Fonthill

FONTHILL HOUSE

Our year started in the Summer holiday, as ‘Fonthill and Friends’ (Jas, Thea, Precious, and two from other houses) took on a 5km Pretty Muddy for Cancer Research. With Head of House, Grace (who completed her run whilst abroad), we raised over £1000.

Grace Olivia

Inspired by the house motto, ‘Be the Change’, charity initiatives were always at the forefront this year. Candy Canes and Fonthill Elves were back by popular demand, bringing the usual Christmas fun, and we also ran Ice Cream Week in the Summer. In total, we raised £2557, making donations to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, The Restart Centre in Kenya (continuing to support the education of Ken Kobe), charities in Malawi and also the Bath Foodbank. An amazing achievement from just one house.

Term started with the House Performance, held on the Astro! With ‘brothers’ from Hall, and the Upper Sixth leading, the Year 9s enthusiastically learned a dance routine for ‘It’s Raining Men’, putting in an energetic performance, despite not winning. Head & Deputy Head of House, Grace and Liv led from the front, putting in their all, as they would all year. Lari organised the ensemble piece superbly, including members of all year groups - not just the best musicians - and we came a very close second. Music remained a real house strength overall. Senior Musicians and Scholars, Lari, Izzy V and Emily W were involved in almost every Music concert, with Lari ‘instrumental’ (!) in organising the Sixth Form Showcase. At KATS, Lari won the Muso’s Muso Award, and Izzy won Outstanding Contribution to Music. Both gave very powerful vocal performances in the Summer Concert – a fi tting end to their school musical careers. In other year groups, Clemmie ED stood out in Night at the Musicals, and Snow and Alyssa (the former achieving Grade 8 during the year) wowed us with their piano pieces. Alyssa’s duet with Gordon was performed in the Chapel Centenary Service – a beautiful piece that helped mark a very special occasion in Kingswood’s history.

Ningwa

Members of Fonthill also shone on stage this year. In February, we watched the Senior Production of Antigone, with Lower Sixth Phia performing powerfully and gaining a KATS nomination for Best Individual Performance. In the Summer term, the Year 9s and 10s put on DNA, with many members of Fonthill involved. School newcomer, May proved her Drama Scholar credentials, along with Clemmie ED, Daisy W and Oyin. Year 9 Matilda also showed great versatility, taking on an extra role at last minute. In GCSE Drama we saw the skills of the Year 11s both on stage and off, with memorable costume and make-up designs by Maisie and Scarlett, and Monica nominated for Best Scripted Piece performance.

In the sporting calendar, the Year 9s were victorious in House Hockey, with A team players Iona, Ella, Clemmie ED and Soph playing strongly. Despite not winning their Hockey, the Senior team’s defi nite highlight was a goal scored by Jess B against a Summerhill side including nearly the entire School 1st XI (!). Not to be outdone, the Year 10s edged a close win in their Netball, led by Oyin and Daisy N and

supported by the enthusiasm and energy of Chloe, Kristy and Crystal. All these also willingly participated in other house competitions such as Swimming and Cross Country, and by the end of the year most had been awarded their House Colours, along with Rosie who showed perhaps the greatest house spirit of anybody, volunteering at the very last minute to run in the Cross Country Relays which we later won due to the fact that other houses entered pupils in the wrong year groups. Other notable house sport performances came from Lauren B in Swimming (competing in, and winning more races than anyone), Masha’s powerful serve and ground strokes in Tennis, and also Sports Day when Iona and Oyin broke records, and the Inter and Senior 4x 100m Relay teams both won – the latter made up entirely of Upper Sixth Athletes (Zoe, Lari, Maya and Liv) in their last ever competitive event at Kingswood.

Throughout the year, Fonthill members were prominent in many other events. In the BISMUN Conference, Molly and Ningwa chaired committees, and Rubysha and Clemmie C were in a Philosothon team who competed at national level. Bert and Florence helped a group of Lower Sixth Scientists to another national win – in the Big Bang Science Competition – and Molly’s essay on Sudanese refugees achieved second place in the HART (Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust) competition. Year 9 Abi received her Gold Chief Scout Award, and Rubysha won a golf tournament. Many helped with school charity events such as the Year 10 and 11 Ball and the Malawi Jumble Sale (especially Dipti and Noelina), and we were well-represented in the Ten Tors teams (Tilly and Evie tackling the 35mile course, and Tobina the 45 mile). All this proves the breadth of Fonthill’s talent and interests, living up to our other motto: to be Principled and Passionate in all that you do.

In the boarding house, it was an easier year for the overseas students and their travel (to Karina’s relief!), and so much better that year groups could socialise without ‘bursting’ bubbles. Head of Boarding, Ningwa proved good at creating a strong sense of family, and we had the usual fun with large spiders, strange bathroom incidents, cheese boards and bacon sandwiches, film nights and our (now customary!) win in the Bake Off.

In house staff news, Fonthill ‘lost’ Miss Morris who returned as Mrs Meredith following her wedding, and also gained a new baby, when Miss Bowman’s Raffy arrived at the end of the year. We also said goodbye and good luck to Mrs Lopez as she left to become Senior Houseparent of Summerhill. Spirit of Fonthill, Grace quite rightly won the Sergeant Leadership Award for being an outstanding Head of House, and Noelina was a deserving recipient of The Wright Way. We all giggled at the Upper Sixth’s baby and first day at school photos before Liv and Grace’s emotional, tearful and heartfelt goodbye speeches. These two led the house superbly this year, and they have left big shoes for Tobina and Alberta to fill next year. We will really miss all the Upper Sixth – they were a year group with great positive spirit, enthusiasm, energy and humour, and throughout their time gave a huge amount to the house. 2022-23 will not be the same without them.

Head of House:

Grace Ardus

Deputy Head of House:

Olivia Taylor

Head of Boarding:

Ningwa Chemjong

Senior Prefects:

Thea Bailey Jasmine Harvey Larissa Man Aunam Shah Olivia Taylor Izzy Vaughan