Twycross Newsletter AutumnWinter 2021

Monologue of a life
in lockdown
When bad things happen to
people, the only thing we can
control is our reaction to it, and
the aftermath. This statement
is extremely true to Lockdown
and Covid.
My dad asks if we live in a
dystopian novel, then I wonder if
dystopian novels are stories that
tell you different futures so that
we learn life lessons like Aesop’s
morals, and we all know what
happened to him.
Ever since Lockdown began, I
have despised every minute of
it, everything has been turned
upside-down, and I dread to turn
on the news for more surreal
stories to enter my depressed
mindset.
People say to not run away
from the problems that are
ahead of you, but since they’re
being thrown at me everywhere
I have to dodge some.
The only light in the empty abyss
of Covid is history documentaries
and books, and they all have to
eventually end.
Written by a member of Senior 1
FLYIN’ DOWN TO RIO
As part of their study of Brazil this
term, pupils from Form 4 enjoyed
recreating some of the glitz and
glamour of the Rio Carnival which
attracts visitors from all over the
country and the globe. They produced
wonderfully creative masks which
wouldn’t have looked out of place in
one of the exotic parades that dazzle
the spectators. Other pupils chose to
recreate the facial paint and designs
originally worn in battles with rival
tribes by indigenous warriors but
now worn for ceremonial reasons on
special occasions and as a display for
adventurous tourists. The patterns
were designed to confuse and
intimidate the enemy and were created
from natural materials such as ochre.
The pupils also enjoyed creating
models of the type of simple, self-built
houses that might be found in a favela
built on the hills surrounding São Paulo,
Rio de Janeiro and other major cities
in Brazil. Some buildings were decorated with authentic graffiti, had washing
lines strung between them, displayed brightly coloured walls and corrugated
iron roofs, imitating the appearance and construction techniques of the
dwellings in which nearly half of São Paulo’s population live.
Their new topic of Kenya has produced a plethora of cuddly toy animals
that would be found in one of Kenya’s many National Parks along with
an abundance of Kenco coffee, photographs from safaris and a genuine
Shuka, the red chequered tribal robe worn by the Maasai. The highlight
of the Kenyan exhibits was a 3m long Back Mamba snakeskin, a precious
family heirloom brought in by Alec Simpson, which wowed 4Y and made
some of the class thankful that snakes are a rarity in the UK.
Mr C Perry
Twycross Census
Following the UK Census day in March, Twycross House Geography department devised our very own school census
for pupils and staff to complete anonymously. These are some of the findings with more information being used
internally in other school projects.
The census was offered to Form 5 upwards and to members of staff – roughly 380 people. Thank you to those who
responded – we had 257 responses – which represents a 68% turnout. The groups who mainly responded were year
groups Form 5, S2, S3 and L6, with 33 members of staff also completing the form.
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