Urgent messages
Laptops and Chargers
A significant number of students have failed to return chargers and laptops to the ICT office
They should NEVER be kept over night by any student
Please can they be returned
We will not be able to provide loans while we are missing so many!
Library News
Origin: comes from ancient Greek word hypokrisis, which meant "play-acting" or "dissembling" and referred to an actor on stage.
Sentence: He accused newspapers of hypocrisy in their treatment of the story.
Chosen by: F3B
We are in an epidemic. An epidemic of unhappiness. Friends, here is the good news: HappyHead has the answer.
When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges they must undergo. The deeper into the programme the boys get, the more disturbing the assessments become, until it’s clear there may be no escape...
FOR FANS OF: dystopia, thriller, fantasy, LGBT fiction
Energy drink ban for under-16s planned
Is the nanny state going too far? The UK government plans to protect teenagers from drinking too much caffeine. Some say there are already too many rules. Prime. Boost. Monster. Rockstar. Relentless. The names are alarming enough. But, when you look at the ingredients, things get more worrying. Red Bull, the most popular energy drink in Britain, contains 80mg of caffeine per can. Monster, the next most popular, contains roughly twice that amount — as much as two double espressos.
Too much caffeine can cause headaches, heart palpitations and sleep problems. Extreme side effects include seizures and even death. Up to a third of children in the UK consume energy drinks each week. But young people have smaller bodies and developing brains, which makes them more vulnerable to excess caffeine. Now the government will ban shops from selling them to under-16s. “You can see the impact on health, concentration and learning”, claims health secretary Wes Streeting. Meanwhile, Professor Amelia Lake has studied the effect of energy drinks on young people, and argues that they have “no place” in the diets of children.
Sixth Form messages
Friday Lunchtime Talk
Friday 19 September 2025, 1.20pm in the Helikon Centre
Computing
Introducing Vex Robotics and the 'Push Back' game
Dr Curtis and students
(note change of talk for this Friday)
Everyone welcome.If you need an early lunch pass, collect one from the Helikon Centre Posted on Mon 15th Sep 25 by Mr S Scicinski
Monday Faculty Cafe: Research poster presentations
Monday 22 Sept 2025; 1.05pm in the Helikon Centre
U4 Research Poster Presentations:
European Stadiums – Max Owen
Three of the biggest cheating scandals in sport – Lucas Donegan-Huertas
Cockroaches – Alejandro Smith-Verona
Music through the ages – Becky Ramsden
Everyone from all year groups welcome. Pizza, Ki-kat, juice
NOTE: due to large numbers, entry is by token and limited to 40 places – pick up a pass on the Monday either before school or at breaktime.
Posted on Mon 15th Sep 25 by Mr S ScicinskiWednesday fixtures
2.45: Football v. St. Columba’s (1st XI, ISFA Cup Round 1, home)
3.00: Rugby v. Enfield GS (U16 ‘A’s, School Sport Magazine National Schools Cup, away)
Netball v. Kingsdale Foundation School (1st VII, Sisters n Sport Cup, away)
3.30: Netball v. St. Paul’s Girls’ (2nd VII, Sisters n Sport Plate, home) Posted on Sun 14th Sep 25 by Mr. ThomasThinking Forum
What do you think success is?
Discuss in form, with teachers, with parents, with friends.
Write your own view on a piece of A6 card and pin it up on the board near the Helikon Centre
AND
Discuss in form, decide on the best response, Form Captain to write it down and bring to Helikon Centre. Prize for the form with most contributions in the year.
Whole school messages
