The Inkling Volume 3

Contents
Opening
Culture
Creative
Society
Food And Travel
Politics
Careers and post 16
Sports
Svc Events
1

The Inkling
Volume 3
2

Opening
Miss Fletcher
Head of the Inkling
Welcome to 2018’s first
volume of The Inkling.
We’re kicking off the year
in style with articles of all
flavours and styles from
across our cohorts. Again,
it has been fantastic to
receive feedback on our
Christmas volume and, as
always, any submissions in
future volumes are
welcome.
Once more, this volume’s
production involved some semi-delirious typing,
formatting, editing and proof-reading from students –
it’s worth acknowledging here that, for twenty four
hours, The Inkling instructed you to make ‘Mice Pies’
for your Christmas bakes last year. Please rest
assured that no rodents were harmed in the making of
our previous volume or our current. A massive thank
you to all students and staff who have worked
tirelessly to ensure such high quality articles and
graphics – it’s a pleasure to work with you.
We’re continuing to hold on to the festive spirit here at
The Inkling still, look out for a gingerbread recipe that
will keep you warm in these bitter February
temperatures, and we are making efforts to channel
Christmas joviality in to 2018 with our range of
entertaining reads. We hope you enjoy our third
offering.

As the first half term of
2018 draws to a close along
with the last of our new
year’s resolutions, students
and staff will be more than
ready for the arrival of the
next edition of The Inkling in
our inboxes.
Mr Hampson
Head of school
In the midst of the coldest winter for a couple of
years, readers will be warmed by the content of
the third volume. Need to find a Valentine’s Day
gift? Look no further than a link to the finest
writing in the school.
Congratulations to the writers, designers and
editorial team on yet another triumph.

Katie Kirkpatrick
Xavier St John
Editors - in - chief
It’s the end of term, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time for
another volume of The Inkling! In this, the third edition, our journalists
have been busy beating the chilly boredom of winter with some
exciting new writing.
The Creative section has been unprecedentedly busy this term, with
students of all ages feeling inspired to produce their own stories and
poems. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Inkling volume without a seasonal
theme, and this month we’re thinking all things Valentine’s Day;
highlights from this theme include a story with a twist and a cohesive
list of romance-themed books, TV, films and theatre; additionally New
Year’s resolutions and Pancake Day are heavily featured.
Thanks to a combination of mock exams, snow and ice, we have a
variety of pieces on staying happy and coping with stress. Awards
season is also upon us: don’t miss our predictions and reviews of
some of the top contenders. And obviously the SVC Events section
has also been busy as ever, with a write-up of the annual school
musical and new instalments of your favourite serials.
So turn up your heating, grab those Valentine’s chocolates and get
comfy: Volume Three has something for everyone.
1

The Team
Torin Fahy -
Editor of Sport
David Makalena -
Editor of culture
Kerry jones -
Editor of food and travel
Reece t-p -
Head of design

Cultur

e
So
new year, new me right? Less films,
more exercise. Less popcorn, more
nutrient bars. Less culture, more
learning.
Yeah that's dumb. New year means new
exciting things to come. Lots more
superhero movies; some exciting album
releases; the possibility of thousands of
hours of great TV. 2018 is shaping up
just to be as exciting and fulfilling as
2017 as far as cultural treats come. To
get you in the mood, The Inkling
investigates and predicts upcoming
award shows (the Oscars and Brits) as
well as reviewing lots of exciting new
films and productions. We also advise
what you should read, watch or listen to
on Valentine’s Day - either alone or with
your partner.
Tuck yourself in then, put on some
calming music and catch yourself up on
all of the Culture over the Christmas and
New Year period. From the Culture
Section, I’d like to wish everybody a
happy new year and I hope this year is
just as fantastic as last year.

Hamilton: My Trip
to the Musical
Sensation
Katie kirkpatrick

In March 2016, I stumbled across a hip hop musical
about America’s founding fathers. Though hotlytipped
to become a big success, it was still largely
unknown… especially in rural England. Within one
listen to the soundtrack, however, I was completely
sold. Over the following months, Hamilton became a
smash hit and I grew to love the show more and more,
accumulating quite a collection of t-shirts, books and
obscure pieces of trivia. Actually seeing the show,
however, always seemed like something well out of
my reach: it was only on Broadway, and even if I
managed to afford plane tickets there’s no way I
would have been able to afford the American ticket
prices. You can imagine, then, my joy when it was
announced that the show would open on the West
End. After almost two years of excitement, I found
myself sat in the theatre about to see the show that I
loved so dearly.
Having rushed from school to my house to the train
station to King’s Cross to the underground to
McDonald’s to the theatre, it still felt surreal. The
entire week leading up to the trip, I didn’t feel
anticipation, as such: I genuinely couldn’t believe I
was going to see it. This all lead up to a moment of
wonder. When I first saw the set, it sank in. I felt a kind
of electricity that was new.
From the moment the first cast member entered, I was
just in awe. The first song, which is probably the least
emotional in the show, had me pretty much crying just
at the fact that I was finally there. But enough about
me being an emotional wreck: onto what I actually
thought of the production…
You’d think that hearing songs you’ve listened to at
least a hundred times can’t be that great. Live theatre,
however, has the power to make one appreciate
songs in a brand new way. I picked up on harmonies
I’d never noticed before and was able to appreciate
the original riffs the London cast added in. What you
can’t get from the soundtrack at all, however, is the
genius of the staging. The direction and choreography
of this production had me deep in thought the entire
time, concentrating to spot all of the hidden
symbolism and subtle references. The highly
complicated movement aspect of the show was
executed flawlessly.
This London cast had a lot to live it up to. The
Broadway production starred the show’s writer Lin-
Manuel Miranda in the eponymous role, as well as a
cast of upcoming performers, many of whom have
since gone on to have leading roles in other musicals
or work on successful TV programmes. Luckily,
London met everyone’s high expectations and more. I
saw alternate Ash Hunter as Hamilton: while I was a
little unsure at the very start of the show, his
performance only got better, and he managed to
encompass all of the character’s emotional extremes -
he was equally convincing as a cocky young writer as
he was as a heartbroken father. My only criticism
would be that there were a couple of moments where
he was lacking energy near the beginning: I would
have liked to see a little more desperation and chaos
from him. Rachelle Ann Go as Eliza was a
powerhouse, and Rachel John was an exemplary
Angelica, with her beautifully nuanced voice.
Christine Allado did a brilliant job of portraying the
contrasting double role of Peggy/Maria and had a
warm jazz voice that was lovely to listen to. Obioma
Ugoala as Washington was intimidating in the perfect
way and the performance of Tarinn Callender as
Hercules Mulligan/James Madison was in many ways
identical to that of original cast member Okieriete
Onaodowan (which was a good thing!).
I met Cleve September (who plays John Laurens/
Philip Hamilton) last summer for an amazing dance
workshop and it was really exciting to see him on
stage. His characters’ scenes are some of the most
emotional in the show and every moment he
performed tugged at the audience’s heartstrings.
Giles Terera as Aaron Burr is possibly the best actor
I’ve ever seen perform: sure, his singing may not have
matched original Burr Leslie Odom Jr but every word
he said - or didn’t say - had a meaning, a reason. He
was utterly believable. Much of the comic relief came
from Michael Jibson as King George III; George must
be a hugely fun role to play, and Jibson made the most
of it.
The unexpected stand-out performance for me,
however, was Jason Pennycooke as Lafayette/
Thomas Jefferson. He had endless energy and threw
everything he had at every moment he was on stage.
Many a time I found myself distracted from the main
action to watch him do something hilarious in a corner
of the stage - he’s definitely a performer who will go
on to do great things.
Hamilton as a musical is, in my opinion, revolutionary.
The Broadway production has changed the landscape
of theatre and Lin-Manuel Miranda is undoubtedly the
writing talent of a generation. I’m so glad the London
production is bringing this unique show to a British
audience: I know there were worries that a story of
American history wouldn’t translate well to the capital
of England, but the wild ticket sales and excitable
audiences have proven otherwise. Obviously it’s
incredibly difficult to get tickets, but if you manage to I
could not recommend this show more - even if you
can’t see it live, listen to the soundtrack. You might
find a new favourite album. Hopefully Hamilton West
End can continue to run for many years to come and
inspire a new age of musical theatre...let’s hope the
next generation of theatre writers don’t throw away
their shot!

The Greatest Showman: Rewriting the Circus
By Katie kirkpatrick
Exhilarating dance numbers, amazing stunts, lovable characters and powerful voices: The Greatest Showman
really is the movie-musical that has it all.
As an avid musical theatre fan, I knew I would want to see this new adaptation of the story of P.T. Barnum, but
wasn’t sure whether I’d like it. Hollywood has quite a reputation for watering down musicals and casting
famous faces in roles that require the impressive vocal talent found only on Broadway and the West End. The
Greatest Showman, however, manages to encapsulate what musical theatre is: a celebration of
entertainment.
The story of P.T. Barnum is perfect material for a musical (in fact, it has already been used for the successful
musical ‘Barnum’ in the 80s). This latest version follows Barnum (Hugh Jackman) from a young boy living in
poverty to the leader of a circus known as ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’. We as an audience also meet
Barnum’s wife Charity (Michelle Williams) and their daughters, as well as the incredible cast of circus
performers (led by stars Keala Settle and Zendaya), Barnum’s eventual partner Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) and
opera singer Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson).
What truly gives this film its power is the music. The Greatest Showman features ten original songs written by
Tony, Golden Globe, Academy Award winners and Grammy nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who have
had quite a year after the success of their musical Dear Evan Hansen and film La La Land. The songs are
perfectly integrated into the plot; most of the times the transition from dialogue to music is barely noticeable,
and that’s the way it should be. Contrastingly to the often acoustic, jazz-influenced score of La La Land, The
Greatest Showman features heavy use of synthesizers, reverb and percussion - these are what give the
songs their impact. More than once the combination of earthy bass and soaring vocals gave me
shivers...which never happens.
Of course, a huge part of this relied on vocal talent. Similarly to La La Land, this film features mostly
Hollywood actors in leading roles, supported by an ensemble of musical theatre performers. While the fragility
of Stone and Gosling’s voices gave La La Land its famed vulnerability, in The Greatest Showman every actor
manages to step up their game and match the Broadway performers.
While Zendaya and Jackman are fantastic, it was the vocal talents of Efron and Seattle that I found particularly
notable. Zac Efron, as I’m sure most of you will know, made his name in Disney hit High School Musical, boxstepping
and belting his way through teen love triangles and basketball matches. During this era, he also
starred in the 2007 film version of classic musical Hairspray as clean-cut dancer Link Larkin (a character
remarkably similar to Carlyle). Until this year, it had been nearly ten years since we’d seen Efron take on a
musical, and The Greatest Showman gave him the chance for a spectacular return to the genre. Although he
has obviously moved on to higher profile movies in recent years, it was wonderful for we, the High School
Musical generation, to see elements of Troy Bolton finally come back. And his voice, while it has deepened
almost unrecognisably, has only improved. His duet with Jackman, The Other Side, is one of my favourite
moments in the film. The chorus is arguably one of the most catchy tunes, and once the pair are singing and
dancing in perfect synchronisation it really is electric.
Keala Settle is far less well-known than Zac Efron. I personally recognised her from the Broadway musical
Waitress, in which she originated the part of waitress Becky. In The Greatest Showman, she takes on the role
of bearded lady Lettie. With her powerful belt in the lead single This Is Me, Seattle really is the voice of the
film.
One criticism of the music, however, would be that the synths are overused. Don’t get me wrong, they do
make the film, but there a few moments that get lost in all that volume and power. The song I think suffers the
most from this is Michelle Williams’ beautiful ballad Tightrope. While it starts off with gentle piano, it’s not long
before she gets lost in a wall of sound. The moment would, I think, have been so much more tender if the song
had remained only piano, and perhaps a few strings. The overly-consistent style of the music also renders
some of the songs forgettable, merging into one. A moment when contrasting musical style was necessary
was the performance of legendary opera singer Jenny Lind: she really did need to be singing opera...not pop.
The slight over-use of synth puts extra pressure on the straight acting scenes to live up to the intensity of the
musical numbers; while they do for the most part, there are a few scenes in the middle where the action slows
down and all that momentum is lost. The true victory of music without synthesizer is From Now On, which fills
out Barnum’s redemption arc with his circus ‘family’. The number is performed as an impromptu bar singalong,
and it serves the moment perfectly.

The Greatest Showman is a family film, designed for the holiday season. It’s a film about
friendship, individuality and bravery. What really impressed me was that director Michael
Gracey managed to get all of this across without making it fake or cringeworthy. Its rare to
find a book or film or anything else about love and family that doesn’t make me feel mildly ill,
but The Greatest Showman does it all. I’ve been told by many people, however, that the film
disregards the true history of P.T. Barnum, which is arguably more interesting and better
material. While I partly agree with this, I also think the plot of The Greatest Showman was
created to serve a very specific purpose, and it does this perfectly. It was written to be a holiday
family blockbuster, engaging but easy to follow, and that’s exactly what it is.
On the whole, the film’s plot was excellent. It had everything needed for a superb motion picture,
from life-threatening situations to uplifting moments and complicated relationships.
There was love, envy and ambition. What did disappoint me plot-wise was that the passing of
time sometimes didn’t quite add up; sometimes I was left wondering when and how the plot
got to the point it was at.
Even though I know very little about it, I could tell that the cinematography of The Greatest
Showman was brilliant. A scene that stands out to me particularly is when Barnum creates an
invention that sends light spinning around, much like a disco ball, and shows it to his daughters
at night. It really is shot to be a moment of magic. Similarly, the dance and acrobatic sequences
are all filmed masterfully: we are never lost in a maze of limbs, every movement is
captured memorably, in an explosion of colour.
Many film reviewers critiqued The Greatest Showman’s intentions, calling it ‘misguided’.
They said that what the film was meant to be got lost among the big names and big songs.
While I can understand where they’re coming from, I think they’re missing the point. The
Greatest Showman isn’t supposed to be revolutionary or deeply philosophical; it’s not supposed
to change the world. It is supposed to be entertaining. The film is entertainment at its
very best, and I dare anyone to walk out of the cinema not feeling happier than when they
walked in.
In conclusion, I believe The Greatest Showman is an excellent movie musical. It creates happiness,
and is perfect for this time of year. While the actors, cinematography, costumes and
plot are wonderful, it is the music that truly makes the film what it is: a celebration of good
musical theatre. I urge you, see this film: it might just be one of the greatest shows I’ve ever
seen.

Now let's set some ground rules: this
review will contain spoilers, so don't get
angry when you find out that Darth Vader is
Luke's dad (sorry, wrong movie). Also, you
can't accuse me of not seeing the whole
picture because I've seen this picture four
times in cinema - pretty sure I know what
I'm talking about.
So let's get to it. Star Wars is back... after
about a 12 month hiatus. This time round,
we discover more about Rey, Finn, Poe and
Kylo, finding out what have they been up to
and how it has affected the galaxy.
In Rey's case, nothing has happened at all.
We join her seconds after we left her at the
end of the Force Awakens: at the edge of a
cliff, handing Jedi Master Luke Skywalker
his lightsaber. Those who know me will
recall my strong distaste for this ending
thanks to its blatant advertising for the
next film and literal cliffhanger. If 'To be
continued...' had flashed on screen I
wouldn't have been surprised.
However, the pay off to that moment - Luke
casually flicking his lightsaber back over
the cliff - was funny and set the mood of the
film: expect the unexpected.
The surprises are one of the greatest
things about this movie. Director Rian
Johnson crafted a story that gave us the
familiarities of a Star Wars film (giant
space battles, deep character struggles
and a wide array of intergalactic animals),
whilst carving a whole new standard for
Star Wars going forwards… I see why
Kathleen Kennedy chose him to craft a new
non-episodic Star Wars trilogy.
Daisy Ridley seems to have lost a little of
her spark from the first film but Rey is still
continuing her journey to find the answers
she so desperately desires.
Is she a Jedi? Judging by Luke's training
and her numerous lightsaber battles, I
would assume so. Also, I think her lifting all
of those rocks is a pretty big indication of
Jedi powers.
Where is her place in the world? She could
turn to Kylo: he wants her to join him in a
galactic takeover, destroying everything
ancient and recreating power in the
galaxy. But by the end of the film, she's
found her place: fighting side by side with
the resistance.
Who are her parents? After the endless fan
theories and speculation, the wait is over.
Rey's parents are... nobodies. Not
Skywalkers. Not Solos. Not even Jar Jar
Binks'. This is yet another refreshing factor
of this latest Star Wars film.
This dramatic finale is something Star
Wars needed: a blank enough slate to bring
the franchise into the modern period.
In other news, everybody's favourite Storm
Trooper is back. FN2187 is back on his feet
and ready for action. After he meets
Resistance Technician Rose, the pair fly off
in search of a master codebreaker who
can hack them into the First Order's lead
ship.
This story arc, although fun at times,
seems shoehorned in. Their actions have
no consequence whatsoever to the story
and Canto Bight (the casino planet they
travel to) feels like just the necessary alien
part of any modern Star Wars movie.

All recent releases have had a Cantina
rip off section: The Force Awakens had
Maz Kanata's bar, Rogue One had that
desert planet and now The Last Jedi has
this. It's cool to look at but I feel like more
could have been done with these two
wonderful characters and actors. But
nevertheless, Kelly Marie Tran: welcome
to the family.
Poe Dameron (my personal favourite)
had more action this time around. The
plucky definitely-not-Han-Solo-rip-off uses
his trusty X-Wing and droid partner
BB8 in some crazy space battles.
In an attempt to help the resistance, Poe
does more damage than he thinks, leading
to the destruction of the Bridge and
hospitalisation of General Leia. Quick
side note: Carrie Fisher is superb in the
film and Rian Johnson has moulded a
tasteful and proper send off for such a
wonderful actor.
Vice Admiral Holdo (played beautifully by
Laura Dern), steps up in Leia's absence,
delivering well written dialogue and heroic
actions. This array of new characters
introduced in The Last Jedi - also
including the previously mentioned master
codebreaker DJ, played by Benicio
Del Toro - are a tasteful tribute to the
past with a new twist, further continuing
Rian Johnson's revolutionary attitude.
Our final character to talk about is the
most interesting and well-played in the
whole film: Kylo Ren's emotions are now
even more conflicted due to the death of
his father in the last movie. When Kylo
gets the chance to kill his mother, he
does not go through with it. You know
who he does kill though? General Snoke.
The supposed big bad from The Force
Awakens was cut in half in this film, telling
me that Rian Johnson was serious
about his vision.
Star Wars will always be loved by its audience
but this latest film’s new ideas
and characters have made it very controversial.
The reaction to Snoke’s death is
an example of people's backlash. Many
feel cheated of a cool villain like the Emperor
from the original trilogy - some
have even gone as far as to protest
against this movie being considered cannon
to the rest of the franchise.
To those backlashes, I say this: please
continue. Any film that creates that much
discussion is obviously doing something
that tugs at the heartstrings, which is
what every film should aim to do. We
need films that create discussion about
their plots, characters and actors.
Before I end this review, I would like to
talk about one very special person in this
film. Delivering his last performance as
the Jedi Master we all know and love,
Mark Hamill saved his best Luke Skywalker
acting till last.
Skywalker turns from his normal self in
the originals to a darker yet more compassionate
person in this movie. Furthermore,
when he does pick up the lightsaber
(sort of) and fight Kylo Ren, the sequence
is not needlessly flashy, but instead
remains action-packed enough to
deliver those goosebump moments you'd
expect from a lightsaber battle.
All in all, Star Wars: The Last Jedi gave
audiences a new look at a momentous
franchise. Rian Johnson created a movie
that will be looked back on forever as
either the turning point to greatness or
the start of the downfall of the Star Wars
franchise.
Let's hope this isn't the Last Star Wars
film.

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An Oscars Prediction
By David Makalena
issue, we predicted the Oscar nominations.
bout half right then, but this time we will be
ed percent correct. Let's predict who the
Awards will go to and why in exactly 20 words.
this article would be massive.
re -
Your Name
ry set in 1980s southern Italy. Seventeen year
t meets research assistant. Kid really loves
.
our
hurchill appears in this Dunkirk prequel. Gary
covered in makeup. Lots of talking. Even
g.
es stars in this Darkest Hour sequel. Lots of
n a beach and Chris Nolan films it.
rror thriller. Comment on racial segregation
supremacy. Perfect date film for Valentines
ill love it.
p is hard isn't it? Especially with your dumb
ly for college. Get through final year. Job
hread
Lewis makes dresses? And falls in love?
thing happens? Hear it's good. Probably
it though.
Steven Spielberg. Tick. Historic retelling of
event. Tick. Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks.
erous Oscar nominations.
of Water
man falls in love with an amphibian creature
way from the government. Also, they have
e.
oards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
acting. Great filmmaking. Crazy story. Makes
sense. But is really good and should win. Hell
going to say who we think will win instead of
ugh the whole category from now on. Did that
icture because it's pretty important.
Best Actress
Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,
Missouri
Strong woman but not a role model. McDormand has
already won at Golden Globes. Some really good acting
by Frances.
Beat Actor
Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour
If it takes you four hours to get ready to play Churchill
and you're good as well, you should win.
Best Supporting Actress
Mary J Blige - Mudbound
Mudbound was just a three hour acting lesson and Blige
was the teacher. Best of the cast so should win.
Best Supporting Actor
Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,
Missouri
Character with the biggest heart in Three Billboards.
Rockwell is scary yet compassionate. Powerful yet
weak. Definitely deserves to win.
Best Director
Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk
That's a lot of people on that beach. And also one of the
best living directors. Hopefully he will win?
Best Original Screenplay
The Big Sick
Absolute personal opinion. Love this rom-com so much
and over the moon its nominated. Rest are amazing
scripts though.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Call Me By Your Name
Cool. Logan got nominated. This story is wonderful
thanks to the script. Takes geniuses to do that to a
peach.
Unlike last time, The Inkling will have correctly
predicted every single one of these down to the point.
Join us at Easter for our celebratory prediction party as
we got hundred percent of them correct. Let’s hope so.

The Culture Overview
Film
TV Shows
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Now this film has only been out a few days
as of the day of the release and there will
be no spoilers whatsoever. There will be a
full-blown review next time but for now, this
is what I have to say. The latest Star Wars
is the most interesting Star Wars film I’ve
ever seen as it takes common stereotypes
of the Star Wars saga and turns them on
their head. I’m sure you’re already planning
to see this but if you haven’t planned,
make sure you do go.
Stranger Things 2 -
Stranger Things 2 built on the phenomenal
standards of the original series by expanding
the world, introducing great new characters
and allowing us to see our old
friends in a new light. Judging by the fact
that there is a large review on this show
and it topped both of our lists for Best of
the Year, Stranger Things 2 is definitely
worthy of your viewing time.
Riverdale -
The Greatest Showman -
This is the Greatest Show! This crowd
pleasing sing-along musical was a smash
hit all Christmas long and really brought
2018 in with a bang. Hugh Jackman, Zac
Efron and the rest of the cast really
brought the talent this great little festive
movie. Hope you’ve got yourself the soundtrack!
Coco -
Disney Pixar’s Mexican inspired film premiered
in America last November—but only
made it to UK screens this January. If I
knew this movie was going to be this good,
then I would have wanted to see it sooner.
Make sure you do too.
Second season in one year! Wow.
Riverdale returned this Autumn for it’s
heavily anticipated second season
where trouble hits the town again and it’s
up to Archie, Jughead, Veronica and Betty
to solve the mystery and save each other
and the town. Will they succeed? Only
one way to find
out….
Blue Planet 2 -
David Attenborough returns, this time with
the wonders of the ocean to show us. From
the deepest depths to the shores of the big
blue, this documentary series mesmerised
the public with it’s cinematic look, eyewidening
discoveries and comfortable
voice over of Sir David Attenborough.

Music
Next Time
Reputation by Taylor Swift -
Taylor Swift’s new album brought a new
life to the pop star. After her mishap in the
summer, tensions were high in anticipation
for her new release. Happily, the new album
was great and the love for Taylor is
fully back.
Who Built The Moon by Noel Gallagher’s
High Flying Birds -
This number one album was a massive success
for ex-Oasis member Noel Gallagher.
After his brother’s success earlier in the
year, Who Built The Moon had a lot to live
up to. Luckily, it has lived up to the hype.
With 2017 in the books and the Inkling being
caught up on everything, it’s time to
look ahead. Black Panther hits screens in
the half term and boy oh boy am I excited
to see it. One of the first all-black superhero
movies, Black Panther will hopefully
leave a massive impact on the film industry
as a whole. A new series of Jessica Jones
lands on Netflix in March. The first series
was exceptional with David Tennant playing
the villain—hopefully this sequel can
live up to the praise. By the time you read
this, Franz Ferdinand would have released
his new album
Always Ascending. Make sure you go out
and pick it up because after Ferdinand’s
incredible track list, I’m sure this album
will just add to that success.
As nothing really comes out this year, we’re just going to look forward to 2018 as whole:
Westworld Season 2 (April) -
Announced fresh from the Super Bowl, Westworld season 2 will be premiering this April
on HBO (or Sky Atlantic for us UK folk).
Avengers: Infinity War (25 April) -
The culmination of the last 10 years of Marvel movies comes out this April. I’m not really
that bothered about it though so let’s just move on.
The Incredibles 2 (13 July) -
I mean, why wouldn't you be excited? Like honestly… it’s the Incredibles. The best superhero
family ever. I’m so extremely excited for this you can’t even imagine it.
New Arctic Monkeys Album (???) -
I’ve heard this exists so I put it here. I have no idea when though so I guess just keep your
eyes peeled. But because it’s music I guess keep your ears open.

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 into an
ship 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 poetry
vourite show. Instead of passively engaging with familiar characters, your mind will be taken in a
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 courage
bility 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
abstract poem, you’ll be trying to solve the meaning of the words on the page, not your relationf
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.
, for example, offers a completely different experience to watching the latest episode of your fanew
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
to share? Now is the time to share it. Publishing with us will also give your work that extra credio
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.

“No one ever says go
again.”
I grew up with John Gr
to be swept up in the h
was partly through rev
got involved in journali
in Our Stars’ my favo
excitement when, nea
holding a new book by
‘Turtles All the Way Do
the search for a fugitiv
mental health. Our nar
with deeply invasive O
readers experience the
happening to us. Jo
intrusive thoughts in a
understand them, but
much as few readers w
to the same extent an
can empathise on som
our friends and family
think it’s fantastic that
to raise mental health
‘The Fault in Our St
‘Turtles’ isn’t an ‘OCD
right, beyond her me
message Green should
Alongside Aza is an
teenage characters. F
Pickett - he is the quin
still being an original
found myself relating m
we, as readers, unde
perspective, and that’s
also damaged. We also
Noah. As thirteen-year
readers, I was glad
however, was an unde
know more about him
much as he should hav
part of the story, but, f
is written as, for want o
pixie dream girl. Lucki
her as she argues with
behaviour, and it really
course, the portrayal o
see her as a complet
because that’s how Az
‘Turtles All the Way Do
fan fiction, as Daisy is
what to think about it.
genuinely rolled my ey
relate to a teen audie
physically wince: ‘"Pro
mumbled. I had no
language.’ At the same
thirteen-year-old self w
in on a secret. I also
becomes a bigger p
important conversatio
happened to take plac
readers to fall for Davis
John Green perfectly

Turtles all the way
By Katie Kirkpatrick
odbye unless they want to see you
een books. I was exactly the right age
ype of ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, and it
iewing the film adaptation that I first
sm. For years I considered ‘The Fault
urite book, so you can imagine my
rly six years later, I found myself
that same author.
wn’ is, on the surface, a book about
e billionaire. In reality, it’s a story of
rator, sixteen-year-old Aza, struggles
CD as well as anxiety, and we as the
ups and downs of her life as if it were
hn Green perfectly captures Aza’s
way that helps readers to not only
experience them for ourselves. As
ill have struggled with mental health
d in the same way as Aza, everyone
e level. We all worry: about ourselves,
, the world as a whole. Personally, I
Green has used his huge readership
awareness. And in the same way that
ars’ wasn’t really a ‘cancer book’,
book’. Aza is a character in her own
ntal health, and that is exactly the
be putting across.
ensemble cast of three-dimensional
ront and centre is love interest Davis
tessential lovable YA boyfriend, while
, complicated character. At times I
ore to Davis than Aza: he is the way
rstand Aza’s illness from an outside
endlessly valuable, but he himself is
meet Davis’ thirteen-year-old brother
-olds make up a huge proportion of YA
to see them represented. Noah,
rused character - I was left wanting to
, as he didn’t feature in the plot as
e. Daisy, Aza’s best friend, was a key
or most of the novel, I hated her. She
f a better phrase, an obnoxious manic
ly, we eventually come to understand
Aza. There was a reason behind her
made me reconsider my opinion. Of
f Daisy is through the eyes of Aza. We
e and utter contrast to our narrator
a feels.
wn’ involves a little bit of ‘Star Wars’
a popular fanfic author; I’m not sure
When the topic first came up, I think I
es: it felt like Green trying too hard to
nce. One line in particular made me
bably just some loser Kylo stan," she
understanding of her fan-fiction
time, however, I know my twelve-orould
have loved it, and felt included -
enjoyed how fan fiction eventually
art of the plot, and allows for an
n that would otherwise not have
e. And it also gives more scope for
.
conveys teenage love - I think the
portrayal of romance in ‘Turtles’ is the most accurate of all of
his novels. The author also manages to incorporate
technology in a way that is truly realistic: mobile phones and
social media are not ignored, but are also not shoved down
readers’ throats. This isn’t a skewed, middle-aged view of
adolescence, it’s truthful. It applies to me and everyone I
know, now. When I read John Green’s other books, I was in
my first two years of secondary school. At that age, I just
about slid into the target market of the books I was reading:
while they were definitely aimed at people over, say,
fourteen, it was me and my friends, aged about twelve, that
made up the bulk of the YA readership. It felt somewhat
different to read a John Green book being aged almost the
same age as the protagonist. Sixteen carries so much weight
in YA literature: it’s the age of the typical YA hero, and I’m
anxious to see this year whether those characters really are
true to their age.
The writing style and voice throughout ‘Turtles’ felt
authentic, but there was still enough imagery to make the
book deeply thought-provoking. John Green really does have
a way with words, and a talent for capturing feelings that
seem impossible to put into writing. That’s where his
widespread relatability stems from: it’s because we all feel
like he’s describing a feeling or experience so intensely
personal that his books have become special to so many
people. I’ll admit that there were moments where the ‘deep
quotes’ felt a little shoehorned in, but it didn’t ruin my
enjoyment of the story; most of the time, those quotes came
at moments that made a lot of sense within Aza’s arc. I could
fill pages and pages with the quotations I adored from this
novel.
A criticism John Green books receive frequently is that the
teenagers are too philosophical - too pretentious. Now that
many of my friends are the same age as these characters, I
have to disagree. Teenagers are, and should be treated as,
young adults. We ask big questions and want to talk about
more than crushes and pop songs. For me, it’s refreshing to
read about intelligent, aware adolescents who think and act
in a way that, to me, feels deeply familiar. That said, there
was something sweetly nostalgic (and at times pleasantly
cringeworthy) about ‘Turtles All the Way Down’. Perhaps it
was because I was revisiting a favourite author, but the
novel captured the happy nerves of growing up in a way that
felt both familiar and new.
Although I loved ‘Turtles All the Way Down’, I couldn’t help
but feel as though there was something missing. What made
me fall in love with ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ was the way it
affected me so deeply. My copy of that novel (which still sits
proudly in the blue section of my colour-coded shelf) is
tattered and ripped; it has been passed around to more
friends than I can remember, and every single one of them
said it made them cry. I think what ‘Turtles’ was missing was
that outpouring of emotion. I didn’t cry reading it. Not
because I didn’t relate to the characters - I did, more so than
with any of Green’s previous books - but because nothing
really happened to make me feel that strongly. As much as I
loved the book, returning to John Green I semi-expected to
be as affected as I had been by ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, and
that just didn’t happen.
I imagine that writing ‘Turtles’ John Green was under a huge
amount of pressure. His previous novel had been a smash
success, making him one of the most renowned, if not the
most renowned YA author of the century. No matter what he
published next, it would be under an unprecedented amount
of scrutiny. Fans would expect something even bigger and
better, and living up to expectations that high would be
hugely challenging for anyone. Considering the
circumstances, Green pitched ‘Turtles’ perfectly. He didn’t
leave behind the things that made him famous: there is still
romance, intelligent teens, quotable lines and a struggle at
the heart of the book. But ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ is a
mature come-back. Green is aware of his audience, but tells
the story he wants to tell - gone are (most of) the cliches and
goofs. This latest novel will be recognisable to old readers,
but still something refreshing and mature.
The plot of this novel was wonderfully quirky. Other than the
aforementioned ‘Star Wars’ fan fiction, the story also
involves a tuatara (a sort of lizard-meets-dinosaur),
constellations, a car called Harold, an art show in a sewer,
Applebee’s, and ‘Jupiter Ascending’. While the mystery of
the fugitive billionaire (Davis’ father) is a focus, and is
eventually unravelled, there is no major twist, and it
definitely comes second to the focus on Aza’s mental health.
Part of me wanted a mystery, wanted twists and turns,
wanted adventure - wanted something closer to ‘Paper
Towns’ - but at the same time I enjoyed how character-driven
‘Turtles’ was. We as readers really get inside Aza’s head and
understand her and her relationships with the other
characters.
I have mixed feelings about the ending of ‘Turtles All the Way
Down’. On the one hand, it’s realistic. On the other, it’s a
little too ambiguous for my liking. The build-up just...ceases.
I’m pretty sure Green wrote it that way because that’s how
life happens, but I wanted a fiction ending: I wanted
something definite. Without spoiling what happens, the
ending isn’t happy or sad, everything just gradually comes to
a close - with some philosophical reflections of course. What
I really disliked was the end of the romance arc. I won’t spoil
it, but the message it gives about mental illness and love is
definitely not the best, and could even be damaging to some
readers. Despite that, the ending does have a feeling of hope
about it: it’s subtly reassuring, and that’s lovely.
I did go into ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ with high
expectations, but, for the most part, I was satisfied. It was
wonderful to re-enter the world of YA fiction with a new,
older perspective and find that I still loved it. John Green’s
latest novel is a powerful come-back, filled with relatable
characters and interesting, quotable writing. It is a heartfelt,
life-affirming look at mental illness in teenagers, and a book
that could, and almost certainly will, help thousands of
young people. I recommend it to everyone, but particularly
to those who enjoyed Green’s previous books or who want a
better understanding of OCD and mental health. Or just want
a good book to read.
That’s good-bye from me, but only until my next review...

Victor’s eyes
By Freya Alexander
Victor
The jeep was stifling with the breath of my
comrades. Restlessly, they tried to engage in light
conversation in a weak attempt to lift spirits.
Those conversations were short lived, as in their
voices there was a heaviness that ebbed any
joviality. In the air, there was a bitter scent of
sweat, of blood, of gunpowder and of fear. It clung
to everyone in the jeep like a soldier clinging to his
gun. The inescapable sound of distant gunshots
and screams run in my ears as we travelled
towards the noise. I glanced my eyes at the people
who sat next to me, with their mud coated faces
and sunken eyes, with bloodied hands and
permanent scars. Trust me, not all of their scars
are visible. Same are in the wary pit of their
subconscious, always wriggling and struggling.
Always there!
Suddenly, the rumbling of tyres on the bumpy dirt
track beneath us ceased and all my friends
started to slowly clamber out. As soon as I jumped
from the jeep, I felt the scorched ground beneath
my paws and the heavy heat clinging to my fur.
Then I hung my head low, remembering all that
has been instilled in me by the people that
surrounded me, tousling my fur and speaking
words of wisdom under their breath. They taught
me how to seek out the devices that shatter the
earth, but, most importantly, they have taught me
about resilience and bravery. For that, I am
thankful.
“Right, Victor,” commanded Parker, who was
hastily attaching a lead to my collar, ‘”Go seek.”
Eventually, the blazing daylight started to fade
and we headed back to the safe-house, just for a
night, so we could continue our long trek
tomorrow.
That day was a successful one, but other days we
have not been so lucky. I still remember those
days, where men don’t come back to camp. Even
though they’re gone you can still feel their
presence, as if they are still fighting beside you.
You can see them in my comrade’s eyes, and
sometimes I can see them too.
Parker
As soon as those words passed his lips, I paced
forward, with Parker at my heels. I must
concentrate, but the increasing temperature and
the sound of gunshots meant I was easily
distracted. I ploughed through. Finally, I picked up
a scent, just a hint, but enough to put me on the
right track. Then I discovered it, the bomb. I
barked loud and clear then continued my search.
Behind me, I could see the men with shovels and
machines who had come to defuse the bomb. I
couldn’t pay any attention to them, I had to keep
working. So me and Parker kept going…
THE END
Muscles aching, I slowly lower myself next to
Victor. In his eyes, I see that he knows today was
a successful one, and that today we didn’t lose a
life. We have. So many times. Somehow I am still
alive through the torment and torture, through the
fear and fighting. I must admit, sometimes I wish I
were one of the fallen.
There is still Victor though. Always loyal; always
brave. I have to remind myself that no matter what
I have seen, he has seen it too. Sometimes, after
the hardest days. I would sit for hours with Victor
by my side, spilling out my feelings in a torment of
despair. Even though he is a dog, it gives me
solace when he looks up at me with knowing eyes
as if to say, I know, I’ve been through it to. I would
stare into his eyes for all eternity. They reflect my
fear and spread a flicker of hope throughout my
friends, the fallen and me.
“Oh Victor,” I mumbled, “Where has Smithy gone,
and where has Foster gone, and where has Taylor
gone?” With a hot onslaught of tears welling in my
eyes I think about my questions. I know the
answer, but do not want to believe it.
Then Victor whispers his silent reply, and
somehow I feel at peace for a second. That peace
is abruptly ruined, as the sound of gunshots, there
is still the unbearable heat and there is Victor.
Throughout all of this mess there is still Victor. I
suddenly get a horrible image in my mind of what
it would be like without him. It would be a world I
would not want to live in. Victor may save lives on
the battlefield, but to me he is the hero when he
listens, and most of all, when he gives me hope.
So I look into his eyes again. In them I see myself,
reflected back in a haze of brown. I can also see
so much more. So much more.
Congratulations to Freya Alexander for winning
the Melia Prize for Writing in the first term with this
fabulous story around the theme of heroism.

A Valentine’s Surprise...
By Gemma bridges, Jenny hall and lorna gillings
As I finally closed my eyes, the blur of the TV fading away, I smiled, knowing that the
next day - Valentines day - would bring no surprises.
A thud on the floor. An intake of breath. What could this be? I force my eyelids open,
and glance at the clock; whose silver hands raced past the 12, snapping the finishing
ribbon. The flash of the red minute hand against the pale clock face seemed only
natural - inevitable.
My brain sluggishly replayed the sound of the thud and I yawned. The slightly ajar
curtains framed the glaring rays of the full moon, yet dark shadows from the pitch
black sky loomed ominously in the corners of the room where the light couldn’t
penetrate.
More alert now, I made my way towards the staircase, the banisters looming up in
front of me. My heart skipped a beat. Then I remembered: it must have been the
washing machine. Shaking myself, I placed a slightly trembling hand on the dark oak
wood, the only light source being the moon shining through the glass... above the
blood red door.
I reached the stone floor at the bottom of the stairwell, every step pounding through
my brain like thunder. My bare feet curled in protest as they stood on the freezing
floor, shivers spreading up my body, as I saw the envelope on the welcome mat. I
gasped.
My heart fluttered, a kaleidoscope of butterflies, as I locked eyes with the parcel lying
at my feet like a heart fallen in love. Could this be my dream come true?
But the paper laughed at me now. And slipping the note out of its casket, I saw that
behind this night, there was no romance or mystique, but the fear of being watched.
This was no love note. “roses are red, violets are blue, and I, I want to kill you…”
The words sung in my ear and hung in the air. I found myself singing along, as though
this tune was one I recognised; one I had heard before. I lied to myself and tried a
laugh. Some stupid joke. But the laugh soon spiralled out of control and I was
screaming.
A tremble of fear crashed through my body; a wave of pure terror consuming all of
my senses, rendering me stunned. I gripped the cold metal handle, and slowly turned
the key in the lock. Click. The sound seemed to echo in the darkness, a contrast to
the endless silence… I opened the door. At first just a crack, but then until I was
framed in the doorway.
“Who’s there?”. My voice was no more than a whisper, smothered and consumed by
the night. A figure stepped out from behind the bushes, clad from head to toe in
black; almost blending into the darkness. A flash of silver caught my eye. Then there
was red.
Only red.

Katie’s Poetry
The In Between
Weeds crinkle-crunch underfoot -
A forbidden tangle
With primrose and violet.
The mud will swallow,
With a walloping gulp,
Any remnants of the affair.
This week, we stay.
Mechanical grandeur has overstayed its welcome.
The metal itches with impatience,
Sparking up a hushed wildfire
In the moments it is on show.
This time, we watch.
Reconciliation
You, sat on the wooden chair,
Run your hand through your hair with an air of
panic.
You try to crack a smile but your features fracture.
A shard smiles into the mirror,
While another breaks down in the back.
You see it (you see me)
Telling you why.
Asking you how.
You struggle -
To know,
Struggle to listen.
You wish you’d stayed away -
Left the wood to fester and
rot.
Yet the varnish is glinting still.
You place your hand on the glass.
I nod and I smile.

Around the world in
eighty days review
By lorna gillings and jenny hall
Around the World in Eighty Days is a classic adventure
fiction book by Jules Verne. It takes you around the
world with Phileas Fogg and his servant Jean Passepartout
as they try to prove that they can follow The Daily
Telegraph’s timings in order to get around the world in
eighty days starting in London and going through Suez,
Bombay, Calcutta, Victoria, Yokohama, San Francisco
and New York.
Along the way they encounter many challenges, such as
the plotting Detective Fix who believes Phileas Fogg is a
mastermind criminal responsible for the latest bank robbery…
and the thousands of pounds he is travelling with
only makes him more suspicious. However, this colossal
amount of money helps him in more than one: for example,
it helps them to pay for an elephant in order to
reach their destination after they discover the railway
suddenly ends. Through all of this, Phileas Fogg manages
to maintain his calm mind but the same can’t be said
for Passepartout who spends the whole time getting
frustrated at how nothing runs like clockwork as it’s
been timetabled to.
Upon returning to London, Phileas Fogg is arrested by a
victorious Detective Fix. All is resolved, however, when
Fix realises Phileas Fogg isn’t the true criminal, and they
find out that a man named James Strand had previously
been arrested in Edinburgh concerning the robbery.

By Mrs McKenzie
EX Libris
The books outlined below are some of my favourites that I would
recommend for readers in secondary school- not necessarily my
favourite reads as an adult!
‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl
I had to start this article with one of my favourite childhood classics:
‘Matilda’. I was completely spellbound with all Roald Dahl stories, so it
was difficult to select just one that I would recommend. Although
primarily for younger readers, I would say that everyone should
experience this book at least once. ‘Matilda’, for me, is a lovely story
that proves that grown-ups have their faults too. The ability to move
objects with the power of my mind always appealed to me and I
envied Matilda this ability. I was so happy when Matilda had her happy
ending and I’ve always wanted to be like Miss Honey!
‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte
This is one of my all-time favourite reads. I read this book first when I
was in Primary school (an abridged version) and again when I was
studying at university. I was always struck with the character of Jane
and her ability to persevere through all of the hardships she endures
in the novel. I find Bronte’s writing so powerful and vivid, and felt like
I experienced every step of Jane’s journey with her. Later, at
university, we explored the feminist aspect of the book and how
Jane’s independence was ahead of its time. It spurred me on to
reading Jean Rhys’ ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’ which details the back
story of Bertha and how she came to England with Rochester. I love
the heart-breaking ending with her reunion with Rochester and how
she becomes the heroine that she deserves to be.
‘The Hunger Games’ series by Suzanne Collins

Although not a ‘literary’ choice, I felt compelled to discuss books that I
have read time and time again and this series fits the bill. I love the way
that Collins is able to transport the reader to this dystopian world where
children have to fight each other to the death as punishment for a
previous rebellion. The main character Katniss is believable and has a
very strong sense of right and wrong throughout all of the books.
Although I found the first book by far the most enjoyable (the later books,
especially the third became too tactically motivated, in my opinion), all of
the books need to be given a chance in order to complete Katniss’ story
and that of her people. Some moving moments help to punctuate the
action and make the story more rounded. These are gripping novels!
The Harry Potter books by JK Rowling (yes, all seven of them!)
As an adult, I have read and reread these books more times than I
should admit: I am a Harry Potter addict! I just think all of them are
brilliant. If I had to pick just one to recommend, however, it would have
to be ‘The Goblet of Fire’. It has such brilliant twists and turns and some
very complicated characters that are explored far more thoroughly than
in the films. The later books in my opinion lose their way a little in the
pursuit of bringing the story to a close, but JK Rowling’s genius cannot
be denied. The story of the boy wizard has shaped many young readers
and I felt almost bereft when the series ended. She created a whole
generation of readers and I think that should be applauded!

Up the chimney I go
By Claire mcleod
I am a chimney sweep
And this is my job.
I am sooty
From head to toe;
Up the chimney I go.
Up at the top,
A speck of blue -
The only light.
I am scared from head to toe;
Up the chimney I go.
My master:
A kind person he is not.
I am barefoot:
I slip on bricks that crumble underneath my
toes;
Up the chimney I go.
I have to climb fast,
I can never slow or stop.
I tremble and shake from head to toe;
But up the chimney
I am forced to go.

Everything everything
review
By Lauren hook, Arielle phillips and Emma wilder
(SPOILERS AHEAD)
Synopsis-
“EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING” is a romantic
young adult fiction novel which
was written by Nicola Yoon. This book
shows life from an interesting perspective:
a girl who has never experienced
the outside world. The eighteen-yearold’s
life changes when Maddy becomes
determined to see her new neighbour, an
intriguing boy of the same age as her. As
the book progresses, she begins to get
frustrated with her inability to live life
normally, making an impulsive decision
which goes on to reveal something very
surprising.
Our protagonist Maddy is kind and intelligent,
and has a lifelong illness called severe
combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
SCID restricts her to her house and renders
her incapable of venturing into the
unknown. The only sense of normality
she possesses is when she opens her
curtains to see her mundane street.
Olly is the mysterious ‘boy next door’,
and is determined to reach out and contact
Maddy after catching her staring out
of her sterilised bedroom window. As
their relationships strengthens, Maddy
shows a new side to her by branching
out. She realises what she’s missing out
on and puts her life in jeopardy, trusting
in him to protect her. When the inevitable
happens and she becomes ill due to her
exposition to the world she’s supposedly
‘allergic’ to, her world comes crashing
down and she struggles for air in an attempt
to save her life. As the dramatic
events of her life begin to subside, she
uncovers a captivating discovery - was
she ever ill at all?
Lauren:
I read this book in one sitting- it was so
engrossing and I could not put it down. It
was very engaging and the chapters
were short, making it easy to follow. It is
so different from other romance novels,
as it does not just focus on the romance
between the two; there are many other
storylines which are also just as engaging.
To begin with, their relationship is
just a friendship and progresses into
something more, which doesn’t always
happen in all romances. My favourite part
was definitely the plot twist at the end - it
was so interesting! It was definitely one
of the best books I’ve ever read.
Arielle:
This captivating novel grabbed my attention
before I even read it. The cover
caught me in a web of fascination and I
couldn’t put the book down. From my
perspective, the best part of the book
was when Maddy goes outside for the
first time after seventeen years of living
in the same house with the same walls
and the same people in it. I’m over the
moon to hear that Yoon has written another
book that sounds just as absorbing
as the first.
Emma:
I think this book was amazing and I am
currently reading the next book she has
written which is equally fascinating. I enjoyed
the whole book, with my favorite
part being when Maddy and Olly go to
Hawaii at the end. The language used
was very fun to read as it also included
text messages and breaks in paragraphs
with beautifully drawn images to further
describe what Maddy was thinking.

Society
We’re all used to the voices in our heads. We know ourselves: how w
ous issues. We know who we personally consider our enemies, crus
other?
Society looks at the way we behave as a global population: how
everything to do with people. There will be articles about everything
ships to philosophy and mental health. Think of the Society section a
combining factual reporting on how we all act as a species with opin
21st century.
Now is perhaps a more important time than ever to be thinking
have revolutionised the way we communicate, and the ever-shifting
ple hold dear. Who knows what kind of a world we’ll be living in in t
society are evolving. We, as a generation, are growing up in unchart
exist for previous teenagers, and so it’s up to us to find our own pat
and form different opinions and views.
As I said, society is all about people and how they interact. A bi
want to hear what you’re passionate about! This could be anything, f
is your chance to broadcast your opinion to a wide readership - don’
your message.

e think, what we like and don’t like, where we stand on varihes,
friends, acquaintances. But how well do we know each
we, as humans, interact. In this section, we’ll be covering
from social justice to education, from family and relations
the intersection between Politics and Culture: we’ll be
ions on the issues that affect us as young people in the
about our society. Radical inventions such as the internet
political climate has brought into question views many peoen,
twenty, thirty years time? The very principles of human
ered waters: many of the storms we face daily simply didn’t
h. Inevitably, we’re all going to travel in different directions
g part of any magazine’s society section is submissions: we
rom racism in America to the value of learning to sew. This
t miss the opportunity to share your opinions and spread

Nostalgia
By katie kirkpatrick
Why is it so hard to ‘live in the moment’?
Being happy is difficult. It’s hard to be completely content with your life, to stop worrying,
to relax, to smile. Being satisfied is difficult. Even in moments of joy, we can't help but
wish for something different: often something we used to have or something we’ve always
wanted. ‘Remember when…’, ’This is just like when…’ and ‘In Year 8...’ must be some of
my most-used phrases; as an overly nostalgic person, I’ve been thinking a lot about why
I’m so attached to the past.
I don’t think I’m the only one who has these thoughts. With the rise of vintage fashion and
the Stranger Things 1980s phenomenon, we all seem to be aching for days gone by.
Perhaps this stems from a fascination. Decades that are long gone present a life that’s
both incredibly similar and incredibly different from our own: we like the idea that
teenagers in the 80s still had too much homework and awkward love triangles, but also
had Walkmans and perms. It’s almost like reading a book or watching a film: thinking
about the past conjures up the perfect balance of relatability and intrigue.
But why do we get so caught up in our own pasts? Maybe, as melancholy as it may
sound, it comes from a sense of disappointment in our presents. It’s becoming
increasingly common to struggle with depression, fatigue, boredom… for many of us,
being younger feels like a time free from the issues we have now. Everybody misses the
naïve happiness of childhood and adolescence.
It goes without saying that being a child or pre-teen wasn’t quite as pure and
wonderful as most of us remember. The past is glamorized: we happily gloss over any
bullying, fights and stresses and, instead, recall only the moments where everything felt
good. It can be helpful to remember that bad things did happen: as sad as it sounds,
chances are you’ve never really been one-hundred-percent happy. Also, we all like to pity
ourselves. Be it for the attention or just the excuse to eat chocolate or watch Netflix; from
time to time everyone likes to wallow in self-pity for a little.
As ridiculous as it may sound, I think part of the reason we miss being younger is
that the past has already happened - it’s the familiarity of knowing how things play out.
We’re now able to look back on situations that may have been painful at the time and
know that good comes out of them; we can reminisce and spot the beginnings of
friendships or relationships, and know the ending. Thinking about our own pasts, it’s easy
to see the kind of character arc we know from books. What’s important to remember,
however, is that the book isn’t finished yet. Those moments from earlier chapters might
still come back and make a difference - we just have to read on and see.

I wrote in one of my previous articles that the people we know
as teenagers shape us for the rest of our lives. Perhaps this is why we
feel so connected to old friends. These peers who made us the people
we are today feel important to us, whether we want to care about
them or not. Particularly if we have drifted away from these people,
we miss the times when they were still a major part of our lives. Also,
we tend to associate the days when we knew the people who shaped
us with a golden age, as such: an aforementioned glamorised period
of adolescence.
As teenagers, school can make situations like this even more
difficult. Due to the structure of the British education system, we see
the same people every week-day for five years between being eleven
and sixteen. It’s inevitable that within this group we find friends,
enemies, boyfriends and girlfriends, and oftentimes, seeing them so
regularly is fantastic: it makes it easy to stay in contact with people
and allows time for truly meaningful friendships to form and blossom.
However, it also means that when we have arguments there is no way
to really distance ourselves. While in the outside world it’s easy to
decide to cut people out of your life, at school it’s impossible. That
said, it does encourage forgiveness - when there’s no option but to
see someone everyday, you might as well get on with them. But I
digress. The point is that it can feel both impossible to reach the past
and impossible to escape it.
But what about the future? For some people, it’s the only thing
that matters. There’s exams, trips, prom, sixth form, more exams, uni,
jobs, people, houses, lifestyles...so much will happen and so much
will change. We’re constantly being reminded to plan our futures;
from choosing our GCSEs at thirteen or fourteen to pretty much
choosing a career path at eighteen, these really are the years in
which we pick our futures. So, you may say, why live in the moment
when you’ve got so much to come? The fact is, there’s always going
to be a future to plan. If we’re always thinking ahead, we’ll forget to
have a present to remember.
Nostalgia is a difficult thing. It’s hard to live in the moment; hard
to accept that the past is out of reach. The trick is to be satisfied with
your life as it is now, imperfections, good days, bad days and all. Do
your best to be happy, because soon these will be the days you’re
wishing you could get back.

Beautiful
By Anonymous
Why can’t I be her?’ ‘Oh, I would die for her
figure!’
We’ve all said comments like these, at least
once in our lives; admit it. But why - why should
we doubt ourselves? Why should we compare
ourselves to each other? Why should we put
ourselves down, just because we don’t look like
that perfect, airbrushed, photoshopped model
on Instagram with thousands of followers who
is, what we generally call beautiful? Why do we
do it? And what do we really define as
beautiful?
Apparently, our generation classifies
perfection or beauty as having lip fillers, caking
on layers of makeup, getting surgeries to
emphasise our assets, being skinny and having
‘abs’. But is this healthy? Realistic?
From what I’ve said, you probably think I
disagree with this definition of beauty: the truth
is, I don’t. As a matter of fact, I believe this is
beautiful. But I also believe that being ‘curvier’
is beautiful. Being super skinny, having little or
no lips or no ‘bum’ or ‘boobs’ - just being
natural - is beautiful. The truth is that,
everyone, no matter what they look like, is
beautiful- we all are.
And that’s hard to accept. I can’t talk: I’m
always dismissing compliments or putting
myself down. But we all are beautiful, no matter
how hard we try to deny it. We need to find a
way to put our self-doubt behind us; we need to
find a way to ignore all the hate, all the posts
online telling is how to be ‘perfect’; we need to
find a way to accept ourselves. We all do.
So what? Who cares what the random stranger
sitting next to you on the bus thinks? Who cares
if your ‘crush’ or friends disapprove of you? If
they really love you, if they’re truly your friends,
they’ll accept you for you, and not put you
down or talk about you behind your back. They
won’t be saying ‘she should do this’ or ‘she has
no purpose’, they should love you for who you
are. Who cares what even your family thinks of
you? What really matters is the way you see
yourself; the only opinion that matters is yours.
Although chances are: that stranger staring at
you on the bus? They’re admiring how beautiful
you are. Your friends talking behind your back?
They’re just jealous. Those family members
who don’t accept you or put you down? They’re
just envious, and too blind to see just how
amazing a person you are.
Besides, the old phrase ‘beauty comes from
within’, is true. With a horrible personality,
you’re not going to get anywhere in the world,
no matter how good your looks. Personally, I
always try to be the best version of myself, not
just for others, but for me. Because my opinion
of me matters. My view of myself tops everyone
else’s. Because, at the end of the day, there’s
always going to be one person who doesn’t like
you for whatever reason. And, at the end of the
day, what does it matter? You might not ever
see them again! Why should their opinion
matter over someone who really loves you and
accepts you for who you are? Why should you
try to change yourself just because one person
doesn’t like you? Why should you take the time
to try to please this one person, when you
already have your family, a group of friends,
perhaps a boyfriend or a girlfriend, and, most
importantly yourself, who loves you? And if you
don’t love yourself, just think why? If it’s
because of one of your insecurities, try to
accept it! It’s you, a part of you that you might
not be able to change. You may not like, but
someone out there will find it beautiful. Just
remember that there are many people in your
life who love you unconditionally; it may not
always seem like that - and you may deny it -
but it’s true.
Thrive off the love you get from others and
yourself; ignore all the jealous hate; be happy
with yourself. Love yourself and, most
importantly, be you, because who you are is
beautiful.

The awesome guide to being
happy
By Xavier st. john
As teenagers, we all have ups and downs - some
days, you might feel like you can take on the world,
and others you just want to sleep. It's part of
growing up, and mainly down to our hormones, but
sometimes life feels pretty tough because of it.
Here are a few ways to make your day seem that
little bit brighter, and putting that happy smile back
onto your face.
Food
We’re told to eat our 5-a-day and stop eating so
much sugar on a pretty regular basis. But you
know what? It feels great to eat food that’s bad for
you. Now, I’m not saying we should completely
ignore vegetables and have McDonalds every day,
but, from a scientific point of view, junk food can
occasionally be a great moral-booster. Let’s take
chocolate as an example: the classic sugar-rich
treat. When we eat chocolate, our brains get really
excited and release a bunch of chemicals. At first,
this doesn’t sound good, but these chemicals are
mood-lifters and effectively happiness drugs (it’s
even been shown that they activate the same areas
in your brain as illegal drugs do... just not quite so
intensely). Furthermore, chocolate causes
endorphin to release in the brain. This chemical is
effectively what causes the brain to de-stress and
well, just calm down a bit, providing a moment of
bliss and happiness.
It’s important to eat well, and to eat sugary foods in
moderation, but every now and again it can be
great psychologically to eat junk food - just make
sure not to overdo it with the chocolate!
Friends
Friends are really, really important to daily life.
They are your support network, your main source
of laughter and in some ways an extended family. If
you’re feeling down, then (although it's easier said
than done) it might be a good idea to mention it to
your mates. They may be able to raise your spirits
with a stupid joke, or buy you a brownie to try and
cheer you up - hopefully they’ll try and help in some
way. Going out and about with friends outside of
school can also be a great mood-lifter, as it’s been
shown that after a 30 minute outing with friends
you are 50% more likely to smile at smaller, less
significant things (like dogs or elderly people).
Although this might not sound like much, smiling is
infectious in the same way yawning is, so once you
start being happy, it’ll tend to rub off on your
friends. This leads to a happiness cycle, where your
group manage to raise each others moods just by
being around each other - pretty cool, right?
Of course, we’re all at school, and so have to spend
a lot of time on revision and homework. However, it
should be a balance - it’s important to make time for
friends in school-time and at weekends, as well as
plough through those revision textbooks.
Optimism
Have you ever just felt fed up with everything? I
think we all have at some point. Life can feel pretty
bad sometimes, but it's important not to become
pessimistic - in other words, negative about
everything. Instead, thinking optimistically can
significantly improve your life - if you feel confident
and happy, you’ll work harder, achieve higher and
generally just be a nicer person. It’s hard to keep
smiling through tough times, but, once you’ve
mastered optimism, the silver lining of your
situation should shine through the dark clouds. This
doesn’t mean that you’ll be happy all the time, but
hopefully your general mood should shift for the
better - after all, nobody wants to see you unhappy.
Being optimistic doesn’t mean you need to pretend
you’re happy when you’re not. You should still ask
for support or help if you need it, as there’s no way
to stop life being… well, being life. However,
everyday life should start becoming a bit more
manageable if you’re optimistic, and don’t forget -
‘Always look on the bright side of life’.
In a teenage world of stress and drama, relaxation
can seem miles away. Hopefully these three steps
can make your life that little bit happier and give you
the confidence to take on the day.

What is happiness?
By Pia sargent
Happiness is elusive because there isn’t an exact
recipe for it, no matter how much we want it; no matter
how much we wish it was simple. No matter how many
scientific studies are done to help us understand
happiness, a question remains: can it truly be found?
As people we say we are happy, but is that the truth?
Though there are many expectations holding us back
from being the happiest we can be, when we think we
are happy someone always has something to say to
change our mood. We tell people not to feel sad
because someone always has it worse off than you,
but if you turn it on its head, it becomes a matter of
why be happy when someone has it better than you?
Often it can be hard to feel satisfied with our own lives,
even if it seems to others like we should.
Everyone judges and criticizes, even though we try not
to. A smile is so pretty yet can have so many different
stories behind it: you could be covering up your
sadness or you could genuinely be happy. Many
people feel pressured to act in certain ways and
convey particular emotions; we as a society
encourage younger generations to believe in the same
things as us, yet also to think for themselves in order
to create an identity.

Happiness is defined as being in the best state
mentally, physically and emotionally. However, what
does that really mean? We all live inches away from
each other and have our own stories, yet we are so
oblivious to our surroundings and have no idea what
battles the people around us are facing at any time.
Everyday we face a new battle, and we all handle them
differently and cope in our own different ways.
But sometimes all we want is someone to look us in the
eye and tell us everything will be alright, even if it isn't
the truth. Because the truth is eventually it will be.

Time Travelling… Miss Fletcher
talks the Roaring Twenties
By miss fletcher
The glitz and glamour of the 1920s has always enthralled me, and not least
because it’s a heyday for some of the best writers to ever write in the English
language (I’m looking at you Fitzgerald, Woolf, Parker and Hemingway).
Known as the Roaring Twenties, the era sparked revelry and abandon like no
other. WWI was over: the devastating losses renewed a joy for living in the now.
And when better to live? You want to buy that expensive cloche hat – do it. You
want to drink gin cocktails and go dancing – go ahead. You want to speed along
highways in your Ford – put your foot down. There was no time like the present.
This pressing desire to live was fuelled by a boom in industry in America. With
European powers slumping from their efforts on front lines and rebuilding their
war-torn cities and economies, America became an emerging force to be
reckoned with. It had money; it had entrepreneurs; and, more importantly, it
knew how to have fun. The film industry exploded and Jazz riffs spilled out of
clubs, creating an unstoppable wave of glamour and jocundity that can be seen
in the Art Deco creations of Andre Edouard Marty and Horace Taylor.
Yet, it’s not just the cultural explosion of fun that intrigues me; it’s the women
of the period that really make things interesting. Having had a flavour of
independence in the war years, they were no longer content with staying home
and playing the dutiful wife to their husbands. The 1920s shook the tenets of
what it meant to be female: dresses were no longer restrictive, becoming
floatier, shorter and with a dropped waistline which meant that women could
physically move more than they ever could before. Without the tight bodices
and layers of skirts that had encumbered previous generations, they were able
to enjoy new lives. Hair was bobbed in a symbolic gesture of this liberation, too.
Women were out and about enjoying themselves, earning their own money and
flaunting their freedom. As Dorothy Parker stated, ‘She’s not what Grandma
used to be’. I certainly wouldn’t mind rewinding just under one hundred years
to live it up with Parker or Zelda Fitzgerald - who had quite a record of being
banned from hotels for her partying.
Plus, it would mean I could get away with saying things like ‘that dress is the
cat's pyjamas’ and ‘we’re having a whoopee time’. No one does daft slang like
the Twenties does.

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Why set new years
resolutions? By Andrea booth
r is a fresh start. Many people choose to set targets for their new year,
ill be better than the last, but, in fact, only 8% of people actually keep them.
n try but give up when they get to February. So is it worth all the hassle? Do
ew Year’s resolutions?
are the most common resolutions? Many people try to keep active, lose
at healthier to improve their physique. Others prefer to try something new
correcting their mistakes; people try to learn a new skill or hobby, or simply
d more time with their family. Children prefer simple resolutions such as to
ganised. However, not all targets are for personal gain: many people try to
ing for others. Giving money to charity, helping out around the house and
g are all selfless resolutions people make to help others. But why do we
Year’s resolutions? Most people fail to maintain their resolution so it seems
point. We keep making ourselves targets with hope that the next year will be
e hope that we will learn from our mistakes. Around 4,000 years ago, the
s celebrated the first new year and made resolutions. We have continued to
radition on through the Roman era and to our society today so the likeliness
n’t end anytime soon.
people think that there is no point in New Year’s resolutions if we don’t
em. However, there are some things you can do to make yourself more likely
esolution. The first is to start small; don’t set yourself a massive target if you
on’t be able to achieve it. It’s best to take one thing at a time. Another thing
need to talk about it; you are more likely to succeed if you share your goal
. It is hard to do anything on your own. Also, it may be easier to choose a
solution perfect for you; don’t just pick one of the common ones previously
. It’s not a good idea to choose one of your previous resolutions if you’ve
ed, as it sets you up for frustration and disappointment. So it’s not too late to
ing new; if you haven’t chosen a resolution why not start now? If you still are
your New Year’s resolution then well done; if you continue you will be one
t the end of the year. Make your resolution with a purpose, as it is not worth
ne if you don’t follow through. But of course we need to carry this tradition
s been going for 4,000 years: why stop now? If you didn’t succeed, there’s
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Top ten Most common new years
resolutions
By esther hawkins
e of year again to make some new
o I’ve gathered together a list of the top
mon ones.
ier: It’s just been Christmas and after
f mince pies and Christmas cake you
bly think about filling that shopping
uit and vegetables - not more sugar!
ore: Another way to get rid of those
u’ve
o some exercise. There are so many
s to do this, all the way from running to
t only will it make you more fit, but after
ill leave you feeling very happy. So get
on and GO!
money: Saving money (especially for
ncy snacks) is a good thing to do at any
, but particularly now following giftn.
It’s always good to avoid not having
ey to buy something you really want
).
elf care (e.g. get more sleep): Self care
rtant as it will help you to be more
happier . And who doesn’t like feeling
: This may may not be for everyone, but
e your English skills and help you to feel
after a stressful exam or interview. It
to be a huge novel: even just reading a
couple of online articles can be useful,
re you’re making a good start.
friends: Making new friends is a good
s they can help you and will always be
when you need them. They will help you
to get through hard times and be there at happy ones
as well. It may feel difficult, but simply working up the
nerve to talk to someone can lead to lifelong
friendships.
7) Learn a new skill: There are so many different
skills to learn and they will become useful later on in
life. With all the websites now available, learning
languages is a common choice of skills resolution.
You could also try activities like knot-tying or
cooking; you never know when they might come in
handy!
8) Get a new job: As secondary students most of us
aren’t old enough to work yet; dream jobs can seem
miles away. But everyone has to start somewhere.
Research the careers you’re interested in, or
perhaps look for some work experience or
volunteering.
9) Start doing a new hobby: Hobbies are a nice,
relaxing thing to do. They help you to feel happier
and take away your stress. Some hobbies can even
provide health benefits. Why not pick up a musical
instrument, learn to knit or sew, or even take up
something less common like flower-pressing or
archaeology?
10) Don’t bother: A shocking 32% of people don’t
make don't make any new year’s resolutions.
Sometimes it can be good to keep things as they are.
Did you set any resolutions this year? Were they
listed above, or did you pick something more
unusual? No matter what you have chosen to do - or
whether you’ve chosen to keep things the same - I
wish you the best of luck!

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

Gingerbread recipe
By Jenny Hall and Lorna Gillings
Feeling those January blues? Missing the excitement of Christmas? These
biscuits could be just what you need to feel festive again...
Makes: Approx. 40
Prepare: 30 mins
Cook: 8-10 mins
Ingredients:
350g plain flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground mixed spice
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
175g unsalted butter
150g light muscovado sugar
4 tablespoons golden syrup
Method:
1. Sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon, mixed spices, salt and bicarbonate of
soda into a mixing bowl.
2. Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup into a saucepan and stir over
a low heat until a smooth mixture is formed
3. Remove from the heat and stir into the flour mixture until a dough.
4. Tip out the dough onto a floured surface and then gently knead into a
ball.
5. Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
6. Roll out the dough into a rectangle until it is slightly thicker than a
pound coin.
7. Dip the cutters into some flour, before cutting out the shapes.
8. Place them on a lined baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
10. Decorate your gingerbread shapes with your choice of decorations.

What is pancake day?
By andrea booth
Many people celebrate pancake day; it is the one
day of the year when we are allowed to be unhealthy
and eat as many pancakes as we want. This year, it
falls on February 13th (a Tuesday of course!). You
may not know that it always falls 47 days before
Easter. It can be between February 3rd and March
9th. But why do we celebrate it worldwide?
Pancake day is more formally known as Shrove
Tuesday, which always precedes Ash Wednesday.
The meaning of Shrove Tuesday comes from the
word ‘shrive’, which means confession of sins.
Christians go to confession where they admit their
sins to a priest in order to be forgiven. This practice
would be announced by a bell called the ‘pancake
bell’. The tradition of pancakes is so that Christians
use up all the fatty foods before lent.
Pancakes are now the main thing people eat on
Shrove Tuesday, but people used to empty their
cupboards of anything that would tempt them
during lent. Thanks to this tradition, today most
people actually go out of their way to buy these fatty
foods especially for the celebration. The question as
to why we flip pancakes remains; it seems to date
back as far as pancakes so it has become
something of a tradition in itself. The typical
pancake has lemon and sugar but maple syrup is
also a worldwide favourite. Everyone’s pancake is
individual to them.
Pancake Day is celebrated differently worldwide. In
the USA, Pancake Day is more commonly known as
‘Mardi Gras’ meaning ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French. In
Poland, instead they celebrate ‘Fat Thursday’ when
they eat unhealthy foods like cakes, sweets and
other things that are generally not eaten in lent. As
well as eating pancakes, they often eat donuts to
celebrate. All over the world there are people
celebrating the time before lent by feasting.

Pancake day traditions around
the world
By Maxwell masters
On thursday the 13th of February a highly
anticipated celebration takes place. It's none other
than PANCAKE DAY !That's right the day were we
forget all diet plans and eat more than we probably
should in a year. However some countries
celebrate ‘pancake day’ in a much different way
than we do. Here’s a list some of the surprising,
wonderful and somewhat odd pancake day
traditions around the world.
1.Spain
Spanish celebrations are much different to ours; on the thursday the week,
before ash wednesday, a carnival is started known as ‘Jueves Lardero’ or
‘Jolvelardero’. Shrove Tuesday (pancake
day) is called ‘Dia de la tortilla’, which
means ‘Day of the Omlette’! The
celebrations vary from town to town, but
generally it's a day to use up all the meat
and bread from your pantry and eat a
meal as a community to prepare for lent.
And of course, the main meal is an
omelette!
2.Denmark
Danish People sure have a sweet tooth! They
celebrate on the first sunday before lent by eating
these wonderful looking buns called ‘fastelavan’
which are filled with whipped cream and jam.
Moreover, the children dress up in any way they like,
some pirates, some fairies, others cats; they play a
game called hit the
cat out the barrel,
which used to entail
smashing a barrel
with a live cat inside until the cat got out.
However, luckily there are no longer cats in
the barrel, but rather sweets, making the
barrel sort of like a piñata- few!

3.France
In France during ‘Mardi gras’ (or ‘fat
tuesday’), you can obviously look out for
plenty of the famous French crepes. Oh,
and also a fat ox being paraded around the
streets. Well, maybe nowadays the ox is a
giant float, but the symbolism is still there;
the ox is a massive reminder that you can't
eat meat
during Lent.
So it's basically a big “Ha-Ha you can't eat
meat for the next 40 days!” kind of thing. But
nonetheless, massive celebrations are held,
where people wear crazy masks, parade
around, and eat plenty of food. Aslo, in the
town of the Nice in France, the celebration
lasts for 10 days!
4.Poland
You might be surprised, but in Poland the most
popular dish during shrove tuesday is Herring!
During ‘Sledziowka’, they also eat doughnuts
and ‘faworki’ , or angel wings, which are deepfried
ribbon shaped dough dusted with
powdered sugar. Yum!
5.Canada
Finally, we go to Canada were Shrove
Tuesday is called...Shrove Tuesday! The
canadian pancake day tradition may
sound quite odd- in their pancakes they
put all sorts of things, such as coins,
pieces of string, wedding rings, thimbles
and even nails! Make sure to take extra
care when eating pancakes in Canada!
Depending on what you find in your pancake says something about your
future. For example, the coin promises wealth, the wedding ring promises
marriage and the thimble says you will become a seamstress or tailor.
So now you know some of the world's weird and wonderful pancake day
traditions, feel free to try them out at home. Have a wonderful pancake day!

Mrs morson does
\Japan
As many of my colleagues and students know, I dislike Christmas (apart from its culinary delights), I adore travelling, I like
things that work as they should, and I absolutely love food. Going to Japan for two weeks at Christmas seemed, therefore,
like the perfect destination for a complete getaway.
Arriving at Narita Airport in Tokyo at 10am, after a 12 hour flight, on Friday 22 nd December, I was delighted by the distinct lack
of any tinny Christmas jingles and twinkling fairy lights. Having smugly navigated our way to Shinjuku Station (the world’s
busiest transport hub), booked all our reservations for the train journeys over the coming days and practised some of my
Japanese, we were confident the way to the accommodation would prove equally stress-free.
Alas, no.
Words cannot describe the sprawling behemoth that is Shinjuku station. It boasts over 200 exits and is used by more than 4
million people each day. A dozen or so exits and a few cross words later, we finally managed to dump our bags, eager for the
culinary adventures Tokyo’s Friday night had in store. In fact, much of the trip was planned with food in mind. Some of the
more adventurous of Tokyo’s offerings throughout our initial two-day stay included: yellow fin tuna neck, salmon belly, whale
meat sashimi (I avoided this entirely) and fugu (the potentially poisonous fish unless it’s prepared by a very well-trained
chef). It was a little disappointing in its exoticism: it tasted just like scampi.
After two days of eating our way round Tokyo, we boarded the much-anticipated Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Japan’s
cultural capital: Kyoto.
Miss Muir had visited Japan a couple of years ago and she recommended the must-see sights around this magical city.
Dotted around the city are numerous Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, lending it a much calmer, more reflective
atmosphere than the frenetic Tokyo.
On Christmas Day we visited the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine (dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice), and walked the 4
kilometres or so through the mountain path lined with thousands of bright orange torii (gates): a very tiring but incredibly
worthwhile hike! Another Kyoto highlight was travelling to Arashiyama (another gruelling mountain climb) where we had the
chance to feed wild monkeys: this was a little daunting given my experience with a particularly aggressive wild deer on a day
trip to Nara a couple of days earlier…
Kyoto proved the perfect base for travelling to Osaka – think Times Square crossed with Piccadilly Circus – and Nara – home
to the world’s biggest Buddha and some pretty fearless deer. In Nara, around 1000 deer roam free in the parks surrounding
the city and they are famous for bowing. This had to be seen to be believed. I bought some of the special deer biscuits,
excited to witness this spectacle. Turns out, the reason they bow is because they want their food, and as I found out, if they
don’t get their food quick enough, those with antlers can turn nasty. One particularly hangry deer spotted my biscuit (it didn’t
even bow) and chased after me, antlers-first. Screaming, I dropped the biscuit and ran, much to the amusement of my
husband. Despite this, Nara was the highlight of the trip for me.
After a stay in the ‘Japanese Alps’ we headed back to Tokyo for NYE, as
home time loomed ever closer. The end of our trip was quite calm as much
of Japan shuts down for New Year, a time when people return to their home
towns, spend time with family and welcome in the New Year with midnight
visits to shrines and temples. We did, befittingly, end the trip in the way it
started with some of the best cuisine Japan has to offer. We might not have
had roast turkey and all the trimmings, but the sushi was a pretty good
substitute.

By Owen Crisp

Politics

Should University Fees Be
Abolished?
by Katie Kirkpatrick & David Makalena
In the autumn term, SVC hosted our heats of local MP Lucy Frazer’s Parliamentary Debating
competition on the subject of university tuition fees. Eight Year 11 students took part in the heats,
which were held over a lunchtime and judged by Lucy Frazer and Head of School Mr Hampson.
Inkling editors Katie Kirkpatrick and David Makalena debated against each other, and here we have
some of their most convincing arguments...
David: I am here to make my argument for abolishing tuition fees and I open with this:
education is a right. People have the right to be educated so surely then university should be
accessible to everybody, not just the people who can afford the luxury. Now I know that you
can recieve student loans which help pay for your time at university but the decades of time
afterwards are tainted with the constant pressure of repaying your loan. Should a young
adult be sprung into the world with that instantly weighing down on their back? This has not
gone unnoticed in the world either and leading politicians have pledged to abolish tuition
fees - most recently Jeremy Corbyn in the 2017 elections, an election season which left
Labour with a much larger presence in Parliament. All of this politics and morals all point to
the same idea: education is a right and university tuition fees should be scrapped.
Katie: Personally, I am against abolishing tuition fees as I believe we should prioritise
providing the highest quality of education. It is widely recognised that tuition fees bring in far
higher an income to universities than would be produced by taxpayers. We need give
universities the best possible chance to provide the best possible education for students,
and to do this they obviously need adequate funds. It would be impossible to study, for
example, Chemistry or Medicine, without the necessary lab equipment, which can be hugely
expensive. If taxpayers were expected to provide all funds for university, universities would
be given the impossible task of providing the same high quality of education with far fewer
resources and funds. We can’t let this happen. The better the education of our young
people, the better off our economy is as a whole, and thus we need universities to provide
the highest possible standard of education. Returning to my earlier example of Medicine, if
doctors are trained poorly, the health of the entire country will suffer. We need to educate
fully the doctors, journalists, teachers and CEOs of the next generation to secure the
economy for future years.
David: The main issue with money is not the fact that universities will not be able to afford
equipment, it will be the fact that they can’t pay for the best lecturers and professors.
However, in a recent poll, lecturers have said that they stick to their universities not
because of money but because of heritage and legacy. Professors at Oxbridge are not likely
to go to one of the lowest graded universities in the country just because of pay. Being a
lecturer at Oxbridge is an honour for most and the reputation behind the school is too large
to turn down. Furthermore, a large majority of university students are actually foreign,
especially in the better schools, meaning that the country is benefiting from their
immigration and bringing money into the country. The economy may not rise as quickly but
things will not turn rotten due to the fact tuition fees are abolished.

Katie: Let us pretend for a moment that university fees are abolished, and university
is paid for by the ordinary taxpayer. This is exactly how state primary and secondary
schools are currently run in Britain, and as I’m sure you know, private schools are
increasingly commonplace, making it more and more difficult for state school
students to reach the heights of success. If we introduced free university, private
institutions would inevitably develop, further widening the gap between rich and
poor. By removing tuition fees we wouldn’t be making education more accessible;
we would be making it more difficult for students from disadvantaged, or even
average wealth families to do as well in life as their richer counterparts. Abolishing
fees is most definitely not the path to educational equality.
David: The average wage for a university graduate is £29,000 a year. This is £5,000
higher than the UK average and means that if tuition fees were abolished and more
people went to university, then people would be earning more and therefore Britain’s
economy will also expand. Moreover, you could argue that there would not be
enough jobs for people graduating university but in time, more jobs of that type
would develop and the lower paying jobs will become scarcer. To end my argument I
don’t want to talk education, I would like to talk experience. Attending university
gives you a lot more knowledge than just academic know how, it also garners you
with basic life skills: renting houses, cooking and cleaning for yourself and living
away from your parents. Although many students are not entirely self-dependent
when it comes to finances, university students do not constantly have mum and dad
breathing down their necks telling them what to and not to do. University equals life
experience.
Katie: Needless to say, every individual should matter when it comes to education - university
should be a positive experience for everyone.Conflictingly, making a change this drastic to
the British school system would trigger a total upheaval, leaving a whole generation of
university students trapped in a period of transition. It’s comparable to the new GCSEs: our
generation has been left in a time where the education system is shrouded in confusion due
to an unnecessary reform. We as a nation should learn from our mistakes, not repeat them.
Attempting to make sense of a new world of student finance, it goes without saying many
students would struggle with increased living costs, and without the established loan system
these would be even harder to manage. Why change a system that is already efficient?

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

World of work
By pia sargent
As many of you may know, on our most
recent Pd day Year 9 students focused on
the world of work. We all had the chance to
choose a subject for the day and experience
and enjoy tasters of that subject. There
where many different choices because
when you enter the real world you are not
limited with what you do. I personally had a
great day and so did many others from what
I heard. I will now proceed to mention some
of the different choices of what you could
do.
Media
Within this subject we learned about fake
news, studied some articles that were
considered fake news, and took into
consideration the truth. Not only did we get
to be quite hands-on, but we also had a talk
from an ex-BBC presenter about how she
came into this type of work, from starting at
the bottom to working to the top.
PE
In this subject, we had a professional
personal trainer come in and talk to us
about life in his profession; he talked to us
about what qualifications you need and what
it’s like to be a personal trainer. One of the
many things he informed us on was how to
change our lifestyle to make it healthier for
us and our bodies. He then did a pretty
intense circuit with us - I think it’s safe to
say we all left a little exhausted!
Law And Museums
In the morning, during periods one and two,
we studied law cases. Questions asked
included: ‘Was the person blamed actually
responsible?’ ‘Should they pay money?’ and
‘Should children be taken away from
tribes?’ In the afternoon, we got to create
our own museum, draw out a floor plan and
make a poster to show what the museum
was like.
Making an App
Over the whole day, we managed to create
an app prototype in groups. We could
choose to make an app about the school,
about a place or about an event. In our
groups we had a designer, producer,
presenter and group leader. We spent
periods 1, 2 and 4 making the app and a
presentation about it using AppShed. Finally,
we got to present our app design to the
whole group. This gave us a taste of what life
is like in the design and computing industry.
Animation
During the course of the day we planned our
stop-motion movies in groups and around
third period we started to create our
characters out of everyday objects or
playdough for some. In each individual group
there were certain roles in which we could
take on. The roles were: Group Leader (the
person who keeps everybody in order), the
Creator (the person who creates the story
line), the Artist (the group member who
designs all the characters and brings them to
life in the creator’s eyes), the Photographer
(the member who takes all the photos and
handles the camera) and lastly the Editor
(the computer whiz who edits all the
content). At the end of the day, we had all
created a stop-motion movie that we
presented to the other people.
There were many more subjects to choose
from, but if I told you about all of them we’d
be here all day! No matter what subjects they
chose, it’s clear that Year 9 now have some
valuable knowledge and experience to take
into KS4.

Interview in Industry
Jen Twine, International Corporate Tax Manager
What attracted you to the profession?
I love working with a wide variety of big businesses from across the
globe and enjoy the fast-paced nature of the job.
How did you get into it? What did you need to do?
Although you don’t need a degree to work in finance, I went to
university and did and undergraduate degree in Accounting and
Finance. I could have gone straight from school, but wanted to
experience university life. After my degree, I joined a firm on a threeyear
training contract, where I studied to become a chartered
accountant whilst working in the tax practice there. The training
contract was really fun – especially as you join a cohort of likeminded
individuals, who have become some of my best friends.
How’s your average working day look?
I get to work with a wide range of clients from high street shops and
banks to manufacturing companies (in the midlands, other areas of the
UK and from overseas). My average working day usually involves
advising clients on their global tax positions. I do a lot of work with US
businesses so typically have a busy afternoon as that’s when
Americans are waking up and starting their day!
What is the best thing about your profession?
I get to work with really big companies that deal in large figures which
find very exciting. I work in a really great team and enjoy the office
atmosphere and the social life that comes with it.

Are there any drawbacks and, if so, how do you
navigate them?
One is the hours. A lot of our projects are time critical which means you
can work out of hours, especially when working with companies abroad
that have different time zones. However, being part of team means that
I am never working alone on it; there’s always someone in it with me.
What advice could you give to someone who is
interested in your field of work? How could they
get ahead already?
Go for it! Being an accountant opens many doors for you – it doesn’t
necessarily mean that you have to stick in the finance world. There are
so many career paths you could go down – you don’t just have to focus
on tax. Actually, a quarter of FTSE 100 bosses are qualified
accountants showing that it’s great step if you want to run a business
or become an industry leader.
I
Although, you don’t need to be a Maths genius to be an accountant, it
helps to have an interest in numbers. A lot of our work is about
communicating with clients so you should get polishing your
interpersonal and organisational skills.
Having a general awareness of big business and financial headlines will
put you in good stead – start watching those sections on the news!

The future of year 9
By pia sargent and Kerry jones
It has come to that time of the year - the one when year 9s have
their futures put into their hands and every thought counts. I
hear you ask what is so special about this time of the year; well,
currently year 9 are choosing their GCSEs. Within in the last
month every student in year 9 has sat through many talks about
the different subjects that can be chosen for their options and
what that subject will involve through the next two years.
So, I speak to students in older years who have already made
their decision and already following the courses for their advice.
They say ”choose wisely; the choices you pick today will decide
your future.”
Then, I speak to adults who did their GCSEs ages ago… their
advice is different. They say, “My GCSEs have had very little
impact on mylife”. So what what should we do? We are told to
pick what we enjoy and feel we will succeed in over the next two
years. This is understandable, but does it really affect our future?
I have so many different choices and many I would like to try, but
how do I decide?
What if I choose the wrong course? What if I don’t like the
course? These and many more are the questions, myself, and I
would think other year 9 students, are thinking. These are the
questions that we may not even get answered. We are
continuously reminded that these choices will give us our grades
to continue into the future.
I want to make the right choice... but how?

Although it is scary and can seem overwhelming at first, I
remember having plenty of time to make an informed
decision. When deciding my options, I consulted teachers
about their courses and whether I was fit to take them. It
might be worth seeing the careers people as they can steer
you the right direction, or you could try looking up some
careers you’re interested in to see what you might need. I
found it equally useful to ask parents and friends about
what they wanted to achieve when choosing options and
how the GCSEs would help me out. I had to remember,
importantly, not to base my own options on what my friends
were choosing - I’d still see them at social time and we all
have different tastes.
It is important you study the subjects you are interested in -
the more you like a subject, the more you’ll enjoy it… and
probably the better you’ll do.
Remember, that if you start your choice out in year 10 and
really dislike it, there is some movement (you’ll have to
make a case, but you’ll never be railroaded into doing
something you don’t want to).

Year 11 Sixth Form applications
Handbook
With every month that passes, GCSE exams seem ever closer; no longer are they some far-off event
we can just forget about and ignore. For most of us, coursework deadlines are looming, homework
is piling up and free time is becoming harder and harder to find. That means that it’s now more
important than ever to find time to relax and make sure your mental health is good. Working hard
can only get you so far - it can be just as crucial to make time to get away from all that revision.
Here are some top tips to keep you calm over the next few months…
1. Make To-Do Lists
Before you start doing anything, it can be helpful to work out what exactly needs to be done. Write
out a list - on your phone, on a word document, by hand, in whatever form you find the most
convenient - and then prioritise things. Add due dates, notes, and websites that might be useful so
that as soon as you begin that essay or worksheet you know exactly where to find the resources you
need. It can often be tempting to start with the work you find the easiest or most interesting, but
getting things done in the order of their deadlines can be a much better way to stop yourself leaving
the big projects until the last minute.
2. Put Yourself First
We’re not often told to be selfish, but, when it comes to mental health, it can be crucial. Even though
that deadline may seem like the end of the world, keeping yourself healthy is far more important.
Coping with serious stress can be incredibly difficult, and there’s a risk of developing mental
disorders such as depression and anxiety if you simply ignore your wellbeing. Give yourself a better
chance at staying relaxed by dealing with feelings of stress and worry instead of bottling them up.
Talk to a friend, parent or teacher when you don’t know what to do: even just hearing a few
reassuring words could make a difference. With teenage mental health an increasing worry, it’s
important to remember that you’re worth more than your grades.
3. Don’t Quit Your Hobbies
It can be tempting to feel like you need to give up on all your extra-curricular commitments. Plenty
of people quit dance classes, sports teams, writing clubs and music groups just because they think
they need to spend all their time on school work. In actual fact, hobbies can help you: activities such
as drawing or cycling have been proven to aid relaxation and relieve stress. Moreover, many people
find that staying involved in hobbies gives them an advantage in their career path. The things you
choose to devote your free time to are bound to give you skills that can be used in the future, no
matter what path you plan to take.
4. Find Your Motivation
As much as its vital to find time to relax and continue with hobbies, it is studying that is going to get
you through the exams. We all struggle with procrastination, but thinking about why it is that you
need to work hard can be a huge help. Picture the sixth form you want to be in, the university you
want to go to, the job you aspire to have - everything is easier when you have a clear objective.
5. Smile
While you might feel like exams are the worst thing ever invented, by the time you collect your
results you’ll be proud of yourself for powering through. Find the fun in your revision: every subject
will have something to interest you, whether it’s world music or prime numbers. Explore the topics
that intrigue you and find a love of learning, if you can.
Don’t forget that in four months it’ll all be over; make the most of your time at Soham before it’s
gone, and try your best not to worry… too much. Smile through your stress, and soon enough
GCSEs will be a thing of the past.

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.

Six Nations
By Georgina melia
After another year of waiting, my favourite tournament in the
sporting calendar is gracing our screens: the Six Nations. This is
one of the most highly competitive rugby events in the Northern
Hemisphere and is always one of the most entertaining sporting
events you’ll find. Over the next two months, we’ll see some truly
spectacular clashes between these nations with such long-standing
rivalries.
One weekend has already passed in its usual style of close scorelines,
walkaway wins and controversy. Never before has the Six
Nations been open to so many possible winners.
Let’s start with the first nation that quite literally kicked off the
championship: Wales. Wales struggled last year in the competition
losing three out of five of their matches leaving them tucked away in
fifth place and a definite point to prove. Wales also had a turbulent
Autumn International season but now with Warren Gatland back
after coaching the Lions, Wales may return to their former
successes. A strength of the Welsh side has always been their
experience on and off the bench however they are dealing with
some major injury concerns - Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau,
George North and Liam Williams just to a name a few. However, the
match against Scotland proved that this injury crisis did not faze
them – there were some standout performances from Leigh
Halfpenny, Aaron Shingler and Rhys Patchell, who are ones to
watch in the match against England. If Wales continue to give away
few penalties and stay creatively strong whilst keeping a sturdy
defence then they seem to have every chance of making it to the top
two.
Scotland have grown from strength to strength across the last few
years and now have a very creative and talented squad. However,
the Scotland side we saw against Wales was a hark back to their
performances from three or four years ago. I was very excited to
watch Scotland play, but was hugely disappointed at their complete
lack of discipline and shocking defending. Every time they received
possession or turned the ball over they simply wasted the
opportunity by making silly mistakes or not staying patient through
the phases. I had very high hopes for Scotland this championship
but they seriously need to up their game if they stand any chance of
making it to the middle of the table. It’s going to be quite the clash
against France as both teams have got points to prove. However if
Scotland play like they did last week then France should be feeling
quite confident! I thought Scotland were going to be ones to watch
this year but another loss against France would most likely see their
hopes of making the top two vanish.
Unlike last year, Ireland have only had to make one change to the
squad due to injury – prop James Cronin replaced his fellow
Munster teammate David Kilcoyne in their trip to le Stade de
France. Ireland have always been consistent in the tournament and
remain formidable opponents with a grand amount of experience.
The match against France was slow in the first half but proved a
real treat to rugby lovers in the second half. It felt unusual to see
Ireland without scoring a try but Johnny Sexton’s experience and
leadership was very clear in the 83rd minute. I hope to see more of
Ireland’s aerial battles against Italy. It will be more important for
Ireland to win that match – and get four tries for the bonus point –
since they only received four points for the narrow win against
France. Ireland have a dynamic and diverse team, making them
very dangerous and certainly never to be underestimated. This has
been the first time in quite a while where almost every team seems
to be in contention for the trophy.
The French side playing against Ireland in the second half was a
very interesting watch. I was disappointed for them in that match
because their defending against Ireland was very impressive: they
racked up to 41 phases and I really thought that France were going
to hold out and win the points. Many had doubts concerning France
as (in true French style) they sacked their coach just before the Six
Nations and replaced him with Guy Noves... which hasn’t had many
people excited. I think France have got good prospects for this
championship, and despite the loss they did gain one bonus point
for the loss being within seven points. I have no doubts that France
will be heading to Murrayfield with the hope - and belief - that they
can beat Scotland, and if they just stay disciplined and give away
less penalties then they have every chance to win, as I think the
match against Ireland was just a glimpse of what this French team
can do.
The Six Nations for Italy hasn’t been overly forgiving, and at the end
of the 2017 championship it seems questions were being asked
regarding their place in the tournament. Coach Conor O’Shea has
always said that the development of Italy would not happen
overnight, so perhaps this is the year that they could find
themselves out of sixth or fifth position - but the competition is
tough. Italy have always been a team that can catch you on the
break with well-timed interceptions but they struggle with
discipline, keeping defensively organised, and are prone to giving
away penalties because their passion for the sport can sometimes
leave them exposed. I hope to see Italy collecting more points from
penalties and keeping accuracy in line-outs as this is what helps
other teams to create more breathing space when points are so
close. Italy should take a lot of positives from the match against
England as clearly now they are much more aggressive in attack,
their fitness is significantly better and there’s a definite feel of
rejuvenation. It’s fair to say that the score line didn’t quite give
Italy’s performance justice. Italy’s second match sees them with the
mammoth task of heading to Dublin to take on Ireland. This is a
difficult match for any side and I must admit, I remain sceptical for
an Italian win at the Aviva stadium. I just hope that the Italians begin
to believe in themselves because they are certainly showing signs
of improvement.
Last, but certainly not least, England: the consecutive winners for
two years in a row. They certainly are a different team to the one we
saw three years ago in the World Cup. Eddie Jones has taken a risk,
bringing eight un-capped players onto the team and, whilst they
have proven to be talented, it may also be due to the sixteen injuries
England has suffered before the competition. Billy Vunipola is
certainly going to be missed but Sam Simmonds proved to be an
excellent choice, providing a pace the five-stone-heavier Vunipola
cannot. The front eight created a very strong and convincing scrum
and it was good to see very few penalties coming from said scrum.
It’s a shame that Elliot Daly will be missing at least some of this
tournament as he was a marvel to watch over the Autumn
Internationals, as well as during his performances for Wasps - he
has provided England with numerous tries. Watson was
spectacular against Italy with Brown and May providing excellent
pace. One of the highlights of the England squad is the Ford/Farrell
axis as they have proven highly-skilled at organising the game and
maintaining order – skills which were both rewarded with tries in
the last match.
England’s second clash against Wales is one of the most highly
anticipated – and competitive – fixtures in the entire competition
and with both teams almost equally matched in injuries, the
outcome is far from definite. However, neither team has been
defined by their injury list, making it incredibly difficult to judge. The
lack of Dan Biggar’s strategic play and kicking could perhaps prove
costly to Wales (but I would say that, I am an England fan after all!)
yet Leigh Halfpenny proved he was equally up to the job. England
have the home advantage, which will no doubt be a boost, but that
certainly hasn’t stopped Wales before. I have very high hopes for
England this year and I think their performance against Italy was
one of their best.
England have the capability to win the title for the third year in the
row, but the competition is fierce from all sides and every country
has the ability to lift that trophy – only time will tell…

SVC Sports Round
Gemma Bridges
Over the last half term, Netball and Rugby house competitions
on. Five teams, one from each house, have battled it out in mat
other in order to find out who’s the best. However, to make sure
could proceed, they changed it so that the Rugby was not cont
instead tag rugby. Although this made some people disappoint
people could enjoy playing for their house without the fear of b
ground every other minute.
There was also an incident where one of the Year Nine netballs
one of the girls tried to shoot into the hoop, the ball decided th
This delayed their match, as it meant that another ball had to b
team that was off for that game had to stop their practice, as o
been brought out. Some people in the match were disappointed
thought that another goal could have been scored in the time it
one, but seeing a ball explode doesn’t happen so there’s that...
Although the Netball and Rugby matches were very competitiv
great time, and left on high spirits.

Up
have been going
ches against each
that all the matches
ct rugby, and was
d, it meant that more
eing thrown to the
exploded… when
t it had had enough!
fetched, and the
ly three balls had
, because they
took to take a new
I guess
, everyone had a

Svc Event

s
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!

Maths Ch
By Miss Afford

allenge

OLIVER! review
By David makalena
The school production this year was a rendition of the Dickens’
classic Oliver!. I can’t personally say if it is better than the West End
edition or the Oscar winning film adaptation because I’ve never seen
either. What I can say however is that SVC’s version has set the bar
high for the others; it is fantastic thanks to the enthusiastic
teachers, outstanding dance routines and phenomenal cast and
crew.
Let’s start with the teachers: Mr K, Miss Perry and Miss Bartley have
really pulled it out the bag this time. Not only does the play look, and
flow, great but the students involved have the same amount of
energy and dedication, showing that whatever they are doing, they
are doing it right.
One area that really stood out for the production was its’ dance
routines and musical numbers. Sung beautifully, choreographed
tremendously and performed like professionals, songs like Food
Glorious Food, Consider Yourself and Oom Pah Pah showed the
audience that Soham was here to put on a show - and a show they
would put on.
My favourite song, I’d Do Anything, was wonderfully performed by
William Smith, Freya Alexander, Callum Moffat and Sapphire Locke -
the four best performers of the show. Another song that really stood
out from the rest of the pack was Fine Life (Reprise). You may be
thinking, why the Reprise version? It was a performance
masterclass from the three heavyweight titans of the show: the
previously mentioned Callum Moffat and Sapphire Locke, and also
Isaac Stares as Bill Sykes.
Isaac was perfect casting for this villainous role. I mean a man who
grows sideburns to better his performance deserves immediate
attention.
I will take this moment to say that I was actually part of the
production team this year: as the highly contested lighting engineer.
I helped to bring the show to stage in its last week of rehearsals, but
the rest of the cast had upwards of three months to do the same.
The reason I chose to review the production this year was because,
even though I was on the tech desk every night helping the show run
smoothly, I got a front row seat each night so know the performance
inside out. Furthermore, even though I’m good friends with most of
the cast, that will not distract me from saying my true opinions - you
don’t scare me, Isaac.
Talking of Isaac, let’s talk again about Bill. I’ve known Isaac for three
years and in all that time, I didn’t know that a theatrical showman
was hiding underneath. When he was let loose, Isaac gave an
exceptional performance as Bill Sykes. He was able to latch onto
Bill’s villainous ideas and make them his own. Well done, mate, for a
great performance.
As previously mentioned, I thought that Will, Freya, Callum and
Sapphire gave the best performances of the show, but there are
loads more who will go unmentioned.
Zak Potts and Emma Gallop gave great performances as the
Sowerberry’s - That’s Your Funeral was a great song to listen to
each night thanks to their terrific voices. Torin Fahy and Emily
Gordon gave equally great performances as Mr Brownlow and Mrs
Bedwin respectfully. Congrats, guys, for a job well done, but sadly
there isn’t time to talk too much about you.
I don’t want to leave anyone out; I haven’t even mentioned Jake
Stearne and Katie Kirkpatrick as Mr Bumble and Widow Corney -
expert casting may I add. People who I have left out, I have this to
say to you: each and everyone of you should be proud. Your
individual energy and emotion brought together this special musical
that’ll be remembered as one of the greatest Soham productions
ever. So massive congratulations on creating such a memorable
show.
Now let's talk heavyweights. Sapphire Locke (as Nancy) gave the
operatic performance of her school career. Sapphire has taken part
in every school production since joining in Year 7 and Nancy is
definitely the culmination of all her great roles over the years. Her
song As Long As He Needs Me was sung beautifully - with some
great lighting and smoke work, may I add. Sapphire gave a
performance that I think she should be immensely proud of.
Whenever I told her of how good she was, Sapphire was very humble
- but why should you be? You put in the work and now it’s time to
reap the rewards.
Another person who should be reaping just as much, if not more
reward, is Freya Alexander - the Artful Dodger. Freya is a Year 7
student. Let that sink in for a minute. As a 12 year old student, Freya
has done an exceptional job at transforming into Dodger.
Everything: her accent, movements and costumes matches what
Dodger would have been like. I truly believe that Freya could turn
into the next Sapphire. If Freya was to perform in all five shows, then
the next batch of school productions will be all the more special
thanks to Freya’s masterful input. Go on, Freya, and prove to the
world what you are: a wonderful performer.
Comedy genius. Beautiful singer. A-Class actor. Not my words. The
words of Mr Fagin himself: Callum Moffat. Prior to being in Oliver!,
Callum was awarded the Liza Goddard Award for Comedy so I guess
comedy genius does have some backing to it. Beautiful singer can
not be solidly backed, but his performance of fan favourite
Reviewing the Situation not only delivered on a comedic level, but
also contained a wonderful singing voice. Finally, Callum’s acting
made everyone feel at ease on stage - being in a scene with Callum
was comforting yet threatening due to Fagin’s constant
improvisation. The man with the most laughs, Callum Moffat truly
took the character of Fagin and moulded it into his own. Gigantic
congratulations for the performance.
I’m sure I’m missing a character. What character could it possibly
be? From Oliver!? Oh yeah, the titular role of Oliver Twist - played by
William Smith. Once again, one of the four best performers of the
show is a Year 7. Will brought something to Oliver that I never
thought I’d see - heart. Oliver was relatable and that is thanks to
Will’s truly special performance. His voice was stunning; the bravery
it took to stand in front of 150 people under a burning spotlight and
sing Where Is Love? was something amazing to watch. Will needs to
follow Freya and become a true performer. With talent like this at
such a young age, Will can go far if he so desires and, along with
Freya, we could be seeing some of the greatest young performers in
the school.
I know that was very cringey. Aww isn’t it cute what he said about
Freya? Damn, he was nice to Callum! He’s being really kind to Will.
What an honour for Sapphire! I can say that I was forced to say all of
that about them - Mr K you owe me £5.
In reality, everyone was awful and it was painful to sit through every
night.
Well, that’s just not true.
As corny as it may seem, Oliver! really was something magical and a
production that I will never forget. The friends made, the times spent
together, and the memories forged will last forever thanks to the
wonderful art of Victorian London.
Congratulations once again to all of the cast and I would like to end
by repeating what Will said to me at the end of the final show: “That
might have just been the greatest three days of my life!”. Well Will,
consider yourself at home. Consider yourself part of the family.

Famo
embo
Ralph Lauren
“The richest m
The son of Je
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United States
His father w
money tight. W
her son, Lau
rabbi; howev
own way... a
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gain an insi
focussed on a
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Baruch Colleg
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salesman for
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designs of
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which allowe
brand ties in
along with L
other retailer
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and men’s w
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and he opene
another, and
stores across
the 76th riche

Mr & Mrs Pride 3
By miss fletcher
us fi gures thr o ug ho u t time that
dy o ur PRI DE va lues.
(1939 - )
an in fashion.”
wish immigrants in The Bronx, one of the
ressional districts in the entirety of the
, Ralph Lauren had a tough upbringing.
as a house painter by trade, making
anting more comfortable prospects for
ren’s mother pushed him to become a
er, Lauren was determined to make his
nd had a burgeoning obsession with
orked after school as a stock boy to
ght in to the retail industry, forever
chieving his goal.
ome a businessman, Lauren attended
e, but dropped out after only two years.
ntered the army before becoming a
Brooks Brothers (a luxury clothing
hen attempted to introduce his own
ties, but was repeatedly rejected.
e moved to Beau Brummell Neckwear,
d him to design and sell his own ‘Polo’
their shop. A steady growth in sales,
auren tirelessly delivering his ties to
s, raised his reputation and enabled him
ider brand. He began to design women’s
ear, introducing his now famous Polo
as catapulted to success with the shirt
d his own store… and then another, and
another, until he had as many as 109
the world. Lauren currently ranks as
st man in America.
Amalia Eriksson (1824-1923)
"The mother of candy.”
Eriksson was no stranger to isolation and tragedy; at the
age of ten her immediate family were struck down by
cholera and did not survive. Her ill fortune continued: she
gave birth to twins, but one baby was stillborn, and, less
than a week later, her husband died. By the age of 35,
Eriksson was poor and widowed with a young child to
raise.
It was this destitution that led to the discovery of a recipe
that would delight the Swedish people. Her daughter
contracted a dreadful cold, yet money was too scarce to
purchase medicine. Instead, Eriksson bought some
peppermint oil and combined it with vinegar and sugar into
a substance that her daughter would easily consume.
Hoping to emulate cough lozenges, Eriksson got to work
on the mixture. In effect, Eriksson made a candy cane and
her daughter adored the taste. The medicinal benefits
were minimal, yet it was clear that money could be made
from this venture.
However, at the time women were not allowed to own
businesses. Unperturbed, Eriksson petitioned the council
and was granted special permission from the mayor to
begin selling her produce. She named the candy Polkagris
as red swirls in the candy cane conjured the image of
dresses swirling in the Polka (a popular dance). The shop
was an instant success, with even members of the royal
family visiting to satisfy their sweet tooth. To this day, over
10 million candy canes are handmade in Gränna using
Eriksson’s original method. Despite her traumatic and
difficult life, Eriksson made do with what little she had and
had ended up an incredibly esteemed and wealthy lady by
her death at the age of ninety-nine.

Year 10 art galleri
By zosia senska
The day commenced with an abrupt waking at 6am. After I had gotten
begrudgingly ready, my dad drove me to the beechurst car park to
which I arrived at 7am. I saw that I was the first to arrive there so I kind
of just lumbered around until I saw Miss Holland standing by her car
struggling with the cold. I walked up to her with a hopeful smile,
exclaiming how wretched the weather was (which later seemed to be
the only topic that one would talk about - well, that and the pain of
getting up at such a undesirable hour).
Gradually people started to come and somehow, we naturally grouped
together like a rookery of penguins; goes to show how animalistic we
are. Even though the huddle made us a little warmer, my friend and I
began doing some jump lunges to get our legs warm because trust me
when I say this: the weather was excruciating.
After what felt like days, the coach arrived and thankfully on the correct
section of the school - which was something the teachers feared (and
might I just add that whilst we, the students, were competing with the
cold, the teachers, were busy hibernating cosily in a car - I mean, talk
about injustice). In an instant, we all dispersed into the seats (now
behaving more like ants) and basically tried to fall back asleep,
regaining the energy we lost during the distressing dawn.
Nevertheless, I, personally, cannot manage to sleep on any kind of
moving vehicle, so I entertained myself with playing a rather overrated
‘would you rather…’ with the people around me. I was then was
burdened with continuous boredom, which led me to eat because I had
nothing better to do (which, looking back, was an awful decision
because I was practically malnourished on the way back).
The trip to the first gallery, ‘Saatchi’, was quite an eventful one. Mainly
because a girl who sat at the front of the bus dropped her phone into
the actual coach, which meant any hope of its rescue was gone as. In
the words of the driver: “The recovery of the phone would cost ten
times the cost of a new phone,”, so safe to say her day was ruined. In
addition, there were several tunnels where I successfully managed to
hold my breath whilst being under (if you’ve heard the tradition, you’ll
understand). But alas, of course there was this one tunnel that lasted
three bloody minutes and, worst of all, there was some traffic!
Evidently, I didn’t manage to suppress my breathing by that point
howbeit I could hold it for an impressive minute forty!
Once we arrived at the drop-off point, we proceeded to the ‘Saatchi’
with the help of Miss Harvey’s phone navigation... as well as the
delightful stench of weed. And as soon as we arrived there, we were
issued a guided tour with a kind-hearted lady - who, quite undeniably,
struggled to conjure up any answers from us. Typical.
Once the tour had come to an end, we
research any artists who might corres
Personally I struggled to discover som
theme of ‘freedom to travel and exp
some pretty captivating artists: Makik
her exotic dreams), Maurizio Anzer
forgotten photographs), Danny Fox (a
modernised Picasso: you either lov
Pearlstein (a nude painter whose exhib
to a filming). We had over an hour in
obviously over-priced gift shop, where
pound fifty on a simplistic, yet aestheti
It’s all about the aesthetics nowadays.
The jourey to the Tate Modern was pro
afternoon London traffic - please not
literally everything down to a chocol
tortured myself with. Initially, upon ou
bizarre yet supposedly necessary wr
foreshadowing of the eccentricity
recommendation to make use of the sw
quite a few boldly built swings to plea
embrace at both the beginning and the
To begin, we went into the gift store;
overpriced, however more agreeable
more diverse as well as the entry b
room, I stumbled upon ‘The Beautif
legitimate parodic book, I’m not kidd
upon and discussed several tragic top
and, safe to say, vulgar words.
After a pleasant comment from one of
stupidity of Trump’s efforts, my friends
routes. Maps cost a pound and I wasn
nor steal, but in the end we found a
which we thought it utterly compulsor
undeniably miscellaneous compared
chance, go to the Tate. Though the cl
for were photographers. I was still plea
of couscous (also quite ironic as,
exclaiming how wonderful it would be t
the free expeditions, there were evi
around fifteen pounds to enter, yet, in
man let two boys from our school to e
only a soppy look was needed.

es
were free to wander around and
pond to our personal sub-theme.
eone that might coincide with my
lore’. Nevertheless, there were
o Kudo (an artist painting from
i (an embroider who develops
painter with acquired taste - a
e him or hate him) and Philip
ition was temporarily closed due
this gallery, including time in the
my friend spent an unnecessary
c badge.
Got to love the corruption.
longed due to the glorious early
e that by this point I had eaten
ate bar; with which I practically
r arrival, we were greeted by a
ecking ball-like build: a perfect
to come. We then received a
ings. Yes that’s right: there were
se visitors, which we decided to
end of the visit.
which again was quite obviously
due to the fact that things were
eing free. In this overwhelming
ul Poetry of Donald Trump’ (a
ing; google it) where he insisted
ics with several pathetic phrases
the shop workers regarding the
and I split and explored our own
’t willing to neither waste money
neglected version in a bathroom
y to foster. The exhibitions, were
to Saatchi - if you ever get the
osest ones to what I was looking
sed: I found a castle figure made
before, my friend and I were
o eat some couscous). Alongside
dently paid expeditions, costing
some peculiar world, the ticket
nter completely free of charge -
Our actual wandering around didn’t last long, as, in general, there
wasn’t much that corresponded to what we were looking for. In fact,
the aspects of Tate Modern that we liked the most were the views from
the tall buildings: we took a lift to the 10th floor, and goodness! I, for
one, was a little overwhelmed - both fearfully and positively. We
basically spent the majority of our time there until it got too cold; that’s
when we embraced the swings for the second time, waiting until
literally the last moment to rejoin the group.
Funnily enough, I felt really energised after all the hiking: my friend and
I tried to discreetly run to the bridge to catch a man who was selling
some roasted nuts. Sadly the teachers got a bit defensive and so brisk
walking was our only option - although the man had left, so there
weren’t any roasted nuts for us. Once we reached the coach it’s safe to
say we were all exhausted; the mood was a little dead. I tried to read,
but my friend was pestering me to talk to her, despite the fact that even
when I put my book away she turned to her phone. *shakes head* - now
that, that’s typical.
After several holding breath(s) under tunnels and several groans about
the traffic, I feasted upon my glorious chocolate bar; it can be said with
confidence that the excruciating wait was worth it. The trip to school
was a neutral one. It finished smoothly with an authentic performance
of ‘Hungry Eyes’ - Eric Carmen (famously showcased in Dirty Dancing -
lot of love for that movie) by yours truly and friend - shout out to Amber.
We all then got picked up and the knowledge that approximately twelve
hours ago we stood in the exact same spot got to me a little
overwhelmed - maybe that was just the fatigue speaking, though. In
Soham, the wretched cold was back. My dad parked at Lodeside this
time too! That meant extra bonding time with the wonderful weather:
something I call perfection. So yeah, that was my day: I found it to be
genuinely fun and would definitely do it again… even the weather. Year
9s who picked Art GCSE, that is something positive to look forward to!

The In
Volume 4: Co

kling
ming soon