Newsletter
Being successful and feeling successful
Young designers win plaudits for City of Tomorrow A FUTURISTIC building designed by Eastlea students won the first prize at a science and engineering competition in Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. They impressed judges with the idea for a science lab powered with solar panels and geothermal heat. Each floor was designated for different sciences. The competition tasked students with applying their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and maths to create their City of Tomorrow. No ideas were too big and everything was designed to smarter, greener and safer specifications than before. The event helped highlight career paths in construction, engineering and technology and promoted good citizenship. Year 7 Gabriel De Freitas-Saeh said: “It was exciting pulling up to Arsenal’s stadium. When we got in there were hundreds of students there
with their designs. We couldn’t believe it. “Some of the designs were really good – they looked like adults had made them. It really made us think about how towns and cities will look in the future and how they will be powered.” Students entered the competition as a part of their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) club. The group took away the ‘Most Fun’ award for their yellow design and were also praised for the innovative way they said their building would be powered. They were also treated to a tour of Arsenal’s stadium. Gabriel added: “It was a great day. We did well to win the competition and got to meet up with students from other schools. “We got to go around the stadium and that was interesting. I got to see inside the changing rooms. It’s an amazing building.”
Summer 2019
Girls highlight importance of mental health YEAR 10 girls delivered an informative assembly about mental health to fellow students and teachers. During their presentation, Tamzin Douglas and Shariah Parker explained about the importance of good mental health to students’ wellbeing. They also told students how they could get help if they were worried about their mental health. Tamzin said: “We wanted to explain that so many people go through periods of having mental health problems and it’s not a weakness or a bad thing. No one should be judged for it. “We talked about how it can impact someone and the people around them. I learnt a lot when researching about it and I think we helped some people who might be going through a tough time.” The girls said they chose mental health as a subject because it is not talked about enough. Shariah said: “I don’t think mental health problems are spoken about enough. People don’t realise it can be made so much better by just talking to someone about the problem. That’s why it was really important for me to do this assembly. “Everyone gets a chance to do an assembly and our teachers really encouraged us to pick a subject that we felt really mattered.”
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019
School continues to thrive and improve Headteacher Stephen Gillatt reflects on more achievements at Eastlea... this time. Our students are hard-working, well-behaved and have a positive attitude to learning. There have been many achievements I could highlight, such as winning first prize at a STEM competition at the Emirates Stadium, our successful partnerships with prestigious firms BCLP and Macfarlanes, and our mentoring scheme with Franklin Scholars. For me, our awards ceremony summed up exactly what
Eastlea Community School is all about. It was great to see so many parents, carers and staff supporting our students in celebrating the successes of the last year. It was fantastic to witness students receiving well-deserved recognition for their hard work and commitment to their studies and the wider school community. Eastlea is a school which continues to thrive and improve, where the opportunities to succeed are second to none for our students. I hope everyone has a relaxing summer, and look forward to welcoming students back for the year ahead in September.
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IT has been a tremendously exciting and successful year at Eastlea Community School. I am incredibly grateful for the support received from my colleagues, as well as parents and carers in our endeavour to provide an outstanding education for our young people. Our Year 11 students have now completed their GCSE examinations and we look forward to their results in August. I would like to thank all the staff who have offered extra help to our students in their studies throughout
Law firm’s mentoring proves a hit with pupils STUDENTS have taken part in their final faceto-face meetings with their mentors from City law firm Macfarlanes. The programme, which began at the start of the academic year, helped students to develop key employment skills, such as how to form a CV and apply for work experience. The Year 10 students who took part were each assigned a Macfarlanes mentor, who gave them tips and advice on A-Level and university pathways and an insight into a career in law. Student Ishrat Ahmed said: “We got to talk to them about the law and what they do day to day. “It was a really useful programme. I learnt a lot about what employers expect from you and how to form a CV. It made me think about going into the legal profession or studying law.” Students met with their mentors four or five times over the academic year and could email them if they had any specific questions.
Raihan Hussain added: “What I found really useful was the fact my mentor had been through higher education and had gone to university.
YEAR 10 students developed teamwork, communication and leadership skills in an employability workshop.
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“They could help me with what was expected in a university application. It was a really interesting experience that I’m glad the school set up.”
Year 9 student Damien Sonubi attended the Greenhouse Youth Council during Easter, which gives young people across London a voice in sports participation.
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019
Students given tips on future career pathways
EASTLEA pupils got a career boost after receiving CV and job interview training advice from employees of one of Europe’s largest and most prestigious law firms. They were given the opportunity to visit the Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (BCLP) offices and meet with staff as part of the Career Routes scheme. BCLP is one of the most respected law firms in the world, with more than 1,400 lawyers spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its UK headquarters are based at London Bridge. Pupils took part in mock job interviews and prepared presentations on various topical
subjects to improve their public speaking skills during the trips in May and June. Year 9 Jessica O’Hara said: “We were told all the things you need to do to prepare for a job interview. These included how to structure a CV and how to conduct yourself in a job interview. “It was really useful because, although we aren’t going into career jobs just yet, it definitely helped us think about how to go about getting work experience, or even how we would speak in a university interview. “It also made me think about the kind of career I would like to go into after school.” The 12 students were split into groups and
Budding Year 9 scientists won the Vehicle Competition at the University of East London’s STEM workshop. Students got the chance to take part in high-level STEM activities at a fantastic university. They received their awards from John Barber, Deputy Lieutenant for Newham and Greater London.
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asked to prepare presentations on subjects currently in the news, including the environment, mental health and crime rates. Year 9 Ayomikun Omoigui said: “We were given the subjects and then some time to plan a 20-minute presentation. “This really improved my confidence in public speaking. It made me think about what is going on in the news and how it impacts people our age. “It also helped us learn to work as a team, which is an important workplace skill. I’m really grateful the school set it up because I learnt so much.”
OUR Year 10 boys took part in a staying safe workshop delivered by OMG Education in partnership with the youth media company Vice. They also took a trip to a choices and consequences workshop at the amazing Ben Kinsella Exhibition.
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019
Ever-growing band of More Able students The More Able programme at Eastlea Community School has been designed and developed based on the principle that our high achieving students are able to demonstrate their personal excellence. This north star has resulted in an offer which provides our students with experiences aimed at enriching their development, together with opening doors to a whole host of opportunities. Our approach since the programme’s inception over six years ago has been simple; challenge our students to do more! This has been achieved by starting with a strong foundation of advancing their ability to think, question and communicate. Our More Able students are shown positive
More Able manager Ms Khan says the programme is raising aspirations among Eastlea pupils. examples of, and are supported to embed, real self-belief; uphold a high level of resilience; and have the vision to instil only the highest aspirations for themselves. Through our rich variety of longstanding partnerships with businesses and organisations, bespoke, tailor-made initiatives have been created to support our unique students. These have formed a core component of the More Able offer. As the programme has developed and grown, so too has the response and engagement
from students. In 2013 a strong group of twenty-five More Able students began to grow. And so, it’s summer 2019 and now more than 40 students take a seat in the More Able programme manager’s office. The portraits tell a story of endless potential, personality and self-belief – growing from being petrified at speaking in a small group to delivering a six-minute speech in front of an audience of 100; from a limiting belief that they couldn’t to winning the Principal’s Award; from being overshadowed by doubt to securing placements at prestigious businesses. All these examples highlight the bright future ahead for each of these More Able students!
Nusrat wins reward for hard work A STUDENT has won a £250 prize for academic achievement and excellence. Year 10 Nusrat Hossain was given the Jack Petchey Achievement Award for her hard work and dedication to her studies over the year. The award celebrates young people who have gone above and beyond to achieve. Students are nominated by their teachers. She said: “It was completely unexpected; I was quite shocked to get it. I have always worked hard but I didn’t think anyone was noticing enough for me to get an award. “My teachers have always been so supportive and encourage me to do my best. I’m working really hard for my GSCEs at the moment. I’m trying to stay motivated all the time, which is why I think I won the award.” Nusrat was given a certificate as well as the cash prize, which she is using to take her classmates and teachers out for dinner. She said: “I’m taking three friends and two teachers to the O2 to see the new Spiderman film. Then we are going to go to Jimmy’s for food. “It’s nice I can share this prize with my friends and the teachers, who have been so supportive of me over the year.”
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Extra dedication earns Gabriel Cadets’ honour YEAR 7 Gabriel De Freitas-Saeh is celebrating being awarded the highest honour of the Junior Sea Cadets. The budding sailor was given the Commodore’s Broad Pennant after completing four of the training modules as well as showing extra dedication and regular attendance. The badge is the top award that can be earned by any Junior Sea Cadet during their training. Gabriel is one of the youngest West Ham Sea Cadets to be awarded the badge. He said: “It was quite surprising. I was coming back from a trip away with the cadets
and my dad told me in the car that I was getting the Commodore’s Pennant. “I never thought I would get it this soon. I’m really dedicated so thought I would get it one day, but this is so soon. I’m really happy and my dad was really proud.” Gabriel and his West Ham cadets are now working on building a two-person boat completely out of plastic bottles for a race against another branch. Gabriel said: “It’s good to be able to use some of the skills I’ve learnt in STEM at school to help with the building. I’m looking forward to it, it should be a good race.”
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019
Academics impressed by Andreea’s models A BRIGHT student impressed university academics with her anatomically correct 3D models of the human lungs and heart. Year 9 Andreea Strica designed and made the models as part of a STEM club challenge. They were shown off at a science conference at the University of Westminster. Andreea said: “When we were given this project, I was quite excited and just wanted to go all out. I love science and biology and also creating things. I used polystyrene to make my models. “I cut out the shapes of the heart chambers and then the lungs. I then painted them and labelled all the different parts. It is obviously larger than real human organs but is still to scale.” Andreea used her models to illustrate her presentation on coronary heart disease (CHD) at the conference. She said: “CHD is a major cause of death for people all over the world. It happens when your heart’s blood supply gets blocked or by a build-up of fatty substances in the arteries. I produced a board with pictures to go along with my model. It explained how the disease is caused and how it can be treated.” Andreea’s polystyrene models impressed teachers so much she was asked to make more.
She said: “In the end I made molecules and a microscope models as well, which I really enjoyed. “When I showed my model off at the
conference, people were really nice and said it looked like a university student had done it. It took me two days just to make the heart so I was happy my hard work paid off.”
Students get smart with mobile ideas STUDENTS were able to hone their business and creativity skills in a workshop challenge with one of the world’s largest professional services firms. Year 10 pupils were split into teams and asked to come up with a new smartphone design in a competition hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The groups had to present their ideas, including a business and marketing plan, at a workshop last month.
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Student Andrei Nohai said: “We came up with ideas for different smartphones and then had to think about how we would design them for our market and what we would do to market them. “It was a good introduction into how businesses work. It was very interesting and it helped us all learn how to work as a team.” The ideas included a phone designed for young people and another hardwearing
model that was specifically aimed at army personnel. The groups were also taught interview and presentation skills designed to help them achieve at university. Andrei added: “It made me think about what I want to do as my future career and what I want to study at university. “Having to give a presentation to a group also made me more confident in my public speaking skills.”
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019
It’s farewell to Year 11 YEAR 11 students at Eastlea School dressed up in cloaks and gowns to bid a fond farewell on graduation night. Families and friends joined the students to mark the final day of their time at the school after completing their GCSE exams. Students were given awards for outstanding achievement, resilience, representing Eastlea Values and a Principal’s Award. Headteacher Mr Gillatt said: “It was wonderful to see so many families supporting our Year 11 students at their graduation evening. We look forward to seeing them again on GCSE results day.”
Scholars programme helps ease transition YEAR 7 students have praised an inter-year group mentoring programme aimed at helping them make the transition from primary to secondary education. Eastlea now has several Franklin Scholars – a programme that sees Year 10 pupils paired with a younger new school starter. The older students help their peers make the transition to secondary school and give them the skills, tools and resources to boost each others’ progress, confidence and wellbeing. Year 10 mentor Jennifer Morais said: “I signed up because I wanted to help the younger students at the school. “We know what it’s like to be in their position and how scary it can be. I think having someone there that you can talk to,
that will show you where everything is in the school and how it works, is really important. “It has definitely been a rewarding experience for me because you can see exactly how you’re helping someone.” Jennifer mentors Year 7 pupil George Balaam. George said: “It has been really helpful. When I was nervous about coming into secondary school, Jennifer helped me by explaining how everything worked. It was really nice to know there was someone a few years older than me that could help if I needed any questions answering.” The Franklin Scholars said that supporting a younger student has also helped them develop a sense of purpose and responsibility.
Mentor Tamzin Douglas added: “It has helped me build my communication and leadership skills. You have to take charge and show someone around. You have to be patient and remember this is the first time they have experienced secondary school. It is such a great programme to be part of.” Since 2013, Franklin Scholars has worked with more than 50 schools across England to provide in-school literacy and numeracy peer mentoring programmes. The mentors also help the Year 7s in subjects where they might be struggling with academically. George said: “Jennifer helped me practice with my reading and literacy and some other subjects where I felt a bit overwhelmed when I first started. It really built up my confidence.”
Awards mark pupils’ work and effort STUDENTS were rewarded for their hard work and academic prowess at an awards ceremony held at the school this term. They were given awards for achievement and effort across subjects and year groups with special awards for representing Eastlea Values. Headteacher Mr Gillatt said: “These children represent the hard work and aspiration that we look for. They are going to change the world for the better.”
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Tweets of the term
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019
Football project gives students new goals in life
Activities offer extra guidance
GIRLS have been learning how to play football while developing their academic skills as part of a pioneering empowerment programme. Goals4Girls (G4G) is a football development scheme, which is designed to help disadvantaged young women aged five to 16 through sports and education. In May, the girls were introduced to the G4G Future Leaders programme with the help of former England cricketer Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent. Year 10 Mma Alisigwe said: “The programme has been amazing so far. “We took part in a workshop with a former England cricketer, which was all about our future aspirations and how to achieve our goals. “It was so nice to meet strong, powerful women who have succeeded in sport, especially a sport usually aimed at men. “The programme is all about making us feel empowered and teaching us we can be whatever we want to be.” During workshops, students are encouraged to set and achieve sporting and academic goals. They also improve their footballing skills at weekly training sessions. The G4G scheme offers a variety of activities where young women are able to receive the support and guidance needed to navigate their next steps in education or sports. Mentors focus on developing students’ communication and motivational skills and aim to have a positive impact on their
YEAR 10 GCSE Drama class took their learning beyond the classroom on a trip to see Nick Hytner’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Bridge Theatre on London’s South Bank.
teamwork and problem-solving, as well as physical and mental health. There were also a number of trips on offer for the girls, including one to see the Women’s World Cup in France. Year 9 Sana Khan said: “Our football team has really improved because of this programme. But it has also made me think about my future and what I want to do when I’m older. “We have been taken out to see sports matches. Some girls even got to go to the World Cup in France, which was a once-in-alifetime opportunity. “I’m so glad the scheme is running in the school. It’s really made me realise I can do anything with my life.”
Year 6 students joining us in September designed neck ties in a design technology taster session.
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FORMER student and MasterChef semi-finalist Nomalanga Nyamayaro gave a motivational talk on career aspirations to our Year 11 students. She was joined by old classmate Elena Vilimaite, who also spoke to our pupils about university pathways and job options.
OUR Reading Group deep in discussion about the links between The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Malorie Blackman’s dystopian novel Noughts and Crosses.
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019
Top coaches to help table tennis stars
Flashback: The picture of Pretoria School’s Year 7 cricket team taken in 1965
Former teacher praises quality of education THE world may have moved on dramatically since 1965 but there is one thing that has not changed – the quality of teaching at Eastlea Community School. That is the verdict of former teacher David Gilberston, who taught at the school for a year in the mid-1960s and is now a business professor. He shared a picture of the then-named Pretoria School’s Year 7 cricket team, which he helped to coach. A picture with the same background can be seen in a snap taken last year as our Year 11 students celebrated their GCSE results. Professor Gilbertson, who was from the area and went to St James primary school in Forest Gate, said: “My time as a teacher at the school profoundly influenced all my subsequent working life.
THE school’s table tennis stars are preparing for an intense training camp on the Isle of Wight after reaching the semifinals at the London Youth Games. Last year Eastlea brought in coaches from training company Greenhouse Sports to help students improve their game. The table tennis team are off to the Isle of Wight later this month to hone their skills. Year 10 player Yusuf Kyei-Darise said: “We have been doing a lot of training. Greenhouse came into the school and really turned our team around. “We have now won two competitions and made it to the semi-finals of the London Youth Games. This was quite an achievement and would never have happened a couple of years ago. “It was surprising for us to get that far but I know we will do even better next time. We are now preparing intensely for more competitions.” Greenhouse Sports coaches work full-time in the school, offering support, training and team clubs. The coaches focus their resources on young people who are disengaged, vulnerable or facing disadvantage. They aim to deliver intensive sports coaching and mentoring to help develop students’ social, thinking, emotional and physical (STEP) abilities. Yusuf added: “Coach and the school have been so supportive. The team is totally turned around. I have been playing for almost two years now and can see how much I have improved and how much better the team is.”
No change: The recent picture of Year 11 students in front of the same wall “The benefits were from the many pupils who, like me, are also now probably feeling their bones ache too much, and especially from the wisdom and generosity of its uniformly excellent teaching staff.”
Cycling safety
EASTLEA sports leaders teamed up with pupils from Star Primary as we hosted the Go Run For Fun event on our playing fields.
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STUDENTS learned about road traffic rules and how to be safe while cycling at the week-long Bikeability training. The sessions, delivered in June, start in traffic-free environments, progressing to cycling on busy roads and across junctions. Research found schools that provide cycle training see a significant boost to the numbers of children who cycle.
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Summer 2019