NLCS SUMMER FESTIVAL

To celebrate another wonderful year at NLCS, we finished the term with a spectacular Summer Festival. The theme for this Year’s event was ‘The Spirit of Adventure’, and all students and staff were encouraged to try something new.

Over the week, activities run by staff and students took place all around the school, inside and out.

Mental Health & Wellbeing Society held a meditation and yoga session outside by the pond, Philosophy Society took students on a ‘Whistlestop Tour’ of philosophical thought, strolling around the lovely grounds and Geography Society organised an ‘Around the World’ treasure hunt.

Science Society ran a Science Fair featuring adventurous experiments,

Sports Day

Pamela Flower Tennis Tournament A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Merengue Taster Lesson

Julius Caesar

from elephant’s toothpaste to firebending and Computing Society hosted a Robotic Arm workshop.

We had a fantastic Year 13 Leavers’ Concert, Year 10 presented a promenade production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Year 7 enjoyed a Performing Arts Jamboree and Year 12 took part in a Merengue Taster lessons!

Spirit of Adventure Science Fair

Law Society presented a talk on an intriguing legal case, and Polyglot delivered a live Spanish interpreting session. Creative Writing Society hosted an ‘open mic’ poetry reading and students had the opportunity to perform in a Classical Recitation House Competition.

The grounds provided the perfect setting for Year 7’s outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in the drama studio, a group of Year 12 students performed a student-written play entitled Carte Blanche and a cast of Year 11 students rehearsed and performed ‘A Play in Day’.

Anthropology Society held a foodthemed event where students could try different foods from all over the world, and the Politics and History societies gave a joint presentation on ‘Adventurers Through Time’, looking at figures from the past who have shown

Play in a Day

Year 7 Arts Jamboree

Sports Day

Play in a Day NLCS Spirit

the spirit of adventure.

On the final days of the Festival, girls took to the courts for the annual Pamela Flower Tennis Tournament and the whole school came together for the biggest House event of the year, Sports Day, which this year also included the Canonaid House Fête.

The Festival drew to a dramatic close with the ‘NLCS… With Spirit’ show featuring a variety of acts – dancing, singing, instrumental pieces, dramatic monologues and more – and giving insight into a number of different cultures from around the world. Everyone was treated to an array of fantastic performances from students across the Senior School. It was a tremendous way to bring the Festival to a close and a spectacular way to end the Summer term!

Carte Blanche

Music

National Youth Orchestra

Two NLCS Students, Inis Oirr Asano (viola) and Faye Zhao (violin) successfully auditioned to regain their places in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Featuring some of the best young orchestral musicians in the country, the NYO tackles some of the most challenging and exciting orchestral repertoire, performing at all the major UK concert halls. This includes an annual performance at the prestigious BBC Proms!

Competition Success

ORDA

Inis Oirr Asano competed in the ORDA, an international recorder festival in Amsterdam. We are delighted for her success, winning ‘The Royal Wind Music Prize’ with her duet partner, and reaching the semi-finals in the soloist competition.

Composing competition

Anoushka Sharp entered the intriguingly titled “Golden Hornet Smackdown String Quartet” composing competition. The competition was open to international composers of all ages, and we are delighted that Anoushka’s composition Quiet Lane was selected for the final round of sixteen. Finalists have a professional recording of their pieces by ‘Invoke’, a professional String Quartet based in the United States. Commenting on the competition, Anoushka writes “It is really exciting to have the opportunity to have my String Quartet recorded by a professional quartet. Writing with the hope of the Final Performance Round in mind presented the challenge of expressing musical ideas concisely - every minute (literally) has to be engaging, and within the four minute deadline there is no room for a wasted note.”

Senior Concert (Autumn)

The Senior School Concert, one of the highlights of the year, was held on the 23rd November in the Bernice McCabe Performing Arts Centre. In a very musical evening, students from Year 7 to 13 performed a range of pieces in various orchestras, bands and choirs, including the Senior Sinfonia and the Chandos Singers. From the dynamic Dvorack Symphony No.8 performed energetically by the Senior Orchestra; the well known theme tune of the Pirates of the Caribbean played by the Concert Band and the angelic performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass by the Senior Choir; students showcased their musical talents as well as the hard work and dedication put into rehearsals - it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Throughout the year, girls from all year groups came together to perform in the Drummond Recitals. The series of recitals began on Monday 13th November with spectacular performances from the music scholars of NLCS. The success of the Drummond series continued and audiences were treated with a different music styles, ranging from renaissance to jazz. It was brilliant to see so many girls getting involved and performances included piano duets to string quartets to clarinet solos.

Middle School Festive

Concert

On the 5th December, students from Year 7 to Year 9 performed in the Middle School Concert. It was a very musical evening where the girls performed a range of pieces including ‘Dambusters’ by the

Orchestra, ‘May it be sung’ by the

Middle School Chamber Choir and ‘St Paul’s Suite’ by Middle

School Camerata. The concert showcased the girls’ exceptional talent and it was a great success!

Musical Fundraising

In 2016, a group of students decided to form a choir, with the intention of performing to patients in local hospitals. “Bella Voce” rehearses every week and has steadily grown in size. At the end of the Autumn Term, the choir organised a visit to University College London Hospital. The girls have also enjoyed termly visits to the Royal Free Hospital, entertaining visitors as they enter the hospital. The girls performed a range of music, including some festive favourites, to raise the spirits of patients and staff. They also managed to raise £120 for Royal Free Hospital.

Drummond Recital

On Thursday 1st February, girls from Year 7 to Year 13 came together to perform in a concert, showcasing the various musical ensembles and chamber groups of the school.

The evening was a great success with a variety of different music styles and genres being performed. The items ranged from a Veena and Tabla duet, to Tchaikovsky and Mozart String Quartets to a Disney medley played by the Flute Ensemble. Moreover, there were two vocal performances, one by the student-led ‘Glee’ Choir and a new Year 12 Quintet and performances from the Plucked Strings and Senior Clarinets. There was also a fabulously played Piano Duet by two extremely talented Year 7 girls. The evening closed with a fun and entertaining Funk Medley by the Sax Ensemble, summing up how much the girls love to enjoy and immerse themselves in the music they take part in.

On Thursday 15th March, girls from Year 7 to Year 13, came together to perform in an amazing concert, which showcased the various amounts of talent, ensembles and musical groups within the school. There was a variety of different music styles and groups such as Middle School Orchestra, Senior Orchestra, Concert Band, Senior Choir, String Quartet and many more. The concert was successful and all the girls enjoyed performing.

National Festival Success

In March, the Sinfonia performed in the Music for Youth Regional

Festival in Watford. The String

Orchestra received very positive feedback and praise for their musical maturity and characterisation of their performance.

As a result of their efforts, the NLCS Sinfonia were selected to play for the National Festival on 5th July. This involved an appearance at Birmingham’s Town Hall, which regularly hosts some of the world’s leading musicians and ensembles. This was an exciting opportunity for the orchestra to perform alongside other outstanding youth ensembles in a festival celebrating music within schools and other educational settings.

Middle School Summer Concert

On Thursday 14th June, girls from the Middle School took part in the annual Summer Concert. The audience were treated to music varying from Poulenc and Prokofiev, to Williams and Warlock. Choirs, orchestras and chamber groups were represented as we heard music from the musical

Hairspray, Ireland’s beautiful Evening Song and a toetapping rendition of La Bamba.

Thank you

A huge thank you to all the girls, Mr Haigh and the Music Department, as well as all the Ensemble teachers, without whom these wonderful events throughout the year could not have taken place.

Enrichment

CyberFirst Competition

In January, over thirty girls from Year 8 joined over ten-thousand other students from across the country to take part in an online code-breaking competition organised by the National Cyber Security Centre and aimed solely at girls. This stage of the competition required teams of four to collaborate on a series of challenging cybersecurity tasks. Team Goggles (the team-name appeared “before their eyes” in a chemistry lesson!) qualified for the national final, making it into the top 10 in the country after competing against 1200 other teams in an intense online round. Following this success, the team was invited to meet HRH The Duke of York at Buckingham Palace. During the visit, the girls relished the opportunity to show off their skills to Prince Andrew who went on to give an erudite address on girls’ education and the lack of women in STEM research. The girls went away from the whole experience with some fantastic memories and a newly-found love of code-breaking.

Stephen Hawking Memorial Service

Four girls from Year 12 were amongst 500 people who attended the Stephen Hawking memorial service at Westminster Abbey on Friday.

As part of the one-hour service, they heard a reading from one of his daughters on the inspirational nature of his legacy and how he single-handedly changed the future of science and physics. The service also included the Pilgrims Hymn, which the girls enjoyed hearing.

Hispanic Theatre Festival

The School hosted the fifth annual Hispanic Theatre Festival, an evening filled with talent from fifteen participating schools.

A-level Spanish students from each school performed an extract from either a popular play or a self-written play. At the end of the evening, the judges decided the winners of the many trophies available. NLCS were delighted to welcome as our judges: Angela de Torre, Secondary Secretary of the Colombian Embassy, Dr Gonzalo Capellán Miguel, Education Advisor of the Spanish Embassy, Dr Duncan Wheeler, Associate Professor in Spanish Studies at the University of Leeds and Jorge de Juan, Artistic Director of the Spanish Theatre Company.

NLCS girls chose to perform an extract of Llosa’s ‘La Ciudad y Los Perros’. The girls created a tense and exciting atmosphere by combining their eloquent linguistic and theatrical skills. Despite the tough competition, the NLCS girls took home three prizes. The Best Spoken Spanish trophy was awarded to Maya Satheeskaran, the Best Actress trophy was awarded to Varuna Mitra, and the group trophy for the Best Overall Spanish was awarded to NLCS. In addition to the astounding talent, while the judges deliberated, the audience was delighted to see performances from the NLCS International Glee Choir, Varuna Mitra in Year 13, and Nikita Nandi in Year 11. By Shani Paun, Year 12

World Kindness Day

On Friday 3 November, girls in the

Middle School took part in a variety of activities to recognise World Kindness Day. These small gestures included making an effort to do something nice for someone else, smiling at passers-by in the corridor, and making thank you notes and notes of appreciation for each other. The girls also designed bookmarks for the library on the theme of kindness.

NLCS Question Time

The School hosted our first NLCS ‘Question Time’ event with proceeds from ticket sales going to the Bursary Fund. Our panellists included current parents, Jo Johnson MP - Minister of State at the Department for Transport and Minister for London, Lord David Pannick QC, Barrister and Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor of London for Business. We were also delighted to welcome back Old North Londoners, Camilla Turner, Education Editor for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, and Juliet Mann, Broadcast journalist. Our final panellist was NLCS student Zara Khan (studying Economics, History, Spanish, and Maths). It was a brilliant evening with questions submitted by the audience in advance with topics ranging from the lack of female CEOs to the future of Britain’s high streets.

Year 9 French Poetry Recital Competition

Year 9 girls from NLCS joined students from King Alfred School, Merchant Taylors’ School, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, UCS, Berkhamsted School, for the first Symphonie Poétique – a poetry recitation competition.

Students had to learn three poems on the theme of ‘voyage’ and recite one of them. Those who went through to the final were given fifteen minutes to prepare ‘Une Carte Postale’ by F. P Titinga unaided, which is no mean feat at that age. The jury was most impressed by the high calibre of the performances, and Aria Banerjee Watts from NLCS was the worthy winner! Many exciting Mad Hatters events took place over the year. The ‘Great Literary Treasure Hunt’ was definitely a favourite as students were led by clues to other clues hidden within books, such as famous first lines (‘Mr and Mrs Dursely…), Dewey decimal numbers and alternative book titles. The fun and games continued with ‘Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover’ as students figured out the genre, theme and storyline of various books just from their covers! The ‘Book-Based Personality Quiz’ was also extremely popular as students discovered which genre of novel they belong in, which Shakespeare play they should star in, and most importantly, which Harry Potter character they were! Other events such as ‘Pseudonyms’, exploring the line between fact and fiction, deconstructing movie adaptations and exploring the world of Blackout poetry were also great successes.

The Spring and Summer terms also provided rich literary discussions. During the Heroines in Literature debate: ‘What kind of females dominate literary texts?’, everyone was struck by similarities identified between strong female characters. Key passages were examined, such as Jane’s rejection of Rochester’s first proposal in Jane Eyre and that challenges faced by Tris during her training in Divergent.

In partnership with Science Week, Mad Hatters examined books which had predicted scientific inventions, with surprising results. Examples include Hugo Gernsback writing about video chatting in his 1911 book, ‘Ralph 124c41+’, written even before television was invented, and Robert Heinlein writing about “electric staircases” that move automatically in ‘The Roads Must Roll’.

There were also sessions inspired by the Oscars, Shakespeare’s soliloquies and a heated debate on what we mean by World Literature.

Overall it was a fantastic year for Mad Hatters, full of strong opinions and fun!

Two teams of Year 12 students travelled to Dulwich College to participate in the Weizmann Safe Cracking Competition. Schools from all over London took part, with each team creating a safe from scratch and incorporating two physics concepts to break the safe open. Throughout the day, the girls had the opportunity to try and crack open the other teams’ safes while theirs was being attempted to be cracked open too. The day ended with a speech from Oxford University Mathematics Professor, Marcus Du Sautoy, who gave an exciting talk entitled ‘What we cannot know’. Many thanks to Kureha Yamaguchi in Year 13 who coordinated the entries and helped the teams develop their safes.

Careers Convention

The annual Careers Convention was a very vibrant, bustling evening, with over 75 people from a wide range of different professions, some of them ONLs, coming to Canons to talk with girls from NLCS and other local schools about their jobs. There was a large selection of representatives from the fields of Medicine, Government, Finance, Business, Law, Engineering, Science and Technology, Media, Marketing, Journalism and Publishing. Students also heard from 3 fascinating keynote speakers, Darius Sanai - the Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast, Emily Kraftman (ONL) – Head of Marketing at Deliveroo and Ellie Ereira (ONL) – Senior Project Manager at Pivotal Labs.

Economics ‘Balloon Debate’

Year 12 Economists visited Harrow School to take part in a ‘Balloon Debate’. The teams battled it out to establish who the most influential Economists of all time are, presenting arguments on Pigou, Ricardo, Philips, Galbraith and Ostrum. The girls put forward clear, hard-hitting statements ensuring the Harrow Boys had to work hard to put their case forward. It was a fantastic evening with hugely impressive performances on both sides. The NLCS team were judged the overall winner due to the quality of their arguments and rebuttals.

Take Your Daughter to Work Day

In February, Year 9 participated in Take Your Daughter to Work Day. The girls experienced a typical day in a workplace, observing meetings and taking part in office life. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the day, with many learning about the different types of jobs offered in a bank, experimenting with robotics and 3D printers, learning about chemical engineering and performing laparoscopic surgeries on pigs’ livers! Throughout the day, girls not only discovered the fascinating jobs on offer in the working world but also learnt valuable lessons, such as the importance of meeting deadlines. Overall, the girls were thrilled to experience a full day at work and have gained inspiration as to the future career paths they may wish to venture on, which will help when the girls apply for work experience places in Year 11.

Senior Societies

Throughout the year there was a packed programme of Senior Societies lectures every Thursday. We welcomed more than 40 guests to speak, and the variety of subjects has ranged from ‘How We Listen with Our Bodies’ to ‘My Quest to Build a Space Ladder’. The keynote lecture to launch the annual programme was delivered by Dame Mary Archer, who is Chairman of the Science Museum Group and has also had a long association with the National Health Service (having been appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2012 for services to the NHS). Dame Mary gave a thought-provoking talk entitled ‘Chemistry on the Distaff Side’, which charted the ground-breaking work of various women who have had careers in Chemistry.

Brina Marks, from The Anne Frank Trust spoke movingly in the special Holocaust Memorial Day talk for Senior Societies at the end of January. Her words were truly inspirational, focusing on the 2018 theme for Holocaust Memorial Day of ‘language and the power of words’. Students and staff were able to reflect on the impact that even a single word can make on the wellbeing of another individual.

We welcomed globally renowned Professor Robert Winston, Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London, who gave a talk entitled ‘On Tomorrow’s Scientists’. His talk led a rapt audience through the history of genetic manipulation. From the initial understanding of the nature of the genome, through the eugenics movement and its role in the rise of Nazism in the mid-20th century, to our current understanding of genetic science and the scope of genetic engineering to directly alter the human genome. His talk was a great cautionary message to the scientists of the future to make sure that information is used responsibly, and that scientists have great accountability to ensure that the new discoveries we make are used in a considered and ethically justifiable way.

Other speakers throughout the year included; Paul Ormerod, Visiting Professor at UCL, who gave a talk entitled ‘Economics meets Cyber Society’ (Economics Society); Dr Joseph Fort on ‘How We Listen With our Bodies’ (Music Society); Evelyn Herrmann from Bank of America Merrill Lynch providing a ‘Window into an Economist’s Job’ (Economics Society) and Dr Robert Morris from Addenbrooke’s Hospital whose talk offered ‘An Introduction to Brain Surgery’ (Psychology Society).

Carnegie Prize Winning Author

On September 17th 2018, students had the opportunity to meet awardwinning author Geraldine McCaughrean. McCaughrean has written over 160 books and recently won the 2018 Carnegie Medal and came to speak to students about her prize-winning novel, ‘Where the World Ends’, a story inspired by a historical record from the 18th century about a group of men who were stranded on rocks in the sea after their rescue boat failed to arrive. McCaughrean shared her story about her successful writing career and gave top tips to our inspiring writers. It was wonderful Author visit - Matt Dickinson hearing her speak. At the start of the Spring term, acclaimed author and filmmaker Matt Dickinson visited NLCS. During his talks, he spoke about his experiences climbing Mount Everest, and about the books he has written based on his adventures. On some of his climbs, he faced hardships, however, Matt explained that despite this, he loves the thrill of climbing and hiking. He also showed the girls photos of numerous feats, from crossing crevasses on ladders to Khumbu Icefall, the most dangerous part of Everest. The girls were very impressed by his interactive style of storytelling, and the adventures he shared with them. Dickenson is also the author of several books: The Everest Files trilogy, Mortal Chaos, its sequel Deep Oblivion, and Lie Kill Walk Away. The girls discovered the basic plotline for each of these stories, and who they might be suitable for. The girls were keen to pick up one of Matt’s books and get immersed in the story. Overall, the students adored the talk and many thanks go to Matt for giving such an insightful and interesting talk! By Amélie Gadsby, Year 8

Poet Kayo Chingonyi

On 8 February 2018 Literary Society welcomed Poet Kayo Chingonyi. Chingonyi is a contemporary poet, who has published two pamphlets, ‘Some Bright Elegance’ in 2012 and ‘The Colour of James Brown’s Scream’ in 2016. He also published a fulllength collection in 2017, entitled ‘Kumukanda’, from which he has been invited to give readings around the world. He won the Geoffrey Dearmer Prize for his poem ‘Calling a Spade a Spade’, and is currently the poetry editor for ‘The White Review’. Apart from poetry, he is also a DJ and R&B musician.

Poet Anne-Marie Fyfe joins Year 7 Poetry Recital

During the Spring term, Year 7 gathered in the Drummond room for the final of their poetry recitation competition. The poet, Anne-Marie Fyfe, came to judge, to read some of her poetry and also to talk about life as a poet. She thoroughly enjoyed her visit and was entertained by the interesting questions of the girls. After some wonderful performances, Brinda Arun came first and Frankie Hervey second, both delivering lively drama.

Positive Mental Health and Well-being Speakers

During the summer term, our Senior Societies programme focused on the topic of PSHE. Kevin Braddock, founder of The Torchlight System Project, a publication and support guide which highlights the importance of asking for help, discussed the relationship between the media and mental health. He discussed the unrealistic pressures that the media places on society and gave guidance and support on how to manage these positively.

We were delighted to welcome Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, Director of the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation (DSM Foundation). Fiona and her husband Tim founded the drugs education charity in memory of their 16 year old son Daniel who died after taking ecstasy (MDMA) in 2014. The Foundation works with young people, schools, families and communities in increasing awareness of substance misuse and seeks to promote healthy, informed choices for young people, empowering them with the knowledge, life skills and confidence they need to choose lives free of such misuse.

We were delighted to welcome back writer and campaigner Natasha Devon MBE following her talk last year about body image and the media. She spoke to Year 9 students about their wellbeing, how best to support each other, and managing stress and anxiety. Students learnt about the benefits of different ways of coping with their busy lives, including sleeping, playing sports, mindfulness and listening to music. It was an extremely informative and fun workshop, with lots for everyone to take away and put into practice.

Other speakers included nutritionist Tina LondCaulk aka ‘The Nutrition Guru’, who explored Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing, and Deana Puccio from The RAP Project, who delivered a very frank talk about personal safety, sexual assault and consent, as well as examining how information online and social media are influencing attitudes, behaviours and expectations; Dr Ferris, the School Doctor, spoke to students about ‘befriending their boobs’ and checking them regularly and Mike Hurst, musician and music producer, who gave a fantastic talk about the evolution of pop music.

Student Societies

A distinctive feature of our Sixth Form is the volume of opportunities that girls have to develop their leadership skills during their time with us and we are hugely proud of our extracurricular programme which is run by the students themselves. There are more than 40 societies, each offering the chance for girls to explore their academic passions in more depth. The student leaders of the societies regularly invite in external speakers and set up activities such as debates between students and staff. We asked a selection of the societies to give us a snapshot of some of the events they have organised this year.

LGBT+ Society

We started our academic year as LGBT+ Society by setting up a stall on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in the Dining Hall lobby. We spoke to students about homophobic/transphobic behaviour and how to spot and prevent such actions, especially in schools. We also raised over £100 for Rainbow Railroad, a charity aiding gay/ bisexual men in their escape from Chechnya (where there remains a concentration camp for homosexual men.) The response was incredibly encouraging, with not only Upper School but many Middle School girls approaching us and asking insightful questions.

We also ran a weekly academic discussion group for the Upper School. Members of the society led Tuesday afternoon sessions discussing a myriad of engaging topics ranging from the role of LGBT+ people in music to the harm caused by micro-aggressions. We participated in collaborations with other societies, holding themed sessions for Philosophy Week and Science Week

and worked with teachers to update the school’s PSHE curriculum to be more current and inclusive, ensuring the younger students are better equipped to deal with LGBT+ issues.

We welcomed a selection of external speakers including Ellen Jones, award-winning LGBT+ speaker and digital & campaigner, and Aziz Alijaji from myGwork, a social recruitment and networking hub for LGBT professionals and organisations. These talks drew significant and enthusiastic audiences, highlighting the importance of the society and its work to normalise discussions around LGBT+ issues.

Finally, we held an LGBT+ conference entitled All T, All Shades & Pink Lemonade: a tiny peek into the lives of LGBT+ people of colour, welcoming speakers Hattie Collins (Music Editor) and Kez Coo (Assistant Producer) from i-D magazine. They spoke about working in the film and music industry and showcased their work with individuals such as Pharrell Williams and Missy Elliot. Students also heard from Samantha JuryDada, Women’s officer for LGBT+ Labour and Southwark Councillor. She discussed the Labour Party’s record of inclusion of LGBT+ members and policies, and also her own experiences in politics as an LGBT+ person of colour. Contributions from students of the society included a discussion on the Hijra community of India and the relevance of race when considering LGBT+ icons such as Freddie Mercury. By Kieren Mehta - Chair In September we launched our ‘Grade-1-athon’ project. Open to all ability levels, teachers and staff had the chance to learn a new musical instrument, taught by a member of the Society and aspire towards passing Grade 1. As well as fostering the art of teaching our instruments, which was new to some of us, the project was also designed to raise money for Canonaid, through sponsorship of the staff involved.

The Society also led a session on performance anxiety. Although this is an aspect of performance often overlooked, it was great to share our experiences and advice with others. This was a very engaging and informative session and gave everyone much to think about.

Following a successful performance of the ‘Grade-1-athon’ orchestra at the annual Christmas Assembly, we continued the project in the Spring Term. The project culminated in a fabulous end-of-term concert featuring some orchestral items and solos. It was incredibly powerful and inspirational to see staff, who were novices on their instruments, tackling nerves and putting themselves forward to perform in front of others.

In March we also welcomed Dr Joseph Fort, Lecturer in Music and Director of the Chapel Choir at King’s College London. He delivered an engaging and interactive session on the 18th Century Minuet. We all got into the spirit of the talk and thoroughly enjoyed learning this quintessential dance of the Classical era.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

Silver

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is the world’s leading youth achievement award for 14 to 24-year-olds. The programmes are at three progressive levels which, if completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Over 100 North London girls from Year 9 to Year 13 take part in the DofE each year. One of the challenges the girls enjoy most is the expedition. Girls travel all over the UK for their practice and qualifying expeditions with many completing their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. In addition to the expeditions, participants complete a year of volunteering, development of a skill and a physical activity.

Bronze

The qualifying expedition took place at the Ashridge estate, walking from Tring station to Berkhamstead in June. Students enjoyed warm, dry conditions and many lessons had been learnt from the practice expedition; navigation and campcraft greatly improved. Fifty-four Year 10 students completed their award, and are now looking forward to starting their Silver Award. This year there was a record number of Silvers participants with forty-eight girls completing their qualifying expedition in the Peak District in June. After the rain on the Isle of Wight during their practice expedition, students were looking forward to the dry weather, and they quickly realised the difficulty of heat exhaustion and dehydration whilst trekking; however, all successfully completed the journey. Our Silver Presentation Evening was held in the first week of September when the students presented their projects to family and friends and received their badges.

Gold

It was another very successful year for the Gold level with fourteen students completing their award. The qualifying expedition was in the Lake District in August. Groups hiked up Great Langdale in sun and showers and camped at the National Trust campsite - the girls were adamant that they didn’t want any more wild camping after their practice expedition in Dartmoor! Congratulations to all girls involved. By Mrs Betts and Mr Browning, DofE co-ordinators

Gold Award– Team Sundew

Our team decided that our location, the Lake Distrtict, was the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to William Wordsworth, the famous English Romantic poet. Throughout the four days, we walked over 60km enjoying the fresh air and scenic views, a perfect excuse to forget about all the work that lay ahead as we enter the final year of Sixth Form.

On Day one, with full stomachs, we set out on our route up Wandfell Pike, a 400m high hill. We found that the weather in the Lake District, at times, due to its fluctuating nature, had an effect on our morale, however we soon learnt to power through the relentless rain, and it usually stopped just in time for us to eat our lunch. On our second day, we spent most of the time hobbling up what felt like a vertical climb while fighting off the raindrops that blurred our vision. Thankfully, Laila and Chiara kept us in high spirits with plenty of singing. We were all pretty cheerful going into the third day as this was the day where we would spend lots of time on our Wordsworth aim. During breaks, we read parts of his Guide to the Lakes, in which he uses poetic language to describe scenery that was similar to the one that we encountered. We then focused on his poetry, and having selected a few poems, such as The Rainbow and To a Skylark, which members of our group recited, we tried to find which poem best matched the scenery. The aim proved to be both amusing and insightful.

On the final day, our good mood persisted, even when we found ourselves a bit lost — a problem that was quickly resolved after checking compasses and studying maps carefully. We reached the edge of Windermere Lake in good time, and the final part of the Expedition involved following the bank of the lake. We were finally able to relax due to the ease of navigation and admired the beauty of the lake as we strolled light-heartedly along the edge.

Gold Award – Team Asphodels’

From sinking into bogs to crossing rivers with slippery rocks, the Gold expedition was a challenge, far surpassing Bronze or Silver. Thankfully, we had the team to keep us going, in which everyone played a vital role - the Holy Trinity of Navigators, Chief Food Supplier, Checkpoint Chalker, and Cute Dog Spotter, to name a few!

We were expected to walk at least 18 kilometres per day, a requirement we sometimes met to the nearest second! The trek proved challenging, and it was reassuring to be surrounded by reliable teammates to heighten our spirits above the peaks we climbed. Singing has always featured in our expeditions, and it was great fun to expand our repertoire from renditions of choral music to Rock, and including well-known favourites, such as To be a Pilgrim!

Whilst arriving at the campsite was a glorious feeling, we could not be idle for very long, as the rain clouds would conveniently start to gather upon our arrival. We worked efficiently as a team to avoid soggy tents, broken poles, and loose pegs - progress from Bronze! As England’s largest national park, the beautiful Lake District covers about 1% of all the land area in Great Britain and is home to England’s highest peaks, with Scafell Pike standing at a staggering 978 metres tall. More than 6000 archaeological sites are listed, and with its rich glacial history and geological features, the Lake District provided the perfect scenery to motivate us through the four days of walking.

We also wanted to explore the landscapes features from an artistic point of view. We brought paper and coloured pencils for everyone to use, and whenever we passed a particularly stunning glacial feature, we would stop, and start to draw. Overall, the expedition was a challenge, physically and mentally for all of us. We surprised ourselves with our fitness and were happy with the fantastic teamwork put in so we could accomplish the expedition. On the train home, we shared stories of our experiences of the Bronze and Silver expeditions and laughed about how hard the Gold was compared to them; but we all agreed that neither was as enjoyable, nor as rewarding.

YOUNG ENTERPRISE

This year three companies comprising of students in Year 12 entered into the Company Programme of the Young Enterprise competition. The three companies set themselves up, with members taking on specific roles ranging from Managing Director to Finance Director to Marketing Director, and this enabled the Companies to begin growing their businesses and taking their ideas forward. Each company was supported by an inspirational and experienced Business Advisor, who volunteered in response to a letter sent to all parents of girls at NLCS. We had three Business Advisors in total bringing a wealth of knowledge, insight and experience, which proved to be of great benefit to the student companies.

Each company made a great start on their Young Enterprise journey. They worked effectively as a team to raise capital, design their product or service, and conduct market research. They benefited from attending YE training events to help them in each of these areas. Some members of the teams also attended a series of workshops hosted by the Disney Company in Hammersmith to help them to develop brand and marketing skills. The companies shared their experiences and achievements to date at the Young Enterprise Interim Showcase held at Kingsbury School on 12th December. Each company set up a trade stand to display their product, and gave a presentation about their experience as a Young Enterprise Company. The event also enabled them to receive useful feedback to help them in the next stage of their journey.

Each team sold their products or services at the trade fair held at the London Designer Outlet in Wembley on 16th December – a chance to test their products and services with the general public and raise valuable funds for their companies.

‘Armore’ developed a personal safety alarm in the form of a stylish piece of jewellery, ‘Bare Necessities’ developed an essentials bag for people on the go, and ‘Unwind’ developed a compact, versatile, environmentally-friendly drinks bottle. Having established their companies and developed their product ideas in the Autumn Term, the three companies began fundraising activities both in and out of school – a plethora of bake sales as well as new ideas such as a car washing service – and began selling their products at YE trade fairs, most notably at Spitalfields and Portobello Road markets, and at Brent Cross shopping centre.

The YE organisers and judges consistently said that this was one of the strongest years in the competition’s history. Each team did incredibly well, successfully making orders and generating profit, but it was team Unwind that won the prize for Best Presentation at the first round of the competition at Bechtel International, and went through to the West London final. In an exceptionally strong field, Unwind won the coveted ‘Most Innovative Product or Service’ award and only narrowly missed out for the prize of ‘Best Overall Company’ and a place in the London final.

The three companies have now wound down and closed shop after what was a busy, exciting and productive year. The competition continues to prove to be a hugely valuable and rewarding experience for NLCS students. By Mr Cobb, Young Enterprise Coordinator

Art

The Art and Design Department had a busy year, in particular in its preparation for the annual Fantasy Fashion Show that took place in January. The Fantasy Fashion event was an immense success attracting both a large number of students from the Middle and Senior School in its preparation, development and the running of the evening and also a large audience of students and parents who came to watch it.

The event succeeded both in nurturing and celebrating the creativity of almost eighty students, as well as raising money for KSDP, the charity which was set up by an NLCS student 20 years ago to support the Karenni people of Burma. Fantasy Fashion was organised and led by Art Society, with a team of five Year 13 students working together to create a magnificent and well-managed event, that was based on the theme ‘From Jazz to Punk’. A wide variety of dresses came down the runway, showing a high level of design and construction skills, excitingly inspired by popular music of the last one-hundred years.

The Department ran study trips for GCSE, Pre-U and IB students to the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Gallery (at which Year 12 3D Design students went to visit the Rachel Whiteread retrospective). In addition, Year 13 students were taken on a special Art study lecture day, in which they attended lectures by Grayson Perry and other leading Art and Design practitioners.

In November, illustrator and fine artist Emmy Lopes began a two week period as artist-in-residence. Emmy specialises in using recycled materials and found waste such as plastic packaging and shopping bags, which she develops into illustrative legend pieces that raise public awareness of the need to look after the planet. Emmy led several workshops with Year 7 students developing textile outcomes while working between these sessions on her own art piece, which she took home at the end of the residency to complete for exhibition in school in the Spring Term.

In the Spring Term, the Department hosted artist-in-residence Michael Chance, who led workshops with Year 12 and younger students in drawing interior spaces around the school. He has also made a sequence of his own drawings which were displayed during the end of year Summer Festival.

The big extra-curricular focus of the Summer Term for Art and Design was the planning of a cross-curricular event held on the final Monday of the term, where students from different year groups collaborated to make a giant world map celebrating global Science, Topography, Culture, Literature, History and (the theme for the Summer Festival) the ‘Spirit of Adventure’. Different year groups followed a programme of seminars, workshops, debates and art-based activities to pursue the Spirit of Adventure and make a lasting image for the school to celebrate individual creativity and knowledge.

Art trip to Florence

During the February half-term, a group of girls from Year 11 and the Sixth Form went on an Art trip to the beautiful Italian city of Florence. The primary focus of the trip was to visit as many galleries and museums as possible and see the wide range of classic sculptures and paintings that Florence has available. We were lucky to see both Michelangelo’s ‘David’ and Botticelli’s ‘The Birth Of Venus’, especially exciting to those who had studied the works of art in their coursework. In addition to this, we visited the Boboli Gardens and the Palazzo Pitti where a lot of photographs were taken! On the last day, we went on a trip to the medieval Tuscan city of Siena and looked around the magnificent Piazza del Campo, home to the biannual horse race. We all had a wonderful time and enjoyed all the yummy food and beautiful art Italy had to offer. By Coral Harding, Year 12

Glass Clothing

As part of the Creative Action Service programme within the IB, one of our students has launched Glass Clothing, an ethical fashion brand centred on the idea of transparency.

Founder, Year 12 student Honi Pein, discovered during research of the clothing industry, that it was very hard to find out who exactly made the clothes we are buying, and how they were treated or if they were involved in sweatshop or slave labour. She was shocked by this, and decided to start her own ethical clothing company, building a direct relationship with the tailors in Lahore, Pakistan, and making sure they are treated well. ‘Glass Clothing’ involves over 13 other women aged 17 or younger, and the experience has enabled these young people to make a difference, develop new skills such as photography or journalism, and be involved in a big and exciting project outside of school. Additionally, Honi says that working with other young people has helped her to understand the benefits of working within in a team, which is an integral part of the International Baccalaureate CAS programme.

Performing Arts

Welcome to Drama and the Performing Arts. This academic year has been packed full of top class productions, musical delights and exciting trips. Girls in all years have had the opportunity to dance, act and sing in a wide variety of events. Thank you to our fabulous Drama Department for your constant energy and enthusiasm throughout the year, and for providing such enriching opportunities for the students.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Written by Bertolt Brecht, The Caucasian Chalk Circle is a production, comprising two stories which later cross paths. The first is about a servant girl named Grusha who finds a royal baby and fights to protect it, the other, about a greedy, selfish clerk who is appointed as judge and later judges Grusha’s case.

This story was beautifully told by a group of singers and an amazing team of actors. Considering that this play is mature, each actor, from the smallest role to the largest, executed their roles exceptionally well, an extraordinary feat for the students in Year 8 and 9. The use of lighting, sound and the set design reflected the mood of the performance perfectly. It was a fantastic production which kept everyone on the edge of their seat until the very end.

This entertaining evening of extracts from West End Shows gave girls a chance to show both fellow students and parents their theatrical skills. The Year 7 Drama Club performed songs from Blood Brothers, Annie and Guys and Dolls, allowing the youngest members of the Senior School to continue to explore extracurricular drama. As well as monologues and duologues being performed, there was a range of songs and dances which the students chose and staged themselves, with the guidance of Miss Gibbs. The closing act was Cell Block Tango from the musical Chicago which was performed by Year 12 girls. This act captured the talent of the school as they sang and danced simultaneously with great eloquence. The night was a spectacular show full of fun for both the audience and students.

This popular annual dance event took extracts from new plays produced during 2017 as a stimulus for original dances. Using a range of styles and physical theatre techniques girls performed solos, duets, trios and large group pieces in this unique and entertaining evening.

Musical Theatre Evening

Right Now

Community

A huge congratulations to everyone who was involved in the fantastic production of Community, written by our Director of Drama, Deborah Gibbs, which ran for three nights in the Performing Arts Centre.

The play examined the impact of technology on our lives today, exploring several of the key themes and issues in a stage production. Set in a world within touching distance, it features a character who has secured a job

in the high profile and successful technology company Community. This is a place which demands absolute commitment to the world of social networking, where nothing is private, and everything has to be shared. This leads to tensions developing between our central character and her family and friends, and difficult decisions have to be made. The production drew on technology and fused texting, movement, sound, lights and projection in innovative and exciting ways. The play even included flying drones, and a rotating set and all audience members needed a phone, as there were interactive elements during the production.

With the growing franchise of NLCS, the opening of a school on the Greek Island of Skopelos is looming. The Big Six are at a loss of who to invite to cut the ribbon, but upon discovering Mrs Fotheringham’s diary and realising that there are three heads who could do it, they’ve invited all of them! Now what? Canons Follies 2018, based on Mamma Mia is a compilation of sketches, songs, and dances, all created by the students in

Year 13, slightly pushing the boundaries on ‘endearing mockery’ of the school. Woven together by the great ABBA hits, re-written to express the more pertinent problems of the Sixth Form, it proves to be great fun for everyone! Congratulations to our fabulous Year 13 for a side-splitting show!

A cast of seventy girls from Years 7 & 8 delighted audiences with a mature and sensitive performance of American playwright Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. This iconic play follows the everyday lives of the Webb and

Gibbs families as they see their children fall in love, marry and live out their lives. This play, hailed as “probably the finest play ever written by an American” is about appreciating the simple things in life. It is set in a fictional

American town in 1901, but in truth, it could be anytime, anywhere. Dealing with such important and moving themes it was astonishing to think this was such a young cast. Congratulations to all for such rich and truthful performances.

Own Town – Year 7 & 8 Production

A cast of Year 11 students performed a new one-act comedy, AllInclusive, written by Director of Drama, Deborah Gibbs. Featuring an eclectic mix of characters all taking risks and making excuses to miss a day at work in order to take advantage of a cheap package holiday deal to Marmaris, Turkey, this was a highly entertaining and fun-packed production.

It was hard to believe that the cast only started rehearsing at 9.30am on the morning of the actual performance and it is testament to their skill, experience and nerve that

Julius Caesar

A cast of sixteen Year 10 students performed Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Julius Caesar. For this modern production, the Black Studio was transformed into an office within they achieved such professional standards. The Year 11 students were also particularly grateful to Mrs Wettreich for stepping in to play the role of Mrs Sexton-Betts.

Caesar’s increasingly autocratic government. The action was also transposed to the strained atmosphere of the Cold War era politics. This mirrored the tension in Shakespeare’s writing nicely, with Caesar working to oust the moles within his government as the conspirator’s against him played dangerous power games.

The immersive nature of this promenade performance meant that the audience found themselves standing with the assassins as they killed Caesar, in the crowd of Romans at his funeral and on the frontline with the conspirators as the play moved towards the tragic conclusion.

The talented young actors made light work of the difficult Shakespearean text and presented a range of wonderfully detailed performances. Their performances, combined with top-notch lighting, projection and sound design combined to make a fantastically atmospheric production.

From 13th to 18th August, a cast of Year Edinburgh Fringe Festival12 students travelled to Scotland to perform a new 50-minute adaptation of this year’s Senior but here goes. The piece is School production Community, at the an extremely thoughtful, 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The intelligent and haunting girls spent the mornings promoting commentary on how their show on the Royal Mile and human beings are shaped were rewarded by playing to nearly- and controlled by social full houses every afternoon. Many media, and the insidious hours were also spent enjoying a nature of what counts range of new and innovative works as ‘connection’ and on show at the Fringe. Performing ‘community’ in our alongside seasoned professionals, socially mediated times. the cast enjoyed some excellent It’s superbly executed reviews including this one which really with assurance and captured the intentions behind the conviction by all of piece: the cast, and the

“Wow. I’ve just seen this show, movement element is and I’m not sure I can do it justice, mesmerising, drawing the audience in. It’s well worth an hour of your time. And for the record, no, I’m not related to or connected with anyone in the cast!”

Charity

During their time at North London, students have the opportunity to take part in many charitable ventures, such as visits to care homes and special-needs schools, participating in fundraising events and even travelling to support projects overseas. Embedded in the School ethos is the importance of giving back to society and girls are encouraged to participate in many charitable activities, not just within the School community, but also with an international outlook. This year, as always, girls have been extremely busy raising money for different charities with activities including cake sales and dress-up days, organising events such as Fantasy Fashion, and a Teacher Talent Show, and participating in our annual cultural partnership with the Flying Angels School in Zambia.

In addition to this girls have volunteered their time at residential care homes and special-needs schools for children in the local area. At Christmas, the Year 12 choir, Bella Voce visited UCLH and the Royal Free Hospital to sing festive songs to patients at various wards. In the Summer term, the choir enjoyed their final performance of the year at the Henry NiHill care home, where they created a lovely atmosphere for the residents through renditions of classic songs such as Hallelujah and Dream a Little Dream of Me.

Fundraising

This year, the Sixth Form charity committee, Canonaid, were very busy organising fundraising activities focused on raising money and awareness for a range of charities including Save the Children, PLAN and Parkinson’s UK. Events included mufti days, lunchtime events including cake sales, and NLCS versions of game shows involving a number of willing teachers and students from a range of year groups.

The year ended with the Canonaid House Fete which for the first time combined with Sports Day. All Houses contributed to the attractive range of stalls, with all proceeds going to the chosen charity – PLAN. In total this year, Canonaid raised close to £6,500 for a number of deserving charities.

Time Out, the Year 11 charity committee, kicked off their fundraising in the Spring, with a highly successful Macmillan Coffee Morning. The girls brought in a delicious range of home-made cakes, and they raised £118 in less than twenty minutes! In the Summer term they organised a lunchtime teacher talent show, to raise funds for Azalea, a charity which supports women who have been sexually exploited. It was a fantastic event with staff revealing many of their hidden talents including a BoogieWoogie piano performance, and an ancient Greek version of Love is an Open Door from Disney’s Frozen!

Community Service

Students have continued volunteering their time at local care homes and schools for children with special needs and disabilities within the local community. The after school visits to the Livability residential

homes in both Harrow and Edgware are very popular, with girls taking an active role in improving the lives of elderly residents by participating in activities and getting to know them. Students have also continued to visit residents at Knights Court, a specialist residential care home with provisions for people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s. Girls spend their afternoon sessions listening to residents, reading articles from magazines and discussing current news topics.

Girls have had regular visits Woodlands, a school that caters for pupils with severe and complex educational needs. The girls have gained an invaluable insight into the challenges faced when working with pupils with severe autism, and how these barriers can be overcome by effective communication, body language and the use of visual measures.

Girls in Year 10 have continued to nurture the partnership with Kisharon School for children with complex and profound learning difficulties. The students at Kisharon have benefited greatly from the generosity and willingness shown by our girls during their visits. In addition, visits to Northway, a school in Barnet catering pupils with learning difficulties, are very popular and groups of Sixth Form students commit to visits twice a week. Girls are involved in supporting Northway pupils with their speech and communication.

International Volunteering Day

International Volunteering Day is held each year on 5th December, and is a celebration of the commitment, efforts and hard work of all volunteers who help out in their local communities. This year we invited residents, staff of Brookside House (Livability Edgware) and Sixth Form students to talk about their experiences of volunteering at NLCS. In addition, staff at the care home talked about living with disabilities, and gave girls an in-depth insight into life in a care home.

The Emerald Ball

In the Summer of 2017, we held the fantastic Emerald Ball which was hosted in our beautiful grounds to celebrate the 20 years that Mrs McCabe spent as Headmistress of NLCS.

We were thrilled to report that thanks to the generosity of everyone who attended, as well as the hard work and dedication of the Ball Committee to secure sponsorship and gifts for the auction, we raised £40,000. Half of this was donated to the School, and we were able to donate £10,000 to both nominated charities Whizz-Kidz and Grief Encounter.

In the Autumn term, we invited these wonderful charities, alongside the Ball Committee, to join us for an assembly, where the Big Six presented the cheques. We heard about their work, including the vital support that Grief Encounter is providing to many of the families affected by the Grenfell fire, and the life-changing impact of the right wheelchair on so many disabled children and young people. Thank you once again to everyone involved.

Fantasy Fashion

After a last-minute reschedule due to snow at the end of the Autumn Term, the much-anticipated Fantasy Fashion show took place on Monday 22nd January. Organised by the Art Society, this exciting event continues to raise money for the Karenni Student Development Programme (KSDP) which was founded by ONL Stephanie Lee; the charity works in close collaboration with the Karenni people, providing basic needs and education in the most deprived states in Burma.

This year the girls showcased their talents by sewing outfits based on the theme ‘Jazz to Punk’ which was chosen by the Year 13 Art Committee as it is the type of music they listen to during their weekly art lessons. Girls ranging from Year 7 to 11 presented their dresses on the runway, with outfits covered in studs and chains to embrace the punk theme, to more a classic outfit, featuring famous jazz singers and their albums. The event also raised money through an auction and stalls were set up outside the Performing Arts Centre including a photo booth and a stall selling products made by the Karenni people such as keyrings and jewellery. The event had a fantastic atmosphere and raised £4000 for this deserving charity. By Coral Harding, Year 12

The annual Livability Christmas Party was held in the penultimate week of the Autumn Term, on 4th December. This was a fun social event, gathering residents from several care homes within the local community. This year we welcomed guests from Livability Edgware, Livability Harrow, Livability Borehamwood, Knight’s Court, Henry Nihill and Sydmar Lodge.

The party included festive food, musical entertainment, a Year 12 pantomime, and Christmas presents donated by NLCS students. The evening was a great success with our volunteers assisting in the hospitality, entertainment and management of the party. The Christmas party was a great platform, and a fitting way for all our girls to meet and celebrate the hard work and determination of our volunteers.

At the end of the Summer term, over 30 girls came together to organise the Summer Livability Party, which we have been holding annually at Canons for many years. Our Founder’s Day prayer “Thou dost require much from those to whom much is given” is a huge part of our ethos and we teach girls to give back to society. Girls chatted to guests, served coffees and cakes, and some even had the chance to be bingo callers which was great fun; a lovely time was had by all.

Before the party began, we were delighted to hear from David Biggs, a resident at Brookside House, the local Livability care home. He spoke to the Sixth Form girls, teachers and guests about his life and journey with cerebral palsy. This talk was organised by Coral Harding in Year 12 and was very special to David as it had been a dream of his to address some students about his condition for many years. His words were emotional, and thought-provoking for the girls and they all loved looking at his photos and asking him questions. David is adamant that although he faces daily struggles no one should feel sorry for him as he loves life and enjoys himself to the full. He is an astounding man who is always laughing and smiling and inspires us all.

Zambia 2018

On Friday 6th July, the 18 strong Zambia Team departed for another historic trip to Flying Angels School, Lusaka. Their staggering 7,000-mile journey began in frosty Johannesburg before finally arriving in Lusaka Airport the next day.

The girls had a once-in-a-lifetime experience seeing incredible wildlife on breath-taking game drives, learning the history of Livingstone and most importantly teaching multiple classes at Flying Angels School. The girls mostly taught subjects they are studying themselves, but teaching without many of the resources they were used to posed a challenge. At times a language barrier also presented itself and the true collaborative spirit of the classes was shown, as students consistently helped each other in the classroom. Occasionally too much collaboration was provided at times when exercise books were passed around for others to copy from! The girls sought fun and interesting ways of teaching, including chanting ‘onomatopoeia’ in Grade 8 English lessons, a ‘human circuit’ in Grade 9 Science lessons and memorable rhymes in sixth form lessons. After lunch, the girls would walk over to the Junior School and spend time with the younger students. They assisted with reading and classwork as well as playing games with the students, including the legendary game: ‘Do like I do’. The children in the Junior School were heart-warmingly jubilant and were a joy to spend time with. The girls also found time to get to know the students outside the classroom at Sports Day. While Miss Long successfully crushed the

competition in the teacher race, the girls were crushed themselves at netball! Other events with the Senior School included a heated debate over the importance of science over humanities, where the girls managed to recover their dignity with a strong win, and a Devotion service that combined the different religions and cultures of the NLCS girls. The Zambian School’s own service included passionately sung hymns, a sermon and the beautiful Zambian National Anthem, which by the end of the trip, the whole team knew by heart! The two weeks culminated with the Cultural Exchange, where both NLCS students and Zambian students proudly showcased their culture. The Zambian show was incredible, including a student eating fire and amazing performances of traditional dances. The NLCS show, although less colourful, included an enthusiastic Indian-Nigerian dance, a mashup of popular songs, and a Scottish Ceilidh! Overall the girls bonded closely with the students and the departure was a difficult one with many tears shed on both sides. The trip ended in Livingstone where the girls visited the magical Victoria Falls before being treated to a beautiful sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. It marked a wonderful end to one of the most memorable experiences of their lives. Many thanks to all the teachers and girls who put in months of hard work to make this yet another successful trip to Zambia. By Saibhan Bains

Sport

Meet the Sports Captains

The North Londoner Team spoke to NLCS Sports Captains, Elisabeth Joyce (2017-18) and Sofia Johanson (2018-19) to find out about their NLCS sporting successes and tips.

Sofia Johanson

Elisabeth Joyce

This year, students have enjoyed a wide variety of sporting events. From skiing successes, Swimming Galas and Lacrosse Tournaments, to a fantastic Sports Celebration Evening and welcoming guest teams from Scotland to School, everyone has really made the most of every opportunity available. Thank you to the Sports Department for all their hard work and commitment running events, squads and clubs, and well done to all girls who have participated in events over the past year!

Q.

Elisabeth, what has been your greatest achievement as Sports Captain?

A. My greatest achievement? That’s a hard one! I actually think it was putting together the assemblies with the sports committee. It was great to get the responses from younger years, where they would come up to me afterwards and just talk. I felt really proud to have developed that relationship with younger students where they felt comfortable to come and speak to me about sports and their interests.

Q.

Sofia, what are you most looking forward to in your time as Sports Captain?

A. I’m excited about Sports Day. It’s going to be my last one while technically at the school, and I’m really looking forward to getting all the Year 12s involved and seeing everybody enjoyed themselves. The Junior School Sports Days should also be a lot of fun. It’s great to see all the younger girls enjoying themselves and encouraging their love of sports.

I also can’t wait until the Winter Term with all the winter sports returning. They’re so much fun, and our teams are amazing. It will also be exciting to introduce the school to the whole Sports Committee, which should be in the second or third week of the term. It’ll be nice to set up the same relationship that Elisabeth had with the rest of the school. Q. What was your greatest personal sporting achievement of the year? A. I think I’d probably have to say receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for Sports and the Bradfield Cup on Valedictory Day. I guess I was so proud of those because they weren’t about excelling at one sport ─ it was more focused on the mixture and balance. I also made it through to the second round of the Middlesex Cross Country Tournament. I’ve never managed to do that before, and it was a goal I’d set myself… even if Cross Country isn’t my favourite! ~ Elisabeth It would be playing lacrosse against a Scottish and a Welsh team in the Nationals whilst actually hosting them here at NLCS. I was really proud to have been able to play a role in that way, and it was a lovely way to send off the Year 13 students. Outside of school, I also went on tour to the US with the English Lacrosse Team, which was amazing. ~ Sofia Q. A.

What sporting moments at school do you remember most? That’s a really tough decision! I guess there are two which really spring to mind. I’ll tell you both, and you can choose which you prefer [Interviewer’s note ─ I chose both because they were both great]

The first was when I was in Year 12, on the second day of the Lacrosse

Nationals. We made it through to the finals somehow. We felt so lucky. At the end of the match, even though we lost (only by a small gap!), we all began singing the Pilgrim’s hymn and crying because we were just so happy and proud of ourselves. It was such a great feeling (even though we lost)!

So the second wasn’t quite as recent ─ the year after they brought in the house system. They brought in the inter-house relay. I was competing for Year Ten, and my house (Lindsay) was kind of famous for not winning anything. It was just such a nice feeling standing together with the other years, in front of the whole school. We felt like such a team. They both stand out so much because of that feeling of team spirit and togetherness. ~ Elisabeth

My most memorable sporting event? I’d actually have to agree with Elisabeth. It was when I was in Year 11, and we were at the National Finals. Honestly, that team spirit was amazing. ~Sofia

Q. What would you recommend to Year 7 students looking to succeed in sports? A. Try everything. The first sport you try might not be the one you’re best at, but by trying, you will hopefully find the one you love.

Also persevere. At times sport can be hard ─ the rainy Saturday practices for lacrosse, the tough training sessions ─ but you just have to think about why you love that sport. Remember the best parts ─ like Nationals ─ and remind yourself that that’s why you do it.

Finally, just remember that, even if you’re not picked for the A-team in Year 7, it doesn’t define you for the next few years. In Year 7, I wasn’t selected for the Athletics Team, but by Year 11 I was the only one in my Year still competing, and I won several athletics events and awards. You need to work hard and make sure you find your sport or event. Mine was the Two-Hundred Metre Sprint. Don’t just give up because of one negative setback, keep working and you’ll get there. ~ Elisabeth It’s really important to ask your coaches for help if you don’t really understand something. Also, you may think it’s cliché, but practice does make perfect! If you want to be Goal Shooter, you need to be in the Sports Hall putting up shots, if you want to play lacrosse you need to practice calling for the ball. The final thing is never to be afraid to approach the Sixth Formers who are in charge of your sport because all they want to do is help you.

~ Sofia

Team Captain Highlights

The highlights of being Netball Captain this year are truly unforgettable. From the Year 7s thriving in their performances at competitions including the National Schools’ Netball Competition, to the Firsts Senior Netball Team being almost scarily eager to get out onto the courts and play, there really were too many great memories from this role to count.

One of my favourite aspects of being Netball Captain is the fact that the sport is adored by such a large community at the school, giving interyear practices a fantastic atmosphere where everyone’s eagerness for the sport really shone through. It was such a privilege to be able to captain such incredible competitors, and I wish the school the best of luck for the next year.

~ Annabel Christie, Netball Captain I have been playing lacrosse at North London ever since I moved up into the Senior School ─ the fast pace of the sport initially attracted me, and I’ve loved it ever since. Receiving the position of Co-Captain for this year’s team was really exciting. Yasmin and I really enjoyed helping the PE staff run sessions, as well as bonding the teams as a whole with group events such as a pizza party!

As always, the first aim of the new term was blending the players together as the Firsts Senior Lacrosse Team is made up of three year groups. After this, we then focused on our slides in defence and set attacking plays. Our hard work paid off when we won the South East Silver Plate. After the Christmas Holidays, our focus turned to Nationals. This is an event where all lacrosseplaying schools compete. The awful weather meant that our hard practising wasn’t given the opportunity to be fully displayed, though we did still manage to draw on the first day with St Paul’s. Everyone was upset on the Saturday when the tournament had to be called off, but in true North London style, we worked for an alternative solution. We invited two other teams, one from Scotland and the other from Wales, back to NLCS and played them on home turf.

Overall this year has been filled with great play, and I’m excited about where the team will go next year! ~ Georgia Benson, Lacrosse Co-Captain

In November, the Senior Gymnastics squad competed in the National 2-piece ISGA competition and did phenomenally well. The Under 13 team were commended for their strong performances, and the Over 13 team won a bronze medal as a team, with Camilla placing in the medals as an individual. The biggest success of the day was from the Under 15 team who won their category. They achieved the highest score ever in NLCS gymnastics history and won in an exceptionally difficult division. Sophia Waller exceeding all expectations and placed first overall.

At the end of Spring term, after weeks of training, the Under 15 and Over 13 gymnastics teams competed in the prestigious annual Independent Schools Gymnastics Association (ISGA) National finals. There were many notable performances from the Under 15 team, in particular,

Sophia who placed in the top 15 out of 60 gymnasts. The girls performed the best they ever have in this age category and placed 6th overall nationally and 5th in their group routine. Huge congratulations to the rest of the team – Hannah, Sophie, Jasmine and Luna who all placed incredibly well!

In the Over 13 category, despite a few injuries, the girls performed a fantastic group routine and placed 6th in this extremely tough field – the highest they have ever placed. Congratulations to Cara, Olivia, Serena and Cassie.

Sports Celebration Evening

The PE Department were delighted to host the fourth annual Sports Celebration evening on the 25th of April to recognise the phenomenal achievements of the students in a school sporting context and also in their own elite pursuits outside of school.

Previous guest speakers have included Kate Richardson-Walsh, Gail Emms and Beth Tweddle and this year we were delighted to hear some inspirational and thought-provoking discussions from Chemmy Alcott, four times Olympian and Great Britain’s most successful female skier and sports presenter. An incredibly appropriate speaker considering this year’s Winter Olympics and also the phenomenal successes of our own school skiers. The ski team were deservedly awarded Team of Year with Megan Greensmith in Year 12 being voted Sports Personality 2018.

A number of special service awards were presented to girls in Year 13 who have shown dedication, commitment and passion throughout their time at school. Many thanks to Mrs Cooper and the incoming and outgoing Sports Committee for all of their hard work in coordinating this event.

Sports week 2017, as always, was an amazingly jam-packed week of events. The ever-beloved teacherstudent lacrosse match was as enjoyed as ever (though shouts of “cheat!” could be heard from both sides as competitive spirits rose) and everyone made the most of being able to try out new sports, with clubs like badminton opening their doors to novices and encouraging a love of their sport in all students. Hopefully, the circulating rumours of glow-in-the-dark shuttlecocks for next year are to be believed!

Thank you to the Sports Committee for making this week so enjoyable!

Gym and Dance Display

At the end of the Summer term, students from Year 2 all the way up to Year 13, took part in the annual gym and dance display. Girls amazed the audience with dramatic

and energetic performances, including cheerleading, dance, gymnastics and trampolining. Congratulations to all students and staff for a fantastic show, which demonstrated not only outstanding talent but excellent teamwork.

Skiing, though a very popular pastime, is not always considered as a competitive sport, especially at school level. In assemblies, girls will often hear about lacrosse or netball successes, but this year skiing took the spotlight.

In January 2018, 10 girls participated in the year’s British Schoolgirls Ski Races in Flaine. Over 50 schools entered the races which is the most prestigious ski event in the schools competition and has been running for 59 years. After two days of intensive training and competition the girls achieved some impressive results. Cerys Gorringe was placed 1st in the U18 age group in the giant Slalom and 2nd in the slalom. Overall in the combined events in her age group she also placed 1st.

Giselle Gorringe in the U16 age group achieved 1st in both the giant slalom and slalom events and overall in the combined events in her age groups she placed 1st. Giselle’s outstanding times meant she was awarded top skier in the whole competition beating girls two age groups above her. A superb performance.

In the team events NLCS A team finished 1st making us champions of the British Schoolgirls Ski Races 2018, which is an exceptional achievement! The B team skied phenomenally well and they placed third, a fantastic performance from all the girls involved and great experience for those competing.

The team A team consisted of Cerys Gorringe, Giselle Gorringe and Annecy Stevens. The B team consisted of Lilyella Stevens, Anastasia Malugin and Schuyler Daffey.

Following this fantastic achievement, the girls went on to compete in the Interschool’s Skiing Competition, where they proceeded to win First School.

Congratulations to all girls who represented NLCS at these competitions and good luck for the future!

Netball Team wins the London Youth Games

In March, our Under 12 Netball Team were crowned champions at the London Youth Games, Europe’s largest youth sports festival. The team went undefeated, holding off fierce competition from Surbiton High School in extra time in the final match. All 33 London boroughs entered the Finals, held at Redbridge Sports Centre, “for one of the most hotly contested netball competitions we have ever seen.” said the games organisers. Congratulations, what a fabulous achievement and well done to everyone on the team.

Cross Country

Despite the extreme weather conditions in the Spring Term, the Senior School Cross Country teams demonstrated a fantastic level of grit and determination. Twenty-seven runners from Years 7-13, represented NLCS at the Harrow Borough School Cross Country with excellent performances across the board.

Year Seven Dance Display

On Tuesday 29th November, Year 7 took part in the annual Dance Display, which proved again to be a spectacular highlight of the Autumn term.

The theme this year was “Music Legends”. The dances, choreographed by Miss Horncastle and senior students, showcased tributes to artists such as David Bowie, Amy Winehouse, and Earth, Wind and Fire. All the students worked incredibly hard to produce exciting dances. With fantastic costumes and lighting, the show was a great success. Many thanks to all that helped and attended the Dance Display!

3D & Sixth form art

GCSE art

Trips & Exchanges

This year, girls have taken part in a wide variety of exciting cultural exchanges and trips both in the UK and overseas. There have been more than 30 trips, including language visits to France, Spain and Germany, Historians to Russia, Geographers to Iceland, and cultural exchanges to Kerala, Dubai and Jeju. There were also numerous visits to see theatre productions and art exhibitions, science trips and outdoor adventure excursions closer to home.

On 17th December a group of girls in Year 9 to 11 set off on a trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Upon arrival, they were all shocked by the refreshing drop in temperature, as well as delighted to find a Moscow covered in snow. It was a packed schedule, starting with an excursion by metro to Red Square. Here, the girls were able to visit the breath-taking GUM shopping centre as well as go ice-skating in the historic square, which all the girls will agree was a highlight of the trip. After visiting the Cosmonaut Museum and Tretyakov Gallery as well as a delicious meal at a Georgian restaurant, they boarded the overnight train to St. Petersburg, another memorable experience. Following a visit to the impressive Hermitage, the girls watched Prokofiev’s “The Gambler” at the world-famous Mariinsky Theatre. Similarly, the seemingly endless rooms at Catherine Palace with their grandeur and elegance astonished them too. All the girls also enjoyed the Matryoshka workshop, where they learnt how to make their own Russian dolls. Overall, the trip not only greatly improved the girls’ Russian speaking, but it also gave a unique insight into Russia’s history and culture that could only be achieved by visiting. Thanks go to Mr Chadwick, Ms Santos and Ms Bernstein for accompanying the girls on this memorable trip. By Rosalind Pike, Year 10

Surfing in Cornwall

During the weekend beginning 21st October 2016, a group of Year 8 and 9 girls travelled to the very chilly Cornwall Coast to go surfing.

Unfortunately for them, the sea was red flagged, indicating strong currents and extremely rough conditions, meaning all swimmers were discouraged from entering the water. Nevertheless, with special guidance and training from the surfing instructors, the girls were able to surf the less dangerous areas of the sea. After the first day of training, the girls explored the nearby beaches and caves with Mr Murray, who couldn’t stop himself from teaching about cave formations! The girls also visited a surf board factory where they learnt all about how surfboards are made. Many thanks to the organisers, Mr Murray and Mrs Fiori and all the teachers who accompanied the trip.

By Gabriella Zheng, Year 8

Phasels Wood

On the morning of Thursday 9th November, Year 7 set off for Phasels Wood in Hertfordshire in anticipation of an exciting day ahead of team building and getting to know the girls in their year better. They arrived ready to take on the challenges the woods had to offer.

The first thing the girls got stuck into was the ‘rolling rocks’ and the ‘traverse wall’. This was an amazing climbing machine that allowed the girls to keep climbing upwards as a wall rotated downwards. Whilst it was great fun it also required a lot of balance, stamina and co-ordination to complete the challenge. One of the girls climbed the equivalent of 21m on the wall and was deservedly proud of her achievement. Next up was a tricky but fun archery activity. The instructor taught the girls how to hold the bow and arrow in a way that helped them shoot the arrow as close to the target as possible. After lunch, the Year 7s completed some highly enjoyable team building exercises. One of the tasks was having to cross over a certain space by only stepping on small poles and planks of wood. The task required a lot of collaboration and it became very difficult at times when girls started shouting over each other! Resolutions were found by resetting and forming great plans to help their sub-teams win the challenge. The final activity for the day was a twist on table football. ‘Human Table Football’ was an exciting, muddy and joyful game that all the girls loved.

A fabulous and exhausting day was had by all. The girls returned in their muddy clothes and sunny moods. It appeared that time had moved too fast when Year 7 found themselves getting back on the coach at the end of the day. Many girls felt as though they now had a more positive connection between their friends. The whole experience was great fun, and it is undeniable that the day in Phasels Woods was an amazing experience, and the girls would love to do it again.

By Shreya Shah, Year 7

A group of Year 10-13 classicists had the amazing opportunity of visiting Greece during the October half-term, enabling them to learn in more depth about how the Ancient Greeks lived.

They visited many archaeological sites, amongst which the highlights were the original Olympic stadium and amphitheatre. They also did a fascinating day-trip to Delphi, where the famous Pythia, commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, is said to have lived. In Athens, they also saw the Parthenon. With its dominating position atop the Acropolis Hill, it was very impressive. The visit enriched their understanding of life of the Ancient Greeks, and they also had a lot of fun enjoying the beautiful weather.

By Vita Rottenberg, Year 10

Western Front

On 31st October, Year 9 went on a trip to the Western Front to learn more about WW1, which they had been studying in History and English lessons.

The first thing the girls did once in France, was to pay a visit to the Hooge Crater Museum, where there was a recreation of a trench system. It was a great opportunity for them to handle equipment and weaponry and for some to even dress in a uniform of the Great War. Soon after, they went to see the battlefield, which included the smallest Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in the world. During the visit, the girls learnt many methods of warfare such as mining, use of gas and flamethrowers. After dinner, they observed the Last Post Ceremony, a very important ceremony for remembrance of the soldiers who fought in the war.

On the second day, the girls set out after breakfast and drove to the Somme, where they visited the Fricourt German cemetery, the Lochnagar Crater, where they learnt about the use of Mine Warfare in the Great War, and Newfoundland Memorial Park, where they saw the trench system and had the chance to walk around the battlefield. After this, the girls reluctantly made their way back home. This was an unforgettable experience and many thanks go to the teachers who organised the trip.

By Gaya Giritharan, Year 9

Iceland

During the Autumn half-term, Geography students from Year 10 to 12 visited Iceland. The trip was full of amazing views and activities, making it a memorable trip for all.

On the evening of their arrival, the girls visited the Blue Lagoon. The extremely beautiful views and the unforgettable experience of swimming under the stars was most definitely a highlight of the trip.

On the second day, the girls departed after breakfast and drove to Pingvellir National Park the site of Iceland’s ancient parliament. The girls learnt that this was where Icelandic Vikings gathered for legislative sessions until the late 18th century. After this, they visited the Gullfoss waterfall, one of the most iconic waterfalls in Iceland, offering a spectacular view of water plunging 32 meters over a dramatic crevasse in the river valley. Another memorable outing during the trip was their visit to the Sólheimajökull glacier where the girls embarked on a hike through the ice. The girls walked through an otherworldly landscape full of sinkholes, ice ridges and layers of ash showing the close relationship between the two elements that give Iceland its deserved reputation of ‘The land of fire and ice’.

The last extraordinary adventure of the trip took place standing on a small footbridge connecting the colossal Eurasian and North American continental plates. Following this, forty overexcited and overtired school girls reluctantly made their way to the airport where it had all begun. Many thanks go to the teachers that organised the trip making it an unforgettable experience.

By Inma Emberton, Year 11

Geneva

At the beginning of the Easter holidays, a group of Sixth Form Physics students embarked on the much-anticipated trip to visit CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva. The trip provided the perfect opportunity to expand upon their knowledge of nuclear and particle physics which they have studied as a part of their course.

The research that takes place at CERN is fascinating and groundbreaking and without it, the world would be a very different place. The tour of the facility began with seeing one of the first particle accelerators which has now been retired. The girls’ tour guide brilliantly explained how the mechanisms of the accelerator worked, principles which form the basis of how the Large Hadron Collider functions. With their knowledge expanded it was time to take a short bus journey across the border into France to visit the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid experiment). The students were taken around 100m underground where they were first shown how to record all the collisions within the colliders. They were shocked at how much information is collected per second and by the volume of data storage systems there were. Their last stop in France was the assembly centre where top scientific minds from all over the globe brought their contributions to the ATLAS Particle Detector. The girls’ time at CERN was completed with visits to two of the onsite museums back in Geneva.

The students’ final day consisted of a visit to the UN Headquarters where they were taken on a very informative guided tour. Whilst sitting in the general assembly meeting room the girls learnt all about the structure, workings of the United Nations and all the different agencies. The trip ended with a free afternoon in the beautiful city to continue exploring and try the regional delicacies, Swiss chocolate being the favourite! By Anouk Wijeratne, Year 12

Kerala

Over the Christmas holidays, a group of students from Year 10 and Year 11 visited Kerala, in South India.

They had the opportunity to experience Kerala’s beautiful landscape through a relaxing backwater cruise and visit the state’s local landmarks, such as the Dutch Palace. The highlight of the trip was staying at The Sobha Academy, a school in Kochi, where they had the chance of spending time interacting with the students, gaining knowledge of their fascinating culture, as well as sharing their own. Their week at the school was made particularly memorable through the numerous musical and theatre showcases that the students and their teachers held and the group thoroughly enjoyed the experience of getting to know the children and their day to day life at the Sobha Academy.

Skiing

During February half-term twenty girls from Year 9 to Year 13 travelled to Madonna Di Campiglio in Italy for a wonderful ski trip.

The group of girls had varying abilities and watching a few of the girls ski for the first time was a humorous event, as the number of times they tumbled down the slope seemed endless! However, it was also extremely satisfying to watch them progress, showing their resilience, as they managed to ski down red runs by the end of the week! The beautiful village of Madonna Di Campiglio also lent itself to some fun après ski activities for the girls such as bowling on the first night which led to a victorious Mr McMillan and a karaoke night which ultimately ended in everyone singing wholeheartedly ‘To Be A Pilgrim’. The girls’ experience was definitely an unforgettable and unique one. The memories and bonds which the girls made across year groups will stay with them, and the trip truly realised everyone’s love for skiing. A massive thanks must go to Mr McMillan, Dr Potter and Mrs EvansEvans who took the time out of their holiday to take us, and for arranging this brilliant trip. By Aanya Shah, Year 12

Berlin

Over February half-term, a group of Year 10 and 11 students, accompanied by Dr Goward and Ms Pyke, travelled to Berlin. The trip was full of excitement and rich knowledge as the girls explored Berlin and reflected on the engaging history of a once divided city. Highlights of the trip included a visit to the DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik) museum, where the girls experienced what life was like on the Soviet side of the Berlin Wall, and the Jewish Museum which offered the students incredibly moving installations describing the effect that Holocaust had and still has on members of the Jewish community. Overall, the trip was an amazing experience that allowed the girls to understand more about the history of the Cold War and Nazi Germany. By Phoebe Ireland, Year 11

Peak District

At the end of the Summer Term, Year 9 went on Adventure Week at YHA Edale, an activity centre in the Peak District. The trip lasted five days and was action-packed throughout, with a large variety of activities to enjoy, such as canoeing, abseiling, caving, high ropes and many more. Many of the girls found the weaselling and abseiling the most fun. Weaselling consisted of attempting to crawl

through small holes between rocks inside and outside caves, and the girls also loved abseiling down an off-site high bridge. During free time in between activities, many of the girls explored the site and discovered fantastic views. This went to show that there was never a boring moment! Not only was the site lovely, but also the instructors, who helped the girls to overcome their fears and try out new activities. Adventure Week opened up a vast range of opportunities and helped the girls to try many adventurous activities with many taking part in activities that they would never have dared to do before! By the end of adventure week, everyone had been satisfyingly pushed out of their comfort zone and the girls thoroughly enjoyed every minute! The amazing view of the Peak District and the lovely weather equally added to everyone’s enjoyment. This was a once-ina-lifetime experience of outdoor activities that will never be forgotten. By Sarmbavi Prabhahar 9F

Student Exchanges

Madrid

On Monday 16th October, a small group of students studying GCSE Spanish went on a week-long exchange trip to the capital of Spain, Madrid. After communicating with their exchange partners via text and phone calls for weeks, it was very exciting to finally meet them in person.

As soon as the girls landed in Madrid–Barajas Airport on Monday afternoon, they drove to the SEK-El Castillo school to meet the exchange partners. The students were all incredibly welcoming and the girls settled into the school routine very quickly.

The next morning, they drove to San Gines, a traditional ‘chocolatería’ cafe for Spanish churros and hot chocolate, after which the girls walked through the busy but beautiful streets of Madrid to El Museo del Prado. On their third day, the girls went to El Escorial and El Palacio Real, where they were given a guided tour of a monastery. The next day, they visited Toledo, an ancient city set on a hill above the plains of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. On Friday, their final day of touring, the girls went to the Casa Lope de Vega Museum, the 17th Century house museum of Lope de Vega, a playwright of the Spanish Golden age of Baroque literature, for another guided tour of all the rooms in the house.

During the weekend, the girls spent time with their exchanges. Many people went to Spanish markets for shopping or boating at Retiro Park Lake, whilst some chose to stay at home and practice their Spanish with their exchanges’ families. Overall, all thoroughly enjoyed their weekend with their exchanges, immersing themselves in the culture, and learning a lot of Spanish along the way. On Monday, their final day, the girls spent a day in school, attending lessons with their exchange partners.

Overall, the girls found the trip to be an immensely rich learning experience to improve their Spanish, and they gained a better understanding of Spanish culture and lifestyle through communicating with their exchange partners, their families, and locals. By Charvi Jain, Year 10

During the Easter break, a group of Year 8 girls arrived at the school in Chambery after a long day of travelling. Having had a good plane flight, the girls were very excited. At the school, the girls met their exchanges, who gave a quick tour. The girls were taken to their exchange’s clubs, even including boxing and singing! At home, the girls ate dinner, some of whom were treated to a four-course meal! During the weekend the exchanges took the girls out. Trips included skiing and a visit to the zoo. Many ate typical French food including saucisson, fromage, escargots and raclette. During the week, the girls went out with the school to visit many attractions. The girls visited Geneva, Lyon and Chambery and visited the United Nations, a chocolate factory and a textile museum. Altogether the girls had a fantastic experience and made friends for life, with many hoping to return someday. By Hannah and Greta, Year 8

Bordeaux

During the October half-term holiday, a group of girls in the Sixth Form visited the beautiful region of Bordeaux.

The main purpose of this trip was to improve and practise their French whilst taking in and embracing the wonderful culture. For the duration of the trip, the girls stayed with host families who warmly welcomed them to the city. It was the perfect opportunity to perfect their French and learn from the locals. The trip was filled with cultural visits and activities which exposed the girls to all aspects of the rich French culture.

The first day was composed of a walking tour of the city, where the girls were able to learn about the gorgeous architecture and history of Bordeaux. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Saint-Émilion which is the main wine producing area of the region. The views of the vineyards were stunning and the visit was complete with a tour of the picturesque town.

Other highlights included a cooking class, where the girls learnt to make macarons, a tasting session at a typical market, where they had the opportunity to try various French foods from cheese to fois gras, and a visit to an oyster farm.

On the last day, the girls visited the largest sand dune in Europe and enjoyed a breath-taking view of the forest and ocean of Bordeaux. The trip was a great experience for all who went, and provided the perfect opportunity to learn a great deal about French culture. By Anouk Wijeratne, Year 12

This was the 69th year of the Ludwigsburg exchange and the visiting German group enjoyed a busy and snowy week in London. They visited central London and Cambridge and spent two days experiencing life

in school. NLCS students enjoyed a much sunnier week in Germany visiting local cultural sites, punting and embracing the very different routines of a German school. We are looking forward to the exchange’s 70th anniversary next year.

International Exchanges

There are now three international exchanges that run in Year 9 in addition to our language exchanges. Students are offered the opportunity to apply to participate in exchange programmes with NLCS Jeju, NLCS Dubai or SCEGGS, Sydney. This year, all three schools visited NLCS UK in March and the students participated in everyday lessons, throwing themselves into every subject, even ones that they had not previously studied. Our students were excellent hosts and made sure that their partners were made to feel welcome, taking them to extra-curricular clubs during the day and exciting outings during the evenings and weekends.

The NLCS UK students took part in the away leg of the exchange in the second half of the Summer Term. They also took part in everyday life at the respective schools and were able to experience a different culture and way of life. These exchanges are demanding for the students as they involve spending several weeks away from home, but overall the girls show remarkable resilience and enthusiasm to take on new experiences.

House Activities Programme

Teachers in Charge: F Hitchcock & J Chapman

There was a widespread impression in the Autumn Term that the Houses have now become firmly embedded within the extra-curricular life of the School. As this is now the fourth year since creating the Houses, students have a greater sense of belonging to their House, and there is more of a sense of each House having its own separate identity.

aim of the Meet-ups has been to encourage students across the different year groups to get chatting and work collaboratively.

There were several House events during the course of the Autumn Term including sports competitions and the annual House Photography competition (the theme being ‘House Colours’). A ‘House Lunch’ was held in the Dining Hall, which was divided into five sections and tablecloths in the different House colours were laid on the tables, with students being encouraged to sit within their Houses and start up conversations with other

The two rounds of House Meetups held in the Autumn Term were led by the Year 9 and Year 11 Captains, who had first worked collaboratively with the Houses Coordinator to set the agenda and plan the activities. In the first Meet-ups, held in September, students worked together to make friendship bracelets in their House colour. In the second Meet-ups, students played a party game which involved guessing the names of famous people stuck on each other’s foreheads. As with the House activities generally, a principle girls who were not necessarily their usual lunch companions. The Catering Department gave the food a creative twist to reflect the Houses theme.

In December the whole Senior School gathered to see the House teams battle it out in the annual House Quiz. The five Houses were each represented by four students – one from Middle School, one from Upper School, one from the Sixth Form and a fourth student who could be from any year group. There was a supportive but highly competitive atmosphere in the

Hall, and the event was much enjoyed by everyone.

The House Captains were busy organising a variety of events this year. We kicked off 2018 with an impressive Omni-House Bake Sale in January. It showcased a range of talents and the House bakers were eager to ensure their creations matched their House colours – not such an easy feat for Lindsay’s green colour scheme! The turnout was fantastic and £224 was raised for Save the Children.

Additionally the Houses competed during a drop-in Blitz Chess competition which was organised with the Senior School Chess Committee. House Debating was well attended and it was pleasing to see that it attracted many students from the Middle School - both to observe and take part.

The PE Department continued to organise an impressive array of activities, including events where whole year groups compete with one another. Year 7 and Year 8 have played Benchball and the Year 10s competed in a volleyball tournament.

During the Summer term, we held our annual Arts Festival and for its final day girls gathered in their colourful House T-shirts, for the biggest House event of the year, Sports Day! This year, the event also included the House Fete with attractions including a Bungee Run, Giant Football Darts and traditional stalls, run by the students, to raise money for Plan International, the Canonaid chosen charity for this term. The culmination of the House points competition was also announced. Taking scores from sports day and all other event s during the year, Angus were crowned this year’s winners

Creative Writing

There are many opportunities throughout the year for girls to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and explore the world of creative writing. Two publications produced by the students focus on creative writing. Students are encouraged to write their own stories, poetry and prose, and also review literary text.

Archipelago

Archipelago was founded in 2011 and showcase pupils artwork, poetry and prose. It features both teacher and student articles from all years including submissions from NLCS Jeju. ‘Archipelago’ from the Greek ‘Arch’ (meaning ‘the beginning’ or ‘ruler’) and ‘Pelagos’ (meaning ‘open sea’) is a fitting name as each issue embarks on an artistic voyage. This year the issue explored the theme of ‘the passing of time’, with Maria-Sigrid Remme writing and directing a play called ‘Carte Blanche’ which was performed in the Summer term.

The Passage of Thyme

A strange affliction plagues my palette; I dare not take a risk— I break out in hives when nearing Chives and Parsley purses my lips. It would not be Sage to take my fill of Dill or Caraway, Tarra-be-gone, please no Anise, to Bay I say “Good day!” It would not be a Caper to chance Cumin, and fever is a hint that Ginger will linger, green-faced from Mace, please keep off the Mint! Lavender, Rosemary, Mustard, Lemongrass—these colours I cannot taste, Clary constricts, Basil bothers my belly, Fennel funnels my breath away. My digestive system fails, it’s true, when my bowels each herb outclasses, But there is one exception to this rule: In the end, Thyme passes. by Ananya Basu ‘Weasel Words’ is a creative writing magazine for all years, although it is particularly associated with the Year 10 to 13 Creative Writing Society. It publishes the most original and imaginative pieces of literature with a focus on unique explorations of form, content, and use of language, encouraging its writers to experiment continually.

A Pile of Clothes on the Train Track

Where do you go when the stars are high, and fake hearts fly out to me from hearts around this small world, sweaty hands in mine all telling me that I can do it? Money is sweet My tongue is rich with the taste of expense When my eyes shut, my insides never stop Moving like the wind that uprooted you Too soft a plant, too weak a grasp on the climbing frame of this small world. Where do you go when brooks glimmer like scales over rocks and stones that will break my bones? When time burns on me like acid, where do you go? Skilful whispers of crafting spells streak my horizon with Sepia that bleeds into streets Calls out the shopkeepers when the fish are freshly salted And the bread is in the oven New bunting flapping in the wind Time is silk, it moves like the paper boy on his bicycle Interrupted by wads of cash stuffed down my throat, the ring of his bell Move out of the way, coming through, fleeting, a coin on a highway How far can you go? The sky’s not the limit, says the barren earth trapped beneath Bouncing feet, the girl in cerise shoes, the old man in vintage leather, This is your limit. So far as you may go, crossing the boundary is unnecessary, because what could possibly be wrong with you? Normality is an obligation So be goddamned normal They say. Tip your hat to the milkmaid, suck the tobacco juice from browned teeth Buy your groceries from old Joe, he’ll never rip you off! Skies are never crystal, the grass is always greener here But the scales tip Fireflies fleet into my hand, my palms scorched by you I’ll forgive you soon, promise. Where do you go when sweaty bodies bustle in a writhing mass like a snake, a body of bodies, parched more than any desert in the far corners of the world? I know now.

By Charvi

Carte Blanche

Afew years ago, as I was passing the door of the Modern Languages Office, a poster about a Creative Writing Competition caught my eye. The year was 2014 and exactly one hundred years had passed since the outbreak of the First World War. Organised by L’Institut Francais, the task was to write a short story entitled My Life One Hundred Years Ago, in both English and in French. I finished writing the story only a few days before we left for the Year 9 Western Front Trip. The copy of the short story was sent to L’institut Francais. A month later, I made my way to the Institute and that evening I was awarded a Special Prize for the Quality of the Writing. Upon my return home, the copy of the short story disappeared beneath a pile of other things...

At that point, I had already realised that I enjoyed writing and continued to do so, producing other short pieces of prose and I also began to work on a novel. Although I enjoyed going to the theatre, my focus was not on writing play scripts. However, this soon changed. Last year, as part of the 2017 edition of Archipelago: Lost and Found, I decided to write a short play entitled Doppelgänger. After experimenting with this, it seemed to develop into a tradition and soon enough, I was already searching for inspiration for a production for the forthcoming 2018 edition of Archipelago: The Passing of Time.

I experimented with a variety of ideas and even wrote a few terrible scripts, before finally reaching a decision. The short story My Life One Hundred Years Ago had always remained engraved in the back of my mind, and I was struggling to part with it. For me, it was still a draft and it needed more. I revised the short story and decided to adapt it into a play. This allowed me to delve further into the characters and to experiment with dialogue, an aspect of writing that I adore.

For it is with this play, that I can, feeling content and (nearly) at ease, part with these most precious characters, allowing them to thrive, once and for all in a realm that belongs to them: Carte Blanche. By Maria-Sigrid Remme, Year 12

In the final eight weeks of the term, Maria-Sigrid Remme and a cast of Year 12 students came together to produce her play. Carte Blanche tells the story of Lisa Blanche, who, after the death of her grandfather, is left with the task of carrying out one of his final wishes: to find out what happened to his brother Pierre Delacroix. At the same time, seventy years earlier in the trenches of France, Jamie MaCloy, a sniper who has returned to his post, befriends a French soldier, named Pierre Delacroix. This friendship does not only shine a new light upon the horrors of the war, but shapes Jamie and the decisions he makes afterwards. Set in both 1917 and 1980, the play follows both groups of characters and the challenges that they face. Congratulations to all girls involved, for an outstanding production.