Spotlight June 2016 - Mountain Ash Comprehensive School

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ISSUE NUMBER 2
June 2016
‘MADE BY THE PUPILS, FOR THE PUPILS’
EXCLUSIVE: MACS ESTABLISHES LINKS
WITH AFRICAN SCHOOLS
Mountain Ash Comprehensive School has been establishing links recently with three schools in Africa.
Mabalane Primary, Dikgonnye Primary and Sedibelo
Secondary School are now part of our MACS family.
The head of the Religious Studies department has
teamed up with the school’s Deputy Headteacher Mr
Mead, taking a step forward; sending gifts provided
by our school to Africa. Having been informed that
the schools have now received our Welsh gifts, we
also got some images back from the schools which
expressed the pure excitement the pupils felt as they
got to see the collection of goods sent.
The gifts that we sent to Africa included signed rugby
t-shirts, a MACS T-shirt, Welsh rugby jersey, football
sandwich bag, art and crafts items such as colouring
books, confectionary and Welsh cards.
Pupils and staff at MACS, as ever, have demonstrated
their generosity by helping to provide some of the
gifts whilst also helping to raise a fantastic £700. This
was then used to create thirty-six ‘Welsh Culture’ gift
boxes that were sent to the schools.
Head of Religious Studies, Mr Church, has exclusively revealed how the school is aiming to link up to
three schools in Africa via Skype - through our new ‘Connecting Classrooms scheme’. Mr Church commented, “Yet again, our pupils have been amazing in showing
real generosity to others in the world who are less fortunate.”
Deputy Headteacher Mr. Mead commented, “We are extremely excited to be part of this new partnership that has
been developed to aid teaching and learning and promote
global citizenship.”
Brad Williams— Year 12
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Meet the team
Connor Acteson
Kegan Close
“Welcome to the second edition of
MACS Spotlight. We are very proud
of the second issue of our magazine, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the first
issue. In this edition; we will bring
you exciting, fresh and formal stories plus reviews. We hope
you like it.”
Brad Williams – Editor
Hollie Cornish
Ebony Hooper
Ryan Lineham
Travis Martin-Parry
Luke Meikle
Brad Williams
Ffion Withers
BBC Radio 2 -500 Words competition success!!!
Last term, year 7 entered the BBC Radio 2 - 500 Words competition.
They had to write an exciting short story of no more than 500 words
in length. The story could be about anything that they wanted, but
classes got ideas from novels and plays that they had already read.
Some even made up original stories off the top of their heads! Pupils
wrote the short stories in class and then at home, and later Miss John
sent them off for judging. One pupil, Kian Taylor, was very successful,
making it through to the second round.
Kian Taylor said, “Last term, year 7 literacy classes were encouraged to enter the BBC Radio 2 - 500 Words competition. After watching the online tips for writing from some famous authors,
we were all really inspired and keen to get started. It was while I was watching a YouTube video at home that I came across the character of a goblin that
was fishing – this gave me the idea for my story. When Miss John told me
that I had been shortlisted, I felt really proud and excited.”
Miss John stated, “ Our English department were thrilled to learn that one of
our budding young writers recently made it through to the second round of the BBC Radio 2 – 500 Words
competition. Kian was shortlisted from an incredible 123,400 entries down to just 4,500! Well done! ”
Read Kian’s fantastic story opposite.
Ebony Hooper –Year 7
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The Adventure
It was a glorious Sunday day, the sun was shining and I could
feel the heat of the sun beating down on me. There was
John, Paul and I playing in a field, we were playing hide and
seek. When we saw a big huge light in the sky which was
blinding.
We all decided that we were going to follow the light which
lead us to a mystery cave in the mountain. The cave was
damp, dark and smelly; all of a sudden a figure appeared.
The figure was a small thin creature we had never seen before. I wanted to find out more about this small thin creature, so I started asking him questions.
‘Where are you from?’ I said.
‘I am from deep within these caves, only my species lives here’.
‘What are you?’ Paul asked.
‘I am a goblin silly’ the creature said oddly.
I could see that the goblin was not going to harm us so I asked why he was outside of the
cave. He replied ‘We have run out of food!! So my community asked me to go find some
food outside of the cave. Could you kind boys help me?’
‘Yes we can,’ the three of us replied together.
This was where our adventure started with the small goblin. We struggled at first to think of places to get food, and
then we had an idea. We ran as fast as we could to the river, when we arrived at the river. There were hundreds of
fish circling in the water, but how would we get these amazing fish?
In the corner of my eye I spotted a fallen drop tree, we pulled back the bark of the tree to use for spears. We then
grabbed some stones so that we could sharpen the ends of the sticks to make the spears. We all had a spear each;
we went into the river in a shallow end and started to throw the spears in to catch some fish. I took a long time before we started to catch fish but before we knew it we
had plenty of fish for the dwarf to take back to his community.
He took us to the goblins’ cave where we had first seen
him. At the entrance of the cave we saw several more
goblins, waiting for him to return. They were so pleased
that he had returned with food. The small goblin told the
other goblins that we had helped him get all the fish; they
wanted us to join them for a feast.
We walked through the dark, damp cave and arrived at a
huge gate. There was a man there waiting for them to
open the gate. Once we were through the gate we entered in to huge hall, where all the goblins were. There
was a chef waiting to cook the feast, we handed him the
fish and we had a feast.
There was a flash of lighting and we were back in the
park, the adventure was over.
Name: Kian Taylor
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What’s Hot and What’s Not?!
Deadpool
Ryan Reynolds plays a superhero (Deadpool) with a difference. He has to
wear a mask; not to hide his identity but to conceal the hideous disfigurement of his face.
He was not born with his powers but gained them as a result of a gene mutation in a lab-a
gene mutation he had gone for because it was the only hope of curing his terminal Cancer.
Unfortunately, the people who cured the Cancer, after numerous tortures, caused his facial disfigurement and superpowers which include the ability to survive almost anything.
However, they actually wanted to turn him into a superpowered slave to obey their clients,
so they are not good people. And now, Ryan is out to get his revenge!
Ajax comes to know of Deadpool’s Achilles' heel, his girlfriend (played by Morena Baccharin), whom he deeply loves but wants to avoid because she might not be able to bear to
see his facial disfigurement. Ajax pounces upon this Achilles’ heel; the girlfriend. Deadpool
enlists the help of two X men, a female named Negasonic Teenage Warhead (seriously, that's her actual name) and a male
named Rasputin to save his girl , while Ajax has the help of Angel dust who is female.
So is Deadpool able to save his girl ? Can he take revenge on Ajax ?
Watch the movie to find out.
The special effects and photography are good. Also, the acting is good from everybody. And Morena Baccharin looks real
nice. The villains look real mean in addition.
The movie does have many violent scenes and scenes of a sexual nature however, so the 15 rating is understandable.
Star Rating: I'd give this movie a solid 9/10 rating as I really enjoyed it but there were some faults here and there which is to
be expected.
Conor Acteson- Year 11
Destiny
If you are looking for a sci-fi fps rpg with tons of storyline, characteristics and tons and tons of loot I highly recommend Destiny. It was created by Bungie, the company that own the Halo Franchise, one of Xbox’s best selling franchises. In Destiny there are 3 different classes to choose from:
Titan: The warrior type which has three unique subclasses, Striker, Defender and if you buy it, the Taken King, DLC Sunbreaker.
Hunter: A rogue ranger. The subclasses are gunslinger, bladedancer and if you buy the Taken King, you get nightstalker.
Warlock: A space wizard (I chose this class), voidwalker, sunsinger and if you buy the Taken King, you get stormcaller.
Destiny is an amazing game and you will find it time consuming, it even
has a PvP mode. However, it’s not open world.
Star Rating: I would give it 9.5 out of 10.
Travis Martin-Parry– Year 7
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LEGO Avengers
LEGO Avengers is an amazing LEGO game about the Marvel films, Avengers Assemble and
Avengers Age of Ultron. It has a range of over 180 different characters to choose from and even uses the
same models as the LEGO sets. Every character has its own different takedowns with other characters. It
brings back some of the characters from the previous game Marvel Super Heroes and brings in lots more.
There’s a whole new range of missions and side quests and even easy ways to switch between characters.
One of my favourite things in the game is the Hulk Buster model, because it looks identical to the LEGO set
and it works amazingly well. It has a wide range of D.L.Cs with even more characters and levels to enjoy.
The voices sound just like they do in the films and there’s some pretty hilarious scenes, which really lighten up the mood and make you want to play it even more. Some of the characters have certain transformations and different forms
from the films and they have their old and new versions also.
Star Rating: I would give this 8/10
Kegan Close -Year 7
LEGO Dimensions
Lego Dimensions is a science fantasy action-adventure video
game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner
Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It allows you to use people from a bunch of
different worlds which are: Back to the future, Doctor Who, The Simpsons, Portal
2, LEGO Ninjago, Ghostbusters, DC comics, Jurassic World, The Lord of the Rings
and loads more. My personal favourite character is the doctor from the Doctor
Who level and character pack because when he comes back out of his tardis he is
a different doctor and you don’t even have to change his model on the portal!
In addition , some of the characters have special abilities and some enemies can only be defeated by certain characters in the packs.
The team packs are really cool because they come with an assortment of characters and vehicles you can ride after you complete the
levels of that pack ,which have the instructions on screen. If you get the starter pack, which is highly recommended, you get Batman
from DC comics, Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, Wildstyle from the LEGO movie and an amazing vehicle called the Batmobile. As you
progress through the game you get these stones which give your character types of superpowers which helps you move throughout
the levels with certain puzzles.
Star Rating: I would give it 9/10
Luke Meikle -Year 7
Goosebumps
The story of Goosebumps is a great one. It is filled with monsters and it even has a bit of romance. It is about a young boy called Zach who has moved from New York to California. He needs a friend.
She needs an adventure. Her father is none other than R.L. Stine. With his magic machine his books came to
life. The friends must save the city from Slappy and his monsters. Will they succeed?
I would recommend this to anyone with a love for the Goosebumps books. You will enjoy it!
Star rating: I would give it 8.5/10
Luke Meikle- Year 7
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Year 7 @the Hay Festival 2016
On Friday 27th May a group of year 7 pupils visited the Hay Festival in Hay-On-Wye. They were
accompanied by Miss Cook and Miss Jeffreys
from the English department, who booked us into see three groups of writers. Our first speaker
was Matt Dickinson, a man who had climbed
Mount Everest three times and had written two
books about his experiences. He informed us that the
third instalment to his trilogy is currently being written.
After a short break, during which time we headed
off the book store, bought some delicious ice creams
and after a slight panic, found our teachers (whoops!) ,
we met our second speakers; a group of actors from the
Royal Shakespeare Company. They performed scenes
from Hamlet and although the language seemed almost Martian at times, they got the
audience involved and Travis even got to give them tips
about the way in which they played certain characters!
After discovering the price of a sandwich during the
lunch break and observing the two second rule after our
muffins fell to the floor, we met our last speakers; Mark
Brake and Jon Chase. Their presentation, The Science of
Star Wars, was hilarious, and the highlight of our trip.
Luke Meikle –Year 7
Travis Martin-Parry - Year 7
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Solve That Problem!!
No problem too big! No issue too small!
We here at Advisers for the Anonymous are here to help.
Dear Advisers for the Anonymous,
I really like a boy in my Geography
class but he doesn’t know that I
exist! I’ve tried talking to him every time we
do group work in lessons but he treats me
just like the other girls. I would really like to
get to know him better but I don’t want to
ask him out and look like an idiot in front of
everyone. What if he doesn’t really like me?
A worried year 10 girl
Dear worried year 10 girl,
Tell your friends about him
and they might be able to
help. Try to get to know him a bit
more and if you feel like you have
a good relationship so far, tell him
how you feel. If he says that he
likes you but only as a friend, ask
him if you can stay friends. If he
says no, try to get over him because
he is obviously not worth your
time. Your friends will support you
what ever happens. Good luck!
Dear Advisers for the Anonymous,
Since moving schools last year I’ve
found it really hard. I live quite far away so I
don’t get the school bus or walk like everyone else. Also, during lunchtimes I don’t really know where to go and who to sit with. I
used to play netball in my old school and I
had lots of friends-I just wish I could go back
there.
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
Try getting to know some
people that you can hang
around with during break
times. As you used to platy net-
ball at your old school, why not
join the netball team as this
will help you make new friends
who have a similar interest to
Hollie Cornish - Year 8
you.
Ffion Withers - Year 8
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Where next???
Sixth Form, College, Apprenticeship... Which do I choose?
Are you on the uncomfortable end of talks with parents, family, friends and
teachers, all giving you different advice about your future prospects? It is time
to make your own decision!
College/Sixth Form?
Sixth form or college is a place to study a range of A-Levels and other qualifications. Most request you have a
minimum of five GCSEs at C grade or above, but this can vary depending on
the school or college and the course.
After completing their GCSEs, most people stay on at sixth form, where you
receive regular guidance and support, but a few decide to bridge the gap
between school and university with a two-year study at college .
University?
This higher education route is one which many people make after achieving the required grades at A-Level. It
is a highly academic path and requires self-determination and motivation. The first thing that may come up
in conversation with a university graduate reminiscing about ‘the good old days’ is not the hard work however, but the student life. From the socialising and partying to the independence and joy of studying something
that interests you, there is nothing like it! You have the opportunity to do a degree in something that interests you. Some of the more ‘wacky’ degrees include: Theatre Practice, Ethical Hacking and there is even a
degree that contains a Harry Potter module! There is the opportunity to make new friends from across the
country, and the world, and as in some situations: ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ So, that may
be useful in years to come.
Apprenticeship?
The student debt associated with university often puts people off
moving to higher education, which brings us to apprenticeships. An
apprenticeship combines practical training with study. They range
from level 2 (the equivalent to five GCSEs C and above) to level 6
(the equivalent to a master’s degree) and are available in a variety
of professions, from Engineering to Animal Care to Law.
So, how does an apprenticeship work? You will generally spend one
day a week studying in a university or college and four days working alongside mentors and staff who are experienced in the field you want to study. This has the advantage
of learning from others and allows you to gain on-the-job experience. You also get paid and there are no tuition fees! Doing an apprenticeship also allows you to gain valuable work experience and possible recognition
which will be an asset when it comes to competing for jobs.
Ryan Lineham—Year 11
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