Another very busy year for historians at EIC. Year 13 continued to build on their excellent AS foundation. Clara King has won a conditional place at Sussex University to read Law and Dominic Maybery, History and Spanish, at the University of Manchester. Winston Preece also gained a conditional place at the University of Cambridge to read Law. I hope their love and passion of History and thirst for knowledge will stay with them. I would like to thank my Year 12 and 13 students for participating in the Humanities workshops and Humanities Assembly - Clara and Annie were excellent narrators, Charley a convincing white Cassius Clay and Winston’s version of Coldplay’s, Clocks, was very compelling. All Year 12 and 13 students have participated at some stage in lunchtime tutorial debates ranging from the viability of the state Israel to the declassification and legalisation of class B drugs. Students were well read and made telling cases, moreover, many of our Sixth Form students enthusiastically participated. It is this type of activity that students will engage in if they win an interview for a Russell Group university or whilst completing their reading at university. It’s no surprise then, that so many of EIC students win places at prestigious colleges and universities to read very competitive subjects like Law even at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Key Stage 3 have continued the tradition of constructing castles and making galleons. The standard was as high as ever and this year students were invited to float their hulks and engage in an Armada-like battle. Year 7 were invited to fortify their learning of the Norman Conquest of 1066 and William’s building of Motte and Bailey Castles with a trip to Málaga’s Gibralfaro. Students were also engaged with tales of the Roman occupation of Andalucía, the Moors conquest of southern Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella’s “reconquista” and the Luftwaffe or the “Condor Legion’s” blitz of Republican Málaga during the Spanish Civil War. Year 8 visited the remarkable Roman ruin of Bolonia. Students participated with interactive games in the new state of the art museum and completed a range of fieldwork activities such as evidence analysis and sketch maps on site. I think the pictures epitomise the enjoyment and academic merit fulfilled. In October, Year 9 went to the Alhambra Palace in Granada and were genuinely enriched. Students learned of the rise and fall of the Moors including their indulgences. Moreover, students learnt of their intellect and fascination with science including architecture and astronomy. The Alhambra is surely the gem of Spain.

Simon Hickman

Baelo Claudia

Baelo Claudia is located in the northern straits of Gibraltar and is surrounded by an arc of mountains. Nowhere else in the Iberian Peninsula can you have such a complete view of a Roman town. It was founded at the end of the 2nd century BC.

Its main economic resource was fishing, (tuna and mackerel), however, the economic decline of Baelo Claudia began during the 2nd century AD, probably as a result of the earthquake that must have devastated the town at that time.
Trade picked up again in the third century, but then gradually fell into decay until it was completely abandoned in the 7th century AD.

Baelo Claudia was once a Roman town, however, now it is one of the greatest Roman discoveries in the Iberian Peninsula. It was granted the rank of Roman township by the emperor Claudius in 41 to 54 AD when it reached its maximum power and prosperity and greatest building activity.
The town never attained the economic or political power of the cities in Hispania (Spain) such as Italica, Emirita, Cordoba or Tarraco.

We do not find buildings that were artistically spectacular. However, in Baelo Claudia there are all the representatives that would feature in a Roman town, ie, the forum, the basilica, thermal baths, the theatre and temples.

This was definitely a great trip and I strongly advise everyone to pay Baelo Claudia a visit.

Daniel Porter & Conrad Smith - Year 8

Humanities Day

On February 11th 2009, students participated in a Humanities Day with a broad theme of “change and the power of individuals to make a difference”.

Key Stage 3 students all participated in workshops. Mr Hickman provided students with the opportunity to understand the civil rights struggle in the USA focusing on the rise of Barrack Obama. Students were given an insight into the personal struggles of Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Malcolm X. Ms Morrow provided an interactive workshop on the powers of globalisation and any prospect of Fair Trade. Mr Roger discussed the significance of Nelson Mandela pooling on his own experiences growing up in apartheid and post apartheid South Africa. Students participated in role play focusing on racial discrimination in South Africa. Mr Edwards and Mr Flaxman developed the entrepreneurial skills of Year 10 business students asking them to sell their great and potentially profitable idea to Key Stage 3 Dragons.
The day was concluded with a house quiz and a whole school assembly with guest appearances from Adolf Hitler aka Douglas Cameron-Hobbs, Mohammed Ali aka Charles Packwood, Jimmy Hendrix aka Oliver Zabell, and ColdPlay aka Winston Preece. Even the Jackson Five reformed in this all singing and dancing extravaganza performing “Black and White”.

Barrack Obama’s speech brought tears to everyone’s eyes as we all concluded that the prejudices that blight our world are misguided.

Simon Hickman