A celebration of life at MPW Birmingham

A celebration of life at MPW Birmingham
Welcome to Greenfields 2014/15
www.mpw.ac.uk
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Our Principal’s Welcome
01
Solar Eclipse
>> Tate Britain
02
The Saatchi Gallery
The Barbican Gallery
06
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10
Alumni
A Taste of Chocolate
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JCB Factory
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30
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40
45
14
16
18
20
22
International Student Sport 24
Fifth Form Skating
25
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Genetic Analysis at
Aston University
26
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Charity Events
27
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12
CIFE Football Tournament
Football
Paula Radcliffe Visit
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Head 4 Heights
Model United Nations
08
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15
Summer Ball
02
04
2001: A Space Odyssey
Kenilworth Castle Trip
AS Chemistry
01
28
30
32
34
Sports Awards Evening
38
Thinking like a
University Student
39
House of Lords Academic
Awards Ceremony
40
Shelley, Frankenstein
& Jaffa Cakes
42
CIFE Quiz
44
Artist
45
MPW Birmingham
17-18 Greenfield Crescent
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3AU
Tel: 0121 454 9637
Fax: 0121 454 6433
www.mpw.ac.uk
Mark
Shingleton
Principal’s Welcome
“It’s been a successful
year. MPW received a
glowing Ofsted report with
Outstanding judgements in
all categories.”
www.mpw.ac.uk
Our Principal’s Welcome 01
It’s impossible to capture everything that has been achieved
throughout the academic year but contained here should be some
stories that show what our students are about. Four of our students
received awards at the House of Lords, all with their own unique
and inspiring stories. Perhaps the most inspiring of all is the
journey undertaken by Inderpal Bassan. If ever a young person feels
lost, defeatist or low in confidence they should look to Inderpal.
Prior to joining MPW he achieved four U grades in his AS exams at
his former school. At MPW he learnt to reinvent himself, changing
his habits and outlook and adopting the “MPW way”. Inderpal left
MPW with A*, B, B. He obtained a special award at the House of
Lords for the way he transformed his life and he is just one of many
success stories that we are so proud of.
W
elcome to Greenfields and a celebration of the academic
year that was 2014-2015. It’s been a successful year. MPW
received a glowing Ofsted report with Outstanding judgements
in all categories. Ofsted clearly liked what they saw both inside
and outside of the classroom. Our small class sizes capped at an
absolute maximum of eight students ensures for dynamic and
purposeful learning. Our students make considerable progress at
MPW, both academically and socially. We aspire to provide a more
bespoke education to our students and work hard to engender a
supportive, positive and hardworking culture. Our weekly Timed
Assignments provide students with the ideal opportunity to
build up their academic understanding whilst strengthening their
examination technique. At the same time we don’t underestimate
the potential stress that students can experience in the pursuit
of high level academic endeavour and we like to think that we
provide one of the strongest pastoral teams in the country.
One of the things that really stood out for Ofsted, as it does
for all visitors to the college, was the impeccable behaviour of
our students and the friendly and warm atmosphere that exists
throughout the college. MPW is a nurturing environment in which
all students are given a chance to shine. Regardless of their ability
every student is treated as an elite student. We don’t construct
ceilings to cap student and parental aspiration, we commit to doing
our best by every young person we work with.
Yet again students from MPW Birmingham won awards at one of
the biggest annual Model United Nations events in the country.
Each year we appear to go from strength to strength regarding
public speaking and debating. Perhaps one of the most gratifying
things about our public speaking teams is that they are often made
up of students who habitually have never been perceived as good
public speakers. It just goes to show that with the right attitude
and with the right support students can sometimes achieve things
they never thought were possible.
There were two highlights in the sporting calendar. The first
was our involvement in a national football tournament at the
prestigious English training venue of Saint George’s Park. We
picked up a Bronze medal with our players defeating Ashbourne
College in the third place play off encounter. The other highlight
was completing the double over our friendly rivals MPW
Cambridge.
MPW Birmingham is a special place to work and study. It is a
college where students can expect to work harder than they would
expect to at another school or college, but equally it is a college
in which students can expect to receive more support than they
would expect to at another school or college. As a community we
strive to transform and better the lives of the young people we
work with.
Mark Shingleton
Principal
MPW Birmingham
02 Solar Eclipse
Solar
Eclipse
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“The last solar eclipse
visible in the UK was in
1999 and the next one
will be in 2090.”
Greenfields
T
he last solar eclipse visible in the UK was in 1999 and the next
one will be in 2090, this means that we were lucky to not only
have a partial eclipse this year that was visible in Birmingham, but
it also fell on a school day! What better way to get our students
involved in science.
Staring at the sun is very dangerous, and even with the best
sunglasses you were never going to see much anyway, so the proper
equipment was needed to get a good look at what was happening.
The Year 10 students produced their own pinhole projectors, with
which to safely view the eclipse, from materials readily found
around the house, before heading outside to see physics in action.
www.mpw.ac.uk
Solar Eclipse 03
Pictured right: Will Jones &
Louise Tomkins
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04 Tate Britain
Tate
Britain
O
n a murky March day Gareth and I set
off from Moor Street station with the
Photography students for a long awaited visit
to TATE Britain. A more traditional gallery
than its contemporary counterpart TATE
Modern, I wasn’t quite sure how well it would
be appreciated by our budding Photography
students, who were by now well into their end of
year exam projects.
Railway and tube stations always seem to
provide good photo opportunities and this trip
was no different, with students keen to capture
the movement of trains and the perspective
shots afforded by long platforms, tunnels and
escalators.
Situated on the bank of the Thames, the
building itself is grand and elegant, with recent
renovations providing us with some great photo
opportunities, both inside and out.
We began with an early lunch at the gallery - an
unexciting affair and any further trips to TATE
Britain should bear this in mind!
The chronological displays of British art
provided something for everyone, including
works stretching from as far back as 1545 to the
present day. I found this type of display very
interesting – it showed the vast range of widely
differing art works that were being created in
parallel. In addition to the permanent collections,
there were two temporary exhibitions students
could choose to visit. Salt & Silver presented
a collection of salted paper images – one of
the earliest forms of photography, invented in
1839. This was interesting, if a little dry. The
second (and my favourite), Working Process,
captured photographer Nick Waplington’s view
Greenfields
www.mpw.ac.uk
Tate Britain 05
of Alexander McQueen’s working methods, when
putting on a fashion show. This gave a fascinating
insight into the work of a fascinating artist.
Another interesting insight was discovering
the virtual displays of artists’ sketchbooks –
showing the development of their ideas, and
all that research and experimentation we try
to get all our Art students to emulate in their
sketchbooks!
Students all respond differently to gallery visits,
and opinions about any trip will usually boil
down to whether or not students were inspired
by what they saw. One such student was Indy
Whyte, who, inspired by the photographic
portraits of Barbara Ker-Seymer, decided to
explore portraiture for her own final piece.
One of the highlights of the day has to be
the vision of Serina, leading a route march to
her favourite waffle stand! Several students
amazed us all with their capacity to speed-eat
their waffles, including massive toppings of
strawberries, cream and all sorts of other gunk,
whilst power-walking to Marylebone to catch
our train.
06 The Saatchi Gallery
Greenfields
The Saatchi
Gallery
D
uring February we took a group of enthusiastic Art, Photography and Graphics students on a research
trip to the Saatchi Gallery in London to see the ‘Post Pop: East meets West’ exhibition. The show
brought together artists from China, Russia, the UK and the USA to celebrate the legacy of Pop Art. The trip
provided a great opportunity for students to research different cultures and ideological backgrounds from
around the world and it was great to see them engaging with the exciting artwork, looking at how imagery
from mass media reflects on the nature of the world we live in.
The students were struck by the scale, humour and ambition of works in the exhibition that tackled a range
of themes such as celebrity, religion, the body and the home or habitat. There is no doubt that seeing the
way different artists from around the world use image making to communicate complex issues has had a
really positive impact on the students’ approach to their studies and they have gone on to tackle projects
ranging from the skin damage caused by sun beds to the exploitation of workers rights in Dubai.
www.mpw.ac.uk
The Saatchi Gallery 07
08 Barbican Gallery
Greenfields
Barbican
Gallery
In February, GCSE and A
Level Photography students
visited the Barbican Centre to
experience the ‘Constructing
Worlds’ Exhibition. The
Barbican, located in the heart
of London, is a hive of creative
activity and offered our
students the opportunity to
find inspiration for their final
examination project.
‘Constructing Worlds’ covered
various aspects of modern
society through photographic
imagery with architectural
landscapes forming the
backdrop for the images.
As well as viewing the work of
world famous photographers
including Walker Evans,
Andreas Gursky and Ed
Ruscha, students were given
a brief in which they would
take photographs of the local
architecture in the style of
their favourite piece of work on
show. This practical approach
to the field trip gave students
an immediate opportunity
to experiment with the
inspirational work on show.
“People, architecture and
landscape have dominated
the photographic image,
but it is architecture
that unites the three,
as the most significant,
undeniable and often
monumental and enduring
trace of our presence on the
planet. Consequently, since
the very first photograph,
architecture has proved
to be a seductive subject
for photographers. It has
changed the way we think
about architecture and even
the way architects work.”
Jane Alison,
Head of Visual Arts,
Barbican.
Pictured above:
Camrun Shah
Pictured above:
Serina Ma
www.mpw.ac.uk
Pictured above:
Collin Zhu & Jenny Ye
Barbican Gallery 09
Greenfields
10 Alumni
Alumni
If at first
you don’t
succeed...
Utkarsh Dandekar
One such student is Utkarsh Dandekar who
finished his studies at MPW in 2011, achieving
ABB in the A levels of Biology, Chemistry and
Mathematics having also studied his GCSE
subjects at MPW. On leaving MPW Utkarsh
attended Queen Mary, University of London
where he read for a BSc in Biomedical Sciences
achieving a 2.1 with honours.
Once a student enrols at MPW we continue to
support and look after them even when they
move onto university. Utkarsh kept in regular
contact with us and let it be known that after
graduating he would like to study Dentistry.
Utkarsh carried out plenty of research into the
possible dental schools he could apply to and
together we made sure he submitted the strongest
of applications. He visited MPW several times
to carry out mock interviews and each time was
receptive to the feedback we supplied him. We
are so proud of Utkarsh’s achievements and he
is a great advertisement for any student who is
thinking of giving up. Utkarsh did not give up and
although his route into dental school may have
taken slightly longer than he initially expected
the message is clear: never, never ever give up!
Pursuing our career goals is not always easy and along the way we may face many
obstacles. These obstacles can range from experiencing complications in our personal lives
to attending an unsupportive school. In some cases we may not have had the maturity first
time round to make the best use of the opportunities available to us.
When we are faced with some of life’s challenges it can feel all too easy to give up and
compromise our goals. Overcoming such sentiments often requires courage, perseverance
and an unshakable desire to be successful. Along the way we may doubt ourselves but in
essence we need to know that it is our duty to make the most of the talents we have and
to strive for the best we can achieve. MPW is fully committed to getting the best out of
the students it works with. Over the years we have worked with many students whose
journeys have been nothing short of inspirational.
Describe your journey from starting A-levels to
getting accepted into Dental School?
My journey into Dental School from
A-levels certainly was not easy. Nor was it
straightforward. It would see me on almost a
6-year journey. I encountered tough A-level
exams, a challenging university degree whilst
battling personal family circumstances. I have
learned so much on my journey. Not only about
myself in terms of my strengths and weaknesses
but also the fact that after everything being a
dentist is all I could still see as the end result. I
knew that there was no second career for me.
What is the dental school you are in and what
year are you?
I am just about to start at King’s College London
and am so excited about this.
What support did you get from MPW in preparing
your application?
If you want support when preparing an
application for submission to Dental School or
are looking for advice on any course at university
– look no further than MPW. I don’t say it
because I went here. I say this honestly and truly
because without the help and guidance on, for
instance UKCAT, personal statement, UCAS
application and interview techniques, from the
excellent staff I would not be where I am today.
More importantly I would not be the person I am
today. This goes for both my application and for
my overall academic support during A-level and
GCSE studies.
What tips would you give to a student who is
applying / reapplying to Dental School?
Firstly, make sure it is definitely a career for you
and that you could live with it for the rest of
your life; and, secondly, do dentistry for the right
reasons.
Getting into Dental School is extremely
competitive so make sure you stand out from
the crowd. Do something different to show that
you are willing to come out of your comfort
zone in your extra curricular activities and that
you have some sort of personality. Besides, nail
the UKCAT– practise this as much as possible.
Remember that the UKCAT is an opportunity to
make up in any weaknesses in your application.
Research is another important stage. Always look
at the entry requirements of all Dental Schools.
Do this early on and don’t waste a valuable
choice by applying to a school that you never
met the entry requirement for. At the same time,
don’t forget to focus on your A-levels/degree.
Many people forget this and worry about the
progress of their UCAS applications. They spend
hours focusing on hearing back from universities.
Remember that your A-levels/degree is your
ticket into Dental School.
Another tip is to always stay positive. Although
easier said than done– remain focused on your
end goals. Visualise yourself getting into dental
school. Positivity is key.
www.mpw.ac.uk
Alumni 11
If you are reapplying, firstly don’t get disheartened
or lose hope. Many do this and sadly give up on
their dream of being a dentist and look to another
career. Don’t settle for second best because when
you reapply, you will be stronger. You have gained
an entire year full of experience on applying to
Dental School. You are 1 year wiser and more
equipped to now gain a spot at Dental School.
What are my aspirations for the future?
I am really excited on embarking on a new
journey at King’s College London to study
dentistry. I am looking forward to exploring the
different avenues in dentistry and what certain
specialties can offer me. During my dental
career I would like to teach future dentists and
engage in some research. I am currently looking
at opportunities to work in a team providing
reconstructive surgery for children born with
facial deformities. Such deformities include cleft
lip and palate.
Rosie Wallbank
one year A levels in Biology and Mathematics to
explain Rosie’s circumstances and to make clear
that Rosie had not been supported sufficiently.
We worked closely with Rosie rebuilding her
confidence and she submitted a very strong
application to the London School of Economics.
Rosie obtained an offer from her first choice
university and this involved getting an A* in one
of her subjects at MPW. Rosie left MPW in 2013
achieving an A* in A level Mathematics and
an A grade in A level Biology and this enabled
her to take up her place at the London School of
Economics. Rosie’s story shows us that no matter
how bad we might feel if academic results don’t
go our way we must not give up and that by
working closely with families and students, MPW
is often able to come up with solutions.
Describe your journey from starting your A levels
to getting accepted into LSE?
After achieving good AS results at my previous
school I stayed on to complete my A2 studies. I
received an offer from LSE to read Law but feel
that I was badly let down by my former school
due to teachers going off and not being replaced
and me not receiving the support I needed. I was
devastated not to have met my offer.
I thought long and hard about what to do and
decided to spend one year at MPW studying one
year A levels. This turned out to be one of the
best decisions I have ever made.
Rosie Wallbank’s aspirations had for many years
been to become a lawyer. However, Rosie did not
have the best of experiences at her previous
school and underachieved considerably in her A
level examinations. This had a crushing impact
upon Rosie’s self-esteem and she began to think
that her options were limited. Her dream was to
attend the London School of Economics and read
Law but the grades she obtained at her former
school meant that this was not possible.
Rosie came into MPW during the summer of 2012
and met with the Principal who explained to
Rosie that all was not lost and developed a plan of
action for her. He wrote to the London School of
Economics after Rosie had enrolled to study two
I received the results required and gained a place
at LSE, and am now able to apply for the kind of
job I want in a big city law firm.
What is the Law school you are at like and what
year are you in?
The LSE Law School is difficult, but once first
year is over it becomes routine. I am about to
enter my third year. There is limited contact time
(like all universities) which means that it is all on
you to get the help and support that is available.
This is a completely different mind-set from
that of being at school where you often receive
as much support as can be offered. At MPW I
received so much support and obviously at LSE
it is not realistic to expect the same level of care.
The reading lists are endless and sometimes
make me want to give up. But it is worth it - if
it wasn’t difficult I’d be bored and my degree
wouldn’t mean anything to me. Socially LSE is
good fun but as with any uni that depends on how
much you get involved with societies. University
experience really is what you make of it, nothing
is handed over on a plate.
What support did you get from MPW in preparing
your application?
MPW gave lots of advice about where to reapply
and helped loads with my personal statement.
I always felt supported and never felt pushed to
apply somewhere I didn’t want to. Above all, the
way that MPW teaches prepared me for university
in a way that my previous school hadn’t. The
excellent result I achieved this year at university
is down to the studying techniques developed at
MPW. They are worth remembering and applying
throughout any university degree.
What tips would give to a student who is
applying/reapplying to Law School?
Make sure your personal statement really is
personal. Ignore the templates you can find online
- everyone uses them so you just don’t stand
out. Talk about things you are proud of and be
clever in applying them to a law degree. Properly
think about and address why you want to study
law. When it comes to choosing a law school,
look at what modules are offered if you want to
be a particular kind of lawyer, and consider the
assessment methods you prefer - you won’t be
able to get away from exams completely but some
universities offer coursework and some don’t. At
the end of the day it is important to remember
that life is not always easy. MPW believed in me
and helped me re-find my confidence and I am so
glad that I persevered.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I am currently in the process of applying for
London IP firm training contracts. I keep looking
at a Masters at UCLA or Stanford, so I may just
have to apply and see what happens!
12 A Taste of Chocolate
“A2 Business
Studies students
were fortunate
to be able to
visit Cadbury
World as part of
their research
projects on UK
Manufacturing.”
Greenfields
www.mpw.ac.uk
A Taste of Chocolate 13
A Taste of
Chocolate
C
>>>>
adbury World is much more than just the fun
of chocolate tasting, important though that
is. This very successful leisure attraction is just a
short train ride from the college and A2 Business
Studies students were fortunate to be able to visit
Cadbury World as part of their research projects on
UK Manufacturing.
The visit gave students an opportunity to explore
> the story behind the original Cadbury family
business which started producing chocolate
> commercially in Birmingham almost 200 years
ago. Students also saw how the chocolate is
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manufactured and learned about the skilled labour
needed for the process. As well as showcasing
>
the manufacturing business, Cadbury World
> looks back in time and brings to life the history
of chocolate itself. And, of course, offers lots of
>
necessary chocolate tasting!
14 JCB Factory
Greenfields
“Seeing so many
areas of the business
provided students with
a good understanding
of the importance of
manufacturing and
business culture as
well as a company’s
employment ethos.”
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Pictured above right:
Ryan Moran, Paramveer Rooprai,
Ali Shakarchy, Dan Ahmed,
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Arun Burgess, Nish Tandon
& Sach Gulati
JCB Factory
S
eeing a large and successful business in operation will always
be of benefit to a Business Studies student, especially when the
business is one of the largest privately owned companies in the
UK. A visit to JCB headquarters in Staffordshire gave AS Business
Studies students the opportunity to see behind the scenes at one
of the world’s top three manufacturers of construction equipment.
Spending time at JCB was also invaluable experience for A2
students working on a research project about UK Manufacturing.
The visit included a full guided tour of the JCB plant, covering
many areas ranging from those devoted to production and assembly
right through to the staff gym. Seeing so many areas of the business
provided students with a good understanding of the importance
of manufacturing and business culture as well as a company’s
employment ethos. It also gave staff and students a chance to see
where those iconic yellow diggers originate from!
www.mpw.ac.uk
Pictured left to right:
Xiaoxiang Jiang, Jorowar Sanghera, Paul Tino,
Martin Ovberedjo, Anil Sharma & Gary Durant
2001: A
Space
Odyssey
IMAX Cinema Visit
2001: A Space Odyssey 15
“Just like Picasso’s work,
2001 does not follow the
worn-out and pre-fabricated
formula of its time.”
“2001: A Space Odyssey is the greatest film ever
made; it envelops the entirety of human evolution
from ape-man to spaceman. Just like Picasso’s
work, 2001 does not follow the worn-out and prefabricated formula of its time. Considering its
1968 release date, one year before we even landed
on the moon I think that this film’s impact on
pop culture and later cinema such as Star Wars
(1977) is the greatest reason why you ought to see
it. It is a masterpiece of monolithic proportions.”
Paul Tino, Year 13 Student
16 CIFE Football Tournament
Greenfields
CIFE Football
Tournament,
St George’s Park
MPW Birmingham participated in the first CIFE football tournament which was held at the
prestigious Saint George’s Park - an official training venue of the England football team.
Ten teams participated in the tournament with colleges coming from around the country.
As you might expect of a centre run by the Football Association, the facilities were
excellent with the tournament taking place on an indoor 3G pitch which is the same size as
the Wembley pitch on which the full England team have trained. Congratulations to MPW London who won the tournament and peaked just at the right
moment beating Cambridge Centre for Sixth Form Studies in the final by means of an
American penalty shootout. MPW London’s trophy cabinet will now accommodate the
Saint George’s Park Trophy.
As for MPW Birmingham we reached the semi-finals losing to an in form Cambridge Centre
for Sixth Form Studies (who it appeared peaked too early). The MPW Birmingham team
showed much resolve in getting over this disappointment, winning their third place play off
against Ashbourne College of London.
The standard of play from all ten teams was extremely high and in many cases the teams
could only be separated by goal difference. The behaviour of the MPW Birmingham team
was impeccable and there is much to look forward to regarding future matches.
www.mpw.ac.uk
CIFE Football Tournament 17
18 Kenilworth Castle
Greenfields
Kenilworth
Castle
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or their controlled
assessment work this year,
the GCSE History students
carried out a visit to the
atmospheric Kenilworth Castle
during May. With its dark
sandstone ruins silhouetted
against the grey sky, the castle
provided a haunting view as
we approached and entered.
The students’ aim was to
assess the development of the
castle against the backdrop of
general castle development
within England, between the
years 1055 and 1650. The castle
itself was used alongside other
sources, such as letters, poems
and paintings, to evaluate how
the past has been interpreted
and represented in different
ways.
www.mpw.ac.uk
Kenilworth Castle 19
We were fortunate enough
to be the only group in the
castle, which gave us a rare
opportunity to sufficiently soak
up the gloomy atmosphere
of this once majestic and
prominent castle, where Queen
Elizabeth I had danced within
her private apartments and
roamed the beautiful garden
which had been made especially
to woo her.
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Though the weather matched
the atmosphere of the ruins
(gloomy!), we were still able to
enjoy our visit and take in all of
the sights, though I am sure we
all wished for some sunshine and
heat, atmosphere or not! Spirits
were kept high, however, by our
enthusiastic tour guide, George,
who was keen to describe all of
the gory details of its history;
from the eyeball-popping
properties of limestone that the
defenders would pour onto their
attackers alongside their boiled
urine, to one owner who enjoyed
torturing people in front of his
banqueting guests!
The students were able to explore
the castle and its grounds, take
photos and gather evidence in
order to write up their controlled
assessments.
20 AS Chemistry
Greenfields
The day started at 9:30am, where the
students met in the Haworth Chemistry
Building and we Chemistry tutors shared
some of our experiences about studying
Chemistry at university. Students were
then taken over to the laboratory building
where they were given a safety talk by
two of the assistants, and got geared up in
their goggles, aprons and gloves. We then
introduced our experiment – the synthesis
of banana oil (2-methlybutyl ethanoate
- an ester with a distinctive smell of
bananas!). This linked in nicely with their
AS Organic Chemistry, and they got to
experience some of the reactions they
were studying happening in real life. The
aim was to synthesise the ester correctly
with a good yield, and by using Infrared
Spectroscopy they could see whether or
not they had made a pure product.
AS
Chemistry
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A
t the end of April, we took 15 of our AS
Chemists to the University of Birmingham
to undertake an experiment in the undergraduate
laboratory. The aim of this trip was to give
them some insight into what it is like to study
Chemistry at university and also to introduce
them to some experimental techniques that they
will need for their A2 year (as well as being a
welcome break from revision for most of them!).
www.mpw.ac.uk
AS Chemistry 21
Then the real work began - the students were
given instructions to follow and they set off – first
mixing their acid and alcohol in a round bottomed
flask, and setting it to heat under reflux for an
hour. While we were waiting for this to finish, the
students got to work building the molecules with
their molymod kits, and deducing the mechanism
for the reaction by looking at how the reactants
fitted together to make the products. We then
took them on a tour of the Chemistry building
– showing them all the exciting (and expensive!)
equipment in use, such as NMR and X-Ray
diffraction machines, as well as a trip to the office
where Claire, our Chemistry tutor, is doing her
PhD.
Then it was back to the laboratory, and back to
work – the students had their product and had to
cool it using an ice bath, then wash and dry it in
a separating funnel. They set up their distillation
apparatus and heated their product, ensuring they
collected the fraction that distilled off in the right
temperature range to give them a pure product.
For some this took longer than others, and there
was an unfortunate incident of a flask of product
being knocked over…
Finally, they had their ester – now it was time to
analyse it. First they calculated their percentage
yield (with good results of around 50%), and then
they took it to the IR machine for analysis. From
their AS studies, they knew what peaks they
expected to see and which ones would appear
if they had impurities in their products. All the
groups managed completely pure products – it
was a success! After a quick debrief and packing
up of equipment the day was over, with everyone
giving great feedback about the experience.
Overall, a very successful trip!
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22 Summer Ball
Greenfields
Summer Ball
I
n late June nearly 60 staff and students attended the annual Summer Ball at Edgbaston Cricket Ground. It was a glorious evening
and the perfect venue to enjoy the blue sky and the Birmingham skyline. Students who arrived early were treated to some cricket as
Warwickshire and Sussex concluded Day Two of their County Championship match.
On arrival, students were
welcomed to a drinks reception
which they enjoyed on the
patio overlooking the pitch.
The stunning view of the
stadium was the ideal setting
for students to reflect on the
year that had passed. After
spending time in the sunshine
together, the group began
working their way through a
three course meal. In between
courses, photographs were
taken and it was clear just how
much effort each student had
put into dressing up. It was
particularly pleasing to see
how many bow ties were on
show from the boys!
www.mpw.ac.uk
Summer Ball 23
“The stunning view of
the stadium was the ideal
setting for students to
reflect on the year that
had passed.”
After the meal it was straight onto the dancefloor for everyone to
show off their moves. Although the students made the most of this
opportunity, the tutors were more reserved in their approach to the
dancefloor!
As the sun started setting, the evening drew to a close. All in all
it was a massive success and perfect tonic to the stressful exam
period it followed. As with all end of year events, the evening
had a feeling of sadness as everyone said goodbye to those leaving
the college this year. However, it wasn’t quite the final goodbye.
With results day not far away, there was a sense of excitement and
anticipation about meeting again under different circumstances!
24 International Student Sport
Greenfields
International
Student
Sport
M
PW students and staff always welcome an occasion to reveal their sporting
skills and demonstrate their sportsmanship. The proportion of international
students at MPW remains very small but their energy and enthusiasm means that
they bring lots of qualities to the College. MPW international students played their
first basketball game against Abbey College. Abbey is a predominantly international
college and with MPW only having around 20 international students in total it was
always going to be a tough ask to compete against a college with more than 100
international students to choose from.
The basketball game proved to be an exciting event. MPW had a fantastic first
quarter and took an early lead thanks to some great baskets from players, Taylor
and Vincent. Quarter two was much closer but there was an excellent three pointer
from MPW student, Ewan. Then, in the third quarter, Abbey’s players were very
strong and took a fifteen point lead but in quarter four MPW came back with enough
strength to reduce the deficit to eleven points.
The game’s final score was MPW 29 - Abbey 40. MPW’s points were scored by Ewan
(8), Taylor (12) and Vincent (9) and there was an excellent defensive performance
from Martin Ma. Even so, the game was played with exceptional sportsmanship
and to a very high level of skill from both colleges. We will be making the game an
annual event and MPW look forward to the re-match next year!
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www.mpw.ac.uk
Fifth Form Ice Skating 25
Fifth Form
Ice Skating
E
ach year, the GCSE students take a short walk into Birmingham City Centre to explore and experience the Frankfurt German Market.
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market has been running for over a decade and consistently attracts thousands of Birmingham
residents to the city centre each year. As well as offer a variety of authentic German cuisine, the market is full of handcrafted goods
created by German and West Midlands artisans.
This year’s market was even more special with the addition of the outdoor ice skating rink. Located within the iconic Centenary Square, the
ice rink provided the perfect location to celebrate the end of term.
Although many of the MPW students were confident on the ice, there were a few bumps and bruises by the end of the morning!
26 Genetic Analysis at Aston University
Greenfields
Genetic
Analysis at
Aston University
I
n May, our A2 Biologists participated in a practical day at Aston University to
carry out genetic analysis on human DNA samples. Our practical session was
taught and overseen by Dr Stephane Gross, a senior lecturer in Cellular Biology
at Aston and gave an insight into the Biology behind the process of screening for
disease causing genes. In particular, our students carried out a technique that tested
for the presence of cancer causing genes.
The session started with our students practising and perfecting the use of
micropipettes to measure extremely small volumes and then measuring out the
various chemicals required for the process to occur. The students then carried
out the Polymerase Chain Reaction to make many copies of the DNA samples
that they were working with. Following this, we loaded our DNA samples into
the electrophoresis gel in order to separate the DNA fragments. This step was
particularly tricky and required a steady hand and nerves of steel! Fortunately,
our students were more than up to the task and our DNA fragments dispersed as
expected. Our final step was to identify which of the DNA samples contained the
cancer causing gene using fluorescent light.
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The practical techniques that the students learned were directly relevant to their
unit 5 Biology specification and as such were a really good way of giving them
hands-on experience of what they had been taught in the classroom.
www.mpw.ac.uk
Charity Events 27
Charity
Events
M
PW students and staff
always welcome an
opportunity to demonstrate
their support for charity
appeals and many successful
fundraising events have been
organised in support of our
nominated local charity,
Edward’s Trust. Edward’s
Trust is located in Greenfield
Crescent, next door to the
college. The charity provides
support and counselling to
bereaved families who are
grieving the death of a child
as well as accommodation for
families of children receiving
treatment at Birmingham
Children’s Hospital. However,
students and staff are also keen
to show similar support for
national fundraising events
and, as a result, the college
has raised funds for various
charities over the past year.
Pictured: Jorawar Sanghera, Martin
Ovberedjo & Josh Sanghera
Children in Need
Pictured:
Gary Durant
BBC’s Children in Need day in
November was celebrated with
a ‘Suited and Booted’ event that
gave everyone an opportunity
to dress to impress, and posh
dresses, suits, shirts, ties and
even bow ties were the order
of the day. It was good to see
so many students and staff
members taking part but, more
importantly, the contributions
everyone made on the day
meant the college was able to
send off a sizeable donation to
the Children in Need charity.
Save the Children
Students and staff were back
in fundraising mode when they
happily showed their support
for Christmas Jumper Day,
a national event organised
in December by Save the
Children. An array of colourful
Christmas jumpers were seen
around the college on that
day and some, it must be said,
were less tasteful than others.
Staff even chose Christmas
jumpers as the dress code for
their annual Christmas dinner
that evening! Christmas jumper
wearers showed support for
Save the Children by making
generous contributions to
MPW’s collection and we were
able to send a respectable
donation to the charity.
Comic Relief
In March, students and staff
supported another national
charity fundraising day. This
time their focus was Comic
Relief and staff and students
had fun dressing in red to
celebrate the charity’s annual
Red Nose Day. Those taking
part in this successful day
made a contribution to MPW’s
collection and, on behalf of
staff and students, the college
was able to send a decent sized
donation and show support to
this charity.
Greenfields
28 Football
Football:
MPW Birmingham
vs. MPW Cambridge
O
n Wednesday May 25th 2005 Liverpool
achieved what has now been dubbed
the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’. It was six minutes
that shook the football world. Six minutes
that stunned AC Milan players so much
that they threw their runners up medals
into the crowd. Milan led 3 – 0 at half-time
and it could have been more. Kaka, Crespo
and Shevchenko were untouchable. At the
break Rafa Benitez gave a rousing speech
and let loose the dog of war that was Steven
Gerrard. The second half was a complete
reverse of fortune for the Merseyside men.
A six minute glut of goals from Gerrard,
Smicer and Alonso was enough to force
extra-time and a penalty shootout which
“Birmingham finished
the match running out 5
– 3 victors. The trophy is
back in its rightful home –
Birmingham!”
Liverpool won. Roll the clock forward ten
years and it’s MPW Birmingham who have
gone into the half-time break 3 – 1 down
to their arch rivals MPW Cambridge. The
Cambridge boys have a spring in their step.
They sense they could record a big victory
against a team lacking confidence. After
some stirring words from the manager
Ryan Moran and some astute tactical
changes, Birmingham look stronger and
are beginning to feed from Cambridge’s
self-confidence. Slicker, quicker and more
aggressive play from Birmingham switched
the momentum of the game. Extraordinary
tackles from Jonty Newbould and Bilal
Khan allowed Hamza Ahmed to take on
the Gerrard role in the centre of the park.
Martin Ovberedjo’s pace made Cambridge
look sluggish as he dashed up and down
the left wing. The team ethic from
Birmingham was exceptional. Each player
played for the team. This was reflected in
the quick interplay that allowed strikers
Roshan Jakhu and Gavin Sunder to express
themselves confidently at the business end
of the pitch. As Cambridge tired further,
Gavin made them pay with a stunning
hat trick of goals producing a knockout
punch that they could not get up from.
Birmingham finished the match running
out 5 – 3 victors. The trophy is back in its
rightful home – Birmingham!
www.mpw.ac.uk
Football 29
Football:
MPW Birmingham
vs. Bath Academy
MPW Birmingham 7 – 2 Bath Academy
MPW played its annual game against Bath
Academy and as always it was played in a
fantastic spirit, with great sportsmanship shown
from both teams. MPW took an early lead
through star striker Gavin Sunder, but this was
short lived with a quick response from Bath’s
lively front line. The game became more even
and it developed into a competitive encounter
until a quick fire double from Gavin completed
his hat trick and formed the foundation of a
dominant spell for MPW. The football being
played was some of the best football the team
played over the season. To Bath’s credit they
never gave up and were rewarded with another
well executed goal. The game ended with a late
strike from the ever popular Hamza Afzal. We
look forward to the repeat fixture next year.
End of Season Summary
“MPW took an early lead
through star striker
Gavin Sunder.”
It was a successful football season with MPW
Birmingham completing the double over rivals
MPW Cambridge and regaining the MPW
Challenge Trophy. We also did well in games
against other colleges and our only low point was
the three goals to nil defeat against Cambridge
Centre for Sixth Form Studies. Coach Ryan
Moran is already making plans on how this score
line can be reversed next time we play them.
It is also worth mentioning the CIFE football
tournament we took part in. With teams coming
from various parts of England and with the event
held at the prestigious England training ground,
Saint George’s Park, our boys came an extremely
credible third.
30 Paula Radcliffe Visit
Greenfields
Paula
Radcliffe
Visit
I
n February, MPW students were treated
to the visit of world record holder Paula
Radcliffe. There was a real buzz around
the college in the build up to her visit and
considering what Paula achieved in her career
it’s easy to understand why.
Paula’s achievements include European
Championships gold medallist in the 10,000m,
World Championships gold medallist in the
marathon, twice winner of the world cross
country championships, winner of the BBC’s
Sports Personality of the Year award and she
is the current world record holder for the
Marathon.
Similar to the students at MPW, Paula was
an ambitious A Level student who aspired to
fulfilling her academic potential at university.
The ambition and drive that we have all
witnessed from Paula as an adult allowed her to
achieve a first class honours degree in French,
German and Economics. Like many success
stories, Paula explained to the students that
her path to success was not easy and she spoke
about her trials and tribulations along the way.
Although students appeared star struck
by Paula’s presence at the start of the
presentation, her stories and insight reminded
everyone that we are all capable of achieving
at the highest possible standard if we are
determined enough.
www.mpw.ac.uk
Paula Radcliffe Visit 31
>
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Head 4 Heights
32 Head 4 Heights
Greenfields
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O
n June 19th, as an end of year celebration, a
group of our AS students took part in a team
building day at Head 4 Heights in the Cotswolds.
Head 4 Heights involves a range of climbing and
jumping activities that are designed to challenge
individuals and teams and is a great way to have
fun and strengthen team spirit.
When we left Birmingham, the weather was dull,
but as we travelled down the M40 to the activity
centre, the sun started to shine and made sure
that we had a glorious day to enjoy.
www.mpw.ac.uk
Following our safety briefing, we were free to start to climb the ‘totem poles’ which
offered different levels of difficulty for climbing a 30ft pole. There were plenty of
nervous faces, but after a few attempts, even the most reluctant climbers were
starting to master the technique and reach the top. Our second activity was ‘freefall’
which required each of us to climb a 30 foot pole and then walk off the edge of a
platform into thin air! Our favourite activity of the day came next, where groups
of 4 people had to climb up to an extremely small platform and then all balance on
it together without falling off. To make matters worse, the group then had to lean
back while holding each other’s hands. It was a tough challenge, but after a lot of
screaming, the group managed to do it and felt an immense sense of achievement.
The last activity of the day was ‘Jacob’s ladder’. This required groups of 4 to help
each other climb a giant ladder and see how far they could get. It sounded easy, but
in reality needed great strength, determination and team work.
The day was immensely enjoyable and everybody came away with a real sense of
enjoyment and achievement from taking part.
Head 4 Heights 33
34 Model United Nations
Greenfields
Pictured:
Aaron Odedra,
Year 12 Student
Model United
Nations
March 2015
www.mpw.ac.uk
T
he intriguing theme
for Haileybury Model
United Nations 2015 and
the opportunity not only to
represent Ghana but the leading
Security Council country of
the Russian Federation brought
together the final eleven
delegates from the Debating
Society to spend the weekend
of March 20-22nd at Haileybury
College. As a conference which
draws its delegates numbering
700 from as far afield as the
USA, Haileybury’s MUN is the
biggest and most prestigious in
the United Kingdom and gives
students ranging from GCSE
Year 10 to the AS, A2 and one
year A level programmes the
opportunity to come together
and hone their debating
skills, emerging as confident
young people with a broader
awareness of political and
military issues facing the world
today.
Preparations began in
September 2014 with over
twenty students regularly
meeting each week to practise
their presentation skills,
learning to argue, persuade and
research. Sessions ranging from
a balloon debate, an inhouse
version of “Would I lie to you”
and a mock United Nations
reception, enabled students
to practise taking on a role
and sustaining their ability to
>
Model United Nations 35
cajole, create challenging lines
of argument and outwit an
adversary. When Kyra Bowman
defeated leading philanthropists
and business tycoons to take
the last remaining place in the
balloon (a survival contest)
in role as Nigel Farage, we
knew we had the right leader
(Ambassador) for the Russian
Federation delegation. If anyone
could talk around the member
states in the Security Council
through intelligence, charm
and wit, it would be Kyra!
Drawing together her team of
Jake Lee, Aaron Odedra, David
Parkin, Josephine Rushe and
Fiona Cullen, she ensured they
were fully equipped with the
knowledge and tactical skills
to present their resolutions in
each committee. Meanwhile
Junaid Syed, who had impressed
us with his analytical and
research skills, was awarded
the role of Ambassador to the
Ghana Delegation comprising
Leo Owen, Zoe Meade, Ajeet
Bhambra and Junaid Syed.
Every member of the MUN
team was committed to their
preparation and we were
extremely grateful for the
additional support provided by
Vivyne Chen and Faye Kho in
the hectic final weeks leading
up to the conference; we hope
that they will be joining us as
team members next year!
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Pictured top:
Kyra Bowman
Pictured bottom:
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The MPW MUN Team
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36 Model United Nations
Greenfields
>
Model United Nations follows the same structure and format as the real UN and requires the
delegates not only to be experts in their chosen topic within their committee in order to create a
resolution they wish to be debated and – hopefully – pass in the General Assembly, but also to have a
>>
strong awareness of their country’s stance and active involvement in the issue. They need to identify
countries which are potential allies and learn valuable skills in diplomacy to win over delegates whose
>
countries will be fundamentally opposed to them (think Eurovision and tactical voting!) in order to
gain the requisite ten signatures to have their resolution put forward to the approvals panel. Whilst
>
the delegates are able to merge their resolutions with those of other countries, this proved a more
challenging task for our Russian Federation team, who battled to get their resolutions put forward
>>
given the strength of feeling against Vladimir Putin as a result of recent events in the Ukraine.
We were delighted that all the resolutions put forward to the approvals panel, which comprised teachers
>
from Haileybury as well as those taking delegations, were approved and can confidently say that this
>
was not as a result of any bias from Bridget and Gary! Not only were they approved, but went on to
be chosen for debate in the committees which is an outstanding achievement given the number of
delegates in each, and we witnessed some particularly strong presentations of argument and challenges
by Leo Owen, Josephine Rushe, Jake Lee and Aaron Odedra . We were very impressed with the active
role taken by Ajeet Bhambra, a GCSE student, whose maturity of thought and confidence was evident
throughout the weekend, and easily put him on a par with the A level delegates.
>
“Model United Nations
follows the same
structure and format
as the real UN.”
Pictured:
Linh Tran
“As an introvert I was reluctant to leave my comfort zone and attend the
Model United Nations conference. After attending, overcoming my fears of
public speaking and meeting a host of new people it’s safe to say I’m glad I
attended and had lots of fun doing so.
The conference mimics United Nations conferences held all over the world.
The aim is to take on the role of a country and represents the interests of
their people as best as possible. This year, MPW were allocated the Russian
Federation and Ghana; countries which didn’t favour my introvert personality
very much!
After starting very silent, I found an inner confidence towards the end of the
first day. While the more seasoned debaters got stuck in, it took me a little
longer to get going. I vowed that I would get up and voice my opinion more
for the remainder of the conference.
I spoke for the first time on the second day and from there I really enjoyed
speaking aloud my thoughts and opinions. All my fears about speaking in
front of other delegates vanished and I found that I wanted to be involved in
every part of the debate.
When it came to the last day I was disappointed that it had ended so soon. I’m
looking forward to attending the conference at Haileybury again next year and
hope that I can learn more about myself again in the process.”
Jake Lee, Year 12 Student
Pictured left:
Josephine Rushe,
Year 12 Student
Pictured below:
Aaron Odedra,
Year 12 Student
www.mpw.ac.uk
Model United Nations 37
>
Daan Khan deserves a specific mention for having moved from
being a delegate in his first year of MUN, through to an Ambassador
leading his delegation with real skill and determination through to
>
a committee Chair in 2015. We are delighted that the strength of
our students has been recognised three years running with a Chair
role being awarded in 2013 to Roxanne Sweeney and in 2014 to Linh
>
Tran.
>> The weekend moved through the committee stage to the General
Assembly, culminating in the closing ceremony in which Kyra
>
Bowman and Aaron Odedra achieved Outstanding Delegate Awards.
MPW is extremely proud of its MUN team who demonstrated
>
real teamwork, worked hard together but also enjoyed each other’s
company and were a credit to themselves and the college. We have no
doubt that they benefited hugely from the experience and will make
their mark in whatever they go on to do in life.
>
>>>>
>
>
>
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Pictured right:
Daan Kahn,
Year 13 Student
38 Sports
SectionAwards
name Evening
Greenfields
Sports Awards Evening
Pictured:
Jonty Newbould
Pictured:
Gavin Sunder
On Thursday May 28th 2015 MPW
Birmingham held its annual Sports
Dinner at the Blue Piano restaurant,
Edgbaston. The event is always one of
the highlights of the year for students
who are part of the football squad and
was thoroughly enjoyed by all again
this year. The Sports Dinner was the
culmination of a very successful year
which included completing the double
over rivals MPW Cambridge meaning that
MPW Birmingham were able to reclaim
the MPW Challenge Trophy. Another
highlight for the team was finishing third
in the national CIFE Football Tournament
held at the prestigious Football
Association’s St George’s Park.
This year’s award winners are:
Jonty Newbould
Fair Play Award
Jonty won the fair play award because despite playing with
great commitment and being an exceptional central defender
he always played the game in the right spirit and respected
his opponents and team mates.
Bilal Khan
Most Improved Player
Bilal’s stature as a football player continues to grow and he
increasingly displayed leadership qualities. The management
were impressed with his focus and willingness to take on
responsibility. His concentration during games is a fine
example to other players and he is an accomplished defender.
Hamza Ahmed
Players Player of the Season
Hamza had an influential season lifting the morale of team
mates with his high energy, work rate and consistently
positive attitude.
Gavin Sunder
Top Goal Scorer and Management Player of the Season
Gavin is an exceptional striker and the type of player who
can win you games.
“Regardless of their ability every
student is treated as an elite student.
We don’t construct ceilings to cap
student and parental aspiration, we
commit to doing our best by every
young person we work with.”
www.mpw.ac.uk
Thinking
like a
University
Student
Thinking like a University Student 39
Literature of the First World War:
A level Conference at Birmingham
University
In the Autumn term, A level students of
Journey’s End, Birdsong and The Return of
the Soldier, all texts being studied for the AS
comparative coursework assignment, had the
opportunity to hear from a variety of experts
in their field on not only these texts, but the
wider reading relating to Wilfred Owen. Dr
A Level English Literature
Paul Norgate, former Chair of Examiners for
class broadens their horizons
OCR, brought clarity and insight to a selection
>
of Owen’s poems, showing students how to
unpack the ways in which language creates
>>
meaning, with a particular emphasis on the more
challenging structural aspects of poetry whilst
>>
lecturers from the university, including Professor
>>
Steve Ellis, discussed the prose and drama texts.
It was exciting to see how students responded to
>>>
the different interpretations of familiar literature,
whilst being reassured as to how often their
views on texts matched those of the speakers. As
a key assessment objective of their coursework
>>
is exploring texts in the light of other readers’
>> >
opinions, this was an invaluable enrichment of
their A level syllabus and one which encouraged
>
much debate.
>>
OCR A2 Study Day:
University of London
Further afield, a trip to London gave A2 students
an opportunity for wider exploration of the texts
and the crucial examination skills necessary
for success in the externally assessed unit. How
to compare two texts of different genres and
time periods, in our case Chaucer’s The Wife
of Bath’s Prologue and Tale and Sheridan’s The
Rivals, together with an assessment of the
significance of the social, cultural and literary
context of these texts and Shakespeare’s Antony
and Cleopatra provided much useful insight.
However the highlight of the day, and one which
has continued to provide debate in class, was
the interactive lecture from a leading director of
Shakespeare who showed just how the language
of the play can be interpreted by actors and
directors in so many different ways, providing
clues as to the staging. The areas covered by all
the lectures feature heavily in the assessment
criteria for the A2 examination whilst supporting
the skills required for coursework; MPW internal
assessment of the students has already shown
just how much they have benefited from their
exposure to university style lectures, three
members of the A2 group now being inspired to
study English at university, and we look forward
to their success in the summer.
40 House of Lords Academic Awards Ceremony
House
of Lords
Academic
Awards
Ceremony
E
ach year the Council for Independent
Education (Cife) holds its annual awards
ceremony at the House of Lords. In total there
are nearly three thousand students who attend
Cife institutions and it is a fine testimony to the
achievements of MPW that in the most recent
House of Lords Academic Awards Ceremony
three students picked up national awards in
addition to our college prize.
Greenfields
Economics Prize
Kangua Cui (Kevin) joined MPW Birmingham from China in September 2012
to study a two year A level programme in Economics, Mathematics, Further
Mathematics and Physics. Kevin achieved four A* grades in each of these subjects
and demonstrated extremely high standards of intellectual endeavour. Kevin holds
a real passion for current affairs and was able to discuss with impressive fluidity
the most pressing current political and economic issues. Not surprisingly with
such academic interests Kevin performed exceptionally well in his Economics
A level scoring an impressive 386 out of 400 and achieving 100% in two of his
examinations. Kevin is now reading Economics at Hong Kong University.
Social Science Award
Linh Khanh Tran joined MPW Birmingham from Vietnam in September 2012
completing a two year A level programme in History, Economics, Mathematics and
Government and Politics achieving the grades of three A* and one A respectively. As
well as applying herself with considerable conviction to her studies, Linh was always
willing to get involved in college events and her support throughout her two year stay
speaks volumes about her pleasant and considerate nature. She played a significant
role in the college’s Model United Nations team and her public speaking skills are of
the highest order. Linh’s academic skills reveal considerable breadth as she achieved
A* grades in diverse subjects such as Mathematics and History. Linh is now reading
Economics at UCL.
Value Added Award
Inderpal Bassan joined MPW Birmingham in September 2012 from Handsworth
Grammar School, Birmingham to complete a two year A level programme in
Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics obtaining the grades of A*BB respectively.
Prior to attending MPW, Inderpal obtained four U grades in his AS studies. The
distance travelled by Inderpal in his academic journey during his time at MPW has
>
been an inspiration to many students because he has demonstrated just what can be
>
achieved through determination and a positive work ethos. Inderpal is now reading
Bio Chemistry at the University of Birmingham. The achievements of Inderpal
>
which were celebrated at the House of Lords show how important it is for students
>> >
to never give up and that if students come to MPW with the right attitude there is
>
every chance that they achieve special things.
>
College Award
David Scott joined MPW Birmingham in September 2013 after having previously
completed the IB at King Edward’s School, Birmingham. David has an excellent
GCSE profile but did not enjoy his experiences on the IB. David completed a one
>
year A level programme at MPW in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics,
>
achieving the grades A*AA respectively. David relished the opportunity that A
levels provide to specialise in subjects he was passionate about. His enthusiasm
>>
and positive approach had a wonderful impact upon the college and we have every
>
confidence that David will continue to excel during his stay at the University of
Sheffield where he is now reading Mechanical Engineering with French.
>
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www.mpw.ac.uk
House of Lords Academic Awards Ceremony 41
Pictured far right:
Cambell Cui
Pictured right:
Lord Lexden
& Linh Tran
Pictured far left:
Inderpal Bassan
Pictured left:
David Scott
42 Shelley, Frankenstein & Jaffa Cakes
Shelley, Frankenstein &
Jaffa Cakes
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has, for me, similarities to Jaffa Cakes. I always believed I didn’t like
Jaffa Cakes until someone encouraged me to try one. I will always appreciate that encouragement as
I now recognise I like Jaffa Cakes and regret all the times I have turned them down. Likewise, until
recently, I presumed I wouldn’t like Frankenstein. However, during the autumn term, I was invited
by a teaching colleague to participate in a cinema visit. A Birmingham cinema was broadcasting the
National Theatre Live’s production of Nick Dear’s Frankenstein, based on Shelley’s classic gothic
novel. As Frankenstein was a current set text for AS students, the broadcast was an opportunity not to
be missed for the students and their tutors.
The original theatre production in 2011 was a sell out and the National Theatre Live’s broadcast
of Frankenstein was popular in cinemas all around the world. Its popularity is unsurprising as the
production, directed by award-winning Danny Boyle, was unlikely to disappoint either theatre or
cinema audiences, including non-Frankenstein fans such as I had been. In addition, the production
starred two highly acclaimed and popular actors, Benedict Cumberbatch (12 Years A Slave, Star
Trek: Into Darkness) and Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Mansfield Park). However, not being one
to present the ordinary and expected, Boyle staged Frankenstein with the two actors alternatively
bringing to life Victor Frankenstein and his monster-like scientific creation; actors changing roles on
consecutive nights is an unusual approach even for Boyle. Despite my previous prejudices towards
the gothic genre, and Shelley’s novel in particular, I was hooked on this production from the opening
scene. I enjoyed it even more as the story developed, partly because of the wonderful acting and
production but also the story itself. Feedback from our AS students and my colleagues was equally
positive; a production this brilliant couldn’t fail to inspire.
I will always appreciate that invitation to the cinema as my enjoyment of the production was such
that I am now a Frankenstein convert. I am happy I kept an open mind as this really does prove that,
whether it is a cake or a gothic classic, you don’t know what you will like until you try it!
(Frankenstein images created by MPW Art and Design Tutor Gareth Proskourine-Barnett)
Greenfields
www.mpw.ac.uk
Shelley, Frankenstein & Jaffa Cakes 43
44 CIFE College Quiz
Greenfields
CIFE
College Quiz
M
PW Birmingham students formed a team for the first ever
CIFE College Quiz in February, held at the New College
of the Humanities in London. CIFE (Council for Independent
Education) is a professional organisation of some 20 independent
sixth form colleges like MPW, and includes our sister colleges in
Cambridge and London. New College of the Humanities is run by
Sir Christopher Grayling, a top UK academic, and the Bloomsbury
location certainly got minds working through many challenging
rounds. Jake, Josephine, Junaid, Kyra and Faye took up the
challenge for MPW this year. Modelled on University Challenge,
with a round of Pointless and even a Masterchef task in the mix,
the day proved a lot of fun, as various independent colleges came
together for the friendly competition.
“Our mission is to develop the
confidence, maturity, knowledge
and skills in all of our students,
seeing them as individuals with
their own unique talents.”
Pictured above:
Self portrait by Anil Sharma,
Year 13 Student
www.mpw.ac.uk
Artist 45
Artist
Anil Sharma
“This drawing is a selfportrait inspired by the
master Leonardo da Vinci.
Da Vinci had such a vast
array of interests, he was
incapable of finishing
many of his drawings to
allow him to accommodate
for all his hobbies. He
left parts of portraits
unfinished in order to
bring emphasis onto other
highly detailed areas of
his drawings. For example
he would often leave his
subject’s hair incomplete
which would enable the
viewer to focus on the
highly detailed aspects
such as the face.”
MPW Birmingham
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Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3AU
Tel: 0121 454 9637
Fax: 0121 454 6433
www.mpw.ac.uk