Francis Holland School Newsletter December 2011 TRIP TO TANZANIA
From the Headmistress Dear Parents, As this goes to press, the last strands of tinsel are being tidied from the school corridors, after the Christmas Fair on Saturday 19th November, organised by the Parents’ Association Committee and masterminded by its Chair, Mrs Sue Silkstone. This year’s Christmas Fair was more successful than ever before, thanks to the exceptional hard work of pupils, teachers and, above all, FHS parents. Special thanks go to all members of the FHS Parents’ Association Committee, to Ms Triccas (Deputy Head) and Mrs Francisco (Staff Representative on the Parents’ Association Committee) and to the many FHS parents who helped in the café and on the stalls. Mr Keith Abbs and the Pink Ladies Jazz Band provided festive music in the Hall throughout the afternoon and carols were sung by members of the Senior Choir. One highlight of the afternoon was Santa’s Grotto, visited by a most jovial Father Christmas, who bore a passing resemblance to Sophie Watson in the Lower Sixth. The money raised by this year’s Christmas Fair will be donated by the Parents’ Association Committee to charitable causes supported by the school.
Isabella Stone-Wilson and Tanya Robertson meet children from the local children’s home, during the FHS trip to Tanzania in October Half term. See pages 6 and 7.
Gallagher, was a resounding success. The FHS Sixth Formers led some lessons at the school, and also undertook voluntary work there and in a neighbouring orphanage. Many thanks to Miss Gallagher, who led this important trip, and to the accompanying teachers: Mr Clayton, Miss Mahieu and Miss Tucker. A 2012 FHS charity calendar, which highlights this trip, is available currently from the school (email: admin@fhs-nw1.org. uk), price £8. All profits from the 2012 FHS calendar will go towards the building of a new science block at St Amedeus. The annual Quondam AGM and lunch for former pupils of FHS was held in school on Saturday November 5th. This was a most enjoyable event, well attended by “Polished Corners”, the youngest of whom had left FHS in 2003.
During October half term, a Sixth Form trip to St Amedeus School in Moshi, Tanzania, led by Miss F R A N C I S
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The Crucible by Arthur Miller, is the main school play this term, produced and directed by Mrs ·
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Oakley. Performances will be held in the Hall from Wednesday 30th November to Friday 2nd December inclusive. Tickets are currently on sale in school. Parents and relatives are most welcome to attend the School Carol Service at 6:30pm on Wednesday 14th December in St Cyprian’s Church, Ivor Place, and to join us for mince pies and mulled wine in the Hall afterwards. My sincere thanks to the many FHS parents who have contributed so much to school life this year: social evenings, Oxbridge interviews, sixth form lectures, careers events, school concerts and plays, and many extra-curricular events. Your support is invaluable. With all best wishes for Christmas and the New Year,
Mrs VM Durham 1
Staff News Mrs Cohen Stars on the BBC One Show! On 20th October 2011 Mrs Jeannie Cohen had a starring role in the Documentary Feature of the BBC One Show. She was speaking on the importance of Latin being taught and sustained in schools. Anyone who missed Mrs Cohen’s television debut but may like to access it on the following link: http://www.megavideo.com/?d=5PG44D68
FHS Staff Promoted!
Autumn 2011
Form Captains Games Captains
Congratulations to three Staff members promoted to positions of responsibility within the public examinations team lead by Mrs Jeannie Cohen, Examinations Officer.
Alexandra Stephenson Holly Anness-Bradshaw
Ms Sarah Hack, Head of Geography, will primarily oversee AS and A2 examinations while Mr Josh Peters, Physics Department, will assume responsibility for many aspect of the GCSEs.
Shree Kharwar Sunneva Rose
Miss Rachelle le Roux, Maths Department has been appointed as Assessment Coordinator and will work under the auspices of Miss Green, Academic Deputy Head.
Amy Hobson Jessie Weller
IIIJ Rae Farrow Deputy Ricarda Duss IIIM Aisling Sheehan Deputy Anna Power IIIS Georgia Boardman Deputy Saffron Taylor
Messiah in Aid of Charity at Harrow School On Sunday 9th October twenty five senior girls were invited to join the Harrow School choir in a full performance, accompanied by orchestra of Handel’s Messiah. All the female solos were brilliantly sung by Francis Holland girls: Bea Allen, Laila ElKhazen, Natasha Kleeman, Rebecca Lumley, Charlotte Prinsley, Natalia Riley, Emma Roberts, Thea Waxman and Bethany Wright. This was an extremely exciting project resulting in a vibrant and accurate performance. It was a great challenge and there are very few schools whose pupils could have learnt all the Messiah choruses in just five rehearsals! Money raised from the concert was donated to the Child Bereavement Charity. Mrs Rolfe Johnson Director of Music
A NEW GRAND PIANO! We are most grateful to an FHS family for offering us a six foot grand piano which is located in the Gloucester Room. This beautiful piano is already being played by pupils and is a marvellous addition to music facilities.
Srutti Suresan playing the violin purchased by the FHS Parents Association
PARENTS' ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE FUND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS The FHS Parents' Association have initiated a fund to buy musical instruments, that may be loaned to FHS pupils. This will provide an invaluable opportunity for students to begin learning a new instrument. The first instrument that has been purchased with the fund is a violin. Many thanks to all members of the Parents Association, especially the PTA committee. Mrs Rolfe Johnson Director of Music Misa Saka playing the beautiful new grand piano 2
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The Cheltenham Literary Festival
Miss Williams with Sixth Formers at the Cheltenham Literary Festival
On Saturday 8th October four Sixth Form girls and two English teachers set off for the annual Cheltenham Literary Festival. For us, as students, it was our first visit to the book show and we were pleasantly surprised that such an event existed as a cultural and civilised substitute to Glastonbury. We attended three talks throughout the course of the day, the first of which was given by the famous Newsnight presenter and historian Jeremy Paxman. His lecture was about his new book Empire and though we did not necessarily agree entirely with his views on its importance for modern Britain, we were all highly impressed by his captivating public speaking. The second seminar was really valuable to us. Entitled The Best of Times, The Worst of Times, the talk focused on the significance of money in Victorian novels. The three
professors gave us really original insights into many nineteenth century works that we had studied, hopefully fuelling discussions at our upcoming university interviews. Finally, Radio 4 presenter Vivienne Perry conducted a discussion in Literary Deathbed scenes, first inviting her panel to select a striking death from literature, such as Jane Eyre‘s Helen Burns and Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights. Then the audience were involved, contributing suggestions ranging from Watership Down to Dracula. The festival was highly beneficial for both our English A-level studies and our wider reading, as well as being a thoroughly enjoyable day. Rafaela Elliston (UVING) Head Girl
Freddie Knoller: Holocaust Survivor
Mrs Bexon and Miss Farthing with Mr Freddie Knoller
This term we were both honoured and privileged to welcome Mr Freddie Knoller into school to give a lecture in the School Hall. Mr Knoller is a survivor of the Holocaust, who spent time in the notorious Auschwitz Concentration Camp and witnessed many of the atrocities of the Second World War. Almost two hundred people, including girls in the fifth and sixth form, and many parents, came to listen to Mr Knoller’s inspirational and moving lecture. He proved himself to be a gifted speaker, mesmerising his audience and engaging everyone with his incredible story of survival; it was a truly memorable event. Holly and Isabelle present Freddie Knoller with a donation to his chosen charity, ‘The Camp and Ghetto Survivors Committee’
Miss J Farthing Head of RE Department F R A N C I S
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HARVEST FESTIVAL AT ST CYPRIAN'S
Harvest Festival is a well-established event at Francis Holland and each year the girls embrace the sentiment of giving to charity and thinking about those less fortunate than themselves. This year the service in St Cyprian’s Church was led by Reverend Bullock who gave an inspiring sermon with lots of food for thought. In true Francis Holland spirit, the Harvest boxes put together by form groups were full to the brim with food, and were imaginatively and beautifully decorated. This year our Harvest boxes were donated to North London Action for the Homeless. Miss J Farthing Head of RE Department
Just some of the food going to the North London Action for the Homeless
“We plough the fields and scatter” 4
The Harvest loaf, baked in the school kitchen by Steve and his team D E C E M B E R
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CLASSICS TRIP TO ITALY
At the forum in Pompeii
A group of eighteen Classicists from Lower FourthUpper Sixth spent the first week of half term (16-22 October) touring the most famous Classical sites of Italy, accompanied by Mrs Hillier, Miss Laytham and myself. The first three days of the trip were spent in Rome, where we visited the Colosseum, the Forum Romanum and the Pantheon. The group also took a break from Classical touring by spending a day at the Vatican City, and were stunned by the beauty of the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. The evening was spent strolling around the beautiful city and spending time at the Trevi Fountain (into which the girls threw a coin behind their shoulders to ensure their safe passage to Rome once again!). The rest of the trip was spent in Sorrento, from where the girls visited Herculaneum, Paestum and Amalfi, and also got a chance to climb up Mount Vesuvius! Although the cloudy day somewhat obscured the views of the cities below, it was a great opportunity to look into the mouth of the volcano and see all the different types of rocks.
Rim Douba, Alisha Mukerjee and Aine Monaghan going across the pedestrian stepping stones on a Pompeian street
The highlight of the trip for all the girls, however, was certainly the trip to Pompeii. This was most relevant for the students of GCSE Classical Civilisation, as one module is entirely focused on Pompeii; they were highly excited at the opportunity to see all they had learned come to life. The city is so well preserved that one could imagine walking through the streets, passing along the shops and houses, wandering around the forum, or watching plays in the theatre (which had amazingly effective acoustics - the drop of a coin could be heard from the very top!) The girls even hosted their own gladiator show in the amphitheatre. We all left for home full of pasta, pizza and (of course!) many scoops of gelato, but also with lots of information and many happy memories. Miss H Baig Head of Classics F R A N C I S
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Tanzania 2011 On Saturday 15 October, twenty six girls from the Sixth Form and four staff began to embark on what would be the trip of a lifetime to Moshi, Tanzania.
The main purpose of the trip was to spend time at our Sponsorship School, St Amedeus Secondary School, and to visit the local sights of Moshi, absorbing what is true Tanzanian life, culture and hospitality. Last but not least, there were also game drives through the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater to look forward to.
Saying our goodbyes
School life at St Amedeus was an experience that will leave lasting fond memories. With Mount Kilimanjaro in view, from interactions with the students and staff, through planting trees and eating local fare at meal times, to painting classrooms and Zumba lessons, it was certainly a jam packed and fulfilling week. This is not forgetting the eventful, electricity down and water supplies out on occasion! As a result, everybody learned very quickly to ‘go with the flow’ and to adapt to and embrace the unexpected!
Marisa and a new friend at Uchira Kindergaten
Blended into the first week were also visits to a local Children’s Home, Kindergarten and Primary School, and a local village tour of people’s homes. There was also the opportunity to have nails painted by locals – the Tanzanian flag was a popular choice, and a few girls also had the privilege of meeting the Bishop of Moshi. For the remainder of the trip, it was into the safari trucks, where we spotted the ‘Big Five’ and many other animals in the most scenic of environments. Visiting a Technical Training Centre, shopping, and eating a smorgasbord of local tasty treats, with a splash in the pool, made for a great finish to an amazing trip. Huge thanks to Miss Mahieu, Miss Tucker and Mr Clayton for all their help on the trip, and to the girls themselves for making the very most of it all! Miss K Gallagher PE Department
Tori with a friend at Lependo Children’s Home
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Everyone enjoying the sunshine!
Caitlin and Clara help out in the classroom
Florrie and Lizzie share balloons at Uchira Kindergarten
Dinner time with students
Emma planting trees with students
Olivia and Issy roll on the paint!
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FHS PRIZE-GIVING 2011 AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL
Headmistress Mrs Vivienne Durham
‘Polished Corner’ Charlotte Amherst who left in July 2011 gave the final performance of the evening
Former Chair of Governors, Mrs Catherine Longworth, presenting Natasha O’Sullivan with the Longworth Leadership prize
Head Girl Rafaela and Millie Marshal, winner of the Thirds Essay Competition
Mr Harry Clayton presents the Edgar History Prize to Natalia Riley
Former Deputy Chair of Governors, Mrs Sue Singer is presented with flowers by Nicola Michaelides
Mrs Mead announces the winner of the Harvard Book Prize
Marlie Hajnal-Corob is presented with the Seifert Academic prize by Professor Keith Hoggart, Chairman of the FHS Governing Council
Deputy Headmistress, Ms Amanda Triccas presents Christina Mantafounis with the Brigstocke prize
On Thursday 22 November 2011 at 7:00pm, we held the annual prize-giving at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank. The evening commenced with an address by Professor Keith Hoggart, Chairman of the FHS Governing Council. The academic and extra-curricular success of the year were celebrated during the prize-giving evening which included performances by the school choir and individual pupils.
Director of Music, Mrs Rolfe Johnson conducts the FHS senior choir 8
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SPONSORED WALK IN AID OF BARNADO'S AND FHS SUMMER CAMP On Wednesday 5th October Francis Holland held the annual traditional sponsored walk in Regent’s Park, and once again it was a resounding success. The girls were all in high spirits as they walked, skipped or ran around the park route, with some girls completing up to five laps! Fancy dress is as much a part of the tradition as the walk itself and this year the girls set new standards with smurfs, Lilo and Stitch and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle walking around with the fairies, cow-girls, pirates and superheroes!
Nandita and Ellen as beaming little mice!
The weather was fine and a memorable afternoon was enjoyed by all. Sponsorship money raised this year came to a superb total and has been donated to the charity Barnardo's and to FHS Summer Camp. Miss J Farthing Head of RE Department
Isabelle and Sparky
Sixth Form smurfs
Lower Fourth cowgirls setting the pace! 1 0
Happy Thirds in their Disney outfits!
Clarice and Allie
Miss Barton, Dr Welch and Miss Baig enjoying the Walk D E C E M B E R
The Wild West comes to Regent's Park!
Clear skies and smiles - en route in Regents Park! 2 0 1 1
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AUTUMN CONCERT AT ST CYPRIAN'S
FHS String Orchestra
Just five weeks into the Autumn Term and the Autumn concert provided a wonderful evening of high quality performances. It was a real treat to hear performances from our junior scholars, Aisling Sheehan and Eleanor Bogle, as well as some exquisite playing from Alice Lumley, Bethany Wright and Misa Saka. Four choirs were out in force, all singing with great gusto. The Acoustic Group gave a fantastic first performance of What a Wonderful World directed by Sarah Hill, Natasha Kleeman and Zoe Silkstone. It was also a pleasure to hear Grace Beverley, Natalia Riley, Rebecca Lumley and Laila El-Khazen singing Bach and Handel, Thea Waxman singing
from Britten’s Charm of Lullabies and Blair Paskin’s rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. As usual, there was some exciting playing from the Jazz Quartet, and the evening ended with a vibrant rendition of Satin Doll by the Pink Ladies. This was followed by a new composition by Keith Abbs called South Bank Shuffle which was written for and also performed at the QEH at the end of September. Many congratulations to all those involved in the concert! Mrs Rolfe Johnson Director of Music
FHS Debating Society Teams Up With Cambridge Union Six undergraduates from Cambridge University were disembarking from the express train at King’s Cross in the early afternoon of 1st November. They were bound for Francis Holland School, which had been selected to host the preliminary rounds of the Cambridge Union Schools Debating Competition. Along with the judges, a multitude of students from various London schools were amassed between the polished corners of the Gloucester Room, leaving the array of refreshments undisturbed on the long tables. They gave no heed to their hunger but instead, scoured their notes one last time. Four among them sized up the competition with daunted looks, but they were on home turf, and that at least was reassuring. Round one put Emma Kutner, Natalia Riley, Rebecca Kent and Kitty Miles in the difficult position of having to defend the nuclear arsenals of corrupt regimes. Nonetheless, after closing arguments, the FHS A team were tied for first place with City of London, due to a cunning and eloquent appeal to Self Determination and the Geneva Convention, which left South Hampstead trailing. Round two yielded a motion on Sport, and the horrified FHS girls delivered a brave attempt to overcome their limited familiarity with the topic. Falling just short of City of London at the eleventh hour, they vowed to return in full force to tackle the upcoming Oxford Union competition. Mr S Phillips Head of Debating
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The debate in motion
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Geography Trip to Cadbury World On Monday 7 October the Upper Fifth piled into two buses and were driven over to Cadbury World in Bournville. The aim of the trip was to see how living conditions could be improved for factory workers and the location of the factory.
Strichley. These houses were really lovely; we drew and labelled them while pointing out the differences between the houses here and in Strichley. This made it quite clear that the Cadbury's workers had far better living conditions than most.
First stop was a neighbouring village to Bournville called Strichley. The housing in the village had been of a low standard one hundred years ago, and we could not help but notice the small houses and limited outdoor space. It was interesting to examine the various improvements that had been made and to compare them to the many things we take for granted in our own homes, such as double glazed windows and indoor plumbing.
At last we arrived at Cadbury World! We learned all about making Cadbury’s chocolate and what made it unique in comparison to other brands. We also learned all about the history of the factory and the company before heading to the Cadbury’s shop!
When we arrived in Bournville, we stopped in a small square and compared the houses to the ones we had just seen in
Lavinia Carey (UIVM)
Eden Gundle, field sketching at Bournville
Many thanks to the teachers who accompanied us: Miss Hack, Miss Sainty, Miss Laytham and Mr Phillips.
Lavinia Carey completing the environmental quality survey
Museum of Life Sciences at King’s College London On Tuesday 4th October, Miss Lowes and I accompanied the Upper Sixth biologists to the newly opened Museum of life Sciences at King’s College, London. The museum houses a wonderful collection of specimens, ranging from the basic invertebrates to the most complex of vertebrates, including an example of the now extinct thylacine. The arrangement of the samples around the museum tells a detailed story of evolution and clearly shows how organisms developed throughout the ages, evolving to keep up in the ever-changing conditions. The guide for the evening was Gillian Sales, one of F R A N C I S
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the most knowledgeable and inspirational curators the girls had ever met, who brought the dead specimens very much to life as she explained how their weird and wonderful features give us clues to our origin. Towards the end of the tour, the girls were able to look at a small part of the medical collection from the museum, including many dried drug samples and equipment from many years past. Everyone who went on the trip would like to offer a huge thank you to the Museum, and especially to Gillian Sales, who really brought it all alive.
Biologists at the museum
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Parents' Association News This must have been our best Christmas Fair yet – almost six hundred visitors! The festive season was most definitely heralded in on Saturday, 19th November, at FHS. The Hall was festooned with colour – our newest addition, ‘The Magic Christmas Tree,’ was full to bursting with over 100 prizes worth considerably more than their envelope face value. Aromas wafted round the room, from warm FHS Christmas puddings to the calming fragrances of Neal’s Yard. Did any of you have a mini treatment at the Margaret Dabbs London stall, or purchase some beautifully boxed presents? We had jewellery stalls with beautiful products and a very impressive array of cashmere and woollen garments. The Fair would, of course, not be the same without the ever successful and fun Chocolate and Bottle Tombolas! The centre piece this year was a produce stall, selling Steve’s delicious Christmas cakes (only four left), Christmas Puddings with some new flavours this year, home made chutneys and cranberry sauce (a few jars only left), exquisitely boxed Panettones and a beautiful hamper full of organic goodies, most generously donated. We were entertained from the gallery by the LVI Acoustic Group and the Pink Ladies – really bringing to us all the special atmosphere of Christmas. Urban Outfitters bargain basement sale was almost sold out by 3 pm; the Accessories room was never empty. The two Young Enterprise groups were extremely successful, and made huge efforts to impress us all with their newly acquired entrepreneurial skills. The Christmas Fair would not be the same without the
Have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Mrs Sue Silkstone Chair, Francis Holland Parents’ Association
The Christmas fair in
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Café, and here I would like to extend a huge ‘Thank You’ to an army of extremely skilled bakers – what treats we had! This year we received a record number of volunteers to help at the Fair, who were diligent in their different areas of responsibility – again, a massive thanks to you all for your very hard work. We know a lot of money has been raised, but we’re still totting it up, and will report the final net profit to you in the next Newsletter; however, I am reliably informed by our Treasurer that we are in the area of £3600 to £4000 – well done, everyone, for making this event so enjoyable and highly profitable for the various charities we and the school support. I would also like to thank the teachers who gave up part of their Friday evening and most of Saturday, and, last but by no means least, the GIRLS! Those who helped out on Friday and all of Saturday were invaluable to the smooth running of the Fair, and I know my job was made so much easier by their presence. Naturally, none of this would be possible without our customers – the girls seemed to find a lot of fun, lots of enhancement to their wardrobes, a few presents perhaps for loved ones and some very impressive gifts from Santa in the Grotto; I believe parents were also seen leaving with bags of Christmas goodies. I do hope I haven’t left anyone out as there are so many to thank; to you all, I extend my most sincere gratitude for your contribution to the most enjoyable Fair in our four year history.
full swing
Steve’s amazing cakes
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FHS Sports Report Never has a November been so lovely – both for London and the FHS PE Department! The wonderful weather has rewarded our teams with some strong performances on the sporting field and some very cheery lessons within the week. December has a lot to live up to! Our u16 & Senior Netballers played very well in the Middlesex Netball tournament this term, and the girls represented Francis Holland magnificently against some very tough opposition. More news on the u14 & u15 Middlesex Netball tournament will be in next term’s newsletter. The Thirds' Hockey trials have just been completed, and their training and fixtures have commenced straight away; good luck to those girls. I am very happy to announce that we will have thirty eight girls touring to Sri Lanka on our next FHS Sports tour in October, 2012. The launch and subsequent uptake has been fantastic, and I am very excited to be taking another tour to such a wonderful destination. Training will be intense over the next eleven months, but the rewards will undoubtedly show when the tour arrives. The girls will be fundraising for the Rainbow Centre in Sri Lanka, an independently run school for street and poverty stricken children. The next major event on the PE calendar is the annual Interform Hockey tournament, which this year will link into our FHS Olympics calendar of events. Forms will put forward two Hockey teams into a round robin competition to be held throughout the penultimate week of term. The winning form will receive a commemorative shield, and there is also a ‘best and fairest’ medal for an individual in each year, as well as earning medals and points for the
FHS Olympics table. More details will be put on the website closer to the competition. By now all parents should have received a fixture list if their daughter is a member of a school team. This list (which can also be found on the school website) gives a comprehensive fixture agenda for the Autumn term, and I am hoping that parents might be able to organise their time to come out and watch their daughters play – please! There is also an address list of all of the schools we play online. Planning ahead to the Spring term, there is a multitude of events happening for the PE department. Please do try and come along to support your daughters and school for these fantastic events: Spring dates to note: Friday 25/01/12 III & LIV Dance Workshop, FHS (in lessons) Sunday tbc (Feb) Middlesex Gymnastics Meeting, LEH School Wednesday tbc (mid March) u12 & u13 Middlesex Netball Tournament, LEH School Friday 9/03/12 Gym and Dance Display 5pm, FHS Hall Thursday 29/03/12 Interform Netball Competition, Regent’s Park Miss J Tucker Head of PE Department
Visit to Ham Polo Club On Sunday 25th September, five very excited FHS girls and I headed to the Ham Polo Club accompanied by Miss Baig for our first ever beginner’s polo lesson. When we arrived we were all introduced to the wooden horse where we all learnt the basics of polo – swinging, hitting and steering the ball. Then we advanced onto the actual ponies and put our practice into action on the polo field. We finished the trip with a hitting competition where everyone tried their hardest to hit the ball the furthest! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the trip and we all had so much fun! It really fuelled our enthusiasm for polo - although the season is over now, we are considering taking some more lessons in April and maybe even forming an FHS polo team! Watch this space! Annelise Appen (LIVS)
Members of the FHS Equestrian Society at the Ham Polo Club! F R A N C I S
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FHS Quondam Travel Fund Quondam, the school's alumnae association, offers a travel fund which helps Upper Sixth girls who seek to broaden their education and experience by travelling abroad within 12 months of leaving FHS. The grant will not be more than 50 per cent of the total amount which the applicant needs to raise. The maximum grant awarded will be £750. This may be divided between two candidates. Grants will be awarded normally to girls travelling abroad. Preference will be given to applications involving an element of education or service to others. The application should include: details of the planned journey; destination; length; purpose of the visit and costs involved. One paragraph should cover: how the applicant expects to benefit from the visit; how the project will benefit from the work of the applicant (if relevant); what difference winning the scholarship will make to the applicant's trip. The deadline for applications is 31 January 2012 and more details about how to apply are on the school website at http://www.fhs-nw1.org.uk/alumni_quondam/Travel_ Fund_Entry_Rules.php. Additionally, there is a Quondam Writing Prize 2012 which is open to any girl in the school. This year the theme is ‘Gold’. A Junior Prize is open to Thirds, Lower Fourth and Upper Fourth Forms. The Senior Prize is open to Lower Fifth, Upper Fifth and Sixth Forms. Consideration will be given not only to the quality of the writing, but also to spelling, grammar and punctuation. Judging will be by the Quondam Committee at the annual committee meeting and two prizes will be awarded: Junior Prize £25; Senior Prize £50. This is a marvellous opportunity for budding authors or journalists! The essay must be no longer than 1000 words (minimum 300 words). The essay must be a new piece of work, written especially for this competition. No homework or coursework will be accepted.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The deadline for the essay prize is 21 February 2012 and, again, the information is on the school website at http:// www.fhs-nw1.org.uk/alumni_quondam/Writing_Prize_ Entry_Rules.php where you can also see examples of previous winners.
Congratulations to all the FHS Bronze D of E candidates this year, who have all passed their expedition, some in very warm September conditions! Those girls who have completed a minimum one section of their Bronze award by January 2012 will have the opportunity to sign up for the next level of the award.
Future Dates for your Diary
The important dates for the silver and Gold awards are listed below: Silver Training: Saturday 25th February 2012. One day only, in school 10am-4pm Practice Expedition: 5th-7th May 2012, Chelmsford Assessment Expedition: 29th June-1st July 2012, Chesham
Wed 30th Nov The Crucible in the School Hall ........................................................... 7pm Thu 1st Dec The Crucible in the School Hall ........................................................... 7pm Fri 2nd Dec The Crucible in the School Hall ....................................................... 7pm Mon 5th Dec Presentation of Upper Sixth Extended Projects in the Lecture Theatre (all parents and students welcome) ….….......................................... 7pm Tue 6th Dec Lower Fourth Parents' Evening ..................................................... 5:30pm Wed 7th Dec Senior Chamber Choir performs carols for charity at the Lansdowne Club ..................................................................... 5-7pm Thu 8th Dec Lower Fourth Parents' Evening ...................................................... 5:30pm Fri 9th Dec MUFTI day in aid of Shelter Tue 13th Dec Head Girl’s Lunch for Form Captains ........................................ 12:50pm Wed 14th Dec Carol Service at St Cyprian’s followed by drinks and mince pies in the School Hall ............................................................................. 6:30pm Thu 15th Dec Senior Chamber Choir perform carols for charity at the Butterworth Dementia Centre .............................................. 2-4pm Fri 16th Dec Term ends ....................................................................................... 12:30pm
Any girls who are thinking about signing up for the Gold award the key dates for 2012 are as follows; Gold Training: Saturday 25th February 2012. One day only, in school 10am-4pm Practice Expedition: 16th-20th July 2012, The Peak District Assessment Expedition: 27th-31st August 2012, North Wales 1 6
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