Article written by Student Amy, who has been doing work experience in the NCW Marketing Department.
One year has officially passed since the beginning of lockdown; to celebrate, reflect and commemorate the year a March to March project was launched. This project was to help the students and staff express thoughts, feelings and emotions over the last year. Entries could be anything from artwork to written work; the only rule being it had to represent the contributor’s own experiences over the last year.
The entries included a rap, piano piece, tactile art, diary entry and stories. All of the entries are to be displayed in College are for people to enjoy as well as information on the website at www.ncw.co.uk.
A full list of submissions can be downloaded here SUMMARY OF ENTRIES
This is a fantastic project, very impressed with the creativity and submissions!
March to March piano piece
Below is a slide show showing photographs of some of the submissions for March to March. The music which plays was a submission from Sonali, who composed and played the piece herself.
Sonali said “My entry for March to March was a piano composition to show how I was feeling during lockdown through music. For example I played 2 notes that don’t sound good together (unstable unresolved tense jarring) when I felt scared or uncertain.
I chose to do this because I absolutely love composing music and I think it’s a great way to express emotion when you can’t find the right words…”
Birds of Happiness
Amy caught up with Mrs Kings to find out about her entry:
“My entry for March to March was a tree of colourful needle felted Birds of Happiness. Needle felting is a process where you repeatedly stab at a ball or batt of core wool until you have the firm shape you require. Each bird is totally different in colour, some have wings and some have twisted wire legs. The colours range from red, orange, white and multi dyed blues. I made twelve birds in total and gave each one a card/tag with a word that meant something to me and how the last year has possibly meant to others; Hope, together, family, courage and faith etc. There was also a short poem to go with it:
Little Bird of Happiness
This merry little feathered friend,
So cheery, bright of hue,
Because he brings you happiness
I’m sending him to you.
Throughout lock down last year it felt very strange working from home and not being at work or mixing with colleagues and friends so I decided to make a little something and secretly gift to them by either sending them in the post or leaving them on friends doorsteps. Hopefully bringing a smile to their faces and letting them know I was around if needed. I felt it very important to connect with those I care about.
The birds played an important part of how I relaxed and got on last year and took my mind off everyday living, so I felt it was appropriate to create some more for this entry.”
Step Into a New Era
A Poem By Victoria and Mrs Humphries
Spring is on its way,
The days are getting longer,
End of the lockdown,
People have hope and we are getting stronger.
It’s been a long time,
New rules to follow and abide by,
There soon will be liftings,
Other new activities for us to try.
Amazing meet ups with friends, family and outings!
News will no longer mention Covid-19,
Ending of social distancing and wearing masks and visors,
We will soon be altogether in the canteen!
Ending of this bad spell is edging nearer,
Ready to go to school every day,
And be stepping into a new happy and healthy era.
Listen to Victoria’s Poem here
Lockdown Box
Amy asked Mrs Elston about her contribution to her March to March entry:
“My entry for March to March is a lockdown box which is closed by a ribbon and a padlock. When the lid to the box is lifted and the ribbon is untied the box opens up to show my garden in miniature.
Essentially there are two elements to my project and they symbolise two of the things which helped me during the past 12 months: my garden and my love of making things.
In the first lockdown the weather was warm and sunny and I spent a lot of time outdoors, gardening, playing games with my family, reading and relaxing. In the second and third lockdown I turned to making things, sewing, making miniature rooms and making Christmas gifts for friends and family.”
Behind That Mask
By Madiha
A year ago, I had no fear
Of friends wanting to disappear.
For half a decade had flown by
And none of us had moved a thigh;
We all sat on the same, hard chairs,
(Having climbed up four flights of stairs) –
And though our mouths never moved an inch,
Between us, there was no awkward flinch.
There had been no question to ask,
FRIENDS were behind that silent mask.
But then a sadness hit our maps,
Splitting us by two-metre gaps;
And looking back in reminiscence,
There was more to this “social distance”.
Now, no time-wasting distractions
Could blanket bleak interactions;
So after being taught how to play Among Us for the thirty-thousandth time,
(And making smalltalk about their grandma’s fish’s favourite nursery rhyme) –
I realised with each meaningless task,
My friend grew stranger, behind that mask.
Truth be told, Lockdown 2020 wasn’t great,
Still, one less friendly fish left me with some spare bait:
I used it to refuel my mental state;
Helping myself become my own best mate.
Yet even for an introvert,
Being alone made my brain hurt.
However, I was not alone –
(When scrolling through feeds on my phone),
I found that lots of people here
Called for mental health: loud and clear!
So whilst the world fell apart beyond our grasp,
We all stayed united behind that one mask:
Being less careless, raising awareness, and soon we found
That if we put our minds to it, the world would still go round.
March to March Rap by Year 7
By Millie
Arthur
March 2020
In the assembly hall, the chairs were all arranged two metres apart to maintain social distancing. Most people knew what the Headmistress was going to announce. It was a small school, and news travelled fast.
“I’m very sorry to have to tell you all this,” the headmistress began, “but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we are going to have to close the school. We will be running virtual lessons on Google Meet, so students will have regular contact with their teachers and will still be able to interact with their friends. Hopefully, we will be back soon, but these are uncertain times. You will have the rest of this week to prepare for remote learning and to take home anything you might need before the physical school closes on Friday and the virtual school opens on Monday.”
Arthur sat there, disappointed. He had hoped that the school would be allowed to remain open. Surely the pandemic couldn’t be as bad as the Government were saying it was?
…… cont’d
Download the rest of Millie’s story here Millie’s Story for March to March
Imagine A World
By Sophia
Imagine a world:
Imagine a world, where everyone has to isolate, where everyone is scared of their own shadow where Covid is ripe.
Imagine a world where Boris Jonson has a plan, data not dates, full of worry and strife.
Imagine a world with no school and exams, no education because of the killer virus.
Imagine a world where everyone has to sanitise, wear masks and wipe everything down.
Everywhere has become locked down, everyone is saying unprecedented circumstances.
This… is the Danger Zone!!!
Coming in cinemas now.
Imagine a world 2:
Now imagine a world where Boris Johnson has a road map and he is trying to find the tunnel of hope, trying to put everything back to normal.
Imagine a world with hugs, kisses, close contact.
Imagine a world with theatres, restaurants and hair dressers.
Imagine a world where people can meet, can play music off line, can go to hospitals without wearing masks, having a vaccine or a test or wiping down things.
Imagine a world without cancellations of exams, trips, performances or plays, where people can go to the parks and play.
Imagine a world without Covid, without demonic comings breaking lockdown, without restrictions or rules
Imagine a world where you can walk down the street without being scared, you can do things in person, visit relatives and old people homes
This is the Paradise zone!!!
Coming into cinemas soon but might not be the same again..
The Endless Loop
By Tobias
Last year, I had my hopes up. I was in my year 11, and on February 17 I turned sixteen. I thought that this year could go well if I were prepared to do the necessary work, so I did. With a little help from members of NCW staff, I began to work harder, and as a result to do better. I was also gradually developing a stronger friendship with other students. Everything seemed to be going on the right path.
And then it happened. The date of Tuesday March 17 struck us, and we were told that school would be closing. Two days later, I am told that GCSE will not be going ahead. Not meeting my friends at school, and not doing my exams. Everything I had worked for and hoped for was now, mostly, gone.
And all for a virus! On every page of every news company, it was COVID this, Corona Virus that… Social Distancing, Lockdown… They were all words that we started using endlessly.
With school, the pub, the hairdresser and virtually everything else closed, it was time to begin online life….. cont’d
Download the rest of the story here The Endless Loop – TH
The Parallax
Roman’s contribution was a puzzle. Download it here The parallax – Roman
Amy caught up with Roman to ask him some questions about his entry:
- Q: What was your entry for march to march?
- A: A cipher
- Q: Can you explain what you have to do?
- A: Answer all the questions and call the phone number given and tell the person who answers what answers you got
- Q: Why did you decide to do this as your entry?
- A: I listened to a podcast and felt inspired, however the entry doesn’t relate to the podcast and you do not need to listen to it to complete the cipher.
- Q: Would you say that there was anything that influenced you to make this as your entry? If so what was and did it influence you?
- A: I got inspiration from the podcast but everything else I made up by myself
Train To Nowhere
By Martha
He bought the train tickets to nowhere with two gold coins.
Engraved with her majesty’s likeness as the head a twisting number. They were sticky from where he’d clutched them tight, running up the 3 flights of steps to the booth, the bite of solid mettle against his clutching fingers had anchored him.
He needed the anchoring now that he had become adrift in a sea of anxiety which seemed to push his thoughts asunder with the crashing roiling of his heart. His throat was tight, oxygen felt a stranger. But it was fine, everything was fine as long as he clung on to the coins.
He and his coins took a moment of stillness outside of the ticket booth doors, where he squeezed his eyes shut. Winter still haunted the station with its tendrils of icy wind that cuffed his cheeks, the sun veiled by thick clouds. Maybe that was why the platform even during the work rush hour was quiet.
Opening his eyes, he pushed down everything that wasn’t the coins and ticket booth, then pushed himself forward one foot at a time, opening the door with his jacket pocket pulled over his fingers. The motion freeing a burst of warmth air and the crinkling of a newspaper as the ticket seller, bespectacled with wide expressive eyebrows and a tattoo embracing his left index knuckle, lowered his paper. Behind the glasses his eyes were deep brown and they took him in with little interest. “Morning,” he said slowly….. cont’d
Download the rest of the story here Martha’s Train to Nowhere
