In The Picture _AprilMay_2021 by ncl38

In the

• Junior and Senior School Edition •

May/April Issue 2021

DAISY A DESERVING WINNER FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Read more on p2

Where girls learn without limits

110 years of International Women’s Day The History of IWD

International Women’s Day (IWD) is recognised each year at NHSG with an annual competition to highlight the achievements of women, while continuing the call for accelerating gender parity. It gives us an opportunity to draw attention to the ongoing struggles for women’s rights, to link this with women’s struggles worldwide and to demonstrate international sisterly solidarity with working women everywhere. The day has been recognised across the world since as early as the 1900s, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialised world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies. The motivation for International Women’s Day came from two sources, the struggle of working class women to establish better working conditions and the fight for women’s right to vote. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. It was the Socialist Party of America who declared the first National Women’s Day in 1908. The idea to make the day international was suggested by a woman named Clara Zetkin in 1910 at an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. There were 100 women there, from 17 countries, and they agreed on her suggestion unanimously. IWD was first celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The

centenary was celebrated in 2011, so this year we’re technically celebrating the 110th International Women’s Day! It wasn’t until 1917 that 8th March acquired great significance. On this day women workers in Petrograd held a mass strike and demonstration demanding Peace and Bread, which is attributed as the flashpoint for the Russian Revolution. Lenin subsequently declared that 8th March should be designated officially as Women’s Day. International Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time by the United Nations in 1975. Then in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed. Since then the world has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in thinking around women’s equality and emancipation. Females from a younger generation may feel that ‘all the battles have been won for women’ while many feminists from the 1970s know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of the patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women’s visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male

counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally, women’s education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men. However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and Prime Ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family. Women have real choices. And so each year the world inspires women and celebrates their achievements. IWD is an official holiday in many countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother’s Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

IWD at NHSG

NHSG is very fortunate to be the recipient of a generous donation from Christopher and Margarent Vane, parents of a former pupil, to fund an annual prize celebrating International Women’s Day. The prize asks our pupils to reflect on extraordinary women and their accomplishments and they are

invited to submit an entry in any format that would best represent their chosen female, one they feel has made an exceptional contribution to a particular theme or topic.

IWD 2021

This year we asked pupils to choose a woman whose work they felt had made, or is making, a significant positive contribution to the environment and the sustainability of our planet. We were delighted that Central Newcastle High Alumna Isabella West (pictured right, front cover), founder and CEO of the UK’s leading fashion rental brand, Hirestreet, was able to visit NHSG to award the Prizes. Isabella is listed in the Forbes and Drapers 30 under 30 and has been recognised for being the founder of the fastest growing female powered business in the North East.

While all of the entries to the competition were worthy of a prize, our panel of NHSG staff judges, including our Go Green Co-ordinator Mrs Edmonds, had the difficult task of selecting three finalists. Angela Lu, Year 10, was awarded third place with a powerful video about Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg. Emma Gibson, Year 12, achieved second place with her collection of five poems about five influential women, Costa Rican diplomat Christiana Figueres, Irish politician Mary Robinson, Marshallese educator and politician Hilda Heine, twelve year old Salvi Shakvi from Fiji and Rayanne Cristine Maximo Franca, part of the Indigenous Youth Network from Brazil. Christiana Figueres has clearly made an impression on NHSG

pupils as she was also the subject of our winning entry from Daisy Pass, Year 13. Daisy’s admiration of Figueres’ historical political achievements in global climate negotiating processes, climate change, sustainable development, energy, land use and technical and financial cooperation led her to choose Figueres as the subject of her entry. The resulting and extremely striking piece of artwork is an intricate drawing which uses pattern to represent perspective and the patterns of behaviour which are causing the greatest harm to our planet. Many congratulations to Daisy, Emma and Angela for their thought-provoking contributions and to Mr and Mrs Vane, without whom the prize would not exist. The girls have been awarded vouchers for ecofriendly retailer, Ethical Supermarket.

1st Place (artwork) Christiana Figueres by Daisy Pass

2nd Place (Poetry) Shalvi Sakshi by Emma Gibson Her vision, A world where leaders listen to the crucial youth voice, Where all islands can be protected from climate change, Where people realise saving the world is a necessity, Not a choice. Her island is Fiji, And she suffers, From tropical cyclones, floods, ever- more destructive storms, Relocation of people, houses, villages, As the world increasingly warms, Yet she was responsible for none of it. Her age was 10, When she spoke at the COP23 summit, Demanded a sharp call to action, Her generation unjustly left to suffer from human faults, Urging world leaders to address widespread dissatisfaction, By halting the release of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Her bravery was admirable, She spoke of the droughts she faced, Her island that could be erased, Submerged in a matter of decades. She spoke of her school, That became an evacuation centre After her village was drowned in a pool, Of water. This poisonous fate seemed cruel. Her words caused impact, In the face of a crisis, she planted flowers, Danced for hours, Singing of the superhero she sought to save the plants, Unaware of her own powers, The power of her voice, her confidence, raising awareness and advocating, To millions.

3rd Place (video) Greta Thunberg by Angela Lu

Mrs Hardie appointed as new Head of Junior School!

In April we were extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Hardie, Deputy Head Academic of Senior School, as the new Head of Junior School. Here is what Mrs Hardie had to say about the broadening of her existing responsibilities at NHSG.

How do you feel about being appointed as the Head of Junior School at NHSG? I’m absolutely delighted! I have loved being able to spend more time in Junior School since taking up the role of Acting Head of Junior School at Christmas. My new role provides such an exciting opportunity to build further upon our whole school ethos and ensure that there is a completely joined up approach to curriculum development, teaching and learning and our extensive co-curricular provision across Junior and Senior School.

What can you tell us about your background before taking up this roll?

is a warm, welcoming community made up of amazing individuals.

Up until December 2020 I was Deputy Head Academic in Senior School and I’m so pleased that my new role allows me to retain that responsibility alongside the headship of Junior School, as it’s a role I really love. I have worked in girls’ education since 1997, initially at Church High School where I was Director of Studies until the merger with Central High School in 2014, when Newcastle High School for Girls was established.

Our girls talk openly about the sense of belonging they feel as part of the NHSG family and our school is the perfect size to ensure that each girl is known and valued as an individual.

Can you sum up what is so special about NHSG Junior School? Where do I start? It would be easy to list our outstanding facilities, the excellent teaching, the stunning woodland grounds or the sporting opportunities on offer but it is so much more than that. NHSG Junior School

Alongside an inspiring curriculum, which we regularly review to respond to a changing world, we offer an extensive co-curricular programme that challenges girls to develop their skills, independence and confidence. Plus, our membership of the Girls’ Day School Trust offers our girls so many additional opportunities beyond those available in our region.

What can you tell us about your vision and aims for the Junior School?

My vision for Junior School is to build further on the current provision in place to engender a truly inspiring learning

environment where academic excellence is a given. Junior School will provide an outstanding foundation for eventual progression into Senior School, and staff across Junior and Senior School will collaborate regularly to ensure that each stage builds effectively upon the previous one across the full range of subjects and co-curricular activities. This will ensure each individual girl can follow her passion.

Does happiness come before academic performance when children are at Junior School? Happiness goes hand in hand with academic performance for girls in Junior School. Our aim is to ensure that our girls flourish in a warm, nurturing environment where they are supported to take risks, step outside their comfort zone and develop their skills through a wide range of curricular and co-curricular opportunities. Our staff are experts in the education of girls and our curriculum is designed to encourage independence, creativity and enquiry. When girls feel safe and happy they are more likely to flourish academically, and when they flourish academically they get a sense of achievement that brings happiness. It’s a winning formula.

NHSG seems to have an impressive co-curricular programme - can you tell us what’s on offer at the Junior School? 8

For September 2021 we have redesigned our co-curricular programme to ensure that all girls are given the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities.

They’ve missed out on hugs with grandparents, family and friends. Our assessment programme has allowed us to identify any academic gaps resulting from the time spent working at home and we have clear plans in place across Junior School to address any concerns identified.

A number of music clubs will run each week, including choirs, a Junior Orchestra and Samba Band. Alongside this, a programme of sport will be on offer and from Year 3 this will take place on our Senior School Well-being activities, pastoral site so that our girls benefit from support and opportunities for the facilities on offer there. fun, laughter and happiness are also a priority for us. Girls from Year 2 to 6 will also have the opportunity to How do you unwind away participate in a carousel of from work? creative activities that will run I get so much pleasure and throughout the year on a fulfilment from my career and I Wednesday evening and on have always been so grateful Thursday evenings we will offer for the opportunity to work in Year 2 to 6 an academic such an amazing school. enrichment programme that will inspire curious young minds. Outside of work, I enjoy

Children have had a tough time over the past year, what’s been the biggest issue and how do you plan to support them to get back on track? This year has been incredibly tough on children, despite our best efforts to ensure that our girls were supported through a programme of lessons each day as part of our guided home learning provision. It was tough on parents, too, many of whom were trying to work from home alongside supporting their children with school work. Some of our youngest children will not remember a time when social distancing didn’t exist.

spending time with family and friends. Under normal circumstances, that would include lots of travel, as I love exploring new places with my husband and two teenage daughters.

Covid-19 has meant that hasn’t happened this year, but I’m hopeful that one day in the not too distant future I will need my passport again!

Artists in residence in Reception The learning topic has stretched beyond Art to many areas of the curriculum such as English and Science. As well as recreating his iconic works, the girls have researched Van Gogh on the internet, and read about his life in non-fiction books. The sunflower painting in particular cemented recent learnings in Science on the topic of lifecycles and the girls subsequently enjoyed the story ‘The Little Seed’ by Eric Carle. We took this theme one step further by planting sunflower seeds, as well as discussing and recording optimum conditions for growth. Of course, the girls had to create their own bright and beautiful interpretations of Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ using watercolours and collage techniques.

In Reception this term, Vincent Van Gogh has been the inspiration underpinning the girls’ work in Art lessons throughout this term. We have used a series of Van Gogh’s famous paintings as a stimulus for developing key creative skills as well as an understanding of what it means to become an Artist. The girls have become familiar with different materials and textures through artistic experimentation and have also been encouraged to explore new resources and tools independently.

For the theme about ‘ourselves’, girls studied Van Gogh’s work on portraits and set about bringing to life portraits of their own to display in the classroom, using pencil and paint. During their ‘Space’ topic, the girls observed his famous picture ‘Starry Night’ and replicated his work using charcoal and watercolours.

Their work on Van Gogh culminated in their final painting linked to seasonal changes when they focused on ‘Irises’. They chose a dazzling mix of pastels, water colours, charcoal and collage to represent this piece. The artistic output from this learning area of Van Gogh has been extremely impressive and, most importantly, the girls now believe they are just as good as Van Gogh! We are so proud of our creative and confident young pupils.

It has been brilliant to observe lots of peer-coaching throughout these lessons whereby the girls have watched and modelled each other’s creative techniques, becoming ‘experts’ in particular areas.

A week well spent in Years 1 and 2 During assembly on Monday 10th May, Mrs Hardie explained to the girls at Junior School that it was Mental Health Awareness Week, a special period of time dedicated to actively considering mental health and making small changes to improve our wellbeing. The theme for this national week of awareness was ‘connecting with nature’ so we provided the girls with as many opportunities as possible to discover the comforting properties of the outdoors and the positive effects it can have on our mind and body. Girls in Year 1 took part in outdoor yoga sessions and read books in the fresh air which was a chance for them to fully relax, clear their heads and breathe freely and mindfully. The girls were also asked to complete nature diaries to strengthen their observation skills and ensure they were sensitised to the world around them. They discovered several new plants and animals residing in our luscious grounds that they had never noticed before. They tuned into their senses to take in the aromas of different flowers and listened carefully to the birds chirping in the trees. The girls captured their favourite view of the outdoors using iPads and copied the pictures by hand using their preferred medium of either charcoal, watercolours and pencils. Meanwhile, Year 2 also took part in a range of calming activities that encouraged

relaxation and prompted them to embrace and enjoy the amazing environment around them. These included outdoor yoga, cloud watching and sketching, and making some delicate daisy chains which required concentration and

nimble fingers. This opportunity for girls to be immersed in nature within our school environment to encourage positive mental health certainly made for a peaceful and memorable week.

Made to measure Girls in Year 2 have been exploring the great outdoors at Chapman House yet again this term, this time during their Mathematics lessons. The learning topic was units of measurement, specifically widths and heights, and the girls enjoyed using a range of equipment such as centimetre and metre rulers, measuring tapes and trundle wheels to estimate, calculate, compare and order a range of distances. The girls also measured circumferences of trees, widths of classrooms, heights of doorways, lengths of ribbons and were able to conclude that 100 centimetres equals 1 metre. Excellent work, as ever, Year 2!

Year 4 wellbeing in the woods

One beautiful sunny morning this term, Year 4 embarked on their own Mental Health Awareness Week adventure. Their objective was to find out more about the plants and trees that they learn and play amongst at Chapman House, and the Year 4 teachers had planned a series of activities to get the girls feeling truly in touch with the natural world around them. First, the girls were shown the differences in the root systems of the plants that they walk past on a daily basis. They were amazed at the long taproot of the dandelion and the fibrous system of the grasses. This knowledge lead them to the discovery that the root systems of trees are intertwined and linked by a fungus. The girls were also delighted to learn that trees actually communicate with each other! This is quite a mind blowing concept, but in its simplest form, if a tree is dying it can pass on its nutrients to some of the younger trees that

surround it. Absolutely amazing… Next, using a simple three key, the girls identified trees such as Horse Chestnut, Holly, Birch, Lime, Sycamore, and the Rowan. The Rowan tree was revered and held in high esteem during ancient times. Mrs Donaldson explained: “Planting a Rowan tree beside your house was said to keep the people inside safe from bad luck and evil spirits. It was even said that dangerous spells and witchcraft would not affect a person carrying a Rowan twig. Red is seen as a protective colour and that’s why the Rowan tree protects people because of its beautiful red berries. In Norse mythology, the tree allegedly once saved the life of the mighty God of Thunder Thor. The story goes that as Thor was being swept towards the underworld in a fast flowing river he was able to take hold of a Rowan branch which safely got him back to shore.”

The girls also experienced the wild garlic that surrounds the woods of Chapman House, with their noses, eyes and taste buds! After examining the flowerhead the girls bravely made themselves a garlic bread sandwich. A bit like Marmite, they either loved it or hated it! Whilst in the woods, the girls spent some time practising ‘forest bathing’, known in Japan as Shinrin-yoku. This is the simple method of being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you whilst breathing deeply. Girls tuned into the sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight filtering through the leaves, the fresh clean air, all of which provided a real sense of comfort. Research in Japan has shown that even a short amount of time touching a tree or planting your feet at the base of a tree while listening to the birds and the leaves rustling can lift your mood and the effects can last quite a while. The girls did a brilliant job of

standing quietly and being at one with nature. After relaxing underneath the trees we continued our morning’s adventure in the sunshine by completing a traverse survey. The girls were able to identify some of the common flowering plants and presented their recorded data in bar graphs when they were back in the classroom. All of the girls returned indoors with huge grins across their faces. With a strong sense of industriousness and happiness (and a whiff of garlic in the air!), the girls settled calmly back into their lessons for the rest of the day. Here is what some of our Year 4 pupils had to say about their morning:

‘It made me feel, relaxed and calm.’ ‘I really liked it. It made me feel alive!’ ‘Relaxing.’ ‘It made me feel free.’

Year 5 Science Spectacular at the Royal Institution On 27th April, Year 5 were fortunate enough to join a ‘Science Spectacular’ workshop, live-streamed from the Faraday Lecture Theatre at the Royal Institution. Some of our NHSG STEM stars, Isla Barrass, Layla Churm, Sasha Hunter, India Salmon, Freya Smith and Charlotte Wright, wrote about their experience afterwards:

‘We have been very lucky to watch several GDST Science extravaganzas recently. I think they are a good idea because although we were not able to be present at the event, Zoom has enabled us to feel like we were there. The cameras are quite close to the action so we all get a good view. It was a great afternoon.’ ‘The lecture involved a lot of fire and explosions based around some of the elements of the Periodic Table. I think the way these are presented by the RI inspire wonder and excitement amongst us all. They always make it fun and enjoyable for us to watch.’

because hydrogen is flammable, if she put a flame near them the hydrogen one would catch fire but the helium one would not. The hydrogen balloon exploded in a huge ball of fire.’

‘My favourite experiment was with two balloons. One was filled with helium and the other contained hydrogen, but both balloons were the same colour so the scientists could not tell which was which. Dani explained that

‘I really enjoyed the Royal Institution workshop with Gemma and Dani. They made it great fun and explained the Science clearly. I learned a lot about the Periodic Table of the Elements and the experiments were so

exciting to see!’ ‘I really enjoy the science broadcasts because I find them fascinating and am always in awe of the amazing experiments. I have always enjoyed Science, especially Biology as I hope to be a doctor when I am older. Watching the lecture has inspired a further interest in Chemistry, as I find the changes in form when mixing chemicals together captivating. My favourite experiment was when Dani

and Gemma placed balloon dogs into a cold liquid when they removed them, they were extremely crinkled and withered. However, after approximately 30 seconds the balloon dogs were back to their original form! Amazing!’ ‘It was dazzling to watch the sparks flying out of the papier maché volcano and dancing higher and higher into the air. I have seen a volcano experiment before, but never one like this. Dani put potassium inside the volcano and added water with a long tube. The reaction caused a bright yellow flash and a lot of sparks to come out of the top. It was spectacular! I hope we are able to watch another Royal Institution lecture soon.’ It’s clear that the Science Spectaculars have made a great impression on our aspiring Scientists. We look forward to the next one with much anticipation.

Colour inspired by Kandinsky Year 5 girls have been working on striking paintings in their Art lessons, emulating the signature style of Kandinsky, Russian painter and art theorist. Kandinsky was fascinated with colour symbolism and psychology and likened painting to composing music. He wrote: “Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand which plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.” He called his most spontaneous paintings “improvisations” and described more elaborate work as “compositions”. These abstract paintings by Year 5 are particularly inspired by his Blue Rider Period (19111914).

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 at Senior School

While pupils at Junior School focused on the connection between the natural world and wellbeing for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, girls at Senior School were invited to a series talks on various themes connected to mental health.

have in place here in school.

Mr Tippett echoed Isabelle’s sentiment in an interview with Luxe magazine, published that same week, by emphasising the strength of the holistic support structures available at Newcastle High. He also The Head Girl team opened stressed that “the single most this national week of awareness important thing we can do to with an introductory assembly. help our children and young Head Girl, Isabelle Evans, people at school is to explained why Mental Health encourage a truly authentic, Awareness week is for open and supportive culture everyone because “we all where nobody is judged experience some sort of where it’s OK not to be OK.” struggle at some point in our You can read Mr Tippett’s full lives.” Isabelle highlighted the article here: role that NHSG can play in helping to manage mental luxe-magazine. health issues and why girls co.uk/2021/05/why-itsshould take advantage of the important-for-schools-to-discussnon--judgemental support mental-health/ network we are fortunate to

Our former Head Girl, Emma Carrie, inspired her younger peers about the ‘perils of perfectionism’ on Wednesday, and emphasised the importance of experiencing failure. She admitted “I was so afraid of failing that, for a long time, I never allowed myself to. But it’s exhausting living up to that constantly and eventually, you will fail and you’ll have no idea how to deal with it.” Another former pupil, ex Deputy Head Girl Tibby Flint, spoke to the girls about her journey with anxiety and depression during her years at university. She explained that it was the act of reaching out for help that marked the beginning of her recovery: “If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over time it’s that speaking to someone about

your mental health is really important... As soon as I opened up to family, I felt such palpable relief.” During the week we also heard from Mrs Hassett, our school counsellor, who delivered a useful session about OCD which informed the girls that this debilitating condition is far more than someone who washes their hands alot. We looked at some of the myths surrounding the condition, signs and symptoms and where to access support. In addition, Dr Katherine Crosby, from the Richardson Eating Disorder Unit at the RVI, gave an informative presentation about Eating Disorders. The talks in school were also complemented by our Sixth Form Leadership Team and other members of Year 12 running the ‘stall outside the

Hall’ every day during the week, with some innovative and fun ways to help the girls consider how to promote positive mental health.

https://newcastlehigh.gdst.net/ news-views/

Across the school, this comprehensive and ageappropriate range of activities will have continued to raise awareness of issues around mental health; the importance of positive mental health and strategies to develop resilience and prevent mental health issues as well as advice on what to do in times of struggle. To further raise awareness around Mental Health, we asked our Head Girl Isabelle Evans and alumnae to contribute to articles which we issued each day during this important week. You can read these thought provoking articles on our school website here:

New debating team triumphant On Saturday 15th May, Miriam Ozalp and Raz Rahel in Year 7 took part in the second online GDST Debating competition for Years 7 to 9, organised by Putney High GDST. NHSG pupil and experienced debater, Emma Gibson (pictured below), Year 12, now runs the Debating society and helped with the recruitment and judging process.

Miriam Ozalp

It was Miriam and Raz’s first experience of external debating and, despite some initial uncertainty about the rules, they debated with great confidence and resilience through three rounds and into the Novice Final! This was an amazing feat in itself but we are delighted to confirm that the NHSG girls won! We congratulate Miriam and Raz, and wish them a successful debating career from now on.

Raz Rahel 32

Year 7 Morrisettes have fun with Folk

Girls in Year 7 have been turning their attention to all things Folk in their Music lessons with Mrs Newey this term. Mrs Newey is somewhat of an expert on Folk as she and her husband, Head of Music, Mr Newey play in professional folk bands in their spare time. Mrs Newey and her accordion have even accompanied Jimmy Nail in front of an audience of thousands for the last Sunday for Sammy event.

Spring sunshine on our Brandling site lawn with their voices projecting the unmistakable rhythmic sound of sea shanties loud and clear. They also enjoyed a joyous morning of Morrissette and

Ceilidh Dancing (using scarves which once graced the set of Oliver! back in 2019) to classic Folk tunes Princess Royal and The Gay Gordons. What a marvellous way to discover a new genre of music!

As part of this topic, the girls have been studying and performing a huge folk hit, The Wellerman, which went viral on social media when it was performed by Nathan Jones, now an internationally known TikTok star. Year 7 mastered the footwork of Circassian Circles in the

Powerful Pop Art in Year 7 Leela McKinney, Year 7, tells us about the contemporary artists she has studied in Art this term. I have thoroughly enjoyed focusing on the work of Joel Penkman in lessons over the past few weeks. Penkman is well known for her magnificent food-inspired semi-photorealistic paintings and was moved to paint food because, “It is something everyone can relate to. It can hold memories, tell stories, explore national and local identity, and make us hungry”. We created our own boards inspired by her work and included information about her that we found from independent research. For example, the New Zealand born artist uses egg tempera (made from pure pigment and egg yolk) which is an older painting method rarely used after the creation of oil

paint. The fast-drying paint is built up over many layers to create a saturated, matt finish. We have also spent time studying the work of American artist Roy Lichtenstein and emulated his signature comicstrip style pieces. For the main ‘character’ of our own comics we were challenged to select an item of food from our kitchen cupboards and bring this to life on paper. The work was largely inspired by the iconic Pop Art movement which is why we use bright colours, patterns and simplistic designs. Personally, I really enjoyed doing both of these projects but am now fully immersed in our new topic of self portraits.

Second success for Jasmine in Maths Challenge

We would like to congratulate Jasmine Osborn, Year 8, on being awarded a prize by Newcastle University for her entry in the 2021 Maths Challenge. The challenge receives thousands of entries from pupils across the North East each year, making the standard of competition extremely high and only a handful of individuals are selected to win prizes. This is the second year in a row that Jasmine has won a prize which is an incredible achievement. Excellent work Jasmine, you should be very proud of your superb skills in Mathematics.

Year 9 Battle of the Bands

After an unprecedented hiatus, it was an absolute pleasure to see our Hall at Senior School once again being used as a Performing Arts venue. Girls in Year 9 spent the afternoon watching and performing in what is a traditional event at NHSG, known as ‘Battle of the Bands’,

overseen by Head of Music, Mr Newey. All Year 9 form classes were invited to take part and showcase their musical talents in front of peers. The sound of live entertainment and cheers of encouragement from the girls heard on Tuesday 25th May was, quite simply, music to our

ears! Congratulations to Oceans 7 from 9SPE, pictured below, who were crowned this year’s winner of our much-loved friendly musical contest. Well done also to our runners-up: 2067, The Last Ones Standing and The 6 Dynamics.

Examinations in GCSE and A Level Dance It has been a very challenging year for everyone in education and our Dance department have certainly felt the impact of being away from the Dance studio. However, since NHSG reopened for all pupils, the girls have been incredibly driven and determined not only in their practical lessons, but extra sessions both during lunch time and after school, in preparation for their practical examinations. The exams took place on Wednesday12th May and our GCSE Dance pupils were filmed executing three pieces of dance, marked on technical and performance qualities as well as skills in choreography. The girls explored the use of stimuli and props including a Banksy portrait, a bible and an umbrella. The A Level examination also involved being filmed for three pieces comprising a solo based on the work of a chosen choreographer; choreography based on a stimuli ranging from an exploration of the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ and its impact on marine life and humans to Henri CartierBresson’s photograph Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare (1932) and a quartet based on The Statement by Crystal Pite for Netherlands Dance Theatre. NHSG Dance teacher, Mrs Hylton, said “I am so proud of the girls and the commitment they have shown to the discipline of Dance. On examination day I was truly blown away by the level of talent we have in the school but mostly I have been impressed

by their work ethic and unwavering support for one another.”

Disco Bingo for pupil wellbeing day Even an international pandemic can’t stop the music for too long! As part of a series of activites held on Wellbeing Day on Thursday 1st April, girls in Years 10, 11 and 13 were invited to take part in an uplifting session of Disco Bingo. The Ski Trip Disco Bingo sets are legendary thanks to the infectious energy of Mrs Peach, who was, of course, covered in sequins for this momentous occasion. After a rather troubling few months surrounding the pandemic, this light-hearted musical activity could not come soon enough! We witnessed dance-offs, desk-jives, line dancing and other unique genres of dance, possibly never seen outside of the walls of of Tankerville Sports Hall! After many months of restrictions, this jolly session provided just the tonic to lift the spirits of both pupils and staff. The girls who took part left NHSG with novelty prizes in tow and ready to start the Easter holiday on a high. Bingo skills and wellbeing were well and truly boosted.