School News

SCHOOL NEWS 2021

CHEMISTS STRETCHED IN CAMBRIDGE COMPETITION

Our L6 chemists took part in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, a national competition sponsored and endorsed by St Catharine’s College, Cambridge. Pupils tackled some exceptionally difficult questions based on topics such as thiocyanic acid, a molecule which has been discovered in gas clouds in space, and complex redox reactions.

The competition, which is organised by an experienced team of teachers and university chemists, involves participants from across the globe. It stretches pupils significantly beyond the syllabus and encourages them to think about Science, and particularly Chemistry, as they would at university.

Sherborne Girls has a long history of success in the competition, but this year proved to be particularly strong with nine students achieving either Copper, Silver or Gold awards.

Mr Angelosanto, Head of Chemistry, said: “Congratulations to all our chemists. The competition is extremely challenging, but a fantastic opportunity for our girls to apply their knowledge to some very difficult questions and unfamiliar scenarios. Special congratulations to Helena for achieving Gold, which is awarded to only a very small number of entrants worldwide.”

Gold award winner: Helena Campbell (right) Silver award winners: Anna Barnett and Arabella Lambeth (left and centre) EXAM SUCCESS THIS SUMMER

Despite another year of disruption to public exams, we were delighted to celebrate an outstanding set of results in the summer. As last year’s leavers accepted places at 27 different institutions, including Russell Group universities, prestigious colleges abroad, and a highly competitive Degree Apprenticeship, we welcomed a record 108 new girls to the School this year, taking the pupil role to its highest yet.

SHOWING THEIR STRICTLY SIDE

The girls and staff were blown away when all the glitter and glamour of Strictly Come Dancing came to Sherborne Girls. Seven fab-u-lous Sherborne Girls celebrities (otherwise known as our Housemistresses/ Housemaster) stepped out of their comfort zones to learn and perform a routine with their very own professional dance partners. To top it all, the evening was opened with a surprise, pre-recorded routine by the Head, Dr Ruth Sullivan, and her partner who danced a waltz to Pure Imagination!

ENTREPRENEURSHIP MASTERCLASS

Following last year’s success, we were delighted to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week again this term. In addition to an exciting line-up of activities and visiting speakers designed to inspire the girls, each morning we shared a video interview with a different Old Girl. Our thanks to the five inspiring Old Girls who each reflected one of the five entrepreneurship attributes: Communication, Curiosity, Courage, Collaboration and Creativity, through their experiences, achievements and words of advice. You can watch the interviews on our blog: SherborneGirlsVoices.com

SEPARATE YET TOGETHER

Our collaboration with Sherborne School continues to go from strength to strength and we have recently put together this short film: www.sherborne.com/about-us/sherbornepartnership which demonstrates some of the advantages of our unique relationship. For example, over 70 of our girls are now taking part in the joint schools’ Combined Cadet Force (CCF). The joint contingent marked Remembrance Day at Sherborne School with a moving Remembrance Parade through the town that culminated in the Courts. The same evening, pupils from both schools came to Sherborne Girls to practise ‘multiple miniinterviews’, a carousel of tests and tasks to prepare them for medicine and veterinary applications. SPORT IN HER SHOES

We hosted over 250 girls and PE coaches at a ‘Sport in her Shoes’ conference that specifically looked at sport through a female lens. The event, hosted in collaboration with The Well, addressed issues relating to female performance, participation and enjoyment of sport. We were thrilled to be a part of this ground-breaking event and to be spearheading the movement, which is now gathering momentum across other schools and industries.

THE RHYTHM OF LIFE

We have thoroughly enjoyed listening to live music again and the girls have performed in a full programme of concerts including the Joint Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Choir and our popular lunchtime concerts. Meanwhile, the L5 have been busy rehearsing for this year’s production, The Worst Witch, and the upcoming joint musical production of Grease is eagerly anticipated.