Francis Holland School Newsletter April 2010 132nd School Birthday
From the Headmistress Dear Parents, Many congratulations to those Sixth Formers who took A level modules earlier this term: there were excellent results in all subjects, including the new A* grades at A level and in the Extended Project. Particular congratulations go to Ranya Mulchandani (LVI CD) who was one of five national finalists in this year’s Royal Society of Medicine’s essay competition.
Head Girl Alexandra Gillum, school chef, Mr Steve King and youngest pupil in the school this year, Amelia Braddick McMinnies (IIIJ), with celebratory 132nd school birthday cakes, created and cooked by Steve himself!
On Sunday 14th March, FHS hosted the annual Model United Nations Conference, which involved Lower Fifth, Upper Fifth and Sixth Form students from several London schools. Many thanks to all those staff and sixth formers whose efforts ensured the success of the day - and above all, to Mrs Forbes and Miss Dickens, who co-ordinated the whole conference.
in April. We wish her every success and look forward to keeping up to date via her blogs.
As this newsletter goes to press, Miss Gallagher and several intrepid sixth formers are preparing to undertake a charity bungee jump in aid of St Amedeus School Tanzania on Saturday 27th March. Miss Gallagher leaves for her three month teaching secondment at St Amedeus
During the Easter holidays, the French department will take a group of Lower Fourth on a residential trip, led by Miss Briand and Miss Calvo, to Château de la Baudonniere. At the beginning of next term, Mrs Edwards will accompany a German department trip to Koln, in
F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
Our thanks to Mrs McKinley who has overseen the new FHS website, which will go live within the next month. FHS parents will have additional log-in access; the password for this part of the website will be sent to you.
·
n w 1
conjunction with our sister school, FHS Graham Terrace, and the Geography department will take a GCSE field trip to Castle Head. For the first time in the history of the school, the governors will be hosting a celebratory prize-giving evening at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank on Thursday 30th September, to which all FHS parents and pupils will be invited. Further details – and invitations - will be posted to you next term. With best wishes for a happy Easter,
Mrs. V.M. Durham 1
Staff News At the end of this term we shall say goodbye to Ms Overton, who has been an outstanding member of staff for many years. Beyond her indefatigable work as a technician in the Art department, Ms Overton has also administered school stationery, weekly lettings – and, on occasion, taught junior classes. Schools are blessed to have such loyal and talented members of staff. We wish Ms Overton and her family our very best wishes as they relocate to Scotland. We welcome Miss Stowell, who is the new full-time technician in the Art department. We also offer congratulations to Dr Welch (Chemistry department) and her fiancé, Neil, on their engagement. Miss Bain will join the P.E. department for duration of the summer term, during Miss Gallagher’s secondment to St Amedeus School, Tanzania. Miss Baig will become the main form teacher of IIIJ, assisted by Miss Bain.
Spring 2010
Form Captains
Games Captains
Katey Jackson
IIIJ
Isabelle Shirley
Sasha Vanger
IIIM
Miranda Soskin
Sawyer Eaton
IIIS
Georgia Wright
Amber van Dam
LIVJ
Lucy Streeten
Clemency Brookfield
LIVM
Ruby Sam Russell
Domenica Etherton
LIVS
Rosie Minderides
Christina Minasova
UIVJ
Nina Gharbi
Bethany Wright
UIVM
Josephine Feely
Yasmin Robinow
UIVS
Talia Glantz
Alexandra Goodway
LVB
Elizabeth Teplukhin
Ruby Adler
LVC
Emma Harrison
Scarlett Evans
LVL
Florence Alexander
Charlotte Prinsley
UVH
Daisy Startup
Ami Matsubara
UVT
Elina Xilas
Sophie Khan
UVW
Sarah McDonald
Royal Society of Medicine essay competition: National Success for Ranya Mulchandani
Sixth Form Lectures Summer Term 2010 Mon 26th April Lecture on University Finance Higher Education Adviser, University of East Anglia Monday 3rd May Bank Holiday Monday 10th May Professor Tuddenham Haemophilia and the Royal Family (postponed from Spring Term) Mon 17th May Upper Sixth Final Leaving Service Rehearsal 2
Every year the Royal Society of Medicine runs a prestigious essay competition in which students from around the country write 2000 words on a topic of their choice. This year we entered two essays, written by girls from the Upper School and Sixth Form. Both were of an exceptionally high quality and demonstrated fluency and understanding well beyond their years. Ranya Mulchandani, a member of the Lower Sixth, progressed to the finals. Only five contestants remained. They were invited to the Royal Society of Medicine itself, where each finalist was required to give a presentation on their chosen topic and then answer questions from the judging panel. Ranya’s chosen topic was ‘The First Vaccination for Cancer- HPV”. She managed an extended presentation and then answered questions about the wider issues involved in national vaccination programmes. Congratulations to Ranya on being one of the five finalists in such an important national competition. Mr. Davis Head of Science Department
Ap r i l
2 0 1 0
Model United Nations 2010
Italian Teachers Visit FHS On Friday 5th March, a group of fifteen Italian teachers from all over Italy came to visit Francis Holland School as part of a programme to share ideas of best practice in teaching.
Megan Fletcher, Kate Emlyn Jones and Natasha O'Sullivan taking part in the conference
Francis Holland’s annual Model United Nations took place this year on Sunday 14th March. The MUN allows students in the Lower and Upper Fifth to take part in a prestigious event which is at once immensely enjoyable and pertinently relevant to understanding and debating the most salient matters in global politics and current affairs. Almost eighty students took part this year, with delegations from Latymer Upper School, Kings College, North Bridge House, Queen’s College, Godolphin and Latymer and Francis Holland. The day began with the general assembly, in which a representative of each country gave brief introductory speeches outlining the resolutions they were hoping to get passed throughout the course of the day. A representative from each country then joined one of the four different committees- Human Rights and Refugees, Social and Economic, Political and Defence, and the Security Council. Delegates spent the morning discussing issues within their committees, preparing resolutions, and forming alliances. The afternoon was spent, again in committees, discussing the action they intended to take regarding the emergency situation, which this year was the problem of ice caps melting at the North and South Poles, resulting in Sudan becoming partially submerged. All the participants were determined to give voice to their resolutions and amendments, and by the afternoon there was animated discussion about many important world issues such as climate change, overpopulation, and women’s rights around the world. Many of the Lower Sixth took part and many thanks to them for making the day a success by running around delivering messages between committees and delegates, and working flat-out in the press room (G4) to produce an entertaining hourly update of the conference in their newsletter “The Daily Fail”. Although literally dozens of wars were declared between countries, the day was a huge success, and delegates thoroughly enjoyed the conference. Students developed communication, debating and campaigning skills and, by the end of the day, many of those who took part had made friends with delegates from other schools. Well done to Eliana Neidich-Schwartz and Ella Fleck for their faultless organisation of the day. Thanks also to the teachers who gave up their Sunday to oversee this worthwhile event, Mrs Forbes, Miss Dickens, Miss Green and Miss O’Toole. We eagerly look forward to next year’s MUN conference at FHS. Ranya Mulchandani (LVICD)
F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
·
n w 1
The Italian teachers were members of the ACLE, an Educational Association based in San Remo which works to promote the standards of teaching and learning in the Italian school system. The teachers visited for a morning, and were able to observe a wide range of teaching styles across the subjects, with a particular focus on the use of ICT. They were given a tour of the school in Italian by the Lower Sixth. Their visit ended with a question and answer session on teaching styles and methods, led by members of the Curriculum and Development Committee. Many thanks to the members of the Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Geography, MFL and Curriculum Development Committee for their help in making it a successful and purposeful visit. Miss Dickens Head of Italian Department
Extended Project Athina Bluff, Jessica Fletcher, Alexandra Gillum, Dominique Kempe, Melica Khansari, Eleanor Sloane and Alexandra Thompson, who are all Upper Sixth students, successfully completed their Extended Projects in January, and have been awarded excellent results. This is the first time that Francis Holland has entered students in this standalone project, which is awarded UCAS points worth half an A Level. It is a testing award as it encompasses research and analysis skills as well as considerable project management and learning reflection skills. They are to be congratulated on this. Miss Green Director of Studies
3
‘Fate and the Gods in Greek Tragedy’. The talk is aimed primarily at A Level students of classical subjects, but all are welcome: parents who would like to attend, should contact me via the school office.
Animal Ethics Lecture with Professor Linzey
Classics Conference on Head of Cicero’s Classics Department Oratory
Mr Jenkin
Claudia Selby and Katherine Arnot with Professor Gregory Hutchinson from Exeter College, Oxford
Upper Fifth with Professor Linzey
Once again the Classics department hosted a popular and
On a Wednesday evening we listened to Professor Linzey,
the country came to Francis Holland to hear Professor Gregory Hutchinson of Exeter College, Oxford speak about the famed orator Cicero’s first speech against the supposed military coup-leader Catiline. He truly brought alive both the political storm of Cicero’s time and his craft as a writer of the most influential speeches in the Western World. Professor Hutchinson even delivered in brilliant, rhythmical and eloquent Latin the opening of one of the most famous speeches of all time.
people interested in medicine and animal welfare came to hear Linzey speak. Sixteen students from Queen's College School, along with two of their teachers. joined in. Professor Linzey has written more than 180 articles and written or edited twenty books on theology and ethics, most recently, ‘Why Animal Suffering Matters’. He has also lectured and broadcast extensively in Europe and in the United States.
Claudia Selby and Katherine Arnot one with Professor Hutchinson from Exeter College, an Oxford don specialising in animal ethics. Students successful conference. This time around hundred and Gregory studying RS from GCSE years up to A-level along with fifty students and staff from around twenty schools across Oxford.
We look forward to welcoming more visitors from other schools to the Department’s conference on 4th May, when Dr Scott Scullion from Worcester College, Oxford will speak on ‘Fate and the Gods in Greek Tragedy’. The talk is aimed primarily at A Level students of classical subjects, but all are welcome: parents who would like to attend should contact me via the school office. Mr. Jenkin Head of Classics Department
Confirmation Service: 13th May 2010 On Ascension Day, 13th May, Richard, Bishop of London will be officiating at our school service and will confirm the school’s confirmation candidates. This will be a very special service not only for the girls being confirmed but also for the school. We hope that the girls’ parents and godparents will be able to join us as they make this important commitment in the presence of the school community. Ascension Day has always been a special time for FHS. During Reverend Canon’s lifetime, the entire school would take the train to Canterbury, stay overnight and attend the Ascension Day Eucharist in Canterbury Cathedral, followed by games and a picnic!
This lecture was particularly thought provoking and many of the students found his analogies extremely illuminating. Professor Linzey compared the vulnerability and innocence of animals to that of children therefore strengthening his argument that we must protect those who cannot voice their consent. His argument also found a basis in theology and he used Cardinal Newman’s sermon to illustrate ‘the Christ-like innocence of animals’. Particularly interesting was his example of Christ in which he showed that those with greater moral knowledge should not exploit those of lower moral standing using the example of Christ washing his disciples' feet. Professor Linzey addressed the criticisms of his argument and used these to strengthen his own case which showed the conviction he had in his own beliefs. For instance he argued that although animals can be considered nonrational beings, this does not decrease their suffering or allow rational beings to exploit them. On the contrary, Professor Linzey would argue that rational beings should use their reason to conclude that they have the duty not to exploit the non-rational and to protect them from harm. Professor Linzey’s talk was very convincing and he made many of us reconsider our views on animal suffering. Olivia Hutton and Jessica Fletcher (UVI)
Limited space in St Cyprian’s Church does not permit us to issue an open invitation but we would ask those of you who feel able to do so to hold the girls in prayer as they work towards their confirmation on Ascension Day itself. Rev’d Locke Head of RE Department 4
Ap r i l
2 0 1 0
History of Art Department Trip to Paris The History of Art and Art students from the Sixth Form took part in a whirlwind visit to Paris on Saturday, March 6th. After arriving on the early Eurostar service the group took in the Gothic architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral before a coffee and croissants on the Left Bank. The group walked along the Seine to the Musee D’Orsay in the brilliant, yet freezing, Parisian sunshine. The girls viewed the Museum’s incredible collection of Realist and Impressionist paintings, paying particular attention to the work of Manet.
Afterwards we walked across the Pont Royal to the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries and on to the Louvre. In the museum we focussed on the French Revolutionary painters Delacroix and Gericault. The group wandered down the Rue de Rivoli to the vibrant Marais district for a leisurely lunch and a quick look in the quirky shops. To finish the day the girls visited the contemporary collection at the Pompidou centre before making their way back to Gare du Nord. Thoroughly exhausting, but fantastic weather meant an amazing day was had by all! Miss O’Toole Head of History of Art Department
Sixth Form History of Art students in Paris F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
·
n w 1
5
Upper Fourth trip to Ypres The Upper Fourth visited the battlefields of the First World War for three bitterly cold days in March. The highlight of the trip was Francis Holland School’s involvement in the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate. Every evening since 1928, the Last Post has been sounded under the imposing memorial arches of the Menin Gate. The Last Post is played in honour of the memory of the soldiers of the British Empire who fought and died in the Ypres Salient between 1914 and 1918. More than 100,000 men have no known graves, of whom 54,896 are commemorated by name on the Menin Gate. This year, for the first time, Francis Holland was represented by three girls from the Upper Fourth (Harriet Mallender, Leila McGarel Groves and Sara de Giorgio) who laid a wreath in honour of those, connected to the school, who died in the Great War. Mr. Clayton Head of History Department Sara De Giorgio, Harriet Mallender and Leila McGarel Groves
6
Ap r i l
2 0 1 0
The Young Shakespeare Company Workshop with the Thirds on February 23rd 2010
Lysander and Demetrius pledge their love to Hermia
How do they do it? Every year the Young Shakespeare Company puts on a workshop and a shortened production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for all of the Thirds, and every year they manage to make it a little bit different but equally as funny and engaging as the previous time. All the girls thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, both working with, and watching, this highly professional company. A few of the current Lower Fourth saw the actors arrive and immediately recognised the girl who had played Puck last year, rushing up to greet her. They vividly remembered how much they had enjoyed their afternoon with the Young Shakespeare Company last year and I am sure the current Thirds will feel the same next year. Mrs. Foy English Department
Peaseblossom, Moth, Cobweb and Mustardseed attend Titania
Hermia rejects Demetrius
Careers, Careers, Careers! Calling all Parents Our Next Careers Evening will be on October 6th, 2010. This is a bi-annual event attended by all girls from Lower Fifth upwards. Its purpose is to enable the girls to talk with representatives from a wide range of career fields, to find out about what different jobs involve, as well as the personal qualities, qualifications and skills needed to go into them. Francis Holland parents have a wonderful range of careers experience between them and, as always, we need as much help as you can offer. Some professionals offer timed talks; some simply make themselves available for consultation during the evening; many bring in photographs, company and recruitment literature, and occasionally even samples. The girls are always really appreciative of any advice and insights you can give. If you are able to take part, please e-mail Mrs. Oakley at: kate.oakley@fhs-nw1.org.uk or telephone the school office. Mrs. Oakley Head of Careers
F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
·
n w 1
7
2010 Interform Drama Competition
UIVM in 'Little Women'
During a half-term plagued by snow, ice and mockexaminations, the 2010 Inter-Form Drama Competition offered a sunny ray of creativity and fun for both staff and students. The 10th February final started with UVIM and their extract from Little Women. The four sisters, played by Molly Teshuva, Bethany Wright, Jo Butcher and Rebecca Kent, were a skilful blend of the sensible, charming, petulant and rebellious. Next was LIVJ with A. Puppet, a murder mystery set in a haunted theatre. The play was written by class member, Lorena Levi, who also gave a spine-tingling performance as the eponymous ghost. Leana Sindi and Amber Van Dam were hilarious as the ineffective cops. Our third performance was LIVM’s Just Dance, also
8
IIIM in 'Peter Pan'
written by the class. Iszi Comber, Rim Douba, Margot Smith, Flo Hastings and Maddie Guiness portrayed the dysfunctional family brilliantly. Special mention must also go to set designers Sophie Davison, Anna Pianim and Clem Brookfield for their ingenious reversible set! LVC treated us to a dramatisation of the court scene from To Kill a Mockingbird. Minimal set and props allowed nothing to detract from the haunting script and powerful acting, leaving the hall rigid with tension. Katya Pereira, Claire Walters and Roxy Afifi-Sabet were all compelling and Julia Kass gave a heroic performance as Atticus Finch. Next, IIIM performed their fantastic Peter Pan: a slick and genuinely funny production. Their creativity produced great theatrical impact, especially that crocodile head! Every performance was strong - Eli
A p r i l
2 0 1 0
Adjudicator and 'polished corner', Sophie Lifschutz
LVC in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'
Falbo, Christina Mantafounis, Ella Williams – but special mention must go to Sophia Hadjipateras and Aoife Gratte who brought the house down! Our last performance came from UVT and their improvised play Bus Stop, a piece brimming with hysterical character observations. Raffy Elliston, Emma Roberts, Ami Matsubara, Sophie de Bestegui and Natasha Holmes all gave strong comic performances with superb timing, making this a hugely enjoyable end to the day. Thank you to everyone involved and particularly our judge, “polished corner” and former FHS student Sophie Lifschutz, who kindly took a day out of her busy schedule as a professional theatre director. She was impressed by the quality of all performances and gave excellent constructive feedback.
F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
·
n w 1
PRIZES: BEST CAMEO: Lorena Levi (LIVJ) as Alice Puppet in A. Puppet BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Margot Smith (LIVM) as Dad in Just Dance BEST ENSEMBLE: the cast of Bus Stop (UVT) BEST DIRECTORS: Parastou Pedrampour and Sarah Hill (LVC) for To Kill a Mockingbird BEST ACTRESS: Julia Kass (LVC) as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird BEST PLAY: Peter Pan (IIIM) A huge congratulation goes to all the winners and to everyone who took part. We also send an enormous thanks to Sophie for giving so willingly of her time. Mrs Bachle-Morris English Department
Best Play, IIIM 'Peter Pan'
9
CHARITY NEWS Dance Competition The Rainbow Centre was set up by a parent of a Francis Holland student in 2005 in response to the serious problem of child poverty in south-western Sri Lanka. It provides more than one hundred children with an education, healthcare, welfare and loving support from its premises in Bentota. It works to ensure, when possible, that children can enter the mainstream school system. Its aim is to equip the children with the skills necessary to break free from a cycle of poverty that would otherwise trap them in a world of neglect, addiction and abuse. Cordelia Nagle and CiaraBodicoat helping out at the centre in the summer holidays 2009
The Rainbow Centre is the only facility in this area for these children to turn to and has been praised highly for its standard of care. A huge thank you to the Upper Fifth for raising a fantastic total of £554.70 with the Just Dance competition! Cordelia Nagle and Ciara Bodicoat (LIV)
Sponsored Walk
Easter Party The Lower Fifth organised an Easter party for the Jack Taylor School, a school for children with severe learning difficulties. It was a humbling but most enjoyable experience for the girls. They got totally involved, either dancing the ‘Conga’ or playing with balloons with their guests, for whom it would have been a memorable experience. A cake sale was successfully organised and the proceeds were used to buy some DVD’s for the Jack Taylor School. Miss Gustave Help Fund
Swimathon for Breast Cancer Huge congratulations to the school's Swim Team who raised a magnificent £2635.01 for Breast Cancer in a swimathon held last month. The goal was to achieve the "Pink " level of £2500 which was therefore well and truly met. The total was well over the amount raised last year where the team achieved the "gold" level of £1500. Well done to all girls who took part, you can be proud of yourselves! A big thank you also to everyone who generously gave toward this great cause. We now look forward to next year's event! Miss Gallagher PE Department
1 0
Hannah Davidson, Lois Brown, Lorena Levi presenting a cheque of £5108.23 to Mrs D Peiro from Great Ormond Street Hospital . This was a fantastic fundraising effort from all the girls – well done! Miss Forde Senior Mistress
Ap r i l
2 0 1 0
The Thirds Geography Trip to the Natural History Museum On Monday the 1st of March all the Thirds went to the Natural History Museum to start the topic Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Plates. This subject is very topical because of the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. We had to fill in work sheets to be used to create posters later. We watched a video about the Volcano, Mount Pinatubo (in the Philippines) erupting causing mayhem, then we went to the earthquake simulation which was in Kobe, Japan. We looked at a model of a magma chamber (inside a volcano), and learnt about all the plates and their names. We found out lots of interesting facts about volcanoes, earthquakes and plates. Lydia Hook (IIIM)
The Thirds completing worksheets about different types of volcanic rocks
EIGHT FINGERS ARE BETTER THAN ONE ! A pilot scheme to learn to touch type was successfully held last September with a group of ten girls ranging from Thirds to Lower Fifths. All the girls said they had enjoyed the after school activity and were pleased to have learnt such a valuable skill. Mrs Forde also undertook the course and rumour has it she is now a “whiz” on the keyboard. We will be running another one term beginner’s course commencing on Wednesday 21 April 2010 (4.15 pm to 5.15 pm). Each lesson will introduce new letters showing the correct fingering and movement technique as well as the associated patterns to augment confidence and fluidity. At the end of the course students will be able to type without looking at the keyboard or screen. The tutor is Gaye Ruse who specializes in teaching keyboard skills and has many years of experience in this area. The cost of the course is £125, for more detailed information please contact Gaye Ruse on 020 8444 0613. Mr. Phillips Head of IT Department
F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
·
n w 1
1 1
UK Intermediate Mathematics Challenge 2010 We have received the results for the UK Intermediate Mathematics Challenge 2010. For the Lower Fifth: Bronze certificates are awarded to Mo Langmuir, Tara Oberoi, Florence Alexander, Yasmin Assan, Phillipa Taylor, Zoe Cannell, Alice Levy and Emma Harrison; Silver certificates are awarded to Roxaneh Afifi-Sabet and Olivia McKibbin. For the Upper Fourth, the following pupils have received Bronze certificates: Victoria Higham-Naylor, Sarah Mohammed, Bethany Wright, Sara De Giorgio, Jessica Bernberg, Amalia Adams, Ramisa Yazdani-Biouki and Francesca La Costa. Silver certificates: Abigail Moselle and Srutti Suresan who also wins the Certificate for Best in School. Well done girls! The challenge date for the Junior Mathematics Challenge is Thursday the 29th April 2010. Miss Murugan Mathematics Department
World Book Day World Book Day was held on Thursday 4th March. This year’s FHS competition was to write an intriguing first line of a story or book – something to really tantalize the reader. There were some very clever entries and the writers of the best four won early Easter eggs, which were presented in Assembly. These are the winning lines, in no particular order: “Tights are my passion” This was a joint entry, from Marisa Goldstein, Tasha Kleeman and Ella Goldberg in LVL. How intriguing – would this be a chick lit offering or a story about a murderer describing his weapon of choice….? “When you think about the world, the world thinks about you.” This was written by Amelia Braddick McMinnies in IIIJ. What would this story be about? Lauren Kay-Lambert in the LVIth offered this clever opening line: “Put me down, stop staring at me and don’t even think about bending my corner when you turn my page.” Alice Pullen in UVT wrote: “If you point a gun at a problem, it’s bound to go away sooner or later.” Alice also offered us the last line of the story: Repeat the first line, then: “If all else fails, you can always shoot yourself.”
FHS Summer Camp STUDENT TEAM 2010
1. Isobel Apter LVI 2.
Katherine Arnot LVI
3. Rosie Browning LVI 4.
Phoebe Brundle
5. Lucy Collins 6.
UV UV
Hannah Davidson LVI
7. Louisa Dearman LVI 8. Isabelle Foss LVI 9. Rebecca Lumley
UV
10. Ranya Mulchandani LVI 11. Natalia Riley
UV
12.
Ella Roeg LVI
13.
Taffy Schneider LVI
14. Aish Shah 15.
UV
Emma Swycher LVI
Now, we at FHS are all frustrated and desperate to read the stories that don’t exist! Yet……? Mrs McGinlay School Librarian
An Evening with Justice Albie Sachs On Thursday 4th March, several members of the Upper Fifth were lucky enough to attend an evening lecture with Justice Albie Sachs in conversation with Baroness Helena Kennedy. Albie Sachs was found to be an incredible man, as he had devoted his entire life to combating racism and the apartheid regime in South Africa. He talked well of his many cases such as how he helped many of the black Africans to gain back land which had been taken by the whites due to segregation. He also talked of how at one point in his life, he was declared a terrorist when he was a prominent member of the African National Congress, which opposed apartheid. Due to this he was tortured and outlawed by the South African government. All listeners found his story to be very moving and inspirational, especially when he mentioned that there was an attempt made to assassinate him by placing a bomb in his car. Unfortunately he lost an arm and sight in his right eye. However, he went on in his life to help in forming the constitution of South Africa, which is beautifully written and aims to strive for equality. It was most definitely a privilege to hear what Albie Sachs had to say, and the audience was really struck by what a great and brave man he is. Many thanks to Mrs Forbes (Head of Sixth Form) for organising and accompanying us to this lecture. Aish Shah (UVW)
1 2
Ap r i l
2 0 1 0
Gym and Dance Display 2010 This year’s Gym and Dance Display celebrated a near flawless performance by over 70 Francis Holland School students. It was simply stunning and can now be firmly placed as one of the premier events on the School Calendar. The Gym and Dance Display was the culmination of many months of hard work from the girls involved and was a true testament of their dedication and skill – well done!
The Cheerleaders made a great entrance and started with echoing chants of ‘FHS GO!’. Precision moves were executed well in a dazzling array of set moves and ‘double-storey’ acrobatics. Cheerleading Club is open to all Thirds, Lower Fourths and Upper Fourths and is a very popular Thursday lunchtime extra-curricular club. The afternoon was ended superbly by the Junior Gym, Senior Gym and Gym Training Squads. Individual, pair and group routines highlighted the incredible talent possessed by all of the girls involved in the Display. All of the girls were very instrumental in developing their own highly creative and imaginative routines – in a word, stunning.
The Vaulting Squad lit the hall alive with their daring aerial acrobatics and formation movements, all to the powering overtones of Rossini’s William Tell Overture. Girls were flying from all directions and it was intriguing to guess where to look next!
It was lovely this year to have such a wide and varied display of Celeste Chipperfield, Bryony Foss and Gabriella Hondrogiannis (UVI) dancing to enthral the perform in the Gym and Dance Display crowd. A theatrical Congratulations and dance piece from LIVJ and group modern dance from IIIS thanks to all girls involved in a fantastic 2009 Gym and Dance showcased the disciplines taught within the classroom. display – and of course it could not be done without the tireless Individual dancers also made a huge impact on the display efforts of the PE department staff; A huge thank you to Mrs – Harriet Mallender (contemporary dance), Marlie HajnalDrummond, Miss Laytham, Miss Gallagher and Miss Mahieu. Corob (hip-hop), Srutti Suresan (Traditional Sri Lankan G&D 2011 will certainly need to be booked in advance! dance) and Violet Mendoza & Bethan Tudball (hip-hop). Miss Tucker Head of Physical Education Department
British Schoolgirls’ Races 2010
Francis Holland was well represented this year by three of our top Slalom skiers in the lower school – Ciara Bodicoat (LIVS), Anastasia Catsiapis (IIIM) and Olivia Willis (LIVS). The annual Ski competition was well attended by over 50 teams from schools from across the length and breadth of the country. The races were held in Flaine, France and consisted of 2 Slalom races, 2 Grand Slalom races and a fun Parallel Slalom team event. Ciara, Anastasia and Olivia benefitted from the professional training day and improved their race times significantly over the course of the two race days. It was a steep learning curve and an even steeper slope that the girls faced and the timing was recorded to the hundredth of a second. The girls performed well and our school was placed modestly in the middle to lower half of the field because of a few errors on the second runs. Well done girls! Anastasia Catsiapis, Olivia Willis and Ciara Bodicoat at the ski competition
F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
·
n w 1
1 3
Ski Trip 2010
During the February half term a group of forty Francis Holland girls, from a variety of years, went skiing to Aprica. One group of the girls were beginners and they, along with Dr Welch, learnt how to snowplough, turn and, most importantly, stop, whilst having strange, long planks attached to their feet. The rest of the party were divided into lower intermediate, higher intermediate and advanced and were accompanied by Miss Mahieu, Mr Ward, Mr Grant and myself. The ski conditions were great and we were treated to a fresh dump of snow towards the end of the week, which allowed us to ski in deep fresh snow which was magical. We had a fabulous time skiing and also had tremendous fun bum boarding and dancing at the local nightclub where we mixed with hundreds of other students. We all learnt new skills during the week and came away with a new group of friends. Next years skiing trip during half term will be to Killington in America. Miss Francis Mathematics Department
Swimming Gala FHS held a Swimming Gala on Wednesday 24th March with the attendance of Fitzjohn's Primary School. It proved to be a fun filled and action packed afternoon of swimming. The children grinned from ear to ear as they competed against each other and cheered each other on. This will hopefully be the start of what will become an annual event. Next year's organised event is certain to draw more schools with Fitzjohn's a confirmed starter already. A gala with Fitzjohn's School is also in the pipeline for the summer term where a team of their year 6 students will compete against swimmers in our under 12 swimming team. Miss Gallagher PE Department
1 4
Ap r i l
2 0 1 0
FHS Sports Report Bitter is not a word I would usually associate with Francis Holland; however, the weather conditions this term have suited the description to a tee. Arctic winds have not stopped us in our tracks though, and we have ploughed through the term (literally) in true Francis Holland style – at full speed! The Middlesex Gymnastics Competition was a very good start to the term and the girls tumbled and vaulted very well. The re-introduction of a Thirds and Lower Fourth Dance workshop was not only an enjoyable experience, but also gave our girls an opportunity to discover some hidden talents. Also, our British Schoolgirls’ Races team competed fiercely at the annual event in Flaine. And the yearly Gym and Dance Display was nothing short of superb. Our Swimming team are amazing! They may not win every gala, but when it comes to fund-raising for a good cause, such as the Breast Cancer campaign, they are all winners in my eyes. For the ‘Swim-a-thon for Breast Cancer’ event this term, our swim team have raised over £2500 – which for 25 team members is a mighty feat. Well done girls and I am sure the extra lengths in the pool will work wonders for our next gala! The Summer term is nearly upon us and team trials for the Tennis and Rounders teams will take place in the first couple of weeks directly after half term. Please do encourage your daughters to sign up and try out for the teams. By now parents should have received and returned the letter concerning private Tennis coaching for lessons. Fixtures will be put on the FHS website at the start of the term. Please do come along and support if you have the afternoon free. An advanced date for your diaries will be the 2010 FHS Sports Day on Tuesday, 6th July with the following day being a back-up day put into the calendar this year in case of inclement weather. More details will be given out nearer the time – it is sure to be a wonderful afternoon. Property Lost? – not the text by Milton… The lost property cupboard is opened every Friday lunchtime upon request. If your daughter has lost any kit, she must come and see Miss Tucker outside the staffroom promptly at 1:30pm on this day to trawl through the masses of un-named kit. If your daughter has her kit labelled, then it is much easier to return to her form tutor. All kit should be labelled on the inside tags. In addition, all PE kit should have their initials sewn onto the left hand side. South Africa 2010 – With much anticipation, our girls have been coming to early morning training and fitness over the course of the winter. They have been truly inspirational and will undoubtedly represent the school magnificently next October. The girls will be fund-raising for the Fisantekraal Township over the coming months, so please do support the girls for their next event. Miss Tucker Head of Physical Education
F r a n c i s
H o l l a n d
S c h o o l
·
n w 1
1 5
Composition Workshops at the BBC On Saturday 13th February, Thea Waxman (UVH) attended “Inspire Workshops” at the BBC Maida Vale Studios. Thirty ‘young composers’ between the ages of 11 and 18, and eight adults who worked for the BBC, either running the studios, in charge of the workshop, or members of the BBC Orchestra spent the day discussing and developing all kinds of musical ideas. Thea herself summed up this unique experience: “At lunch, we all discussed with slight concern the daunting task ahead of us: to compose a piece of music for two or more of the BBC musicians to play. Although the majority of us had composed quite a bit before, there were one or two who had never notated music. However this was not a problem as the adults were all eager to help, and, using the information we had gathered during the day, produced some impressive results! Not only did we enjoy listening to our own and the other ‘young composers’ compositions, but it seemed like as much enjoyment was gained by the musicians playing them! The day was a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded people of a similar age, and was both inspiring and well conceived. It is definitely something I plan on doing again, and I highly recommend it to anybody looking to start making music of their own!” Mrs. Rolfe Johnson Head of Music Department
Need a Childminder or Summer Nanny? I am an ex-Francis Holland pupil, who is currently studying Medicine at the University of Bristol. I am looking for occasional or longer term childminding work over the Easter and Summer (June-Oct)holidays, when I will be living in North London. I have extensive experience looking after children full time, ages 3-14, hold a valid First Aid Certificate and I own a car. If you are interested then please do not hesitate to contact me on 078 3371 0121 or by email cr8639@bris.ac.uk. References provided on request. I look forward to hearing from you. Charlotte Richardson
Future Dates for your Diary Tue 20th Apr Summer Term begins Mon 26th Apr Evening of Speech and Drama
7-8:30pm
Wed 28th Apr Strings Concert in the School Hall
6:30-8:30pm
Fri 30th Apr Recycling Fashion Show in aid of Jack Taylor School 1:15-1:45pm Mon 3rd May Bank Holiday Tue 4th May Gallery 27 Cork Street London Trees – Alison Chaplin Recent Paintings – Rob Lovell (aka Dr Chaplin) 12-17 April 2010 – 10am -8pm www.ajc-artist.webeden.co.uk 1 6
F r a n c i s
Thu 13th May School Confirmation at St Cyprian’s Summer Concert at St Cyprians
8:45am 7-9:30pm
Mon 31st May Half Term begins
H o l l a n d 0 2 0
May Madrigals in Cloisters (parents welcome to attend) 8-8:15am
S c h o o l
7 7 2 3
0 1 7 6
·
CLAR E NC E
·
w w w. f r a n c i s h o l l a n d . o r g / n w 1
G A T E
·
LONDON
·
n w 1
6 X R Ap r i l
2 0 1 0