Termly News | Issue 35 | Autumn 2019
We are Eco Warriors
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...
Record Results
9 to 5 P3
Pipers Corner School, Great Kingshill, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP15 6LP
Founder’s Day 2019 P3
TELEPHONE 01494 718 255 EMAIL theschool@piperscorner.co.uk VISIT www.piperscorner.co.uk
Mural Project P4
P5
MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMISTRESS Our collective actions can make such a big difference to the environment and the world around us. Here at Pipers Corner there has been so much He has been taking his wealth of knowledge keen to place sustainability at the forefront of all happening to highlight environmental issues and the steps we need to take to ensure our sustainability. Pipers Corner School is wholly committed to environmental issues and has recently banned the use of all single use plastic bottles in the school and has also successfully implemented an Ecobricks plastic recycling scheme. An Environmentalist-in-Residence, Mr Phil Williams, recently joined the team at Pipers Corner, a first for any school in the country.
into the classroom and helping students and their teachers ensure that sustainability is at the very heart of teaching. We have a thriving Eco-Group who recently undertook their first major project, an Environmental Audit of the school. You can learn more about the group below. Their findings will be presented to the Senior Leadership Team and the Board of Governors, as a platform for change.
From litter and plastic waste to the Amazon Rainforest and palm oil. From buying apples from New Zealand to leaving computers and lights on. By the nature of what we use and purchase every day we are having an impact on this wonderful planet, our home.
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May I take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2020.
The girls have embraced the ethos of the school regarding environmental change and are equally
Creating Tomorrow Today
At Pipers Corner, Mr Williams, our Environmentalist-in-Residence has set up a weekly Eco-Group. The students named the group ‘HOPE’ (Helping Others Protect the Environment). There are three sections to HOPE, Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior. The groups operate independently but will come together on specific projects such as a school-wide Green Week, planned for next year. The school already has a clear passion for the environment within the curriculum and enrichment programme through Forest School, Gardening Club and the Pre-Prep Eco-Group. These groups will continue as they are but they will link in with the overall HOPE suite of activities.
our actions. I never cease to be amazed by their energy, initiative and passion for the good of the world and their immediate community.
The group is planning a number of actions and events for 2020 including: a series of assemblies run by the students; a conference which will include a number of local primary schools working collaboratively with Prep; a dance production highlighting environmental themes; the development of a British Wildflower Garden to encourage bees and other pollinating insects; a wildlife audit, and several energy and paper-use reduction programmes. Finally, we plan to make an application for the prestigious International Green Apple Award, presented annually to deserving contributors at the Houses of Parliament. Pipers Corner is truly embracing the need for sustainability and protection of the environment by embedding it as a purpose in all aspects of school life.
Eco Warriors The Pre-Prep Eco Committee met this term to discuss the findings of the recent eco review and to decide on projects to focus on this year. Along with participating in the sustainability audit, the team also delivered an assembly to talk about the work they have done so far. They have also launched a new eco monitor initiative, whereby each class will have its very own eco monitor to check doors are closed and lights are switched off, in order to save energy. In addition students in the Pre-Prep and Prep departments have been helping the Estates department with the planting of 200 trees donated as part of an initiative led by the Woodland Trust.
UN Climate Change Award Pipers Corner has been recognised for having one of the first climate change teachers in the country. The United Nations has accredited this new role and we are proud to announce that Mrs Collins (Head of Geography) is the first teacher in the Wycombe District to have achieved this incredible accolade. Angus Mackay, Director of the UN Institute for Training and Research said: “Anyone below the age of 20 is part of the ‘climate generation’ living all or most of their lives having to deal with climate change. The Climate Change Teacher Training Academy is an excellent idea, it will give children an intuitive understanding of the issues and it is solutions based.”
Record Results
Rewarding Scientific Excellence
Pipers Corner celebrated record-breaking GCSE, iGCSE and A Level results in August. Half of all results at GCSE level achieved the top grades of 9-7 (A*-A) and with a 100% pass rate in both English and Maths. For the fourth consecutive year, we had a 100% pass rate for A Levels, with almost half of all entries achieving A*-A grades across 21 different subjects. We are proud of the achievements of all of the students at Pipers. A particular highlight was that two girls, Chloe B and Lauren P (who both joined Pipers in Pre-Prep) achieved A/A* in all of their A Level subjects. Chloe, who was also Head Girl, leaves us to study Business Management and Lauren is about to start at Drama School. Many of our students are looking forward to embarking on a new chapter in their lives at top Russell Group universities including Edinburgh, Exeter, Bristol, Birmingham and York studying a diverse range of degrees such as Maths, Theology, Biomedical Science, Costume and Performance Design, Politics, Law, Philosophy and Modern Languages.
Commenting on the results, Mrs Ness-Gifford said: “I am absolutely delighted for the students. They have worked so hard and deserve these excellent results. They are diligent young adults who understand the importance of balancing study with their other interests and they have reaped the rewards. These results are richly deserved, and I know the students would join me in praising the support given to them by our wonderful team of teachers and pastoral staff.”
Pipers Corner has been proudly awarded a Primary Science Quality Mark to celebrate its commitment to excellence in science teaching and learning. Jane Turner, PSQM National Director said: “Gaining a Primary Science Quality Mark is a significant achievement for a school. The profile and quality of science teaching and learning in each awarded school is very high. Children are engaging with great science both in and outside the classroom, developing positive attitudes as well as secure scientific understanding and skills.” We are extremely proud of our exceptional science teaching and facilities including our Eco Laboratory. The laboratory provides a fantastic space (complete with living roof) for our budding scientists to develop their knowledge and understanding.
Digital Well-Being Conference This term we hosted the first Sixth Form Digital Well-Being Conference, with a number of local schools in attendance. Several keynote speakers shared their insight into how technology can help us to learn, the impact of tech on our health and well-being, along with practical steps to recognise digital addiction. The conference provided a great opportunity for the students to network with their peers at local schools and share their experiences of an ever changing and, at times, challenging form of media.
Working 9 to 5
The Senior School production this term was the iconic 9 to 5: The Musical. Within the lexicon of musical theatre it is incredibly rare to find a show in which all of the central protagonists are female. Even rarer, to find one in which the women drive their own narratives and find their own resolutions. 9 to 5 presents us with three differently empowered women, who ultimately stand up and take what they rightly deserve. Written by Patricia Resnick (creator of the TV show ‘Mad Men’) and Dolly Parton (music icon and entrepreneur), both of whom have had considerable success in the entertainment
industry which over the years has been heavily male-dominated. If ever there was a time to create work which enables us to see women standing up and making their voices heard it is now. The students took on their roles with determination and flair and their commitment to rehearsals along with their exceptional talent
delivered a thoroughly unique production. With two different casts performing on alternate nights this was a triumph of teamwork and tenacity for all involved. If you had the chance to see it we hope you enjoyed 9 to 5 as much as we loved creating it.
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Hispanic Festival Day A first at Pipers Corner, Year 9 and 10 students delved into the delights of ‘Día de los Muertos’ with students from the Royal Grammar School as part of Hispanic Festival Day. Participants took part in creative workshops to embed their understanding of this UNESCO protected Hispanic festivity. In the morning, Year 10 students performed sections of the film ‘Coco’ in the Arts Centre, whilst Year 9 students designed their own calavera masks and put on a parade of authentic costumes. At lunchtime everyone had the opportunity to taste an array of typical Mexican dishes. A magical day that brought together two schools through their love of all things Spanish and the beginning of a new tradition here at Pipers Corner.
History in the Making Our Year 11 historians landed in Berlin for a trip full of exploration this term. Visits included the Reichstag, a number of memorials including the Holocaust Memorial and then onto the site of Hitler’s bunker. A visit to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was a thought-provoking time for all of the students. We lifted spirits with a tour of the highly impressive Olympic Stadium, built for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The students were privileged enough to take in a private viewing of the DDR Museum. Other highlights included a trip to the Stasi prison, but we could not leave before taking in a stretch of the Berlin Wall. The students headed home to reflect on many highly emotive experiences and incredible learnings.
Parlez-vous français? Onatti Productions visited school for the first time this term. Our Year 6 students along with pupils from Great Kingshill and Hughenden Primary School had the opportunity of watching the play ‘Écris-moi’. Written to complement French language learning at beginners’ level, this entertaining play features confusion between an English boy and a French girl who become pen pals through their schools. Onatti Productions has a unique talent for bringing foreign languages alive and mixing language learning with entertainment.
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Founder’s Day 2019 Pipers was transformed for the celebration of our annual Founder’s Day. Students and staff were a riot of colour as they dressed in an array of imaginative costumes to celebrate the 1950s. We acknowledged the profound and lasting influence of our founder Jesse Cross, with several of our scholars visiting her grave to lay flowers. This was followed by a fantastic Founder’s Day assembly led by Reverend Meardon. The assembly culminated with the traditional cutting of the cake by a member of our Reception class joined by our Head Girls team. Another amazing Founder’s Day - roll on next year when big things will be happening as we celebrate our 90th year!
Pipers Corner Radio Academy We are delighted to announce the impending launch of our new radio academy here at Pipers Corner which will go ‘live’ in the New Year! Pipers Radio is an incredibly exciting project which has been created to enable and empower our students to build new life skills outside of the conventional curriculum. Supported by Pipers parent and Virgin Radio Early Breakfast Show host, Sam Pinkham and the engineers at Virgin Radio, we have just taken delivery of a ready-made studio with the relevant hardware required to run a fully functioning radio station arriving before Christmas. Students in Years 11 and above will have the opportunity to participate in producing, researching and presenting on the station. The radio station will feature music carefully selected by the students (running 24 hours a day, seven days a week) as well as live Breakfast and Drive Time shows. With incredible music to appeal to students, their
parents and families alike, the content of the shows will include interviews with famous faces within the Pipers community, as well as notifications to ensure that families don’t forget essentials for the day ahead. The station will be available to the whole school community through a free app on Apple and Android smart phones - more information about which will follow in the New Year. We are very grateful to Sam and Virgin Radio for their support for this project, which will benefit so many Pipers students for years to come.
Azores Adventure! Students from Years 9 to 11 took a trip on the wild side recently visiting the exotic Azores. It was a tremendous adventure from the word go! The students started their trip with an incredible dolphin watching experience. Other memorable encounters included a walk in the rainforest to a stunning waterfall, a visit to the local botanical gardens with a naturally warmed bathing pool and a trip to a local pineapple plantation to sample sustainably-grown pineapples. The fun never seemed to end, with canoeing, mountain biking and an extremely educational trip to an observatory on the north east of the island. The final morning was spent in Ponta Delgado, visiting the local farmers’ market, as well as taking the opportunity to see more of the town and its impressive architecture. All-in-all a superb trip and the students who took part were an absolute credit to the school. This tour will not be forgotten by those involved for a very long time.
Tremendous Success!
Mural Project We are excited to announce that renowned US mural artist Matthew Willey will be coming to Pipers Corner in April 2020 to paint a mural on the side of the swimming pool. This will be Matthew’s first mural project in the UK, and has come about from one of our students, Madeleine I connecting with Matthew through social media as research for her Art A Level. Matthew is currently the Art Director of The New York Times Magazine and in 2014 he was named ‘Designer of the Year’ by Creative Review. He was elected as a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) in 2015. He has delivered speeches at the United Nations and Smithsonian Associates to name but a few. Matthew is trying to raise awareness regarding
the enormous decrease in the number of honey bees and has started a project called the “Good of the Hive”. This initiative involves him travelling the world and painting bees on walls. His goal is to paint 50,000 bees in total, as this is the number of bees it takes to keep a beehive healthy. With seven murals completed worldwide so far he is well on track.
A King is Born
Two teams from Pipers Corner were placed second and third in a recent Young Enterprise Business Plan competition. Treeco and Reflect were asked to produce and design business plans featuring sales and marketing models, along with digital, financial and sustainability strategies. Following on from the success of Team Bathe who, last year reached the European Finals of the Young Enterprise Company of the Year, we are incredibly proud to see Pipers students continue to flourish and display strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Masterchef Pipers hosted the local round of the Rotary Young Chef Competition, which aims to encourage young people to learn how to cook a healthy meal and develop food presentation skills. For the first round, students were asked to prepare a two-course meal in one hour. Florence C and Keira B P performed incredibly against a number of schools. Keira was awarded first place for her delicious mackerel pâté, pitta bread and lemon chicken with rice and asparagus. She will now attend the district round of the competition in February 2020.
Acts of Rebellion
Shortly before the end of term Pre-Prep delivered a magical Christmas nativity. The girls beautifully portrayed the miraculous story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus Christ. The play opened with characters Milly, Molly and Mandy reading a mysterious book on Christmas Eve. As the story unfolds we meet the cast including a bossy Caesar with his soldiers and census-takers, the angels, the shepherds, the inn-keepers and the Kings
on their journey as they followed the star to the stable. Ms Bevan, Head of Prep Drama commented: “It has been a joy working with Pre-Prep. They have all been so enthusiastic and have thoroughly enjoyed developing their characters. I am proud of how well they have learnt their lines and song lyrics, as well remembering the choreography for the dances. As rehearsals took momentum they blossomed in confidence.”
Our creative Sixth Form Editorial Team boldly launched the theme for this year’s edition of the school magazine which is ‘Rebellion’. In true Pipers style, the students took over the digital signage, carried out well-considered acts of rebellion around the school (with the support of the Headmistress) to raise the profile of their forthcoming publication.
#Lestweforget On Monday 11 November we commemorated Armistice Day marking 101 years since the end of the First World War. The whole school came together for a poignant ceremony where we took the time to stop and reflect upon the bravery of the men and women who fought so courageously for our country.
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Countdown to Christmas
Prep performed their Christmas show to a packed audience. Set in a local village hall, the girls took on the characters of the different groups of people who use the hall throughout the year and are preparing their acts for the WI Christmas party. This included the Brownies, a rock band, amateur dramatic group, a dance class and a troop of cleaners! The students delivered a fantastic performance, showcasing their broad talents with festive dancing, singing, storytelling and poetry recitals. The show finale raised the roof as the cast, joined by a band of prep musicians, closed the show with Slade’s Merry Christmas.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, we will be hosting a second Literary Festival in 2020. We will be welcoming six inspirational authors to speak about their latest books. Ireland’s Laureate for Children’s Literature, Sarah Crossan will be kicking off proceedings, followed by eco-journalist, naturalist and author Sarah Roberts. We are also very fortunate to welcome to the stage bestselling author and illustrator Kate Pankhurst – a descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst – to introduce her new book ‘Great Women who Saved the Planet’. Other participating authors include M.G. Leonard, Sita Brahmachari and Piers Torday. Students will also have the opportunity to attend various other talks and workshops throughout the festival, kicking off with a Harry Potter Night. We are also delighted to be hosting once again the ceremony to announce the winner of the 2020 Bucks Book Award. This student-only event will be hosted by Karl Nova, one of the UK’s leading poets and hip-hop artists. A literary feast awaits us in 2020!
Carol Service It was wonderful to see almost 1,000 people gathered at St. Albans Cathedral for our whole school Carol Service in the penultimate week of term. This is the second time we have been to this venue and it is truly majestic setting. Voices joined in celebration and reflection for a memorable year.
West End Star Year 8 took a trip to watch our very own Isabella F take a starring role in the production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ running in London. Their joy at seeing Isabella fulfil her dreams was evident. The students were a real credit to Pipers Corner – they even stayed in the stalls after the performance picking up litter!
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Reindeer Run
In Their Element
On a cold wet Wednesday this term, the school community came together, braving tough conditions, to run a reindeer race around the grounds of the school in support of the Rennie Grove Hospice. Split into a competitive race and a fun run, over 200 students relied on their high spirits to keep themselves warm! Everyone donned reindeer antlers and enjoyed the event despite the miserable weather. We raised an incredible £3,800 for this very deserving cause.
In recognition that it is the International Year of The Periodic Table, the Chemistry department attended a conference at Wychwood School in Oxford to celebrate this rather ‘unique’ day. Each of our elected students was given the opportunity to present on their chosen element. They were the youngest students present on the day by far and they were an absolute credit to the school and the department. Special commendation goes to Evie C, who received an award for her work on Element 118.
Sports News
Cross Country
This term has witnessed some real sporting triumphs here at Pipers Corner. Regardless of the level of achievement, we are very proud of every single student as they strive to improve their abilities and learn new skills whilst representing the school, to the very best of their ability. Here are just a few highlights...
Sporting Triumphs
The Inter Girls Cross Country team represented Pipers and the South Region at the National Finals of the Team Championships 2019. The students trained hard ahead of the event and qualified for the finals for the first time this year. They finished 19th overall out of 530 schools who entered the event.
Swimming Our teams have been competing in the Wycombe Abbey Swimming league this term. We have witnessed some solid performances and all teams still have the opportunity to qualify for the finals of the league. Several teams also represented Pipers Corner at the Divisional round of the ESSA relays in November. Lilli C – Following a stunning win at the Royal International Qualifier at the Kent County Show, Lilli C and her intrepid pony Star qualified to compete in the Working Hunter Pony Championship 2019. Held annually in the International Arena at the NEC, this championship forms part of the prestigious Horse of the Year Show. She achieved one of only four clear rounds out of a field of 20 national level competitors. She secured Reserve Champion (second place overall).
Football Martha G – At the start of term Martha was informed of her selection for the U15 National hockey performance squad! An amazing achievement at such a young age, Martha goes from strength to strength and is a great role model.
Football goes from strength to strength at Pipers Corner. The U15 team have completed their district league matches this term. For the first time, the U14 team also entered the Sisters in Sport National Cup. In recent weeks, the Year 7 team have been involved in the School Games Organiser Football event where they finished in third place.
Netball U12 and U13 A and B teams have been involved in the district league this term. The U14A, U16A and U19A teams all competed in the first round of the National Schools Tournament in November. All three teams battled freezing temperatures to produce good results. Particularly well done to the U16 and U14 teams both finishing in 5th place in South Bucks.
Isabella F – Selected for the U13 Buckinghamshire County Hockey Team for the 2019/2020 season. Any Pipers student selected to represent the county is an incredible achievement, further compounded by the fact that Isabella is the only Year 6 girl in the squad, all other students are in Year 7 or 8.
Maddie R – A fabulous effort by Maddie who won the U14 East of England Biathlon Championship. Setting a new PB in her 100m swim Maddie’s success meant that she went onto the National Championships where she was placed sixth in the UK. This follows on from her time at the GB Pentathlon camp over Easter where she was ranked fifth nationally.
Hockey Well done to the U14 hockey team for reaching the semi-finals of the County tournament and to the Year 7 team for being unbeaten at their start of season rally.
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WHO’S WHO
Position: Environmentalist-in-Residence Name: Mr Phil Williams Brief description of your role within Pipers Corner My role here is rather unique and shows a real desire and understanding by Pipers Corner to embrace the environment and place sustainability central to the ethos of the school and its community. My work is split into two key areas: 1. The day-to-day management of the sustainability of the school, with over 20 impact areas including the grounds. 2. Considering how sustainability and the environment are taught throughout the school across all subjects and all age groups.
This is only my first term and I cannot believe how much we have already achieved. We could not have done this without the support a wonderful group of young people in the EcoGroup (HOPE)and an extremely committed team of staff. What did you do before you joined the School? My career stared as a presenter for BBC Schools TV before spending 18 years working in theatre and television production in South East Asia and Central America, affording me the opportunity to travel and spend time in the Amazon Rainforest. Inspired, I returned to the UK in 1996 to set up Plan-It Eco, a programme of talks and events to promote environmental, sustainable and cultural understanding to schools, colleges, universities and businesses. I still run this today alongside my work with Pipers Corner. Just recently I spoke at the Houses of Parliament at the Green Apple Awards. What excites you about the job that you do? I particularly love the work I am involved with at Pipers, it enables me to work with young people on ongoing projects that make a real difference to our planet. So often when I give talks or visit organisations it is a snapshot of where that place is at. With Pipers Corner I am working with the next generation to build a schedule for change.
What activities do you enjoy in your spare time? My passion outside of my work is my family, theatre and sport. I have particularly enjoyed watching my son grow and develop in his passion for the performing arts. I live in Wales and nothing makes me happier than returning home to spend time with my family in the beauty of this part of the world. Who would you say has inspired you most in life? Sir David Attenborough has inspired my interest in natural history and wildlife and Nelson Mandela I admire for his dignity and respect for all people. In my work, I often meet individuals who inspire me through their sheer hard work and desire to achieve great things. This mindset means that they can often achieve beyond what they thought possible. My family never fails to impress and inspire me, they have supported my goals, in particular my aim to make a positive change for the environment, which often means I am away from home. Finally, what is the best thing about working at Pipers Corner? The enthusiasm, passion, energy and innovation of the students to make a change. From Christmas cards made from handmade paper and pencil shavings, to eco audits and bee murals there is no limit to what these students can achieve in their lifetime and we will all benefit for the sake of the environment.
Pipers Partnership
Have a very sustainable Christmas!
We were delighted to see so many festive faces at the Christmas Fair on Saturday 30 November.
Christmas Day 2018 we wasted £62,000,000 of edible food 227,000 miles of Christmas wrapping paper. 1 billion Christmas cards went to landfill 8,000,000 Christmas trees went to landfill 300,000,000 plastic straws were used over the Christmas season A third of all Christmas presents given to children under 12 years old were either broken or forgotten within three months of Christmas
Everyone was full of cheer and high spirits at possibly our busiest fair yet! We hope you managed to choose some special gifts for loved ones along the way. We raised money for Cancer Research along with other charities benefitting from the contribution of individual stalls and year groups. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible to celebrate Burns Night on Saturday 25 January 2020. Tickets will be available to purchase shortly.
Goodbye & Good Luck! Mr Chris Coles | Resident Site Security Manager Miss Coral Humber | PE Assistant & Lifeguard Mr David Leith | Head of Prep Ms Liza Rivers | Registrar
HAVE YOUR SAY
We would love to hear your thoughts on Pipers Post. If you have any comments or suggestions then please contact us.
Suggestions for having a wonderful but environmentally-friendly Christmas FOOD – When buying food look at where things come from and wherever possible buy local produce. This in turn supports local farmers and cuts down on CO2 emissions. Buy Fairtrade products such as bananas, coffee and chocolate.
Hello & Welcome! Miss Louise Frost |Teacher of Science Mrs Zoe Galvin | Registrar Mrs Louise Hall | PE Admin Assistant Mr Ross Urquhart | Head of Prep Mrs Georgie Walker | Marketing Officer Mrs Jessica Woods | Hockey Coach
Make sure you compost food waste, especially food preparation waste. CHRISTMAS TREES – Check with your local authority for your nearest Christmas Tree recycling centre. WRAPPING PAPER – Use non-seasonal wrapping paper that can be used at other times throughout the year. Don’t want to use wrapping paper – why not use reusable bags? STAMPS – Check with your local scouts and guides who often collect stamps at Christmas. PRESENTS – Looking for gifts? Why not look at socially and environmentally friendly groups such as: Fairtrade, Traidcraft, CAFOD, OXFAM, WWF(UK). If purchasing ‘fast’ clothing check to see where the products are made. Are the clothes simply cheap because of exploitation?
Key dates for your diary Spring Term 2020 Term begins Monday 6 January Half-term begins Thursday 13 February Half-term ends Sunday 23 February Term ends Friday 27 March Open Morning Tuesday 21 April
Guy Ranford, Director of Admissions and Marketing TELEPHONE 01494 719866 @PipersCornerSCH EMAIL granford@piperscorner.co.uk www.facebook.com VISIT www.piperscorner.co.uk /PipersCornerSchool