The Inkling Volume 1

COntents 

Opening 

Culture 

Creative 

Society 

Food And Travel 

Politics 

Careers and post 16 

Sports 

Svc Events 

1

The Inkling 

Volume 1 

2

Opening 

Miss Fletcher 

Head of the Inkling 

It gives me immense 

pleasure to introduce our 

first volume of The Inkling: 

Soham Village College’s 

new, digital, publication 

that is completely student 

produced. I am thrilled to 

see the outcome of the 

team’s diligent and 

committed efforts. 

I take great pride in reading 

through the wealth of written pieces that showcase 

the unique and diverse voices students have here at 

Soham. Moreover, I have been overwhelmed by the 

artistic and creative flair within our school’s populace. 

As a teacher, I can often lose sight of student 

endeavours outside of my classroom’s own walls and 

what has been so exceptional about this project is the 

opportunity to discover the hidden talents and 

interests of our student body. 

A massive thank you to The Inkling team members who 

have taken an idea and made it a reality, expending 

effort and time in the process, and to all students who 

participated in naming our magazine in the summer; a 

special thank you is additionally extended to our 

teacher and ex-student contributors. 

Our front cover heralds the start of what will hopefully 

be a rich and rewarding year ahead with many 

volumes of The Inkling to come. On your marks, get 

set, start reading!

The Inkling is a splendid addition 

to school life. It acts as a perfect 

showcase for the high quality 

writing skills of our students and 

serves as yet another example of 

the talent and commitment of the 

students in this school. 

I congratulate all the students who 

have contributed and further 

congratulate the student leaders 

who have met their deadlines, 

grappled with press freedoms and 

Mr Hampson 

Head of school 

managed the creative talents of 

the journalists and designers. I am 

sure the creation of this magazine will be an experience which 

the students will remember for the rest of their lives. 

This magazine exemplifies the values which the school 

promotes and I encourage students, staff, parents and friends 

of the school to read and enjoy. I also hope that students will 

be inspired by the magazine to challenge themselves to 

participate further in school life - either in the plethora of 

activities already on offer, or, like the team at The Inkling, to 

take the initiative and create a brand new addition to the 

culture of the school.

Katie Kirkpatrick 

Xavier St John 

Editors - in - chief 

Hello, and welcome to the first issue of The Inkling, Soham Village College’s 

student magazine. Our publication was set up at the end of the summer 

term, and our team has been working hard ever since. The pages you are 

about to read have been written, edited and designed by students aged 

between eleven to sixteen, making the magazine completely student-run 

and student-lead. Our team consists of six editors from Year 11, over ten 

journalists from Years 7-10 and a design team. Putting together this first 

issue has been both challenging and stressful at times, but nevertheless 

very rewarding. We hope that all our hard work has produced something 

interesting that we can all be proud of as a school community. 

In The Inkling, you will find a range of articles distributed into different 

sections. Working with the articles that our journalists produced in the 

areas we felt it important to cover, we present topics that range from 

Culture to Creative Writing and School Events to Politics: hopefully, there 

will be something for everyone. 

The process behind our magazine has been one of both education and 

enjoyment. As much as everyone who has worked on this issue has found it 

helpful for future careers and for learning new skills, we have also had a 

fantastic time putting it together! The Inkling has allowed students from 

different classes and years to interact in a friendly and productive 

environment that would otherwise not exist. 

But of course, Soham Village College’s motto translates as: ‘not just for us, 

but for everyone.’ This magazine is as much for you, the reader, as it is for 

the team behind it - if not more. Our hope is that you will learn something 

(be it how American football works or what teenagers think about cinema), 

and have a moment to read away from the stresses of daily life. 

The Inkling is all about student involvement, so if you have something to 

say, send us an email and we’ll help you to get it published here! 

Thanks, and we hope you enjoy our magazine. 

1

Torin Fahy - 

Editor of Sport 

The 

David Makalena - 

Editor of culture 

Team 

Kerry jones - 

Editor of food and travel 

Ella Gibbs - 

Editor of svc events 

Reece t-p - 

Head of design

Cultur

e 

Why 

does culture exist? An interesting question to ponder. I mean, we are 

all human beings. We all have the same ancestors. We all live and then 

die. You would think, then, that we are all similar...but that is far from the 

truth. 

The reason culture exists is because of ‘different regions, demographics, 

emotions and experiences’. Well, that is the dictionary answer. But what 

is the true definition, not written by the dictionary, but written by us, 

humans. Over almost 2.5 million years, homo sapiens have evolved from 

rock-bearing savages to intellectual and educated human beings. Culture 

is why this change has happened. 

Thanks to culture, someone living in a mountain range populated by few 

other people would experience life very differently to a person living in a 

highly populated city. 

In medieval times, culture was seen as a benefit of being rich. Only 

aristocrats could afford expensive artworks and attend fancy balls and 

showcases. 

In the late Tudor era and early Stuart times, poets and writers like 

Shakespeare allowed for culture to flourish and also meant that more 

people had access to it. Culture really started to thrive. 

Leading up to the modern day, culture has gone from strength to strength, 

appealing to more demographics and reaching wider regions. Now 

everyone in the world is surrounded by culture, every day of their lives. 

Here in the twenty-first century, culture is still evolving. Now it most 

commonly takes form of popular media - television, cinema, music, 

artwork, literature and many more. 

In this section of The Inkling, we will discuss our latest forms of culture: 

Television, Film and Music, because these are the topics that people 

digest most...and also what we know most about. 

However, if you are a massive fan of a certain piece of artwork or theatre 

production, we may from time to time delve into subjects along those 

lines. This magazine is for the students, not just for us. 

So there you go. The first editor introduction to the Culture Section. 

Please enjoy your stay: take your shoes off, wipe your feet as you come

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Time Travelling 

s Aiken Talks Mayans... 

18, I spent 4 months in Central America. One of the most amazing places I visited was 

normous, ruined Mayan city deep in the rainforest but with its pyramid temples still 

may have been dilapidated and overrun with howler monkeys, but even in its damaged 

w was incredible. The Mayans were around from roughly 400 BC until the 9th century 

e over 1000 years to pick from. I am no expert in Mayan history but women almost 

a tough life, so just to be a little safer I’d probably pick the year 511 AD. This was when 

Tikal ran out of sons and so crowned a queen as ruler of the city- she was known as the 

. 

Tikal had been one of the most powerful kingdoms of the Maya for around 600 years. I 

e to see the pyramids in all their glory; I’d be able to admire how they used the pyramids 

y of the skies, marvel at the way they worked out which pyramid mapped which stars, 

s they worked out how to get the setting sun to shine perfectly through the top of the 

ds on 21 June and 21 December. Some of the pyramids were meant to be covered in 

y would look unworldly in the sunlight. I would like to talk to the scholars of the Mayan 

k what made them invent the ‘number’ zero, and I would definitely want to spend some 

Lady of Tikal as so little is known about her. But mainly, I would sit on top of the highest 

watch an ancient city. 

yans had guacamole, hot chocolate and tortillas! They also invented one of the first ball 

oal of the game was to pass the ball around (without having it touch your hands) and 

through one of the hoops. Since the hoops were so high, and players were not allowed 

ands, it was extremely difficult to get the ball through a ring. In fact, when a player did 

et a ball through a hoop the game usually ended (a bit like Quidditch - if only Hogwarts 

eriod of history!). The ball did contain a human skull...but if you forget about that then I 

d be fun to watch. 

hen the game ends and the losing side is put to death as a sacrifice. And then there is 

acrifice in general, the lack of women’s rights, and the likelihood of having to eat 

be I don’t have the stomach for Mayan life. And being a vegetarian would definitely be 

if it is a one way ticket, then I think I would have to pass. The 21st century suits me fine!

A week at the fringe 

By Katie Kirkpatrick 

In the second week of August, I was lucky enough to spend a week performing with Viva (a local theatre group) at 

the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Having finished a three-week-long intensive rehearsal period, our production 

of ‘The Dreaming’ garnered a five star review. Performing the show for such a renowned theatre community was an 

extremely rewarding experience, but the week would not have been complete without experiencing everything else 

that the festival (and Edinburgh itself) had to offer. We spent most of the week watching other shows, so I’ve 

decided to review some of the performances I enjoyed...as well as those I didn’t. 

We kickstarted our week of theatre with ‘The Reduced Shakespeare Company’. Their ridiculous take on the 

works of the Bard definitely appealed to my sense of humour: the show cleverly combined niche Shakespeare 

references with some wacky slapstick. My only quibble in recommending the show would be that you have to have 

a relatively thorough knowledge of Shakespeare’s plays to understand all of the humour- some of my friends 

became rather frustrated rather quickly when they had no idea why people were laughing. 

Our first evening culminated in a trek all the way to the Circus Hub. As someone who generally detests the very 

concept of circus, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to ‘Acéléré’ by Circolombia. I was expecting cringeworthy 

clowns, terrible tightrope walkers and acrobats performing tricks we’ve all seen a million times on TV talent shows... 

I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

Put simply, Circolombia were incredible. The stunts and acrobatics they presented were truly impressive, and the 

whole show had an unexpected coherence: from the performers’ outfits to the transitions between tricks, the show 

was superbly put together. What really made me reconsider my hatred of circus, however, was the way Circolombia 

incorporated singing, music and dance into their performance. The seamless integration of so many different 

performance disciplines made the evening quite spectacular. 

The following day led us down a slightly less...sophisticated path. At about 11am, we arrived at ‘The Showstoppers’ 

Kids Show’. As much as I’ve heard fabulous things about the adult version, the show we saw was definitely 

aimed at a lot younger an audience than we, as a diverse ‘youth’ company, provided. The concept of Showstoppers 

is that the performers improvise a musical based on suggestions from the audience. Unfortunately, I don’t think the 

actors expected our group’s suggestions of the Team 10 YouTube channel or dabbing… It all became particularly 

ridiculous when we discovered that the actors were unfamiliar with the ‘dab’, and so ended up desperately doing 

imitations of Usain Bolt’s signature pose on stage. Nevertheless, the slickness with which the show was quickly 

assembled was fantastic, and it was well worth the ticket price just to see our director dabbing. 

‘Tape Face’ was probably the act most anticipated by our group as a whole. After his appearance on 

America’s Got Talent, he was definitely the most high profile performer we saw. However, the peculiar premise 

didn’t appeal to me, and unfortunately neither did the performance itself. While the show was often funny, and 

certainly involved the audience, it remained just not really my ‘thing’. 

Later in the week, we witnessed the wonderful ‘Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas’. This show took the form 

of a cabaret-meets-musical performed by three women who effortlessly sang their way through the songs of stars 

such as Judy Garland and Liza Minelli. While the show is best enjoyed with a little background knowledge of the 

musical greats, the beautiful harmonies and raucous humour could appeal to anyone.

On Friday it was time for the show I was most excited for: ‘Out of the Blue’, Oxford’s all-male a capella 

group. As a self-confessed a capella fanatic, the performance lived up to my already high expectations. The 

soloists were spectacular, the charisma was tangible and the arrangements were just amazing. It was also 

pretty cool to meet the group’s arranger (who was also a fantastic soloist) after the performance; the group 

are super friendly and were waiting outside the theatre to chat to and take photos with audience members. 

Our final show of the week was definitely the strangest - ‘Elixir’ by Headfirst Acrobats combined circus, 

zombies, comedy and burlesque into something we were most certainly not expecting. Whilst at times I 

feared for the under-fourteens in our group, I guess I can’t say that I wasn’t somewhat entertained. 

These shows were all organised by Viva and King’s Ely for us to see as a full company. However, we were 

given two mornings free to do as we wished in smaller groups of our choosing. Along with six of my friends, 

I chose to spend one morning at local Off the Page Productions’ new musical, ‘Typhoid Mary’. The show 

greatly exceeded my expectations, and involved very intelligent use of props, costumes and ensemble work. 

It was definitely refreshing to see a proper musical after the glorious chaos of the circus, comedy and 

cabaret that we had been exposed to. 

It would be impossible to talk about Fringe without mentioning the Royal Mile. The street is the true centre of 

the festival - constantly filled with companies flyering and performing excerpts from their shows. It’s a 

wonderful environment: everyone shares an interest in theatre. We had two scheduled slots on a stage on 

the Mile to advertise, and it was really lovely to perform in such a theatre-centric public space. 

I couldn’t recommend a trip to the Fringe Festival enough. Obviously the experience appeals most to theatre 

lovers like myself, but (as cliché as it sounds) there really is something for everyone. Just don’t forget to 

check the descriptions of the evening shows- shirtless zombie acrobats may not be what you’re looking for.

Top 10 Hardest Languages to Learn for 

English Speakers 

Lauren Hook and Emma Wilder 

We have compiled a list of ten languages with particularly difficult grammar, spelling and vocabulary. 

All of these require a great deal of complex knowledge to fully understand, and are particularly different 

to English. 

10) Croatian - This is a hard language to learn due to its many different dialects. Also, Croatian uses a 

wide variety of letters, which can be difficult to get your head around! Not only this, but the verbal 

pronunciation can be very confusing due to its specificity. 

9) Korean - Korean is ranked at number nine due its complex symbols and actual translation that differs 

significantly from the English language. To summarise the language, symbols are placed together 

(similar to Chinese or Japanese) which creates a larger symbol, like a syllable. The smaller symbols 

each have small sounds attached to each other, so when put together they create words. 

8) Gaelic - This language has two dialects- Scottish and Irish, both of which are quite hard to learn. 

Although they both originate from the same root language, they differentiate greatly from each other. 

Another feature that can be hard to get your head around within this language is the spelling, which is 

known for being extremely tricky! 

7) Basque - This language is less common than other languages on our list of top 10: only just over 1 

million people in the world are able to speak it. Basque country is a small area on the border between 

France and Spain, and only 28% of residents in the country speak its language. It is so hard for Englishspeaking 

people to learn because it has no similarities to languages we are familiar with such as French 

and German and so doesn’t sound the same (even though once you can understand it the pronunciation 

is relatively easy). 

6) Albanian - At number six is Albanian. Like Gaelic, this language is considered difficult due to the two 

dialects which differ greatly from each other. The first is known as ‘Tosk’ and the second is ‘Gheg’. 

Generally, Tosk is the standard dialect in North Albania and Gheg in the south (the divide being the 

Shkumbin River). Albanian is very different to most European languages, and so many Albanians also 

learn to speak another European language. 

5) Icelandic - In the middle of our top ten is Icelandic. Known for its high levels of complexity in grammar 

and pronunciation, this language would be sure to confuse you from time to time. Like Basque, this 

language is not very common, with no more than around 320,000 native speakers. Icelandic is a nordic 

language, and therefore is a branch of the Germanic languages (which include English, German and 

Dutch). 

4) Thai - Whilst this language isn’t hard to learn for people who already speak a local tongue, it most 

definitely deserves the number four spot on as a mix of around four other languages make up 50% of 

Thai. 20 million people now speak the language. It is almost identical to Laotian but still slightly different 

in the way it is written. This is as they both branch off from Austric origins. The difficulty comes from 

how the language is written...and because there is no punctuation!

3) Japanese - At first, learning Japanese would be very off-putting and taxing, as you would have to 

learn a completely new set of characters. However, once you get used to learning it and get past 

the complexities of the language then it can seem very easy. Many language difficulty ratings place 

Japanese in the hardest category due to the time it takes to learn it: it can take up to 2,200 class 

hours to become fluent. 

2) Arabic - There are many dialects that all fall under the term ‘Arabic’. Despite the high number of 

native speakers, very few foreign people are able to master this diverse language. The reason 

people find it so hard is that the grammar is considerably stricter and more complicated than 

English grammar. Writing Arabic as an English speaker can also be a challenge, which is why 

Arabic is placed at number 2 on our list. 

1) Mandarin - To be considered literate in Mandarin you have to learn over 5,000 characters. Also, 

the thought of learning an ‘exotic’ language can put people off - even though over 100 schools in 

the UK have now taken on Mandarin. This is due to its position as the most spoken language in the 

world, and also because it has interesting characters that can be fun for children to learn. The 

characters can make it seem harder to learn for adults but, like all languages, children pick can it 

up faster no matter how hard it may at first seem. 

That rounds up our list of top 10 hardest languages to learn for English speakers. Be sure to check 

back next issue for another top 10!

Wo 

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Let’s Talk Trash: 

rld Clean-up Day 2018 

ever thought about how much rubbish there is in the world? Every year, 8 million tons 

is added to our oceans, and 80% of it is from mainland waste. When this decomposes, 

hemicals and toxins that can leak, spreading into the soil, the water and the air. We are 

the earth, which is why on September 15th 2018, 150 countries and 5% of the world's 

n will participate in World Clean-up Day to make the world a better place! 

in Japan and finishing in Hawaii, the ‘Let’s Do It!’ team are hoping to make the world a 

cleaner place. They’re currently finding leaders and making plans on how to do this in 

effective way, to ensure that they are successful. 

hould all care about stopping waste. It affects everyone on this planet: the more we 

ay, the more harmful chemical and toxins are released into the air we breathe. By 

waste, we can reduce pollution and enable everyone to live longer, healthier lives. We 

e a real difference. 

out the fact that 30% of all food made for human consumption is wasted a year. All it 

ke is a quick glance at a use-by date and you could be making a difference. If we wasted 

5 percent less food, it could feed 870 million people, which could really help some 

g countries make the leap they need to become developed. Think about the world as a 

m: if the countries or students doing best help those who are struggling, everyone is 

ork together and make progress. 

example: if we recycled more it would greatly reduce the strain we place on the world’s 

s. Simply checking each package or item you want to throw away to see if it could be 

would mean less rubbish that ends up in pits (where it takes thousands of years to 

se). Do we really want to be taking up ground with our rubbish? This ground could be 

grow food, to build houses or schools or simply to keep the Earth green. Do we really 

planet to become more polluted because of us? 

t the only beings on this planet either - what about the animals? Thousands of creatures 

here to go because of our ill fated ‘desire’ to pollute the earth: the ocean poisoned by 

f plastic, actively choking fish and making up more of your sushi than you think. Forests 

ause there is a need for wood because no one wants to recycle; a wasteland, a desert 

ldlife because we haven’t been bothered to care about the future. This could be our 

ut only if we don’t recycle and stop wasting.

What do you 

deserve at the 

cinema? 

David Makalena

When you go to the movie theatre, what do you expect? The 

rustling of over-priced popcorn snacks? The smell of sweaty coach 

potatoes who have lugged themselves to the cinema to watch Star 

Wars for the seventeenth time? Or do you expect to be blown out 

of your seats, witnessing something you’ve never seen before, with 

characters you adore and a story you relate to…? 

Now I think about it, that’s exactly what I hope for. Perhaps not 

every time, but I do hope that every film will tell a unique story and 

say something different to me. I’m not going to walk into ‘My Little 

Pony: The Movie’, sadly an actual film coming out soon, expecting 

an Oscar Best Picture winner (although that would be amazing to 

see). 

If you don’t walk into a film expecting the best possible thing that 

film could be, then why bother? Why pay the £10 fortune to go and 

see something that you don’t believe in? Why is it not okay to ask 

that of a film? 

Surely it is? 

If you look back on this year, what films do you think of? 

Personally, I think of ‘La La Land’, my favourite film to be released 

in the UK this year. That film did blow me out of seat. I instantly fell 

in love with the setting, the characters and the story, and to date I 

have watched ‘La La Land’ five times since release - twice in 

cinema and three times at home on Blu-Ray. 

So my question to you is why can’t every film be like that? If ‘La La 

Land’ did it, then why can’t ‘My Little Pony’? Okay, I do now feel ill 

having posed that question, but I just need to prove my point. 

But in all honesty...why can’t it? Do Hollywood executives know 

which films are going to make the money and win the awards, so 

they just don’t bother with the others? If so, why? 

Now I know since the beginning I have just been throwing 

questions at you and ranting about La La Land (but then if you 

know me then I never really do stop ranting about ‘La La Land’, so 

we don’t have to worry about that). Question after question and all 

this article is now is like an angry protest at Hollywood and it’s 

dumb movies. But that’s not what this is. I’m merely here to open 

your eyes further, so that the next time you slide on to the 

uncomfortable leather of a cinema chair with popcorn in hand and 

an empty wallet, you can ask yourself if it was all worth it. 

We have now entered a rocky age of cinema: the rise of the guilty 

pleasure. Everyone has at least one: a film that they pretend to 

hate spitefully but, behind closed doors, they adore to the bottom 

of their heart. Mine is ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’. 1...2... and 3. Not 

4. ‘The Road Chip’ is the worst thing I’ve ever seen. However, the 

rest are superb in my mind. I could very comfortably sit and watch 

all back to back just as much as I could watch ‘Star Wars’. 

So then what do we do now? This article has been about trying to 

get Hollywood to stop making bad movies but now I’ve openly said 

that I love three awful films - awful films that are quite 

frankly embarrassing to love. 

I guess what I am trying to say is that movies deserve a certain 

image, a vision, a crew that love what they are doing and want to 

do it in their own way. If we look at recent cinema however, it’s 

evident that Hollywood isn’t allowing this to happen. 

Take ‘Star Wars’. Everybody’s heard of it - if not, then I don’t think 

I want to know you. But that’s besides the point: ‘Star Wars’ is a 

multi-billion pound franchise which stretches over forty years. In 

2012, when Disney bought out Lucasfilm and announced to the 

world that the Force had returned (the ‘magic powers’ in ‘Star 

Wars’. Again, if you didn’t know that then I don’t want to see you 

ever) everybody in the world went absolutely ballistic with 

excitement. “‘Star Wars’ is back!” was all over Twitter; “The Force 

is with me!” covered Facebook “I love you Disney!” was constantly 

popping up on Instagram. 

When this juggernaut of a franchise space-warped into cinemas in 

December 2015, fans everywhere were over-the-moon. Most 

people had a great time, thrilled to see Han Solo, Princess Leia 

and Luke Skywalker (for literally less than a minute) on the big 

screen for another adventure. Some fans, however, went 

supernova as the film was ‘too nostalgic’ and ‘too alike the original 

trilogy’. This resulted in Disney filming extensive reshoots on 

‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ which, when it came out the 

following year, was one of the most unique and out-there Star Wars 

movies to date. 

However, when the film garnered worse reviews than the 

previously mentioned ‘The Force Awakens’, Disney were left with 

some questions: ‘Why have we done this?’ They must have 

thought. ‘We had a formula, so why may something different?’ This 

resulted in two directors of Star Wars sequels being let go because 

of ‘differing visions’...Absolute rubbish if you ask me! 

I think that Lucasfilm are too scared to take a risk. With their 

blockbuster franchise, they’ve stuck to the formula and now 

coming soon to theatres are two ‘Star Wars’ movies with some 

different numbers in front of them but still the same old characters 

waving their lightsabers round for two more hours. 

So what can happen to change this? In my mind, it’s actually quite 

simple: allow films to made how the filmmakers want to them to be. 

Film companies hire world-renowned directors and 

cinematographers and so on to make interesting and unique films - 

so let them do so. 

The biggest problem in modern day Hollywood is not the box office 

and how much money a film makes, it is what has the longest 

lasting legacy as a ground-breaking film or a guilty pleasure in the 

back of people’s minds. The highest grossing movie of all time, 

‘Avatar’, came out in 2009 and since then, the buzz has died down 

and I barely ever hear people talk about it. I hear people talk of 

‘Toy Story 3’, ‘Inception’ and ‘Iron Man’ - movies out around the 

same time. Legacy is more important than money because the 

more money a film makes, the more Hollywood thinks that they can 

pump out endless numbers of them which all make the same 

amount. Take Avatar: which has 4 more sequels in production 

before 2025. Seriously! 

So, (I really have to stop starting these paragraphs with so) the 

next time you walk into the cinema and book your tickets, maybe 

pick a film with a little bit of character - he oddball. Not the next 

‘Transformers’ or ‘Despicable Me’. Someone in the crowd will be 

just like you, looking for a lovely night at the cinema - instead of out 

making their own adventure in the city of stars. If you didn’t notice I 

just made three ‘La La Land’ references in that last sentence. 

I really do have to get a life.

The Culture Overview 

Film 

TV Shows 

IT– 

When terror strikes the town of Derry in the 

form of Pennywise the Clown, it’s up to the 

Losers Club to band together and take 

down this monster. Not only has this film 

won critical acclaim, but has also made 

over half-a-billion at the global box office. 

Spooky stuff! 

Kingsman: The Golden Circle- 

Eggsy is back, this time facing threats from 

the international drug trade: The Golden 

Circle. When the Kingsman is 

compromised, contact is made with the 

Statesman—the American counterparts. In 

this movie, you will be having the most fun 

at the cinema all year! 

Blade Runner 2049- 

This is the sequel to 1982 sci-fi noir Blade 

Runner and it may be one of the rare 

occasions in cinema when the sequel is 

better than the original. Deckard is back 

(along with Harrison Ford) but this time 

joined by fellow cop K (played by Ryan 

Gosling) 30 years on from the original. 

Some answers are given about the last film 

but just like any good sci-fi film, there are 

more questions proposed then answers 

given. You need to go see this film. 

The Great British Bake Off— 

The tent; the baking; the innuendos; 

they’re all back. This time with a new layer 

of paint, some more judges and presenters 

and a brand new channel. People have 

wondered whether the change is a good 

one—the truth is it’s too hard to answer. 

However, just like every series, the 

contestants are the true stars. And they do 

shine brightly! 

Star Trek: Discovery - 

Star Trek is back on our TV screens, after 

a 15 year hiatus. I’m glad to say that the 

new Trek is a great return to form with 

great new characters, fantastic special 

effects and the great stories that people 

loved the original series for. I honestly 

have never seen a Star Trek show before 

this but I hear it’s good! 

Rick and Morty— 

The long awaited new series of the fan 

favourite Rick and Morty has given us 

some of the greatest episodes of the show 

ever. There are great new adventures for 

Grandpa Rick and Grandson Morty to go on 

with a great look and some really funny 

ideas. I mean all I need to say is PICKLE 

RICK!!!!! And I’m done.

Music 

Wonderful Wonderful by The Killers— 

The Killers return with their fifth studio 

album. Although it may not be their best, it 

is still a great time listening to it. The 

highlights are singles ‘The Man’ and ‘Run 

for Cover’ which were released earlier this 

summer. 

Concrete and Gold by the Foo Fighters - 

After headlining Glastonbury earlier this 

summer, the Foo Fighters have released 

their ninth album. ‘Concrete and Gold’ is a 

return to public appeal for the band after 

the last few albums were more of an 

acquired taste. This new album is a good 

time for a rock fan. 

Next Time 

Coming up in the rest of October is 

Stranger Things Series 2 on Netflix. The 

long awaited sequel to last year’s summer 

success finally returns October 27. Grab 

your eggos and turn upside down as 

Eleven and the Gang return. In November 

Taylor Swift’s new album Reputation 

hits the radio waves. After releasing 

the song ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ in 

the summer, hype for the album has died 

down a little bit but I’m sure when the new 

record drops, people will go crazy for it. 

Finally, in December, Star Wars: The Last 

Jedi comes out and lets just say that 

everyone is very excited. What’s happened 

to Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo whilst we’ve 

been gone? Has Luke trained up Rey? Is 

Kylo out for revenge? Only time will tell— 

specifically 15th December 

Riverdale Season 2 (11 October) - 

I don’t know about you but I loved Riverdale earlier this year. I wonder when the next 

season will be…. Wait what? It’s here already! How exciting! Season 2 returns with 

even more dire situations but still has the same old cast of characters. Archie, 

Betty, Veronica and Jughead all return. What on earth is going to happen?! 

Thor Ragnarok (27 October) - 

The brand new Marvel Cinematic Universe movie is here (the third one this year!) 

and with a great style which differs from the normal Thor formula. With it’s bright 

colours, galactic exploration and Hulk, Thor Ragnarok is shaping up to be one of 

the best Marvel movies released in recent years. This is also the last major release 

before next year’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ so expect lots of story-building and easter 

eggs. Make sure to stay till the end of the credits as well! 

Who Built The Moon by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (24 November) - 

The ex-Oasis star is back with a new album, making it his third studio record with his 

High Flying Birds. Since 2011, when their debut album released, the band has been 

building fans worldwide, having already been on tour. We can’t wait to see what’s 

next?

The Top 10 Thin gs To Watch, Listen 

and Read At Halloween 

Film 

TV Shows 

Ghostbusters (1984) 

I ain’t afraid of no ghosts! 

Who doesn’t want to 

snuggle up with 

Venkman, Stantz, Wilson 

and Eagon and bust some 

ghosts? This exhilarating 

action adventure set on 

the streets of New York is 

fun for all the family, all 

year round - but because 

it has ghosts in it, we put 

it on the Halloween list. 

Get Out 

This creepy 

psychological thriller 

released earlier this year 

is for a more adult 

audience, but still pulls 

you in and gives you the 

excitement of any spooky 

Halloween film. Just ask 

the thousands of people 

worldwide who went to 

see Jordan Peele’s debut 

picture in theatres. 

Stranger Things 

Netflix’s nostalgic sci-fi 

adventure is a beautiful tale 

of three friends searching 

their town (and another 

dimension) for their best 

buddy Will Byers. Their 

adventure pits them against 

school bullies, evil 

corporations and even an 

interdimensional monster. 

Season 2 will be released 

October 27th and we can’t 

wait. 

The X Files 

In the early 1990s, people 

were talking about two 

things: sweatpants and The 

X Files. Luckily, the later 

caught on instead of those 

awful trousers, so 20 years 

on people still watch The X 

Files - a fantastic sci-fi 

show about alien 

encounters across 

America. People loved it so 

much that it got renewed 

for a revival season in 2015.

Music 

Thriller by Michael Jackson 

When you think of Halloween parties, 

you probably think of people dressed in 

shop-bought Halloween costumes 

waving their hands from side to side to 

some funky 80s music. The likelihood is 

that the song playing is Thriller. I mean, 

it’s great! 

This Is Halloween by Marilyn Manson 

Is ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ a 

Christmas film or a Halloween film? 

With this song, I think we can definitely 

say that ‘This is a Halloween’ film. 

Marilyn Manson’s cover is a creepy-yet 

-friendly tune with a fantastic music 

video from the film; Jack Skellington 

rises to the top of an overarching hill 

as he poses for one of the most famous 

shots in movie history. 

Theatre 

Dr Faustus 

Christopher Marlowe’s spooky tragedy 

has been playing in theatres since 

before Shakespearean times. Bet you 

haven’t heard of it though! Over the 

last 500 years, there have been 

numerous productions of this tale of 

falling into the metal abyss of insanity. 

Did you know a recent version starred 

Jon Snow actor Kit Harington? 

The Woman In Black 

Stephen Mallatratt’s clever adaptation 

of the hit Susan Hill novel has garnered 

almost as much media attention as the 

film version, and is currently playing in 

London at the Fortune Theatre. The 

theatrical production has been running 

for almost 30 years, but still provides 

the same thrill. 

Books 

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman 

A short 6,000 word story, a tale of love in terrifying surroundings, a 

powerful female lead, creepy psychotic mind tricks, a nursery full of old 

dolls, gripping language, and intensity like you’ve never felt before. It 

doesn’t get better than this! 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame Smith 

This fun spoof closely follows the plot of the Jane Austen classic, but 

provides literature fans with bit of a modern twist...zombies, of course! 

What results is a charismatic thriller even the most reluctant reader could 

sink their teeth into. If you add zombies to anything it makes it better, right? 

Maybe not Finding Nemo.

2001: A space odyssey - a m 

If you were to ask a film journalist: ‘What would you consider to be the most influential film in 

and characters all wrapped up in a thrilling tale of good versus evil. 

I’m here to disagree. 

I love Star Wars. As a kid I watched the franchise constantly, aspiring to be the next Jedi Maste 

made the most money, or cast the best actors or produced the best selling merchandise. 

I believe that the most influential film is one that has 88 minutes of silence in its 149 minute 

recreational drugs and watch the mind-bending visuals. A film that - at it’s time of release had 

The film I talk of is 1968’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Many of you may have heard of this film, 

watch it. This film is world-renowned to be one of the most confusing movies ever made. The h 

failed. We wanted to raise far more questions than we answered.” 

So then: why should you watch this film? So far, all I have said is that intoxicated teenagers a 

live your life working in that business, then I cannot recommend 2001: A Space Odyssey e 

Hollywood mastery as Stanley Kubrick moulded one of the greatest cinema lessons ever made 

Let’s start with the actors. Keir Dullea is our main protagonist, playing David Bowman, the ast 

by Gary Lockwood) and Heywood R. Floyd (played by William Sylvester). All three are excep 

motley crew of three pioneering science gentlemen. 

Although, if you want to talk about a star in the film, it is the antagonist robot overlord of HAL 

red eye. Trust me, you’ll know it. Douglas Rain took that character to places that Kubrick and C 

Now, let’s move onto the story. I can’t say a lot about it, as there is not a lot to say. As I have no 

to us. 

The film revolves around these mystical obelisks that appear at three pivotal moments in huma 

on the moon after humans set up a space colony; and finally an obelisk appears right at the e 

to understand). The general consensus is that the obelisks only appear when humanity is rea 

what they wrote. 

The aforementioned mentioned recreational drug support - also known as the visual effects o 

That film set in the Victorian workhouse that won Best Picture at the Oscars. Not the film that h 

space. 

Seriously: Google some space scenes from 2001: A Space Odyssey and just remember that thi 

Although the intoxicated teenagers were not in the cinema to watch realistic space sequence 

what-this-is scene where Dullea is transported to the previously mentioned space bedroom. F 

mean seriously, I get nauseous when I watch it so I can’t imagine how much fun those teenager 

In an attempt not to bore you too much, I’m going to quickly run through everything else.. 

Director: Stanley Kubrick, with this one picture, has cemented himself as one of the best direc 

film today in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

asterclass in filmmaking 

Hollywood?’ you would expect them to say Star Wars, with its ground-breaking visual effects 

r or pilot of the Millennium Falcon. But I believe that the most inspirational film is not one that 

run-time. A film that only did well at the box office because young adults wanted to take 

no merchandise whatsoever. 

but I imagine hardly any of you have seen it. I advise strongly that you watch it - and I mean 

ead writer on the production, Arthur C. Clarke said, “If you understand 2001 completely, we 

nd myself are the only people willing to enjoy it. If you have a passion for films, and aspire to 

nough. The movie is a masterclass in filmmaking - every single aspect has a little part of 

. 

ronaut that we follow to the very end of the story. His crewmates include Frank Poole (played 

tional and make you believe that you are really on-board an inter-galactic rocketship with a 

9000. Most people would recognise it if they saw a picture - a small rectangular panel with a 

larke were not anticipating when they wrote the villain. 

idea what the story is. All I know for sure is that it’s revolutionary in some way. It seems alien 

n evolution. First, an obelisk appears to a pack of apes in prehistoric times; then there is one 

nd of the film, when Bowman is in some peculiar space bedroom (told you the story was hard 

dy to move onto the next stage of evolution, but I don’t think even Kubrick and Clarke know 

f the film - are mind-blowing for their time. Do you know what else came out in 1968? Oliver. 

as visuals that make even the modern day viewer truly believe that the scenes were filmed in 

s film was made nearly 50 years ago. 

s, they were certainly there for something. Perhaps it was the dream / travel / I-have-no-clueor 

nearly five minutes, the screen looks like an infinite colour powder fight multiplied by ten. I 

s must have been having. 

tors to have ever worked in cinema. He pioneered some of the most commonly used tropes in

Creativ 

He felt the cold metal in his hands, turning it over once, twice, three times. Taking a deep breath, 

The streetlights seemed more yellow than normal, casting an artificial glow over the road he used 

“Hand it over now and I’ll never come back here.” A female whisper. 

He fumbled through the crumbs and scraps of paper in his pocket before finally grasping the- 

Intrigued? The Creative Writing section might be for you. But first, a question... 

Why do we read magazines? Well, in the case of The Inkling, chances are you’re here to get a be 

perspective we have on the wider world. But in general, reading is a chance to escape the outside 

Creative writing isn’t just novels. Poems, scripts and short stories all give us the chance to leave 

who the killer is, not what grade you’ll be getting on your science exam. When you’re deep in 

relationship problems. 

So how does creative writing fit into the media scene of the twenty-first century? With the rise o 

about where all of your favourite films and TV shows come from. Behind every blockbuster is a wr 

It really is possible for digital media and creative writing to productively coexist. Reading poetr 

favourite show. Instead of passively engaging with familiar characters, your mind will be taken in 

In this section of The Inkling, we’ll be publishing creative writing produced by SVC students. Con 

find an audience for your scribblings, not to mention a chance to spread your own message to a w 

chance to be read. The poem you’ve been working on for months but have never had the cour 

credibility that could help you to progress as an author, poet or playwright. 

So pick up your pen (or, more likely, your laptop) and get writing! Don’t miss out on the chance t 

through our Creative Writing section.Take a break from the outside world, and you might just like 

...it was a wedding ring, by the way. 

Year 7 students, don’t forget to come along to Creative Writing Club, every Tuesday in B8. 

To find out more about Creative Writing submissions, please email KKirkpatrick7891@sohamcoll

e 

he hurriedly pushed the offending object into his pocket before slamming the front door. Finally. 

to know so well. 

tter understanding of life as a student at SVC: the events we put on, the lessons we learn and the 

world - for a bit - and there is one particular style of writing that really helps us to do this. 

our everyday stresses behind. When you’re reading about a murder mystery, you’ll be wondering 

to an abstract poem, you’ll be trying to solve the meaning of the words on the page, not your 

f Netflix and social media, reading and writing can begin to seem like dead art forms. But think 

iter - the entertainment industry wouldn’t exist without us. 

y, for example, offers a completely different experience to watching the latest episode of your 

a new direction: you might even gain a new perspective on an issue you were struggling with. 

tributions would be welcomed from anyone who is interested. This is the perfect opportunity to 

ide readership. That novel chapter you’ve been hiding under a stack of assessments? This is its 

ge to share? Now is the time to share it. Publishing with us will also give your work that extra 

o explore an exciting new hobby. Or if you’re sure writing isn’t for you, remember to have a look 

what you find. 

ege.org.uk. or XStjohn8004@sohamcollege.org.uk.

Katie’s Poetry 

The Artists 

Under the armistice smiles 

and the social chivalry 

Is the sharp ache 

of which we do not speak: 

The pain from which we pull 

poems and pieces 

like rabbits from a hat. 

If we can express it 

creatively, eloquently 

It becomes delicate. 

Reconciliation waits beneath 

The pain we say we love. 

Wasps 

Stacked inside me like paper cups 

Is the ache of 

Bare feet against the wall 

Plum cheeks and silent giggles 

The warm indigestion of happy waiting. 

There are days when they overflow 

Sloppily 

Punch at a party, it all spills, everywhere 

In every open and close 

Is the clandestine glow of the mornings 

The pure gladness of years.

Silence isn't always good 

The baby started crying. Again. The unending chorus of its screams deafened my 

ears, rendering me almost senseless to the unmistakeable stench of the baby’s 

nappy. I didn't even remember the monster’s name; the parents had just given me a 

set of instructions and assumed I would know how to look after their tiny child. This 

was my first babysitting job - how was I supposed to know everything? I sighed 

heavily, looked forlornly at my phone lying on their cracked leather sofa, and then 

set to work on the nappy-changing… 

When the parents finally returned, the baby was asleep in its wooden crib, its thumb 

planted securely in its mouth. 

“Awww! Isn't she adorable?” The mother cooed, her voice slightly slurred and 

louder than usual. Apparently it was a she - I hadn't wanted to pay too much 

attention. 

“Here's your money,” the father grimaced, in an equally rowdy voice. 

I whispered my thanks: even if they didn't care about waking the baby up, I certainly 

didn't want to face her screams again. I left the sitting room as quickly as I could and 

was just turning the handle on the front door when I heard an all-too familiar wail. 

The baby had started crying. Again. 

As I crossed the threshold of my home, I was met with an eerie silence. No snoring 

came from upstairs. No noise from my mother. I knew the violet streaks of the early 

morning sky meant that she would be asleep, yet the silence roared in my ears. 

Something was amiss, I knew it. 

Creeping noiselessly up the staircase and into the unknown of the house, I 

wondered what I would encounter at the top. I reached the landing and stopped, 

gripping the banister so tightly that my knuckles turned white. Holding my breath, 

fear pulsing through my veins, darkness burning my eyes, I pushed open the door to 

her bedroom. 

I started to gag uncontrollably, the vile smell of vomit burning my nostrils. 

Caring only about my mother, stepping over the puddle, I stared. I could tell from the 

pale greenish tinge to her usually bright face that she was ill. Very ill. 

Over and over she muttered my name, looking into my eyes as she woke up. 

“Mum, mum it's okay,” I reassured her, stroking her hair. “You're going to be okay.” 

That's what I'd told myself, over and over again. 

She was going to be okay, and that was all that mattered. With all that she'd done for 

me, I realised that she was my hero. Every time I fell down, she'd picked me up, 

bandaged my Perfscraped knees, or given me a hug. All the washing she’d had to do 

when I came back from the park covered in mud; all the cleaning, when I'd drawn on 

the wall, all the packed lunches and the homework help and ironing and the… I 

sighed. 

Now I would have to look after her. She was a hero. Even if she didn't wear a cape.

Gemma’s Poems 

By Gemma Bridges 

Hurricane 

A crashing sensation of despair. 

The black winds viciously tear 

Through homes and the state, 

Filling the people with hate. 

Waves roll deafeningly into shore, 

Rain pelts; ongoing like war. 

Floods rise higher than the soaked trees. 

Gone are the mammals and the bees. 

A whirlwind of memories; gone 

Yet the damage has been done. 

Still 

The sun smiles down on a park, 

The morning dew once glistening; is gone. 

You hear snatches of music from joggers as they run 

past... 

Yet there she stands, unaffected: still. 

Clouds flit through the sky, like ghosts: never there 

for long. 

Shadows dance through the leaves (and you can imagine 

the satisfying crunch). 

Picnics happen in the sun: people pretending it’s still 

summer. 

Remnants of the ice cream van tune playing in your 

head, 

The taste still in your mouth - lingering. 

Leaves brush her face as they flutter down - a caress, 

Yet there she stands, unaffected: still.

Book review 

By lorna Gillings 

Blood Red Road is a fictional book written by Moira 

Young. The main character is eighteen-year-old 

Saba, who has lived in a place called Silverlake all 

her life. However, when the lake dries up, strange 

men come and take away her twin brother, Lugh, 

and her father is killed, she is forced to leave to 

find her brother and get revenge for her father’s 

death. This leads to her to embark on a perilous 

journey through the deserts, and her nine year old 

sister (who she can’t help blaming for her mother’s 

death during her birth) only gets in the way. That is 

until she meets Jack, who, along with a group of 

girls called the Free Hawks, helps her find her 

brother. 

This dystopian book follows her life as she fights 

for what she’s always loved and finds new love. 

This book is particularly great for anyone who 

loved The Hunger Games and is looking for a new 

dystopian book to read, but I would still 

recommend it to anyone. It really is a book you just 

can’t put down once you’ve started and is gripping 

until the very end. Being the first in a trilogy, you 

just can’t wait to read the other two books. I 

believe that it is actually better than The Hunger 

Games and is one of the newer additions to the 

increasingly popular dystopian genre.

I am a feminist. 

Maisie Cr ompt on

“ It is basically equal now.” 

“You got the vote ages ago.” 

“Men have a tough time too.” 

“We have equal rights already.” 

“They just hate men.” 

“Stop overreacting.” 

This is what people have said to me when I tell them I am a feminist. 

For the record, feminism, by definition, is the belief that men and 

women should have equal rights and opportunities. It’s the theory of 

political, economic and social equality of the sexes. 

I am a feminist because at 7, I was confused that I was called bossy for 

wanting to lead the games, but the boys were not; at 12, one of my 

friends who was a boy told me that he couldn’t cry because that was a 

‘girl thing’; at 14, when my friends and I were on a Duke of Edinburgh 

excursion, a man turned around, laughed and said ‘You should’ve 

made the boys carry your bags’; and now, at 15, being wolf-whistled at 

in the street like we are objects, or beeped at from a car is meant to be 

taken as a compliment. 

It is because of these experiences that I decided I was a feminist, but 

this seemed uncomplicated to me. I believed that I should be equal to 

the boy sitting next to me in my class - or my younger brothers - but to 

others I soon realised it was not. 

Sadly, no country in the world can yet say they have achieved gender 

equality. 

I recognise that I am privileged because my school has not limited me 

for my gender. My parents did not love me any less because I was born 

a daughter. But many women are less privileged than me. Therefore, it 

is our role, as privileged people who we have the freedom to vocalise 

our opinions to create change for them. Women in Saudi Arabia have 

only just been given the right to drive, and every year around 15 million 

girls under the age of 18 are married worldwide with no say. 

I believe that it is right for women to be involved in the policies and 

decisions that affect our lives as much as men. I believe that it is right 

that I am paid the same as my male counterparts. But as much as I am 

proud to say I am a feminist, it still comes with a negative stigma. 

Feminism has become an unpopular word. 

The word ‘feminism’ does not help with this negativity. Feminism has 

become a hard word for many people to come to terms with because it 

seems to inherently suggest a favoured treatment of the feminine over 

the masculine. 

I think the word ‘feminist’ has so many negative stereotypes because 

our media, which is dominated by a workforce that is 95% male, is 

impacting the way the movement is portrayed. They portray many 

feminists as manly, dominative and uncaring towards their childrenwanting 

to emasculate men. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Having been thinking about how the media reflects what we think, I 

went and spoke to my younger brother - who is yet to consume any of 

the online media us teenagers see. I said to Oscar: ‘Do you think girls 

should be equal to boys?’; his reply was ‘Yes, why are you asking me?!’ 

I then went on to say ‘Oscar, if the word feminist means that you 

believe girls and boys should be equal, are you a feminist?’ and his 

reply was ‘Isn’t everyone a feminist then?’ 

It became obvious to me that it is not the idea of feminism that most 

people don’t like: it was the stereotype that came with the label 

‘feminist’. The people I talked to didn’t want to call themselves 

feminists, but they later decided to say to me ‘I’m not a feminist, but I 

believe that men and women should be equal.’ This seems to be the 

standard across the country. In the UK, 92% of women believed in the 

equality of the sexes; however, only 7% described themselves as 

feminists. If you are one of those people, cool - we believe in the same 

idea, but by not labelling yourself as a feminist you are not actively 

recognising the effort to tackle the inequality, thus resulting in no 

change or movement. 

I personally identify as a feminist to recognise the systematic 

oppression that women have experienced over the years. 

For equality to be achieved, we need to work together to take down the 

patriarchy. 

If you are unaware of what the patriarchy is, it is the invisible, 

systematic and cultural ideas that we have in society, that usually 

value masculine characteristics. Although both genders suffer 

differently from the patriarchy, most of the time men benefit. For 

example, the patriarchy teaches boys, from a young age, to be 

competitive, dominant, strong and aggressive - to be leaders and risk 

takers. On the other hand, it teaches girls to be graceful and 

emotional, cautious and sympathetic, domestic, patient and sensitive. 

If we break down the gender roles everyone benefits - regardless of 

gender. 

I was lucky enough to meet Laura Bates at the House of Commons a 

couple months ago. Laura set up the ‘Everyday Sexism’ project after a 

horrible week of events. The first event she shared was when she was 

walking home one evening and some guys started shouting out of their 

windows the things they wanted to do to her – she ignored them and 

carried on home as normal. Then a few nights later, while she was 

travelling home on the bus, a man started groping her leg. When she 

stood up and said ‘I’m on the bus and this guy’s groping me,’ 

everybody on the bus looked out the window or stared at their feetcertainly, 

no one stepped in. Worse than that, there was a sense of 

‘Why are you making a fuss?’ which made her feel ashamed. Again she 

carried on, didn’t mention it, and went home. Then, a couple of days 

later, she was walking in broad daylight and a couple of builders 

turned to each other and said ‘Look at the legs on that’. Not even ‘her’, 

‘that’. After suffering through these three events in one week, she 

started thinking about why was she was so used to them...and why this 

was so normal. 

Then she started thinking about the hundreds of incidents that had 

taken place over the weeks and months and years. Bates spoke to the 

women in her life and soon realised that every single woman had a 

similar story. But, just like her, they hadn’t spoken about them because 

it has been so normalised. 

Galvanised, Bates set up a website where people could share their 

stories called ‘Everyday Sexism’ to raise awareness of the problem. At 

first, she expected nothing of it - that a few people may comment - but 

in 18 months, 50,000 women around the world had shared their 

stories. Sexism is so normalised that people seemed accept that it 

wasn’t an issue, but when they started thinking about it they realised 

that it is not right. 

I realise that when people speak about feminism it can seem like it is 

only a movement for women. But men and boys matter. We need men 

to be able to join the movement because gender equality is your issue 

too. Even today my father’s presence in our family is valued less than 

my mother’s despite them both being important. We cannot ignore the 

fact that in the UK, suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20 and 

49. Men are unable to express their emotions or seek help for fear of 

being thought less of a man. There is no denying the patriarchy is set 

up to benefit men on the surface, but the disadvantages far outweigh 

the advantages for everyone. 

Both women and men can benefit from feminism; all people should 

work together to achieve equality. After all, our voices are loudest 

when we raise them together.

Hometown- Chap 

It was the kind of afternoon where the city I was walking through loo 

Amsterdam became a mirage. Water fell from the sky not in droplets, or 

my shoulders as the red dye seeped into the shoulders of my dress. I lo 

Fumbling with the zip of my coat, I hurried into the first cafe I passed. 

of guffawing young men, shouting in Dutch between mouthfuls of the e 

thought. 

“Can I help you, madam? You wish to try some?” 

The man facing now facing me straightened his name badge and pulled 

I often wonder what it is about me that screams ‘I’m not local!’. Despit 

in Dutch. To be fair, I still can’t speak the language, but it would be nice 

Surveying my outfit through new eyes, I began to understand. My sunsh 

read ‘Keep Calm and Drink Tea’, and on my backpack was a patch of a 

I promise I’m not as English as I probably sound. The badge and the pat 

years ago from Australia and are to this day obsessed with the British s 

Figuring I didn’t have anything better to do, I nodded to the man now 

chair. I was about to pick up the little paper menu when some all-too fam 

and all the other customers in the room carried on eating, I felt myself f 

Without having to find a mirror, I knew that my face was scarlet. I felt m 

way to stop it. ‘Breathe, it’s just another pop song,’ I told myself, but I w 

ignoring the turning heads, and thrust open the wooden door. 

What a picture I must have looked: stood alone, crying and gasping for 

pop song. 

Walking alone in the Jordaan has become a bit of a habit for me. Whene 

boutiques, the tiny museums. There’s something endlessly reassuring 

when I have to venture into the tourist-hub city-centre. Here, I can pre 

their golden brown ringlets flying out behind like a halo them as they pe 

yellow bicycle that has a pile of old books and pink flowers piled up in th 

“Bloem, juffrouw?” 

I do a double take and stare at the young woman beaming at me. 

pondering anything too deeply, I take the sunflower she is offering, smil 

It’s only when I finally reach my flat that I manage to put myself back to 

shower, but once everything is sorted it’s nice to feel like less of a mes 

time to put the sunflower in a vase. But when I pick up the plant, a tiny p 

All that’s written on it is the number twenty four.

ter One: Yellow 

ked nothing like the postcards. As the wind sang its mournful tune, 

even sheets, but as a constant crashing deluge. My hair hung limp on 

oked like a murder victim. 

Immediately, the potent scent of cheese hit me. The tiny room was full 

normous cheese platter that lay in the centre of the table. ‘A stag-do,’ I 

at the corner of his apron. 

e having lived in Holland for a whole year, I’m still yet to be addressed 

to feel like a real resident here. 

ine yellow raincoat still had a collection of badges on it, one of which 

union-flag Mini. 

ch were both gifts from my friend’s family - they moved to England five 

tereotype. 

behind the counter and he ushered me to a tiny table with a solitary 

iliar chords began to echo through the speakers. While the stag party 

reeze. ‘Please no,’ I thought, ‘not today, for God’s sake.’ 

y nails scratching away incessantly at the skin of my hand and had no 

as already too far gone. Unable to bear it, I sprinted through the cafe, 

air, with a bleeding hand, in the rain outside a cafe playing a harmless 

ver the day becomes too much for me, I seek the cobbled streets, the 

about the picturesque nature of every road, especially on the days 

end nothing else is real - become one of the girls I see everyday with 

dal at perfect streets through the city on their pastel blue or cheddar 

e brown wicker basket and - 

Does I actually look Dutch or does she just feel sorry for me? Without 

e, and hurry off in the opposite direction. 

gether. I manage to create a morbid scene wringing out my hair in the 

s. Having put a plaster on my hand and made some tea, I finally have 

iece of folded paper flutters to the floor.

It only got dark 

Welcome to th 

The spark 

By Ruby 

I woke to have smoke in my 

I woke to see dancing fla 

I woke to have curdled wa 

I couldn't breathe or think or see 

I tried to run bu 

My body stung with burns and 

My skin turned to charc 

My bones started melting an 

I stopped breat 

I fell back and closed my eye 

I welcome 

I tried to scream but s 

I had brought 

I began this fire: it is o 

It just has to leave e 

I sat up and stared in 

The heat melted my bone 

My skin was burnt 

I welcomed death b 

I screamed for mercy but it left like 

I reached out for the darknes

in my life 

Cooksey 

lungs and ash on my face. 

mes and singing sparks. 

llpaper and black carpets. 

, i couldn't walk or move or taste. 

t red circled me. 

the screaming broke my heart. 

oal and my hair frizzed. 

d the flames became blurry. 

hing or thinking. 

lids over their empty sockets. 

d the pain. 

omething stopped me. 

it upon myself. 

nly fair if it takes me. 

veryone else alone. 

to the black swirling. 

s and my hair was gone. 

and my lungs crisp. 

ut it wouldn't come. 

a soldier from battle; triumphant. 

s begging it to burst into light. 

er and darker. 

is eternal Hell.

EX Libris 

By Miss Fletcher 

From the shelves of her own personal library, Miss Fletcher details her most treasured 

reads. 

1. ‘Mrs Dalloway’ - Virginia Woolf 

There is something endlessly fascinating about the limits of human perception - 

and the inescapable journeys our thoughts can travel through in an instant. In 

classic Woolfian style, we journey through multiple streams of consciousness to 

experience the lives of a discontented high-society wife and a war veteran 

suffering from his fighting days. It’s one of the few books that I’d happily reread; 

the prose has a musicality to it and I’m forever startled by the 

craftsmanship involved in the undulating, yet perfected, sentences. 

2. 

‘Alice in Wonderland’ - Lewis Carroll 

I begrudgingly admit that a mathematician’s novel has weaselled into my 

affections, but I can’t tell whether it’s the entertainment value or the ‘I-have-noclue-what’s-happening’ 

aspect of Alice in Wonderland, that makes this a firm 

favourite in my library. Devilishly witty and irreverent at times, Carroll fires zany 

situation after zany situation at Alice, our heroine, who, though baffled, is 

surprisingly unfazed by events in Wonderland. There are too many excellent 

characters, but best of all is the Mad Hatter whose unsolved riddle ‘Why is a 

raven like a writing desk?’ continues to perplex readers. 

3. 

‘The Great Gatsby’ - F. Scott Fitzgerald / ‘Save Me the Waltz’ - Zelda Fitzgerald 

Anyone who’s been in my class will know that I have an obsession with all things 

1920s. From the glamour of wealthy Americans to the charms of liberated 

flapper girls, the Roaring Twenties would be top of my list of stops if I owned a 

time machine. In part, this is thanks to Fitzgerald and his bittersweet novels (his 

wife, Zelda Fitzgerald’s, ‘Save Me the Waltz’ is fascinating too). The brilliance of 

‘The Great Gatsby’ is in its ability to have you simultaneously envy, berate and 

grieve for each of its central characters, Fitzgerald mastering the complexities 

of human nature. It’s better than the film (sorry, Leo).

4. ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ - Jean Rhys 

5. 

If you have slogged your way through Brontë’s Jane Eyre (it’s a brilliant read, 

just… long) and loved it, you may want to steer clear of Rhys’ prequel for a while 

which will warp your perspective of Brontë’s characters. I find it very hard to 

remain fond of Rochester, and constantly have to remind myself to distance 

Wide Sargasso Sea’s version of him from Brontë’s. Despite that, this was the 

first book that really opened my eyes to questioning what we hold an ‘authentic’ 

or ‘true’ narrative, with Rhys exposing Britain’s colonial history dating back to 

the empire. The passages set in Jamaica and Dominica are astounding in their 

ability to transport the reader to another location, the humidity and heady 

scents immediately hitting us through the page. Visceral in its quality of writing, 

the final section of the novel never fails to raise goose-bumps. 

‘36 Hours: 125 Weekends in Europe’ – The New York Times 

For fear of being too fiction heavy, I thought I’d include this non-fiction 

mammoth. A beautifully designed book, this guide to key cities in Europe 

provides a snapshot of history and a thorough breakdown of where to go, sights 

to see and what to eat in a 36 hour visit. I’ll book no holiday without consulting it 

first.

Society

We’re all used to the voices in our heads. We know 

ourselves: how we think, what we like and don’t like, where 

we stand on various issues. We know who we personally 

consider our enemies, crushes, friends, acquaintances. But 

how well do we know each other? 

Society looks at the way we behave as a global 

population: how we, as humans, interact. In this section, 

we’ll be covering everything to do with people. There will 

be articles about everything from social justice to 

education, from family and relationships to philosophy and 

mental health. Think of the Society section as the 

intersection between Politics and Culture: we’ll be 

combining factual reporting on how we all act as a species 

with opinions on the issues that affect us as young people 

in the 21st century. 

Now is perhaps a more important time than ever to be 

thinking about our society. Radical inventions such as the 

internet have revolutionised the way we communicate, and 

the ever-shifting political climate has brought into question 

views many people hold dear. Who knows what kind of a 

world we’ll be living in in ten, twenty, thirty years time? The 

very principles of human society are evolving. We, as a 

generation, are growing up in unchartered waters: many of 

the storms we face daily simply didn’t exist for previous 

teenagers, and so it’s up to us to find our own path. 

Inevitably, we’re all going to travel in different directions 

and form different opinions and views. 

As I said, society is all about people and how they 

interact. A big part of any magazine’s society section is 

submissions: we want to hear what you’re passionate 

about! This could be anything, from racism in America to 

the value of learning to sew. This is your chance to 

broadcast your opinion to a wide readership - don’t miss 

the opportunity to share your opinions and spread your 

message.

Agony Aunt Torin 

In this section, I answer 

people’s queries with my… 

limited life experience, but 

nevertheless try to help! I also 

realise that as a male I 

technically can’t be an aunt, 

but...um...oh well! 

‘Dear Auntie Torin, 

My friend likes a girl, but she's already told him she's not 

interested (she said this a while ago). He really wants to try 

and get her to like him.... 

Any help??? 

From, 

Torin Fahy 

Editor of sport 

Anonymous’ 

He\llo Anonymous! 

My advice would be to encourage your friend to probably 

move on, as she has said no to a romantic relationship so it 

wouldn't be fair to her to keep on pushing that. Having said 

that, I would recommend that they try to become her friend: 

there are obviously reasons that your friend likes this girl, so 

they will likely gain a good friend and it's always open to 

possibilities. 

Good luck! 

Send any questions or queries to - tfahy7853@sohamcollege.org.uk

Famo 

embo 

William Kamkw 

“The boy who h 

Forced to drop 

to pursue an e 

Kamkwamba b 

and he began t 

guttering and a 

several trials, 

entire home. 

“That crazy mo 

At a remarkab 

we could ever 

Tabei set nume 

Born in rural 

something out 

nearby volcano 

With no female 

assumed she 

women only w 

Himalayas, sur 

Tabei’s next, a 

feet of snow. H 

give up, Tabei 

Both of these 

allotment in life 

Not content wi 

solar-powered 

methods to bri 

Junko Tabei, 1

Mr and Ms PRIDE 

us figures throughout time that 

dy our PRIDE values. 

amba, 1987-Now 

arnessed the wind”. 

out of school at the age of fourteen, because of his family’s financial problems, Kamkwamba continued 

ducation whilst working on farm land in Malawi. The local library provided numerous resources and 

ecame enthralled by technology and science books. One book, ‘Using Energy’, sparked his imagination 

o experiment with materials to make a wind turbine. By using an old tractor fan, a bicycle frame, bits of 

n array of reclaimed and recycled material, Kamkwamba managed to build a wooden generator. After 

it succeeded in powering a light bulb. From there, he scaled it up to provide electricity for his family’s 

th just one windmill, Kamkwamba has built others to provide his village with power. He has also built a 

water pump that now supplies drinking water and is continuing to innovate through cheap and efficient 

ng comfort to the lives of those in poverty. 

939 – 2016 

untain woman”. 

le four feet and ten inches, Junk Tabei, despite being on the short side, has scaled greater heights than 

imagine. As the first woman to climb the Seven Summits (the highest points in each of the continents), 

rous records, breaking social barriers with every ascent. 

Japan, Tabei was immersed in traditional practices, and the notion that a woman could achieve 

side of married life was greatly ridiculed. However, at ten Tabei’s school teacher organised a hike up a 

, and the mountaineering spirit took hold of the youngster. 

mountain climbing clubs, Tabei joined several men’s clubs and faced the wrath of members – many 

had only joined to find herself a husband. In reaction, she formed the Joshi-Tohan climbing club for 

ith the motto: “Let’s go on an overseas expedition by ourselves”. The team managed to trek up the 

viving the inhospitable conditions – it was so cold that film inside their cameras froze and snapped. 

nd most difficult, challenge was Everest. An avalanche crushed Tabei and her team, burying them under 

aving fallen unconscious, Tabei was dug out and rescued by nearby Sherpa people. Yet, rather than 

continued and twelve days later reached the summit. 

figures exemplify the entrepreneurial drive that underpins our PRIDE values - not content with their 

, they spearheaded their own campaigns to great success.

Wh 

gu 

As art and m 

saying that n 

the same gen 

this should b 

is lack of res 

may think tee 

else doesn’t 

because you 

people shou 

respect the 

tensions will 

But where did 

In my opinion 

the eternal p 

as we see in 

remember ‘S 

exist. People 

and those wh 

‘populars’. P 

our superiori 

be thought o 

vice versa. 

Or perhaps t 

media and cu 

such as jazzcause 

peop 

regardless o 

Sometimes t 

that is simple 

has become 

enjoy in favo 

of genre is di 

As much as I 

teenage prob 

on superiorit 

popularity of 

Twitter, it’s h 

TV shows, film 

Another culp

y d o we still have the concept of 

ilty pleasures? 

edia diversifies, so do people’s tastes. It goes without 

ot everyone can enjoy the same films, the same books, 

res of music. We’re all looking for different things, and 

e welcomed. The issue, particularly with our generation, 

pect for the media we don’t enjoy. Just because you 

n films like Clueless are trashy, doesn’t mean someone 

have the right to adore them. In the same way, just 

may see classical music as extinct, doesn’t mean 

ldn’t be allowed to have fun playing it. We need to 

tastes of our peers instead of tearing them down, or 

only continue to build. 

these tensions come from? 

, our obsession with giving art a set value stems from 

resence of cliques. Although they may not be as defined 

American movies like High School Musical (anyone 

tick to the Status Quo’?), it’s obvious that they do still 

who succeed academically are still considered nerdy 

o appear to lead charmed lives are still referred to as 

erhaps it’s this toxic hierarchy that has instilled in us 

ty: if the nerds like a particular television show, it could 

f as stupid by the so-called populars of the world, and 

communities formed around books and TV shows can be wonderful, 

welcoming places, they can also be somewhat...vicious. Let’s take a 

look at a niche example. The musical theatre community on sites 

such as Instagram is normally a super friendly environment, but the 

curtain came down during the 2017 Tony Awards, when two wellloved 

shows clashed, with both racing to claim the award for Best 

Musical. This made the community a toxic place, where fans of one 

musical would tear down those of another simply for their 

preference. Surely people who share a love for the same form of 

media should bond together - regardless of specific preference. 

There’s also a possibility that our condemnation of supposedly 

inferior art comes from our age. As teenagers, we are all gaining 

confidence in our own views, and exploring our personal tastes and 

opinions. Although this issue is most commonly seen when 

discussing media, it applies to all aspects of teenage life. We love to 

criticise each other’s decisions in romance, fashion, career plans 

and even friendships, not to mention the go-to topics of alcohol and 

drugs. Perhaps we’ll grow out of it - I for one like to believe we will. 

What ties all of these causes together is our desire to be right. In an 

age of controversy, we want validation that our tastes are the best, 

and many of us will do whatever it takes to get this - even if it means 

tearing down the choices of our friends and classmates in the 

process. 

he cause of our superiority is simply the huge range of 

lture available for us to consume. Niche styles of music 

rap and unpopular writing genres such as flash fiction 

le to research deeply into areas that they enjoy, 

f whether or not what they like is wildly popular. 

is expertise in complex areas is used to condemn art 

r and more well-known. With the rise of ‘hipsterness’, it 

increasingly on-trend to criticise things that others 

ur of ‘less mainstream’ alternatives. This diversification 

viding us. 

hate to blame what many adults see as the cause of all 

lems, social media may have played a part in our views 

y . In an age where one can immediately check the 

someone or something simply by opening Instagram or 

ard not to be conscious of how well-liked our favourite 

s, books and artists are by others. 

I urge you - that’s right, all of you - to reconsider some of your 

opinions. Our innate condemnation only prevents us from finding 

new things to enjoy. If we lose our pride, lose our prejudice, we 

might find a new favourite book. If we forget our personal 

melodrama, we may find a new go-to album. 

So watch your Hollywood blockbusters, but don’t give up on cheesy 

teen movies: they might be just the right thing to lighten your mood. 

By all means dance to your indie pop, but don’t stop the classical and 

jazz-rap fans from enjoying their own tastes: you might want a break 

from those guitars after a while. Whatever you do, don’t feel guilty 

for the things you love. 

rit here is ‘fandom’ culture. Whilst the supportive online

travel 

Welcome to Food and Travel - the best part of the magazine! 

Now, I know what you’re thinking- ugh boring! You don’t want to 

read about dull, old food and get jealous of people’s travels. But 

here you can join us; join us on our journeys across the globe, 

indulge in our delicious recipes, and learn how to make them 

yourself at home! Not only that: wondering where to travel next? 

What to eat next? Why, just read and find out; learn about 

exciting new cafes, or discover the truth about those places 

that are hyped up but you’ve never dared to try. Wondering 

where to go next summer? Or what you could do there? Why, 

just keep reading to find out about new places you could visit 

and the endless possibilities of things you can do there. 

Come along on our adventures across the world; come and 

taste some of our favourite meals; come and try the new places 

we love. Enjoy! 

4

Kerry does 

Portugal 

A holiday can’t be a holiday without an early morning (two o’clock in the morning to be precise), but it 

was worth it. We were able to see the mosaic patterns of the vibrant green fields, the bursts of blue of 

the lakes and valleys and the brightness of the yellow, dried plains of Portugal. After our three-hour 

flight, which was mainly just listening to my favourite bands and a few 80s classics on repeat, we 

finally landed in Faro - now our holiday had begun! The classic 80s tracks carried on playing for 

another hour while we trekked our way across Portugal. We ended up in the sunny, but very windy, 

Algarve. After spending the first day soaking in the sweltering Portuguese sun, it was time to throw 

our pizzas in the oven and eat to our heart's content (no change there then). 

The first week consisted of taking in the blazing sun, catching up on our tans and having the 

occasional dip in the pool so we could cool down from the unfamiliar heat. Every evening, we would 

drive to the neighbouring villages, like ‘Portimao’ or ‘Vila de Bispo’ to see the sights and try new 

Portuguese dishes from some of the best restaurants. We spent most of our evenings in the warm 

breeze of Salema, a small fishing village. Here, you could try a wide range of freshly caught fish which 

was of course cooked to perfection. Not only did this small (but popular) place offer delicious, fresh 

fish, but the small, beautiful village had so much more to offer; from Portuguese style steak to 

spaghetti carbonara, you could try a variety of different foods, all with intense and delicious flavours 

that we all wanted to savour for as long as possible. Every evening, we were either looking out onto 

the sea that shimmered in the moonlight whilst listening to the soft tide, or we found ourselves sat 

under a drooping canopy in the middle of the village, surrounded by the soft glow of fairy lights and 

listening to the acoustic Spanish band in the background. 

The days seemed to go so quickly, even if all we did was chill by the pool (diving in every now and then 

to embrace its the cool water). At the same time every afternoon, 5pm to be precise, we’d retreat from 

the setting sun’s rays and go inside to get ready for tea. I’d always take the opportunity to sneak out 

while doing so, to go out on the balcony and watch the sunset as the warm, Portuguese air cooled 

around me. The smell of the dusty ground filled the air, creating that unique scent Portugal has. You 

could even hear and smell the saltiness of the sea two villages away from the shore, and as you gazed 

out into the distance, a twinkling path of white and bright villas in the valleys guided our eyes towards 

the horizon. 

Suddenly, our second week had come, and again we spent the majority of our days bathing in the 

warm sunlight and the contrasting pool - but also exploring! From the warm sands of Salema and its 

small shops and businesses ascending up its steep sloping streets to the dusty, sandy plains of ‘Vila 

de Bispo’ we hunted through the immense attractions and discovered other home-made treasures. 

Our two weeks were almost over, so we spent the last day in the cool Atlantic Ocean by the fishing 

village, on the warm shores of the Algarve. We spent the last hours of our holiday revelling in all the 

delights of Portugal, strolling along the beaches and bay, swimming into to calm waves and lying on 

the golden sands in the final streaks of Portuguese sunlight. 

A holiday can’t be a holiday without an early morning - nor can it be a holiday without adventure, 

relaxing and being surrounded by the ones you love. Those holidays are the best type of holidays - 

especially when you are in such a stunning and beautiful place as Portugal.

Kerry does 

“ Subway” 

If you had asked me before my unexpected trip, ‘Do you like fast food?’, my answer would have been 

no. Although I have had very few fast food experiences, I’ve never really liked it and have never 

understood the hype about it all - until Subway. 

Cambridge, nineteenth of August: my first experience of Subway. The big, yellow and green subway 

logo caught my eye from the end of the street, drawing me towards the shop. The interior was 

welcoming, flawlessly executing the classic Subway colour scheme. There were a range of spaces to 

eat: from higher tables by the window (where you could take the opportunity to be nosey watching 

shoppers stroll past) to the bigger circular tables right in the heart of the shop. As I walked through 

the double doors, I was spoilt with choice: I was met by an array of ingredients I could choose. 

Walking up to the counter, inspecting each and every one of the trays of food, I decided to go for a 

classic ham subway, with fresh lettuce, onion and other healthy options. To my delight, my choice 

was perfect; my mouth was overwhelmed by the fresh flavour of the lettuce, the ham adding a 

complement of saltiness and contrasting texture to the crisp lettuce. The Italian sub added a sense 

of softness to the meal, bringing the all the different tastes and textures together. My expression was 

one of surprise, as my first-ever Subway contradicted all my previous views of fast food; I imagined 

greasy, mishandled ingredient shoved into an unhygienic oven last minute, but I was proved wrong 

by good customer service and clean tables. As I watched the worker make my order in front of me, 

the distant background music of this week's top charts complimented my meal as I tucked in. 

Now, if you asked me: ‘Do you like fast food?’, my answer 

would be a delayed yes...with a range of healthy options, if 

you need a little something to get by. For all you foodies out 

there, Subway is a great place to enjoy no matter what type 

of food you like - with a wide range of choice, and 

countless 

possible mixtures you can decide from, there’s something 

for 

everyone. To my Mum’s distaste, I will be going to Subway 

again, whenever I’m looking for a cheap quick meal to 

keep 

me going through the day.

Kerry does 

“ Five Guys” 

The bright lights and interior were what attracted me first; I could hear the distant humming 

of the radio and the hissing noises of cooking as I approached the diner-styled restaurant. 

The overwhelming smell of the classic burgers and fries grew more intense as I strolled 

through the glass doors of Five Guys. Bright lights illuminated the place, which had a 

consistent red and white colour scheme throughout. The red leather booths seemed to fill 

the space, with bar like windows allowing you to look out onto the square whilst you enjoyed 

your meal. The menu matched the American diner interior, with the meal choices consisting 

of a range of burgers, fries, sandwiches and more. They even had complimentary refillable 

drinks or milkshakes! 

With good customer service and cheap prices, we chose our meals in no time and soon 

tucked into the paper bags of food we were given. After watching our meals being cooked 

over the work top, unwrapping the foiled food, and ripping the bags open at our table, we 

were met with our cheeseburgers and fries. Although they may not have looked like much 

(and may have been worth more than what they were), as I took my first bite I was delighted 

with a mouthful of too-good-to-be-true deliciousness, with the fries adding more flavour to 

my course and to my delight. A while later, I was beaten and couldn’t come to finish my 

meal. I savoured the taste, but even that became too much, with the smell of the cooking 

adding to my fullness. 

Five Guys- is it really worth the hype? My answer is yes; with the cool, American-diner style 

interior and menu, it’s a place many will enjoy, especially those who like fast food. Saying 

that, however, the next time I go I may have to save up, with the prices being slightly higher 

than the food is worth. Despite this, overall I highly recommend Five Guys as a destination to 

go to with friends after a trip to the cinema or bowling alley - the restaurant is located 

centrally in the Cambridge Leisure Park. Five Guys is the perfect place to go to for a take 

away or stay-in meal: full of that classic American food taste and feel and ideal if you want a 

quick meal out before you catch the train home. Would I go again? Yes, I will when I want a 

big treat, and am very hungry!

Halloween Pumpkin 

Cupcakes 

This pumpkin and spice cupcake recipe with orange zest 

makes a great “trick or treat” gift or snack for the autumn. 

Serves: 12 

Prepare: 30 minutes 

Cook: 20 minutes 

Ingredients: 

150g soft butter 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

150g caster sugar 

150g self-raising flour 

3 eggs 

½ tsp mixed spice 

½ tsp cinnamon 

½ tsp ground ginger 

One handful of pumpkin seeds 

The zest of one orange 

For the buttercream icing: 

50g block butter (softened) 

 

 

100g icing sugar 

5 – 8 drops of orange food colouring (personal preference) 

For decorating (per cupcake) : 

2 pumpkin seeds 

 

6 chocolate chips 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a tray with twelve paper muffin cases. 

Leave the block butter on the side to soften. Sift together the flour, ½ 

teaspoon of mixed spice, cinnamon and ginger and set aside. 

2. Beat caster sugar and soft butter with an electric whisk in a large bowl 

until fluffly and light in colour. After beating the eggs with a fork until 

lightly mixed, gradually add to the sugar and butter mix. Gently fold in the 

flour and spice mixture until incorporated and the mixture is notably 

thicker. Stir in the pumpkin seeds and orange zest for a crunchy texture 

and zingy taste. Spoon the cupcake mixture into the muffin cases. 

3. Place in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top and 

springy. Leave in tins for 3 minutes before placing on a cooling rack for 10 

-20 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, for the icing, cream the softened block butter and icing sugar 

until smooth. Add the orange food colouring one drop at a time and mix 

with a spoon. Ensure the each drop is fully incorporated before adding the 

next. After around 5 drops (depending on how orange you want the icing 

to be), it should be ready. 

5. Once the cupcakes have baked, use a knife or piping bag to ice the tops of 

the cakes. Add two pumpkin seeds to the top and arrange chocolate chips 

to make a carved pumpkin face (as shown in the picture above), and enjoy.

Our Summer 

Travels 

By Jorja Furze & Pia Sargen 

I’m sure we all hear the phrase ‘I hate school’ pretty often, but 

why? One clear reason seems to be that it keeps us in the same 

environment for months at a time. Summer gives us an 

opportunity for fun and travel; families and friends get together 

and make memories that will last a lifetime. Some even spend 

their holidays in exotic places and get to experience brand new 

cultures. Here are some of our teams’ summer experiences: 

This summer, Pia and I went on a road trip around England for a 

week with our brothers and parents. Following a 6am (!) trip to 

McDonald’s, we headed to London to visit the London Eye. After 

that, we picked up some of Pia’s cousins and went to the zoo - 

leaving the adults in peace for a while. It wasn't too far from their 

house so they trusted us with three under ten-year-olds. Luckily, 

Pia and I returned them safe and sound to their parents and we 

all headed off again. After a while, we ran out of petrol in the 

middle of nowhere and had to walk to find someone to help us. 

That's when we met a nice old crazy cat lady who gave us jelly 

beans (which wasn't creepy at all...). She was super sweet and 

told us where to get petrol, but there had been an accident and 

so we had to wait until the next day - just our luck! The rest is a 

blur, but I think we ended up going home because we managed to 

miss our train to Wales. 

Isobel Jack went camping in Oxfordshire for five days. She 

mostly stayed on the campsite, only venturing out to go to the 

shop. It proved to be the perfect holiday for her as it offered a 

calm atmosphere to go outside and enjoy nature. In her own 

words: “While we all love playing on our phones and scrolling 

through social media, I think it’s nice to get away from it once in 

awhile and enjoy being outside and playing sports.” 

Maisy Green went to Somerset and, in typical Maisy-fashion, 

didn’t leave her house. Her excuse was that the house was really 

nice: she said that, “There was a jacuzzi and shooting stars every 

night.” 

Miss Fletcher took it upon herself to visit both Norway and 

Portugal. She especially loved the custard tarts in Portugal and 

described Norway as a beautiful country with a brilliant sense of 

humour. 

Katie Kirkpatrick went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and loved 

the ‘theatre-y’ atmosphere (we are not sure if that is a word, but 

we’ll go with it). Lucky Katie also travelled to Holland and spent a 

day in Amsterdam, where she enjoyed visiting the art museums 

and galleries, as well as taking in the gorgeous architecture. 

Safe to say, we all enjoyed our summer break and returned to 

school fully refreshed!

By Owen Crisp

Politics

Russia: “ Can You 

Putin a Good Word 

For Me?” 

Democracy and Communism 

By Xavier St John 11KH 

80 years ago, Russian and American submarines prowled the icy 

waters between the global powers, ready to plunge into nuclear 

war at any moment. However, recently the U.S.A. has extended 

their hand in friendship and it seems Mr Putin is awfully happy 

about the new relationship between these old enemies. How did 

this massive change occur so rapidly, and, more 

importantly...why? 

The rivalry between Russia and the 

U.S.A. generally boils down to 

clashing political ideology (not 

agreeing on how to run a country). 

As you probably know, the U.S.A. is 

currently a democracy, and has been 

ever since the Declaration of 

Independence was signed. On the 

other side of the Atlantic (or Pacific, 

depending which way you go), 

communism was officially adopted by 

Russia (formerly part of the Soviet 

Union) in 1918. 

These two political systems 

fundamentally disagree. Democracy 

is based around the idea that the 

people make the decisions by 

electing representatives that they 

agree with. Communism centres 

around equality - all people are 

equal, so deserve equal living 

standards, equal food and so on. The 

main problem with democracy is that 

it creates a class divide due to the 

difference in lifestyle and wages, 

which is what communism solves 

through its principle of equality. 

However, communism starts to 

break down as there is a power 

vacuum - someone has to be in 

charge, but everyone is supposed to 

be equal, so no one should be a 

leader, right? This issue is prevented 

with democracy, as the public elect a 

leader every 4 years. 

Both political systems provide the 

solutions to each other’s problems– 

which is why it is so hard to decide 

which is right, and why tensions 

occur between countries following 

different guidelines.

Recently, Russia has become a lot more democratic: holding elections and forming a sort of parliament. This 

shift towards American ideals has reduced the conflict between the two countries, and is beginning to remove 

the deep issue of democracy or communism from the equation. For this reason, relations between the West and 

Russia are becoming a lot easier: there’s one less thing to argue about. 

Donald Trump 

There’s no avoiding talking about the current American president, Donald Trump. Ever since the election 

results rolled in, doubts concerning the cyber-safety of the election have been raised… doubts particularly 

related to Russia. Russian hacking seems to be a widely believed cause of Mr Trump’s rise to victory - but what 

interest would the Russians have in the American Election? 

From the outset of his campaign, Donald Trump made it very clear that he was after good relations with Putin 

and his people. I think it can be inferred from the numerous scandals and mishaps that Donald Trump is 

probably not the most politically gifted president ever, which could be seen as an opportunity for one thing - 

Exploitation. 

I want to make this clear: I’m not accusing Russia of exploiting the U.S.A. But hypothetically, if you wanted to 

control another country, the easiest way to do it would be to place one of your puppets in charge. It's a lot 

cheaper and faster than invading, and still gives you a lot of control. Due to Donald Trump’s policies concerning 

Russia and seemingly basic political knowledge, it would be very, very easy to manipulate him (in a hypothetical 

situation of course). 

If Russia want to enter into the White House, Putin seems to already be at the door, with Trump waving at him 

from the window above. This new president seems to want to be friends with all the global superpowers, and 

Russia seems more than keen. 

Distances and Borders 

The Vietnam War. What a mess. Did you know that Russia and the U.S.A both picked different sides in the 

conflict, funding a civil war? And the most surprising thing - the U.S.A lost. Although the war still rages on, all 

U.S troops were withdrawn and the vast majority of their side surrendered. This defeat was a bit of a smack in 

the face for the United States, as they are normally the victors in wars. Russia had proved themselves to be 

stronger than the U.S.A. 

The Vietnam war is a simple way of showing why it is America (and not Russia) is pushing this new friendship.,. 

Russia are growing in power, and catching up with the West as it seems, which is a terrifying prospect 

considering that the U.S.A has generally fought against them. So how better to solve the problem than 

promising to be friends? 

Russia borders China and more importantly North Korea. America, however, borders neither. At the moment 

China is growing into a powerhouse, with 90% of manufactured goods churning out of it, and Kim Jong Un 

appears to have a strong hatred for ....well, basically everyone. Because America has no borders to these 

dangerous Asian countries, they can't really physically threaten either of these countries, whereas Russia can. 

From an American perspective, if North Korea begins threatening them, their great friends Russia can just send 

a few tanks down to the border. That would be a pretty big deterrent!. Similarly, Russia has very little influence 

in Europe due mainly to the World Wars and the Ukraine incursions, whereas America is well respected by the 

European Parliaments. 

Both countries would benefit from each other’s influences across the globe, and could use them to solve 

diplomatic problems a lot quicker. This would be a massive asset to both the U.S.A and Russia, and forms 

another reason why their friendship would be a good idea. 

Overall… 

Generally, it seems like Russia would benefit the most from this potential friendship, and so have therefore 

made changes to get to a point where they could begin one. Changing political attitudes have greatly helped the 

situation, with Donald Trump’s influences being a major factor, along with the diplomatic benefits for both 

sides. The only worry is that the situation could be manipulated for nefarious purposes, which would be pretty 

catastrophic. Let’s just hope Putin doesn't want to destroy the world, because with America as an ally it would 

definitely be possible. 

Times are changing, and it seems like America and Russia have moved on from their old fights and into a new 

era. Time will tell…..

Careers 

post 16 

As young people, we’re 

from what we’re eating 

teleportation will be inve 

We may not be able to 

Inkling we hope to shed 

We will be hearing from 

from a range of caree 

students about their adv 

No matter what pat 

next for you?

and 

always asking ‘what next?’. We want to know as much as we can, 

for supper to who will be the next American president, or when 

nted... 

predict major scientific breakthroughs, but in this section of The 

a little light on the world that lies beyond Soham Village College. 

students at sixth-forms and university students, as well as adults 

r paths, in addition to as publishing articles from current SVC 

ice for and thoughts about the future. 

h you hope to take, we’ll be here to lend a helping hand. What’s

Year 11 survival 

Handbook 

So what is a Year 11 Handbook? Surely Year 11 cannot be that different to other years in school? You 

may find yourself asking these questions. The truth is that no, it is not that different. You still come to 

school for an eight-thirty start and rush to the buses as the clock strikes three, but what happens in 

between? I’m here to help you on that journey, telling you the ins and outs of the rocky and treacherous 

road that is Year 11. So...what do you need? 

1) A Trusty Pen 

No student should come to school without a pen, but in Year 11 it is even more important. As a person 

who has just transitioned into Year 11, trust me when I say that you write so many notes, that you 

basically make your own full revision guides. I have already been through two English books, three 

German books and countless Maths books- there is a lot to write! Therefore, your pen will become your 

best friend in this year - in fact, you could say it’ll be your pen-pal. 

I’ll show myself out. 

2) A Growth Mindset 

Yep, here we go again. I know that this has been drilled into your brain since day one of Soham but 

honestly, it is important. If you come to school each and every day expecting to be bored by the same 

lessons and the same topics, then you’ll be in for a shock. Not only is the teaching different, but the 

environment of the classroom is as well. You have now progressed to young adulthood and are expected 

to take control of what you do and do not do. If you are going to succeed, you will have to face some 

challenges. 

3) A Watch 

Okay, so you don’t actually need a watch for Year 11, but timekeeping (which is what the watch 

represents) is crucial. As a Year 11 student, you’ll find that as the homework piles grow, free time 

declines - unless, you manage your time effectively. You are not expected to give up your entire social 

life in Year 11 - if anything you are encouraged to grow it - but as a KS4 student, the school does expect 

you to be able to keep track of your workload. 

4) Revision Books...and lots of them! 

Your GCSEs are some of the most important tests you will ever take in your life, if not the most important. 

Therefore, making sure that they show the best of your abilities is the obvious thing to do.. For that to be 

possible, though, you need to revise thoroughly throughout the year, and know exactly what you need to 

know. I’m not a fan of sitting there and reading from a book, so active revision is the way for me. Using 

your knowledge and putting it to the test with practice exams and challenges is how I revise best, but 

any way you want will work - just as long as you revise. 

5) A Holiday 

At the end of the painful stresses of exam season, you have upwards of three months to kick back and 

relax. School will be over for you and you’ll be able to spend the rest of your days sleeping in late, 

watching TV, playing games and going to bed in the early hours of the morning. The best way to take 

advantage of this time is to go on a nice vacation, so you can truly experience the world outside of 

school, . After sitting at a desk for hours on end, you deserve to spread your wings and fly to wherever 

you’d like. 

The school however will not fund any holidays. I have to say that or they can sue me. 

So there we go. he list may not be long, but it is important. Anyway, we can’t have a long list to read as 

there are other things to do in Year 11. such as your GCSEs. 

Don’t panic.

Long Gone 

By Georgina Melia 

So long to regular Soham days; hello to early mornings, 

“This train is for London King’s X calling at…”, grumpy 

commuters, and the ability to go to Nando’s for lunch. 

It’s only been a few weeks since I’ve started here and 

I’m beginning to know which train goes from which 

platform - and the fact I can refer to a train as my 

‘normal’ one. 

Despite all of the induction sessions, assemblies and 

taster days you experience throughout Years 10 & 11, 

you’ll never really be prepared for Sixth Form until you 

have your first day and dive straight into the deep end. 

We have no forms, no houses nor assemblies. I’ve 

spent the last five years in an endless bi-weekly 

assembly rota, so needless to say the transition to a 

sudden world of morning independence has been a bit of a rude awakening for me. It’s strange - 

there’s no doubt about that. But it’s all the small things that take the longest time to get use to: you 

expect commuting by train to be a pretty big leap from getting on the school bus, so you’re ready 

for that. What I wasn’t prepared for was the fact that we have no set break or lunch. Everyone’s 

doing different things at different times and there’s no space on your timetable that says ‘lunch’. We 

don't have 13:15-2:00 anymore, sometimes it’s 12:20-13:05, or on the train because your only 

lesson is in the afternoon… there’s a twenty minute pause between first and second lesson so I’ll 

often have a snack then. 

It doesn’t take long for you to become a wise snacker at sixth form. Lessons at Long Road are an 

hour and a half long, meaning if you make the fatal mistake (which I did on my first day) of not using 

that 20 minute break to eat that cereal bar then you’ll have to enjoy the next hour and a half with a 

rebelling stomach. But it’s surprising how much more you get done when your lessons are ninety 

minutes long. It’s long enough to sometimes reward yourself with a five minute break to go on your 

phone or take a walk. There’s another difference: the college actively encourages us to go on our 

phones. There’s campus Wi-Fi (which isn’t the best but we all saw that coming) and teachers often 

allow us to research things on our phones instead of the whole class going to all the computers. 

These computers have no blocked websites...which astounds me still! 

It is especially strange, however, to not belong to a house. Whether you are actively or grudgingly 

part of your house, it’s still part of your school identity. The difference now is that ‘enrichment’ 

takes the place of our houses. It’s similar to belonging to a house because it’s a combination of 

years (or rather, the two years) and you meet people that aren’t in your classes - rather than 

grades, you get ‘enrichment credits’ which universities seem to like. I’m part of choir but my more 

exotic enrichment choice was ‘Self Defence/Street Fighting’. I watched a lot of superhero 

programmes over the summer, which is probably why I’ve found myself a part of it, but it’s a new 

opportunity. That’s what Sixth Form has been for me so far: a whole host of new opportunities.

All these differences I’ve rambled on about aren’t really that daunting once you get used to 

them. It’s the new-found independence that becomes one of those things where you can’t 

remember what you did before you had it. Year 11 is great because you know most of the 

teachers at the school: you know where rooms are and you have your established break and 

lunch areas, but Sixth Form takes you that step further. Everything is your responsibility and 

no one is there telling you that you must study this way or the other. You can dedicate time to 

the subjects you actually enjoy and you have free time which you learn to use wisely (but of 

course every so often you can use it for a bit of fun). I finish at 12:20 on Fridays and my 

friends have lessons later in the afternoon, so we’ve walked to the Leisure Park and had 

lunch out. There was no canteen queue or litter patrol, just a menu and a change of scenery: 

refreshing after a long morning of concentration! I didn’t realise how much I’d enjoy the 

ability to do this until it was handed over to me. 

I can already tell that Sixth Form is going to be a lot of work. Getting home at 5:15 three days 

out of five is incredibly tiring but I wouldn’t change it. When the clock turns to 3 o’clock I do 

find myself looking up at it thinking If I was at Soham then I’d be going home whilst being in 

my last lesson (which finishes at ten past four), but I’m not at Soham anymore. I’m 

somewhere new and, as people insist, it’s not ‘school’ anymore; it’s ‘college.’ 

So whether Sixth Form is the route you want to take or not, you’ve got a lot to look forward to 

but the most important thing you should take from this is to enjoy Year 11 while it lasts. It’s a 

lot less responsibility than you think and you’ve all got so much yet to come at the end of the 

year. Some of you may not think it now, but you will look back at your time here with a smile. 

Just remember that what comes afterwards will be great: you have no reason to worry.

Interview in Industry 

Aimee Oliver, Senior Marketing Executive at a 

publishing house 

What attracted you to the profession? 

I’ve always had a love for books but never knew how they were made, or what 

goes into turning a Word document full of typos and errors into something you’d 

see in a bookshop. Going into publishing also seemed like a good way to get free 

books! 

How did you get into it? What did you need to do? 

Firstly, I studied for a degree at university - it’s very common to find yourself 

surrounded by English Literature graduates in publishing. Before graduating, I 

made sure I found some work experience at small publishers so that when 

applying for jobs, I could demonstrate that I had related skills. I then got an 

internship and worked my way up to where I am today. I moved around 

departments at first; I knew I wanted to be in publishing, but not which area I 

wanted to be in (did I want to edit, or be a publicist, or work in the production 

team, etc) Eventually I settled on marketing, as it’s a very creative and varied role. 

How does your average working day look? 

I usually start at 9am and end the day at 6pm. On any given day I’m working on 

marketing campaigns for books by myself – that could be sending briefs to 

designers, using social media, uploading articles to a number of websites, 

creating fun things to send out in the post (I’ve just finished some creepy advent 

calendars) and a whole number of other tasks. I also assist my colleagues on 

larger campaigns, do quite a lot of departmental admin and speak with my 

colleagues in other departments. 

What is the best thing about your profession? 

It’s really exciting to be part of the creative process of bringing a book to life, and 

to see how all the separate departments come together to create something that 

can be read. I also love how publishing (and marketing in particular) is so varied. 

Just today I worked on several crime books, a women’s fiction title, some 

historical fiction, a cartoon book, a cookery and diet book, and a young adult title. 

Tomorrow will be different: every day is different, and that’s a lot of fun.

Are there any drawbacks and, if so, how do you navigate them? 

We work really hard in publishing and often stay at the office beyond 

our contracted hours because we’re so passionate about books. 

There’s a lot of work to fit into a limited amount of time, so I 

sometimes end up working quite late. I’ve had to learn how to 

prioritise tasks and how to manage my time better in order to create a 

work/life balance. The salaries in publishing are also below those of 

other industries, especially when just starting out, but in order to do 

the work I enjoy, I’m happy to be paid a bit less! 

What advice could you give to someone who is interested in your field 

of work? How could they get ahead already? 

I would suggest reading as widely as possible. We all have genres we 

prefer – read outside of those so that you’re a good all-rounder. 

Working hard in English lessons will also help. And do some research 

about the books you like to read – which company is your favourite

Sports

Sports can often be dismissed as competitive people running 

around trying to prove that they are better than each other, 

and I can understand why people think that. But I would 

argue that sports can be so much more. 

Sports can unify, inspire and change people’s lives in so 

many positive ways. Take the recent Invictus Games as a 

perfect example. Armed services personnel who have been 

wounded can use sport as a way to pull themselves through 

tough times and come out stronger: the word ‘Invictus’ itself 

is Latin for ‘unconquered and undefeated’. Although the 

athletes are competitive and want to win, they still all stand 

together. This was demonstrated when the American 

swimmer Tiana Lopez was cheered to the finish line by her 

fellow swimmers (who had already finished the race), thus 

showcasing the immense power sport holds. 

Sport can be escapism from some of the horrors shown by 

modern society. It can be what you hold on to when going 

through tough times; it can be a chance to push yourself 

further than you have gone before; it can be a chance to 

make new best friends that will be there with you for your 

whole life. It can be all of these things… 

Or it could just be a chance for you to have some fun. 

In this section you will see people talk about sports events all 

the way up from local matches to the biggest events in the 

sporting world, such as The Olympics or Football World Cup. 

There will be sections introducing you to sports you may be 

unfamiliar with, and even articles about equality and the 

politics that are involved in all games. There will something 

for everyone in this section: whether you’re a diehard sports 

fan or someone couldn’t care less about who wins what, 

there will be an article for you. 

Sport can be anything you want it to be for you. And that’s 

why I love it.

SVC Sports Round Up 

Gemma Bridges and Isobel Jack 

Over the last week or two, many fixtures have happened for the sporting teams of SVC 

including Hockey and Rugby matches. There is Hockey and Rugby training on Mondays from 3 

- 4:15. This leads on to fixtures on Wednesdays after school, so far with mostly good results. 

One of the Hockey matches was against North Cambridge Academy, and the Year 9s of SVC 

won 6 - 0. After many short corners and some long corners, the game was over. Robyn Henry- 

Jones scored three goals, Emily Sargeant two goals, and Gemma Bridges one goal. Jenny Hall 

came close to scoring as well, but unfortunately didn’t get the chance. 

Although it was quite a cold day, it was dry with no wind, enabling us to keep the ball up our 

end of the pitch, meaning that NCA didn’t have a chance. Unfortunately, the SVC boys lost 

with no tries, and, although it was a valiant effort, it just wasn’t the right day for them. 

Everyone left on high spirits, hoping to have more matches against other schools, the win 

leaving us wanting to maintain our position, and the boys wanting to make sure they succeed 

in the next match. 

There are also other sports clubs on in school, such as girls’ rugby on Thursdays after school, 

gymnastics on Friday lunch, girls’ football on Wednesday lunch Week A and lots of other clubs 

that you can participate in.

On the 30th of September, Isleham girls continued their zero loss streak when they 

came out on top of Haverhill 10-0. The new team, Haverhill, put up a valiant effort 

despite the goals rolling in for the opposition. 

Scorers include Beth Bradley and Holly Corley with a hat trick each, Jessica Sharp 

with 2 goals, and Katie Muldoon and Abigail Aiden with a goal a piece. In the final 10 

minutes of the second half Isleham substituted their goalkeeper Isobel Jack with their 

centre back Freya Bird so the keeper could have a run about after not touching the 

ball. 

Holly Corley, whilst being the captain, also received ‘Player of the Match’ for her 

outstanding efforts. Everyone in both teams played well, and walked off the pitch 

proud with their heads held high. Congratulations to all players involved!

Svc

When we announced that there would be a school 

magazine, many of you probably shared the same thought: 

‘Oh no! What if I’m in one of the pictures?’. Welcome, one 

and all, to the part of the magazine where you are most 

likely to see yourself. 

However, seeing yourself might not be such a catastrophe. 

Sure, you might be mentioned in an article, or find a photo 

of yourself accompanying a report of something you were 

involved in. But seeing yourself is important. We all like to 

relate to what we’re reading, and in this section we will be 

publishing the thoughts of students just like you. 

We will be covering everything to do with the school itself. 

Here, you will find reports and reviews on school 

showcases, exhibitions, musicals, plays, sports matches 

and trips. We’ll be giving you the student-perspective on 

daily life at SVC: what we really think about our 

experiences and opportunities. There will also be articles 

about changes made to the school, and reflective pieces 

on the education we’re receiving. 

But in order to paint a representative picture of life as a 

Soham student, we need all of you. Have you taken part in 

a performance? Lead an activity for younger students or 

started attending a new club? Perhaps you went on a 

particularly exciting school trip or have a lot of thoughts 

about GCSE choices? This is your chance to tell your story 

- so let’s tell it!

Year 6 

Open evening 

By Gemma Bridges 

On the evening of the 28th September, many students returned to school to help the teachers to show potential students the 

highlights of Soham Village College. Year 9 were trusted with the job of delivering tours around the school. Many of departments 

presented exciting activities, as Science, History and Technology classrooms proved to be particularly popular. 

There was also a talk in the PAC auditorium, where Year 11 and Year 8 students, as well as school head Mr Hampson, welcomed 

the prospective Year 7s and gave them a summary of our school environment. 

In the Science block there were experiments galore, such as making slime, crushing empty coke cans and creating electronic 

circuits using food. Year 6s especially loved the slime, and the Chemistry labs were packed full when the science teachers turned 

off the lights and made a barrel light up with fire. Certainly no one left thinking science would be boring! 

History teachers dressed up in medieval clothes and took out their green screen in order to present the Year Six children in wigs 

and hats inside a chapel. There was also a collection of historic artefacts to really engage the pupils in the subject. Next door in 

Geography there were flags representing each country strung up, and in RE there was the opportunity to take part in a fun quiz. 

Loud crashing could be heard down the corridor from Resistant Materials, as keyrings were stamped with names and initials. 

Children could also judge the Year 10 lamps project. Some of the lamps looked like real objects, such as a skateboard and a stand 

for a rugby ball; the room was alight with talent! This wasn’t the only technology room, however. In Food Technology they were 

making pancakes and in Graphics you could create badges. The Textiles department even showed students how to sew their 

names using digital technology! 

The Modern Foreign Languages faculty delivered quizzes and games that you could earn sweets from, and current students’ 

books were available so that parents could understand the topics their children would study. 

Quizzes and sweets were also on offer in the Maths and English departments, while The Hub offered students an opportunity to 

understand the care our school can provide for everyone. 

From Beechurst came the tempting scent of melting marshmallows: the DofE area presented all the benefits of adventures in the 

outdoors and explained to the Year 6s all the fantastic opportunities the scheme can offer. Meanwhile in the gym, the whirring of 

rowing machines filled the room as the students had the chance to try out this brilliant equipment. Some even played ping pong or 

got involved with the standing long jump. 

The Student Research team were situated near the canteen in Lodeside, where they gave out delicious tasters of dishes such as 

shepherd's pie. They were handing out surveys in order to find out what prospective students would want in a secondary school. 

Finally, of course, the newly-renamed Library was set up with our very own The Inkling stand. Librarians were also on hand to 

explain the opportunities the area provides for homework, computer use and reading, and many children were astounded with the 

size compared to their primary school libraries. 

Overall, the evening provided a wonderful opportunity for prospective students to get to know the best that our school had to 

offer. It also gave us, as current students, the chance to appreciate the work that goes into making our school a friendly place, and 

share our ethos with others.

Houses

As you probably know, our school has five houses: Churchill, King, 

Mandela, Radcliffe and Turner. These are named after five famous 

figures who were chosen as role models. Recently, one of our 

houses has changed its name from Nelson to Mandela but still 

represents the same figure. However, you may not know much 

about your house, or how the role model it has been named after 

demonstrates our PRIDE values. So, here are some interesting 

facts about each of the houses: 

In the United States, there are 730 streets named after 

him. 

King entered college at 15 years because he was seen as 

a ‘gifted’ student. 

Nelson Mandela is a well-known icon of freedom. He fought against 

racial prejudice, believing that it didn’t matter what colour your 

skin was and that everyone should get along. Notably, he was the 

first black president of South Africa. He wanted to get rid of the 

‘apartheid’ system which declared that black and white people 

should be separated. 

Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1944. He 

lead many young people in the ANC and gained both white and 

black support in his stand against apartheid. However, in 1956, 

along with 155 others, Mandela was arrested for treason; he was 

finally set free in 1961. Although many nations were now agreeing 

with Mandela, in 1962 he was arrested once more - this time for 

sabotage. Aged 46, he was given a life sentence. Mandela soon 

became the most famous prisoner: even the prison guards 

admired him. Everyone wanted to ‘Free Nelson Mandela’. 

Eventually, South Africa’s new president freed Mandela and 

together they called all South Africans to work together for peace. 

May 1994 saw Nelson become the first black president of South 

Africa. Nelson Mandela is an inspiration to the whole world; 

nothing could stop him in his fight to freedom. 

Continuing with another important political leader, Winston 

Churchill was Prime Minister of Britain for the majority of World 

War II and was very famous for his speeches and refusal to give 

up. Even though his life was greatly affected by both world wars, 

he became known all over the world and was described by many 

as the most famous person in Britain. 

Despite his efforts, Churchill was not very intelligent, but he 

managed to pass his exams and prove that natural intelligence is 

not essential for success. In 1893, he attended an Army college 

because he wanted to be a soldier in the cavalry. He was later 

elected as an MP in 1900, advancing to leader of the Royal Navy in 

1911. Churchill resigned from his position, but when it came round 

to WWII he was appointed again. Eventually, he became Prime 

Minister in 1940. The quality Churchill was praised for above all 

others was his high level of enthusiasm. Even at the hardest of 

times (such as the Blitz), Churchill made speeches to motivate his 

country and lead them to victory. He is a role model, and an 

aspirational figure for students of all ages and abilities. 

He was allegedly sent to jail 29 times, sometimes for 

crimes as trivial driving 5 mph over the speed limit. 

Paula Radcliffe used her determination and resilience to help her 

excel in sport. She is an English distance-runner, who has won the 

London marathon and the New York marathon three times. She is 

also the current world record holder and has been since 

2002. Radcliffe followed in her father’s footsteps: he was a keen 

marathon runner when he was younger and picked it up again to 

regain health. Paula, however, was not without her struggles, as 

she had asthma but knowingly started running at the age of seven. 

More obstacles arose as she was diagnosed with anaemia in 1992, 

and later in her career she suffered multiple injuries, but after 

always returned to running. All the challenges Radcliffe faced 

show that she is resilient and won’t give up no matter what is 

thrown at her. She always tries her hardest, even if she doesn’t 

win clearly inspiring her house who have won sports day for many 

consecutive years and always turn out the most participants. 

Paula Radcliffe is obviously a crucial role model for Radcliffe 

house students. 

Last but not least, William Turner was a famous artist who is 

recognised as the first modern painter. He knew from an early age 

that art was his passion, but was also a poet, traveller and 

teacher. Art critics of his time admired his work, and leading critic 

John Ruskin described him as ‘the greatest of the age’. Turner 

liked to be individual and do what he felt was right - he is said to 

have painted best out in the open, which was unusual at the time 

because everyone painted in their professional studios; Turner 

liked to vary the time of day he painted so he captured various 

weather types; he is sometimes called ‘the painter of light’. He 

created over 30,000 artworks over his lifetime. Unlike other 

painters of his time, he liked to capture the true feelings of nature 

in his artwork. Turner was a really inspirational character, perfect 

for a house individual. 

Aspire, in your lives, to be as resilient and driven as your house 

figure; strive for their level of excellence. 

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as 

fools,” said Martin Luther King Jr. Much like Nelson Mandela, his 

aim in life was to create a world where people are not judged by 

the colour of their skin. In 1964, he was awarded the Peace Prize 

for his nonviolent campaign against racism. A line from his most 

famous speech, and also the slogan for King house, is ‘I have a 

dream’. This is an inspiring speech that illustrates King’s 

determination to create a world where everyone is equal. It 

demonstrates one of our PRIDE values: resilience. Martin Luther 

King Jr was an inspiring man. 

Here are some things you might not know about him: 

His original birth name was Michael Luther King Jr until 

he later changed it to Martin. 

He has a day named after him (Martin Luther King Jr Day) 

which is a national holiday.

16th-2th October - The Big Draw 

26th -28th Oct - VIVA's Beauty and the Beast 

9th -11th Nov - VIVA's Brassed off the Musical 

15th Nov - Y7 House Rugby and Hockey Tournament 

13th Nov - Y8 SEE above 

23rd Nov - Y9 SEE above 

29th Nov - Royal Opera House trip

The In 

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