St Mary's School - Oxygen Magazine 2018 by quantock

MAGAZINE OF ST MARY ’S CALNE

OXYGEN the essence of life at St Mary ’s

2017 - 2018

OXYGEN the essence of life at St Mary ’s

Oxygen captures the energy and ethos of St Mary’s Calne and is inspired by scientist Joseph Priestley, who discovered oxygen in Calne in 1774.

News 01............................................................ From the Headmistress

14..................................................................British Science Week 18...................................................The Calne Foundation Trust 20.......................................................Sports Complex Opening 24............................................................................Company News 46.......................................................................Enrichment Weeks 49...........................................................................Young Enterprise 52............................................................Sixth Form and Beyond 53............................................................................ Calne Girls Talks 56...................................................................... The Lecture Series 84............................................................................................Debating 84................................................................ Eels in the Classroom 85.................................................................................................Chapel 92.................................................................................Founders’ Day 97....................................................................Examination Results 98..................................................................Leavers’ Destinations 100...................................................................................The Lily Ball

Sports Reports 29.................................................... Inter-Company Sports Day 59................................................................................Sport Reports 60............................................................................................. Lacrosse 63..........................................................................................Swimming 64............................................................................................... Hockey 66................................................................................................Netball 68...............................................................................Cross Country 70...................................................British Schoolgirls’ Ski Races 72......................................................................................... Equestrian 74.............................................................................................Athletics 76.................................................................................................. Tennis 78........................................ Hockey Tour to the Netherlands 79................................... Pre-season Tennis Training in Palma

Trips and Expeditions 04........................................................................ Poland Music Tour

12............................................... Geography Trip to Dartmoor 16.................................................................Classics Trip to Rome 22..................................................................Our Trip to Samoëns 30...................................................................................Trip to Berlin 38.......................................................... Enrichment Trip to Bude 44................................................. MIV Trip to the Isle of Wight 50.....................................................History of Art Trip to Paris 54........................................................Challenge and Adventure 80....................................................Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 86.....................................................................The Battlefields Trip 88............................... Geography Trip to the Dorset Coast 90.............................................................Australia Exchange Trip 91......................................................................USA Exchange Trip

Reviews St Mary's Calne Wiltshire SN11 0DF Telephone: 01249 857200 Fax: 01249 857207 Email: office@stmaryscalne.org www.stmaryscalne.org

02.............................................................................................. Cabaret 08........................................................................................Art Forum 10................................................................................................ Gallery 32................................................................................... Centre Stage 34....................................................................................Four on Tour 36.............................................................................LAMDA Results 37......................................................................................... Junior Play 40....................................................................................................Music

From the Headmistress Welcome to the 2018 edition of Oxygen. I love seeing the magazine every year – not only does it bring together so well all the news and achievements of the past twelve months, but it is also a fantastic reminder of how fortunate I am to work in education. Being able, every day, to share in the hopes and dreams, achievements and potential of so many great young people is a huge privilege – and I hope this year’s edition gives you a flavour of that. This has been another year of academic success for the girls, despite the changes to syllabuses and exams that they and their teachers had to deal with. My congratulations to them all and it’s great to see the impressive list of university destinations on page 98. One of our main priorities as a school is to make sure the girls have the best possible

opportunities in areas that have traditionally been difficult or impossible for women to get into, so the success of our Science and Maths departments is particularly pleasing. You can read more about that, including the launch of Mary Margaret Bear and all of the events during our busy Science Week, on pages 14 to 15. It is equally important, however, that the girls continue to focus on the Humanities and on Music, Drama and the Creative Arts in general. These foster some of the strongest memories of our school days for all of us, and I also think that having access to those avenues for reflection and self-expression

are hugely important in today’s high-pressure and often uncertain world. One of my own highlights of the year was the Autumn Term production, Cabaret, and you can see more on that on page 2. So please do enjoy this year’s edition of Oxygen. It is a wonderful reminder of what a special community we have here in Calne, and how lucky we all are to be connected with it. Dr Felicia Kirk BA (University of Maryland), MA (Brown University), PhD (Brown University)

s Theatre n r u B y e c ls e he D for the b lu K In October, t t a K it K ed into the of Cabaret. was tr ansfor m n io t c u d o r P 2017 Senior

The cast performed to packed audiences following an intensive six-week rehearsal schedule. The show featured a wonderful 16-piece band under the musical direction of Mrs Cavill, the school’s Director of Music. Miss Dickinson’s choreography has raised the bar for dance at St Mary’s, with the kick line at the start of Act 2 being a particular highlight. Head of Vocal Studies, Mrs Fryar, once again ensured that the vocals were

brought up to a very high standard. The set, costumes and lighting combined to give an immersive feel, so that the audience felt they were inside and part of the Kit Kat Klub.

skilfully portrayed Sally Bowles’ decline from the flamboyant Cabaret star to a vulnerable young lady. Her final scenes were performed with absolute emotional conviction.

All the lead actors were outstanding and have been an absolute joy to work with. Isabella Iversen, as the Emcee, bought the house down with her singing, dancing and all-knowing stage presence. Alicia Whitaker

‘The whole Cabaret experie nce was absolutely amazing an d I know ever yone loved it. I think what I’ll remember most is the back stage suppor t from all the other cast members, ever yone was so encouraging and it made the experienc e so much more rewarding.’ Amelia Jacobs , UVI (Fräulein Schneider)

Reviews

Maiya Roberts, as Cliff, really portrayed her character’s innocence, optimism and righteousness. Amelia Jacobs transitioned ably from the comic scenes with Herr Schultz to a bitter and moving rendition of What Would You Do? Lucia Vint was adorable as the ever-optimistic Herr Schultz. Clara Wade was sophisticated in her portrayal of Ernst Ludwig and Maia Jarvis embraced the seductive nature of Fräulein Kost. Alicia, Isabella and Maiya were all justly recognised for their outstanding efforts at the annual Golden Lily Awards, which celebrate the very best in Creative Arts at St Mary’s. The leads were supported by a fantastic ensemble who have really worked to help each other throughout the process. The camaraderie between cast members this

year has been exceptional. All of the girls have put in a huge amount of effort and given up a lot of time to be a part of the production. I am incredibly proud of what they have been able to achieve. Well done to the cast and a huge thank you to all those who have been involved. I’m not sure how we will top this! Miss Holly Darling Director of Drama

'What could be better than to kick off the school play than with the words ‘Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!’? With so many brilliant numbers, as well as interesting characters, Cabaret was always going to be a joy to rehearse and perform. A lot of us had to act, sing and dance, which was challenging, but also very exciting. The fact that we managed to produce a decent kick line in the space of six weeks still amazes me! The Emcee was such a fun character to play. He is outrageous, obscene, the joker in the pack; it made performing his songs all the more enjoyable and I had a lot of freedom to play around with his character. I really loved having the live band as part of the performance, it made the Kit Kat Klub spring to life! The musicians transformed the mood on stage, capturing the electric atmosphere of 1930s Germany perfectly. What also makes the Cabaret so special is that the audience becomes a part of the show. Without them, who would the Emcee or Sally Bowles be singing to? The story needs an audience! I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we loved performing it!' Isabella Iversen, LVI (Emcee)

d n a l o P r u o T c i Mus

Last summer, 25 of the school’s musicians had the immense privilege of travelling to Krakow, the cultural capital of Poland, to participate in a six-day music tour which featured our specially created choral and instrumental ensembles who showcased their talent across three concerts and a Mass. On our first full day in Poland, we went on a sightseeing tour of the city and immersed ourselves in the city’s rich and lavish culture. We were captivated by the legend of the 'virgin-eating dragon' that is present on many of the city’s gargoyles and in the souvenir shops! Afterwards, we had a pleasant lunch at one of the local restaurants and then went to see a trumpeter play from the tower of St Mary's Church, the city centre’s main church. The trumpeter played his tune once an hour, on the hour, in each of the cardinal directions. His tune was always interrupted and finished abruptly, in memory of the trumpeter who had been shot many years previously as he warned the city of an incoming invasion. We then visited the country’s oldest university and got to witness 4

the graduation celebration of some of its students before moving on to see a variety of the town’s churches in order to look at the different styles of art in the area. One of our favourite pieces was a large stained glass window depicting God in the midst of his creation of the oceans. In the afternoon, the group split in order to commemorate different aspects of the country’s history. The older group of girls went to AuschwitzBerkenau Memorial and Museum. Whilst there, we paid homage to the victims and reflected on the tragedy of the site. One of the girls wrote about the experience in the tour journal, 'The displays of the confiscated shoes and other personal items put the sheer

number of people involved into perspective. It was harrowing'. One of the most curious facts that we learnt whilst on site was the story surrounding the sign at the gates of the concentration camp. The ‘b’ in ‘Arbeit macht frei’, translated as 'work sets you free', was flipped in the making of the sign as an act of rebellion by the prisoners who were forced to make it. The remainder of the girls went to visit the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow, where they learnt fascinating facts about the city's vast history.

Trips & Expeditions ITINERARY Tuesday 3rd July for Krakow • Depart Heathrow n restaurant tow • Dinner in an old ly Wednesday 4th Ju r of Krakow’s tou • Guided walking district tle cas old town and cert in the church • Rehearsal and con hre, Meichow ulc of the Holy Sep ly Thursday 5th Ju schwitz-Berkenau • Guided tour of Au m or visit to the seu Memorial and Mu of the City of Krakow m Historical Museu course dinner with ee• Folk evening: thr and dancers Polish folk music t Mine Friday 6th July listed Wieliczka Sal • Trip to UNESCO cert in St Katherine’s • Rehearsal and con . Church, Krakow Saturday 7th July take mountain resort; • Trip to Zakopane owka mountains bal funicular up Gu cert in the Holy Cross • Rehearsal and con ne Church, Zakopa Sunday 8th July sciol Mass service at Ko urb). • Participation in akow sub (Kr ta Hu va No in Arka Pana ht-seeing shopping and sig • Leisure time for Heathrow for kow Kra t par • De

After an intense day of history, that night we enjoyed a light-hearted evening at a local restaurant and sampled some of the Poland's traditional dishes, such as pierogi and purple soup with dumplings. After our delicious meal, we were able to immerse ourselves in traditional folk music and dance, and some of the girls were even so privileged as to dance with the local boys!

We were also thrilled to learn that the walls of the mine could be licked to verify their salt content, which was such fun! After a quick lunch, we began rehearsals for the first concert in Miechow. The concert venue was a stunning baroque church with gorgeous gold gilding. Despite first night nerves, the concert was brilliant and was a favourite moment for many of the girls on the tour. We received many compliments from those who came to watch and the priest of the church was so impressed with our performance that he encouraged our next venue to let us play to a larger audience.

We travelled to Zakopane, which is two hours outside of Krakow, to visit the countryside and journey into the mountains. We rode the train up the mountainside, hoping to get a view over the city but, unfortunately, the rain clouds were just heavy enough to obscure the view, so we headed back down the mountain for lunch. We ate at a lovely rustic restaurant, lit exclusively by candles, which was enjoyed by all. After lunch, we visited one of the churches we were to play in, which was home to some lovely and distinctive stained glass.

Despite the miserable weather, the third day of the tour was anything but.

The next morning, the whole group visited the magnificent Wieliczka Salt Mine, located 135m underground, to see the amazing sculptures and hidden chapels located in the heart of the mines. The group was lucky enough to be allowed to perform an impromptu rendition of ‘Panis Angelicus’ in the mine’s most famous chapel, which had a wonderful acoustic.

'My favourite part of the tour was playing in th e concert venues. They were so pretty and the acoustics were amazing.'

Trips & Expeditions One girl recorded in the tour diary, ‘The stained glass was very creative and colourful. There were lots of different bright colours which created an amazing atmosphere’. We rehearsed all afternoon and, after a surprise announcement at supper, we found out that we would be staying late to perform to a much greater audience than we had previously thought. This concert went even better than that of the night before, especially for the choir who were able to sing from the church’s balcony alongside the organ. After the concert, we took the bus back to Krakow and, after such an exciting day, headed to bed. The next morning, a small group of us went out to explore the fruit market at its liveliest. We had a lovely breakfast right outside the old city gates whilst listening to a wonderful street musician. After a brief rehearsal in a beautiful church in the city’s Jewish quarter, all of the girls were allowed to explore a small section of the city centre on their own. While some girls enjoyed some retail therapy, others enjoyed a demonstration at the self-proclaimed ‘World’s Smallest Candy Manufacturer’, where they got to see brightly coloured hard candies being made.

e salt 'I really enjoyed th everyone g in h tc a w d n a es min licking the walls.' Later that night, we played our last instrumental performance and Mrs Cavill surprised us all by presenting us with matching floral headbands to wear and take home as a reminder of our tour; they were really lovely. On that last night, some of the senior girls went out with a few members of staff to sample some of the local jazz acts. There were many to choose from as, luckily,

our trip coincided with the city's annual summer jazz festival. From street bands to an underground jazz club, it was really wonderful and, for your writers, it was one of the most memorable moments of the trip.

On our last day in Krakow, we finished packing and headed out to the ‘Sanctuary of Divine Mercy’ Cathedral for our last choral performance. The architecture of this building was incredible and we sang to a crowd of over a thousand people, a memory I’m sure that none of us will forget. After the service, we were fortunate enough to be invited up to the top of the cathedral to view the city of Krakow in a whole new light. Sadly, after this incredible moment, it was time to head back. The tour truly was an experience like no other and we were full of the most wonderful memories. Throughout the trip the tour group kept a tour diary detailing our experiences. At the end of the book, there is a small section where girls could list their favourite memories and we feel as though it would be an injustice not to mention them.

'The best moment for me was the split second of silence between the last note of my last piece of the tour an d hearing the applause that followed. I doubt I'll ev er feel quite the same.'

Charlotte Balfour, UV Form and Michaela Mason, LVI Form

Art Forum Reviews

Inspire, Challenge, Support...

Isabella Depla, Head of Art, Art Scholar, UVI Form

‘#have a go’ has been our modus operandi this year and we are proud and delighted by the energy, passion and attainment of members of the St Mary’s Art School. Maintaining our reputation for excellence, the girls achieved 100% A*/A at GCSE, the first time in the Art Department’s history, and 42% A* at A Level, and these are just the start of a list of accolades awarded this year.

Lucy Bradley, UVI Form

painting category. Khalilah Khatagum (UIV) and Charlotte Slater (LV) also had their work selected for display at the Royal College of Art as part of this fantastic initiative.

Students gained local and national exposure beyond the school walls. A number of outstanding works were contributed to the Royal Academy’s YOUNG ARTS competition, with LV Art Scholar, Clemency Fisher, being selected from 7,500 entries to win the GCSE

Isabella Depla (UVI) has been praiseworthy in her role as Head of Art and Art Scholar, fulfilling her duties with determination and dedication. Isabella’s work will continue to inspire Calne Girls for years to come, and her name now proudly takes its place on our new

Sixth Form Art Scholars' Honours Board. Artwork by Isabella and Lucy Bradley (UVI), has been selected by the Art Society and they have been longlisted to become RBA (Royal Society of British Artists) National Scholars. If selected, they will have this title, in addition to having their work taken on tour and displayed at Mall Galleries in the Spring – we wish them both the best of luck.

Cleamency Fisher, Art Scholar, LV Form Rosie Bromiley, UV Form

Lily Scott, Art Scholar, UV Form

Jean Cameron, UVI Form

We look forward to our triennial London show at Mall Galleries in November, in what will be our biggest and most ambitious exhibition yet. We will showcase a number of girl’s work, including Alice Wade’s piece, The Pits, which not only won the RA Online A Level exhibition last year, but also won the Digital Art Prize in the Saatchi LOVE ART Young Artist 2018 competition.

Alice Wade, UVI Form

Her prize included art courses and a monetary award, in addition to having her work shown at the Saatchi Gallery and featured in their Art & Music Magazine. As part of our annual London art gallery trip with the LV and LVI, several Sixth Form girls went to the Saatchi Gallery and were bowled over by seeing one of their peer’s work on display in such a prestigious venue. We are very proud of Alice’s achievements and are delighted that she has secured her place to study Fine Art at Oxford University. In the Spring Term, our UV and LVI artists were delighted to take part in a graffiti workshop and sample the creative delights

of Berlin. The LVI also experienced Matt Collishaw’s virtual reality exhibition Thresholds. Fourth Form students participated in workshops with US artist, Thedra Cullar-Ledford, as part of the Enrichment Programme. Independently, students across the year groups have seized opportunities to engage with major art events in Paris, Oxford and London to broaden their artistic horizons. Professional portrait painter, Cath Siswick, helped the MIV girls develop their skills and understanding of portraits, and gave them an insight into the career of an up-and-coming artist. This was balanced by a visit from haute couture septuagenarian, Dorothy Reglar, who demonstrated that an artistic passion is a lifelong pursuit. Our Art Scholars have again contributed stunning pieces to the Music Scholars’ Concert and we enjoyed celebrating our artistically talented students at the Golden Lily Awards. Our scholars and alumnae exhibited alongside our Artist In Residence, Ms Georgia Pearson, who showcased her fascinating illustrations that explored themes of narrative and biology, at the White Horse Gallery, Marlborough. History of Art girls reported on the exhibition and assisted with the curation of the show. Ms Pearson will also leave a significant legacy as her collaborative design, created with Charlotte

Slater (LV), will be used to decorate the glass windows of the school’s new Library. I’m very pleased that girls have secured places in the Art Schools of their choice, including The Ruskin, a first for a St Mary’s girl, and Central Saint Martins, in addition to alumnae communicating that they are now embarking on atelier school and, potentially, MA Art courses. The Art Staff continue to enjoy working with bold, confident and creative artists here at St Mary’s and I would like to thank them for their passion and enthusiasm, particularly those working with the senior girls. We are looking forward to delivering Photography GCSE as part of the A Level Supra Curriculum next year, being keen to develop our use of Digital Media. We thank Ms Pearson and wish her well as she embarks on her creative career in London and congratulate Miss Evans for the conclusion of her Fine Art MA. We look forward to welcoming Ms Naomi Litvack as our new Artist In Residence, a landscape painter who works predominantly in oils. Additionally, we welcome Eliza Glover to her new role as Head of Art and Chair of the Art Council, with Celia Ellis as Deputy of Subject and Secretary to the Chair. We wish them the very best of luck in their new roles, leading our student-run Art Council. We know to expect great things from them! Mrs Kimberley Appleyard Pallot Director of Art

Background artwork by Clara Wade, UVI Form

Maddy Self, UVI Form

Lily Scott, Art Scholar, UV Form

Ivy Au-Yeung, LVI Form 10

Lucy Bradley, UVI Form

Isabella Depla, Head of Art, Art Scholar, UVI Form

Renee Cheang, UVI Form

Lucy Bradley, UVI Form 11

Trips & Expeditions

Rocks and Riversâ&#x20AC;Ś Castles and Coastlineâ&#x20AC;Ś

LV Geography Trip to Dartmoor After a long drive from Wiltshire, we arrived at Haytor, Devon, our first stop of the trip. We stopped at the top to admire the beautiful view, then got straight on to work sketching and examining the faults in the granite rock.

After lunch in the sun, we headed off to Cherrybrook Bridge, located in the uppercourse of the river. We split into groups, and began our separate tasks, such as measuring velocity and roundness of the bed load.

Once we had finished recording our measurements, we headed for Bovey Castle. Finding our lodges lifted all our spirits - as did the food delivery! After gathering all the necessary ingredients for the week, we had some free time, which many of us used to enjoy the swimming pool, sauna, and steam room. In the evening, we followed the recipe box instructions to cook supper, something very new for most of us! Once we had defeated the mountain of pak choi and broccoli, we crowded around a laptop to watch Love Island (of course, no one could go a week without it!) and once it had finished, we made our lunches for the next day and went to bed. We woke early, packed our bags and our lunches, and headed to Exeter. Here, we looked at the environmental quality and deprivation score for each area. It was interesting to see how a landscape can change in such a small amount of space. We then enjoyed some free time in the high street and ate lunch together in front of the beautiful cathedral. We left the hussle of Exeter and headed to Lydford Gorge, a very beautiful place on Dartmoor that displays many of the processes and landforms of an uppercourse of a river that we have been studying for our GCSE. After a long, but pretty, walk, we stopped for an ice lolly and then headed back to the lodges to cook supper and do some follow-up work. On Wednesday, we departed for Cornwall, crossing the border to see Tintagel, a castle ruin and a beautiful example of a high energy coast. On this day, however, not much energy was being shown, so we were not able to undertake a survey that we had planned. It was a tiring walk up to the castle, but the view was breathtaking, making it well worth the effort. We then enjoyed some delicious Cornish ice cream and headed to Boscastle.

Boscastle is one of our case studies, so we felt very lucky to visit and look at it in real life. We investigated the effectiveness of the flood defences and looked around the village, which was very pretty. On our way back to Bovey Castle, we stopped for our second river survey at Post Bridge, Dartmoor. Afterwards, we headed back to the lodges for a swim in the hotel before preparing our meals. On Thursday, we were given a lie in, which was much appreciated by all of us. We then drove to Challacombe Cross, our final river site. We did our tasks very quickly, as it was our only day of cooler weather. From here, we made our way to the south coast to see the sea defences at Dawlish Warren and carried out a number of experiments and surveys. The tide, however, was not on our side, so we couldn’t do one of the tests, but we enjoyed seeing groynes up close and saw how they had protected the beach sediment. After a break for some Devonshire ice cream, we headed back to Bovey Castle for the final time. That evening, we all enjoyed a delicious dinner at the White Hart Hotel in the nearby town of Moretonhampstead. Following the meal, our teachers made a short speech about each of the girls in their lodge and we were given a unique momento of the trip. It was sad to leave such a beautiful place, but it was a fantastic learning experience and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Lily Ryder and Emily Beckwith LV Form

LVI Venture to Dartmoor On Wednesday 20th June, the LVI geographers travelled to Dartmoor to conduct their fieldwork investigation, as part of their non-examined assessments, which make up 20% of their A Level.

‘Our investigations were to contribute to our individual projects, which ranged from looking at the variation in the quality of life in different settlements, to examining the relationship between land use and the soil and atmospheric carbon stores. Our projects require us to use geolocated data so most of us created surveys where we could link a location directly to data recorded or a questionnaire completed. This trip was not only an opportunity to collect the data required for our projects, but it was also a chance to learn different fieldwork techniques and use equipment we hadn’t come across before. We learnt how to use equipment such as infiltrometers, flowmeters and CO2 meters, and conducted interviews in Exeter, Tavistock, North Bovey and Moretonhampstead. On our final day, we went to Boscastle to assess flood management techniques in high risk areas. We then went to Tintagel to do investigations linked to our human geography course and explored what makes a place by conducting a place check. Afterwards, we visited Haytor to measure crystal sizes in the rock and examine faults in order to create a picture of the geological history of the formation.’ Bella Sharp LVI Form 13

News

2017/18 was an exciting year for the St Mary’s Science Department. In November, after a rigorous process of accreditation, we were delighted to hear that we had been awarded the Platinum Science Mark Award.

There are only ten schools in the country certified at this level and we were the first independent school in the UK to achieve the accolade. One criteria we were singled out for was our approach to enriching the science curriculum and our annual celebration of British Science Week. Held over five days, with thirteen events and over 750 members of the St Mary’s and St Margaret’s communities involved, this year’s BSW celebrations were certainly the busiest and best so far. The national theme for the week was Exploration and Discovery and, with this in mind, the programme was designed to expose the students to the extraordinarily diverse world of science and scientific research and to stretch and challenge their understanding. For physicists, the most interesting event of the week may have been the fascinating masterclass on Gravitational Waves. This phenomenon, predicted in 1916 by Einstein but only discovered in 2016, is considered to be the most exciting development in Physics in the last 50 years. Led by Dr Chris North, an expert in the field based at Cardiff University, the LV had a session on stars, the A Level girls enjoyed a more focussed workshop, and the teachers, joined by Physics teachers from across the county, had their own lesson on how best to teach

this fascinating topic. For the chemists, the working visit to Bristol Chem Labs was a unique experience. They prepared benzocaine, an anesthetic, before using advanced instruments such as FT-IR to analyse the compound. A lecture on Genomic Medicine from Dr Ingrid Slade, co-founder for the Centre for Personalised Medicine at Oxford University, was an opportunity for the biologists to cement and extend their understanding of genomics, understand the new technologies that allow fast full genome decoding, the possibilities for personalised medicine and to explore the highly complex ethics involved. All this sounds very serious, but there was plenty of fun as well! A group of budding engineers had an excellent evening led by REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers). After a short presentation on the roles of engineers in the army, the girls were split into two teams and had to fix a tank shaped go-kart. With their problem-solving skills severely tested, they had to work out what was missing from the wiring diagrams, fix the wheels and connect up the batteries. After half an hour of hard work, the ‘tanks’ were working and much fun was had racing them around the astroturf. St Margaret’s, Fynamore and Heddington Primary schools took part in an interactive lecture on colour and light. The LV Form enjoyed making ice cream with dry ice, there was the launch of Mary Margaret and of course, the much anticipated annual ‘Bake Off’. Presented with biscuit mix, the girls were challenged to create a 3D biscuit structure on the theme of Exploration and Discovery. Rockets and the Galapagos Islands rose out of the dough, but it was Mr Rose, competing in the staff category, who stole the show with his car park and the skeleton of Richard III.

MARY MARGARET A very windy morning, an enormous helium balloon, a teddy named Mary Margaret, a parachute and a datalogger – what was going on? Mary Margaret was going to be launched into (near) space! With a countdown from pupils at both schools, she was launched into the air, quickly floating out of sight and into the clouds. During her journey, Mary Margaret ascended to over 32,500 metres, gathering data on the speed, temperature, pressure and height continually as she rose.

As the air pressure decreased, the balloon got bigger and bigger until it popped and she started falling back to Earth, her descent slowed by the parachute until she landed, in a very muddy puddle somewhere near Bicester. The stunning photograph of her up above the clouds, with the curvature of the Earth plain to see, and the video of her journey have been shared across the globe, and the data gathered will be used in Physics lessons throughout the year.

APPLE DAY St Mary’s Calne is incredibly lucky to have an established orchard right in the middle of the school site and on Thursday 12th October, we took full advantage of this by holding our first Apple Day. It is a sad fact that in the UK we import 60% of our apples, yet 90% of the apples that we produce go to waste and rot on the ground. Apple Day was all about opening our eyes to the orchard, raising awareness of the fruit that is around us, and turning our enormous crop of apples into juice. We were fortunate to have professional apple presser, Richard Paget, with us for the afternoon from a community apple press company based in Hungerford. The apples are washed and then tipped into a chopper that slices the apples into very small pieces. The pieces are then placed into the

press - a bladder inside is filled with water and presses outwards onto the apples, squeezing out the juice which pours out of the bottom a waterfall of deliciousness. The remaining

containers which were taken away for pasteurisation and bottling. With the orchard bathed in beautiful autumn sunshine, Apple Day was a great success. Staff, parents, governors and students found out more about orchard biodiversity and enjoyed apple games, toffee apples and apple baking, washed down with the delicious juice.

apple material was not thrown away, it was added to the school's compost. Almost 250 litres of juice was collected into giant plastic

Mrs Alexandra Haydon Head of Science 15

Trips & Expeditions

Classics Trip to

Rome ‘I will never forget seeing the Colosseum for the first time.’ Despite having to wake up at 2.30am, our entire group was extremely excited to get to Rome. When we landed it was lunchtime, so we ate in the city before driving to see the remarkable Baths of Caraculla. These ancient public baths were very interesting as they were mostly intact and there were a few remaining mosaics, which were very beautiful. That evening, we went out to dinner and visited a museum full of artefacts, coins and statues. As it was International Women’s Day, we all got in for free! On our second day, we visited the Piazza di Spagna and saw the Pantheon. Its name explains its purpose as ‘Pan’ in Greek is ‘All’ and ‘Theos’ is God, so in this temple all the gods were worshipped. On the way there, we saw a bride coming down the Spanish Steps after getting married, which was very exciting. We then explored Piazza Navona and most people had ice cream. After lunch, we headed to the Vatican City where we saw

many famous paintings including the School of Athens. The highlight was, of course, the Sistine Chapel! We spent at least 40 minutes admiring the walls and ceiling.

That night, after dinner, we visited the Trevi Fountain and everyone threw a coin into it and made a wish; probably that there would be less walking the next day!

On Saturday, we arrived at the Colosseum and toured through it in groups. It was amazing to see where the gladiators and lions were kept and where the Emperor had sat. We also saw the Arch of Constantine and visited the Roman Forum, which is at the centre of the city. The LV Classical Civilisation students were very excited to see the House of the Vestal Virgins. After lunch, we spent some time on the Spanish Steps eating ice cream and enjoying the sun before visiting St Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Basilica and, despite the hour long queue, it was very interesting to see St Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tomb. Our last day started with a visit to the Catacombs of Rome which had housed over half a million bodies and sheltered Jews during the Second World War. Then, on the way to the airport, we stopped at Ostia Antica, the ruins of the harbour city of Ancient Rome. It has been preserved so well, with so much to see, that it felt like you were

really stepping inside the town as it originally was so long ago. My favourite part was the amphitheatre, where we took a group photo, before exploring it for ourselves. By the time we reached the airport, everyone was ready to go home, but sad to leave Rome and its wonderful food and culture. It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip for us all. Tabitha Clark UV Form

The Calne Foundation Trust The Calne Foundation Trust has had a very successful year and has continued to make a significant contribution to support Shaping the Future, the 10 year vision of the school, which was launched in 2014. The vision recognised that we needed to provide the right environment in which to teach, learn and live, but also that we wanted to offer opportunities to access our high quality education to those from every background through our bursary and scholarship programmes. A major part of Shaping the Future, has been the school’s Vision for Sport. Over the past few years, thanks to the generosity of alumnae, parents - both current and past, staff and friends, over £2.68 million has been raised. This has contributed to the funding of the full size astroturf, the additional netball/tennis courts and a large extension of the Sports Centre to provide an invaluable indoor PE space. The Stepping Stones Appeal resulted in more than 170 sponsored stones and the ‘stepping stone’ pathway has been laid around the entrance of the new Sports Complex.

Significant donors were recognised as part of a ‘tree of honour’ which is a bespoke piece of art displayed in the reception area of the new Sports Complex, which has been received very positively from donors, parents and sports centre members alike. The school celebrated the much-anticipated completion of the Vision for Sport and the opening of the new Sports Complex in May (see page 20). We are extremely grateful to all who have supported our fundraising initiatives and special events over the past year, and I hope this brief update will give you a feel for what we have achieved. The next Shaping the Future project is a new library for St Mary’s and we look forward to bringing you updates on this exciting development. Mrs Cari Depla Director of Development

Derek Paravicini AND THE FINALISTS OF THE SIR BRYN TERFEL SONG PRIZE In January, St Mary’s Calne hosted a spectacular concert with Derek Paravicini and his Quartet, along with members of the school’s Junior Consort, Opera Ensemble, Flute Group, Big Band and the finalists of the Sir Bryn Terfel Song Prize.

Mrs Bethan Dudley Fryar, Director of Vocal Studies at St Mary’s Calne said, ‘This concert reflects our unstinting support for local charities and it is always a pleasure to invite the community into the school and share not only the talents of international artists but also the burgeoning musicianship of our pupils.

The evening was raising money for Wiltshire Sight Centenary celebrations and The Calne Foundation Trust, and was introduced by Lady Lansdowne – Patron of the Calne Foundation Trust and President of Wiltshire Sight.

Our extraordinary special guest, blind pianist Derek Paravicini, amazed pupils and the wider community with his astonishing virtuosity, proving how adversity can be overcome using music to connect with the world. It was a powerful message to us all.”

Derek is 38 years old – and he has spent the last 36 years of his life making music! There is no doubt that Derek is one of the most gifted pianists and musical entertainers of his generation. Yet he is blind, autistic and has severe learning difficulties. Dubbed ‘The Human iPod’ in the USA, Derek has a repertoire of tens of thousands of pieces – simply by listening to them. 18

The evening raised approximately £10,000 which was shared between Wiltshire Sight and The Calne Foundation Trust.

News

ENRICHMENT SCHOLARSHIPS Each year the CFT awards Enrichment Scholarships to girls in the Sixth Form for academic or Gap Year purposes. Applicants need to present their proposed project to a panel which includes Trustees of the CFT and awards may be made up to £1,500, dependent on the project and at the discretion of the panel.

Isabella Iversen, Tatiana Parr (all LVI) and Jessica Westwood (UVI) for being successful with their applications. For more information on CFT Enrichment Scholarships, and to read the girls’ reports on their experiences, please visit www.calnefoundation.org.

This year six girls were awarded Enrichment Scholarships for projects which included overseas voluntary work, international sporting opportunities and a RADA course. Congratulations to Amber Dunne, Mimi Habib, Amelia Hatlapa,

Shaping the Future: New Library for St Mary's Woods Bagot, a global architectural and consulting practice, has been commissioned to design a new library for St Mary’s. The vision for the project is to provide an inspiring academic environment which fosters in our pupils a love of learning, creativity, debate and scholarship. The new library will be a lively academic hub of the school - a place which will instil a love of reading, research and learning, encouraging exploration and the pursuit of knowledge, as well as collaboration and the sharing of ideas. Located in the heart of school campus, next to the much-loved orchard, the library will be a bright, airy, modern, comfortable, warm and fun space. There will be small breakout rooms as well as individual work

spaces, informal areas as well as formal; it will have more in common with modern university libraries. It will have a great range of books and journals, as well as excellent online resources so that we combine a traditional library service with complete access to technology. It will encourage girls to hang out in the library, have coffee in the café while they pursue their broad range of interests, using the library’s resources. There will be space in which to hold events, exhibitions, informal talks/lectures, societies and clubs, eg Debating Society, Book Club and Archive Exhibitions. We are extremely grateful to our major donors who have enabled us to progress so quickly with this project.

Our Funds

We have a number of different funds within The Calne Foundation Trust which gives our supporters the opportunity to donate to the cause closest to their heart. To find out more about our funds, please visit calnefoundation.org

OPENING

News

SPORTS COMPLEX New Sports Complex Opens! BBC Sport personality, Clare Balding, cuts the ribbon to open officially the new complex.

On Saturday 12th May, we marked the opening of our new Sports Complex with a ‘Celebration of Sport’. Families, Governors, staff and friends of both St Mary’s and St Margaret’s schools were invited to an

Headmistress, Dr Felicia Kirk, spoke enthusiastically about the opportunities in sport, at all levels, which the new Sports Complex will provide for pupils at St Mary’s and St Margaret’s. She warmly thanked all those who have supported the fundraising for the new building. Announcing that the new Sports Hall will be named after retiring Chairman of Governors, Simon Knight, she paid tribute to his passion for the project and thanked him for his longterm support.

afternoon of family fun. Activities included tennis, cricket, swimming, basketball, mini-activities, badminton as well as fun on the bouncy castle and ice creams for everyone. Music filled the air too, as St Mary’s Big Band entertained the crowds as they gathered for the official opening ceremony. Our guest of honour, Clare Balding, gave an entertaining speech and encouraged some of the younger pupils to say how sport made them feel. She concluded that sport helps you to make friends, teaches you teamwork, helps you to develop resilience, makes you less self-conscious, boosts physical and mental health and, most of all, it is fun. She then cut the ribbon to open formally the new St Mary’s Sports Centre.

orts and activities will 'The larger variety of sp inton, their 'thing', be it badm nd fi to l pi pu y er ev allow cricket. I know the or l al yb lle vo , ey ck ho or indo ed the dance studio!' lov ve ha d ul wo e m old 11-yearJessica Westwood, UVI

Pupils from St Mary’s and St Margaret’s then gave short speeches explaining what the new facilities will mean to them and how the exciting new sports and leisure activities will be enjoyed by all. Mrs Karen Cordon, Headmistress of St Margaret’s, closed proceedings with a formal thank you to Clare Balding for her inspiring and enjoyable speech and invited all the guests to enjoy afternoon tea.

The whole afternoon marked a truly remarkable achievement – the completion of our Vision for Sport.

'Sport has b een the focu s of my school life a nd we are in credibly lucky to take part in spor t every day. The ne w Sports Ha ll will mean that th e all-importa nt, early morning fitn ess training will now never be can celled due to frost!' Amelia Hatl apa, UVI

Following the opening ceremony, St Mary’s 1st XI Lacrosse Team challenged the Alumnae to a nail-biting game, that was competitive and exhilarating to the final whistle – with the ‘Old Girls’ winning by 1 goal! The finals of the Family Tennis Competition were also played; the winners of the Sixth Form Tournament were Celia Ellis and her father; Selena Corsellis and her father won the Fifth Form competition and the Fourth Form was won by Octavia Sanger and her mother.

Notre voyage à

e c n a r F n e s n ë o m Sa

Samedi, le dix juin nous avons quitté l’école à quatre heures du matin pour prendre l’avion en destination de Genève. En arrivant à l’aéroport, nous avons pris des minibus jusqu’à notre destination: Samoëns. Un petit village entouré par les majestueuses Alpes françaises et près du lac Lémon et Annecy. Nous étions ravies d’arriver à notre logement ‘La Vieille Ferme’ où nous avons trouvé nos chambres charmantes dans trois bâtiments rustiques et sympas entourés par un parc verdoyant. Chaque jour nous avons eu de la chance de participer à des activités; une chasse au trésor pour nous familiariser avec le village de Samoëns, une visite au fameux Lac Bleu et même du rafting! Ce dernier était une aventure bien appréciée même par les personnes qui se sont tombées dans l’eau glaciale de la rivière!

L’aventure continuait avec l’accro-branche: nous avons profité pleinement de toutes ces opportunités malgré le temps changeant du mois de juin dans les montagnes. Chaque après-midi nous participions à des cours de français suivis par des films qui nous ont aidé à mieux comprendre l’histoire de Samoëns. En plus, nous avons eu beaucoup de chance de pouvoir faire des cours de cuisine et nous avons fait des gâteaux et des potages tout en pratiquant notre français.

Il faut aussi tenir compte que le météo n’était pas le meilleur. Nous avons eu un orage incroyable pendant le premier week-end avec des éclaircis que je n’en ai jamais vu et des déluges. Mais quand même, il y avait des ciels bleus et du soleil qui ont vraiment contribué au charme de toute la nature qu’on voyait autour de nous. A la fin de la semaine nous avons préparé des présentations de nousmêmes. Grâce à ses présentations nous avons pu initier Mr Cockett au sujet de ‘Love Island’! Finalement, nous avons mis en scène notre version de Cendrillon qui était à la fois extrêmement amusante mais aussi très éducative.

Nous avons quitté La Vieille Ferme jeudi après-midi pour le retour vers l’aéroport de Genève; c’était avec de la tristesse que nous avons dû dire au revoir à notre cher hôte Mitch et son équipe. En regardant par la fenêtre de notre vol en quittant la Suisse, nous avons regardé en direction du Mont Blanc en pensant à tout ce que nous avons vécu pendant les derniers quatre jours inoubliables à Samoëns. Merci à M. Cockett et à tous nous profs pour leur aide et leur compagnie pendant ce voyage génial. Lydia Metaxa UIV Form

Trips & Expeditions

o t p i r Our t

e c n a r F n i s n ë o m Sa On Saturday 10th June we left school at 4am in order to take the plane to Geneva. Upon arriving at the airport we took the minibuses to our destination: Samoëns. A little village surrounded by the majestic French Alps and near the Lac Léman (Geneva) and Annecy. We were overjoyed to arrive at our lodging, La Vieille Ferme, where we found our

temperamental June weather in the mountains. Each afternoon we participated in French lessons followed by films which helped us to understand the history of Samoëns better. Moreover we had lots of chances to be able to do cooking lessons and we made cakes and soup all whilst practising our French.

charming bedrooms in three lovely, rustic buildings surrounded by a blossoming park. Each day we had the chance to participate in activities; a treasure hunt to familiarise us with Samoëns, a visit to the famous Lac Bleu and even rafting! The last was an adventure greatly enjoyed by all, even those who fell into the icy river water! The adventure continued with ‘Accrobranche’(a high ropes course): we made the most of all these opportunities despite the

It is worth mentioning that the weather was not the best. We had an incredible storm during the first weekend with lightning that I have never seen before and torrential rain. But still, there were blue skies and sunshine which really contributed to the charm of all the nature surrounding us. At the end of the week we prepared presentations on ourselves. These

presentations allowed us to educate Mr Cockett on the subject of ‘Love Island’! Finally, we put on a show of our version of Cinderella which was really fun but also very educational.

We left La Vieille Ferme on Thursday afternoon for the return to Geneva airport; it was with sadness that we had to say goodbye to our host, Mitch, and his team. Whilst looking out the window of our flight leaving Switzerland, we looked in the direction of Mont Blanc thinking of all that we have experienced during the last four unforgettable days at Samoëns. Thank you to Mr Cockett and to all our teachers for their help and company during our super trip. Translation by Alice Hay UIV Form 23

News - Company News

Everyone is a part of a Company named after a Bishop with an association to the Diocese of Salisbury. Company activities help the girls to mix across year groups and they raise money for charity.

EDMUND RICH

Winning the Company Shout section of the Cecilia James Music Festival set the company off to a great start. The judge was won over by the girl’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5, which had been superbly directed and choreographed by our Company Head and Deputy, Charlotte Fenton and Maddy Self. We also experienced some huge successes on the sports field. Harriet Hillman, Daisy James and Kitty Marvin were instrumental in securing our first position in the Inter-Company Junior Cross-Country. In addition, the LIV and MIV won the Company Hockey and Lacrosse Tournament and the Company Swimming Competition. In the latter competition, the UIVs also did well, achieving a very creditable 2nd place. There were mixed fortunes for the senior girls, but our Senior Tennis Teams were triumphant with our three pairs finishing with two 1st placings and a 2nd place. These results, along with a vast number of credits gained by the Ed Rich girls and their award-winning entries to the Literalily creative writing competition, have contributed to our improved position in the Inter-Company points competition. In January, our ‘Magic’ themed Company Supper took place and, as usual, the girls’

imaginations rose to the challenge. We had a rabbit appearing out of a hat, a magic dragon, several magicians, a unicorn, a magic mushroom and other delightful outfits. We were later entertained by a very clever magician. We would like to thank our outgoing Heads of Company, Charlotte Fenton and Jessica Westwood, and Deputy Head of Company, Maddy Self, for all they have done this year. We look forward to Zara Collier-Baggs and Emily SmythOsbourne taking the lead next year. Thank you Ed Rich for all your valued support and great competitiveness. Mrs Faye Lovell Head of Ed Rich Company

STUDENT HEADS OF COMPANY......................... CHARLOTTE FENTON, JESSICA WESTWOOD DEPUTY HEAD OF COMPANY................................................................................MADDY SELF SENIOR GAMES CAPTAIN ...................................................................... JESSICA WESTWOOD DEPUTY GAMES CAPTAIN............................................................................. BELLA SEYMOUR COMPANY MUSIC REPS............................ CELIA ELLIS, EMILY SMYTH-OSBORNE, COCO XIA HEAD OF FIFTHS...................................................................................... ELISABETH HERRATT FIFTHS GAMES CAPTAIN..............................................................................ANNABEL FENTON DEPUTY FIFTHS GAMES CAPTAIN............................................................. POLLY MALLINSON HEAD OF FOURTHS.................................................................................................... GIGI LANE FOURTHS GAMES CAPTAIN............................................................................ SARAH PEDGLEY 24

ut. at the Company Sho e n yo er ev of d ou pr ‘I was so e and I can’t thank th n fu h uc m so d ha We all commitment.’ d n a gy er en r ei th r girls enough fo Company Maia Jarvis, Head of

GROSSTETE It has been another wonderfully fruitful year for Grosstete and the girls have engineered and enjoyed a variety of successes.

Team bonding in September began with a digital treasure hunt around the school grounds and beyond. In October, we won this year’s Company Music Festival, under the excellent guidance of Student Head of Company, Maia Jarvis. The girls’ rendition of Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go did just that as the decibels rose and rose. The Shout itself was choreographed beautifully (often led by Katharine Stone, Company Deputy) and including slick use of props. The Autumn Term also saw our Company Supper which had ‘A Night At The Movies’ as its theme. The girls’ originality with their costumes was inspired: pick ‘n’ mix and popcorn outfits walked the red carpet, into the diningroom, that evening. Just before Christmas, the Grosstete elves were hard at work delivering candy canes to Houses and spreading festive cheer. All funds that were raised will go to The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, along with over £770 raised by Maia for having inches and inches cut off her hair. The Spring Term brought the Company ‘Bake Off’ and Grosstete’s rocket creation was out of this world, complementing Mr Trowbridge’s lunar landing lemon cake. Finally, to Sports Day. Here, the girls worked very hard to secure 2nd place overall, keeping us in the running for the annual Company Cup: gloriously green Grosstete girls continue to challenge themselves in a whole host of ways. Go Grosstete! Ms Sophie Dunkin Head of Grosstete Company

STUDENT HEAD OF COMPANY............................ MAIA JARVIS DEPUTY HEAD OF COMPANY......................KATHARINE STONE SENIOR GAMES CAPTAIN....................................... OLIVIA GUY DEPUTY GAMES CAPTAIN..........................ANNABEL GOURIET HEAD OF FIFTHS .................................TEGEN DIXON-CLARKE FIFTHS GAMES CAPTAIN...................................... ELLA MALIK DEPUTY FIFTHS GAMES CAPTAIN.................. OLIVIA DARLING HEAD OF FOURTHS............................ JOSEPHINE NEWCOMBE FOURTHS GAMES CAPTAIN...........................SASKIA DARLING DEPUTY FOURTHS GAMES CAPTAIN.................. AMY BOLTON 25

Moberly The new year started with the Fourth Form Cross Country and, after four years of winning this cup, we finished in 5th place. A minor set back, but we had the year ahead to fight back! Spring Term leapt upon us with lots of inter-company competitions. We started with the Junior Swimming. We had a small number of girls to swim, but we managed to hold our own. The UIVs came 3rd and our

The Cecilia James Music Festival is a big event on the calendar. We had girls competing in all classes. Well done to Moberly girls, Shubha Shetty, who won the strings category, and Hannah Gibson, who won the vocal class. Our Company Shout song was Footloose and we were very loud and very blue! Under the guidance of our enthusiastic leaders, Helena Gray and Flora Eliot-Cohen, we practised with vigour and smiles. On the night, we sang our hearts out and performed to an extremely high level. The Company Drama Competition soon followed, with ‘pantomime’ as this year’s theme. We were given Jack and the Beanstalk and, under the fine direction of Helena and Tilda White, an amazing panto was created! A four-headed Scottish giant, a live beanstalk and talking cow, what more could you ask for? Congratulations to Tilda, who won the award for Best Director/ Writer, and Fenella Challinor, who was named the Best Supporting Actress. Our Harry Potter-themed Company Supper was next, with each year group being allocated a book from the series. The girls’ imagination ran riot and everyone made a fantastic effort with their costumes. After our delicious meal, we moved upstairs to enjoy our amazing guest magician. It was a truly magical night!

Sports Day was our final chance to earn some big points. We had some fabulous performances, with Susannah Hirst winning both the 800m and 1500m; Eloise Franks winning the Rounders Ball Throw; Flora Guy winning the Long Jump; Sandy Du gaining 1st in the Discus and the Seniors winning the 4 x100m. Overall, our Juniors came 5th, Inters 2nd and Seniors 2nd. The UIV Tennis Tournament brought us more good news, with the B Team winning and the A Team finishing in 2nd place.

joint MIV and LIV came 5th. The Senior Netball competition was tricky as we were down lots of players due to injury. The girls fought well, however, and came 4th overall. The Company 'Bake Off' was a huge success. We released Harriet Austin and Harriet Holyoake into the kitchen and they made a fabulous rocket, which happened to win! Go Moberly! It was then time to say goodbye to Helena and Flora as our Head and Deputy, and welcome Ila Shetty and Isabella Iversen. They have big shoes to fill, but they are more than capable.

STUDENT HEAD OF COMPANY.....................HELENA GRAY DEPUTY HEAD OF COMPANY............FLORA ELIOT-COHEN SENIOR GAMES CAPTAIN................................ FLORA GUY HEAD OF FIFTHS.......................................... DAVINA GRAY FIFTHS GAMES CAPTAIN........................HARRIET AUSTIN HEAD OF FOURTHS..................................... ANNABEL FOX FOURTHS GAMES CAPTAIN...............................SANDY DU

The Summer Term started with only five points between the top three companies, with Moberly in 3rd position. We started well, with the Seniors coming 3rd in the InterCompany Tennis Tournament and our UV’s winning all of their sports tournaments. Was luck on our side?

On Founders' Day, we waited to hear the final positions. We came 2nd overall and had lost by only two points! Well done to all the 'blue people', you were fabulous! Mrs Natalie Baldwin Head of Moberly Company

Osmund

Osmund Company has had a happy year and we were delighted that, yet again, we had the Head Girl, Farida Adewale, appointed from Osmund Company. Our fortunes in the competitions throughout the year, however, were very mixed. We performed well in the Company Shout and were ably directed by Lucia Vint and Amelia Jacobs. Lydia Metaxa was a star in the Fourth Form Company Quiz, while Khalilah Katagum and Millie Knight bravely took on the Company 'Bake Off'.

We did well in several sporting competitions and the Sixth Form were especially impressive on Sports Day. Our lack of creative talent in the Literalily creative writing competition and in the Company Drama, unfortunately, let down our overall score. On the plus side, we raised almost £500 for the Alzheimer’s Society and we had a fantastic Company Supper followed by a ceilidh with a band called Spill the Whisky. Overall, we shall all take away some happy memories, but we hope to improve our Company ranking next year. Mrs Elizabeth Rothwell Head of Osmund Company

STUDENT HEAD OF COMPANY..........................................................................LUCIA VINT DEPUTY HEAD OF COMPANY................................................................... AMELIA JACOBS SENIOR GAMES CAPTAINS................................. ARABELLA FANE AND AMELIA HATLAPA HEAD OF FIFTHS........................................................................ POPPY THISTLETHWAITE FIFTHS GAMES CAPTAINS................................LILA BREMNER AND BELINDA HARRISON HEADS OF FOURTHS...............................................ELAN FYAR AND KHALILAH KATAGUM FOURTHS GAMES CAPTAIN..........................................................CHLOE WRIGHT-HAYNIE CHARITY REPS..........................................................FARIDA ADEWALE AND THEA DILLON

Poore This year, the first Inter-Company event was something a little different. An app-mediated Treasure Hunt saw the girls scouring the school site and the town centre for tidbits of information, photographs and video clips as directed by the Hunt Co-ordinators, X Marks the Spot. It was great fun! The Autumn Term fun continued when our Head of Company, Mary Petherick, and Deputy Head of Company, Alice Wade, led the girls in a very enthusiastic performance of Don’t You Want Me Baby in the Company Shout. There were also some excellent performances in the Cecilia James Music Competition, with the string category won by Clara Wade on cello and Roberta Han winning the piano category. We celebrated winning the Drama Competition for the second year in a row with a hilarious and farcical version of Aladdin. Congratulations go to Grace Chambers who won Best Actress for her portrayal of Jafar the evil villain, which had the audience in stitches. The American-themed Company Supper saw a plethora of cowgirls, fast food options, a couple of Statues of Liberty and the changing faces of Taylor Swift enjoying a delicious dinner of fried chicken and sweet potato fries. Poore also saw some excellent results in the sporting arena, placing 2nd in both the Senior Company Lacrosse Tournament and the Inter-Company Swimming Competition. Finally, despite some very warm weather, the girls gave a number of impressive performances on Sports Day.

The charitable work of the company raised money in support of St Mary’s Chama, a school for vulnerable girls and orphans in Tembwe District in north-eastern Zambia. Well done girls! Finally, we say goodbye and a huge thank you to our fantastic Head of Company and Deputy, Mary and Alice, for all their hard work this year. Caroline Brenchley and Mimi Habib are sure to do an excellent job as our Head of Company and Deputy next year, together with Miss Clare Bloomer, as our new staff Head of Company. Mrs Caryn Harwood Head of Company

STUDENT HEAD OF COMPANY.............. MARY PETHERICK DEPUTY HEAD OF COMPANY......................... ALICE WADE SENIOR GAMES CAPTAIN......................ALICIA WHITAKER HEAD OF FIFTHS.........................................ROSE MORLEY FIFTHS GAMES CAPTAIN...............................HEBE EDGAR HEAD OF FOURTHS..........................................INDIA BOYD FOURTHS GAMES CAPTAIN....................LILY MALLINSON 28

‘Our Company Drama performance was grea t fun and all the actors were brilliant. I was real ly pleased to win as we had all worked so hard.’ Mary Petherick, Head of Company

Sports Reports

INTER-COMPANY SPORTS DAY

Tuesday 19th June, Beversbrook Sports Facility. The weather was perfect for the competitors, sunshine with a cool breeze blowing the runners through to the finish line. For the first time, we included a Senior competition for LVI girls in a selection of track and field events, which added to the excitement of the afternoon. There was a very high standard of competition, with a large number of our girls having gained

representative honours this season, so many of the school records were under threat. The Company competitions were fierce with some very tight finishes on the track and close battles in the field events. There was eager anticipation as the results were calculated.

Well done to all the girls that took part and supported their Companies throughout the day, it was a very successful day and event! Mrs Caroline Heathorn PE Teacher

Overall Company Result (Junior, Inter and Senior combined) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Ed Rich Grosstete Poore Moberly Osmund

413pts 356pts 354pts 351pts 315pts

Junior Competition (LIV and MIV) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Ed Rich Poore Grosstete Osmund Moberly

182pts 157pts 148pts 134pts 123pts

Inter Competition (UIV and LV) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Ed Rich Moberly Poore Grosstete Osmund

182pts 161pts 145pts 137pts 121pts

Senior Competition (LVI) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Grosstete Moberly Osmund Poore Ed Rich

71pts 67pts 60 pts 52pts 49pts

Junior Individual Trophy - Victrix Ludorum 1st Harriet Hillman 30pts 2nd (joint) Kitty Marvin 28pts Lily Mallinson 28pts Inter Individual Trophy - Victrix Ludorum 1st Emma Okunbor 30pts 2nd (joint) Susannah Hirst 28pts India Boyd 28pts

N I L R BE

Despite the 3am start, we were all very excited as we landed in a rather overcast Berlin. We headed straight out to Alexanderplatz, the central shopping centre in Berlin. Here, we went up the TV Tower, Fernsehturm, for lunch where, on a revolving platform at 200m high, we enjoyed German cuisine. The views were amazing and we were lucky enough to be able to sketch a panoramic view of Berlin. Having had such an early start, everyone was very happy to go straight to sleep once back at the hotel. We started our first proper day in Berlin with another quick visit to the Alexanderplatz before embarking on a street art tour with our guide, Ben, who taught us about Berlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture of street art and graffiti. This was new to the majority of us, so it was very interesting to find out about the history of street art. This was followed by a graffiti workshop, which took place in a large disused margarine factory, where we made our own graffiti stencils, which included a Snoopy dog and a Buddha. Having witnessed Ben effortlessly create a masterpiece, we quickly realised graffiti is not as easy as it looks! In the afternoon, we went to the East Side Gallery, a 1.3km stretch of the Berlin Wall with commissioned artworks from a selection of artists from around the world. It was very interesting to see such a historical landmark first hand and discuss how it combined art, history and culture. As amazing the wall was, however, it was impossible to stay out too long due to the freezing temperatures of Berlin in late January.

Trips & Expeditions

We quickly boarded the train back to central Berlin to the Menschen Museum to experience Dr Gunther von Hagens’ exhibition Body Worlds. We saw many bodies, organs and animals that had been treated by the plastination preservation technique that was invented by Dr von Hagens. This exhibition has caused a lot of public controversy over the years and it was interesting to consider how art can be combined with science. This was followed by a visit to the Brandenburg Gate and a delicious supper where we learnt how to say cheers in German - ‘prosto!’

On Sunday morning, we went to two art galleries, the first being the Museum of Modern Art. It was really engaging and showed so many different aspects of art, including installations, paintings and sculptures. The second gallery was the Museum für Fotografie which contained a really inspiring collection; all the photographs were original and we had not seen anything quite like them before. In the afternoon, we unwound in a bustling flea market and went about spending the last of our Euros. Although it was cold, we managed to get many great buys, including camera film, earrings and vintage clothes. The trip was over far too quickly, however, this short-lived experience has made us anxious for another trip next year! We all had a great time, thanks to Miss Evans and her detailed planning, which made it possible to cram so much into our three days in Berlin. Celia Ellis LVI Form 31

e g a t S e r t n e C !

s t h g i l e d c f dramati

a year o

Company Drama Competition This year’s Company Drama Competition took place over the weekend of 4th and 5th November with the theme of ‘Pantomime’. The girls worked in groups to stage their own version of their allocated panto, the challenge being to display as many conventions of pantomime as possible. The final result was thoroughly entertaining and we were all very impressed with the standard they had achieved in such a short amount of time. It was great to see girls from different year groups performing and working together on stage. The judging panel, which included Dr Kirk, Miss Darling, Miss Bradfield and Mrs Harrison, were awarded as follows: Best Pantomime: Poore, who won for the second year in a row, with their hilarious version of Aladdin. Best Actress: Grace Chambers (UVI) with her role of Jafar, the evil villain in Aladdin, which had the audience in stitches. Best Supporting Actress: Fenella Challinor (LV) with her pantomime dame, the giant’s wife, in Moberly’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Best Contribution: Tilda White (UVI), director of Moberly’s performance. She worked hard to come up with some fantastic staging ideas and witty one-liners for Jack and the Beanstalk.

Dancing Dahl! In March, students, staff and some brave parents battled the snow to come and share our evening of Dancing Delights and Dramatic Debauchery! a Roald Dahl inspired dance showcase in the Delscey Burns Theatre presented by the LIV, MIV and selected UIV girls. This show was choreographed and directed by Graduate Assistant, Miss Bethany Dickinson. The UIV created a soundscape of sound with kitchen implements and gave us a Stompinspired performance of rhythm and dance. The MIV took inspiration from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory’s Mike Teevee, with contemporary group pieces based around technology. This involved using remixes of phone ringtones for the sound, creating still images of watching TV and dance moves inspired by selfies! Meanwhile, the LIV introduced us to the story of Fantastic Mr Fox with a wonderful display of underground animals feasting and playing in the fields. The Junior Drama Club also rose to the challenge and did themselves proud. Particular highlights included Lucy Crone as Mrs Twit and Charlie Hubber as Mr Twit, who were hilariously unrecognisable as the gruesome pair.

Considering the disruption due to the snow outside, the girls worked hard to create the best show possible - it was truly a delight from start to finish.

A Level and GCSE Performances The year has seen A Level and GCSE work of a very high standard. In February, girls from UV and UVI presented scripted extracts for examination.

Reviews The UV girls performed short extracts from Blue Stockings by Jessica Swale. This is a moving, comical and eye-opening story of four young women fighting for education against the larger backdrop of women’s suffrage. The UVI girls performed monologues from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams and Bombshells by Joanna Murray-Smith. They then performed a group extract of People, Places and Things by Duncan Macmillan. In May, the LV and LVI performed devised work for examination. Both groups of LV girls created short performances based around a stimulus that they were given; they were both fun and intriguing whilst utilising a range of dramatic storytelling techniques. The first group performed Have You Seen Margaret? based on a real-life news story about a lady escaping from her care home. The second group had created an 80s/90s adventure, Board To Death, which followed a disjointed group of teenagers as they fell into the game of Cluedo. On the same evening, our LVI students had the opportunity to perform their devised piece in another space in the theatre. Their piece was inspired by the Les Enfants Terribles Theatre Company, which was evident in their costume and setting, with an element of old school glamour and direct address. They took an extract from Ella Hickson’s play Hot Mess, a story about twins who were born without a heart and somehow survive through to adulthood. The end result was a tribute to the film noir genre, with complex moments of shadow puppetry, synchronised movement and soundscaping.

It was an extremely proud moment to see the students excel in pieces they had created themselves. The audience reacted well, including lots of laughs and generous feedback. We hope the girls were proud of their performances and we look forward to continue working with these two talented year groups.

RADA

Looking Forward

In February, we took the eight girls who had completed this year’s RADA Advanced Communications course to RADA in London to present their speeches. Aided by RADA teachers Mrs Chater and Mrs CochranPatrick, the girls prepared talks on topics that ranged from ‘Plastic Planet’, exploring the devastating effects of plastic on the environment, to ‘Reel History’, highlighting historical inaccuracies in cinema. We were joined by RADA’s esteemed panel of experts - Lisa Akesson, Carol Noakes and Charlie Walker-Wise - who gave excellent feedback to the girls and commented on their high standard of presentation. We are happy to say that all eight girls successfully completed the course and were presented with their certificates in Chapel.

We say a huge thank you and goodbye to outgoing UVI Drama Scholars, Alicia Whitaker and Clara Wade. Both girls have made a huge contribution to the Drama Department in recent years.

Workshops The Drama curriculum was complemented throughout the year with practical workshops conducted by professional theatre groups. The girls visited Punchdrunk Theatre Company, at their specialist immersive theatre teaching space, Fallow Cross in London, while in school the Les Enfants Terribles Theatre Company taught their trademark macabre style and the fantastic Wardrobe Ensemble gave an inspiring practical session on physical theatre and ensemble movement.

We say hello to our newly appointed scholars, Leah Hosten-Silva and Phoebe Matten, who have received 13+ awards, and also Zina Stevens and Evie Medcalf, who have received 11+ awards. We say goodbye to Miss Philippa Bradfield, who has taught Drama and directed the Four on Tour production for the past four years, and we wish her very well in her new post. We are pleased that our Graduate Assistant, Miss Bethany Dickinson, will be our new Teacher of Drama and Dance. We also welcome Mr Duncan Ellis who will be stepping in to run the Drama Department while I am on maternity leave. It’s been a wonderful year, filled with enthusiasm and creativity from the girls. I thank them for their commitment, bright ideas and boundless energy! Miss Holly Darling Director of Drama

FOur on Tour

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe This year’s ‘Four on Tour’ production was the magical adventure story, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. While the rehearsals were packed full of running through scenes and learning lines, it was also really nice just to come together as a group and share our love of acting. It was really exciting on the run up to the ‘big day’ to think that we were going to be performing our production in a professional theatre! I (Gwen) portrayed the character of Edmund, the youngest of the four children. Edmund was a very interesting and fun part to play, although it took me a while to learn my lines and properly understand the character. When his sister, Lucy, first tells the siblings of her discovery in the wardrobe, Edmund doesn’t believe a word of it. He is very stubborn and definitely does not like doing as he is told. I (Anna) played the part of Peter, the eldest sibling and father figure. Peter is a brave and cautious character who likes to look after and take control over his younger siblings. Although I find it harder to play male roles, it is fun portraying different characters and personalities.

On the day of the performances, we made our way to The Egg Theatre in Bath, unloaded the coach and each actor took their costume up to the green room, whilst anyone involved backstage helped to set up the props so they were ready for our first performance. The puppet for Aslan and the wardrobe were so large they had to be lifted to the stage via a magical lift in the stage floor. The actors got into costume and had their hair and make-up done by the assigned crew. We then prepared for our first rehearsal in the theatre. It was so much fun to perform in a professional theatre, although it was quite a challenge to adapt to the different stage layout, as all of our previous rehearsals were in Top Hall. Our dress rehearsal was professionally photographed, which everyone found very exciting. We then worked on specific scenes, making sure everything was perfect for the two performances that were to take place later that day. After lunch, we had some time to relax, before continuing to rehearse and make sure we were completely organised for the two performances.

As each audience arrived, the White Witch, Maugrim the wolf and the Dwarf came out to meet the audience and welcomed (scared!) them into the auditorium and the performance began. Our hard work was rewarded, as the audience applauded and clearly enjoyed the play. Our last show was the best of them all! In the large audience, which included Dr Kirk and Miss Darling, were many friends and family, who were delighted to see us perform.

Reviews

The shows went astonishingly well, as we gave it our all and put all our energy into it! Overall, it was a brilliant experience that we will never forget. We had a great time and gained a unique insight into the wide world of professional performing arts. By Isabella Donald, Gwen Fournier, Anna Mallinckrodt and Chloe Wright-Haynie

Reviews

LAMDA AUTUMN Name Description

Result

Elowen Faulkner

Musical Theatre Solo Grade 3

Distinction

Megan Harley-Martin

Acting Solo Grade 5

Distinction

SPRING SUMMER

Name Description

Result

Name Description Result

Elowen Faulkner

Acting Solo Grade 3

Distinction

Mercy Chen

Acting Solo Grade 3

Merit

Iris Nicholson

Acting Solo Grade 3

Distinction

Sarah Cheng

Acting Solo Grade 3

Merit

Marguerite Pickford

Acting Solo Grade 3

Distinction

Helena Stahl

Miming Solo Grade 3

Merit

Elea Aylwin

Musical Theatre Solo Grade 3

Distinction

Lucy Crone

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Izzy Albery

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Angharad Davies

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Sadie Enthoven

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Rosie Graham-Campbell

Acting Solo Grade 4

Merit

Sasha Hale

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Clemmie Hargreaves

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Grace Law

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Khalilah Katagum

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Oliviya Serdyuk

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Kyra Ke

Acting Solo Grade 4

Merit

Anna Dodd

Acting Duo Grade 5

Distinction

Charlotte Nicholson

Acting Solo Grade 4

Merit

Josephine Newcombe

Acting Duo Grade 5

Distinction

Martha Rowell

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Emma Okunbor

Acting Solo Grade 5

Distinction

May Thistlethwaite

Acting Solo Grade 4

Distinction

Elsa Parker

Acting Solo Grade 5

Distinction

Sandy Du

Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 4

Pass

Eliane Willmott

Acting Solo Grade 5

Distinction

Kunmi Adesola

Acting Combined Grade 5

Merit

Lily Bryant

Acting Duo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Distinction

Yimika Adesola

Acting Combined Grade 5

Merit

Charlotte Slater

Acting Duo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Eleanor Barr

Acting Solo Grade 5

Merit

Agnes Arnold

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Pelin Burkay

Acting Solo Grade 5

Distinction

Isla Campbell

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Distinction

Florence de Selliers de Moranville Acting Solo Grade 5

Merit

Tabitha Clark

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Distinction

Beatriz Peeters

Acting Solo Grade 5

Merit

Skye Macinnes

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Amber Preston

Acting Solo Grade 5

Merit

Anna Mallinckrodt

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Distinction

Lila Bremner

Acting Duo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Polly Mallinson

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Distinction

Elizabeth Rutherford

Acting Duo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Lily Scott

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Imogen Blair

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Poppy Thistlethwaite

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Gwen Fournier

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Distinction

Frances Arnold

Acting Duo Grade 7 - Silver Medal

Merit

Susannah Hirst

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Distinction

Lucy Fitzpatrick

Acting Duo Grade 7 - Silver Medal

Merit

Pia Iversen

Acting Solo Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Merit

Tegen Dixon-Clarke