This Club takes place in the School’s purpose built gym, which is accessible to members of staff and students. There is an abundance of equipment for our use and these replicate any other gym, anywhere else. In this Club, health and safety is prioritised as much as us being pushed to our limits and being guided on how to use the equipment safely and to its full potential. Being able to take advantage of this Club creates many opportunities to clear your mind, learn how to implement exercise into your life and socialise. These are all significant things to have in your life, especially as a student, due to the increase in workload and stress levels, as I am now doing my GCSEs. Even though it can be difficult to prioritise your health, as it may seem that your academic life is meant to be above all else, a club, like this one, can be an outlet, a distraction and even something you can look forward to. It is a well spent hour for me on Thursdays.
Mr Fakouri and Sam took us to visit the National Archives. When we arrived, we were greeted by one of the lovely curators. We learnt about famous black people who had contributed a lot to society. For example, we learnt about Hezikiah Moscow who was an up and coming boxer. He was faced with racism and then went missing. He was never found and there are no clues to his whereabouts. We saw documents and pictures of him from more than 100 years ago. We also saw census entries from 1911. The workshop was very interesting and made me want to know more. On our tables, we had a designated person we had to learn about through texts and photographs. I feel as if this activity has improved my inference skills and my knowledge of the black community in an engaging and enjoyable way.
On 14 October, Year 12 students had an exciting assembly delivered by Mark from Brentford FC Youth Projects. Students were informed about the range of free educational and sports workshops offered by the Club over the October half-term break. There was also lots of information about the NCS programme and why students should sign up, especially as participation presents a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their skills across all aspects of life, from cooking and the arts, personal brand, employability skills and social action projects that make a big impact on the community.
I am very grateful for the free gym we are able to use in our spare time. You can finish your lessons and then just go to the gym on the school site. This freedom has allowed me to progress in my physical well-being and reduce my stress levels. The school gym provides access to specific facilities and equipment tailored for younger people, which can be beneficial for those who are just starting their fitness journey. The friendly and supportive environment allows you to achieve your goals without fear. I would definitely recommend my peers to take advantage of this beneficial opportunity as it fosters a growth in our cognitive performance, which in turn enhances our academic capabilities.
Angelina Tihhomirova [12F]
All Sixth Form students are able to use the school gym on their half days and through the gym, a small community has been created. This has fostered lots of support between students on how to get the best work out and how to make the best use of the equipment. It is really important to us as Sixth Formers that the school has provided the induction and supervision but has allowed us all to work on our fitness goals. The gym allows students to not just better their physical health but also improve their mental health.
The match ended in a draw, with the defence standing tall from start to finish. The defenders played a pivotal role, repeatedly shutting down attacks and keeping their cool under pressure. Younger players also made a mark, combining energy and creativity in mid-field to drive the team forward. Their contributions added balance and flair to the performance, showcasing the squad's depth and potential while securing a hard-fought point.
Students from our Year 10 GCSE Geography classes spent the day in Hengistbury Head on Thursday and Friday. They had the opportunity to put everything we have taught them in class, finally in action outside! They all had a great day measuring the beach width and longshore drift, ready to prepare them for their paper 3 examination next year. This year we had the opportunity to see the coastal management being repaired / restored. They found this fascinating, and were able to see how large rock boulders are transported from one side of the beach to another. They all enjoyed themselves, and were happy that it was a lovely sunny day!
The trip was very educational for us all. We listened to a variety of advocates talk about the different aspects of the Afro-Caribbean contribution to the United Kingdom. It was interesting to learn more about the immigrants who came from all over the world after the war and whilst this was focused on people from the Caribbean, they have all influenced our current cultural landscape.
It was interesting to learn about the small black population recorded since the 18th century. In my opinion, the entire experience was eye-opening for all who attended, because the forgotten past of black history is helping shape its future and will always be a significant part of British History.
We also toured the stadium, which was gorgeous and very well kept. We were all able to see the inner workings of the stadium and were able to see what it’s like for the players, whether they’re playing at home or away.
On Friday 27 September, Heston staff members hosted their annual coffee morning to raise money for Macmillan Cancer support. The event was a roaring success, raising £99.05. The large variety of goods donated echoed the values shared by staff at Heston. As always, a team effort with excellent results!
During the exam preparation day, I was able to focus on my Language Paper 2 skills in the morning in an extended session of English. This was useful as it was a reminder of what we had covered in Year 10 and has enabled me to be further prepared for my GCSEs in the summer. Additionally, in the afternoon, I was able to work with my Maths teachers to review my mock exam paper. This helped me as I was able to address any misconceptions or misunderstandings. Overall, it was really useful for me to spend time focusing on my core subjects, English and Maths.
Ayman Ikhlef [11B]
On Exam Preparation Day I was not in my normal timetabled classes. Instead, I spent the day working with my English and Maths teachers to prepare me for my upcoming GCSEs in the summer. In my classes we all worked really hard to improve our overall understandings of the exam papers and how we could be successful in those exams in the summer. It was really important for me to think about the skills I needed in Language Paper 2 and both the calculator and non-calculator exams in Maths. I think this day was really beneficial for Year 11 as it was different to our normal lessons and made me feel more confident overall about Maths and English exams.
Tanu Vijay [11W]
Exam Preparation Day was a great experience for all Year 11 students, specifically for me. I worked with my English teacher to develop my knowledge and understanding of how to compare and evaluate for Language Paper 2. We also explored writing non-fiction arguments. This helped me develop both my reading and writing skills for this paper. It was useful to be able to look at the mark schemes and model answers. I also spent time with my maths teachers where we reviewed the mark scheme for the papers we sat during the mocks, which helped me understand where I went wrong. This makes me feel like during the next exams I’ll be able to do even better in these subjects.
Year 13 students benefit from Summer Work Experience
Published 21/10/24
I was very fortunate to benefit from a two-week fast track programme at NCS with Reia where I took part in the Enable, Empower and Elevate workshops. In the first week, we participated in cooking skills, as well as visited Sky Headquarters as part of careers promotion. In the second week, we did a social action project for Ealing about wellbeing and we worked with a professional psychologist, CAMHS members, social media coordinator and the under 18 professional footballers from Brentford FC. We created flyers, posters and I directed a video that, once fully edited, will be published and flyers and posters would be sent to GPs to put on their notice board. We met Ben Mee, who is a football player from the Premier League and presented everything we did as a whole.
Cambridge Biology Challenge - Outstanding Competitors Awards Day
Published 15/10/24
Tenay, Aisha and Moeeza achieved 16th place out of over 450 teams nationally in the Cambridge University - Biology Challenge. The students had to creatively present their ideas on a range of biological questions, such as "Why do animals not have wheels?", "Are humans still evolving?" and "What is the most incredible biology in your own habitat?". All three students are planning to read degrees in Biomedicine or Biochemistry.
"After overcoming the difficulties of the Biology Challenge, we were invited to Homerton College at Cambridge University, along with a small group of other high-achieving students.
The Cambridge Biology Lecturer gave us insight into how the Biology questions were decided upon and different ways in which these questions could've been and were answered. We used the grand Dining Hall for lunch and then attended the Award Ceremony. After this, we were sent to an "escape room" where we teamed with students from Sixth Forms and Secondary Schools all over the country to solve various puzzles. Some were Biology related, some were not but, ultimately the point of the puzzles was to get us thinking and using our skills to solve problems we've never come across. As a team of six, we solved more than 20 puzzles. Some we did as a team, some we worked on individually according to our strengths. At the end, there was a small maze where we could progress only if we had solved the riddles. This experience was enlightening and highly enjoyable; allowing us to interact with new people that shared similar passions to us, whilst testing our knowledge and skills."
So far, I am enjoying my time at Heston Community School. There are a wide range of subjects, subjects that are completely different from primary school. The schedule is unlike anything I was used to. This can be a very new, exciting experience for a lot of people. There were a lot of challenges I had to face but over time I got used to the rules and overcame them. In Year 6, I was thrilled about going to the Enrichment Clubs. I wanted to go to some Enrichment Clubs, such as art and cooking. I was afraid of getting lost and was shocked about how big this school is. Within 2 weeks, I knew where my lessons were. Meeting new people was an experience I was looking forward to. It was also uneasy and unsettling but now I am grateful being at Heston Community School.
My Experience!
Aaliyah Mutagonda 7B
From my own experience, Heston Community School is an excellent school. Even though I have only been here for two/three weeks, I am very comfortable and feel safe at this school. The teachers are nice and are very helpful. Everyone is very kind, and it is quite easy to meet new people and make friends, especially because you are always moving to different classes and joining new clubs and can even find many similarities and interests with other people. The older students are very considerate and they help us find our classes with respectfulness. This is one of the Hestonian Values which are; Respect, Honesty, Ambition, Kindness, Equality and Resilience. I believe the Hestonian Values make sense and are fair.
My Year 7 Experience.
Ayla Besic 7B
So far my year 7 experience has been astounding! All the staff and students have welcomed me with open arms and have never hesitated to help when I have needed it. Heston Community has been amazing as I have a marvellous Head of Year and amazing teachers who understand that year 7 can be hard to adjust to, but the teachers have made it feel a lot easier than it seems. Before I came to Heston I felt nervous that I would get lost and no one would help me, but guess what, it turns out I was wrong! The subjects in this school are like no other. In science, we have learnt how to use bunsen burners safely and we have also learnt how to make chocolate chip cookies and if you’re asking, of course they were yummy. Heston has been so welcoming and has always reassured me that we always have someone to talk to if we have any problems with anything. The best things that I have been taught here are the Hestonian Values: kindness, Honesty, Respect, Equality, Ambition and Resilience. All of these things make me feel proud to be a part of the Heston family.
My time at Heston Community School
Tanek Madan 7W
My time at Heston Community School so far has been full of adventure, curiosity and overall, just an indescribable experience. The new friends I have made, the sympathetic teachers I have fill me up with joy every day I attend here. I can’t forget Mr Abdulla, our Head of Year, who has helped me since day one. When I first got to this school, I was scared of not making friends and had a big fear of being alone. But even though I have only been in this school for a short time, I can’t believe I even had that fear. The Hestonian values of Kindness, Respect, Equality, Resilience, Ambition and Honesty teach me ways of living that will support me throughout my whole life. Another quality about this school is the opportunities the School provides to boost confidence and help you to go the extra mile is the Enrichment. With a variety of clubs at lunchtime and after school, Heston gives you something that you might want to try or join to improve your skills.
I would like to thank this outstanding school for everything they are doing for us and I am sure in the coming years.
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