Worth Insight Summer 2014

Summer 2014

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Meet the girl in the Cricket 1st XI

Worth School magazine

Thoughts about the Rule

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Young writers excel in Benedictine essay competition

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Red Sea adventuresRolling in the deep with Worth’s scuba divers

The Robertson fitness suite was opened and blessed by Abbot Luke in April 2014. Located above the new girls’ changing rooms in the Sports Hall, the suite was built in order to increase access to weights and conditioning for all pupils. The suite is part of the School’s long-term development plan, and it was equipped jointly by the Friends of Worth and the Glenn Robertson Memorial Fund.

Glenn Robertson was an ex-rugby coach, teacher, housemaster and − according to his colleagues − a huge character in the staff room. The new suite stands as a testament to someone who gave so much to the School and sport at Worth. There is an element of irony in naming the new suite after him as it has been said that he wasn’t the greatest fan of fitness

training! on a recent visit to Australia, Mr Kaaber (director of Sport) says he visited many schools and was often greeted by people saying: “You’re from Worth? You must know Glenn Robertson!”

There is a wide range of state-of-the-art cardiovascular, plyometric and weight training equipment to ensure the suite is cutting edge. It promotes healthy living at the School and gives pupils comfortable facilities in order to improve their fitness. All students are given an induction into the gym when they reach Year 9 and bespoke programmes can be designed by Mr Green, the fitness coordinator. With space for 25-30 people, the suite is more than big enough to take a PE or games class, or a fitness session for sport scholars.

Head of Girls’ Games and PE, Sam clark, is delighted with the new facility which she feels “has come at just the right time for sport at Worth.

“Not only does it give our team players the opportunity to develop the specific aspects of fitness required for their games of choice, but it also allows us to extend health and fitness education and opportunities to all pupils and staff within the school community. The options the new machinery and equipment provides for player development are vast, and I expect to see the Worth squads making gains in their strength and conditioning that will improve on-pitch performance. I have been delighted by the number of pupils that are using the facility and there is a great buzz about being active and healthy around the School right now.”

Worth School magazine2 3www.worthschool.co.uk Summer 2014

FIT FOR PURPOSE

oLIVER cAMPBELL VISITS WoRTH’S NEW FITNESS SUITE.

4 5www.worthschool.co.uk Summer 2014Worth School magazine

during the Easter break a group of 17 students embarked on a week- long scuba diving expedition to the Red Sea. Most of the students had learned to dive as part of the School’s wider curriculum programme and this trip enabled them to try out their skills in the wild for the first time. Some students also completed their PAdI Advanced open Water certification.

The group lived aboard a top-of-the-range dive boat for the duration and were treated to some wonderful hospitality by the local crew. The Red Sea boasts some of the most

beautiful marine fauna and flora in the world and the students took in the stunning coral reefs of the Ras Mohammed National Park, a 19th century wreck which had foundered on its way to India, some exhilarating night dives and a PAdI conservation project which entailed the whole group clearing rubbish from a specific area of the sea bed.

“This was the School’s first dive expedition,” said organiser Mr Julian Williams, “and it was a resounding success. Hopefully it will be the first of many.”

Red Sea adventures

7www.worthschool.co.uk Summer 20146 Worth School magazine

Learning from different cultures also helps the development of the personality and one’s opinions about the world. Having a mixture of nationalities to learn from is very important, otherwise it would be very easy only to see one perspective, the one depicted by the English media. We, as human beings, are naturally drawn to new experiences in order to learn from them. Meeting someone with a significant cultural difference is an experience in itself. Living with an Italian or a German for a couple of years will indeed make you more knowledgeable about their lifestyle, opinions and methodology of work. The culture brought by international students to the School is key to the development of everyone’s personal view of the world.

Most overseas students come to Worth for the Sixth Form. We all

agree that the opportunities that are presented to us here are significantly greater to the ones offered in our countries of origin, shown by the majority of student opting to stay in the UK for further education. Max Iller comments; “The teacher at Worth is someone supporting you to achieve. In my previous school [in Germany] the teacher was always seen as someone who only wants to test you.” Scholarships awarded by Worth have made it possible for more people to choose Worth. Jakub Nagrodzki, the current Year 13 St Benedict’s scholarship holder for Polish students, comments; “[The scholarship] has proven to be an immense opportunity for students from Poland to develop their talents here, at Worth, and it is working perfectly.” He continues to say, “Living and studying at Worth

is also, I believe, a great lesson in the development of independence, tolerance and mutual respect.”

Since I joined in 2007, Worth has undergone a lot of changes. I have seen new students, with very little confidence in speaking English, join the School and after a few years leave as fluent speakers. Being both the spectator and participant of this has allowed me to realise first hand how students develop through their time at Worth. At first, the idea of leaving for a distant country to live and work using a language that is not very familiar can seem daunting but, as time passes by, the familiarity with English increases and with it the experience. If this were not the case, what explains the presence of such a number of international students at Worth?

Worth School has been successful in attracting students from around the world over many years. It is evident that the great majority of students at Worth are from the UK but the School also has a diverse international dimension with students from 33 countries. In interviewing some students I found out some of the reasons why an English boarding school like Worth attracts students from around the globe. Polina Zotova comments; “Worth is a truly British school. However, each and every individual can stand out and bring their nationality to light.” I can affirm, from my own experience, that being taught in different languages at different points during my education has made a significant difference to the way I think and interact with the world around me. Languages become very important tools for everyday life.

Flying the flag at Worth

FRANcESc MoRA oRTEGA FRoM ANdoRRA LooKS AT WHAT WoRTH HAS To oFFER

INTERNATIoNAL STUdENTS.

Francesc Mora Ortega (front) is joined by fellow international students Leonard (Germany), Adel (Palestine), Ruva (Zimbabwe), Sasha (Ukraine),

Eglantine (France), Philippe (Holland), Grace (China) and Manuel (Spain).

9www.worthschool.co.uk Summer 2014

WHAT FIRST ATTRAcTEd YoU To THE SPoRT oF cRIcKET?I remember starting cricket when I was about seven. My dad would go to the sports hall early in the mornings to coach the older boys and I would follow him. The sport intrigued me and I used to copy the other children. It soon became clear this was something that I wanted to try out and do myself.

So, WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING THE oNLY GIRL IN THE WoRTH cRIcKET TEAM?It’s really interesting and funny. You hear a lot of things which you don’t usually hear when playing with girls, and you get an insight into the guys’ perspective. It’s more of a challenge, which I enjoy.

oVERALL WHAT do YoU REALLY ENJoY ABoUT THE GAME ?I love the excitement and enthusiasm. There is so much happening and you always have to be switched on! At times fielding can get quite tiring and boring, but despite this it can also be enjoyable as it allows you to be with the rest of the team and you get to do the odd dive now and then!

do YoU THINK cRIcKET SHoULd BE A SPoRT MoRE GIRLS GET INTo ANd WHY?I think it would be great to see some more girls take part in the game. It would be interesting to see what they could do. I think cricket is quite different to the sports that people traditionally see as ‘girly’ because you’ve got to be willing to slide around a bit and get bruised everywhere.

WHAT ARE YoUR HoPES FoR YoUR cAREER IN cRIcKET?To be honest, I really want to enjoy my cricket whenever I play and I would also like to play internationally if I ever get the chance. Most of all, however, I just want it to be something that I really look forward to doing during the week and weekends.

WHAT HAVE YoU GAINEd FRoM PLAYING oN THE cRIcKET TEAM AT WoRTH?Mainly, I feel that I have gained a lot of confidence. The standard is excellent and it’s probably the most I’ve ever enjoyed my cricket. I look forward to whatever comes next.

Howzat for Nikki!NIKKI cHAUdHURI IN YEAR 11 HAS BEcoME THE FIRST GIRL To PLAY IN THE 1ST X1 cRIcKET TEAM AT WoRTH. LAURA cHoW FINdS oUT MoRE.

8 Worth School magazine

The middle school delivered an unforgettable version of oscar Wilde’s A Picture of Dorian Gray. A stylish and surprising production had the audience on the edge of their seats and full of admiration for Jamie Rowland who took the lead role, Sebastian Gilling-Ulph as Lord Henry Wotton and Felix Richards as Basil Hayward. The vamped-up female characters, led by Genny Lewis as Lady Victoria Wotton, were hugely enjoyable and took the stage by storm. Equally captivating but also downright scary were the beautifully choreographed sequences with the ‘chorus of Pictures’ which showed the true creative flair of director Helen Brown and her Assistant director Michele Gilling-Ulph.


Young man behaving badly



coULd YoU TELL US ABoUT HoW YoU cAME To WoRK WITH THE dETAINEES AT GATWIcK?I first became involved with immigration detainees in 1995. At that time I was parish priest at Worth, and our diocesan Justice & Peace coordinator asked me to visit detainees who were being held in what was called the Beehive. Shortly after, the Gatwick detainees Welfare Group was founded. The following year I went to Brazil, returning in 2000, and before long had been asked to celebrate Mass for 120 detainees, in what was by then a purpose-built Removal centre called Tinsley House on the airport Perimeter Road.

I soon began to feel that this might be a part of my vocation, and it has indeed become my full-time work. I now also visit a second Removal centre at Gatwick, Brook House, which holds about 460 men and is built as a category B high-security prison.

I try to make my ministry as all-embracing as I can, and try to talk to anyone who will put up with it. It gives me a special sense of privilege when someone of another faith asks for prayers. one time I was even asked into the mosque to pray with a Muslim, and I carry Muslim prayer beads which were made for me by a detainee. often we’ll have Hindus and Muslims in Mass, as well as evangelical christians.

WHAT EXAcTLY doES YoUR WoRK ENTAIL?The most important part of my work is to listen. Everyone has a story to tell which involves some measure of sadness, and many welcome the opportunity to speak with someone who neither disbelieves nor judges them. Many harbour very strong and negative emotions, especially anger, and it seems to help them if someone is prepared to listen and take seriously what they are feeling. This will sometimes involve showing me their physical wounds, sometimes telling me of inner hurts and illness, especially psychological wounds.

taking the love of God behind bars

ALEX BRAMMER TALKS To FR PAUL FLEETWood ABoUT HIS WoRK WITH dETAINEES AT GATWIcK AIRPoRT.

Fr Paul Fleetwood of Worth Abbey with Christina Fitzsimons who is a Worth School Governor and also a ‘befriender’ with the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group.


continued over


The other part of my work, of course, is to encourage their faith at this moment when it’s being tested. The great majority of detainees come from countries where faith is a strong part of their culture, and often they will ask for a prayer in a way which shows no self-consciousness at all. I remember one young man whom I would often meet on the stairs.“Quick prayer, gov,” he’d say, and there we’d have our prayer and off he’d go.

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the work is that I can’t give any practical help over the many challenges which detainees face, although I do try to refer them to agencies that can offer help. But in general, the work is one of walking ealongside them – what is sometimes referred to as the spirituality of Mary at the foot of the cross. My own particular inspiration is the figure of Veronica, in the Stations of the cross. She was unable to stop the execution, but did what she could, offering a brief moment of comfort to Jesus by wiping his face, and was left with His image.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN PRoBLEMS EXPERIENcEd BY THE dETAINEES?This is a difficult question to answer, since they face so many! Perhaps the greatest is simply the loss of their freedom – something hard for us to understand until it has happened to us personally: a bit like health, we

don’t notice it until we have lost it. A Removal centre functions like a prison – people are taken there against their will, and released only when the authorities allow. The main difference is that in these centres people are not detained for any crime and their detention, unlike prison, is indefinite. In my view, detention creates great psychological

pressures, and some degree of mental illness is very common among detainees. This can vary from mild depression, through Post Traumatic Stress disorder, to full psychosis. Many become suicidal and practise self-harm.

Another source of great stress is separation from family and friends. Sometimes the sheer distance makes visits impossible, and the separation and the uncertainty of the future will often lead to the breakdown of relationships. detainees often face the prospect of never seeing their families again if they are deported. Sometimes, if they came to the UK as a young child, they face deportation to a country which they do not know, where they have no family nor friends, and maybe do not speak the language. And often they will face very considerable danger on return

for example, in Afghanistan, congo or Sri Lanka.

Another problem which is getting more acute all the time, is finding adequate legal representation. About half of those detained will be asylum seekers, and a typical asylum hearing is similar to one of criminal law, with the detainee cast as the defendant and Immigration as the prosecution. The difference is that the defendant seems to be assumed to be ‘guilty’ until proved otherwise. The burden of proof seems to be set very high, generally demanding written evidence. However, gathering evidence is very difficult, especially if the asylum seeker has had to flee his country quickly. He needs a really good lawyer, but legal aid is less and less available. Some of the best immigration lawyers have concluded that they cannot do an adequate job in the time for which they are paid, so they no longer do this work. Many asylum seekers have no lawyer and this makes them very vulnerable.

IS YoUR WoRK WELL REcEIVEd BY THE dETAINEES?I meet every kind of response. occasionally, this verges on abuse. occasionally, I experience reactions of rivalry or antagonism from members of other faiths or brands of christianity. I remember a group of rather militant Afghans who perhaps were upset by my monastic habit, thinking I was stealing their dress code! But generally I find that people of faith will recognise and respect my own faith, and that our dialogue will encourage us both.

You can find out more about the work of the Gatwick detainees Welfare Group at www.gdwg.org.uk.

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me…in prison and you visited me.”

Matt 25,vv 35 & 36

”their detention,

unlikeprison,

isindefinite.”

thoughts about the ruleWorth did exceptionally well this year in the essay competition run by the English Benedictine congregation. Students in Benedictine Schools in the UK and US could take part, and Worth had three winners in the Junior category – Harry Hamilton-deeley who came second and Fergus Atkinson and olivia Wilson whose entries were both Highly commended.

The title that the pupils tackled was: ‘does the Rule of St Benedict have anything to say to students in a Benedictine school about how they should treat each other?’ of course, the answer was ‘yes’ but each student impressed the judges with the way they tackled the subject.

Reflecting on what they had learned from writing their essays, olivia says the main point for her is that: “What St Benedict had to say about community is just as relevant in

today’s society – and especially in a Benedictine school. The main reason I chose to come to Worth was because of the atmosphere when I came to see round the School. It is a real community.” “But,” adds Fergus, “even if a community is about equals, you do still need a leader.” Harry also agrees that “there has to be some order, but not over the top, and there has to be equality. It’s about finding the balance between the two.”

As well as success in the Junior category, Year 12 student Laura chow was Highly commended in the Senior category. You can read her thoughts on: ‘do the chapters in St Benedict’s Rule about meals have any relevance for people living in the 21st century?’ online at Worth Voices (www.worthschoolvoices.co.uk)


continued

taking the love of God behind bars

16 17www.worthschool.co.uk Summer 2014

KEEPING IT LiveWhen live music is mentioned in association with Worth, one normally thinks of top-of-the-range classical concerts performed by the Schola or classical pieces played to technical perfection on instruments such as the piano or violin. Whilst classical music is mainstream at Worth, contemporary live music events, ranging from the acoustic ‘Worth Unplugged’ to the more tech-heavy ‘Worth Rewired’, provide alternative artistic outlets. They offer an opportunity to experiment with more modern forms of music while also providing relaxing, enjoyable evenings for all who attend.

In examining the impact of such live music events, I asked some Worth students who had given live performances what made them put in the extra time, effort and practice to do so. In the end, there was one recurring theme in their responses which was their desire for individual expression. Lizzy Montagu in Year 9 told me that: “Live performances such as open mic provide me with a unique opportunity and challenge to overcome, allowing me to express myself and grow as a result.” Such comments made it apparent that music provided an outlet for emotion as well as being a personal goal for Worth students. In this way, I would go as far as to say that live music events like Battle of the Bands are integral to Worth’s ethos. Such events reinforce the idea that every student at Worth is unique, with live events like Glastonbedes providing the opportunity for students of all ages to display or uncover an inner talent and to grow as a result.

I spoke to Mr Matthews who, amongst his many roles within the School, is Housemaster of St Bede’s and also the main organiser of contemporary live music events. He explained that when he joined Worth as a teacher in 2005 there was only one live event per year and that was Battle of the Bands. However, over the years due to high levels of demand from performers, a plethora of other live music events have sprung up ranging from the intimate acoustic nights to the larger festival-esque Glastonbedes. For Mr Matthews, it is “incredibly exciting that we nurture such a broad range of talent at Worth.” The culmination of this talent became apparent in 2007 as popular demand led to the creation of the Best of Worth cd which showcased some of the best performances at events held that year.

In a broader sense I believe that, in an age where the music industry is becoming predominantly pre-recorded and post-mixed, it is important to remember live performances and in particular the acoustic side. Mr Matthews explained that “by making Unplugged an acoustic event, more emphasis was placed on musicality and ingenuity in each performance.” In attending such events at Worth, I also found myself feeling a unique resonance that only live music could provide. To experience the level of talent and expertise displayed at these events I would highly recommend the Best of Worth 2014 cd. copies are available from Mr Matthews ([email protected]) priced at £10.

Worth School magazine

dANIEL MoNTAGU TAKES A LooK AT HoW WoRTH IS PRoMoTING LIVE PERFoRMANcE oF coNTEMPoRARY MUSIc.

Michael Glover and Hugh Lurcott of The Wolf Pack performing at Battle of the Bands.


the hiddenrewards of the Dof e

At Worth, it is not unusual to hear the Benedictine values being quoted as the way to conduct ourselves and live our lives to the best of our ability. These values can quickly become forgotten or seen as unnecessary in the modern day, but one of the ways this ethos is quietly and practically applied is through the highly regarded duke of Edinburgh’s Award (dofE) scheme.

The dofE is encouraged at Worth as it “gives all young people aged 14-24 the chance to develop skills for life and work, fulfil their potential and have a brighter future.” All young people who take part must push themselves to do something skill based, action based and voluntary based for a number of months, as well as surviving a challenging expedition.

The freedom this programme offers is unlike anything else. At Gold Level, young people are given maps of a designated area and are then left to complete a challenge, relying heavily on their training, imagination and thirst for adventure. The number of pupils taking on this challenge has risen considerably with 43% of those pupils who are eligible in Years 10-13 deciding to participate in the dofE. Altogether 186 pupils are currently enrolled and there has been a total of 19 staff helpers involved, putting their own time and effort into making sure the expedition is done in a secure way.

The influence and popularity of the Award in the School community received a further boost when, at the beginning of 2014, the School’s licence as a centre for the Award was renewed. For the dofE

inspector who came to Worth, the number of enthusiastic and passionate young people who were taking part in the Award made a great impact on him, and he concluded: “Worth offers young people a challenging and varied dofE programme with good support and opportunity for progression.”

‘Fidelity in relationships’ is a Benedictine value which is often overlooked or seen in a romantic sense and therefore limited in how it can be applied in extra-curricular activities. In dofE, however, this value is the beating heart of what goes on from start to finish. Without faithfulness to one’s group and dedication to what you have committed yourself to, the whole thing falls apart. Each member of the team depends on the others to do their part, be it route planning or carrying tent poles. All have to give support and encouragement to keep going during the expedition. This element of trust and team spirit can only thrive if there is fidelity between team members.

James Sparks, the outgoing dofE Prefect says of the programme, “The dofE allows and encourages candidates to make and take opportunities and then to reap the rewards of those opportunities. It allows pupils in a very structured and safe way to live out the Benedictine ethos.” despite its numerous challenges, dofE gives young people the chance to live and breathe these values which are central to our School and faith. Achieving the Award will require hard work and endurance, but the perspective gained is invaluable and the very nature of the Award allows the more important ideas of faith, stamina and hard work to flourish.


GRIDS BY MARTA cARLoTTIMARTA: I decided to look at grids after seeing the Sean Scully and Paul Klee work. I love the order and disorder created by moving just a little bit. You can change the meaning by rotating just a small thing. I’ve also learnt so much about colours; with this piece I started off using dark colours and then added yellow, bright blue and purple to attract the eye. I took all of the grids originally from photographs I took around the art studios. [www.worth-art.blogspot.com]

MS HUdSoN: The art trip to see the Paul Klee work was a great source of inspiration for Marta. She was very interested in the way Klee used different backgrounds to affect the colours he painted on top. A number of his paintings have a grid structure which he uses to play with gradation of colour to create vibration and rhythm. Whilst looking around the Tate Modern collection, Marta was drawn to lots of other works by a variety of artists who also worked with grids showing experimentation with composition, colour and media.

ORDER AND DISORDER BY ELIKEM LoGANELIKEM: charcoals is my favourite medium. We were looking at organic shapes in class and had been to galleries including the Richard deacon exhibition. When I went home to Ghana in the holidays, I fused those ideas with my mum’s bendy hair curlers to produce this organic form in charcoal.

MS HUdSoN: Elikem’s piece shows how the subject can fuse memories and develop visual connections. The shape and forms of Richard Deacon’s sculptures evoked his memory and childhood association with his mothers’ curlers, which inspired the ideas for his large-scale drawings.

FORCE BY RYAN JoNES RYAN: I had to cut over 300 12” diameter circles out of wood with a bandsaw for this piece. It was inspired by Richard deacon and earlier coursework I’d done with circles. When I started gluing the sections together it took on a shape of its own. I’d also planned to cover the structure, but I decided to keep it so that you could see inside and around the piece. This was the most fun to do of all my exam pieces.

MS HUdSoN: Ryan really enjoys working and drawing with materials rather than more traditional forms of drawing. He appreciates the tactile experience and has learnt about form and balance in this piece. He quickly realised how the materials he used had limitations and how he had to work with these and adapt his design accordingly.

MAGNIFIED BY MoNA KoUMoNA: This picture is based on a skull. However, the skull was quite plain so I lit it and put coloured paper underneath. I was inspired by Georgia o’Keefe in the use of colour. I took a close-up photograph of the skull and then drew it in soft pastels. Worth has a different way of thinking about art – you are not just told to draw a picture. You are expected to think, generate ideas and let other artists influence how you look at pictures.

MS HUdSoN: In this piece Mona has used the idea of magnification to produce an abstract piece, challenging each viewer to interpret what they see. Her application of media is meticulous and carefully transcribes the various surfaces and forms with skilful precision in to a beautiful drawing.Art For

Art’s sAkeTHE PIEcES oN THIS PAGE WERE PRodUcEd FoR THE GcSE ART EXAM ANd EXHIBITEd IN THE GcSE PRIVATE VIEW. HERE STUdENTS TALK ABoUT WHAT THEY HAVE cREATEd WITH AddITIoNAL coMMENTARY FRoM HEAd oF ART, MS JULEY HUdSoN.


Interest in geography burns brightly

It was an easy choice to make as it was the A Level subject with which I most engaged, spurred on by excellent teachers. At the time, durham University was ranked first in the country for geography and I had the opportunity to be lectured by world experts in areas such as South East Asian development, perspectives on conflict and the sanitary provisions in Mumbai’s slums!

Geography’s true unique selling point is the ability for its students to learn a wide range of disciplines. Whilst I focussed mainly on human geography, there was the opportunity to study elements of economics, history and politics. The geography faculty’s spread was far wider, encompassing biologists, physicists and chemists all under one roof. This link between the Sciences and Humanities is, I believe, to a geographer’s great advantage in helping to understand Planet Earth

and its seven billion inhabitants. The academic demand of the subject is also beyond doubt. The Russell Group of leading UK universities identified geography as one of only eight facilitating subjects, whilst it is one of a handful of subjects deemed rigorous enough to avoid overhaul by Education Secretary Michael Gove.

My journey has now brought me to the rolling hills of West Sussex in the calm environs of Worth School. I am delighted to have joined a department that is as well-rounded as the university faculty. Mr Lavis illustrates the wide range of skills a geographer can develop, having based his university dissertation largely on lab evidence during his time at oxford University. He describes his interests as bio-geography including biology, zoology, archaeology, evolution theory, anthropology, history and palaeontology. Mr Macdonald specialises in the application of Geographical Information

Systems (GIS), glaciology and alpine environments whilst also specialising in the physics-geography crossovers such as oceanography, fluid dynamics and sedimentology. My own interests lie more towards the human end of the spectrum, having specialised in political and urban geographies. I have taken my interests further by completing an MSc in International development, writing a dissertation on reducing vulnerability following natural hazards. The most enjoyable thing about the department is that we all learn from each other which enables us to prepare the next generation of Worth geographers for the best universities.

“Welcome to Hell!” grimaced oleg, our guide, the light of the crater fires reflecting off the gold plates where his teeth should have been. Such was my introduction to the dervaza gas crater, known as ‘The Gates to Hell’ and Turkmenistan’s premier tourist destination. The Soviets used to extract natural gas at the site in the second half of the 20th century until the ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, opening a 70 metre-wide cavern leaking gas. Geologists thought the best option was to burn off the escaping gas until reserves ran dry, but reserves proved far greater than first expected and the ensuing fires have been raging since 1971. Whilst colleagues were sunning

themselves in the five-star resorts of dubai and Abu dhabi, I was spending the Easter break visiting Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

It was my desire to experience mystifying features of the Earth that led me to an interview in March 2010 at the East India club on St James’ Square, central London. I had seen a vacancy at a British School operating in the commercial capital of Kazakhstan, and the geographer inside me was curious. As a geographer, I knew Kazakhstan from more than just its starring role in the Borat movie: Kazakhstan is the eighth largest country in the world featuring huge mountains, dramatic

canyons, endless flat steppe, parched desert and the vanishing Aral Sea. Moreover, it has historically been a meeting point of the old Silk Road trading routes, and is quickly shaking off its communist past as part of an emerging elite benefitting from vast oil reserves in ‘the Wild West’. The finest Range Rovers, BMWs and Mercedes are now as ubiquitous on Almaty’s tree-lined streets as the communist stalwart Ladas. Such a unique city was rife with examples of geography in both its human and physical forms.

My journey had started years previously when I chose to study geography at durham University.

THE NEWEST MEMBER oF THE GEoGRAPHY dEPARTMENT, MR ALIcK MAcLEod, SHARES SoME oF HIS TALES FRoM cENTRAL ASIA ANd HoW HIS JoURNEY WITH GEoGRAPHY HAS BRoUGHT HIM To A RIdGE oN THE HIGH WEALd IN SUSSEX.


Printed on environmentally friendly paper made from raw materials sourced from managed and sustainable forests.Printed on environmentally friendly paper made from raw materials sourced from managed and sustainable forests.

Insight Editorial TeamAlex Brammer (Year 12)oliver campbell (Year 12)Laura chow (Year 12)Simon Fishercatherine ForresterAndrew LavisBryony Maxwell (Year 12)daniel Montagu (Year 12)

For the latest Worth School news and events, please visit www.worthschool.co.ukFurther news and views from around the Worth community can be found at www.worthschoolvoices.co.uk.Worth School, Paddockhurst Road, Turners Hill, West Sussex RH10 4Sdt: 01342 710200 e: [email protected]

Registered charity number 1093914company registration number 4476558

PhotographyImages by Emma duggan Photography, except Red Sea picture via Julian Williams, dofE picture by Alan Mitchell and geography picture by Alick Macleod.

Federica Williamson in Year 12 is used to breaking records. At the Sussex championships earlier in the year she won six Gold, two Silver and three Bronze medals. Three of the Golds were in Federica’s main event, the breaststroke, where she broke the county record at 50, 100 and 200 metres. Federica went on to come second in the regional tournament and to compete in the British championships and commonwealth Games trials.

Swimming Champion

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