Earlier on in the Summer term, our Year 10 REP (Religion, Ethic, Philosophy) class went to visit various paces in Oxford related to our course.

We began the day visiting the synagogue in Jericho. We were able to sit in the main room of the synagogue where the services take place which was very interesting to see. We got to ask questions of one of the members of the congregation and learnt very interesting facts about Judaism. He taught us about Jewish holidays and the importance and meaning behind them. He also taught us about how the synagogue runs and the different services that take place there. For example, he talked to us about the Shabbat service and the bat/bar mitzvah and the context of its name.  Later on, he told us about his own experiences, some of which were very moving, in the synagogue and how friendly the community is.  This was extremely educational because it showed us the inside perspective of a synagogue and Judaism which will help us in our REP GCSE.

Before lunch, we went to the Crown Court in Oxford, where the most serious court cases are dealt with.  We observed three cases varying in significance from a low level public indecency case to a high priority drug dealing case.  We listened to the defence attorneys and prosecutors present their arguments to the judge while the criminal listened in (all three had pleaded guilty to their crimes) in a separate room that was connected by cameras.  It was really engaging to listen to what they were saying and how they presented evidence to the judge.  Once everything had been said, it was evaluated by the judge and they decided on a sentence for the criminal, mainly depending on the severity of the crime.  We thoroughly enjoyed it and many of us would love to go back there to sit in on more cases.  It was interesting to see what we had learnt about crime, punishment prisons, deterrents and rehabilitation, etc. and how it is applied in real life situations.

We then made our way to Christ Church in Oxford which we enjoyed very much as the guides were very informative.  We were taken round the key rooms including the Grand Hall filled with many historical portraits of previous students and teachers, as well as the traditional religious cathedral in all its glory. This part of the trip was really useful in teaching us about the practices and teachings of Christianity as well as the deep history behind it.  Lastly. we were able to ‘grill’ a priest, asking whatever questions we wanted.  For example, what his beliefs on same-sex marriage; whether war was ever justified; whether ghosts were real; his view on abortion; whether evil people could ever be forgiven..

Overall, it was a very interesting day and thank you to Natasha Wertheim for organising it.

Maya, Helena and Romany, Year 10

Last term, Year 8 students took part in our annual Murder Mystery walk around Oxford, organised by the Spanish language department.

Isaac writes: We left school in the morning and walked to the Ashmolean to solve a series of Spanish clues in a challenging Murder Mystery. The three teams raced to the solution to collect points and win the task. Then, we answered questions in Spanish about the Martyr’s Memorial and then went to the Covered Market. After a tricky crossword puzzle in Spanish, we went to Christ Church Meadow, where we had lunch. We finished the day with activities in Bonn Square and Oxford Castle. We learned lots of Spanish and had a very fun day.

Ollie agreed, adding: I think that the trip was very informative as we learned a lot of new vocabulary. Also, it was enjoyable as we worked in teams and figured out the hard challenges, which were made easier with teamwork. I enjoyed going to the Covered Market and walking around trying to find answers in Spanish.

Here’s a photo of the winning team, Team 3, who won with a final score of 131 points.  Well done!

In the final week of term, an enthusiastic group of Year 7-9 students set off on an epic trip: to Soviet Russia, Hogwarts Castle, as space station and an unassuming suburban kitchen.

Sounds odd?  In fact, they journeyed to the far reaches of Oxford to test their collective mettle against the mind-bending puzzles of an escape room.  For those unfamiliar with the concept; a group of players are locked in a themed room and have 1 hour to try to escape by solving a series of puzzles.

Over the past term, our students have been practising for the trip by doing similar types of puzzles during Activities sessions, so we had high hopes that we could beat the rooms and make it back to school in time for the eagerly-anticipated debating contest!  We are pleased to report that everyone made it out within the time (with the help of a few hints here and there) and a wonderful time was had by all.  Of course, we can’t say too much about the puzzles themselves – that would spoil the surprise – but there were plenty of hidden codes, lights, sounds languages, keys riddles, magnets and other dimensions that meant we left feeling very pleased with ourselves.

What a beautiful morning it was for our final inter-house competition of the year at the start of July. Softball was introduced to the d’Overbroeck’s sport curriculum last year and with its great success and inclusivity, our students really seem to enjoy it.

It was great to see all the players showcase their skills and apply the knowledge and understanding from our PE lessons into their game play. The games were highly competitive and fun and it was heart-warming to see such positive sportsmanship throughout the morning; from shaking hands at the end of the game, to cheering each other on and selecting players of the matches. A huge thank you goes to our House Captains and GCSE PE students who led on the introduction of the day, taking all years for warm ups and setting up.

Simon in Year 10, commented, ‘This is one of the best sporting days of the year because everyone is involved and it gives us a healthy sense of competitiveness. The Staff vs Students game is a particular memorable occasion and we won!!’

Well done to all.