Best lesson of the year? - 09/03/2010

Innovative teaching in the History department at Shiplake took a slightly more radical step this recently as students from Year 10 came up with their own ‘Raps’ to describe how Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933.

The GCSE in Modern World History is often cluttered with Powerpoint Presentations and exam practice, however Thursday afternoon saw Mr Royal’s class enter 50H with the challenge to compose their own lyrics to put to contemporary music. Nick Arbuckle (Burr) and Joe Kilroy (Orchard) displayed notable prowess, ending the lesson with an 8 Mile style face-off whilst Oliver Kelly (Everett), Piers Chen (Orchard) and Sami Al-Gharyani showed skill providing a background beat.

Our historians were asked to judge their peers not just on their dubious talents, but rather more for their inclusion of historical facts and figures detailing the long and short-term causes for the accession of the Nazi Party to the leadership of Germany. All the boys made a big effort with their compositions and deserve credit for harnessing historical information to great artistic effect.

Kilroy summed up the general jubilance of the group by arguing that this had been “the best lesson of the year”, the neighbouring French department, casques et al, may well have disagreed.

Second-hand Uniform Shop - 08/03/2010

The Parents’ Association will shortly be opening a second-hand uniform shop in the old School Shop. We would be very grateful if you could hunt out any good-quality outgrown uniform that you would like to donate or sell to help us ensure that we have a good stock level. If you wish to sell your items, labels and instructions on how to complete themhave been posted on the Admissions page of the College website.You will receive 50% of the sale price with the other 50% going to the PA. Donated items do not require lables and all proceeds will go to PA funds.

Please do support this venture. We hope that the shop will provide a valuable resource for all parents and boys -both current and new.

The PA Committee

Crisis? What crisis? - 08/03/2010

Shiplake’s Year 13 historians travelled to London to listen to a series of lectures on the much debated ‘Mid-Tudor Crisis’. The assertion that the period 1547-1603 was a time of crisis is one that many historians now question. Indeed, lecturer Glenn Richardson told the room of A-Level students, ‘the Mid-Tudor period experienced no more crisis than today, indeed “government is always a bloody crisis!”

Students also heard the views of renowned Tudor historian, John Guy, who argued that the period 1540-1558 was not a time of great friction within court. Guy suggested that the sixteenth century nobles and politicians simply disagreed and argued as today’s politicians do.

Diarmaid MacCulloch, creator of the recent BBC series ‘A History of Christianity’, presented his ideas on the Tudor rebellions. MacCulloch argued that rebellions could only be successful if high politics (nobles) combined with low politics (the ordinary people) to challenge the crown’s authority. This lecture along with the others heard proved valuable as students begin preparing for their summer exam on the ‘Mid-Tudor Crisis’.

The Railway Children - 05/03/2010

It was an English lesson with a difference for Chris Alcock’s Year 7 set at Shiplake College when instead of opening their exercise books they climbed into a minibus and headed for Reading Station. One of Britain's most modern railway locomotives had arrived in Reading. So impressive is the sight of the A1 Peppercorn Pacific that it featured recently on "Top Gear".

Of course Mr Alcock, a railways fanatic, waxed lyrical on the virtues of steam traction, rail history and the way a locomotive works but he did not digress for too long. Soon he was advising the nine boys in his class on how to write their "Top Trumps Fact Card" on the locomotive as well as completing a concise 100 word report on the experience for their homework.

Not just 300 Harry Potters - 04/03/2010

Some schools just get their pupils to dress up as 300 Harry Potters for World Book Day, not so Shiplake. Yesterday 12 Year 9 boys visited the Brentford Football Club learning zone to become mastersofthe art of storytelling and they look forward to casting a spell over local primary school children.

Today the Year 12 English students will listen to a series of lectures on Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' and delve further into their set text, while Year 7 and Year 9 are currently in the middle of a Readathon challenge, raising money for ill children with every book they finish. Don't be dull - pick up a book today that will suit your interests and enjoy what you read!

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