MCB OPEN NIGHT 2015 copy 3

OPEN NIGHT
January
2015
This
booklet was
created by Form
One students.
MCB PUPILS
AND STAFF WOULD
LIKE TO
WELCOME YOU TO OUR SCHOOL!
WELCOME
TO
METHODIST
COLLEGE
EXPLORE
ENQUIRE
ENJOY
TAKE A TOUR OF THE
SCHOOL LED BY YOUR
HELPFUL FORM ONE
GUIDE.
FEEL FREE TO ASK
QUESTIONS. STAFF,
PUPILS AND
PREFECTS ARE HERE
TO HELP!
GET INVOLVED IN THE
FUN ACTIVITIES AND
TAKE IN THE DISPLAY
WORK.
Introduction
Welcome to Methodist College, Belfast! My name is Oliver and I am the Chairman of the Form One Council. I can hardly believe that a year ago I was like you, deciding which school to go to. Choosing a secondary school is a big decision and one which can take a bit of thought. However, I know that Methody can offer so much to a wide range of people, making it a great fit for pupils no maEer what their interests or background. At first glance Methody is a big school but it gets smaller as you get to know it. When you start you’ll quickly learn your way around. Your map, staff and pupils soon keep you right! On your first day you will be assigned a Tutor Group where you will meet your Tutor and Prefects. If you have any problems your Tutor and Prefects are BY OLIVER MCGALE 1T
always there to help and support you. In Methody sMcking together is very important, whether that means helping your friends on their way to class or going to lunch with your new school mates. Methody is a very diverse school with lots of different people but when you put on your Methody blazer everyone is a Collegian. I hope you enjoy your evening and get an idea of what a great school Methody is!
OPPORTUNITY
By Jessica Kernohan 1Y
SOME OF THE CLUBS
ON OFFER:
ART CLUB
CHESS CLUB
CHRISTIAN UNION
CLASSICS SOCIETY
OPPORTUNITY
The dictionary defines an
opportunity as “Creating a set
tutor group team work and
of circumstances that makes it
activities offered by the clubs
possible to do something.”
and societies I have joined
Already, after only three months
helped me to quickly meet lots
as a Form One pupil, I know
of people and make new
that Methody has provided me
friends.
with a wonderful opportunity to
do something special.
Social
Clubs & Societies
what you do, it’s about where
There are a huge variety of
activities available. Whether it
is horse riding or debating, art
or science there is a new club
for everyone. It is difficult to
decide which clubs to choose
but this is made easier by the
DEBATING SOCIETY
Clubs and Societies Fair in
DRAMA CLUB
September. This gives you the
ECO CLUB
older pupils and find out more
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
INDIA SOCIETY
MODEL UNITED
NATIONS
NEWS TEAM
ROMANIA SOCIETY
SCIENCE CLUBS
ND
EA E
D
I
S
H
H IN E OF T E
T
O
H
B
SID OM, T RE
T
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A
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SSR
CLA RTUNIT S!
O
ES
OPP ENDL
me! Things like the Activity Day,
opportunity to speak to the
information about each club.
My advice would be to get
stuck in and give everything
possible a go.
Friends
I came from Downshire
Primary School in Hillsborough.
Opportunity is not just about
you do it. At Methody you are
right in the middle of the action
in Belfast and it has a real buzz.
I love getting off the bus to
come to Methody each day.
This routine was hard to get
used to at the beginning
because I love my bed and
struggle to get up in the
mornings! However, my journey
to school is also a great part of
my day. I catch up with all my
friends from MCB and other
schools and we swap stories.
Methody has provided me
with a range of opportunities. I
wear my Methody uniform with
pride and already feel part of all
I wasn’t sure if any of my friends that Methody has to offer. It
has, as the definition
would also be coming to
Methody so I was initially a bit
suggested, given me the set of
nervous. However, it has
circumstances that makes it
worked out really well. When I
possible for me to be part of
started I realised there were so
something special.
many people who were just like
A DIVERSE RANGE OF
PUPILS, SUBJECTS AND
ACTIVITIES MEANS THAT
THERE’S SOMETHING FOR
EVERYONE AT METHODIST
COLLEGE.
Hello! Bonjour! Salve!
That’s just an example of the
diversity of subjects offered in
Methody, and those are just
some of the languages, never
mind the rest! Before I came to
the College I thought I had
experience of diversity. However, the moment I walked
through the front gates of
Methody true diversity struck
me! All around there were
people of all shapes and sizes,
different races, some, like me,
clearly still children, some
practically grown-ups – judging
by their stubble and cars! It was
like going from a village into a
city. A whole new world opened
up before me.
come in the future – Jazz Band,
Chapel Choir and maybe I’ll
even form a pop group …?
But that’s just me. Music mad!
What about everyone else and
their interests?
In my tutor group alone there
are boys and girls from so many
different religious backgrounds,
speaking so many different
languages and with such a wide
range of likes and dislikes. For
example, in H.E., while I was
making my Ulster fry, the
person beside me was making
sushi, and across the bench
someone was preparing a
kosher meal!
Many of my new friends prefer
sporting activities to music.
Again, there are many to
choose from: rugby, hockey,
netball, basketball, swimming or
gymnastics, with rowing on the
horizon in Middle School. I
hadn’t had the opportunity to
In the first week alone I joined
have a go at many of these
two choirs, as well as the Junior before I came to M.C.B. and
Orchestra and the Band. I really this is only the beginning. like being in such a wide variety So many new people to meet,
so many new things try, so
many new ideas to discover and
flavours to sample; I just can’t
wait to find out what else there
is to discover in the future!
À l’avenir in futuris at Methodist
College Belfast!
of music groups and there’s still
the exciting promise of more to By Hector King 1R
DIVERSITY
By Hector King &
Lucia Corrigan 1R
Signing up to a Club or
Society is a great way to meet new friends, discover
new talents and make your
lunch times productive and
worthwhile.
We hold a Clubs and
Societies Fair at the end of
September to whet your
appetite and get you signed
up.
Hope to see you there!
nd it to fi
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EXCELLENCE
By Oluchi Okoli 1W
BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE
AT MCB!
Hello my name is Oluchi
Okoli, I’m in Form 1 and
I’d like to tell you a bit
about how Methody is
changing my life.
When I started
Methody I already had a
full knowledge of its
expertise in academics,
music and sport. Now, at
the end of term, I’ve not
only acknowledged it but
I’ve also experienced it.
One of the first things
Form One pupils do in
Methody is an Activity Day.
It’s really a class bonding
event, but of course, once
you learn that the winners
will receive a trophy, it gets
quite competitive! My
Form class worked our
way through the events
excellently; body zorb
football, a high ropes
course and many other
games which tested our
brains and teamwork skills.
At the end of the day we not
only came back as
champions (for we’d won
Activity day) but we came
back as a team, bonded and
ready to begin the next stage
of our lives. The whole
experience challenged us to
give and achieve our very
best. Methody has an excellent
sporting history which offers
you a chance to compete at a
very high level. There are
many sports for you to
choose from if you are
looking to start a new club or
if you just want to continue
one you’ve done already. It
has athletics, rowing,
badminton, golf, rugby,
basketball, hockey, squash,
cricket, judo, swimming,
cross country, kayaking,
tennis, fencing, netball and
volleyball to mention just a
few! Representing MCB in
any sport really makes you
proud.
Methody has a wide range of
musical groups. I love music
so I signed myself up for
anything possible. I signed up
to the Junior Choir and the
Orchestra. I also play the
flute in the band and
traditional group. A highlight
for me was the Autumn
concert this year. I got to
perform in St Anne’s
cathedral and it was truly a
fantastic experience.
As well as English and Maths,
MCB offers new subjects for
Form One pupils such as
Science, Geography, Drama,
RE, Music, History,
Technology, French, Latin, Art
and many more. These
subjects offer you more than
the basic requirements
outlined in the curriculum;
they also provide you with a
range of skills and a wellrounded knowledge that will
help you in all aspects of your
life.
When I’m older I want to be a
doctor. I have absolutely no
doubt that my education and
experience in Methody will
help me along my way to
achieving that dream. So how about it, P7s? I
believe that MCB is the
school where hopes, dreams
and aspirations are achieved.
MCB. Make it your choice
too!
H!
AI
M
G
HI
MY FIRST DAY AT MCB
Methody is a school that has inspired me since I
had first heard about it. There were some
particularly exciting aspects of the school
programme that I liked and I knew from early on
that I wanted to go there some day. Playing rugby for MCB: chattering on the school
bus, muddy boots, unruly scrums and the
exhilaration of scoring a try! Art Club, where you can paint anything you want;
and Fencing Club, where you can learn how to
fight and defend yourself with a sword! However,
the thing that appealed to me most was being
able to learn new things and explore new topics
that I have never known about before.
I woke up early. I was anxious but also excited
to move into a new school with more people
with which to socialise and more friends to
make. I kept saying to myself, “I am now in
Methody!” I just could not believe it. In my
new uniform I felt smarter and older. As I was walking to school I smiled confidently at
the patrolman and arrived at the Chapel of Unity,
full of anticipation. Luckily I recognised some
faces - one or two from Primary School, three
from rugby camp and two from Ju-jitsu. I was not
alone! There were a few speeches about how we
would settle in to Methody and I felt eager to get
started.
After that, Miss Richmond, my tutor teacher, led
us to the room that we would occupy every
morning for the next year. Now there was the
small matter of getting to know thirty-one new
people…
One full term later and I know everybody in my
tutor group’s name, as well as something about
them. I have made a wide range of friends and
have settled in to all of my new subjects. Coming to a new school can seem daunting but
once you enter the gates at Methodist College
that disappears. You know you’re not alone, as
around 250 pupils are all starting a new and
exciting part of their lives at the same time. My first day at Methody was an exciting and busy
one. Although I initially felt apprehensive about it,
I quickly relaxed when I realised everyone else
felt the same way and that the teachers and
prefects were there to help us. I
have really enjoyed my first
t
y a n term at Methody and am
a
d
a
t
firs was sy looking forward to the rest
y
M ody d bu
of the year.
n
th
Me ting a !
i one
exc
By Antoin Fox 1Y
FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!
e
Th
e
Ch
fs!
Lunch time in Methody is the
highlight of my day! You can go to
the canteen and get a delicious
three course meal, or you can grab
a quick bite from the Deli Bar.
There is always a range of good
food on offer as well as a buzz at
lunch times in MCB!
Form One Students get out 5
minutes early for lunch in the first
half of term so we are first in line!
FORM ONE ACTIVITY DAY
One of the biggest highlights of my
teamwork and mathematical skills.
first term at MCB was Activity Day.
The key to success in this game is
On Activity Day all Form One
to work as a team.
spend a day at Pirrie Park taking
part in various fun activities. It is
There were also weird but fun
also a day to get to know the other
races. We swung like monkeys on
people in your tutor group. The day
the high wire, pretended we were
is based on team work, which my
marshmallows in a huge lake of hot
class need to work on! All tutor
chocolate and also ran (or in my
groups compete as teams against
case rolled) around in the zorbing
each other and the winning team is
balls.
awarded a trophy at the end.
It is a fun day for everyone
Firstly, each tutor group thinks of a
including the teachers who finished
team name. My tutor group was 1X
with a space hopping race. You
so our team name was
can get incredibly competitive and
1XTERMINATORS! Clever, eh!
tired but there is always a chance
of winning the cup.
When the day came the sun came
out and it turned into a warm day.
Unfortunately my tutor group didn’t
Some girls at the end of the
live up to our name and we came
activities got MASSIVE buckets of
home empty handed. However, we
water and poured them onto
had a great day and got to know
themselves to cool down!
each other really well which was
Hopefully it’ll be a great day for you
the most important thing.
next year too!
By Taise Campbell 1X
Our first activity and probably my
favourite was “The Great Escape”
which tested our strategic thinking,
ay
ful d ,
r
e
d
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r
A wo f laughte
full o ting and
!
shou friends
g
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i
mak
Who says girls
can’t play football?
Not only did we
teach the boys how
to do it, we beat
them whilst rolling
around inside this
zorb! If that doesn’t
prove them wrong I
don’t know what
will!
ADVENTURE DAY
es
rop e of
h
g
hi s on r
The e wa hts fo
rs
lig
cou high e!
e
m
th
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MCB STUDENT
A
By Archie
Moore 1X
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MCB
STUDENT
TYPIC
A
DAY I L
N
MCB
LEAVING THE HOUSE
It’s really early, but my alarm tells me to get up. Still half-asleep and yawning, I
put my uniform on and have breakfast.
Teeth cleaned and blazer on, I’m ready for the journey. Suddenly I feel wide
awake and can’t wait to start the day at Methody! The bus is always very full,
but I usually get a seat. My friends get on the bus too and we chat. It’s a fine
way to start an exciting day!
FIRST THING
Once I get to school, I meet up with more friends. At first, I checked out my
classrooms to make sure I didn’t get lost later. Obviously, I stopped doing this
once I’d been to all my lessons!
TUTOR GROUP
After all the walking around, I’m ready to sit down in tutor group. Our tutor
calls the register, reads out announcements and then off we go to Period One.
The people in my tutor group know each other well, because we’re in the
same class for most subjects.
MORNING CLASSES
Period One and Two are great because they always make you wide awake!
Most subjects make me say ‘YAY!’ Today, it’s Geography and Science. In my
opinion, that’s a double ‘YAY!’
A
BREAK TIME
TYPIC
A
DAY I L
N
MCB
After a quick snack, I go to the lockers to get
books and folders for my next classes. Then I meet
up with friends and sometimes we go to the library.
Today we have French and Maths. I never thought I’d learn so many new words
in the space of one term, but that’s French for you! Maths is excellent, because
you learn so many new things that you didn’t know before.
LUNCH TIME
I sprint rapidly to the canteen for a delicious lunch, then head to Junior Science
Club with my friend. I love Junior Science Club because you do exciting
experiments which are great fun.
FINAL LESSONS
I’m very excited, because we have a double period of HE! We made tasty
French Toast and a smoothie. Not as good as my Dad’s yet, but not far off at
all! HOME TIME!
Another awesome day at the world’s best grammar school! I’ve learnt lots of
new things but it’s nice to get home again and see my family. I can’t wait to
return tomorrow …
By Archie Moore 1X
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MCB
AFTER BREAK
By Archie
Moore 1X
Researched by Catherine
Bailey & Grace Copty 1S
fears Vs Facts
We were in your shoes this time last year so we know exactly what you are thinking and feeling at this
stage. We think we can answer your questions even better than our parents or teachers can! Here are some
of the fears we had last year, alongside the facts that made us forget them!
FEAR
What if I struggle
to make new
friends?
Nobody else from
my primary school
was coming to
Methody. FACT
One of the advantages of being in Methody is that there are so many
pupils here who are potential friends! After the induction night, I felt a
lot more confident and positive. I realised that everybody is in the
same position. In June, you get to meet the people in your tutor group.
We thought this was really helpful. In addition to this, there are loads
of clubs and societies to join in MCB. It’s a great way to find people who
share your interests and hobbies.
Pupils from over 50 primary school come to Methody so lots of us were
in the same position.
Meeting our class mates in June was really nice and it meant that we
already knew people before we started school as a Form One. The Form One Activity Day in September was a great way to get to
know people and some of my new best friends were made on that day!
I was scared about
getting the train by
myself for the first
time.
At first I thought it was quite daunting to be taking the bus on my own
but now it’s one of our favourite parts of the day. It’s a great
opportunity to meet and talk with friends and a lot of my closest mates
I have made at Methody, I first met on the bus. It is also almost
impossible to get off at the wrong stop on the bus in the morning, as all
you have to do is follow the Methody uniforms. I now really enjoy
taking the bus to school and I feel more independent without travelling
with my family.
I felt bullied at my
primary school and
wasn’t sure about
joining a large
school.
I quickly realised that everyone is making a fresh start at the same
time and felt much more positive after our induction night.
As Methody is a big school there are loads of people who we can talk to
if we have a problem. We are introduced to these teachers and prefects
at the start of term and they are always there for us if we need them.
OPEN NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS NOT TO BE MISSED
• Watching (and tasting!) food demonstrations in H.E • Writing the alphabet in Russian in Modern Languages • Printmaking and animations in Art • The rat dissections in Biology! • Making your own Maltese cross key ring in Technology
• Getting in on the Multi-sports action in P.E
Use your map
and your helpful guide
to make
sure you
don’t miss anything!
NK
A
TH FOR UR
O
U
YO G TO HT!
IN NIG
RD
M
A
CO PEN ORW
O
IN
F
K
U
OO G YO
L
R!
E
WE EEIN
MB
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TO
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METHODIST COLLEGE, BELFAST
1 MALONE ROAD
BELFAST
BT9 6BY
028 90 205 205
www.methody.org