31
Bo r l a s i a n 2 0 1 3
In School
The Learning Centre
Last year, the learning centre had a lot of work done and
now is even better than before! Now there is a STEM
(science, technology, engineering and maths,) question
every week for students to try and answer; which has been
a huge success. Recently, the library book loaning system
has been made accessible to students so that they can
take books out for longer and search for their favourite
books on the shelves.
A new role has been added to school life. Working
together with the English department and the Literacy
Co-ordinator, students who are enthusiastic about English
can become part of the team which help promote literacy
throughout the school.
Literacy representatives also organise events on special
days such as World Book Day. This year, students could
come to the library to take part in writing challenges and
other book themed activities. Later in the year, we hosted
a meeting of Herschel Grammar and Beaconsfield High
students, who joined in lively discussion with our own year
7 and 8 readers who were shadowing the Carnegie Prize
for Literature.
These things , along with new and colourful seating and
a mural on the wall have made the learning centre an
interactive and welcoming place for students during and
outside lesson hours.
Sofia Helin Y9
Target 2.0 December 2012
The Bank of England’s/The Times Interest Rate Competition
This oversubscribed competition, now in its thirteenth
year, has been participated in by Sir William Borlase’s
Grammar School students for six of those years, with
the school being regional runners up three times. This is
a fantastic opportunity for aspiring Y13 economists, to
take on the Bank of England. The game has been raised
by the ongoing challenge presented by the UK economy
and its position within the global economy. We continue
in unchartered territory, with interest rates (the price of
money) remaining at 0.5% since March 2009 and £375 bn
new money (quantitative easing) circulating. The question
has therefore become, how to stimulate the economy
when growth is seemingly unresponsive to such a low rate
and do we need more quantitative easing?
This was the challenge for this year’s team: Captain Aly
Buffery, with George Prentice, Henry DiMascio and Debby
Moore. The pressure was raised this year as having been
initially unsuccessful with our application, the Bank
subsequently offered us a late place due to the withdrawal
of another school. This gave us half the time to prepare our
challenge!
Nevertheless, proceedings ran smoothly. With our best
Borlase uniforms, notes, slides, and well breakfasted, we
departed Marlow for Farnham Castle. There are always a
few driving issues-heavier traffic than anticipated required
a creative U-turn-not too inspirational perhaps for those
still learning to drive...but can teachers always be role
models?
On arrival, we discovered that one team had withdrawn so
technically at least we could not lose! Furthermore, some
technical issuesmeant that two critical slideswere software
incompatible and could not be shown!! Nevertheless, the
Team held themselves together, until Henry contemplated
rewriting his notes moments before the presentation was
due to start!
So theTeam’s moment on stage arrived. All went smoothly;
a crisp, articulate analysis of the state of the UK economy
ensued (what the BBC could learn) and then the questions.
Debby was cornered by one judge- so just what was her
expectation of inflation-could she be clearer, to which she
feistily responded, “Well 2% of course-as determined by
the government’s remit”. It was unapparent from the Bank
of England’s economist just how he was digesting this
rebuttal…..although Debby looked quite satisfied.
After that, it was our turn to admire (with only minor
constructive criticism), the other rather impressive groups.
The consensus was clear, the challenge was on! Finally,
we were summoned, discovering that whilst first place
was not ours to celebrate this year, second with a round
of judges’ compliments was awarded to a well-deserving
Borlase team.
Henry DiMascio and Ali Buffery Y13
