Heads Newsletter 11 March 2022

TIFFIN DEBATING SOCIETY

The Tiffin Debating Society has had an exceptional few months, with remarkable performance across the age ranges. In the lower school, Years 7 and 8 have been taking part in the Debating For Everyone Junior Debating Shield. They've most recently debated at Latymer Upper winning one of their two debates that evening. Further up, Pranav Sharma and Yaseen Al - Derzi, year 10, secured 3 rd in the Online Middle School Debating Shield, followed closely by Musab Buoyardan and Xavier Flambert, 9SPM, at 4 th place. This was a particularly busy time for the seniors as well. The Cambridge Schools competition took place, with Ibrahim Ejaz and Bulcsu Diossi, Year 13, taking 6 th place (a mere 3 points from getting to the finals) and Sammy El - Masri and Elvis Addai, Year 12, coming 10 th of 40 teams competing. The ESU School's Mace competition also occurred with Ibrahim Ejaz, Janindu Weersainge 12JAF and James Maloney 12MB successfully making their way through the first round, but unfortunately not past the second. On 22 nd February, a group of Y12 students including Team 1: James Maloney, Janindu Weerasinghe, Yva Baker, Brianna Murphy, Evie Casemore, Emma Blackburn and Barney Cowles took part in a regional heat of the Oxford Schools debating competition. Competition was stiff from other schools from South London, including many independent schools. However, our students, coached by our very own Ibrahim Ejaz, managed to prove themselves more than a match. Every student gave their utmost in each debate and are to be congratulated for their efforts. Most impressively, the team comprising James Maloney and Janindu Weerasinghe managed to best the competition and make it through to the finals. The participants in the finals are the winners from each local debate,

and so to get this far the Oxford Schools ’ competition is itself remarkable achievement and a Tiffin first . At the final, our team will be up against entries from the UK ’ s most prestigious schools

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such as Harrow, Eton and St. Paul ’ s. We will be in fact the only state - maintained school in attendance, something of which we are incredibly proud. The final will be taking place at the famous Oxford Union this Saturday 12 th March. I ’ m sure everyone will join me in wishing the very best of luck to James, Janindu and their coach Ibrahim whose diligent efforts has been instrumental to this success.

ASTRONOMY

Congratulations to Jack Yu and Ojas Gulati for their stunning performances in the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad - both obtained Bronze Awards putting them in the top 70 students nationally. Also in the British Physics Olympiad, Jack took another Bronze and Ojas took a Gold which means he will now be invited to a training camp for students to represent the country in the forthcoming International Physics Olympiad! Well done both!