Week 3 - 4th May 2012 - Sacred Heart Catholic School

SACRED HEART
R O M A N C A T H O L I C S C H O O L
Summer Term - Issue 3 Friday 4th May 2012
Dear Parents,
Visual images are immensely powerful, enabling us to
be both reactive and reflective people, and often serve
to give an impression of either us or an idea that we
want people to understand. When we take a moment to
think about all that has happened over the week, we are
often struck by the many images that flood through our
minds, as day by day we work together and work hard.
For year 11 and 12 pupils who are entering exam season
there is certainly a more serious face to be seen about
the school; year 10 are gradually giving us the
impression that they are ready to take on the mantle of
responsibility amongst the student body as we wait for
their safe return from their D of E expedition to the
Peak District; year 9 continue to serve, as they have
done all year, as excellent ambassadors for lower school
while they reflect on important exams next week and
choices for GCSE which lie ahead; year 8 have been full
of laughter and fierce competition through their House
Assembly this week; while with our year 7s, we are
reminded this week as the Independent Appeals Panel
listened to appeals for a place for year 7 in September,
that they are coming towards the end of their first year
at Secondary School. As we see them in straight lines in
the morning eagerly waiting to begin their day at
school, our impression of them is that they are hard
working, kind, generous, and thoughtful in all that they
do.
In this month of May, we especially remember Mary our
Mother, who has been represented down through the
centuries in all sorts of different ways, but always with a
faith in God’s goodness. There is a famous painting by
the French painter Jean-Francois Millet, in which a
farming couple prays the Angelus at dusk – two humble
people paying homage to our Lord and his Blessed
Mother. In a week when another famous painting
(Munch’s ‘The Scream’) was sold for a record amount of
money at auction, we take a moment to consider our
calling in life, and, as we often try to help the children to
understand what is important a couple of questions to
consider….. to stand humbly before our God, or, to
make the most money in the world? Of course we want
our pupils to achieve and to be the best they can be, but
we also insist that they portray an understanding of
what it is to be a Christian and that in all of their tasks
they are ready to listen to how God calls them on a daily
basis.
Do we say “yes” when Christ wants to work through us
in showing his love to others? Or when He asks us to be
graceful in trying situations? In this month of Mary,
when we pray prayers like the Angelus with humility and
love, we are emulating Mary’s faith in God’s goodness,
and we ask both God and His Blessed Mother for their
assistance on our journey through life.
Amen.
- Ms B Boyle
Deputy Headteacher
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A reminder that Monday is a Bank Holiday, and therefore school is closed.
Normal school resumes on Tuesday morning.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE WEEK (Commencing 7th May)
Assemblies:
Monday 7th May: MAY DAY
Tuesday 8th May: Year 11 Assembly
Wednesday 9th May: Year 9 Assembly
Thursday 10th May: Year 7 Assembly
Friday 11th May: Year 8 Assembly
Events:
Friday 11th May: Mass Year 10
STUDY LEAVE Yr 12
Honesty Awards: - Ryan James (9B) found a mobile.
MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS
Please make sure that your son/daughter is properly equipped for the
forthcoming summer exams.
They should have several black pens, pencils, a rubber, ruler and pencilsharpener,
mathematical equipment (protractor, set-square, compasses
and a working calculator) all stored in a large TRANSPARENT PENCIL-CASE.
GIFTED & TALENTED NEWS
Legal Eagles!
Congratulations to year 9 pupils who’ve won a place on a work shop at top law firm ‘Dundas &
Wilson’. The following children will be whisked off to the West End after their Citizenship
examination on Wednesday 16 th May, will participate in all sorts of interesting legal exercises,
learn all about different branches of law, AND partake in a delicious, top-notch FREE LUNCH!
The lucky attendees are:
Ellen Hagos Anna Pedace Esther Lees Yolanda Plunkett Hillary Gyebi-Ababio
Paul Izevbuwa Elliot Egharevba Leah Toulon Molly Moore Melissa Marquez
Yvonne Patrick Omolade Ojo-Abioye Emefa Gajesu Abena Obeng
Amarachi Okewuihe Heinrich Capili Isilda Fitas-Balde
The session finishes at 3pm; they’ll be back at school at around 4pm.
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ARE YOU READY FOR
THE EXAMS ?
How many
SCHOOL
DAYS left ?
0!
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4
6
11
19
26
YEAR
GROUP
Year 9
Year 12
Year 11
Year 9
Year 10
Year 7
Year 8
EXAMS
Year 9 ‘end of KS3’ exams start on 8 th May
Only 4 school days left for Year 12 until their
written GCE ‘AS’ exams begin on 14 th May
Only 4 school days left for Year 11 until their
written GCSE exams begin on 14 th May
Only 6 school days left for Year 9 until they take their
GCSE exam in Citizenship Studies on 16 th May
Only 11 school days left for Year 10 until they take their
GCSE in Religious Studies (on 23 rd and 31 st May)
Only 19 school days left for Year 7 until their
‘end of year’ exams start on 11 th June
Only 26 school days left for Year 8 until their
‘end of year’ exams start on 20 th June
EXAM TIMETABLES FOR ALL YEAR-GROUPS ARE NOW ON THE SCHOOL WEBSITE
(Go to ‘News & dates’, then ‘Forthcoming Exams’)
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Have you ever wondered exactly what A* writing really looks like?
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT News by Ms Yamada
Agatha Christie Onwuizuruike in year 11 has provided the definitive example. As part of the A* sessions that the
English dept runs on a Wednesday after school Agatha was asked by Mr. Williams to write about a journey, either
physical or figurative, that she had taken. She decided to write about a journey of realization. Her destination, the
brilliantly and entertainingly articulated response to cheap ‘designer rip-off’ fashion and is also A*! This article has
also been saved onto the English dept year 11 GCSE English room in the documents folder and I’ve set up a forum
on it. Let us know what you think on the issue!
I love being poor! No seriously, I do. One of my rare trips to Primark last week consolidated my love of poverty.
Upon entering the shop the stench of discounts hit my nostrils, I was in heaven! I know many teenage girls
wouldn't consider Primark to be their definition of 'heaven', often opting for more upmarket stores like Urban
Outfitters or All Saints, but I have to admit - I'm not like most teenage girls. I'm the type of girl that would sit outside
Topshop on Oxford Street taking mental pictures of everyone and anyone I deem ‘fashionable’. As my brain
sorts through the collage of my future potential outfits my fingers search online for the cheapest places to buy
these clothes. Time and time again Primark pops up on the forums; it seems the common consensus is that
Primark is the Zeus of the discount clothing world.
My recent trip saw Zeus provide me with Pandora's box. Something was off this time, the rack which once housed
their £7.65 Chinos had now been replaced with scarves. These scarves were of assorted colours yet they all had
one thing in common: skulls. As soon as I saw the skulls I instinctively shook my head as chills ran through my
spine. Anyone who saw me would have thought I was scared of skulls, but the fear I housed were fears for society.
You may ask: “How on Earth society is in danger because of a few skull-printed scarves?”
Here’s my answer.
For me these replica Alexander McQueen scarves represent affluence, aspiration and reward. Every time I see
someone wearing what looks to be a genuine scarf, my mind congratulates them; not for being rich or being in
able to spend upwards of £100 on a scarf, but for being in a position where they have worked hard enough to have
the financial freedom to spend upwards of £100 on a scarf. These flimsy pieces of cloth are the trademark of the
motivated, driven and determined members of our society; so whenever I see someone pick up the £3 replica
scarves and take it to the checkout desk to pay, it's almost like watching them sell away their soul, sign away their
motivation and resign to an existence of indifferent complacency.
It may seem a bit of an exaggeration to get all of this from a few measly scarves, but I feel these scarves represent
something that transcends cotton and embroidery. For each person that purchases these scarves, I witness them
deciding not to push for that promotion, not to push for that raise or not to push for that A* instead of their A. I
mean why would they need to if the goods that a promotion made accessible were already available at
substantially lower prices? Now society is faced with a new breed of working class people who are content with
being...well, working class. The lure of having the latest designer clothes has now been replaced by the knowledge
that a mediocre income allows you to present yourself as actually owning the latest designer clothes.
If you ask me, I'd rather be poor, know I am poor and do everything within my power to extricate myself from my
poverty, rather than fool myself with delusions of grandeur in the form of imitation designer pieces.
Agatha Christie (11M)
FINAL NOTE...
Shomari Burford has been
training for three years in the Korean Martial Arts of Kuk Sool Won.
He produced an outstanding performance in his recent grading and was
promoted to blue belt.
Well done Shomari!
Camberwell New Road - London SE5 0RP - Telephone 020 7274 6844 - Fax 02077371713
Email office@sacredheart.southwark.sch.uk - www.sacredheart.southwark.sch.uk
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