In The Picture - September/October 2020

In the

picture • Junior and Senior School Edition •

September/October Issue 2020

Introducing Our Head Girl Team 2020

Leading girls’ education

Where girls learn without limits

1

Senior School • p2-p19

SAMANTHA ROCKS HEAD GIRL

2020/2021 Hi, I’m Samantha and I am currently studying Biology, Chemistry and Religious Studies at A Level, as well as studying an EPQ about the world of Parapsychology.

FUN FACTS ABOUT SAMANTHA!

I am absolutely delighted to have been awarded the position of Head Girl. I have deep respect and warmth for what Newcastle High has to offer, and I profoundly feel that our school offers not just academic development, but moral and spiritual growth. The school presented me with a plethora of impressive opportunities, from going to Australia on Sports tour to volunteering for Shine and Science Is My Superpower, programmes in school which aim to spark a love for science for children from underprivileged areas. I currently help to run a relaxation and organisation club, as well as tutor younger girls. I hope to be a dignified, professional and kind role model who paves the way for younger girls and embraces differences within our school community. I am also striving to build stronger bridges between Year Groups.

My happy place is…

Walking with my dogs on a rainy day in Jesmond Dene.

Truly, Newcastle High has encouraged me to reach for the stars, I believe it is now my role to ensure every girl appreciates their time here and aspires to be the best version of themselves, just as I do. In the future I hope to study Law at university, and eventually fulfil my dream of becoming a barrister.

2

My favourite book is ...

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

I relax by...

Going to cafes with my Mum. I love to watch…

Period dramas.

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

Vegetable stir fry with gyozas.

Any phobias?..

Deep water.

Weird and wonderful fact about me...

I have two pet budgies named Honey and Pea. My favourite quote is...

“The cost of procrastination is the life you could’ve lived.’

MAYA TORRES DEPUTY HEAD GIRL

2020/2021 Hi I’m Maya! I am currently studying Dance, History and Spanish, and I’m hoping to audition for Drama schools in the coming months to train in Performing Arts after leaving school. I am hugely passionate about all my subjects, but also our incredible school community as a whole.

When I’m not practising Dance, Drama and Music both inside and outside school I can often be found with Sam and Hafsah in the corner of the Common Room planning our next project or initiative. Having been lucky enough to assume a number of leadership roles in school from the more traditional like House Captain and Forum Rep to getting to co-choreograph last year’s whole school production of Grease, I was enthusiastic to apply for the Sixth Form leadership team and consequentially the Head Girl team, excited by the prospect of being given the platform to enact whole-school positive change and development. Undoubtedly this has been a term like no other but it has pushed us to work creatively and find new ways to reach the girls and ensure the NHSG community remains as vibrant and buzzing as ever.

We are working hard in a number of areas, specifically diversity and inclusion in line with our strict anti-prejudice policy, and mental health support, especially given the turbulent conditions we find ourselves in at this time. I am greatly looking forward to the coming months as Deputy Head Girl, as I hope you are too!

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

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu is my go-to feminist book.

My happy place is…

The Dance studio.

I relax by...

Being creative in some way.

I love to watch…

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

A veggie burger.

Any phobias?..

I’m scared of school having to close again! I just love it too much.

Weird and wonderful fact about me...

I can sing (almost) all of the periodic table!

My favourite quote is...

“Someone else’s beauty is not the absence of your own.” Hafsah told me this one a few years ago and it has always stuck with me since.

3

HAFSAH SHAH

DEPUTY HEAD GIRL

2020/2021 Hi, I’m Hafsah and I am currently studying Chemistry, Biology and Psychology A Level as well as an EPQ about climate change and infectious disease. I hope to study Dentistry at university.

I have always been enthusiastic about everything that NHSG offers, from Drama productions, public speaking and school forum to Duke of Edinburgh and Go Green society; I truly think that I’ve relished every opportunity.

The empowering nature of NHSG has always fuelled my motivation to overcome boundaries and challenges. Our community is truly inspiring as we all strive for our individual and collective success. The endless amount of support available has created such a safe and comfortable environment. I am so grateful to have experienced this during my high school years and I hope that every student at NHSG feels the same way. Being Deputy Head Girl is a wonderful opportunity for me to represent the school and contribute to this positive community. It is so exciting that I can inspire and act as a role to younger girls in the same way that previous Head Girl Teams did for me.

As Deputy Head Girl I hope to create more opportunities for girls to integrate with other Year Groups and create an even more comfortable and friendly environment for everyone.

I am very proud of everything our team has done so far and look forward to everything we will achieve moving forward.

4

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

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

My happy place is…

Exploring new places with my family.

I relax by...

Baking cookies with my sister.

I love to watch…

Disney movies.

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

My sister’s Katsu Curry Any phobias?..

Open water.

Weird and wonderful fact about me...

I really enjoy pottery!

My favourite quote is...

“Nothing worth having comes easy”.

Samantha Rocks talks lockdown, learning and looking to the future We spoke with Samantha about taking on the role of Head Girl during a national pandemic. This is what she had to say...

‘Sweet and sour’ is how I would describe lockdown.

Older girls previously buried in books and deadlines reprogrammed their lives within minutes. Plenty delighted in the premature end to their studies but my heart sank for those denied an opportunity to exhibit their full potential and robbed of end of school traditions. With no predecessors’ hand-me-down on ‘How to be a Head Girl at home’, it was here I first came face to face with the protagonist of 2020; change.

Change, again, is both sweet and sour. I quickly decided I didn’t like change; I was fearful of the landscape of free time in front of me and set out to have a plethora of perfectly productive days.

“Everyone was fearful – however, I thought if I could help somebody become a little less fearful, this would be a significant achievement.”

On reflection, I am very proud of my school. The Guided Home Learning system drew us closer to normality, a new normality. School forum, Mental Health Awareness Week, Diversity Week, a Black Lives Matter assembly, Sports Day, pastoral care, co-curricular clubs, guest speakers and much more, were made very much available to us. The hardship

certainly began with lack of structure, yet, as meetings, clubs and a school timetable developed, I recognised a productive utilisation of my time. Change was not so bad.

Now, to summarise the ‘sweet’ experiences. The compassion and kindness, the pure goodness of selfless society when faced with unprecedented challenges.

Lockdown gave me the opportunity to reconsider my future and brought about the realisation that I no longer wanted to be a doctor. Now, I am applying for Law and truly excited by the prospect of studying this at university.

Lockdown brought me time to tick things off my to-do list that had been expanding for

months. I started to read classic literature, such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, and submitted an essay to a university essay competition. I have also learnt to appreciate. I appreciate that heroes don’t always wear capes, and they often come with IT expertise!

I’ve learnt to appreciate my big family unified in my not so big house (perhaps with the exception of when I can’t get to sleep for a noisy big brother and sister). I’ve learnt to appreciate just how lucky I truly am. Most importantly, I’ve learnt to appreciate health.

In early February, I outlined my vision for NHSG and the impact I hoped to have during my time as Head Girl as part of the school’s new selection process.

5

Jane Austen

Mental illness, especially in the form of body dysmorphia and abnormal eating habits is prevalent in young girls. My vision was to address this through various channels, for example, inviting professional guest speakers and dieticians into school to challenge misconceptions and produce a new normal – away from the unattainable ‘perfection’ portrayed so abundantly in the media. Unfortunately, I have had first-hand experience of a family member with eating disorders, and therefore feel well equipped to address this issue.

I would also like to play a part in boosting House allegiance and making House events appeal to a wider array of pupils. I suggested three new house events; a great House Bake Off, an annual Go Green challenge (in which houses compete to improve the environment) and finally, a house style University Challenge to give our phenomenal intellectuals an opportunity to shine. Some other proposals include half-

6

termly trips to different universities – why should five different families travel to the same university? - and increasing the involvement of Alumnae in work experience opportunities.

Finally, I will promote hard work, motivation and drive, as well as inspiring professionalism in school life. I am keen to nurture an appreciation of academic achievement – for me it is something to be proud of in the same sense that drama skills and sports success are celebrated.

We’re already half way through the Autumn term and I know there is a lot I wish to achieve. It is exciting to work towards my aims, and I feel emboldened by the challenges lockdown has exposed me to.

Above all it has taught me to embrace, rather than fear, change.

Northern Junior Debating Competition buzz and stimulation are still there although the social aspect does suffer. Here’s what Emy and Liyanah thought about the event:

As so many activities have been curtailed by the pandemic, we were especially pleased that competitive debating has been able to continue, following the successful online version of the International Competition for Young Debaters (ICYD) and a GDST-only competition that took place last term.

The Northern Junior Debating Competition (NJDC) is especially close to our hearts at NHSG: the event was founded back in 2002 by an ‘old boy’ of the Royal Grammar School and has run ever since, always hosted at the RGS and attracting debaters from the top schools in London and Scotland. We have been there every year, as Central High and latterly NHSG. It’s for debaters up to Year 11 and we have always seen it as a valuable start to our debating year, especially given the short commute!

We have won it in the past, and last year Emma Scanlon and Ishika Jha, then in Year 10,

were runners-up, so they are desperate to have another go.

After all, debating from one’s bedroom or kitchen requires even less effort than getting dressed up to come into school on a Saturday!

Emma and Ishika were joined

by Liyanah Riyaz, Year 11, and Emy Chen, Year 10, both also ‘veteran’ junior debaters, and with excellent records of success from last year.

Both teams took first in the first round which meant that sadly they were pitted against each other in the second, which didn’t go so well, but Emy and Liyanah’s second in the final room took them within one place of the Final, so they were very pleased with that.

Meanwhile, Emma and Ishika’s speaker points took them to 5th and 7th respectively in what was a very strong round.

Debating does work online, as the format lends itself well to Teams, Zoom or other web communication channels. The

Liyanah NJDC this year was very different- but still enjoyable in its own sense. It was good to debate again after the circumstances being so difficult over the past few months and I still had the same nerves and excitement I have every year.

I’m glad that even through these troubling times we can still do the things we have always done, just differently. It helps things feel a little more normal.

Emy Due to coronavirus everything has been moved onlineincluding debating. I had a really positive experience with NJDC, even though there are many differences between online and real life debating, but the rush of adrenaline and anxieties were still the same as ever. Overall I liked this experience and would definitely do it again but really hope for things to go back to normal next time.

It will be a while before things do ‘go back to normal’, and the usual debating activities are suspended for now, but Emma and the other more senior debaters are very keen to set up informal spontaneous lunchtime debates which will be announced internally on Teams chat. Keep an eye out, girls!

7

The first stage of the GDST Chrystall Prize gets underway

Many of our co-curricular activities have been able to continue despite the current circumstances, and among these is our Public Speaking programme for Years 10 and 11. We fully intend to enter the English Speaking Union Public Speaking Competition as usual, which will be held virtually next term, and in the meantime, the GDST is pressing ahead with its prestigious Year 11 event, the Chrystall Prize. Again, the opening rounds will be held online, but we are all hoping that it will be possible to hold the final, in March, in person.

So, we have been following our usual procedure to identify our ‘Chrystall girl’ from among the wealth of speaking talent in Year 11. On Friday 16th October, we held our Final, in front of the Year Group, who proved a most attentive and engaged audience, offering the

8

speakers support, encouragement and testing questions.

The speakers were Ishika Jha, Liyanah Riyaz and Emma Scanlon, all highly accomplished and experienced speakers and debaters, who are more used to working together in teams than competing against each other!

Ishika spoke on ‘Why we’re all getting lonelier’, giving us a persuasive explanation and a most moving account; Liyanah tackled ‘Reality TV damages young people’s expectations of society’, which she dealt with in a warm and humorous, but still thoughtful manner; Emma asked ‘One hundred years after women got the vote, why do we still need to fight for equality of the sexes?’. Her answer was rather bleak but delivered with passion and conviction.

Judges Ms Chambers, Mrs Franks-Doyle and Mrs McEvedy had the unenviable task of selecting a winner….well, unenviable in its difficulty, but also so inspiring to realise that we had such brave, confident and intelligent speakers to choose from. No one did anything wrong in their performance so in the end it came down to the merest whisker, as we selected Emma as our speaker, and made Ishika and Liyanah joint runners-up – there could be no third place awarded here.

We wish Emma the very best of luck as she begins to make her preparations for the northern heat, which we will be hosting here at NHSG in January.

9

The Show Must Go On

With the new challenges of a global pandemic, the Performing Arts departments of Dance, Drama and Music have certainly improvised to ensure that the subjects are safe and enjoyable.

Dance pupils have been exploring movement with the use of props such as chairs in the absence of contact work (dancing in duos or groups).

Dancers at all levels are, according to NHSG Dance Teacher Mrs Hylton, ‘being creative within the new boundaries set by their relevant examining bodies’.

Girls who are working from home have transformed kitchens, gardens and outdoor public spaces into temporary dance studios. We were delighted that Year 10 pupil, Robyn Thompson, who filmed

10

her audition for Phoenix Academy in a skate park was successful in her application!

NHSG welcomed Gateway Studio’s Phoenix Academy and Youth Group to the NHSG Dance facilities this term. The Academy is by audition only but the Youth Group has been enjoyed by lots of dancers in Years 7-11 who have a passion for creating, choreographing and performing.

In Drama, voice work and monologues have been an important focus. Whilst rehearsals and performances still have to be socially distanced, Mrs Dobson, Head of Drama said that NHSG actors are ‘embracing the opportunity to work in groups because it is an interaction they were denied for several months’.

In Music, girls have been developing their composing skills through the use of music technology. Budding Mark (or should that be Marcia?)

Ronsons have been making use of the brand new state-of-the art Apple Macs in the Digital Den and also the chance to work with Logic Pro, a professional composing tool used widely in the Music industry.

Socially distanced Music clubs are continuing much as before.

Head of Music, Mr Newey, said ‘Our co-curricular Music groups are really helping with everyone’s health and wellbeing. It’s a chance to keep developing music skills for the time when we can get back to live performance in front of a live audience.’ Groups and soloists alike are already starting to think about this year’s Christmas Concert,

which like the hugely popular Summer Lockdown Concert, will take place via Zoom, giving family and friends everywhere a chance to get a seat in the audience from the comfort and safety of home.

With the correct procedures in place, all three Performing Arts disciplines are proving that the show can and must go on!

11

Sexual Health Week 2020

Societal stigma limits young people’s ability to take control of their sexual health, enjoy healthy relationships and explore their identities. Sexual Health Week, which took place 14th-18th September, is designed to change negative attitudes, challenge prejudices and champion equality so that all young people can lead happy, healthy lives.

As part of this initiative, which is now mandatory in schools, we worked with Brook, leading sexual health and wellbeing charity for young people, to deliver a programme of activities on the subject of sexual health and positive relationships.

interact with the lesson using their mobile devices to contribute to discussion and answer quiz questions.

Speaking on the introduction of mandatory RSE in schools, Mr Tippett said “RSE is something that will become more One of the activities of the prominent in schools nationally week’s activities included in the coming months and we ‘Brook’s Big RSE Lesson Live’ for wish to start as we mean to Year 9 girls, which saw expert continue. The reason it is Brook educators discuss healthy important is that it runs through relationships, consent, staying every aspect of school life, such safe online and how lockdown as behaviour, inclusion, respect has impacted on these areas. for equality and diversity, and Girls had the opportunity to bullying. It is vital children and

12

young people grow up with accurate, factual, and age appropriate education around relationships and sex.”

Supporting East End Women’s Emergency Food Bank Miss Penny, NHSG’s Coordinator of Partnerships and External Links, said “East End Women have a mission very much like ours at Newcastle High. Their aim is to help women in the North East achieve their potential which mirrors our own values as a school. We are delighted to have helped them at this difficult time and look forward to working with them moving forward.”

After receiving our donations, East End Women sent us the following touching message:

“We were utterly overwhelmed by the generosity and support that Newcastle High School for Girls has shown us. Our jaws were on the floor with the volume of food and hygiene products you’ve Since the coronavirus pandemic When the pandemic began, the donated. It will help arrived in the UK, the charity women in the programme - who hundreds of families across sector has been impacted have very little themselves the East End.” significantly with services being wanted to give back. They postponed and fundraising efforts scaled back. Our charity objective for the first half of the Autumn term was to gather as many donations as possible for local charity, East End Women.

East End Women run a community programme to help women in the North East achieve their potential. They offer a range of activities from skills-development, social activities, arts, fitness and creativity. Their aim is to work with communities and individuals to help them fulfil their goals.

channelled their energy into setting up an Emergency Food Bank for those that might find themselves struggling without the support of local charities.

The generous work of East End Women touched the hearts of our school community and we received a huge amount of donations which we delivered at the end of September. A special congratulations must go to form 8ADO who collected 356 items, closely followed by 7AWI with nearly 300. All girls received a merit for their donations and the winning form were treated to a special breakfast treat.

13

Mental Health Awareness Week

Every year, we organise a range of activities in the run up to World Mental Health Day, which, this year, took place on Saturday 10th October. The goal of World Mental Health Day is to help raise awareness so that each of us can make a contribution to ensure that individuals dealing with mental health problems can live better lives with dignity.

This year has been a tough one, particularly for people living with mental illness and their carers. Research shows that nearly 80% of people living with mental illness say Covid-19 and the national response have made their mental health worse. This is why the goal of the World Mental Health Day 2020 campaign is increased investment in mental health.

Throughout the week, girls in Senior School were engaged in a number of activities, including daily mental health challenges to build resilience, PSHE sessions focusing on supporting mental and emotional health

14

through the pandemic, and a whole school mindfulness session led by the Head Girl team. In Junior School, girls considered these issues through form time and assembly activities.

On the evening of Thursday 8th October we ran an online event for parents as well. NHSG Pastoral experts Mrs FranksDoyle, Nurse Wilson and School Counsellor, Mrs Hassett, presented some views about the national picture of issues around young people’s mental health and wellbeing; shared our perspective as to how this manifests itself in our School and talked about what we are

already doing to address this at NHSG. We also offered some tips for parents on approaching this aspect of girls’ wellbeing including coping with anxiety.

Deputy Head Girls, Maya and Hafsah, gave some helpful advice about sleep tips and mindfulness. We concluded with a question and answer session to cover further parent queries, followed by a survey to find out if the session had been beneficial. It was excellent to see that parents strongly agreed with the statement ‘I feel confident in talking to my child about mental health.’

15

Returning to Sport

The return to School and Sport proved to be particularly exciting at the start of term, for both girls and staff. At NHSG, we recognise the vital role that sports and physical activity play in ensuring physical and mental health. With this in mind, we have been following the new guidelines set out by the National Governing Body of each sport, alongside the advice of the GDST to ensure all lessons and co-curricular sessions are as safe as possible for the girls.

The first half-term has been about supporting the girls in their transition back to school with a key emphasis on wellbeing. It is fantastic to see the large number of pupils who

16

are making the most of our extensive co-curricular programme. We are looking forward to building on our co-curricular offering over time as and when the rules and restrictions ease.

For any girls (or parents!) who are self-isolating but would like to be physically active, check out our Firefly page for some home workout inspiration. (https://nhsg.fireflycloud.net/ physical-education/homeworkouts-).

Enjoy!

PE GCSE a welcome addition to school curriculum

The very first GCSE PE Course at Newcastle High School for Girls is thriving, with an impressive 21 Year 10 girls opting to study the subject this year.

The girls have two years to perfect their practical and master the theory aspects of the curriculum and so far they have made a brilliant start.

The course will see them play in a variety of familiar sports such as Badminton, Cricket, Netball and Hockey, as well as perform in their own individual sports such as Irish Dancing, Ice Skating and Rowing. We also have the opportunity to introduce girls to some new sports and experiences, such as Climbing. All of our GCSE pupils will master the skills and reach new heights!

17

Good luck Louisa and Georgie!

Louisa Cummins (pictured right) and Georgie Mabbott (below), Year 10, have both been asked to trial for the Under 16 Hockey Squad despite being a year below in the age group; it is an outstanding achievement to be asked to trial so we wish them the best of luck for the event which is taking place in Telford during the half-term break.

18

FILM CLUB

MANDARIN

There’s something for everyone! email miss penny for more information s.penny@ncl.gdst.net 19

Junior School • p20-p29

Navigating feelings in Nursery Nursery girls have had a super start to the new school year.

They have amazed us with their engagement and enthusiasm for learning and also for their compassion and kindness to each other.

This half-term the girls have explored their own feelings through a fun story about a confused little creature ‘The Colour Monster’. He sorted his feelings out with the help of a friend and has reinforced learning about how to identify feelings and recognise that it is okay to feel differently at different times.

We encourage the girls to talk about their feelings even if they are confusing and remind them of the colour monster if they are feeling angry, sad or mixed up.

The story also explores colour as each feeling has its own colour – red for angry, blue for sad, grey for scared, yellow for happiness, green for calm and pink for love.

The girls finished the topic by painting and making collages of their very own collage monsters and even made some food for him in the mud kitchen.

20

21

Creativity in Year 1

Girls in Year 1 have been thoroughly engaged during their weekly Art and Dance lessons which ensure that they are developing their creative skills with confidence.

Art lessons have taken place indoors and outdoors, making the most of Junior School’s beautiful grounds. The girls have been putting their drawing skills into practice, taking inspiration from both observation and their imagination. They have embraced the opportunity of exploring charcoal as a creative tool, which they used to draw their own homes. They have also used watercolours and a variety of brush techniques to produce Autumnal pictures. All these wonderful pieces of artwork are now displayed around the classroom which has given it a beautifully seasonal feel.

22

Creativity in an outdoor setting has been in abundance too.

After researching Andy Goldsworthy sculptures, the girls were very excited at the prospect of collecting natural materials to create their very own land art. They worked in small groups to produce these striking sculptures and demonstrated strong communication and cooperation skills too.

The girls have displayed an equally enthusiastic approach to Dance lessons this term, coming up with imaginative ideas and exhibiting careful control and coordination when performing movements. They were also able to express mood and feelings during their dances and have particularly enjoyed using streamers for our focus on patterns. The girls have taken real pride in their performances in front of their peers, evidenced by smiles of delight throughout lessons in the Mauritia Hall. It has been a pleasure to see their confidence levels soar throughout this term and we look forward to seeing them improve even further after a well-deserved week of rest.

23

24

New habitats for hedgehogs To link with learning on Houses and Homes and seasonal changes, girls in Year 1 have also enjoyed a fun afternoon building shelters for any hedgehogs that may come to hibernate in the woodlands of Chapman House through the Winter months. Sheltered away from the wind, our budding engineers made sure that prickly new inhabitants will be safe, warm and dry. The girls exhibited excellent team work and communication skills throughout the project. Well done, girls!

25

Fall Leaves Fall The use of complementary colours is an important aspect of Art and graphic design. On an artistic colour wheel, complementary colours are placed opposite one another.

When placed next to each other, colour complements make each other appear brighter and more vibrant.

Year 4 artists wanted to put this knowledge into practice.

Inspired by the nature found in Chapman House grounds as well as the work of Monet and Van Gogh, girls painted leaves in Autumnal hues with a contrasting blue background.

The girls painted two very similar pictures and then wove them together to add depth and dimension.

We are sure you'll agree that the finished products look very sophisticated.

26

Abstract Art in Year 5

Since the start of term, the Year 5 girls’ focus in Art has been on that of the abstract form. In particular, they have studied the artist, Piet Mondrian, recreating some of his artwork with great focus and imagination.

There has been a great deal of discussion as to what each of us can ‘see’ in some of his pieces as well as learning the background of this artist who began his working life as a teacher.

27

GDST Year 6 Maths Conference stretches girls

measuring and manipulating balloons then working in even larger teams to create tetrahedrons that could interlock with others to create larger scale tetrahedrons. We quickly realised we were going to need a bigger space at the rate of ‘growth’ as a result of the girls handiwork, but thankfully the Hall provided the space to finalise and inspect the gigantic tetrahedron from new angles!

The annual GDST Junior Maths Conference took place online this year on Thursday 15th October. Year 6 pupils enjoyed a range of mathematical challenges and activities and explored a number of key topics including a very timely session on exponential growth which really helped the girls to make sense of current headlines about rising Covid-19 infection rates.

For the next part of the conference we virtually connected with other GDST schools across the country to focus on patterns created by odd and even numbers which resulted in the famous Sierpinski Triangle. The girls were amazed by the pattern which emerged gradually as they worked through the odd and even numbers.

Girls started the day by using their pattern identification skills to great effect. They created a Pascal Triangle and found symmetrical patterns as well as a buried Fibonacci sequence.

Next, Year 6 were tested with a tetrahedron task, developing their learning on complex triangle structures. Teamwork was critical to success with girls having to collaborate when

28

For the final part of the day, the girls aced the virtual quiz against their GDST sisters, using their newly enhanced knowledge of patterns from their week of practical Mathematics. We were so impressed by the way they tackled the challenging questions which were based around real world contexts such as bank statements and financial management information. Well done to everyone involved for a wonderful week of collaboration and mathematical exploration. We would also like to thank the GDST for organising this special annual event.

29

Our very first virtual Reunion for Alumnae

It was with a heavy heart that we were forced to cancel the Church High Reunion in June 2020 and the inaugural NHSG Reunion in May 2020. With government restrictions still in place, we were unable to go ahead with the Newcastle Alumnae Reunion planned for Saturday 3rd October which we hoped would be in its stead.

With the pandemic continuing to adversely affect our way of life, we knew we had a responsibility to support our wider community, some of whom have found themselves alone for extended periods over the past six months. We set about arranging an online gathering for all of our Alumnae groups on 3rd October, providing an opportunity for everyone to reconnect with old school friends via a Zoom e-tea party.

We were a little unsure as to how many Alumnae would

30

want to take us up on our offer of a virtual Reunion so we were delighted when the responses to the invitation came flooding in, expressing delight at the opportunity to enjoy ‘elevenses’ with those that may have previously struggled to join a Reunion in person.

The morning of the Reunion soon came around and it was an absolute pleasure to see the familiar faces of Alumnae of all ages, from across the globe (well done to those extremely early risers!), take over our screens when the clock struck 11.00 a.m.

Attendees were greeted with a live video address from Mr Tippett, who touched on how NHSG has overcome the difficulties it has faced during the pandemic. Many of our ‘old girls’ remarked on how interesting it was to find out exactly how the school has been operating in these unthinkable circumstances.

Then there was a chance for school friends to catch up ‘in person’ with a series of private ‘breakout rooms’. As it was our very first virtual Reunion we were a little anxious about the technical hitches we might face on ejecting our trusting participants from the main meeting space into their rooms but, thankfully, all went rather smoothly! The only complaint at the end of the event was that it just hadn’t been long enough.

While our Alumnae had no problem passing the time with nostalgic discussions, some light-hearted entertainment was provided by way of a quiz on the history of both of NHSG’s founding schools.

We are so pleased that the event was a success, and plan to schedule more virtual reunions in the near future, keeping our resilient Alumnae community connected in the only way we can at the moment.

AllGirl

An education means I’m ready for the world.

To find out more about our virtual visits go to newcastlehigh.gdst.net

31