The Kimberley School Newsletter December 2015 | Page 10

English News Cover her face; mine eyes dazzle. She died young!! On a bitter cold November night, a small but extremely enthusiastic group of English Lit students made their way to the more cosy and intimate setting of the Nottingham Playhouse. The dark and murky conditions outside were somewhat fitting as the production we were about to see was John Webster’s Duchess of Malfi, which Miss Walter had kindly organised following rave reviews and in anticipation of our new drama topic. Our expectations of the performance were high, given the excellent reputation of the Playhouse and the bloody drama of the play itself (this wasn’t a play for the faint hearted or anyone expecting a clichéd tragic love story). We were not at all disappointed; the unique minimalistic set, costumes, the actors’ performances and the production style gave us plenty to discuss. When the curtains came down on the final scene we were all in agreement that the piece had enriched our understanding of 17th Century drama and had left us wanting more. We would all therefore like to thank the English Faculty and especially Miss Walter for providing us with this fantastic opportunity. Megan Barnes 12-18 year olds: First Prize: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, Samsung Gear S Watch, £150 for school. Runners Up: £100 11 year olds: First Prize: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, £100 for school. Runners Up: £75 Would you like the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes? Would you like the chance to see your work published? Reader’s Digest are running their annual 100 word story competition. They are inviting you to create your own fictional story, which is no more and no less than 100 words. Your story can be about anything you like; choose your own genre, your own plot and create your own setting and characters. Entries must be submitted by February 20th 2016 to: [email protected] www.readersdigest.co.uk/100-word-story-competition R.A.W Club Do you want to improve your literacy skills or feel that you are struggling in English and want extra help? Well RAW Club is a reading and writing club designed to make all this possible. The club is available to you every Thursday, from 3:15- 4:00, at the LRC. This is a great opportunity to improve and broaden your literacy skills. You will get all the support you need with volunteers from the sixth form (Ellie Pownall-Brown, Ryan Hickey and Kyle Kelly) and a selection of English teachers to help you improve your English skills. You will have the chance to discover, read and write about new genres from Sci-Fi to fantasy. You will work with fictional books to help you with your creative writing, working on PowerPoint tasks that teachers set. As this is an after school activity, refreshments of drinks and a variety of biscuits are free for everyone! Using different writing techniques will be letting you explore a world of creative writing. All this is on offer to you every Thursday, so come along to improve your English skills. Harvey Pownall-Brown Reading and Writing Clubs: R.A.W Club and Boys’ Creative Writing Club Both run Thursdays 3.15-4pm in the LRC! Student Voice Debates: Compulsory Organ Donation On the 1st December 2015, the Student Council held a debate on the topic of compulsory organ donation. This was in the wake of the announcement that Wales will now have an 'opt out' policy on organ donation. As pupils, we discussed the merits and benefits of this system such as the potential to save more lives through organ transplants and research. We also discussed how certain religious groups would oppose organ donation, as well as considering people's 'freedom of choice' in the matter. At the end of the debate, we had a private vote on the question "Do you think organ donation should be compulsory in England?" The results were as follows: Yes - 46% No - 46% Unsure - 8%