Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Revenge of The Fifth - Autumn 2015
Revenge of The Fifth - Autumn 2015
A Teenage Feminist
By Mia Forton
Editors Letter
Welcome to the first and final edition of the Fifth Form newspaper!
Yes that is true; this edition of the schools first year group run newspaper is to be its last. Were
rolling down the shutters and closing the doors in preparation for the incoming storm of revision
of examinations.
In honour of our last edition this extended letter will include some heart-wrenching history and an
open letter to the Lower School about life in the Upper School covering homework, options and
time management amongst other incredibly exciting topics. You can find this open letter below.
Of course we also have our standard articles, but with a bit of a shake up; the Tech Corner is still in
the trusty hands of Milo Stephens but the Cooking Corner has had to be given to Charlotte Buckle.
The Puzzle Page and the Sports Roundup also feature.
I hope you enjoy the issue!
From the editor, Leo Nasskau, swamped by past papers.
An Open Letter
By Leo Nasskau
The transition from the plains of First and Second Form to the labyrinths that make up the Upper
School is daunting to say the least. The ominous image of mountains of homework and important
exams do not create the most friendly of images. Its likely youll find more responsibility thrust
upon your shoulders and with this it is ever so essential to believe in your own choices and natural
ability. You will find that you take the challenges and
difficulties in your stride and will arise from the piles of
homework (that youll find smaller than you expect) will
ease. Especially if you follow this advice!
Homework:
Nowadays I rarely get more than two homeworks a day (ten subjects over five days). They tend to
be vague and boring, along the lines of revision or electrolysis test. This is an example of the
greater responsibility you will be entrusted withacknowledging your weakness and combatting
them is a key strength that will guide you to success all over the place. Two hours of homework a
night is designed to leave you with plenty of time for, as well as dinner and perhaps an after school
club, other stuff. Be it gaming, sport, board games or colouring (geography practise!). I jest of
course; Geography is a subject where the brain, as well as the colour scheme, is vigorously tested.
Options:
The Second Form will be choosing their GCSEs at the end of the year and eventually all of you will be
eased into three or four A-levels. The piece of advice youll hear repeated to you may times in the
future is choose what you enjoy. Im sure you will take this advice on but even so Id like to emphasise that it is likely the subjects you enjoy are the subjects that you will become the best at because
it is something you are much more interested in learning about. Another tip for choosing is to imagine you have chosen one side and then see how it makes you feel. I can promise that you will
know if you have made the right choice.
An Open Letter
Time Management: I have one word when it
comes to time management. Plan. When you come
to make a plan you will find you have so much time
wasted. It makes you so efficient!!! When you
make a revision timetable youll have so many slots
and depending on how much work you set yourself
a day may even struggle to fill them! I tend to do a
few hour slots each side of lunch separated by 15
minutes breaks. Theres always time to plan!
Extra Curricular:
Even for a school that is as exclusive as it is RGS offers an immense number of clubs and extra curricular activities everyday; lunch times, after school, there are even some morning clubs (food is
involved). I myself have experienced the desperate pleas of parents to attend at least one or two
clubs! and it really is worth it. Most importantly it provides you with another activity to add to
your portfolio; it provides you with another interest and new opportunities. As well this, when you
get to my age the word UCAS seems to be thrown around a lot. Universities love extra curricular.
So if you are hoping to get into your chosen university it is really important you take the opportunities that these clubs provide. Having a few extra curricular clubs portrays you as outgoing, open,
and talented. As well is this, it is practise for you to meet and gel with new people. This is what I
feel stopped me from going to clubs for so long; almost a fear that it would just be me in the corner watching everyone else Lego NXT, table tennis or whatever club you chose to attend. Its not
like that at all, and couldnt be if you think it through, a teacher cant stand by and not include
someone in something, thats basically the opposite of what a teacher is! In lessons they always
seems to pick me! Please just believe in yourself to get involved and prove to yourself that you
can try stuffand you can do it pretty well too.
Things to look forward to:
Well I seem to be running out of space, which is unfortunate because I have come to the things to
look forward to section; there really is so much to say! The opportunities and sheer delight of
DofE and CCF is a good place to start. Your DofE awards entails four sections; a hike, volunteering,
a skill and a sport. It is really enjoyable to find new skills and spend two days on a hike; however
much youre dreading it you will love it whilst youre there. CCF gives you the opportunity to delve
into the delights of the army, navy or the air force. Exotic trips such as sailing or flying (from RAF
Benson) made the DofE lot pretty jealous to be honest.
Dont forget that once you get to the Upper School the new Centre of Learning will be fully functional for most of your 7 years at RGS. It is poised to become a massive benefactor to all students
at the school upon its completion and thus I implore you to both use it as much as you can but also make it as open as possible to younger students as the facilities are there for everybody, as well
as for you.
I hope I have left you on a positive note but also with some truths and tips for coping for the
twists and turns of Upper School life. All of us on the Newspaper Team wish you the best of luck!!!
Masterfully Musical
Orchestral Concert
By Leo Nasskau
The Music School at RGS is renowned for its stunning contributions to the world of sound and it well and truly upheld that
statement on November 19th. Well over 100 students participated in the Orchestral Concert, performing to an expectant
yet amazed crowd at the Harlequin theatre in Redhill. A traditionally long concert, the audience was treated to a vast array
of music and talent from the intricacy of the Intermediate String Orchestra via the wonderfully professional Saxophone
Ensemble to highly anticipated Symphony Orchestra.
Pieces from Dovrak to Mendelssohn to Gershwin
were performed to an emphatic level, much to the
delight of a crowd who repeatedly demanded encore
after encore! The mood was however dampened at
the end when Mr Rushby announced his stepping
down as Head of Music to take on the role as
Assistant Head Teacher at RGS. The Music Block may
well be sad to see him but luckily hell never be too
far away!
RGS Unplugged
By Ben Silverman
On the 8th October, the Music Blocks Recital Room transformed for an evening of live, acoustic music performed by students from every year: RGS Unplugged. Run by Mr Lobb, this event allows pupils from every year to play their favourite music, focussing on the sound rather than its volume. As usual both the audience and the musical line-up were completely full.
It still amazes me how popular these events are, and how many students sign up to perform! Having played in the most
recent Unplugged, I experienced the rush of adrenaline that every performer gets as they walk on stage. Its a feeling like
nothing else; you feel much closer to the audience and the music as you cant hide behind a wall of amps or a drumkit. The
quality of the music performed is of such a high standard too, partly thanks to the acoustic sound but mainly because students spend ages preparing songs in advance to make sure they sound absolutely perfect. My band and I (Outside the Box)
must have spent at least a weeks worth of practice getting our song Chasing Cars up to scratch, and Im so glad we did. Mr
Lobb had written a string part to accompany our instruments and when we put it all together, the resulting sound was
amazing.
If you ever have a free evening and you see theres an Unplugged on, I cant recommend enough that you buy a ticket for an
unforgettable night!
A Teenage Feminist
continued...
The first major step forward for equality between the sexes is recognising the fact there is still a major problem at hand.
By identifying with this idea and even if you aren't necessarily prepared to call yourself a feminist (I still feel like you
should!), it shrouds the issue in a more positive and encouraging light. Instead of just sitting back and accepting that
women have more rights than those of the past, think differently; think that there is still a while to go until the genders
are completely equal. You wouldn't finish a job half complete would you?
So I leave you on one final note. Feminism is just the basic concept of mutual respect, mutual consideration and equality
between both sexes.
ReiMUN
By Jo Welsh
On September 26th, Reigate Grammar held the 19th annual ReiMUN. This event was extremely well received as
280 opinionated students from schools around the south took part. Our very own Aaron Gilchrist, Eleanor
Medcalf and Oscar Subuh-Simmons were esteemed chairs, Isaac Osterreicher an enthusiastic delegate, Charlie
Markland-Smith a key asset to the newspaper and me and Jasmine organising the whole event as vital
members of the admin team. The day was a resounding success as topical debates continued throughout. One
interesting one to mention was a motion to either send to northern Russia, or stone to death, all 'organisms'
self-recognised as homosexual; unbelievably this motion was passed with sub-clauses suggesting Skittles would
change their slogan and only sell the red sweets! The atmosphere of the event
was something to remember with enthusiastic member states passing
interesting notes between committees, many which do not deserve their place
upon this page! This light-hearted mood let everybody involved have a great
time and with so many great delegates it was hard
to choose the winners! Though for some it could
be considered a stressful day with the amount of
photo-copying and printing needed, the lack of
control over exasperating First Form behaviour
and the amount of chair and table
manoeuvring - overall it was definitely a success
and shall be a high point to look forward to in the
future. It is easy to get involved, a good way to learn how to argue professionally
and successfully, as well as a great way to make new friends (or enemies!). I for one
can't wait for next year!
Science Trips
By Aaron Gilchrist
On Friday 9th October the members of the Fifth Form who had chosen to not to commit to CCF or DofE went with
the Third Form to the Science Museum in London. Upon their arrival they were treated to a forty-minute-long film
about Robots on the massive IMAX screen which was, as well as engaging, a very important educational film for all
students; afterwards they had lunch and were given free roam of the museum for two hours - almost enough time
to experience every exhibit!
A few students from the fifth form were chosen to go on a trip to see GCSE Science in Action at Imperial College
London on Friday 13th November. There were five scientists who came to speak on some interesting scientific topics, much like GCSE Science Live which the whole year attended last year. The first talk was by Helen Czerski about
how bubbles make up an important part of everything and the study of them. Next was Sheila Kananis solar system safari which was an intriguing exploration of the more obscure aspects of the solar system with amazing photographs being shown. Then it was lunch-time, the pupils were allowed to eat their packed lunches anywhere within the building and some bought some other food from one of the cafs. The next talk was given by TV science presenter Greg Foot about the effects of climbing Mount Everest on the body, to the concern of the viewers he wore
his mountaineering clothing in the hot room for the entirety of the talk. The penultimate talk was given by Mark
Lorch about natures robots (proteins) which involved an interactive Minecraft based demonstration of their structure and some insight into these complex chemicals. Finally was Ian Dunnes Fantastic Physics, an amusing demonstration of many exciting experiments and revealing how some simple magic tricks really work. All of the students
enjoyed the talks and found it a great experience.
CCF Roundup
Summer Camp
By Amber Rothera
This term has been absolutely incredible for RGS CCF, with loads of activities completed, skills learnt, and qualifications gained by every member of every section. I am going to take a look at a few highlights from this action
-packed term.
Summer camp was an incredible week of intense training, getting cadets fit, healthy and exhausted for the beginning of a long, lazy summer holiday. The training was from the 4th to the 12th of July in Folkestone. The week
began with a day of skills and theory lessons, including DCCT (Digital Close Combat Training a computerised
shooting range), vehicle
spotting and team building
exercises. On the second
day, the RAF section went to
RAF Benson to go flying
in Tutor T1 planes. For some
cadets this was their first
time flying, but for others
who have been before,
they were given the chance
to do aerobatics. Meanwhile, the Army and Navy
sections went to an urban village training day. This
consisted of completing
missions in teams in a large
urban village range using
laser weapons. This day was
definitely one of the best
parts of the week, although
the old damaged mannequins within the area were
extremely creepy. Afterwards, we completed a two
day overnight exercise,
learning basic survival and
navigational skills. Sleeping in shelters made ourselves was an interesting experience... On Thursday, we went
climbing, sailing, canoeing and raft building, followed by having a go at an intense army assault course. It was
an extremely busy and exhausting day. The week ended with a two day expedition, equivalent to that of a
bronze D of E practice hike.
The whole week was absolutely incredible, full of challenges we faced and hilarious memories made.
Congratulations to Laura Hawrych for achieving cadet of the camp.
The First aid at work weekend was a great chance for cadets to train in first aid, which is not only an incredibly
useful life-saving skill to have, but is also handy to have when applying for a job, as it gains you a nationally recognised adult first aid qualification. From how to dress wounds, to how to treat a heart attack, we had to learn
a lot over that weekend! Cadets then had to pass a test to successfully gain the qualification, and luckily all the
hard work paid off, as all the cadets who attended the weekend passed the test. Well done everyone.
More recently, cadets attended a cadre on MOI, the methods of instruction, where we leaned how to instruct
others. This is an important part of CCF training, as it is a requirement that must be gained in order to instruct
less experienced cadets, and gain promotions. We learned to ho teach theory and practical lessons, before
giving lessons of our choices to our peers. This meant that over the weekend, we gained a lot of extra
knowledge, including the rules of quidditch and how to make an origami ninja
star. It was a very busy weekend. Every cadet passed with a merit or higher,
so well done to everyone. Now it's time to put your new skills in to practice,
and begin passing on the things you have learned in CCF to younger cadets.
See you all next term, where we have mountain biking, range day and NCO
training trips to look forward to. Oh, and mock exams. Hope you all have a
happy new year.
DofE Roundup
By Jo Welsh
This year, though there were less participants than those doing Bronze, we had great enthusiasm for Silver
Duke of Edinburgh. Our planning started early in order to be fully prepared for the 3 day hike we would be
involved in in the coming months. It was great to see the keen study of ordinance survey maps and the fantastic
teamwork of the individual groups. The split from social media, TV and comfortable beds was tough for some
but we all managed to get down to Lewes station, however possible, bright and early. My group took the train
down together and we were already hyped up for the walk ahead, the majority of people had forgotten the
struggles of bronze DofE but that was good because morale was high. After a hilly start all the groups made it to
first lunch on time and still full of life and that continued into the afternoon. Our campsite was not that quiet
and not that calm (what can you expect from a group of excited teens?) but this meant that food was cooked
with quite a bit of skill and ease and we all stayed up (possibly a bit too late) chatting and having fun. The
morning after... Shoulders aching more than remembered and legs a bit stiff we packed up and marched off a
gruelling day perhaps but with lots of food and lots of (interesting) singing we pushed through. A good nights
sleep was sincerely needed and this was also welcome by the farm owners who didn't particularly want to be
kept up by a group of rowdy youngsters. The hope of the last day and the last few miles woke everyone up in a,
relatively, good mood. By the end with good memories and a few bumps and bruises we made it home in time
for the train and then nice hot bath.
By Sam Molyneux
Major Ellen, or affectionately called Mellen, has been the School Staff Instructor (SSI) for the CCF at RGS and has become
loved by all. As the SSI, Major Ellen ran the CCF at the school, including managing the day to day administration as well as
leading the majority of the trips that, we as cadets, have the opportunity to enjoy and experience. He has greatly improved all of our experiences whilst in the school CCF and he has always been a critical aspect for anyone who passes
through. His enthusiasm and knowledge have hugely improved the CCF, with the introduction of the core of drums as well
as the growth of adventurous training like mountain biking and First Aiding. In a recent Tuesday afternoon parade, we had
the opportunity to say goodbye, many of the senior cadets gave gifts, including an actual Melon from Dan Studholme.
There was then a demonstration of the Gun Run and a small farewell party. Major Ellen is now starting his new business,
Creative Outdoors, in which he will be running outdoor courses and activities including, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and mountain biking, as well as team building and first aid.
Sports Roundup
By Leo Nasskau
Hockey
The Fifth Form plays host to some remarkable talent when it comes to hockey and five players in particular have made
their names heard in all the right places. Tom Guise, Archie Trevor, James Noblett, Leo Nasskau and Fergus McGoogan have
you made a name for themselves as reliable and talented young players. Consistently star players in previous years Tom,
Archie and Fergus have become a formidable trio in the centre of pitch whilst James and Leo have been solid walls at the
back in recent times.
In the 2nd XI the Fifth Form has been similarly well represented. Adam Shipley, Luke Morris, Hamish Massey, Tomos Nutt,
Dan Edwards, Max Harris, Joe Bolton and Mahin Uddin have all been called up into the team. Adam plays in the fullback
position, keeping the defence tight but also providing overlapping runs to wingers Luke and Hamish. Max and Mahin are
commonly found lurking in and around the D; eager for to take any opportunity to slap the ball into the backboard. But all
of that would be in vain were it not for Joe and Dan. The former a reliable sweeper and the latter a last line of defence on
the goal line.
Although both teams have had a couple of fixtures not many conclusions can be drawn. Next term both sides will find fixtures more common and less of a weekday rarity. As well as this, there is talk of a 3rd XI to cater to the masses of eager
hockey players who dont yet find themselves in a team.
The girls side of things has yet again reinforced their position as one of the stronger sides this school has seen with many
Fifth Form students heavily involved in a talented line up. Chloe Stinson, Lilly
Pinggera, Holly Dowling, Darcey Edwards, Ella Grayston, Bea Norton, Katie Frost,
Libby Gosnold, Flo Grant, Hatty Tagart and Jenna Emmerton have all played in
the team (although not all at the same time!) and many represented the team at
various tournaments. The girls have represented Reigate Grammar School in
County Cups and various indoor tournaments such as the tournament at CLFS as
well as travelling incredible distances to play for the school - an example is their
long trip all the way to Portsmouth!
Rugby
This term has seen a few Fifth Form students confirm their place in 2nd XVa remarkable achievement considering the strong
abilities of the current Sixth Form when it comes to rugby. Gus McGilligan and Hugh McKendrick are the most regular names
on the 2nd XV teamsheet. Having helped their side to 11 victories out of their 18 games and an impressive 121 points
difference Gus and Hugh have represented the year group proudly.
Contrastingly the 3rd XV is team mostly compromised of Fifth Form rugby players. Thomas Box,
Hamish Broderick, John Clayson and Gus Day, typically some of the first names on the teamsheet,
have powered the side to 7 wins in 13 games. Tom and John particularly stand out; the former
having captained the side and the latter holding the role of vice-captain for a few games - both roles
rotated throughout the strongest players in the side. Wed like to congratulate all members of both
rugby teams, not just those named, on their variable but nonetheless essential inputs to RGS Rugby.
By Milo Stephens
When most people think of a wireless sound system, they think of Sonos. It's a compact, versatile
and easy-to-use multi-room system which can be adapted to fit any environment. To many, the
perfect solution.
But, to me, there's one fundamental problem.
Even after sampling the brand new Play 5, I was
rather disappointed by the quality of the sound
output. Sure, it's good, but it didn't blow me
away. In fact, I left the branch of Richer Sounds
feeling somewhat unimpressed. When, for the
same money as the average Sonos system, you
can buy a set of floor standing speakers and amplifier, which will be, quite frankly, miles better, I
simply don't think it's worth it. I'm not even going to mention the average Play 1 and downright
abysmal Play 3.
It is at this point that I turn to the main subject of this article, the B&O Play A9. I first saw the A9 in
a Bang and Olufsen shop whilst visiting family in Lille, and was immediately impressed. Not only
does the stunning design grab one's attention, but what makes it for me is how B&O engineers
manage to combine this with jaw-dropping sound. Rich, powerful bass lays the foundations for an
incredibly detailed series of mids and trebles, all balanced in near perfect harmony.
I have a rather diverse taste in music, and regardless of whether Im listening to piano & cello duets, dixieland jazz standards or classic rock numbers, the A9 recreates the sounds of the instruments in great detail. When I can turn my head away and imagine a live band playing in the corner
of my living room, I know that Ive found an awesome piece of kit. The A9 is exactly that.
Although the A9 is not part of Bang and Olufsens new
multi-room system, it has a great deal of connectivity,
which, most importantly, allows me to stream directly to it
from Apple Music, using AirPlay. Bluetooth and streaming
from other services such as Spotify are also available, along
with USB and Line-In. As well as this B&O have included an
ethernet port for a more stable network connection.
Many traditionalists may say that the A9 is overpriced, and that the sound quality is far from the
good old days of analogue. Yes, I accept that 1699 is a significant investment for a sound system,
but the A9 is an awful lot of bang for your buck. It is built for the modern world, where simplicity
of design and functionality is more important than ever. No trailing of wires under carpets or
through walls, no changing of CDs or records at frequent intervals, no out-of-place, ugly boxes
dominating the room. The A9 is a stunning solution to the wireless audio requirements of a modern home. In my opinion, the best of its kind.
By Charlotte Buckle
Ingredients:
For the cake:
8oz butter, unsalted, room temperature - 227g
12oz plain flour - 340 g
4oz caster sugar - 113g
Method:
In a suitable bowl, form breadcrumbs with the sugar and butter using your fingers
Super important! Knead the dough 100 times, on a cool work surface.
Push out the dough into a tray - have the dough be about 1.5cm thick
Remove from the oven & without removing the dough from the tray, score the cooked
dough into any shape of your choosing.
Once the tray is cool you can remove the shortbread from the tray
Unto Jupiter!
By Ben Dunn-Flores
Solar Sails
They are wonderfully simple things, literally ships that sail on light. They work on the principle that photons
have momentum, and they can impart that momentum to a reflective surface. Only that momentum transfer is
9N/square mile. But when you factor in that that is constant acceleration they can reach speeds far in excess of
chemical rockets. The Planetary Society has built a model from three CubeSats and a huge sheet that is the
thickness of a plastic bin liner.
An EM Drive
It offers everything you would want from a space engine. It is
efficient, can provide constant thrust, much cheaper than a
chemical rocket. Just one thing If it works (and that is
unproven) it breaks physics. And yet, it could propel a craft to
Mars in 10 weeks, without using a propellant. It could generate
a milli-g acceleration - enough to get us to Alpha Centauri
(over 4 light years) in 84 years. But experiments are getting
more and more watertight, "And yet the anomalous thrust
signals remain..." Paul Mach, principle investigator of Eagleworks lab, the latest tester of the drive. The constant
thrust could also be used to keep things in LEO - low earth orbit. The ISS needs regular boosts from chemical
rocket, although an EM drive could be used instead. Much cheaper.
Space Elevators
The rest are all well and good, but if you cant get into space in the first place, theyre just expensive scrap. This
is a way to reduce the launch costs from $10,000 per kilo to ~$400 per kilo. It uses a carbon nanotube wire,
stretching 100,00km into space, in GSO - geostationary orbit, where there will be a counterweight to receive
the payload. On earth, there would be a floating platform in the middle of the pacific, with the tether and ready
to send and receive the elevator (5-20 tonnes) with lasers. The lasers provide the energy, converted by PV cells,
for the traction rollers which would allow the lifter to climb at 200mph.
This only solves one problem though. Few of the problems I listed at the top have been solved. We currently
have no materials light and dense enough to block the radiation that any astronaut would face. Nor do we have
any water recycling facilities sufficiently efficient, nor hydroponics/aeroponics advanced enough to grow in such
low light.
Puzzle Page
By Leo Nasskau