termly news | issue 24 | Spring 2016
Fun on the slopes Page 7
Also in this issue... Aiming high in STEM Page 2
Girls are gold Page 4
A Dance spectacular Page 5
A Royal visit Page 6
Pipers Corner School, Great Kingshill, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP15 6LP telephone 01494 718 255 | email theschool@piperscorner.co.uk | visit www.piperscorner.co.uk
A note from the Headmistress The Spring Term is the one part of the school year that always seems to fly by and this year has been no exception. The last few months have been full of hard work, countless trips and enrichment activities and, most of all, highly enjoyable and fulfilling for both girls and staff. One of the things we have been focusing on this term has been life beyond Pipers and the types of careers the girls may wish to consider. You will read in these pages about the activities undertaken for National Careers Week (see page 2). The aim of this annual national event is to provide a focus for careers guidance activity at an important stage in the
Confirmation of faith The school’s annual service of confirmation took place in March. The day was the culmination of three months of preparation undertaken by Martha A (Year 6), Jemima C (Year 9) and Alethea H (Year 6) under the guidance of School Chaplain, Revd Gurr. The service was presided over by The Bishop of Buckingham, and was a joyous occasion as the girls each made their individual commitment to welcome God into their lives.
Upcycling fashion This term, as part of their enrichment programme, girls in the Lower Sixth researched the ethical issues that underpin the fashion industry, including the social, environmental and economic issues that can arise due to clothes being thrown away. They were set the task of creating their own piece of recycled fashion, following which they had to present their project to a panel of judges including a representative from TRAID.
Tremendous talent The annual Hampden Talent show was held in March and, as always, the standard of talent on show was extremely high! A very enthusiastic audience gathered in the Landau Hall to cheer on the contestants and enjoy the variety of performances on show. Top prize went to Emilia M and Alicia O (Year 8) for their duet (singing with piano accompaniment) of “Skinny Love” by Birdy.
Science Live In January, a group of twelve Year 10 Able, Gifted and Talented scientists attended “Science Live” at the New Theatre in Oxford. It was a fantastic opportunity for the girls to listen to five of the UK’s top scientists speak about their area of specialism including Professor Mark Miodownik, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Professor Andrea Sella. There were also some very useful sessions with science examiner, Stewart Chenery, offering tips on examination technique.
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academic calendar, and this year it included a particular emphasis on careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The girls thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and try their hand at something new. Some of our Prep and Senior girls also had the opportunity to listen to a talk from the Chief Scientist at NASA, Dr Ellen Stofan, an amazing experience which opened their eyes to what life in an international research organisation was like. On a more local level, a visit from two members of our alumnae, who now work at the Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, (see page 3) demonstrated to the
girls what careers opportunities could be available to them closer to home. As teachers, it is our job to encourage the girls to widen their horizons and gain an awareness of what life has to offer them. As we move forward into the summer examination period, I very much hope that the girls will reflect on their experiences from this term and be inspired to work hard in order to achieve their dreams. Wishing you a happy and peaceful Easter.
Aiming high in STEM Pipers Corner fully embraced National Careers Week in March, with a particular emphasis on careers within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Girls in the Senior School had the opportunity to attend various talks from inspirational women currently working in STEM related jobs. These included Somari Biehler (Optometrist), Dr Katie Haywood (Scientist at ViiV Healthcare), Ruth DowneySmith (Helicopter Pilot), Dr Elena Smith (Clinical Leader at Johnson & Johnson) and Dr Siobhan Denis (Head of Imaging Operations at GE Healthcare). Each speaker shared the story of their career paths and spoke about what was brilliant about their respective professions. At the end of the week there were celebrations to mark the start of British Science Week with STEM Day, where all girls in the Senior School took part in STEM related workshops:
• Girls in Year 9-11 had the opportunity to programme robots using the programming language Scratch. At the end of the activity the robots were entered into a race which tested speed, direction and accurate manoeuvring of the machines. • Girls in Year 10 and Year 11 were given the task of constructing a tower using only long spaghetti and marshmallows. After planning and making the structure the groups then tested how strong they were using masses. • In Year 7 the girls were challenged to build a raft that could carry masses without sinking - the raft that could hold the largest mass without sinking would be the winner. • A member of the GE Healthcare team delivered an excellent introduction about the biology of cells to girls in Year 8, after which the girls made 3D models of a cell using craft supplies provided.
Operating in the nineteenth century In January, girls studying GCSE History had the opportunity to visit the Old Operating Theatre in London. The purpose of the trip was to support the work the girls were doing in class, learning about Victorian medicine. The Old Operating Theatre in London is home to one of the oldest operating theatres in Europe. The girls were able to touch, smell and see many different examples of remedies and medical paraphernalia from the Victorian era. Whilst in the Operating Theatre, the procedure of the Victorian operation was explained, where the girls learnt that with no anaesthetics, antiseptics or blood transfusions, speed was the key to success. Following their time in the Operating Theatre, the girls then went on to visit Guy's Hospital and "Old Father Thames", where they discovered more about the real public health hazards of the nineteenth century.
It was a fantastic trip which really helped the girls to gain a sense of what the medical profession would have been like in the nineteenth century. It was certainly not something we would want to experience today! Mrs Tinnelly, Head of History
Careers in animal care Former Pipers Corner pupils Emma Routledge (2006) and Alex Mozley (2009) came to speak to girls, parents and staff in February as part of the Pipers Corner Lecture Series. Emma and Alex work at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital as part of the team taking care of wildlife in the local area, rehabilitating animals and releasing them back into the wild. Emma and Alex spoke about their choices at A Level and university and how this impacted on their career choices. Although both girls took different routes to get where they are
today, they each expressed to the audience that to work in animal care you need to have a passion for animals and be prepared to work hard. They also both agreed that the rewards are huge. To see rehabilitated animals be released back into their natural habitat it is one of the best experiences both Alex and Emma are involved in. At the end of the talk we were delighted to be part of the release of two tawny owls in the Pipers grounds. The owls had been injured and nursed back to health by Tiggywinkles and were ready to go back into their natural habitat.
A dramatic performance This term saw the culmination of two years of hard work for our A Level Drama and Theatre Studies students as they performed their examination pieces. For their A2 practical examination the girls were tasked with devising a piece of original theatre based on a stimulus. The girls chose to use mental health as a starting point and explored the story of a girl suffering from schizophrenia following a traumatic incident. The play followed the story of a girl who had lost her sister at an early age and subsequently suffered from schizophrenia. The plot took the audience through the character’s thoughts and feelings as she developed suicidal thoughts and was placed under the supervision of doctors. The result was a deeply engaging piece of theatre, influenced by the methodologies of the director Artaud and his “Theatre of Cruelty�.This method encourages the audience to experience for themselves the emotional journey a particular character is going through. The girls performed to a small selected audience and included moments of audience participation in order to bring them into the drama and help them to understand the feelings of the central character.
The girls performed incredibly well and with great understanding of the concept and issues behind a complex topic. The content they delivered was impressive and so was their delivery. It was a fantastic way to showcase the skills they have been learning throughout their A Level course. Ms Spencer, Director of Drama
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Girls are gold
Down the Pre-Prep catwalk Year 10 girls created fabulous children’s clothes in their GCSE Textiles lessons this term. They designed their patterns, keeping in mind things that children need in their clothes such as durability and comfort, and what fabrics they could use to achieve the best finish. Once the garments were made, Year 10 headed to the Pre-Prep Department to source
willing models to try the outfits on and provide them with feedback. The Pre-Prep girls showcased the designs down the catwalk to make sure they were comfortable and easy to walk and play in. It was a fantastic cross-curricular exercise - the Pre-Prep girls benefitted from having the older girls visit them and Year 10 were able to make the most of having younger girls to measure, dress and display their creations.
A team of five Upper Sixth girls from Pipers Corner (Victoria H, Poppy N, Maddy S, Nia T and Charlotte W) are to be congratulated on the successful completion of their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. An even more special accomplishment as they are the first group to complete the Gold Award at Pipers Corner. For the Gold Award the girls had to complete a series of activities over the course of a year. These included volunteering, a physical activity such as playing a new sport, a skill like learning a musical instrument, a four-day expedition and a residential, which required the girls to undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for five days. For this task the girls decided to spend the week at a Guiding camp. For their expedition the girls travelled to The Lake District where they embarked on a tough journey. During the expedition the girls took time out to learn about Mountain Rescue techniques, talking to the Mountain Rescue team in Ambleside about their work and how different areas of the country cope with the demands on the service.
Talk from NASA Chief Scientist In January girls in the Prep Department and Year 10 had the opportunity to listen to the Chief Scientist at NASA, Dr Ellen Stofan. Dr Stofan was addressing pupils at St Catherine’s School in Bramley and her talk was streamed to all GSA schools across the country. It was a really interesting experience for the girls to find out about the different aspects of NASA and the areas of current research including how climate is affecting life on Earth and how plants are being grown in space.
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It is always a pleasu re to visit Pre-Prep an d have the girls try on the clothes made by Year 10. They gain vit al experience using real people to dress, which will he lp their studies a gre at deal. Mrs Tebb, Head of Tex tiles
Cracking "Nutcracker" In January, GCSE Dance students in Year 10 and 11 were treated to a very special workshop by the New Adventures Dance Company. New Adventures is the most in-demand contemporary Dance touring company in the UK, under the leadership of one of the UK’s most celebrated choreographers and directors, Matthew Bourne. Bourne has produced some of the most successful dance productions ever including, “Nutcracker!”, “Swan Lake” and “Sleeping Beauty”, which is currently showing in London. The workshop was led by Adam Galbraith and Vicky Evans who have both been part of the company for many years. They provided the girls with a fantastic insight into how movement is developed using the tasks and techniques that Bourne and his dancers use when rehearsing for their performances.
As the girls have been concentrating on “The Nutcracker” in their GCSE course, the workshop was tailored around looking at character and narrative specific to that particular ballet. The workshop included a short technique class, where they explored repertoire from the production, followed by the opportunity for the girls to create their own choreography.
Adventures in Arran In February the high winds and storms didn’t prevent the intrepid group of Pipers Corner AS Level geographers from making the most of their field trip to the Isle of Arran. The girls began their adventure with an early morning start as they made their way to Lochranza via, plane, train, bus and ferry. The field trip enabled the girls to immerse themselves in all aspects of the AS Geography course, covering rivers, coasts, cold environments, rural settlements, tourism and urban areas. The Isle of Arran and nearby Glasgow was a perfect choice as the area provided access to a wealth of fantastic examples of the different environments. During their trip the girls studied the negative impacts of tourism on the area, such as footpath erosion and potential issues of congestion around the main “honey pot” areas, as well as the positive impacts such as the growth of small businesses like cafes and shops. They observed the impacts of glaciation
An evening of cabaret This summer a group of girls from the Lower Sixth will be embarking on a trip of a lifetime to Ecuador, as part of a World Challenge educational expedition. To raise funds for their upcoming expedition, the girls organised a cabaret evening where guests were treated to an evening of live music from a jazz band, pianists, singers and soloists, along with some fun, interactive quizzes.
in the Glen Rosa valley with perfect viewing of coastal landforms, features and management processes. The group also had a good opportunity to see the impact of the decline of rural settlements by visiting many abandoned properties, as well as experiencing first-hand the problems of living in such a remote area with the cancellation of four ferry crossings on their way home due to storm Imogen. One bonus of the changes in their travel arrangements was the extra time they were able to spend in Glasgow, which facilitated a discussion of the urban nature of the city.
A dance spectacular Girls in the Senior School put on a spectacular dance show in March when they took to the stage to perform to their family and friends. It was a lovely opportunity for the girls from various dance companies, clubs and dance examination groups, to come together and demonstrate what they have been learning in their groups. The evening took inspiration from stories, book and fairy tales, beginning with the Pointe Class performing “Spider in the web” inspired by “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White, with music from Edward Scissor
Hands by Danny Elfman. There were then performances from girls studying tap, modern, ballet and contemporary dance. Other performances included the Year 8 and 9 Dance Club dancing to “Out of the black” by Royal Blood, the Senior Dance Company performing to “Sleepy seven” by Bonobo and the Middle School Dance Company dancing to “Let’s be bad” from Smash. For the finale all girls came together to perform “Better when I’m dancing” by Meghan Trainor. It was a fantastic evening that allowed the girls' enthusiasm and energy to really shine through on the stage.
A lesson in Judaism Year 2 enjoyed an interesting visit to Watford Synagogue in March. Their host, Rabbi Levine, explained about all the various items around the Synagogue including the everlasting lamp which hangs above the Ark in synagogues, a selection of prayer books and the eight Torah scrolls which are very important. It was a wonderful experience for the girls to complement their continuing studies of different religions.
A visit from the barber surgeon Girls in Year 8 enjoyed learning about Tudor medicine in March when they took part in a workshop about the life and work of a Tudor Barber Surgeon. The workshop covered all aspects of early medicine and the Barber Surgeon showed examples of the different medicines and items used for medical treatment, including surgical tools that would have been used to remove lead bullets and arrows from soldiers in battle.
When in Rome As part of their studies of the Romans, Year 4 visited the Verulamium Museum in February. Verulamium was the third largest city of Roman Britain and the museum stands on the site of the Roman town. The girls thoroughly enjoyed looking at the re-created Roman rooms and viewing the 1800 year old hypocaust and its covering mosaic floor, along with the many examples of Roman artwork and other artefacts.
River exploration In March, Year 7 girls visited the River and Rowing Museum in Henley for a day of geographical experiments and river exploration, as part of their study of the rivers and flooding unit in Geography. The girls completed a range of fact finding missions in the museum’s gallery before participating in workshops where they set up experiments and used their physical geography skills to find out how rivers erode, transport and deposit their material.
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A royal visit from Pre-Prep
Thought-provoking Inter-House debates This year’s Inter-House competition saw two separate debates as both Senior (Year 10 – Upper Sixth) and Junior (Year 7 – 9) teams vied on behalf of their Houses for the Debating Shield. For the Seniors, the first motion was “This House would make organ donation compulsory” (Penn vs. Milton) and the second motion was “This House would allow women to carry weapons for self-defence” (Mandeville vs. Hampden). The Juniors’ motions were “This House would ban sugary drinks for children” (Milton vs. Penn) and “This House would give young people (over 16 years old) the vote” (Hampden vs. Mandeville). The motions were eagerly discussed with the proposition and opposition sides in all
the debates demonstrating the large amount of research that had been put in prior to the event. For the Seniors, Penn came out on top as winners with Hampden in second place. For the Juniors, Hampden came first with Penn in second.
World Book Day 2016
Girls in Pre-Prep thoroughly enjoyed a visit to Windsor Castle in February, where they learnt about how kings and queens have lived since the castle was built 1000 years ago.
Girls at Pipers Corner had a fantastic time celebrating World Book Day, an annual event that aims to turn millions of children into millions of readers. Members of the Pre-Prep and Prep Departments dressed up as their favourite literary character and the Senior School girls got involved with the Big Book Swap.
There were lots of exciting characters to see wandering around school including Alice in Wonderland, Little Miss Sunshine, the Demon Dentist and Esio Trot. All the girls did a wonderful job with their costumes, putting lots of thought into their accessories to ensure they looked just like their chosen literary figure.
The girls visited the North Terrace of the castle and took note of the castle’s features including the gateway, a carving of St George and the dragon, and the slits in the walls from when the castle was used in battle. On entry they were particularly interested to see Queen Mary’s Doll House, which is the largest and most famous doll’s house in the world. A highlight of the trip was the opportunity to dress up with a cloak and hat and be knighted by Mrs Ness-Gifford in the Garter Throne Room. They also all enjoyed standing on the 26 tiles in the Lantern Lobby - each tile represents one of the 26 Knights of the Garter. To end their trip the girls had a look round St George’s Chapel searching for the graves of kings and queens buried there.
This was a fantastic trip to take the whole Department on. All the girls thoroughly enjoyed seeing how the kings and queens of the past lived and used the castle. Mrs Rushforth, Head of Pre-Prep
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Pre-Prep nderful costumes the lightful to see the wo e. de s ibl wa red it inc s ay ked alw As they all loo for World Book Day, and young ren ild ch g and Prep girls wore gin ura co y of en ok Day are a great wa oks. Events like World Bo and talking about bo g din rea in ed olv inv re mo t ge to le peop admistress Mrs Ness-Gifford, He
Young chef winners In January, Chloe B (Year 11) and Imogen S (Lower Sixth) took part in the local heats of the Rotary Young Chef Competition. It is a four stage national competition to support and encourage development of cookery skills in young people. The participants had to demonstrate excellent food presentation, as well as the ability to cope with the pressure of cooking in timed conditions. The girls had to prepare a two course healthy meal comprising of a starter and main dish for two people, costing less than £15 in 90 minutes. Out of four participants, Imogen came first and Chloe was second, meaning both went through to the district finals.
Pipers Team named “Best Company” In March the Pipers Young Enterprise team, “Decade” were delighted to be awarded the top prize of “Best Company for the Wycombe Area” at the Young Enterprise area finals. It was a fantastic achievement for the girls and followed a process that included interviews with four separate judges and the delivery of a presentation about their company to all the students, teachers and advisers present at the area finals event. Decade will now progress into the next round to compete against teams from schools from across the county.
Fun on the slopes Girls from Year 6 and Year 7 thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to take part in the very first Pipers Corner Junior Ski Trip to Sansicario, Italy, in January. On the first morning the girls were assessed and placed into their ski lesson groups according to their ability before hitting the slopes. Over the course of the week it was fantastic to see the progression of the girls on the slopes and their enjoyment of the activities they took part in. As the week progressed, the beginners started to explore
longer Blue Runs, whilst the more advanced groups explored the Red Runs and even part of the Olympic Black Run. In addition to skiing the girls were also given the opportunity to take part in a variety of après ski activities such as a pizza night, quiz, ski bob sessions (sledging) and a sightseeing stop in Turin before they returned home. On their final evening the ski instructors presented the girls with their Ski School certificates and badges, which the girls are now proudly wearing on their blazers.
e had a wonderful tim Trip and all the girls i Sk r the nio see Ju to tic nt tas It was a fan and it was brillia nditions were perfect The weather and co ek. we the t ou gh d excitement throu girls’ enthusiasm an PE Miss Poore, Head of
News from Sport Prep girls in hockey action In February girls in Year 6 took part in their very first hockey fixture against Great Kingshill School. The girls were split into an A and B team and played two, 10 minute half, matches against Great Kingshill’s teams. The A team match was a real thriller, with end-to-end action and a total of four goals; the final score being a 2-2 draw. There was some
U16 Netball Team
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excellent defensive work from Isabella J and a superb goal from Violet B. For the B team the final score was 0-5 to Great Kingshill, however, there was some excellent tackling from Grace P in defence and impressive attacking play by Jessica Q. For most girls of this team, it was their first time competing for the school so they should be particularly praised for their efforts.
Great wins for U15 and U16 Netball teams On Tuesday 2 March the Pipers Corner U16 Netball team successfully defended their title at the U16 Wycombe District Netball Tournament coming away as winners for the second year in a row. Results: • Pipers Corner 10 – 1 Great Marlow School A • Pipers Corner 6 – 3 Wycombe Abbey School • Pipers Corner 5 – 2 Great Marlow School B • Pipers Corner 3 – 1 St. Michael’s Catholic School B • Pipers Corner 2 – 1 Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School • Pipers Corner 2 – 3 Bourne End Academy • Pipers Corner 9 – 0 Sir William Ramsay School • Pipers Corner 5 – 0 Wycombe High School Congratulations also go to the Pipers Corner U15A Netball Team on being crowned Tournament winners at the U15 Wycombe District Netball Tournament. Results: • Pipers Corner 9 - 9 Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School • Pipers Corner 9 – 8 Wycombe Abbey School • Pipers Corner 14 – 12 Wycombe High School
Inter-House Swimming Prep First | Milton Second | Penn Third | Hampden Fourth | Mandeville Year 7 First | Milton Second | Penn Third | Hampden Fourth | Mandeville Year 8 First | Penn Second | Mandeville Third | Hampden Fourth | Milton Overall results First | Penn Second | Milton Third | Hampden Fourth | Mandeville
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Who’s who at Pipers Corner Name: Mrs Celia Etchegoyen Brief description of your role within Pipers Corner. I am Head of the Prep Department and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. I am responsible for the day-to-day running of the Department, including the pastoral and academic development of all the girls in Prep. I also get involved in teaching Topic lessons and PE, as well as lunchtime sports practices and after school matches. What did you do before you joined the School? I was Head of the Senior School at Chesham Preparatory School.
Position: Head of Prep
What excites you about the job that you do? Every day is different with new and exciting challenges. Working in a school with enthusiastic pupils who are eager to learn is a real privilege. What activities do you enjoy in your spare time? I absolutely adore hockey and have coached county teams in Buckinghamshire, as well as regional teams for the South of England and international squads for Wales as an U18 assistant coach. I also enjoy playing tennis and taking long walks in the countryside.
Who would you say has inspired you most in life? My children, they provide me with inspiration each and every time they come home to visit. Finally, the best thing about working at Pipers Corner is… When I open the front door to the Prep Department each morning, I am greeted by smiling happy children. Their good wishes for the day makes this job so worthwhile. Since I joined the school I have thoroughly appreciated the incredible support offered to me from the whole Pipers community - the girls, parents and colleagues.
“When I open the front door to the Prep Department each morning, I am greeted by smiling happy children. Their good wishes for the day makes this job so worthwhile.”
Key dates for your diary Summer Term 2016 Term begins: Tuesday 12 April | 0830 hours May Bank Holiday: Monday 2 May Half-term begins: Friday 27 May | 1600 hours Half-term ends: Monday 6 June Term ends: Parents' Day | Saturday 9 July | 1630 hours
Have your say We would love to hear your thoughts on Pipers Post. If you have any comments or suggestions then please contact us. Rebecca Conroy Senior Marketing Executive Pipers Corner School Pipers Lane, Great Kingshill High Wycombe HP15 6LP T: 01494 719850 E: rconroy@piperscorner.co.uk For all the latest news and updates you can follow us on Twitter: @PipersCornerSCH Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PipersCornerSchool
News from the Pipers PTA This term saw us host a new event, The Burns Night Supper and Ceilidh. Tickets sold out and many parents who attended have already asked if we will repeat the event next year. Watch this space! Our other event was the ever popular Pipers Easter Egg Hunt. New this year was the colouring competition and we had some wonderful works of art. Thank you to all the girls who took part in this and all the activities on the day.
Next term there are two PPTA events to look forward to: the BBQ and Camping Night on the Saturday 7 May and The James Bond Summer Ball on Saturday 2 July. We do hope you can join us.
In early February the PPTA held its AGM and our treasurer was delighted to confirm the total raised from our events last year which was £8962. These funds have enabled us to make significant contributions to school resources including to the Art Department, Gardening Club and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. We have also donated to both the British Heart Foundation and to Theatre Shed, two very worthwhile charities. We were delighted to nominate some new committee members this term. We are still looking for more willing volunteers to join us and become more involved in your daughters' school and PPTA events. Please contact us if you feel you can contribute in anyway. Our email address is ppta@piperscorner.co.uk
Goodbye and good luck! Mrs Jacqui Martin-Löf Gardening Club
Mrs Chris Gould Netball Coach