School Magazine 2017-2018

Our Year 2017–2018

SCHOOL LIFE 3

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM 125

ACADEMIC LIFE 26

CHARITY 158

CREATIVE 44

TRIPS 163

MUSIC 77

AWARDS AND MORE 172

DRAMA 93

MOVING ON 190

SPORT 113

SCHOOL OFFICERS 197

INTRODUCING OUR HEAD SENIORS CECELIA KANE AND ESTHER BOLODEOKU Cecelia (Cece) and Esther (Dara) tell us about each other.

Cece said, “My first distinct memory of Dara was on my 13th birthday when she and her sister, Torera performed an amazing dance. That evening stands out in my mind because firstly, it was the coolest dance I had ever seen, and secondly, it was an act of such kindness and generosity, which just sums up Dara perfectly. Over the years, our shared interests in drama and dance have brought us together on many occasions, whether it be gushing over the musical ‘Hamilton’ or performing in School productions together.

Dara has so many incredible strengths, which is why she is going to be a tremendous Deputy Head.

One of her greatest attributes is her kindness but she is also outstandingly talented in sport, drama and music and approaches every issue with sensitivity and empathy, making her an ideal role model for the younger girls. Working with Dara will be an honour and I have no doubt that she will make the most amazing Deputy Head.

Dara said, “On the day Mrs McKendrick called me to tell me I had been selected to be Deputy Head Senior, I was incredibly honoured and happy. However, when I discovered Cece would be Head Senior, I was even happier! It’s crazy to think that when I first met Cece, we were shy, awkward, giggly eleven year olds, embarking on the beginning of our Downe House journey.

We were in separate Houses but we shared many of the same interests - we both auditioned for a part in the Lower School production and both made it into the athletics team but if you had told us we would end up being Head and Deputy Head Senior in Upper Sixth, we probably would have laughed. Cece is handsdown the best girl for the role of Head Senior. She is a bundle of fun; caring, passionate and hardworking, but she is also a good listener and very intelligent. We have become such good friends and from ‘Annie’ to ‘West Side Story’, we have always managed to end up side by side on stage, acting together.

Every year, the Head Senior is always humble and generous, a strong leader and an amazing role model for the younger girls and Cece is exactly that. With a great support team beside her, I have no doubt that she will excel in the position.

Cece about Dara in just three words ~

Dara about Cece in just three words ~

“compassionate, genuine, hilarious”

“determined, kind, passionate”

FROM THE HEADMISTRESS MRS EMMA McKENDRICK 2017–18 marked 110 years since Downe House was founded and it has been a great privilege over the last year to meet and talk to a number of alumnae about their time here, including a group in Hong Kong of different ages and one who left Downe in 1938. What comes out overwhelmingly in any of these discussions is not only their pride in the School but also the depth of the friendships that they built up both during their time at Downe and also when they meet other alumnae afterwards at university or in their professional lives. There is a special bond which is often described as coming from a common set of values which do not need to be explained but are simply intrinsic – the understanding that the fostering of relationships and people are key to success, as well as happiness, and the commitment to give of your very best in any situation. It is a reminder for me that, as we plan for the future, we never lose sight of people being at the centre of all that we do. ii

I hope that, as you read the articles and the reports in this magazine, you will get a sense of the importance of fostering and nurturing positive relationships still being at the heart of our ethos today. Building healthy, happy relationships requires commitment, is hard work and also requires a certain level of selflessness. We can never be complacent, especially in an era when increased use of technology can discourage face-to-face interaction, but I remain extremely proud of the way in which members of our community value one another. Our strength as a community comes from the diversity of the individuals in it, the ability to appreciate one another’s strengths, encourage one another, embrace difference and celebrate one another’s success. One very good example of this is the way in which the Lower Sixth have decided that they want to make supporting younger girls with their academic studies a priority by being academic mentors or buddies; others are the way in which the girls support each other at plays, dance and musical performances, as well as encourage each other on the sports pitches.

Downe House remains a special place and I thank Mrs Sue Lister and the Foundation Team who give us all a glimpse of this by putting together this excellent magazine.

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WILLIS HOUSE REPORT It was a tearful and emotional end to the year as we said goodbye to the Upper Sixth after their final exams. What a journey it has been with such a magnificent year group!

The Upper Sixth year is always an intense one and so guiding the girls during this very last milestone of their School career has been both rewarding and a huge privilege. The girls excelled themselves leading the rest of the School in their positions of responsibility and they will be remembered for their maturity, enthusiasm, commitment and passion for School life.

Lauren Griffith and Isabelle Brown have been exceptional leaders in their positions as Head and Deputy Senior. Their calm, measured and yet fun approach will be remembered for years to come. They were supported by an excellent team of Ambassadors and Seniors who worked hard all year to lead the rest of the School.

One of the biggest highlights was the Seniors’ organisation of the annual Happy Day which took on a ‘Hunger Games’ theme this year.

The girls organised various events throughout the day, culminating in a very competitive ‘Hunger Game’ on the tennis courts. Each House was given a theme or district to dress up as, with the Upper Sixth taking on the privilege of representing the Capitol. It was a hugely successfully event with all girls from the Remove to Upper Sixth taking part.

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The House Seniors representing the Upper and Lower School Houses have also played an integral role in the running of their respective Houses and gained great admiration from girls lower down the School.

All have helped with daily routines and have played large organisational roles in the various charity events across the Houses. It is hugely rewarding to see so many of our girls raising money for a wide range of charities, including our key charity, the Prostate Cancer Research Centre, which girls have continued to support this year. In addition, Isabella Muir and Catharine Wippell donated their hair to the Little Princess Trust and Catharine organised a magical Carols in the Cloisters event to raise money for Community Christmas, a local charity based in Newbury which provides company and support to elderly people.

The Upper Sixth continued to participate in all major music, sporting and drama events and we have enjoyed hearing the various reports of successes during our assemblies throughout the year. We thank Melissa Chang (Head of Music), Alexa Feather (Head of Sport), Alexandra O’Kane (Head of Art) and Henrietta Ryan (Head of Drama) for inspiring so many of our girls to get fully involved in School life. Our societies in the Sixth Form continue to be very well attended, with the most popular, the Caledonian and Phoenix Societies involving boys from Harrow, Eton and Radley. Mention should go to Evelyn Graham, Eliza Horn, Saskia Wormsley and Anna Hewitt for driving forward the Caledonian Society with such passion and to Holly Evans for reinventing the Phoenix Society and for attracting new blood through her role as President of the Society.

The Global Ambassadors should be commended for the way they have helped to welcome the new Global Exchange students from our partner schools across the globe. It is wonderful to see these girls integrate so well into our community and huge thanks go to the Ambassadors for making this transition very seamless for them. Thanks also should go to our Environmental Ambassador, Elizabeth Tatham, who did a fantastic job of raising awareness within the School of some of the very depressing realities of what is happening to our world.

We continued to encourage the girls and keep them focused on their academic work by offering regular incentives. Our wellbeing box, including our famous massage chair, was the biggest hit but the girls also enjoyed calming sprays, bacon butties, porridge and, during the exam season, dark chocolate to help them focus!

These girls worked phenomenally hard and we are proud of every single one of them. An exciting future awaits, and we look forward to hearing about their future successes!

Mrs Tara Reeve and Mrs Victoria Ryan, Housemistresses (Willis)

It’s hard to believe that the girls are already half way through their time in York. Looking back to when they arrived in September 2017, it didn’t take them too long to fully settle in before the fun began.

The first full day after the summer holidays had them on a coach to Oxford for a scavenger hunt and orientation session, followed by the start of their new subject courses.

Only a week later House Drama began, with the girls facing the challenge of producing the plays rather than acting in them. Sophie Elliot directed the winning play for AGN, inspiring us all with the truly amazing production of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ . However as always, the standard of all performances was incredibly high and all those involved deserve the highest accolade.

Throughout the Michaelmas Term everyone was busy if not joining, then forming clubs and societies. It was also their first opportunity to join the Caledonian Society, with many girls enjoying dressing up in their finery and reeling with Eton, Harrow and Radley. Others were

involved in debates and the everpopular Phoenix Society. The fast pace of the first term brought us into Lent term, which, if possible was even busier!

In one word, Lent Term was hectic but in the best possible way. There were so many competitions, trips, enrichment talks and birthdays that it seemed to pass in minutes, not months. To start off, we had what turned out to be one of the most interesting nights of the term - the Articulation competition. Each girl who took part in this chose an artist or piece of art to give a short presentation on. Lucy Dyer won the contest, after giving a fascinating presentation about the American painter Jackson Pollock, with Lettice Cornell a close runner-up with her talk on the Indian artist, Francis Newton Souza. Phoenix Society continued to be a hit, with Florence Fanshawe giving an inspirational talk about Surrealism. Caledonian Society also continued to be very popular!

opportunities are in relation to travelling and volunteering. The House Charity event in aid of Action for Archie proved to be highly successful with a new initiative – a Summer Fair! The dog show was the highlight with many entries from staff and girls alike. The 24hr Tennis Challenge displayed the commitment the girls had to further support the charity, with even the staff taking an active part.

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YORK HOUSE REPORT

As the girls look forward to their final year at Downe House there will be new challenges to face.

UCAS applications, entrance tests, coursework deadlines to name but a few. However, we have no doubt that they will meet these in their usual optimistic and determined manner.

Mrs Caroline Walton-Waters, Housemistress (York) and Biology Teacher

The Summer Term also proved to be jammed packed. The first weekend back saw the girls attending the Gap Year Fair where they gained an insight to just how diverse the

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AGN HOUSE REPORT At the beginning of the year, after saying a final goodbye to Miss Anger and Mrs Wise, we welcomed Mr Treadaway and Miss Cartmell into AGN with great enthusiasm.

Everyone also enjoyed getting to know the new Upper Fourth girls, who settled in very quickly and became part of the AGN family.

The year started off with a high at the annual House Drama competition where we performed ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ which was produced by Christabel Graham and directed by Sophie Elliot. They worked incredibly hard along with the other members of the Lower Sixth to put together the costumes and the amazing set amongst other things and it definitely paid off - we won! First place was a great achievement for AGN and was followed with many celebrations and everyone is very proud to have the trophy displayed in the trophy cabinet.

The Lent Term brought the House Music competition which was led by Katie Hackman, Sophie Elliot and Minna Crewdson. Although we didn’t win overall, everyone really went for it and did AGN proud. Luckily, we gained a welldeserved first place in the Vocal Ensemble section.

The AGN girls have also embraced the Global Exchange Programme. Over the year, we have really enjoyed welcoming exchange students from various countries, such as Kate from Australia and Jess from South Africa. It was a pleasure getting to know them and learning about their different cultures and we know that their buddies are very excited to experience this themselves.

Finally, it is with great sadness that we said a fond farewell to Mr Treadaway at the end of the Summer Term.

We would like to thank Mr Treadaway for being a great Housemaster and for bringing many positive changes and we know that Ginger will also be sorely missed by everyone. We are sure, however, that Miss Cartmell will be an amazing Housemistress and we are looking forward to supporting her next year. We are also very excited to welcome back Mrs Wise into the Assistant Housemistress role. We have all missed her a lot and are really looking forward to getting to know her baby daughter, Dorothy!

We know that AGN will continue to thrive this year and we are so proud to be a part of it. Ad Astra!

Isabella Evans, LVI

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AGS HOUSE REPORT The academic year started with a fun-filled inter-year outing to Unique Outdoors. It was a lovely day and we were greeted by a very welcoming team of professionals who lead the us through a range of different activities including zorbing, laser tag, wall climbing and other fun activities. It was a great way to bond with different year groups as well as to get to know the new Upper Fourth girls. Shortly after, House Drama rehearsals began for our production of ‘Frankenstein’. A huge number of AGS girls auditioned and all those who gained parts were truly incredible! The performance could not have gone better and AGS won many prizes, including Best Producer for Katherine O’Shea and Best Set Design. The Lower Sixth worked so hard and deserved the success.

This year, AGS has raised a lot of money for our chosen House charity Riding for the Disabled (RDA), and for our overseas link charity, Hosanna Children’s Home in Burma. We held a 5km sponsored colour-run to raise money for Burma, and many bake sales in School to raise money for the RDA. We are excited for the House Charity trip next summer to Hosanna Children’s Home, as we know lots of the girls are too!

‘Secret Santa’ marked the end of Michaelmas Term and we all got into the Christmas spirit, exchanging sweet and thoughtful presents and gestures anonymously throughout the period of one week. On the final Saturday, we gathered around the Christmas tree and exchanged our carefully chosen final gifts. Heavy snow prevented us from taking our Christmas outing to an ice rink, however we still had a lovely weekend with our friends and the Housestaff, and it was jam-packed full of snowy dog walks, hot chocolate, snowball fights and games!

There have been many delicious cooking sessions organised by Mrs Usmar, which are certainly a favourite activity of everyone in AGS - her duck pancakes were definitely a highlight this year! The sign ups were just as competitive for a spot at Mrs Mac’s supper clubs, which are such a lovely idea and such a nice way to enjoy Mrs Mac’s incredible cooking and spend time together in her flat. On the second of our snowy Lent Term days, after a long day of work, we ventured out to the lacrosse pitch for a huge AGS snowball fight with Mr and Mrs Mac, Poppy, Tilly and Teddy the dog too! It was great fun - although I know that many of us became a little too competitive, Mr Mac included!

House competitions were a particular success this year, including a win in the ‘girl band’ themed House Music. Our group performance of It’s Raining Men was a triumph and a credit to the amazing choreography of Lauren Dunn, Charlotte Toogood, Honor Stephens and Hye Lim Park. We also won the overall prize in House Drama and the workshop group, where everyone worked incredibly hard to execute the extremely challenging choreography! Amelia Rosling’s solo to White Horses was incredible. We were all mesmerised and nobody could take their eyes of the stage, including the adjudicator. House Gymnastics was also a fun evening and a great way to spend the last night of term. Well done to everyone involved.

This year’s Happy Day theme of ‘The Hunger Games’ was genius, with our House theme being ‘Jungle Fever’. The Sixth Form had thought of everything, from a reaping-themed inter-year dodge ball game to a themed menu; I don’t think anyone will ever look at tomato soup the same after it was called ‘blood bath’! The incredible events with the Sixth Form did not stop there, with an evening of inflatables on the Sports Field for all of us to enjoy - such a good way to relax before everyone started exams.

In the Summer Term we also had success with third place in House Swimming and winning the Senior House Cup at Sports Day. A delicious barbeque after Sports Day was the perfect way to end an action-packed term and amazing year!

Although we are sad to say goodbye to Elizabeth Michaelson, who has done a fantastic job as Head of House, we are delighted to welcome Katherine O’Shea as the new Head of House.

Maria do Carmo Calem and Annabel Le Grice, LV Downe House Magazine

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AISHOLT HOUSE REPORT The past year in Aisholt has been incredibly eventful, filled with prizes won and many great moments.

The House has been as vibrant and cheerful as ever under Monique Leong, Kitty Henry and Jess Pemberton, and has retained the enthusiasm for which it is known throughout the School. Mrs Boswell continues to keep the Aisholt girls jolly and organised and, in September, we welcomed our new Assistant Housemistress, Miss Tinman, and our new Resident Tutor, Mr Thompson, with full Aisholt spirit.

At the beginning of term, the new UIV girls were immediately thrown into Aisholt life with everything from our House Drama performance of ‘Sweeney Todd’, to the incredible Diversity-themed House Art competition, for which eight of us collaborated to create a mural of a face split into different cultures.

Prior to their entry in September, the UIV were invited for a sleepover and games night so they get to know the House before joining, and they settled in well. This is a tradition we have continued again this year.

We have had such a successful year winning prizes in all inter-House competitions, including House Drama, House Music, House Dance and House Gymnastics, and we had a very successful Sports Day, with Sasha Tydeman thrashing everyone in the 1500m race.

In House Drama we won Best Costume, Best Lighting, and Saskia McTaggart won Best Supporting Actress, for our performance in

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‘Sweeney Todd’ in this Gothicthemed competition. Our Directors were Olivia Kirkby and Trinity Hill, and our Producer was Georgia Hewitson. Everyone worked incredibly hard and came second overall, also winning the Artistic Endeavour Cup. The LV were very successful in House Gymnastics, and in House Music the whole House came together to make a masterpiece, and it was great to see how much effort and enthusiasm everyone put into the final piece, especially the costumes. We were especially proud of Jiayi Zheng in the UIV, who won the Best Solo prize for her unbelievably intricate piece on the piano. Aisholt was also victorious in House Dance, which featured an incredible solo by Zara Riaz and an exceptional ensemble dance choreographed by Georgia Hewitson and Elizabeth Boledeoku.

The House competitions are a great way to show how Aisholt girls work together, and hopefully our winning streak will continue through next year led by our new Head and Deputy Heads of House, Trinity Hill, Sophie Bott and Georgie Pollock.

Aisholt has worked hard this year to raise money for our charities, Berkshire Women’s Aid and Reality Gives, India. We were hugely grateful to the generosity of the Aisholt community that helped us raise over £13,000 at our Bollywood Ball in November, which will make a huge difference to the children Reality Gives supports in Mumbai.

Furthermore, we had our annual ‘Search for a Star’ competition hosted

by Sophie Bott and Charlotte Berry. As well as this, the amazing Miss Tinman

worked very hard with the girls each week creating chocolate masterpieces to be sold at Founder’s Weekend to raise more money.

In Aisholt, food and treats are almost always the key to happiness. Mrs Rodgers has been cooking treats for the girls almost daily, from her famous fudge to her delicious Rocky Road. During GCSEs the UV girls were treated to massages and to strawberries and cream on the terrace by Mrs Boswell. At the end of term, Mrs Boswell and the Housestaff took them to Bill’s restaurant in Reading for their leavers’ supper. This was greatly appreciated and enjoyed immensely by all the girls. Not to forget the LV and UIV girls, Mrs Boswell treated them to various delights, from Eton mess to her delicious s’mores.

Over the Easter holidays, with the support of Aisholt parents and the Estates team, the upstairs Common Room was renovated and now looks amazing. Everyone loves the new sofas and homely environment, as well as enjoying attempting to unpick the puns found hidden on the book-print wallpaper. This is where all of our evening activities take place, from Diversity Club to Quiz Night, and the atmosphere is really lovely.

Mrs Boswell and Miss Tinman have been the most hilarious, incredible team, and have made everyone’s year hugely positive. Mrs Rigby and Mrs Rodgers remain the mums of the House and they will always go the extra mile for the girls. Aisholt is a House filled with fun and kindness.

Trinity Hill, incoming Head of House, LVI

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HOLCOMBE HOUSE REPORT This has been another incredibly successful year for Holcombe. After one tiny slip last term, we won back the House Points Trophy; the cup has really been part of the furniture throughout my time in Holcombe, with only one term in three years of not winning. However, this was not our only triumph: almost as soon as we arrived for the new year, House Drama rehearsals began. As always this was an incredibly enjoyable event to take part in and we were excellently led by Iman Khalil (our new Head of House). We won Best Lower School Direction, Most Creative Use of Staging and Best Hair and Make-up for some terrifying face paint. Our Best Actress was awarded jointly to Jessica Chapman and Camilla Read, who were superb as ‘Jekyll and Hyde’. What an amazing way to start the year.

The Lent Term was also brimming with events and, as always, Holcombe girls threw themselves into everything with brilliant enthusiasm. House Music was fiercely competitive, and we certainly stood out, clad in our 80s neon gym wear. Our rendition of Jump by the Pointer Sisters definitely delivered on energy and volume! The Holcombe Singers sang a challenging arrangement of songs from ‘The Greatest Showman’ arranged by Chee Sum (Tiffany) Lai and Emma Talbot Rice and Clementine Lewins also led our instrumental ensemble to victory.

House Dance was just as exciting, and a special mention must go to the choreographers Iman Khalil and Amelia Smith, and to our soloist

Rosalind Wippell who danced with great conviction and emotion, and even had a blindfold on! Our UV workshop dancers, who had been struggling with the very tricky choreography, absolutely pulled it out of the bag on the night and came second. Their constant smiles and determination were certainly impressive. Then, as if we hadn’t squeezed enough into one term, the Holcombe team retained their title from last year in the House Gymnastics competition, as well as coming away with prizes in almost every event! What a special end to this short, but busy, term.

As always, Holcombe girls contribute greatly to the School sports teams (winning House Squash), music ensembles, drama productions and many other areas. It is clear that we really do enjoy being at the centre of the action and it is very rare that you go to an event where a Holcombe member is not taking part.

Of course, there has been plenty going on in House during the evenings and weekends as well.

A range of activities have been organised by Housestaff and our Sixth Form girls, such as ‘Bruschetta with Broom’ and ‘Calligraphy with Catherine’ (I don’t think alliteration was intended when they chose their events!) These, along with so much mindfulness training and interesting programmes at Documentary Club, were all incredible fun and a great way to unwind after a busy day, as well as to spend some time with girls from other years. This bonding was continued through our cub and House suppers which are always a lovely way to spend our time.

One of my favourite events is the fancy-dress competition, and the standard is getting higher every time.

However, I doubt that anybody can rival my three victories in as many years for best costume - my bunch of grapes being a personal favourite.

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This year, we have welcomed Miss McCann as our new Assistant Housemistress, and over the past year she has absolutely become part of the Holcombe family. I know that my fellow UV will miss Mrs MearsSmith and all of the other Housestaff immensely next year - but I don’t think that they’ve seen the end of us yet! I’d like to say an enormous thank you to all of the Holcombe team who are so engaged in House life and genuinely care about all of the girls. We love sitting chatting on the landing in the evenings with girls from all years and staff, and this is perhaps one of my favourite things about Holcombe - the welcoming, family atmosphere that makes us feel so at home!

Georgia Allison, UV

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TEDWORTH HOUSE REPORT It seems as though every year flies by more quickly than the one before and each is busier than the last; this year has been no exception.

This year has also marked a first for my time as Housemistress, since Tedworth won a major House competition in the form of Sports Day. Admittedly, it was only by one point, but a win is still a win!

It seems a long time ago since the grey day in September when we headed off to Marwell Activity Centre with our very new UIV girls joining the House. I realised very quickly that together they would show the same team spirit, competitiveness and great sense of fun that epitomises Tedworth girls.

These qualities have been evident in abundance throughout the year and nowhere more so than during the House Drama competition.

It was a dark day, having been handed the theme of ‘Gothic’, but our Sixth Form team of Cecelia Kane, Charlotte Zeal, Miranda Woodruff and Kirsty Depledge managed to put together a superb version of ‘Frankenstein’. We may not have won overall, but Ottilie Whitbread, Christina Elliot, Lisabel Thistlethwayte and Phoebe Hughes, as the Monster, all deserve special mention for their efforts. The whole cast worked tirelessly and it was super to see the whole House pulling together, even if it was not to be a day of triumphs.

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Lent Term saw House Music and House Dance taking the spotlight.

Shalayna Assani put together a wonderfully choreographed routine and, in my humble opinion, the best of the evening, although it appears the adjudicator had different thoughts.

Special thanks must go to Tosin Adepoju, who stepped into the breach at the last moment to take on the role of soloist when Nicole Fok was injured.

Her efforts in such a short space of time were superb and she was truly mesmerising to watch. House Music, with its Girl Power theme, was a sight and sound to behold, with our conductors, Cecelia Kane and Miranda Woodruff, urging Tedworth to ‘Spice up their Life’, which was certainly delivered with gusto! Annie Hazlitt gave a moving solo rendition of Words Fail from ‘Dear Evan Hansen’.

Tedworth’s main strength, as ever, has been on the sports field where we won several of the inter-House competitions including Netball, Swimming and Tennis. There has been a ferocity and a focus about the girls, and I would like to pay special tribute to the Lower Fifth who are certainly a competitive and talented group when it comes to sporting prowess. I was thrilled that our House Gymnastics Captains, Jemima Landale, Saskia Walton, Romilly Cox and Sophie Armitage were awarded Best House Captains, as it showed their compassion and direction as coaches as well as recognising the fantastic way they worked together as a team.

Whilst the weather took its toll on our Christmas outing, we have still enjoyed lots of experiences together.

We had a particularly lovely leavers’ supper with the Upper Fifth and a wonderful day in London at the end of term watching ‘The Comedy about a Bank Robbery’. However, the highlight of our year has to have been our Charity Dinner in aid of the OSCAR Foundation and Jo’s Trust.

We were very lucky to have the founder of OSCAR, Ashok, speak at the evening, and we raised in excess of £9,000 on the night for which our grateful thanks go to everyone who supported us.

Sadly, we have had to say goodbye to more members of the House team. Mrs Tucker and Miss Stoddart, after thirteen and three years respectively, are moving on and will be hugely missed. Meanwhile, Miss Vallance has chosen to move out of her residential role to focus on teaching. It will be with a mostly new team and a new look, as Tedworth is undergoing refurbishment this summer, as we move into the next academic year.

Tedworth continues to be a special community and change is very much a part of academic life which we are used to embracing. It is with great positivity that we look to the coming year whilst celebrating all that has been achieved over the year past.

Mrs Sarah Barnard, Housemistress (Tedworth)

DARWIN HOUSE REPORT I felt very fortunate to be one of the lucky girls to become part of the loving and familial Darwin community. Darwin is much more than just a House; it is where we feel like we are at home as well as experiencing boarding life and, most importantly, where we make strong life-long friendships.

There are many House activities for us to choose from including meditation with the Housestaff, art challenges, baking, knitting and many more.

These activities help us to relax, distracting us from our busy academic lives. We have all particularly loved the relaxing and peaceful sessions of meditation organised by Mrs Hudson Smith. We have also enjoyed the famous Sunday ‘House breakfast’.

It consists of scrumptious French pastries, perfectly accompanied by unlimited hot toast, fresh apple juice or orange juice and cereal, to start us off on our busy Sundays.

Every evening we have some time to settle down before sleep, including half an hour of silent reading to help us to feel sleepy and ready for bed.

We have been very lucky to have three amazing Lower School Seniors, who each came to visit twice a week to help us with our routine and with any problems. We got to know them really well, and seeing them has been a very exciting part of our week.

As a Lower Fourth, I know the House inside out, but when we came back to School from the summer holidays

we were quite surprised to find two brand new dorms: Tahiti and Buttons.

They are really sweet, cosy and comforting and a great addition to the House.

My favourite thing about Darwin has been birthdays. I love that we all have a mini birthday party in the evening with Wacky Bs, which are small gifts that you buy for the birthday girl and she receives them in a special basket, while we all have a slice of cake to feast on. The atmosphere is so exciting and friendly that we have all adored these events.

Cleo Dutertre-Delaunay, LIV It feels like ages ago that I was welcomed into Darwin House with open arms. Since that day I have taken part in lots of different activities and trips that made settling into boarding life easy. The weekend activities are definitely what I looked forward to, with so much to try, and activities that have taken me out of my comfort zone! From going to the Harry Potter Studio Tour to kayaking on the river Thames, there has always been something fun to do, so no chance of being bored!

During the Lent Term we were lucky to have snow, in fact so much snow had fallen it was a foot deep and caused us to have a few days off school. We spent lots of time outside to enjoy it while it lasted and went on lots of walks through the woods, where we saw one or two muntjacs.

We all enjoyed it and I am sure that I

will not forgot that special time in a hurry.

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I was looking forward to experiencing Christmas in Darwin, and once the tree was up the Christmas spirit had definitely arrived. We had an advent calendar with sweets and chocolates in the doors, and everyday a new dorm was chosen to open a door.

Christmas was one of the highlights of the year.

Other House activities have included games such as bingo, finding the same words in songs, quizzes and many more. I would have to say my personal favourite was the Easter egg hunt when Remove joined up with their LIV buddies and at the end chocolate was the reward!

Every Wednesday and Saturday have been movie nights, when we’ve snuggled up on the bean bags with the lights off to watch a movie with some of our tuck. It’s been a great way to calm down and relax and has been something to look forward to after a busy day working hard.

I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this school year and this would not have been possible if the Housestaff had not been so welcoming. Now that my year in Remove is coming to an end, I am looking forward to what Lower Fourth has to bring.

Honor Harris, Remove

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‘Hermitage’ Hermitage House what a wonder you’ve been, Lower School

HERMITAGE HOUSE REPORT Throughout this year, the Hermites have been successful in many ways. We have succeeded in events and have also made lots of friends who we will treasure for a long time.

Starting in the Remove, and in our first year at Downe House, we were all nervous about the challenges which we would face, and we knew that some things wouldn’t go our way, so we had to get through it together! The Lower Fourth girls were so sweet to us when we were feeling a little down and needed cheering up. Our first night was daunting, but the Housestaff in Hermitage made it feel as if we were at home. Many people say that Remove is the best year, and even if it is a little tricky to start with you should always remember that everyone is there for you – and this proved to be very true.

Our Housestaff are incredibly supportive and positive about all of our achievements. Mrs Williams, our Assistant Housemistress, has helped us all when it comes to the smallest or largest problems we’ve faced, and has always been able to give us a solution.

Miss Cawdron, our Pastoral Tutor, has always been around when we’ve needed a good laugh, and we’ve felt able to ask her for help. Mrs Collingwood, our Housemistress, has been the person who ties all of Hermitage together and never lets us down when it comes to anything.

There have been many memorable and unforgettable trips this year including dragon boat racing, a cinema trip to watch ’Black Panther’ visiting Winchester Christmas market and many more. By far one of our favourites has to be visiting Cadbury World, which was very intellectual but fun at the same time; they even gave us free chocolate! We have had many lectures from inspiring people who have achieved so much in life and have inspired us to think about what journeys our lives might take.

We couldn’t have asked for better role models than the Hermitage Lower Fourth girls – they are always there for us. They have been such an influence in our first few terms at Downe, and they will be very much missed when they move into their upper-school Houses. We were each given a lower-fourth buddy to help us through the good and bad, and help us to settle in. We are very grateful for all the support we have been given and we are looking forward to taking over their roles; ensuring that the new girls in Remove feel happy and know that we are all a community together.

Ella Snow, Cecilia Stone and Miranda Harries, Remove

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Our Year 2017-18

Here are some memories, I promise I won’t be mean.

We came in Remove very scared and frightened, But very soon we were all enlightened.

To the lovely home we were all joining, Luckily it hasn’t been very disappointing.

So goodbye to the House were we’ve all grown, I really do promise I’ll come visit, Maybe one day we’ll be back to play cricket.

Though ultimate frisbee was always a favourite, These last few weeks we’ll be sure to savour it.

Goodbye to the staff you’ll all be missed, Your goodbye was at the top of the checklist, For all the wonders you’ve done, To make sure we all have fun.

Goodbye to the common room, The duty room too.

The kitchen especially, This room was always most friendly.

Hot chocolate nights were an important tradition, This was truly the fruits opposition.

Goodbye to the games we played, Which brought out our competitive side, We surely weren’t afraid to show our pride.

Goodbye to the Lower School trips, These taught us some really fun and helpful tips.

Goodbye to the legendary Wacky Bs, I won’t forget them with ease.

Goodbye Hermitage and all the memories we’ve shared, And hello Mixed Age, I promise I’m prepared.

Taizya Adedeji, LIV

HILL HOUSE REPORT It has been another exciting year in Hill House, filled with lots of successes, activities and events including: • U12A Hockey Team • House Gymnastics with Ruby, Clara and Agnes all representing their Upper School Houses in the individual routines • The Lower School performance of ‘Matilda the Musical’ • Theatre trips to ‘The Little Match Girl’ and ‘Dick Whittington’ • Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter • Ice skating and sno-tubing • Scottish Reeling and quiz night And who can forget … the Beast from the East!

Cordelia’s happy Lower Fourth year in Hill House I have really enjoyed being in Hill House; it has been an amazing experience that I will never forget. I have loved boarding because it is a great way to make new friends, as you get to be in a dorm with nearly everyone in your House at some point and so you spend a lot of time with your friends and get to know them really well. I loved it that the wonderful Housestaff bring around sprays and balms at night to help us feel more peaceful and get to sleep.

There has always been something fun to do in Hill House, such as end of term parties, Dorm Dance and Hill’s Got Talent. Dorm Dance was really funny as it had a nineties theme and everyone’s costumes were very creative and we had

only two hours to choose a song and choreograph a dance!

The weekly activities such as Monday Mindfulness and Friday Fun have been great too, and one weekend we baked muffins – with mixed results! We have spent many warm summer evenings outside playing swingball or enjoying the swing and spending time with friends.

SCHOOL LIFE

Lower School

We’ve also been on lots of amazing trips and fun activities such as go karting, visiting Cotswold Wildlife Park and Marwell Activity Centre. My favourite trip was to Liquid Leisure as the whole of Lower School went together and it was a really nice sunny day to be bouncing around on the obstacle course in the lake, and everyone had a really good day and created happy memories.

Cordelia Reeve, LIV

Downe House Magazine

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SCHOOL LIFE

Lower School

VEYRINES HOUSE REPORT

ariety, we are told, is the spice of life, and a year in Veyrines definitely fulfils that particular brief. It has been another very busy year with each term’s girls enjoying a huge number of sorties and other activities. very sortie and activity is designed to enhance classroom-based learning, and the teachers here are always thinking of new ways in which to make their subjects more accessible to the girls. Some of the favourites this year were: finding truffles with an expert and his dogs, taking part in workshops to learn about the life of Prehistoric Man, discovering the medicinal properties of plants, and making hand cream in science. oungsters at the primary school in nearby Saint-Cyprien have enjoyed English lessons with the girls for a number of years. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to get involved with our local community, but for some it was also a lesson about the challenging nature of teaching! Equally exciting and rewarding were the termly plays performed in French for all the primary school children. The scripts, written by Madame Blanc, meant that everyone had a speaking part, and Madame Buss made wonderful costumes for everyone. The entire cast performed superbly and we heard that the children talked about nothing else for days afterwards. oyal Wedding fever descended in May and we joined the celebrations by holding our very own party. The Grange classroom was decked with bunting and balloons and we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch whilst watching live coverage on the big screen. Everyone entered into the spirit of the happy occasion by making and wearing red, white and blue fascinators and it was very nearly as good as actually being there. maginative, resourceful and enthusiastic – a perfect description of the Veyrines girls of 2017-2018 when it comes to fundraising for charity. In addition to baking a huge variety of cakes and other goodies to sell at our market stall each term, the girls persuaded members of the public to purchase their wares using their very best French and oodles of charm!

Dress-Up Day, Spa afternoons and the Veyrines Olympics were other ways in which the girls raised money for Hôpital Sourire and, in keeping with the very best traditions of Downe House, every event was beautifully organised and keenly supported. o term would be complete without our concerts in the community at a local retirement home and at Le Bercail, a home for handicapped adults. These events are eagerly anticipated by both groups of residents and there were some wonderful performances for them to enjoy this year. At the end of the Michaelmas term our choir was invited to sing at the official opening of the Christmas Market in Sarlat, the theme being “Grande Bretagne”. Despite freezing weather, the girls succeeded in bringing some festive spirit to the occasion with their renditions of traditional British songs and carols. nthusiastic participation in House sorties and competitions means that it is not unusual for girls to discover hitherto hidden talents, in themselves and others. The girls’ levels of creativity and performance never failed to impress us, whether for our Fashion Show, Christmas Dorm Decoration competition, Masterchef or Strictly Come France-ing. Every event was fiercely contested and the judges were left to make a very difficult decision about the winners. As well as being incredibly good fun, these competitions encourage girls to work towards a common goal and develop new friendships. ince 1993, Downe House has been sending the Lower Fourth to Veyrines – a remarkably forward-thinking concept at the time, and one which remains unique. How fortunate these girls are to have had the opportunity to spend time in such a beautiful part of France. Regardless of when they come, they experience so many new things, learn so much about the country, its culture and language, make new friends and return home with memories they will treasure for years to come.

Mrs Deborah Scotland, Directrice (Veyrines)

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Our Year 2017-18

SCHOOL LIFE

HÉLÈNE BOUGOT A lifelong Anglophile, Hélène always wanted to be a teacher and she simply leapt at the chance to work at Downe House, Veyrines, in a position which combined all her passions: young people, teaching and English. Hélène joined the staff here in September 1996 on a temporary contract as one of only three members of the teaching team. Her love of education and being with the girls was evident from the very beginning and she was given a permanent contract in September 1997.

Hélène often referred to the School as her ‘second family’ and at the end of every term she would cry when she had to wave goodbye to the girls.

Throughout her career, Hélène sought to understand the British education system and best practice, often spending her holidays studying in France and the UK so that she could develop more effective and interactive schemes of work.

Hélène was always particularly interested in learning support and worked closely with colleagues at Cold Ash, many of whom became personal friends in spite of the distance between them. Everyone taught by Hélène benefited hugely from her patience, gentle personality and empathy and therefore blossomed under her guidance. Hélène unfailingly put the learner first, whether they were Lower Fourths, Sixth Formers or adults and she had an innate ability, so desired by educators, to understand each and every one of her pupils.

Her understanding of how children learn and her awareness of different teaching techniques also made Hélène the ideal person to train her colleagues in Veyrines who, tragically, will no longer have the chance to benefit from her experience and expertise.

Hélène loved the performing arts and was instrumental in developing drama in Veyrines. Small theatre projects evolved into termly extravaganzas with Hélène writing, directing and producing plays in which every girl had a speaking role written especially for her. Hélène also established our hugely successful partnership with the Primary School in Saint-Cyprien where girls had the opportunity to teach the children English and whose pupils and staff were the rapturous audience for her end of term plays. Teaching a foreign language via another subject is a huge challenge at the best of times but Hélène’s Science lessons were shining examples of how to do it. Her love of nature and enthusiasm for the countryside around us was communicated almost effortlessly to her pupils, and she got a thrill from seeing the girls’ excited faces when they connected with the topic, whether it was fish, birds of prey or chocolate!

To past and present colleagues, friends and girls in Veyrines, however, Hélène was all this and so much more. Nothing was ever too much trouble, whether it was covering for an absent colleague or accompanying a girl back to England at ten minutes’ notice. Hélène was utterly reliable, committed, devoted, trustworthy and professional. Her smile brightened up any room and she always had a kind word for everybody.

Hélène’s courage and unfailing love of life will be her final lessons, and how very fortunate we all are to have to known her.

For those who were fortunate enough to have known Hélène, they will know just what a special member of our Veyrines team, and indeed what a special person, she was. She fought her illness with bravery and fortitude and it was a great sadness to all our community when she lost her life as a result of a brain tumour. Hélène was a gifted and versatile teacher who was totally committed to the girls. She was creative, innovative, humble, caring and had a wonderful sense of humour. Hélène was equally effective whether in the classroom, running clubs or trips or writing and producing plays - it will be no surprise to know that even when she was no longer able to come in to teach, she wanted to work at home on the next play for the girls. Teaching simply brought Hélène joy and she never lost that love of sharing her knowledge and expertise with the girls and she always took great care and time to liaise carefully with colleagues in the UK to ensure that she met the individual needs of the girls she taught. Hélène is greatly missed by all at Veyrines but the memory of the warmth of her smile, which brightened every room that she entered, continues to brighten all our days now and will do so for many years to come. We remember her husband, Eric, her children, Eponine and Florentin, and her extended family who remain in our thoughts and prayers.

Mrs Emma McKendrick, Headmistress

Mrs Deborah Scotland, Directice (Veyrines)

Downe House Magazine

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SCHOOL LIFE

POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY AISHOLT Head of House Deputy Head(s) of House Prefects LVI Games Captain(s)

Monique Leong Jessica Pemberton and Kitty Henry Katharine Furse, Torpad (Yok) Rungjerdfa, Georgina Pollock, Elizabeth Reynard, Soraya Koshoni, Jessica Hayward-Cole Trinity Hill and Sophie Bott

LV Games Captain(s) Literary Rep(s) Charity Rep(s) Charity Ball Coordinator House Music Director(s)

Francesca Rhodes and Alessandra Tydeman Poppy Scales Morgan Kandrac and Tun Yin (Angie) Wong Rosie Blackburn Anna Riley and Maya Huby

House Dance Choreographer(s) House Drama Producer(s) House Drama Director(s) House Drama Assistant Director(s) Search for a Star Prefect(s) Michaelmas Term 2017 UV Reps LV Reps UIV Reps Lent Term 2018 UV Reps LV Reps UIV Reps Summer Term 2018 UV Reps LV Reps UIV Reps AGN Head of House Deputy Head(s) of House Prefects

Elizabeth Bolodeoku Georgia Hewitson Oliva Kirkby Trinity Hill Charlotte Berry and Sophie Bott

LVI Games Captain(s) UV Games Captain(s) LV Games Captain(s) Charity Rep(s) Anti-Bullying Rep(s) House Music Director(s) House Dance Choreographer(s) House Gymnastics Captain(s) House Drama Producer(s) House Drama Director(s) Michaelmas Term 2017 Shadow Head(s) of House

India Hinds and Zara Riaz Poppy Scales and Lily Mathews Alessandra Pidgeon and Julia Kennerley Alethea Ings-Chambers and Lara Harries Katharine Corbett and Tun Yin (Angie) Wong Olumanifemi (Nifemi) Olawuni and Emily Manners Jennifer Darko Rose Hughes and Claudine Collins Sophie Elliot, Minna Crewdson, Annabel Shi, Sabrina Sambhi, Isabella Evans, Oluchi Emenike Sophie Elliott and Minna Crewdson Fenella Bowlby and Kitty Shepherd-Cross Chioma Emenike and Araminta Plumstead Arabella Woo Lisa Lotte Scheuner, Beatrice Weaver, Madison James and Zi Yin (Ariel) Mo Katie Hackman, Minna Crewdson and Sophie Elliot Christabel Graham and Oluchi Emenike Imogen Webber Christabel Graham Sophie Elliot Tara Farquhar and Charlotte Field

LV Reps UIV Reps House Reporter Food Forum Reps Lent Term 2018 Shadow Head(s) of House

Chioma Emenike and Lara Kabir Jennings Rosie Montague and Katerina Christova Madison James Alexandra Adderley and Ellen (Nellie) Gawne

LV Reps UIV Reps House Reporter Food Forum Reps Summer Term 2018 Shadow Head(s) of House LV Reps UIV Reps House Reporter Food Forum Reps AGS Head of House Deputy Head(s) of House Prefects

Olivia Jackson and Lisa Lotte Scheuner Hannah Perkins and Poppy Wessely Madison James Charlotte Rowland and Emily Harrow

LVI Games Captain(s) LV Games Captain(s) Charity Rep(s)

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Lucy McCreery and Daisy West Constance Pope and Saskia Mactaggart Zaynah Folawiyo and Amelia Maughan

Our Year 2017-18

Fenella Bowlby and Zi Yin (Ariel) Mo

Jessica Bracken and Arabella Woo Emily Harrow and Araminta Plumbstead Gwyneth Choi and Tilly Bridgeman Madison James Maria Kheyman and Maryam Mammadova Elizabeth Michaelson Jennifer Tett and Molly Grafftey-Smith Katherine O’Shea, Imogen Gregory, Davina Drummond, Honor Stephens, Hye Lim Park and Esther Bolodeoku Gabriella Franklin, Milly Hine and Lauren Dunn Grace Cooke and Saskia Dale Isabella Pemberton and Thécla Hawtin

Honor Stephens, Charlotte Toogood, Hye Lim Park and Lauren Dunn

House Dance Choreographer(s)

Katherine O’Shea, Esther Bolodeoku, Gabriella Franklin

House Gymnastics Captain(s)

Florence Hack, Imogen Dale, Florence McNair Scott and Emily Glover

House Drama Producer(s)

Katherine O’Shea

House Drama Director(s)

Esther Bolodeoku and Imogen Gregory

Literature Rep(s)

Maria do Carmo Calem and Nina Paterson

Lower School Link Rep(s)

Ceara Bastin and Lucy Barrie

AGS Culture Committee

Amelia (Millie) Bennett, Katherine O’Shea, Zoe Carruthers, Oluwatamilore Bolodeoku, Tare Ebimami and Rosanna Love

SCHOOL LIFE

House Music Director(s)

Michaelmas Term 2017 Shadow Head(s) of House

Zoe Carruthers and Elodie Hersee

LV Reps

Emily Glover and Daisy Williams

UIV Reps

Marina Pownall and Thécla Hawtin

Food Forum Reps

Alina Erkulova

Lent Term 2018 Shadow Head(s) of House

Emma Bracken and Nina Paterson

LV Reps

Florence McNair Scott and Georgia (Hope) Thistlethwayte

UIV Reps

Isabella Pemberton and Amelia Rosling

Summer Term 2018 Shadow Head(s) of House

Annabel Le Grice and Maria do Carmo Calem

LV Reps

Phoebe Huntington and Tare Ebimami

UIV Reps

Freya Illingworth and Philippa Lim

HOLCOMBE Head of House

Eliza Horn

Deputy Head(s) of House

Annabel Roest and Catharine Wippell

Prefects

Iman Khalil, Tae-Chan Ellis, Lucy Dyer, Emma Talbot Rice, Chee Sum (Tiffany) Lai and Zara Karoly

House Games Captain(s)

Tabitha Kendall

House Music Director(s)

Chee Sum (Tiffany) Lai, Emma Talbot Rice and Clementine Lewins

House Dance Choreographer(s)

Iman Khalil and Amelia Smith

House Gymnastics Captain(s)

Alexandra Hamilton, Liberty Wilson, Annissa Baber

House Drama Producer(s)

Emma Talbot Rice

House Drama Director(s)

Iman Khalil

House Drama Assistant Director(s)

Cosima Davies and Imogen Simpson-Orlebar

Michaelmas Term 2017 UV Reps

Arella Szlapak and Jessica Chapman

LV Reps

Imogen Ridley and Alexandra Hamilton

UIV Reps

Celine Ibori and Margot Ridley

Lent Term 2018 UV Reps

Georgia Allison and Anna Neville

LV Reps

Toluwase Agusto and Chisengo (Elizabeth) Lukama

UIV Reps

Fleur Jolley and Sophie Kelly

Summer Term 2018 UV Reps

Emily Barber and Eliza Inglis

LV Reps

Lara Coppen-Gardner and Matilda McDougall

UIV Reps

Lauren Raeburn-Ward and Milly Assheton

TEDWORTH Head of House

Eleanor Bishop

House Seniors

Rosanna Craig & Anna Hewitt

LVI Games Captain(s)

Cecelia Kane & Alexa Wiggin

UV Games Captain(s)

Eva Bartlett & Abriella Dolbear

LV Games Captain(s)

Jemima Landale, Susanna Brooke & Emelia Shippey

House Music Conductor(s)

Cecelia Kane & Miranda Woodruff

House Dance Choreographer(s)

Shalayna Assani

House Gymnastics Captain(s)

Jemima Landale, Romilly Cox, Saskia Walton and Sophie Armitage

House Drama Producer(s)

Charlotte Zeal

House Drama Director(s)

Cecelia Kane

House Drama Assistant Director(s)

Kirsty Depledge & Miranda Woodruff

Michaelmas Term 2017 Shadow Head(s) of House

Emily Carpmael & Abriella Dolbear

LV Reps

Tosin Adepoju & Nicole Fok

UIV Reps

Georgia Biggs & Honor Mathews

Lent Term 2018 Shadow Head(s) of House

Ottilie Whitbread & Chao Heng (Gemma) Ho

LV Reps

Romilly Cox & Christina Elliot

UIV Reps

Eleanor Gibbs & Isabella Ashley

Summer Term 2018 Shadow Head(s) of House

Eniayo Teniola Adeniji & Victoria Aarons

LV Reps

Molly Dubens and Alexandra Witter

UIV Reps

Airlie Fleming and Hei Nam (Ashley) Wong

Downe House Magazine

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SCHOOL LIFE

THE LOWER SCHOOL PRODUCTION OF ‘MATILDA THE MUSICAL’ On Friday 15 February, the whole of the ‘Matilda’ cast was buzzing with excitement as we prepared for our production of ‘Matilda the Musical’! After preparing for this show for months, we were delighted to finally be able to showcase our finished piece. The first part of the process was the group audition. Here, we did many things such as freeze frames, speaking lines and much more. After this process three girls were taken for second auditions, to try out for main roles. I was lucky enough to be cast as Matilda! Rehearsals soon started with a full-on schedule each week. Rehearsals were a busy time for many of us, with two hours of intense drama, twice a week, however we were rewarded at the end of it all with a brilliantly produced production! Our version of ‘Matilda’ was about 30 minutes long, and it featured five songs and a lot of dialogue! The moment we heard the opening music for our final show, there was a chorus of exited murmurs of “good luck” and “break a leg!”. And then, our production began! Overall, it was an amazing way to start our half term, and an experience I know none of us will ever forget!

By Emilia Finney, Remove

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Our Year 2017-18

SCHOOL LIFE Downe House Magazine

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SCHOOL LIFE

AISHOLT UPPER SCHOOL HOUSE ART COMPETITION It was with great excitement that the Art Department launched this year’s Upper School House Art Competition. The theme was Diversity, and each House was asked to paint a mural board to be displayed in the alcoves down the Cathedral Steps. Each House selected a team of painters guided by their Head of House, and often included the Art Award Holders from the Houses. The teams produced a brief description explaining how they had interpreted the theme.

Aisholt was inspired by the huge diversity of people we meet in the world and wanted to celebrate this in our painting. We combined this with our House motto Ambulamus cum Amicis (‘We walk with friends’) to celebrate all that people from other cultures, religions and communities can teach each other; our diversity makes us stronger.

All of the entries were of a very high standard, making judging quite difficult for Mrs McKendrick. The Art Department was delighted to announce the winning House as Aisholt; Mrs McKendrick felt that their interpretation embraced the spirit of the theme most successfully.

The Head of House was presented with the Prize Cup in the Leavers’ Assembly at the end of term, and our congratulations go to all of the Aisholt artists and indeed all the girls who participated for a superb effort.

Tedworth

Mrs S Scott, Head of Art Faculty

AGS

Holcombe

AGN

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Our Year 2017-18

SCHOOL LIFE

HOUSE DANCE COMPETITION 2018 The theme for this year’s House Dance Competition was ‘The Colour of Dance’ which was a challenge for our House choreographers, who were required to think outside the box to interpret this. They worked incredibly hard to produce stunning routines, all of which were very different, showing off a variety of creative interpretation and presentation. The dancers were able to showcase their talent and their love for dance in a range of styles - it was a fantastic evening.

This year we were extremely grateful to have Brendon Hansford as our guest adjudicator. Brendon is a celebrated international choreographer and movement specialist based in London. As well as starring in the new documentary ‘Building A Dancer’, Brendon has also been commissioned by many artists, events managers, theatres, creative directors and advertising giants including Renault, Panasonic, Riton, Sky, BBC, Smirnoff, Savoy Hotel and Potters Theatre to name a few. Brendon was so impressed with the talent on display, and he gave honest, constructive feedback that was appreciated by all. We are thankful to him for taking the time out of his very busy schedule to judge our competition.

As ever, a group of five dancers from each House attended a two-hour workshop with me, and this time it was trickier than ever. Each year I try to push the dancers that little bit harder, and each year they get stronger and faster! They picked up the routine very well and performed with confidence on the night. AGS, under the direction of Katie Hackman, Gabriella Frankling and Esther Bolodeoku, executed the choreography perfectly, and were the well-deserved winners of the section.

We had another fantastic selection of soloists who each brought their own style and energy to the stage. It can be intimidating dancing a solo in front of a large audience, but Louisa Healey (AGN), Tosin Adepoju (Tedworth), Amelia Rosling (AGS), Zara Riaz (Aisholt) and Rosalind Wippell (Holcombe) performed with such confidence, they seemed like seasoned professionals! It was Zara’s strength and performance skills that won her Highly Commended, but Amelia’s technique, grace and engagement that awarded her Best Soloist. She is one to watch!

By the end of the evening the audience had been treated to a whirlwind of talent. AGS were the overall winners, with Christabel Graham and Oluchi Emenike being awarded Best Group and Best Choreographers for AGN. Every single dancer and choreographer should be extremely proud of what they produced and achieved. All showed commitment, creativity and teamwork, and the standard was higher than ever. Huge congratulations to all; bring on 2019!

Rachel Vallance, Manager of CCA Dance

Downe House Magazine

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SCHOOL LIFE

HOUSE DRAMA REVIEW This year’s House Drama Competition was a gloomy affair … which was entirely down to the gothic theme and subject of each of the plays and was certainly not reflected in the performances, which were far from dark – in fact, the sets, costumes and staging were full of colour, light and atmosphere.

Last year’s winners, Aisholt, were first on stage and set the bar extremely high with their blood-curdling production of ‘Sweeney Todd’, which has influenced a slump in pork pie sales in the Newbury area. Next up was Holcombe, and their two-faced version of the classic ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, which earned the two eponymous leads the Best Actor award. The tension mounted further with the appearance of ‘Dracula’, performed by AGS, whose backdrop was stunning, and which included a spectacular dance routine, both of which earned them awards. AGN took to the stage next, with an atmospheric set which used height and varying levels of staging very effectively – their production of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ was full of talented vocalists and brilliant musical arrangements. Tedworth, although last were certainly not least, as they took to the stage and brought ‘Frankenstein’ to life before our very eyes – their production earned the accolade of best supporting actress and rounded off a fantastic day of theatre.

Our visiting adjudicator was Katie Rowley-Jones, who is best known for creating the role of Nessarose in the London production of ‘Wicked’. Katie was bowled over by the standard of the productions the girls had put together in only five weeks of rehearsal, and praised the girls’ talent both on stage as performers and backstage, expertly led by the Sixth Form Production teams. The judging was hard and AGN’s ‘Phantom’ was a very worthy winner.

We all enjoyed a day of outstanding entertainment.

Congratulations to the prize-winners and indeed to all who took part!

Mrs Sallie Taylor, Director of External Relations

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Our Year 2017-18

TROPHY WINNERS House Drama Cup Artistic Endeavour Cup Best Actress Award Best Supporting Actress Head Of Drama Award For Most Promising Young Performer ACTING AWARDS Holcombe

AGN Aisholt Emily Manners (Aisholt) Christina Elliot (Tedworth) Eloise Kirkby (Aisholt)

Tedworth Aisholt AGS AGN

Jessica Chapman and Camilla Read Ottilie Whitbread Saskia Mactaggart Alice Pernthaller Fleur Joll

HOUSE DRAMA AWARDS Best Adaptation Most Creative Staging Best Lower School Direction Best Choreography Best Live Music Performance Best Set Design Best Technical Direction Best Costume Best Hair And Make-Up Best Poster Best Programme

AGN Holcombe Holcombe AGS AGS AGN Aisholt Aisholt Holcombe Tedworth AGN

BEST LOWER SCHOOL PROGRAMMES Holcombe Sienna Jones Tedworth Mary Hazlitt Aisholt Agnes Rose AGS Romilly Behagg AGN Poppy Spiegelberg SPECIAL AWARDS Best Producer Head Of Speech And Drama Award For Best Evil Character Best Comedy Performance Best Heroine Best Dancer Best Backdrop Best Scary Moment

Katherine O’Shea (AGS) Emily Manners (Aisholt) Lisabel Thistlethwayte (Tedworth) Mathilde Hughes (Holcombe) Sophie Armitage (Tedworth) AGS Aisholt

The annual House Gymnastics competition took place on 20 March and it was to be a hotly contested competition between the Houses. After five stunning rounds of group floor, team vault, team beam and individual routines, the results were in. The individual beam was awarded to Lucy Dollar and Aggie Rose from Aisholt with the overall beam prize going to Holcombe. The individual vault was awarded to Annabel Lawson from Aisholt, but again Holcombe came out overall winners in the team vault. The audience was treated to some spectacular floor routines, with Holcombe winning the group floor and Emilia Finney from AGS winning the individual floor. All the girls who competed in the individual floor should be congratulated as the routines they choreographed were amazing: Ruby Dean (Tedworth), Ruby Agbede (AGN), Annabel Lawson (Aisholt), Clara Dutertre-Delaunay (Holcombe), and the Winner Emilia Finney (AGS). The Lower Fifth Captains run all of the sessions and rehearsals, and this year the award for the Best Captains went to Tedworth’s Romilly Cox, Sophie Armitage, Jemima Landale and Saskia Walton. The Most Improved Gymnast was awarded to Honor Harries from Aisholt. Before the final award was presented, our gymnastics squad treated the audience to a tumbling display; they flipped and twisted to our amazement.

Once the final scores had been added up the overall House Trophy was award to Holcombe. Well done to all the gymnasts who competed; it was an amazing competition!

SCHOOL LIFE

HOUSE GYMNASTICS COMPETITION

Hebe Ide, Gymnastics Captain, UVI

Downe House Magazine

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SCHOOL LIFE

AGS TRIUMPHANT IN HOUSE MUSIC COMPETITION Wednesday 7 February saw the annual House Music Competition, raising the roof off the PAC. The competition was adjudicated by Mr Sam Gladstone, Precentor at Radley College. As well as a huge amount of praise and constructive feedback on the music presented, he was particularly struck by the positive atmosphere and the mutual support that the girls demonstrated.

The House Conductors deserve particular mention - they were Anna Riley and Maya Huby (Aisholt), Sophie Elliot, Minna Crewsdon and Katie Hackman (AGN), Lauren Dunn, Hye Lim

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Our Year 2017-18

Park and Charlotte Toogood (AGS), Emma Talbot Rice, Clementine Lewins and Chee Sum (Tiffany) Lai (Holcombe) and Cecelia Kane and Miranda Woodruff (Tedworth) and they led the girls in each House in a purposeful way.

AGS was the overall winner and took first place in the Choir section. Particular credit goes to Holcombe who won the Instrumental Ensemble section, AGN who won the Vocal Ensemble section as well as the prize for the Best Conductor, and Jaiyi Zheng (Aisholt) captivated the hall with her piano solo and was the well-deserving winner of the Best Individual performance.

Miss Charlotte Matthews, Graduate Music Assistant (Events and Administration)

SCHOOL LIFE

FINDING BALANCE Wellbeing at Downe House It is hugely important to us at Downe that the girls are healthy and well equipped with the necessary skills to tackle anything which comes their way.

We are committed to delivering a range of activities and events which help the girls to be mentally fit, and we are always striving to try and find new and exciting opportunities for the girls to try.

The continued programme of Yoga has carried on this year. There are weekly Vinyasa Flow classes with Yasmin but we have also had the very popular Bedtime Yoga in the Houses, during the exam period, where girls have been able to drop into a yoga class in their common rooms just before bedtime to help with relaxation and sleep. Thai massage in the Houses has continued to be a firm favourite with many. This year we have very successfully introduced Gong Bath sessions, which is a form of sound therapy and mindfulness. The Housemistresses and I had the great pleasure of trialling a Gong Bath before the girls signed up. It was rather surreal, but many of us agreed that we had the best night’s sleep afterwards and it very much resonated with the girls too. All year groups have had the opportunity to try it if they wished.

The Wellbeing Hampers in all the Houses and the Medical Centre continue to be hugely popular. There are all sorts of relaxation products to help the girls unwind at the end of the day, from pillow sprays to bath oils and the very popular Dodow, which helps with sleep.

For the second year in a row, the Wellbeing Tent has featured on the Sunday of Founder’s Weekend. This year we had Yoga and a Gong Bath available for the girls, parents and guests to try, along with Thai Massage (though we had two masseurs this year due to its popularity!)

Healthy snacks continue to be available to the girls and these are being rolled out to the staff too this year.

Life at Downe is incredibly busy, which is wonderful, but it is so important that the girls develop tools to help them meander the intricacies of life and we certainly hope that the Wellbeing Programme helps them to find balance!

Mrs Genevieve Ford, Boarding Deputy

Downe House Magazine

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Academic Life

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ACADEMIC LIFE

SCIENCE

WE THE CURIOUS On Sunday 22 April, we visited Bristol’s We The Curious Science Centre. We were all immensely excited as it is a hands-on facility, so we all could try out many different fascinating experiments. Some of my favourites involved creating animation movies with characters. There were lots of different buttons to take photos of all the movements. So when we played it all together you could see the characters moving, and we made our own mini-animation movies! We were also able to experience the Planetarium where we explored the different planets as we gazed up to the sky in 3D glasses - I’m sure everyone would agree that this was a highlight! It was a truly unforgettable trip!

Camilla Hale, Remove

BANG GOES THE BORDERS Our scientific adventure began on 23 September when we, Miss Pugsley and Mrs Charlesworth took a flight to Edinburgh, heading for St Mary’s School in Melrose.

After a warm welcome, we set up our station, appropriately named ‘Racing Downe the River’ where children and parents can build a boat out of materials such as plasticine, paper, tin foil and lolly sticks, and transport their lego people across the ‘river’ supported by wind power from a fan. The aim is to get the fastest time for their boat to reach the end of the river without drowning their people. We quickly enticed a group of children in and within minutes we were completely full for the next several hours. It was rather hectic but we loved the enthusiasm from all the children (and the parents) some of whom stayed over an hour trying to beat the record time of 2.86s! Their determination was truly admirable.

Overall, we had an amazing experience and we adored being able to instill our scientific passions within so many young people whom we are sure will grow up into great scientists.

Amelia Bennett, Anna Riley and Phannaphat (Aommy) Totup, LVI

BIG BANG SCIENCE EVENT In the Lent Term a group of girls took a trip to a school Science Fair along with other schools. There was an excellent programme of activities and we did a medical course where we learned how to stitch someone and how to take blood. We also tried on lots of different cool glasses that gave us different vision.

The second activity was looking at pond life. This was very interesting as we got animals from a pond and examined them and identified them against a key. In that activity we also saw how many droplets of water we could get on a penny and I got about 57.

In the final activity we went on an ergo machine and measured our heart rates.

We also blew into a big bag and we saw our peak flow and also learned a bit about rowing.

It was an amazing day and I hope that everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.

Eliza Irving, Remove Downe House Magazine

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ACADEMIC LIFE

SCIENCE JUNIPER HALL FIELD COURSE

Our early departure at 8.00am marked the beginning of a very busy and eventful weekend in October. On arrival it was straight to the classroom for Introduction to Ecology, and Core Practical 15. Soon we were halfway up Box Hill, accompanied by fluffy cows on the Burford Spur. After a picnic looking out onto the scenic views, we got to work using quadrats of all shapes and sizes to count, estimate and measure biotic and abiotic factors.

Counting individual clovers in a 1m2 quadrat was probably a mistake, but it was entertaining nonetheless. We then returned to the classroom to analyse our data. Next, we had Introduction to Statistics, and enjoyed mentioning the mnemonic to tell when to use the Spearman’s Rank, T-Test and Chi-Squared Test whenever possible! In particular, we learnt how to use the T-Test on our data, and when to use different sampling methods in quadrats.

On Sunday, we discovered the majority of the mammal traps set the previous night strewn across the wooded area, but even so we caught a few rodents, with Ella managing to trap a mouse that had given birth to a tiny hairless baby during the night! We then headed to the classroom for Introduction to Succession, and later we headed to Mickleham Downs, to measure abiotic factors and species density on an interrupted belt transect, and then headed back down to complete our data analysis and risk assessment, compiling an alarmingly long list of potential hazards we had miraculously avoided whilst data collecting. We missed no opportunity mentioning how ‘Spearman’ always looked for relationships when doing our statistical analysis and remarkably most of us concluded that, despite our inability to draw lines of best fit on our graphs, we were actually able to reject the null hypothesis, which signified the importance of using a statistical test to cement our conclusions. Then we summarised, justified and evaluated our methods in many ways, learning useful skills for our Paper 3, were introduced to the Chi-Squared Test and at the end of the day even got to feed the pointedly plump goats!

WOMEN IN STEM CONFERENCE After accepting a Science Department invitation to LV girls to attend the Redmaids’ STEM day, Faridah commented that: We were fortunate enough to learn how STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) are used in jobs which in turn help people’s needs. One of the workshops that we went to was by an NHS statistics worker who told us how she uses statistics to save people’s lives in the areas of organ donation and organ and tissue transplant.

Rachel Lam and Ayobami were both interested in learning about the career path to optometry. They especially enjoyed hearing about how to become an optometrist, and the different careers in optics and what they entailed, such as opticians, ophthalmologists and many more. It was good to discover what A Level subjects and grades will be needed for such careers.

Overall, the field course really helped improve our understanding of ecology and gave us the extra detail and skills we will need when answering questions. Even though we were exhausted by Sunday’s close, it was an experience well worth it.

The day was fun and really useful, and to end the day everyone watched a dramatic performance called ADA ADA, which was very exciting and everyone came away having learnt something new.

Elizabeth Tatham, UVI

Faridah Are, LV

NEW SCIENTIST LIVE On Thursday 28 September, all LVI and UVI A Level scientists visited the New Scientist Live event at the ExCel Arena in London. There were many things on offer, and definitely something for everyone with activities ranging from fun and interactive sessions to very intellectual and informative lectures. Some of the lectures discussed the topics of moving to Mars, finding a cure for ageing, and looking at the science behind the movies. The interactive sessions and stalls covered many different areas of science and many of us really enjoyed the virtual reality rollercoaster which was exciting. Workshops included making your own shampoo and tasting ice cream freshly made from liquid nitrogen! Overall, the day was very valuable and gave us an insight into what we could possibly do in the future.

Davina Drummond, Sophie Bott and Amelia (Millie) Bennett, LVI 28

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ACADEMIC LIFE

SCIENCE FARADAY CHALLENGE DAY

Two teams of six girls from LIV recently competed in an engineering challenge against other schools organised by the Institute of Engineering and Technology at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories.

Both teams performed very well, with one team winning the challenge to design a new attraction for Thorpe Park and to build a working prototype of a part of their design for a rotating restaurant within an aquarium.

The winning team was: Cleo DutertreDelaunay, Eloise O’Donnell, Isobel Peddie, Daisy Matthews, Poppy Spiegelberg and Madeline Wilkinson Mrs Christina Pugsley, Head of Science, Head of Biology and Induction Mentor

CHEMISTRY OF THE HUMAN BODY “What a piece of work is a man” says Dr Kathryn Harkup at the Science Society talk on Wednesday 28 February.

Dr Harkup enjoys writing and delivering talks which concentrate on the peculiar side of science. Girls from UIV to UVI were lucky enough to listen to an intriguing talk given by her called ‘The Chemistry of the Human Body’ which fascinated many as well as me, because I’d never known about that aspect of the human body which is completely unheard of to many at Downe.

Dr Harkup shared her favourite elements in the periodic table such as phosphorus, sulphur, selenium and potassium. She told us about how vital they are to the human body and it amazed me because we just consume these important elements without noticing and not realising how they are key to our daily life. Our sincere thanks to Dr Harkup for such an entertaining and thought-provoking evening, and special thanks to Mr Reynolds for making this lecture possible.

Eleanor Gibbs, UIV

TEENTECH STEM DAY On Wednesday 13 June, a group of selected UIV girls attended a TeenTech event. The day was divided into three sections, each with different elements of the STEM subjects: Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

In the morning, my group designed a product which fulfilled one of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, for which we created a blueprint, marketing plan and pitch. Targeting education, we devised a VR headset which children otherwise unable to go to school could learn in a virtual classroom. We won ‘best pitch’ for our endeavour, amongst the very interesting product ideas proposed by other schools.

Later on, my group of four attended three stalls. Firstly, the Royal Navy, where we learned about pneumatics, a form of hydraulics, and their uses in vehicles such helicopters. Next, we met representatives of Breeze, a radio company, where we recorded our own adverts about an app for a competition, following set criteria and advice. Lastly, we learned about cybercrime from two police specialists. These stalls introduced us to different types of technology in the workplace.

The last activity of the day was more hands on. Air Products taught us about gas supply through a game where we had to fill balloons in plastic bottles with ‘gas’ and provide it to three shops and facilities.

The next station, run by Fujitsu, was based around planes and air travel.

There were two parts: firstly, building paper planes and measuring how far we could fly them, followed by a digital game which involved mini games where we won stars to unlock planes.

The day was very successful, with our teams winning both the Breeze radio advert competition and the Fujitsu plane challenge. We learned a lot about technology and, on being asked whether we were interested in STEM-related jobs in the future, the response was certainly very positive.

Alice Pernthaller, UIV Downe House Magazine

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SCIENCE

THE SALTERS CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE On Wednesday 9 May, Iona, Ottilie, Eloise and I were thrilled to attend the Salters Chemistry Challenge.

There were lots of other schools competing against us and we had to work as a team, complete two experiments and write up our results. We were judged not only for our accuracy, but also for teamwork and safety around the laboratory.

First was the Salters Challenge called The Mystery of the Missing Trophy; our favourite because of the exciting plot of a stolen trophy.

We split into pairs and divided the experiments to get more done in the time. We liked the riddles as well as the experiments since they used our problem-solving as well as practical skills to work out which suspect stole the trophy. We worked as an effective team and combined our results to reveal the suspect.

The second challenge was the University Challenge called the Yellow Clock. The aim was to use the rate of the reaction so that the solution turned yellow after exactly one minute.

We are all grateful to Mrs Evans for giving us this wonderful opportunity, developing our appreciation of chemistry, our teamwork and independence.

Lilias Hoare Nairne, Remove

Finishing our amazing day was a chemistry lecture involving incredible experiments: a mixture of pops and bangs as well as beautiful colour changes and liquid that glowed blue in the dark. We enjoyed watching how liquid nitrogen seemed to be a gas in its liquid form because of the way it floated with its low density. It was fascinating to watch it make a banana go rock hard, and it could be snapped in two!

At the end of the day we were awarded second place; an achievement we were really proud of.

GEOGRAPHY UPPER FOURTH FIELD TRIP

On Friday 19 March all the UIV Geographers met outside the PAC to go on a field trip into Newbury. Most excitingly, the subject to be investigated was shopping - or at least the quality of the shopping environment in two areas of Newbury.

As well as clipboards and waterproofs, the girls had all brought money, so they could experience the shops of central Newbury first-hand!

The aim was to survey the quality of the shopping environment in the Parkway and Kennet Centre shopping areas. The girls conducted a bi-polar analysis of each area, which involved judging how attractive, clean and well cared for each area was, in their opinion. The girls used GOAD maps to identify the shops in each area and classified the shops into categories.

The girls collected data at the Parkway Centre first. It is a new shopping area with lots of high-end shops and cafĂŠs. When the girls had completed their work they met up at Costa Coffee for a break before moving on to repeat their investigation at an older shopping centre called the Kennet Centre.

After the field trip the girls put the data they had collected into graphs and then analysed the results to decide whether the Parkway or the Kennet Centre has the best shopping environment. The unanimous view was that the Parkway area is much nicer than the Kennet Centre but the Kennet Centre has cheaper shops so they could afford to buy more there.

Those girls who have chosen to take Geography at GCSE will be able to use the investigation in the fieldwork section of the GCSE exam.

Mrs Kathryn Rawlinson, Head of Geography 30

Our Year 2017-18

DOWNE HOUSE LITERATURE FESTIVAL

On Monday 18 June, the English Department held the inaugural Literature Festival, which saw us welcome Ludgrove School and St Neot’s Preparatory School. All of Remove were involved in a day of writing creatively, exploring poetry, finding out what makes a villain and delving into the drama of Shakespeare’s writing.

ACADEMIC LIFE

ENGLISH We welcomed bestselling author, Santa Montefiore, who offered a wonderful insight into the creative process of writing a novel: the pupils were thoroughly entertained by inventing the escapades of a pet tarantula! The multiaward-winning poet, John Foster, recited poems on topics from dinosaurs to giant bloomers and everything inbetween! Culminating in a wonderful group poem, Susan Vidler from The Globe Theatre led an acting workshop exploring Shakespeare’s world and discussed what it takes to perform on the big stage.

Mrs Rebecca Thomas-Snell, Teacher of English “My favourite part was the poetry workshop as I was thrilled and honoured to meet one of my favourite poets of all time: Mr John Foster. He taught us about his love of poetry and how he first started writing it! I loved learning how to write letter poems because you can really use your imagination. It was such a good opportunity as I am a massive fan of English.”

Tundun Are and Poppy Shepherd, Remove “I really enjoyed the dramatic side of the day as it was an excellent opportunity to get to know everyone and it was so enjoyable. We were taught how to use stage directions effectively and explore hierarchy in the lines.

I absolutely love acting and the teaching really showed me how to develop my skills.”

Claudia Pope and Octavia Twinn, Remove

“Mrs Montefiore was amazing! We gained so many new skills in our session: we learned how to set the time of our creative writing using the seasons and senses to make it seem more realistic. It was amazing hearing about her story The Royal Rabbits being transformed into a film; I am really looking forward to watching it.”

Iona Hordern and Emilia Methven, Remove

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ACADEMIC LIFE

ENGLISH MACBETH TRIP

On 13 June, the LV travelled to the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre to see a production of their GCSE set Shakespeare text, Macbeth and due to a mix-up in the box office, we were fortunate to have some of the best seats in the house! As a preparation for GCSE, the production could have hardly been better; the characters were carefully individualised by appearance and accent, and as always at the RSC, the verse speaking was so fluid and accurate that at times one felt this was the language of everyday speech.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were powerful, even thuggish at critical moments, but their vulnerability was also evident and, in the second half of the play, there was a strong sense that, despite Macbeth’s being king, events were spiralling out of his control, almost from the moment of his coronation.

ROSALIND WIPPELL GIVES US HER REVIEW The production was extremely enjoyable. It was set in the twentyfirst century and the costumes had been adapted to reflect this.

For example, Macbeth wore modern army uniform rather than the chain mail of his time. The witches were portrayed as little girls who each held a doll, which I believe was used to symbolise how they were controlling Macbeth. This added a sinister atmosphere to the production and induced the audience to feel how a Shakespearian audience would have felt in Shakespeare’s time, as the little girls were reminiscent of horror movies in the twenty-first century. Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian even described the play itself being the “first ever horror film” with its world of “dark forces, unquiet spirits, nightmare hallucinations and supernatural violence”. There were many other clever uses of symbolism throughout the play and one of my favourites was the addition that the gatekeeper should stay on stage throughout Macbeth’s tyrannous reign and continuously count the murders he had committed by tallying them roughly in chalk. From seeing Macbeth live, I think that I gained a deeper understanding of the play and a greater understanding of how it was intended to be acted. The actors on stage really brought the play to life, which enabled me to connect with the characters emotionally and not just physically on a page.

Mrs Johanne Harrington, Head of English and Rosalind Wippell, LV

UPPER FIFTH LECTURE SERIES Despite the best efforts of inclement weather, Lent Term saw the return of the English Department UV Lecture Series. This year, the girls benefited from a range of lectures based on their GCSE texts, including: ‘The Role and Importance of Mr Collins’; ‘The Preoccupation with Rank and Status in Austen’s England’; ‘Holinshed and the Context of Shakespeare’s Tragedies’; ‘The Supernatural in Shakespeare’s Macbeth’. It has to be said that Mrs West went the extra mile, actually dressing as Austen to deliver her lecture!

Mrs Johanne Harrington, Head of English

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SLAMMING

This year saw the second UIV Slam Poetry Competition, a collaboration between English and RS. All girls in UIV took part in the competition, which involved turning topics addressed in RS into powerful and provocative Slam Poems.

The final was held on Wednesday 27 June and competition was fierce.

However, following lengthy deliberation by the judges, first prize was awarded to Teal Uahwatanasakul for her thoughtprovoking assessment of how young people use technology; second place to Chiara Subiotto for her impassioned poem on the environment and third to Eleanor Gibbs for her poem about society.

Mrs Johanne Harrington, Head of Englishh

On Wednesday 22 November, LVI English Literature pupils were accompanied by their teachers, Dr Atherton and Mrs West, to Warwick University where they sampled a series of lectures inspired by the A Level paper Love through the Ages. Welcomed by Dr Carol Leach for the initial lecture on the changing shapes of poetry, our students were stretched and challenged over the course of the day with a variety of speakers and subjects. Perhaps most notable was Nick Hutchison, a world-renowned director of Shakespeare plays, who explored ideas on love and romance and how it is presented in both tragedy and comedy. A highly engaging speaker, he suggested new interpretations of The Taming of the Shrew, Othello and Measure for Measure. This lecture gave us the opportunity to review our own understanding of these plays and see characters and action in a new light for study.

ACADEMIC LIFE

ENGLISH

A LEVEL LECTURE DAY AT WARWICK UNIVERSITY

Another highlight of the day was the very humorous Wendy Cope OBE who entertained students with readings of her own work followed by a series of questions and answers from the audience. Pupils and teachers alike were impressed with her candid and honest approach to her writing. Overall, this was a wonderful day to experience English lectures in a university context and hear from some very prestigious speakers who are expert in their field; a fantastic boost to our study of A Level.

Mrs Johanne Harrington, Head of English

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ACADEMIC LIFE

ART HISTORY ART HISTORY SOCIETY

On Sunday 26 November, girls from the LVI visited the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, to see the exhibition Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions.

This exhibition explored the art of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism across the world in the first millennium AD. The iconography of these world religions is distinctive and immediately recognisable, but this exhibition demonstrated how the visual identities of these religions did not develop in isolation. As belief systems developed and spread across ancient empires, the appearance of the gods was shaped in reaction to the religious images encountered, revealing interesting cross-influences. This fascinating exhibition was packed with artefacts and was very thought provoking!

Ms Diane Slocombe, Teacher of History of Art

LVI ARTICULATION COMPETITION On Tuesday 23 January the LVI were invited to take part in a presentation competition. ARTiculation is an annual event designed to promote the appreciation and discussion of art. The competition seeks to engage students, regardless of background or experience, with art to develop their confidence and ability to express their opinions, thoughts and conclusions.

Nine girls competed, presenting for between five and ten minutes, on a work of art, design or architecture of their choice. The presenters and their topics were: Lettice Cornell – Jackson Pollock; Ina Benigni – Gerhardt Richter; Lucy Dyer – Francis Newton Souza; Georgia Hewitson – Lee McQueen; Shalayna Assani – Peter Blake; Miranda Woodruff – Richard Hamilton; Hyelim Park – Sandro Botticelli; Lollie King – Paul Gauguin; Florie Fanshawe – Salvador Dali.

All the girls worked hard to present in an informative and very entertaining way. Mrs Toogood and Mr Wise kindly adjudicated for the evening, and commended the presentations made by Florie Fanshawe, Miranda Woodruff and Ina Benigni. They presented the Runner-up Prize to Lettice Cornell, and First Prize to Lucy Dyer. Congratulations to all those who took part and contributed to such an interesting and entertaining evening!

Ms Diane Slocombe, Teacher of History of Art

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UVI STUDY DAY IN LONDON On Sunday 22 April the UVI Art historians took part in a special workshop, arranged by renowned company Art History Abroad, in order to consolidate their study for the Pre-U Paper 3: The Nude.

ACADEMIC LIFE

ART HISTORY

Ms Francesca Dytor and Ms Fania Weatherby devised a programme of revision focusing on works at the V&A and Tate Britain, with the aim of studying at first hand examples of the nude directly pertinent to the Pre-U course, and to draw links between all the thematic elements of the syllabus.

In the morning the girls toured the V&A, picking out key works to debate the characteristics of the classical nude as interpreted by Renaissance artists, and contrasting the debated terms ‘naked’ and ‘nude’. After lunch, the girls discussed Victorian re-workings of the classical nude, and modernist adaptations of the nude at Tate Britain. The girls enjoyed a very busy, stimulating and refreshing revision of their class work, while testing their ideas and deepening their understanding of the contrasting debates surrounding the nude in art. Jen Tett and Daisy Little found particularly interesting the debates surrounding the value of art produced by artists of dubious ethical or immoral motivation, while others were keen to explore feminist re-interpretations of figurative stereotypes, or the representation of social ideology through the nude body.

Ms Diane Slocombe, Teacher of History of Art

LVI STUDY TRIP TO LONDON On Tuesday 8 May the LVI Art historians visited two London art galleries to consolidate their Pre-U learning for their Analytical Studies and Historical Topics papers. In the morning the girls carried out analysis of ancient Greek artworks from the British Museum, focusing particularly on the Parthenon Marbles, and the re-creation of the Nereid Monument, along with key examples of black and red-figure Attic vases.

They were also able to study in detail the colossal Egyptian depiction of Ramesses II The Younger Memnon, and the gilded bronze, Tara Bodhisattva, featured on their Analytical Studies syllabus. They also enjoyed the special exhibition: Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece, where Rodin’s fascination with the Parthenon marbles could be discerned in the paintings, models and finished sculptures spanning his career.

A particular highlight was being able to examine The Burghers of Calais at close quarters.

In the afternoon the girls analysed early Renaissance works in the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery, before examining various other works in the main galleries, such as Holbein’s Ambassadors and Constable’s The Hay Wain for their Analytical Studies paper.

Ms Diane Slocombe, Teacher of History of Art Downe House Magazine

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ACADEMIC LIFE

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

REVIEW OF A YEAR IN THE MODERN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT This year has been a very busy one in Modern Foreign Languages. Girls have had many opportunities to enjoy learning languages and broaden their linguistic horizons.

At the start of the year the Sixth Form linguists attended a lecture given by Dr Adam Fergus from Sheffield University’s department of Russian and Slavonic Studies.

The girls were enthralled by the vibrancy of the lecture and learnt a great deal about what it might be like to study poetry at University. The Sixth Form also attended a couple of webinars, one about language study at university and the other for French linguists on their set film, La Haine. This was not the only study day the girls attended; there were also study days for Sixth Form Spanish, German and Italian linguists.

For the second time, Downe House sixth-form linguists entered the Linguistics Olympiad, a challenging language quiz which requires participants to solve linguistic data problems. Amelia Bennett (LVI) practised hard for the competition, completing past papers and attending extra sessions. Congratulations must go to Amelia as she was rewarded with the School’s first ever Bronze Award for the competition. Well done.

Lower down the School, Remove enjoyed a Christmas party organised by the LVI Language Ambassadors who got the girls involved with some Christmas songs from around the world. To end the party, there was a delicious buffet of European Christmas delicacies. Much fun was had by all.

The Language Ambassadors were also in attendance at our LIV Language Taster Days. The girls gave presentations about why they were studying languages and what their plans were for the future. The LIV then enjoyed their language taster lessons and a talk from Elisabeth Attlmayr from Bath University who gave 36

Our Year 2017-18

the LIV an overview of what it is like to study languages at university and what prospects there are for modern linguists.

The Language Ambassadors, comprising several sixthform linguists, is a new initiative that the department has instigated. The Language Ambassadors have helped organised events and importantly have provided some extra support for girls at different levels of their language study.

This process has also been beneficial for the Language Ambassadors who have had the opportunity to brush up on all their grammar points.

The year ended with the Modern Languages Showcase which provided the department an opportunity to show off a vast array of achievements across the languages. The finalists from the MFL Speaking Competition performed their presentations for parents; the UIV beginner German group performed a clapping song and the advanced German students from LV had the audience tapping their feet to ‘Das Fliegerlied’, a song enjoyed on occasions such as Oktoberfest. LIV French wrote and acted in their own amusing little play and LV Chinese produced a fantastic shadow puppet video that gripped us all. The showcase provided Araminta Plumstead (LV) the opportunity to read us her translation of Maurice Carême’s poem, ‘Mars’.

Araminta has entered this translation into the Stephen Spender Prize for poetry in translation competition, and the audience was impressed by Araminta’s translation and commentary.

There are always events going on in Modern Languages, and 2017-2018 was no different. The girls have taken part in a huge variety of activities, and enthusiasm for foreign language learning goes from strength to strength.

Mrs Jane Basnett, Head of Modern Languages

CELEBRATING CHINESE AT DOWNE HOUSE It has been a successful year for the Chinese Department.

In December 2017 two girls, Nina Bugeja from LVI and Lara Kabir Jennings from LV went to London and took part in the annual Chinese Speaking Competition organised by British Council and HSBC. It was a great experience for the girls and it certainly boosted their confidence and inspired both girls to speak more Chinese.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, the whole school had a Chinese lunch in the main dining room, which had been decorated with lots of Chinese-style decorations.

All staff and pupils enjoyed a Chinese meal and really experienced a good Chinese atmosphere. Mr Breeze organised a fantastic Chinese quiz which was open to all pupils and staff. Many people took part in the competition and the final winner, Ellen Gawne (LV), won the competition in the tiebreaker with an amusing take on why people should learn a foreign language in today’s world. Ellen responded, “Sadly in today’s world many international bridges are being broken; it’s important to learn other languages so that we can stay connected in a less tense world; also how else are we supposed to order food in another country - we’d starve!”

Thus, girls in all year groups have enjoyed several different activities this year and we look forward to building on these activities next year.

Ms Qiumei Chen, Head of Chinese

INAUGURAL DOWNE HOUSE LANGUAGES SPEAKING COMPETITION In March the Languages Department introduced all pupils in Remove, LIV, UIV and LV to the Speaking Competition.

This consisted of speaking in a foreign language for one to two minutes on a topic studied in the lessons. The aim was for the girls to use the language they had learnt in a creative way, while putting their languages skills to the test. The Remove, LIV and UIV were extremely keen to take part, so we had lots of entries, and therefore we ran two rounds: a first one and the final.

ACADEMIC LIFE

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

There were entries for Spanish, Italian, French, Chinese, Russian and German, so the judging panel was formed of five teachers. The competition took place in June and the girls spoke on a range of topics from family, hobbies and free time to describing authentic Italian food. They showed extremely strong language skills by adding a variety of tenses and complex structures, as well as a big range of vocabulary. We also differentiated between near-native and non-native students.

The winners for the first year of the Languages Competition are: Remove – UIV/near-native: Overall Winner à Yiming (Sophia) Song – Chinese 1st à Dasha Andreeva – Russian Runner-up à Antonia McClintock – German Remove – UIV/non-native: Overall Winner à Alice Pernthaller – Chinese 1st à Soung Park – French Runner-up à Mary Hazlitt – Italian LV/non-native/joint winners: 1st à Tosin Adepoju – Spanish 1st à Trinity Golding – Italian 1st à Jemima Harrison – Spanish Miss Leticia Garcia Niguez, Head of Spanish, House Tutor (Willis) and Oxbridge Mentor

Downe House Magazine

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ACADEMIC LIFE

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES TRIO OF ONATTI THEATRE COMPANY VISITS This year Modern Languages were delighted to host the Onatti Theatre Company on three occasions. Girls from Remove to UIV were invited to watch three plays in Spanish, French and German. These two-person plays are aimed at language learners and are always very interactive and highly amusing. It was delightful to see girls able to follow the plots easily and to see how much fun they had. Many thanks to Miss John-Davis for organising this for us.

Mrs Jane Basnett, Head of Modern Languages Antonia McClintock (UIV) writes below (in German and then in English) about her experience of the German play.

Am 16. Mai habe ich das Theaterstück ‚Hausarrest‘ gesehen.Es war sehr lustig und auch klug ausgedacht, denn es gab nur zwei Schauspieler: einen Jungen, und ein Mädchen. Das Mädchen hat 4 verschiedene Personen gespielt und es war großartig. Meiner Meinung nach war das Beste daran die Publikums Beteiligung.

Ich bin auf die Bühne gegangen und habe die Schwester von

Finn gespielt. Ich musste Wäsche bügeln, das Telefon beantworten und mit Finn sprechen, und alles in Deutch! Es hat mir viel Spaß gemacht und ich habe es wirklich genossen. Das Mädchen hat auch grelle und ungewöhnliche Kleidung getragen.

Ich denke, daß das Theaterstück super war, und ich möchte es nochmal sehen.

On 16 May I saw the play Hausarrest. It was very funny and was also cleverly planned, because there were only two actors: a boy and a girl. The girl played four different characters and it was amazing. In my opinion, the best bit was the audience participation. I went onto the stage and played Finn’s sister. I had to iron laundry, answer the telephone and talk to Finn, all in German! I had lots of fun and I really enjoyed it. The girl also wore bright and unusual clothes. I think that the play was super, and I would like to go and see it again.

SUPPORTING GIRLS’ ENTRY INTO THE STEPHEN SPENDER PRIZE FOR POETRY IN TRANSLATION ‘Mars’ – March, by Maurice Carême Il tombe encore des grêlons, Mais on sait bien que c’est pour rire.

Quand les nuages se déchirent, Le ciel écume de rayons.

Le vent caresse les bourgeons Si longuement qu’il les fait luire.

Il tombe encore des grêlons, Mais on sait bien que c’est pour rire.

Les fauvettes et les pinsons Ont tant de choses à se dire Que dans les jardins en délire On oublie les premiers bourdons.

Il tombe encore des grêlons…

The hail continues to freeze, a ton Of icy gems, but we know it’s just fun.

When the clouds tear themselves asunder And the sky foams with rays and thunder.

The wind brushes the bud So long it seems to gleam as studs Of hail continue to freeze, and stroke The sky. They are just a joke.

The warblers and finches Have much to say as the world inches Into spring, and in the dizzy delirious ease Of the season, one forgets the first bumblebees.

All the while, the hail continues to freeze…

The commentary: I chose to translate this poem from French into English because I think that it illustrates something usually viewed in a negative light as being extraordinarily graceful. The enjambment reinforces the idea that the hail is cascading down, and the poem beautifully suggests how hail is actually instrumental as a feature of what we consider to be spring. I found some of the words particularly difficult to translate, as I could not use their direct meaning because they did not make sense in English.

The rhymes were especially difficult, while some of the lines were a bit too simplistic, and so needed to be elaborated. I have maintained the line ‘hail continues to freeze’ throughout the poem, as the line ‘Il tombe encore des grêlons’ is repeated three times in the original French. I think that this adds a sense of continuance, which reinforces the idea that the hail is falling incessantly.

I have preserved the poem’s general structure, but have given it an AABB rhyme scheme in order to add interest and emulate the grace and flow of the hail. I have separated the final line from the rest of the stanza so that the stanzas are all quatrains to reflect the constancy of the weather. It also gives emphasis to the final line, which has been repeated throughout the poem. It is a testimony to the elegance of nature.

Araminta Plumstead, LV

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ACADEMIC LIFE

MATHS & ECONOMICS MATHS PUZZLE DAY At the end of November 2017, girls from the Remove were joined at Downe House by pupils from a range of prep schools to take part in our annual Maths Puzzle Day, run by The Happy Puzzle Company. During the Puzzle Day pupils work collaboratively in teams on a variety of Challenges. The Challenges require each team to work together and carefully develop strategies in order to find a solution. If the temptation to give up starts to appear, pupils are encouraged to persevere, put their own skills to better use as part of a team and overcome difficulties by approaching problems from different perspectives. An enjoyable and productive time was had by all.

UVI ECONOMICS TRIP TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND

UK MATHS CHALLENGE As usual, girls were entered for the UK Maths Challenges, with all Remove and LIV girls sitting the Junior Challenge, LV sets 1 and 2 as well as UIV sets 1, 2 and 3 sitting the Intermediate Challenge, and top set UV, Sixth Form Further Mathematicians and volunteers from the Sixth Form sitting the Senior Challenge. There were some impressive individual results. In the Senior Challenge Jessica Pemberton gained a Gold and was also invited to sit the Senior Kangaroo for the second year running. In the Intermediate Challenge Chioma Emenike, Shirley Song, Rachel Wang, Angie Wong, Queena Wong, Joanne Yu and Rachel Zhang all gained Gold Certificates, with Rachel Wang Best in School. As a result of their performances, Rachel Wang was invited to sit the Intermediate British Maths Olympiad Paper (and gained a Merit), and Alice Pernthaller, Shirley Song, Queena Wong and Rachel Zhang were invited to sit the Intermediate Kangaroo. Last, but not least, in the Junior Challenge Linlin Chi, Selina Douglas and Yiming Song all gained Gold, with Yiming winning Best in School. Yiming was also invited to sit the Junior Maths Olympiad Paper, gaining a Merit

MATHS CLINICS Finally, members of the department continued to give freely of their time to run Maths Clinics on Friday and Saturday mornings from 8.25 am to 8.55 am and on Wednesdays from 4.40 pm, for girls to drop in when they needed some specific help. These sessions proved to be popular and useful, so the department will continue running these next year.

Mr Robert Barnes, Head of Mathematics

Monetary Policy plays a central role in studying economics and the UVI spend a considerable amount of time understanding how the Monetary Policy Committee operates. This year’s group had a special affinity with Mark Carney: they began their Economics course just after the Brexit vote where interest rates were lowered to a historic low, and spent the remaining two years debating the position of both the Doves and the Hawks.

To fully compound our knowledge the Economics department decided that a visit to the Bank of England was a must. After contacting Mark Carney via email to see if he was available to meet us, our spirits were not dampened when unsurprisingly his diary was too busy!

On a cold February morning, 25 economist along with Mrs Cahill and Mr Bouwer joined the morning commute on the train to London and eagerly headed to Bank Station. Upon arriving at the museum, we were given a worksheet to guide us through and deepen our understanding on the role and history of the Bank of England.

We then had a tailored talk on interest rates detailing how vital they are to the economy. It was thoroughly enjoyable and helped to expand the knowledge we already had.

We then walked a short distance to a shopping centre where we had our lunch. Many students expressed how they would like to work in the City and enjoyed looking at all the impressive offices. The day was rewarding for the students and it certainly brought monetary policy to life.

Mrs Orla Cahill, Head of Business and Economics Downe House Magazine

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HIGHER EDUCATION ANNUAL GAP YEAR FAIR

At the Gap Year Fair there was a wide range of gap year options from cookery school in London to skiing camps in Canada, which meant that every girl was able to find something that would intrigue them and be beneficial to them in the future.

There were over 20 stalls, including the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design, Frontier and Love the Oceans.

Even though I am not considering taking a gap year, I still found the fair very interesting and inspiring since there was a plethora of options to take part in over the summer holiday. The one that I was particularly interested in was from the Projects Abroad, where we can choose which type of volunteering we want to do (for instance healthcare, building, conservation, archaeology or sports), the duration of the trip (2-4 weeks), and even where we want to go, ranging from Canada and Tanzania to Mozambique.

Phannaphat (Aommy) Totup, LVI

HIGHER EDUCATION APPLICATIONS DAY

The Wednesday after finishing exams, we had an informative Higher Education and University Applications Day. We began the day with several interesting talks given by Miss Clark and Ms Akhtar, which gave us a good understanding of the application process. The talks touched on how to choose the right university for you as well as things such as league tables, helpful websites and looking at university types.

One of the most helpful was the personal statement talk. We were given a booklet which we used to break down ideas for our own personal statements, then we looked at examples, both good and bad, and then we applied the principle to the super-curricular activities we have been doing in preparation for our applications.

After lunch we were able to go to two lectures given by speakers from six Russell Group universities, including Durham, Edinburgh, King’s and Nottingham. Each lecture focused on a certain aspect of university life, for instance, ‘First Year Student Life and Management’ at Bath or ‘Making the Most of Open Days and University Fairs’ at Leeds. These lectures were particularly useful as we were able to ask questions to those who had just been through a similar process and many of the speakers were student ambassadors who were at or had just graduated from the university.

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE On Saturday 23 June, hopeful Oxbridge and Medicine candidates came together with pupils from Wellington College in order to share their interests and expertise in their subjects. The students were split up into their subjects, and each delivered a presentation on a topic of their choice within their subject, which will prove useful in their interviews as well as giving them the opportunity to find like-minded people to share ideas and information with. All of the presentations were at a very high standard, and all of the pupils found it both enjoyable and constructive in preparation for their overall application process as well as specifically for Oxbridge.

Elizabeth Reynard, UVI

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Finally, we were given step-by-step guidance by Miss Clark about how to log on to UCAS to complete our application forms. We now feel fully prepared and even quite excited about the university application process!

Imogen Simpson-Orlebar, LVI

THE HIGHER EDUCATION ASPIRATIONAL EVENING

This event was an opportunity for LV, UV, and LVI along with their parents, to consider their academic future after Downe House. Following the keynote address, there were five different sessions: Medicine Applications, Creative Applications, Oxbridge Applications, Applications to Russell Group and Applications to Overseas Universities.

ACADEMIC LIFE

HIGHER EDUCATION The evening began with an inspiring address by Dr Samina Khan, the Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Oxford, telling us how few applicants are accepted in relation to the number who apply. She encouraged anyone interested to give themselves an edge, and explained that the interview is the most important element in Oxford acceptance. She advised us to show a deeper interest in our subject outside the curriculum, through extra reading and research.

The Creative talk was delivered by Louise Williams, Course Leader for the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at Oxford Brookes University. She reflected on different art courses available, including Fine Art, Graphic Design and Textile courses. Some students have gone on to be part of the London Fashion Week, while others have become employees in production chains for famous clothes brands.

Edward Smallwood from A-List Education gave the Overseas lecture about American universities specifically. We learned about the challenges of applying, such as living for four years in a different culture, far from home. He also talked about how 65% of UK employers favour candidates with international work experience, and how candidates need to ‘market’ themselves through leadership.

The Oxbridge talk was given by Dr Peter Bull, Emeritus Fellow at Oxford University. Dr Bull spent 39 years teaching at Oxford, so he brought a wealth of experience to the evening. He suggested that interviewers seek candidates with a great passion and love of their chosen subject, and explained that it is essential for candidates to identify the right college with a tutor who specialises in their chosen subject. Dr Bull was a hugely inspiring speaker.

The Russell Group talk was given by Caroline Hillier, who was thoroughly engaging, exploring the famously competitive universities such as Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and York, amongst others that make up this collection, with a predominate focus on Exeter. The speech was a summary of the general criteria that UK university assessors expect from a candidate and included important advice that whatever university we choose, it should be suitable to our situation in terms of course and location.

Richard Patient from Imperial College London talked to us about Medicine applications. Imperial offers three different styles of Medical study. He also expanded on the five-year and six-year courses available. They also offer a six-year course in which the undergraduate can travel for work abroad or do specialist hospital practicals.

Overall, the talks offered a real insight into possible educational pathways following Downe House. There was something for everyone to think about, and it allowed younger LV girls to begin to consider what they would like to do in the future, as well as older Sixth Form girls to finalise their decisions.

Araminta Plumstead, LV Downe House Magazine

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HIGHER EDUCATION LVI HIGHER EDUCATION AFTERNOON

INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME LAUNCH We were very lucky to have Pathway Company come in and talk to us about what they offer, which is careers training and mentoring. They provide their services to help students with gap years, internships and work experience, and will help with preparing for interviews as well as developing key skills.

Some of their partners who they work with include Microsoft, Sky and KPMG. What I really liked was how there is a variety of areas where they can help, ranging from engineering right through to art college applications. By signing up for the programme, Pathway can get in contact with you and send you contacts to arrange work placements, and will be happy to give you a call to discuss any queries or concerns that you may have regarding an interview or internship.

Through employability, insight days, peer-to-peer mentoring and a student portal that gives students access to valuable resources and information regarding post-school options, they will do the best they can to support candidates to reach their next step.

Shalayna Assani, LVI

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On the 2 December, LVI girls and their parents had a Higher Education talk on life after Downe and life after University, more specifically on the graduate job market. The keynote speaker, Martin Birchall MD, of Highfliers, gave an incredibly interesting presentation on the graduate job market, providing information that was useful for both girls and their parents, although some girls may have found it slightly stressful! However, everyone came away with new information about what happens after university and the importance of deciding early what you would want to read at university in the lead-up to the applications. Personally, what I found interesting is how much more likely a company is to hire a new employee if the person has already undertaken work experience of some form with their company. It certainly reminded me how important it is to plan ahead, despite how far away graduate jobs sound. There was also a presentation by Ms Akhtar about what Downe does to prepare the girls in Sixth Form for their higher education and application process, which was especially enjoyed by the parents attending. Overall, it was a really beneficial afternoon for all, and everyone departed having learnt so much about the changing landscape of university and graduate job applications.

Elizabeth Reynard, LVI

SCHOOL INTERVIEW EXCHANGE

On 18 October, the UVI Oxbridge candidates got together with other local schools: Kennet, St Bart’s, The Downs and Trinity for the annual School Interview Exchange. We spent the afternoon being either interviewed by a subject specialist from another school or talking to with like-minded candidates applying for similar subjects.

The Interview Exchange was very useful. We got to know the other candidates and discussed our subjects, along with the differences in what we have been taught and our focuses, which led to discussions we had not anticipated. Pupils from all five schools were grouped together depending on the subject they were hoping to apply for, which allowed for application and course-focused conversation, and the nature of the small groups allowed us to engage in seminar-like discussions on topics that we were passionate about. The interview practice was very useful in learning how to negotiate the demanding interview process, simulating the Oxbridge interview environment.

Following the event, we all received written feedback from our interviewer, and this was particularly useful.

On behalf of all of us I would like to thank Mr Atherton for organising such a stimulating day for us; it was invaluable in familiarising ourselves more with the Oxbridge application process.

Gwendoline Choi, UVI

OXBRIDGE MOCK INTERVIEWS

On 11 November, a number of UVI girls took part in individual simulation interviews (lasting 30-60 minutes each) run by OxFizz, an organisation which specialises in supporting student applications to top universities. During the course of the day, each girl enjoyed one or more interviews conducted on a one-to-one basis. These interviews, mimicking Oxbridge interviews, were useful in that they provided valuable exposure to the formal tone and atmosphere of a true university interview. As with the simulation interviews themselves, the feedback was tailored to each individual and was highly insightful, exposing any weaknesses in subject knowledge as well as acting as a springboard for interview skill improvement. For many of the girls, this was in itself a good opportunity to begin their individual interview preparations in earnest as well as acting as a well-timed reminder of the imminent ‘real event’.

Kei Kwan (Kate) Lau, UVI

OXBRIDGE APPLICATIONS WORKSHOP

OXBRIDGE PROGRAMME LAUNCH

On Wednesday 24 January, members of the LVI attended a workshop hosted

by Oxbridge Applications, a company that helps hopeful Oxbridge applicants understand and prepare for the application process. We were split into groups of between 8 and 12 to simulate a tutorial environment, each group led by a recent graduate of either Oxford or Cambridge specialising in a certain subject areas, from Maths and Pure Science to Engineering and English with Languages. Each of the groups had discussions on their subject, with the conversation focusing on a much higher level of the subject than the girls had previously experienced, encouraging them to stretch their boundaries and think in a new way. The conversations were all eagerly joined in, and the workshop ended with a quick summary of the services that Oxbridge Applications could continue to provide into the future, leaving everyone looking forward to the rest of the process.

On Wednesday 24 January, we welcomed Barry Webb, an exOxford Admissions Tutor, to Downe House to talk girls and parents about what makes an attractive Oxbridge candidate. It was a wonderful evening and useful to hear about the commitment that is required for applying to Oxbridge, but also how very rewarding it can be. The main message that Barry wanted us to take away is that you need to be passionate about what you want to study and be genuinely motivated. Following Barry’s speech, we heard from Dr Atherton who talked about how Downe supports us, and we also heard from two successful applicants in the UVI, Jessica Pemberton and Sapphire Graham. The evening was very enjoyable and informative and thanks go to Dr Atherton for organising the evening.

ACADEMIC LIFE

HIGHER EDUCATION

Tae-Chan Ellis, LVI

Elizabeth Reynard, LVI

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Creative

Cuperi in Itam fac virmis; hint. Si co hoculeg erviverdius, nihilis?

Nam, quam comnota riorte que nost inero aut dius, con senam faurniusque condam ma, ad res egeris; num, quodiu spientemqua Sp. Fordiis pulus cotiena tumus; es maiondam public recris, orbenartam vehena, defecer umusul videm inatort icenatum cepota, quo vil horbit, ussupie aciam achum, Cupere, quam inte, nonsum pra? O terei tum omnonsuam atilicia ves At iam iam et cus, nondam terors apectem es auces.

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April

ARTIST OF THE MONTH March

February

Wan Hei (Victoria) Cho LV

Lilias Hoare-Nairne Remove

June Gabriella Parkinson UV

May

Emily Duckworth LVI

Li Hui (Lily) Lin LV

In February 2018, the Art Department launched the Artist of the Month Award, which aims to recognise the artistic endeavours of their pupils. Each month one girl is selected who has produced outstanding work, has made remarkable progress, and has demonstrated an admirable work ethic. The work of the chosen pupil is represented on social media as well as being exhibited in a display case in the foyer and on the screens around the School.

In addition they receive recognition in assembly, as well as a certificate and prize. We would like to congratulate all of the girls who have received the award so far, and we very much look forward to celebrating the work of our girls during the next academic year!

Mrs Kirsten Mortimer, Teacher of Art

Downe House Magazine

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ART COMPETITIONS This year saw the launch of the first competition for 15-18 year-old pupils run by Ardington School of Crafts near Oxford. They asked for submissions of art and craft from schools across Oxfordshire and Berkshire, based on the theme of ‘Positivity’, and of the six Downe House girls who entered, four were selected as top 20 finalists. The work of the 20 finalists was exhibited for a month, and it received an amazing response from visitors to the School.

Our four finalists were Isabelle Smith, Amelia Smith, Michelle Sung, and Zi Yin (Aerial) Mo. Huge congratulations go to all of these girls, but particularly to Ariel, whose painting was awarded second prize, and she won a hundred pounds.

In addition to this, some of our UVI entered work for the Royal Academy A-Level online exhibition, which runs in conjunction with the annual Royal Academy Summer Show.

Works are shortlisted by a team of post-graduate RA Schools students and a panel of judges selects works from the shortlist to create the final curated online exhibition. An oil painting entitled ‘Meat’ by Jenna Parkinson was shortlisted from 2,100 entries, which is a phenomenal achievement, and her piece appeared on the Royal Academy Flickr site.

Zi Yin (Ariel) Mo

Well done to all of the girls who entered Art competitions this year.

We are very proud of you!

Mrs Kirsten Mortimer, Teacher of Art

Meat by Jenna Parkinson

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CREATIVE

BRITISH LEGION POPPY APPEAL EXHIBITION Armed Forces Raceday at Newbury Racecourse On Saturday 28 October 2017, artwork by members of the UIV and one of the UVI were exhibited at Newbury Racecourse for the Armed Forces Raceday and British Legion Poppy Appeal launch.

Canvas paintings, lino prints and monochrome mixed-media studies were produced to commemorate the centenary of the First World War Battle of Passchendaele, and were exhibited alongside poppies made by local primary school and nursery children. Downe House was the only secondary school to be represented, and the artwork produced was inspired by the famous war artist, Paul Nash.

We received some wonderful feedback from the British Legion, the Racecourse staff, and the general public, who could not believe the high standard that was achieved by such young artists. The British Legion would like to say a huge thank you to all the girls for creating such thought-provoking work and for participating in this significant event.

Mrs Kirsten Mortimer, Teacher of Art

Downe House Magazine

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UPPER SIXTH ART FOUNDATION COURSE APPLICATION SUCCESS This year four of our A Level students have received offers from every Art College that they applied to, which is a fantastic achievement!

They have considered their options and have settled on their final choices. Jennifer Tett will be taking up a place at Leeds University to study a Fine Art degree, Victoria Scobie and Vanessa Mu are heading to London to undertake Foundation courses at City and Guilds and London College of Fashion respectively, and finally, Jane Tung was offered a place on the Foundation course at Loughborough College of Art and Design.

Exciting times lie ahead of these girls and we wish them the very best of luck as they embark on their creative journeys!

Rural Landscape, Xiaoyi (Vanessa) Mu

Eve, Jennifer Tett

Mrs Kirsten Mortimer, Teacher of Art

Young Owl, Jane Tung

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Jennifer Tett working on her A Level exam preparatory painting

Art Award Holders’ Workshop June 2018

‘Textual’: Adjective – of, or pertaining to text and letterform ‘Art’: Noun – the product of imagination and creativity

‘Letterforms are not just a means to an end, but artistic entities in their own right.’

CREATIVE

SIMON SONSINO

This year the Art Award Holders enjoyed an inspirational workshop with the artist Simon Sonsino. Sonsino is a calligrapher, textual artist and international author who specialises in abstract expressionist art using calligraphy and all aspects of letterform. Textual Art highlights just one aspect of his creative output, as he recently took over Ardington School of Crafts in Oxfordshire.

Housed in an atmospheric Victorian primary school building, the centre provides an outlet for creative pursuits including everything from ceramics to writing.

Simon believes that it is acceptable for modern calligraphy to be illegible, and as such, challenges the viewer’s typical perceptions of calligraphic work. His compositions show that words can become abstract images that convey visual cadence, atmosphere and expression, and that letterform can evoke feelings in the viewer that verse alone is not always able to do. He has never been interested in traditional calligraphy and his outcomes tend towards the abstract, and most applications of his work imply the texture and emotion of the chosen text. Formal principles are followed in the main but his work places value on rhythm, dynamic gesture and impact.

Simon began the workshop by encouraging the girls to experiment with unusual tools dipped into ink to create letters. Wooden sticks and card made interesting marks and the girls then wrote words and phrases with handmade pens fashioned out of small pieces of aluminum. Water dripped into the acrylic ink created some stunning effects and distorted the letterforms into abstract patterns and shapes with washes of colour in the background. The girls were then shown how to drop ink from a height to create a splash on the paper, and random dribbles and water marks added to the images. Spraying the paper with water softened the imprint of the ink, and washing the ink under the tap left lingering trace marks of colour on the exciting abstract compositions.

Simon introduced the girls to a plethora of new techniques to enable them to express their ideas in a confident and fluent way. All agreed that it had been an exciting and worthwhile day and they left enthusiastic about incorporating all that they had learnt into their future studies.

Mrs Sally Scott, Head of Art Faculty

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REMOVE BIRD PROJECT AND LOWER SCHOOL ART/POTTERY MARK HEARLD BIRDS R3 created large mobile birds inspired by the work of the artist Mark Hearld.

After investigating the wildlife paintings of Hearld, the girls produced sketchbook research, using this to develop their own miniature bird models which could then be translated into larger images. Cardboard templates were made and the girls experimented with collaged shapes using tissue paper overlays. Stencil patterns were then spray painted over the tissue designs using vivid colours. Additional details were added using pro-marker pens and the girls drew feathers and beaks.

Finally jewels were placed to emphasise the birds’ eyes and to increase the decorative effect. The birds took flight for the annual Founder’s Weekend Art Exhibition and looked wonderful hovering above the Art studio.

CREATIVE – ART

Mrs Sally Scott, Head of Art Faculty

Lower School have had another busy and creative year in the Art department and it has been fascinating to see the collection of work that has emerged over the course of the year.

REMOVE The Remove have developed their drawing skills working in a variety of media and learning a range of techniques. They created a variety of colourful repeat prints, evolved from their drawing research and inspired by the work of Art and Crafts designer, William Morris. Toward the end of the year, sculpture has been the main area of focus, and the girls took inspiration from Greek and Roman tragedy masks and mythological sculpture. They created a characterful and imaginative collection of terracotta masks with some excellent examples of sculpting skills.

LOWER FOURTH LIV girls have created a variety of ceramics inspired by natural forms and the work of artist Mark Hearld. They have learned how to construct using slab and coil-built methods and they have created work using plaster press moulds. Some have created modelled decoration and others have applied handmade stencils to create designs using coloured slips and underglazes. The girls have also developed drawing techniques and lino prints inspired by an animal theme.

UPPER FOURTH The UIV have challenged their sculpting skills to develop a collection of animal sculptures in clay. They produced some exciting bleach and ink studies prior to modelling their sculptures and they explored a number of artists’ work including that of Dame Elizabeth Frink. There were some beautifully sculpted and ambitious pieces which took many hours to complete. Following on from their animal project, the creation of an ‘Artist’s Box’ was the theme for the development of research skills and a creative independent project, exploring the work of the work of an artist or art movement. The girls produced some highly innovative responses to the theme and turned what was a simple cardboard box into a work of art. The latter part of the Summer Term has seen collaborative work on large-scale mixedmedia portraits, inspired by the theme of Japonisme.

Mrs Alison Keeling, Teacher of Art

Remove Masks

Honore, Remove 50

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Lilias Hoare Nairne, Remove

LOWER AND UPPER FOURTH ART

Cordelia Reeve, LIV

Miranda Tromans, LIV

Amy Jiang, LIV

Neelan-May Muge, LIV

Zia Mylne, LIV

Chiara De Sa Subuiotto, UIV

India Hinds, UIV

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LOWER AND UPPER FOURTH ART

Cora Green, LIV

Romilly Behagg, LIV

Alicia de Broë-Ferguson, UIV

Harriet Boucher, UIV Downe House Magazine

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UPPER FOURTH ART

Georgia Dunkerley, UIV

Lara Harries, UIV

Fleur Joll, UIV

Georgia Dunkerley, UIV

Isabella Pemberton, UIV 52

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Margot Ridley, UIV

Xinyue (Audrey) Xu, UIV

Théa Hawtin, UIV

CREATIVE

LOWER AND UPPER FOURTH ART

Chiara De Sa Subiotto, UIV

Isabella Ashley, UIV

UIV Boxes

Rosie Montague, UIV

Vasilisa Borovskaya, UIV

Freya Illingworth, UIV

Pei Yun (Emma) Hao, UIV

Zlata Krokhmalna, UIV

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LOWER FIFTH ART 1. Against the Cold, Jantaluck (Kelly) Bhanarai 2. Flight, Georgia Duckworth 3. Hooded Figure, Chelsea Huang 4. Self-Portrait with Birds, Li Hui (Lily) Lin 5. Noure, Saskia Mactaggart 6. Winged, Toluwase Agusto 7. Harry, Araminta Plumstead 8. Girl with Peonies, Kunyi (Shirley) Song 9. Youth of Today, Lu (Lulu) Tian 10. Lucia, Sasha Tydeman 11. Father, Jinghan (Tracy) Zhang

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UPPER FIFTH ART 1. Ruined Staircase, Cecilia Boscawen 2. Old Dolls, Emma Bracken 3. Indian Scooter, Abriella Dolbear 4. Shed, Natalia Cremin 5. Rust, Anouk Davies 6. Fish Market, Jocasta Ferrigno 7. Koi Carp, Anchisa (Pim) Ittiphakorn 8. Graffiti, Jade Jacomb 9. Reflection, Madison James 10. Wooden Door, Luoyi (Sunny) Li 11. Rowing Boat, Alice Lloyd-Evans

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12. Abandoned Pool, Olivia Lopes 13. Succulents, Zi Yin (Ariel) Mo 14. Window, Anna Neville 15. Grounded Boat, Catherine Nicol 16. Church, Sarah Park 17. Washing Up, Gabriella Parkinson 18. Foil Balloon, Clementine Pemberton 19. Windows, Yi Wei (Lily) Peng 20. Skull, Sasha Percy-Davis 21. Girl with Roses, Michelle Sung 22. Sushi, Alice Tanner

Our Year 2017-18

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23. Reflective Still Life, Sabrina Wang 24. Venice, Ruyao Xu

LOWER SIXTH ART 1. Reflections, Catharina Benigni 2. Fishing Boat, Emily Duckworth 3. Builders, Georgia Hewitson 4. Twisted and Tangled, Shalayna Assani 5. Kew Glasshouse, Amelia Smith 6. Fruit and Flora, Miranda Woodruff 7. Venice, Charlotte Zeal

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UPPER SIXTH ART 1. Autumn, Holly Evans 2. Summer, Holly Evans 3. Decay, Xiaoyi (Vanessa) Mu 4. Ghost Town, Xiaoyi (Vanessa) Mu 5. Peak District, Xiaoyi (Vanessa) Mu 6. Escape, Alexandra O’Kane 7. Young Soldiers, Alexandra O’Kane 8. Captivity, Jenna Parkinson 9. Meat, Jenna Parkinson 10. Grenfell Tower, Victoria Scobie 11. Imperfection Victoria Scobie 12. Old Door, Victoria Scobie 13. Eve, Jennifer Tett 14. Rare Breeds, Jennifer Tett 15. Owl, Jane Tung 16. Sardines, Jane Tung 17. Sea Spray, Imogen Waller 18. Waves, Imogen Waller

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LOWER SIXTH PHOTOGRAPHY

Emily Biggs, Waterways

Storm Halestrap, People

Calypso Cox, Waterways

Kirsty Depledge, Combination Katie Hackman, People

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CREATIVE Charlotte Watt, Spinning

Millie Hughes, London

Andreja Mirosevic-Sorgo, Dreams

Elizabeth Reynard, Green

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Charlotte Benigni, Youth

UPPER SIXTH PHOTOGRAPHY

Rose Hughes, Society

Daisy Little, Narrative

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Xiaoyi (Vanessa) Mu

Combine Natasha Tan

Culture Apertures

Natasha Somerville-Cotton

Structure

Black and White

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LOWER FIFTH GCSE PRODUCT DESIGN – LAMP PROJECT 1

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1. Clementine Black (Ultraviolet lamp) 2. Susanna Brooke 3. Romilly Cox 4. Saskia Dale 5. Lavinia Geddes 6. Florence Hack 7. Alexandra Hamilton 8. Alexandra Hamilton 9. Chelsea Huang 10. Gardiner Hunt 11. Suet Ching Lam

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12. Rosanna Love 13. Omolade Pearse 14. Polly Pressland 15. Yitong Qiu 16. Emelia Shippey 17. Lisabel Thistlethwayte 18. Georgia Thistlethwayte 19. Beatrice Weaver (Make-up storage box with mirror lamps) 20. Rose Whitbread 21. Liberty Wilson

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UPPER FIFTH GCSE RESISTANT MATERIALS – CONTROLLED ASSESSMENTS Fenella Bowlby Project: Storage chair for children Materials: MDF

Tara Farquhar Project: Jewellery and make up organiser Materials: Plywood and mirrored acrylic

Elodie Hersee Project: Bird Feeder with squirrel protection Materials: Pine/acrylic/aluminium Eliza Farquharson Project: Portable Bluetooth Speaker Materials: Sapele/ plywood/acrylic

Imogen Fowler Project: Art Deco inspired radio Materials: Walnut veneered MDF/Pewter/acrylic 66

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Emily Hannis Project: Book storage chair Materials: Birch plywood

Mathilde Hughes Project: Backgammon storage box Materials: Walnut/pewter/acrylic

Annie Le Grice Project: Jewellery storage unit with integral mirror Materials: Oak/Sapele veneer/acrylic/aluminium

Jessica Hewlett Project: Dog feeder storage unit Materials: Pine/stainless steel

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UPPER FIFTH GCSE RESISTANT MATERIALS – CONTROLLED ASSESSMENTS

Henrietta Miles Project: Record deck and Hi Fi storage unit Materials: Walnut veneered MDF

Zi Yin (Ariel) Mo Project: Garden plant display unit Materials: Pine

Charlotte Nicholson Project: Jewellery storage unit with earing stand Materials: Oak veneered MDF/Sapele/ acrylic/aluminium

Motolani Oladitan Project: Occasional table Materials: Sapele veneered MDF/acrylic 68

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Alice Peters Project: Triangular storage unit Materials: Ash veneered MDF

Olivia Pockney Project: Hedgehog house Materials: Oak/Walnut/acrylic/aluminium

Clementine Pemberton Project: flat packable plant storage rack Materials: Ash/ash veneered MDF

Ottilie Whitbread Project: Slot together occasional table with book storage Materials: Birch plywood Kitty Shepherd-Cross Project: Marble run table Materials: Sapele/Sapele veneered MDF

Sabrina Wang Project: Wall mounted gadget tidy with integral charger Materials: laminated plywood/acrylic/HIP vacuum formed trays Downe House Magazine

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY INTRODUCTORY PROJECTS AND PRODUCT DESIGN

Sophie Bott LVI

Project: Portable Bluetooth speaker

Natthida Chuankajornpong LVI

Project: Skateboard using laminated plywood and casting resin.

Project: Portable Bluetooth speaker

Project: Occasional table inspired by streamlining

Project: Memphis inspired occasional table

Project: Coat hook in veneered MDF and aluminium Project: Coat hook with London underground design 70

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Zara Karoly LVI

Kirsty Depledge LVI

Project: Portable Bluetooth speaker

Project: Portable Bluetooth speaker

Project: Memphis inspired occasional table

Project: Coat hook in oak and aluminium

Project: Occasional table in the modernist style

Project: Coat hook with snakes and ladders design

Alexia Milliken, UVI

Project: Easily disassembled garden corner bench Materials: Sapele

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LOWER SCHOOL TEXTILES REMOVE Elizabeth Jelley, Remove

In Remove, the girls learn how to block print and batik organic cotton fabric.

These hand-decorated fabrics are then patchworked and embroidered to create a Lavender Heart that could be sold as a Fair Trade product.

Georgina Williams-Bulkeley, LIV

LOWER FOURTH In LIV, students were asked to create a handpainted fabric canvas inspired by the work of Kurt Jackson. The students learn how to mix paint to create a defined colour palette and how to blend colours. The outcomes are excellent!

Charlotte Pearson, UIV

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CREATIVE ThĂŠa Hawtin, UIV

UPPER FOURTH Students are asked to customise a t-shirt inspired by 80s Punk. Stencils are sprayed, safety pins added and jersey slashed to create striking outcomes.

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Lara Mun-Gavin

UPPER SIXTH TEXTILES PRODUCT DESIGN COURSEWORK

Georgia Lavelle

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CREATIVE Flora Lindsay

Xiaoyi (Vanessa) Mu

Isabella Muir

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UPPER FIFTH TEXTILES COURSEWORK UV students worked to a range of set design briefs, inspirational themes such as Culture, Japanese Streetstyle and the Swinging Sixties inspired a variety of original and innovative products.

Victoria Aarons, UV

Using eco-fashion and sustainable design to create this pinafore dress using 100% recycled and fabrics.

Henrietta Miles, UV

Elodie Hersee, UV

The Swinging Sixties theme can clearly be seen in this iridescent sheet top, with pink chiffon folded squares are adornment.

Peruvian culture has inspired this cotton smock top with bold and intricate hand embroidered gathered sleeves.

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Music

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AN OUTSTANDING YEAR OF MUSIC It has been a thrilling year in the Music Department! We have been celebrating many triumphs from Senior Choral winning Barnardo’s Choir of the Year, the best set of ABRSM results on record to girls achieving places in national youth choirs and orchestras, and no less than seven finalists in the Berkshire Young Musician of the Year competition. We were also privileged to welcome Judith Weir, Master of the Queen’s Music, to adjudicate our Young Musician of the Year Competition earlier this year.

We have performed at Guildford Cathedral, the Royal Festival Hall, St Nicolas’ Church and St John’s Church in Newbury, exploring a spectrum of music whilst having a lot of fun along the way.

I would like to thank Melissa Chang (Head of Music), Jane Tung (Deputy Head of Music), Alexandra O’Kane (Head of Choral) and Emilie Cheung (Deputy Head of Choral) for their outstanding contribution to the Music Department this year.

We have twenty-seven very talented Music Award Holders and I would like to thank them all for their exceptional contribution and commitment to the musical life of the School this year.

With now over 2300 followers, our Twitter site continues to capture all our exciting news, live updates and inspiring moments from the Music Department. Please do follow us @DowneHouseMusic.

At the heart of our work in the Music Department is the importance of involving all girls from across the School to enjoy music, from the beginner to the diploma student, enabling them to experience the power of music – and what an exhilarating journey we have had!

We were also glad to share our music-making with 175 younger musicians at our Prep Schools’ Orchestral

Dr Charlotte Exon, Director of Music

MASTER OF THE QUEEN’S MUSIC

Our Music Award Holders responded with a variety of thoughtful questions on composing, opera and there was an excellent discussion on gender equality in music.

Sunday 29 April 2018

The girls were clearly inspired by her commitment, enthusiasm and eminent musicianship. It was a wonderful event for the girls to meet, and share in intellectual musical discussion, with one of the country’s foremost musicians.

We were delighted to welcome Judith Weir for a ‘Question and Answer’ session at the beginning of the Summer Term for our musicians, parents and Downe House community.

As one of Britain’s most distinguished composers, Judith Weir is at the heart of music-making in this country, receiving commissions from some of the world’s most eminent choirs and orchestras. She is the first women to hold the post of Master of the Queen’s Music since its inception in 1626.

Judith Weir gave us an incredible insight into her life as a composer from how she starts writing her compositions through to attending its premiere. She talked about her role as Master of the Queen’s Music and the duties which this brings from composing music for royal occasions through to her conversations with Her Majesty the Queen about Bach and Mozart.

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Fun Day in October with our space themed musical day. It was wonderful to see our girls inspiring the next generation of musicians.

Our Year 2017-18

Dr Charlotte Exon, Director of Music

MUSIC

BARNARDO’S SENIOR CHOIR OF THE YEAR COMPETITION Royal Festival Hall, London, 12 March 2018 It all started with a recording of two songs in Chapel one autumnal lunchtime, and the next thing we knew, we were selected from over 100 entries and performing to a full capacity audience at the Royal Festival Hall along with 25 other choirs and lifting the trophy as Senior Choir of the Year 2018!

Something very special happened that day for 17 of our senior choristers. The musical stars aligned. All our detailed preparation came together, the choir knew what they needed to do and they walked out on stage and performed a breath-taking performance of Bob Chilcott’s ‘I Lift My Eyes’ and Aretha Franklin’s ‘I Say A Little Prayer’.

It was a spine-tingling performance for both the choir and audience; stylish in shape and colour, oozing warmth, confidence and integrity. An exceptional performance that created a very special and unforgettable moment in time.

A panel of five adjudicators chaired by Dr Douglas Coombes MBE judged the performance to be outstanding in artistry and technique, showing complete understanding of the music and text, together with the ability to communicate with the audience, commenting: “A beautifully balanced performance from the outset with just beautiful quiet singing which was always well supported by choral and instrumental accompaniment.

Good clear diction and beautifully modulated dynamic singing and phrasing. A lovely tone right down to the lower notes….both performances were, well – beautiful!”

Curious to listen to the winning performance? A video of the competition performance is posted on our Downe House Music site on youtube.com. Alternatively, check out our clip with over 5200 views on Twitter @ DowneHouseMusic.

So, what was our secret? How did we win? Well, it was down to the exceptional commitment of the girls, their communication of the sheer joy of singing and their ability to touch others powerfully through music - and when you fuse this with the inimitable Downe House musical spirit, you have a winning formula!

Bravissimo to Senior Choral! They have shown such commitment and deserve this triumphant win. I really could not be more proud of what they have achieved this year. Hats off to them all!

Dr Charlotte Exon, Director of Music

Barnardos’ Senior Choir of the Year 2018 Alexandra O’Kane (UVI, Head of Choral), Emilie Cheung (UVI, Deputy Head of Choral), Georgia Allison (UV), Emily Carpmael (UV), Isabella Craig (UVI), Lauren Dunn (LVI), Holly Evans (UVI), Katie Hackman (LVI), Anna Hall (UV), Annie Hazlitt (UV), Sacha Martin (UVI), Faith Norman (UVI), Alice Peters (UV), Katelyn Taylor (UVI), Jane Tung (UVI), Catharine Wippell (UVI), Tiange (Sylvia) (LVI).

The performances were stylishly and expertly accompanied by Mrs Susan Holmes, Principal Accompanist, supported by Dr Christian Alexander, Head of Composition, on bass guitar. The choir and instrumental support performed truly as one in the true spirit of Downe House and our Founder, Olive Willis.

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MICHAELMAS CONCERT On Saturday 25 November, more than 200 pupils took to the stage with a musical extravaganza to an audience of over 200. It opened with a collaboration between Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia to play an arrangement of ‘Jupiter’ from Holst’s ‘The Planets’, and ‘Sunrise Fanfare’ from Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra, cleverly arranged by Dr Charlotte Exon. Over one hundred players were on stage, with a space-themed background audio-visual setting the tone.

Symphony Orchestra then performed Richard L Saucedo’s Fanfare for the Third Planet with its strong brass and percussion section, leaving woodwind and strings to convey the soaring, spaced-themed melodies.

Schram’s ‘For Who You Are’, was from Once Removed, the youngest choir in the School, led by Mrs Gilpin Jones, with a beautiful duet from the Head and Deputy Head of the choir, Eloise Kirby and Camilla Hale. Dr Alexander led Chamber Orchestra which, featuring some of the most advanced players in the School, performed Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony. The girls showed musical maturity as they communicated well with each other.

Junior Choral, led by Miss Maguire, closed the first half with a rhythmic rendition of Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’ accompanied by the House Band. Then Choral, involving over fifty girls, ended with an effervescent performance of ‘The Rhythm of Life’.

After festive mince pies, Big Band warmed the audience with ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’, featuring beautiful solos from Marina Pownall and Emma Talbot Rice.

Also of note in the concert were the two videos produced by Emilie Cheung, UVI, who has recently had a commission from Channel 4. Her two videos inspired the current UIV to take on GCSE music.

A pleasant mixture of popular and classical music weaved through the programme with In Harmony and Senior Choral, both auditioned choirs, opting for Adele’s ‘When We Were Young’ and Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’ respectively, with fantastic support from the House Band. Senior Choral sang a second item, Bob Chilcott’s ‘Like a Singing Bird’, which displayed the maturity of the choir’s beautifully close harmonies. Then the audience was brought back down to earth. Once Removed, Junior Choral, In Harmony, Choral and Senior Choral took to the stage to perform Will Todd’s ‘An Earthly Blessing’, commissioned for Downe House in 2014.

Special thanks go to all music staff who have prepared girls for this event, the Estates team, the Audio Visual Department and of course the girls themselves.

Miss Charlotte Matthews, Graduate Music Assistant (Events and Administration) 80

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SENIOR CAROL SERVICE The traditional Senior Carol Service of nine lessons and carols, held in St Nicolas’ Church in Newbury, offered many musical delights to draw together the end of the Michaelmas Term. Alongside a wide range of carols, highlights included Chilcott’s sprightly arrangement of ‘Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day’ as well as Senior Choral’s serene performance of Gjeilo’s complex ‘In the Bleak Mid-winter’. Members of the Sixth Form featured as soloists during the course of the service. A special mention must be made of Man I (Melissa) Chang for playing the organ before the service with great musical assurance, and Alexandra O’Kane and Emilie Cheung, our Head and Deputy Head of Choral, who led the choirs with poise. The service flowed well with the music complementing the readings, and the closure, with the rousing congregational carol ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’, aptly heralded the start of the Christmas holidays for all.

With grateful thanks to Dr Exon and the Music Department for their direction and support of the service.

Miss Fiona Muir, Assistant Housemistress (York) and Teacher of Music

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JUNIOR CAROL SERVICE

MUSIC AWARD HOLDERS’ MICHAELMAS TERM RECITAL

Music spilled out of St Nicholas’ Church in Newbury on the last day of the Michaelmas Term as the eagerlyanticipated Junior Carol Service took place. The service offered a chance to reflect on the Christmas story, told through seven lessons and carols, expertly led by In Harmony, Junior Choral and Once Removed.

What better way to spend a chilly November evening than listening to accomplished musical performances by our Music Award Holders.

Performers from the LVI, LV and LIV guided us through a wide range of styles and composers, from Katharine Furse’s witty performance of Mozart’s Flute Quartet in D major to Amelia Hughes’ poignant performance of Novello’s ‘We’ll Gather Lilacs’.

Punctuating the enthusiastic congregational singing of traditional carols was a variety of musical settings of traditional texts. These included Karl Jenkins’ arrangements of ‘In Dulce Jubilo’ and ‘Silent Night’, ‘Christmas-tide’ by Bob Chilcott, ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ by Gardner and ‘An Earthly Blessing’ by Will Todd. The last of these was accompanied by a whole host of percussion instruments including shakers, djembes and even an Irish bodhrán, bringing the service to a very lively climax. What a way to end the Michaelmas Term!

All choirs were expertly guided by their leading members, Poppy Furse and Rosalind Wippell of In Harmony, Marina Pownall and Lucinda Slack of Junior Choral and Eloise Kirkby, Olivia McClintock and Camilla Hale of Once Removed.

Many thanks go to Dr Exon for her superb direction of the choirs and the accompanying musicians, to Mr Stephen Clarke on organ and Miss Susan Holmes on piano, and to Man I (Melissa) Chang for setting the musical scene at the start of the service.

Mrs Amy McPherson, Assistant Director of Music

Poppy Furse displayed dexterity of technique in her performance of ‘Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum’ by Debussy, Katie Lam’s rich and expressive tone shone through in her performance of Bruch’s Romanze for Violin in F major, and Ernest Bloch was featured not once, but twice, in Antonia Holloway’s atmospheric performance of ‘Supplication’ and Anna Riley’s mournful performance of ‘Jewish Song’.

The first half concluded with Emma Talbot Rice’s uplifting performance of Cooke’s Rondo in B flat major, contrasting with the impassioned Spring Sonata ably showcased by Hye Lim Park at the start of the second half. The virtuosity and emotional range of the piano were also explored by Kylie Chan and Lucia Bugeja, with ‘Valse Lento’ by Merikanto and ‘Consolation no. 3’ by Liszt.

Special thanks must to go Miss Susan Holmes for her exceptional accompaniment throughout the evening and her hard work in rehearsals for this event.

Mrs Amy Mcpherson, Assistant Director of Music

MUSIC AWARD HOLDERS’ LENT TERM RECITAL The Music Award Holders’ Recital on the final day of the Lent Term was certainly worth the wait. Once again, the range of performances was a true testimony to the quality of music-making across the department, in which our Award Holders take a lead role.

The Chapel provided a perfect setting to hear two stylish piano performances from Camilla Hale and Alice Demeester with Mozart’s Fantasia in D minor and Chopin’s Nocturne no. 20 in C sharp minor respectively. Charismatic vocal performances were presented by Eloise Kirkby, with ‘We’ll Gather Lilacs’ by Ivor Novello and Katie Hackman’s performance of ‘I’d Give My Life For You’ from ‘Miss Saigon’, a work Katie is also studying for her A Level course. The acoustics of the Chapel also aided a witty performance of the first movement of Poulenc’s Flute Sonata by Eliza Inglis and an atmospheric performance of Fauré’s Après Un Rêve by ‘Sara Lee’.

In the Concert Room, the audience was delighted with a further work by Mozart, by Olivia McClintock on bassoon, and another rendition of Chopin’s Nocturne, by Molly Dewar on piano. A Music Award Holders’ Recital would not be complete without hearing the Master of Harmony, Mr J S Bach, with Prelude in D minor BWV 875, ably performed by Antonia McClintock on piano. Georgia Allison’s mature interpretation of Delius’ Violin Sonata in E minor certainly captured the audience’s attention, along with Sophie Loftus’ energetic performance of ‘Gopak’ by Modest Mussorgsky. Soung Park brought the concert to a dramatic close with a performance of a recently rediscovered cello concerto by Haydn.

The Recital this term was particularly special as we bid farewell to Man I (Melissa) Chang, Wai-Ping (Sarah) Kwok and Jane Tung who should be congratulated for their endearing commitment and unwavering enthusiasm for everything musical, which shone through in their performances this afternoon. Once again thanks must go to Miss Susan Holmes for her ever-excellent accompaniment.

Mrs Amy McPherson, Assistant Director of Music Downe House Magazine

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EVENING OF LIGHT MUSIC Our Evening of Light Music moved to another level this year – expanding from the Concert Room into the Performing Arts Centre, but also in the high standard of music making and huge variety of musical styles on offer. The relaxed and happy atmosphere in the PAC, with a cabaret layout and an abundance of drinks and snacks, was a perfect place for Downe’s musicians to enjoy performing.

The concert started and finished with large instrumental groups. Opening with Sinfonia Strings playing The Beatles’ Across The Universe, it ended with two wonderful performances by Sinfonia Wind, Beauty and the Beast Theme and Simple Gifts. We had solos from Georgia Allison (who sang her grandfather’s arrangement of Carly Simon’s Nobody Does It Better), and Hye Lim Park playing her own composition for unaccompanied violin, as well as choral renditions of Somewhere Only We Know and ‘For Who You Are’ from Once Removed, and Lost Boy from The Robinson Singers. The Sirocco Flute Choir played music from Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks and Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance no. 1 and the Ashkenazy Piano Ensemble performed two pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite – the latter was not only notable for the beautiful sound, but also for being played on five pianos that were spread around the four corners of the PAC! The audience was also treated to a rousing performance by the LIV Samba Group and a beautifully contained Irish folk song by the Folk Group, featuring Holly Evans on lead vocal and Georgia Allison on harmony vocal singing Siúil A Rún. From start to finish this was an evening of accomplished and thrilling music making.

Dr Christian Alexander, Teacher of Music and Head of Composition

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS A fantastic array of talent has been on display in our lunchtime concert series.

These concerts are an ideal opportunity for solo and ensemble musicians to get together and perform in front of an audience in an informal environment.

In the Summer Term, each House had the opportunity to organise and present a concert, allowing girls to get a flavour of what is required to run a small music event. Our Music Award Holders took the lead in each House, supported ably by other leading musicians. Each week the organisers recruited four to five performers, organised an accompanist, decided on the venue, created a programme, and, finally, attracted a healthy audience of girls and staff.

There were some fantastic performances overall, with a breadth of music from pop and minimalism to classical and musical theatre. It has been lovely to hear a whole host of girls getting involved and to discover some new talent from each House.

Mention must go to AGS and Holcombe, who organised their concerts smoothly and created some fantastic programmes for the audience. Marina Pownall, Hye Lim Park, Rosalind Wippell and Alexandra Hamilton carefully thought through their programmes and really engaged with the audience when presenting. We have also heard some lovely music from AGN, Tedworth and Aisholt, and heard music from the Lower School and Sixth Form over the course of the Summer Term.

Miss Charlotte Matthews, Graduate Music Assistant (Events and Administration) 82

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ST JOHN’S CHURCH CONCERT Boundless energy and enthusiasm once again permeated a concert presented by the Music Department of Downe House School as over 100 students and members of the departmental staff presented some fine examples of choral and instrumental music at St John’s Church, Newbury. The evening raised over £1,000 for Christian Aid, the school’s chosen charity for the third year running.

Innovative programming allowed students and audience to experience music some of which may well have been hitherto unfamiliar, thus opening new doors of interest. Accessibility, creativity and inclusivity are key to the aims and success of the 41-strong members of the Music Team led by Director of Music, Dr Charlotte Exon.

From the range of musical styles, moods, and musical eras presented, it rapidly became apparent how much the students revelled in what they were doing. It is reassuring to know that the musical repertoire opened up to each performer is well matched to their developing levels of skill. Concentration was paramount, but enjoyment for all was evident, and the atmosphere was vibrant. Works by 12 composers from several countries and eras featured either instrumentally or vocally – all performed with great enthusiasm, and received with loud applause from the appreciative audience. The teamwork was excellent, with staff and students responding well to each other. Moving of furniture on-stage was deft and fuss-free as musical ensembles changed.

It was good to know that so much hard work and enthusiasm resulted in a truly breath-taking evening and in generous financial support for the chosen charity, Christian Aid. Carolyn Greenwood, St John’s Church

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GUILFORD CATHEDRAL EVENSONG Following the success of Evensong trips last year, Choral were delighted to have the special opportunity of singing a Choral Evensong Service at Guildford Cathedral on Wednesday 7 March. The music was varied, offering moments of reflection during Malcolm Archer’s commissions for Downe House, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, to an energetic performance of Handel’s The Heavens are Telling. The warmth of sound from the choir in this anthem travelled far with the cathedral’s acoustics whilst the strong articulation ensured clarity of the text. A mention must go to Alexandra O’Kane, Katie

BERKSHIRE YOUNG MUSICIAN On Sunday 11 March, seven talented girls played in the prestigious School Hall at Eton College, taking part in the finals of Berkshire Young Singer and Berkshire Young Pianist of the Year.

After preliminary rounds in November and semi-finals in January, our performers went head to head against students from all over West Berkshire.

Singing in the final were Chisengo (Elizabeth) Lukama, Camilla Hale and Katie Hackman, Head of Music for 2018/19. All three sang beautifully, with Katie presenting a particularly dramatic performance of I’d Give My Life For You from ‘Miss Saigon’.

Competing in the piano round were Olivia McClintock, Sophie Loftus, Alice Demeester and Georgia Allison, whose impressive performances fought off serious competition in the hotly-contested semi-finals held in January. All girls played brilliantly, with some performing entirely from memory, including Georgia Allison’s rendition of Mozart’s Fantasia in D minor.

Congratulations must to go all the participants on their mature musical performances. Of course, there had to be a winner and deserved ‘hats off’ go to our new Berkshire Young Pianist of the Year, Olivia McClintock, who impressed the judges with her polished performance of Chopin’s Waltz in A minor.

Miss Charlotte Matthews, Graduate Music Assistant (Events and Administration)

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Hackman and Lauren Dunn for their beautifully blended voices when singing the trio section. Man I (Melissa) also deserves congratulations for her prowess in the accompaniment and performance of the closing organ voluntary, mesmerising all who were there with her skill and musicality. The whole experience was really valued by the members of Choral, who richly deserved their Pizza Express trip after the service.

Miss Fiona Muir, Teacher of Music

MUSIC

YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR 2018 Young Musician of the Year 2018 welcomed entries from 172 musicians across the School, attesting to the wealth of musical talent at Downe House.

Entries were divided into four categories (Music Maker, Maestro, Rock and Pop and Virtuoso), giving musicians of all abilities the chance to compete against those of a similar level. Girls succeeding in the instrumental preliminary rounds (Woodwind, Strings, Brass, Rock and Pop, and Keyboard) then competed against other girls in the same category in the semi-finals.

The final round was adjudicated by the eminent Master of the Queen’s Music, Judith Weir, on Sunday 29 April, and witnessed dazzling performances on a range of instruments and in a spectrum of musical styles and genres.

The winner of the Music Maker category was Ellen (Nellie) Gawne, with an enthusiastic performance on the marimba.

The winner of the Rock and Pop category was Faith Norman, whose heart-felt rendition of Corrine Bailey Rae’s Just like a Star, led Judith Weir to request a recording.

Winning the Maestro category was Olivia McClintock, with an accomplished performance on piano. And finally, claiming the title of Virtuoso with her technically demanding performance of Langlais’s boisterous Incantation Pour un Jour Saint for organ, was Man I (Melissa) Chang.

The opportunity to host the Master of the Queen’s Music and the level of musicianship displayed by girls from across the School will inevitably make Young Musician of the Year 2018 a difficult act to follow!

Miss Charlotte Matthews, Graduate Music Assistant (Events and Administration)

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PREP SCHOOLS’ ORCHESTRAL FUN DAY On Thursday 5 October, Downe House Music welcomed 15 schools with over one hundred budding musicians ready to take part in a fantastic day of music making. The theme for the day was ‘Space Odyssey’, with an out-ofthis-world programme of music.

Pupils from all around Berkshire and London started with a warm-up before heading off for large ensemble rehearsals and smaller sectionals. The Prep Schools’ Intergalactic Symphony Orchestra played a medley, arranged

by Dr Exon, consisting of the main theme of ‘Jupiter’ from Holst’s The Planets and Sunrise Fanfare from Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra. The energetic Cosmic Concert Band, conducted by Mr Treadaway, played ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. The percussion and lower brass really enjoyed their rhythmic and powerful parts in this. Next, Dr Alexander, our Head of Composition, led the Space Strings, who played an arrangement of The Beatle’s Across The Universe, almost bringing us back down to earth in a pleasant trance. Selected pupils from Prep Schools working at Grade 5 and above were invited to perform Saucedo’s Fanfare for the Third Planet, with our Symphony Orchestra. This exhilarating piece of music showcased each section of the orchestra.

To close the concert, all pupils, staff and Downe House girls performed a new commission composed by Dr Alexander, Aurora’s Foxtrot. The calm and eery beginning presented the idea of a lonely space station, before segueing into a light foxtrot, as if to say there’s life out there!

What a fantastic day of music making. We are so pleased that many pupils enjoyed it and will be returning for 2018.

Miss Charlotte Matthews, Graduate Music Assistant (Events and Administration)

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MINORITY INSTRUMENT SCHEME 2018 Honk. Toot. Bleat. It must be that time of year again!

The Minority Instrument Scheme offers Remove pupils the opportunity to take a term of free lessons on a lesser known instrument.

This year’s scheme was launched on a crisp January morning with our Instrument Taster Day for all Remove pupils. Reeds were hooting and mouthpieces were tooting. Mallets were beating and bows were soaring.

After a day of initial exploration, 18 students were selected to enrol in a term of free instrument hire and weekly lessons

MUSIC on French horn, trombone, tuba, viola, double bass or percussion.

After just a term of lessons they were invited to perform in a Spring Concert. Powerless against the Beast from the East, the concert was rescheduled for a sunny May morning where parents, staff and classmates enjoyed the impressive work of those who had completed the term of lessons. Director of Music, Dr Exon, presented pupils with the Minority Instrument Scheme Bronze Award for their work.

A number of pupils continued towards the Minority Instrument Scheme Silver Award where they performed at Founder’s Weekend.

Miss Helen Maguire, Teacher of Music

MISS SAIGON In the Lent Term, the A Level Music pupils were invited to attend a live performance of one of our set works, the mega-musical ‘Miss Saigon’ by Boublil and Schönberg. Following a delicious meal, we headed to the theatre full of expectations and excitement to see this work live and in its entirety. The storyline came alive in this performance, helping us to understand the emotional content and narrative. We were able to focus on the three emotive songs we are studying in detail, ‘Bui Doi’, ‘I’d Give My Life for You’ and ‘I Still Believe’. All the actors were fantastic in playing their roles, which helped us to understand their emotional interactions. Overall, going to watch Miss Saigon was really enjoyable and also very helpful for revision.

Clementine Lewins, LVI

AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM CONCERT The Afro Celt Sound System song Release is part of eight set works studied for Music GCSE. Falling under the fusion category, Afro Celt Sound System bring together different cultures with their blend of West African, Electronic Dance Music and Gaelic musical styles.

On 14 November 2017, Music GCSE students had the opportunity to attend one of Afro Celt Sound System’s concerts at the St Albans Arena. The venue was completely packed with music lovers and the atmosphere was electric. The live performances, combined with pre-programmed samples, really captured the audience; it was impossible not to dance and become fully involved in the music. During the gig, the audience were invited to dance in front of the stage, where we could truly connect with the solos of the performers. Before long, the cheering audience, including us, were jumping up and down, truly immersed in the impressive percussion solos. We all thoroughly enjoyed this unquestionably entertaining evening and, on behalf of all the GCSE students, I can say that it hugely benefited our understanding of the course.

GCSE BAROQUE DAY AT HEADINGTON SCHOOL It was a cold, February morning when GCSE music students from all around travelled to Headington School for a Baroque workshop.

On arrival, we were immediately struck by the fabulous music that was being created. It was typical Baroque: complicated runs, masses of ornamentation and of course the Baroque instruments. The harpsichord seemed to be a great asset to the day with students lining up to attempt to play a few notes or even a piece if they were confident enough. Jeremy Summerly, a worldrenowned musicologist at Oxford University, welcomed us by giving a penetrating analysis of two set GCSE pieces, Purcell’s Music For A While to Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto.

After listening intently to Jeremy Summerly speak about our set works in extraordinary detail, the famous Baroque orchestra, Instruments of Time and Truth, gave us an incredible and intricate demonstration of our pieces. The players were truly remarkable, and their musical talent shone through and they clearly enjoyed the music.

Following an energising lunch, we were graced with the pleasure of singing some of Handel’s Messiah choruses. This proved interesting as the boys seemed to have a different concept of singing from the girls, yet it was very exciting to sing with a professional Baroque orchestra. I must say that the soprano, Cecilia Osmond, who demonstrated ‘Music for a While’ was admittedly by far our superior with a huge vocal, almost glass-shattering, range!

Mrs Amy McPherson, Assistant Director of Music

Victoria Cho, LV Downe House Magazine

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FOUNDER’S CONCERT This year’s Founder’s Concert showcased girls from across the School and paid tribute to the wealth of musical talent here at Downe House.

The concert began with an invitation to the audience to sing Gloria in Excelsis from Vivaldi’s Gloria RV589 with the Founder’s Choir and Founder’s Chamber Orchestra; the sense of community fostered by this gesture reflected the spirit of Founder’s Weekend. Senior Choral and the Founder’s Chamber Orchestra then remained on stage to perform the jubilant The Heavens are Telling from Haydn’s ‘The Creation’, attesting to the choir’s accolade of Barnardo’s Senior Choir of the Year 2018.

Sinfonia then took to the stage, showcasing a spectrum of instruments and their individual timbres in performances of Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers and Russian Dance.

This was followed by the Scholar’s Ensemble, led by the Head of Music, Katie Hackman, who performed Nyman’s Chasing Sheep is Best Left to Shepherds. The performance successfully highlighted the musicianship of our scholars and their commitment to music making.

The Founder’s Concert would not have been complete without a Disney classic, which was presented by Once Removed in their sparkling performance of highlights from Beauty and the Beast.

Junior Choral was led by Miss Helen Maguire and performed Pure Imagination from ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’. The sensitivity of the performance captured the magic of the lyrics and undoubtedly transported many of the audience members back to their childhoods.

When Somebody Loved Me from ‘Toy Story’ was performed with poignancy by In Harmony. Their versatility as a choir shone through when, immediately afterwards, they sprung into a dazzling performance of Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive, momentarily transforming the Farr Centre into a 1970s disco!

The Founder’s Orchestra, conducted by the Director of Music and co-led by Hye Lim Park, ended the concert with a tantalizing rendition of music from ‘The Lord of the Dance’. The changes of mood were encapsulated by the lighting, creating a truly atmospheric performance.

Taylor Thompson, Graduate Music Assistant

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BRING THE HOUSE DOWNE 2018

Ensembles assemble!

Bring the House Downe is our loudest, most competitive and most exciting ensemble competition of the year. This year’s competition may be best described as a collaboration of choreography, vocal and instrumental finesse.

Certainly, with moves and vocals likes theirs, it was a deserving performance of I Will Survive that led In Harmony to be awarded the prize for Most Inspirational Choral Performance.

The Lower School really meant business this year with participants in six of the ten final acts, including Once Removed who took home the Runners Up Prize for their performance of a selection of songs from Beauty and the Beast.

The Legally Blondes gave us a powerful rendition of Feelin’ Good on piano, double bass and vocals, before winning the Audience Prize for the Most Entertaining Performance.

Conducted by our Head of Music, Katie Hackman, the brilliant chamber orchestral performance was enjoyed by all, including some advice on sheep herding from the Scholars’ Ensemble. Meanwhile, the String Ensemble’s performance of a Disney medley saw them win the Director of Music Prize for the most promising performance.

As our guest adjudicator, Mr. Mark Bushby, put it, “sister power” was evident in Antonia and Olivia McClintock’s performance of Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba - an exultant piano duet.

We were spoilt with a cappella talent from four ensembles.

Ad Astra performed ‘Imagine’, Holcombe Singers sang an arrangement of Bad Romance and North of Tomorrow a Pop Medley. With such strong vocal talent in the competition, it came as no surprise to many that one of the a cappella groups, The Robinson Singers, lifted the final trophy and were crowned Bring the House Downe Winners 2018.

How can we possibly wait another year for our next instalment?

Miss Helen Maguire, Teacher of Music

Downe House Magazine

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MUSIC SHOWCASE AT FOUNDER’S WEEKEND The Music Showcase is always a celebration of high-calibre musical performances, however the performers this year raised future expectations to new heights. The Showcase features soloists and smaller musical ensembles, including the Sirocco Flute Choir and the Ashkenazy Piano Ensemble, who wowed the audience by performing on four separate pianos spread out across the front of the Concert Room.

Memorable performances from throughout the year were heard again, including the winners of our Young Musician of the Year Competition, Music Maker winner Man I (Melissa) Gawne and Maestro winner Olivia McClintock. We also heard from Georgia Allison who won the Director of Music’s Award in the same competition. All three captivating performances certainly reminded us why they were awarded the coveted prizes.

Notable performances were also presented by some of our Music Award Holders, including a viola duet put together by Kylie Chan and Katie Lam from LIV, virtuosic tuba and oboe solos from Alexandra Hamilton and Antonia Holloway respectively, and an accomplished performance of Tournier’s Au Matin

by Lucia Bugeja. Minority instruments are certainly thriving at Downe!

The renowned vocal tradition of Downe House Music was also showcased.

Choral opened procedures with a poised performance of Todd’s The Lord is My Shepherd. Our new Heads of Music, Katie Hackman and Lauren Dunn, also demonstrated their vocal prowess in Katie’s performance of Mozart’s Voi Che Sapete and Lauren’s performance of Duparc’s L’invitation Au Voyage.

Many thanks to all of our performers in this concert, and especially to Miss Susan Holmes for her sensitive and stylistic accompaniment.

Mrs Amy McPherson, Assistant Director of Music

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BUSKERS’ CORNER Having started Buskers’ Corner in the conventional way with the Lower Fourth Samba Group’s rousing call to arms, Antonia Holloway gave a stunning performance of two solo oboe pieces by Britten; loud robustness to intimate delicacy in the blink of an eye, both performances evocative and highly enjoyable. These were followed by an impressively accomplished jazz piano piece given by Li Hui (Lily) Lin, three classics from the pop song repertoire sung at the piano

by Georgia Allison, and a wellrehearsed a capella song from Rarity, Marina Pownall’s vocal ensemble.

Hye Lim Park gave the audience a real treat: a performance of her own composition for unaccompanied violin, which was highly melodic and beautifully played. After this we had a delightfully intimate pop song duet from Clementine Parr and Saskia MacTaggart, and another solo oboe performance; this time, Clementine Lewins playing the slow movement from Saint-Saëns’ Oboe Sonata.

North of Tomorrow gave us two a capella songs and another with backing track, and Alice Demeester gave a superbly confidant and musical rendition of music for violin

by Kodály, accompanied on piano

by Miss Homes. Katie Hackman, our omnipresent Head of Music, rounded off Buskers’ Corner with two moving and beautifully controlled songs. In a weekend packed with first-rate music making from the girls of Downe House, Buskers’ Corner added to the variety of styles on offer, and all performed exquisitely under the warm glow of the late afternoon.

Mrs Amy McPherson, Assistant Director of Music

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ARSM AWARDS FOR TWO OF OUR OUTSTANDING MUSICIANS At the start of 2018, the ABRSM launched a new diploma level qualification called the ARSM (Associate of the Royal Schools of Music) to bridge the gap between Grade 8 and DipABRSM. This diploma is designed to focus solely on performing skills and is based upon a half hour programme devised by the student themselves, according to their individual musical strengths and enthusiasms. We are delighted that two of our students, Molly Dewar (bassoon) and Souny Park (cello) have obtained these qualifications. Molly with a high merit and Souny with distinction.

We are very proud of them!

Mr Chris Lambert, Head of Music School

ABRSM, ROCK SCHOOL AND TRINITY MUSIC EXAMINATION RESULTS Grade 1 - ABRSM Pass

Nathalia Armah (Singing), Sinling Damais (Singing), Mary Hazlitt (Piano), Ayobami RazakShittu (Piano)

Merit

Katerina Christova (Harp), Anjolaoluwa Omatolo (Piano), Chi Yan (Hilary) Yu (Singing)

Distinction

Ottilie Campbell (Piano), Eloise Kirkby (Piano), Kexuan (Angela) Zou (Piano)

Grade 1 - Rock School Pass

Clara Dutertre-Delauney (Guitar)

Merit

Deborah (Ayanfe) Adedeji (Guitar), Linlin Chioma (Guitar)

Merit

Alice Demeester, Jemima Harrison, Gardiner Hunt, Lily Mathews, Faith Norman, Clementine Parr, Alice Peters, Lisa Lotte Scheuner, Susannah Wood

Distinction

Jantaluck (Kelly) Bhanarai, Chioma Emenike, Camilla Hale, Li Hui (Lily) Lin, Chisengo (Elizabeth) Lukama, Matilda McDougall, Catherine Nicol, Alice Pernthaller, Torpad (Yok ) Rungjerdfa, Phannaphat (Aommy) Totup, Riqui (Rachel) Wang, Sabrina Wang, Jinghan (Tracy) Zhang

Grade 5 - ABRSM Pass

Naomi Egoh (Singing), Chioma Emenike (Singing), Jocasta Ferrigno (Singing), Heloise Friedlander (Violin), Elodie Hersee (Flute), Francesca Horton (Piano), Mathilda Singer (Oboe), Beatrice Weaver (Singing), Ottilie Whitbread (Piano), Phoebe Whiting (Clarinet), Liberty Wilson (Singing), Wai Che (Rachel) Wong (Oboe)

Merit

Oluatamilore Bolodeoku (Singing), Annie Hazlitt (Singing), Hyojin (Angela) Joo (Oboe), Li Hui (Lily) Lin (Flute), Chisengo (Elizabeth) Lukama (Singing), Honor Mathews (Singing), Amelia Maughan (Singing), Alice Pernthaller (Singing), Margot Ridley (Singing), Phannaphat (Aommy) Totup (Piano)

Distinction

Lara Coppen-Gardner (Singing), Alice Demeester (Violin), Tabitha Kendall (Singing)

Grade 2 - ABRSM Pass

Clothylde Debray (Flute), Emily Hannis (Singing), Neelan-May Muge (Piano), Jamie Ojo (Viola), Ke Ni (Nico) Sun (Flute), Octavia Twinn (Piano)

Merit

Charlotte Beveridge (Piano), Chiara De Sa Subiotto (Flute), Tabitha Venning (Flute)

Distinction

Toluwase Agusto (Violin), Alice Demeester (Cello), Tabitha Little (Singing), Alice Pernthaller (Flute), Cecilia Stone (Flute)

Grade 2 - Rock School Pass

Alexandra Jardine (Guitar)

Grade 3 - ABRSM Pass

Emilie Booth (Singing), Saskia Dale (Piano), Honor Harris (Piano), Matilda Harris (Singing), Emily Harrow (Singing), Grace (Nosa) Inneh (Singing), Emilia Methven (Singing), Olivia Pockney (Piano), Clementine Ridley (Flute), Pasitaporn (Memie) Sripen (Piano), Tabitha Venning (Piano)

Astrid Ashdown (Singing), Ilaria Bevan (Singing), Georgia Biggs (Flute), Francesca Horton (Flute), Maya Huby (Singing), Arabella Woo (Violin)

Merit

Christina Elliot (Singing), Theodora Gatley Limata (Singing), Ella Snow (Singing)

Merit

Gardiner Hunt (Singing), Jinghan (Tracy) Zhang (Piano)

Distinction

Yi Kei (Alisha) Pak (Singing), Alice Pernthaller (Flute)

Distinction

Alice Demeester (Piano), Faith Norman (Singing), Lucinda Slack (Oboe)

Grade 4 - ABRSM Pass

Merit

Distinction

Tosin Adepoju (Singing), Maggie Calder (Singing), Chioma Emenike (Violin), Oluchi Emenike (Violin), Nicole Fok (Singing), Eleanor Gibbs (Singing), ThĂŠa Hawtin (Singing), Louisa Healey (Singing), Gardiner Hunt (Flute), Charlotte Pearson (Singing), Hannah Perkins (Flute), Clementine Ridley (Singing), Ke Ni (Nico) Sun (Singing), Beier (Sissi) Xi (Flute) Harriet Boucher (Singing), Saskia Dale (Singing), Alice Demeester (Violin), Lavinia Geddes (Cello), Eliza Irving (Flute), Alice Pernthaller (Singing), Marina Pownall (Piano), Marina Pownall (Singing) Christina Elliot (Singing), Eleanor Gibbs (Piano)

Grade 5 - ABRSM Theory Pass

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Grade 6 - ABRSM Pass

Astrid Ashdown, Sukhmani Bath, Carina Bischoff, Zoe Carruthers, Tara Farquhar, Jocasta Ferrigno, Katherine Garnett, Eloise Kirkby, Jiwon Moon, Beatrice Weaver, Xinyue (Audrey) Xu

Our Year 2017-18

Grade 7 - ABRSM Pass

Jameliah Adekunle (Singing), Amelie Furse (French Horn), Maria Kheyman (Piano), Suet Ching Lam (Bassoon), Charlotte Nicholson (Alto Saxophone)

Merit

Lucia Bugeja (Harp), Molly Dewar (Piano), Imogen Fowler (Clarinet)

Distinction

Lucia Bugeja (Piano), Anna Hall (Clarinet), Li Hui (Lily) Lin (Piano), Rosalind Wippell (Singing)

Grade 7 - Trinity Distinction

Alexandra Hamilton (Tuba)

Grade 8 - ABRSM Pass

Luoyi (Sunny) Li (Piano), Jennifer Standbrook (Singing), Elizabeth Tatham (Piano)

Merit

Katharine Furse (Flute), Anna Hall (Singing), Cecelia Kane (Singing), Alexandra O’Kane (Singing), Anna Riley (Cello), Henrietta Ryan (Singing), Katelyn Taylor (Singing), Catharine Wippell (Singing)

Distinction

Emilie Cheung (Singing), Lauren Dunn (Singing), Katie Hackman (Singing), Elizabeth Inglis (Flute), Chee Sum (Tiffany) Lai (Singing)

Drama

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ANOTHER WONDERFUL YEAR OF DRAMA AT DOWNE HOUSE What a fantastically busy and creative year the girls have had in the Drama Department at Downe House. As I think about the range of events we’ve had throughout the year, I am struck by the diversity of performance styles that Downe House girls both watch and perform themselves.

From the hauntingly Gothic theme of House Drama 2017, to the high energy Lower School production of ‘Matilda the Musical’ and the eerie and mysterious Upper Fourth play, ‘Treasure Island’, the girls have shown their talent and entertained both parents and peers.

Alongside theatre trips to see plays and musicals at prestigious venues in London, Bristol and Birmingham, the girls have also been lucky enough to work with a variety of visiting theatre professionals throughout the year, offering them the opportunity to develop their own acting skills and to find out more about the professional acting world. Highlights have included a visit from Geraldine James, which was enjoyed by our Sixth Form Geraldine James Scholars, and Melanie Marshall, who performed the role of Bertha in the National Theatre’s production of ‘Jane Eyre’.

I have been thrilled to see so many student initiatives throughout the year, particularly Cecelia Kane and Rosie Blackburn, who organised the first ever Downe House Musical Theatre Competition, which was a resounding success.

I would like to congratulate all Drama GCSE and A Level students on their outstanding performance work throughout the year. The Upper Sixth performed both scripted and devised pieces in the Lent Term with an impressively high level of professionalism.

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The Upper Fifth performed their final scripted pieces with great accomplishment, showing what can be achieved after two years of hard work, and the Lower Fifth gave their first GCSE performances in the Summer Term, presenting their devised pieces. It is wonderful to see the girls continuing to develop their talent and producing such an exciting and diverse range of work. The cast of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ worked tirelessly rehearsing for the tap dancing, technicolour musical performance at Founder’s Weekend. It was another outstanding production, which rounded off the Drama calendar for 2018.

Kyia Grandi, Acting Director of Performing Arts

DRAMA

GERALDINE JAMES VISITS DOWNE HOUSE

RED CAPE THEATRE SCHOLARS’ WORKSHOP

On Wednesday 2 May 2018, the three other Sixth Form Scholarship Award Holders and I were lucky enough to have a Q and A session and lunch with former pupil and now successful actress, Geraldine James. Geraldine was a delightful person with so much wisdom and modesty surrounding her career, and the day was a great opportunity to find out more about the theatrical world.

On Tuesday 17 October 2017, the Drama Scholars from Lower Fourth to Upper Sixth took part in a devising workshop with a visiting theatre practitioner from Red Cape Theatre. The devising work was intended to help us to use physical theatre to create stories in a very visual way. We started by passing a small towel around in a circle and using it to represent an object, for example a baby or a hairbrush. This was effective as you really had to concentrate on your physicality and focus on things such as the weight and size of the object you were miming. After this, there were items of clothing to work with. We worked in groups to bring characters to life simply by animating and moving the clothes. In my group, there were three of us trying to create a character of a young boy toddler. We were given a backpack and two shoes. It was challenging to get a rhythm to the feet and focusing on walking heel to toe. This was challenging as we were not using our own acting skills, but communicating through mime. We then developed in small groups, a mime sequence of climbing a wall and being chased. We learnt to use big, bold, exaggerated gestures and facial expressions. When watching all the other groups, it was interesting how each groups interpreted the scene and what characters they created.

This workshop was very helpful for my A Level devising process because it inspired us to devise in a way that uses mime and on the spot thinking. Overall, I really enjoyed this workshop.

Geraldine has had a very successful acting career since she left Downe House and has worked both on screen and in the theatre. Her roles include playing Mrs Hudson in the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film series, Mrs Cuthbert in ‘Anne with an E’ television series on Netflix and Portia in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ play in London’s West End and on Broadway. These were only a few of the appearances she has had, and on the day of her visit to Downe, we were lucky to hear about all of her experiences on and off camera. Geraldine has worked with some amazing people, Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law and David Walliams to name but a few, and one of my highlights was hearing the stories she had to tell of her experiences of working with these actors. On top of this, it was amazing to talk to her about her fond memories of Downe House. Geraldine told us she was fairly naughty at School but involved herself massively in all the drama it had to offer, including weekly sketches she would perform in by herself, and plays such as ‘Oliver!’ in which she played the Artful Dodger.

She also spoke to us about our future plans and gave us some advice on auditioning for professional actor training. We all managed to gain a real insight into what having an acting career is like and what the differences are between film acting and being on stage. I know I speak on behalf of all the Scholars who were lucky enough to meet Geraldine, that we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and given the chance, we would be very excited to have another opportunity to meet her again.

Katie Hackman, LVI

Eliza Horn, UVI

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FRANTIC ASSEMBLY WORKSHOP

ALADDIN - MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP

On Wednesday 31 January, the Drama Scholars were able to enjoy a Frantic Assembly workshop. An actress from this company came to help us discover and explore the different techniques they use. We started the afternoon by discovering rehearsal techniques that help us to understand the space we are in as actors and to connect with the ensemble around us. To do so, we practiced the teacup exercise where one person stood on one side and the other actors had to balance themselves as a group so that the imaginary teacup did not tip over. She also taught us techniques for obeying instructions given by people such as the Director and listening to one another. This was done by walking around the space in straight lines and being given numbers from one to six. These meant we had to do different things in the space – this varied from one being ‘lie on the floor’ to six being ‘spin on the spot’.

On 3 December, I participated in an ‘Aladdin’ workshop alongside other girls who also take Musical Theatre. Two instructors from the West End came all the way to Downe House to work with us for the evening, which was rather exciting. We started off by playing some drama games of course. One that was particularly interesting was when we had to pick two people in the room, one being our ‘Genie’, who we had to keep close to us, and one being our ‘Jafar’ who we had to keep as far as way from us as possible.

This taught me a lot about spacial awareness on stage and how you can use proxemics in musical theatre to tell a story. We were then all each given a secret item to ‘sell’ to one another, but were not allowed to use our voices, only gestures. Using only physical theatre to try and sell something was challenging but made me realise just how important movement is on stage. We then worked in groups to create still images of what some stalls would look like in the fictional Arabian city of ‘Agrabah’ and we used levels and facial expression to make our pictures come to life. To finish off the workshop we sang along to some verses of ‘Arabian Nights’ and learned some of the actual choreography for the West End show. This got me even more excited to see the show on Wednesday as I would definitely be looking out for some of the moves we learned!

One of Frantic Assembly’s main physical theatre techniques is the chair duet. This is a short sequence of movements between two or three actors and they are effective in portraying relationships between characters. We were put into pairs after being taught some simple lifts that could be used in chair duets. We then had to create our own standing duet using a range of lifts we were taught and then perform them to the group. This was very beneficial to me as in my GCSE Drama devised piece, my group and I decided to use some of the components we were taught during that workshop.

Sappho Novatin, LV

Esther Bolodeoku, LVI

ALADDIN - MUSICAL THEATRE TRIP On 6 December, the Drama Department took all of the Musical Theatre students, from Lower Fifth to Lower Sixth, to see Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ in the West End. From the moment the curtains opened at the theatre, the atmosphere was electric.

Before the musical even started, we could see how busy the amazingly designed set was and as soon as the acting started we were all fixated on the magical world of Agrabah. Everything about the play revolved around colour, sound and movement and there wasn’t a single moment in the musical that felt slow or dragged out. One character in particular stood out and was definitely a firm favourite of ours and that was the Genie.

The actor, Trevor Dion Nicholas, brought such a strong and charismatic performance to the stage that there were moments where we just sat there in stunned awe. As always with Disney, there were parts of the play that really did appear magical, one moment in particular was the magic carpet but I cannot go into detail without spoiling it! It was great to experience with other people who share the same love for musical theatre and I would definitely recommend the musical to anyone who hasn’t seen it!

Kirsty Depledge, LVI

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OF MICE AND MEN DRAMA SCHOLARS’ WORKSHOP On Friday 12 January 2018, the UIV Drama scholars attended a workshop given by Miss Bland on the play ‘Of Mice and Men’, which we are studying in English. The evening started with us getting into partners and interacting with Miss Bland as she explained what the story was about. We then worked in pairs to rehearse short scenes between different characters and went on to perform them to each other. They were very entertaining and helped us to think about the characters in a practical way. Having already read the play in English it was fun to act the characters and work out how they would interact with each other. By the end of the workshop we were experts!

Matilda Bridgeman, LV

DRAMA SCHOLARS’ MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT What a brilliant success Downe House’s first Drama scholars’ social was on Friday 1 December. We were each given an envelope requesting our attendance at the Schools’ 80s Prom Gone Wrong, and a character profile outlining which marvellous person we should dress up and act as throughout the evening. Allowing time to fashion a truly magnificent costume from the 80s, we all could not wait to begin. The boys from the Oratory School arrived committed to the event, and so the questioning began. With each character given specific objectives to complete and a wad of money to protect, there was never a dull moment! With a murder that had to be solved throughout the evening, we had to stay in our characters and work both individually and as team, putting our theatrical skills to the test. As well as all that excitement, we had a photo booth providing a great opportunity to embarrass oneself and yet completely immerse ourselves in the scene that was set.

The Performing Arts Centre was fantastically decorated with balloons, and a delicious buffet was available.

Finishing the night off with the crowning of a prom king and queen and an open dance floor with some truly great 80s bangers, I can safely say I would happily relive the night again if I had the chance.

Eliza Horn, UVI Downe House Magazine

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THEATRE TRIPS THE TIN DRUM

THE TIN DRUM

THE FERRYMAN

The Kneehigh performance of ‘The Tin Drum’, written by Carl Grose and based on the novel by Günter Grass, is a chaotic, surreal series of events, telling the story of Oskar’s life, set in turbulent mid20th century Europe. The play captures the sense of chaos and conflict of the time before, during and after WWII, through the eyes of a young boy (Oskar), played by a pale, blue-eyed puppet. In a riot of musical storytelling, Oskar is born with unusual wisdom, emerging from the womb already filled with the understanding of human greed and the darkness in the world.

The Drama Department has always given us the opportunity to see some amazing productions throughout the term such as ‘Jane Eyre’, ‘The Threepenny Opera’ and many more. However, a new performance from Kneehigh Theatre in Bristol really stood out as superior to all the rest. ‘The Tin Drum’ was a crazy, intense piece of drama with hidden political messages interweaved within the absurd storyline, and although the tension grew high, Kneehigh made sure to include lots of comedy which really had all our Drama students laughing.

On Wednesday 28 February 2018, the Downe House Drama students and scholars took a trip to the Royal Court Theatre in London, to see ‘The Ferryman’.

The play is set in 1981, on a farm in rural Armagh, Northern Ireland. At this time, Ireland was experiencing conflict and rebellion, known as ‘the troubles’, in which a terrorist organisation called the IRA used violence in order to fight for independence.

The play tells the story of the Carney family: Seamus Carney went missing a few years earlier and recently was found dead in a bog, killed by the IRA. The entirety of the play is set in the kitchen of their house, and the staging was very naturalistic which made it engaging for the audience, and they used a real goose, rabbit and baby! I was very impressed with the acting of the younger cast members: they portrayed their characters extremely well and helped the audience understand how the IRA affected even young members of families. A variety of impressive acting and vocal skills were used, making it a perfect play for drama students to write about for GCSE. Furthermore, it gave it us helpful inspiration for our upcoming devised pieces.

We all came away very moved.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience which I’m sure we would all recommend.

When observing the play, you get the sense of being completely captivated; you are immediately focused on the actors and their ability to capture the whimsical, yet serious manner of their characters. I was intrigued by the actors’ skills in being able to play more than one character convincingly. This element of the play I feel made the audience feel more connected with the actors, consequently meaning they feel more connected to their individual characters.

Another element I enjoyed about ‘The Tin Drum’ was its ability to incorporate the entire set into every scene: with the use of puppets other than Oskar or the moveable ladders the actors used to get from the balcony from the stage, as well as using the stage for dramatic effect during musical solos.

In contrast, what is lacking during the play is precision. As the play shows how easily people can go from gentleness to chaos, it overall can become overwhelming. Overwhelming both through the storyline as well as the script which often skimmed too fast over names and details. Alongside that, the precise song lyrics were sometimes hard to hear, with the loudness assaulting your senses. Nonetheless, some level of confusion is appropriate for a play about the perplexing things that go on in the world.

In conclusion, the Kneehigh play ‘The Tin Drum’ is complex, with an ability to captivate the audience successfully with its use of lights, music, and setting.

Actors who played more than one character added more individuality to the entirety of the play. Overall, ‘The Tin Drum’is an acquired taste, which I had.

Laura Shute, LV 98

Our Year 2017-18

The main character, Oskar, is unique, especially in comparison to other plays’ protagonists, in that he is a puppet. Based loosely around the early-mid 1900s, it follows the story of his life, and how a childhood injury never let him grow up to be a normal adult.

Chills were definitely sent down my spine as the actors brought Oskar to life, incorporating his humanlike mannerisms in a creepily convincing way. The message was a political one, with Nazi and dictatorial undertones where Oskar was the unconventional protagonist. The underlying theme was for him to wake society up by banging his ‘tin drum’ against the rhythm of dictatorship, with a clear link to the Holocaust and the Third Reich.

I personally recommend this to anybody to see it, as it was funny, tear-jerking and an overall incredible experience!

Faith Norman, UVI

Christina Elliot, LV

JANE EYRE

On Wednesday 9 May 2018, the Lower Fifth, Lower Sixth and Upper Fourth Drama Scholars travelled to Southampton to watch ‘Blood Brothers’ at the Mayflower Theatre.

The play was written by Willy Russell and was directed by Bill Kenwright.

This is the script that the current Lower Fifth are studying for Drama GCSE and follows the story of two twins separated at birth, who live their lives in different social classes but still become the best of friends.

The story ends in a fight between the two, which results in both their deaths, not before they find out their true identities and how they were brothers all along. The play explores the themes of death, class, superstition and friendship in a way that is both entertaining, with its joyful songs, but also interesting and captivating. All the actors performed extremely well, especially the actor Sean Jones who played Mickey, as he successfully showed us the journey of growing up and the difference in his character from a child to an adult. He also showed how age affected the character and his actions. Overall, it was a great night, and we all had so much fun and already can’t wait to go on another Drama trip.

On Wednesday 13 September 2017, the Drama scholars, along with the GCSE and A level pupils, went to see a production of ‘Jane Eyre’ at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

It was an excellent play and, along with such great seats, we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read the book in English lessons and watched the film, many of us were interested to see how the play would be performed. It was very different from the film but cleverly adapted and original. There was a lot of physical theatre in the piece, which was amazing to watch, and the multi-roling of the small cast was also impressive. Overall, we enjoyed the performance very much and would recommend it highly as a play to go and see.

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BLOOD BROTHERS

Lucy McCreery, UV

Constance Pope, LV

Downe House Magazine

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OUTSTANDING EXAMINATION SUCCESS The Drama Department is incredibly proud of our GCSE and A Level Students who achieved wonderful results this summer! This was the first year that the new specifications have been put to the test for Drama, so naturally although we had every faith in our girls, we were a little nervous! We were utterly thrilled that 100% of A Level students achieved A*-B, with 78% achieving A*-A. A special mention should go to Eliza Horn and Catharine Wippell who both achieved an A*, which is an incredible achievement. Overall at A Level, we achieved 10% above similar centres and 15% above all AQA centres.

Our GCSE results were nothing short of outstanding with 79% achieving the elusive Grade 9! 93% achieved a Grade 8 or above, with all students achieving a Grade 6 or above. An average of 89% was achieved by our students across components, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of both the students and teachers. Our percentage of Grade 9-7 is 45% above similar centres and 68% above all AQA centres – a result of the department’s dreams! Particular congratulations must go to Jessica Chapman who achieved full marks in her written paper and only lost 6 marks across the entire GCSE! We are so proud of all that our students have achieved – well done, girls!

Kayleigh Anger, Acting Head of Drama (Curriculum)

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UPPER FIFTH GCSE DRAMA PRACTICAL EXAMINATION On Thursday 8 March, the UV Drama GCSE students completed their final practical exam of the course to a visiting examiner from AQA. The girls had to prepare two extracts from the same play for presentation to the examiner, teachers, parents and their peers. The audience was thoroughly entertained by monologues, duologues and group extracts from three contrasting plays: ‘Adult Child/Dead Child’ by Claire Dowie, ‘The Trench’ by Oliver Lansley and ‘Girls Like That’ by Evan Placey. The girls had to work hard to present contrasting characters, smooth transition sequences and execution of style; a challenge they relished! The Drama Department is so proud of the girls’ commitment to the process and their hard work truly paid off with some outstanding performances. I truly felt that I could have been watching a West End production at many moments during the evening!

Although we wouldn’t know the marks until August, we had high hopes for some excellent results.

Well done girls!

Miss Kayleigh Anger, Acting Head of Drama (Curriculum)

On Monday 22 January 2018, the Upper Sixth Drama students performed their Scripted pieces to a visiting examiner. The girls worked exceptionally hard in preparation for these performances and shared two very contrasting pieces with their audience on the day. The first group performed ‘Attempts on Her Life’ by Martin Crimp, which used physical theatre and ensemble techniques in the style of theatre practitioner Complicite. This involved synchronised movement and visually engaging sequences to explore the abstract story of meaning behind art. The second group performed ‘Dinner’ by Moira Buffini using Berkoff’s grotesque and extreme style of heightened expressionism. This macabre and highly stylised piece used mime and dynamic ensemble sequences to create an exaggerated dinner party and a sequence of unexpected events. The standard of the performances was exceptional and we are so very proud of the girls’ achievements on stage, showcasing all that they have learnt and developed through their Drama studies.

Miss Kyia Grandi, Acting Director of Performing Arts

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UPPER SIXTH A LEVEL SCRIPTED PERFORMANCE

UPPER SIXTH A LEVEL DRAMA DEVISED EXAMINATION On Monday 19 March, my UVI Drama class performed our devised practical pieces as part of our final A Level coursework.

The class was split into three groups, each working on a different practitioner. One group, working on Gecko’s physical theatre, managed to produce a highly emotive piece of theatre revolving around the stimulus of ‘memory’. The episodic performance followed the sad reality of a man with Alzheimer’s disease, trying to relive his past family memories, but he is unable to do so as a result of his illness. I particularly enjoyed the way in which the actors incorporated the use of shadow screens and movement into their piece, as it was highly effective in reflecting the man’s shaded memories. Another group used theatre practitioner Shared Experience to create a piece based on the theme of human trafficking. I found the highly visual style very effective, and the expressionism that the actors used to tell the story was very hard hitting.

Our group worked with the methods of Kneehigh Theatre, practitioners who work non-naturalistically to produce very rustic and ‘earthy’ pieces of theatre. We wanted to blend the world of fantasy and folk stories with a harsh reality, as a means of escapism. Using the stimulus of soldiers in the WWI trenches, we devised a piece of theatre which captured the harsh realities of war and juxtaposed them with hopeful imaginative escapism.

We incorporated the use of live theatre into our piece, which is a convention of Kneehigh Theatre, and we sang onstage to give our story another layer and to establish our characters’ situation.

Both performances were highly impressive pieces of theatre, and as a member of the Upper Sixth, it was personally my last time performing in the Performing Arts Centre. I will really miss the Drama family that I have found here at Downe House, but they have set me up well for all the performing I will no doubt enjoy and take part in for years to come!

Annabel Roest, UVI

Downe House Magazine

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SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN A PURE MUSICAL DELIGHT FOR THE BRIGHT SUNSHINE OF FOUNDER’S WEEKEND As the Downe House lawns baked in yet more splendid sunshine, we made our way into PAC to be greeted by a most inviting set; light streaming out onto the pavement through a misty haze and as the lights faded, the most wonderful bevvy of fans streamed down through the audience towards the red carpet on stage. We had glitz and glamour, energy and enchantment, sashaying actresses blowing kisses to the adoring fans, tuxedoed actors cutting a dash, glistening sequins and flicked boas and Elizabeth Lukama, playing Dora the roving reporter, brought the audience right into tinsel town.

Miranda Woodruff, as Lina Lamont, gliding elegantly in with such presence and grace delighted us all and then made us all jump in our seats as she treated us to Lina’s ‘troublesome voice’ – “what’s wrong with my voice?” she implored and the audience caught their first glimpse of the young actress’s formidable talent! Then the cast set the scene for us, making clear the conundrum faced by the silent movie world as the ‘talkies’ were sweeping in and bringing changes to the vibrant and glamorous American entertainment industry. Kirsty Depledge and Cece Kane (as R F Simpson and Cosmo Brown) played the parts of two movers and shakers in tinsel town with great panache and excellent characterisation. Cece’s palpable energy and talents had us all gasping with delight – she sings, she dances, she does the splits, and throws in some gymnastics here and there - her smile and superb timing lit up the production from beginning to end.

This production has a wonderful set of songs, tender ones, toe tapping ones and the delightful Moses Supposes. And what a delight ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ was – having escaped from the searing heat outside we in the audience all felt cooler and refreshed in an instant. Elizabeth Bolodeoku’s dancing was truly Gene Kelly-like, with swing, style and perfect control of the scene and the stage. Huge thanks to Mr Boswell, Mr Girling and Mr Nallon and the whole ‘men in black polos’ crew for their rainstorm, and the huge party poppers that ended the first half with a bang!

And the dancing troups were splendid! Kathy’s girls, in their bright colours and their raincoats were a delight, a perfectly balanced ensemble with their spinning coloured umbrellas, singing superbly straight out to the audience with clear voices and sparkling eyes. The ensemble dancers, led by Xi Tong Tan and Shalayna Assani were just charming, so accomplished, so graceful and beautifully costumed.

The comic charm of both the voice coaches, Poppy Scales and Andreja Mirosevic-Sorgo were splendid; what presence and poise Poppy has, and Andreja so completely in character as she was spun around on her chair, perplexed and surprised. Katie Hackman was a comic delight too, so physically in her role as Dexter, with a cocked head from time to time, and the odd little beard scratch.

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The accents were superb all the way through, congratulations cast! The best of all was Georgia Hewitson, as Zelda, comforting the poor misguided Lina, with a perfect nasal drawl - “sure you are …” before that little group delighted us with the touching What’s Wrong With Me? We must congratulate the two leading ladies, Miranda Woodruff and Sophie Elliot who gave everything to their performances. Sophie as the earnest, honest and pure Kathy Selden and Miranda as the glamorous silent movie star Lina Lamont, proud of her exalted place in the silent movie world and so adept at moving from the comic as she talked into the shrub, shrieked and pouted, “I’m a real cultured pearl” to the forlorn and almost lost as she wondered why Don did not love her. Sophie was mesmerising as Kathy, just as Debbie Reynolds was when played opposite Gene Kelly. How could we not be moved by their gentle rendition of You Were Meant for Me with the ladder centre stage, just as in the film (or a tad better) and Sophie’s wide eyed awe as she was put into the limelight by her beau.

The scene towards the end, when Sophie’s voice was dubbed in as Miranda mimed was a triumph, technically accurate and so gently touching.

As always, in Downe House productions through the years, there are opportunities for others to shine too, both girls and staff and for this production we must thank: the whole cast, including those with small but vital parts such as Lisabel and Ellen moving the lights, fan and other props in and out with the odd little comic touch and determination to get everything just right first time; the AV crew for making the set and getting their special effects just right; Miss Anger and Miss Grandi, as Co-Directors, for taking the production from first idea to this superb last night performance; Mrs Garfield and Mrs Leigh-Barclay for putting together those brilliant costumes: Katherine O’Shea for managing the stage and Mrs Orton for designing the programme.

The last thank you, not only for what they put into this production, but for inspiring us all to think of a skip, a tap or a little dance to lighten our day, goes to Miss Anger and Miss Vallance for working alongside the girls to get them tap dancing and moving with lightness and control on set. As we all went our different ways into the warm evening, there was a lightness of step, some skips, slides and spins and many of us wished we were wearing tap dancing shoes.

I also have no doubt that the young in the audience, with their quickness and delight in lyrics and rhythm lit up the drive home with renditions of Moses Supposes, and perhaps too, after seeing a production like this so full of old fashioned musical delight, some members of the audience will be booking themselves onto dance classes and looking out their glittery outfits and tuxedos!

Mrs Jane Caiger-Smith, Archivist

Downe House Magazine

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PERFORMING IN THE UIV PRODUCTION OF TREASURE ISLAND A TOE IN THE WATER After the eerie Gothic theme of House Drama in the Michaelmas Term, all the UIV girls were suddenly invited to audition for an unfamiliar play called ‘Treasure Island’. ‘Treasure Island’ was new to all of us, so eagerness and anticipation grew fast. There was a wide range of characters to audition for, and if that wasn’t for you, there were many backstage positions too. I didn’t particularly have a character in mind but I just wanted to be involved in this fantastic production. Luckily I was chosen to be Job Anderson, which was a small part yet it had so much depth to it. Once we had all been given our parts and rehearsals started, the show really began to fall into place.

After we came back from the Easter holidays, there was a new stage that was absolutely spectacular and this gave everyone an incentive to make the play really polished. Everyone from ensemble to the protagonists were vital for this show to work and, after some lengthy rehearsals, it looked incredibly professional. We couldn’t have done any of this without Mrs Watson, Miss Rose and our stage managers Théa Hawtin and Charlotte Pearson. They organised the rehearsals excellently and taught us many drama techniques that improved our performance. The costumes were also really effective, as they truly reflected our characters and we were extremely lucky to have Ms Garfield as our costume designer. We cannot forget the AV Department who built such an incredible stage for us and lit up the set wonderfully, giving the final touch to the show. It was such a marvellous production to be part of, and thank you to all the staff for their advice which made it such an exceptional performance.

Eleanor Gibbs, UIV

LEARNING THE ROPES The Upper Fourth production of ‘Treasure Island’ was a very fun experience that I will never forget. As stage manager, I went to most rehearsals. During most rehearsals, I would write where the actors would enter on the stage and exit. Once the play started to come ogether, I wrote up lists of when people came on and off stage and whether this was stage left or stage right and whether it was downstage or upstage. ‘Treasure Island’ was particularly exciting as there were many set designs and props, and the costumes were just fabulous. The stage was incredible as it was made to look just like a ship. If the scene was taking place on the ship then we used ropes everywhere to show this, whereas when we were in Grandma’s Inn there would be lanterns everywhere. To make the ship even more realistic, we even had a sail behind the set which was hoisted every time the ship was being sailed. This created another element which made the stage look really amazing.

The dress rehearsal was really helpful as we could see where things need to be fixed in terms of entrances and exits, as well as deciding which props needed to be taken on and off at certain times. For changing scenery, instead of having blackouts and people changing the set around, we had ensemble members wearing the same outfit and they sang pirate songs on stage as they changed the set around which was a new and effective way to do the major scene changes. This helped to make ’Treasure Island’ a very exciting show to be a part of.

Théa Hawtin, UIV

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The Speech and Drama Department has had another very successful year with over three hundred girls taking Speech and Drama, Musical Theatre and Communications Skills examinations.

The Upper Fifth and Sixth Form girls took their RADA Shakespeare Awards in late November. For the RADA Awards students work in pairs or individually. They study and perform an extract from a Shakespeare play and a sonnet, having the opportunity to workshop the texts with a RADA teacher or graduate and receive immediate feedback. This year’s cohort are to be congratulated that everyone gained the award and Holly Fenn and Nina Paterson achieved a coveted distinction. The girls found the experience incredibly rewarding and it provided an excellent extension to their Trinity College London grade examinations.

In December was the inaugural Musical Theatre trip, which we are planning to make an annual event, attending a practical workshop and seeing the West End production ‘Aladdin’. Musical Theatre results have remained high this year and particular congratulations should go to Cecelia Kane and Miranda Woodruff who were awarded 92/100 for Grade Seven Musical Theatre Pairs and again to Cecelia for gaining 93/100 for her individual Musical Theatre examination.

During the Lent term the Communication Skills students spent an evening undertaking mock interactive tasks and sharing their formal presentations prior to their final examinations. It was a genuine pleasure seeing the diverse range of subjects that the girls had been working on in their lessons and provided an excellent opportunity for the girls to practise, which was undoubtedly reflected in the high number of merits and distinctions achieved by the girls.

The results from the Remove, Lower Fourth and Upper Fourth groups were absolutely stunning this year with many of the girls achieving more than 90/100. I am so proud of the way in which the students embraced their Speech and Drama preparations, with many groups holding extra rehearsals outside their normal lessons. There are too many noteworthy performances to mention everyone, but I absolutely must draw attention to Eloise Kirkby, Olivia McClintock, Emilia Methven and Alisha Pak who achieved 97/100 for their extract of ‘The Lion King’.

This year the Speech and Drama showcases had a full makeover and a new venue in the Farr Centre. Despite the minimal rehearsals at such a busy time in the school year, both casts presented a range of really exciting and inspiring pieces. We were treated to a wealth of talent from girls in the Upper Fourth to Lower Sixth in ‘For Forever – A Celebration of Speech and Drama’, with girls performing songs, dances, scenes and monologues from both their examination pieces and put together specially for the event.

The Lower School girls presented ‘Fragments’ of their examination pieces, with a colourful mixture of devised drama, scripts and musical theatre which was a delightful way to begin the Sunday of Founder’s Weekend and a fitting way in which to finish the year for Speech and Drama.

Mrs Rebecca Watson, Head of Extra-Curricular Drama

HEAD OF SPEECH AND DRAMA REPORT

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SPEECH AND DRAMA

I could describe the past year in which I have held office as the Head of Speech and Drama in so many ways that perhaps the word that sums it up best is ‘eventful’. From rehearsals to RADA exams and ‘Treasure Island’ to Trinity Musical Theatre, it is safe to say that the Downe House Drama Department has been an active place. It’s been a great year and here are just a few highlights.

There have been plenty of shows; I was involved in the ambitious production of ‘Into the Woods’ in the summer of 2017. Now, as 2019 is upon us, there are even more wonderful productions to add to this list the equally ambitious ‘Treasure Island’ adaption and the highly professional Founder’s Weekend musical ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. Of course, I couldn’t dream of forgetting to include the extremely slick, moving and funny Speech and Drama showcases of the recent Founder’s Weekend and the numerous workshops that have taken place, providing some great opportunities for Drama students to expand their knowledge and opinions in the world of theatre.

The Drama Department has played an extremely significant part of my Downe House life. I started in Remove as a self-doubting eleven year old whose biggest theatrical achievement turned out to be securing the role of the dog, Nana, in a ten minute exam piece of Peter Pan. I had one line, “woof”, which I was very reluctant to perform. It was after this combined with the experience of King Duncan’s murder (in which I played King Duncan) getting a little too real that I decided Drama GCSE wasn’t going to be for me. However, throughout the next two years I noticed that something was missing from my life and realised that thing was Drama. I carried on with Musical Theatre duos and even took up a solo lesson as well. With the help of inspiring teachers, I took Drama A Level and gained my membership to the National Youth Theatre with a monologue from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Extracurricular drama helped me to achieve and find out about myself more things than I thought it ever would. What started off as just a bit of fun on the side of GCSEs evolved into a life ambition to make my way in the theatre industry.

That lowly, awkward Remove who was too scared to audition for the 2012 production of Narnia is now heading off with an A* in Drama to study English with Drama at Manchester University. I have high hopes to take a masters at LAMDA afterwards… it worked for Benedict Cumberbatch so I have my fingers crossed.

In true dramatic fashion, I will indulge and sign off with a quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” I hope that I have contributed to Speech and Drama at Downe House and have no doubt that my successors, Rosie and Torera, will be amazing assets to the Drama Department.

Catharine Wippell, UVI, Head of Speech and Drama Downe House Magazine

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REVIEW OF FRAGMENTS The Lower School Speech and Drama event was on the Sunday of Founder’s Weekend in the Farr Centre and featured Fragments of the girls Speech and Drama examination work. Despite the very early start after, it was extremely well attended by an audience of parents, peers and teachers.

The show was fast paced and colourful with a variety of Musical Theatre, Devised and Scripted work being showcased which left the audiences wanting more. With over twenty groups performing, highlights included Hakuna Matata from ‘The Lion King’, and extracts from

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‘The Evacuee’, devised by the cast and ’Sleeping Beauty’ written by Charles Perrault, to name but a few.

The girls embraced the opportunity to perform their work on a big stage and demonstrated what a wide and diverse range of material and skills our girls are taught in their Speech and Drama lessons.

With 65% of our Lower School being awarded a distinction and 35% a merit, the girls truly have something to celebrate. I think we can all agree that they did a fantastic job!

Mrs Sophie Leigh-Barclay, Teacher of Speech and Drama

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FOR FOREVER – A CELEBRATION OF SPEECH AND DRAMA Kick-starting the Saturday of Founder’s Weekend, For Forever showcased the highest quality of talent from our Upper School and Sixth Form Speech and Drama students. The show started with an impressive chorus rendition of For Forever from ‘Dear Evan Hansen’, with exquisite harmonies demonstrating the high quality of our Musical Theatre voices.

Other performances included a range of styles, including two very entertaining group performances from our Upper Fourth students, Matilda Bridgeman, Alice Pernthaller and Phoebe Whiting, and Chiara De Sa Subiotto, Celine Ibori, Mathilda Singer and Jiayi Zheng.

Our Lower Fifth students contributed widely to the exciting programme, with a sonnet ‘battle’ between Poppy Scales and Rosalind Wippell, and impressive monologues from Sappho Novatin and Clementine McNair Scott. We also saw a range of duologues with emotions ranging from anguish to elation, with wonderful performances from Olivia Jackson and Imogen Ridley, Ellen Gawne and Constance Pope, Tosin Adepoju and Gardiner Hunt, and Imogen Dale and Florence McNair Scott.

The Lower Fifth contingent were equally well represented in some exciting Musical Theatre numbers, including the comedy song You and Me from ‘The Book of Mormon’ by Tabitha Kendall and Christina Elliot, and a reflective rendition of I am Moana by Sappho Novatin and Liberty Wilson.

There was a similarly exciting display of flair demonstrated by our Lower Sixth students.

The ensemble piece First Burn from ‘Hamilton’ by Cecelia Kane, Rosie Blackburn, Sophie Elliot, Katie Hackman and Lauren Dunn, wowed the audience.

We saw some exciting Musical Theatre comedy from Dara Bolodeoku and Kirsty Depledge With You’re the Top from ‘Anything Goes’, Friend Like Me from ‘Aladdin’ from Elizabeth Bolodeoku and Katie Hackman, and Betrayed from ‘The Producers’ from Cecelia Kane. Chee Sum (Tiffany) Lai gave and pensive and confident delivery of The Wizard and I from ‘Wicked’, whilst Rosie Blackburn and Georgia Hewitson delighted with their attitude-fuelled performance of One Last Time from ‘Hamilton’.

In contrast to the mood of the previous pieces, Trinity Hill and Lauren Dunn performed a moving version of 17 from ‘Heathers’ in perfect harmony. The chorus concluded the show with a reprise of For Forever, to rapturous applause from the audience.

The show was a huge success, demonstrating the vast array of talent and diversity among our Upper School and Sixth Form Speech and Drama students.

Mrs Natalie Warde, Teacher of Speech and Drama Downe House Magazine

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MY FIRST TRINITY GUILDHALL MUSICAL THEATRE EXAM On Thursday 25 March 2018, I did my first Musical Theatre exam. For Trinity Guildhall Grade 5, you need to prepare two songs, one dance and one monologue. My two songs were I Can’t Say No from the musical ‘Oklahoma!’ and I’m Not Saying a Word from ‘Blood Brothers’. My monologue was from the play Dreams of Anne Frank and my dance was from the musical Sister Act. To prepare for my exam my teacher, Miss Rose, and I found a few songs that would be suitable for my voice and for the exam.

The songs we chose were sung by two very different characters who contrasted each other totally but both had difficulties expressing themselves. My dance then had to relate to a theme from one of these songs, which is why we chose Raise Your Voice from ‘Sister Act’, as this was about learning to express yourself.

Once I had all my pieces ready we then started preparing for the exam and spent each lesson focusing on one of the pieces. When we started choreographing the songs we focused on how the characters would be feeling at this point and interpreted their feeling into movement for the song. When this was done we rehearsed over and over so it was polished for the day. On the day I went over to Lovelock and warmed up my voice before the exam, I then waited to be called in by the examiner. In the exam I introduced my pieces before performing them, and afterwards the examiner asked me questions based on my piece such as ‘How did you show contrast between your two characters?’ and ‘Which character did you most relate to?’ I found the ‘dance’ was the hardest part of the exam but once I had rehearsed it, it wasn’t too difficult. Overall, the experience was exciting, even though I was nervous, and I am looking forward to starting work on my Grade 6 pieces.

Annissa Baber, LV

DOWNE HOUSE INAUGURAL MUSICAL THEATRE COMPETITION On Wednesday 2 May 2018, Downe House hosted its first Musical Theatre Competition. This was an event that we started in order to showcase the Musical Theatre talent at Downe House. We wanted to honour Ms Lynette Gridley, who was a beloved member of the Downe House community, and we could think of no better way than naming a competition after her. We were very fortunate to have professional actor and singer Melanie Marshall to adjudicate the competition. It was incredible to have her here and to listen to her individual feedback for each of the acts.

The competition had two categories: Individual and Duo, and competitors included girls from Remove to Lower Sixth. The evening began with the solo acts, starting with Katie Hackman’s beautiful rendition of She Used to be Mine from ‘Waitress’, followed by five equally brilliant solo acts by Kirsty Depledge, Tara Farquhar, Camilla Hale, Alice Pernthaller and Eloise Kirkby. We swiftly moved on to the Duo section of the competition, starting off with Dara and

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Torera Bolodeoku’s tear-jerking performance of ‘A Million Dreams’, which was a clear audience favourite, along with the four other performances by Ella Snow and Tabitha Little, Lauren Dunn and Trinity Hill, Tara Farquhar and Ottilie Whitbread, and Lauren Dunn and Katie Hackman.

This left Melanie in quite a pickle and unsure of who should be crowned the winners. In the end, the Solo Winner’s Cup was awarded to Alice Pernthaller for her performance of Quiet from ‘Matilda’, with the Highly Commended Prize going to Camilla Hale for On My Own from ‘Les Misérables’.

The Duo Winners’ Cup was awarded to Katie Hackman and Lauren Dunn for their rendition of The Movie in my Mind from ‘Miss Saigon’, and the Highly Commended Prize went to Tara Farquhar and Ottilie Whitbread for Sincerely Me from ‘Dear Evan Hansen’. All in all, it was an extremely funfilled evening, which showcased lots of incredible talent and gave the audience great entertainment. We cannot wait for next year’s competition!

Cecelia Kane and Rosie Blackburn, LVI

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PREP SCHOOLS’ DAY OF MUSICAL THEATRE 2018 – BEAUTY AND THE BEAST On Tuesday 27 February 2018, we warmly welcomed 127 girls from eight different schools for our annual Prep Schools’ Day of Musical Theatre. After quick refreshments they were ready to go, getting involved in exciting teambuilding games and energetic group vocal warmups. The musical theme this year was ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and, after the final vocal warm-up, Miss Grandi and Mrs Watson proceeded to teach the whole group the finale song, ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

The girls were then split into smaller groups and undertook a range of workshops, which included a scene, a song and a dance number. The series of workshops were led by our very experienced Drama Department staff, and included The French Village, Be our Guest and Belle and Gaston’s Song. It was a great opportunity for the girls to work with new friends and to be introduced to a range of teaching styles throughout the day.

After all that hard work, the girls enjoyed the expertise of our catering staff in the main dining room, who put on a range of delicious ‘Beauty and the Beast’ themed delights.

In the afternoon, the technical rehearsal went very well and the show was ready to go! The activities of the day culminated in a performance which was enjoyed immensely by our visitors and their parents. We all had a thoroughly inspiring day and the girls left with a real sense of achievement and a great deal of excitement.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make this day such a success!

Mrs Natalie Warde, Teacher of Speech and Drama

RADA SHAKESPEARE CERTIFICATES AWARDED Name

Yeargroup

Exam Type

Result

Bronze Oluwatamilore

UV

Pair

Pass

Bolodeoku

Name

Yeargroup

Exam Type

Result

Sasha Percy-Davis

UV

Pair

Pass

Imogen Webber

UV

Pair

Pass

Helena Wormsley

UV

Pair

Pass

UVI

Individual

Pass

Emma Bracken

UV

Pair

Pass

Jessica Chapman

UV

Pair

Pass

Holly Evans

Natalia Cremin

UV

Pair

Pass

Gold

Silver

Molly Dewar

UV

Pair

Pass

Ilaria Bevan

UVI

Pair

Pass

Holly Fenn

UV

Pair

Distinction

Eleanor Bishop

UVI

Pair

Pass

Anna Hall

UV

Pair

Pass

Claudine Collins

UVI

Pair

Pass

Annie Hazlitt

UV

Individual

Pass

Jennifer Darko

UVI

Pair

Pass

Madison James

UV

Pair

Pass

Grace Devereux

UVI

Pair

Pass

Julia Kennerley

UV

Pair

Pass

Katherine Garnett

UVI

Pair

Pass

Alexandra Kiy

UV

Pair

Pass

Anna Hewitt

UVI

Pair

Pass

Emily Manners

UV

Pair

Pass

Eliza Horn

UVI

Pair

Pass

Lucy McCreery

UV

Pair

Pass

Henrietta Ryan

UVI

Pair

Pass

Nina Paterson

UV

Pair

Distinction

Saskia Wormsley

UVI

Pair

Pass

Downe House Magazine

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TRINITY SPEECH AND DRAMA RESULTS Grade 2

Girls in Group

Exam Type

Mark Grade Band

Alone

Ruby Agbede, Georgina Boucher, Eloise Cull, Sonya Leong, Ilaria Perhar

Group Devised

82

Merit

Creative Writing

Hannah Knight, Anna Kurtser, Isabella Riley, Emily Sideso

Group Devised

83

Merit

About his Person

Sinling Damais, Clothylde Debray, Hannah Hurd, Natnicha (Deedee) Sethi, Alexandra Tanner, Honore Thorne

Group Devised

83

Merit

What has Happened to Lulu?

Tabitha Little, Cecilia Stone, Tabitha Venning, Emily Walton

Group Devised

83

Merit

Mary Poppins

Tundun Are, Freya Brown, Lilias Hoare Nairne, Ella Snow, Aimee Wilson

Musical Theatre

85

Distinction

Annie

Miranda Harries, Clementine Ridley, Octavia Twinn, Kexuan (Angela) Zou

Musical Theatre

93

Distinction

The Evacuee

Ottilie Campbell, Georgina Jackson, Elizabeth Jelley, Honor McNair Scott, Claudia Pope, Isabel Vir

Group Devised

95

Distinction

Television

Emilie Booth, Sophie Ewen, Camilla Hale, Araminta Hervey

Group Devised

95

Distinction

No Bread

Emilia Finney, Tara McCaldin, Ella Spry, Isabelle Wessely

Group Devised

95

Distinction

Daddy Fell into the Pond

Ruby Dean, Theodora Gatley Limata, Eliza Irving, Honor Harris

Group Devised

95

Distinction

The Lion King

Eloise Kirkby, Olivia McClintock, Emilia Methven, Yi Kei (Alisha) Pak

Musical Theatre

97

Distinction

Grade 3

Girls in Group

Exam Type

Mark Grade Band

Between Mouthfuls

Clara Dutertre-Delaunay, Tate Halestrap, Eloise O’Donnell, Miranda Tromans, Jasmine Wyles

Group Scripted

83

Merit

A Little Princess

Dariya Andreeva, Ayomide Awosika, Thea Davies, Cleo Dutertre-Delaunay, Alice Hack

Group Scripted

83

Merit

The Crazy Sexy Cool Girls Fan Club

Mary Hazlitt, Katie Lam, Mirabel Summerfield

Group Scripted

85

Distinction

Cards, Cups and Crystal Ball

Rose Cornell, Matilda Harris, Zia Mylne

Group Scripted

86

Distinction

Journey to X

Taizya Adedeji, Fara Akinkugbe, Amy Jiang, Amelie Mandic-Tyler, Jamie Ojo

Group Scripted

87

Distinction

Sleeping Beauty

Fife Akinkugbe, Kylie Chan, Ziqi (Jade) Fang,

Group Scripted

90

Distinction

The Comedy about a Bank Robbery

Lauren Akinluyi, Rosie Phillips, Cordelia Reeve, Omenasan Irikefe

Group Scripted

90

Distinction

Arbeit Macht Frei

Konstanza Haefner, Lucy Morrison, Emilia Nelson, Yiming Song

Group Scripted

95

Distinction

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Romilly Behagg, Daisy Matthews, Verena Whitbread

Group Scripted

83

Merit

Kindertransport

Charlotte Beveridge, Carina Bischoff, Beatrice Campbell

Group Scripted

91

Distinction

The Queen’s Court

Cheuk Wah Sara Lee, Rosie Moore, Agnes Rose, Poppy Spiegelberg, Georgina Williams-Bulkeley

Group Scripted

83

Merit

Annie

Neelan-May Muge, Isobel Peddie, Susannah Wood

Musical Theatre Group

89

Distinction

Grade 4

Girls in Group

Exam Type

Mark Grade Band

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Ceara Bastin, Ashley Ighu, Anlan Wang

Group Devised

75

Merit

Blithe Spirit 2

Ayanfe Adedeji, Zara Riaz, Emma Woodworth

Group Scripted

75

Merit

Daisy Pulls it off 1

Nathalia Armah, Louisa Healey, Madelaina Lavelle

Group Scripted

78

Merit

Shakers 4

Zayhah Folawiyo, Honor Neville, Ziyi (Annie) Yang

Group Scripted

82

Merit

Shakers 2

Sophie Kelly, Antonia McClintock, Mia Viventi

Group Scripted

83

Merit

Daisy Pulls it off 2

Airlie Fleming, Honor Mathews, Hannah Perkins, Tilly Gibbens

Group Scripted

83

Merit

Our Year 2017-18

DRAMA Jewellery Heist

Chiara De Sa Subiotti, Celine Ibori, Mathilda Singer, Jiayi Zheng

Group Devised

83

Merit

The Proposal

Louise De Chimay, Maria Kheyman, Xinyue (Audrey) Xu

Group Devised

85

Distinction

Sleeping Beauty 2

Vasilisa Borovskaya, Heloise Friedlander, Madeleine (Maddi) Hales

Group Scripted

86

Distinction

Blithe Spirit 1

Isabella Pemberton, Marina Pownall, Chi You (Hilary) Yu Group Scripted

86

Distinction

Shakers 1

Alice Pernthaller, Phoebe Whiting, Matilda Bridgeman

Group Scripted

90

Distinction

Shakers 3

Lyla Elichaoff, Yasmine McLennan, Zinlin (Rachel) Zhang

Group Scripted

93

Distinction

Goggle Eyes

Tara Dyer, Amelia Maughan, Olivia Monckton

Group Scripted

93

Distinction

The SĂŠance

Rosie Montague, Margot Ridley, Matilda Wilkinson

Group Scripted

95

Distinction

N/A

Angelina Morton-Cutt

Performing Text

83

Merit

N/A

Charlotte Pearson

Acting in Pairs

86

Distinction

N/A

Eleanor Gibbs

Acting in Pairs

88

Distinction

N/A

Alethea Ings-Chambers

Acting in Pairs

89

Distinction

Grade 5

Mark

Grade Band

Communication Skills

Grade 5

Mark

Grade Band

Emily Glover

79

Merit

Chisengo (Elizabeth) Lukama

85

Distinction

Francesca Horton

78

Merit

Antonia Holloway

85

Distinction

Ellen (Nellie) Gawne

86

Distinction

82

Merit

Lily Mathews

86

Distinction

Constance Pope

Chelsea Huang

82

Merit

Annissa Baber

87

Distinction

Yiru (Ruby) Huang

85

Distinction

Katharine Corbett

82

Merit

Maryam Mammadova

78

Merit

Astrid Ashdown

86

Distinction

Ruiqi (Rachel) Wang

75

Merit

Phoebe Hughes

73

Pass

Romilly Cox

73

Pass

Morgan Kandrac

78

Merit

Speech and Drama Solo Grace Cooke

83

Merit

Musical Theatre Pairs

Individual Acting Skills Clementine McNair Scott

85

Distinction

Francesca Horton

86

Distinction

Sappho Novatin

81

Merit

Olivia Jackson

86

Distinction

Poppy Scales

93

Distinction

Christina Elliot

89

Distinction

Lisa Lotte Scheuner

90

Distinction

Tabitha Kendall

89

Distinction

Constance Pope

81

Merit

Sappho Novatin

91

Distinction

Liberty Wilson

90

Distinction

Acting in Pairs Tosin Adepoju

85

Distinction

Lara Kabir Jennings

85

Distinction

Gardiner Hunt

85

Distinction

Rosalind Wippell

85

Distinction

Olivia Jackson

83

Merit

Chioma Emenike

83

Merit

Imogen Ridley

83

Merit

Beatrice Weaver

83

Merit

Maria Manduca

72

Pass

Tosin Adepoju

83

Merit

83

Merit

Lucy Stebbings

75

Merit

Florence Hack

Imogen Dale

76

Merit

Lara Coppen-Gardner

85

Distinction

Florence McNair Scott

76

Merit

Rosanna Love

85

Distinction

Saskia Walton

84

Merit

Saskia Mactaggart

88

Distinction

Liberty Wilson

83

Merit

Imogen Ridley

88

Distinction

Honor Hamwee

86

Distinction

Musical Theatre So lo

Daisy Williams

86

Distinction

Annissa Baber

77

Merit

Saskia Dale

82

Merit

Poppy Scales

80

Merit

81

Merit

Lisabel Thistlethwayte

76

Merit

Po Lam (Natalie) Wong

Sophie Armitage

82

Merit

Tun Yin (Angie) Wong

73

Pass

Rosanna Love

82

Merit

Yi Wei (Lily) Peng

72

Pass

Lucia Bugeja

87

Distinction

Rosalind Wippell

85

Distinction

Maryam Mammadova

91

Distinction Downe House Magazine

111

DRAMA Grade 6

Mark

Grade Band

73

Pass

Speech and Drama Solo Sabrina Wang Individual Acting

85

Distinction

Charlotte Berry

92

Distinction

Oluchi Emenike

90

Distinction

Sophie Elliot

91

Distinction

87

Distinction

Lauren Dunn

86

Distinction

Alina Erkulova

73

Pass

Florence Fanshawe

Annie Hazlitt

93

Distinction

Musical Theatre Pairs

Acting in Pairs Oluwatamilore Bolodeoku

83

Merit

Trinity Hill

86

Distinction

Natalia Cremin

76

Merit

Elizabeth Bolodeoku

91

Distinction

Abriella (Abby) Dolbear

73

Pass

Katie Hackman

91

Distinction

Mathilde Hughes

82

Merit

Rosie Blackburn

82

Merit

Tara Farquhar

73

Pass

Georgia Hewitson

83

Merit

Charlotte Nicholson

70

Pass

Esther Bolodeoku

80

Merit

Anna Hall

70

Pass

Kirsty Depledge

73

Pass

92

Distinction

92

Distinction

Madison James

67

Pass

Cecelia Kane

Eliza Farquharson

67

Pass

Miranda Woodruff

Alice Peters

68

Pass

Musical Theatre Solo

Holly Fenn

85

Distinction

Cecelia Kane

93

Distinction

Nina Paterson

81

Merit

Imogen Simpson-Orlebar

71

Pass

Sasha Percy-Davis

92

Distinction

Chee Sum (Tiffany) Lai

75

Merit

Helena Wormsley

92

Distinction

Kirsty Depledge

83

Merit

Anna Neville

80

Merit

Grade 8

Mark

Grade Band

Clementine Pemberton

81

Merit

Acting in Pairs

Alexandra Kiy

79

Merit

Saskia Wormsley

90

Distinction

Imogen Webber

80

Merit

Eliza Horn

89

Distinction

92

Distinction

Emily Manners

83

Merit

Anna Hewitt

Lucy McCreery

78

Merit

Eleanor Bishop

86

Distinction

Emma Bracken

90

Distinction

Ilaria Bevan

82

Merit

Jessica Chapman

89

Distinction

Grace Devereux

82

Merit

Molly Dewar

82

Merit

Sarah Darko

65

Pass

Julia Kennerley

81

Merit

Clara Silcock

73

Pass

Alexia Milliken

76

Merit

86

Distinction

Sasha Coulson

76

Merit

92

Distinction

Musical Theatre Pairs Tara Farquhar Ottilie Whitbread

85

Distinction

Henrietta Ryan

Beatrice Phillips

72

Merit

Claudine Collins

92

Distinction

Alice Weldon

71

Merit

Katherine Garnett

85

Distinction

Jennifer Darko

85

Distinction

Musical Theatre Solo Annie Hazlitt

86

Distinction

Victoria Scobie

91

Distinction

Emily Carpmael

73

Pass

Hebe Ide

85

Distinction

Zoe Carruthers

73

Pass

Individual Acting Skills

Grade 7

Mark

Grade Band

Holly Evans

91

Distinction

82

Merit

Rosanna Craig

69

Pass

Communication Skills

Communication Skills Naomi Egoh

89

Distinction

Grace Cornish

Nina Bugeja

86

Distinction

Musical Theatre Pairs

Speech and Drama Solo Calypso Cox

78

Merit

Isabella Craig

69

Pass

Hye Lim Park

91

Distinction

Clara Silcock

81

Merit

Jane Tung

81

Merit

Lettice Cornell

89

Distinction

Musical Theatre Solo

Cosima Davies

89

Distinction

Emilie Cheung

75

Merit

Olivia Kirkby

92

Distinction

Anna Hewitt

85

Distinction

Cecelia Kane

90

Distinction

Catharine Wippell

82

Merit

Merit

Annabel Roest

83

Merit

Acting in Pairs

Honor Stephens 112

Holly Skinner

Our Year 2017-18

84

Sport

113

SPORT

SPORTS DAY Sports Day was highlight of the Summer Term and in spite of the inclement weather, this year’s event was a huge success for the girls and all the parents who turned out to support their daughters.

From hurdles and javelin to open relay and high jump, it was clear that everyone who took part was determined to do their best and the atmosphere was full of an incredible house spirit with fantastic (and very noisy) support for all the athletes.

Of course, there can only be one winner and this year, Tedworth were crowned ‘Overall House Champions’ and were awarded the much-coveted cup.

It was a fabulous afternoon of sport – we are very proud of every girl who competed and very impressed with the overall standard of athletics on show. Thank of course go to all the staff and the House Games Captains who worked so hard to make the event a success, and to all the parents and staff who joined us for the afternoon to show their support.

Mrs Lydia Rayne, Director of Sport

114

Our Year 2017-18

SPORT Downe House Magazine

115

SPORT

SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME As we approach the end of this academic year it is time to reflect on all the achievements that we have made. Our Scholars have been very busy competing for their School, clubs, counties and countries and, whilst the weather has not always been on our side, the girls have shown tremendous resilience when it comes to rearranged matches and challenging playing conditions. The Scholars’ approach to their own training and development has become more elite, with an understanding of the importance of rest and recovery as well as hard work and dedication. This newfound professionalism has shown on the court, pitch, pool and track.

Throughout the year we have worked closely with each individual Scholar to manage their performance, injuries and subsequent rehab as well as monitoring their workload, commitments and general wellbeing. Our Scholars have worked extremely hard over the course of the year and their high degree of drive and passion has started to pay off, which has been tremendous to see.

This term the girls have shone on the tennis court and athletics track and it was fantastic to see so many of them competing for their Houses on Sports Day. Despite exams, many of the Scholars have managed to maintain a full training and match schedule and they have used their sport as a way to stay healthy and motivated outside the exam hall.

We have run several focus groups this year to look closely at nutrition and the importance of fuelling our bodies correctly in order to maximise recovery and performance. The girls worked with the other Scholars in their House to make protein snacks to hand out on Sport Scholars’ Menu Day, for which the girls created a nutritious and delicious menu for the rest of the School.

The sixth-form girls also had the opportunity to look at sport beyond Downe with a focus group about university sport.

I would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye to all our leaving Scholars and Exhibitioners: Alexa Feather (UVI), Isabelle Brown (UVI), Natasha Somerville-Cotton (UVI), Lauren Griffiths (UVI) and Ella Houston (UVI).

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication over the years and we wish you the very best of luck for the future. Please do keep in touch!

Please keep up to date with our Scholars’ training and achievements through our Twitter account @DHSport1 Miss Katie Quarterman, Teacher of PE

116

Our Year 2017-18

SPORT

FOCUS ON OUR SPORTS SCHOLARS Our Sports Scholars have gone from strength to strength this year and here some of them share their sporting experiences from this year.

Ella Snow, Sports Scholar, Remove Ella was awarded a Sports Scholarship on joining Remove in September 2017, and along with all the Sports Scholars she has followed a specially-designed fitness, strength and conditioning programme tailored to Ella’s needs, with the aim of building muscle strength in order to minimise the chance of injury. Ella has proved herself a real sporting all-rounder and shows real potential in lacrosse, netball, swimming and tennis as well as 1500m and discus.

Ella said, “I have really enjoyed the sport at Downe House and loved being in the A Teams for both netball and lacrosse. I had never played lacrosse before I came to Downe House but our team came together really well. After drawing in the first lax match of the season (which we were all really thrilled with), we then won every match after that and now I can’t wait for the next season to start! Miss Quarterman has been my mentor and it has been good to have her support and interest in how I am getting on.”

Susanna Brooke, Sports Scholar, UV Susie is a keen sportswoman and plays hockey for the Oxford Hawks U16 A Team who reached the regional round of the Home Counties Cup, as well as playing for the U15 Oxfordshire Team who finished third in the League. At School Susie plays for the U15 A Team in both lacrosse and netball, and this year she took up squash as well as representing Downe House in both the athletics and tennis teams.

Susanna said, “Being a Scholar has helped enormously with my fitness levels and enabled me to continue to perform well in all of my sports. I think that the strength and conditioning sessions have made a difference and have prevented me from getting injured. Last year I was nominated to trial for the Southern Region Hockey Team and started training with them in September which included four all-day sessions as well as training on a Monday night every three weeks. At Easter we played in the first of three cluster competitions and beat both Birmingham and the Midlands. As part of the School Squash Team, we reached the national finals and came second overall.

I really enjoy being able to play such a wide variety of sports and the scholarship programme has really helped to support me with all of my commitments!

Amelia Hughes, Sports Scholar and Captain of Games, LVI Amelia was selected for the England U19 Lacrosse Squad at the age of 14 and represented England in the Home Internationals held in the USA in 2017. During this academic year she was selected to join the U21 European Team to compete in Poland in August 2018. With all that determination and talent, Amelia plays for the Downe House First Team who finished in the top eight at the Nationals this year. She also plays for the Squash Team and is Captain of both the Tennis and Athletics Teams who have had some excellent results this year.

Amelia said, “I have had the most incredible support in the four years since I became a Sports Scholar. I had never played lacrosse before I came to Downe House but through a lot of hard work and dedication during my time here, I have succeeded in being selected for the England Team. My School lacrosse coach, Mrs Gaunt, has supported me with lots of extra training sessions and mentoring which have been instrumental in getting me to where I am today. The Scholarship programme and the whole PE department have given me an incredible support structure and this year, Mr Davidson and Mr Urquhart have created new strength and conditioning programmes tailored to each Scholar to build muscle strength and fitness.

However tough the training is, I feel so honoured to represent my country in the sport that I love, and my aim for the future is to represent England in the 2019 World Cup in Canada. There will be lots of training and hard work between now and then but I will put every effort into getting there, no matter how hard it may be.”

Downe House Magazine

117

SPORT

A GOOD YEAR FOR LACROSSE, DESPITE THE WEATHER! The season began very well with the 1st XII and U15A team winning the Berkshire Lacrosse Tournament.

The 2nd XII are also to be commended on winning the South West Lacrosse Tournament, beating the Downe House 3rd XII in the final! The strength and depth in lacrosse that has developed over the year is very encouraging. It was a shame that two major championships were affected so badly by the weather, but the performances put in by the teams were excellent throughout.

Mrs Lydia Rayne, Director of Sport

FIRST TEAM REPORT The Lacrosse 1st Team has seen through a great season of Lacrosse, with many wins across numerous fixtures and a strong performance at the Nationals. The team got off to a flying start significantly winning our first fixture against St Catherine’s Bramley. The winning streak continued with beating schools such as St Mary’s Calne, Wycombe Abbey and St Pauls as the season progressed. With great teamwork both on and off the pitch the team only continued to grow stronger and this was exemplified at the Berkshire Five Schools’ Tournament, where which it was amazing to play and win the tournament, winning all 5 matches and coming away with the shield.

Towards the end of the season, after various rescheduled matches due to the snowy conditions, we found ourselves putting in a strong performance in the group stages of the National Schools competition. Working hard in the challenging conditions, the team managed to work their way through the group stages suffering only one loss. However, the weather was relentless and heavy rain forced the competition straight into a knockout. Thus having comfortably made the championship division, unfortunately we found ourselves losing in a tight match against Benenden in the quarter finals.

I have had an amazing time co-captaining the Downe House 1st Lacrosse team this year and it has been an honour to play alongside such a talented hardworking team. We all really appreciate the continual support and coaching from Mrs Gaunt and Mrs Rayne and we cannot thank them enough for everything they have done for the teams and the sport of lacrosse at Downe House.

Alexa Feather, UVI Co-Captain of 1st Lacrosse Team

118

Our Year 2017-18

SPORT

HOCKEY REPORT This year’s hockey season has been one of our most successful, with well over 200 goals being scored across the board. The season started with the Berkshire Tournament for the 1st XI in September which resulted in two wins, two loses and a draw, however, unfortunately this was not enough for the team to progress to the next round. The 1st XI and 2nd XI combined to make two teams to compete in the West Berkshire league, with one team coming first and the other coming third. The U16s had better luck in the Berkshire outdoor hockey tournament, winning three out of five of their matches. They then went on to be runnersup in the Berkshire Schools indoor tournament, qualifying for the South Regional round of the competition. A huge achievement against some very talented opposition.

The U15s have had a tremendous season, with their highest score of 11-0 against St John’s Leatherhead and only conceding five goals throughout the year. The team also went on to win the West Berkshire league, so it is very exciting to have them joining the senior teams next year.

The U14s have had a similarly successful season, winning almost every single match and with their highest score of 12-0 against both Wellington College and Bradfield. The team also went on to win the Berkshire Schools Tournament Plate. Downe House fielded an U12 team for the first time to play in the Berkshire Tournament and, after an amazing effort, Downe House missed a semi-final spot by just one goal difference. It has been such a wonderful experience playing this year as Captain and I am thrilled at the high standard of everyone’s hockey as well as the results. Finally, I wish the best of luck to the new Captain, Kirsty Depledge, for the upcoming season.

Sasha Villiers-Smith, UVI 1st XI Captain

Downe House Magazine

119

SPORT

NETBALL SENIORS SET THE STANDARD What a fantastic year for all our Netball teams, inspired by our 1st VII and U19A teams who won over 70% of their matches. Our U19 team is open to anyone in the School whilst the 1st VII is exclusively those who choose Netball as their major sport.

An energetic double Lacrosse and Netball fixture against St Catherine’s Bramley marked the start of a packed fixture list. The U19A team valiantly lost by only one goal in a match which was rightfully ours against the previous Surrey county winners, and this set a game day target of securing a significant lead by the end of the first quarter. The U19As went on to win against Lady Eleanor Holles and St Helen and St Katharine, and gain silver medals at The Abbey’s FastNet tournament with Anna Neville scoring several impressive double pointers.

The 1st VII beat Queen Anne’s and LWC; our early lead tactics were clearly working. School Netball Captains Anna Hewitt and Annabel Roest provided high-energy leadership across both teams and inspired a team who were committed to training hard and developing their skills. The dynamic duo will be missed in defence alongside the calm shooting of fellow Upper Sixth leaver Jennifer Darko.

The U15s were dazzling on the court, training hard and keen to take advantage of opportunities, wins coming later in the season against Cheltenham Ladies College and Pangbourne College. The U14 team practise netballers showed huge promise and are already a close knit group. These girls come together as a new group supporting each other week by week and combined with their competitive attitude are on course to become a formidable team.

Lower Fourth is always a year when individuals start to shine and the teams contested well across both terms. The Remove’s starting line ups changed frequently, reflecting a year group brimming with potential. My highlight was the Colston’s Netall Tournament, where the U12As were the only team independently warming up and running their own drills. They are ‘thinking’ players and this showed on court as they outplayed teams physically much stronger.

Miss Laura Vickery, Head of Netball

120

Our Year 2017-18

SPORT

SQUASH REPORT

TENNIS REPORT

The squash season has been a hugely exciting and busy time this year at Downe House, with a multitude of girls playing across a variety of fixtures and playing over 33 squash matches across three different age groups. In the junior teams squash has really taken off with some budding talent in the U12s and U13s, beating Millfield 3-2. A bright future ahead for squash at Downe House!

Moreover, in the Upper School squash has only been going from strength to strength, this year reaching the National Schools Championships Finals. Both the 1st Team and U15 Team battled hard winning all their matches in their draws to reach the final four.

I have immensely enjoyed my first year as Head of Tennis. My first objective was to maintain the extremely high participation at School and we now have five coaches, coaching over 190 private lessons per week, with girls enjoying their tennis all year round. I was delighted to welcome guest coach Joseyln Rae, a former Fed Cup and Commonwealth Gold Medallist. Joselyn gave a great insight during team practice sessions as a female tennis player who played at the highest level.

Travelling to Nottingham Squash and Rackets Club for the Championship Finals was a great experience, giving us the opportunity to play out our matches against some of the best squash players in the nation. The competition was fierce and the 1st Team came away with a respectable fourth in the country. The U15s played an impressive set of matches, winning against Wycombe High School to clinch the second place title. All in all, a great day of squash with some hugely impressive achievements and individual performances.

It has been a fantastic season of squash and one we have thoroughly enjoyed, however it would not all be possible without the hard work and support of the department. It has been an honour this year to assist them and we will sorely miss it when we leave Downe House.

Alexa Feather, UVI

This year, our First and Second Teams were drawn in the same regional group of the Senior Winter Nationals, meaning only one team would be able to qualify for the knock-out phase. Our First Team qualified in first place but sadly lost in the last round of the knock-out stages.

It was a great shame that Verity Hornby, one of our stand out players, missed the whole competition due to suffering a nasty injury at the start of the year.

Girls in the Lower Fifth produced some great wins in the summer friendly matches and have shown great depth of talent throughout their year – making team selection very difficult! I am looking forward to watching their talent develop over the coming years.

We ended the year on a high with a high level of friendly competitive fun at our Founder’s Weekend Family Tennis Tournament. Family members from grandparents to cousins entered, with Jemima Harrison and her father Dominic winning a close fought final versus Sophie Loftus and her sister Arabella – a potential future Downe House tennis star! It was a wonderful way to end a great year of tennis at the School.

Mr Josh Goodall, Head of Tennis

Downe House Magazine

121

SPORT

ATHLETICS AND CROSS COUNTRY REPORT It’s been an exciting year for our athletes, with individual triumphs as well as team competition successes. Our Inter Athletics Team qualified for the regional round of the English Schools Track and Field Cup at Millfield in June. We competed well and our final score placed us in the top 20 in the country which was a great achievement. Our athletics teams have performed strongly across the age groups, with the U15, U14 and U12 all winning the Newbury Schools’ Athletics Championships this year. Following this, 20 girls were selected to represent Newbury in the Berkshire Schools Championships, including five Remove girls, and all performed incredibly well. We were particularly proud of a fabulous performance by Hoi Laam (Karis) Cheung, whose high jump of 1.63m equalled the School record and she was incredibly close to clearing 1.66m, which is the qualifying height for the English Schools Championships.

Our Cross Country Team also fared well in competitions this year and the Inter Team placed 3rd in the 1st round of the Schools Cup, with strong running from Alessandra Tydeman and Lucinda Slack gaining the team a place in the regional round. Downe House competed in four age groups in the Newbury Schools Cross Country Championships U13, U15, U17 and U19 – and all teams were placed in the top 2. Alessandra Tydeman was selected to compete for Berkshire in the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Leeds and placed 34th in a field of over 330 girls – well done Alessandra!! Finally, this year saw four Downe House teams compete in the Radley Relays in February, where we gained 2 Silvers and 1 Bronze to wrap up another successful year for our Downe House athletes.

Mrs Lydia Rayne, Director of Sport

122

Our Year 2017-18

SPORT

SWIMMING REPORT In the Swimming department we have had an extremely successful year for all age groups. Out of 30 inter-school matches we won 26, drew 2 and lost 2 and achieved 87 personal bests during matches. This impressive number of personal best times led to three new School records being broken.

School records: U15 25m butterfly U15 4 x 25m medley relay

U12 25m backstroke

Emelia Shippey Madeleine (Maddi) Hales Gwyneth Choi Emelia Shippey Morgan Kandrac Kexuan (Angela) Zou

In January we hosted our Winter Swim Meet, which four schools attended. We won both the U12 and U14 event. In the GSA Gala held in February out of 10 schools, Downe House finished third overall with Maddi Hales breaking the U15 backstroke meet record, with exceptional swimming from all the other girls who took part.

We then had the pleasure of hosting the Independent Boarding Schools Relays Gala in May. 15 schools took part. Our U13, U15 and Senior Relay Teams managed to finish in the top four in every event, and it was so lovely to see all age groups performing at such a high level! This enabled us to go on and win the Overall Top School Shield, with Wycombe Abbey in second and Godolphin in third places.

Overall it has been a year of many achievements in the pool, which we hope to continue into the new season.

Mrs Paula Machin, Head of Swimming and Teacher of PE

Downe House Magazine

123

SPORT

SKI REPORT FLAINE

PILA

A Team: Catherine Nicol, Storm Halestrap and Clementine Black

U14: Tate Halestrap, India Hinds, Georgia Dunkerley

B Team: Emily Glover, Matilda McDougall and Tate Halestrap

U16: Imogen Ridley, Catherine Nicol, Tallis Montgomerie and Alessandra Tydeman

The ski team had a fantastic trip to Flaine, where we entered two teams into the British School Girls’ Races to compete in a variety of individual and team competitions; Giant Slalom, Slalom and the Parallel Slalom. The girls achieved some of the best results to date after two very successful days of training.

We had another wonderful trip to Pila, the girls did incredibly well against some very tough and difficult competition. The girls grew in confidence and made some great progress after their two days of ski training.

Both age groups competed in the Slalom and the Giant Slalom and, again, the girls recorded some fantastic results.

Tate Halestrap won three U14 individual golds, in the Giant Slalom, Slalom and consequently the Combined.

Alessandra finished 16th and Tallis 18th in the Giant Slalom out of a large pool of competitors. This resulted in Alessandra finishing an impressive 4th out of the unregistered skiers in the U16 category.

Clementine Black won a silver medal in the U16 Giant Slalom.

The A team won a silver medal in both the Giant Slalom and the Parallel Slalom.

The B team finished an impressive second in their competition.

Overall, some truly excellent skiing by all the girls and a wonderfully successful a trip.

Tate had a fantastic second run in the Slalom and finished 8th.

Catherine finished 9th out of a very large pool of competitors in the Slalom and Tate followed up her impressive Slalom run with a very respectable top ten finish in the Giant Slalom.

Miss Jessica Persse, Graduate Sports Assistant

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AUSTRALIA DAY FOR THE UPPER FIFTH Embracing and celebrating the diversity of Australia was the aim of Australia Day and the programme certainly delivered. There was an incredible exploration of all things Australian from learning about its Great Barrier Reef and Aboriginal heritage to getting up close and personal with reptiles and making Anzac biscuits.

The Upper Fifth girls were joined by boys from Radley College for a day which started with a keynote address by the Australian High Commissioner, the Honourable Alexander Downer AC, himself an Old Radleian. There followed a series of workshops including Australian literature, mindfulness, Australian soap opera and cinema, indigenous animals and wildlife, Australian music-making, Australia’s economic future, travelling in Australia , Bush dance, the Australian identity and the Anglo-Australian relationship.

There were two further keynote speakers. Dr Nicola Phillips, who is an expert in Gender History c.1600 -1830, spoke about the system of transportation to Australia in the 1800s and its impact. Dr Ian Henderson, Director of the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies at King’s College London, then explored First Nation Australian intellectual and pedagogic traditions and the many approaches to ‘Indigenous Knowledge’ shared by Aboriginal Australians.

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The grand finale of the day featured the Holcombe Singers singing a beautiful song by Australian singer songwriter, Sia, followed by a truly stunning aboriginal dance showcase by dance group, ‘Descendance’.

The dancers shared their soulful stories expressed in mesmerising dances that date back thousands of years.

The day was an intellectually stimulating, enriching and inspiring day, which offered a deeper cultural understanding of Australia, its captivating past, dynamic present and exciting future.

Mrs Anna Dourountakis, Head of Upper School

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

ITALY DAY FOR REMOVE GIRLS Remove celebrated all things Italian on Italy Day kicking off with Keynote Speaker, Mr Jonny Massey who is Headmaster of the New School in Rome introducing girls to aspects of Italian life and culture.

The girls then enjoyed sessions on Renaissance art and traditional folk dancing as well as an Italian football tournament and learning to sing ‘Fratelli d’Italia’, the Italian National Anthem. Lunch was a veritable Italian feast thanks to our amazing Catering Department, who served minestrone soup, spaghetti with meatballs, pizza, tiramisu and gelato – all delicious dishes and a true taste of Italy!

Mrs Judith Gilpin Jones, Head of Lower School Here’s what the girls thought of the day: “During Italy Day we all had the wonderful opportunity to listen to a fascinating talk on Italian Renaissance art.

Mrs Toogood gave us an insight into every aspect of this period of art from its paintings and sculptures to decorative arts. This beautiful art emerged in Italy in the 15th Century and we learned that it expressed Greek and Roman traditions as well as the stunning natural world.

We also loved the fun quiz at the end with the delicious chocolate prizes!” Lilias

“The dance session was amazing fun because not only did we dance, but we also found out about the origins of the dance. It was a great way to express ourselves and everyone joined in.” Honor and Tabitha “We all enjoyed learning to sing the ‘Fratelli d’Italia in Italian. Everyone gave it their best effort although I am sure Italian native speakers could have helped us with a few of the words!” Cecilia Downe House Magazine

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MEDLEY LECTURES FROM DOWNE TO DISNEY From Downe to Disney was the theme of the Junior Medley Lecture given by the Présidente of Disneyland Paris and Alumna, Catherine Powell in December 2017.

The audience of Lower School girls, parents, staff and alumnae enjoyed a highly entertaining and inspirational lecture on Catherine’s career path after leaving Downe House. Much to the delight of the girls, Catherine started with a Disney quiz and awarded some much-coveted Disney ‘ears’ as prizes to the girls who answered the questions correctly. She then proceeded to tell the story of her career from leaving Oxford University with no clear idea of what she wanted to do through seven years at the BBC before joining The Walt Disney Company in 2005.

Since then, she has held different roles in the UK and Australia before being appointed Présidente of the Euro Disney Group in July 2016.

Catherine’s advice for the girls was to be curious, brave and open-minded and she encouraged them to be never afraid of asking other people for advice.

Following the talk there was a lively question and answer session and the girls had lots of questions for Catherine ranging from her favourite Disney film (Cinderella) to why did Disney choose Paris rather than London or Barcelona (a combination of the Channel Tunnel and the French President at that time, Jacques Chirac).

Mrs Hazel Ormrod, Senior Communications Officer

WALKING TALL WITH SIMON WESTON CBE The single aim of every Medley Lecture is to inspire the audience and in telling his life story, Simon Weston CBE was inspirational, thought provoking and full of pragmatic but uplifting advice for everyone in the audience of over 500 girls, parents, alumnae, staff and guests.

As one of Britain’s most prominent war veterans, author and patron of several charities, former Welsh Guard, Simon told how his life had changed forever on 8 June 1982 during the Falklands War when the British landing ship, the RFA Sir Galahad, was bombed by Argentine Skyhawk fighters. He became the most severely injured casualty to survive the war with 46 percent burns and spent the best part of five years in hospital and as of 2017, he has undertaken 96 major surgical procedures.

With incredible honesty and a talent for understatement, Simon spoke of the challenges of his long and courageous recovery and how his instinct for survival and determination to make a success of his life carried him through. His message for everyone was that no matter what happens to you, it is what you do next that matters and that asking for help is always the sensible thing to do.

The theme of ‘Walking Tall’ shone through his lecture and he was particularly encouraging to all the young people in the room that they must believe in themselves and always believe that, in his words, “no-one is better than you, they may just be better at some things than you”.

A particularly poignant moment came in the telling of how he first met and befriended the Argentinean pilot, Carlos Cachon, who bombed the ship, RFA Sir Galahad and how that friendship has helped him to come to terms with his experience and given him perspective on the moment that changed his life.

Simon Weston is a true example of a hero – a man who has overcome the most painful of experiences and gone on to raise millions of pounds to help those less fortunate than himself and to show by example that anyone can achieve anything with enough determination and selfbelief. One of our alumnae who attended the Medley Lecture said, “I thought the lecture by Simon Weston was incredibly inspiring and an extremely poignant message for the children of today.”

A retiring collection raised £583 for The Falklands Veterans Foundation (FVF) of which Simon is Patron and which provides assistance for Falklands Veterans and their families. Our thanks go to Simon for sharing his life story with us.

Mrs Hazel Ormrod, Senior Communications Officer

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NORTH AMERICA

AFRICA

Stoneleigh-Burnham School, USA Westover School, USA

Beaulieu College, South Africa Durban Girls’ College, South Africa Herschel School, South Africa

ASIA Mayo Girls’ School, India Welham School, India

AUSTRALASIA Methodist Ladies’ College, Australia St. Hilda’s School, Australia Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, New Zealand

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

GLOBAL SCHOOLS’ EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

EUROPE Adolf-Schmitthenner Gymnasium, Germany Campus Manilla Gymnasium, Sweden

PROGRAMME LAUNCH 2018

EXPANDING OUR GLOBAL SCHOOLS’ EXCHANGE NETWORK

On 24 February, the Global Schools’ Exchange programme was launched to girls in the Upper Fourth and their parents

by Mrs McKendrick. We learnt about the diverse places and schools we will have the opportunity to visit, all with very different but undoubtedly interesting cultures, on five continents including schools in America, South Africa, India and Australia, just to name a few.

Nutthapit Poolworaluk, our Head Global Ambassador, and Abriella Dolbear, an experienced exchange student in the Fifth Form, told us all about their incredible experiences in New Zealand and South Africa respectively.

Our Global Schools Exchange Programme has continued to grow and three new partner schools from South Africa, Spain and India have joined this year and another four potential partner schools are in the pipeline in the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Shanghai. We now have 14 schools across five continents so our girls in the Fifth Form can go to school in South Africa, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, India, Spain or Germany, and girls from partner schools can experience UK boarding school life at Downe House.

The talk highlighted to us how different an exchange is to a holiday; it is not only a cultural experience but an educational one, with the opportunity to meet students from different cultures and learn in the classroom with them. Moreover, it’s a great way for us to learn another language, to broaden out horizons, gain global awareness and develop as individuals, as well as giving us the trip of a lifetime.

Alice Pernthaller and Pattrawaran (Teal) Uahwatanasakul, UIV

This year, a total of 24 Downe House girls from the Fifth and Sixth Forms have travelled to partner schools on all five continents for between two and six weeks, and we were visited by 28 girls. A team of six girls were appointed Global Ambassadors and were responsible for meeting and greeting exchange girls and helping them to settle in to their new home. In addition, every visiting girl had an Exchange Buddy - normally the girl who is going to go on the return trip.

Staff exchanges are also part of the programme allowing members of staff to discover, experience and share best practice from across the world. This year, Dr Andrew Atherton was the first of our teaching staff to take up this opportunity when he visited Methodist Ladies College in Australia during the summer break.

The Global Exchange programme offers a new and very rewarding experience for girls to explore international communities and cultural differences. It is equally wonderful to welcome girls from schools all over the world to Downe House and to watch them integrate into our community and make friends. It is a great challenge for anyone to explore and embrace a ‘foreign’ environment successfully but one that offers huge social, cultural and educational benefits for everyone involved.

Ms Marya Akhtar, Director of Higher Education and Global Initiatives Downe House Magazine

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OUTGOING EXCHANGES Global Schools Exchange Programme – A rewarding experience for girls to explore international communities and different cultures Here are just a few highlights from some of our girls’ travels to partner schools across the globe this academic year.

“My experience in New Zealand was amazing. I loved learning about the differences in our cultures. We went to so many cool places like Hobbiton and Rototura, and we also did activities like Black Water Rafting which was fun. My host family were so sweet and welcoming. I would definitely recommend this to anyone thinking of doing it - it’s a really great experience!”

Emelia Shippey, LVI – New Zealand “Saturday was spent at the lion park feeding giraffes and interacting with baby lions, and on Sunday I was taken to Cradle Moon, a lake side resort, for the day where we went swimming, ate great food and saw wild giraffes and zebras. The following Monday, after an eventful weekend, school started. Beaulieu is a co-ed, day school where we had to wake up at 6.00am as lessons started at 7.30am every morning.

Throughout the week, school was fun and it was interesting learning the syllabus that was taught there. Students only took six subjects, and some of the options were Economics, Zulu and Business Studies.”

Constance Pope LV, South Africa “I have made many friends for life and the exchange was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Everyone made us feel so welcome and I loved the relaxed Swedish lifestyle!”

Charlotte Toogood, LVI, Sweden “I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Sweden and also hosting my exchange when she visited Downe House. I found all the students and staff at Campus Manilla to be very welcoming and helpful” Katherine Cochrane, LVI, Sweden “Going to Westover in Connecticut, USA, was incredibly exciting and enriching, as I got to learn about American culture and to experience the different style of living.

The ‘March for Our Lives’ protest against gun violence was an especially touching event to witness and be a part of.”

Chioma Emenike, LVI, USA “We had the most generous hosts who had planned a great itinerary to introduce us to the traditions and religions of Northern India. We were able to celebrate Diwali with them and we helped to make a Rangoli creating patterns with coloured sawdust and lit homemade candles called Diyas. In the evening, we dressed in traditional Indian clothes and went to the service at the Gurudwara, a Sikh temple. Afterwards we saw the incredible sight of the whole city lit up with lights.

At Welham Girls’ School we stayed in dorms of 16, which was very different to the dorms at Downe House, but it gave us the chance to make many friends quickly. Our timetable started with different sports at 6.00am every morning including yoga, shooting, karate and basketball. We learned about Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism and the importance of religion in India as well as learning about Indian politics and education. Everyone we met was so kind and generous with their time, especially our lovely host family, making this trip so incredibly enjoyable for us.”

Charlotte Harrabin, LVI and Charlotte Nicholson UV, India “It was an amazing experience – our school day started at 8.30am and finished at 3.30am and so we had a lot more time out of school than we do at Downe House but we went on lots of trips in and around Melbourne. It also gave us plenty of time to get to know our exchange buddies and their families. All in all it was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone who gets the chance to go!”

Victoria Aarons, UV, Australia

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GLOBAL SCHOOLS’ EXCHANGE PROGRAMME – WELCOMING EXCHANGE GIRLS TO DOWNE HOUSE It is wonderful to welcome girls from schools all over the world to Downe House and to watch them integrate into our community and make friends.

Here are just a few highlights from the time our visitors’ spent here over the past year.

“Coming from New Zealand all the way to England has been an adventure and a half for both of us. Arriving at Downe House and being introduced to the girls and the culture was well worth the time spent flying halfway around the world. Not only have we loved exploring the country, we have absolutely loved experiencing full boarding school life. The traditions at Downe are nothing like those in New Zealand and we were so happy to be welcomed into them so easily. We know we have made lifelong friends here and are so excited to see where these friendships lead us.

Our Exchange Buddies welcomed us warmly and introduced us to their families and their English lifestyle. We cannot thank them enough for their hospitality and kindness.

For both us, it was our first time playing Lacrosse and taking History and Drama classes. These experiences made us feel British and we loved immersing ourselves in the culture of Downe. We are so grateful for the opportunity to experience this once-in-a-lifetime adventure!”

Laura and Alana from Waikato Diocesan School for Girls in New Zealand “Everything about my time at Downe House has exceeded my expectations and the exchange has really taught me how to be a strong, responsible and independent woman. I really enjoyed all the trips that I went on which included the Wellington College fireworks evening, a London sightseeing tour and a bowling trip to Oxford, theatre trips to see ‘The Tin Drum’ and ‘Annie’ as well as exploring London with my host family. Everything has been amazing and I couldn’t have asked for anything more – I can’t wait to put all that I have learned from Downe to good use back home.”

Caitlin from Herschel Girls’ School in South Africa “I have met so many great people and my lessons were so much fun. My exchange has been one of the most memorable moments of my life and I know that I will always look back on my experience with happiness.”

Ariyaana from Herschel Girls’ School in South Africa “The day I found out I was going to spend three months at Downe House, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world! When I arrived, the wonderful Housemistresses gave me the warmest welcome and Downe House truly did become a home from home. One of my highlights was the ‘black tie’ dinners, which I really enjoyed because reeling is so much fun. Joining the choir was one of my best decisions and I have had many magical moments during both rehearsals and performances. The exchange has changed my life in many ways and given me opportunities I didn’t know existed.”

Anezka from Johannes Kepler Grammar School in the Czech Republic “Thanks to the most tolerant, kind and patient approach from the teachers, I find myself absolutely loving my subjects and knowing what I want to pursue in the future. The School has provided me with very precious advice and guidance for my future studies and career. I have also been introduced for the first time to boarding and in the best possible way! The kind and always caring Housemistresses and Matrons create a strong sense of home and I have so enjoyed this new lifestyle.”

Adriana from Johannes Kepler Grammar School in the Czech Republic

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DOWNE HOUSE CHAPLAIN’S REPORT It has been a privilege to experience a year in the life of Downe House Chapel, and many thanks to everyone who has been involved in Chapel services.

In the course of the year we began by welcoming our new junior pupils through our Welcome Service; we celebrated Harvest and supported the work of West Berks Food Bank.

Remembrance Sunday was marked by three services. The Lower Sixth led a very moving commemoration of the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. During the whole School’s Remembrance Service each boarding House brought prayers written on poppy cards which were used to form the shape of the cross on the ground. Representatives from Darwin, Hill and Hermitage led prayers of thanksgiving and reconciliation. Downe House pupils also laid a wreath at the local parish church of St Mark’s, Cold Ash during the village’s Remembrance Service.

Advent and Christmas were celebrated joyfully through our two Carol services at St Nicolas Church, Newbury. Recently confirmed pupils led prayers of thanksgiving during our Founder’s Service, which was on the theme of justice and love.

Finally, the academic year ended with the Leaver’s Service where we said farewell to the Upper Sixth.

At each stage along the way our excellent Music department has accompanied our services with beautifully uplifting music.

I would like to thank them particularly for the wonderful Carol services, Confirmation services and the Founder’s Service. I am most grateful to Dr Charlotte Exon and all the music staff who support the life of Chapel. My thanks go particularly to Miss Susan Holmes for skilfully accompanying our Chapel services on the piano and organ.

Each week during the Lent Term (thanks to Dr Exon’s hymn survey), we sang each year group’s favourite hymns. Most popular choices for the Upper Sixth were ‘Shine Jesus Shine’; ‘I the Lord of Sea and Sky’ and ‘Jerusalem’. Remove voted for ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ and ‘Brother, Sister Let me Serve You’.

Our themes for Chapel services this year have been ‘Women of Faith’; ‘Contemplation, Courage and Compassion’; ‘Black History Month’, and an exploration of the theme of ‘Water’ in the Bible and our world. It has been fantastic to hear students and staff speak thoughtfully and inspirationally on these themes. Each boarding House has helped lead a Sunday service and chosen the charity for the weekly collection.

During the month of February we joined with others globally in celebrating Black History Month. Members of the Sixth Form led two challenging and powerful services. I am very grateful to our Chapel Senior Omotaru Edu for suggesting this, helping to bring it to fruition and leaving this legacy for others in the future.

Forty pupils from the Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth were confirmed this year. Two joyful, Spirit-filled Confirmation services led by The Right Reverend Andrew Proud, Bishop of Reading and the Right Reverend John Went, retired Bishop of Tewkesbury, were held at Downe House Chapel for those being confirmed into the Church of England. Radley College warmly welcomed us to their chapel, where pupils were confirmed into the Roman Catholic Church in a beautiful service celebrated

by The Reverend Canon Michael Dennehy, Vicar General of the Diocese of Portsmouth. Pre-confirmation retreats took place in Oxford at St Benet’s Hall and Christ Church Cathedral.

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Many thanks to Miss Nardin Thabet and Iona Farrar-Bell for their work with ‘Roots’, Downe House’s Christian Union.

Outside speakers have included Colin Cunningham from The Gideon Society; Iona Farrar-Bell, from Iwerne and Forres Holidays; The Venerable Elizabeth Adekunle, member of the Archbishop’s Task Group on Evangelism, Archdeacon of Hackney and Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen, who preached powerfully on the theme of ‘Love’ with wisdom, grace and joy in our Founder’s Service.

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

Many thanks to Miss Annabel Brown, Mr David Bowker, Mrs Sarah Barnard and Mrs Jess Boswell for their help with Confirmation and Chapel this year.

Over the past year particular highlights of Chapel life for me have been the four Baptism services I had the joy of conducting and our weekly peaceful service of Holy Communion that is attended by the Senior School.

Services in Chapel, PAC and the Farr Centre have at times been full of acorns, glow sticks, newspapers and lavender, hearts, colourful paper fish, fish and chips, a snake and wooden tumbling towers! Thank you to students and staff for feeding back so positively and encouragingly. I hope that these symbols have been ways that have helped everyone here to realise how precious and loved they are by God who is love, and with this knowledge to go on to treat others with love and respect.

In addition to being one of the places where we gather as a community for worship and celebration, the Chapel is open throughout the day as a resource for pupils and staff regardless of their faith, religion or experience. Chapel remains a place to which people can come and experience quiet refreshment and peace in solitude or with others. There have been opportunities throughout the year to leave prayers by placing stickers on a large map of the world hung in Chapel. The Baptismal font has also been used as a place to which to bring prayers through the laying down of glass stones. The Prayer Labyrinth that was set up in Chapel Court during Founder’s Weekend was another way of helping people to engage prayerfully and thoughtfully with God’s loving presence.

Chapel is also one of the places where collectively we turn our thoughts outwards to the needs of the world and the communities and countries from which we come. Focus for prayer and charitable giving this year has been throughout our services. We have supported Berkshire Women’s Aid; The Bishop of Oxford’s Outreach Fund; Hope and Homes for Children; Music as Therapy, Newbury Riding for the Disabled; The Royal British Legion; Sparkes Homes, Sri Lanka; Swings & Smiles; Teenage Cancer Trust.

I would like to conclude by conveying my particular thanks to those who have supported Chapel this year, but who are now off to pastures new.

Thank you to Mr Taylor Thompson for your organ playing and words of encouragement. Thank you to Mr Adam Treadaway for your melodious and cheerful singing which lifted everyone’s spirits; it will be very much missed. Thank you to Mr David Bowker for your weekly support of the Communion Service and Confirmation classes and all your dedicated service to the life of Chapel. Finally, many thanks to Omotaru Edu for your professionalism and kindness in welcoming me to Downe House.

Reverend Anthea Platt, School Chaplain Downe House Magazine

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A YEAR OF FUN AND EXCITING CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Following on from the 2017 Independent Schools Inspectorate report highlighting the ‘excellent’ co-curricular provision, the Co-Curricular Activities Department certainly had to pull out all the stops to enhance the provision of a programme that would support the girls across the range of age groups, abilities and interests this year, and we have seen that provision flourish with the inclusion of a diverse and challenging range of opportunities for the girls to get involved in.

25+

workshops on-site cookery, art and dance Socials with 6 boys’ schools (Harrow, The Oratory, Radley, Eton, Ludgrove and Elstree)

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dance classes every week

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off-site evening activities every week The three distinctly different offerings within the Lower School, Upper School and Sixth form, provided girls with a range of choices for weekend activities and trips.

These activities have provided fun, excitement, thrills and spills, ranging from girls climbing over the O2, toasting marshmallows around the camp fire at Thirtover, riding the incredible mind-bending Derren Brown Ghost Train ride at Thorpe Park, being amazed by the beauty of the rhinos at Cotswold Wildlife Park to enjoying one of the Caledonian Society Dinner and Reeling events. At weekends, girls have particularly enjoyed cookery this year and indeed, with the increase in demand, we are adding to the number of clubs offered next year. The ever popular ‘pamper boxes‘ were provided for girls to enjoy in-house, at any time during the Sundays that they were not away.

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staff and students enjoyed theatre trips

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off-site events – trampolining, country walks, bike rides, swimming and outdoor activity centres

10days of relaxing wellbeing evenings – pamper boxes, DVD nights and bake-boxes

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of Lower Fifth started Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award particular sporting abilities the chance to receive training and compete at a high level in hockey, squash, gymnastics, athletics, volleyball, wall climbing, riding, polo and swimming.

The Downe House Dance programme, superbly lead by Miss Rachel Vallance, offered an array of evening classes supported by expert dance teachers. The number of girls involved in dance lessons continues to grow and exam results again were impressive. The culmination of the dance programme was for all to see at the conclusion of Founder’s Weekend, with the vibrant production ‘A Night at the Movies’.

It cannot be overstated how much of a contribution the whole of the Downe House staff community makes towards underpinning a successful Co-curricular programme. My heartfelt thanks to all involved.

Mr Ian Stuart, Head of Co-curricular Activities

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

EVENING CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES At Downe House we offer an extensive programme of both offsite and onsite activities which are available to all the girls from Remove to the UVI. These clubs are regularly reviewed to ensure that we are offering the best variety of activities and that they are of interest to the girls. Over the past academic year we offered 15 offsite activities and an additional four onsite activities.

Our co-curricular programme consists of evening activities which take place from Monday to Friday, including an assortment of clubs, including wall climbing, polo, athletics, volleyball, gymnastics, horse riding, golf, swimming and hockey. Many girls took the opportunity of a taster session for their chosen activities, so they could try out the club before signing up for the term.

We have also offered a range of onsite activities including yoga, pottery, cookery and art, giving our students the opportunity to enhance their social and life skills outside the classroom, and these have proved incredibly popular this year.

Mrs Michelle Trigwell, CCA Administrator Downe House Magazine

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DH DANCE This year has been very busy and successful for our DH Dancers! It has been a wonderful challenge taking over the Dance Department and seeing it grow has been fantastic. The dancers have shown great commitment to their evening classes and it’s been rewarding to see how my progress they have made. I am very grateful to our dance teachers who plan and deliver engaging and challenging classes. We are very lucky to have them.

REVOLT In September, we launched our very own Dance Team, which adopted the name Revolt. Every Friday morning at 7.00am, the team trains and rehearses in preparation for competitions and performances. We began with competing at ‘Search for a Star’ with a piece to Nathan Lanier’s Revolt – hence the name. The dancers were challenged with a combination of Hip Hop and Contemporary, and various choreography exercises to help create the piece. It was a fantastic opener to what would be a very busy year. Next, the team showed off their new piece, The Greatest Show, at the House Dance competition. We couldn’t resist choreographing to the biggest movie of the year! Next, we were given the opportunity to perform the routine at The Corn Exchange theatre in Newbury, as part of ACE Dance Copany’s Spring Equinox. We performed alongside other schools in the area, including Trinity School and St Bartholomew’s School. It has been a fantastic first year and we are excited to see what is in store for 2019.

BALLET EXAMS 13 ballerinas took their ISTD Cecchetti Ballet Exams during the Lent Term, with great success. After months of hard work, extra practice and continued progress, the girls entered the studio to perform at their very best.

We had a tough examiner, but the girls did not lose focus. We had 100% Pass rate, with four girls awarded Distinction – Louisa, Yella, Tracy and Jocasta. Well done to all of the girls for a fantastic achievement. We look forward to our next examination session in 2019.

FOUNDER’S WEEKEND DANCE SHOW: ‘A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES’ The year concluded with another spectacular Dance Show as part of Founder’s Weekend 2018. The dancers took the audience on a cinematic journey, exploring the greatest movies of all time, including Harry Potter, The Addams Family, Star Wars and Top Hat, to name a few. All five styles of dance taught were represented on stage, allowing the girls to demonstrate their talent and ability. All of the dancers have exceeded our expectations and we are so proud of them. They committed so much time and energy to make the show come to life. Well done! As ever, the show was so wonderfully supported by family and friends and our thanks go to those who joined us for a wonderful evening.

Each year, we award the Campbell Cup for Outstanding Performance in Dance to the most deserving girl. This year it was awarded to Sophie Armitage, who has over 6 hours of dance lessons a week, performed two mesmerising solos along with multiple group numbers, and whose performance skills would convince you she was a professional. Sophie’s dedication, care, and love for dance is so clear when she performs – she is a joy to watch and teach, and is an inspiration to all the DH Dancers.

Congratulations to all of our girls for the vast amount of time and effort they have contributed to DH Dance over the past year.

Miss Rachel Vallance, Manager of CCA Dance

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BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

Congratulations go to the DH Dancers who were presented with cups for Outstanding Achievement: Junior Ballet – Louisa Healey Senior Ballet – Xi Tong Tan Junior Modern – Eloise Kirkby Senior Modern – Clementine McNair Scott Junior Tap – Heloise Friedlander Senior Tap – Lucinda Hammond Junior Contemporary – Taizya Adedeji Senior Contemporary – Xi Tong Tan Junior Hip Hop – Alice Pernthaller Senior Hip Hop – Nicole Fok Campbell Cup for Outstanding Performance in Dance – Sophie Armitage

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Remove had the privilege to go to Harry Potter World which was amazing as it is the best trip of the term! We got to see EVERYTHING! I’d been waiting to go for so long and it was absolutely fantastic to finally be there!

CCA WEEKEND TRIPS

Camilla, Remove

When the Lower Fourth hosted the Year 7 boys from Ludgrove for a disco and pizza evening at School, the concert room was decorated beautifully with bunting and fairy lights. By the time the girls returned to House that evening, many of them had lost their voices from all the singing!

Miss Cawdron, Pastoral Tutor, Hermitage

The instructors at Marwell Activities Centre were so supportive and friendly. We did wall climbing and archery. I loved the wall climbing especially because it was my first time doing it - it was really fun!

Angela, LIV

Climbing the O2 was a once in a life time experience that will never be forgotten. It was the most amazing view when we got to the top and I loved relaxing with my friends and having a really special day. It was thrilling and fun!

Imogen, LV Climbing the O2 was such an amazing experience! It felt so exhilarating climbing to the top where we saw the most spectacular view and took lots photos and called our parents to share with them this exciting moment.

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BEYOND THE CURRICULUM A therapeutic and creative way to start the festive season, wreath making was just the thing to get me in the festive spirit! It was very enjoyable and the end result was fabulous.

Holly, UVI

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CCA EVENTS

UIV BONDING FRIDAY NIGHTS “I found caving so much fun! It was such a new experience which opened my eyes to new things.”

Yasmine, UIV, Tedworth “On one of our Friday activity nights I played kwik cricket.

It was really fun, and a great experience and I am really looking forward to the next one!”

Antonia, UIV, Holcombe

INFLATABLE FRIDAY

BEGINNING OF TERM EVENT To welcome all our girls back to Downe House, especially our new girls, we organised team-building activities.

The Houses went to a number of different venues and enjoyed a large range of different activities including high ropes, raft building, clay pigeon shooting and problem solving. Everyone had a fantastic day!

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As is now tradition at Downe House, we celebrated the Upper Sixth’s final day before the start of study leave with Inflatable Friday. It is undoubtedly one of the key events in the Co-Curricular Calendar and a memorable opportunity for the whole School to celebrate with some music, a hog roast and of course, lots of inflatable fun!

This year as well as the assault course, slides and rodeo bull we also had total wipeout and a bungee race.

END OF YEAR TRIPS

“My favourite activity of the day was low ropes because it was quite tricky and made us work together as a team.

It was a great opportunity to get to know the older girls in Aisholt and I feel like I’ve settled into Upper School really well.”

With the end of term in sight, Downe House always celebrate in style and this year was no exception.

The girls all spent a fantastic sun filled day on various outings. Remove and LIV went to Chessington World of Adventure, the Upper School went to see various musicals and plays in London and our Sixth Form went to Bath for the day. It was a wonderful way for the Houses to spend time together after the very busy term.

Polly, UIV, Aisholt

Mrs Michelle Trigwell, Co-Curricular Administrator

Our Year 2017-18

2017-2018 was an incredibly challenging year for any equestrian due to the biblical weather conditions that have occurred, with unprecedented levels of rainfall.

The Downe House girls have been no less affected than others. All spring National Schools Equestrian Association competitions were cancelled, and the early summer ones have been postponed until later this year.

Some national level affiliated events have taken place and the girls have shown good form in these. Jess Hewlett has been developing her riding skill by riding a number of young ponies, as well as her established partner Mini Man Cruise. At Solihull she jumped a double clear and with other ponies she has achieved several minor placings.

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THE EQUESTRIAN YEAR

Camilla Read took on a new ride this year in Peavly Princess with some good results and solid placings at Novice under 18 qualifiers. It is a big achievement to take on a new horse in challenging conditions and perform at this level. Imogen Webber has been confirming her good partnership with Byrneskill Ruby showing consistent and reliable jumping performances in BE100 U18. Alice Lloyd Evans has also been going well with Hillcrest Charlie demonstrating a solid partnership with some very positive cross country performances. Likewise Phoebe Hughes has been displaying consistent form in the BE100 U18 qualifiers, just missing out on top ten placings.

Millie Assheton has a new ride and she has been working hard at building a partnership and gaining in confidence at 80/90cm level. India Hine had been participating in the ultra competitive pony trials for children under 16 and has shown good form, just missing out on top ten placings.

Well done everyone!

Downe House is fortunate enough to have some very talented riders who have been working very hard with their lovely ponies and horses. It is hoped that the weather will settle down soon, and we are looking forward to a very busy competition schedule in the second half of the year.

Miss Clare Chamberlayne, Equestrian Coordinator

SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES POLO ASSOCIATION (SUPA) TOURNAMENT It was very exciting to take part in the SUPA tournament in Windsor in June as part of the Downe House Polo Team. Before being allowed to mount up and enter the field, we had to go through rigorous safety and kit checks. We played five matches in total with all the horses and riders working well together under such hot conditions. The matches are incredibly intense even though they are only ten minutes long. “The competition was extremely strong. At the end of the day, Heathfield School were the winners and our team finished in fourth place out of the 15 teams who participated. We all really enjoyed the experience and are now looking forward to playing in the next tournament in October.�

Charlotte Pearson, UIV Downe House Magazine

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD EXPEDITIONS TO THE EXTREMES Snow? Searing heat? No problem! What a year of expedition contrasts we have had. All teams on expedition had to show real resilience to cope with the weather extremes this season.

The Gold’s began their expedition training journey doing a night navigation task around Newbury’s Donnington Castle in early November. Taking in the local firework displays that could be seen from the castle high point added to the fun. Then the Beast from the East weather bomb hit the country in March but it didn’t stop the teams walking the hills. They were even going to camp overnight in the snow but sadly the campsite shut, to the disappointment of some and jubilation of others.

April’s Dartmoor weather was relatively kind which helped the experience, however on the Welsh Brecon Beacons assessed expedition things got a little hot and steamy. With temperatures nearly reaching 30 degrees on several clear sky days, the main challenge was to avoid being fried and trying to find and carry enough water. The Sgwd Yr Eira waterfall was a welcome cooling-off spot and the cloudless days ensured magical views from the heights of Pen-y-Fan. It certainly took hard work, grit and determination to get through the fourday self-sufficient journey. Getting them through the tough times was the essential morale-boosting food, great team camaraderie and support for each other. I am sure this experience will be one they remember for life.

GOLD’S BRANCH OUT ON RESIDENTIALS Of course the Award goes beyond just doing the expedition. They must complete a five-day residential course, and this included Sarah Darko doing a Headstart course in drug design and chemistry, Elizabeth Tatham involved in conservation on a RSPB nature reserve, Jennifer Darko on a yoga retreat, a few improving their cooking skills, Izzy West, Eliza Horn and Hebe Id helped others at the Iwerne Holidays active camp, Georgina Tarling did a spot of farming and Isabel Wood immersed herself in a revision course in the build-up to the summer exam term. All had an amazing experience.

BRONZE EXPEDITION Once again, the majority of the LV took on the mighty two-day selfsufficient Bronze D of E expedition. The practice overnight camp at Rushall Farm was a shuddering stormy night with flash lightning giving a spectacular show in the sky. The assessed expedition headed to the more open Marlborough hills and all who were healthy managed to pass.

Topics presented at the end of the year included Flora & Faeces, a LoveIsland-themed diary, and the pick of the bunch was Team G’s dynamic presentation on Signs.

COMPLETED AWARDS Another healthy number fully completed their Award with 70 at the Bronze level and 12 at Gold. This outstanding achievement comes from the hard work, commitment and perseverance from all the girls, and of course it would not happen without the support and encouragement from the DofE staff team. Thank you and well done to all. It most certainly has been an incredible year!

Mr Tony Riddle, Teacher of PE and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Co-ordinator

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Our Year 2017-18

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM Downe House Magazine

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FOUNDER’S WEEKEND Founder’s Weekend is a very special weekend in the School’s calendar, bringing together the whole community of girls, parents, alumnae, staff and friends for a wonderful weekend of dance, drama, music, displays, fundraising, sport and so much more.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and share all that is special about Downe House.

Everyone works so hard to showcase their department and to entertain and involve the rest of the community in what they do so well. My thanks go to everyone who helped to make the weekend such a success and particularly those behind the scenes for all their incredible efforts in making sure that everything ran smoothly.

Mrs Michelle Scott, Assistant Headmistress (Foundation)

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A YEAR IN PICTURES The Foundation Office has hosted a number of reunions, receptions and celebrations this year, all giving various members of the Downe House community a chance to meet up, catch up and re-connect. We are delighted to be able to share just a few memories from those wonderful occasions.

Our Year 2017-18

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

FOUNDATION DINNER On Friday 11 May, before heading off on study leave, girls from the Upper Sixth, their parents and Downe House staff enjoyed an evening of fine dining at the Foundation Farewell Dinner.

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FAREWELL TO THE CLASS OF 2018 We had a wonderful day of celebrations for our leavers including the Leavers’ Assembly and Prize Giving for the whole School, and the well-established tradition of the piper leading the procession through the School to the Chapel for a blessing by Chaplain, Reverend Anthea Platt. The girls and their families then enjoyed drinks and canapÊs on the terrace followed by a sumptuous threecourse lunch in the marquee. A final surprise awaited the girls after lunch as the Foundation Department had organised a confetti moment for them on the cloister lawns.

We are very proud of each and every girl for all that they have achieved and contributed to Downe House during their years at the School. As the girls become part of our Alumnae community, we look forward to hearing about their adventures at university and beyond and to seeing them again at a reunion or event in the not too distant future.

Mrs Michelle Scott, Assistant Headmistress (Foundation)

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Miss Theo Clarke (DH 2003), Chief Executive of the Coalition for Global Prosperity

Downe House Magazine

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“Be positive, be confident and really do believe that you can and will contribute to the world.

If you work hard, if you set achievable goals, if you are motivated and enthusiastic, you can do anything. Be bold and dare to dream, aim as high as you possibly can.�

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THE HURLINGHAM BALL In September 2017, The Hurlingham Club, with its magnificent grounds and quintessentially English traditions and heritage, proved a superb setting for the Biennial Downe House Ball. Over 220 guests from the Downe House community enjoyed a wonderfully entertaining evening that included pre-dinner performances by Senior Choral and Thingamajigs (folk ensemble), supported by members of the Music Department, and a little musical entertainment during dinner from Downe House parent Anna Boucher, with Cecilia Weiler and Stuart Ritchie Q.C. After dinner, the evening continued with dancing to live party band Pandora’s Jukebox.

This year’s Ball was held in support of the Downe House 10 Year Vision fund and we were thrilled that over £50,000 was raised through donations and sponsorships on the night. A huge thank you to everyone who was able to join us for this very special occasion.

Mrs Alison Ilott, Fundraising Administrator

DOWNE HOUSE LEAVERS’ BALL Although it was time for the girls to say goodbye to the School on Leavers’ Day, they were all heading for the riverside Westminster Boating Base in London for the Downe House Leavers’ Ball. Drinks, a delicious meal, endless reminiscing and dancing followed to mark the end of their time at Downe House.

Mrs Michelle Scott, Assistant Headmistress (Foundation)

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A CENTRE FOR IMAGINATIVE, INNOVATIVE AND INSPIRATIONAL LEARNING The Centre for Learning is the most significant new building project that Downe House has undertaken in its history and its rationale is based on the aim that it will enrich and transform every girl’s education. Our thoughts now turn to exactly how we are going to use this fantastic state-of-the-art building to instil a love of learning and a curiosity about the world around us. That might be a lecture, a rehearsal or a performance in the 250-seat Auditorium, individual learning in the well-resourced Library, socialising in the Coffee Shop or taking part in a collaborative learning experience in the social areas.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has made a donation to support the Centre for Learning Appeal since its launch in February 2016. Together, our community has raised £3.6 million to support the total project costs from foundations to fixtures and fittings.

Now that the official opening is in sight, we are convinced that it has been the most worthwhile investment in the future of Downe House.

Mrs Michelle Scott, Assistant Headmistress (Foundation)

“Thank you for your support in building our future together”

Downe House Magazine

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DH LINKS offers careers-based networking opportunities for current pupils and alumnae. Over the last twelve months, four successful DH LINKS events have taken place in London and at Downe House.

Mrs Alexandra Barlow, DH LINKS Coordinator, reports on the past year.

EVENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE AT WRG DH LINKS was delighted to be invited to the London offices of WRG, a live communications agency that shapes memorable experiences for some of the world’s most ambitious people and organisations. Their slogan, ‘Create Unforgettable’ could well be applied to the evening as the 25 Sixth Form girls were totally engaged and fascinated by what they learned about the processes that WRG use to create and deliver unforgettable content and experiences at live events and exhibitions, as well as producing video and digital content and engaging employees.

The evening opened with an overview from Andrew Gilkerson, the Client and Procurement Director who welcomed the girls and outlined the agency’s activities.

The girls heard from a number of WRG employees about the logistics of making an event happen, from managing the content, building the stage and creating 3D environments to engage audiences. On the digital side, Client Director, Kath Goodson talked through how WRG engage audiences digitally and how to ‘Create Unforgettable’ messages. It was a really fantastic evening and an opportunity for the girls to gain an insight into the world of ‘live communications’. Our sincere thanks to Mr David Sharrock, COO of WRG and current parent, for hosting us so well and for making this event happen.

“The team and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting such an enthusiastic group of girls.”

Mr David Sharrock - COO of WRG

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FINANCE: INSPIRATIONAL ALUMNAE AT ONE CANADA SQUARE On Wednesday 22 November 2017 the second DH LINKS Finance networking event took place in Canary Wharf.

Very kindly hosted by BNY Mellon at their offices at One Canada Square. We were thrilled to welcome 30 alumnae and current parents to the event, all of whom work in the financial services sector. Three members of our alumnae gave inspirational talks on their career paths since leaving Downe House. Our thanks go to Camilla Hughes (Brooks DH 1987) and current parent, Keryn Brock (Johnson DH 2002) and Jemima Atkins (DH 2012).

A number of Sixth Form girls joined us at this event, giving them a wonderful insight into the world of finance.

Many of them have gained excellent contacts and hope to apply for graduate and internship programmes in the next year or so.

Our sincere thanks go to Mr Michael Cole-Fontayn for his ongoing support of DH LINKS and to Mike Woods (Associate at BNY Mellon) for opening the event and for hosting us so generously.

“I very much enjoyed the event and I was honoured to be invited to speak.”

Jemima Atkins (DH 2012) “Congratulations on a successful evening at BNY Mellon last week. There was an excellent turnout of alumnae and parents.”

Mr Richard Milliken (current parent) “Thank you so much for holding the event. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and thought the evening was extremely insightful.”

Sophie Elliot, LVI

PROPERTY, ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE: CLEARBELL CAPITAL LLP Girls interested in careers in property, engineering and architecture got to find out more about future study and career paths when they attended a networking event to meet professionals working in these sectors.

Kindly hosted by Clearbell Capital LLP in London, the event brought together property, engineering and architecture professionals from the Downe House community with a group of 15 Upper Fifth, Lower and Upper Sixth girls interested in making a career in those sectors.

Mr West, a current parent and Partner at Clearbell opened the event with an overview of what Clearbell does and his own career path followed by short talks by the Alumnae describing their careers to date and giving the girls advice from their own experience. After the talks, there was an opportunity for informal networking over drinks, which provided the chance for the girls to really quiz the professionals about opportunities in their sectors.

We are enormously grateful to Mr West and Clearbell LLP for hosting the event.

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BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

“It was so special going back to Downe and amazing to see how well it looks and how many new and exciting buildings seem to be appearing! The girls all looked very happy too.”

Olivia Scott-Webb (DH 2002)

PERFORMING ARTS: A CAREER IN CASTING In the latest DH LINKS event bringing DH Alumna together with current pupils interested in a specific career sector, Olivia Scott-Webb (DH 2002) met with a group of 20 girls from the Upper Fifth and Sixth Form to talk about her career as a Casting Director.

Olivia told the girls that when she was at Downe House, her ambitions lay in the world of acting and so after her A Levels, she went to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. However over time her thoughts changed and when an opportunity arose to be a runner with the acclaimed Casting Director, Lucy Bevan, she jumped onto a new career path and really hasn’t looked back since. Her recent credits include ‘The Mercy’ starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, ‘Lime House Golem’, starring Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth and Olivia Cooke and ‘The Journey’, which starred Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney and the late John Hurt.

WORK PLACEMENTS AND INTERNSHIPS Sector: Nursing Pupil: Emily Barber, UV Alumna: Vanessa Andreae (DH 1989) Placement: Bush Surgery, London

Having finished my GCSE’s, and with thanks to DH LINKS, I was lucky enough to secure a week’s work experience at the Bush Surgery in London. During my time there, I was mainly looked after by Vanessa Andreae who was a Downe House pupil herself.

My placement was for five working days and gave me a chance to witness many different areas of the surgery including the general nursing, the work of District Nurses

To give the girls a practical insight into the role of a Casting Director, Olivia brought along a stack of CVs and gave them the task of sorting out those which might be suitable candidates for a particular role in Cinderella.

Olivia then gave feedback on who had actually got the part and explained how she works very closely with the producers and directors to make sure they find the right actor for every part.

In the Q & A session, Olivia advised the girls to take opportunities as they come along and to prepare really well for interviews so that they present as knowledgeable and well-informed. She also told the girls that it is not essential to go to drama school and that Casting Directors come from many different backgrounds.

Whilst at Downe, Olivia took the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane by visiting her old boarding house, Tedworth to meet up with staff and pupils. We are enormously grateful to Olivia for taking the time to come back and share her experiences with us.

and the wound clinic, as well as sitting in on some newborn babies first check-ups with GPs. What made this work experience so fulfilling was seeing all the different areas of the Surgery, and whilst I was with the district nurses I saw a different side to the medical field which opened my eyes hugely. One of my favourite aspects of this was working with the families who came in for vaccinations with their babies either for their first check-ups or their immunisations, and this is a field I am interested in exploring for the future.

This work experience was a huge success for me and it has confirmed that this is the field of work I would like to pursue for a career.

“I was really pleased to be able to offer Emily some work experience in Nursing. I love my career and felt proud to be able to share my knowledge with someone from a new generation of Downe House.

It’s important that girls realise that they don’t have to be Doctors to have a career in health - and that the job is exciting and rewarding and has worked brilliantly with being a mother (they are now grown up!) - which is something we don’t often discuss as women making long term career options.”

Vanessa Andreae (DH 1989)

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Sector: Engineering

Sector: Finance and Business

Pupil: Sabrina Wang, UV

Pupil: Cecily Hornby (DH 2016)

Alumnae: Victoria Barbour-Smith (DH 2012), ARUP, Helena Benthall (DH 2014), BuroHappold

Current Parent: Mr Spencer Jones Placement: Newstate Partners

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

WORK PLACEMENTS AND INTERNSHIPS

Placement: ARUP and BuroHappold

Thanks to a DH LINKS event I had the chance of meeting many Downe House alumnae and parents, which ultimately brought me the chance to participate in two work experience programmes during the summer. The two companies were Arup and BuroHappold, both engineering consultancy companies with much in common including designing well-known architecture, such as the roof of the British Museum and the Millennium Bridge in London. It was a truly educational and entertaining two weeks which I will not forget.

Both companies had set up close contextualized and very well planned projects, which included many workshops, site visits and designing our own structures.

The workshops covered most aspects of civil and structural engineering, including maritime, geotechnics, sustainability, calculating forces, utilities, foundations, etc., which a member of staff would teach us very much like our school lessons.

At Arup, our group project was to design a bridge with considerations of the geology, alleviating traffic, the building process, etc., and included the need to actually do some calculations to estimate the mass of the bridge to decide on what kind of foundation to use, instead of just pure theory. At BuroHappold the group project was to design a primary school on top of an existing park with sewage pipes underneath it and which also has plans to have the Crossrail running underneath it in the future.

We learnt how to use Sketchup and creates a digital 3D model of the school, which was super cool. At the end of both weeks we presented our projects to senior members of the firm who asked very difficult questions.

DH LINKS provided me with a wonderful opportunity to spend two weeks working as an intern at Newstate Partners. Studying Economics at Edinburgh University I was keen to broaden my knowledge and understanding of Finance and Business. After my two weeks I definitely felt like I had achieved this, and I gained so much from working with a great team in a fantastic field.

Spencer was incredibly kind and welcoming, always answering my many questions and ensuring that I got the most out of my time at Newstate Partners. Two of my larger tasks were to create a presentation on Zambia as well as to collect data in order to produce a country vulnerability analysis. I thoroughly enjoyed all my work and my research on Zambia helped to put the economic theories that I have been learning at University into perspective.

I cannot thank Spencer enough for giving me the opportunity to work in such an interesting and highly specialised company. It was an invaluable experience.

“Cecily was an enthusiastic and able contributor during her short time with us. I hope her research and input gave her an insight into how economics can be applied in the real world; her work was of real value to us in our marketing to prospective clients.”

Mr Spencer Jones (current parent)

This experience has really broadened my horizons and I learned a huge amount about engineering and acquired useful skills which I could not have gained by just reading books.

“I was really impressed with Sabrina’s enthusiasm for engineering. She was an integral part of the work experience week, really throwing herself into the group activities. Her passion for engineering was clear in her discussions with the ARUP engineers she met and shadowed throughout the week.”

Victoria Barbour-Smith (DH 2012) Downe House Magazine

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OVER £49,000 RAISED FOR CHARITY Making a difference and helping those less fortunate are key tenets of the pastoral life at Downe House and every girl is encouraged to be involved in charity work, whether it be taking part in a fun run, organising a cake sale or raising funds for one of our international charities linked to each boarding house which all aim to help underprivileged children around the world.

In the 2017-18 school year, the combined efforts of girls throughout Downe House raised the phenomenal sum of £49,000 which contributed to a total of 34 different charities both in the UK and across the world. Sums raised include the impressive £13,000 raised by Aisholt House at their Bollywood Ball in the Michaelmas Term and the Tedworth Charity Dinner which raised £8,500 split between the OSCAR Foundation and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. But equally important are where girls make an individual effort to raise money for a charity close to their heart such as the York House Summer Fête in aid of their nominated House charity, Action4Archie set up by the aunt of one of the Sixth Form girls after

her cousin Archie was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The fête was hugely successful raising just over £2,500.

The ten boarding houses continually support their international link charities and in addition, the girls are given the opportunity to vote for a chosen local charity each year. Last year, these included Berkshire Women’s Aid, Riding for the Disabled, West Berks Foodbank, Wessex Children’s Hospice Trust and Community Christmas.

We are immensely proud of all the charity work that the girls and staff have undertaken over the past year and are delighted that so many charities have benefited. I would like to thank the Downe House community for their loyal support for the School’s fundraising activities and congratulate the girls who so readily take on responsibility for organising events and getting involved in their House fundraising activities.

Mrs Michelle Scott, Assistant Headmistress (Foundation)

CHARITIES SUPPORTED THIS YEAR INCLUDE: Action4Archie

Music as Therapy

Berkshire Women’s Aid

National Aids Trust

Bishop of Oxford Outreach Fund

NSPCC Childline

Christian Aid

OSCAR Foundation

Community Christmas

Parkinson’s Disease Society UK

Falklands Veterans Foundation

Prostate Cancer Research Centre

Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity

Reality Gives Riding for the Disabled

Hope and Homes for Children

Royal British Legion

HopeAsia

Save the Children

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust

Sparkes Home, Sri Lanka

Kids of Track

Swings and Smiles

MacMillan Cancer Support

Teenage Cancer Trust

Mind

West Berks Foodbank

Gift Fair

We have a long-standing commitment with a number of national charities including Save the Children, and in 2017 we donated an incredible £5,242 from our Michaelmas Gift Fair to Save the Children.

Sharon Allarakhia, Supporter Care Adviser for Save the Children said, ‘We are very grateful to Downe House for supporting our work for nearly 40 years! That really is an extraordinary length of time and just shows how enthusiastic and hardworking you all are to achieve so much in our fight to protect children around the world. Well done everyone!”

Mrs Sallie Taylor, Director of External Relations

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AISHOLT BOLLYWOOD BALL RAISES OVER £13,000 FOR REALITY GIVES In November, the Main Dining Room was transformed with fairy lights and Bollywood-inspired decorations for the Aisholt House Bollywood Ball in aid of House charity, Reality Gives. It was a truly superb evening enjoyed by everyone who attended and it raised a stupendous £13,000 for charity thanks to the hard work of the staff and girls and the outstanding generosity of the parents who attended. A group of Aisholt girls, led by their Housemistress, Mrs Boswell, planned the event for weeks, attending to every aspect of the event from the drinks and supper menu to organising the raffle and auction prizes. Aisholt’s very generous parents had donated some amazing gifts such as a one week stay in a luxury villa in the Cayman Islands, a week’s holiday in Chateau Les Arcis, a Christian Louboutin clutch bag, a marketing internship for a yacht company and many other spectacular prizes, which all contributed to huge success of the evening.

Reality Gives aims to provide young people from underprivileged communities in India with high quality education and experiences to help them maximize their potential. A representative from Reality Gives gave a speech and showed some heart-warming videos illustrating the Charity’s work in the slums where they support local schools and work to empower young people.

Mrs Hazel Ormrod, Senior Communications Officer

WALKING THE SOUTH WEST COAST PATH FOR CHARITY In May 2018, Upper Fourth girl Airlie decided to walk a 24-mile stretch of the South West Coastal Path from Padstow to Newquay to raise money in aid of the OSCAR Foundation.

Airlie succeeded in completing the walk over two days with the support of her family and raised £1,931 in total through sponsorship.

Airlie said, “I walked from Padstow to Newquay along the coast. The weather was amazing when we set off with some incredible views and although the second day was much wetter and cloudy, the views were still magnificent. On the first day, I walked with my mum and we were greeted at the end of the day by my brothers and dad, who took us home for the night. The next day I walked with my dad, and my mum met us at the end of the walk at Newquay.

What convinced me to do the walk was the fact that my family and I had sponsored a girl named Shianzi from the OSCAR foundation who is going to come to Downe in the Autumn as part of the Kick Like a Girl UK Schools Tour.

I wanted to do something special to raise funds for the charity and to help Shianzi. Whenever I felt like giving up, I just remembered why I was doing it and who I was doing it for. And this thought kept me going.”

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Ashok Shankar Rathod, one of the founding members of the OSCAR Foundation, visited Downe House to talk about the Charity’s work helping underprivileged children in the slum communities of Mumbai and to attend the Tedworth Charity Dinner.

CHARITY

TEDWORTH’S CHARITY DINNER

Ashok proved to be an inspiring speaker at the Lower and Upper School Assemblies telling the girls the story of how he saw an opportunity to help children from the slum communities to engage with their education through playing football. It all started with a small group of 18 boys in 2006 and the charity now supports 4000 children through a variety of educational and sports-based programmes.

Ashok then returned to Downe House on Saturday evening to attend the Tedworth Charity Dinner in the Main Dining Room, beautifully decked out with fairy lights and sparkly pink! Girls, parents and staff enjoyed a delicious dinner and entertainment from former Assistant Housemaster, Mr Ian Vallance, with his magician’s hat on to entertain everyone with his table magic tricks, lovely music from Upper Fourth girls, Ashley and Sophie, and beautiful dancing by Sophie, Tosin and Nicole in the Lower Fifth. The Silent Auction offered a fantastic range of lots from a villa holiday to a year’s subscription to Bloom and Wild.

Conducted online, the auction raised £8,500 and we would like to thank everyone who donated gifts and who placed bids. The funds raised will be split equally between Tedworth’s House charity, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and the OSCAR Foundation.

As well as raising money to support the OSCAR Foundation’s work, Downe House will be one of the schools hosting the OSCAR Foundation’s #kicklikeagirl UK Schools Tour in October 2018, which will provide 14 talented girls from one of Mumbai’s poorest slums with the opportunity to travel to the UK and take part in a football tour.

Lower Sixth girl, Millie, who is an OSCAR International Young Leader and was instrumental in co-ordinating Ashok’s visit said, “Listening to Ashok describe the challenges of life in the slums was quite a powerful moment. Knowing that our support can make such a difference in empowering girls to go to school and change their lives has really spurred us on to raise as much money as we can for the OSCAR Foundation. We are really looking forward to meeting the girls in October and finding our more about their lives and doing what we can to help them. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far and in particular to everyone who worked so hard to make the Tedworth Charity Dinner such a huge success.”

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MOVEATHON MAYHEM RAISES FUNDS FOR CHARITY The girls from Holcombe House organised a Moveathon Mayhem event to raise funds for their House overseas charity, Open Arms Malawi, which provides medical attention, shelter, food and love to Malawi’s orphaned and abandoned children.

Holcombe’s Upper Fifth Charity Representatives, Eliza and Emily, organised a series of different intensive physical activities which included running, an insanity workout and two strength and conditioning workshops - all kindly run by the PE staff. There were four, 40-minute stations which challenged their endurance as well as fitness levels.

Eliza and Emily said, “Whether one was good at sport or not, everyone put in so much effort and tried their best. We even tripled our distance aim, which shows again how much effort was put in from every girl.

There was such a great team spirit and because it was for charity, we felt that every kilometre we ran really made a difference to someone.”

Parents, staff, pupils and friends generously sponsored the Holcombe girls and the Moveathon Mayhem event raised a tremendous amount of £967 for Open Arms Malawi.

Holcombe Housemistress, Beth Mears-Smith said, “We are delighted to have raised such a tremendous sum of money for this amazing cause. The girls all worked really hard and I was very proud of them all”.

SUMMER FÊTE FOR ACTION4ARCHIE This year, York House hosted a Summer Fête in aid of their nominated House charity, Action4Archie. The sun was shining, the Pimms was flowing and the York girls did a fantastic job on their stalls.

The charity was nominated by Trinity Hill (LVI) and Archie’s cousin, whose aunt set up the Action4Archie in 2008 after her son, Trinity’s cousin, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of three years old.

Duchenne is a severe muscle-wasting disease which leads to paralysis and a significantly shortened life. The charity aims to raise much-needed funds to promote awareness and research into Duchenne.

The Summer Fête was hugely successful and offered everything you could imagine, from a hog roast and bar to a cake competition and dog show, as well as a large selection of stalls from hair braiding and face painting to bubble tea.

Congratulations go to all of the Lower Sixth and to everybody that attended and donated, for raising the grand total of just over £2,500 at the event. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Miss Ellen Clark, Housemistress (York)

MUSIC SHOWCASE RAISED £1,000 FOR CHRISTIAN AID

Picture shows Eliza and Emily trying to lift the weight of water women in Malawi regularly carry on their heads

An evening of orchestral and choral music held at St John’s Church in Newbury showcased the talents and musicianship of Downe House staff and pupils, and raised over £1,000 for Christian Aid. 162

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Trips

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BELGIUM UPPER FOURTH VISIT YPRES

Visiting the landmarks of Ypres brings the events of the First World War into sharp focus, and for the Upper Fourth girls visiting the battlefields was a chance to bring their History lessons alive.

We travelled by coach and ferry from Dover to Calais and then on to Ypres in Belgium, and enjoyed a meal in a restaurant and settled into our hostel. In the morning, we set off towards the In Flanders Fields Museum where we learned about the hardships faced by the soldiers during the war, and we saw weapons and uniforms from that time.

During our visit to Ypres we saw various memorials and many tombstones, which certainly made us reflect upon the massive number of deaths during the war. Menin Gate, Tyne Cot Cemetery and the Langemark German Cemetery house over 50,000 soldiers altogether, so we had our work cut out trying to find the graves of some of the girls’ ancestors. We were successful in finding the grave of Vincent Hoare, a relative of Upper Fourth girl, Louise, and we laid a poppy wreath for him. We also visited the Menin Gate, and were amazed by the thousands of names inscribed on it from all over the UK and the Commonwealth. There were so many names of missing soldiers. We saw more memorials at Tyne Cot, along with thousands of white tombstones Next, we visited Sanctuary Wood, where we walked in real World War I trenches. It was fascinating to see the tunnels and ditches, as well as the nearby shell holes. Being on the actual site of the fighting definitely helped us understand what the soldiers went through, and the visit cemented our understanding of trench warfare.

Of course, no trip to Belgium would be complete without sampling the chocolate so we stopped off at the Belgian chocolate shop, Leonidas, for some shopping. After that we made the journey back to Downe, full of new information to use in our studies and exams. The trip was very enjoyable and has reinforced what we have learned in the classroom as well as deepened our knowledge of the history of the First World War.

Alice Pernthaller, UIV

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ENGLAND A CRACKING WEEKEND AT CALSHOT One of the highlights of the Summer Term for our Remove girls was the residential activity trip to the Calshot Activity Centre near Southampton.

Both staff and girls were very excited and eager to see what Calshot had in store for us. When we arrived, we were greeted with a delicious lunch and then it was straight out onto the water for sailing, windsurfing and kayaking.

Saturday and Sunday saw an incredible variety of land and waterbased activities, with some groups taking part in water sports, whilst others cycled on the velodrome track; swung on the giant swing; snowboarded and tackled the climbing walls. An assortment of fun activities kept us entertained in the evening, from games and beach combing to movie night. On Sunday evening, we also celebrated the birthdays of two of our Remove girls, both called Honor and both of whom turned 12!

The girls were full of enthusiasm for their time spent at Calshot. Poppy’s favourite activity was, “Snowboarding because I’d never done it before and I learned something new. It was fun, but also odd, because it was easier to go backwards than forwards! I also liked going back up the slope with the aid of the rope.” Minty had a unique view of her favourite activity which was sailing, “I just sat back and sang while Tara did all the work!”

It was just amazing to see the girls all being so brave, trying new things and bursting with pride when they succeeded!

Miss Isla McLachlan, Graduate Pastoral Tutor (Hill)

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ITALY

WHEN IN ROME...

During the Easter holidays, the Classics Department organised a trip to Rome for a group of Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth pupils who are studying the language, literature and culture of the Classical world.

As well as studying their texts and preparing for A Level examinations, the group also had the opportunity to see some amazing sites such as the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the amazing views from the Palatine Hill and the Ara Pacis.

The highlight of the trip was Le Domus Romane, the ruins of an ancient 20,000 square foot complex of AD patrician villas and the remains of a private thermal bath in the heart of Imperial Rome. The ruins were discovered in 2005 when archaeologists were renovating the Palazzo Valentini built in the 16th century and now the seat of Rome’s Provincial Administration. The tour was conducted in pitch black and the ruins came alive with very sophisticated light shows that recreate what the villas would have looked like.

The girls have all had a glimpse into ancient Roman life, which will really make a difference to their understanding of the literature and history they study in class. Everyone really enjoyed the whole trip and of course, the delicious pizza and ice cream went down very well!

Mrs Lydia Dakin, Head of Classics

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PORTUGAL BRING ON THE TENNIS!

Every year, the Downe House PE department organises a tennis tour for the UIV and LV girls to give them the opportunity for pre-season coaching and practice before the Summer Term starts.

During the Easter holidays, 23 girls set off for the Vale do Lobo Tennis Academy, one of the largest tennis facilities in Portugal. The primary purpose of the tour was for the girls to have lots of fun, whilst playing more tennis than they usually do. It was also a fantastic opportunity to really improve on their technique, fitness and tactical play before they came back to School for the Summer Term when tennis is one of their main sports and they have fixtures with other schools.

We had an amazing time at Vale do Lobo and during the week we saw the girls working hard to take their tennis to the next level, which has done wonders for their confidence and, of course, improved their chances of being selected for the team.

Mr Josh Goodall, Head of Tennis

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RUSSIA

EXPLORING IMPERIALIST AND SOVIET HISTORY AND CULTURE During the first week of the Easter holidays, 20 LV and UV History GCSE pupils headed for Russia to explore Imperialist and Soviet history and culture.

We flew first to St Petersburg which was still in the clutches of deepest winter with temperatures at night of minus 14 degrees Celsius and a frozen sea! On the first day the girls visited the Peter and Paul Fortress, where at one time Trotsky was held prisoner, and then in complete contrast, we experienced the splendour of the Catherine Palace, one of the many palaces where the Romanov family would spend time relaxing together.

The day finished with an amazing Russian ‘Banya’ experience where girls relaxed in hot tubs, saunas and ice baths and were shown the Russian custom of using dried birch twigs to exfoliate the skin - of course, this was a great hit with the girls!

The following day the girls consolidated the history they had learned in the classroom with a visit to the Museum of the Political History of Russia, the State Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace as well as Palace Square where Bloody Sunday took place. The girls were overwhelmed by the sheer size of the palace, much of which now houses Russia’s most famous art gallery.

The time in St Petersburg was rounded off with a spectacular supper in the basement of one of the palaces with private Cossack dancers providing the entertainment.

The girls quickly got the hang of the dances and were particularly amused by Mr Stuart’s attempts at Cossack dancing! At 11 pm, we boarded the Grand Express night train, which gave the girls the exciting experience of sleeping on an overnight train and waking up in Moscow.

In Moscow the first stop was Red Square to visit Lenin’s Mausoleum and everyone was absolutely spellbound by Saint Basil’s Cathedral. The girls enjoyed some shopping time in the city’s most famous department store, GUM, where they all enjoyed ice cream despite the freezing temperatures (a typical Russian tradition).

In the afternoon, we visited a Cold War bunker and a couple of the girls volunteered to sit in the chair from which a nuclear attack could have been launched at that time. It must be said that this caused the staff a few palpitations!

The next day the girls enjoyed a tour of the Moscow Metro, which did not disappoint, with its amazing chandeliers, sculptures and murals all depicting symbols of communism, political leaders and all things Soviet.

The girls later visited the Kremlin and shopped for souvenirs on the popular Arbat. Mugs and T-shirts of Putin riding a bear seemed to feature heavily alongside the traditional Russian dolls and faux Fabergé eggs. The trip ended with an unforgettable visit to Red Square at night which was a perfect way to finish off a very busy and enjoyable trip.

Mrs Tara Reeve, Housemistress (Willis), Prep Schools Liaison and Teacher of Russian

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SPAIN

A LEVEL GEOGRAPHY TRIP TO BARCELONA the Barcelona was the sunny destination for nts’ stude raphy Geog l Leve A 21 Lower Sixth ties 4-day trip to give the students opportuni ical phys and n huma of range wide a to gain n fieldwork methodologies so that on retur lete to the UK each could plan and comp 20% their own individual investigation worth of their final A Level. s on We arrived in the coastal resort of Sitge ge Geor St ; the 23 April (St George’s Day) is the patron saint of the Catalan region.

During our evening orientation walk the beach promenade was alive with book and i’ rose vendors, as traditionally on ‘St Gord hters daug and s sister , wives their men buy red roses whilst the women buy their husbands, fathers and brothers books. We lan enjoyed watching the well-dressed Cata warm ant pleas families socialising in the

low income area to stimulate economic and social change. The girls admired the large-scale architecture of the Museu d’Art Contemporani and found the area to be a haven for a multitude of skateboarders and their fans. The girls visited 4 locations within El Raval to determine the success of the rejuvenation.This formed interesting a discussions about how best to improve for nued conti h whic ents resid all for place the rest of the trip!

climate.

On our second day the girls were given a bus tour of Barcelona, before being ct taken to their first fieldwork site to colle the if e decid them data that would help regeneration of the Poblenou District had been successful. Poblenou was an old industrial area of Barcelona that had ss experienced decline and was in the proce ology of transforming into a vibrant techn and creative hub of the city.

One of the highlights of the morning was visiting the Media-TIC ‘breathing building’, which has a sustainable award winning structure in the shape of a cube covered in a plastic coating of inflatable bubbles. hic The girls were able to collect photograp and iti graff t stree as (such evidence banners hung from apartment balconies all denouncing the project) to show that not the with y residents of this District were happ

In the afternoon we visited the famous cathedral ‘La Sagrada Familia’, designed

by Gaudi, and during the audio tour the d Art History students (in particular) gaine t abou ation valuable knowledge and inform ods.

Gaudi’s inspiration and meth The final day of learning was spent improving our physical geography techniques along the beaches of Sitges.

Considerable government money has been spent on increasing the beaches size and to counteract the natural coastal erosion . and transportation of sand along the coast more some and data ork fieldw their Using statistical skills, the girls determined that that the local government would have to invest £2-3 million every 2-3 years in order to to keep the beaches sandy and attractive tourists. s The trip was a great opportunity for pupil ther toge time ty and staff to spend quali with no distractions, and it had a positive ed and cheerful atmosphere. The girls summ , ative inform g, tainin enter was “It it up best; ”. dible incre and ome awes Miss Kathryn Rawlinson, Head of Geography

regeneration.

In the evenings the girls were given rm classroom sessions to learn how to perfo had they statistical analysis on the data in a collected during the day, before dinner local restaurant.

On day three the students travelled by train las into Barcelona and experienced La Ramb sed focus day The and the Gaudi cathedral. on visiting an older regeneration project within the El Raval area next to the port facilities. This development used the 1992 , Olympics as a catalyst in a highly populated

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SPAIN LOWER FIFTH SPANISH TRIP TO VALLADOLID

During February Long Exeat Miss García, accompanied by Miss Beltrán, took 20 LV pupils to Valladolid to practise their Spanish language skills.

When we arrived, after a long journey, the girls were quite nervous and felt they had forgotten all their Spanish; however, after being welcomed by the wonderful host families, they soon warmed up and started talking to them.

The five days we spent in Valladolid were organised like this: interactive and engaging lessons in the morning, followed by activities in the afternoon. The girls had all their meals with their host families, which means they were able to experience going home at lunchtime and going out again after the mandatory siesta time. Getting used to eating both at 2.00pm-3.00pm and 9.00pm10.00pm was a bit difficult, but the girls found it extremely amusing!

A few days, during lessons, the girls were able to interact with locals by going to the market and purchasing fruit, as well as asking the people from Valladolid questions about their daily life. The girls thoroughly

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enjoyed the freshly local produce, as well as speaking to real Spanish people. One day, the girls cooked paella, tortilla de patatas, gazpacho and tarta de manzana, but before they could cook these dishes, they had to go to the supermarket and purchase the correct number of the ingredients – they totally loved it! The girls also got to enjoy some churros and learned a lot about the history of both Valladolid and Segovia, the two cities we visited during our stay, as we did some guided tours of the cities.

The girls stayed with families, which meant they were able to have a truly Spanish experience as they tasted authentic Spanish food, got used to the Spanish schedule and practised using all the grammar and vocabulary they had learnt in the lessons at Downe House with native Spanish speakers in a spontaneous way.

On Sunday, the girls went on trips with the host families which involved a huge range of activities, from going to visit the beach by the river to going shopping and eating in lovely restaurants.

It is wonderful to see the girls in the lessons now using the new language skills they learnt during the trip, as it shows the big impact the trip had both on their learning and on their love for the Spanish culture.

Miss Leticia Garcia Niguez, Head of Spanish

Tosin Adepoju LV described the trip: “I think the Spanish trip is a great idea if you want to improve your listening and oral skills as mine have certainly improved greatly, and it is an amazing opportunity to familiarise yourself with the Spanish culture and learn about the different traditional dishes.”

USA

LACROSSE TOUR TO THE USA

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Downe House Photo Gallery

A very excited group of 38 girls from the Lower Fifth, Upper Fifth and Lower Sixth set off on a ten-day lacrosse tour to the East Coast of America in the first weeks of July.

The tour started with a full day of sightseeing in New York before travelling to New Jersey to meet host families for two nights. The next day both A and B Teams attended a specially-arranged Coaching Clinic with a US Division 1 coach to prepare for the afternoon’s matches against Building Blocks Lacrosse hosted by Team 91 – it was a tough first match in very hot conditions but both teams won their matches against some very challenging opposition.

Next stop was Baltimore, Maryland where the girls enjoyed the opportunity to explore that fantastic city before the A Team took on Chalmers Lacrosse Club and the B Team played Elite Lacrosse Club. The tour finished on a high at the Capital City Lax Tournament - the B Team had a win and two other very close matches and the A Team had two great wins and just missed out on the gold medal in overtime.

Mrs Rebecca Gaunt, Teacher of PE

“The US lacrosse tour has been a huge success and we have seen some hard-fought games with excellent teamwork from both teams. We are very grateful to all the clubs and host families who have looked after us so well and would like to thank everyone for the amazing hospitality. We were very fortunate to be in the USA to join in the Independence Day celebrations on 4 July which was a truly unforgettable experience for us all.”

Mrs Lydia Rayne, Director of Sport 171

an adventure in education Downe House, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9JJ T: 01635 200286 www.downehouse.net Downe House School

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