The Lister Weekly Update #24
May 22nd 2024
Student Parliament Goes to Parliament!
On Monday 13th May we were lucky enough to take some of our Student Representatives to the Houses of Parliament for a day filled with interesting facts and insightful debates! The students in attendance had an amazing time and learnt a lot of information about how and where laws are created in the UK.
Students began the day with a tour of Parliament - walking through the portrait galleries of past monarchs, examining the statue room where the ex-Prime Ministers stand, and even searching through the Parliamentary pigeon holes to find Rishi Sunak! The highlight of the tour was visiting the House of Lords and the House of Commons, which many of us had only ever seen on TV. Students stood in the aisles where our MPs regularly sit and meet and were even able to examine the agenda for Monday's Parliamentary Session with DWP!
Following the fascinating tour, in which we learnt a lot about the history of Parliament, the students were able to participate in a workshop on Laws and Debating. This included an exciting quiz, where students took on the colours of red and blue and learnt about the different laws all over the world. During this session, students were also able to dress up in the Speaker's robes and take part in a parliamentary-style debate on whether or not exams should be banned in the UK. This debate was tense and insightful and the staff at the Houses of Parliament were so impressed with the behaviour and eloquence of the students of Lister.
We were able to finish the day with lunch under the shade of Big Ben - enjoying the sun with our future voters and politicians!
Lister does Les Mis
Les Miserables, The Sondheim Theatre
Chosen students from years 7-9 were lucky to attend the school's matinee of Les Miserables, London’s longest running musical. Although the performance was dark and sad at times as the policeman Javert was relentlessly chasing ex-convict Jean Val Jean, there were some really funny moments provided by the Thernardier's the old married couple. After the show, they were treated to a 'behind the scenes' experience where non-acting employees such as wigmakers and lighting operators demonstrated what they do to enable the show to be performed.
Dhiya Mesariya and Pal Patel (pictured above) are great Year 7 dancers who were discussing whether they preferred Les Mis or Hamilton which they had the pleasure of seeing two weeks ago. We are creating theatre-loving citizens!
Silver Dancers
The silver Dancer of the Year cup is awarded to a GCSE Dance student who has consistently been conscientious, hard working and resilient over the two year course. The Dancer of the Year is voted for by their peers with Ms Coke having the final say. The GCSE Dance journey with this cohort has been both challenging and heart-warming at the same time.
The Dancer of the Year Runner Up is Adelina Cazan. The winner of Dancer of the Year 2024 is Junior Ducure. He performed fearlessly and choreographed a poignant duet based on Men’s Mental Health called Suffer in Silence. Junior’s name is engraved on the cup and will famously live on in the hearts and minds of the GCSE Dancers that succeed him. All dancers are welcomed back with open arms to help with the next generation of dancers.
Exciting University Visit for Year 8 Students
Last Friday, a group of our Year 8 students had the incredible opportunity to visit North Eastern University, London, as part of our ongoing programme with 'Into University'. The visit was an inspiring experience for our students, providing them with a first-hand look at university life.
The day began with an engaging tour of the university's state-of-the-art facilities. Our students were thrilled to explore the campus and see where higher education could take them. They also had the chance to speak with current students from around the world, gaining valuable insights into university life and the diverse community at North Eastern University. Our Year 8s loved hearing their stories and experiences, and they picked up some great tips on how to prepare for their own academic journey.
Throughout the visit, our students learned about the various pathways to higher education and the wide range of courses available. This experience was not only enjoyable but also highly educational, helping to broaden their horizons and inspire future academic aspirations.
The day was a fantastic mix of fun activities and eye-opening experiences and our students represented Lister excellently throughout.
Thank you to Into University and North Eastern University for making this enriching experience possible!
Lister Students get even more taste for Higher Education!
(We are pleased to welcome to the Lister News team a reporter from our student group...)
Today we took a visit to the University of Essex campus in Colchester, where we were taken on a tour, and shown the options that University gives us. In the first lesson we were taught why we should consider going to University. Some facts were that 88% of people that get their degree receive a higher income. Another fact we were taught was that when students take a loan for university, they have 40 years to pay it. If they don't pay it in 40 years the government will wipe it off. They showed us different types of courses, such as sports science, robotics ,finance etc.
Then we were taken on a tour around the campus. They showed us the student accommodation, the sports arena, the gym, the psychology block and the library.
Then we were taught about athletes' mental health such as Michael Phelps, who opened up expressing his struggles and eventually got better by speaking to people he trusted. We also were taught about Tyrone Mings, during the Euros he suffered from insomnia and he doubted himself. We also learnt that even the best athletes also suffer and aren't perfect, just like us.
Overall, it was a great experience and we would recommend it to other schools who are interested in sports or who still are looking for what to do in the future.
Thanks,
Deimontas Jokubauskis
Pastoral Curriculum
In assembly this week, students have been celebrating diversity by learning about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month which runs for the whole of June.
They have been learning about the similarities and differences between the different groups and have also been learning about some of their customs, some of the history behind these ethnic groups, and some of the famous people who are from these ethnic groups.
We have also been linking this to The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, linking the content to this week's Thought for the Week: Human Rights are for everybody, no matter who you are or who you love'.
Bake Sale to raise money for Mental Health
On Friday 24th May, we will be holding a bake sale to raise money for one of the mental health charities that the school looks for support and guidance from. This is to fit in with last week's celebration on Mental Health Awareness Month. If possible, please remember to ensure your child has some money on Friday so that they can buy cake and contribute to a great charitable cause, all at the same time!
