Thinking Matters

Thinking Matters

Thinking MATTERS

In the words of our Founder, the College should be a place of ‘good learning’. As Dulwich approaches its 400th year, with current generations of pupils facing intense public examination scrutiny, what should ‘good learning’ look like for them? Examination results certainly matter a great deal, and through them the winning of the right place at the next stage of education is important for every boy. Yet interwoven with this is the need for boys to develop to their own intellectual interests, and to learn to think confidently for themselves on issues that go beyond what any examination may ask. Boys are curious, and they need space in their lessons and beyond them to explore the questions that their subject studies will suggest to them. This will happen in preparing for examinations, but often it is in moving beyond the examination – in learning for its own sake – that the most significant progress is made. It is our belief at the College that there is no substitute for time with enthusiastic subject experts, and other like-minded boys, to foster this kind of learning. Attending a lecture, running a society or entering a competition are often formative academic experiences, and it is these that will equip boys to be better learners in the broadest sense when they leave us. This is the good learning that this publication celebrates. A J S Kennedy Deputy Master (Academic) Dr J A F Spence Master of Dulwich College Introduction: Free Learning

CONTENTS

Introduction: Free Learning

2

Art

3

Biology

6

Chemistry

8

Physics

10

Lower School Science

12

English

14

History

16

Libraries and Archives

19

Geography

22

Religion and Theology

24

Economics

26

Classics

28

Politics

30

Music

32

Physical Education

34

Computing

35

Design and Technology

36

Drama

38

Modern Foreign Languages

40

Mathematics

42

The Symposium

44

Free Learning Days

46

The Scholars’ Programme

48

The Extended Essay

50

2

Design: K Wong. Printed by Lavenham Press.

Art at the College is not limited to the Art Department. The way in which our students engage with artistic practices means that they are always developing as artists, designers and architects beyond the classroom.

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The Art department provides many opportunities for our boys to experience cultural life both in and beyond the College. To give two examples, we have seen pupils at the heart of the architectural vision for The Laboratory - working with artists Peter Randall-Page and Conrad Shawcross - and organising a public exhibition as part of the ‘Bold Tendencies’ art project in Peckham. Boys visit galleries here in London as well as New York, Florence and Madrid, to name but a few. During the recent New York trip, a Remove student commented on his experience of a show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘I immediately adored how the profound mundane that William Eggleston depicted could be so powerful and absorbing – this was the first time I felt I had really connected with the work of an artist in which his subsequent influence has played a part in a lot of my artistic ideas. Being able to see his exhibition at the New York MET was a real privilege and a point where I became more mature in my outlook of art.’ Durril Weller, OA (now on the Ravensbourne Foundation course)

Leo Bradley, New York sketchbook 2013.

In response to a visit to the Whitney Museum of American Art another student remarked: ‘For me, the trip was, to pardon the horrendous cliché, a voyage of cultural discovery… It was the fourth day when I encountered a revelation… Jay DeFeo made me want to be a better man.’ Zooey Gleaves, OA (1st year BA History of Art, Bristol University) Here in London boys have recently visited Tate Britain, Tate Modern, The Hayward Gallery, The Wallace Collection, Frieze Art Fair and the Courtauld Institute. We also make frequent trips to work with artists, art historians and curators at Dulwich Picture Gallery. ‘Art trips are not passive events or time spent aimlessly wandering through a gallery with an exhibition guide – they are fully immersive activities that reveal to us the possibilities of what we can create as we mature as artists.’ Josh Cotton, OA (Kingston University Foundation course)

Robbie Crace at the Guggenheim Museum, NYC.

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A diverse range of artists have spoken to the Art Society about their work, from the conceptual art of Turner Prize winner, Jeremy Deller, OA, to the architectural sculptures of Richard Wilson. These talks often inspire students to pursue their own work outside the College: ‘I believe that if you want something done, you need to do it yourself… Art has provided me with an indispensable opportunity to experiment with and refine my craft: in Year 12, I was able to make a short film as part of the course. Being allowed to make a film for school as opposed to having to fit shoots in around studies was very liberating.’ Will Reid, OA (1st year BA Film Production, Bournemouth University)

Artist Conrad Shawcross has been working with boys on the Laboratory project.

Art Society at Frieze 2014.

‘Dulwich Collage’ at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, ’en plein air’.

View from the Empire State Building by Will Reid on the 2013 trip to New York.

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Biology is a wonderfully diverse and exciting discipline. Much of our supra-curricular programme is run under the auspices of our Biology Society (BioSoc), which runs weekly practical activities and talks, and we encourage the boys to organise and run these events themselves.

‘I enjoy going to BioSoc when there are talks by scientists or medics giving us lots of detail about their subject – it makes me think about other things that we don’t do in lessons. My favourite dissection so far has been the frog, as we got to see the mechanics of how the legs move by looking at the muscles by pulling on the tendons.’ Dominic Hughes, Year 10 We have had success in a number of competitions, including two gold medals in the national Biology Olympiad this year. We have also run a number of trips, both for Middle and Upper School pupils, to events such as the Science Live lectures in central London, and most recently for 12 potential medicine and biology applicants to the epigenetics laboratory at Guy’s Hospital under Professor Oakey. This summer, a small number of Sixth Form boys went on an expedition to Madagascar where they took part in scientific research programmes aimed at preserving the unique biodiversity of the island. We are very much of the opinion that ‘out of classroom’ learning experiences play a vital role in nurturing the enthusiasm and interest of our pupils. As such, they are an essential part of boys’ experience of the Biology curriculum and the links that can be made to other disciplines.

Within the past year, we have welcomed a number of high profile speakers to the College: Professor Peter Piot, co-discoverer of the Ebola virus and former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, renowned oncologist Professor Karol Sikora OA and Sir Cyril Chantler, former Chairman of Great Ormond Street Hospital. ‘This year, I prepared and delivered a talk on ‘The Biology of Murder’ to the Biology Society. The idea of speaking in public was a daunting one, but I felt I learnt a lot from it and my talk was celebration of national Biology Week, in which the department takes over the Lower Hall to run a series of displays on a biological theme. This proved to be a highly popular event among boys of all ages and will become an annual fixture. ‘It was during Biology Week that I made the decision to study the subject at A level. The displays were well presented and showed the large range of topics that the subject covers.’ Ben Schlossman, Year 11 well-received.’ George Porter, Year 12 One of the key events for the Society is our

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‘I really enjoyed Richard Dawkin’s

talk on evolution at the Science Live day. It was interesting to see a famous scientist ‘in the flesh.’ Finnian Robinson, Year 10

‘Biology week was fantastic! I especially enjoyed

seeing the tarantulas and chameleons, and I got to hold the boa constrictor.’ Oliver Storey, Year 7

e

‘The trip was eye- opening. Not only did we have a taste of how epigenetics

works, but we also had the chance to enter the laboratory and do some experiments. We had a glimpse of the amazing equipment and how even the tiniest amount of solution can be measured. I particularly enjoyed going to the Gordon Anatomy Museum, witnessing real specimens of all different parts of the body.’ Anthony Ki, Year 12

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hemistry Chemistry is an exciting subject; intellectually demanding, inventive and vital to everyday life. By studying Chemistry, boys can also deepen their understanding of complementary subjects such as Biology and Physics.

‘The Leeds chemistry trip provided a welcome window into university life and undergraduate chemistry. We were able to live in student accommodation and undertake the same experiments as a first year student, which was both fun and challenging and allowed us to use the full range of equipment found in an advanced chemistry lab. There were also some interesting talks about the research projects being undertaken at the university and we were able to visit the labs where the experiments were taking place, which gave us a greater understanding of how chemistry is applied in the real world.’ James Davis, Year 13

We want to cultivate a genuine intellectual curiosity for Chemistry, and to engage the boys’ natural enthusiasm for scientific investigation and discovery. Practical work is an essential component, allowing the boys to develop their analytical skills and get first-hand experience of a wide range of interesting and useful chemical reactions. Chemistry is a popular subject, due to a combination of boys’ interests and because of the opportunities it can open up for them at university. Boys aiming to read Chemistry, or other sciences, at a top university are encouraged to attend events to broaden their chemical knowledge and stretch them beyond the confines of the A-level syllabus, such as the residential trip to Leeds University’s Chemistry department or lecture days (such as the Eureka Day) in London.

ChemSoc in Action - boys are amazed by the ‘Elephant’s Toothpaste’ demonstration.

Boys take part in the RSC’s national ‘Global Experiement’ to discover the vitamin C content of a range of fruits and vegetables.

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‘On the Eureka Day, we saw four different presentations: Extraterrestrial Life, Forensics, Ugly Animals and The Periodic Table. All were very enjoyable and interesting. I learned how extremophiles (microscopic organisms that live in extreme conditions on Earth) can give us clues about possible life on Mars or Titan. Also, we discovered fascinating facts about the properties and uses of a range of chemical elements, including tungsten, molybdenum and hydrogen. A highly entertaining and informative trip!‘ Tom Sampson, Year 9 encouraged to enter Round 1 of the prestigious International Chemistry Olympiad, and in the past three years they have won an impressive 15 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze awards. Last year, 20 boys participated in the highly demanding C3L6 Challenge (organised by the University of Cambridge); gaining a respectable three gold, four silver and five copper awards. Year 10 boys are encouraged to participate in the annual RSC Chemistry Challenge, frequently winning prizes in the regional final. ‘Earlier this year, I took part in Round 1 of the International Chemistry Olympiad. It was a two–hour paper on various chemistry topics, which were very challenging. However, finding the answers by working logically through each question made it a rewarding experience.’ Matthew Feuer, Year 12 Boys participate in a variety of Chemistry competitions. Upper School chemists are

ChemSoc provides weekly opportunities for boys to try their hand at interesting experiments, watch suitably dangerous demonstrations and to attend presentations (by their peers, teachers or outside speakers) on a range of diverse topics and research. ‘ChemSoc has been great this year. The talks are really interesting and allow you to learn about new, innovative developments in the world of chemistry, explained to you by your friends and teachers (and maybe even do a talk of your own). With experiments thrown in for good measure, ChemSoc has been good fun, and I am very excited at becoming a key member of the ChemSoc committee next year.’ Jacob ter Voorde, Year 11

Having obtained some of the highest scores in the national Cambridge Chemistry Challenge competition, Yuchen Yang and Yilun Wu arrive at the Royal Institution to give their presentations.

‘From 2-6 December, the Royal Society of Chemistry’s national Chemistry Week took over the school. The theme was ‘Health’ and treats on offer included: engaging talks on anti-cancer drug developments and beta-lactams (used in antibiotics), a bloodthirsty video entitled ‘Pain, Pus and Poison’, and a fascinating presentation on the chemistry of First Aid kits (including practical experiments and demonstrations). Finally, we participated in ‘The Global Experiment’ to investigate the vitamin C content of a range of fruits and vegetables. We collected results, which we uploaded onto the RSC’s >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52

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