Newsletter Summer 2019

Letter from Dan Dean 2 New Student Union Voted In Higher Education Day 3 A Blast from the Past! 4 Introducing the nine new members of our Student Union team for 2019/20 after a very successful and tightly run election. Meet the Nurse 5 Mental Health Week Round Up 6 The election process was a lively affair Wellbeing Executive). and demonstrated the enthusiasm and Alexandra and Kai have already got their Don’t Mention the B Word 7 involvement of our student community. work cut out as they prepare for their Students in the running put together first event, the Summer Festival held Open Mic Session 8 impressive campaigns with colourful on the College playing fields in July. Celebrating the Life of Alan Bolt 9 portal banners and PowerPoint While Amira says, “My plans as Equality slides expressing why they should and Diversity Exec include working Physics Round Up 10 be considered, including some witty to promote more activities, clubs and slogans. Students applying for the role tutor sessions around “protected Author Visit Michael Donkor 11 of President also filmed speeches, characteristics” in tandem with the which were shown alongside the Feminist Society, Christian Union, GSA History Trip 12 campaign slides for all other roles in and Islamic Society to promote their tutorial sessions. Voting took place on work and encourage new members Fashion and Textiles Trip 12 7 May. to join.” New York, New York 13 Congratulations go to Florence Kilby, The goals of the Student Union include Fashion Photography In Vogue 14 elected as President, and Harry Hayley, raising funds for the College elected as Vice. Florence, a 6.1 French, Africa Trust (ECAT), which helps AIDS ECAT 15 Politics and Economics student, said, orphans and encouraging awareness “Hopefully over the next year we can about green issues around College life. Adult Education Evening Courses 15 bring about a positive impact not just for the College but for future students too.” Overall the election process has been Dates for your Diary 16 very positive. As we say goodbye to our Florence and Harry will be supported previous Student Union, we would like to by Kinga Kowalkowska (Eco Executive), thank all who applied and congratulate Amira Chaoui (Equality and Diversity our newest members. We look forward Executive), Kai Allen and Alexandra to the year ahead. Pitt (Charities and Events Executives), Sam Lefebvre (Finance Executive), Natasha Mirghani - Student Union Sophia Pascoe (Marketing Executive) Co-ordinator and Madeleine Pattison (Health and & much more! Letter from Dan Dean

Dear Parents, Students and Friends the mission of the College remains unchanged. In fact, students and parents When you receive this summer term will not see any change in our approach, newsletter, our students will be in the with one small exception. We have taken middle of examinations. First year A the opportunity to tweak our name to Level students will have sat Progression from 1st Exams, formal internal exams which act September to sharpen our identity and as an important marker of progress at make our purpose clear. the end of year one and help determine predicted grades. Second years will, I mentioned in the last newsletter that of course, be in the middle of the real ALPS, an external and independent thing. This year, A Level examinations assessor of performance, had placed us have started earlier than ever (partly a in the top 10 per cent nationally for consequence of A Level reform). This is value-added performance in 2018. In a a source of some frustration as it further further development, last term we were Lanzarote (PE and Sport) as well as reduces the time to deliver a more awarded a Certificate of Outstanding the Volunteering Abroad experience challenging curriculum. For students on Progress for value-added performance in Nepal. These visits aim to enhance BTEC courses assessment is obviously over the last three years – a real accolade their experiences and develop skills ongoing. We wish all our students the for our students and their teachers. in teamwork, independence and very best with their exams and we hope communication. that August brings the results that our For our first year students, we have been second years deserve. helping them plan their progression paths Finally, I would like to remind first year for life ‘After Esher’ with Higher Education students and their parents/carers that It is good to see that education funding Day and Employment Seekers Evening the start of the new 6.2 Year is Monday (or lack of it) has received some coverage (see page opposite). With a growing range 2nd September. For new students joining in the media recently. For all of us, of options on offer for our students when us, enrolment starts on Tuesday 27th schools and colleges alike, much hangs they complete their studies, it is important August. While applications for 2020 entry, on the outcome of the spending review to ensure that they consider all their open on Tuesday 2nd July. scheduled for later this year. However, we options carefully. The next stage in the are concerned that this may be delayed process is After Esher Day on Thursday Wishing you all an enjoyable summer. until Brexit is resolved (as I write these 4th July where students will be able to notes, we are no closer to a conclusion of choose a higher education or employment/ this long-running saga). Uncertainty over apprenticeship pathway. Wider Skills funding is one reason why the College Week promises, as always, to bring the has decided to change its status to a year to a memorable close. First years will 16-19 academy. The ability to reclaim take part in a wide range VAT, as schools are able to, will provide of activities from kayaking and horse- Dan Dean some respite in what continues to be riding to the more exotic highlights Principal a challenging financial environment. including curriculum-linked trips to As I mentioned in the last newsletter, Iceland (Geography), Berlin (Politics), Green Week

Esher College celebrated Green saved all their plastic bottles for one week will help our future. Week in March with lots of events and created a dandelion, named Fake happening around College. Plastic Tree after the Radiohead song. Sheila MacDonald - Head of Fashion and Environmental Champion The aim of Green Week is to raise Becky, Divisional Director of Creative Arts, awareness of environmental issues, said, “It was amazing just how much waste including single use plastic, a Say No To is produced by a few students in just one Plastic Straws campaign and reducing the week. This plastic will never go away. It amount of plastic used on a daily basis. will outlast everyone’s time in College and for endless years to come. Everybody The Music Department performed an needs to reduce the amount of plastic un-plugged gig, the Fashion and Textiles we use.” Department displayed a recycled / reuse fashion project and the Student Second place went to Sally Langmead’s Union raised awareness with daily tutor group, who created an eye-catching Tweets #greenweek19 and a flyer. The poster. second year tutor groups took part in an awareness competition with some A truly thought-provoking week, which interesting and original ideas. The winning we hope will lead many more of us to be team was Becky Voller’s tutor group, who environmentally aware. Every little change 3 Higher Education Day at Esher College

More than 90 universities from Strathclyde to Southampton attended Esher College’s Higher Education At Esher College, students progress beyond Day in March. expectation with up to 90 per cent going on to higher education. Where do they go? Esher College students as well as pupils from School, were invited to take part in a full programme of seminars Here’s our latest top 10 university destinations for and talks, led by visiting academics. Some of the topics discussed Esher College students included the new degree level apprenticeships from Kingston University and a talk from the University of Cumbria about the first 1) University of Leeds ever Policing degree. 2) Sussex University In the afternoon, students visited the convention to meet 3) Bournemouth University representatives from all 90 universities, collecting prospectuses 4) University of Bristol and finding out more about student life and the courses they have 5) Portsmouth University to offer. 6) University for the Creative Arts 7) University of Manchester Nicola Wilberforce, Director of Progression Guidance at Esher College, said, “HE Day is unique to Esher College and we believe 8) Nottingham Trent University that no other school or college in the country offers such a 9) University of Nottingham programme, inhouse, to its students and the wider sixth form 10) Brighton University community. There was a lot of advice on hand for students to think about what higher education (university) can offer, the application process and how best to prepare for their next adventure.” A Blast from the Past!

Charlie Parker left Esher College in 2013 after studying Philosophy, English and History. He went on to study Politics & Philosophy at the School of Economics and is now working as a journalist at The Times. He has since covered everything from viral cat videos to North Korean nuclear threats. But it is his love of Philosophy and learning to think critically and logically that has helped him the most. We caught up with him to find out more…. What was your experience at Esher like?

For me, Esher College was the perfect stepping-stone from secondary school to university. The close-quarter teaching environment allowed me to build good relationships with teachers and classmates, while the great College facilities meant the campus became a home away from home. Every teacher I encountered felt genuinely approachable and accommodating and they were always willing to help outside of hours with queries - big or small. a module. A couple of years later I found myself defending the principles he set out in the book on national TV after founding Beyond the classroom, there were always plenty of exciting a free speech society at university. Philosophy was also an opportunities to try new things: I was taken to TED talks in incredibly valuable introduction to critical thinking, which has Westminster, sent on a residential writing course in Cambridge, proved useful across the academic spectrum and in my working and flown to Germany for history trips and exchange programmes. life as a journalist. Structuring and producing philosophy essays also sparked my interest in writing. Being able to tackle tough How did you find the Philosophy course in arguments on paper is a skill I still value today. I have no doubt particular? studying philosophy has been instrumental in shaping the way I try to understand the world. Philosophy was hands down my favourite subject and choosing to study it at Esher College was easily one of the best academic Achievements since College: decisions I ever made. I was hesitant about picking the subject at first, but ultimately gave in to curiosity. I quickly discovered how important it was as a discipline and how valuable philosophical • Currently a journalist at The Times (graduate news reporter). thinking could be. Unlike other subjects that felt dry or straight • Youngest reporter to win Headline of the Month while at out of a textbook, Philosophy classes were always interactive The Sun. and engaging. From capitalism vs communism to torture and the • 2018 Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, who meaning of life, the range of topics we covered was always exciting. funded my research trip to Iceland and Estonia to learn about We were taught to thoroughly dissect, debate and present new digital democracy. ideas and confront preconceptions we didn’t even know we held. • Contributor for Chatham House’s Committee on Democracy and The course was also structured to give students a complementary Technology. balance between in-depth political theory and mind-blowing • Commissioned to write for Sky News about EU internet metaphysics. And it was clear all my Philosophy teachers had a regulation. genuine passion for the subject and actively enjoyed grappling with complex concepts with their students. • Appeared on BBC 2’s Victoria Derbyshire show as free speech advocate while studying at the London School of Economics. In what ways has Philosophy helped you in your • Political pundit on Sky News Press Preview. path after College? • Studied Politics and Philosophy at LSE, graduating with a 2:1 at the end of 2017. It was through studying philosophy that I developed many of • Founded the LSE Free Speech society, with campaigns opening the core political beliefs that I hold today. I first learned about up the national debate on campus censorship. civil liberties and issues, such as freedom of speech, reading On Liberty, by English philosopher John Stuart Mill, as part of Follow Charlie @CharlieHParker on Twitter

Parent Trustee Vacancy

From November 2019, there will be a vacancy for a parent representative on the College Board of Trustees. Any parent of a current 6.1 student, or prospective student for September 2019, may offer themselves for election. Parents serve for a term of two years, irrespective of how long their daughter or son remains at the College. It is a great opportunity to become closely involved in the organisation of the College.

If you would like to informally discuss the duties and commitments of a Trustee, please contact Sharon Kelly ([email protected]), the Deputy Clerk to the Board of Trustees, at the College. Sharon can send you a nomination form or put you in contact with an existing Trustee, so that you are able to gain an accurate picture of the commitment involved. We will require completed nomination forms to be returned to the College by Monday 16 September 2019. 5 Meet the Nurse years here and watching them develop into 1 What inspired you to go into nursing? young adults, able to move on from college in a positive way. I always wanted to be a nurse, I was one of those children who dressed up as a 5 What are you most nurse rather than a princess. Also, my proud of? Mum was a nurse and I loved looking after my dolls and Teddies. The diversity of nursing jobs I have had. I have been a paediatric and adult nurse working in many different environments from paediatric surgery, intensive care, transporting sick children by road and air 2 Why have you chosen to work in a Sixth Form and paediatric rehabilitation, which is a step down service from hospital to home. College? I am proud that all my professional life, including my current job here, is with the I was looking for a new challenge in NHS. nursing before I came here. I have always been interested in working in the community and with young people. As When you were younger, this was a new role, I also thrived on the 6 challenge of setting up a new service. what teacher inspired you the most? Name: Lisa Herouvin What does your role 3 My PE teachers Mrs Telford and Miss involve? Hinchley. I was good at most sports but Position: College Nurse they always encouraged me to give new I support students on a drop-in or things a go. That philosophy has remained From: 2007 appointment basis for a wide variety of with me and enabled me to embrace health issues including mental health, opportunities and challenges. At Esher College we have professional sexual health and long or short-term physical health conditions. I’m also part nurses on site every day to ensure 7 What words of wisdom students’ health needs are supported of the safeguarding and mental health teams here and liaise with external would you pass on to your throughout their time at Esher. Students 16-year-old self? can drop in or have pre-booked agencies that can offer specialist help. appointments where they can speak to Always believe in yourself and trust your What is the best thing College nurses, Lisa Herouvin and Sara 4 instincts. Doak, in confidence about any health about your job? concerns they may have. We caught up with Lisa – who set up the Nurse Service Each day is different so that gives huge 12 years ago, to find out more: scope to the job. I enjoy forming working  relationships with students over their two

Fake News & The Political Influence of The Media

Thank you to Dr Sally Broughton Micova from the University of East Anglia for an engaging talk about the political influence of the media.

More than 120, mostly Politics students, enjoyed a presentation and illustrations of themes such as fake news, how politicians try to manage the media, the power that media moguls have over politicians and the impact that the media has on our perceptions of society.

Meir Shabat - Head of Government and Politics Mental Health Week Round Up

BE MINDFUL: Mandala Colouring Session Mandalas represent a balance for the mind and body. The activity of colouring is certainly not only for children. Every single student I asked said they enjoy colouring because it makes them calm and relaxed. One student said she feels proud when she finishes a picture. It gives her a sense of pride and accomplishment. I will be offering colouring sessions twice a week until 6.1 leave and will continue to do so for next year too. Mira Osserian - Teacher of English and Learning Support The big message of Esher College Mental Health Week was to encourage everyone to get involved, try something different and connect in new ways to aid student wellbeing and raise awareness of the importance of mental health. Many thanks to Jude Smit, our Mental Health Advisor, and all the Mental Health team for a fantastic week of free events, including Walk and Talk events for students and staff, a Monday Mile run, art therapy sessions, yoga and mindfulness classes, open mic music sessions in the café and of course a visit from our therapeutic dogs – malamutes Fred and Kiki from Esher Dog Grooming Experience. Our four-legged guests were definitely one of the highlights of the week as students came to discover the mood- boosting power of pets. (And how difficult it is to get a selfie with a husky!) Jude says, “Although Mental Health is a year-round concern and I believe that Esher College is proactive in its approach, we wanted to raise awareness of this huge issue in April before exam time. Anxiety and exam stress can be particularly acute at this time of year and it is so important to stay connected and not to isolate. Hopefully the week has shown our students that we care about their wellbeing and that it is always good to talk about our mental health. Each day had a different focus – to Be Active, to Connect, to Be Mindful, to Keep Learning and finally on Friday to promote acts of kindness. Even if you do one act of kindness it will matter and make a difference.” One in four people will experience mental health issues, so we raised awareness with a Wall of Self-care where students could post their feelings. We also had a Celebrities Wall – explaining how mental health can affect anyone. Even celebs. Esher College has a team of staff dedicated to promoting and supporting mental health. They meet regularly and arrange workshops and a range of services for students throughout the academic year. 7 Don’t mention the B-Word!

2 MP visits and a talk from Lib Dems new Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Monica Harding sparked interesting debates for the Politics Department on Climate Change, Tuition Fees and, of course, Brexit. Three students give their perspectives on the visits below.

Monica Harding and the main issues that most teenagers PPC candidate for Esher and Walton are typically interested in such as the (Liberal Democrats) environment, university tuition fees and how fair the playing field is and, of course, Brexit. In all honesty, although incredibly excited, I She was open to answering questions, wasn’t expecting the talk by Monica Harding, even ones challenging her confidence the new Lib Dem candidate, to about taking on Dominic Raab. Being able go as well as it did! to compare both points of view I felt that Being a constituent in a very, VERY safe the talk really added to my knowledge and Conservative seat, I never expect much understanding of many subjects, including from hopefuls, but the current climate and specific areas of Brexit and government circumstances make me ponder upon the funding. It was also obvious in my peers’ probability of her election. After previously lengthy and relevant questions that they meeting Dominic Raab, the Conservative MP didn’t just come for the food! Her honesty of our constituency, I was looking forward and well researched discussions were to hearing a different perspective from impressive and all in all I left knowing that it the Liberal Democrats’ new Prospective was worth attending. Parliamentary Candidate. Ms Harding spoke Sophia Pascoe - 6.1 Politics Student about her reasons for becoming a politician

Ed Davey MP for Kingston and Surbiton (Liberal Democrats) Ed Davey’s visit to Esher College generated great debate about his work in the EU, primarily surrounding promoting energy security and reducing climate change, as well as Brexit. As a strong Remainer and advocate for The People’s Vote, Mr Davey voiced his argument about why being in the EU wouldn’t undermine the sovereignty of the country. A Lib Dem MP for more than 20 years, he said what voters knew back in 2016 lacks in comparison to now. The electorate, he suggested, are much better informed. Arguably, he’s not wrong - it doesn’t take much research to see how the Vote Leave campaign broke electoral law (Vote Leave was fined £61,000 by the Electoral Commission). Principal Dan Dean’s question, “If there was a second referendum, would he support 16-year-olds being given the vote?” highlighted a common query. Davey said he encourages diversity in all aspects in regard to voting; not necessarily the answer we wanted to hear. Dominic Raab When asked if he had voted for tuition fees, we collectively held our MP for Esher and Walton (Conservatives) breaths – knowing that this was part of the reason why the Liberal We were excited to welcome our local MP, Dominic Raab, Democrats, including Davey, were wiped out in the 2015 general to Esher College in February after he had to cancel a election. He admitted that it was part of what had cost him his previous visit, whilst a cabinet minister, to negotiate with seat, but he also acknowledged that in a coalition, there had to be the EU in Brussels! compromise. The auditorium was bursting with students eager to However, it was Davey’s confidence in the EU that was most question and challenge Mr Raab on his experience convincing - his years of experience and concrete arguments in Parliament, particularly as a cabinet minister and seemed to leave even the most ardent Leavers in the room feeling Brexit secretary. Topics ranged from consumerism, some doubt. foodbanks, his attitude towards feminism, the lack of Alexandra Pitt - 6.1 Politics Student government action in the face of the Grenfell tragedy and, of course, issues relating to Brexit. Students spoke very passionately as did Mr Raab, especially about the topic of freedom of speech in relation to human rights, a topic on which he has published a book called, “The Assault on Liberty, What Went Wrong With Rights”. It certainly was very insightful to hear from a minister with such a large role in the current government. Whilst Mr Raab was very compelling and sincere in his beliefs, many students failed to be convinced. We look forward to welcoming him at his next visit. Bella Cross - 6.1. Politics Student Open Mic Session

In March, students were able to showcase their burgeoning talent at a lunchtime Open Mic session in the Music Department.

Many of the first year students had only been playing together for a few months – but even though many hadn’t been able to agree on a band name yet, they were still able to impress their peers with some stunning live performances, covering songs from Amy Winehouse to Queen and Nirvana.

Zayn Goetzee, Music tutor and technician, says the secret is in helping the students find the right song and style that suits their bands best. “All students are welcome, even if they’re not studying Music at A Level or BTEC. We offer extension studies in College Band and Music Theory, and you’ll find they are always in here at lunchtime, jamming and practising in one of our five practice rooms. We also have two studios and one live room, so they can always find somewhere to play and experiment with new sounds.”

Saving animals from the brink of extinction

Biology students learn about conservation on a field trip to London Zoo

London Zoo is one of the main sources of hope for the protection of endangered species and the protection of wildlife.

Our visit began with a brilliant presentation about how the Zoo helps endangered species and conserve them to prevent the extinction of whole species. We learned about the different ways of conserving species, much of which we cover in our lessons as part of our Biology A Level course. We took part in activities based on how the Zoo decides which species to breed to maintain high genetic diversity and how its conservation programmes bring endangered species back from the brink. We then walked around the Zoo to see some of the conservation methods in action, including every animal typical of a zoo: from lions and tigers to giraffes and ferrets.

Each enclosure had a sign with information about how the species is being conserved. They provided information to disprove claims that zoos keep animals purely for human entertainment.

By the end of the day, I had a completely different outlook on how zoos treat animals and their true purpose in keeping the various species.

Hania Butt - 6.1 Student 9 Esher College’s First Director of Studies dies at 100

We celebrate the amazing life of Esher College teacher Former pupil Stuart Davies says, “Alan was an inspirational and rugby coach, Alan Bolt, who conducted an orchestra mentor to so many. There was always so much laughter coming while a prisoner of war in WW2. from his form rooms. His pupils naturally warmed to him – you could do little else. Those who were taught English by him, 4 March 1919 – 23 March 2019 became lovers of the subject whatever their academic level. So many of his pupils say it was Alan who got them through their O Level rather than their own scholarship.”

During these years Alan was also heavily involved with rugby. He coached school teams and played for the Braemar Club and Old Surbitonians Rugby Club team, which is now Cobham Rugby Club.

He also became an examiner of A Level English and wrote English O Level and A Level textbooks. As well as his teaching, he started up his own orchestra, The “Phoenix String Orchestra” and in 1962 became Musical Director of Choral Society, remaining so for the next 22 years.

Alan was married to Elsie Wildbore and they lived in a houseboat on the Thames before moving to West Horsley in . They had a daughter, Alyson, and Elsie continued teaching at the technical college in Guildford, with Alan commuting to Esher each day.

Alan Bolt was born on 4 March 1919 at his parents’ home in The family later moved to Albury, near Guildford, where both Clapham, South London. The family moved to Surbiton and Alan Alan and Alyson enjoyed their passion for horse riding with started at Surbiton County Grammar School (now the site of their dogs across Albury Heath. By the mid-70s his marriage Esher College) when he was 10. By the time he left school he was broke down and he moved to Betchworth, near Dorking, with Captain of the School (Head Boy) and also captained the school his soon-to-be second wife, Alison. His busy life continued, and rugby team. During this time he also developed his musical he and Alison joined Esher Madrigal Group, a small group of abilities, playing percussion in his uncle’s light orchestra and singers specialising in unaccompanied mainly renaissance and stepping in occasionally for his uncle as conductor. Elizabethan music.

He went to King’s College, London, to read English in 1937, but Alan retired in 1982. He continued working for his teacher two years into his course war was declared and Alan volunteered association as a Field Officer, sorting out members’ problems to join the Royal Marines. However, the Recruiting Officer told in Surrey, and he also continued with his work for London him to go back and finish his degree, which he did. University and on Surrey County Council. In 1984 they moved from Surrey to a small village in Cumbria. He enrolled in1940 and was sent to Cairo to become part of the British forces fighting in the North African desert. He was Alan never lost his love for rugby union, and kept up a close involved in some fairly hair-raising action, but eventually his association with the Surbiton Old Boys’ Rugby Association. unit found itself caught 30 miles into enemy lines and he was When the club moved to a sports ground in Cobham he became taken prisoner by the Germans and handed over to the Italians. a Trustee and, although he was by then living in Cumbria, he After a spell inside a wire cage in the desert, Alan was then managed to visit the club for the official opening of their new transported to Tripoli and then Naples before arriving at a POW pavilion and met up with a number of his ex-pupils, which gave camp in Mühlberg, a small town on the river Elbe in what later him enormous pleasure. became East Germany. It was here that Alan formed a symphony orchestra from among the prisoners. It was truly international Alan leaves behind his daughter Alyson and wife Alison, to whom - his players came from Poland, Holland, South Africa, Canada, we are very grateful for their help with this article. the USA and Britain. Some players had their own instruments with them, but other instruments were procured using Red Cross cigarettes as currency. Alan orchestrated music for the instruments that were available, either from memory or from piano scores, and they put on regular concerts to entertain both prisoners and guards. He said later that this was an opportunity and experience that he could never have had in the normal way, and he was grateful for it.

In April 1945 the camp was liberated by the Russians. When Alan returned home, he took a teaching diploma at London University. For teaching practice he was assigned to his old school, Surbiton County Grammar. A vacancy came up in the English Department and Alan remained here for the rest of his teaching career.

He rose to be Head of English (he was famous for providing sherry at departmental meetings). That decade the school was designated to become a sixth form college, aka Esher College. Alan was appointed Director of Studies. He was an innovative teacher, introducing the new idea of sixth form conferences and residential courses to the students, many of whom remember him with both affection and gratitude. 2019 British Physics Olympiad AS Challenge

Congratulations to our Physicists who entered this year’s British Physics Olympiad AS Challenge with all eight participants achieving medal certificates. We are delighted to announce that Katarina Cabral, Andre Dale, Brandon Dodsworth and Callum Walsh received bronze awards and Oskar Day, Alice Dubois-Veltman, Teodor Petrov and Daniel Venables placed within the top 12.4% nationally, gaining silver awards. We were impressed by the hard work and commitment shown by all the students who took part this year. Very well done!

Louise Perry - Teacher of Physics

Particle Physics Master Class

On 3rd April, 12 first year students attended a particle physics masterclass at Royal Holloway University of London.

The day consisted of a series of lectures on particle physics, including interesting topics such as dark matter and particle accelerators, as well as several activities involving analysing data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

If you are feeling up for a challenge, you can download the software and analyse data for yourself here: https://atlas. physicsmasterclasses.org/en/index.htm

In the image (right), you can see the track left by a muon moving through the ATLAS detector.

Research in Schools

Esher College has signed up to the Institute for Research In Schools (IRIS) which provides students with real data to use in their own research.

On 22nd March, the director of IRIS (Becky Parker) came in to give a talk to a room full of Esher students about how to get involved and students now meet once a week at lunchtime to discuss what they have found out and discuss new ways of analysing the data.

We also have one of their CERN@School detectors on loan. These are the same as the detectors they have on the International Space Station (ISS) and we can compare the data from our detector with the data from the ISS.

There are many different research projects you can get involved with in areas of physics, chemistry, biology and geography. Why not go to their website or YouTube channel to learn more? http://www.researchinschools.org/ 11 Author ‘Holds’ students’ interest

On a Monday lunchtime in March, author and ex-Esher College teacher, Want to be a writer? Michael’s top 3 tips to aspiring Michael Donkor, gave a talk to more than 30 students about his debut Esher College students: novel, Hold. 1) Try to find a group of trusted readers who will be Through the eyes of Belinda, a housegirl from Ghana, Michael’s coming- compassionate towards your writing but who you of-age novel discusses themes of family, friendship, and forgiveness, can also trust to give honest feedback. and the complexities of the shift from Belinda’s native culture to her new home in London. His talk explored how his experiences and culture have 2) Enter loads of writing competitions. shaped his writing. 3) Read Everything!!! As an English teacher who used to work at Esher College, Michael used his interactions with students to create his female protagonists; Belinda, polite and diligent and Amma, a wayward and rebellious teenager growing up in south London. He also took inspiration from his own experiences growing up in a Ghanaian-English family. In an extract he read aloud, I was amazed at the incredible detail and richness of Ghanaian culture in London. As a first year English Literature student, I found it particularly interesting, as it gave me a rare insight into the mind of a published author. It was a privilege to hear first-hand about how writers come up with ideas and then translate them into a novel. It was fascinating and will help greatly in studying the set texts.

Hope Green – 6.1 student Research in Schools Students Eavesdrop on History

Hampton Court Palace History Trip reveals secrets of King Henry VIII’s most famous court.

History students learning about Power and Belief went to Hampton Court Palace for a session on the rise and fall of Cardinal Wolsey. A warm, sunny day awaited and an enthusiastic energy surrounded us. We met our tour guide, who took us to a room inside the Palace where there were lots of interactive opportunities to become King Henry VIII and his Chief Minister Cardinal Wolsey, as well as various dukes and duchesses – my favourite part, I might add!

There, we received a great introduction to Hampton Court Palace and to some of the important events that took place there, learning how it developed to become the King’s favourite summer palace. We were led to the Palace Courtyard, where there is a fountain, which, at the time of Wolsey, would flow with wine instead of providing water. We then went through to see the magical Astronomical Clock. Absolutely magnificent! It was here, we were told, that all the women of the Court used to cry out with joy outside the palace in the hope that Henry was waving to them – only to be profoundly disappointed when the infamous Anne Boleyn was placed in the chambers opposite King Henry’s - where Henry would shamelessly wave to her!

Finally, we visited the Great Hall, where little heads decorate the eaves around the ceiling, King Henry’s way of warning his subjects at Court that they were constantly being watched and listened to in order to discover anything that could be considered treason. This is where the word “eavesdroppers” came from.

It was a fantastic trip, which provided us with lots of new knowledge and was also a great way to revise the things we had been taught and bring them to life with memorable details.

Hana Mulaku - 6.1 Student

Fashion & Textiles Trip

6.2 Fashion students had a busy day in London visiting some of the industry’s biggest style icons.

The trip included a visit to Swinging London: A Lifestyle Revolution/Terence Conran and Mary Quant exhibition at the Fashion and Textiles Museum in Bermondsey.

Swinging London: A Lifestyle Revolution presents the fashion, design and art of the Chelsea Set; a group of radical young architects, designers, photographers and artists who were redefining the concept of youth and challenging the established order in 1950s London. At the forefront of this group of young revolutionaries were Mary Quant and Terence Conran.

We then followed with a visit to the V&A to see the breath-taking Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams Exhibition. Spanning 1947 to the present day, this exhibition traces the history and impact of one of the 20th century’s most influential couturiers, exploring the enduring influence of the fashion house and Dior’s relationship with Britain.

Not only did this inspire students for current coursework, it gave them a rare opportunity to see exquisite couture beautifully curated.

Nicola Walker - Teacher of Fashion 13 New York, New York

Trip to the Big Apple brings On the second day we visited the Tenement New York is also one of the fashion capitals Museum which allowed us to take a step of the world, so we made the most of its history and sociology to life back in history, immersing ourselves into thrift shops and found some bargains. We for students. the life of the early immigrants. We walked also went to other landmarks including the through tenement housing, learning the Brooklyn Bridge, Radio City Music Hall and In February 60 students from the stories of the families who would have The Rockefeller Centre. Sociology and History department were lived there and the hardships they went thrilled to be able to see some of their A through. It was an eye-opening experience Daisy Whalley and Shanise Chabuka - Level topics come to life by flying to New that put our studies of immigration into 6.2 Students York for an action-filled four days. perspective. After this we explored Little Italy and China Town which personified the The trip started with an amazingly quiet multiculturalism of New York and tied into British Airways flight where we were our History studies. treated to spare seats and ice-creams. Upon arrival in a very cold New York, we Finally, we had a fascinating talk with went straight to our hotel in the centre civil rights veteran, Mark Levy, who gave of Times Square to unpack and get us a first hand account of the Civil Rights familiarised with the area. Movement and the Mississippi ‘Freedom Summer’ of 1964. We found Times Square to be a symbol of globalisation and popular culture. We have “The experience really put our explored both these areas in our History and Sociology courses, learning about studies into perspective!” the increase in media and leisure culture Our final day was symbolised by a visit from the 1920s and the globalisation to the Empire State Building. This was of Americanisms such as McDonalds. definitely a highlight and a brilliant way to Wherever we went in New York, it seemed conclude our visit. Not only were the views we were never far from a golden arch! amazing but we could also see what this Our first activity was a ferry ride to Ellis iconic building represented – the optimism Island to explore the Immigration Museum. and globalisation of America in the 1920s The experience really put our studies into that anything was possible. perspective as we learnt about the process With some free time to explore the city thousands of immigrants went through in independently, we went to Wall Street, order to experience the ‘American Dream’. a place that is frequently covered in our In the afternoon we visited the 9/11 history textbooks, particularly The Wall Memorial Museum which was an extremely Street Crash. Seeing the area first hand powerful and eye-opening experience. made our studies more accessible, with This visit really helped cement our the famous Wall Street Bull monument understanding of religious fundamentalism emphasising the competitive and ruthless and terrorism which we have been looking nature of American economics. at for our Crime and Deviance topic in Sociology. Fashion Photography In Vogue

Esher College students work alongside fashion The High End Fashion group spent the morning working with Vogue photographer, Katie Burdon. They based themselves in the industry photographers for Vogue and Urban futuristic surroundings of Millennium Square and the grandeur Outfitters. of the Lloyds Amphitheatre. Katie’s focus was: ‘How to direct your models and get them looking their best.’ At the end of March, 30 Photography students and staff headed to Bristol for our annual three day Fashion and Documentary The Street Fashion group worked with Urban Outfitters’ Photography residential. Photographer, Nick Treviss. This group used the towering cranes and dilapidated train carriages around Bristol’s old Industrial The trip takes the format of a series of Fashion and Documentary Museum as their grungy backdrop. Nick’s focus for the workshop Photography workshops with professional photographers and was professional lighting in an urban environment, using only one professional models. This provides the students with an amazing camera flash. opportunity to learn from working photographers and then apply their newfound skills to shooting professional models. The photographers, staff and the models were incredibly impressed by the professional attitude of the students and their Photographer Nick Treviss ran our documentary workshop, which stunning, editorial-standard images. This thrilled the students and encouraged our student photographers to step outside their boosted their confidence. comfort zone and use the surrounding streets and Harbourside to create images with a narrative content. The trip was a great success as the students got to work with professional photographers and professional models, under The next day we divided our students into two shooting groups; industry-standard conditions. Urban Fashion and High-End Fashion. The groups swapped at lunch time, enabling all students to shoot the two photographic We will certainly be running this trip again next year… styles and work with both photographers and all the models. Stephen Andrews - Head of Photography 15 Jewellery Boost For ECAT

Young Enterprise students formed a company The students handed £155.62 to the Finance Office with the request called Esher Enterprise to sell fashion jewellery. that the money be donated to ECAT. Esher Enterprise students: The students were all on the Young Enterprise Complementary Study course this year, working with external Business Advisor Ammar Masood Julia Jones, Director of Iceland Traveller. Leo Tao Ellen Guymer The students sold fashion jewellery online and at a trade fair in Anna Yarwood Kingston. An AGM was held recently when decisions were made Frankie Eyles-Owen on the winding up of the company. It was agreed that the profit Euan Nicholl in the business would be donated to charity. At the meeting the Lottie Fielding shareholders voted on a number of different charities and the Flores Muir majority decision went in favour of Esher College Africa Trust (ECAT). Billy Steen ECAT raises funds to support AIDS orphans by paying their school Abigail Shackleton fees, exam fees and, where necessary, a mid-day meal, with the aim of helping them remain at school. ECAT supports up to 50 AIDS Lewis McGuinness - Teacher of Business orphans every year through their education to secure their futures.

Learning Effective Listening Skills

Esher College offers a diverse range of Adult Education Evening Courses. From brushing up on your Office Skills and learning Spanish to Life Drawing and Map Reading!

We also offer a range of Life Skills and Counselling courses, which have helped many people with an interest in improving their personal and working relationships. Our Level 2 Award in Effective Listening Skills requires no previous training or experience and is ideal for candidates who wish to develop their listening skills for use in a variety of personal and professional contexts.

One happy attendee told us, “I feel I have a much better understanding of the power of just listening and how it can help the talker.” Effective Listening Skills runs over two Saturdays starting in September. For more information on this, or any of our courses, pick up a leaflet at the College.

For more course details visit www.esher.ac.uk/adult-education, or call adult education on 020 8335 2544 Dates for your Diary

Summer Term 2019

Friday 14th June INSET

Wednesday 3rd July Progression Exam Clinic (by invitation only)

Thursday 4th July After Esher Day

Monday 8th to Friday 12th July Wider Skills Activities

Friday 12th July End of Term

Dates for Year 11 Prospective Students and Parents (September 2019 admissions)

Tuesday 25th June Introduction Evening (parents)

Thursday 27th and Friday 28th June Introduction Days (students)

Start of Year 2019/20 Tuesday 27th to Thursday 29th August Enrolment for new students Social Media Monday 2nd September Start of 6.2 Day For more information on what’s happening at Esher College, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Dates for Year 10 Prospective Students and Parents (September 2020 admissions) eshercollege Monday 1st July 2019 Open Evening

Tuesday 2nd July to Applications for 2020 Entry @eshercollege Monday 30th September 2019

eshercollege

Introducing Our New Student Photographer

To help us capture all the exciting events and activities taking place at Esher College, we are delighted to welcome Mia Siitonen as our new Student Photographer. Mia, who joined us from Lady Eleanor Holles School, is a 6.1 student here studying Photography, French and English Literature A Levels.

“I will be covering events such as College productions, charity fundraisers and anything else going on within the College for social media platforms,” says Mia. “I’m really excited about the role as it will be the first time that there has been a student photographer for the College.

I love photography and I’m keen to pursue journalism after leaving College, so this new role will also help me gain experience in a similar field.”

Remember to smile if you see Mia and her camera out and about on campus this year.