A Patchwork of Voices from District House
9th February 24
Tabassom – Year 11: Upper School House Captain:
In the centre of our busy school, is a little haven of support and friendship: our tutor group. We are a diverse group of students with varying ages, ethnicities, and language proficiency that work together to navigate the educational system and overcome challenges to succeed.
Our tutor group might initially resemble a patchwork quilt, with each square signifying a distinct narrative or journey. While some of us are inexperienced freshmen excited to learn about high school, others are seasoned seniors about to embark on new adventures. Some students struggle to find their voice in a language that feels foreign and unfamiliar, while others speak English fluently and effortlessly twist their words into poetry and prose. Our difficulties are as varied as we are. Some people have no trouble handling complicated Maths problems or reading Shakespearean sonnets; for others, however, it can be an onerous task that calls for persistence and patience. Language obstacles frequently get in the way, establishing walls that occasionally seem insurmountable.
But our tutor group is most effective when faced with hardship. We now know that cooperation, rather than our separate talents, is what gives us strength. Every day, we gather with resolute determination and an open heart to assist those in need. I will never forget the day that when my friend who is an international student, found it difficult to understand the subtleties of our PSHE topic. Rather than ignoring him or withdrawing into our own worlds, we came together to support him, providing explanations and synonyms for her in her language, making diagrams, and acting out passages from the text until comprehension finally dawned on her.
Likewise, when one of our international student became disoriented in the uncertainties of Black History Month, we came together once more, viewing videos, and recruiting a multilingual classmate to assist in bridging the linguistic and cultural divide.
We’ve learned from these difficulties that rather than being obstacles to be conquered, our differences are just bridges to be crossed. We all learn from one another every day and get stronger and more resilient as a team via every challenge we encounter. In unity we find strength, and in diversity we find beauty.
Hannah Ryder – Assistant House Mistress and Upper School Tutor:
Ferdie – a practised filmmaker whose stunning short horror film for GCSE coursework has been put forward for an award. He is his refining his skills as he works towards an interview at the London Screen Academy.
Bella and Sofia – have been involved with BFI short film courses. Their most recent project was to research and produce a documentary on skating at the skatepark on nearby Southbank: Sofia as writer and interviewer, Bella as cinematographer using professional equipment to collect stunning footage of the skaters. The girls showcased their creativity by working with the BFI team to spray paint the name of their documentary onto the famous walls of Leake Street grafitti street.
Sam – It’s not all flashy lights and action. One of the newest members to District House – Sam, has been getting involved with fishing outside of school. On his very first trip, Sam caught himself a prize in the form of a small fish. He’s found a love for the activity and says he doesn’t feel the cold, or even mind when it’s raining – an inevitability in this English weather.
Wendy and Alfie have been winning in the sporting leagues – albeit two very different types of sport. Alfie trains weekly with Crosstix Hockey who recently won 4-2 at Lee Valley, the training ground of the England Hockey team. Wendy has been a proud member of the DLD Dragon’s eSports league, playing League of Legends and smashing the stereotype that girls can’t game.
Roni – Year 12: Student Council Member:
Never in hundreds or thousands of years I did I think I would be writing about being a Student Council member. Since my start in April 2023 I’ve learned so much and gained so many experiences and connections that I’m sure I’ll cherish: new friendships, getting to know people, being a part of bringing about change, helping with catering ideas and planning for the college Masquerade Ball, our Prom for 2024.
Hana – Year 12: Netball Team Correspondent:
I, along with the other girls on the Netball team have focused on improving our team-work and confidence on and off the court. We meet every Wednesday night to practice our skills and to ensure there is clear communication on the court and that we are making the most of our individual skills in our strongest positions, which we play during practice and competitions. There is a unique range of abilities within the current team, which has in turn taught us that the primary focus of joining Netball CCA is to bond over the love of sport, staying active and having fun.
We played Eltham College last week and we gave a good account of ourselves. Despite being a team for only a short period of time, we have always shown good sportsmanship and kindness to each other and towards the other schools. We enjoy brilliant support and encouragement from Jess and Sean when competing. We will be playing for our chosen charity, the Pink Ribbon Foundation, against staff on the 20th of March: so we encourage everyone to come and support us and see how we play.
Josh – Year 13: Reflections on Hard Work and Club Rugby:
Through quite a bit of hard work, but also pleasantly to my surprise, I was predicted grades of D*DD in the business BTEC course. I have applied to five unis on the main basis of their level of sport particularly being rugby which I aim to pursue as I progress to higher education. Exeter, Hartpury, Hull, Durham and Bath, with Durham being my first choice and Hartpury my second choice. I aim to do a Business and Management BSc for my undergraduate degree, but I am also looking at their level of sport, particularly rugby.
This season my club side Eton Manor RFC have found great success, We began this season with low expectations. But following an initial 52-15 victory hope began to spread we went on a six game unbeaten streak in league, county cup and national cup fixtures. We did not let a loss against Bishop Stortford dampen our spirits. The league season continues with our side sitting unbeaten on top of the table with a handful of fixtures to go. Hopefully we can clinch the title and have a fairy tale end to my time playing age grade rugby.
