Wingate School Tenerife KS3 & 4 Newsletter - October 2020 

‘The New Normal’ Yet again the students of         Wingate School have amazed us         with their maturity and       acceptance for change. In these         very difficult times, our       students have adapted to the         new COVID systems,     supporting their peers and       teachers alike to settle into         school. All staff recognise the         student’s continued focus on       learning and support for each         other; I was delighted with their           Progress Reports, especially     seeing the overall outstanding       effort levels across the       curriculum - Well done! Mrs Hopewell and I are really           enjoying greeting the students       in the morning and I wanted to             thank parents for their       continued support - we could         not do this without you. The           start and end of day, which I             had envisioned to be chaotic,         appears to be running smoothly         at the North entrance - thank           you again for your patience.  As a school, we deemed it           necessary to continue teaching       through to the Christmas break         - I know that this is a very long                 term but we really need the           extra teaching hours to fill some           of the educational gaps lost         during lockdown. I know that         subject teachers have planned       some inspirational lessons to       keep the students focused.   Last but by no means least, I             want to extend a huge welcome           to the new students and their           families. It has been fantastic to           see them settle into the         

THE NEW MERIT SYSTEM ‘STARS OF THE WEEK’  

Mrs Hopewell has designed a new ‘Student Merit System’ allowing us all                       to celebrate, encourage and reward outstanding behaviour and academic                 progress. Teachers across the curriculum award merits to students who                   go above and beyond what is expected - whether that be academically or                         socially (It is as important to recognise community awareness and                   helpfulness as well as effort and academic achievement). Every Friday,                   the names of students from the different year groups are posted on a ‘Star                           of the Week’ poster at the North gate - we will also be sending personal                             e-certificates to parents so that you can also reward them. Students with                       the most merits at the end of half term will appear in the newsletter -                             then at the end of the year, the ‘Students of the Year’ will receive a prize.                               This new reward system has been eagerly received by all students, even                       the Year 11’s - it is fantastic to witness the pride in a child’s face when                               their teachers award them a merit.   Jumping for joy at gaining the most merits!! 

 Klim, Milo, Stanley, Katie,  Brimming with pride - our Year 9 Merit Winners!           Aleksei, Poppy and Millie 

‘Wingate Way’, making friends       and progressing so well in their           studies. Well done! Mrs Colette Tolfrey Head of Seniors  colette.tolfrey@wingateschool.com  School in a Pandemic Before pupils began back at         Wingate, over the holidays and         during the first few weeks of           September, teachers spent a       long time getting the Covid-19         protocols in place.  We were all very worried about           how the pupils would react to           these changes and how we         could enforce these rules.  We need not have worried         about how our amazing pupils         were going to react - they have             been fantastic! Pupils     understand the necessity of       these rules and regulations and         although many of them do not           like to wear their mask all day             or clean their hands repeatedly         or sit far from their friends,           they all do it without argument           and with (I can only assume           because they are always       wearing their masks) a smile on           their faces! The new students who have         joined us this year have also had             a really positive impact on their           year group and have shown         excellent attitude and     commitment to their studies.  The Year 7s who have moved           into the Big Senior School have,           alongside the guidance of Mrs         Colegrove, settled in well and         are exceeding our expectations.  Some pupils have struggled a         little with everything that is         going on in the world, but Mrs             Finnie, our new Wellness       Coordinator and the pupils       form tutors, have been working         with these students to try to           ease their anxiety and discuss         any issues they are       

Proud but slightly embarrassed or Year 10 & 11 Merit Winners 

 Bhavik, Lapo, Adi and Milena: Aleksei (Year 9) showing off some of the work he produced that                       earned him merits! 

 Welcoming our new students! All the new pupils who have joined Wingate this academic year have                       made such a positive impact on the school. Below are some pictures                       of them with their new friends, along with some quotes about                     Wingate Life:  Emiliya (Year 7) Wingate is really good. It is the best school I have ever been to! 

 

experiencing. Although a difficult half term so           far, the lessons we are learning           together as a school about         community, looking out for       others and asking for help are           invaluable and will teach the         pupils a lot allowing them to           cope with other possible strife         in the future.  Thank you to parents also for           your support during this       difficult time, please do not         hesitate to get in contact with           me to discuss any issues or           questions you may have about         KS3 (Years 7-9).  Mrs Hopewell Head of Key Stage 3 jane.hopewell@wingateschool.com

 Wingate Prefect Team 

2020/21 Once again our Prefect team         has excelled themselves, going       the extra mile to support         teachers and students alike.       They have taken on their new           roles with maturity; supporting       new students and teachers       alike. I know that Ms Colegrove           is very pleased with Chirag and           Bhavik who continue to give up           their lunch time to sit and chat             to the year 7 students.   

 Kareena - Head Girl Nina - Deputy Head 

 

 James, Gemma, Lev, Milena & 

Paris 

 Alicia (Year 8) I am really enjoying the sports lessons. The new virus rules help me to feel safe.   Carys (Year 8) Wingate is very welcoming and I have made lots of friends.  

 Daniel (Year 7) Wingate is a beautiful school and I am learning a lot.   

 Bhavik, Michelle, Lexi, Antons, 

Maria & Chirag 

 Simon - who missed the photo 

call.  Thank you to the Team.  

  

  Spanish Awards 

Snr Barrio has been getting into           the Halloween Spirit -       classroom is a fantastic       backdrop for our year 11         Spanish students of the term         Bhavik and Michelle - you have           been recognised for your       continued hard work and such         positive attitude to your studies.         Well Done! 

‘Harvest Festival’ It was with regret that we could not celebrate ‘Harvest Festival’ as                       normal this year, however, that did not stop the Wingate Family                     opening its arms to the wider community. Pastor Bill and his team                       were overjoyed with the generosity shown - A huge thankyou to all                       those parents who donated food - It really will make a difference.  

 In Year 8 RE lessons, pupils have also been learning about the                       reason why it is important to give to the needy for Harvest Festival,                         below are the posters Poppy and Mathilda made to celebrate the                     Harvest Festival: 

Year 7’s - Senior School Life Emiliya: At first when I came to the school I felt nervous but now I feel better because I have more friends. I really like senior school, I don’t have any problems with the homework or any lessons. I have made new friends and I really like my form. I like all the subjects but my favourite subject is 

  

Wingate Art Gallery  Miss Healey is so impressed         with her Year 10 & 11 IGCSE Art               students. It is a great shame           that we were unable to display           our artist’s work in the hall for             parents to enjoy - I know that is               one of the highlights of ‘Open           Day’ - Not to disappoint, I           thought I would share with you           some of our masterpieces:       Below is just a taster of Year             10’s ‘Still Life’ Project 

 

 Well Done April, Olivia &         Donatile (Yr 10) 

Science because we do practicals. I also really like Geography too because we do projects.  

 Aaron The day I woke up and knew that I was going to be a part of Senior 

School, I was very excited and couldn’t wait to get there! Overall, it 

has been an amazing feeling. I am treated like I am much older than I 

really am, I’m liking it much more than I would’ve ever thought. I’ve 

made a few new friends like Daniel, Sorin, Katie, Zofia and Isha. My 

form is the best. I feel that I’m lucky that my class is small so we can 

all be in the same form. The work which we have been doing was harder 

than I thought, for the first week the work felt too hard but after 

that, I’ve been doing pretty well in every subject.   Year 8’s - School and Coronavirus By Daisy  School this year has been hard, we all came back this year 

expecting everything to be 

completely different and to be 

honest, it is! Although some 

people dislike the change I 

somehow find it quite good! Let 

me tell you why… The masks and 

gel are keeping me and everyone 

around me safe - Coronavirus is 

serious and I don't want me or 

my family catching it so we have 

to put up with these masks! 

Disinfecting our hands and the 

tables is stopping germs being 

transferred so less people are 

getting any illnesses which is 

Our Year 11 artists continue to           impress with their     interpretation on fashion - such         detailed, delicate work from       Marissa, Milena, India and       Lexi - Well Done! 

 

great.  

I really like the changes, however, we do have shorter lunches 

and breaks which is not great, we also have to social distance and 

I miss hugging my friends. It is inconvenient but I know it is for 

the greater good.  

 

Class work  Now we are back in school, the pupils have been working harder than ever and                             producing some amazing results!  See some of the examples from around the school below:  In History Year 9 pupils are focussing on World War I and have                         been writing letters home from the Western front. These letters                   have been well-researched and are very moving. Please read below                   ones from two members of our year 9 community:  By Nicolas: Dear Mother and Father, Life in France is horrible. I was appointed to a frontline trench near the Somme at Amiens in late October of last year, equipped with only a Lee Enfield rifle and an ammunition box. Since then, I’ve swapped between frontline and reserve a dozen times, and each time you’re transferred, you get the feeling of relief or extreme fear, depending on which side you come from and where you go. To begin with there was much fighting, but I didn’t see it, as most happened before I arrived in November. By the time I got there, men were digging a long line of trenches up to the horizon either side, and we were to join in. No one thought it would last more than a couple of months, and our trenches were hastily dug out with little care or engineering precision. We were later to learn that this would be a very long war, and the enemy seemed to know it, as their trenches were well built and equipped.

At the start there were several breakthroughs up and down the line, but here, there was nothing. Not a single shot was fired in two weeks. The lingering feeling of death and boredom made it all the more unbearable. To pass the time, we would play football with the giant rats, play cards, smoked and chatted, or picked lice, in the intervals between battles. The winter was horrible to us. Our poorly built trenches did notwithstand the torrential rain of late November, and then the frost and snow of the early winter. The floor of our trench froze in a slippery, sludgy, muddy mass, and for weeks we were all knee deep, often more, in freezing muddy slush.

But when the combat comes, it’s gruesome. Nobody ever knows when, how and if it’ll come.

  

 POPPY DAY APPEAL 

 Next week we will begin our           annual Poppy Day Appeal.       Please allow students to       bring in some money to         donate to the appeal, with it           they can buy poppies,       bracelets etc. The money       raised will be donated to the           poppy appeal which helps       support War Veterans and       their families.  

 Dates for your Diary: 

 Next week we will begin our           annual Poppy Day Appeal.       Please allow students to       bring in some money to         donate to the appeal, with it           they can buy poppies,       bracelets etc. The money       raised will be donated to the           poppy appeal which helps       support War Veterans and       their families.   Fiesta Days - Monday &         Tuesday 7th - 8th December 

At any time, often at night, I’ll try to get any sleep I can, and someone will shout ‘Incoming!’ or we’d hear it ourselves. And with a terrible roar, the enemy charges into no mans’ land, the space between our trenches, shells and machine gun fire rain down on our trench, and the intolerable noise of death, bullets and glorious shouts. Our men take position on the fire step, a wooden board on which we sleep and take aim at the enemy, and gun them down. The few that manage to break through are faced off by our soldiers, often hand to hand, with the bayonet on our rifles. Then, to make the score even, we charge at the enemy in return, and we, too, get shot down and faced off in hand to hand combat. There has not been one successful invasion of a trench here yet. And the aftermath of any such unsuccessful battle is equally as gruesome. Retreating back to our trench, I’d stumble upon a corpse of a former comrades. The stench is appalling too. The smell of dirty men, rotting bodies, mud and gas is so strong that some have passed out because of it. Rats the size of cats roam the trenches, gnawing on the dead bodies that lay scattered across the battlefield. I don’t know when I’ll get out of here. Life is grim. They tell us we’re going nowhere until the war is over or unless we’re injured. Hope to see you again. By Eliana: Dear Elizabeth, I cannot bear life in the trenches for much longer. Followed by the triggering sound of bullets being fired, I’m often awoken to the excruciatingly painful sound of men wailing out in pain; accompanied by the echo of mice the size of footballs scurrying through the trenches in waves. It works almost as an alarm system; constantly reminding you of the gravity of the situation you were deceived into. It’s impossible to stay sane. I wake up every morning to the odour of ripe flesh, supplemented by the ghastly stench of thick, moist mud. The smell itself could kill a man. Everyday, come nightfall, more and more soldiers are sacrificed for the greater good of our country. Usually, my fellow troops and I, can identify the remains as our closest friends or acquaintances. This reminds us to never expect our closest allies in the trenches to be alive tomorrow. You are always going to end up alone. No one is safe in the trenches. I’m barely surviving here. It is unbearable. The conditions aren’t human enough to live. I am forced to ration stew and tinned beef which often tastes expired and our water tastes purely of chlorine. As well as that, as if the dawning fear of being slaughtered isn’t enough, us men are consistently avoiding diseases such as: trench foot, pneumonia and tuberculosis. All our men have been infected by lice, all over our bodies. Nothing beats the itchiness of the blood-sucking demons. It’s impossible to stay clean.We can’t even use the ‘toilet’, for the risk of getting shot. Day after day, I sit in anticipation, waiting for some action for the sole purpose of entertainment, although it would mean risking my fellow soldiers' lives. I have some acquaintances here in trenches, but I don’t suppose they’ll be around for long, so I’m attempting to not get too close to anyone. A majority of the time, we play cards and smoke.

 Wednesday 16th December -       Year 11, 12 & 13 progress           reports will be sent home  ‘Because of COVID constraints       there will be no formal Open           Day, but parents will be         contacted and ‘Google Meets’       will be set up for those students             who we feel are under pressure           or finding aspects of the         curriculum challenging.’  Friday 18th December - School         finishes at 12.35    Thursday 7th January 2021 -         Return to School.  

It can’t help but get boring but at least it’s company. Occasionally we pop our lice together. Due to the unbroken boredom of life in the trenches, fights often break out between soldiers. Us men have developed a game in which we kick around the mice here for they are big enough to be used as footballs, and cannot move. This has become a regular pastime. The most daunting thing about life in the trenches, is going over the parapet. Peering over no-man's land, anything could happen. Ascending the Firestep, nothing but fear crosses your mind. All you want to do is freeze, but the consequence would be death. You are trapped in the trenches. We are constantly attempting to conquer more of no-man’s land, to make trenches closer to the axis powers. When going over the top, you need to be prepared for death, after a series of machine-gun bullets. You must be equipped with a Lee Enfields Rifle and once you have run out of bullets, you resort to using your bayonet (a large knife at the end of your rifle). I would do anything to be back home with you. Life is hell in the trenches. SIncerely, John In English - Year 9 pupils have been reading the novel ´Animal Farm´. They have created some amazing posters to accompany the book, below are some highlights from Pietro, Helene, Eduardo, Sohanna, Adriana, Millie W and Lev

In Science - Year 7 pupils have been making models of cells. See pictures of their amazing models below:

By Fee

By Ivan

In Spanish - Year 9 pupils have been making leaflets to promote good mental health, teach about discrimination and suicude prevention: Adriana and Alejandra Ixchel and Lucrezia

Lev and Aleksei

In Art Year 8 pupils have been working on a portraits project learning how to shade facial features: Kirsten made a portrait of the singer Adele

 Bhavya also excelled in the portraits project: 

  Year 7 pupils were asked to illustrate their names with their personalities                       and interests: 

 

  

 Students of the half term in Spanish.  Every half term the Spanish department discusses which pupils are                   excelling in Spanish. This half term the accolade for years 7-8 goes to José,                           Alicia and Boris - well done!  

  For Years 9&10 Helene, Olivia, Valentina and Agust earned the top awards!