1 DEPUTY HEADTEACHERS MESSAGE As we approach the end of the Spring term, I am very pleased to write the foreword for the Heston Times. It is with tremendous pride that I share with you that we have recently taken delivery of our brand new minibus after a 974 day wait. There are seldom things worth waiting that long for, but on this occasion, I am sure that you will join me in acknowledging that this is certainly better late than never. Its inaugural outing to the Wimbledon Magistrates Court for the Mock Magistrates Competition saw our Year 9 students crowned as winners. I am convinced that arriving in style in the School’s new minibus would have contributed, at least a little, to their impressive win. Mr Abdullah and Mr Sahraoui are confident that this is the best team we have ever fielded – they stand an excellent chance of bringing home the ultimate prize when they go up against other schools in Greater London for the next round in the Summer Term. We will share more with you about their progress in the next edition of the Heston Times. As usual, it has been another term where enrichment has taken centre stage, with students able to involve themselves in a rich and diverse diet of experiences. This has ranged from skateboarding for Key Stage 3; access to a physical trainer in the newly refurbished gym for Key Stages 4 and 5; cooking lessons for Post 16, with a much-touted competition against Mr Naqvi [Year 13 Learning Coordinator] who has publicly declared his amazing cooking skills. It will be interesting to report the winner of this cook-off in the Summer Term. Our new cricket facilities will open with training sessions for Key stage 3 and 4 students, delivered by highly qualified county level coaches. Please continue to encourage your children to participate in the enrichment offer; the benefits to their overall development and the contribution it makes to their mental and physical wellbeing is well proven. There is an undeniable link to enrichment and children developing skills and traits such as resilience and teamwork which lays the foundation for their success as adults. We have worked closely with Brentford Football Club’s Community Sports Trust this term to deliver assemblies, as well sessions for our Year 8 and 9 students, where the focus has been on developing positive relationships and opening mindsets. Students report that these sessions have helped them to refocus their energies towards ensuring that they make good progress and avail themselves of opportunities in school. I am sure that the Sports Trust’s motto, ‘The future of my world is my classroom today,’ will resonate with our students for a long time to come. We will continue to work with the Sports Trust to deliver a range of sessions for all students from sports coaching to employability skills. Another exceptional achievement I would like to share with you is the first staging of the Natwest Diversitek Female Leaders in Technology event which took place in March. Our girls were feted by senior managers at Natwest and had the opportunity to learn from their career journeys. Whilst not all forty-six girls may want to follow in their footsteps, it provided an opportunity for them to learn about the fin-tech industry and the range of lucrative careers open to them as they transition to GCSEs, A Levels and Post 18. As always, one page is never enough to relay the vibrancy of our school community and so I hope you will enjoy reading about the experiences our children have been involved in. On behalf of all the staff and Trustees, I would like to wish you and your loved ones a safe, happy and peaceful Easter break. Ingrid Hall Deputy Headteacher UPCOMING EVENTS 15 April 2024 Yr.12 Mock Examinations 22 April 2024 GCSE Art Examinations 25 April 2024 Yr. 8 Parents’ Evening [Virtual] 29 April 2024 GCSE French Speaking Examinations 02 May 2024 SEND Progress Evening [Virtual] 09 May 2024 Summer Exam Season Starts Academic Progress Meetings [Yr.10 Only] [On site] 14 May 2024 Yr. 9 Vaccination DTP and Men 09 May 2024 Yr. 10 Academic Progress Meetings [On site] 16 May 2024 Yr. 12 Post Mock Parents’ Evening [On site] 23 May 2024 KS3 Academic Progress Meetings [On site] 06 June 2024 Yr. 9 English Mock Exam The Heston Times Spring 2024
2 JACK PETCHEY SPEAK OUT CHALLENGE During Year 10’s assembly on Tu esda y , 30 J anu a r y , f ou r finalists took to the stage to del iver meaningful , heart fel t , engaging speeches in the next round of the ‘Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge’. Aparna 10G, Mibzall 10W, Prem 10R and Manmeet 10O were exceptional in thei r del i very and were impressive to listen to. The r e s i l i e n c e , a m b i t i o n a n d determination all four students demonstrated was admirable. Miss Strachan Year 10 Learning Coordinator Year 10 were an amazing audience for our four outstanding finalists in the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge, showing incredible support for their classmates. Prem's speech reflected on each individual 's route to success; it was inspirational and delivered with clarity and confidence. Aparna's speech on the challenges faced by immigrant communities and the important role parents play in our lives was engaging and self -assured. Manmeet's speech on the impact of medical errors was emotive; she showed such bravery in sharing her experience in front of so many. Mibzall employed an effective hook in his speech about making the most of our time each day. It was a thought provoking speech, delivered with aplomb. After a gruelling debate, the judges declared Aparna Bisht our school finalist with a special commendation for Manmeet Sidhu, who will act as our reserve. The regional final will take place on 27 February. Ms Kaur Assistant Curriculum Leader of English KS4 On Friday, 24 November we did our ‘Jack Petchey’ workshop, the ‘Speak Out Challenge’. In this workshop, we learnt about how to formulate a speech and speak confidently in front of our peers. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it as we played various games throughout the day, which helped improve our communication skills. My speech was about appreciating our parents as they have done everything for us. Overall, I enjoyed this workshop and feel that it improved my skills at speaking out confidently, which will help me in the future. Aparna Bisht, 10G On Friday, 24 November we had a ‘Speak Out’ workshop with Jenny. We learnt three ideas about giving a speech: content, delivery and structure. We had our own booklet we could write in. We planned our speeches in bullet points and delivered them in front of everyone. I wrote about knife crime and how it impacts this generation and future ones. I think this workshop helped people to step out of their comfort zones and make them confident outside school , preparing them for workplaces. Anzal Roble 10O My experience of crafting and performing a speech for Jack Petchey was both eye - opening and aided my progression in my confidence and oral skills. I would also like to sincerely share my appreciation for Ms Kaur for her help and devotion, ensuring all four participants were ready to perform their speech live, to the whole year group. UPCOMING EVENTS 13 June 2024 Yr. 9 Maths Mock Exam 21 June 2024 Yr. 13 Leavers BBQ Summer Exam Season Ends 24 JUNE 2024 Yr. 12 Mock Examination re-sits 27 June 2024 Post 18 Transition Information Evening [On site] 01 July 2024 Yr. 10 GCSE French Speaking Examinations 01 July 2024 Yr. 6 into 7 Transition Week 02 July 2024 Yr. 6 into Yr. 7 Transition Day 03 July 2024 Staff INSET Day 05 July 2024 Yr. 11 Prom 09 July 2024 Sports Day 11 July 2024 Yr. 9 Academic Progress Meetings [On site] 12 July 2024 Super Learning Day Yr. 10 Parents’ Progress Day 16 July 2024 Yr. 12 Re-sit Parents’ Meetings [On site] 17 July 2024 Celebration and Awards Evening 18 July 2024 Summer Concert 24 July 2024 Last Day of Term 15 August 2024 Post 16 Results Day 22 August 2024 GCSE Results Day
3 TWELFTH NIGHT HOMERTON COLLEGE WEST LONDON SCHOOL TOUR On 19 January, Heston Year 10, 11 and 12 students attended an evening presentation on applying to Cambridge. The presentation was delivered by our link Cambridge College, Homerton. The evening I attended provided was incredibly insightful and enriching, with helpful information regarding options for future pathways. It covered information with regard to courses, supervision, colleges, societies, and university life. I enjoyed how concise yet enriching it was. I was surprised at the number of courses available and the supervision, as I believe it is a great idea, being incredibly supportive for students with their understanding of their courses. Iram Ali Hanif, 12B This unique experience is one I will never forgot!" Prem Ghatora, 10R I gained confidence by speaking to everyone about why petrol and diesel cars should not be banned. The activities improved my body language and speaking skills. Manveer Sangha 10W On the day, I completed lots of speaking tasks which developed my confidence and I looked at what makes a speech effective: body language and delivery. I will be completing in the final talking about ‘1984’. Harman Sekhon 10W I enjoyed all the speeches, they were all unique and inspiring. Aparna's was amazing, her hand gestures and questions to the audience made the speech feel personal and as if she were personally speaking to us and she made great point s on immigrant parents. Manmeet 's speech was really personal and emotional, she was so brave for telling us her story about her father's death due to medical negligence, and it was so inspiring to hear her talk about it with such bravery and spreading awareness. All the speeches were fantastic and they were really inspiring and thought -provoking. Raveena Sekhon 10Y On 12 January, we were invited by the University of West London to watch ‘Twelfth Night’. This allowed the text to be brought to life, as we could get a sense of the lighting and music, as well as the jocular body language. The play proved beneficial, as we were able to gain an introduction to the key themes and ideas, and seeing these being explored in real life has really developed my understanding of the text, as I now feel confident tackling harder quotations and exam questions. Furthermore, this play was extremely humorous, and some scenes were so hysterical, it was inevitable to laugh! As well as this, we were given the opportunity to speak to the actors and the director of the show, who were very friendly, and discussed not only the play, but careers in acting. The director also talked us through some of her choices for the set, such as the clothing each character wore, and how she intended to challenge gender stereotypes. The University was very welcoming, as we were able to get a feel of the different courses they have to offer, such as Fashion or Aviation, as well as getting to see the student - run restaurant. Overall, the day was full of smiles and laughter, and I look forward to studying this play further! Amana Younus 12F and Arishil Waris 12F
4 SPORTS NEWS YEAR 7 BASKETBALL - HESTON 15 GREEN SCHOOL FOR BOYS 18 The Green School for Boys [GSfB] had a good start to the game taking a 7-2 lead in the first quarter. Some excellent defending by Cezar helped a second quarter comeback with Heston in the lead at half time score of 9-7. The third quarter went the way of GSfB; they took the lead again, 1310. Heston in the final quarter showed a lot of determination to win, doing everything they could. Heston had a run of scores, swapping the lead multiple times with GSfB. Some excellent attacking play from Enver and Sonia scoring a number of baskets. The game could have gone either way, but GSfB ended up being the winner on this occasion, 15 -18. Team: Ahmed Grama, Stavarachi, Enver Daci, Naseem Noor, Aymen Mohamed, Harveer Singh, Josh Kainth, Tudor Filuta, Rashad Ahmed, Holly McCathy, Sonia Arora Year 8 Netball - Heston 8 Kingsley 0 The game got off to a good start. The girls worked very hard, their hard work and dedication in training had paid off. They worked very well together as a team, working the ball through the hands of each player into Holly and Migle. They all enjoyed the game, having fun playing together whilst securing a win. Onwards and upwards from here, where we take on Green School for Girls after half -term. Player of the match was Holly McCarthy for her excellent shooting skills, decision-making and hard work. Team: Ivy Nkansah, Pearl Kaur, Preetika Rajeswaran, Bianca Bolbocean, Migle Berankyte, Erika Gridan, Maryam Ali, Malak Bashir, Aisha Mohumad, Holly McCarthy Year 7 Girls' Football Rally Well done to our Year 7 Girls’ Football Team who competed in the Annual Football Rally in Springwest Academy on Thursday. The girls played 4 games - drew two games, lost one and won one. Player of the t our nament goe s t o Aa r i ya Sharma for her excellent team work, communication and work rate both dur i ng t he t our nament and throughout the football season. Team: Ikram Abdullahi, Ayushi Chacraborthy, Einya Fernandes, Aariya Sharma, Zarah Merchant, Mariam Khan, Sonia Arora, Chahat Jagmama, Avneet Wraich. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TALK Th e a s s emb l y wa s p o w e r f u l . I apprec i at ed Sergeant Patel sharing his journey with his battle with cancer and the impact this had on his mental health. It brought home how important it is for us to talk about how we are feeling and to check up on each other as well. With exams so close, the assembly put into perspective just how important this time of the year is and how we should take all opportunities seriously and give our all. His advice on focusing on your goals, no matter what challenges you face, is key with our exams around the corner. Ezzeldine Darwish 13C
5 HESTON TAKES DELIVERY OF ITS BRAND NEW MINIBUS We ha ve wa i t ed pat ient ly for the delivery of our new minibus for 974 days! A record set t ing amount of time in a n y o n e ’ s books. There have been three Prime M i n i s t e r s , t h r e e Foreign Secretaries, f o u r H o m e Secretaries and three Cha n c e l l o r s ha v e b e e n a p p o i n t e d during this time, not forgett ing a new monarch. The minibus wi l l mean that students can get to their sports fixtures and trips easily and its inaugural outing on Saturday to the Wimbledon Magistrates Court resulted in our Year 9 students winning the regional trophy. Long may it continue! Congratulations to our Premises and Facilities Manager for the procurement of this jewel in our crown. GOVERNOR OPEN DAY It is a great privilege to be the Vice-Chair of Governors at HCS. The very best part of supporting the school in this role, is when we meet the students at Governing Board Meetings and at Governor days. This year’s Governor Open Day did not disappoint; the students we met were a credit to HCS, they were hard working, confident, polite and highly engaged and motivated in their learning. The lessons which we observed were challenging, exciting and engaging. It was clear by what we saw that the children and staff at HCS work tirelessly to offer the very best to our community. Thank you to all staff and students who were involved in offering so many great opportunities to see how HCS achieves the fantastic outcomes that it does! Ms Fran Hooker - Vice-Chair of Governors [Deputy Headteacher of Heston Primary School] HESTON ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE O n T h u r s d a y , 20 December I had the privilege of delivering our school 's donations of non -perishable food items a n d t o i l e t r i e s t o Hounslow Food Box. This is an annual event ; our students this year outdid themselves and were able to raise a sizeable cash donation alongside over 10 large boxes of food items. Meeting with the volunteers at Hounslow Food Box to hand over the donations was a very rewarding experience and they were impressed with the clear effort and support of our students, and the amount of money we raised. Uma Chhibba, 13F I am so proud of our school for raising over £1000 to donate to the Hounslow Food Box. The Hounslow Food Box is a local charity helping and supporting local people and so it is with great pride that we chose to raise funds for them to carry on with their amazing community outreach. Students, teachers and parents came together to donate toiletries and food for those in need and the volunteers at the Food Box were so very grateful . Kaia Hall 9Y
6 Miriam from Richmond Hill Hotel, came to school to speak to Year 12 students about the range of opportunities in the hospitality sector. We all learnt about the different roles and understood more about different career pathways in this exciting field. Miriam offered part -time work experience opportunities at the hotel, as well as apprenticeships for after A Levels. Overall, being able to learn from Miriam's experience was a valuable learning opportunity that will undoubtedly enhance my future academic and professional endeavours in the field of hospitality. Kayli Clemente 12F This presentation was really enlightening as I learnt about a career path that I've recently become interested in. Miriam explained in detail how the world of hospitality worked and was really vivacious as she did, making me even more interested. She gave us an introduction to Richmond Hill Hotel and explained the various ways to get into hospitality, as well as describing the multitude of uses for Richmond Hill Hotel, including as a wedding venue. This was a wonderful experience and Miriam was a joy to talk to. The presentation was thorough and intriguing. I would like to use this opportunity to thank Richmond Hill Hotel and especially Miriam for this amazing opportunity. Aisha Hajiadam 12A RICHMOND HILL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK YEAR 13 HEALTHCARE SCIENCE STUDENTS COMPLETE FULL FIRST AID TRAINING I found the first aid training to be incredibly helpful because of its clear and practical approach. Having this opportunity to have first aid training will benefit me as I want to pursue a career in healthcare. First aid training is also a vital life-skill as it means that I can now respond to an emergency if needed, whether I am at home or out. The hands -on training allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge in realistic scenarios, reinforcing my understanding and boosting my confidence in responding to emergencies that may occur. Moreover, the emphasis on recognising key signs and symptoms resonated with my practical skills, which means that I am now able to respond appropriately in an emergency. I can now use a defibrillator and administer lifesaving anaphylactic shots if needed. Elisha Kudhail 13F WHERE IS ANNE FRANK? FILM TRIP AND REVIEW SECURING A DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP Old Hestonian shares the secrets to securing a coveted degree apprenticeship. This was a great opportunity to ask questions regarding the interview and the assessment centre process . We were able to have a one-to-one session with Mansour and during this session he gave us valuable tips for our upcoming apprenticeship interview with Airbus. I am feeling far more confident and hope to emulate his success. Zacchaeus Soares 13E I really enjoyed the session; I am inspired by Mansour's journey and want to take the apprenticeship route after my BTEC Level 3 course. Mansour spoke about his extra curricula activities and how he got rejected for over 30 apprenticeships. I found the session informative and better understand what it takes to stand out from other candidates in order to secure an apprenticeship. Aakarshit Rana 12A
7 CONGRATULATIONS ON A WELL-EARNED PLACE Thanks to the unwavering support from my teachers and friends, I was able to receive an offer for the Level 6 Digital Technology and Solutions Degree Apprenticeships at Airbus at Filton. When applying for university, I decided to review all the alternative options I had post -18 and opted for a degree apprenticeship. This decision was driven by the prospect of having a full-time job to kick-start my career as a software engineer without incurring debt. After applying for over 25 degree apprenticeships, I finally "landed" a face-to-face interview with the Airbus recruitment team. Throughout this process, I received significant support from my excellent teachers and friends, such as Mr. Naqvi and Iman, who helped me prepare with mock interviews. Mr. Naqvi even went as far as inviting alumni who had also pursued degree apprenticeships to provide assistance and share their personal experiences. Zaccheus Soares 13E POST 16 FIRST AID TRAINING Post 16 students benefit from First aid training I am so glad I recently completed a first aid training course which was delivered to me by a firefighter who has 10 years of experience in teaching young adults how to perform first aid. The course covered everything from how to perform CPR on children and adults to how to use a defibrillator to restart someone's heart. This training was effective due to its practical elements; it wasn't solely theory-based. I was able to practice how to carry out CPR on dummies and on my peers, who were also taking part in the training. I can definitely say that this training has made me more prepared to handle any emergencies and made me more prepared in all aspects of life. Prabseemran Kaur 12A YEAR 13 ART TRIP The trip was a fun and immersive event, walking through the exhibitions helped me to come up with new creative and innovative projects for my theme. I am sure it would have done the same for the rest of my class. It was also captivating to see that art has many forms, for example, shown on a hologram or displayed on a projector. I personally enjoyed the Serpentine Exhibition because it was a 3D motion of nature and all the motions overlaying. It was really calming to watch. Riya Chana 13F
8 BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB WORKSHOP On 15 March, Romario and Mannie from the Brentford Football Club held a workshop with 20 students from Year 8. The aim of the workshop was to develop positive relationships and was targeted towards st udent s who could benef i t from improving thei r behaviour in and out of school. The workshop started with an icebreaker where we had to say our names with an action, and repeated everyone else’s name with their action. I realised it was a task to get to know each other in a fun way. Another fun activity was the truth and lies, a game of saying two truths about ourselves and one lie and the others had to guess the lie. It was a good way of observing ways in which people talk when they are telling the truth or lying. It was also a good activity in developing our communication skills. We discussed our role models and who we would like to be like and hopefully, that would help create a positive atmosphere in school. My favourite task was the START and STOP activity. We each had to reflect and say what negative we would like to stop and what positive difference we would want to start. Overall, I enjoyed the workshop and have learnt a few things as to how I can make a positive contribution in and out of school. Haseena Sekandary 8B WORLD BOOK WEEK CELEBRATED We started the week with a vis it from an author , Manjit Mann, who told us all about a day in the life of an author. I really enjoyed making bookmarks and the World Book Day Scavenger Hunt. We explored the heart of our library as the hunt unfolded — a labyrinth of riddles concealed in books we had never heard of before. We, the seekers, deciphered a total of 12 clues. Lastly, I also took part in a storytelling workshop wi th Jordan Campbe l l , which was exciting as we explored a narrative of a person stuck in a tower. I think World Book Week was magical. Ashford Falcao 8G
9 MOCK MAGISTRATES – HESTON TAKES THE CROWN A group of dedicated Year 9 students have been diligently preparing for the mock trial competition against multiple schools across West London. Since Christmas, we have been immersing ourselves in the intricacies of the legal system and sharpening our skills to compete in a courtroom setting. On 16 March, the competition took place in Wimbledon Magistrates Court, where we showcased our knowledge, confidence, and ability to argue the case effectively. Each student assumed a role in the court case, putting their critical thinking and public speaking skills to the test. Before the trial, Mr. Sahraoui, one of the club leaders, expressed his confidence in our abilities, stating, "Our Year 9s have put in a lot of work in preparing for the trial. Let's hope they can complete the job, make the School proud, and bring home the trophy on the 16th ". With determination and hard work fuelling our efforts, the Year 9 students were confident to demonstrate their legal awareness and represent Heston Community School with honour in the Mock Magistrate's competition. Our first round against Lampton School was a successful start as Heston’s prosecution team overruled Lampton's defence team. Our witnesses spoke confidently, and our lawyers asked challenging questions that baffled Lampton and resulted in our win. Our next case against Grey Coat Hospital School started shakily with their well -articulated prosecution arguments against Heston’s defence. Heston fought back bravely, throwing our own thought -out questions and pushing back resiliently, leading to our second win. Finally, after these two tense rounds, a fearful atmosphere crept up on the numerous schools, and the overall winner was announced... Heston Community School won! From this arose shouts of joy and jumps of glee from the Hestonian participants as we gladly accepted the glistening trophy! We are now proceeding to the second competition with schools from across London, where we will fight a different court case, and everyone will be given new roles. The students are already looking forward to this next step and hope to win this as well. “This competition was a brilliant experience. It gave me the chance to see how the court system works, and I found it really interesting.” Clara McKeigue 9Y AWS GETIT PROGRAM Year 8 and 9 students are part icipat ing in My Journey in Tech Compet it ion where we wi l l design an app. At the end, our Team wi l l submit our app ideas, receive a cert ificate of complet ion and part icipate in the opt ional country -wide AWS Get IT compet it ion. The presenter was excel lent and got us al l excited about the benefits of part icipat ing. Here is just one of our excit ing app ideas! Cyber Protectors! My app is cal led TechXplore. It is about exploring the internet and finding out ways to stay safe and protected onl ine. The app is directed towards chi ldren and wi l l hopefully be able to help them with cybersecurity. Why am I making this app? Many chi ldren use the internet every day. Unfortunately, using the internet comes with risks and the chi ldren may not know enough about how to protect themselves How will I educate children about using the internet safely? With my app, users wi l l explore a "tech world", hence the name "TechXplore". In this world, there wi l l be strangers that wi l l tel l you suspicious stuff, such as "you need to change your password" or "cl ick for free money". With this main idea of the game, users wi l l slowly begin to develop an idea of what is and is not safe. Addit ional ly, if they get something wrong, there wi l l be informat ion to assist them. Emil Ajroski 9P and Team
10 HESTON’S STUDENT JOURNALIST YEAR GROUP REPORTS POST 16 One of the key foci for Year 12s this term has been preparation for life beyond Sixth Form. During tutor time, we have been talking about our rights and responsibilities in the workplace, how to build and maintain professional relationships with peers and how to recognise and cope with mental health struggles. This has allowed us to have an insight into the world of work and to prepare ourselves for the challenges we may face in a professional environment. Saniya Sharma 12G Super Learning Day, which took place on the 12th of March, focused on preparing us to apply to university and apprenticeships next year. Ms Forrest, our Learning Co-Ordinator, held sessions on how to structure and enrich our personal statements and I also had the privilege to attend a workshop with Peter Rawling, a consultant from PiXL, the largest education leadership network and CEO of Uni -que Higher Education Service. He provided us with bespoke advice on how to best prepare for our university applications, including courses we could complete and books we could read. This day helped me feel much more confident about my university application as I now have a clear plan of the steps I need to take to ensure my profile is highly interesting to admissions officers. Aisha Hajiadam 12A Student societies are now in full swing and allow us to enrich our portfolio of Super Curricular activities to ensure we learn as much as possible about our chosen field. I am Co-Leader of the Medical Society, which meets once a week to discuss current trends in medicine and to prepare for our UCAT exam. Our Society is well attended by committed and hard -working students interested in the medical field, both within the Sixth Form and in younger years. This enables us, not only to develop our understanding of medical studies, but also to develop our leadership, team-working and critical thinking skills, as we have to organise sessions together and regularly discuss our opinions and thought processes on the practice questions we complete. There have been a range of other societies and clubs for Post 16 students to avail themselves of; cooking and the competition between students and Mr Naqvi is the one to watch on the 26t h. Some students have been completing vital first aid training and will be certificated alongside the offer of studying TEFL which the school has supported for 10 students. Moeeza Asim 12B This term has also been an exciting one for Year 13s who have started to receive their university offers, including an offer to read Medicine at Oxford and various offers from Russel Group Universities. Aside from university, several students are also applying for Degree Apprenticeships and preparing for interviews and assessment centres. They are receiving continuous support from the Sixth Form team, who is running mock interviews and discussing different scenarios which may arise during the application process. A Year 13 student, who successfully secured a Degree Apprenticeship with Airbus, reports feeling very grateful for the help and advice he received from Mr Naqvi, his Learning Co-Ordinator. Arshil Warsi 12F SUPER LEARNING DAY This Super Learning Day was valuable experience and provided a lot of helpful opportunities, giving us an insight into the exams we will be sitting in May. It was a very stressful but productive day In the morning we sat an English Literature Paper 2 which was immensely stressful but extremely crucial. It is going to be externally marked, and we are going to get the most accurate feedback possible before the real exams. We know that the results will not be biased and so we can see where we need to improve to get the best possible grades in August. Our teachers supported us through all of this which made it less stressful and a positive experience. In the afternoon we also sat a Maths Non-calculator Paper which was immensely tense for all, but some in part icular, as it will be judging whether they do Higher or Foundat ion for Maths. Avneet Bansal 11Y YEAR 9 SLD Super Learning Day was an interest ing opportunity to learn more about racism and its impact on our society. It was interest ing to learn so much about the different types of racist behaviour , both intent ional and covert . We also learnt about the effects racism has had on so many generat ions and why we all have a responsibility to work really hard to ensure that it stops with us. It was made very clear that we should not tolerate racist jokes and should not remain silent when this happens and that we all have a responsibility to report it and to speak up as well. The afternoon sessions, where we were able to use our creat ive ideas to design a range of ant i racist t -shirts, was the icing on the cake. Some of the designs were fabulous and I ’m convinced we could use them as a platform to raise funds for those who have suffered from racist attacks. Some of the conversat ions were very hard to hear but the more we engage the easier it becomes to discuss this very important topic. Kaia Hall 9Y
11 YEAR 11 MOCK RESULTS, YEAR 11 PROGRESS EVENING As the anticipation mounts and nerves tremble, we sat in silence awaiting the results of our mocks – a pivotal moment for many. There were a myriad of emotions on this academic day, as some results would reflect students’ resilience and dedication invested into their aspirations, and to others, the realisation that their current efforts would not sustain them through their academic journey. In the moments leading up to the revelation of our results, we found ourselves grappling with questions which overwhelm our minds. Did we perform to the best of our abilities? Will our efforts be reflected in our grades? And what do these results signify for our future paths? Opening the envelope was a relieving moment for some, and a disappointing emotion for others. The numbers plastered onto the paper spoke volumes – for some reflecting on their growth and resilience to achieve their ambitions while narrating to others, that their progress wouldn’t be enough to support them throughout. We were encouraged to approach these mock results with high spirits, and to understand that it is not too late for many – to recognise that our upcoming success is not defined by a single set of grades. To recognise, that we have time. In response to our mock results, we had a Year 11 Progress Evening. This evening's main goal was to communicate to parents how they could support their children throughout this period and to help students gauge the extent of their career paths and explore the options available if their work ethic towards their examinations remained consistent. Personally, this evening was extremely helpful , providing a useful insight on the possible career choices that were available to me and giving me valuable advice on how I can progress even further in my academic journey. This meeting was extremely useful to many including myself, with the vast majority of students expressing their appreciation towards the event mentioning how it helped them understand the flaws in their revision methods and how these could be improved using the resources provided and available on the internet. With us having the results and the meeting, what next? For everyone, no matter how the results were, its a question of how can we improve them, and how can I push myself further changing that grade 4 to a 7 or a fail grade to a pass. To offer students the utmost support, the school organised intervention and Extended School during which teachers would invest their time into us to ensure our success. With extra help from the school, interventions and Extended School were put into place. These classes were split up to help target the students to achieve the maximum grade possible. These lessons were done weekly and for me, they helped a significant amount, they went through a topic in a scheme of work that I was doing and went into detail of that topic making sure I understood it. With extended school , Heston brought in a few sixth formers and a small group to also focus on topics that students found hard. This has helped as the sixth formers have sat their GCSEs and know what topics they found difficult too, which allows for the students and sixth formers to learn ways to tackle it. For students to have this extra time learning and revising, this time is also used to relax the students too. As we know GCSE isn’t the best part of school , but having the teacher support and extra resources allows for students to feel assured knowing that they can improve their grade with the time left. Anay Khole 11G and Karan Virdee 11R YEAR 10 Year 10 is a critical year as we begin our GCSE preparation. This has been a challenge for many of us as the reality of the examinations becomes clearer. The Mock examinations are a gentle ease in to what we will need to do next year and I think this helps. It is not only about examinations though, we have all had so many opportunities; Food Tech students enjoying a five star dining experience, clubs and enrichment as well as sport and trips. The importance of Revision As we approach our Mock exams we all have to be thinking about how to revise well. Here is my advice on the basis of what our teachers have shared with us and what works well for me. I do hope that you can discuss these tips with your child and see of this would be helpful. Revision is reviewing and studying what you’ve learnt , it reinforces your understanding and knowledge. It is also proven to help you perform better in assessments and exams. As a Year 10 student I have been preparing for my mock exams by revising but have learnt over time how to do it effectively. So, below are my top tips on how to revise! 1: Break your revision down into subjects, topics, lessons. This makes it more manageable and prevents losing focus. 2: Make yourself a schedule, create a study timetable and don’t forget to include breaks. This will help you keep organ i zed and keep everyth i ng consistent. 3: Try different study techniques: diagrams, flashcards, acting like you are teaching someone, making notes, posters. Everyone has their own preference when it comes to revising. 4: Keep consistent: practising frequently with past papers or practise questions— there are hundreds of websites you can use to help you revise. 5: Keep healthy: make sure to get enough sleep, eat good food, exercise. Keeping healthy physically, helps you mentally too. And yes, it can be boring, long and difficult, but it will all pay off in the end and you will thank yourself later. Reva Kumar 10W
12 HESTON’S STUDENT JOURNALIST YEAR GROUP REPORTS CONTINUED … YEAR 9 CAREERS AND GCSE OPTIONS On Friday 1s t March a worker from the Amazon Web Services (AWS) came to Heston Community School to talk about his role and to invite us into the world of tech. He explained that his department worked "behind the scenes" and how your data is stored in a "cloud" all around the world in different places like California. He also explained to the students the technical perspective of it. He exposed us to the range of roles involved in Computer Science and pursuing a career in the tech industry. One thing that got me interested is how global it is. During the weeks leading up to year 9s GCSE option submission all of the students present had their minds opened to various different fields of study and how they all intertwined with each other of making the decision for our own futures. On Friday, 16t h February a representative from another school specialising in STEM (science technology engineering and mathematics) came to offer an opportunity to enhance our learning and explore careers related to STEM. This opportunity was available to all students who wished to enter into the fascinating field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Hassan Qureshi 9R On Friday, 23rd February a coach from Brentford FC came to broaden the pupils’ minds; show that you don't have to be good at sports to work for a club and that not all of it is about sport. A large portion of it is about advertisement and how you portray it to the publ ic. All pupils were encouraged to attend the academy and help in any way; whether that be to play in the academy, to help with coaching and more importantly, help boost the students’ confidence and to give them a better understanding of what they want to do in the future. Hassan Qureshi 9R YEAR 8 BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB INITIATIVE An introduction to the club was shown through an engaging and informative assembly. This was a great opportunity for Heston Community School students it provided access to football, art, and many other fun, engaging activities. The presentation focused on creativity, learning and developing positive social skills. The workshop was held on 15th March by two members of Brentford Football Club in which 20 students from Year 8 participated in. The aim of this workshop was to develop positive relationships and so was targeted towards students who could benefit from improving their behaviour in and out of s c h o o l . H ow e v e r , mo r e workshops will continue in the Summer Term. ASSEMBLY 8 White did a fantastic assembly on International Women’s Day through acting, inspirational videos, posters and speeches. They also named some female teachers at Heston Community School for being role models to the students, appreciating their caring and nurturing nature. SUPER LEARNING DAY This term’s Super Learning Day had a great focus on the topic of drugs. We had three guests coming in and speaking to the whole of Year 8 – two nurses from Hounslow, informing us on having a healthy diet, and an expolice officer who had a very interactive workshop on drugs and their consequences. And to finish off the day, students participated in a poster-making competition to spread awareness on the negatives of vaping. Izabella Drescher 8B Abhijot Singh 8O
13 YEAR 9 CONTINUED … SPORT As the final whistle echoed across the court, the scoreboard may have shown a loss, but the spirit of victory resonated within each player of the Year 9 Netball team at Heston School. Despite a challenging match against St Marks resulting in a 3-1 defeat, our hearts swelled with pride, for we played with passion, determination, and unwavering teamwork. In the aftermath of the game, amidst the friendship and shared experiences, it was evident that every member of our team had given their all. The passion for the game ignited a fire within us, driving us to push boundaries and strive for excellence. Elena Nedelshavic stated that “It was an intense game The players showed incredible teamwork, passing the ball with precision and shooting some amazing goals.” In a recent game against Heathlands, it was a tense first half ending with 0-0 and both teams were still not giving up, desperate to score. With an amazing kick, Heston landed the ball in the net! This victory was celebrated and despite Heathlands pushing on, the final score was 1-0. We were glad to see that the Year 9’s played with respect and demonstrated resilience which all aided to their triumphant win Bharvesh Balajothy, one of the football players who played against Heathlands, proudly said “Both teams played well, and it was a brilliant match. I’m thrilled that we won – I feel like we deserve it” The inter-form football competition is a tournament, which was set up by Mr Abdulla. It is a year 9 only competition, where each form plays against each other. When asked about how the inter-form football competition is beneficial, Michal Oterski said that it “helped everyone work as a team” and is “a great experience”. Currently, the champions are purple house, however all the other teams have been fighting resiliently, all wanting to reach the top. Beyond the thrill of competition, sports at Heston School have more to it—a belief in the transformative power of physical activity. We recognise that sports are not merely about winning or losing but about fostering essential life skills and nurturing a lifelong commitment to health and well-being. At the heart of our school's beliefs lies the idea that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, both on and off the field. Through the comprehensive Physical Education (PE) curriculum, we empower students to develop competence, confidence, and a love for physical activity. Our aim extends beyond the confines of the school gates, as we strive to instil in students the values of resilience, honesty, and respect, which are necessary for success in all angles of life. Central to our mission is the promotion of inclusivity and equality in sports. We are dedicated to ensuring that every student, regardless of gender or background, has access to a wide array of sporting opportunities. Through resourcefulness aimed at increasing participation among females and disadvantaged students, we try to create a level playing field where all can thrive and excel. Why, you may ask, do we place such emphasis on sports? The answer lies in the benefits that extend far beyond the confines of the court or field. Research has shown that sports participation not only enhances academic performance but also improves attendance, behaviour, and overall well-being. Moreover, it equips young people with valuable kills such as leadership, teamwork, and resilience—qualities that are key in today's everchanging world. In conclusion, sports at Heston School are not just about being unbeaten in games—they are about nurturing the potential within each and every student, encouraging excellence, and instilling morals that will serve them in the outside world. So, as we look ahead to our next game, let us carry forward the lessons learned, and the unwavering spirit that defines us as proud Hestonians. For in the game of life, the true victory lies in the journey itself. Anneka Chumber 9G MOCK MAGISTRATES A group of dedicated Year 9 students have been di l igent ly prepar ing for a Mock Tr ial compet i t ion against mul t iple schools across West London. S ince Chr istmas , these students have been immers ing themse lves in the int r icacies of the legal system, sharpening the i r ski l ls to compete in a court room set t ing. On the 16th of March, the compet i t ion took place in a real Magist rate 's Court , where these students showcased the i r knowledge , conf idence , and abi l i ty to argue the i r case ef fect ive ly . Each student assumed a role within the court case , putt ing thei r cr i t ical thinking and publ ic speaking ski l ls to the test . Before the t r ial , Mr. Sahraoui , one of the club leaders , expressed his conf idence in the students ' abi l i t ies , stat ing, "Our Year 9s have put in a lot of work in prepar ing for the t r ial . Let 's hope they can complete the job, make the school proud, and br ing home the t rophy on the 16th " . Wi th determinat ion and hard work fue l l ing the i r ef forts , the Year 9 students were conf ident to demonst rate the i r legal awareness and represent Heston Community School with honour in the mock magistrate 's compet it ion. Thei r f i rst round against Lampton School was a successful start as Heston’s prosecut ion team overruled Lampton 's defence team. Our witnesses spoke conf ident ly , and our lawyers asked chal lenging quest ions that baf f led Lampton and resulted in our win. Our next case against Grey Coat Hospital School started shaki ly with the i r wel l -art iculated prosecut ion arguments against Heston’s defence . Heston fought back bravely throwing our own thought -out quest ions and pushing back res i l ient ly leading to our second win. Final ly , af ter these two tense rounds , a fearful atmosphere crept up on the numerous schools , and the overal l winner was announced.. . Heston Community School won! From this arose shouts of joy and jumps of glee from the Hestonian part icipants as we gladly accepted the gl istening t rophy! We are now proceeding to the second compet i t ion with schools from across London, where we wi l l f ight a di f ferent court case , and everyone wi l l be given new roles . The students are al ready looking forward to this next step and hope to win this as wel l . Clara McKe igue , one of the students part icipat ing in the t r ial , said “This compet it ion was a br i l l iant exper ience . I t gave me the chance to see how the court system works , and I found i t real ly interest ing.” Clara McKeigue 9Y Anneka Chumber 9G
14 NATWEST DIVERSITEK – YOUNG WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY The NatWest trip was such a great experience and I enjoyed it a lot. Starting the day, we arrived by coach and were greeted warmly by the employees at NatWest. We were given these funny red hats which made the experience feel much more unique. After some refreshments, we played some icebreakers in which we had to draw our partner and pass around that paper which resulted in goofy pictures of us. We hung those drawings on a board. Then we proceeded to go to a different room where we heard the stories of many influential, inspiring women. The stories were all about hard work and how it is working in a male - dominated sector/workplace and doing the course. They also told us how they ended up in their positions of power, such as being the leads of many teams. It was an enjoyable time and we also had time to ask many questions. After a break, in the afternoon, we were talked to about projects and managers and what it means to do this type of job. After that, we had a lot of Lego which we had to use to make as many projects as we could in short amounts of time, within groups, that would suit an area for athletes. At the end, awards were given to different challenges each group accomplished, while making the projects of Lego infrastructure. Our Year 10 group won the award for our problem-solving skills, which was quite fun. Overall , this trip was such an informative, yet really fun and enjoyable experience that helped me gain insight into different careers. Aparna Bisht 10G I enjoyed my trip to NatWest as the workers were very welcoming and friendly. I think it was really helpful to me career wise, to get a look at what life is really like after secondary school. It was really informative for me and hearing the female workers' stories inspired me and helped me understand what it’s like for women in a male-dominated workplace. I had a lot of fun, especially when we were making Lego and had to build a city. Overall, I had a really great time and made some nice memories and also got to know a lot of people better. Hopefully, other people in different schools will also get the same opportunity I did as it really helps build confidence, work on communication skills and become closer with others. Nusayba Kasmi 10O I found this trip fascinating; I believe it was a great experience for me and the younger students. It allowed me to hear the stories of different women in tech, their journeys and how they got to where they are. I now understand sectors and areas in tech. This trip also allowed me to interact and communicate with younger students by playing different games, which also helped with my teamwork and leadership skills. Overall, this trip gave me the opportunity to discover more about women in tech and broadened my career options. Salma Mohamud 12D PANTOMIME TRIP FOR YEAR 7S Our trip to the pantomime was so much fun. We watched 'Dick Whittington' at the Arts Centre in the Treaty Shopping Centre. We left school at 13:30 and walked down with our teachers. It was a lovely afternoon stroll whilst everyone else was in their lessons. The performance included songs that were played live and we were all encouraged to sing along and get involved. The plot was excellent and it was also really funny. The set and costumes also looked really amazing and the lengths the cast went to, to make sure we had a good time was fabulous. I would definitely recommend this performance to a friend - everything about it was amazing! Jakub Zawroniak, 7W
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