do at school enthusing and encouraging your young musicians. Thank you also for coping with the many logistical irritations that taking groups of young people out of school inevitably causes. At such a busy time in such a short term, we really appreciate the huge effort involved.
Please thank everyone who came and helped, and those who stayed behind and covered. We hope you will agree that it was worth it.”
The Mill needs you!
The last WESPA Working Weekend at The Mill ran from Friday 23rd March – Sunday 25th March. It unfortunately clashed with the WESPA Shindig and table top sale this year but a group of volunteers managed to make their way there and carry out some well needed tasks to help maintain the facility. The next working weekend will be in June. All parents are welcome to join other volunteers for all, or some of the time, staying overnight if they wish. Transport there and back is also provided. The location is great – in the middle of the Surrey Hills and there are a variety of jobs to be tackled, from putting up marquees or cutting back brambles to cleaning and food prep. If you are interested, please do contact Su Jones at The Mill on 01306 621452 or email themill452@gmail.com
Building Works
If you have visited the school over the last term, you will be aware of how the building works are progressing. The new LaSWAP building on the old tennis courts at PHS have already their foundations and first floor frame and at the back of WES, the foundations for the drama, music and food technology teaching rooms extension are being dug. So far it has not caused a great deal of disruption to the students. Here is Mr Sam White and colleagues from PHS on a site visit of the LaSWAP building.
Visit the school by Jeremy Corbyn
There was great excitement early on in the term when the school received a visit from Jeremy Corbyn. He arrived on his bicycle accompanied by cheers from girls from PHS who had heard he would be visiting. He spent a couple of hours meeting with 6th formers, taking their questions, visiting some lessons and then chatting informally with the school council in the headteacher’s office.
Back in November two of our students took part in the Camden Regional finals for the Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge. They were chosen as representatives from William Ellis School after doing well public speaking during one of two Year 10 all day training sessions with all Year 10s in the school.
Year 9 Poetry & Identity at Lauderdale House
Photos courtesy of Polly Hancock.
Archie and Josh
Right at the end of last term, a group of Year 9 students took part in an annual celebration of poetry, diversity and identity in collaboration with Lauderdale House.
The students have been working with renowned local poet Anthony Anaxagorou in a series of workshops leading up to the event, discussing important and challenging issues relating to race, politics, gender and class. Each student then created their own piece which went through around four different stages of rewrites before the boys were invited up to Lauderdale House to perform their work.
Taking the stage can be incredibly daunting, especially when performing something as personal as poetry, but all the boys performed with courage, confidently delivering their poems to the awestruck audience of invited guests.
Participant and performer Archie J in 9L had this to say ‘I enjoyed this project due to the fact that it increased my poetry skills. It also helped develop my public speaking skills, making me a more confident speaker in front of a large crowd.”
The boys were hugely grateful to Anthony and to Maddy Gilliam, Lauderdale House’s Heritage Education Officer, for the lively and engaging discussions, the invaluable support during the workshop and development phases and the challenging experience of the public performance.
A small sample of the work produced by students…..
The Beautiful Game
London, September 2003
In the hospital my mum gave birth to me.
In London I was born and raised.
A city of skyscrapers, houses, hopes and dreams.
But, I have a love like no other for the football teams.
My first love, the beautiful game,
It’s brought me ups and downs, love and shame,
Hope and love and dreams of fame.
On Saturday, I’m running for the tube if I’m late it’ll be marginal
Scan my oyster then come forth like Arsenal.
Jump on the central line, red like Man U
£3 for a fanzine, I need to get that fans view.
Fish and chips before the matches.
Strikers banging goals, goalies making catches.
FIFA team of the week, we’re on some purple patches.
Gabe 9L
My World
My World
Is full of everything,
Our world needs some help.
Help from those people,
People who crush our souls.
For others who
Don’t like the way they look
People who detest
Detesting the colours of a race.
Despite being “mates”.
The conflict
From one race to another,
The wars blowing holes in the earth,
Tearing us apart.
But,
People back at home
People are safe, warm and snug.
People watching people watching people.
Look on tele,
And look on youtube.
The world is going mental.
This is what it has become.
Can you see this too?
Archie J – 9L
The Boy
Don’t worry it’s not gory,
As it’s not a horror story,
But we should look into these stories.
So you guys all on your phones,
Take a look at the people who are truly alone.
On Monday he stood with all the other kids,
Fighting. Playing. Talking.
Just being annoying.
He laughed and joked about his day,
But no one thought to say,
Are you okay?
On Tuesday he didn’t talk,
to all the other folk.
We raised our hands and copied it all down.
All though we never cared,
For the boy who never shared.
On Wednesday, there was a seat.
It was lonely and bare,
But did anyone care?
No was answer.
As we didn’t see the boy who was slowly drifting out to sea.
On Thursday he sat still, but he wasn’t ill.
He just sat away,
Including from his so called friends,
Who acted like a bunch of clueless hens.
On Friday he once again came in,
But looked like he committed a sin.
In class he didn’t mutter a stutter.
In P.E. he never got changed,
And if he did he stood in shame.
However, if you think about this,
He was just any other kid,
In a class full of kids.
But did anyone talk to him.
But did anyone ask him.
Did, anyone help him.
Did anyone know what was
Happening to him.
Archie W – 9W
Drama continues to flourish
Over the last term, Mr Pratt, Drama teacher has spent hours of time during and after school and even during the half term encouraging the boys in contemporary dance with numerous workshops and performances. These activities really allow the boys to stretch themselves in other ways outside the classroom.
Parent Information:
An e-safety document for parents has been uploaded to the school website – please visit Parents/Keeping your child safe
Other information about events/courses for parents and children in Camden can be found under the tab Parents/advice and guidance