In The Picture - February/March Issue 2021

In the

• Junior and Senior School Edition •

February/March Issue 2021

A cracking time to be back in school!

Where girls learn without limits

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Flying the flags for the return to NHSG

It was a huge relief for our whole school community when it was confirmed that pupils would be able to return to school from Monday 8th March. Even though our excellent Guided Home Learning programme meant that all our pupils were able to continue with live lessons and with learning, we were all very much ready to be back in the physical classrooms.

One hurdle to overcome before this could happen however was

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the mass asymptomatic testing of all staff and all pupils at our Senior School – something that all schools had been tasked with by the Government. Every member of staff and pupil needed to complete three lateral flow Covid tests at school, the first of which had to be completed before being allowed back into school.

There was no doubt that this was a major logistical exercise and yet another of those situations that we couldn’t have imagined 12 months ago. Our

staff and volunteer helpers were outstanding in bringing this about, not just in undertaking roles very different to usual and in converting one of our sports halls into a giant testing centre, but also in the compassion and support they gave the staff and pupils being tested. Their work made the process as efficient and painless as possible, and also meant that all NHSG pupils could be back in school from Day 1 which we felt was so important for the pupils. It was an incredible achievement.

Day 1, the 8th March, had a great sense of occasion about it and the flags (and balloons) were flying at Junior School in preparation for it. It was real joy to see the school filled with pupils just as it should be. First day nerves were eased by our form teachers and the wider pastoral team and girls spent time in their forms and classes reacquainting themselves with one another and the routines of school. Other than the wearing of masks in classrooms at Senior School as well as in communal areas, the restrictions in place in school were familiar as they are very similar to those that were in place when the girls were last in school in December. Class bubbles, social distancing and plenty of hand washing are still very much the order of the day.

Despite all of this, the girls have been eager and excited to be back in school with their classmates and going about their school day routines.

It also seemed somehow appropriate that we returned to school on International Women’s Day, and we

launched our annual school competition at Senior School which you can read more about on page 11.

We know how much the girls have missed seeing their friends and at the end of the first week back at school, we held a pastoral based afternoon where girls, in their bubbles, were able to get involved in activities outside of their usual lessons such as yoga and dodgeball at Senior School, and take part in a class slumber party at Junior School.

Bunny hopping, egg rolling and other Easter activities combined with our whole school well being day for the last day of term have meant that the girls have been able to have some enjoyable times with friends, relax and let off a bit of steam.

It was a wonderful way to end what has been a challenging start to 2021 and we are looking forward to a more settled Summer term.

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Junior School Virtual Talent Show Thursday 11th February, the last day of school before the February half-term break, saw a very exciting event take place, one which allowed us to showcase the huge variety of talent we have here at Junior School. All girls, from Nursery to Year 6, were invited to take part in our very first Virtual Talent Show by submitting a video on Teams to showcase their special skills. To add to the excitement, it was a House competition so the girls were vying to see their colour ribbons on the coveted cup!

Would it be red (Mauretania), yellow (Turbinia), blue (Acadia) or green (Carpathia)?

Entries to the ‘show’ came flooding in immediately and by the time of the submission deadline we had received over 100, highlighting two signature traits of NHSG girls; confidence and creativity! We observed a huge array of talents, everything from hula hooping to dog training, joke telling, gymnastics, dancing, crocheting, drawing, instrument playing, musical theatre, singing and video making.

Pupils and parents across the whole school were provided with the link to tune in and witness the amazing skills of NHSG girls at the same time.

After another lengthy period of lockdown, we felt this was a fantastic way to bring our community together and share in the joy of these special talents.

It’s safe to say that viewers were taken aback by the diversity of activities through

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which the girls chose to express themselves and our special guest judge, alumna of Central High and West End actress, Alice Stokoe (pictured above), was thoroughly impressed.

After a lengthy judging process (each House video was 30 minutes long!), Alice began with a number of special mentions: Best Costume - Poppy Taylor from Turbinia, who had a fantastic Freddie Mercury costume and showcased some excellent tap dancing skills.

Best Choreography - Esme Van Bedaf from Carpathia with some stunning gymnastics to a very dramatic soundtrack.

Special mention to Charlotte Wright from Turbinia who showcased some great choreography in her performance of I Will Survive.

Best Video Production - Jessica Gould from Turbinia with her extraterrestrial mini blockbuster featuring some brilliant trombone playing.

Most Inventive - Darcy Salmon from Acadia, with her guide on How to Stay Safe from Covid (Hogwarts Style).

Best Instrumental Performance Vivienne Poon from Acadia with her very skilled and beautiful piano playing.

Best Singing Performance - Ella Baron from Mauretania with her rendition of When I Grow Up.

Best Magic Trick - Imogen Healer from Carpathia.

Best Joke Teller - Aaradhya Sharma from Turbinia, who delivered the jokes very clearly and confidently with great comic timing!

Most Creative - Niharika Sreekishnakumar from Carpathia with her beautifully artistic drawings. Special mention to Aarya Shastri who showcased her crochet skills alongside her violin playing skills.

Best Dance performance - Betsy Goldfinch from Mauretania, with her very impressive performance from High School Musical.

Finally, after great anticipation, Alice announced the House Winner...Mauretania! She remarked “The winning House showed how singing, dancing and performing of any kind can be a excellent way of expressing your emotions, and they did so in such varied and imaginative ways. There were some really strong performances from Mauretania - special mentions to Sophie de Pinna for her wonderful dancing, and Marianne Tuton for her excellent drumming.”

Thank you to Alice for taking the time to be our judge and congratulations to all girls who took part, bringing the Virtual Talent Show to life and ending the half-term on a real high.

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GDST girls gather (virtually) in appreciation of Art Over the last five weeks, Year 3 teachers and Art coordinators across the GDST have taken part in a special Art Collaboration Project, the first of its kind within our network of schools, with a focus on the life and work of British Female Artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Bridget Riley and Maggi Hambling.

Each week, a new task was set based on a different artist and the girls in Year 3 were given complete creative freedom to interpret and tackle the task as they saw fit. This led to a broad range of imaginative solutions in relation to the theme. A Star Artist was randomly chosen from each NHSG class to accompany Mr Bosworth on the weekly Teams meeting to discuss their creative processes and present the resulting artwork with the rest of the GDST Art community. Mr Bosworth said: “The girls have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this collaborative project. It’s been a wonderful opportunity for them to work on a largescale Art challenge alongside girls from other schools, broadening both their social network and creative horizons.”

A full gallery of the work that was entered will be available next term to celebrate everyone’s achievements and artistic creations.

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Year 4 gripped by tales from the Globe On Thursday 26th March, Year 4 embarked on a Shakespearean adventure from the comfort of the classroom to complement their studies of Shakespeare.

Despite the restrictions of lockdown, the girls were able to take part in an exciting virtual tour of the theatre, giving them a rich understanding of what theatre was like in Shakespeare’s time and how an audience might have experienced the play.

The girls also enjoyed a practical interactive online workshop on the story of Macbeth, live from the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse which was modelled on the indoor theatres of Shakespeare’s London. They engaged in a range of activities and games designed to draw out elements of the plays’ language, characters and themes. The session helped them immerse themselves into the world of Shakespeare’s chilling tale.

Pages 17-19 show three excellent poems written by Year 4 pupils, inspired by Shakespeare’s famous spell.

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A window into work of Wassily Kandinsky with Year 5 Year 5 have really shown their artistic flair this term. They have focussed on the works of Wassily Kandinsky, Russian painter and art theorist famed for his colourful abstract artwork. The girls have done an excellent job reproducing his signature style using oil pastels.

The girls have also spent some time crafting beautiful artwork for family members in advance of Mothering Sunday.

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A grateful goodbye to outgoing Head Girl Team Monday 22nd March saw the formal handover of reins in a Senior school assembly from the 2020/2021 Sixth Form Leadership Team to the newly appointed 2021/2022 Team. This is always a poignant moment in the school year, never more so than this year.

A huge tribute must be given to the outgoing team brilliantly led by Head Girl Sam Rocks, and Deputy Head Girls Maya Torres and Hafsah Shah. Their tenure will be marked by the pandemic but also by the way they and the Sixth Form Leadership Team have supported the school and the pupils they represent.

They, and the whole of Year 13, are confident, self-assured young women and we wish them the best of everything as they prepare for the final few weeks of their school education, the shape of which could not have been envisaged when they entered Sixth Form in September 2019.

The outgoing Sixth Form Leadership Team undertook much important work including an excellent school assembly on mental health and a more recent one, presented with the incoming team, about issues relating to female sexual harassment which you can read about on page 26.

We hope you enjoy learning a bit more about our new Head Girl team; Isabelle Evans, Imogen Semple and Francseca Cooke and the rest of their plans for the coming year.

Head Girl Team 2020-2021 Sam Rocks, Hafsah Shah and Maya Torres

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ISABELLE EVANS HEAD GIRL

2021/2022 Hi, I’m Isabelle! I am currently studying Biology, Geography and Fine Art at A Level, as well as an AS Level in Maths and for the Gold Arts Award. My goal is to study a Geography related subject at university but I’m not exactly sure what yet!

I am absolutely over the moon with being appointed Head Girl this year and am really excited to work with Imogen, Francesca and the rest of the leadership team to make a real difference. Since Year 7, I have thrown myself head first at any opportunity that school has given, allowing me to explore every single one of my interests. This includes participating in the school musicals annually, as well as extra singing and speech and drama lessons, all of which have allowed me to express myself outside of my subject areas and fulfill my passion for Performing Arts. As well as this, I participate in Geography club which allows girls to build further knowledge in this subject, beyond the set curriculum.

I am passionate in everything that I do so being given the chance to represent the school this year is a dream come true. I have a real appreciation for the amazing platform that NHSG provides for girls, encouraging them to be the best they can be academically, but more importantly supporting them in being unapologetically themselves. I hope to show how lucky we are (especially recently) for all the opportunities we have, and I strive to encourage girls to make the most of them. I also hope to be someone who inspires those around me by being professional but also showing that you can have fun at the same time!

FUN FACTS ABOUT ISABELLE! My favourite book is ...

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh .

My happy place is…

On stage performing!

I relax by...

Just being with my friends.

I love to watch…

Any sort of crime fiction show.

If I could eat one meal forever it would be...

Chicken wraps!

Any phobias?..

The ocean and being sick.

Weird and wonderful fact about me...

I love cheese and jam on toast, try it!

My favourite quote is...

“Your words and ideas can change the world.”

In my eyes, NHSG is a home for girls who have a passion and buzz for their education both now and also in the future. NHSG has shaped me into the person I am today and has encouraged me to aim high in all aspects of my life. I am excited for my time as Head Girl and for my future, whatever it may be!

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FRANCESCA COOKE DEPUTY HEAD GIRL

2021/2022 Hey, I’m Francesca! I am currently studying Spanish, Geography and Business at A Level as well as completing an EPQ. I’m hoping to study Spanish at university before undertaking a Law Conversion course.

FUN FACTS ABOUT FRANCESCA!

I am absolutely thrilled to have been appointed to the role of Deputy Head Girl and I can’t wait to begin working with the leadership team as well as working closely alongside Imogen and Isabelle in order to drive change and leave our mark on the school.

NHSG has provided me with so many fantastic opportunities, from the Sports Tour in Australia to participating in the school musicals and I have loved every moment. I feel that it is now my time to give something back!

My happy place is…

On a boat in Greece.

Throughout my time at school, I have always taken advantage of the opportunities available to me, including becoming a Young Language Leader and Learning Coach to younger girls in the school. I was also encouraged to further explore my passion for the Arts and designed outfits for the school fashion show. I always grasp any opportunities presented to me with both hands and ensure that I make the most of them! I will forever be thankful to NHSG for motivating me to try my hardest in all areas of life while making the best memories along the way. I’m so excited for this next chapter of my life to unfold and to see all that it will bring! I hope to be an inspiring role model who girls can look up to and know that they can achieve great things.

If I could eat one meal forever it would be...

Homemade pizzas.

While I am looking forward to the future, for the time-being I’m going to make sure I cherish the special moments I have left at NHSG. Although my remaining time at school will fly by, there is plenty of time to make memories with the amazing people I’ve met and to make a difference. Here’s to the future!

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My favourite book is ...

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I relax by...

Listening to music.

I love to watch…

Anything that’s not scary.

Any phobias?..

Spiders and heights.

Weird and wonderful fact about me...

I love knitting!

My favourite quote is...

“Believe you can and you’re half way there.”

IMOGEN SEMPLE

DEPUTY HEAD GIRL

2021/2022 Hi! I’m Imogen and I’m currently studying Business, Politics and Religious Studies at A Level along with completing an EPQ. In the future I would love to pursue a career in Law or Politics however I am currently undecided!

FUN FACTS ABOUT IMOGEN!

I was so shocked to have been elected for the role of Deputy Head Girl but am really excited about what this year has to bring. One of the best things for me about being given this role is the people that I am going to be working with. Isabelle, Francesca and the whole leadership team are amazing and we can’t wait to get stuck in.

My happy place is…

Skiing down a mountain.

Throughout my school career at NHSG I have benefitted from so many amazing opportunities such as participating in school forum, helping at Junior School and travelling to Australia with my closest friends to compete in Hockey. Not only have these opportunities allowed me to create memories that I will have with me forever but to better myself in so many ways. At NHSG my confidence has increased hugely and I owe a lot of this to the fact that the staff at NHSG are always encouraging us to ‘step outside the box’ and pursue all of our passions. NHSG allows me to focus on not only on my academic work but my other passions in Sport.

Before Covid-19 I was able to take part in regular matches and tournaments as well as take trips to competitions in the UK and beyond.

This year I cannot wait to get involved with all the girls across all Year Groups (even if it has to be through a computer screen) and encourage them to believe that with a little motivation anything is possible, as I have proven to myself.

My favourite book is ...

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

I relax by...

Watching Gogglebox with my Mum. I love to watch…

Romance movies or anything with a happy ending.

If I could eat one meal forever it would be...

My Mum’s pasta bake.

Any phobias?..

The ocean and cows.

Weird and wonderful fact about me...

Brussel sprouts are probably my favourite vegetable.

My favourite quote is...

“It’s already yours.”

Being Deputy Head Girl does mean that my remaining time at NHSG is shorter than I would like it to be, so it is a little bittersweet in that sense, but I am grateful that my final years at school will be spent doing things that I am passionate about. Equally, I am excited to embark on my future beyond school with the tools NHSG have given me, to tackle anything that journey may bring.

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Head Girl team commence duties with hard-hitting topic

On Monday 22nd March, the incoming Head Girl Team (Isabelle, Francesca and Imogen) teamed up with the outgoing Head Girl Team (Sam, Maya and Hafsah) to present a hard-hitting assembly to Senior School girls about the pressing issue of female sexual harassment, with particular reference to the current Sarah Everard case which has sent shockwaves through the nation in recent weeks. The assembly began with Sam, Maya and Hafsah informing the whole school about the meaning of sexual assault, the details of Sarah Everard’s case and the racial bias in the media surrounding cases of sexual assault.

The assembly allowed the girls watching the virtual assembly to take part through an interactive survey led by Isabelle, in which girls could answer questions from classrooms in the safety of their social bubbles. Although the questions were concerned with a sensitive topic, answers remained anonymous. When asked whether they or someone they knew had been subject to sexual harassment, 157 Senior School girls said yes, 40 said no and 49 said maybe. When

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asked if they would be happy to report sexual harassment to an adult, 51 said yes, 76 said no, and 107 said maybe. The reasons given as barriers to reporting were stigma, embarrassment, not being taken seriously, and victim blaming.

Francesca then discussed the changes that have been brought about in light of current events including Everyone’s Invited, a movement committed to eradicating rape culture and Reclaim These Streets, concerning women’s public safety, triggered by Sarah’s devastating murder.

Imogen concluded the assembly by summarising the urgency of the situation and encouraging girls to get involved where possible to make a difference and drive change. Together, girls compiled a list of resources and useful petitions which have since been shared around the school to encourage participation and to offer support for any girl who may be struggling with issues in relation to this topic.

To follow up the assembly, in the following week Senior School girls were asked to complete another anonymous survey on the subject. The resulting data will be shared with local MPs and Northumbria Police and we will then talk to them about possible next steps.

Our new Head Girl Team have already proven that they are prepared to tackle any issue, no matter how sensitive, and we look forward to seeing even more of their impactful work in the coming months.

An insight into Law in practice and plans for LawSoc at NHSG On Wednesday 24th March, aspiring Lawyers Jessica Spearman and Imogen Semple, Year 12, took part in an exclusive Zoom event hosted by the Newcastle office of global Law Firm, Eversheds Sutherland. The event comprised a number of interactive Law-based exercises for the girls to tackle as well as providing a rich insight into life as a Lawyer. Jessica’s report below details how she found the experience.

On the 24th March, Imogen Semple and I took part in the online Life as a Lawyer event run by Eversheds Sutherland, a leading global law firm. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it is more and more difficult to secure work placements, and gain insight into different professions. When this opportunity arose we both jumped at the opportunity! The event lasted from 9.30 a.m. until 3.30 p.m. and was filled with various workshops and exercises that sought to provide an insight into the role of a lawyer, the work involved in different practice groups and what it would be like to work at the firm.

lawyers too! Fortunately, this all went well and I felt myself growing more confident throughout the day and during the advocacy task, my debating skills encouraged me to engage in discussion more.

The fact the day was online really exemplified how quickly the legal sector has had to adapt and this showed that law is an ever-changing environment which may be unexpected to some.

Regardless, this day was incredibly insightful, interesting, and incredibly fun.

Prior to the event, I was fortunately given the role of running our LawSoc at NHSG next year, and I knew that I should use the day to begin networking and contact many of the speakers, with the hope that I could later ask them to give guest talks about their time in the legal profession. Due to the current situation, it will hopefully be easier to get a wider range of speakers, as I’m sure our newly founded technology skills will allow us to

connect from any distance!

Personally, my favourite part of the day was the talk given by a barrister from Parklane Plowdon, as this is the route I hope to go down after university. This talk was engaging and really motivated me to work hard now and whilst hopefully studying Law at university. One of the speakers I plan on inviting to deliver a talk at school is from this set of chambers, and I hope this excites other pupils to attend LawSoc and inspires them to consider Law as a career option in the future.

Overall, the day was a great success and Imogen and I learnt so much. We would like to thank not only Eversheds Sutherland for hosting us on the day, but also Mrs Ridley, who provided us with this opportunity among many others! We both had a great day and would suggest that if anyone is thinking of a particular career, the best way to learn is via insight days and work experience.

There were a number of Eversheds Sutherland employees present throughout the day, with a wide range of backgrounds and experience, who were more than happy to answer any of our questions.

One of the most daunting parts of the day was the use of breakout rooms, where we had to discuss advocacy negotiations, all the while making contacts with future

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Debating and Public Speaking News The international Finals of both Cambridge and Oxford Debating Competitions have taken place this month and, as previously, announced we had teams at both this year. Having the events online means that even more top teams from all over the world can take part and just to be there was a tremendous achievement for Emma Gibson, Ishika Jha, Liyanah Riyaz and Emma Scanlon.

All of the girls did very well, getting firsts and seconds throughout the days, but Emma and Ishika should be specially congratulated for coming 35th out of 132 teams at Oxford – they were easily the top North East team on the day!

In Public Speaking, last Friday, Mishka Bari-Jones, Emily Beckett and Emy Chen were in the Northern heat of the English Speaking Union competition, having previously won the North East heat. This was also on Zoom but we stayed in school for it, leading to the bizarre sight of the three girls all in separate corners of Room 17, all talking to their computers!

Sadly they didn’t win and therefore qualify for the National Final, but can take comfort from the fact that they came second by the narrowest of margins, to St Peter’s School in York. Mishka was named Best Chair of the night, and Emily and Emy were both runners-up in their roles of Speaker and Questioner.

They can’t wait to have another go in Year 11!

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Tycoon team overcome tough Covid-19 trading conditions

This year some of our Year 12 pupils are taking part in the Peter Jones Foundation Tycoon Challenge, a unique national enterprise competition for school pupils aged 6 to 18.

Every participating team writes a business plan, is lent money, starts a business and trades, competing with other student companies through a sophisticated kickstarter style platform in a safe and controlled environment.

The Tycoon team at NHSG have set up their own mini enterprise called Clip It, selling a wide range of hair accessories and earrings. As a result of Covid-19 they have been faced with a number of challenges in terms of trading, however through resilience,

critical thinking and sheer hard work they have been able to overcome these in order to make a profit.

Thank you to Lindsey Phillips from Sage Group who has worked alongside the girls as their business advisor, sharing valuable hints and tips.

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NHSG twice triumphant in shortlist for TES awards

On Friday 26th March we were delighted to receive news that Newcastle High School for Girls had been shortlisted by the Times Educational Supplement (TES) Independent Schools Awards for our contribution in not one but two categories; Marketing Campaign and School Partnerships.

The TES Independent School Awards celebrates excellence and innovation across the sector so to be recognised in this way is a huge honour. Specifically, the Marketing Award recognises a powerful and effective strategy used to promote the school and the Partnership Award recognises initiatives that involve working and cooperating effectively with a state school or schools, with clear benefits to all parties. It was wonderful to see that many of our fellow GDST schools were shortlisted across various categories, evidencing the pioneering approach of our organisation.

Winners are to be announced in a special virtual awards ceremony on Friday 30th April so we look forward to this with great anticipation!

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