In The Picture - Junior and Senior School issue - Jan/Feb 2021

In the • Junior and Senior School Edition •

Issue January/February 2021

EXPLORER DAY Learn more about the adventures of our intrepid explorers at Junior School within!

Where girls learn without limits

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Early Years take Science out of this world!

Technology lesson during which they spent some time researching what makes practical head-wear in Space and sourcing materials to design and create their own Space helmets. They also investigated what happens to different materials in freezing conditions to make conclusions about which of them would be most suitable for fashioning a Space suit.

Later, the girls made their own ‘Space food’ to eat and used their imaginative English skills to write a list of the useful items they would pack in their bags if they were to travel to Space.

They brought their ideas to life with role-play and listened to music by the composer Gustav Holst who was best known for his orchestral suite, The Planets.

Before recording their day of learning using technology, they listened to stories from female astronauts and felt inspired by the achievements of these successful space travellers.

Science in the Early Years Foundation Stage is covered in the ‘Understanding the World’ area of the EYFS curriculum.

It is introduced indirectly through activities that encourage the girls to explore, problem-solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions and talk about the world around them.

School girls were engaged in Explorer Day and Reception were no exception. The day provided an opportunity for the girls to immerse themselves in all things related to the theme of ‘exploration’ including numerous Science-based learning opportunities which were inspired by fabulous female explorers.

On 1st February, all Junior

The girls began their day with a

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All of this planned purposeful learning took place both in school for children of critical workers and at home as part of the exciting Guided Home Learning programme that the girls and parents alike are embracing so well.

Based on the girls’ enthusiasm during Explorer Day, we’re confident we have a Reception class full of fantastic future scientists and explorers!

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Polar Exploration in Year 1

While EYFS girls were busy in Space, girls in Year 1 have enjoyed a range of cocurricular activities based on the theme of Explorers, with a particular focus on polar exploration.

Explorer Day saw our intrepid Year 1 explorers meet with their travelling companions (via a live Teams session, of course)!

The girls donned their homemade explorer hats and showed their friends what they had deemed necessary to pack in their bags for an expedition.

Later in the day they had the opportunity to write about the items they had chosen in more detail. Objects included binoculars, maps, cuddly toys and even a metal detector!

them to take part in a range of suggested activities, such as building a den and going on a winter’s walk to record important discoveries. The girls also learnt about the British polar explorer Felicity Aston MBE and her incredible journeys which have earned her a place in the book of Guinness World Records.

postcard home from either the Arctic or Antarctic, explaining what they saw and did during their polar exploration.

Later in the week, the girls were given the opportunity to create polar inspired Art, focusing on the Northern Lights and collages of polar animals. They also had great fun with ice in Science, making predictions about tasks such as how best to free a toy figure from a block of ice with items such as salt. They even had the chance to see if they could make ice grow!

All of the girls were provided The week culminated in the with a special explorer passport girls’ Big Write session where to complete which encouraged they planned and wrote a

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Year 2 head to the coldest places on Earth Explorer Day for Year 2 also involved the girls imagining they were heading to the coldest places on Earth – the Arctic and the Antarctic!

The girls had an action-packed day of learning which began with gathering together their own exploration kits, including bags, hats, compasses, maps, notepads, fishing rods, whistles, binoculars, telescopes, goggles, mittens and rations. Many of these items were homemade which made their collection of exploratory equipment even more impressive.

The girls also spent some time reading about polar animals as well as learning about Felicity Aston MBE, the English explorer and former climate scientist who was the first person in the world to cross Antarctica alone!

The girls were then invited to put their engineering and innovation skills to the test by making their own igloos and camps so they could feel like real explorers themselves!

Later, Year 2 enjoyed wintery walks around where they live, and concluded their adventurous learning journey by writing polar adventure stories during their Big Write session.

All of the girls have worked superbly during this half term’s Teams online lessons and are continuing to make very good progress.

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Learning adventures in Years 3 and 4 There was a definite buzz in the air on 1st of February as the girls in Years 3 and 4 geared up for their day of exploration.

They had made their explorer hats and packed their backpacks in advance, ready to set off on their learning journey to places far and wide.

The day started with the girls receiving their NHSG Explorer’s Passport. As a reward for completing a range of activities throughout the week, the girls were given a letter to spell out a mystery word. Once they had all the letters, the girls had to work out what word they could make.

During their English lessons this week, the girls were asked to write diary entries thinking about how they would feel the night before they set off on their amazing adventures. The girls planned to visit a vast variety of places ranging from going in a submarine to explore the wreck of the Titanic, to using a time machine to explore what the Earth has in store for future generations.

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by Amy Sutherland

by Holly Thompson

by Heidi Jacobson

by Ella Leven

by Mya Maan

by Poppy Taylor

by Sadie Miller Lady Hester Stanhope by Mya Maan Annie Smith Peck by Poppy Taylor Mary Kinglsey by Amy Sutherland Isabella Bird by Holly Thompsom Lady Hester Stanhope by Ella Leven Mary Kingsley by Heidi Jacobson Lady Hester Stanhope by Sadie Miller

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A Shakespearean storytelling to remember puppy. It was decided it would be Freddy!

On Thursday 28th January, Junior School pupils enjoyed a live online Shakespearean storytelling with the Globe Theatre. Hundreds of GDST girls came together from across the country for a thrilling live interactive performance of The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare. The event, part of a collaboration between the Girls’ Day School Trust and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, was the first in ‘A Shakespearean Spring at the Globe’, an exclusive series of online storytellings, performances and workshops designed to immerse younger GDST pupils in the world of Shakespeare’s plays.

Girls from Years 3 and 4 logged on for the first performance, an exciting and engaging abridged performance of Shakespeare’s time-travelling, country-hopping play of misunderstandings, jealousy and a scary bear. It was performed by seasoned Globe actor and director Scott Brooksbank and involved

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magic, props and some participation from the audience.

Scott presented the Shakespearean story with great verve, ably assisted at times by a special audience: one pupil from each GDST school had been invited to join a virtual front row, in our case Annabelle Whitton from Year 3.

The front row guests were there to help with the show’s interactive elements, such as deciding what the King and Queen might eat for breakfast and even the name of the royal

After the live show, the girls discussed the performance and gave opinions on the characters and plot. They then discussed the creativity behind the costumes and how effective costume design can impact how we think or feel about a character. The workshops and performances led to some interesting tasks including designing costumes and drawing contrasting settings of Bohemia and Sicilia. Some of the girls wrote persuasive letters to King Polixines, while others took a photo or video of the re-imagined ending of ‘exit pursued by a bear’. There was much fun had by all. What a brilliant experience!

The next live storytelling for GDST girls with the Globe was a performance of ‘The Tempest’ just before the half term break for pupils in Reception, Years 1 and 2 and a live performance of Henry VI will take place after half term for Years 5 and 6.

We’ll be reporting on each of these in our next edition of In The Picture.

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Hockney inspired photography in Year 5 Year 5 have been learning about painter David Hockney during their Guided Home Learning Art lessons. Hockney is considered to be one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century but is a particularly relevant subject for current learning given that he has produced a lot of his Art in recent years using his iPad, just as our girls are doing!

The girls discovered that Hockney became fascinated by photography during a particular stage of his career and used an old Polaroid camera to take photographs of people, which he then put together in a photo collage portrait he referred to as ‘joiners’. Year 5 used their iPad cameras and the Procreate app to produce their own Hockneyinspired joiner self-portraits.

Brilliant work, girls.

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Year 6 emulate explorers past and present Girls in Year 6 spent their Explorer Day delving into the history of famous female explorers and adventurers and comparing them to lives of their modern day counterparts. As part of this exciting topic, the girls took advantage of the creative photography skills they had developed during the Autumn term and took photographs of themselves emulating some of these famous figures, using special effects to add weather elements and a vintage look and feel. Sarah and Mrinal (pictured bottom left) dressed up as Amy Johnson, a pioneering English pilot who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia. Girls in school (pictured top left) replicating a number of famous polar explorers.

They girls also produced miniature books which became custom passports for an explorer of their choice, displaying stamps belonging to all the countries they had visited. Building on the idea of micro-adventures and the trials and tribulations of the miniature characters in Mary Norton’s book, Year 6 also recorded videos of themselves exploring a familiar room in their house from the perspective of a ‘Borrower’.

Looking ahead to next term, Years 5 and 6 will be extending their topic of exploration by participating in an online talk with real life adventurer, Dave Cornthwaite. Dave is famous for his ‘self-propelled’ motivation to embark on 1,000 mile long treks, with an ethos about saying ‘yes’ and living life on your own terms, so it is sure to be an uplifting session for the girls in Upper Key Stage 2.

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NHSG triumph in Top of the Rocks competition

During the final week of January, GDST Junior Schools took part in an exciting Maths competition. The GDST Maths Junior Rock Out 2021 was open to Years 4, 5 and 6 via an online platform. The friendly competition was designed to be engaging while improving the girls’ arithmetic. Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “You will see children delighted with the sense of achievement which comes from mastering mathematical knowledge.”

Each correct answer to a multiplication or division question earned the girls a point for their class and The Times Tables Rock Stars platform calculated the class average. We were thrilled to see NHSG occupying top spots in the league table throughout the competition and they finished in an impressive 5th place out of all GDST schools.

Laila Ahmad, Year 6, achieved an amazing individual performance of 2nd place out

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of every girl involved! 6J gave the best overall performance out of the six KS3 form groups involved.

Well done girls, we are so proud of our NHSG Maths maestros!

We are delighted to announce the next two events in March.

Thursday 4th March 6.00 p.m. on Zoom

Dr Nihara Krause- The Science of Motivation - Helping Your Children To Keep Going With the cancellation of exams and the extended lockdown, many young people are experiencing a certain lethargy, a lack of desire to study, and a feeling of ‘what’s the point?’ Whilst we are all doing our best to ‘keep on keeping on’, it can be a challenge to maintain motivation and engagement. How can we help our children to focus on the future and to keep on going?

Dr Nihara Krause is a highly experienced and award-winning Consultant Clinical Psychologist who specialises in adolescent and adult mental health. She has contributed to government discussion on mental health, is the founder of teenage mental health charity stem4 and has created four globally successful mental health apps. In this session, Dr Krause will be explaining the science behind motivation and sharing tips and advice to help parents support their children through the coming months.

This event is suitable for parents with children in Years 7-13.

To book your place, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/x/gdst-talks-the-science-of-motivation-helpingyour-children-to-keep-going-tickets-140050804727

Thursday 18th March 6.00 p.m. on Zoom Emma Gleadhill - Getting Your Daughter Through Puberty

Casting our minds back to our teenage years will bring some of us happy memories and make others shudder with relief that they’re over. However you experienced this tricky period, watching your daughter negotiate adolescence can come with its own set of challenges and upsets. In addition, the fact that many of today’s parents chose to have their children later in life has created the potential complication of peri/menopause and puberty colliding to create some difficult family dynamics. And where do fathers come in?

Emma Gleadhill is an educator and specialist in child and adolescent development. With over 20 years of experience in education, including 6 years as Deputy Head, Emma’s work centres on relationships, mental health, wellbeing and the emotional aspects of parenting. She brings researchbased insights into what drives human behaviour and family dynamics, and how small tweaks can make a big impact in our relationships with ourselves and with others. She will be sharing her experience and advice on how the different types of modern family can support their children through puberty with family relationships and wellbeing intact.

This event is suitable for parents with children in Years 6-13.

To book your place, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gdst-talks-helping-your-daughter-throughpuberty-tickets-140304481481

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Doing the Debating double in Senior School We are very pleased that one of the activities that has continued unabated during lockdown is Debating. As we found in the summer, it lends itself particularly well to online platforms such as Zoom and Teams and, indeed, all competitions have now been held online since March last year.

As is our custom at NHSG, we entered teams for both the Cambridge and Oxford competitions this year. We have a long and successful history of qualifying for Finals’ Day, which is of course always – until last year – held in the revered Union Society of each university, a streak which was

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continued last year when Liv Urwin and Jessica Spearman qualified for Finals, only to have it cancelled at the last minute as the country went into full lockdown.

Liv and Jess were back in the ring on this occasion, with Cambridge qualifiers on Saturday 16th and Oxford on Thursday 21st January, along with our other experienced debaters and some brave Year 10 novices, who would probably not have been able to compete had the events been held ‘live’ as usual.

We are thrilled that, from both qualifiers, we have got teams through to both Finals’ Days in

March, a feat that we have only achieved once before.

Successful in breaking to Cambridge were Emma Gibson and Ishika Jha, who both also made it through to Oxford, with teammates Liyanah Riyaz and Emma Scanlon.

Even though the girls will sadly not have the special experience of attending the competitions in person at Oxford and Cambridge this time round, I am sure they will all rise to the occasion, and have set themselves up very well for next year, when we all earnestly hope that Debating will return to the hallowed rooms of Frewin Court and Round Church Street.

NHSG reaches semi-finals of coveted Chrystall Prize The GDST Chrystall Prize is named in memory of Chrystall Carter, long-time Legal adviser to the GDST. It was set up by her husband, Richard, in her memory and to mark her commitment to the girls in the schools she represented, her pleasure in their success and her belief in the power of reasoned argument.

Arguably one of the most prestigious prize across the GDST, it is open to girls in Year 11 who must speak for seven minutes without visual aids, hold the audience’s attention, engage their interest and then take three minutes of questions.

This is no mean feat, particularly as Covid-19 prevention measures meant that the competition had to be hosted digitally for the first time.

We are immensely grateful to our IT team and the judges who successfully wrestled with the technology and we should congratulate all the competitors who brilliantly rose to meet the challenge of presenting to a virtual audience from home.

The five finalists did not shy away from tackling issues of the day. Our own Emma Scanlon opened the afternoon on the subject of the UK’s weapons trade ‘To our shame the UK is the second largest exporter of arms in the world. Discuss’.

Described by the judges as a ‘force to be reckoned with’, Emma’s powerful argument was strongly supported by her outstanding responses to some very tough questions.

Emma was followed by Hava

Janjua from Nottingham High School who spoke thoughtfully on ‘Being young is overrated’.

Next up was Millie Sadiq who presented a compelling argument for tackling Islamophobia and the false representation of Muslims and Muslim stereotypes through education with ‘Do the general public think that all Muslims are terrorists’. Next up was Rose Bridsen from Birkenhead who convincingly persuaded us that without money, it is difficult to live in a moral society with ‘Morals or Money: Which one is necessary to survive?’

Last but not least, Jess from Belvedere Academy proposed with great conviction that it was time to disrupt the established educational system with ‘Given

the recent focus on alternate ways of assessing student performance, is it time to abolish GCSEs?’ The judges deliberated at length and clearly found the quality of research, understanding and delivery were in all cases exceptional and impressive. In the end it was Millie’s effective use of personal experience and convincing examples in support of her well-considered and purposefully made argument that persuaded the judges to choose Millie as the winner of the regional semi final. Well done Millie and we wish you the best of luck at the final in Portsmouth GDST.

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Spotlight on the Chrystall Prize Panel Our brave judges, with the unenviable task of picking a winner of the Chrystall Prize, were: Beth Ashbridge, an alumna of Central Newcastle High School, Durham University and the University of Cambridge.

Beth worked as a Research Fellow in the in the Cell Biology Program at Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Centre in New York City before switching gears and applying her scientific background to the field of intellectual property. In 2019 Beth graduated from Fordham University School of Law with honors and is now an attorney in Goodwin’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group training to be a litigator.

Nicola Candlish, an alumna of Newcastle Church High School, Nicola has a BA Hons in Music and PhD in Electroacoustics from Durham University and is an experienced Company and Stage Manager who has toured the UK and Worldwide with opera, ballet and musical theatre and have included Hamlet’s Castle in Denmark, the London Palladium,The Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, The Royal Albert Hall and many more. After a successful decade in live performance Nicola returned to working in education, running the Opera Department at the Royal Academy of Music. Here she produced 20+ operas and project-managed the course during the construction of a new theatre. Nicola is currently Chief Executive of British Youth Opera.

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Cinzia Hardy, a graduate of the Guildford School of Acting & Dance (Musical Theatre), Surrey; Trinity Laban (MSc Dance Science, Hons) London; and trained with Monika Pagneux in Paris. Following a career as an actor and movement director, Cinzia founded performing arts company November Club in 1991,and has produced and/ or directed all the company’s multi-award winning productions. Cinzia has led training for National Trust staff and room guides on storytelling and effective interpretation techniques. She stepped down from November Club in December 2020 to pursue freelance projects.

Sowmya Pulle, alumna of Newcastle Church High School is an award-winning communications professional and a qualified journalist with a background in print and radio.

She later moved into marketing and PR working with some of the region’s biggest employers in policing, housing and technology. With a passion for supporting equality and diversity, Sowmya has also held a variety of volunteer positions that tackle gender inequality and BME issues, including leading the set up and chairing the first BAME staff network in Northumbria Police, talking about these issues over a decade ago. She is currently a senior marketing and communications manager for technology company SSCL. Thank you so much to Beth, Nicola, Cinzia and Sowmya for their time and invaluable input.

Oliver raises colossal amounts for Calvert Lakes

On Thursday 21st January we spotted some very familiar faces on our TV screens, not Holly and Phil, but Junior School pupil Elizabeth and her dad Mr Voysey, Maths teacher at Senior School! Mr Voysey and family featured on This Morning to highlight Oliver’s campaign to save Calvert Lakes in Cumbria. Oliver, brother to Elizabeth, is profoundly brain injured but has found immense joy in his experiences at Calvert Lakes where they facilitate action-packed activity holidays for people with disabilities. During their visits to the Lake District, Oliver has taken part in canoeing, abseiling and rock climbing.

The centre was nearly driven to the brink of closure by the Covid-19 outbreak so the Voyseys knew they had to act fast in order to save the charity that has changed Oliver’s life.

They all decided in the run-up See of thethat pictures on the

to Oliver’s 13th birthday, they would all take part in a series of 13-themed challenges and invite others to do the same before making a donation to their Go Fund Me page. For Oliver this has included walking on a treadmill for 13 minutes, standing independently for 13 seconds, and completing a 13 minute walk, all of which are extremely challenging with his cerebral palsy which has worsened during lockdown.

are. You’re doing an amazing job. Keep up that great work.”

The campaign has been a huge success and the Voyseys have already surpassed their ambitious target of £25,000, raising a phenomenal £201,989 to date. Their fundraising efforts have even been recognised by former England and Newcastle United captain Alan Shearer, who said of Oliver: “What an inspirational young man you@Newcastle High School For School Facebook page!

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Sisters act in support of CNE

The region’s oldest independent children’s charity Children North East (CNE) creates life-changing differences for babies, children and young people in their families, schools and communities. They have been there to support the most disadvantaged families during times of crisis since 1891. As the charity sector is reliant on fundraising income and donations, the Covid-19 crisis means they are facing significant financial uncertainty.

It is vital that children, babies, young people and families can

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access any support now and in the months to come.

CNE continue to maintain a strong relationship with St George’s Parish Jesmond (home to NHSG Christmas Carol service) and through this Pauline Magnay and her family, including granddaughters Josie (Year 8) and Megan Mallen (Year 6) responded to their ‘cry for help’ for children’s clothing and essentials. The girls are pictured with their brother, Jack, spending the weekend

organising boxes of clothing donations. Well done girls for using your time so positively and productively.

CNE have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the parents, families and friends from NHSG, so thank you very much to everyone who has donated.

Double dance success in Year 13 We were delighted to hear news of two of our A Level Dance pupils winning places at prestigious Dance Schools.

Lucinda Lant - London Studio Centre

We speak to Lucinda Lant in Year 13 who was recently awarded a place on the degree course at London Studio Centre,where she will be studying their Musical Theatre pathway, to find out more about her passion for Dance and plans for the future.

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What is it that makes Dance so special to you, and what’s your favourite style of dance?

Theatre makes me feel so alive and I strive to be involved in the Arts in any possible way. This offer fills me with anticipation for the next three years. I love the way that dance allows me to express myself and my individuality, and I adore exploring the huge range of dance styles and the endless possibilities of choreography. I’ve trained at Marian Lane School of Dance since the age of 3 in predominantly Ballet, Tap and Jazz, and there I not only developed my technique and performance skills, but the skills I need to survive in such a challenging industry. I am so grateful! I was also a Royal Ballet and Elmhurst associate from the age of 8, meaning the majority of my training was in Ballet. However, over time I’ve found my favourite style of dance is either Commercial or Contemporary, as I find those styles give me the most freedom and allow me to express myself the most. Ballet is crucial for any style however, as it builds up technique, and I don’t think I’d be as strong in other styles if it wasn’t for all of the incredible training I have had within the Classical Ballet field. I began my training in contemporary dance at Phoenix Academy NE in 2017, where I had the chance to work with so many industry professionals and was given numerous performance opportunities which enabled me to develop my performance skills even further.

What’s your favourite Dance performance memory?

My favourite performance has to be in Grease last year. Cha Cha has always been one of my dream roles and the experience was incredible. Grease is such a fun musical and the music is just so uplifting. I’m so relieved we managed to perform it before Covid-19 hit us all a month later!

Why did you choose your Dance school?

London Studio Centre has such impressive alumnae, including Zizi Strallen, Elizabeth Hurley, Tamzin Outhwaite and Jason Pennycooke, which drew my eye to the school. After further research I discovered that in my 3rd year I’ll get the chance to tour with a company too, which sounds like such a fantastic experience. I think this school in particular will nurture me as an individual, and embrace my unique qualities, in a way that other schools wouldn’t. They also pride themselves on having a huge amount of links with the industry and a clear focus on student welfare, which I think is very important as this industry can be so demanding at times! I also had many discussions with all of my incredible dance teachers, (who know the industry much better than I do). They all agreed that London Studio Centre is the best school for me as an individual, which is so important as each school offers something completely different. It is located near the West End, which means I’ll be able to experience a lot more theatre, which I think is key when training in musical theatre and will also enable me to support the Arts after such a difficult time of darkness.

What are you most looking forward to in the next stage of your Dance journey?

I’m most looking forward to meeting other young people who share the same passion and drive as I do, all working towards similar goals in such a brilliant atmosphere. I’m extremely excited to work daily with industry professionals, expanding my skills not only in styles I’m comfortable with, but also those I haven’t yet had the chance to explore.

What are your ambitions for the future?

The Arts industry is constantly evolving, hence why I find it so exciting. Musicals are being developed as we speak and, who knows, there may be a future role for me that hasn’t even been written yet! Out of all the many musicals that exist, I would love to be involved in Mary Poppins or Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. The choreography in both of these productions is fascinating to me and it would be a dream to be involved in either. I also love acting and any opportunity to participate in acting for screen would be incredible.

Do you have any words of advice for younger NHSG pupils dreaming of becoming a professional Dancer?

Try not to let others affect you. The dance industry is competitive and being an individual is so important, so don’t shy away from being yourself. Not everybody’s going to love the way you are, but it’s better than blending in, I promise!

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Georgia Morrow - Urdang Academy

Georgia Morrow was awarded a place on the degree course at Urdang Academy, also in London, where she will be studying BA (Hons) Degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre. Here are her thoughts on her future plans.

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What is it that makes Dance so special to you, and what’s your favourite style of Dance?

I have been dancing and performing since the age of 3, and there is simply no better feeling then being up on stage in front of an admiring audience. The joy that I feel when dancing is something I just can’t put into words; therefore, it was probably one of the easiest choices I had to make when deciding what career I wanted to pursue. My favourite style of dance would have to be Musical Theatre Jazz. The choreographer Bob Fosse has always inspired me and watching some of his work such as Chicago has inspired my ambition to be in one of his Musicals.

What’s your favourite Dance performance memory?

My favourite performance memory would have to be when I performed at the Sunderland Empire.

We were the first act in the second half; therefore, the curtain was down whilst we were on stage ready to perform. As the music began, the curtain started to rise and to see such a beautiful theatre full of people was a moment I will never forget.

Why did you choose your Dance school?

I chose to study at the Urdang Academy as it’s one of the UK’s most renowned conservatoires for training in professional Dance and Musical Theatre. It is based in the heart of London, home of the West End, and therefore full of exciting opportunities. Also, one of the academy’s key values is ‘Everyone, Individual’ which has stuck with me since reading it. I am so excited to be a part of a college with such an accepting ethos at its core.

What are you most looking forward to in the next stage of your Dance journey?

I can’t wait to start my professional training every day in specialist studios, taught by industry professionals who are still working in the art form. I’m really looking forward to moving to London and making new connections with like-minded people who enjoy the craft just as much as myself.

What are your ambitions for the future?

One of my biggest ambitions is to move to Paris to be a part of the Moulin Rouge cast, performing on the stage of the most famous cabaret in the world. For my 16th birthday, my Mum and I travelled to Paris for the weekend. We watched the production one night and I have been in awe ever since.

The movement combined with the costumes was truly inspiring and something I’d love to involved with.

Do you have any words of advice for younger NHSG pupils dreaming of becoming a professional Dancer?

Always ask questions! Don’t be scared to ask anyone questions if you don’t quite understand something, even if they are older than you or you feel intimidated. Also, involve yourself as much as you can in activities relating to your craft to get your name out there. Even if someone doesn’t recognise your face, most likely they will remember your name and will be drawn towards you because of that. The Musical Theatre and Dance industry are relatively small, therefore the more connections you make early on in life, the easier it will be for you when you want to enter the industry professionally.

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Year 13 Virtual Art Gallery In lieu of the seasonal Art shows which sadly have not been able to take place in school, we have dedicated the next pages of this newsletter to celebrating the hard work and commitment of some of our Year 13 artists who have created some truly stunning pieces in Fine Art, Textiles and Graphics.

Stella Humphrey, Fine Art

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Charlotte Knight, Textiles and Fine Art

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Sam Hands, Fine Art

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Poppy Herring, Textiles

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Emily Cooke, Graphics

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