Communication

Brazil Day This year’s Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Day whisked girls off to Brazil through an exciting series of roundrobin workshops! Each focused on a different aspect of the country’s culture. The girls got to try carnival dancing, enjoyed a Samba percussion session, took a ball skills masterclass inspired by Brazil’s football legends, went on a fact-finding missions about Brazilian culture and learned some Portuguese with Miss Eccleshare. They even practised their newfound conversational skills with parrot finger-puppets.

Remembrance Assembly Year 6 pupils presented a thought-provoking and moving Remembrance Assembly. After an opening sung by the choir, the girls described the conditions faced by soldiers in the First World War, the history behind Armistice Day and the reason why the poppy has become such a well-known symbol of Remembrance today, since it was first introduced in 1921.

Tea at the Riley A group of Junior Girls entertained guests at Tea at the Riley, a tea party held monthly for older residents in the local area. The choir performed a song and several girls shared poem recitations which they had memorised as part of their English Speaking Board (ESB) examinations. In the Summer Term, a group of Year 5 girls also enjoyed helping out by serving Tea at the Riley guests. ESB Speaking Examinations Girls in Year 6 took part in ESB Club, in readiness for a formal ESB Examination. They had to perform a poem, prepare and deliver a talk and read an extract from a book. All the girls achieved at least a Merit+, with many gaining a Distinction. Poetry By Heart Reading, appreciating and learning poetry off by heart forms part of the Reading Award Scheme in English at Hesketh House. Tullah Maher in Year 4 impressed her class so much with her interpretation of Jenny Joseph’s poem ‘Warning’ that her teacher Mrs Worsley decided to enter her in the national poetry competition Poetry by Heart. The judging panel were blown away by Tullah’s video and called her entry ‘magnificent’! Helping Hands A group of girls in Years 5 and 6 helped to lead a service at Bank Top United Reformed Church in Bolton. Teacher Mrs Julia Marsden was invited to speak at the church, which has supported her fundraising project to raise £50,000 to build a school in Malawi for street children. The girls talked about how they use their Hesketh House Habits for good in the world and how we all have ‘helping hands’ and can assist each other.