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Newsletter A
Letter from the
Headteacher Dear Parents, I hope you will take time to read through this edition of "Alychat" &endash; we publish this newsletter every term so that you can keep in touch with what is going on in your son's school. In this edition you will read much about our top priority &endash; improving the literacy levels of all pupils. Every department in the school is working towards this target, and in this edition you will read of ways in which you can help too. We were delighted to welcome to our school Anthony Horowitz, the leading childrens' author; perhaps a good start would be to ensure that your son has read at least one of his books. He is a very popular writer. As you may know we were one of the first schools to install a computerised system which contacts you when your son is absent from school and we have not been informed. Please make sure you telephone us before 9.30 a.m. so that you will not be troubled by the system during the day. In the early days of this system we did experience some problems with boys who failed to check-in with the office when they arrived late in the morning. Hopefully, boys now realise the importance of getting a late mark, and this certainly seems to be less of a problem now than it was. We are pleased that attendance has improved considerably since we introduced this system. You will know from my previous letter that we are slightly changing the timing of the school day from Monday 8th April 2002. School will begin at 9.00 a.m. and end at 3.40 p.m. There is no difference in the amount of teaching your son will receive. The change is simply part of an agreement with other local schools to stagger the ending of the day so that the buses and bus stops do not become overcrowded. At the moment, most schools in the are finish at exactly the same time. Please make sure that your son does not change his normal time of leaving the house. This will ensure that there is less chance of him coming late to school. Another change from Easter will concern the minority of boys who have to be removed from a lesson as a result of disruption. In future, those boys will be kept in detention for an hour on the day following their removal. This punishment will be in addition to any other punishment they might receive. It is important that boys realise that it is a serious matter to be removed from class, especially in terms of the loss of learning which has occurred, for the offender and for the others in the class. If your son has to attend one of these detentions, he will bring home a letter giving you 24 hours notice of this. As you know we have an enormous debt on our school playing fields &endash; whilst an average of two schools a week sell their playing fields to developers, we have been determined to retain ours. We try all sorts of things to raise money and one of these was a Dinner Dance held here in the school last Saturday, 16th March. It was a great success and raised several thousand pounds. We were delighted to welcome Sir Henry Cooper OBE as our special guest. He entertained all present, particularly with his stories about other boxers, including Mohammed Ali. People were very generous - Sir Henry brought with him a copy of his autobiography which was then auctioned: one of our guests paid £450 for the book which Sir Henry then signed. All in all it was a great evening and raised a lot of much-needed money. Sir Henry also left us with a signed print of the historic moment in 1963 at Wembley Stadium when he "floored" Cassius Clay, as he then was. In a further attempt to raise funds we are offering this 10" x 8" photograph to the highest bidder. If you would like to make a bid, please write to me: The Headmaster, Henry Cooper Bid, St Aloysius' College, Hornsey Lane, London N6 5LY. All bids will be opened at 12 noon on Monday 8th April and the highest bidder will be contacted. The local press will also be carrying this story. You will be pleased to know that we have been awarded a considerable sum of money to renew certain parts of the school. At present we are working with the architects to sort out the fine detail of the work, but expect that builders will begin work here and at the playing fields during the coming weeks. These are exciting developments and are long overdue.
Study Centre News Having said goodbye to the Assistant Librarian, Tom Davies at half term, we are delighted to welcome our new Assistant Librarian, Clare Shave. Already, Clare is fitting into the St. Aloysius' way and the boys know her as a "no-nonsense" woman who gets the job done. She is a valuable asset to the school. This term has been busy and very productive. Mr. Coyle and Mr. Collins have been continuing the compulsory homework club on a Monday and Thursday for Year 11 pupils who need a little extra impetus with coursework and exam work; breakfast club continues to amaze me as up to forty boys wait in the morning for the library to open so that they can play games, read or chat and finally, lunchtime club is a sheer delight. There can be up to seventy boys in the library on computers, playing games, doing homework or reading. The atmosphere is vibrant, positive and fruitful, Indeed, I often take photographs to display on the notice board outside the library as a testimony to their good behaviour. Homework club continues to run each night except Tuesday and this year &endash; more than any other &endash; there have been many boys eager to attend, to complete assignments, research a topic or study quietly. As well as the above, we have just waved goodbye to our yearly book fair. For one week, pupils in Years 7 and 8 have the opportunity of buying books and posters. This year was no exception and in all the boys spent £400. It was also fortunate that World Book day also fell within this time so pupils had £1 book vouchers which they could spend. The coming months should provide for another influx of books and a new batch of games. If you do not encourage your son/ward to visit the Study Centre, please do; it will prove very beneficial to him. A visit by Anthony Horowitz: by Alison Heller
On 22nd February 2002, St. Aloysius' College was very honoured this term to have a visit from Anthony Horowitz, the famous children's author, who met 50 pupils from Years 7 and 8. The visit took place in the library and began at 10 a.m. As soon as every boy was seated, Mr. Horowitz began by discussing his new book which is yet to be published, "Skeleton Key". He allowed the children an insight into how he gets his ideas for his books and who his inspirations are.
The beauty of Horowitz's work is that all of his leading characters are boys; thus, his books inspire some of our boys who are reluctant readers and many more of our pupils who enjoy reading. His most well-known books include "Point Blanc", "Storm Breaker" and "Public Enemy Number Two". For one and a half hours, the pupils behaved impeccably. They asked sensible, thought-provoking questions and Mr. Horowitz answered with enthusiasm. On leaving, Anthony Horowitz remarked that he was absolutely impressed by the boys and their behaviour and was delighted that they seemed so focused for such a long time. Having autographed copies of "Point Blanc" and posed for press photographs, he left a happy man. We were also delighted and many boys stayed behind in the library to reserve his books. Able and Talented Yr. 9 History Trip On the 1st February 1st 2002, this Year 9 group went to see "Doomed Youth" a play about the First World War. Here are their thoughts on the trip:- On Friday 1st February pupils from 9J1 & 9B1 went to view a History production. Yes, I know "how boring", well, you wouldn't say that if you were there. I only was glad to go because it would mean getting off English and French. The production is called "Doomed Youth" it was an exciting and enjoyable way to learn about World War 1. The production is about two 16 year old girls who are maids and two secondary school boys. The two maids want to do something for the war effort. One becomes an ammunition worker and the other a secret worker. One of the school boys wants to be a soldier and does become one, the other hates killing and fights for this but in the end is forced to go to war as someone who rescues men from no man's land. They make the production very futuristic as it is set in 3001 and architects find remains from the Imperial War Museum and wonder what they are. In the end one of the maids dies (the ammunitions worker) and both school boys die. The soldier dies of poisonous gas and the other of blood poisoning. If you are studying World War One, I seriously recommend that you see this production. Michael Ajawole 9TN
As part of our study on World War 1, Year 9 went on a trip to the theatre, to improve our understanding of how things were in this very interesting war. The play, was in the theatre of Bloomsbury in Euston Station. I found the play quite funny and educational. Though it might have got a bit boring in some bits it quickly went to the next and it kept you interested. It made me realize how things actually were in the war. It was about someone who came from the past and saw how things happened in World War 1. It has a 16 year old becoming a soldier because he wanted to fight for his country and his friend who is also 16 who is forced to go to the war. It also shows how women managed in England without the men. Oliver Ortiz 9JL DRAMA DEPARTMENT Ms. Biamis Head of Drama We are currently underway with Year 11 GCSE Performance Exam Preparation and the boys have been working hard to secure a good grade in this subject. We have had to postpone our GCSE performance evening for family and friends until April due to unforeseen circumstances, but we are looking forward to presenting this after the Easter holiday. The Year 10 and 11 pupils have been priviledged to see a T.I.E. production of "Empty Houses" performed by the "Streets Alive" Theatre company, a group of homeless persons who presented the very real circumstances they face in society. This was followed by an interactive workshop which our boys thoroughly enjoyed. One Year 11 Drama group also attended an acting workshop to help "kickstart" them with their exam preparation. Mary Huane from CEA @ Islington also organized a borough wide workshop for GCSE students at the Roundhouse Theatre in Islington to both promote and assist the development of GCSE drama studies for the pupils in our borough. Can I also take this opportunity to thank Mary Huane for stepping in at the last minute to prepare Mrs. Ward's Year 11 class in her absence. We are eternally grateful. The Year 10 Drama pupils enjoyed an excellent production of Bertolt Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle" at the Orange Tree Theatre. They have been studying this play in performance for their GCSE course and will be presenting their work at the GCSE Performance Evening in April. The entire Year 9 cohort recently saw a magnificent production of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" by the Big Foot Theatre Company in the school Hall and this will greatly enrich their appreciation of the text which they are currently studying in English and drama in preparation for their SATS exams. Finally, we are looking forward to presenting the summer school production of "Carmen" in June. Hope to see you there.
YEAR 9 NEWS Ms. Biamis Head of Year 9 Firstly let me thank parents for their continued support in encouraging their sons to reach their potential and ensure links with the school are kept strong. This is a crucial time of the year for our pupils leading up to their first public examinations (SATS) in English, Maths and Science and I have been impressed with students' eagerness to explore the many ways in which they can improve their chances of success. I must stress that REVISION is the key in terms of improving attainment and opportunities should not be wasted. Teachers and Tutors are working tirelessly towards preparing students for the challenges ahead by providing additional opportunities for enrichment activities such as "Saturday School" classes, theatre experiences, music events, Homework Club, history trips, football fixtures, computer club, lunchtime Masses and more. Year 9 students are always encouraged to work to their highest standards and to acknowledge their efforts we present "Pupil of the Month" awards to our highest achievers and most improved pupils at assembly. In addition we are currently running an attendance competition for tutor groups who have the best attendance over a three month period. The winning form group will win a significant reward for their efforts at the end of May! Next term pupils will be involved in deciding which GCSE Options they are most interested in and both teachers and parents will be involved in assisting them in this process.
by Fr. Jeremy
Rituals are a very important part of human life. They mark the shared experiences of a group of people and express in a predictable, regular pattern the feelings of that community. Take, for example, New Year's Eve night. Millions stay up to see in the New Year with a party. Thousands flock to Trafalgar Square and count down the seconds together, a ritual celebrating time. We have a family ritual at Easter. After breakfast and before Mass, the children have to go upstairs while the Easter bunny hides mini-Easter eggs around the house for them to find &endash; no eating of chocolate until after Mass though! Religious rituals are important too. They give our worship a context, or a frame, in which we can communicate with God, and through which He can communicate with us. When we become familiar with the rituals in the Mass we feel we belong and are part of the family. Instinctively we stand together as a family for the Gospel, kneel for the Eucharistic Prayer, make the Sign of the Cross, say the Gloria, the Creed, those words after the Our Father, and the silent prayers as we approach Communion. Each act, each set of words helping us come closer into the presence of God as a member of Christ's family. We may not understand why we do all these ritual acts &endash; that's the reason for education &endash; but in doing them we are expressing a faith that seeks a better understanding. Of course, if we just go through the motions without wishing to deepen our faith, then our ritual becomes worthless, like sending a Christmas Card to a relative you despise, just for the sake of the ritual of sending cards at Christmas. It is because ritual is so important in our religion that I am always encouraging pupils to take a full part in our Year and half-year masses in school by going through the ritual acts that accompany our worship. By doing this, we are no longer spectators or an audience, but participants. There is a Latin phrase from the 6th century that has echoed down the years, "Lex orandi, lex credendi" meaning "the way we pray shows what we believe". In other words, if we participate fully in the worship of God in the Mass, it is a sign that we believe whole-heartedly in what we are doing. Conversely, if we act as spectators at Mass, not singing, not praying, not even listening, then it shows our lack of faith. A bishop once remarked: "If you don't behave as you believe, you will end up believing as you behave". I encourage all our pupils, together with their families, to attend the liturgies over Easter, but not just attend, but rather participate in them fully, for through the rituals of the Easter ceremonies we are given the experience of entering into the mystery of our salvation &endash; and that is something worth singing about!
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