Maths Student of the Week

Jamie 9C - for always trying hard in lessons and showing great resilience when faced with quite tricky maths problems designed to test even the most able students.

Well Done!

Poetry Prize 

Huge congratulations to Ella in 7C who won a prize for her poem ‘Refuge or Refugee’ in a competition run by the organisation Never Such Innocence. The theme was ‘How does war affect people’s lives’ and you can read Ella’s moving poem below, inspired by reading Sea prayer by Khaled Hosseini and visiting Dungeness in Kent. 

Well done Ella!

Refuge or Refugee 

I have no refuge, for I am a refugee,
Where I come from, there is no place for me,
Leaving everything behind,
A better place, I’ll try to find,
I must find a refuge.

Sneaking through the battlefield,
Where friends were lost and family killed,
Through the panic and disorder,
I slip across the deadly border,
I have to find a refuge.

In the backs of trucks, in dark and cold,
With many others young and old,
With little air or food or water,
Ever further from the slaughter,
Yet this is not a refuge.

Tired and lost, we reached a camp,
Our limbs were numb, our bodies stank,
In a crowd, yet all alone,
Thinking always about home,
I wish this was a refuge.

A tiny boat tossed on huge waves,
Amid cries of fear, will we be saved?
Past giant ships, we’re sinking fast,
Is that the shore I see at last?
Will I find a refuge?

Finally the crunch of sand,
We drag ourselves upon the land,
First shouting, animosity,
then blankets and a cup of tea,
Could this be a refuge?
Or am I still a refugee?

Year 9 Speech Competition

On Monday 8 July, the English Department hosted our annual Year 9 Speech competition.

All the students worked incredibly hard to deliver engaging speeches on a wide range of topics, and the winners from each class had to compete in a final round judged by our Head of English, Angie Fearnside, and Kateryna Law. It was a thrilling afternoon, and the winners delivered exceptional speeches. Well done!

And the final winners:

Year 8 English

In English in Year 8 students study the Dystopian genre and write their own short story. This year there were many fantastic examples of creative writing by our students - such as this one by Manuela in 8M. We hope you enjoy reading it.

The War of Tomorrow

Written by: Manuela-Jane 8M

Indistinct as my vision was, all I could hear was the wind violently roaring in my ear and screeching screams. As I was looking around anxiously to see what was happening, I figured that all the others and I were dropping from the air like bombs. It was raining heavily; There was fire and thick, black smoke everywhere and sparks of fire were flying through the air. Ruins of burnt down buildings were glaring down at us. We were still falling down until I crashed into a pool on the roof of a building; As I swam to the top of the deep pool, I found lots of the strangers dead from the fall alone. I climbed out of the pool and got ready to fire my weapon I had in my arms.  That’s when I realised we were on our own and if we had to win this war, we better be ready for what's to come…

Read the full story here

Assembly Speaker - 1 July
Dr. Andrew Wragg - Cardiologist and the Medical Director at St Bartholomew's Hospital

In the assembly this week we were lucky enough to hear from Dr Andrew Wragg, cardiologist and the Medical Director at St Bartholomew's Hospital. Andrew shed some light onto what a career in medicine can look like by sharing with us his own story, starting with his love for science at school. Despite having no family history in related careers, Andrew followed his interests and started working as a technician for a pharmaceutical company at the age of 18. However, it was his attraction to the more hands-on and ‘measurable’ applications of science that led him to apply to St Barts Hospital Medical School a year later- the very hospital in which he would later climb the ranks to Medical Director.

On the topic of university, Andrew acknowledged that it can be intimidating, and revealed that even he felt like an ‘imposter’ during his first term at medical school. However, the advice he offered us was to ‘stick at it!’, promising that it does get easier, and indeed much more exciting. For instance, Andrew’s career has led him to work in various different countries, including Kenya, South Africa and the USA—experiences that he described as ‘enlightening’. He strongly encouraged us to seize any opportunities to study or work abroad, highlighting both the professional and personal benefits.

In his current role as Medical Director at St Barts, Andrew focuses strongly on patient safety. This involves improving and streamlining the systems in place in order to avoid mistakes and minimise preventable casualties. This approach aligns with his philosophy that mistakes made in healthcare are not the fault of the individual, but rather represent a larger issue within the system. In addition, Andrew oversees the implementation of new technology within the hospital. He shared with us a video of the ‘da Vinci’ robots that are used to perform keyhole surgery from which recovery is much speedier. Despite the increased adoption of technology and AI in healthcare, Andrew reassured the budding medics in the room that they should not be worried. One of the highlights of his job is connecting with the people who pass through his hospital, whether that be holding the hand of an elderly woman, or delivering good news to the family of a patient. These personal connections, said Andrew, are not something that can be replicated by AI.

Andrew's presentation clearly conveyed his passion for his work, despite its many challenges and responsibilities. He spoke about the joy of working with a diverse range of people, each with their own unique skills, experiences, and dedication to helping others, a combination he believes is key to a hospital's success. Andrew encouraged us sixth formers to discover and nurture our own passions, and to let these shape our futures. He emphasised that a genuine interest in your career is crucial not only for a fulfilling life, but also for achieving success in your chosen field.

All of us at Camden Sixth Form are immensely grateful to Dr Andrew Wragg for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to us on Monday, and for offering us such valuable pieces of advice. We also appreciate his continued dedication to our NHS and wish him all the best for the future.

Lottie

Sixth Form Senior Prefect

The Lost Life of Tilly MacLeod

Don’t miss your chance to see Sandra Voe (A familiar face from UK TV - Holby City, Shetland, Midsomer Murders) here at Camden School, playing the title role in the play The Lost Life of Tilly MacLeod.

Three performances - Friday 30 August 7pm, Saturday 31 August 2.30pm and 6:30pm Entry to the events will be £10 (£7 universal credit).

The Lost Life of Tilly MacLeod is an exploration of identities: formed by experience, hidden in secrets, exposed by dementia and destroyed by discoveries.

Having read the unpublished novel that the play is based on, Sandra said: The Lost Life of Tilly MacLeod is: ‘A page turner of a detective story ... that educates and enlightens as it unfurls the truth of Tilly’s heartbreaking life … A very enjoyable story cleverly told.’ 

In the play based on the novel Tilly’s life is revealed to the audience through a series of embedded films that portray Tilly’s memories and her increasing dementia. During the films, when the characters are supposed to be speaking in French, a series of French songs can be heard to set the French-ness of the scenes.

We are hoping to significantly raise public consciousness of dementia with this project so in addition to the play 

 Each event will also have: 

 1. A community Art Exhibition on the theme of Identity.

 2. Talks by research scientists and care providers to share the latest research and community care options.

 3. A resource hub of information, from the Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK etc for families, and for those interested in volunteering

This project also collaborated with the school on careers/awareness assembly for 6th form students back in April and some students have taken up the opportunity for work experience with the project – this opportunity is still available if anyone else would like to take part.

We would be delighted if you could attend or share details of the events with friends and family.

Save-the-date posters are attached. New ones with ticket purchasing links will be available soon. In the meantime, the project contact details are below. 

Follow the latest with this project here: Instagram: thelostlifeoftillymacleod  &  www.facebook.com/lucy.legg.9400