Sherborne Girls Newsletter May 15

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THE

www.sherborne.com

May 15

A Season of Sporting Triumphs

Sherborne Girls’ new scholarship programme for talented sportswomen is going from strength to strength, attracting girls who achieve across sports ranging from the traditional to the less established, including the new programmes of performance swimming and cross-country.

Swimming scholars Jess Carroll (L5) and Kayleigh Parker (M5) represented the school at the most prestigious swim meet of the year, the British Swimming Championships. Both girls came away with new personal best times, with Jess reaching the 100m and 200m Breaststroke finals and Kayleigh reaching the 100m Butterfly final.

These achievements place them in the top eight swimmers in the country in their age group. We look forward to seeing their progress in the British age group finals in July.

In only our second full season of competitive cross-country, the two Sherborne Girls teams won every one of their qualifying races last term and went on to become the Dorset Independent Schools Champions. At the South West Championships, Sherborne Girls took first place in the Junior Girls event resulting in selection to represent Dorset at the Nationals in Blackburn. This was an extraordinary achievement and indicative of great potential in future seasons.

Like our runners, the performance swimmers at Sherborne Girls are an inspiration. The rigour and commitment to daily training routines while continuing to meet the demands of academic deadlines is remarkable; the girls manage to combine a minimum of 18 hours in the pool with up to five hours land-training a week, as well enjoying all the social aspects of life in a busy boarding school.

three hockey teams being represented in indoor and outdoor competitions at regional level, numerous county hockey players (and two vying for spots at the top level), one GB Youth pentathlete/biathlete, one international karate medallist, two South West lacrosse players, one county squash player, a team of Somerset Satellite trained netball players, a national standard athlete in javelin and shot putt, as well as an enviable fixtures list with competitive opportunities for all girls at every level. Sport at Sherborne Girls is certainly thriving.

While encouraging these individual sports, success is not in isolation and very evident in the more traditional school sports, with

FROM THE HEADMISTRESS ACADEMIC

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MUSIC & DRAMA TOURS & TRIPS

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FOCUS ON HISTORY SPORTS NEWS

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From the Headmistress

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We are all unique... just like everyone else!

One of my main priorities as a Head is to create an environment where girls can flourish and excel in their chosen areas. The Script celebrates the success of our sports women, our musicians and our politicians, amongst others. I am always impressed by the achievements of Sherborne Girls and by how much they can fit in to a normal week.

A real challenge for a school is to cater for the individual whilst also ensuring that the community is cohesive. How should we balance the breadth of what we do with the optimum participation from the girls? Should each girl have a bespoke programme or should we concentrate on what we do best?

Sometimes, is it a good life lesson to just ‘get with the programme?’

way girls here respond to the pressures of public examinations and the way in which, on the whole, they are aware of their own responsibilities in the community during this time.

I recently heard Simon Weston, the Army veteran who is well known for his bravery in recovering from severe burns suffered during the Falklands War in 1982, talk about his recovery and his charity work. His lack of self-pity and his positive attitude were striking, as was the fact that he put his recovery down to realising that his selfesteem grew when he was doing things for others without recompense. His message was

to help young people understand that life does not owe them a living but that they have the skills and talents to build their own future.

He turned his unique situation into a positive, changing the perceptions and lives of many through his charity work.

The acceptance of differences, the will to live together harmoniously and the selfawareness of how others are affected by your behaviour are all skills developed in a boarding community. So let’s never forget that we are all totally unique, just like everyone else!

Jenny Dwyer, Headmistress

At the beginning of this term I told the girls about a birthday card which I sent to my son.

On the front were four angelic looking boys, all dressed as superheroes in different costumes, and the words Do not forget that you are totally unique and inside it said just like everyone else!

Whilst I do think that we as a school celebrate quirkiness and uniqueness, there is the danger of creating a group of individuals who are so self-absorbed that they forget that other members of the community have their own needs too and I wanted the girls to think about the impact they had on one another, especially in this busy exam term. The great strength of a boarding community is the support, care and compassion the girls show to one another, but having an awareness of your personal impact on others is a life skill which we all need. I am always proud of the

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meet our prefects We are delighted to announce the new school prefects from the L6: (left to right back row) Lisa Kirsten, Imogen Andrews, Alice Lloyd, Holy Serukenya, Annabelle Blackshear, Catherine Leach, Alice Wharton, Georgina St Pier, (front row) Mairi Galbraith, Georgia Symonds, Lexie Humphrey, Charlotte Hyde and Georgie Lane.

Education reforms enshrine stretch & challenge

Academic

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Sherborne Girls offers a broad and innovative academic curriculum; ranging from A levels and IB in the sixth form to the Junior Diploma for the L5 and below; there is a strong emphasis on developing an enquiring mind, instilling a good work ethic and striving for excellence.

The new courses, starting in September, as a result of the national education reforms have resulted in considerable departmental discussion and debate. We have looked carefully at the choice and detail of each course to find those that fit with our academic ethos. These courses aim to increase fluency in problem solving, understanding, application and recall.

Assessment changes involve the removal of continual assessment and the move to terminal examinations.

At GCSE level, in all areas we already operate terminal examinations, considering these to be a better preparation for sixth form study and life-long learning and as such we are very much in line with the proposed new courses.

In the sixth form the removal of the AS examinations will enable our students to benefit from a year without formal examinations.

Research has shown that it takes most pupils two to three years of exposure to a concept before they are able to apply and recall with confidence and creativity when faced with non-routine questions.

Fundamental to our academic ideals is our belief in the value of the academic enrichment which can take place outside the classroom. The reforms give us space to enhance this programme and improve our links to other academic communities, both within Sherborne and further afield.

Enriching the curriculum in the U5 and following a two year course in the sixth form will enable our students to establish conceptual understanding and procedural fluency ready for U6 examinations whether in the International Baccalaureate or A level programme of study, and to build a platform for future success.

Louise Orton Deputy Head Teaching and Learning

LAB: 24.3%

UKIP: 20.5%

ACADEMIC: Lauren Carty, Port Regis; Georgina Andrews, Finton House; Tilly Cripwell, Pinewood; Chloe Dick, Sherborne Prep; Chloe Stevens, Hazlegrove; Charlotte Ferguson, Knighton House; Lotte Micklethwaite, Sherborne Girls.

MUSIC: Shermaine Cheung, Mary Knoll School; Ekaterina Polyakova, Hanford; Charlotte Ferguson, Knighton House; Jemima Nettleton, Pinewood; Georgina Andrews, Finton House.

ART: Isla Watt, Cheam; Ania Zenzina, Sherborne Girls; Dasha Zenzina, Sherborne Girls; Francesca Gill, Farleigh.

SPORT: Annabel Alers-Hankey, Knighton House; Elizabeth Allen, The Blue School; Christa Cripwell, Pinewood; Olivia Flack, Grittleton House; Matilda Murray, Farleigh; Greta Dare, Sherborne Girls; Eliza Gilmour, Cheam; Lucy Knott, Highfield; Matilda Jenkins, Broomwood Hall; Matilda Nettleton, Pinewood; Eden Dennis, Port Regis.

Promoting Voting

con: 29.5%

Scholarships & Awards 2015

GREEN: 16%

LD: 9.7%

Students held their own ‘mock’ election in school to coincide with this year’s General Election.

Girls organised themselves into the five major parties and planned their party policies, voted for a candidate, delivered a promotional campaign and participated in a final debate, all in preparation for a whole school vote on 7 May. On the day, it was the Conservative Party who won by a slim majority over Labour. Project coordinator Kate Creswell, said, “The girls really embraced this project, even if their political beliefs did not align truly with their nominated party! It was still a very relevant way to teach our students about active citizenship and democracy. Well done to all of our candidates and their supporting teams.”

ALL ROUNDER AWARD: Hannah Collin, Knighton House; Natasha Copinger-Symes, Forres Sandle Manor; Alice Leach, Sherborne Prep; Emilia Luders, Kingshott; Charlotte Browning, Farleigh; Annabelle Martin, Beaudesert; Dolly Payne, Trent Primary School; Lauren Carty, Port Regis.

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“Wonderfully inventive…”

… was the review of The Accordion Shop by the National Theatre Connections Festival Director, following the girls’ performance at The Salisbury Playhouse in March. Written by the award-winning Cush Jumbo, this especially commissioned play was performed at the Festival by a cast comprising L5 to L6 girls, in a rehearsal time of just 20 hours. Described as a dark comedy, the play tells the story of an organised riot on a quiet high street. Excellent ensemble movement pieces from the cast and superb use of light and sound resulted in a show which was pacey, exciting and full of energy. Becky Stagg (U5) played the lead role of the owner of The Accordion Shop with great confidence, and said after the production, “Acting in the professional setting of The Playhouse was both insightful and motivating; it simply encouraged us to perform at a much higher standard.”

Rats steal the show Every Aldhelmsted West girl took to the stage for three fun and fast-moving performances of the exciting musical adaptation of the story of The Pied Piper Of Hamelin - Rats! Among the cast, Manon Ludwick portrayed the Narrator with poise, in complete contrast to the rebel-rousing Rat Leader, Alice Richardson. Lotte Micklethwaite’s performance as the Pied Piper was truly hypnotic, while Lucy Fortescue oozed confidence as the self-important Mayor and Charlotte Orton played the part of the Crippled Boy with great pathos.

The show was stolen by strong individual characterisations among the gang of rats and also the citizens of the town, including the butcher, baker, teacher, doctor, chef, postman and many more!

This was an exciting, ambitious and light-hearted production by all the girls of West.

Congratulations to...

…Charlotte Ewins (L6) who has been awarded a place in two prestigious national ensembles, the National Youth Recorder Orchestra and, as an oboist, in the National Schools’ Symphony Orchestra (Main Orchestra); Ellie George (L4) who has a place in the National Children’s Orchestra; Lara Taylor (U5) who has a place in the National Youth Guitar Ensemble; and to Zara Lawrence (L5) who has a place in the National Children’s Choir.

A new affiliate partnership with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) means that musicians from both the girls’ and the boys’ schools now have the opportunity of intensive coaching and professional mentoring with the BSO, leading up to a performance to an audience of the orchestra and their special guests. The first such performance was on 29 April at The Lighthouse in Poole, where the ensemble gave a beautiful performance of Mozart’s Serenade in E flat.

Arts Dates 8 June 10-12 June 17 June 20-25 June 25 June

Concert by the Odeion Quartet Treasure Island – U5 Play Lunchtime Singing Concert Arts Festival Commemoration Concert

Rhythms of Africa

We were delighted to recently host the 60-strong choir from the Dominican Convent School (DCS) in innercity Johannesburg as part of their UK tour. The choir performed at St Albans Cathedral, St James’s Piccadilly and then Oxford, before arriving in Sherborne and settling into boarding school life for two days. Following a performance at the prestigious Sherborne Abbey Festival, the choir returned to school to deliver an afternoon workshop for the girls and a further and final performance in the evening. Jenny Nelson, Director of Co-curricular at Sherborne Girls and DCS Tour organiser, said “Anyone who hears these children sing cannot fail to be uplifted and inspired - the unbridled optimism for their nation and society which these young people show is quite extraordinary.”

Coming Soon ... Shakespeare Schools Festival

Girls from the L5 are now rehearsing Romeo and Juliet, as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, the UK’s largest youth drama festival. The production will be staged at The Brewhouse in Taunton in November 2015 – more information will be available next term.

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Starlight Photography

Music & Drama

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Starlight Photography

Following our requests to recent Old Girls via social media, we were delighted to have so many girls contact us with their news. Here is just a selection of their emails…

Looking Back

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Natalia Rolleston AE’99 completed Russian Studies at

University College London and then an MA in Broadcast Journalism at University College Falmouth. For the last four years she has worked as a reporter, newsreader and producer for BBC World Service Radio, working predominantly for Newshour and its sister programme Weekend.

Hiraa Javed WD’14 achieved A*/A/A/A in her A levels last

summer and is completing her first year at Kings College London. She writes, “My dentistry course is even better than I had hoped for and despite the hard work, I am really enjoying it. Exploring London is my new favourite past time as there is always something new to see and do. My advice to current girls applying, is grab every opportunity, as university is a once in a lifetime experience.”

Jane Holmes (Scott) AW’88 completed a BSc at Bristol

followed by an LLM in Mental Health Law at Northumbria.

She worked in a psychiatric hospital in Dorset for ten years before moving to London to work as a strategist for a leading IT firm for five years. A keen marathon runner, she has since relocated to West Wales and is currently raising awareness and funds for Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. You can find out more about Jane’s story via www.justgiving.com/JaneHolmes-rclcf/

Katie Hillan DH’14 (pictured left with last year’s Head of School Fenella) has spent a year out completing her PADI scuba diving qualification and working as a dinghy and sailing instructor in Sydney. She writes, “Living completely independently has taught me a lot. Money management in a city is no easy task when trying to enjoy life and save for travels. I am so grateful to be able to experience so many wonderful things but by far the most important, will be having helped so many young children gain greater confidence in the water.”

Jessica Staley K’08 graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in History of Art. She has been living and working in Dubai for the past three years in a PR role specialising in travel, hospitality and real estate. She writes, “I'm still in touch with all my school friends and meet them regularly for holidays. I’ll be moving to London this summer.”

Deborah Henley AW’87 went on to train with the

senior GB rowing squad, but her Olympic hopes were dashed by a back injury. Meanwhile she studied at the National Film and Television School, worked on films in Australia, and later retrained in hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming. She is now a business coach and speaker, working with some of the top financial services companies in the world, and in her spare time indulges in open water swimming!

Lauren Clapp DH’14 has been working in Hong Kong as a gap tutor at Harrow International School. “My job involves ‘living in’, helping to organise the house and working with the children, teaching sport and taking extra-curricular activities. It has been an eye-opener, but my experience of boarding life at Sherborne has meant I have dealt with it all quite calmly!” Lauren will be studying at Edinburgh University in September.

Georgia Benney RH’12 studied Fashion Communications and Promotion at Nottingham Trent University, completing several internships during her studies, with companies which included the International New York Times, enabling her to travel to Singapore. She completes her studies this summer and is looking forward to starting a permanent position with The White Company, which is the direct result of her internship there as a Press Assistant.

Would you like to share your news with readers?

Please email marketing@sherborne.com or contact us via our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

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Rewarding trip to Romania

Following months of preparation, six IB girls travelled to Romania at Easter to complete the Community, Action and Service element of their International Baccalaureate programme.

They raised funds to buy an apple press which was shipped out to Romania in advance of their visit and during their stay, they showed the local people how to use the press and market and distribute their product. The girls also attended a church service, visited a school and a hospital. Lisa Kirsten (L6) explains more about this: “While our stay in Romania was generally filled with beautiful views, the real reason for the trip was of course very sad. Under Ceausescu’s dictatorship only 25 years earlier, birth rates increased resulting in many children being abandoned, and these were joined in the orphanages by disabled and mentally ill people. We visited one such institution, and although reactions varied among the group, the most common was pure shock and disbelief at something so far removed from Western civilisation. Nevertheless, we were glad we had the chance to do some positive things while we were in Romania, and playing games with some of the orphans in the community and seeing the first ever bottle of apple juice come off the press were very rewarding moments.” Our thanks to The White Cross Mission, for their excellent work and for hosting the girls.

Twenty L4, U4 and L5 girls visited La Molina in Spain in the Easter holidays for skiing, sunshine and socialising. “One of the best outcomes was seeing girls from different year groups and houses makes new friendships,” said Housemistress of Aldhelmsted West, Hayley Vanstone.

Art in Amsterdam

Tours & Trips

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Sixth form artists, art historians and photographers travelled to Amsterdam recently to view some of the world-class and recently reopened art museums, among them the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk museum of modern art and the Van Gogh Museum. Photographers particularly enjoyed the visit to Foam, the city’s premier photography museum, and a trip to the Mauritshuis gallery to view Vermeer's ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ was another popular excursion among the group.

Towards the end of the trip, staff were delighted when several of the girls decided to eschew ‘free time for shopping’, choosing instead another visit to their favourite exhibition!

Friendships and football in Berlin As an extension to their German studies, a group of M5 girls, together with some boys from Sherborne School, spent the last week of their Easter holidays in Berlin, improving their linguistic skills and learning more about the culture and history of this vibrant city. The students stayed with their exchange partners and families, but met up most days to take part in organised activities, including a visit to the Alliierten Museum and a tour of the city, taking in the sights of the Brandenburger Tor, Schloss Bellevue and the Reichstag. Another day was spent in warm sunshine in Potsdam walking round the delightful park of Schloss Sanssouci. Other activities included attending German lessons led by students at the Gymnasium Steglitz, and experiencing the excitement of a Bundesliga football match. The girls are now looking forward to the return visit in June.

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Focus on

History

The Chronicle

History students are busy distributing the second edition of The Chronicle, described by editor Eloise Newman (U5) as “a history magazine by the students, for the students.”

The editorial team comprises eight girls of different ages and contributions are invited from across the school. Eloise explains, “We aim to produce two magazines a year, each providing an exciting and alternative collection of articles. In this edition, our content ranges from the divide between North and South Korea, to the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, and from the siege of Sarajevo to the treatment of schizophrenia.”

Touring the City of Light The U6 historians travelled to France last term to visit Paris and the great Palace of Versailles, offering an unparalleled opportunity not just to see the home of Louis XIV and his court, but to experience first-hand what it must have been like to be in the presence of absolute monarchy. A guided VIP tour around the private apartments of the kings and queens of France gave us the privilege of being taken into those areas, including the royal chapel, where visitors are not normally allowed. The girls revelled in their unique access, as we were led through ‘secret’ doors in the walls of rooms into the private rooms, crossing the public corridors. It certainly gave us an insight into life as a monarch at Versailles. In addition, the girls enjoyed their Paris by night journey down the Seine by boat, as well as much walking: around the elegant Marais district, admiring the homes of the 17th century aristocracy; to the Ile de le Cite and Notre Dame, where we heard the evensong; by the Eiffel Tower, magically illuminated at night; and in the artists’ district of Montmartre, where we climbed the steps leading to the Basilica of the Sacre Coeur, the eternal land- mark of Montmartre. A visit to the Louvre and a stroll in the gardens of the Tuilleries, and our knowledge of 17th and 18th century France was certainly improved.

Sue Francis, History Teacher

In Flanders Fields...

The M5 historians recently visited Ypres and the surrounding area in northern Belgium.

Situated in a location known as the Salient, Ypres saw some of the worst fighting on the Western Front during the First World War and particularly high rates of casualties from both sides. By visiting cemeteries such as Lijssenthoek, Essex Farm and Langemarck, the students were able to appreciate the scale of the loss and understand how this really was a world war, with soldiers serving from all over the globe. They enjoyed listening to the personal stories of some of the people that were laid to rest, such as nurse Nellie Spindler, a staff nurse of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial nursing service. She was working in a casualty clearing station near the front line and died from her wounds caused by a shell.

She was one of only two female casualties from the Great War who are buried in Belgium.

It was particularly poignant to learn about the use of gas in the First World War whilst standing in front of the towering statue of a Canadian soldier at Vancouver Corner, marking the first place where gas was used on the Salient. The Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate was very special this year because of the celebrations for ANZAC Day resulting in the high presence of military and political dignitaries from both Australia and New Zealand. One of the most notable parts of the visit which left a lasting impression was our stop at Tyne Cot cemetery. Tyne Cot is the largest CWGC Cemetery on the Western Front with 11,953 burials. The girls returned home exhausted yet exhilarated by what they had experienced on their visit. They are unanimous in the opinion that their understanding of the First World War is far richer for having actually visited the places that are talked about so often.

Sarah Elliott, Head of History

Sports News

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Tennis

The girls are delighted to be playing out on grass again and it was great to see some early success with a clean sweep of wins for 1st, 2nd and U14 A&B v Clayesmore in one of our early tournaments. At Bryanston, the 1st team was unlucky with a narrow defeat, while the 2nd team won 5 out their 9 games and both U14 teams won by 6 matches to 3. A most encouraging start to the season.

Unbeaten netball team

Our new focus on netball has seen 157 matches this season, with 14 teams. Our U15A team remains unbeaten and our school A teams have a 77% unbeaten success rate. The L5 girls training with Somerset Satellite Academy are enjoying their weekly sessions, with noticeable improvements in their fitness, skills and agility on court.

Medals in fencing

At the recent Bristol Metropolitan Academy Sabre Tournament, Sherborne Girls returned victorious with not one, but four medals! Well done to Nicole Leong (M5) who took the Gold, Frances Cattermull (U5) who claimed silver, and Kate Hon (M5) who took a bronze, and in the U12 girls, Venetia Tett (L4) achieved a well-earned silver medal.

Biathlon and triathlon success

Our congratulations to Georgie Lane (L6) who competed in the British Schools Modern Biathlon Championships held in March at the London Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park. She achieved a new PB in the swimming event in the Olympic Pool, ran well finishing eighth out of her age group and came in 15th place overall. Just one month later, Georgie entered the Pentathlon GB National Triathlon Championships and was placed fourth in her age group – another incredible achievement.

Hockey News

Well done to M5 girls Amelia Fortescue and Georgie Luders selected for the Junior Regional Performance Centre.

inter-house athletics 20 June All parents invited; bring a picnic!

Athletics selections

The teams have already been out in competition against Kings Bruton, where Grace Palmer (U5) was named athlete of the day with first place in the 300m and 800m. Against Bryanston the Junior team took a third place and the Senior team took second place in an eight school meet. In selection news – 16 girls have qualified to represent North Dorset in 23 events in the Dorset Schools Athletics Championships.

Equestrian hopes

Good luck to Alex Palmer (L6) who is competing in the British National Championships in May half term.

In the ASA South West Youth Championships, 15 year old Kayleigh Parker (M5) had incredible success in her age group, taking gold in the Individual Medley, and silvers in the 50m, 100m AND 200m butterfly.

Performance swimming mentor Charlotte Pitts was also competing in the 17 years and over category, and took the silver medal in the 200m butterfly.

Sherborne Girls, Bradford Road, Sherborne, Dorset T. 01935 818224 E. OFFICE@sherborne.com

Designed and Printed by Shelleys The Printers 01935 815364

Congratulations to L5 girls Thea Berry and Emilie Tubbs who have been selected to play in the South West Regional Lacrosse Development Squad. The girls will train regularly with the squad and play in a major tournament next Easter.

St op ne pre ws ss :

Lacrosse