A Fabulously Naff Night at the Glitzy NAFTAS!
Newlands Amateur Film and Television Awards

Thursday 22nd April will forever be etched in the memory of the A/S and A2 Media studies students. It was a night to celebrate the abundance of talent and creativity nurtured at Newlands in a highly successful department.

Forget the Oscars, forget the Golden Globes, forget the BAFTAs, this was the prestigious and highly revered annual award ceremony- The NAFTAS! The pun is fully intended, and whilst the whole event is tongue in cheek and dare I say it, a little bit ‘naff’ the buzz of excitement and eager anticipation was unprecedented.

The school hall was transformed into a shimmering grotto of tacky fairy lights and sparkly tinsel. Even a red carpet adorned the floor of the ceremonious entrance to the hall. The overall vibe was a beautiful juxtaposition of tasteless décor with a touch of glamour. Bottles of bubbly (of the non-alcoholic variety!), posh chocolates and confetti littered the tables; a spread fit for any A-list celebrity.

But, tonight the celebrities were our students, and this accolade is by no means undeserved. All of the films were professionally made which is testament to their hard work and effort. The girls should be very proud of themselves.

By Mr M Rakowski (Drama Dept)

Step into the NHS Competition Winning Entry

Rebecca Campbell and Natasha Wilson, Year 9, have produced a fantastic video for the Step into the NHS Competition which has impressed the judging panel form the NHS. The girls have produced a video advertisement for a dietician along with a detailed job description and the cv for the perfect candidate. All of their entry was aimed at attracting young people into one of the many jobs available through the NHS. Well done girls!

The Concert that Rocked the School!

“It was Friday the 20^th November. The unsuspecting pupils assembled in the hall to enjoy a quiet spot of lunch. Little did they know that they were about to be wowed by the musical talents of ‘The Slugs’.

For weeks, ‘The Slugs’ consisting of four members of staff; John Merriman on guitar and vocals, Richard Long on lead guitar, Craig Lucas on bass and myself, Marek Rakowski on drums, have been practicing after school hours to perfect our act. The idea was for the concert to seem like an impromptu gig filling the credulous pupils with both surprise and awe.

Before too long, the hall was completely packed out, and the four walls shook with both adulation and the sounds of classic rock! Mr Merriman sported a comical wig, much to the delight of the crowd and Mr Long stole the show with his mesmerising guitar solos.

The gig was such an unprecedented success that by the end, the guitar case that was being used as a ‘busking’ vessel for donations, was brimming with money. Combined with the money that Mr Long and I had raised for growing our moustaches for the occasion, I am happy to report that £200 were raised and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the students for their kindness and generosity. All proceedings will go to a very good cause.”

Mr M. Rakowski         

Drama Dept.

April 2009

21/04/09

On Thursday 2nd April, we organised a musical soiree in aid of Cancer Research UK - the UK's leading charity dedicated to researching cancer. The concert was held in the Music block, and comprised of a range of both solo and ensemble items, including several songs from the Madrigal Choir and a performance from Izzy Wiltshire on her Hammered Dulcimer! The evening was a huge success, and we managed to raise an amazing £415.54 for the cause. To everyone who was involved, and to all those who donated so generously, thank you ever so much for your support, without which, this fantastic charity would not be able to continue its world-class research. 

15/04/09

Newlands has gone live on educational music-sharing website NuMu (like MySpace, but for music only, run by the foundation at the front of the "Musical Futures" project). The aim of the site is to give young people ownership of their music, and to get some recognition from peers from their own school and across the country. The PRS licenses etc are all paid for so there are no copywright issues. Pupils can upload and share their own compositions and cover versions, and get inspiration from others.

If you go to www.NuMu.org.uk and click on Labels/Newlands Records, you can listen to our girls' music, boost their listener rating, read comments people have made/make your own comments and see if any have made it into the weekly NuMu top ten.

March 2009