The Emanuel Edit - February 2024 by Emanuel School

THE

EMANUEL EDIT

FEBRUARY 2024

The latest news from Emanuel School

Oedipus and Antigone” – the Senior Play Page 7

Emanuel opens new All Weather Pitch Page 20

Individual Higher Education Successes Page 18

430 YEARS OF EMANUEL SCHOOL

EMANUEL RECOGNISED AS ‘DOUBLE EXCELLENT’ BY ISI

Mr R Milne Headmaster This year’s St Cecilia’s Concert was held at St John’s Smith Square, one of London’s great concert venues, to mark the 430th anniversary of the foundation of the school.

Mr R Milne Headmaster At the very end of last term, the Independent Schools Inspectorate came to the school to review our provision for all aspects of compliance and education. We have now been sent the written version of the outcomes, which will also be made available on our website and on the ISl’s website.

We welcomed over 400 guests, many of whom were OEs, to enjoy a celebration of the superb musical talent within our pupil body. We were joined by the Berkeley Ensemble, a professional octet based in London, and five of our pupils (Emilia, harp; Tallulah, clarinet; Maisie, flute; Kate, orchestral percussion; and Sean, voice) had the opportunity to perform a solo accompanied by these musicians.

The inspection team, 8 people, spent 3 full days with the school and more time remotely. Compliance

Some of the highlights included the Symphony Orchestra’s rendition of VaughanWilliams’ English Folk Song Suite, the Senior Strings playing two movements from Holst’s St Paul’s Suite, the Concert Band playing two movements from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, a fully orchestrated version of the Emanuel School Song (during which some of the OEs in the audience joined in!) and a medley from ‘Phantom of the Opera’ featuring the school choir, organ and orchestra.

A LEVEL AND IGCSE RESULTS Mr R Milne Headmaster A level Huge congratulations to our leavers on their results day. Within this context and set against the prepandemic A level outcomes of 2019 and before, our 2023 leavers (a cohort 50% larger than the one seen 5 years ago, and a third larger than in 2019) have achieved very strong outcomes, gaining Oxbridge, Russell Group, leading university and specialist college places. It also means that they have continued the pattern of A Level results improving year on year (in non- pandemic impacted years) from 2017, with over half of all results graded A*A.

On regulatory compliance, which includes safeguarding, ISi may award either a ‘being met’ or ‘not being met’ verdict against the standards and I am pleased to say that we achieved the former in every area. I would very much like to thank the school’s bursar, and compliance officer, as well as a number of senior teaching and support staff colleagues for their careful oversight and operations in these areas. In my time, as a senior colleague in schools, regulations have grown a great deal and demand a significant amount of work and care from everyone involved.

IGCSE Many congratulations to our Year 11s, achieving exceptional results, with 41% of grades at level 9, our highest outcome in any examination year. We are delighted to have seen a continued year-on-year growth at GCSE with some outstanding individual performances. This hard-working and talented bunch of pupils ought to be incredibly proud of themselves and their achievements. A level Results 2023 (including EPQ) 22.7% A* 52.4% A*-A 84.3% A*-B 97.5% A*-C IGCSE Results 2023 41% 9 68% 9-8 87% 9-7 96% 9-6

Educational quality A full ISi inspection also covers educational quality. This is divided into two categories: • The achievement of the pupils, including their academic development, and; • The personal development of the pupils. The judgement descriptors can be ‘excellent’, ‘good’,‘sound’ or ‘unsatisfactory.’ I am delighted to explain that in both cases; • •

personal development; and academic (and other) achievement

Emanuel is recognised as ‘excellent’ by ISI.

ACADEMIC

YEAR 7 PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION Miss S Wells Head of Year 7 Year 7 have been busy writing and practising speeches for the Public Speaking competition. The theme this year was ‘Our World’.The final featured 17 fantastic speeches from pupils who had each interpreted the theme in their own unique way.The final was extremely impressive and Mr Turner, Isla and Leela had a challenging job judging the speeches for their content and delivery. In the end the judges were blown away by Esme’s passionate speech on biodiversity (1st place), Rose’s emotive take on the theme (2nd place), Albert’s confident delivery (3rd place) and Cara’s extensive knowledge of ocean acidification (4th place). Well done to all involved in this exciting competition!

THE EMANUEL ECONOMIST Introducing The Emanuel Economist, a new topical magazine from the Economics and Business Sixth Form students of Emanuel. With articles ranging from the impact of AI on labour markets, to the economics of the music industry, and the challenges of achieving economic growth in the face of climate change, it provides a fascinating and interesting read. It is also a testament to the hard work of all the student contributors, in particular Tom B. and Hope S., who played a lead role in the editing of the magazine. I hope you enjoy it.

DECEMBER 2023

COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH STUDY WITH UCL Mr S Andrews Teacher of History 22 Emanuel pupils from Year 8 & 9 took part in a research study that is being conducted by the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London and is funded by the Wellcome Trust.

ISSUE 1 1

This PhD research project is being led by Dr Priya Rajyaguru and aims to increase our understanding of how and why some young people develop mental health problems. This study has been approved by the UCL Research Ethics Committee and aims at understanding how different styles of thinking in children and adolescents might be associated with mental health. Mental health problems like anxiety and depression are known to be associated with certain styles of thinkingmin adults. However, we don’t understand this very well in young people. We do know that adolescence is a time period marked by multiple changes in the brain, including the development of higher-level cognitive skills required for successful adult life. We are interested in how these cognitive skills develop and the way they might be associated with certain styles of thinking like rumination. This is an important step for understanding why some types of thinking might be associated with mental health problems in young people.

ARKWRIGHT ENGINEERING Two Emanuel teams of four pupils competed SCHOLARS Mr T Jones Senior Librarian & Archivist

All eight pupils are very loyal members of the Lower School Lit Quiz Club which is run through the library. Both teams are both incredibly committed (and knowledgeable) and I am delighted one of them has made it to the final. When the competition finished absolutely nobody in the team thought they had won, but when the announcements were made the room went mad with excitement!

THE EMANUEL ECONOMIST

BOOK REVIEWS

Mr FitzGerald Teacher of Economics & Business

NATIONAL READING CHAMPIONSHIP QUIZ

in the National Online Reading Championship Quiz and finished an incredible first and second in their heat (cross-regional heat 1). They have now qualified for the (face-to-face) National Final which will be held in a central London locatio. This is a high-profile event run by the National Literary Trust and features lots of top authors.

EMANUEL ECONOMIST

Mr N Guegan Head of Design & Technology Congratulations to Kathryn (Year 12) and Thomas (Year 12) in becoming Arkwright Engineering Scholars. An Arkwright Engineering Scholarship is the most esteemed scholarship of its type in the UK, designed to inspire students to pursue their dreams and change the world as an outstanding engineer of the future. Kathryn and Thomas were selected from over 1391 applicants and underwent a rigorous and competitive selection process, from an online application to the aptitude exam, culminating in a virtual interview. They were supported throughout by the Mr Guegan and the DT Department. The scholarships they have been awarded place Kathryn with The Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers and Tom with the Royal Air Force (RAF). This comprehensive programme assesses each student’s engineering knowledge and helps them develop key life skills including leadership and creative thinking.

3 “The Emanuel of the present is an astonishing evolution of the Emanuel of the past. Results have improved exponentially, with consequent rise up league tables.” Good Schools Guide

ART WORKSHOPS

ACADEMIC

Ms S MacMillan Head of Art and Design During Open Day on Saturday 16th September Emanuel art scholars took part in two workshops. The senior scholars created a series of colourful monotype prints led by OE artist Rosa Roberts. The monotype technique encouraged students to simplify form and use colour boldly. Briony Marshall led a pewter casting workshop for the junior scholars where they created intricate and detailed pendants. The students, and Mr Reed and Ms Burnett, were very excited to see molten pewter being poured into the students’ plaster casts

Mr R Milne Headmaster

enjoys their academic life and learns valuable independent approaches for the future. We have started to explain the project to all teaching staff, and all pupils. The focus is on encouraging week to week work that encourages the pupils to ‘explore, experiment and exceed.’ We believe these 3 Es are vital for every young person’s enjoyment of school life, and is approach, across all areas of lower school life, ought to a valuable development.

September 2023 has seen the launch of the lower school’s ‘limitless learner’ initiative. We are very keen to make sure our younger pupils are inspired in their learning and by their teaching. We wish to make sure that each of them

We will continue with our Ethos lessons, focusing on ethical debate and rhetoric in the lower school and have been delighted with the responses to our recently-launched Social Entrepreneurship lessons.

LIMITLESS LEARNING IN THE LOWER SCHOOL

EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGAUGES Mr G Ni Cheallaigh Teacher of French This week the MFL department ran its own European Week of Languages. The official European Day of Languages was first established in 2001 as ‘a means of promoting awareness among the general public of the importance of language learning and protecting the linguistic heritage’ and is celebrated every

year on the 26th September. As part of our week-long celebrations, students enjoyed special themed lessons involving activities such as code cracking and co-curricular quizzes on Geography, History and Science. In form times, they discussed the importance of learning languages and how it can improve our memory, inter-personal skills and concentration. They even had a go at translating some obscure idioms! On Friday, the Lower School enjoyed a themed home clothes day where they could dress in the colours of a European flag, and students across all years tucked into some tasty baked treats at the charity bake sale.

THE EMANUEL EXPO Dr G Ni Cheallaigh SMT Associate & Teacher of MFL The weekly Expo events are an opportunity for pupils from all year groups to do that through participating in regular super-curricular activities. Expo is an integral part of the ‘no-limits learning’ ethos of academic stretch, challenge and enrichment at Emanuel which underpins our new Inspired Learners Award and encourages pupils to Explore – Experiment – Exceed expectations within the classroom and more importantly, beyond.We aim to instil in our learners a habit of intellectual curiosity and passion that will lead to lifelong enrichment, happiness and success.

Learn more

SUSTAINABILITY

GARDENING CLUB

EMANUEL ECO EXPRESS

Miss S Wells Head of Year 6 / Teacher of Biology

Mrs H Hawkridge Environmental Lead

This term, gardening club has been very busy in the eco-garden. Pupils have been sowing seeds including: lettuce, radish, pak choi and herbs as well as making plant labels to identify the seedlings. Pupils have also made fat cakes for the birds, providing them with some extra food for the cold months.

The Emanuel Eco Committee have launched their first ever pop-up eco refill shop to help tackle single-use plastic and waste. Before our onsite Year 7 parents evening they sold over 56 portions of washing-up liquid, laundry liquid, hand soap and shower gel, as well as lots of eco friendly soap bars.The wonderfully bright Emanuel Eco Express banner was designed by Milo, Year 7, and is made from recycled nylon.

Most recently pupils have started to construct insect hotels in the DT department. When finished, these will be placed in the ecogarden providing extra habitats for insects and helping to boost biodiversity in the area. In the new year we will be looking forward to spring and preparing the raised beds for the many different plants we will be growing.

SUSTAINABILITY TFL GOLD WORKSHOP AWARD Miss S Wells Head of Year 6 / Teacher of Biology

Mrs H Hawkridge Environmental Lead

5 of our students from years 7 to 11 put their heads together with 10 architects and engineers from Elementa Consulting to come up with ideas and solutions on how to make our new building project (science laboratories and refectory) as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

Last academic year the Eco Committee worked closely with TFL on their STARS programme. TFL came into school for several workshops and helped the student body design and implement initiatives to encourage the Emanuel community to travel to school sustainably, actively and responsibly

Lots of forward-thinking designs where shared and investigated such as a zero-waste canteen, a food-growing roof top garden, rain-water recycling and the use of energy harvesting systems powered by solar and wind. Oliver (Year 9) describes how his group came up with ideas to use data from the building to inspire learning and reduce our carbon footprint: “Our group thought about how we could make the building a ‘living laboratory’, including collecting data from a weather station positioned on the second floor. We also want to use seaweed-based wrapping materials in the canteen below. Furthermore, we thought about the ways our food is wasted and how to reuse that as biomass fuels, composting or combusting this to generate energy for the building”.

by championing walking, scooting and cycling to reduce congestion and improve road safety and air quality. Approaches included giving assemblies to promote the benefits of active travel, spot prizes to students who walked and cycled to school during Eco Week and monitoring air quality by looking at the indicator species lichen. We achieved an incredible shift to see over 90% of the Emanuel pupils travelling to school actively and therefore were awarded both Silver and Gold accreditation within the year. A fantastic achievement for the Eco Committee.

OVER 4000 TREES PLANTED Mrs H Hawkridge Environmental Lead On behalf of the Eco committee, Emanuel School has partnered with Ecologi, which is a company specialising in helping offset CO2 emissions. Over the October half-term, we had three trips to Rome, Barcelona the Netherlands, and whilst the benefits of exploring other cultures and sites is extensive and an important part of education, we are not oblivious to the impacts this has on our climate. To support a more sustainable future, for all trips we are now calculating what each pupil’s carbon footprint will be, and asking families for a voluntary contribution to the Emanuel Forest to help offset these emissions. The Eco committee is thrilled to announce families have already contributed enough to plant 875 trees and support two projects in Peru and Thailand (protecting the Tambopata-Bahuaja Biodiversity Reserve in Peru and a wind power project in Thailand)!

CO-CURRICULAR

UK SPACE DESIGN COMPETITION

FILM IN A WEEK Mrs J Dunley Head of Film

Mr T Jones Senior Librarian & Archivist

This term, our first cohort of ten Film Studies students have started producing their own 5-minute films for the coursework component of the A-Level course. Over the last few weekends, students have been borrowing specialist filmmaking kits from the school to complete their individual film shoots. We have been so impressed with the professional approach that the students have taken towards their film productions, their excellent teamwork, and the quality of the material that they have captured. Huge thanks to all the parents and friends of our students who have provided support and have appeared in these films!

Twelve Y12 pupils put in an incredible 12 hour shift on Saturday 2nd December for the UK Space Design Competition at Imperial College London. This is a fantastic challenge that saw them designing a hypothetical mining base on the moon! During this trip, I learnt how to better communicate with people I ’d never spoken to before about things I knew little about. I found competing in the UK Space Design incredibly rewarding, as I was learning and collaborating with others. Additionally, working together at Condor represented what it would be like to work for an engineering firm in the future. This included doing research about the way certain things work, how many parts would be needed, and the most cost-effective way to implement these parts. Finally, I learnt that doing things in a simple manner is often far better than trying to overengineer something, as it leads to confusion from everyone. Despite not being awarded the contract, I still found participating in it extremely rewarding. I hope that I am allowed to participate again next year, as it was a lot of fun. William - Year 12

Sixth volunteers continue to represent LIFE EDUCATION Lower young people on the LMK Youth Advisory RUBIX CUBE Board and have been doing some incredible Mr R Kothakota work raising awareness of the charity, COMPETITION Deputy Head Pastoral

We continue to work closely with the charity Let Me Know and welcomed nine passionate presenters to deliver a workshop to Y9 pupils on how to build happy lives through healthy relationships. The charity aims to empower young people and the workshop equipped pupils with knowledge on healthy and unhealthy behaviours within relationships. Through group discussions, real life scenarios and self-reflections, pupils in year 9 developed practical tools and strategies to help themselves and others navigate relationship situations.

fundraising and pitching to organisations for financial support for the charity. Current Year 11 pupils will have the opportunity should they wish to apply to be a volunteer on YAB next academic year, details will be shared with pupils at the end of the examination period. We are also working in collaboration with them as they look to introduce relationship ambassadors within schools, this is an exciting project and opportunity to continue to educate and increase the awareness of the importance of healthy relationships.

Miss Taylor Teacher of Mathematics 3 Emanuel students went away to a Rubix Cubing Tournament in Belgium. At the competition, they met the second fastest speedcuber in Europe and the 8th in the entire world. They were competing against some of the best of the best and we did quite well. One of the students even made a YouTube video documenting the adventure. Thomas (Year 8): We took the train to Zottegem and started

getting ready for the competition. After a quick stop at domino’s pizza, we headed to the competition.When we arrived, there were 100 people competing. We did some practice on timers and then went for our briefing. We were then sent to a waiting area. The first event was 3×3 and Timothy and I were in the same group. Individually we were called up and we started our solves. Overall, Tim had the best average with about 37 seconds. And I had the best single with 29 seconds. Diego also managed to complete his goal as he was aiming for an average of sub 50 which he convincingly did with 48 seconds. One of the top speedcubers in the world, Twan Dullemond was also there, and we all managed to get him to sign our cubes. I also competed in 2×2 with an average of 9 seconds. This being our first official competition I think we did quite well.

PERFORMING ARTS - MUSIC

Music at Emanuel

DJ EVENT AT XOYO NIGHTCLUB

WANT TO LEARN AN INSTRUMENT?

Mr C Janz Director of Music

From the violin to the trumpet, electric guitar to bassoon, classical piano to DJ-ing, there is something for everyone.You can even pay for a single trial lesson before committing to lessons on an instrument..

The Emanuel DJ pupils took over one of London’s top nightclubs: XOYO. The afternoon started with pupils from Sacred Heart Primary School who have been learning how to DJ through our Primary Ambitions Programme. This was their first time, perhaps unsurprisingly, in a nightclub and they absolutely loved the experience. In the evening, we welcomed just shy of 250 people who raved the night away to our Emanuel DJs. Towards the end of the set, we were joined by award-winning DJ Loéca who bought an amazing vibrancy and excitement to the mosh pit. Thank you to everyone who supported the evening.

Email music@emanuel.org.uk to find out more.

EVENSONG AT ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

A BEATLES CELEBRATION Mr C Janz Director of Music

Mr C Janz Director of Music

On Thursday 2nd March, we welcomed 265 parents and staff to enjoy a wide variety of arrangements played by the department’s ensembles. We heard from our symphony orchestra, concert band, percussion group, string ensemble, choirs, rock bands and jazz band. There were fantastic solos from Lauren (Year 8) in the choir’s medley, from Tallulah (Year 10), Donald (Year 13) and Margot (Year 13) in the orchestral medley, and from Matthew (Year 11) playing the famous Penny Lane trumpet solo with Concert Band. Esme (Year 10) sang Eleanor Rigby (accompanied by the Senior Strings) , and Ice (Year 12) re-mixed Within You Without You / Tomorrow Never Knows on the DJ decks. One particular highlight was the final number ‘Hey Jude’ featuring our rock band, choir, symphony orchestra and, for the ‘na, na, nas’ the whole audience!

On Monday 6 November, the Emanuel School Choir enjoyed the honour of singing Evensong

PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT RECEIVE NATIONAL RECOGNITION Mr S Turner Deputy Head: Co-curricular, Partnerships and Admissions We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we have won the Independent Schools of the Year Award 2022 for Performing Arts (Music & Drama) category. With eight productions a year covering all year groups,a whole school musical and two companies that go to the Edinburgh Fringe, Emanuel pupils have an extraordinary range of opportunities available to them. In total, this year, over 300 pupils will be involved in school productions. All performances are exclusively run by Emanuel pupils who operate lighting, sound and AV as well as stage managing and designing the entire show with staff on hand to offer support.

The music department offers a stunning range of curricular and co-curricular opportunities in classical, jazz, rock, and music production. Performances range from informal Performers’ Platforms to larger-scale events at the Clapham Grand, Ministry of Sound, Omeara, and in our very own Hampden Hall! ABRSM and Rockschool examinations run from Grade 1 through to Diploma levels. Our film and media department offers pupils the chance to work on a broad range of projects. Pupils have the chance to work independently on animation pictures, and in small groups to produce Emanuel News bulletins and submissions for the annual house film competition. The headmaster has said: ‘We are so pleased ro receive this award, reflecting the incredible sense of talent, enjoyment, and dedication in the school.’

at St Paul’s Cathedral. The choir sang responses by Richard Ayleward, a setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D minor by Thomas Walmisley, and S.S. Wesley’s anthem ‘Blessed be the God and Father’, with Vanessa (Year 13) singing the solo with breath-taking control and beauty. The choir sang with great panache and, as ever, we were supported by a considerable number of parents, staff and tourists. My thanks to Mr Gregory for accompanying the choir on the organ with consummate élan.

PERFORMING ARTS - DRAMA

Drama at Emanuel

YEAR 7 & 8 PLAY: WENDY & PETER PAN Ms Graves Head of Co-Curricular Drama 72 students from Year 7 and 8 have been working extremely hard in rehearsals since January on their productions of ‘Wendy and Peter Pan’. This new version of JM Barrie’s classic story by Ella Hickson puts Wendy at

ONCE THE MUSICAL Mr Norton-Smith Director in Residence Over 40 students from Year 10-13 were involved either on or offstage in the redesigned Hampden Hall as performers dazzled audiences with their sensitive, detailed and heartfelt performances in this year’s senior musical, Once from 15th-17th March 2023. The level of talent was extraordinary, as students sang, danced, acted, designed and rigged lights, called cues, mixed sound levels, filmed, stage managed and totally owned their individual and collective roles.

the centre of the story, transforming her from damsel in distress to hero in charge of her own adventure. The students did a fantastic job performing this technically challenging play: from perfecting difficult lifts to represent the flying, to performing emotionally complex monologues. Each and every cast member showed dedication and skill whilst performing to sold out audiences both nights. A huge congratulations to all involved!

Student actors, technicians, musicians, and film crew blew audiences away with their commitment and maturity, creating performances that wouldn’t be out of place on any professional stage in the country for nuance, enthusiasm and dedication to challenging subject matter and narratives. Having started rehearsals in October, Once was a colossal effort from students and staff in Drama and Music and was a fantastic achievement by all. With dazzling choreography, firecracker dialogue and heartbreaking ballads it was a privilege to sit in the packed-out, three-sided auditorium, equipped with sofas for show week! All students should be proud of their achievements, and we look forward to the next production.

G.’s compelling Chorus Leader. The stage

OEDIPUS AND and technical aspects of the show have been led brilliantly by our fantastic production ANTIGONE” – teams: Emma M., Kashmir K., Eva S., Lucas Emma R., Macsen M., Grace H., Hope THE SENIOR PLAY W., S., Alex T., Catherine B., Millie Q., Mia D.,

Mr Winer Director in Residence

A huge congratulations to everyone involved in the Senior Play! The cast, crew and creative teams have done a tremendous job with productions of Oedipus and Antigone which we are delighted have played to sold-out audiences. The cast have delivered breathtaking performances, working collaboratively as our two Greek ensembles, with stunning lead performances from Theo S., Marina P. and Clara T. Rachel W. and Oscar T. have given (much needed!) comic-relief, and there’s been some exceptional work from Oedipus’ Chorus, with Scarlett L.’s chilling monologue and Eva

and Finn S., overseen by Miss Kerstein and Miss Marcoveccio. A particular well done on getting the 45-minute set change down to 18-minutes by opening night (apologies from Mr Winer and Mr Maskell for creating two very different but equally complicated worlds!!). There have been tonnes of comments about the incredible set and costume design, thanks to Miss Gu, as well as Miss Marcovecchio, Ice D., and Finn S.’s haunting sound and lighting design. A huge thank you as well to the fabulous catering team for looking after our audiences during the interval, Mr Skinner for all his support with video and filming, as well as everyone who has helped front of house and backstage.

SPORT

SCHOOLS HEAD OF THE RIVER RACE

INTERNATIONAL NETBALL CALL UP Earlier this month 91 Emanuel pupils raced Mr T Liversage Head of Rowing

in 18 crews at the Hampton Head of the river race. Hampton Head sees over 1800 school and club rowers compete in the Thames valley region. Emanuel rowers were in full force and saw the U14 rowers take part in their first British rowing race. Every crew put in a great performance and represented Emanuel sport extremely well! Over 300 boats raced the 3km course. Schools & clubs from the south of England competed and the following Emanuel crews came away with exceptional results:

Miss J Fowler Head of Netball Congratulations to Year 11, Freya, who gained her first international cap for the Republic of Ireland against the Northern Irish development squad. ROI had a convincing win, 68-19 with Freya playing a GA for half the game and shooting extremely well.

3rd Isaac (Year 13) and Sam (Year 12) 2nd girls j15 four 3rd girls second eight 3rd boys coxed four 5th girls pairs 3rd boys j15 four

A SUCCESSFUL FOOTBALL SEASON

U15S GIRLS CRICKET CUP VICTORY

Mr C Leigh Director of Football

Mr W White Head of Cricket

There was a jammed packed football schedule in Spring Term. A highlight was when Emanuel played some fantastic competitive matches vs Vaughan Memorial School with 90 boys in Year 8-11 taking part The photo right features our U14A side after a thrilling 4-3 win!

Daisy (Captain) and Martha (Y9) started the innings off to a brisk start against a strong Alleyns side. Ruby helped push the score onto 60-1 just after the halfway stage, with a big score on the cards.

Well done to everyone involved

Alleyns showed their class and fought back to restrict Emanuel to 86 off their 20 overs.

NATIONAL ROWING REGATTA SUCCESS Mr T Liversage Head of Rowing Over 70 Emanuel rowers from Years 9-13 raced at the National Schools Regatta and Junior championships at Dorney lake, Eton. 156 schools and clubs competed over the weekend and over 1100 boats from across the country took to the water.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Mrs F Low Director of Hockey

A huge well done to Isaac and Sam who won gold in Championship Pairs

Overall, it was a excellent performance over the 3 day regatta for the rowing club. •

5 A finals, placing 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th 1 win in B final 2nd place in B final

Emanuel secured a fantastic1-0 victory in a competitive fixture against Ibstock School in our ‘Friday Night Lights’ fixture.

• •

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Zara (Y9), Flora, Aoife, Daisy and Eliza all bowled well to take the game down the final four overs. Needing 3 runs from 4 Overs with 6 wickets the Emanuel girls turned it all around In an instant. Eliza (Y9) bowled the last over with 1 run required to win the game and with some excellent fielding (3 run outs) Emanuel managed to keep the game going right down the last ball. The scores were tied for the last ball and Ruby who was on great form behind the stumps, threw down the stumps to run out the last batter by the tightest of margins. Emanuel progressed via losing few wickets when they batted as the scores were tied. A fantastic game played by both sides, Alleyns will continue to be a great fixture for our girls in coming years and we look forward to the challenge.

SPORT AT EMANUEL

SPORT

MCC ANNUAL FIXTURE Mr W White Director of Cricket We were pleased to host the MCC for their annual fixture this week. This is a highlight in the cricket calendar and we were pleased to welcome a number of supporting OEs. The game began at 11.00 and batting first the MCC put together a strong total against some spirited bowling from the XI. Nevertheless, the boys felt very confident at tea after a solid start. Alas, after the break wickets fell steadily and Emanuel fell short of the target despite good contributions from Lars and Kit in particular.

LONDON BOROUGH ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS Mrs K Smith Director of Sport A great day at Battersea Park Arena was had for the London Borough Athletic Championships!

GIRLS’ FOOTBALL - NATIONAL A very well done to all 22 of our year 9-11s TOURNAMNET who took part. We won 13 individual medals and won silver in the inters boys relay but most importantly enjoyed a great day of athletics in the sunshine.

Mr C Leigh Director of Football Emanuel U13 had a fantastic afternoon over at Claremont Fan Court School in the Smiths Construction U13 Tournament!

TENNIS AT EMANUEL

STRONG RUGBY SEASON

Miss K Smith Director of Sport

Mr G Ross Director of Rugby

A brilliant first tennis match for our mixed U15 side v Kinston Grammar, with a close loss for Emanuel School, finsihing 5-7. Willow and Alex won 3 sets from 4. Well done all!

The rugby season has got off to a strong start and we were really pleased to play senior fixtures against Worth School for the first time.They proved to be excellent opponents with all of the teams enjoying some very competitive matches.

Tennis is a growing sport at Emanuel and we have for the first time, entered the prestigious Independent Schools Tennis Association Championship. This high-level tournament takes place at Eton College between 1st and 4th July.

Director of Rugby, Mr Ross, who has joined the school this term says of the season so far: ‘I have been really impressed with the resilience and attitude of the players since

the variety of training available, enabling more EMANUEL GYM pupils to learn and develop. Coaching during session will now look to challenge, REFURBISHMENT every educate, support and empower kids, enabling Miss K Smith Director of Sport The recent refurbishment of the Fives Courts has created a gym space that is lighter and more inviting than ever before. Whilst the updated equipment has increased

them to get more from every exercise and be ready for any physical task that comes their way, sporting or otherwise. Don’t just watch this space…Get involved!

We are extremely proud of our first-ever girl’s football team to have represented Emanuel in a national school tournament, playing with such energy and passion! joining at the start of the term. We have played some tough, physical opponents but their commitment and desire to play to the final whistle has always been evident. All of the teams are beginning to showcase their skill sets to adapt to a new style of play that we’re trying to bring in. I am very excited to see how we apply our learning from the first block of fixtures into the next half term block. Thank you so much to parents who have been able to come and support.‘

TRIPS LIST

Y6 RESIDENTIAL TRIP TO JUNIPER HALL

Y11 GEOGRAPHY TRIP TO SWANAGE Freya Year 11

Miss S Wells Teacher of Biology and Head of Year 6

Our geography field trip got off to a great start as by the time we arrived in Poundbury, our first destination, the rain had disappeared, and the sun was shining. We explored this interesting town: it was modern, but the buildings had been carefully designed to match other towns within Dorchester. It almost seemed a bit too perfect, in a way that made it feel unreal- like something from a film set. The next day we headed down to Swanage Bay and began the investigations into the flood management of the area. I really enjoyed the coastal scenery as we walked along to Old Harry’s Rock, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which definitely lived up to the expectations (despite the winds which almost blew some of us off the cliff- only joking, we followed careful health and safety rules!). One of the best parts of this field trip was the evenings, spending time with friends playing table tennis, pool, and table football- to top it off was a fantastic curry and apple crumble.

TRIPS & VISITS

The Year 6 residential trip to Juniper Hall has been a blast! Pupils took part in a range of different activities including orienteering, building shelters and bush craft survival skills in the evening pupils made their own national anthems for a mini Olympics. They thoroughly enjoyed the hot weather and playing football and games in the spare time!

If you are thinking of a holiday trip within England, then I would definitely recommend Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove, which we visited on Sunday.The views were spectacular, beaches were beautiful and there’s a very nice village café which sells good pasties (tried and tested by me).

A big thank you to the teachers that helped make the trip really fun and gave up their weekend for us. The trip also really helped to consolidate and expand our knowledge, especially for paper 3 for our Geography GCSE.

Y10 BATTLEFIELDS TRIP Mr S Jones Head of History 44 Y10 historians visited the First World War battlefields of Flanders and the Somme.

YEAR 6 ACTIVITY DAY

an obstacle course, invasion games and a scavenger hunt. Pupils also designed an egg parachute which they tested at the end of the day- this provided much entertainment!

Ms S Wells Head of Year 6

Izzy and Sujay (6UAC) said:

On Friday 23rd September,Year 6 took part in an Activity Day with ActivCamp at Blagdons. After a rainy start to the day the clouds parted and pupils got involved in lots of exciting team-building activities including

“The activity day was a really great opportunity to interact with other members of the year group. It was a really fun day and our highlights were the invasion games because it was fast paced and we learned how to work together

as a team.The obstacle course was great as it was different to a normal assault course as we had to get water from one end of the course to another using only a cup.We had to go under a net and around cones and under and over obstacles- I discovered I could hula hoop! The funniest part of the day was when we were dropping the egg parachutes and a big gust of wind pushed the egg into the gutter.The leaders were also very fun.”

greatly improved our language proficiency.

Spanish vocabulary over delicious paellas and

in cultural activities including flamenco dancing and paella making which were incredibly fun. We tasted local food such as bocadillos and churros in the small restaurants around town which were delicious (and at a good price!) and looked around the charming boutiques and market stalls that lined the narrow, colourful streets of Nerja.

mountains called Frigillana that was steeped in history and natural beauty.Additionally, our visit to the Picasso Museum in Málaga was also an enriching cultural experience.

GCSE SPANISH patatas bravas at lunch. Over the course of 5 days, not only did we TRIP TO MÁLAGA speak Spanish with locals, but we also took part One afternoon we visited a scenic village in the

Alice Year 10

During the October half term, a group of GCSE students studying Spanish embarked on a journey to Nerja, a picturesque village nestled along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, with the aim of improving or knowledge of the language and culture of Spain. Each morning we had Spanish lessons which were both educational and enjoyable and

Our host families not only provided us with comfortable accommodations, but they were very kind and chatty and we learnt a lot of new

On the last day, we were all sad to say bye to this charming village, its friendly locals, and the great weather, but we had an amazing experience we will never forget.Thank you Ms. Zaratiegui and Mr. Barker!

Two students laid a wreath at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate. Students also visited the graves of a number of Old Emanuels who lost their lives during the war as well as the resting places of the ancestors of two of the group. Students also caught a glimpse of the classic one-day GentWevelgem cycle race.

TRIPS & VISITS

CLASSICS TRIP TO SICILY: THE ITALIAN JOB

YEAR 9 LATIN CHRISTMAS TRIP TO BATH

Mr M Morrison Teacher of Classics

40 Year 11 and Year 13 Latin and Classical Civilisation students enjoyed a fabulous week in Sicily! They rode a Jeep up a thunderstormy Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe; they visited the Valley of the Temples and Ear of Dionysius, famous from the most recent Indiana Jones film; they explored the captivating seaside town of Ortygia and viewed the stunningly detailed mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale. An amazing trip was had by all, touring Syracuse, Taormina, Morgantina, Agrigento, Piazza Armerina and more, and staying in two hotels, complete with pizza, gelato and the obligatory clown horns. venimus, vidimus,VICIMUS!

60 Year 9 Latin students had a fabulously festive trip to Bath on 21st November, with the next batch of 65 visiting on the 27th. They visited the steamy Roman Baths, once home to the ‘haruspex’ Memor and his evil overseer Salvius, explored the Christmas Market and had a walking tour of the city led by Mr Adams.

HOCKEY TRIP TO BARCELONA

FIELD WEEK 2023

Miss Low Deputy Director of Sport

Mr S Turner Deputy Head In the last week of the summer term pupils across the school took part in our annual Field Week. This saw us dispense with our usual timetable in favour of a wide variety of trips, expeditions, workshops and outreach work. In total, we had 480 pupils away on residential trips to Paris, the Isle of Wight, Rhineland, Normandy, Amsterdam, Brussels, the New Forest and the Belgium Battlefields. There were day trips to London Zoo, Kew Gardens, the L’Oreal Science Museum, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Andrew Simpson sailing Centre, Chessington World of Adventures, the Science Museum and a graffiti tour of Shoreditch. In school, some of Year 10 pupils had life skills lesson on car maintenance, bike maintenance, managing finance and yoga. They also took part in a wide variety of partnership and community activities with pupils from our local primary schools taking them on day trips and leading book fairs.

Year 8 - Paris

Year 7 - Rhineland

Year 7 - Normandy

Year 9 - Brussels

Year 9 - Amsterdam

Year 10 - Reading

Guildford High School. That experience and EMANUEL racing nous was crucial to Emanuel’s success this year: the school’s medal haul included six SKI individual podium finishes and three team CHAMPIONSHIPS podium finishes – easily eclipsing the school Ms L Fitzgibbon Deputy Head of Middle School The Emanuel Ski Team, composed of twentythree elite skiers from Year 8 to Year 13, enjoyed a fantastic week of racing in Sestriere at the end of a busy Autumn Term. Many of the team were returning participants with prior experience of competing against the likes of Whitgift, St Edwards Oxford, and

record of five pieces of silverware set last year.

All students involved should be congratulated on a brilliant trip. The Emanuel Ski Team continues to go from strength to strength; bring on the next trip!

At the start of half term 40 hockey players from Year 8 and Year 9 embarked on an adventure to Barcelona.We played 6 matches over 4 days against local opposition with some fantastic hockey displayed in some tight games. We also got to explore the sights of Barcelona as well as enjoy some time on the beach. It was a successful tour with lots of great memories made on and off the pitch.

OUTREACH & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

YEAR 6 ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME WITH PARTNER SCHOOLS

Y4 FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT WITH FULHAM FC FOUNDATION

Ms L Irwin Head of Community Partnerships & Outreach

Throughout the year, we undertake multiple partnership initiatives in addition to Primary Ambitions. We have worked closely with Christ Church CofE Primary for many years, and more recently with John Burns, on a variety of projects including the joint Year 6 enrichment programme. The goal for these enrichment sessions is for the pupils from the three schools to collaborate on an enjoyable project where they can develop new friendships, be creative, learn new skills and have something to show for it at the end. On 12th October, we welcomed pupils from Christ Church and John Burns to join our children for a day of drama.They learned and practised new skills and began work on an ambitious production of Macbeth, including practice sword fighting and the ultimate death scene! We are looking forward to the second rehearsal and performance on 12th November.

PARTNERSHIP WEEK 2023

On 1 December, we hosted a seven-aside football tournament forYear 4 pupils from our partner schools. Fulham Football Club Foundation, one of our community partners, joined us to run the tournament and provided referees and organisers, goals, balls, cones and multiple prizes. Referees gave out wrist bands as spot prizes for teamwork and sportsmanship too.

Year 6 enrichment programme with partner schools

PRIMARY AMBITIONS Ms L Irwin Head of Community Partnerships & Outreach Primary Ambitions, our flagship Lower Sixthled primary school focused enrichment programme for partner school Year 6 pupils,

is going strong. Our pupils have grown in confidence and skill over the course of the 20-week programme and are now delivering the 19 different modules including Robotics, Drama, Filmmaking and Science, exceptionally. Each week 285 primary school pupils, from schools in our local community with high percentages of children qualifying for free school meals, come on site enabling us to deliver 5700 enrichment hours over the year.

The standard of football was impressive - we had some stunning goals and a nailbiting penalty shoot-out! There was great team camaraderie and enthusiastic fan support. For many of the children it was their first experience competing for their school - and they loved it! The trophy and plate competitions were hotly contested – St Anne’s Primary secured the trophy in a very competitive final; and Park Walk Primary won the plate. We were delighted that mascot Billy, the Badger, joined us too. He was a complete hit with the children – and the adults - and a wonderful addition to the event. We will hold additional tournaments in the Spring and Summer terms.

Ms L Irwin Head of Community Partnerships & Outreach The Independent School Council’s 2023 Celebrating Partnerships booklet was published on 27 November to mark the start of Partnership week. The booklet showcases the incredible partnership work taking place between state and independent schools and highlights the transformative impact of these collaborations. We are delighted to be included in the booklet again this year for our Ukrainian Coffee and Conversation Hub.

Billy the Badger - FFC Foundation

SUPPORTING CHARITIES Lara 9HB This Autumn term has been a whirlwind of events . At the start of the year, we helped put together the Years 6, 7, and 8 discos, which were both huge successes, and counted towards House points for Nelson,

Marlborough and Howe. Upon return from half term, we collected huge amounts from generous parents attending Showstoppers, and helped with House Drake’s Halloween treat sale. The term finished with the always impressive annual holiday fair. There was a craft sale, hot chocolate, music, a raffle, and Mario Kart. Although it was as busy as going Christmas shopping in December, it was a hit with all who attended.

OUTREACH & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

EMANUEL IN THE COMMUNITY BOOKLET Ms L Irwin Head of Community Partnerships & Outreach We are please to share with you our inaugural Emanuel School in the Community booklet. The booklet is designed to showcase our community activities in the broadest sense. We highlight our initiatives promoting education equality including Primary Ambitions and Ascent, which involve a large number of pupils, and many others including our crisis support which involves everyone in the Emanuel community – parents, staff and OEs.

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION HUB FOR UKRAINIANS Ms L Irwin Head of Community Partnerships & Outreach We are thrilled that our Coffee and Conversation Hub is up and running again after the summer break. We are planning to meet on alternative Saturdays from 10.00 am to 11.30 am throughout the school year. Based on attendance last term, we are expecting 40+ Ukrainian adults and children to join us each week. They meet with Emanuel parent and pupil volunteers (including Ukrainian speakers) to network and hone their English skills. We typically invite guest speakers including Wandsworth Citizens’ Advice to help with skills development, benefits, education and housing. Other organisations including Battersea Power Station’s BASE programme and Work Match are planned for this term. Thanks to our wonderful parent volunteers,

We illustrate how pupils and staff are making a difference in our community through the charities that we support, our Duke of Edinburgh scheme and more. We indicate how we are promoting social inclusion though the Archer Advisory Group, Prism, our work with the elderly and young people with disabilities and how we support the vulnerable members of our community. We also address our activities surrounding the environment and sustainability.

EMPOWHER Ms L Irwin Head of Community Partnerships & Outreach

Scan here to read our community booklet

Our intent is to provide everyone within our local community a deeper understanding of the breadth and depth of our activities within our school and our neighbourhood.We hope you find it an interesting and informative read. If you are eager to learn more or are interested in being involved, please get in touch at community@emanuel.org.uk , we would love to hear from you.

we are able to offer free places at 12 Rounds Boxing for Ukrainian women and girls and are looking forward to additional excursions to St Paul’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. We continue to work with Southbank College, again through a wonderful parent connection, to provide English lessons. The Hub will run six times in the Autumn term from 10.00 am to 11.30 am on Saturdays. It is open to everyone in our Wandsworth community. The remaining dates are November 5th, 12th, 19th; and December 10th. If you are interested in supporting the Hub through volunteering, job opportunities, cultural exchanges or activity ideas, we would love to have your help.

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The Hub is brilliant. It is our only opportunity to meet other Ukrainians as well as to practise English and learn more about British culture. Hub participant

Statistics

285 weekly participants

216 GCSE booster hours for partner schools

1140 primary pupils participating in Primary Ambitions

Coffee and conversation hub for Ukrainians

32 partner schools

We have partnered with Fulham FC Foundation (FFCF) for a number of years. They deliver our partner school Year 4 football tournaments each term which are brilliant fun and provide opportunities for 120 girls and boys to represent their schools, learn about working together as a team and develop some new skills. We also host their disability football sessions on Monday and Friday evenings on our mini astro. These sessions are well attended by teens and young adults – our sessions are the most popular across the borough. The redevelopment of the All Weather Pitch has provided us with the opportunity to expand our relationship further. We have launched EmpowHER – a programme designed to inspire and empower young women through holistic sports-driven activities. EmpowHER is centred on football – each session focuses on technical skills development, topic challenges, small-sided games and debriefs. Women’s football is on the ascendancy and our Thursday evening sessions are attended by 70 plus girls, 16 of whom are part of EmpowHER. The latter is set to increase to 24 girls as we develop the programme further. The EmpowHER programme is designed to be high impact. In addition to the coaching sessions, we will include inspirational women speakers, 1-2-1 mentors, careers talks and educational workshops. Our aim is to inspire and empower young women to make positive life choices. We will be reaching out for speakers, work experience opportunities and more. All very exciting!

Find out more

GIANT STRIDES Mrs A Van Es Head of Alumni Relations and Stewardship In November 2022, we launched our largest ever philanthropic campaign, Giant Strides, to support: • •

Capital projects – developing and transforming our site and facilities. Free places – offering more fully funded places than ever before.

Giant Strides will allow us to transform our educational offering and provide invaluable opportunities to children at Emanuel and in our local community. We will create inspiring spaces for teaching and learning across the specialist teaching areas, sport, and the creative/performing arts, as well as making more funded places available in the years ahead.

CAPITAL PROJECTS Sixth Form Centre The first phase of our capital development was the expansion of our Sixth Form Centre. Opened in autumn 2022, the extension provides 50% more space, which has enabled us to provide a modern café, common room, group and silent study areas and an assembly/ presentation space. The new facility means that the expert support we provide sixth formers – from higher education advice to careers guidance and pastoral care - is all located in one space and in an environment more aligned with the next stage of their lives.

Proposed New Science Building Off Site Sports Ground at Raynes Park Phase 1 of our Off Site Sports Ground is now complete. The new All Weather Pitch and cricket nets were opened at the beginning of the 2023 school year with a wonderful celebration of sport. Our sports facilities are very busy throughout the week with training and fixtures. We run over 1,000 inter-school fixtures each year. At

the heart of our offering is an understanding that sport provides opportunities for improving health and fitness, boosting wellbeing, and developing character. Further developments at our off-site sports ground are now underway and include, subject to planning permission, three purpose-built netball and tennis courts and an upgraded pavilion. New Science and Dining building We are excited to be progressing the new Science and Dining building with the submission of our planning application at the end of last year.

FREE PLACES We are committed to providing an exceptional education to the most talented children regardless of background or financial circumstances.As it was in 1594, widening access remains at the core of Emanuel’s priorities. In the 2023/24 academic year, we have awarded a fully funded place (100% fees) to 14 deserving pupils through the generosity of philanthropy. Our aim, supported by our community partnership initiatives, is to increase this significantly, ensuring we can support any young person with distinctive promise on a funded place.

“The bursary programme allowed me to experience the great co-curricular facilities at Emanuel. I grew as a musician and as a wellrounded person as a result of the welcoming community. I’ve always had high aspirations for life, and attending Emanuel made these aspirations seem more achievable.” Bursary recipient

A good education has the power to change the trajectory of a person’s life. I am proud to see the school doing so much to improve children’s life opportunities. Markus Jaigirder Chair of Governors and former pupil

EMANUEL.ORG.UK/SUPPORT-US/GIANT-STRIDES

A LEGACY OF LEARNING

AN INCREDIBLE DONATION TO THE EMANUEL SCHOOL BOAT CLUB

In the 2024/25 academic year, we will be awarding a new bursary to a pupil joining us in Year 7 thanks to the generosity and foresight of Old Emanuel (OE) Captain Rex Cooper who left the school a significant legacy when he died in October 2022. Rex’s legacy provision will provide a transformative free place to a pupil who would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend Emanuel. Rex was hugely appreciative of the grammar school education he received at Emanuel and it was important to him to give another child the academic and co-curricular opportunities he enjoyed.

Mr T Liversage Director of Rowing

We are extremely grateful to the Dangour family for making this exceptional contribution. The new boat saw us successfully competing at the top level with four girls and a boy making A finals in a championship event at National Schools, a feat not seen for the last 10 years. “I am very grateful to Emanuel School Boat Club for helping my family honour my father in this way and I wish the boat and all who ride in her safety, happiness and, of course, speed!”

Just before February half term, the Dangour family made an incredible donation to the Boat Club by part funding the purchase of the new boys’ coxed four in memory of Aboodi Dangour, grandfather to our former Captain of Boats and his brother, both Emanuel pupils. Captain Rex Cooper (OE)

New Sixth Form Cafe

EMANUEL OPENS and parents, narrowly beat the first team despite some very impressive play from the NEW ALL pupils. WEATHER PITCH The All Weather Pitch allows us to offer a Mrs A Van Es Head of Alumni Relations and Stewardship There was a full sporting programme throughout the day to showcase and celebrate sport. The day kicked off with EmpowHER girls’ and disability football tournaments on the new pitch run by Fulham Football Club Foundation which uses our facilities to provide weekly football for underrepresented groups including girls and young people with disabilities. U16 rugby got underway at the same time, with many parents and spectators enjoying the action. The first and second rugby teams clocked up their first wins of the season, beating Christ’s Hospital School. Our hockey teams learnt from the best with an instructive hockey masterclass by Giselle Ansley and Chris Griffiths on the new All Weather Pitch. This was followed by a fiercely competitive 1st XI versus All Stars hockey match. The All Stars team comprising Old Emanuels (OEs), staff

broader range of co-educational sport with provision for netball, tennis, football and hockey, as well as cricket and rugby on the existing pitches.

The development is the just the first phase in upgrading our 14-acre Off Site Sports Ground. Further developments are in progress, including additional cricket wickets, hard courts for tennis and netball by spring 2024 and an upgraded pavilion. Thank you to the donors who have supported us so far. Financial support is vital to developing our site and increasing bursary provision, providing further opportunity to our pupils and the wider community. Please find out more information about Giant Strides, our fundraising campaign, by scanning the QR code on page 14 or by emailing development@emanuel.org.uk

Dangour family outside Emanuel School Boat Club

Dr Alan Dangour

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY

THE ARCHER ADVISORY GROUP Mr S Andrews Teacher of History Summer Term saw the 16th meeting of the Archer Advisory Group, a key pupil voice body at Emanuel School. Prompted by a recorded talk from Dr Shola Apena Rogers of the African Caribbean Education Network, a stimulating discussion left Archerites from Year 8 to Upper Sixth, energised and inspired. If you would like to join the Archer Group, please contact Mr Andrews

PRIDE WEEK Sophia Upper Sixth This year’s Emanuel Pride Week started off with a splash of colour as pupils came into school in their own colourful clothes. In the lead up to Pride Week students of all ages submitted pieces of art inspired by the word ‘Diversity’ using any medium they wished. These were then displayed in an art exhibition on the Dacre balcony which has continued to be showcased, attracting many viewers. Tuesday lunchtime was dominated by the hugely successful Pride Gig in the Hampden Hall.This event saw soloists and

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Mr S Andrews Teacher of History This year’s Emanuel’s Black History Month was brimming with events and activities to illuminate, educate, and inspire. It was a time when we came together as a community to commemorate the profound contributions, struggles, and triumphs of the black community throughout history. The lineup of events is a testament to the diversity and richness of this heritage, offering a tapestry of experiences and perspectives that exemplify the essence of Black History Month. From thought-provoking discussions in the Senior Debating Society, in which students examined the implications of affirmative action, to the Junior Debating Society’s contemplation on the continued relevance of Black History Month, these debates challenged and provoked insightful conversations about our society today. In Prism, we delved into the Queer Black Experience, embracing the intersectionality of identities and voices that are often overlooked. The Drama and Classics A Level

bands perform songs by queer artists and songwriters to a large audience. The gig was wildly successful with many teachers and students performing. A photo booth was also set up as well as a stand selling Pride merchandise, such as shoelaces and pins. Following this, Wednesday saw a break-time rainbow cupcake sale and was followed by a serving of rainbow pasta at lunch! All year groups throughout Pride Week participated in LGBTQ+ – focused life skills sessions. The sixth form received a very informative talk on many topics, such as ways to educate people on queer issues, the lack of inclusivity in spaces such as the men’s Premier league in comparison with the women’s football, the difficulties of growing up queer, the use of more gender neutral language and the specific issues trip to the National Theatre took pupils on a journey exploring complex post-colonial themes and the politics within communities, offering them a window into the intricate dynamics of history. The Law Society illuminated the lives and challenges of black lawyers in history, demonstrating how a legal career can be a powerful means of social mobility and social change. Meanwhile, the Junior History Society’s investigation, inspired by David Olusoga, explored the lives and experiences of migrants to and from Britain, giving pupils a nuanced understanding of migration’s role in our nation’s history. Form Tutor Assemblies using Steve McQueen’s film, Small Axe – The Mangrove Nine, and the Black History Bulletins provided a consistent flow of knowledge and awareness throughout the two weeks. As pupils gathered for screenings and film reviews, they immersed themselves in the rich cultural tapestry of black history. The celebration extended to the literary world, where we delved into Caleb Azumah Nelson’s “Open Water” and Andrea Levy’s “Small Island,” inviting us to explore stories of love, hope, and racial identity. In recognition of the powerful role of media in

faced by young trans people and how to support trans individuals. The sixth form also participated in some form Kahoots on queer trivia created by members of the Prism group. Throughout the week the daily school bulletins have included plenty of recommendations of queer media to listen to, watch and read as well as action to take to support the LGBTQ+ community, such as signing petitions among other things. Many of these book recommendations were displayed in the library for all students to borrow and read.

for organising all these events and thank you to all those who have participated in events this week. Please feel free to visit the LGBTQ+ Pride pages on Firefly which have a large selection of resources, documentaries and other media for all to view and interact with.

Pride Week has been a wonderful experience with many informative, fun and interactive events for all. Thank you very much to Miss Holden and Miss Aitken-Burt

shaping our perspectives, the Media Club Film Screenings provided a selection of animated and live-action short films, serving as windows into diverse narratives and experiences. And, of course, we marked the month with a celebratory lunch, where we came together to honour the rich heritage and indomitable spirit of the black community. This Black History Month, pupils immersed themselves in the mosaic of events and

activities, to embrace the stories and achievements that have shaped our society, and reflected on how we can continue to promote inclusivity, understanding, and equality in our community and beyond. This month was not just a celebration, but a catalyst for positive change and a reminder that black history is an integral part of the tapestry of our shared humanity.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY

THE ATHENA SOCIETY IS BACK

THE IMPORTANCE OF GLOBAL HISTORY

Ms L Aitken-Burt Teacher of Classics, History & Politics

The new school year marked the launch of Athena Society’s third year!

In Sept 2022, Harper Collins published a new series of textbooks called 'Knowing World History'. I pitched and co-authored these four books, writing new units on global topics to bring different perspectives and histories to the KS3 curriculum.

With lots of brand new members across Years 10-13, our second session focused on ‘princesses and patriarchy‘ this week. The recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II made us think about how the young 25 year old queen in 1952 had to navigate the corridors of power that were exclusively filled by men at the time. We considered what attributes a princess are supposedly required to have (beauty, passivity?) and then re-evaluated our views on a range of Disney princesses. Through reading ‘Toxic Royalty: Feminism and the Rhetoric of Beauty in Disney Princess Films’ by Stephanie X. Hu in the Inquiries Journal, we tracked the evolution of Disney princesses from Snow White in 1937 to Moana in 2016. We noticed how the power dynamics of characters were problematic, as well as their unrealistic body types. In many of these films the villains were older or powerful women, creating the dichotomy that a ‘good woman’ must be non-powerful. We also highlighted that often the death of a mother was the cause of a breakdown in society, reinforcing the idea that womanhood is irrevocably tied to raising children. We concluded that there is still much to be done to avoid continued female stereotypes, and sadly heard how young children we know are still being drawn to problematic Disney merchandise. Perhaps we will try to write our own more empowering storyboard for Disney to consider!

BLACK HISTORY MONTH BULLETINS

PRIDE WEEK BULLETINS

INCLUSION PROJECT WITH NEWTON PREP SCHOOL

EMANUEL PRIDE GROUP

Ms L Aitken-Burt Teacher of Classics, History & Politics

Leela and Ilse visited their old school, Newton Prep. The girls gave a talk on the work of the Archer Group, the programme of events for last month’s Black History celebrations and their recent visit to the Palace of Westminster for a meeting with Marsha de Cordova MP. Their overarching theme was the importance of diversity, intersectionality, and pupil voice.

Our Pride group celebrates those members of our community who are LGBTQ+ and aims to increase understanding of awareness of issues related to LGTBQ+ wellbeing and equality. Our annual Pride week sees pupils engaging in Pride themed lessons. For example, learning about how sexuality and gender has been explored through literature in English, the history of the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights in History and learning about LGBTQ+ people of faith in Religious Studies.

This opportunity came about after Leela spoke at a Governors meeting and Ms Hales, Deputy Head of Newton Prep and an Emanuel governor, was so impressed that she invited Leela to talk at her alma mater. Leela and Ilse phographed below.

In Life Education, students have the opportunity to explore the life stories of famous LGBTQ+ people and reflect upon the various successes and challenges they had experienced in life related to their identity.

These are the first textbooks to offer such breadth and scope in a KS3 curriculum that give a narrative of stories told from indigenous perspectives, rather than purely their interactions with Britain. The Medieval Islamic World, African and Chinese kingdoms, Mughal India, indigenous Americans, Ottoman Turkey and Edo Japan to name but a few, all get their voice in these new enquiries. I am very excited to be introducing these global topics to Emanuel students this year. During my research when writing the books, I noticed an intriguing inconsistency with the way in which some cultures have been treated in historical scholarship. For example one of the reasons that African kingdoms have been so relegated in historical research is because of the tradition of oral history rather than written history across much of the continent. Oral history is a source of information about the past found in the stories passed down through the generations, not only by families but by highly skilled orators whose job was to remember vast amounts of information. But the epic stories from Greek and Roman myth, not least of all Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey, were also passed down in this way for centuries. The historians who criticised African cultures for not writing down their history, were failing to remember that the western literature they so idolised also stemmed from an oral tradition. I hope that the new global modules that Emanuel students will now learn about will give them a wider grounding in the history of the world and equip them with better analytical skills for the future.

Higher Education at Emanuel

HIGHER EDUCATION, CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY

FUTURES WEEK Mrs Carpenter-Merritt Deputy Head of Sixth Form Futures week was an exciting opportunity for the lower sixth pupils to learn a range of skills. On the Monday, they were divided into groups and completed a carousel of activities ranging from first aid, mental health first aid and self-defence.The year group battled with the elements on Tuesday as they participated in sailing and other water sports. They persevered through the adverse weather and most of them enjoyed the sailing despite the torrential rain! They had a dedicated day on Wednesday to focus on their higher education journey, completing their UCAS application forms or researching alternative career pathways. On Thursday, they had an entrepreneurship day and had a lecture on artificial intelligence and talks from Ingage and Activ Camps with an entrepreneurial challenge – I think it’s safe to say the cohort are rather competitive! An excellent week where the pupils were able to learn new skills and also reflect on their own strengths and character. I have no doubt these transferable skills will help them in their final year at Emanuel and beyond.

INDIVIDUAL HIGHER EDUCATION Ms J Johnson Head of Sixth Form Oxbridge: Congratulations to our Oxbridge applicants, some of whom are pictured here, for their outstanding success in achieving nine places, the highest number in Emanuel history. Success extracurricular and academic: A huge well done to Hal, one of our U6 leavers today celebrating outstanding A level

CAREERS AND HIGHER EDUCATION CONVENTION Ms E Maclean Head of Careers and Employability Pupils and parents from Year 11 and Lower Sixth were joined by groups of pupils from our community partner schools at the annual ‘Careers and Higher Education Convention’ The school hosted representatives from over 15 universities from across the country including the University of Manchester, the University of Exeter and the University of Leeds, which are among the most popular destinations for pupils.

Professionals in attendance represented careers in a broad range of industries including law, accountancy and medicine, as well as careers in the dramatic arts, music and product design. Alongside the ‘fair style’ event where pupils and their parents were encouraged to circulate the various stands, there was a series of informative talks. The University of Bristol delivered ‘Advice for applying to competitive universities’ and there were a number of subject specific talks including advice, and information on career prospects, for those applying to psychology, engineering and medicine.The sessions on ‘Advice for applying to universities abroad’ and ‘Aspiring to Oxbridge’ supported the growing interest in important specialist areas of higher education applications.

results. As well as working hard to achieve four A* grades, Hal has shown huge commitment to the school’s rugby programme and has represented the Harlequins U18 academy. We wish him very well at Edinburgh where he has a place to study Mathematics. Siblings: Jack and Molly are a great example of sibling success at Emanuel! Celebrating stellar A level grades, they will shortly be off to St Andrews and Oxford respectively, to begin degree courses in Computer Science and English Language and Literature. We wish them and all our U6 leavers the very best for the next steps in their education.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EMANUEL STUDENT Mishka Year 8 Thursday, 7:15am, I park my bike in the cycle area and dash to the aquatics centre for a pre-school swim. After a lightning change of

attire, I head off to registration. 8:40am, our first lesson is ‘Entrepreneurship’. This is something innovative offered by Emanuel, to get us thinking about business and the wider world. 9:20am, back into the pool for PE, waterpolo. I love this because it combines swimming and elements of netball. 10am, suitably refreshed and ready for English, we are studying ScienceFiction this term.The English lesson is divided by break where we enjoy a snack and catch up with friends.

11.35am, Mr Martin always finds a way to inspire us with his assemblies, we have all learned a lot about music through the decades, courtesy of his ‘Beat the Intro’ game! This is followed by lunch at 12pm - we have a wide range of delicious food to choose from, dishes such as Chicken Katzu and Lasagne keep us well fuelled. I head to a music practice room where Mr Stevens is helping me to learn Music Theory. 13:15 over to the languages block for French. Madame Lewis makes our lessons interactive and engaging - especially working on

developing a wide range of French vocabulary. 14:35 the best maths lesson of the week ‘Sparx’.We pit our wits against each other in a race to complete the questions. 15:15, final lesson of the day is Drama. Mr Rogers has built my confidence to perform in front of my peers. 16:00, my after school club is rehearsing for the Year 7&8 play, ‘Mam, There’s a Spaceship in Our Backyard’. I like watching the other students, everyone has a different style.

Emanuel School Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1HS

SPORT

Email: enquiries@emanuel.org.uk Tel: 020 8870 4171 www.emanuel.org.uk emanuel.school @Emanuel_School

1ST XI PLAY AT TWICKENHAM STOOP

ENGLAND FOOTBALL APPEARANCE

TWIN TONS FOR TOM

Mr Ross Director of Rugby

Mr C Leigh Director of Football

Mr J Fuller Year 7 coach and Head of Politics

On the evening of Thursday 4th May, our Upper Sixth leavers played their last game of rugby for the school against Gordon’s School at The Twickenham Stoop, home of premiership rugby team, Harlequins.

Congratulations to Prudie (Y11) who represented ISFA U16s vs Wales Schools FA. The game was highly contested with Wales coming out on top.

Tom (Year 7), playing for the U12A, managed to amass 248 runs in two matches on consecutive days without being dismissed, chasing down two big totals.

Emanuel is very proud of Prudie’s achievements and looks forward to helping her push on with her footballing career.

Having been set 167 for victory against Tiffin on Friday, and with wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end, Tom hit an incredible 145 not out and the game was won inside 14 overs. Tom who is currently representing Middlesex ( and batting at number 11) had never before hit a fifty, and the ferocity combined with strong technique he demonstrated in this onslaught was extraordinary.

The game was well supported by a large number of pupils and parents from both schools. On the pitch, the first half was hotly contested between two very strong sides.After taking an early lead, Gordon’s were reined in by some innovative and determined play from the Emanuel boys. There was only one try in it at half time. Unfortunately, Gordon’s were able to pull away after the break as injury to some key Emanuel players was exploited.The game was a great success, and our thanks go to Harlequins RFC for their hospitability towards the players and supporters.

20 overs, Tom his first ball for an enormous six over square leg. 11 overs later, the game was won and he finished 103 not out to the astonishment of on lookers. Credit too must go to Dougie who acted as a perfect foil. I hope Middlesex realise that he is perhaps a little wasted that low down in the order, and we look forward to watching him continue to develop as he goes through the school.

The next day against Latymer Upper, again chasing down a decent score of 147 from

More sports news on pages 8-9.

SWIMMING SUCCESS Miss K Smith Director of Sport India has been promoted to a performance squad within her swimming club, Teddington. In short this means she will be swimming 8 sessions a week, she currently swims 5 outside of school. Well done, India. We are delighted that Leander Swimming Club now runs the school’s coaching programme.

ALL WEATHER PITCH OPENING Mrs A Van Es Head of Alumni Relations and Stewardship We were delighted to celebrate the opening of our new All Weather Pitch and cricket nets at Blagdon’s, our Off Site Sports Ground, as the new term started.

The All Weather Pitch was officially opened by Councillor Hina Bokhari and the Headmaster with the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate the occasion. They were joined by GB hockey player and Olympic gold medal winner, Giselle Ansley, and hockey

star Chris Griffiths as well as Merton’s cabinet member for sport, Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah. Read the full article on pages 14-15.