Maryam Mohamed Ismail College Admission Appeal Beauchamp College

14^th May 2017

Maryam Mohamed Ismail College Admission Appeal

My daughter Maryam Mohamed Ismail has been home schooled since September 2016 as this is what she wanted to do. However, after eight months of tirelessly trying it didn’t really work out and is obvious that she can’t continue homeschooling any longer for the following reasons:

1.       Maryam, who is an extremely bright and intelligent girl with numerous awards in national competitions within her community, has never been home schooled before. She has found this experience extremely boring which really de-motivates her.

2.       Due to the new GCSE syllabus, the grading changes are really confusing. There are much fewer resources than for the old syllabus, as it’s new. We at home don’t know how to grade her work and there are very few sample papers. Also there is no guidance for private candidates.

3.       It’s very hard to find exam centres for private candidates.

4.       Some exam boards don’t have GCSE’s for private candidates. E.g: AQA don’t have English language paper for private candidates.

5.       Even if exam board allow private candidates, the exam centres sometimes do not accept them.

6.       I can’t teach Maryam most of the subjects and I had to send her for tuition, which is very expensive.

For all these above reasons I really need to send her to school.  As it is not easy to adjust to new environment Maryam did not want to start her school in year 9 and then move to year 10 in ‘another’ school. This is why we didn’t apply for a school when she left her school in July 2016. She also didn’t want to go to a normal secondary school, because; most students in other schools have already settled in well and found their friends; students have already chosen their GCSE subjects, leaving very little choice for Maryam; additionally the teaching of the GCSE syllabus has already started by many schools, which means Maryam may have been left behind in her studies.

As a parent of Maryam, we know and believe that a fresh start is very important for her well-being.

As in Beauchamp everything starts in year 10, so she won’t be missing out on anything; because everyone is new, like her; they can all choose subjects together so Maryam won’t be missing out or have fewer choices, like what would have happened if she went to another school. Everyone can settle in together and make new friends together.

Maryam is a very talented, intelligent and ambitious girl. She is already determined to become a doctor and has skills and interests in the fields of science and maths. We know Beauchamp is one of the best schools in the fields of science and that the staff are very motivated in pursuing education. We want to ensure that the school we chose would nurture these areas and direct her towards her future career in this area, as well as expose her to a broader, challenging environment. After visiting Beauchamp It was clearly evident that I will never be able to provide a quality of education which suits her skills and personality, like Beauchamp does. I know Maryam has the potential to achieve her dreams, she just needs to be given the opportunity, and I see that Beauchamp is her opportunity to achieve her dreams.

Maryam is a creative and an all rounded girl as evidenced by her numerous activities and awards as follows:

·         She has been participating in an Oratory competition at a national level from 2011 to 2016; she has won 1^st place award 5 times and the 2^nd place once throughout these years. She is, therefore, very excited to participate in Beauchamp’s public speaking to expand and further develop her public speaking skills.

·         Sh has won 1^st and 3^rd place for a National spoken poetry competition and by getting a place in Beauchamp she can hopefully enhance this skill even more.

·         She has won the 2^nd and 3^rd place for a National magazine reporting competition and Beauchamp would be an ideal place to improve and flourish her talent and hopefully also get the chance to write in the Beauch Speech in the future.

·         She has achieved a 3^rd place in poem writing competition for two consecutive years.

·         Maryam also has a natural talent in Art, as she has been winning the calligraphy competition for 6 continuous years now; she has achieved one 3^rd place, two 2^nd places and three 1^st places during these years.

There are many more competitions in which she has competed in and won at a national level; and we have seen that Beauchamp provides a platform for all students according to what they are talented in.

As I mentioned before, Maryam is an all rounded girl – she is good at sports and has finished all the stages and challenges for swimming, she is currently doing the Rookie Lifeguard Course. She is really excited about participating in the housing system in Beauchamp to develop her sports skills as well.

Furthermore, Maryam also has two friends attending Beauchamp College, this would make it easy for her to settle in and obviously, the prospect of sharing school runs will be easy for all families.

A further advantage of Beauchamp College for Maryam is that schooling there would take her from 14 all the way till the age of 18, this is good so that she won’t have to change schools in just 2 years.

For all the statements stated above, as a parent of Maryam I genuinely believe that Beauchamp College is the ideal school for Maryam’s educational, social and emotional well-being and she would not only benefit from such a place, but I firmly believe that she will be an asset to Beachamp college.  Of course, as a parent you would expect me to say how good our daughter is, but please feel free to assess her before admission if you so wish. I am confident you will find her to be as intelligent and bright as her previous academic achievements to date indicate.

I sincerely hope that you will give her the opportunity to show you her abilities and look forward to speaking to you soon.

Thank you

Maryam Mohamed Ismail is one of the participant in NCC competitions since it's establishment

Alhamdulillah, I have had the opportunity to participate in the NCC competitions since it's very beginning. It has been such an incredible and unforgettable journey, and this year being my last is truly unfortunate. Throughout the past 9 years I have seen myself, my fellow competitors and the competition itself, grow each and every year for the better, each year the competitions becoming tougher and tougher. Thanks to the NCC I was able to bring out my hidden talents, which without these competitions I may never have discovered. I can also unquestionably say that the motto of "Building confidence in growing children" has certainly been achieved for all competitors. Confidence is a crucial quality to have in life and this quality doesn't come naturally to many of us, but Alhamdulillah, the NCC competitions have embedded this transformative quality in every one of us. Another commendable aspect of these competitions is that it provides an opportunity for every individual; there is always a competition which caters to the unique talents of each child. Looking back at my 6-year-old self, standing as a nervous wreck, clinging onto the back of my cousin's dress, I can clearly see how SLIF has shaped my life for the better. Additionally, all these trophies and certificates, which my folders are bursting with, will definitely come in use in a couple of years. Finally, I would like to thank the organisers, judges and everyone else who worked to provide this life-changing opportunity for me. I pray that Allah (SWT) rewards you all immensely for all that you have done for our generation and I wish you all the best for future competitions and events. Jazakallah

for 2018 APLOMB

Bangladesh Flood report:

By Ayyub Mohamed Ismail

Year 7 SOAR VALLEY Collage

Bangladesh is a place of frequent flooding, due to many reasons such as monsoons and cyclones, low lying land and the many rivers flowing through the country.

Because the majority of Bangladesh is built on low lying land, their towns and cities are more likely to flood, from heavy rain, rivers overflowing and even from the ocean. Also, many rivers flow through the land, and could overflow because of confluences as well. A confluence is the point where two or more rivers meet, and this point could easily flood, because of the huge amount of water coming in from all sides.

Because these floods happen all the time, the people who live in Bangladesh have to adjust to their environment and think of ways to protect themselves and their possessions. For example, people could leave the floodplains alone and not build on them. Floodplains are areas of land that benefit from floods and sometimes have wildlife and plants that also benefit. Also, they could raise ducks instead of chickens and other animals because they benefit from water. 

Homes can still be destroyed though, and it’s up to the government of Bangladesh to help people with that problem. This could be very expensive, because Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with around 160 million people living there.

I think that this natural disaster could be prevented if Bangladesh was an AC (Advanced Country), but as the country is an LIDC (Low Income Developing Country) it probably doesn’t have the resources and money for that.

If Bangladesh was an AC, then I think the flooding would be even more frequent, because generally AC’s tend to have loads of concrete cities and concrete is an impermeable rock, which wouldn’t absorb the water and would leave the water just sitting there. But the AC would have enough resources and money to build sufficient defences to withstand the floods

Tafseer-Al-Quran for NCC أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِهَـٰدً۬ا (٦)

Tafseer-Al-Quran for NCC

أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِهَـٰدً۬ا (٦)

By Ayyub Mohamed Ismail

This is ayah number six in Surah Naba, Chapter 78. Its literal meaning is ‘Have we not made the earth a bed for you?’

The word ‘mihaada’ (bed) comes from the word ‘mahd’, which means ‘cradle’, or ‘place that a child is comfortable’. So the ultimate translation is: ‘Have we not made the earth a place where you may be comfortable?’                                                                                              

This ayah is a wakeup call for all humans. Allah is telling us that he has made the Earth perfect for us in every way; not too hard, so we can’t cultivate or walk on it, and not so bumpy, like mountain terrain everywhere. The Earth has truly been made perfect for us.

Scientific studies show that if the Earth was placed a tiny bit away from the sun, it would freeze up, and if it was placed a tiny bit forward, the Earth would be too hot for any form of life to live on. Subhan Allah!

 ‘Mahd’ is also mentioned in Surah Taha, verse 53: ‘It is He who has made the Earth a cradle for you.                                                                                                    

The interpretation of these two ayahs are very similar. Muffassiroon agree that these verses are a way of comparing Allah’s capability to ours. A human being is more than capable of making a cradle or bed, maybe even a house. But Allah is saying, ‘You make a house, I make the House of houses, the entire Earth!’

The best way to explain a Qur’anic verse is by consulting another Qur’anic verse. In Surah qaf, verse 7-8, Allah says:

‘And the Earth, We spread it out, and cast therein firmly set mountains and We have made to grow therein of all beautiful kinds; to give sight and as a reminder to every servant who turns to Allah.’

Subhanallah! This is a beautiful way of reminding ourselves of all the bounties that Allah has given us.

This verse also breaks many Atheist arguments and is proof of God. If Apple makes a new model of iPhone (like the new iPhone X) then they will advertise all its amazing new features. In the same way, Allah is advertising His creation, the entire Earth!

Just think, what are we to Allah? Nothing... less than nothing! Allah created not just our planet, but all the other ones in our solar system, the Sun, and other planets and stars the humans haven’t even discovered yet! Allah created the entire UNIVERSE! He explains all of his power in just one little verse; we may think it’s easy to write a Qur’anic verse but it’s not! Many have tried, and many have failed!

So, one important lesson we should take away from this ayah, is to always be thankful to Allah and what He’s given us. We are alive an have our life because of Allah, and we will all die because that is what Allah has decreed. Thank him always, for our parents, for our food, for our earth. And always remember that Allah knows best; no matter what some shuyookh and scholars say, Allah knows best.

Gold First

at NCC 2018

group 4

THE GOOD OLD DAYS…

THE GOOD OLD DAYS…

Maryam MOHAMED ISMAIL

I look out my window and there is a great surprise!

Spread out in front of me is a vast blanket of ice,

All I can see is the colour white,

What a pleasant and exciting sight!

A clear sky; no clouds, no rain,

Even the lightest of dyes would leave a terrible stain,

On the sky and roads which are very plain,

But in a good way, so I hope it remains…

Placed ever so neat like icing on a cake,

Am I dreaming because it seems so fake!

The atmosphere is calm, like that of a lake,

With all this snow, I wonder what I can make…

Piped on all leaves and branches of trees,

From the ones that are left, it’s covered the leaves,

I should wrap up warm because it’s zero degrees,

Or maybe even less if the temperature has decreased.

Grabbing my scarf and socks to keep myself warm,

No need for an umbrella because it’s not a storm,

I wonder how long this took to form…

In a matter of a few moments, for God ofcourse!

Stepping outside the whiteness crunching beneath me,

I’m the first one out, as there are no footprints I can see.

The cold wind gushing at my face, but I’m happy as can ever be…

Please, I hope this lasts for eternity…

In the distance the trees stand bare,

They may be cold, unlike me and that’s not fair.

Into the distance, I can forever stare,

Just looking at Allah’s creation, for hours I can glare…

The lights are still switched off, in houses and buildings,

Most people are probably still snoring and lying in,

So this beauty is just for me to admire and take in,

For once I’m happy that I’m not sleeping.

But ofcourse with all good, there has to be some bad,

A car drives by and that gets me mad,

Drawing a scarred mark with its tyres,

Now the picture I was taking cannot be admired!

It’s sad to think that in a few years this wonder wouldn’t be here,

Because of global warming, I always hear,

This is one of my greatest fears,

Because playing in snow were one of the greatest memories of my childhood years…

But think on the bright side,

We still have snow now!

We’ve got to play in it and enjoy the ride!

But to protect the future, we don’t always know how…

Be grateful for the things that you have always,

Because in a few years, say,

It may never be the same,

And that’s when the old memories will remain…

Don’t complain or say it’s too cold,

Go out, conquer your fears and be bold!

Those that are pessimistic will always stay low,

Grab a hat and scarves and you’re ready to go.

Look for what you have, not what you don’t…

Because there is always someone who is wishing for your life,

Someone you may or may not know…

So keep smiling and your face will have a happy glow…

SO NOW, KEEP SMILING AND ENJOY THE SNOW!

Gold First in

Poem Writing

NCC 2018

Group 5