English Symposium

On Monday 16th December, the English Department organised a symposium for Year 13 students studying English and Film Studies in coordination with like-minded peers from Watford Grammar School for Girls and Bentley Wood High School for Girls.

In the all-day event, there was the opportunity to both hear and give presentations on a variety of topics and theories, ranging from Foucault to Femme Fatale, and how they can be applied to both literature and the world around us. Every WBGS student gave presentations to an audience of all three schools and their teachers, which also provided an opportunity to further our public speaking, as well as testing our knowledge of our chosen topic. We had time not only to give our presentations but discuss them, allowing for a constructive discussion from all viewpoints.

After lunch, we had a fascinating workshop led by Mr Tokarz focusing on literature, gender and humour. Sitting in mixed school groups, it was illuminating to hear from a raft of different perspectives and backgrounds, even if we didn’t agree on everything. We would like to thank the English department, and particularly Dr Zanganeh and Mr Tokarz, for organising this incredible event and providing us with the opportunity to further our knowledge and skillset in a cooperative and engaging way, as they so frequently do.

Student report by Sam W, Jeffrey-Lee Z and Jamie S. Upper Sixth