Friday, 1st December 2017
Upper School Newsletter
Upper School News
As the winter bites cold and the nights draw in we have been trying to keep the school active and festive this week to keep spirits up. I thought we would focus this week on so many good things going on within the classroom as well as the extra-curricular activities.
Mr. Carpenter joined the science team last September and has been making a great impact on learning throughout the school. Examples this week have included M4 students who have been developing their laboratory skills by practicing how to carry out an acid–base titration. The progress in accuracy shown by the class is impressive but more importantly he says: The phenolphthalein we used also made a beautiful pink colour in the presence of basic or alkaline solutions!
In M1 this week in science says Auva: We did an experiment to find out where carbon dioxide is formed. We poured a bit of calcium chloride and sealed the top with a bung. Attached in the centre of the bung was a delivery tube, and we put the other end into a test tube filled with lime water. We then poured in a tiny amount of hydrochloric acid. Immediately, a reaction starts forming. The mixture starts bubbling, and a gas forms, which then slowly travels through the tube, and then bubbles come out of the tube into the lime water. Pour a bit more of the hydrochloric acid into the flask and put the bung back on. Slowly you see that the lime water in the test tube starts to become cloudy, and that is when your experiment has succeeded, and you know carbon dioxide has formed!
It is great to see students learning hands on science in the laboratories and I am pleased that plans have progressed this term for the complete renovation of our laboratories next summer to bring them up-to-date!
Debate Club
Tuesday activities are drawing to a close this week and I wanted to congratulate the students of my Tuesday debate club. This term the group of students from M1 up to D2 met to try to improve their skills of debating and discuss topical issues. We have covered topics as varied as gun laws, mobile phone addiction and Catalonian independence! The students run the club acting as chairs, timekeepers, debaters and judges and I have enjoyed the time with them. In January the club has nominated Gabe from D2 and Nick from M5 to represent Dwight at a Cambridge Inter Schools Debate Competition and we wish them luck!
IB MYP Awards
On Thursday we took the last period to create a special moment to congratulate the D1 students who took IB MYP eAssessment last year. Thanks to the organisational skills of Mrs. McCormack we arranged a very special Cream Tea in the library so the students could have an intimate and special moment together with a formal ceremony and informal chats. There were two touching speeches from Teodor and Ishani who were the top achievers in those assessments and some uplifting closing words from Mrs. Cobbin.
Maths Challenge
Mr. Maguiness is delighted with the progress of some of our students in the UK Maths Trust Senior Challenge that took place throughout November. Congratulations to:
Mikiyo: Gold (Best in Year)
Jay: Gold
Megumi: Gold
Juliane: Bronze
Ran: Bronze
Spark of Genius
Chantelle in D1 continues to progress with her music career and keep up with her studies! We thought you would like to know she has a new single release called Your Love which is airing live on BritAsia everyday and has over 100,000 views on spotify and youtube! See the links below! We are very proud of her dedication and commitment to music.
Service Campaigns Bloom
It continues to hearten me that students and staff are continuing to set up campaigns and activities to support local and global causes. This week saw Ion and Helena of D1 launch a campaign around World Aids Day involving raising awareness in tutor time, a red clothes Friday and selling ribbons to remind students that the battle to rid the world of this condition continues. Serena and Eleonor in D1 set up a Candygrams sale to support the global charity Save the Children.
On Wednesday, M5 students who study French with Ms. Rodrigue and Ms. Villatte, went to the Homeless Centre located in North Finchley. This was part of their unit on food where they tackled the issue of food waste and the role of food banks. As part of the Service as Action programme, we hope students will use what they have learned during the visit and will reflect on how they could help their local community. Also this week D1 students were visited by an organisation called Wings of Hope, a North London-based children's charity, providing education and support for underprivileged youth around the world. They currently run school projects in India, Malawi and here in the UK. Their fundraising awards programme (WOHAA) supports poor and underprivileged children in India and Malawi and Mrs. Boyle has brought D1 the option of supporting this group.
House Games
This week was House Games week at the Upper School! With winter feeling like it is well and truly on the way, it was tough conditions at the field for both students and the PHE staff. We started the events off on Wednesday with a combined Year 5/Year 6 and M1/M2 House Games with the Lower School. Students competed in their houses in netball, football and dodgeball games. Well done to Visionaries who took the win overall, closely followed by Pioneers 1 point behind.
Year 5/Year 6 and M1/M2 results:
Visionaries: 65 points
Pioneers: 64 points
Artists: 59 points
On Thursday it was M3/M4 House Games, where we saw a good standard of both football and frisbee games. Pioneers were too strong for Artists and Visionaries, winning by a 5 point margin.
M3/M4 results:
Pioneers: 70 points
Artists: 65 points
Visionaries: 48 points
M5 House Games finished off the week today with Speedball and Frisbee games. Results are still to be confirmed. A big thank you to the PHE team for all their hard work. Next term we look ahead to our House Cross Country and House Swim Galas.
Research Consent
In the coming weeks we have some visiting academics carrying out research on international topics. Students from M5 to D2 will be interviewed and surveyed. If you do not wish to consent to your child being involved (they will also be asked to agree) please let me know by email.
DPA Decorations!
A big thank you to Michelle, Faith and Lucy for brightening up both campuses with winter decorations this week. They did a great job of making us feel ready for the holidays to come and the students were delighted
Winter Concert
We are looking forward to the Winter Concert taking place at 7pm on Monday, 11th December. Please click here to reserve your seat for this musical extravaganza!
Have a lovely weekend everyone! Only two weeks until the holidays.
Andy Atkinson
Upper School Principal
Dwight Parent Association News and Events
Used Uniform Reminder
Uniform donations can be handed in at any office, for our second-hand uniform store. They are very handy for new Dwight families!
December Out and About
Dennis Severs' House and Holiday Lunch at Blixen
Join us for a holi-day out in Spitalfields! We'll start with a walk through the Dennis Severs House and follow with lunch at Blixen.
Dennis Severs' House is more than just a time capsule. It is both a breathtaking and intimate portrait of the lives of a family of Hugenot silk-weavers from 1724 to the dawn of the 20th century. As you follow their fortunes through the generations, the sights, smells and sounds of the house take you into their lives. It was Dennis Severs' intention that as you enter his house it is as if you have passed through the surface of a painting, exploring with your senses and imagination a meticulously crafted 18th Century world.
We'll follow with lunch at Blixen
Date: Monday, 11th December
Meet: 10.50am West Finchley tube station or 11.45am at Dennis Severs House – 18 Folgate Street – E1 6BX.
Cost: £10 to tour the house and then your lunch costs
Reservations: PLEASE contact michele@seanoneill.com asap if you can make it, so she can make the lunch reservations.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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