Insight |
Spring Term 2019
Issue 15 | Published April 2019 1
Reflections
s t n e t on
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Welcome from Ms Roberts School News Wellbeing at Cobham Hall Art School Snippets The Sad Club News from the ILC Invasion in the Science Lab Democracy in Action #BoardingLife Sporting Success Adventure Round Square Individual Action, Global Impact COBMUN Elders’ News Unicorn News Keeping a Positive Mental Attitude Stay in Touch Forthcoming Events
Cover Photo by Mr Wright, Network Manager
Spring Term’s ram Post Most Liked Instag cobhamhall
From the Editor...
Welcome to the Spring Term edition of Insight! You may have noticed that for the first time, the cover photo is of our wonderful building and grounds. It took some consideration, as I do much prefer showcasing the girls and and what’s been happening within the School. Having now worked here for four years, I am still undecided about my favourite season here - each has it’s own unique beauty. Yet, there’s undeniably a magic in the air at Cobham Hall in the Spring time. As the daffodils bloom and then give way to the bluebells featured on the cover, and as the cold of January yields to the warmth of April (if we’re lucky!), you cannot help but be reminded of change, and the opportunities afforded by the potential new beginnings symbolised by Spring. This changing season mirrors changes within the School that take place during this term perhaps more than any other time of year. The daffodils blooming are our Year 13s blossoming as they approach the end of their Cobham journey, about to embark on the next chapter of their lives, full of enthusiasm. The passage of time sees the daffodils bowing to bluebells and it puts me in mind most particularly of the Guardian Convention, as our outgoing team step down to hand the reins to the incoming team. A bittersweet moment saying goodbye and thank you, but joy and excitement at welcoming the new team. It’s during the Spring, when the weather starts to warm up, that we can be reminded of how lucky we are to have this environment to live, work and play in. It’s so easy to get caught up in workloads, that we often forget to consider where we are. So I chose the cover photo to remind us all to step back, take a look around and appreciate what we have around us. Reflecting over the term as I compile the magazine, it’s apparent how much the girls relish the opportunities and challenges presented to them. From pulling off an event like COBMUN, through charity events, to the intimate spectacular ensemble performance of The Sad Club, I am constantly astounded by their skills, talents and passion. I’m delighted that this term, the magazine features more input from students, with two key features - ‘Individual Action, Global Impact’ and ‘COBMUN’ - and an additional short article ‘Behind the Scenes’, all written by students. I hope this continues to develop the magazine, alongside the established staff article that is featured in each edition. As always, if you feel I’ve missed something, please do get in touch - reidt@cobhamhall.com. And don’t forget, you can always keep up to date by following our social networks for all the latest events and activities both inside and outside of the classroom.
t 101 likes 2019-2020 Studen gratulations to our irlscan mg cobhamhall Con bha #co all #cobhamh Leadership Team! nture #service #leadership #adve
Happy Reading! Tracey Reid Marketing Assistant 2
Welcome from the Headmistress
As the Summer term begins I hope you enjoy taking a look back at last term’s activities. My assemblies this term have focused on our core values, as displayed in the new posters around the School and shown opposite. They are an excellent set of values to guide us in our every day and the girls continue to embrace them in all that they do. And they have done so much!
Core Values T R U ST
This edition of Insight is packed with all the successes of the Spring Term, from activities organised by the girls, to key school events such as the Senior Production and the Guardian Convention, as well as our new initiatives: Wellbeing and Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.
R ES P EC T H O N EST Y
Enjoy reading this edition of Insight.
K IN D N ES S TO L E R A N C E
Ms M Roberts Headmistress
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School News Head’s Coffee Morning This term, Headmistress Ms Roberts introduced an informal ‘Coffee Morning’ for Parents and Guardians to drop in for a chat. The morning was a success with many in attendance and so will be repeated next term. Look out for the next Coffee Morning in the Parents’ Newsletter.
Comic Relief Bake Sale Target Smashed! For Friday 15th March, held a Comic Relief Bake Sale target dubbed ‘The Red Nose Day £500 Challenge’. The Catering Team, particularly Mrs Pollington who led the baking, produced 500 Red Nose themed cupcakes and these were sold at break, lunch time and after school. The Student Leadership Team and
Marketing Assistant, Mrs Booth, drove the fundraising efforts and we’re delighted to be able to say we smashed the target, raising a total of £652.70. Thanks to all involved!
Staff Changes
During this term, we said goodbye to two lovely ladies from our Domestic Team, Jill Young and Marilyn Hartnup. We wish you both long and happy retirements!
The Granville Retains The annual Inter-Prep and Junior School Netball Tournament took place in March with much buzz and excitement as the teams took to both the indoor and outdoor courts.
Matches were incredibly well played, and the Tournament was incredibly close, with first place being decided on goal average – well done to The Granville!
The Granville School won last year and so were looking to retain the Shield, whilst returning teams including Hilden Oaks, Merton Court, Shernold, Cobham Primary, Gads Hill, Steephill, Dulwich Prep and Bryony all looked to become the new champions.
The top five were as follows: 1. The Granville 2. Hilden Oaks 3. Merton Court 4. Gads Hill 5. Steephill 4
We welcome Science teacher Mr Christopher Gibson; Mrs Alison Stiling, who joins our Accounts Department; and Mrs Alexandra Chinn to support our Duke of Edinburgh Award and Service Programmes.
Safer Internet Day
Girls across the School took part in Safer Internet Day in February. Head of Middle School, Mr Eyers, gave an assembly and during Tutorial girls discussed the Day’s topic of consent in an online world.
Cobham Hall Girls #BalanceforBetter
Girls across the School showed their support for the International Women’s Day theme of gender equality with the #BalanceforBetter pose. They also enjoyed a themed dinner, with meal suggestions based on recipes from top female chefs.
Food, Glorious Food!
The girls were also advised that they are more than welcome to speak to the Head Chef, Mr Kearney, or any of the Catering Team, about menu options, as they are always open to trying new ideas and recipes. The girls were particularly keen to ensure their Vegan friends were able to make suggestions about their choices. The girls present were encouraged to act as representatives; to ensure they ask their Year Group to allow Catering to get an overall picture.
We were thrilled this term after receiving the results from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) Examinations, taken at the end of January. We are delighted that the girls obtained a 100% pass rate, with a fantastic 97% passing with either a Distinction or a Merit. 47% achieved a Pass with Distinction. Girls taking the examinations ranged from Year 7 taking Grade One through to Year 12 taking Silver and Bronze Medal assessments.
Our Food Committee met in March. The meeting allows girls to feedback their peers’ opinions on the catering provided throughout the day - from lunch and dinner options through to break time snacks. The girls complimented recent dishes and made constructive suggestions as to changes that could be made, for example a greater range of healthier dessert options.
100% LAMDA Pass Rate
Examinations were taken in a range of disciplines, including Acting, Musical Theatre, and Speaking Verse and Prose.
Dairy Restoration The Landmark Trust are moving at great speed on the restoration of the Dairy. Above you can see the Dairy before work started, and below is its current state.
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COBMUN -DEBATE. DISCUSS. DECIDE-
For their Extended Project Qualification, Year 12 pupils Anna and Langa organised Cobham Hall's first Model United Nations Conference. Although there have been full school conferences previously, this was to be the first with delegations from local schools. On these pages, the day's press team round up the day’s discussions.
MUN: An Introduction
Model United Nations (MUN) is a fantastic way to learn about the world around us and allow us to think from the perspectives of other countries, in an attempt to come up with resolutions that could make a positive impact on the worldwide community. We encourage participants to use the knowledge obtained to continue challenging the opinions of political leaders and others. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed delegates can change the world. No change is too small, and the more pressure we continue to put on worldwide leaders to implement positive change, the more likely we are to see it applied.
A Note From Secretary Generals Langa and Anna: “It’s been great to see everyone getting involved even those who have never participated in MUN before. There have been some great solutions proposed to some of the world’s biggest issues in modern society and we hope you will all continue to take part in MUN. Although planning this as part of our EPQ was difficult it has been so rewarding to see the enthusiasm of delegates and for that we are grateful.”
What is the UN? The United Nations (UN) is the closest we have to a world parliament, but it doesn’t have the power to make laws; it passes resolutions which all 193 member states agree to act on through the Security Council, Committees and General Assembly. It was founded in 1945 after World War II to stop wars, and to provide a platform for dialogue. The UN has four main purposes: • To keep peace across the world; • To develop friendly relations among nations; • To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms; • To be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations to achieve these goals. ...MUN is a simulation of this.
COMMOTION IN THE COMMITTEES The day kicked off with the delegates attending their relevant committees, discussing some of the topical issues in the world, showcasing the efficiency of MUN in bringing awareness to problems that urgently need addressing. In the Human Rights Committee, the point of discussion involved that of a universal age of consent. A resolution was proposed by DPRK delegate Maci, who had this to say on the matter, “The introduction of a universal age of consent would increase conflict and uprisings within countries who have deeply rooted cultures and religions. This would strongly go against their ideals and, where in the current political climate, it would contribute an added pressure that member states do not wish to see.” This resolution was very controversial among the floor of debate and was particularly objected to by the USA and Poland. Poland suggested that the 6
use of education should be relevant in tackling matters such as unwanted pregnancies and rape, both of which are commonly associated with countries with low ages of consent. Whilst the delegate of Indonesia didn’t necessarily agree with idea of education being the way to go, they did propose that by creating a minimum age of consent universally of 13/14 they could stop really low ages of consent, such as 11 in Nigeria, but allow other countries who have higher ages of consent, for example 16 in the UK, to interpret it as they please and do not necessarily have to lower the age to 13/14. Meanwhile in the Educational and Political Committee, the question of debate was about making a compulsory curriculum of teaching students about LGBTQ. However, with many conservative countries and some being very religious, opinions varied and some not so positive. DPRK exclaimed "We’re able to rule our country how we want to, so we will do so but not supporting this." The country also said that LGBTQ thoughts “pollute young people’s minds”. However, a country that is for this resolution is South America, being one of the first countries to legalise same sex marriage, they believe that in order to leave their imperial past and move into a prosperous western future, making everyone equal is key and this is aided by learning about the different views of LGBTQ. The Environmental Committee discussed the question of sustainable consumption of water and electricity. Different views arose, many against this, one being Kuwait. Kuwait disputed against this as they are a main provider of oil to the world. South Africa was another country to do so as much of their profit is from coal mining and although becoming more sustainable will benefit the world, their country wouldn’t be part of this beneficial change as many of their inhabitants’ income relies on coal mining and they would have to reconstruct their economy if this change took place.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY CRISIS DEBATE The COBMUN crisis states that tension is building up on the US-Mexican border due to President Trump’s ongoing desire to build a wall. However, following the denial of his plan by the Democrat-held House of Representatives, Trump has decided to make changes. Firstly, by discontinuing The North America Free Trade Agreement, as he claims “Mexico is ripping off the US more than almost any other nation.” This, he believes, will leave Mexico no other choice but to contribute funding toward the wall. Mexico’s President, Enrique Pena Nieto, has swiftly contradicted his pressure by stating, “At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.” Mexico further responded by withholding all trade and travel between the US and themselves. However, this trade embargo has caused Mexico severe economic strain which has not been taken lightly by citizens, causing 10 deaths from riots in Mexico City. The tension increasingly developed by the shooting of three Mexican soldiers along the border by US soldiers claiming they were a threat to US citizens. The continuing firing of ammunition has provoked flights to be cancelled due to “too dangerous” conditions. This outburst of violence has cause many Mexican citizens to flee the surrounding the border taking refuge in close cities, which has struck terror throughout Mexico. This is creating strain on the two countries. To add to Mexican government strain, on 18th March, all US allies pulled out of trade with Mexico generating fear of food supplies. This topic was discussed in today’s General Assembly. In a quick response to the US-Mexican crisis, the United Kingdom produced a clause stating, “Peace keepers use force toward government buildings which have been at the mercy of large scale attacks as well as areas controlled by gangs”. The clause was then questioned by Australia to which the response was, “the peace keeper would hand over to Mexican control when secured.” Peru spoke for the clause, in which they were questioned by Indonesia on how the UN would not take away the freedom of individuals. Following Peru’s response, South Africa raised the question of how UN peacekeepers would ensure protection if violence were to break out. Peru responded asserting that peace keeping forces would keep civilians out of weaponised areas. 7
Wellbeing at Cobham Hall Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, Miss Fenice, has had an incredibly busy term, launching a variety of initiatives for both students and staff. These have included training for students, details of which are opposite, and the creation of an action group for staff, introducing regular social events and opportunities to talk. The term started with Miss Fenice putting into practice her training from Girls on Board. This initiative, now shortlisted for a TES Wellbeing Initiative of the Year Award, aims to empower girls to manage their relationships with one another and solve their own friendships problems. Having been the first in the country to complete the training, Ms Fenice was keen to help support our students and share the strategies she had learned. She launched the programme with Year 11, and rolled it out to other years as the term progressed. To supplement the roll out of the programme, Miss Fenice hosted a ‘Four Week Focus on Friendship’; a series of workshops held in the School’s Wellbeing Centre looking at ways to mend fences after a fall out, considering the impact of things shared online, resisting peer pressure, how to forgive, and how to rebuild trust, amongst other topics. In addition, there was a ‘Time to Talk’ drop-in session during Children’s Mental Health Week in February, designed to encourage girls to pop into the Wellbeing Centre and discover the support and advice available. Later in the term, ‘Mindful Mondays’ were launched, run by Geography teacher Mrs Kipling, also a passionate advocate for youth mental health. These sessions were designed to support Years 11 and 13 as examinations approached.
Developing SelfEsteem with Dove
In early April, Years 7 and 8 took part in a workshop lead by Nadia Mendoza of the Self-Esteem Team, who support the Dove Self-Esteem Project. The girls were encouraged to reflect on society’s opinions on the perfect man and perfect woman, and the results demonstrated that the societal view of a ‘perfect’ woman was mostly based on appearance, and a ‘perfect’ man on what other traits he offers. Nadia then showed the girls how these views have changed throughout the last 100 years, showing that while something may be deemed attractive now, in a few years, it’ll change. Reflecting on her own experience of growing up, she explained that she never felt represented by the ‘model’ image and that the more she tried to fit society’s ideals, the less happy she became.
showed much more value based characteristics. To further emphasise this difference, Nadia asked the girls to consider the last compliment they gave someone, and think about who they know that they would like to spend two weeks with, and why that person. The responses showed that compliments were mostly appearance-based whilst spending time with someone showed how much more inner values were prized.
The discussion moved on to what makes people unique, and these
Nadia explained how even though while watching TV, or scrolling 8
through social media can make us feel insecure and sad about not match those societal ideals, we perpetuate it by complimenting people based on looks rather than values, giving the impression that appearance is of more worth than who they are as a person. The workshop ended with Nadia challenging the girls to create a ripple effect of complimenting their friends’ inner values more than how they look, and to question appearance ideals.
Girls Become Ambassadors
Cobham Hall has long had a strong Peer Mentoring system, but this took a leap forward this term as a number of Cobham Hall girls became Student Ambassadors as they undertook either Wellbeing Training with David Gumbrell of Teach Well Alliance, or Anti-Bullying Training with The Diana Award. Late February saw 30 girls assemble in Clifton Common Room with the aim of becoming the School’s first Wellbeing Ambassadors. They were encouraged to think about and explore different aspects of Wellbeing, including the impact of poor wellbeing. They were also given guidance on how to spot pupils who may need support, and how to work with staff. Through role-play, the girls were able to understand how to have conversations about Wellbeing, including concepts of active listening, neutral statements and open questions. Miss Fenice commented, “The girls were really engaged for the whole day. They all worked incredibly hard and it was wonderful seeing girls from Year 12 working with Year 7s, all with the same aim. I was extremely proud of how focused the girls were and how they engaged with David and the topics discussed.” At the end of the course, Wellbeing Student Ambassadors were provided with a reference handbook, a certificate and a badge, awarded in Assembly to denote their role as an Ambassador. The girls will now be encouraged to put the training to work, by supporting their peers and bringing any issues to the attention of staff. Following the great success of the Wellbeing Ambassador Training, Miss Fenice invited local schools to join Cobham Hall for a day’s Anti-Bullying Training with The Diana Award. The Diana Award, the only charity set up in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, was founded to further her belief that young people have the power to change the world. They have a variety of initiatives and programmes to support this mission, and the AntiBullying Campaign aims to reduce bullying in schools. Approximately 130 students from other schools joined a number of Cobham Hall girls for the day’s training, which involved understanding what bullying is, and how to tackle it. The students ended the day by creating an action plan to promote harmony and reduce bullying in their schools.
Lower School Girls Put Training into Practice Towards the end of term, Lower School pupils Deborah (Year 7) and Anjola (Year 8) put their training into practice to create a ripple of appreciation across the School. Deborah, who became a Wellbeing Student Ambassador, and Anjola, both a Wellbeing and Anti-Bullying
Ambassador, came up with the idea of creating ‘Love and Attention Cards’, a little memento to give to someone to make their day better. The girls were supported by Sabrina and Jasmine (Year 8) who helped cut out the cards, and Isis (Year 9) who suggested passing the cards on if 9
you receive or find one around the School. Miss Fenice was delighted to find a card anonymously pushed through her door one morning. The initiative epitomises the Cobham Hall Core Value of Kindness.
Art Competition win for Rosie!
We were thrilled this term to announce that Year 12 Art student Rosie won the Maidstone Young Artist of the Year Award. Entrants had to submit their piece, be it sculpture, prints, paintings or mixed media, based on the theme of ‘Friends’. Artist-in-Residence, Miss Bowdery, who encouraged the girls to enter, commented afterwards, “All the girls did amazingly well, and it was a pleasure to see all their work displayed in a gallery. Out of the 10 artworks chosen, six were representing Cobham Hall!” “I am so proud to represent such a talented group of girls. I know it will give them more confidence in their own abilities and further their excitement about creating artwork.” different areas of Art and Design. The artists explored their unique creative journeys, what inspired them, and how they turned an idea into a work of art. The girls returned to school inspired and brimming with ideas for their own work.” The girls were able to hear from ceramic artist Kate Malone, milliner Piers Atkinson, Royal Academician Fiona Rae, and photographer Simon Roberts.
Art in Action
Year 12 A Level Art and Photography students recently headed to The Emmanuel Centre for ‘Art in Action’: a creative process study day. Head of Art Mrs Walsh explained the day, “It was a visually stimulating programme. During this immersive experience, students had the chance to meet and hear from four leading contemporary artists working in
“The creatives spoke comprehensively about their own crafts,” explained Year 12 pupil India, “including insight and contextual triggers. To have been able to hear them talk about their own works was extremely interesting, and a new concept for me: visiting exhibitions more typically stimulates a viewer’s own response to the artworks presented, without overly explaining the artist’s own intentions. Although essential for viewers to have their own perceptions, knowing the artist’s reasoning gave me a fresh insight.” 10
Clay Workshop
On Saturday morning, Year 9 were introduced to the work of the Boyle family - a British family of artists who investigate the environment. Art Teacher Ms Lockheart said “The girls worked in plaster and clay and created some fabulous works.”
Visit from Ravensbourne Organised by Art Teacher Ms Lockheart, a lecturer from Ravensbourne University London, a leading specialist in Design and Media, visited Year 12 Photography students for a talk on their courses.
To ‘SHIVER’ yourself awake Artist-in-Residence Miss Bowdery hosted her first exhibition at Cobham Hall this term. Miss Bowdery joined at the start of the Autumn Term to provide an opportunity for Art Students to work alongside an artist, and explore their creativity beyond examination requirements. With works created during her time at Cobham Hall so far, her exhibition, ‘To SHIVER yourself awake’ was enjoyed by staff and students alike, with some girls even bringing their parents in to view the pieces. Inspired by techniques learned during her time at Cobham Hall, Miss Bowdery’s exhibition demonstrated how she has explored the fragility of the human psyche, vulnerability and a communication with her surrounding space. Consisting of photography, sculpture and new media, Miss Bowdery’s installations express a moment of serenity in such a fast-paced world. Head of Art Mrs Walsh took each of her classes to visit the exhibition and was delighted to see the girls’ reactions to the installation. “They really engaged with it,” she explained. “Some of the younger students were expecting to just see paintings on the wall so were surprised to be able to walk through the work and touch it. They asked Miss Bowdery insightful questions
Art Enrichment for Year 10 A number of Year 10 girls have been taking part in an Art Enrichment Programme this year. A non-examined class, the girls are able to enjoy being creative with fabrics, painting, printmaking, ceramics, and digital photography. The girls have created some fantastic pieces based on a variety of inspiration, from food to celebrities! 11
about her inspiration, about what the work meant and how she created the pieces. “What’s been lovely,” Mrs Walsh enthused, “is that, particularly with the older girls, we’re seeing some of Katie’s methods and influence transferring into their work. It’s a real two-way relationship though, as a lot of what we explore in class is also coming through in Miss Bowdery’s work.” “When I first walked into the exhibition,” explained Year 7 pupil Amy, “I thought it was really unique, I was expecting just paintings on the wall. There were leaves hanging from the ceiling, rocks around the floor and abstract and 3D paintings on the wall. We could feel the different textures.” During the visits, Miss Bowdery was available for the girls to speak to. “Miss Bowdery said that she liked that her sculpture was forming over time by people walking past and touching it,” reflected Alice, also Year 7, “so that the strings [on the structure] clustered together to change its overall appearance.” “As soon as I walked into her exhibition,” said Jenna, “I was amazed because it wasn’t at all what I expected. I didn’t know where to look as there was so much to look at. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The Sad Club Full of Heart The Year 10-13 School Play, ‘The Sad Club’, was a stunning, fast paced insight to the trials and tribulations of teenage life. Filled with the angst of a 14 year old, interspersed with catchy songs and encasing powerful messages at its core, ‘The Sad Club’ resonated with its audience: those of us that may have long seen the back of teenage life and so saw humour in self-recognition; those with teenage children who recognised the attitudes and behaviours; or those the age of the characters, who understood and related directly with the issues appearing on stage before them.
Behind the Scenes by Dami, Year 10
The Senior School Play was one of the best experiences I have taken part in since joining Cobham Hall. Not only did it help develop my confidence further and push me out of my comfort zone, it also aided me in gaining friendships throughout the older years.
From last year’s whole school production of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, this year saw the Drama Department take a much different approach. In the Autumn Term, Year 9 was showcased in the Shakespeare Festival. This term, the spotlight moved to Years 10 to 13, working on a play with National Theatre Connections.
The process was quite long. However, I never failed to be excited for a rehearsal and enjoyed immensely working together on a very ensemble piece which required maintaining a level of trust between me and my cast mates. I feel as though all of the actors fit their roles perfectly and seeing us all become more comfortable and mature as actors gave us all a sense of pride. The opening nights were exhilarating; the lights, the music and the fantastic audience we were graced with, really made the show. The feedback we received from the rest of the school was great to hear and made me feel so lucky to be a part of ‘The Sad Club’. None of this would have been possible without Ms Gorman and Miss Beadle, and for that I think I speak for the whole cast when I say I'm extremely grateful to them for making this an amazing and unforgettable experience.
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One of the UK’s largest celebrations of youth theatre, National Theatre Connections’ plays are commissioned for and about young people, from some of the best contemporary playwrights, and performed by schools and youth theatre all over the UK and Ireland. ‘The Sad Club’, written by Luke Barnes, with music by Adam Pleeth, is an honest portrayal of the problems teenagers face - trying to fit in, wishing they were someone else, dealing with parental expectation and more. Cobham Hall’s physical ensemble performance sparkled with clarity as the girls seamlessly filled multiple roles. At its core, the play’s heart was in its message of acceptance and understanding; learning to love yourself as you are, to be grateful for the simple things you take for granted that may be denied to others, to remember that appearances – especially those on social media – can be deceptive, and to appreciate
everyone has their own troubles. Director and Drama Teacher Ms Gorman said afterwards, “This was a challenging production because I knew I would like to be ambitious and create an ensemble to support the different story lines, as well as get the students to sing and dance! “Initially this was very strange for the girls and the rehearsals were exhausting – when you’re on Stage the whole time there is no down time! Soon the cast began to relish the energy of the ensemble and they connected so well as a performance group, respectful and supportive of each other. All performances were incredibly accomplished and the girls responded so positively to the material as it was so relevant to them.” We look forward to Years 7 and 8 taking to the stage in June for the Junior Play, ‘I Got Superpowers for my Birthday’ by Katie Douglas.
Missed out? Catch the girls at The Marlowe Theatre!
If you missed the opportunity to see the production in School, then you are in luck! In 2019, National Theatre Connections is working with over 300 youth theatre and schools to stage ten newly commissioned plays. All the companies will transfer their production to a Connections Partner Theatre – ours is The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury where girls will be joining other local schools and Theatre Companies as they each stage their production in on Friday 10th May, at 6.30pm. Tickets can be booked directly with the Theatre. We look forward to seeing you there! 13
World Book Day Triumphs A fantastic effort was made across the School to
mark World Book Day! Special mentions must go to Year 12 and Year 13 who each did big group ensembles - 'Gossip Girl' for Year 12 and 'Jurassic Park' for Year 13. Winners of the costume competition were: 3rd: Mulan 2nd: Coraline 1st: Ochako Uraraka (from Manga 'Boku no Hero Academia')
A Magical Lunchtime
The Library Club arranged a fabulous lunchtime of Harry Potter themed activities. Girls were sorted into a Hogwarts House on arrival into the ILC, where there was Bingo, a Quiz, and even a variation of Quidditch!
Girls Favour Winner A small group of Year 8, 9 and 10 students attended the Southern School Book Awards ceremony for a very enjoyable evening in late January. The girls and Librarian Mrs Geater had been reading the shortlisted books for the award – ‘After the Fire’ by Will Hill, ‘Satellite’ by Nick Lake, ‘Contagion’ by Teri Terry, ‘The Extinction Trials’ by S. M. Wilson and ‘The Farewell Tour of a Terminal Optimist’ by John Young. The winner of the awards was announced at the ceremony and we were delighted that it was the same book we had chosen – Will Hill for ‘After the Fire’. The authors were present at the ceremony and gave very entertaining and moving speeches. After the ceremony there was a book signing - girls received free books and there was an opportunity to talk to the authors.
Book Fair Bargains
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A Scholastic Book Fair held just before the end of term proved a perfect opportunity to bag some half-price books ahead of the School’s annual ‘Read for Good’ sponsored read!
Mini-Beast Invasion
Years 7 and 8 shared their Science lab with a grass snake, a blue-tongued skink, a frilled-neck lizard, a tortoise, a terrapin, a cockroach and a tarantula as Cobham Hall was invaded by an array of mini-beasts. The creatures were part of a workshop discussing and demonstrating structural differences, and how animals adapt to different habitats. Head of Science Mr Fryer explained why he organised the workshops, “Seeing the animals in the flesh makes the subject all the more real. The students also gain a greater respect for the animals.”
Parents Enter Lab
The Science lab was full of eager pupils on Saturday morning, but instead of the girls, it was their parents! Following on from a previous successful Parent Workshop, Head of Science, Mr Fryer, decided to again open his lab for parents of our Year 7s. Explaining why, Mr Fryer said, “A key reason for offering these sessions to parents is to allow them to experience what their daughters do in a typical Science lesson.” It was a morning of discovery for the ‘students’ as they began to understand the pressure of following the instructions exactly, but the elation of successfully carrying out an experiment and seeing the result. Parents carried out several experiments including diffusion, chromatography, and making a temporary slide of onion cells and using a microscope to observe a cell nucleus, and separating salt from a mixture of sand and salt, by filtration and then evaporation.
Spring Chickens
Mr Fryer’s Year 7 Science class were thrilled when the first of the fertilised eggs that were delivered began to hatch during their lesson. The presence of the eggs, and subsequently the chicks, give girls the chance to experience first-hand just how rapid the development is from fresh hatchling to the cute, fluffy chicks we recognise. “As always,” explained Head of Science Mr Fryer, “respect for the chicks is absolutely paramount. Their presence prompts the girls to not only understand and witness their growth, but opens wider debate around farming, vegetarianism, and care for animals.” Staff and pupils throughout the School were invited to visited the chicks at lunchtimes. Once the chicks had developed, girls had the opportunity to handle them. For many this meant overcoming fear – including fear of hurting the chicks, or fear of being pecked. Many girls took the opportunity, and for many it the first time they had held a chick.
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Excitement for the Guardian Convention One of the most popular and much anticipated events in the school calendar took place this term: the annual Guardian Convention. The whole school gathered in The Gilt Hall to elect a new Student Leadership Team. As the School filed into The Gilt Hall, nervous yet excited smiles danced on the faces of the girls standing for Deputy Guardians and House Captains. Once everyone was seated, Headmistress Ms Roberts and our Guardian candidates, Lilly and Sarah, entered the room. Opening the Convention with a message of reflection and thanks to the outgoing SLT, Ms Roberts introduced the day praising the girls, saying that to simply put themselves forward to represent their peers was an admirable step to take, and the courage required to do so was inspiring. After hearing external references, Lilly and Sarah, each followed by their Deputies, gave their speeches. Each speech truly reflected the girls’ personalities, as well as clearly laying out their beliefs and ideas should they be elected. Then followed the internal references before both girls responded to difficult questions from the floor with ease, grace and good humour. Attention then turned to candidates for the House Captain positions, with each candidate appealing to their respective Houses to encourage votes. Voting took place over lunchtime, with each member of the community having equal vote. Later in the afternoon, Ms Roberts’s voice came from the tannoy announcing our 2019-2020 Student Leadership Team, as detailed opposite.
An Outstanding Exa in Action at C
Following the annual Guardian Convention, m Guardian Sarah Studies History, Politics, Theatre Aspirations To live a happy, successful life, and to always be surrounded by friends and family. Favourite Quotation “You may have no idea what lays ahead, but you also have no idea how strong you are.” - Morgan H Nicholas
Deputy Guardians Teloni
Anna
Studies English, Politics, Psychology, Economics
Studies Politics, History, Geography
Aspirations To study international relations and African politics, making little waves of changes to every nation.
Aspirations Humanitarian work, Involvement with the United Nations
Favourite Quotation “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.” - George Fairman 16
Favourite Quotation “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity can’t survive.” - Dalai Lama
Thanks to our Outgoing SLT
ample of Democracy Cobham Hall
meet our 2019-2020 Student Leadership Team! Clifton House Captain Lilly
Darnley House Captain Rosie
Studies Physics, History, Physical Education
Studies Psychology, Art, Photography
Aspirations Aspiring Triathlete/Road Cyclist To study Sport Science at University Blog writing/Journalism Conservation Projects
Aspirations To go into a design-based career, such as fashion or interior.
Favourite Quotation “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” - Nelson Mandela
Favourite Quotation “A champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” - Serena Williams
Lenox House Captain Langa
Richmond House Captain Chiamaka
Studies Chemistry, Mathematics, Spanish
Studies Biology, Psychology, Spanish, Theatre
Aspirations To make a change in the world and to be happy and make those around me happy too Favourite Quotation “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” - Helen Keller
Aspirations I love make-up and I’m starting my own business. I would really love to work in international affairs. Favourite Quotation “It is what it is, so there is no point stressing over things you can’t change or control.” - Anon. 17
As we welcome our new SLT into their roles, we also say thank you to our outgoing Team. Reflecting on all their acheivements, the girls were united in mentioning Beauty Banks as one of their proudest. Having handed the donations to the charity in an assembly this term, Darnley House Captain Olivia was pleased they had raised awareness of an “amazing lesser known charity, especially as it specifically targets less fortunate females: it’s an important charity to raise awareness of in an allgirls school.” Events were also another memorable achievement for the girls, with Clifton House Captain Britta explaining, “Events like the Colour Run were my favourite because we could directly see the girls and how much they were enjoying themselves, and that made the planning worthwhile.” Giving advice to the new team, the girls used words such as ‘listen’, ‘balance’, and ‘support’. Guardian Hannah summed this up, “Make sure you work as a team. Encourage and support each other as the work can sometimes get overwhelming. It is so important to balance out the work.” “As long as the new SLT has their own spark and work for the common good, sharing the workload, and listening to the girls, they cannot go wrong,” added Britta. “I hope they will continue the legacy of of friendly, supportive SLTs but remember: don’t copy anyone else. Trust your own ideas and create your own unique legacy.”
#BoardingLife
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Keep up-to-date with all the adventures on Twitter:
@CobhamBoarding
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Match Results Netball
U14 / U15 vs King’s Rochester
U14 won 14 - 4 Player of the Match: Tife U15 lost 14 - 20 Players of the Match: Rebecca and Bo
Sporting Success at Cobham Hall
U13 A and B vs King’s Rochester U13A lost 13 - 33 Player of the Match: Daisy U13B won 20 - 4 Player of the Match: Alyssa
U18 A and B vs Rochester Maths
U18A won 21 - 14 Player of the Match: Langa Special Mention: Nifemi, who played up two years U18B won 27 - 12 Player of the Match: Maisy
U17 vs Wilmington Grammar Senior Team lost 17 - 18 Player of the Match: Langa Year 10 Team won 16 - 11 Player of the Match: Bo
U13 / U14 vs Wilmington Grammar U13 drew 16 - 16 Player of the Match: Daisy U14 won 23 - 5 Player of the Match: Bella
Swimming Galas A and B vs Sutton Valence
Both Cobham Hall’s A and B teams beat Sutton Valence. PE Teacher Miss Fautley reported, “It was a very exciting gala, the girls looked professional, swam the races very competitively and cheered one another on throughout the gala! It was a pleasure to witness.”
Lenox Victorious in Inter-House Competitions this Term This term saw two Inter-House Sports Tournaments - Badminton and Hockey. The Badminton Tournament took place during the girls’ normal PE lessons, with each Year Group from 7 to 12 taking part. The overall result was: Lenox, Clifton, Darnley and Richmond. The Hockey Tournament proved to be incredibly close, with Lenox and Clifton finishing with the same number of points. Mrs Hooper and Miss Fautley had to go to ‘Goals For’ across both the Junior and Senior Tournaments. Lenox beat Clifton overall by just one goal! Following the Inter-House Hockey Tournament, House Captains nominated the following girls for commendations:
Clifton: Olivia (Junior) and Maci (Senior) Darnley: Francesca (Junior) and Rebecca (Senior) Lenox: Felicity (Junior) and Trinity (Senior) Richmond: Elena (Junior) and Maria (Senior) The overall results saw Lenox take the win again, followed by Clifton, Richmond and Darnley.
Swimming Coach Claire Muller was delighted, “I just can’t believe how far we have come as a school, the standard of the two teams now compared to five years ago is phenomenal!”
Tournament vs King’s Rochester vs Sutton Valence vs Rochester Grammar
First place finishes for both the Intermediates and Seniors, coupled with an incredibly close second place (by a single point!) for our Juniors meant an overall win for Cobham.
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Maisy: Kent Schools’ Champion!
It’s been a busy term for Year 11 pupil Maisy. Not only is she busily preparing for her examinations, but she’s also been competing at a number of events. Starting in early January, Maisy took part in a cross country event in Brands Hatch, where she finished second. This was followed by the prestigious Knole Run in Sevenoaks, a renowned tough 5km course. Competing against girls from some of the country’s top schools, Maisy finished in a fantastic second place - just one second behind the winner, with a time of 19 minutes 14 seconds. A wonderful achievement in a competitive field with girls up to the age of 18. Maisy was joined at the event by Lilly, Year 12, who came 43rd, with a time of 23 minutes 35 seconds: a fantastic finish for our Team GB Triathlete. This put her in the top half of the field. For Maisy, the Knole Run was followed the next weekend by the Kent School’s AA Cross Country Championships, where Maisy finished first - 11 seconds ahead of the second place finisher! It’s the second time Maisy has held the title. Speaking afterwards, Maisy commented, “The Knole Run was extremely close, and although frustrating to finish just a second behind, I was pleased with my performance and it gave me more determination for the Schools’ Championship. After two weeks of getting a silver medal, it finally all came together and I won by eleven seconds. It means I will be first in the pen on the start line at the English Schools’ Championships, which will give me the best possible start.”
British Schools’ Biathlon Finals
Congratulations to the girls who competed in the British Schools' Biathlon Finals this term!
Year 12’s Lilly finished 5th in her age category and Year 8’s Natasha placed 10th in hers. Mrs Hooper was proud of all the girls who competed, commenting afterwards that they all showed great determination.
U12 & U13 Kent Netball There was a Kent Netball Tournament for our U12 ad U13 teams this term. Both teams showed great resilience and put in good performances. Head of PE Mrs Hooper accompanied the U13s reporting, “It was an excellent day and the girls finished with a real sense of a achievement.” Miss Fautley said of the U12s, “They are excited for the future in netball and looking forward to the team they will become as they gain more experience together.” 21
Natasha Qualifies for Championships
Natasha, Year 8, competed in the Kent Swimming Championships 2019 at the London Aquatic Centre and Crystal Palace in the following events: 800m Freestyle -7th (Personal Best) 400m IM - 8th Place 1500m Freestyle - 6th Place and qualified for Regional Championships 200m Breaststroke - Qualified for Regional Championships Congratulations, Natasha!
Individual Action, Global Impact
“A few weeks ago, we had a spark within us and felt a
sudden need to change our ways regarding plastic usage and consideration for the world in which we live. The most unsettling thought was that it was something we had control over.
City to Sea Bake Sale
The problem is something which every student in this School will most indefinitely see the repercussions. Being three Year 11 students at Cobham Hall, the issue sat dear in our hearts, and yet we see that still no changes are being made in the wider world and this is not good enough for us.
Year 11 pupils Maci, Aoife and Alisha embarked on a mission this term to raise awareness of, and reduce, plastic pollution. The girls launched their campaign with an impassioned assembly that received much praise, to highlight the problem and to encourage the community to support World Earth Hour on Saturday 30th March.
We have set in action a series of things we would like to do, with the aim to encourage the other students at Cobham Hall to join us in a mission to make the world, our home, and environments in this School a greener and safer place.
The trio swiftly followed this by hosting a Bake Sale to raise money for City to Sea, a non-profit organisation campaigning to prevent marine plastic pollution.
Consider this: if each student in the School used seven plastic products which could be cups, straws, bottles or product wrapping each week, then that is around 180 students over 52 weeks in a year. That accumulates to 65,520 products the students in our School alone amass.
Here, they explain why they wanted to make a difference.
...Now imagine the entirety of the staff and each student’s family. That is a figure we don't want to calculate.
Amazing work Ma ci, Aoife you’re ta and Alish king the a initiative We’re ov and who er the doesn’t lo ve a bake moon sale!?
We understand the importance of the world and how rapidly we will be forced to face the consequences and here is why we are so concerned. A few important figures we feel people should know:
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• 1 in 6 species is at risk of extinction due to climate change. • Every two seconds an area the size of a football pitch will disappear from the forests. • By 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish*
It is the richest countries that pollute the world the most. The damage we cause affects the poorest and most vulnerable countries first; we kill the most innocent by our actions and we ask you… How is this fair? To us, these things are too disturbing and so we have begun to make a change and have started in our School. We recently did an assembly expressing why we care so much in hope of passing on our passion to our peers. We asked every student who brings a reusable water bottle to school every day to stand up. I feel happy to say the figure was large however, we are hopeful that soon every student and teacher can stand up and reduce that 65,520 figure. We are privileged at Cobham Hall to be part of a small community which makes differences like this so much easier. There are many variations of reusable bottles, for example, the School House bottles cost £1.00 in the tuck shop, and considering branded bottles of water cost a similar price, it really is worth it. On Saturday 30th March, at 8:30pm, an event called 'World Earth Hour' took place. Led by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), a leading conservation organisation, everyone was encouraged to join them and turn off all lights and electronics to see what a difference we can make for just 60 minutes. It also allowed us to appreciate what is essential and non-essential about
being a human as many do not have access to electricity. We understand that there are those must-see TV shows, and all-important texts or calls that need to be watched, read, sent or taken, however, we have realised there is a greater importance in saving our world than an hour of electronic use. We hope many of the Students, Staff, Parents and Guardians of Cobham Hall joined in on the 30th March to use their individual actions to create a global impact. We would like to leave you with a few thoughts. We are fighting against a problem which we created, yet people don't seem to care because they cannot see the 1cm rise in sea levels or the 0.5-degree increase in temperature, but it does not make the problem go away. It is no longer your children’s children facing the end of humanity, but it is YOU. It is US. ...The dinosaurs probably thought they had time too.”
Support the girls during the Summer Term with their ‘City to Sea’ non-uniform day. In exchange for a £1 donation, girls can come to school dressed in green and blue clothing.
23 *Facts obtained from WWF.org.uk
Spring Term Training for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award In early January, not long after the start of term, 27 girls from Years 9 and 12 attended their Bronze or Silver Expedition training: a weekend of learning vital skills. On Saturday, the girls learned to menu plan, pack a rucksack, and look at types of kit to take on an expedition. They also erected tents, learned how to map read, cooked their lunch on trangia stoves, route-planned, used compasses and took bearings. On Sunday, the girls departed Cobham Hall in five groups with an experienced adult, and walked approximately 10km cross-country using footpaths to test their stamina, ability to carry a packed rucksack, and hone their navigation skills. They all returned smiling, if a little fatigued! This was followed a few days later with 15 girls completing Silver Expedition training, gaining further skills in navigation and compass work. Despite the snow flurries, the girls ventured into the grounds after a classroom exercise to practice pacing and walking on a bearing. Small markers were placed across the site for the groups to find using grid references and a compass, which they all achieved successfully! Later in the term, and in slightly nicer weather, 33 girls from Years 9, 10 and 12 went out in five groups with leaders on their final practice walk before their overnight practice expedition in May.
Congratulations LTR! One Saturday this term, Lower and Middle School pupils took part in an adventure morning, organised by ‘The Problem Solving Company”. The morning saw the girls undertake many physical and logical problem solving challenges. Congratulations go to Tutor Group LTR, for being the Lower School Group gaining the most points for all the challenges. Tutor Mrs Russell said, “It was a fun, challenging and bonding experience for the students.” 24
Eyes Opened to World Hunger
Nifemi’s Belfast Round Square Conference Diary
The School Community came together this term for a ‘World at Lunch’ event. The aim was to encourage girls, in a thought-provoking and practical way, to consider the issues of poverty and global hunger.
Day 1: We arrived in Belfast and took a bus ride to the hotel. In the evening, we went to the Welcome Dinner, where we met and socialised with people from different countries including America, India and China.
Organised by our Round Square Committee, students and staff were randomly allocated to either a low, middle or high income country as they entered The Gilt Hall. The number of people in each of the categories was proportionately based on world population statistics. Everyone received a fact sheet about their ‘country’, providing information about population size, education and health standards for their country, and the bleakest statistic of all, life expectancy.
Day 2: We took the coach to the Giant’s Causeway and, when we got there, it was really windy, cold and rainy. Despite that, I really enjoyed walking up the rocks and looking at the views. From the Causeway we went to Dark Hedges; it was lovely walking through the twisted trees. The last part of our day was taken up with activities at Rockport School. We did orienteering and laser-tag. Day 3: We visited the Parliament building, where it was fascinating to learn more about Northern Ireland. We went to Clandeboye Estate to do some environmental service work moving logs.
Those ‘lucky’ enough to be in the High Income countries – just five people in total – were treated to a sumptuous three course meal, served to them at a well laid table. Those in Middle Income countries received a satisfying and balanced meal. However, as a stark reminder on the challenges faced by many across the world, the majority of students and staff found themselves honorary citizens of Low Income countries, and had rice for lunch.
Later in the day, we heard from guest speaker Mark Pollock; his story was really touching. He was an adventurer, and the first blind person to race to the South Pole, until he fell out of a window and broke his back.
In a further twist, an aid shipment of bananas was intercepted and so became available only on the black market at 50p each. Additionally, the girls also discovered that some on the ‘High-Income’ table had bribed their way there, which prompted discussion of fairness, abuses of power and corruption. Funds raised from bribes, bananas and money saved from lunch will be donated to Oxfam.
During dinner, Rockport students sang and performed Irish Dancing. A good, but tiring day! Day 4: More of a calm, chilled day! We had a bus tour around Belfast, had a little free time and went to the Titanic experience. When we got there, we saw a gallery about the ship. We had dinner there with all the other students as it was our last night, and watched a short video of the whole trip.
Lunch was followed by Tutorial, where the girls discussed the lunch, and the wider implications. Many said that the event really opened their eyes to what they take for granted, and how fortunate they were to be in the small percentage of the world that has access to warm meals and clean drinking water.
Day 5: We had breakfast at the hotel, and had to take the coach to the airport to catch our flight home. Altogether the trip was enjoyable. I made a whole range of new friends from different countries. This was my first Round Square Conference, and I would love to go on another! 25
School Snippets
Lord of the Flies
Latin Scrabble
Latin GCSE students practised their vocabulary with a game of Scrabble!
Careers Advice It was time to think about the future for Year 10 this term, with a variety of opportunities to consider career paths.
Geography Conference Year 12 Geographers, along with Mrs Keys, headed to Bloomsbury Baptist Church for an A Level Geography Conference, focusing on examination technique as well as covering coastal landscapes, and earth life support systems.
Soviet Propaganda Year 10 History students made excellent use of the grounds during the early Spring sunshine to create their own Soviet Propaganda films.
Inspiring Futures, who run the Futurewise careers guidance service, were also in school to run a Business and Enterprise Morning for Year 10. The interactive session encourages the girls to set-up a business and pitch their ideas to the group. This helps develop leadership, creativity, confidence, teamwork and communication skills, as well as an understanding of business and commercial operations. In addition, girls also had interviews with the Education Business Partnership to establish Work Experience placements in the Summer Term.
University Planning
Miss West's Year 11 class made 3D islands using the description of the setting from William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies'.
Fair Trade Chocolate Year 9 split into groups during one Geography lesson. As a “Fair trade chocolate company”, “independent farmers”, “fair trade farmers”, “supermarket” & “shoppers”, the girls learned about Fair Trade.
It wasn’t just Year 10 thinking about their futures this term. Year 12, through Dr Marin’s University Challenge Programme, have had the opportunity to find out more about the requirements for embarking on Law or Medicine, as well as about the process for applying to universities overseas or the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Universities. They got to hear from Year 13s about why they chose their course, as well as have lunch with Elder Louise Read, now studying Law at Warwick University.
Musical Performances
There was also a visit from Kat Knight from City University London, to give a presentation to Year 12 students regarding Personal Statements and UCAS application guidance).
Musicians both experienced and novice took the stage this term. Younger students battled nerves to perform at our Beginners’ Concert, while IB students wowed with recitals.
Additionally, the girls also visited the Drill Hall Library, at the nearby ‘Universities at Medway’ Campus, for an introduction to a university library and to develop research skills.
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Indigestion Remedies Year 7 tested their own methods for working out which indigestion powder was ‘the best’. First, they had to work out a definition of ‘the best’, then test their methods. They could adjust these in light of experience.
Medieval Times Year 7 enjoyed a Medieval Banquet at school thanks to the Catering Team before heading to nearby Eynsford Castle to learn more about Medieval England.
Eye, Eye!
Year 10 were dissecting eyes as part of their Human Responses topic. They were tasked with locating the lens and using it to magnify writing.
GCSE Hearts GCSE PE students found an alternative use for their sports equipment, by making models of the heart! The above was deemed by Miss Fautley and Mrs Hooper to be the best model.
Twelfth Night Role-Play in Geography Year 9 built shanty towns to explore how difficult it is for people to live in less developed countries. "Chance Cards" determined future of homes during floods, fires and the building of new legal homes, which saw Mrs Kipling and Mrs Keys 'bulldozing' some buildings!
Self-Esteem... en español! Year 7 Spanish Lessons took a Wellbeing twist with girls taking part in activities to raise self-esteem and promote good relationships between students - practicing in English then applying the same idea in Spanish.
Year 8 turned Miss West’s English classroom into a theatre, staging ‘Twelfth Night’ just before the end of term. They did an excellent job of analysing the play as they went through the scenes.
Choice Chambers
Year 9 had to overcome some fears when they did a biology practical they were using choice chambers to see if maggots preferred dark or light conditions. But first, they had to pick up the maggots!
Dramatic History
History really comes to life in Miss Williams’s classroom! Both Year 7 and Year 8 enjoyed role playing this term. Year 7 recreated the Feudal System and Year 8’s classroom became a courtroom as they recreated a public enquiry into the conditions in a Victorian Textile Mill. 27
Forbidden Places
Year 8 investigated and gave short presentations of their findings on the world’s ‘Forbidden Places’ - including Pripyat, Gruinard Island and Area 51.
Elders’ News
Cobham Hall’s Elders follow a variety of paths after school, and we always enjoy hearing of their successes. Here are some recent good news stories. An Elder and have news you’d like to share? Please contact Julia Booth via boothj@cobhamhall.com or submit via: www.cobhamhall.com/submit.
Elders’ Snippets
Elder Louise Read returned in February to speak with Years 10, 11 and 12 who are interesting in applying to and studying Law at university.
Welcome Back to School! This term has seen several visits from Elders wishing to revisit their old school, and see what’s changed - and what’s stayed the same! For many it’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane, and for others a chance to show their daughters where they went to School. Kathryn Hayton (nee Parham), who attend Cobham Hall in 1992-1996 and again from 1998-2000, visited with her daughter and fellow Elder Hee Sun Choi from Korea who attended from 1998-2000, also along with her daughter.
In April, Claire Johnston (nee Alexander) from Western Australia, an Elder from 1989-1990, and school friend Sam Scott-White (nee Reis; 1986-1990) also visited with their daughters. April also held a visit from Gabriella Magiera, a former Guardian who attended from 2002-2006, and Manning (Mandy) Tsui, a student here from 2001-2006. If you’d like to make a visit back to Cobham Hall, please do get in touch with Julia: boothj@cobhamhall.com.
Louise studies at Warwick and returned as part of the Warwick Law Society, who run a programme called ‘Law Trek’. The programme aims to visit schools to inspire young people to choose a degree in Law, as well as to educate them about the legal profession. Elder and former Guardian Stephanie Allen visited this term to conduct research for her university final year dissertation. She is researching how home structure influences a child’s educational attainment and behaviour. She conducted research with a focus group made up of girls from Key Stage 3.
50th Anniversary Commemorative Book
Opportunities from Elders’ Reunion Dinner and Elders’ Talk November’s Women of Achievement Dinner, held in Searcy’s, London, has had the wonderful effect of re-connecting many Elders with the School and has provided wonderful opportunities for current students. These have included work experience placements, and in-school workshops.
the wonderful network available to them and has also opened the possibility of work experience placements.
In addition, a visit and talk from Tracey Balch, Chairman of the Elders’ Association, to Years 7, 11 and 13 reminded many current students of
You can also update your contact details and send us your news - big or small - via the website: www.cobhamll.com/elders 28
If you would like to offer support or advice to current students, please do get in touch with Julia Booth (boothj@cobhamhall.com).
Anyone wishing to purchase a copy of the 50th Anniversary Book, priced at just £20, can do so by emailing Julia Booth (boothj@cobhamhall.com). The book is a wonderful collection of ancedotes and memories from the School’s first 50 years.
Unicorn News and Events
Cobham Hall’s Parent-Teacher Association, Unicorn, is dedicated to raising funds and running events for the benefit of all at Cobham Hall. Here are details of their next event. To find out more, you can email the Committee: unicorn@cobhamhall.com or visit www.cobhamhall.com/unicorn
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Advocating a Positive Mental Attitude Head of Physical Education, Mrs Kelli Hooper, explains how she maintains a positive mental attitude. I have always tried to look on the positive side of life and try to have a ‘cup-half-full’ approach. I would like to think that as a teacher, this is a normal way of being, and therefore it is an expectation I have of my students. I’m not claiming this to be an easy thing to do in any aspect of life, and it is most certainly an effort to remain positive each day, especially when there is a fear of failure in a forthcoming situation, or when you are simply having a low day – which, as human beings, we all experience from time to time. Here are a few of my approaches to maintaining a positive mental attitude: 1) Positive language is a good place to start. Try starting a sentence with a positive instead of a negative. For example, “I am definitely improving!” rather than “I am still terrible at this!” 2) Always being positive with others around others in the workplace or in a team situation. Positive thoughts and behaviour breeds success and confidence. I believe this to be an attribute of our girls in sport and something as a school we are very proud of. Cobham Hall encourages these attributes on the students’ arrival and throughout their lives both at the School and beyond. The Elders Association and the past students who have been invited as guest speakers on our prestigious Festival Days are outstanding positive advocates of this.
3) Make an effort to smile! I talk to my form and classes regularly about their facial appearance. We also talk about our “resting face” and how looking and acting interested in others - and teachers! - makes us more appealing to be around. When we smile, life smiles back at us! 4) We must also never allow others to try to bring us down! Generally if somebody is trying to diminish your confidence it is usually down to a lack of confidence they have in themselves. As the song ‘Everybody’s Free to wear Sunscreen’ says, “Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults…if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.” As a child, I was reminded regularly how lucky I was in life not for the material things but simply for my health, happiness and security in life. These aspects I strive to ensure students appreciate and value. I greatly believe the best leveller in life is to compare yourself to somebody less fortunate, and appreciate just how lucky you are! 30
Self-belief goes hand-in-hand with positive mental attitude; it also mirrors the School’s motto: “There is more in you than you think”. Without self-belief it is impossible to reach your full potential in life! But how is this all possible...? It all sounds so simple, and it’s so easy to say, if a little clichéd, but practice. As I always say to the girls, “Practice makes ....... Permanent!” If you practice being positive: regularly encourage others, see defeat as part of the process to succeed, smile when you are nervous, accept a challenge even if you may fail, be pleased for others when they succeed, put on that confident face even if you feel like you want to hide, then before long, these will all start to become permanent behaviour. So in short, practice the positive way of life - the ‘cup half full approach’ - on a day to day basis, and soon a positive mental attitude will be yours!
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To keep in touch and up-to-date with Elders’ news and events, visit: www.cobhamhall.com/elders Cobham Hall’s Parent-Teacher Association. To find out about upcoming Unicorn events, visit: www.cobhamhall.com/unicorn
Tasters and Open Mornings
Forthcoming Events
Year 5 Taster Afternoon & Sleepover
Head’s Coffee Morning
(for September 2020 Entry)
Saturday 18 May th
Friday 10th/Saturday 11th May 2019
Summer Art Exhibition and Music Concert
Open Morning
Thursday 23rd May
Saturday 11th May 2019
Half-Term
Lower and Middle School Taster Afternoon & Sleepover
Saturday 25th May to Sunday 2nd June
Unicorn Summer Fair
Friday 4th/Saturday 5th October 2019
Saturday 15 June th
Open Morning
Sports Day
Saturday 5th October 2019
Festival Day
Sixth Form Taster Sleepover & Open Morning
Saturday 22nd June Saturday 29th June
Friday 15th/Saturday 16th November 2019
For information on any of the above events, or to register your interest in attending, please email enquiries@cobhamhall.com 31
Cobham, Kent, DA12 3BL, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1474 823371 enquiries@cobhamhall.com www.cobhamhall.com
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