Year 8s took part in the  IET Faraday Challenge Day sponsored by the Jack Petchey Foundation in school today and after working in groups, Team 4 were declared the overall winners.

Today’s challenge is in association with the James Webb Space telescope.

Teams raced against the clock to solve a real-life engineering problem to test their skills and knowledge.

The winning team collected a crystal trophy.

Our new science student is a real hard case but he’s coming out of his shell and settling in well however he’s not your regular boy, he’s a 10 year old Horsefield tortoise called Bert.

Ms Tidd said Bert was lonely at home so she decided to bring him in to school to live in room 25 and be looked after by Mr Bennett, Mrs Racon and Petchey award winner, Joseph Chakko, who’s in 9 Kolbe.

Bert is a bit of a fussy eater and Joseph is trying to encourage him to widen his diet and introduce new tasty delights to his menu.

Apparently he is very stubborn and loves to dig and he is living in a huge, deep table carpeted with soil and sand. The plan is, however, to allow Bert more freedom and for him to roam room 25 when the older 6th form classes have lessons. He’s a fast mover too according to Mrs Racon.

There are plans for him to enjoy the great outdoors this summer and Mr Young will make him an outside run.

Welcome to the science department family Bert!

Year 9 and 11 students listened to Margaret Mizen and her son Danny today speak about the death of 16 year old Jimmy today, March 11, in two special assemblies in school when the theme of the talks was forgiveness and love.

Margaret is a regular visitor to school but this is the first time Danny has visited.

He spoke openly about the day he discovered his younger brother had died at the hands of bully Jake Fahri and the aftermath of the tragedy as well as his coming to terms with what happened.

The students were reminded that violence and knives only bring misery and destruction to people’s lives. Violence, intimidation and bullying can never be seen as acceptable and Margaret spoke about how  her deep faith ultimately helped her to forgive Jimmy’s murderer.

Students went away feeling hopeful and with plenty to think about.

Today was very colourful in school as teachers and students dressed up as book characters to celebrate World Book Day 2019.

Those not brave enough to dress up, pinned quotes from literature onto their backs for others to read and absorb.

“A book swap in the library at lunchtime and a drop everything and read session made it a fantastic day to celebrate reading” according to Curriculum Leader of Literacy , Emer Murphy.

A group of  our RE Matters students went along to the East London Buddhist Cultural Centre yesterday, March 6, as part of the student SACRE programme.

They were joined by girls from Plashet School and the Azhar Academy for the meeting at the temple in Maybury Road in Plaistow.

They spoke to Buddhist monks, Venerable Mangala and Visudhi Chitha and discovered more about their life.

A lovely tasty lunch followed.