OMNIBUS Christmas 2012

Omnibus December 2012
OMNIBUS
The termly newspaper ofWilson’s School
‘‘It’s all tittle-tattle’’
Madness, I know....
Getting people organised, costumes, rehearsing: school
plays just require that extra input. This year though,
the school is emerging from the depths of Shakespeare
and moving into a new light; ‘The Madness of King
George III’.
Written in 1991 by Alan Bennet, this play is fairly
modern. However, we go back to the time of the
King’s reign in the
1820s, meaning the
characters have to
adapt to different
English, where parli-a-ment is a four
syllable word. That’s
one more syllable than
needed, so be grateful
you’re not in the 18th
century. They must’ve
been so tired.
The plot shows the
King going through
a kaleidoscope of
emotions, somewhat
crazily. Who would’ve
guessed? But the play also throws an interesting light
on the effect the king’s lunacy has on par-li-a-ment
and his government. The Prince of Wales, the King’s
nefarious son, also intervenes in the scheme of
things – in the hope of getting his grubby paws on
the crown. At the core of the play though, is a truly
touching representation of a very human character – it
is genuinely moving.
Enough about the play now. Of course, plays don’t
come out of nothing. So far we’ve spent many hours
rehearsing for this spectacle, and there’s plenty of time
when we’re not needed on stage to acquire some time
for the ‘witty banter’. Rephrased for you: probably
known best as mucking around.
We’re never unruly enough to disrupt rehearsals, mind
you - unless we’re directed to, but that’s rare. Very
rare. Although in one scene we are required to go to
the side of the stage and bash stuff, and hit stuff, and
smack stuff, and shout and scream... but you’ll have
to come and see the play for that (14th and 15th of
December, 7:30, only £8 and £6 for concessions).
Not the most subtle advert,
but you get the idea!
Mr. Kavanagh takes our
rehearsals. I must say,
he has a great idea for a
king that’s turning mad.
Between you and me,
he must’ve had a lot of
experience being driven
mad from organising our
rehearsals!
As well as Mr Kavanagh,
his expert help, sixthformer Jack Robertson,
has been rehearsing us as
assistant director because
he really wants to direct
in the West End in future. And when Mr Shaw is
free he comes along too - his speciality is speaking
and pronunciation. I have to do a Scottish accent in
the play. Trust me, ah cannae pronoonce words like
‘convivial’, ‘eloquent’ and ‘exasperated’ –it’s really
difficult.
I’d be mad to say any more – I don’t want to spoil it
for you! Do come and see the play, because if you
don’t my evil army of leprechauns and demented
unicorns will fly down from heaven and steal your pot
of gold.
I told you it was madness.
By Kavana Crossley
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Omnibus December 2012
From the Head
Mr Charnock reflects on the ‘religious character’ of the school and the recent inspection.
I am often asked whether Wilson’s is a church school, and the
short answer is no. We are not owned by the church; the promotion and nurture of religious belief is not one of our aims;
there are no religious objectives in our Foundation and Trust
documents. The school sees itself quite simply as a boys’ grammar school, focussed mainly on the achievement of academic
excellence. We are, however, listed by the Department for Education as “a school with a religious character, namely Church of
England”. Every five years or so we are inspected, as we were
only two or three weeks ago, by the Anglican Southwark Diocesan Board of Education whose remit is to judge the extent
to which the school demonstrates and promotes its “religious
character”.
So, how did this apparent inconsistency between the way the
school sees itself and the way in which it is described in official
listings arise? The answer is simply by an accident of history. The Foundation of the school goes back to 1615, to the
establishment of a free grammar school for boys in the parish
of Camberwell by the Reverend Edward Wilson, a Church of
England clergyman and Vicar of St Giles’s Church. This, of
course, long pre-dates any notions of church schools or Diocesan Boards of Education, but it does form the basis of the
school’s historical links with the Church of England. The formal link with the Diocesan Board of Education and thus the
official designation of the school as “having a religious character” originated when, after the second world war, Wilson’s was
asked to take over the assets of the Greencoat School, a charity
school, which, unlike Wilson’s, had been established (in 1706)
“To the glory of GOD, and the honour of the CHURCH OF
Roman round the country
continued on page 3
Deepesh Patel reports on the Year 8 trip to Butser Farm and Fishbourne
On Friday 26th of October, Year 8 had a trip to look forward
to: Butser Ancient Farm and the grandeur of Fishbourne
Palace.
We arrived at Butser Ancient Farm at around 10:15. At first
glance through the coach’s window, it did not seem like a farm
at all. There were no sheep or cattle grazing in the fields, or any
farm buildings within sight. There were, however, half a dozen
or so wooden and straw roundhouses of various sizes – which
we learnt were painstakingly recreated from archaeological
evidence over many years.
It was freezing, and a light drizzle of rain was falling. We rushed
over to the biggest roundhouse and into the warmth of the fire in
the middle. Sat on low benches around the side, the archaeologist
revealed that the walls were made from mud and cow dung - lovely!
Our group went inside an early roman villa. I found it amazing
how different the villa was compared to the roundhouse. The
villa had separate rooms and a small mezzanine section. It also
had a very clever hypocaust which heated up one room. I’d
rather live in there with all the mod-cons than a grubby old
roundhouse.
Next up was chalk carving. Since it was absolutely freezing,
it was hard to carve with the flint and most people’s carving
(including mine) had no resemblance to anything except for
a piece of chalk! However, some of them were surprisingly
good - one of my friends even managed to carve a dog’s head
(I think…).
Then onto the main attraction – the luxurious Fishbourne
Palace itself.
But imagine our surprise when the buildings did not look
Roman at all! We later found out that this was because the
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Roman palace had been destroyed by a fire, but thankfully the
amazing mosaics and gardens had survived the blaze.
The first part of the tour was in the West Wing where the
mosaics were. They were amazing and in pristine condition. The
best mosaic, I think, was the ‘Cupid on a Dolphin.’
After visiting the gardens, which were huge and full of many
different types of flowers and plants, we went to the audio
theatre. Here we learned lots of interesting facts about the palace
such as
who had owned
it, when
it had been rediscovered and
what
it would have
looked
like.
The
museum we
visited
after this was
also
intriguing there
were Roman
weapons, carvings of boats, tools and even a skeleton at the end.
At the end of the trip we were let loose into the shop. There
were people all over the place, trying to reach at gifts or getting
their money out. In the end I got a small roman statue and a
trigger torch.
On the way home in the coach, everyone was tired after the
long day. Overall I think that the trip was amazing. Year 8 not
only enjoyed themselves, but also gained lots of information
about the early Roman days in England, such as their houses and
inventions like the hypocaust – all of which we take for granted
now but were revolutionary when they were first introduced into
Britain!
Omnibus December 2012
ENGLAND”. It was, in other words, a proper church school.
The transfer of the assets of the Greencoat School, whose
buildings had been half destroyed during the war, was on the
proviso that school should be subject to inspection by the
Diocesan Inspector; and so began Wilson’s formally established
links with the Church of England and our “religious designation”.
For the avoidance of confusion the Governors and the Diocesan Board arrived some years ago at a memorandum of
understanding which defined what “religious character” means
in the context of Wilson’s School and it is against that memorandum that we are inspected. Under that document the school
undertakes to ensure that “The spiritual, moral, cultural, mental
and physical development of each child will be based upon
the following values and virtues: respect and tolerance for all;
the pursuit of truth and justice; the challenge of service and
duty; the experience of mutual trust and reconciliation and the
pursuit of excellence.”
the character of the school. They look not only at Religious
Education and assemblies but also more broadly at the way
pupils relate to one another and how the school promotes a
sense of ethics, virtue and value. The inspector liked what he
saw. He was struck, for instance, by the way in which a sixth
former showed a small act of kindness to a year 7 boy when he
stopped to help him after he had dropped his equipment. After
his days in the school he concluded that “the school’s values,
while not overtly Christian, are consistent with the Christian
faith yet at the same time wholly inclusive. Such values include
Our recent inspection, known as a Section 48 inspection to
distinguish it from a normal Section 5 Ofsted inspection, went
very well. These inspections are perhaps lower stakes than full
Ofsted inspections but they provide a very useful insight into
respect, justice, trust, service, reconciliation and reverence.” I
particularly congratulate the RE and Philosophy department
which did a wonderful job during the inspection and, as
a result, was rightly judged to be outstanding. The summary judgement for the school was that it is “an outstanding
school. Excellence, ambition, respect, thoughtfulness, inclusiveness, achievement, participation and fun are all very much in
evidence. The atmosphere is happy, calm and highly productive.
The school is a model of integration. True to its values, it is
a place where all can celebrate their strengths and experience
their worth. The school motto, ‘Non Sibi Sed Omnibus’ (‘Not
for oneself, but for all’) is lived out in its daily life.”
The full report is now on the website and I hope that you will
read it.
I had been jumping up and down with excitement all the
journey, and now I looked up at the imposing headquarters
of The Guardian that stood before me.
Entering the building through the turning doors, I was
greeted by the buzz of chatter in
a reception packed with guests.
But I (shy as I am) found a corner
with the whole collection of the
shortlisted books that we were
allowed to review and just dug in.
After a while, one of the judges
for the book review competition
approached me and chatted about
the different books that were
available, and explained her job as a
judge. Then she pointed out all the
great figures in the room - a giant
author named Philip Ardagh, writer of the Eddie Dickens
series, was eating snacks and getting involved in a spirited
conversation with rings of fans.
I felt that it would be a tough job deciding which book
to award the title of the winner of the Guardian’s
Children Fiction Prize. Cressida Cowell (author of How
to Train Your Dragon and competition judge) masterfully
summarized each of the entries with amazing enthusiasm.
The tension in the room was growing, and I couldn’t wait
to explain to all of these people my favourite choice!
‘Will you now welcome Rishi Siddani who reviewed ‘The
Unforgotten Coat’ by Frank Cottrell Boyce, to the stage!” I
blushed and stepped onto the stage- there was a round of
applause as I, grinning from ear to ear, received my prize.
Then, Julia Eccleshare declared that she was about to
announce the Guardian’s
Children Fiction Prize.
The moment we’d all been
waiting for had arrived – we
were about to find out who
had won the Guardian’s
prestigious Children’s Fiction
Prize! The suspense mounted,
and after a dramatic pause, Mrs
Eccleshare pronounced with a
flourish that “The Unforgotten
Coat” had won! The very book
I had reviewed on stage only
moments before!
Bathed in light from all the cameras – the winners gathered
on stage to cut an intricate, huge and specially made cake
commemorating the brilliant evening.
What’s more, Francesca Simon – the brilliant writer of the
Horrid Henry series, congratulated me, and even gave me
a sneak peek at the new story in the Horrid Henry saga!
It had all gone by so quickly. As I stepped out from the
party into the chilly bustle of a crisp London evening, I
felt I could have stayed forever, basking in the warmth of
imagination.
By Rishi Siddani
Everyone’s a critic…
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Omnibus December 2012
Year 7 visit Brecon Beacons
Ted St Clair-Gray reports on the Year 7 trip to the Brecon Beacons
Where should I start with 7B’s trip to the Brecon
Beacons? The hours of fun activities and walking in the
drizzle made Brecon an experience I’ll never forget. Accompanied by Mr. Du Plooy, Mr. Beggs and our form
tutor, Miss Tattersall we set off deep into the mountains for four days of fun!
Day 1
All aboard,
the cramped
coach to the
middle of
the Welsh
Countryside!
We were all
acting like
young lambs
on a hot
plate, too excited to think
of anything
else but our
wonderful
trip as a form
for the first
time.
3 hours later… phones flat, arguing over the last working console, people sleeping, laughing, crying, talking…
Arrived! At last! We were getting a bit reckless, since
Jordan’s PSP died on us. We were eager to start our
adventure in the cold, wet, sheep filled, middle of nowhere.
Night hike!
Nothing better than a stroll around the mountains in
the dark, with pot-holes everywhere. It was kind of fun,
since we could chat about what we wanted until Mr.
Beggs, decided it was hard-core time!
water, get up, walk down the mountain, coach, dead
batteries… That was the climb to Pen Y Fan. As you
could read, we didn’t get to finish the climb because
some people didn’t want to do it. (Fair? Hardly.) But it
paid off eventually when we went to the mining museum and went down a proper mine! It was dark, smelly
and had
an eerie
feeling
to it. The
man who
described
the
history
explained
it really well.
I thought
the mine
was pretty
cool and
the stables were
awesome.
Day 3
Today was the main day of all the activities, such as the
climbing and gorge walking. It was cold, muddy and
if you like being waist deep in freezing cold water and
shoving your head up a waterfall, then you should try
this. I don’t think the weather helped either. It made the
gorge walking below -20, or the muddy rock climbing wall, completely covering it in thin layers of mud,
making the wall completely slippery and if you do fall
victim to the stone wall’s trap, than half the skin on
your knee will travel down the wall… with you still up
there, hanging, with a very big wedgie.
Day 2
Day 4
Alarm clock, groan, shower, full English breakfast,
speech from teachers, warning from teachers, no freetime issued by teachers, mountain gear put on, walking,
walking, walking, walking, more walking, stop, warning
from teachers, us geographically embarrassed (lost),
walking, groans, head over heels, speech from teachers about safety, EXTRA groans, climbing, climbing,
stop, safety speech by teachers, climbing, stop, groans,
whines, hands up, outrage, sandwich, tracker bar, apple,
Today we left Wales to head down back to England. No
change in weather, nor the dying batteries on the way
back, but it felt good to be going home. We all were
filming each other on the way home. Besides the entire
trip, we were tired, and for once, seeing the school
gates was pleasing for us all. But if you go to Wales,
bring more kit than what it says on the list.
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Omnibus December 2012
Appley ever after
Oscar Taperell takes part in this year’s Apple Day
Do you know your Granny Smiths from your Pink Ladies? Can you tell apart a Cox Pippin from an Autumn
Gold? What on earth are you talking about, you might ask
– yet it was Apple day on Friday 19th across the country,
and Wilson’s didn’t want to get left out on the fruity fun.
For a small, unaware Year 7, Apple Day seemed slightly
weird, not a usual school event at all. So I headed on
down to the Science block to see what was going on!
A crowd of Wilson’s boys from all different years were
gathered around the apple-bobbing, as huge splashes
of water flew everywhere. Heads plunged deep into the
murky depths of the watery, apple-filled box as everyone
else (who were quite alright watching from a distance)
looked on. As more eager Wilsonians slobbered all over
the apples, it struck me that each person had a technique
of getting the apples. There was the ‘head butt them into
submission’ approach, the ‘get
The first day
more water on yourself than in the box’ method and
the ‘pick them up by the stalk’ way. Yet my favourite was
simply ingenious; the contestant ate a good chunk of each
apple before taking them out, so he didn’t need a school
dinner!
After this, I came indoors to find the longest apple peel
competition was in full swing – Miss Clarke was carefully
scraping away at her apple, but in the end she was pipped
at the post by Mr Carew-Robinson with 98cm. The ‘pear’
were cheered on by a ‘core’ of supporters, whilst in the
other corner of the room there was the tastiest applebased food. Everything looked rather a’peel’ing, and my
eyes darted from pie to cake as the judges decided on a
score.
Overall, Apple Day was splendidly fun, and would’ve
made Sir Isaac Newton himself proud of this spectacular
day!
Andrew Leggett and Rishi Raval give an overview of their first day at Wilson’s
The first day in school, I walked in as proud as I
could be, strolling in through the electric doors in
my wonderful new school uniform -spotless white
shirt; immaculate black trousers; a too long tie;
fluffy black socks; shiny black shoes; a soft warm
jumper and a glistening red Brecon badge. I was
thrilled with my brand new uniform.
It was fun meeting my form
tutor again and not forgetting all of my new friends in
the class.
Everything changes in the
jump from primary school,
and I soon became lost in
a maze of corridors and
hallways.
We were given a map of the
school and that helped (to
an extent!), until we ended
up asking year nines for
help, then year tens and sixth
formers. Thank goodness I’ll
be learning some geography!
Then, strangely, the next day I knew where everything was in the school – so naturally I became a
fount of cartographical knowledge for all of my
friends.
I became the main navigator of Brecon, herding
everyone around the school; sometimes even boys
from the other houses were following me!
So much to get to grips with, so many new friends
to make, but we are all getting there and we are all
having fun together.
Wilson’s is going to be great fun.
On my first day in Wilson’s I had mixed feelings –
nervous, anxious, excited, and curious. When I felt
scared I reassured myself that everyone else in Year
7 is new. When I saw the school curriculum and
what lessons we would be doing, I felt very excited
to learn subjects that I had never learnt before (German, Latin, etc...).
On my first day,
I instantly made
friends with other
boys in the form
(Brecon) and sometimes in other forms
or years. I found out
that Wilson’s is an
extremely friendly
environment where
people of all ages
can mingle. Also,
the teachers are
very knowledgeable,
helpful and can help
you out when you are stuck with a question or don’t
understand a particular topic.
Wilson’s provides a huge range of extracurricular
activities such as debating, chess, badminton, music,
the choir and sport. Additionally, if you have a last
minute homework to hand in next lesson, you can
go to the library and complete it there.
Wilson’s is the place to realise your potential and
fulfil your dreams. I feel very privileged to be a part
of Wilson’s.
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Omnibus December 2012
TEDx at Wilson’s School
George Driscoll reports on the TEDx event at Wilson’s
On the evening of the 4th of October, Wilson’s
hosted a TEDx event: an independently organized
event following the TEDTalks format. The
TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design)
organisation licences these events in accordance
with its commitment to “ideas worth sharing”.
Having been introduced to the TEDTalks videos
on YouTube by enthusiastic teachers in a number of
areas of the curriculum, I suggested that Wilson’s
start our very own TEDx to allow everyone to share
their expertise on topics not normally discussed in
school!
I set about finding speakers – not exactly a difficult
task as there are reams of enthusiastic academics
floating around the corridors here at Wilson’s.
Two teachers, Mr Phillips and Mr Hudson, agreed
to share their experience, and a number of sixth
formers volunteered to speak on diverse themes.
The programme was completed by screening
two official TED videos, on “The Intelligence of
Crows” and “The Mathematics of History”.
Mr. Phillips, Head of Biology, opened proceedings
with an exposition of the collective wisdom of bees
and how this may model human endeavour. Jack
Crowson, a lower sixth physicist, entertained the
audience with terrific insight into the brave new
world of quantum computing, and Josh Hayes, an
upper sixth physicist, brought the first half of the
evening to a close explaining the numbers behind
Do you judo?
by Matthew Jeffery
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing someone beaten
on the ground.
The only way to do this in Wilson’s (without
getting excluded!) is Judo. But in reality, far
from being violent, Judo is a highly intellectual sport, testing your opponent for their
weaknesses before you strike.
It’s an art where the winner is the person who
can analyse their opponent the quickest. The
biggest fear in joining Judo is usually getting
hurt, but that fear is unfounded. When you
win a fight you feel triumph and glory - even
a loss is fun and a great learning experience
you can use in later bouts.
Judo was created in 1882 by Kano Jigoro but
styles of martial arts can be dated back to
1532. By the 1800s there were over 700 styles
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the possibility of life on other planets.
Mr. Hudson spoke on the importance of literature
to the establishment of a participant democracy,
Karim Abu-Seer brought the event into the realm
of ethics and philosophy with a discourse on the
benefits of greed, and I closed the event with a
discussion of the development of statistical analysis
in baseball.
Phew!
True to the idea of TEDx, the speakers were asked
plenty of really analytical questions on their ideas –
we really got a lively debate going.
The event was a resounding success; it brought
together for one evening and in one place experts
and enthusiasts from the diverse disciplines that
are scattered across the school, to celebrate their
passions in an open forum.
Some of the speakers had been through the doors
of the debating society and had developed a taste
for oratory and some were people who had never
done public speaking before.
The topics discussed both intrigued and
inspired members of the audience and the
variation in subject matter helped to give the
TEDxWilsonsSchool event its own twist.
I am very proud to have brought TEDx to Wilson’s
and I hope this event proves to be the first
milestone in a journey of opportunity for many
other students and staff.
of grappling martial arts similar to judo, but over the years
they have died out leaving a handful of
survivors in modern society – their king
being Judo.
The secret to Judo is in the technique, not
power. A small person can easily stand up
to a large lump.
As someone that does a variety of martial
arts I can say (without any bias at all…)
that Judo is the best; its balance and style
unparalleled in the world of fighting. All
it takes is a quick glance at the Mixed
Martial Arts line-ups and you will
soon realise that this is the case. I’m
really looking forward to continuing
with this exciting new development at
school!
Omnibus December 2012
Wilson’s CCF biennial inspection
On the 23rd March 2012, Wilson’s School Army and RAF
sections joined forces for their biennial inspection. Despite
a 7am start, the cadets enthusiastically completed their final
preparations and duties before forming up in a 100 cadet
strong parade.
As final adjustments were being made, a loud thumping
noise issued from overhead. The school gazed on, openmouthed, as a Lynx helicopter, the star attraction of this
RAF-led inspection, hovered and touched down on the
playing fields and the section’s guests were ushered out of
the sun by smartly dressed cadets. When the day’s guest
of honour arrived, she was greeted by the guard of honour team, who had spent weeks being rigorously drilled in
weapon manoeuvres, displaying the strong commitment
to the day felt by both sections. The remainder of the day
was spent with guests taking cadet led tours around various
stands (everything for weapon handling to the flight simulator) prepared and practised weeks before by the cadets.
Having navigated all standings (including the chance to sit
in the Lynx and talk to its pilots about being in the RAF, a
stand of particular interest to guests and cadets alike), the
guests returned to their seats for the much anticipated arena
events.
by Henry Stanley
The army began proceedings by demonstrating their efficient casualty evacuation training (cue gaping ‘wounds’
and screams of ‘agony’). The RAF then impressed with
their continuity drill, performing a long series of complicated manoeuvres without a single command, with twisting circles and Mexican Wave salutes galore. As the squad
marched off, a rifle-dissembling race raised the tension
within the arena, with a representative from the two sections racing to take the rifles apart then re-assemble them.
It was a very close competition, but the RAF section’s but
the RAF section’s Cpl Anadakumar narrowly scraped a
victory. The army equalised through a fierce tug-of-war effort. Overall, the RAF was deemed victorious, though the
Army section also received praise for their valiant efforts.
A final presentation concluded the day, with cadets being
awarded prizes by the guest of honour and the special
recognition of Squadron Leader Gardner’s services to
the section. The RAF guest of honour concluded the
ceremony, addressing both the cadets and the officers and
praising them for their commitment to the day and their
respective sections. Many thanks and congratulations to
both the cadets and the officers for all their efforts in
making the day such a success, and good luck to both sections in their future endeavours.
The benefits of debating
“It is better to debate a question without settling it than settle a question without debating it.” Joseph Joubert
Debating is often only discussed in the academic sense,
based on how well it looks on your UCAS forms, how
much it impresses universities, and the rhetorical skills it
brings. For these reasons, the fact that is actually really
enjoyable is often overlooked.
In extremely simple terms, debating involves formulating
a structured argument. It gives you a chance to air your
views on current affairs and prominent issues; a chance
to share your passion for a particular topic; and a chance
to enjoy and develop your public speaking skills. It
gives you the opportunity to travel across the country
to compete at a top level and interact with other keen
debaters, all the while developing important skills.
Another major benefit of debating is that it builds your
confidence. I have never felt very comfortable speaking
in front of others, but debating helps you plan what
to say, and to develop a technique that suits you. It
helps you to build arguments, and it also gives you the
confidence to present them. Teamwork and co-operation
are also vital, as you usually work with a partner, both in
the reasoning behind the debate, and in putting forward
aspects of your argument.
The flexible thinking required when rebutting others’
points is key in many other areas of life. Being able
to think on your feet is useful in almost any situation.
All the skills that you use in debating are transferable.
Debating also gives you the opportunity to meet other
people interested in the same things as you; many
debating competitions have hundreds of competitors, of
all ages from all areas of the UK.
Of course, on top of all of this is the benefit of helping
you access top universities or employment, and this
is true. Being involved in debating certainly develops
all of the skills I’ve talked about so far, and these
are all relevant in further education or in a working
environment, so it is something people will be interested
in. However, I believe this should not be the reason
to enter debating, as you will not succeed if you see
it merely as an asset for university, and I believe it’s
important people realise that actually, it is enjoyable,
educational, and confidence-building.
I hope this encourages you to try debating. If you
wish to get involved, speak to Mrs Guy in the English
department, or come along on a Friday lunchtime to
room 16.
By Max Cobain
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Omnibus December 2012
Drama in the Mollison Drive Derby
When it was announced that the Year 12s would
be taking the highly valued 4 XI team slot ahead of
the year 13s, there was instant tension between the
two teams. The controversial (but brave) decision
was called by the Wilson’s PE staff, who must have
seen some potential in the year 12s, supported by
their impressive results throughout the junior school
seasons. The year 13s were clearly not happy with
being demoted to the 5th XI, and so when the two
teams met in an inter school league game, it was
always going to be a heated fixture.
It was a windy, overcast day at Mollison Drive and
when the two teams got underway, you could see the
weather would make it a hard job for the defence
of both teams. The start of the game was scrappy
with both teams struggling to keep the ball, but the
5th XI took a lead midway through the half after
a defensive miscommunication from a corner. The
rest of the half was fairly equal with the 4ths having
several chances to equalise but squandering them
all. The 5ths went into half time feeling happy with
their one goal advantage, and a certain arrogance.
Attacking changes by the 4th XI were made and
before long the second half was begun.
The 4’s looked like a changed team from the start
of the second half but that goal they needed was
proving to be rather elusive. Their efforts, however,
eventually paid off when their central midfielder
Kiwoong Park scrambled the ball into the back of
the net. From then on the 4s totally dominated, but
not without a fight from the 5’s, who to their credit
played until the final whistle. Unfortunately, the
game had a dampener put on it. A dubious tackle
from Sam Fairhurst (5th XI centre mid) came in on
Will Stanley, catching his ankle and resulting in him
having to be helped off the pitch, later being taken
to the medical room where it was found he had
sprained his ankle. Despite this, his team pushed on
and scored three more, with strikes from Richard
Rose, Lucky Niraj and the latest addition to the
team, Nick Gikas.
Overall, it was clear the 4th XI were the better
team and deserved their 4-1 victory. They had
consolidated their place in the higher ranks of the
Wilson’s football hierarchy.
The 5ths will be hungry for revenge later in the
season, and we can count on there being more high
quality, competitive, thrilling and dramatic football
to come from these two teams.
By Richard Rose
Is this our year?
To say that Wilson’s Grammar School is solely an
academic institution would be an inaccurate statement
and one which would offend those associated with the
school. Even though the school continues to produce
grades which not only rival, but often top other state
and private schools, it still manages to integrate sport
successfully into the daily learning of its students.
One of the mainstream sports which has been successful alongside the school’s academic achievements
is football.
The 1st XI Football team has begun the season extremely well, boasting an overall win percentage of
82%; with our only defeat so far this season coming from our encounter with the Old Wilsonians 1st
XI. With convincing wins throughout every cup and
league which the team participates in, there is a belief
that perhaps this year we can challenge for the national
cup, a cup which this season has been entered by 578
schools around the country. Although this target is
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still a fair distance in the future, with the guidance
of both Mr Simmons and Mr Parkinson it is a target
which is by no means unrealistic. Together with a defence and goalkeeper who have only conceded 9 goals
in 10 games against other schools, a midfield which
has performed well under the supervision of the
captain Jack Elliot, and a strike force which has scored
39 out of our total 55 goals this year, it is safe to say
that we can achieve great triumphs this season. Whilst
we attempt to accomplish our goal, it would be much
appreciated by both the 1st XI players and managerial team if there were more support at matches from
other members of the school, as together we will be
able to represent Wilson’s not only on the field, but
off the field as well.
By Alexander Osborn
Creative corner
Omnibus December 2012
This term’s theme is ‘Light and Darkness’
By Kenta Watson
Darkness
The gem
The little speck
Sitting there in the black that surrounds it
The inhabitants
The humans
Trying to find what’s in the area around it
Their creations scrape the sky
They have rockets, flying high
But they find nothing in the darkness
Looking up into the black
There may be a being staring back
But they cannot find it
Discovery may come one day
But their curiosity fades away
Their lives continue
Way up there, deep in space
On another planet, another race
Searches the darkness for others
So the gem, all alone
Has got friends to share its home
In the darkness
Amal Patel
By Spencer Rynsaard 10H
Electricity: The buzz in my life
As night fell upon us,
The darkness swept me up.
This wasn’t darkness,
It was something else,
No traffic lights,
No traffic,
No lights coming through bedroom windows,
The human eye was absolutely useless.
Time was lost, long gone,
12pm or 3pm?
I wouldn’t know.
The clock on the wall,
The hands were motionless,
Stuck in time.
I sat by the fire,
Wrapped in my blanket,
My biscuits were stale,
My hot chocolate was as cold as ice.
I stared at the fire,
At the dancing shapes,
Dancing in their own world of happiness.
This is a world without a buzz,
A world without electricity,
A world draped in darkness,
A world without technology.
This is a world without happiness.
A world without happiness,
Is a world without life.
By Vishal Shah
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Omnibus December 2012
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