SWANLEA NEWS Issue 67 SWANLEA BUSINESS & ENTERPRISE COLLEGE Summer 2010 LETTER FROM THE HEAD LETTER FROM THE GOVERNORS mr ullah, vice-chair of Governors Dear all This gives me enormous pleasure to be able to write for Swanlea Newsletter. As many of you will know I have been always connected with the Borough of Tower Hamlets where I live and work. My children is in Swanlea School and in October 2007 I have been elected as a parent governor. Currently I am also one of the two vice chairs of the School Governing Body. My role as a parent governor has been very rewarding. I have been able to see from close quarters the way It was with great optimism and pride that Swanlea staff a very large outstanding school works and this is not said farewell to this year’s Year 11 students at their easy. Naturally I am very proud of our children, the way leaving ceremony recently. We wish all our students they have been achieving and progressing in their lives. the very best in whatever they go on to do, and look They are well behaved and when I compare our children forward to celebrating their examination results with with children of other similar schools immediately I find them in August. our children are miles ahead. They are miles ahead in manners and also in the way they dress. They just stand As the academic year draws to a close, we continue out from others. This makes us all very content and the our efforts to celebrate the many wonderful job that we do as governors become worthwhile. accomplishments our students have achieved over the course of the year. This year’s Whole School Awards My contact with parents and carers contribute in my ceremony was truly a great celebration of students’ understanding of the aspirations they all have for their hard work, and very many thanks go to Ms Gardner for children. This is no different from what I expect from my putting together such a marvellous evening. own children. Consequently I rededicate myself for the work that I do as governor for Swanlea School. The school’s international links continue to grow, and we were delighted to welcome some Headteachers Salim Ullah from Bangladesh to our school this term (above). parent governor Ms Williams has coordinated a number of valuable projects with our link schools, and you can read more about the international banner project within this edition of Swanlea News. Swanlea School Business & Enterprise College The official opening celebration of the new Music 31 Brady Street Department was a particular highlight of this term. Ms Brownlee has created what has only been imagined before, and I look forward to future performances with London great anticipation. E1 5DJ With very best wishes for a restful Summer break to all students, parents, staff and friends of Swanlea. Tel: 020 7375 3267 Fax: 020 7375 3567 Email:[email protected] Web: www.swanlea.towerhamlets.sch.uk Editor: Eimear Daly

2 Amazing space: students hit the high note

Swanlea was treated to a us all with their brilliant and musical extravaganza on the accomplished performance of “Hot official opening ceremony for Chilli”. the new Music Department on 14th June. Students performed It was a wonderful day, and the a wonderful piece in the brand students had much to be proud of. new amphitheatre, composed Sincere thanks and congratulations and arranged in collaboration go to Ms Brownlee, Head of Music, with members of the Royal for this most magnificent launch Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO). of the Music Department. We all Students attended a special look forward to the many more workshop with the professional performances to come. musicians from the RPO over Ms Daly the weekend and spent the time Media Officer writing music and rehearsing for the opening concert with them. The lucky guests – students, staff, Governors and special friends of the school, were stunned by the quality of the music being performed. The audience were further delighted by the fantastic fanfare performed by the brass ensemble to welcome guests to the new music facility. The music treats were not yet over – after Ms Brownlee’s speech, suddenly a troupe of expert flutists appeared as if from nowhere and surprised

3 great balls of boccia!

After a year of practising their The team took on five other closest to the jack. The Swanlea Boccia skills and some rather boroughs, including Ealing, P Level students tried their very tough training in Mall every Croydon and Hackney. The P best, surrounding the jack with Tueday, the P Level class Level team remained undefeated, all 6 of their Boccia balls. It came were finally ready to face the winning four and drawing one down to the last ball. The umpire competition at the London Youth game. This was enough to qualify has to make a difficult decision Games. On May 24th the P level for the quarter finals, the furthest to determine who would win the class represented Tower Hamlets the P Level team from Swanlea London Youth Games. We came in an all day Boccia tournament. had ever made it before. 2nd by 1cm and are extremely Five of Swanlea’s finest athletes excited by the result. We were made up the team; Foridha Yasmin The P level team were feeling each presented with a silver and Rizwan Miah of Year 7, Absar confident after winning the semi- medal. We are very proud of our Miah Year 8, Kamrul Islam and finals without a hitch. The final efforts and are aiming to win gold Shofiqur Rahman of Year 9. was a very tense game with both next year! teams scoring point for point. It It was an early start for the eager all came down to the last game Ms Orchard competitors who took the school with Tower Hamlets in front by P Level teacher mini bus all the way to West Way one ball, until a strategic throw Sports Centre in Hammersmith. from our competitors placed them 4 Swanlea parents have it all sewn up In May, some parents from embroidery Swanlea began a 10 week skills to create embroidery course run by Eden attractive Soloman from The Parental patterns onto Engagement Team; Eden had cotton bags previously run the successful which will be Crotchet Course last year. sold as part of a business The Embroidery Course proved venture. to be extremely popular and We hope our parents learnt a number to expand of different stitches and have the range of produced an embroidered panel embroidered which will be displayed in the products, and school. Due to the popularity of orders are more the course, there was a wish for than welcome! the club to be continued. Ever vigilant to the wishes of parents, The club is open to all to we are delighted to announce learn embroidery skills, but please that the club is continuing every feel free to come into the library The quality of the needlework of the Wednesday morning in the school when the club is running or pop bags is superb, but most importantly library! Standards are very high, into my office when you have time our parents have gained a very and the skills those within the and view their work and give me productive and enjoyable new skill. club have acquired are admirable. your orders. Ms Chowdhury Members are now using their new Parental Engagement Coordinator

5 flash forward to future success! In a bid to raise the motivation and aspirations of a select number of students in Year 10, Ms Pritchard & Ms Khatun enlisted the help of young social entrepreneur, Mr Lodhia, who has recently set up his own company, The Small Business Consultancy. The Small Business Consultancy works with groups of people typlically thought of as hard-to-reach, and works to try to help inspire them to become more successful, increase their confidence, and learn to thrive.

20 students worked for 5 weeks with Mr Lodhia and his team to The five week programme young students’ perspectives and develop their vision of where culminated with a visit to Cass mindset. We hope that they now they want to be in life. The Business School on Monday 17th have a clearer view of what they students have learnt skills which May, where Mr Lodhia, alumni of want to achieve in life and feel have helped them adjust their the university, has just launched they are now better equiped with perspectives and adopt a more a scholarship fund. Students the tools to accomplish what they positive ‘can do’ attitude. The had the opportunity to speak want. programme has been brilliant to staff and students and have and we are all encouraged by the a tour of the building. The trip Ms Pritchard progress students have made. contributed to helping change the Business & Enterprise Coordinator

6 The Young Chamber is a Business Enterprise supported by the London Chamber of Commerce. The Pen Hut stocks a large It includes range of stationary students from & equipment for Years 7, 8 & school. 9 and a few sixth formers.

The club is The chamber is a held every collection of 240 schools Wednesday across the country that lunch time . help to develop enterprise The Pen Hut also stocks activities in schools. books and was recently lucky The Pen Hut is the idea enough to host a book launch & of the Young Chamber signing. Business club . Mr Berk’s book - “School Work: one day in the life of an The sales in the outstanding secondary school” Pen Hut has was unveiled this June to great been £220 in 15 success. working days.

The Pen Hut is So far the a profit making business Pen Hut has achieved its and members of the daily sales targets & has Young chamber hope to been very pleased with reach daily sales target the positive response from of £10 in order to reach students & teachers to the their goal of going to initiative. Disneyland Paris...

7 write on- East 1! This year, pupils from across a summer trip to Kensington each trip, the pupils participated the East 1 Schools’ Partnership Gardens. “It was an adventure in a writing workshop with award- have been involved in a new and for everyone discovering new winning children’s author, Val Rutt. exciting writing project. The project places that pupils have never seen We were hugely fortunate to be involved 60 Gifted and Talented before,” said one pupil involved able to work with such a talented pupils from Years 2-8 working in the project. “What we saw was and exciting author. together to produce a book about interesting and fun. The activities their experience of London. were fun because we are writing our own book and having it “The writing Throughout the year, pupils took published is a great thing.” project has been a fantastic part in 3 trips, including one to a experience for both the children theatre to see the play Oliver!, a The trips provided the pupils with and the adults involved. It has given trip along the Southbank (including experience of different aspects of these children a chance to approach a ride on the London Eye and a London and gave them much to writing in a creative and stimulating 4D film experience) and, finally, draw upon in their writing. After way, which has hopefully inspired them to continue to enjoy writing.” “It was an exciting journey East 1 Teacher because we got to experience new things like going on the London Eye and we got a chance to write about what we saw which is going to go into the book. It was nice that lots of schools from Tower Hamlets came together” East 1 Student

8 write on- East 1! During these workshops they The book will be launched during developed their writing skills and the autumn term of next academic learned how an author edits and year. produces writing for a book. One of the teachers involved in the Ms Allen “The writing project has been project said “I think the project’s Project a wonderful experience for the children and aim to let children experience (first Manager for myself. The shared experiences have been hand) the sights and attractions a catalyst for some fantastic pieces of sustained writing. of London to enhance writing Some of the children involved have never visited the has been achieved.” The project West End, the South Bank or Kensington Gardens finished with an illustration day with before and this project has allowed them access an artist where the pupils produced to these places and has really inspired artwork for their writing” their pieces East 1 Teacher of writing. It was a once in a lifetime experience. I enjoyed the way everyone worked together. East 1 Student

9 Children of the planet have a wales of a time

Following on from Ms Pritchard recently had the opportunity to go visiting schools out in Oman to Orielton, Wales to take part in as part of the British Council’s an Eco Field Studies trip. Students ‘Connecting Classrooms Project’, built dens in the forest, went on Ms Chowdhury & Ms Pritchard coastal walks, built bird boxes and have created a ‘Children of the learnt more about conservation Planet’ club, which has run every and the environment. Everyone Tuesday for the past two terms had a brilliant time and really with Key Stage 3 pupils. enjoyed learning more in such an groups of students put aside their amazing and vibrant environment. nerves and soon formed wonderful friendships. A trip to Manchester is An unforeseen but particular now in the pipeline! highlight of the trip was the strong friendships that the students made Ms Pritchard with another group of young people Business & Enterprise Coordinator from a school in Manchester. Despite initial reservations, both

Students have done a range of activities, from writing letters to pen friends, exchanging photographs, and learning about different cultures each week. In September, Swanlea will host a visit from a group of teachers from Oman. We look forward to being able to share with them the work that Swanlea does, and discuss in greater depth how it compares to their schools in Oman. The ‘Children of the Planet’ clubs aims to make children more culturally, environmentally, nationally and globally aware. So, as part of the club’s activities, 23 ‘Children of the Planet’ students 10 banners bourne abroad An exciting banner project took place London that Swanlea students and Hanna from 9S all took part over 2 days on 28th and 29th June. wanted to share with our partner in the project. They are all to be schools in Italy, Japan and Oman. highly commended for their hard Three banners were designed work, terrific team-work skills, and and printed by students from KS3. Samina, Ambia, Aeron, Madia and admirable artistic abilities. They worked with the artist, Sarah Ekrem from 8A, Bushra from 8C, Pimenta who has deep links with Sadik and Shah from 8N, Ashley Ms Williams Swanlea. The banners depicted and Simran from 8S, Fokrul and Deputy Coordinator of different well known places in Salman from 7C and Mahbuba Learning for Year 8

G&T PE Spree! Bell-boating, jet-skiing, high-ropes Continuing on with the 'Flowers' and quad-biking were just some theme, Ms Foley decided to run leadership activities 10 lucky Gifted a treasure hunt to challenge two and Talented Physical Education willing teams. The end prize of students had the opportunity to boxes of chocolates was nearly lost participate in during their residential and forgotten as one group, lead trip to Stubbers Outdoor Adventure by the teacher that smells of roses, Centre. This residential had the decided to write the description of works -marshmallows by the the clue for the destination at the campfire, trekking, late evening 20 metres high with challenging ...destination. Oh dear. Lets just football matches, a treasure hunt, trails. Who would be the first brave say that if Mr Grant’s group hadn’t playground competitions and loads enough to try it, we wondered... recruited Sakib and Suman as more. All the girls in the group - Resna, spies, then the treasure would still Shunaz & Reshmin took on the be hidden!! The G&T students really showed challenge without a flicker of their colours on the high-ropes. As a department, we were proud of hesitation. The boys were varied It was a very difficult course to each student who attended the in their responses to the conquer being approximately residential and are looking height but overall forward to another found it a very exciting chapter exciting of the G&T PE activity. Residential. Even the Many thanks rabbits to Ms Flowers, could Mr Grant & hear the Mr Guzda shrieks for assisting of fear to make this from Ms residential Flowers, such a success. however, as she speed Ms Foley down the zip HOD PE wire. Gold!!

11 News from the p.e. team... Ms Flowers, Ms Foley, Mr Grant, Mr Guzda, Mr Heenan & mr Thomas

Cricket With Mr Thomas and Mr Grant’s hard work, Cricket is well and truly alive and kicking at Swanlea. There have been some excellent team and individual performances throughout the term. Swanlea has some very talented cricketers who are achieving some excellent Year 8 Cricket Health & Relaxation Day results, both within and outside of Year 8 is very fortunate to feature for year 11 girls school with their respective clubs. a young group of very talented and Year 11 girls had received lessons The Physical Education Department developing cricketers who will form on different aspects of health- would like to congratulate all the the nucleus of Swanlea’s Cricket related fitness during the term students who have participated and Team into the future. These exciting and had thoroughly mastered represented the school with such players are: the meditation section of the distinction in Cricket. Below are • Shahrukh • Mahi programme. They had all done some of the results from the term: • Mahi • Jahangier so well that it was decided to • Samsul • Jamil treat them to a pamper day as a The Year 10 Cricket against Morpeth • Kamrul reward. This included a carousel of school was won by 7 wickets: Students have been able to share activities such as massage, facial Sayedul 23 their cricket expertise with other boys treatments, nail treatments, hair Hassan 16 not out who do not have such an extensive braiding and Henna. Students were cricketing background to record also given guidance on relaxation Outstanding Peformance some excellent team performances. techniques - yoga and tai chi for Ankar 10A – 4/17 and took the first example, to assist with the effects hatrick ever by a Swanlea student! Girls Cricket of stress. Students could use these Year 10 Cricket – Stepney Green techniques to help them cope more (semi final all London 20/20 cup) effectively with stress related to We played liked Bangladesh examinations.Guests speakers They played like were invited to discuss general & Therefore we LOST. women’s health issues, and the An outstanding performance by importance of balance of body, Mahi of Year 8 with mind and soul. Students were also figures of 4/15 given career guidance in these areas. Year 9 Cricket match against Ernest Bevin The participation was overwhelming with each young woman receiving Sports College was A group of Year 7/8 girl students a care package. An open invitation won by 10 runs to on Monday June 21st went on an was taken up by some of the female reach the London excursion to the home of cricket, relatives, who even had head Semi Finals, with Lords. The girls were lucky enough to massages and henna experiences! Shaykul at 78 not perform a number of cricket activities Even during the exams the year out. Shahruk and on the ground and get a tour around 11 students were asking for more Mohosin bowled the famous MCC pavilion. Also, the sessions which shows the value of particularly well World Champion Womens’ English this programme and the enjoyment and Juned kept the cricket team were doing a photoshoot they obtained from it. All excellent wicket to a very high on the day and were more than news! standard. Unluckily, happy to take a photo and chat with the boys were the Swanlea girls. beaten easily The participants were in the Semi • Cindy Wong 7E Finals. • Narmeen Naeem 7E • Suki Rathore 7E • Warda Abbey 7C • Rububaina Aayahee 7E • Shamima Begum 8S • Bushra Hussean 8C • Koli Begum 8C 12