2020 JULY 2020

the student magazine

in this issue... WHAT A YEAR! LIFE BEFORE LOCKDOWN: ART AND SKI TRIPS GREEN BRAMPTON EXTREMISM: LUCIANA BERGER AND MAAJID NAWAZ IN CONVERSATION the student magazine

CONTENTS

Note from the Editor 3 My 2020 14

Coronavirus: a positive view 4 Green Brampton 16

Duke of Edinburgh Gold 5 Extremism and the Election 18

Art students inspired in Venice 6 Teacher hot-seat 20

Ski-Trip! 8 English Club 21

Quarantine Photography 10 Acing it: professional tennis while studying for A levels 22 Jsoc 13

Front cover photo by A level Photography teacher, Javier Thomas.

The back cover is by Erin Kovacs, A level Photography student. Erin Kovaks: “Fond hope” This project was initially based around plants and flowers. Each week I was photographing new flowers, experimenting with different lighting and post-production techniques. As we went into lockdown I continued to photograph the flowers as they decayed day by day. Because I was unable to go out and get new flowers for each shoot, my project took a turn. The decaying flowers have become a representation of people’s feelings through this uncertain period and serve as a metaphor. I began to add different objects: face masks, a half eaten orange and glove fingertips. These all add a subtle personal narrative turning these still lives into a makeshift quarantine-diary.

Lodge House Lodge Road, Hendon London NW4 2BF Tel 020 8203 5025 bramptoncollege.com Admissions: Pam Glenville [email protected]

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Dear reader, I’m delighted to share our Brampton College magazine for the year, 2020 @BC. I’d like to thank our contributing authors who are all students at the College. From articles covering what’s happening in college life to personal interest stories or views on topical issues, together we’ve created a rich hybrid of content. I’m very proud of this issue and we all hope you enjoy reading it! Thanks, Ben Arkus Editor

@BC contributors Ben Arkus Kesha Grigorev Kaitlyn Sellar-Elliot Zaid Al-Badawi Muskaan Iqbal Eve Jacob Lucy Abrahams Asha Persaud Sheena Shah Cynthia Wambui Waweru Alex Hess Hoor Al-Saleh Erin Kovacs Noa Ben-Menahem Mila Ivanov

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CORONAVIRUS: TURNING AN OUTER NEGATIVE INTO AN INNER POSITIVE

As it appears that we are now opportunity to expand your at the apex of the coronavirus academic capabilities or to learn pandemic in the UK, this is as a new skill. Personally, I have set good a time as any to reflect myself a few goals, including to on how quickly and drastically learn how to code (python), to everybody’s life has changed. read 60 books this year (7 down, One day you’re getting up at 53 to go), and to meditate and 7am with one eye open, stuffing work out every day. To some, this your burnt piece of toast in may sound daunting (and for me your mouth (washed down with it definitely is), but I aim high in Kingdom than we were before the a badly made cup of tea), and order to achieve as many of these outbreak. Forget political and racial then running for the bus. The ambitions as possible. I highly differences, we all have a key next day, your school’s shut, recommend you choose at least part to play - now more so than you get an extra two hours of one goal that’s unique to you. ever. I believe most people will sleep and lessons take place in One of my goals, meditation, is very appreciate this, and I have faith the comfort of your bedroom. grounding. It keeps me aware not only in myself, but in the fact This virus is very serious and of the beautiful, existentialist that eventually, the country will shouldn’t be taken light- dimension of this crisis. My emerge more unified, whether it be heartedly; it is deadly generation is deluged with in everyday life or in a time of great and that’s why it is so new information every need such as this. important to stay at minute of the day. For Please stay at home. Believe home during these me, being able to shut me, I’m not happy that I’m trying times. Although off mentally as well forced to stay home. For one, I’m obviously I am not in as physically is very missing my favourite jerk chicken a position to preach, beneficial, and a great restaurant. But this virus is deadly I would like to share a use of my time. and if it infected the (arguably) couple of personal thoughts on My meditation practices have most powerful person in Britain, how this may just be the perfect also enabled me to ponder how the Prime Minister, then it is able time to turn a negative in to a everything in our societal system to infect anyone. positive. For me, there are two can be put on hold at the snap conceivable perspectives on this: By Ben Arkus, student of someone’s fingers. I’ve also one is to view this time as an become much more aware of extended school holiday, how the human race is one, and where you can sit around that in this lockdown we must all watching join together to stop this deadly zombie infection. I believe we will all pandemic realise that there is value in being movies. united through Another this mess, which option is to see this might just lead to as an unprecedented a greater United

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DOING THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD!

Having already completed bronze use DofE as an opportunity to do and silver DofE at my secondary something I’d been meaning to school, I chose to take it up a for a long time - doing so had the notch (even though silver was added benefit of improving my probably tough enough) and fitness ahead of the expedition. complete a gold DofE. This is one of the many positives of DofE; it can push you to get Alex Gym Setup Being a student who wishes to on with something that you work in the finance sector (which would never have got round to is very competitive) I wanted to expedition otherwise. For my volunteering, stand out from other candidates itself more fun and interesting. I chose to join the charity by being able to write about the Unfortunately, due to coronavirus, committee at Brampton College benefits of gold DofE on my CV; I have yet to do the expedition but and finally for the skill, I joined the experience is both physically hope to do it as soon as possible. the Young Enterprise programme, and mentally demanding, and Doing gold DofE has pushed me both of which are experiences that teaches you a great deal about to do new things, taught me a lot taught me a lot about teamwork. working with others. On top of the about working with others, and is expedition itself, which the DofE To switch things up a bit, I plan to going to be a great addition to my awards are best known for, there do my gold DofE expedition on a CV - I highly recommend it are 3 DofE sections/activities which mountain bike instead of hiking By Alex Hess need to be completed as well, in (which I’ve never done before), order to qualify for the award; a which should physical activity, a volunteering make the activity, and improving a skill. You have to do one section for 12 months and the other 2 for 6. Choosing to start going to a local gym 2-3 times a week as my physical activity meant I was able to

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ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS INSPIRED IN VENICE

My favourite aspect of the 2019 also with my teachers. One of the Her inspiration Art and Photography Venice photographers I was particularly is said to come Trip was making new friends. intrigued by was Zhanna Kadyrova. from her home This trip was a good opportunity She is a Ukrainian artist who has country, Ukraine, as it allowed me to make new been exploring the relationship which has a long history of ceramic relationships as I came from a between architecture and tile production. different school. mosaic. She often uses cheap Overall, I’ve personally taken a lot tiling for mosaic, combined Although the gelato and different from this trip including learning with heavyweight construction Italian delicacies were by far the about the different aspects to materials such as concrete and most enjoyable aspects on the art and photography. It has been cement. Her work, ‘For Market’ is trip, I learnt a lot about different a great introduction to my first displayed in the Arsenale. It is a artists and photographers and year as I was able to base my food stall equipped with everything was intrigued by their different November assessment on Zhanna a street trader needs, and she backstories and how they came Kadyrova’s work. It was truly makes sausages and salamis to be. This included the Giardini inspiring. I hope to incorporate from concrete and natural stone, where we learnt and explored all elements of the style from the and fashions fruit and vegetables the different kinds of cultures of different artists I encountered on – bananas, watermelons, art from different pavilions from the trip into my own work in the pomegranates, aubergines – in all around the world. coming months. chunky mosaic. This was definitely my favourite piece! By Muskaan Iqbal The version of Second Hand, which is another one of her works, is on view in the Central Pavilion at the My personal favourite was the Giardini in which she repurposed French pavilion as it featured a ceramic tiles from a hotel in very experimental film by Laure Venice to construct Prouvos, which transported me to items of clothing a different state of mind and made and linen. me view art in a different way. From the experience I not only gained a closer bond with my peers but

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MY MEMORIES OF THE SLOPES…

On the 15th February, eleven We stopped off for a break of us from the lower sixth, every two hours and the accompanied by Anu and Nick journey went surprisingly (staff from Brampton), set faster than we expected. We off to Folgaria, Italy for a ski arrived on Sunday afternoon, trip. With a 25 hour coach and Anu and Nick took us to journey ahead of us, we were a traditional Italian restaurant all dreading the travelling – for lunch. The pasta was however, once we realised the impressive compared to the coach had USB ports to charge pasta all of us would prepare our devices, we recovered a at home using £1 Dolmio or separately down an ice slope little from the panic! sauce. At the hotel, the girls with a big donut float and it was were separated into a different When you’re on a coach with exhilarating. However, at times room from the boys and there around 20 scouts you would the speed was so fast that you was a games room below, allowing expect out of tune singsongs would sometimes fall off the us to meet up and interact with on repeat, but we were very float. I even lost my shoe coming other schools. fortunate as the driver put on down the slope. It was definitely Disney movies instead. On Monday we were off bright an experience. and early, waking up at 7 am to On Wednesday evening we had kick-start a full five days of skiing. a movie night in the games We were split into ability groups room area where we relaxed and and had special tuition from Italian unwound after an exhausting day instructors. They may not have of falling over/skiing. On Thursday spoken the best English but their evening, we were treated to a pizza sign language was excellent! night which we enjoyed sitting In the mornings, 9-11 am, we’d together to devour. We discovered have a lesson then we’d all meet some of us have weird pizza for a very unhealthy but delicious tastes such as putting ketchup on lunch. (Some of us were convinced margarita pizza. These individuals that the fries served were the will not be named due to possible same as McDonald’s!). After embarrassment. After devouring refueling, we’d ski together, 1-4 a 20 inch pizza, we hit the sack pm, and laugh at each other falling early in preparation for our 25 hour over in front of many 5 year old journey home the next day. skiers – who seemed to be doing The journey on the way at least 100 mph compared to us back was what one 17 and 16 year olds who were just would call about making 10 mph. ‘stressful’. On Tuesday evening we all went tubing! We could go in pairs

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memories and friendships were made. I hope Brampton College continues this trip next year as it was truly a trip to remember. Thank you to Nick and Anu for making it extra special, their hospitality really made the trip. By Asha Persaud, student

However, with our group it was simply humorous. We ended up on a ferry at 1 am on the following Sunday, eating fish and chips or roast chicken which was oddly good as far as ferry food goes. Overall, this trip was a true bonding experience where many positive

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QUARANTINE PHOTOGRAPHY

How do Photography students language has been employed use their medium to express creatively by the photography their thoughts and feelings students to record their feelings about the virus and the of isolation. It’s not hard to relate experience of isolation? to the visual discomfort or sense of escapism present in many of Pictures allow us to express the images. Seen together, they something that is entirely resemble a virtual exhibition. representative of our self; through Here’s a selection… the choice of location, theme, light, subject matter as well as framing By Ben Arkus and composition, the use of visual

Lucy Abrahams: The freedom of isolation During this time in lockdown and without the ability to venture out of our homes, society has been given the opportunity to self reflect. Without input from the outside world and all its distractions, I find myself with a free space to explore things about my life that I would not usually get the chance to. The idea of creating two versions of myself has stemmed from my original project where I was photographing twins before the lock-down. Because of the current crisis my project had to take a u-turn, the creation of a ‘second self’ in my images is circumstantial and captures the self- reflection in lockdown. With outside interaction it is easy to drift away from your true self becoming lost in the busyness of daily life. Being restrained by the four walls of my house although limiting, is also freeing, allowing me to be myself.

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Cynthia Wambui Waweru: It’s Not That Bad Quarantine is my new normal, I am bored. Rubber-bands, lashes, queen of hearts, a game of Jenga. I am a homebody, it’s not that bad. To escape from boredom, I have created a series of surreal images that showcase moments of procrastination. In this project I show actions I might normally do without thinking and turn them into performative photographs by paying attention to them.

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Kesha Grigorev: “Pandemic. Inside/Out” Street photography images shot in the first weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak come together with the self-isolation diary- style photographs in ‘Pandemic. Inside/Out’. In my project, I tried to capture the eerie atmosphere of pre-lockdown scenes around London and also reflect on how I felt during self-isolation, and how I approached and reacted to it. In popular culture, the colour red is always associated with danger and insecurity. In the indoor part of the series, red represents the overall feeling of uncertainty and trepidation I have experienced since the beginning of lockdown.

Kesha Grigorev: “Pandemic. Inside/Out”

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BRAMPTON JSOC

The idea for JSoc came The first week, 14 people about after Alex Foux and I showed up for Bradley ,plus our thought it would weekly free pizza, chips, and be entertaining refreshments - a lovely selling and insightful point for people to come. for people at Four months down the line the College, UJIA is covering our lunch and no matter their running costs as well as giving religion, to come Rabbi Yitsi David us access to a wide range of and learn a bit speakers. Chazak is another about Jewish organisation that decided to culture, life twin with us. and history. At the end of the day, that is the The largest attendance we ever real aim of JSoc; to inspire people Alex, Avi and had, was when Rabbi Yitsy David to soul search and try to discover I co-chair the came to speak about choices. who they are. It’s a challenge, board, which Thirty-one people heard him but even if only one person truly really means illustrate how every decision you benefits from JSoc in the long run, we rotate make has an impact, and how it will have been worth it talking with it costs nothing to be a kind our sponsors By Sam Kutton and forgiving person. His use and organising of personal stories and getting speakers and to know everyone in the room we have had inspired people and I am certain some remarkable that several of those present gave appearances so far his words serious consideration. this year. The year started with Bradley Langer, a sabbatical officer from UJS, [Union of Jewish Students] who came to speak to us about anti-Semitism on university campuses, how to deal with it as well as reassuring us that anti-Semitism is minimal at most universities and that all will be well.

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MY 2020

Imagine, if you will, that your future self came to visit you in 2019 to warn you of what an absurd year 2020 would turn out to be:

“So right after Christmas, Donald month, a bat will bite a chicken, equipped with flame throwers. Trump will get into a twitter flame which is in turn bitten by a human Furthermore, it turns out that war with Iran and literally almost and, whoosh! Global Pandemic! The the past forty years of British provoke a Third World War. Then, story is so clichéd and saturated Euroscepticism has been a just when you think the embers by Hollywood that I know you’re complete waste of time, given that have been extinguished, Australia thinking if the world does end, we avoided entering the Eurozone will suddenly catch fire. Kobe Bryant surely, it’s not going to happen like in 2007, only to enter the new will be killed in a helicopter crash, this…yeah, well. There’s more. international monetary union of Piscine from ‘life of Pi’ pass away, Tom Hanks gets the virus, planes toilet paper and hand sanitiser Terry Jones will die and William stop flying, the French government in 2020. Exams are cancelled, Dufris (aka Bob the Builder), compares a morning jog to drunk everyone is on lockdown and the another voice from your childhood, driving, Boris is in hospital and an death rate is increasing by the day.” will be lost. But the tragedy doesn’t Italian mayor threatens to break up I think I would volunteer for a cosy end there. Within the same house parties by deploying police room in Bedlam. I should note that I borrowed that thought experiment from an Instagram post, which is hardly surprising given that my daily average of phone screen time is five hours and forty-four minutes; six percent higher than last week apparently. Frankly, this whole business has been utterly surreal! To think that

14 the student magazine the public exams, which I have spent the last two years of my life anxiously awaiting, have been cancelled is still a concept which I have not quite grasped. After all, I think most of us come to Brampton precisely because we feel that our past schools were ill-equipped to deal with the academic rigour demanded by A2 Biology mark schemes. In many ways it is a relief, but for quite a few students it is also massively stressful. The whole point of education over a two-year period is for students to grow and come into their own. I have known teachers to make a policy of not awarding high grades too early specifically because they believe in the gradual development of skill and aptitude in the respective subject. Can we really call any system of “calculated grades” fair when tests and exams across the country are of such varying validity? How can a first-year mock from one college possibly be seen as equal to that I honestly don’t mean to be bleak, Establishing and sticking to a of another. The quality of education but these are the issues at the routine whether it be of work, provided by schools is just too forefront of my mind, and I think it exercise or even meditation is diverse. You may be thinking, “well is only honest that I include them. vital. Treat the lockdown as an these are microscopic examples”, opportunity to do the things you but they are all going to be factored Of course, perspective is critical. never had time for; start a project, into some magical equation that The effects of this virus are far more learn to cook, write a short book, will calculate your grade as well as serious than my summer exams and design a website or teach yourself a mine. Fingers crossed that Ofqual we ought to be thankful that we live new language. Time is perhaps our get this right, but it is inevitable that in a time where for most of us, our most valuable commodity so don’t some students will be disappointed greatest tribulation will be having waste it. Above all, stay at home, by what comes out. to find enough shows to watch on keep positive and have hope, things Netflix. This is made especially clear will get better. in light of VE day which marks the anniversary of the end of History’s By Zaid Al-Badawi most appalling and destructive conflict. We must also ensure that we do not allow ourselves to be lost in what might seem to be infinite time.

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WHAT BRAMPTON’S GREEN COMMITTEE HAS BEEN UP TO…

The Brampton Green Committee talking to all of the students of was formed as a Student Council Brampton College to educate sub-committee, but it has them further on the importance become much more than that. of wider recycling and behaving It’s now a team of like-minded better for the environment individuals constantly striving as a whole. Furthermore, for a more eco-friendly world, the Green Committee has starting by looking at our college. already implemented several presentations to the students We’ve launched several diverse in the weekly personal tutor ideas so far, including a sessions. Whilst these have presentation to all of Brampton’s been a clear success, there is staff to introduce a new school still more to be done. This is printing scheme to reduce the why we are currently looking at amount of paper being printed more accessible recycling bins yearly. We’ve also formed a strong throughout the school, making partnership with the Brampton recycling even easier and more Young Enterprise Team and we’re efficient to ensure no waste is collaborating to create a more eco- placed in the wrong place. Watch friendly water bottle for the school. out for even more initiatives when Bernard, our Principal, kindly we return to college! gifted two of the head Climate Co-written By Ben Arkus and Committee members a book on Noa Ben-Menahem, students the environment called “We are the Weather” by Jonathan Safran Foer. We are currently speaking to him about the prospect of him

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YOUNG ENTERPRISE

Young Enterprise is a nationally We wanted to make our bottles as recognised charity which attractive as possible to encourage aims to prepare students for more people to buy them. We have challenges in the working world four colours, which were selected by providing us with the skills, from our market research. We knowledge and confidence to sell black, baby blue, silver, and succeed. rose gold bottles so that we have something which can appeal This year we had the choice to join to everyone. Furthermore, we Young Enterprise and we managed wanted to make these bottles to create a company consisting of affordable so that people would ten people who were all dedicated find the switch – from plastic to our and hard-working, and who wanted reusable bottles – cheap and easy. to gain an understanding of the working world. We attended a trade fair at Brent Cross which helped us This year our young enterprise further understand our target team decided to sell eco-friendly market and make some of our first thermos bottles. We chose this as sales as a company. From then we were all used to buying plastic on we sold most of our bottles It’s safe to say that Young bottles and we knew that a change through word-of-mouth rather than Enterprise has given us experience had to be made. Our aim was using social media. We made this of the world of business. I would to try to do our part in society to choice as we wanted our company highly recommend it to anyone combat the detrimental effect that to be known for having quality who wants either a preview of plastic is having on our oceans. products, which were good enough life in a company, or anyone to be recommended. who wants responsibility and the chance to work in a team. By Kaitlyn Sellar-Elliot

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THE THREAT FROM EXTREMISM

Before coronavirus struck, Luciana Berger, currently a the General Election was Member of Parliament for the biggest thing in my year. Liverpool Wavertree, has not only Alongside Brexit, one of several swapped the Labour Party for related key issues of the time the Liberal Democrats, but also was extremism - in particular, constituencies. She is one of the position of the Labour the main candidates seeking to Party on antisemitism. For the become the MP in the Golders last six months, the pandemic Green/Finchley constituency, and has overshadowed these poses a serious challenge to the concerns, but they have made incumbent Conservative MP, Mike a comeback more recently. It’s Freer. Luciana was formerly a fascinating to look back at how Shadow Minister for Mental Health things were then, so here’s when Ed Miliband was the Labour my report of the conversation Party leader. She recently left the held just before the Election Labour Party after facing anti- at Brampton College between Semitism within the party. She Liberal Democrat candidate, was interviewed by Maajid Nawaz, Luciana Berger, and Maajid well-known for his show on LBC Nawaz, founder and chairman of as well as being the chairman of Quilliam. Quilliam, a foundation which aims to stop extremism and promote the On Tuesday 3rd December, Luciana ideals of pluralism, tolerance and Berger and Maajid Nawaz were democracy. welcomed to Brampton College to discuss the pressing issues of The discussion took place in the growing anti-Semitism and racism aftermath of the horrific display as well as to discuss the issues in of violence on London Bridge. the forthcoming General Election. Luciana explained her view that this incident highlighted the government’s ineffectiveness in combatting radicalisation, particularly among the young, and followed by outlining why she herself joined the political arena. The pivot toward politics was not a difficult one. Luciana’s family have been involved in UK politics for some time and her grandfather was a member of the House of Commons and served as a Minister in the MacDonald and Attlee governments. She described her journey into politics as a way of seeking to amend any injustices, explaining the anti-Semitism she faced as a student at university and how this drove her initially to join the Labour Party, as their core idea was created on the basis

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as the increasing environmental of being “for the many, not the no resistance to the government problems the world faces, the few”. She wenton to express her policy of Brexit. She hoped to be potential policy for the regulation disappointment at how Labour able to represent constituents well, of cannabis, as well as concerns currently “betrays the very values” and further endorsed the Liberal about Human Rights in the UK. that encouraged her to join and Democrats as the right choice Berger’s answers consisted of believes that unless centrists and for this specific constituency due explaining Liberal Democrat policy moderates join the party it cannot to their strong ‘remain’ stance. on these issues and the extent be saved from the direction it’s Luciana’s opposition to Brexit, she to which they figure in the top moving to. said, was the detrimental effects it will have for the UK economy. priorities for the party. Further In response, Maajid made a strong She also stated that the Liberal questions about anti-Semitism point about how anti-Semitism Democrats (if backed into a corner) saw Luciana responding by saying manages to come not only from would not be a part of a coalition how thoroughly disappointed she the far left but the far right as well government – especially after the was that the opposition of Her and that in fact this seems to be scars left behind by the 2010 Majesty’s government are not held the hierarchy of racism, with the far coalition with the Conservatives. accountable for their actions and right as the greater threat. Luciana that they have strayed far from agreed with this and described Maajid’s last question probed their main aims as a party. After all movingly the way many people further on whether the Brexit the questions had been answered, living in Jewish communities are debate, which was the initial Principal Bernard Canetti thanked heavily aggrieved by this fact. premise for calling a general both Maajid and Luciana for their election, has now been time and commended their passion Questions then became more overshadowed by this multitude for fighting against racism and focused on the flaws of both of economic promises. Luciana anti-Semitism. Labour and the Conservatives, with agreed that both parties were Luciana drawing attention to the indeed trying to blind the By Eve Jacob way neither of the main parties public from the current are able to deliver on many of issues we are facing as a their economic policy promises country by making flashy and the way they were using such promises on spending. promises to overshadow the main She was very clear that issue - Brexit. This is a key reason these tactics were a ploy to why she has chosen to stand with remove the Liberal Democrat the Liberal Democrats, knowing stance from the public eye, she can trust their strong stance and that it had, worryingly, and transparency as a party. She shown signs of success. further explained that the reason for running in the Golders Green/ During the last part of the Finchley constituency was because talk, the audience was that specific constituency is a invited to ask questions. very ‘remain’ constituency, yet Many contemporary issues their Member of Parliament offers were touched upon such

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TEACHER HOT-SEAT: IMRAN KHAN

1. Please write a short 4. What inspiring people have 9. What are you most proud of paragraph summing up who you you met along the way? in life? are and your role at Brampton I was really inspired by my I am proud to be what I am. College which will lead into the grandfather’s personality who following questions… 10. If you could meet and have taught me to be original all the dinner with any person who I am a Computer Science and time. He gave me confidence to ever lived, who would it be and Information Technology teacher at make my own decisions from a why? What would you ask that Brampton College. I also oversea very young age. person? and promote use of e-learning 5. What’s the best part of across the college. I joined With my grandmother (if she was teaching? And the worst? Brampton College in Autumn 2019. alive). Is she proud of me? It is very exciting to have a 2. Where and when did your 11. If you were the richest mature conversation about a passion for IT/Photography begin? person in the world for one topic of common interest with day, what would you spend your Back in 1996 I started learning my students. I don’t always fancy money on? how to use a computer system with administration and paperwork MS-DOS operating system and associated with teaching. I will make education accessible for learnt to draw a circle using “C” every child on the planet. 6. Why teach at Brampton? programming language. For me, 12. What book, movie read/seen being able to define and illuminate I have taught in a range of state recently you would recommend each pixel on screen and being schools and colleges during my and why? able to draw different shapes using teaching career. Due to large a set of pixels was fascinating. number of students in classes, The Art of Deception by Kevin D despite my best efforts, I was not Mitnick & William L Simon 3. Which part of the subject always able to guide every single interests you most? This book was published a long student as I wished. At Brampton time ago, but I have recently My long-lasting interest has been College, small class sizes and read it. It is still very relevant to in Object-Oriented Programming individual relationship with each today’s world. It has great insight and database design, however, in student allowed me to interact more into social engineering which recent years, I have developed an and help every single student to has become a real issue in cyber interest in web design and Content reach their maximum potential. security recently. Management Systems in particular. 7. What have you learnt from 13. What’s your favorite joke? your students? How does a computer get drunk? It My students are my best teachers, takes screen shots. I always learn new tricks and trends in Computer Science from them. 14. What’s on your bucket list? 8. What is something students Polish my Search Engine would be surprised to find out Optimisation (SEO) skills and about you? master Content Management System (CMS) to develop While studying my second degree responsive websites. in Software Engineering, I was looking for a job which could 15. What’s the best piece of perfectly fit around my university advice you’ve ever been given? timetable. I decided to learn how KISS: Keep it simple stupid to drive a Class One truck and worked as a part time lorry driver during my study at university.

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ENGLISH CLUB

Currently, in English Club, we It’s astonishing the sheer amount are studying films – specifically, of work and tiny details that how different shots and angles add so much to the depth or add or change the tone of film. development of a film that I never This allows for those taking used to notice before – and now I English (or not!) to develop can! After a few lessons in English insight into the texts they are Club we’ve learned to notice studying based on how they all these details and develop a would be visually represented. new level of understanding and It’s great news that the College respect for the effort and hard will be introducing Film Studies work that goes into making these A level next year with Dave incredible films. Something else Dowson – I think students are to consider, for those not taking going to love it! English, is that the Club gives you the opportunity to have a It also creates the opportunity to breather from your own subjects, learn more about the field of Film as sometimes it helps to have a Studies. Maybe you will discover break and look at something new. that this is something you love On top of this, it helps you to and want to study in the future, keep up your basic English skills, possibly at university? It opens which are so important for all up a whole new realm of possible essay-based subjects. So please degrees and jobs for you, which, come and join us. It’s also a lot of if you hadn’t gone to English fun, and 40 minutes seems way Club, you never would have even too short! thought about. I’ve particularly enjoyed the new perspective I’ve By Emma Swanson gained when watching films.

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MY PLANS TO ACE IT ON THE TENNIS COURT AND IN MY A LEVEL EXAMS!

I started playing tennis in my This happened five times in a row. The experience of being coached home country, Serbia, when I However, I slowly started to build by his uncle, and watching Nadal, was seven years old; before up my game by training for hours who was the World No.1 at the that, I had played basketball, every day, which was hard to fit time, really helped me improve. and practised swimming and around my school work. But it paid Not only did I make the cut that even ballet. off: when I was nine years old, I year, but I was also seeded No.3 won my first tournament and from Most of my new peers had already – meaning I had a high chance there I joined a successful tennis played tennis for years, and I of winning. Win I did, beating the academy. initially found it hard to catch up. defending champion in straight sets. I played my first tournament after A year went by and the Serbian As a result, I was invited to train a couple of years. I remember tennis federation launched the at the National Tennis Centre how nervous I was, as everyone end-of-year masters, which gathers in London for two consecutive else was older and so much more the top ten players in the country. summers, along with the top junior experienced than me. I lost in the I hoped to make the inaugural tennis players from across the first round! edition but ended up being just world. Most of these successful one out. This just made me more players started dropping out of determined to succeed the next school in order to be able to focus year, and I spent the following on their tennis careers. My path summer preparing in Rafael Nadal’s was different: as a fourteen-year- Academy in Manacor, Spain. old, I was offered a scholarship to one of the top UK sports boarding schools, and decided to sacrifice the comfortable life I had at home with my family and friends to move here. A few years (and thousands of hours on the court) later I captained the team that won the British National Championships.

22 the student magazine

This win gave me the where I’m currently studying for opportunity to train at A-levels in Politics, Economics the National Tennis and Psychology. I get incredible Centre full-time, along support and understanding from with professional players my teachers here, which allows such as Andy and Jamie me to train, compete and focus Murray and Heather on my education all at the same Watson. I accepted their time, and thus enables me to offer, which meant I had prepare for my A-level exams to move to London. I whilst playing in the British enrolled at Brampton Division 1 League College in 2018, By Mila Ivanov

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