Machio 2017-18

edition94

2017-18

MACHIO #thisrmsgirlcan rmsforgirls

rmsforgirls

rmsforgirls

Akumal Beach

rmsforgirls Congratulations to our students in #mexico with @operation_wallacea - all are now certified #openwater divers! #thisrmsgirlcan #padiwomensdiveday #padiwomen

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rmsforgirls Wow! RMS’s very own #NationalChampion!

Well done Issie who is now Under 12 British Fencing Champion @fencersclublondon #proud #winner #thisrmsgirlcan

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rrmsforgirls The boarders certainly made the most of the sunshine this weekend - Winston the boarding house dog enjoyed it too! #iloveboarding #weekendsatschool #thisrmsgirlcan

rmsforgirls Great #Roman military formations on display at Cadogan House today, including the tortoise, arrowhead and square! #history #Romans #thisrmsgirlcan

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rrmsforgirls A beautiful #sunrise over our beautiful grounds, dusted with snow this morning! #nofilter #thisrmsgirlcan

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rmsforgirls An exciting 45 minute version of #Shakespeare’s #Tempest by RMS’s Ellipses Theatre Company - first performed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe #thisrmsgirlcan

The Annual Magazine of The Royal Masonic School for Girls

rrmsforgirls Good luck to our students heading to #Ghana to volunteer for the Atorkor Development Foundation #charity #thisrmsgirlcan #Ghana2018

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rmsforgirls Amazing photo of our Scuba Club #scubadiving in the pool #thisrmsgirlcan

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rmsforgirls Welcome back everyone! Have a great day! #firstdayback #newschoolyear2017 2018 #thisrmsgirlcan

MACHIO MOMENTS

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WELCOME TO MACHIO 201718

CONTENTS

This RMS Girl Can

AN AZ OF SCHOOL LIFE

Every year, Machio has a theme, and this year we chose #ThisRMSGirlCan. This hashtag has been widely used across the School’s social media accounts this year, and was born at the annual Leadership Day competition between RMS and John Hampden Grammar School (which RMS won – just saying…!). During the course of the competition, each team is challenged to come up with an aim for the year, and last year’s Leadership Team felt that they wanted to celebrate all the many and varied successes of RMS girls, and promote the empowerment of individual interests and the ways

Around School

4-5

Art

6-9

Boarding

10-11

Business Studies & Economics

12-13

Cadogan House

14-18

Charity Work Classics

20-21

Design and Technology

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Duke of Edinburgh Award

in which students can be encouraged to try something new.

There is an obvious link with the This Girl Can movement, a nationwide celebration of active women who are “doing their thing” no matter how well they do it, or how they look – we wanted to reflect this sentiment in our own hashtag, supporting and encouraging girls to try new things, challenge themselves, and be proud of what they do irrespective of the result and without fear of judgement. Funded by The National Lottery and developed by Sport England, This Girl Can helps women overcome this concern that is stopping too many women and girls from joining in. Our hashtag goes further, as is not just restricted to sporting endeavour.

In the following pages, you can see that RMS girls really can do many, many things and the sheer number of opportunities afforded to us is truly staggering. From trips overseas to aid conservation efforts in Mexico and to support charity in Ghana, to participation in sporting and cultural events; from raising record breaking sums for charity to work experience with a multinational company; every member of the RMS community, from our youngest Ruspini pupils to Sixth Formers ready to embark on their university life, benefits from the challenging, supportive environment that ensures that each RMS girl can, and that makes our school so special.

We hope that you enjoy reading this year’s Machio and hearing what

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English

2633

Food and Nutrition

34-35

Geography

36-37

History, Government and Politics

38-41

House Photos

4243

Life Skills

44-45

Maths

46-47

Modern Languages

48-49

Performing Arts

50-53

Photography

54-57

Physical Education

58-63

Prize Winners October 2017

64-65

Prize Winners June 2018

66-67

Religious Studies

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RMS Exam Results 2018

we have all been up to this year….

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Ruspini House

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Science

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Sixth Form

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Sporting Adventures

80-81

Textiles

82-83

Trips

84-98

Work Experience and Careers

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The 2017-18 Machio Team

EDITORS Mr Cox, Mr Edwards, Mrs Fryer, Mrs Hopkins, Miss Reidie, Guy Moultrie | Gma RMS for Girls Rickmansworth Park, Rickmansworth Hertfordshire WD3 4HF +44 (0)1923 773168 www.rmsforgirls.co.uk

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AROUND SCHOOL A NOTE FROM OUR HEADMASTER 2017/18 was another busy year in the life of RMS; in September we welcomed nearly 200 new girls into the School, all of whom have made their own unique contribution to our community.

Throughout the year, all our girls have challenged themselves to be the best they can be; they excelled in sport, in visual and performance arts and in their academic work; they have raised record breaking sums for charity and they have learnt new skills or developed existing ones; and we are proud of all of their efforts and achievements, be they in or out of School. Thanks, of course, go to all staff and parents who have supported the girls in everything that they have done this year.

The School continues to be committed to developing the breadth and depth of what girls can get involved in, to ensure that they leave us ready to grasp the many opportunities that will invariably come their way in the future.

Our 50+ weekly extra-curricular clubs continue to thrive and evolve, and new clubs are planned for September 2018. I am also delighted how active RMS students are in the community, both on our own doorstep and internationally; they have travelled to Ghana to support our work with the Atorkor Development Foundation, and have visited Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Mexico, as well as several European countries, developing their understanding of the world and other cultures, and of the difference they can make.

It is hard to sum up all that goes on in a school like this in one magazine, but I hope this gives you a flavour of what remarkable RMS girls can do!

AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR HEAD GIRL ELIZABETH ABBOTT 1. How long have you been at RMS? I joined RMS when I was in Year 4, back in 2009 and so I have now been here 9 years.

which encouraged students to be proud of the talents and interests that makes them individuals. But I am also very excited to finalise with the rest of the leadership team an aim with a new twist for the beginning of next year.

Watch this space!

2. What is your favourite moment about your time at RMS? My favourite moments have been

6. What do you think makes a good leader?

I think the best leaders are those that earn the respect of the people they wish to work with instead of just assuming that it will be given automatically.

during the time I spend with my friends between school finishing and a concert starting in the evening.

This almost always involves lots of giggling, chatting and far too much takeaway pizza.

It is important to remember that people are able to maximize the use of their talents in an environment where they feel rightly appreciated and supported.

7. What are your plans after RMS? Since forever I have wanted to be a vet and so I am hoping to go on to study veterinary medicine at university (which could take as many as five or six years!). It goes without saying that I adore animals and I can’t wait to make a career out of working with them. I have found it to be a very demanding yet rewarding application process so far especially as I am also the only one in my year applying for this particular course. If anyone in the lower years is also thinking of applying, do come and chat to me about it.

3. Tell us about some school trips you’ve been on – what has been your favourite?

I have been incredibly fortunate and have been on a huge variety of trips.

Some of the highlights include a choir tour and an exchange trip to Canada, ski and snowboarding trips to France and the most adventurous by far was a history trip to Vietnam. It would be extremely difficult to pick a favourite because the top one is always replaced by the next trip I go on. One thing they do all have in common is that each one seemed totally daunting just before I left but I always ended up loving every minute and hated coming back home when they finished.

8. What’s your favourite RMS food?

Chicken Kiev, without a doubt!

9. If you could change one thing about RMS, what would it be?

I’d move the science block so it was right next to Hind House so I could take a bit more time over my morning hot chocolate before I have to rush off to my first lesson.

4. Why did you stand to be Head Girl?

I was always very keen to apply to be a prefect because I wanted to give back something to a community that had played a key role in my own development and achievements over a huge span of my life. I will, however, admit that it was initially a surprise when someone suggested that I stand for the position of Head Girl. After giving it some thought, and with a lot of encouragement from friends in both my year and the year above, I realized that it not only was something that I really wanted to do, but also something to which that I felt I could bring a new dynamic.

10. What do you think makes RMS special?

It would be impossible to pick just one thing! An outsider would probably pick out the beautiful grounds, delicious food, or the fact that we are probably the only school in the world that still has a School Drill team. But on a deeper level I think it’s the community atmosphere that really makes RMS feel like home. We are an unusually friendly school and the staff here know each individual student and how they learn best, making everyone’s experience here tailored to their specific needs and therefore a happy and enjoyable place to learn.

5. What do you want to achieve as Head Girl?

Personally, I am very keen to continue some of the legacy of previous aims #ThisRMSGirlCan

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AN INTERVIEW WITH MS BAILEY

GOODBYE MS GUNN

Ms Bailey joined RMS as Senior Deputy Head - Academic in September 2017. Read on to find out a little more about her.

1. What was your first job?

My first job was a Saturday job at a riding stables.

2. Why did you decide to be a teacher?

My Mum was a teacher, and this influenced me. I also enjoyed working as a riding teacher and wanted to transfer and use these skills in school.

3. Can you tell us a little about your own experience at school?

I was very fortunate to go to a school in which individuals were valued for their efforts.

I enjoyed my time at school and embraced the opportunity to try many new experiences - I was at Badminton Girls’ School, Bristol.

Ms Bailey also told the interviewer that she was shy at school - a fact we find truly surprising!

4. What were you most excited about when starting at RMS? I was most excited about meeting new people - the girls, staff and parents. I was also looking forward to the challenge of helping Mr Carson take the School on to the next stage in its life.

5. What was the scariest thing about starting at RMS? All the typical things - will people like me, will I find my way around - but of course everyone is lovely. It was a big change - I had been at my previous school for 20 years so knew that one inside out.

6. In your first year at RMS what has been your highlight moment?

I have had various highlights. I most enjoyed the first House Day I saw, at the end of term before Christmas 2017 - all the girls unselfconsciously enjoying themselves and taking part in the singing. Coincidentally, the first assembly I ever ran was to announce this Christmas themed House Day. I greatly enjoyed watching Drill for the first time as part of the RMS community - a very impressive moment.

I also enjoy the day to day successes of the students - and this is why I chose to teach.

7. What did you choose to study at University and what were the biggest challenges you faced?

I studied Economics at the University of York, having enjoyed the subject at A Level. I had a vague thought of going on to do Corporate Law - but this thought soon went away. I enjoyed university and set myself the challenge of being more socially outgoing and I succeeded in that - you can’t shut me up now!

8. What do you think about boarding?

I boarded myself when I was in Year 11 - I absolutely loved it, being in such a lively community and with great opportunities on your doorstep. I embraced the opportunity of greater independence. At RMS I think boarding is fantastic - a real community and the chance to make lifelong friendships.

9. Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

In my spare time I do cake decorating - birthday cakes, wedding cakes - and in the past I have genuinely considered doing this as a business - if I had the time!

10. What is your favourite meal in RMS Dining Room?

It’s got to be roast day!

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Ms Gunn as she embarks upon new adventures during her retirement. Ms Gunn has worked at RMS for seventeen years and in that time, she has taught and inspired hundreds of students. Ms Gunn has also played other important roles in the school - she has worked as the Head of English and she has also been in charge of Teaching and Learning across the whole School.

Ms Gunn has a limitless amount of energy and we have no doubt that she will continue to keep herself as busy as she always has done.

We can’t wait to hear about all her experiences and hope that she continues to join us on the occasional theatre trip!

GOODBYE MR BUDDIE Mr Buddie has been a remarkable colleague for over 20 years, joining RMS in 1995 from St Wulthams in Grantham. In his time at RMS Mr Buddie has seen many changes within IT; both in the hardware and in the syllabus.

We as a school have gone from 20 BBC micros, in what is now a geography room, to over 500 computers and iPads in abundance. Mr Buddie has been at the centre of these changes which have had such a positive impact on our students’ learning.

Mr Buddie is always full of new ideas and is well known in the computing community as the ‘digitalmaverick’ with a huge number of followers on Twitter. Mr Buddie instigated both our WITTY dinners inviting very inspiring people into an environment where girls’ confidence soared, and the Comenius exchanges resulting in VIOLA. Energetic, enthusiastic, honest, and inspirational are words which sum up Mr Buddie. He is respected by both students and colleagues for both his kindness and his passion for his subject. We will miss his valuable contributions; indeed, who could possibly fill the void within interesting sports, who will wear the striped jersey next year?

We wish Mr Buddie the best of luck as he moves on to a new challenge. Thank you.

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ART ANA

CHARLIE

ANJALI

GEORGIA

ELLA

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MACHIO 201718 ESTELLE

SOPHIE

GRACE

TALLY

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ART TAMZIN

LIORA

KATIE

LAURYN

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MACHIO 201718 SOPHIE

LIBBY

NIAMH

ANIMALS  YEAR 7

BISCUITS  YEAR 8

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BOARDING BOARDING LIFE ‘Can I have your passport please’? Yes, I have officially started boarding. Before arriving at RMS, I was worried about everything: my friendships; my roommate; my school life and most importantly, my meals. I did not visit the School nor experience a school day at RMS before I made my decision to study in the UK. However there was no hesitation in choosing RMS. It was not because it is close to the airport or London; it was because of the photos on the school website. The ‘gigantic’ Garth, the lovely classrooms and the smiles on the pupils’ faces.

When I first arrived at RMS, I was very impressed by the different areas of the School, the classrooms and the boarding houses. I personally favour the structure of RMS; the boarding houses are close yet far; separated yet linked to the School. This allows me to feel that after 8:20am, I am a student and after 4.00pm, I am back to my family-like home as a boarder. The layout also makes me feel very secure in the school site. The school facilities are incredible: from the uncountable amount of computers to the Sports Hall that includes the gym, squash court and the gymnastics studio.

‘Bye Mum, see you in three months.’ I entered my new home: Connaught House. A sea of smiling faces welcomed me enthusiastically. I joined a group of girls playing cards and we were chatting so happily that we even forgot to ask each other’s name. They taught me how to play the card game and showed me around the House so I could familiarise myself with the environment and not feel lonely. At first, I thought I would cry after my mum left me, but I didn’t even have time to feel homesick, thanks to my friends in the boarding house. Especially my roommate, who taught me how to change the bed sheets and to organise myself getting ready for the next day, which was my first school day at RMS. At that time, I felt like all my worries were unfounded and they just kept popping out of my mind like bubbles. I also knew that the boarding community would not judge me; I could be myself without worrying.

There is one thing I always do that I might not do back home, which is walking. Walking around the Garth after doing exercise knowing I can chat with the girls that I meet is great because the boarding community as a whole are friends.

I did not know how I would adapt to living in a house with over 25 people of a similar age. I settled in quickly and as with all families, we have our ups and downs, but it works. The first day went by quickly and it was definitely a most memorable day. Getting used to a new environment is difficult however, I believe if you are willing make the effort, find common ground and a happy medium you will easily blend in well with the boarding community.

I have been in RMS for three years as a boarder and it was a pleasure to become a prefect of the School as well as the boarding community. My role is Head of Connaught House, my first and last boarding house at RMS. No matter what, I will do my very best to fulfil my duty by taking on the responsibilities placed upon me and share my experiences with others in the hope that they too will embrace the RMS way of life.

Winnie - Year 12 International Student

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INTERVIEW WITH OUR NEW GAP ASSISTANTS MISS FORSTER

MISS SHANNON

1. Where are you from?

1. Where are you from?

I am from Brisbane in Queensland, Australia.

I am from Wellington, New Zealand.

2. What is your job?

2. What is your job?

I am a Gap Student at RMS and I work in Harris House and Cadogan.

I am a Gap Student. I work in Zetland House and in the Senior School.

2. What do you miss most about Australia?

2. What do you miss most about New Zealand?

I miss my family and friends but I miss my dog Pippa the most (she hasn’t learned how to FaceTime yet). I also miss the beach!

I mainly miss my family and friends but I really do miss my two cats. I love them so much.

3. Do you like the sights in England or Australia more?

3. Do you like the sights in England or New Zealand more?

They are very different but I love them both.

I hadn’t been in England before I arrived here in January so I have to say that the sights here are all new for me and are definitely amazing but nothing can beat the landscapes back in New Zealand.

4. Why did you choose to come to this school?

I chose to come to this school because it seemed like a really warm, supportive environment that empowers girls to be the best they can be– I went to a school very similar and loved it.

4. Why did you choose to come to this school?

I chose to come to this school because it seemed so similar to my one back in New Zealand. It’s full of amazing talented young women ready to take on the world and achieve amazing things in life.

5. Was the decision to come here easy for you?

No, it wasn’t an easy decision for me as coming here meant that I had to leave all my family and friends and move across the other side of the world, but it was such a great opportunity I couldn’t turn it down and I’m happy I didn’t!

5. Was the decision to come here easy for you?

At first it was difficult to decide whether or not to come here as I would miss my family and friends very much, but I have always dreamed of travelling the world and this was my opportunity to take that step closer towards my dream.

6. What is your favourite thing about Harris and the school?

My favourite thing about Harris and Cadogan is that they are filled with wonderful, bright and unique girls that I get to spend time with.

6. What is your favourite thing about Zetland and the school?

My favourite thing in Zetland would definitely have to be the overall feeling you get when you walk in the front door, it feels just like home and the support from the girls and the staff is amazing as well. The school atmosphere is so nice and welcoming and especially the girls, they will smile at you and you’ll smile back at them and it just makes your day feel even better than it was. It lifts up your spirit and brings a smile to your face.

7. What is your favourite food at RMS? Banofee pie!

8. What has been your favourite weekend activity so far?

My favourite weekend activity so far would have to be the day we went to the Borough Market and the Shard. I loved all the market stalls and getting to see a whole lot more of London from the Shard.

7. What is your favourite food at RMS?

9. What is your favourite thing about being in the UK?

At the moment my favourite food would definitely have to be the cooked marinated salmon at dinner with potatoes and heaps of vegetables.

I used to live here when I was younger so I love getting to see old friends and revisiting places. I also like that we are so close to Europe!

8. What has been your favourite weekend activity so far?

10. How did you find out about being a gap assistant at this school?

It would definitely have to be when we went to Sky Zone Trampoline Park. That was so much fun.

I went through an agency that helped me find out about the job and RMS.

9. What is your favourite thing about being in the UK?

11. if given the choice to go back in time, would you still choose to come here?

It would definitely have to be how close the UK is to other countries. It’s really easy to travel to other countries if you’re on a budget too, which is very handy in my case.

If I went back in time I would definitely still choose to come here.

Everybody is so welcoming and warm and I feel blessed to work with all the lovely housemistresses, teachers and girls in Harris and Cadogan.

10. How did you find out about being a Gap assistant at this school?

I actually went through a company that helped me find this amazing school to be a gap here. I’m very grateful for this opportunity.

11. if given the choice to go back in time, would you still choose to come here?

IT’S QUACKERS LIVING AT RMS!

If I did have the chance to go back in time I wouldn’t have changed my mind at all. This school and job has made me become a more mature and confident woman that is ready to venture the world and begin her new life as an adult and I can’t wait to see how the rest of this year goes too.

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BUSINESS STUDIES AND ECONOMICS YOUNG ENTERPRISE  BLACK BOTTLE & CO The Young Enterprise company, Black Bottle & Co, aimed to produce unique, usable, attractive, recycled products.

We created a chalk boarded bottle that is very versatile and can be used however the customer wishes to use it.

We participated in trading opportunities at the school Christmas fair, as well as competition rounds at Intu Watford and Marlowes Shopping Centre. All three of these trade fairs were very successful.

Our first time trading within the Young Enterprise competition was at Marlowes Shopping Centre where we won the award for Best Product/Service. At the Intu Watford trade fair, we won Best Trade Stand along with the Environmental award on the first trading day.

We then managed to improve on this on the second trading day as we won Best Overall Company. We then further progressed into the presentation rounds, where a few members of the group had to present our product, our financial progress, as well as the skills that we had gained in front of a panel of judges.

Throughout the journey, beginning with our first company meeting, we faced many challenges that we had to overcome. These included making sure we had made enough bottles to sell at the different trade fairs. However, every challenge helped everyone in the team to learn many transferrable skills.

Examples of these are teamwork, creating financial spreadsheets, and customer service techniques, as well as learning about the importance of branding and marketing in order to be a successful business.

All the members of Black Bottle & Co. would like to thank Mr Broome and Mrs Bannister for their help and support throughout the Young Enterprise journey, as we have all gained so much from this experience.

NEW ECONOMICS REVISION BOARD GAME This year the A Level Economics students got the chance to try out a new form of revision. The board game "Econofun" combines the best features of Monopoly with the serious business of knowing your Economic onions. Although there were a few skeptical faces at first, all students either wanted to carry on after time or play again. Most also said that they actually learned something new during the games. It just goes to show that there are novel and challenging ways of revising when it comes to those all-important final exams.

DRAGONS’ DEN WITH YEAR 9 During the year all of the girls in Year 9 had an opportunity to take place in a Dragons’ Den activity. For this, they had to design a new product, produce a powerpoint presentation and stand in front of a group of Dragons who decided whether or not to invest in their Business. The Dragons were actually parents who willingly gave up their time to come into school to undertake this role. Great fun was had by all.

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YOUNG ENTERPRISE  CMENT Cment is an innovative and unique take on home decor. All of our products are made from cement and are perfected by ourselves. Our mission is to create minimalistic, rustic yet stylish decorations that can suit any household. We sold coasters, ring holders, candlesticks and candleholders. We also sold plain, glitter and battery-operated tea lights to accompany our product.

We had 17 members working within the company. Our achievements throughout the competition were; Best Customer Service at the Hemel Hempstead area trade fair and Best Product Development at the Watford area trade fair.

Our aim throughout the entirety of the process was to provide a variety of products, which can be used in a variety of ways, suitable for all ages. Specifically, our specified age range, 11+ while simultaneously portraying an aesthetically pleasing, natural product.

Although challenging, we found the process extremely enjoyable, while testing our teamwork and relationships with our classmates with various disagreements, we overcame this and managed to reach the second round at KPMG (area finals).

Rhiannon and Ellie

YEAR 7 ENTERPRISE DAY This year the girls bought stock, made bracelets and key rings and sold them during lunch time to pupil, staff and parents. It was a great introduction to the world of work and gave a basic understanding of how businesses are run.

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CADOGAN HOUSE WORLD BOOK DAY CELEBRATION Years 3 to 6 celebrated World Book day over the course of a week with a focus on JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series. There were various lessons that encapsulated learning at Hogwarts including Astronomy and Quidditch.

We had an amazing time at Harry Potter Studios on World Book day - a great way to build on our learning connected with JK Rowling’s magical tale about the boy wizard. It is an inspirational place, full of creativity. The sheer love and attention to detail required to bring the books to life on screen was breath-taking. We all loved it children, Gap assistants, staff and some brilliant parent volunteers. It was a wonderful shared experience.

OUR PHONICS JOURNEY  RECEPTION AND YEAR 1 Learning to read and write are the most important skills the girls learn to do in our School. Everything else depends upon it, so we put as much energy as we possibly can into making sure that every child learns as quickly as possible. In Reception and Year 1 our programme is much more than learning ‘phonics’. Our programme teaches core English skills: specific reading skills to encourage fluency, accuracy, breadth of vocabulary with a good understanding. We also teach the physical aspects of writing (handwriting, grammar, spellings) as well as compositional writing.

Our girls achieve fantastic results in reading and writing by the time they leave Year 1.

ABLE AND INTERESTED PROGRAMME This year we launched a new programme of twilight sessions.

Pupils in Years 4 to 6 were invited to choose a number of twilight sessions in a range of subjects.

Over the year, we offered six sessions (two per term), which included Creative Drama, “The Cadogan House Bake Off”, Maths, Dance and Art and Design. Girls who were interested and passionate about these subjects worked alongside girls from other classes and year groups in after school twilight sessions.

Next year we would like to continue the programme by offering further exciting sessions.

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WRITING DAY  VICTORIAN SINGAPORE DIAMOND We like to start the Hilary Term with a Writing Day. To build on our work last year we focused on another mystery. This time we took the children back in time to 1896.

A number of locations in Cadogan House were dressed with Victorian items. The story centred on the disappearance of the Singapore Diamond from Lord and Lady Pilkington’s home (Cadogan House). The girls took on the role of detectives to try to uncover the truth. Nine suspects were at Cadogan House at the time of the theft.

The girls interviewed each suspect and watched a video that reconstructed parts of the dinner the previous evening at the Pilkington estate. The day finished with the children declaring who they felt was the thief before the grand unmasking in the final assembly. It turned out to be Lady Beatrice (Mrs Espinoza)!

Each year group captures the excitement of the day in different forms of writing.

We were also delighted with the questioning skills the girls showed from Reception to Year 6. It was a great beginning to the term!

dome plate, Lottie, gripping onto the m forcing a roo ing din the into d scurrie king about thin s wa an smile. Lottie Log an illness. from er fath her e cur to how e is your Her es.

“Good evening Lady Agn to cry. not ng tryi d ere isp wh starter.” She k bac ned tur Having red eyes, Lottie d Pilkington towards the kitchen. Lor id left, “Why is ma y ller waited till the scu ?” ing cry ays alw tie Lot Yana - Year 6

Lord Pilkington gripped Lady Pilkington’s shoulders needily. He thought she would have understood!

“We have to sell the Singapore Diamond, we don’t have the money to pay for all of this!” he spoke annoyed. Shifting his feet side to side, Lord Pilkington waited for the reply, “I’ve told you many times and my answer’s still NO!” scolded Lady Pilkington. Worn out, the gentleman stomped away exasperated.

Nina - Year 6

Grandma Hemmings wa tched in anticipation as the food was filling the table. “Can my daughter be foolish enough to show the pre cious diamond to that Madam Gigi? I still don’t trust her!”

She whispered under her breath before facing Madam Gigi with a look of distrust and distaste. Grandma Hemming’s features scrunched up like a paper ball at the sight of Madam Gig i holding her precious gem.

“Oh la la. J’adore dis dia mond,” Gigi commented in her French accent, not wanting to let the beauty go. No sneering, Grandma sur veyed Madam Gigi, taking in every mo ment with suspicion.

Alissa - Year 6

YEAR 1 VISIT THE ROALD DAHL MUSEUM Year 1 have loved discovering the Wonderful World of Roald Dahl as our topic for Trinity term. We began by searching the grounds of Cadogan House for Roald Dahl books, and when we came back we had each won a Golden Ticket! Miss Edwards, our very own Willy Wonka, has taught us all about how chocolate changes from bean to bar and even helped us to make our own scrumdiddlyumptious chocolate models for the Chocolate Room in the Wonka factory! This topic would not have been complete without a visit to the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery where we played in James’s Giant Peach, crawled through Mr Fox’s tunnel, got eaten by the Enormous Crocodile and created our own BFG dream bottles!

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CADOGAN HOUSE ALADDIN It was a joy to take every girl from Cadogan House to the West End to see the production of Aladdin.

The girls were impeccably behaved as always. The Prep girls in Years 3 to 6 worked on producing their own version of the show in March so this visit was very useful for them on many levels. The girls loved seeing the professional version.

Thank you to all the willing volunteers who travelled with us to the Prince Albert theatre for the show. It was a production I had never seen before and it surpassed all my expectations. It was a brilliant show.

Below are some pictures from their own version of the show which took place in The Great Hall during March 2018, the singing, dancing and acting were all incredible and the whole performance was bought alive by the amazing costumes and stage sets.

YEAR 2 VISIT THE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM As part of our History topic on famous people, we visited the Florence Nightingale Museum. We were met by Florence herself, who told the girls the remarkable story of how she became a nurse. Some of the girls had the opportunity to dress as nurses or soldiers from the Crimean War. We were able to explore and handle artefacts that Florence used.

In our Art lessons, at school, we used different media to draw pictures of Scutari Hospital, Florence Nightingale and her Royal Red Cross medal.

YEAR 3 VISIT THE LIVING RAINFOREST Deforestation....Understory....Climate....you name it, Year 3 covered it. From entering a real rainforest (don't worry, we didn't really travel to Brazil), to discussing the negatives of Donald Trump building his latest hotel in the Amazon, Year 3 have lived and breathed this topic.

The girls were excited to see the Henri Rousseau painting they have been studying in Art come to life before their very eyes. The range of colours was amazing. We were lucky enough to see Poison Dart Frogs, Pygmy Marmosets, Tortoises, Carpet Pythons and much more. We also had a tour titled the Edible Rainforest - we saw coffee plants, vanilla plants and a Cocoa tree! The biggest surprise was the Pitcher Plant which eats insects so it can survive as the roots aren’t in the soil!

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MACHIO 201718

HOUSE DAY It was House Day at Cadogan House on the last day of Hilary Term. This is a time for the girls to perform in front of their peers in a relaxed way, building confidence. The day started with a fabulous collection of House Art projects based on technology which was for the first time on show in the Senior School in the New Mark Hall.

We then enjoyed four artistic spaces in Cadogan House for poetry, instrumental music, singing and dance.

The Houses came together in the afternoon to see performances from children that had been selected by the judges. We finished House Day with the House Songs – a performance of a song chosen by the House Captains in each House.

Miss Gee, Mrs Finkel and Mr Carson were the honourable judges for the House Song selecting Ruby House as the overall winner for the first time in a number of years (much to the delight of Mrs Morris).

Well done to Topaz who won the House trophy as the ultimate winners of House Day! Thank you to all the girls for making it a great day, but particular thanks to those who performed in front of their peers in the four areas and to those selected to perform in the afternoon. It was another great opportunity to see our girls build confidence in so many ways in such a supportive environment. Thank you as well to all the adults who helped to organise the event.

YEAR 6 VISIT READING MUSEUM Year 6 went to visit Reading Museum as part of their studies on the Victorians.

They took part in a school session as it would have been taught during the reign of Queen Victoria.

The girls were able to wear authentically styled pinafores over their uniforms together with shawls as the girls would have done during this period.

YEAR 4  EGYPTIANS In the Michaelmas term, Year 4 learnt about aspects of Ancient Egyptian life including mummification and how the pyramids were built.

They looked at sources to learn about the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and what life was like in an ancient civilization. At the start of the topic the girls enjoyed ‘Egyptian Day’ where they were transported back to a market place in Ancient Egypt and took part in practical activities to support their learning. At the end of the topic the girls visited The British Museum to observe real Ancient Egyptian artefacts. They found looking at tomb paintings, coffins and mummified animals particularly interesting.

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CADOGAN HOUSE CADOGAN HOUSE GET NEW SCIENCE CLASSROOM

AFTER...

Cadogan House boasts plenty of budding scientists who love nothing more than exploring the world around them. A favourite event for all the girls is our biennial Egg Drop, which was especially successful this year when a record number of eggs survived the drop from the Computer Room balcony unscathed. The girls enjoyed a number of Science enrichment activities including trips to our Planetarium, to Kew Gardens, Shortenhills and the amazing “Enginuity” in Coalbrookdale. This passion for Science has been further ignited by the exciting transformation of the Year 6 classroom into a science room for the older girls who now are loving extending their learning and skills by carrying out even more experiments!

Mrs Porter

BEFORE...

DURING...

YEAR 5  TUDORS Who would be a Tudor Queen? Which position at court was safest? Why were women punished so dreadfully?

Year 5 investigated the role of women in Tudor England and looked at rights and responsibility in the period.

Our visit to Hampton Court helped us to shape our understanding and make statements about women today.

YEAR 5  COASTS ‘Coasts’ have been Year 5’s final topic in Trinity. From a truly epic, action packed week spent on the Isle of Wight - mud larking, kayaking, hiking, studying organisms and orienteering to writing poetry influenced by a visit to Tennyson Downs and personified sea poetry. The girls have painted travel posters inspired by the South American artist Romero Britto, taking their learning experiences of coastal life and expressing these into magnificent works of art. #ThisRMSGirlCan

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CHARITY WORK

MACHIO 201718

FUNDRAISING FOR OUR 2017/18 CHARITY, SANE This year we smashed all previous fundraising totals by raising a fantastic £17,215.86 for our chosen 2017-18 school charity, the mental health charity SANE (www.sane.org.uk).

Each year, the Deputy Head Girls for Charity shortlist a number of causes, and then every member of the School is asked to vote for their preferred charity to support. Over the years we have supported charities such as SPARKS, Help for Heroes, The Sohana Research Fund and Centrepoint, but this was the first year that a mental health charity had been chosen.

Spearheaded by the Deputy Head Girls for Charity, Elizabeth Whittaker and Caitlin Finnan, and supported by the School’s Charities Committee of pupils in Years 7-12, we devised and organised a wide range of charity events, including bake sales, non-uniform days, a slime competition and a Lower School disco. The biggest fundraising activity was the Sixth Form Winter Social, and the total was also boosted Mrs Eccles, running the London Marathon in aid of the charity, and a parent, Mr Redman, who ran the first South American Marathon des Sables, running 250km over six days across the Ica desert in Peru.

We had set the School the challenge of beating the £12,000 that was raised in the last academic year for the children’s medical research charity SPARKS (www.sparks.org.uk), which itself had been a then recordbreaking sum, and therefore it was a fantastic result when we unveiled the grand total raised at a special assembly which was also attended by members of the SANE Fundraising team. We were so excited to have raised such a large sum for SANE and to be able to support the crucial and in many cases life changing work they do. Charities like SANE promote issues about which we feel it is important that girls in our school are aware, and we are so proud that our donation will help support seventeen new volunteers for the charity.

Mr Carson said "I am full of admiration for the way in which our Deputy Head Girls have championed the school charity this year, showing huge amounts of commitment, and giving up time to ensure that events run smoothly as well as supporting younger students in their own fundraising endeavours. The girls set themselves a stretching target and I am delighted that their hard work, and the generosity of every member of the RMS community, have together meant that we have raised such a huge amount for such a worthwhile cause".

About SANE: SANE is a leading UK mental health charity, which works to improve quality of life for anyone affected by mental illness. The charity was established in 1986 to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness, following the overwhelming public response to a series of articles published in The Times entitled The Forgotten Illness.

These articles exposed the neglect of people suffering from mental illness and the poverty of services and information for individuals and families. SANE’s vision has remained consistent throughout its history: - to raise public awareness and combat stigma about mental illness, to educate and campaign to improve mental health services - to excite and initiate research into the causes of and treatments for serious mental illnesses

We were also delighted that the School was named as SANE’s “Star Fundraiser” in May. The charity said “We are so grateful to all the students and staff at RMS for their amazing work and efforts in helping change mental health for good. Your passion and drive is truly inspirational and we cannot thank you enough!”

We would like to wish the new Deputy Head Girls for Charity Florence MacSwiney and Rachel Bennett lots of luck with their fundraising activities next year - and challenge them to go even further and raise even more than we did!

Elizabeth and Caitlin

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CLASSICS A BUSY YEAR This has been a typically busy year in Latin and Classics. After the success of last year’s trip to St Albans with the History Department, we were excited about the visit of a lecturer from the museum who will bring Roman Britain alive for Year 7. Just for a morning, Caecilius and his dog will yield the floor to the realities of life in Roman Britain. And if there is a slave market and interactive toga party thrown in, so much the better!

The Sixth Form have been to specialist lectures delivered by some of the leading experts on Roman History and Literature. In the company of about 300 other classicists and Latin pupils, they learned more about how Aeneas is not necessarily the pious goody-goody he might at first seem but someone who entertains serious - and very 21st century - doubts and resentments against the gods. And could the doubts have extended to Vergil himself? Supposedly the poet of the Italian land of hope and glory, there are signs in the poem that a more dissident voice can be heard. Vergil as the Augustan Shostakovich?

Don’t take our word for it - ask a Sixth Former.

Celebrating the centenary of (limited) women’s suffrage, KCL put on their annual Greek play with an early 20th century twist: the Medea is nothing if not a plea for equal treatment from the female point of view and a party from RMS found lots to think about in their updating of Euripides’ timeless classic to the period immediately after the Great War. Not that the piece is just a one-sided propaganda rant: after all, the woman who has gained our sympathy at the start, by the end has killed her own children and escaped scot-free. Martyr? Villainess? Surely it’s true dramatic equality: that the playwright believes in his female lead enough to risk presenting her as a very equivocal character. More than enough there to set classroom discussion going…

With the annual mask-making ancient theatre competition arranged by Mrs Ticozzi and Mrs McCurdy for Year 7, the Roman Building Project with Year 8, and a trip to the British Museum for Year 10 Latinists, there’s plenty of evidence that the Greeks and Romans are alive and well at RMS!

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MACHIO 201718

ROMAN DAY In June, Year 7 all collected in the Great Hall - which was no longer the Great Hall, but the Roman settlement of Verdicelis. Our Prefectus, Neus Cassius Romanus, greeted us and explained the situation.

We were in Britannia to collect valuable resources such as tin, but while we were here, and the men fought in Legion Nine, we would learn to create pots, bath salts, things to sacrifice or pray to out of clay, frescos, mosaics, and so much more. The situation was that a local tribe leader we had made a truce with had just died, however his power went to his child; his daughter. Now power, obviously, cannot go to a woman (this is sexism, but that’s how it was) so we sent off some men to sort things out. Because naturally, we need to take charge.

We started off the day in our tunics or stolas (traditional Roman clothes) and learned some trades, before some news arrived. The men we had sent had found a misunderstanding, and physically assaulted the daughter and her two sons! We sent over the entire infantry of Legion Nine to cool things down, smooth things over while we learned more trades.

The morning ended with terrible news - Legion Nine’s infantry had been captured and slaughtered by the warrior tribe daughter. I’m sure you can all see where this is going.

We parted to collect food and water on that depressing note.

Now, break was fun, but a little odd as we were all dressed in tunics and stolas. Some of us really got into the whole Roman thing, coming up with names and backstories, while others just enjoyed the day. We met back up in the settlement of Verdicelis to the news that the one of the other three legions in Britannia was coming over, but until then we were on our own. Some girls split off into a group with shields and pila (spears), to learn to fight. The rest continued with crafts, making olive oil, wax tablets and writing in Latin.

Some of us even learnt a real Latin game the soldiers would have played. I was terrible at it, completely thrashed by someone I thought was my friend. Not anymore.

Now, during the course of the day, some doctors had been running around curing ailments.

I myself received a ‘bruised head’ and had to see Doctor Hattie, who fixed me with a herb pouch with elder and other, stranger things… exactly as medicine would have been in Roman days. Luckily for me, I didn’t actually have to eat it or anything. I’m not sure I would have got better if I had.

Throughout the day, we were summoned by our Prefectus to meetings where news would be spread. It got gradually worse. First our barracks for the retired soldiers fell to Boudicca’s army (yes, Boudicca. Who guessed it?) then Colchester, then Exeter. We were sent off to lunch knowing it was likely our last meal in Britannia. Either the Boudiccan rebels killed us, or we fled back to Italy in shame. However, that was looking unlikely as our best port, Londinium, had just been taken.

The day so far had been so fun, making loads of crafts we could take home and having a right old laugh with the games and the soldier training. With Neus Cassius shouting orders at us in Latin and learning about the lifestyle of those ancient people, I feel I learned loads and it was a truly inspiring experience. However, it wasn’t over yet.

Coming back from lunch with a heavy heart, we did not expect such brilliant news to come from our leader. Boudicca had been defeated! We threw a feast, with slaves serving us cheese, fruit and ‘wine’ for our wonderful achievements, and entertainment all round.

There were quite a few dancing groups, a poem, and loads of plays. The best part of the food was probably the original ‘testing for poison’ one of our smallest girls being called up to test a piece before it was served, to make sure it wasn’t poisoned and no one died.

I loved Latin day, it honestly taught me so much about the culture and Latin lifestyles and I feel like I’ll never forget it. I don’t know how any school event could top that, but I’m almost 100% certain that RMS will find a way - I’m super excited to see what comes next in my RMS career!

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DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

RACE FOR THE LINE  THE PRELIMINARIES ‘Race for the line’ is a national competition run by Dendrite. The competition is intended to inspire tomorrow’s engineers and scientists with a national rocket car racing competition involving around 70,000 Year 7 students in England, Scotland and Wales. The competition has involved collaboration between our departments of Science, Mathematics, ICT and DT. When we finally had our Qualifying Race Stage we were not very lucky with the weather - our first was cancelled due to snow and pouring rain! It certainly did not dampen anybody’s enthusiasm for the races though. Our winning teams were ‘Speedy people’ at 64.9 milliseconds and ‘Strawberry Scorpions’ at 65.2 milliseconds. Our top team went on to the regional finals in May.

RACE FOR THE LINE  THE FINALS Having won the qualifying heats at School in March, ‘Speedy People’ went on to represent RMS at the regional finals at RAF Northolt on 2nd May. They were up against some tough competition, and their design was put through its paces with a series of tests and modifications before the final challenge.

The team came 8th out of 13 teams so unfortunately did not progress any further in the competition – but they did get a chance to pose with a helicopter!

The DT department is enormously proud of all our teams’ efforts, their teamwork and problem solving skills throughout the preliminary rounds of the competition, and special congratulations to all the team members of ‘Speedy People’ for making it to the regional finals.

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MACHIO 201718

GCSE & A LEVEL WORK Shown below are some of the amazing creations that have been designed and made by RMS A Level & GCSE students.

BILGENUR GCSE

HEATHER GCSE

ISHA GCSE

JENNIFER GCSE

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DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY YASMIN GCSE

JESSICA GCSE

KAREENA AS

SARAH A2

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MANAYKA AS

CATHY A2

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HATTIE A2

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD ACHIEVEMENTS Our Duke of Edinburgh participants have excelled themselves this year. We started on a high with over 70 girls signing up for the Bronze Award and passing their expedition section in the New Forest. Our Silver participants enjoyed the new challenge of the Peak District, and were rewarded with incredible weather and fabulous views.

We were also very fortunate to be invited to Buckingham Palace to see eight of our pupils, past and present, receive their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. This was a huge honour, with participants meeting HRH Prince Andrew and receiving their award from Alexandra Burke.

Congratulations to all for your successes and we look forward to supporting a new cohort of participants next year.

®

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ENGLISH WORLD POETRY DAY 2018  WITH SIMON ARMITAGE! Wednesday, 21st March 2018 was World Poetry Day and at RMS, we were thrilled to welcome Simon Armitage CBE to the School for a particularly special event. For many, many years, Simon Armitage’s poetry has featured on national GCSE specifications, making him one of the nation’s most famous living poets as well as one of the most popular. Every year, he attends GCSE Poetry Live! events around the country, during which students listen to a range of poets read and discuss their poems. We have taken hundreds of students to Poetry Live! events in order to enable them to have the experience of listening to poets perform their works and answer questions about their poetry.

Last year, the English Department began discussing whether it would be possible to arrange for Simon Armitage to visit the school in order to arrange a particularly special event for our students. We were absolutely thrilled when we were not only able to organise this, but also to secure Armitage’s visit for World Poetry Day. All of our current GCSE students are studying Armitage as one of their set poets, as will all our younger students. This year, Mrs Gardner selected Armitage’s most recent collection, The Unaccompanied (2016) as her set poetry text for one of the pieces of coursework that the A Level Literature students will complete. It is a beautifully moving collection of poems about people, but also about how lonely people can be in such a busy world.

I can’t explain how jealous I am, he genuinely reignited my passion for literature and is a contributing factor to why I chose to study it at University.” – Former student Hannah Roberts (via Twitter).

Visit to RMS While visiting RMS, Simon Armitage, who is currently a Professor of Poetry at Leeds University, taught a creative writing workshop to a select group of English Literature students from Years 11-13. During the engaging and humorous session, Armitage asked us to complete a range of activities to help us think about how to use language effectively and meaningfully, how to structure and organise our creative pieces and how to create visual ideas and images. He gave us lots of tips on how to overcome difficulties or hindrances when producing creative writing. Each of us in the session produced an outline of a very personal piece that we were then able to take away and edit further.

In our beautiful Chapel, Armitage then delivered a poetry reading to hundreds of students, staff, parents and former staff, who returned to the school for the occasion. As always, listening to poetry being read aloud is a very different experience to sitting with a book and this was a fabulous chance to listen to Armitage perform his own work. Armitage included ‘Mother, any distance’ and ‘Remains’ as these are the two poems currently on the GCSE specification, making sure to give some personal background information to each of these poems. Armitage also included numerous poems from The Unaccompanied for the group that are currently looking at this selection – and we were particularly pleased to hear him read ‘To Do List’ as we had chosen to study it earlier that day. It seems that there is no subject that Armitage cannot write about – as he proves with the poem ‘I kicked a mushroom’ (which is, as it sounds, about kicking a mushroom in his garden). After the reading, several students later particularly commented upon ‘Oh come all ye faithful’, a poem which celebrates the diversity of people (and can be found in Black Roses), as one that they particularly enjoyed.

During the Q&A sessions, many students asked Armitage questions of their own. They ranged from questions about his own school life and experiences, to questions about how he began his work as a writer and which other writers particularly influenced him (Ted Hughes). We also even had a request for a final poem, the wonderfully comical satire, ‘Thank you for Waiting’, which one of our Year 12 A Level Literature groups had particularly enjoyed. (There is a video of Armitage reading this poem on youtube for those who are interested in hearing it.)

After the poetry reading, we gathered in the New Mark Hall where, thanks to Sheryl at Chorleywood Bookshop, students had the opportunity to purchase a range of Armitage’s works. The queue of students who wished to have their new purchases signed stretched across the hall and Armitage was more than willing to spend time chatting to students, parents and teachers and having photographs taken.

World Poetry Day 2018 will certainly be one for all of us at RMS to remember. We would like to thank everyone involved in helping us arrange this wonderful event, including Caroline at the Hawkridge Agency, Sheryl at Chorleywood Bookshop and, of course, Simon Armitage himself. We were delighted to welcome him to RMS and are already wondering when we can invite him back for another visit. If you would like to find out more about Simon Armitage, please visit his official website at www.simonarmitage.com.

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MACHIO 201718

CREATIVE WRITING  ‘LONDON’ This piece of writing was inspired by the poem ‘London’ by William Blake. The main character is a child working as a chimney sweep. The poem is reproduced below.

The thick, black mud squelched under my worn boots as I made my way to Sir Nathaniel’s house. The sun’s light barely managed to reach the streets below, the rays blocked by dark, dreary clouds that lay like a blanket over the city. The birds sung mournfully in chorus above my head as if grieving for the loss of the blue skies that had been replaced with smoke and dust.

People covered in a thin layer of grime and grit stepped out from doorsteps encased in shadows, and the creak of aged shutters swinging on their hinges echoed through the network of streets. Men and women in filthy cotton shawls sat huddled in doorways, their blank expressions proving that they had given up hope. Those who had the energy to lift their heads stared at me as I walked by with pity in their eyes, realising that life hadn’t beaten me yet, but knowing that someday it will.

Keeping my head down, I threw the chimney brush over my shoulder and hurried to catch up with William, who had just turned down an alleyway.

‘London’

‘Hurry up Kid. If you make me late again, I’ll make sure you regret it,’ he growled over his shoulder at me. He had only turned 28, yet deep marks of age had already etched themselves on his face, and streaks of grey ran through his auburn hair, matted with dirt and grease.

I wander thro’ each charter’d street, Near where the ch arter’d Thames do es flow.

And mark in ever y face I meet Marks of weaknes s, marks of woe.

The darkness cloaked me once I set foot in the sludge-filled alley, and William was silhouetted against the grey light on the other side. Once we had reached the end of the tunnel, we found ourselves in a world that seemed to have been erected from a fairy-tale book rather than our own.

In every cry of ev ery Man, In every Infants cr y of fear, In every voice: in every ban, The mind-forg’d m anacles I hear How the Chimneysweepers cry Every blackning Ch urch appalls, And the hapless So ldiers sigh Runs in blood dow n Palace walls

Grand stone buildings towered into the sky, and petite gardens bordered with gleaming metal fences stood proudly before them. Horse-pulled carriages rattled down the pristine roads, their passengers dressed in beautiful dresses and suits made of silk. William and I raced in front of a large dapple cob ridden by a middle-aged gentleman clothed in tartan, much to his shock and anger.

His cries of fury rang after us as we jogged down the street, until finally we came upon Sir Nathaniel’s lavish home. I squeezed through a narrow passage by the side of the house, followed by William, to a generously-sized back lawn.

By now the sun had risen high enough in the sky that I could just make out the glow of beams trying desperately to break through the dense fog.

A large lady dressed in a cream apron and brown woollen dress stood before us on the steps leading to the kitchen entryway. Her face was void of emotion; her voice was threatening when she growled:

by William Blake

But most thro’ mid night streets I hear How the youthful Harlots curse Blasts the new-bor n Infants tear And blights with pl agues the Marriage hearse

‘You’re late.’

‘Yes ma’am, very sorry ma’am, won’t happen again,” William blurted from behind me.

‘That’s what you said last time. Sir Nathaniel will hear of this!” she said snootily, smoothing down her apron before standing back for William and I to enter. He shot me a look of loathing before stepping into the house.

The kitchen was a hive of activity when we entered, people bustled around carrying pots and pans of varying sizes. I walked past into the empty corridors furnished with tables, which were adorned with objects of sentimental value. Turning into a room on my left, I entered the main living space where, built into the furthest wall, stood the fireplace.

The coals were cold to the touch so I set about readying myself to climb the chimney. I placed my chimney brush at the entrance of the pitch-black tunnel, and with a nod from William, began to climb. Instantly, soot filled my mouth as I pulled myself up the chute, and dislodged grit fell around me like a downpour of rain.

The darkness seemed to increase as I steadily made my way up the grimy passage. My foot slipped on the stone surface around half-way up and I pulled my feet to my body to wedge myself in the chimney to prevent me tumbling down. Before continuing, I allowed my breathing to return to normal and the rush of adrenaline to subside.

Charlie - Year 11 MACHIO

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ENGLISH ENGLISH CREATIVE WRITING TRIP TO ARVON In the Spring half-term this year, four students from Year 12 went on a creative writing trip to Arvon, Yorkshire. Not really knowing what to expect, we used the journey there to get to know each other. Once we had arrived, there was a warm welcome from the staff and authors, contrasting with the chilly weather outside. They assigned us bedrooms which were comfortable and spacious, overlooking the snowy hills and mountains outside.

On a typical day, we would enjoy breakfast together, have our morning lessons and a fresh and varied lunch. In the afternoon, we had free writing time where one-on-one lessons with each tutor took place. After that, we had free time where we could chat, and sometimes we even went on hikes and could explore the shops and culture of the nearby villages. We had a rota where four of us would prepare dinner during this period of the day as well. Dinner was a time for reflecting on the day, talking to our tutors and getting to know what they are working on. In the evenings, we would have readings from tutors and then free time to relax and watch a movie together. At the end of the week, we put together an anthology of our most valued work and on the last evening we each performed our favourite piece of poetry or prose to our peers, teachers and tutors.

We built new friendships with our fellow students from Watford Boys Grammar School through teamwork (cooking together in the evenings) and were incredibly privileged to be able to converse with our tutors, Tiffany Murray, an accredited novelist with five published books and Musa Okwanga, an incredibly down to earth poet and songwriter.

This trip provided something new for all of us. Personally, this course has allowed me to develop my ideas, improve on my analysing skills and practise my public speaking. Another of the four RMS girls, Ishika, says, “It was a memorable experience, and allowed me to become more creative and take more risks with my writing.” Overall, it was a unique experience which I highly recommend to anyone who needs a break from school work or their phones or computers. I’ve made friends for life and will continue to value and use all the skills I have picked up throughout this journey.

Eashani - Year 12

OPENINGS OF GOTHIC STORIES YEAR 9 I had just passed the twelfth

Devastating it was – but nervous I still am.

hour and the sky was dark and gloomy. As I stood, gazing upon the decayed

I wasn’t scared of

It had to be done. Only

anything; this was

one person would have

worth dying for.

the guts to do what I

house, a shiver went right

did and that is why I am

down my spine. The Petrified – very, very

driveway which led up to

still alive. Let me tell you the story of what

the house was once paved

A mixture of rain and

dreadfully petrified.

with thick slabs of stone,

sleet pattered

With my heart

but now, due to it being old

continuously against

pounding out of my

in age, the stone was

the car windows as we

chest, my hands

cracked. Peeking out from

travelled to Oldbrook

shaking frantically and

these cracks were weeds

for our Christmas

a little ball of panic and

and dandelions - tall in

holidays. I felt

anxiety rolling down

height - and covered in

excitement leaving

my forehead onto my

needle sharp spikes. The

home, but now my

new, crisp t-shirt. A

moonlight cast a deathly

tummy began to feel

sudden feeling of

glow over the house. Thick

funny – the nerves

unease and

ivy and vines crept up the

were kicking in. I felt

breathlessness

walls. Around the estate

nervous, dreadfully

lingered up my spine,

covered in thick fog, were

anxious – and I got the

spiralling around my

Where there is a flame,

feeling something just

head, making me feel

someone is bound to

trees…

didn’t feel right.

rather nauseous…

get burned.

Roisin

Cara

Lexie

Amber

heavily forested, withered

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had happened, and what is to come.

Freya

MACHIO 201718

AUTHOR VISITS TO THE RESOURCE CENTRE This academic year, we been fortunate to welcome two visiting authors.

In March, Tanya Landman visited and spent time speaking to students in Years 8 and 9. Tanya is an immensely successful author, having received the Carnegie Medal in 2015 for her book ‘Buffalo Soldier’. She has also written numerous other titles, including the ‘Mondays are Murder’ series, ‘Apache’ and most recently ‘Beyond the Wall’. We were privileged to hear all about her experiences as a writer, and how she finds inspiration for her stories. She entertained us with her anecdotes and gave us a real insight into her life and career. On the day of her visit, lots of girls purchased copies of her books, and we would really recommend them to anyone looking for a dramatic and compelling read, full of historical details and brilliant characters.

In May, we welcomed Lindsey Barraclough, author of ‘Long Lankin’ and ‘The Mark of Cain’. Lindsey spent time with students from Years 7 and 8 during the day, and also spoke to the whole Senior School during Assembly. We were glad to be reminded of the importance of reading, and she inspired us all in our own writing and aspirations. For students in Years 7 and 8, it was especially fascinating to hear the amount of detailed research that goes into Lindsey’s writing process, and how she finds inspiration for the locations and characters in her stories.

Lindsey’s first book ‘Long Lankin’ is part of the Summer Reading Challenge for students in Year 8, and we look forward to discussing this book in more detail in September, when we hold feedback sessions for the Summer Reading Challenge.

FOCUS DAY: THE GREAT OUTDOORS For Focus Day 2017, the theme was ‘The Great Outdoors’. For the English Department, the chance to create an open-air theatre for the day was one that we could not miss.

For each of the three sessions, we had at least five groups of students working to create their own short, comical productions. We asked them to take any of their favourite characters from television and film and put them into a different programme of their choice. We had Bob the Builder on Take Me Out, Shrek on Britain’s Got Talent , various princesses on Strictly Come Dancing, a whole range of cartoon characters taking part in The Apprentice and a variety of Disney heroes and villains competing in The Great British Bake Off. Throughout the day, we had music and theme tunes blaring from speakers in order to set whichever atmosphere was required at the time.

We were very busy on the day, as hundreds of students took part and all of them joined in with the fun. Every single girl took part in a performance and showcased their acting, dance, singing or oratory skills on the day. We had girls from each year in every group and it was wonderful to see the different year groups mixing and working as a team together to produce their chosen shows. We also invited the Performing Arts Department to join the theatre for each session and loved watching the different performances of songs that they had worked upon together.

It was wonderful to see the variety of performances for the English Department during the day. Of particular mention was the incredibly comic performance by Joanna Fraser, who played Shrek on Britain’s Got Talent, singing ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)’ by the Proclaimers. Tallulah Baker served as the comedic host of The Great British Bake-Off as she rushed around trying to get any hero or villain to produce anything – and keep Princess Aurora awake throughout the competiton! Her teamwork and enthusiasm was fantastic. Manayka Walia had the audience in stitches as she performed as Paddy from Take Me Out, trying to find the perfect couple. In another version of Take Me Out, Grace O’Sullivan performed as Bob the Builder, looking for his one true love.

It was a fantastic day, filled with a lot of noise, fun and laughter. Thank you to Mrs Bloomfield-Proud for organising the day.

Mrs Gardner

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ENGLISH CHEMISTRY CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION For one of our creative writing competitions, we asked students to produce pieces of original writing under the theme of ‘Chemistry’. This epistolary poem, depicting heart-warming love and heartbreaking loss, was written by Megan.

5th September Jen, Hey, You’ll be the death of me, you know.

I fall more in love with you everyday, I can’t help it Because every time I see your eyes, Eyes that melt the soul and puncture the heart, Eyes that entice you to fall deep within Their warm, chocolate clutches.

I cannot escape.

I love your surprisingly heart laugh, The infectious kind, that you can’t help but join.

The way it bursts out when you least expect it, And descends into the room, Like snow – rare and precious and desperately exciting.

I know I’ll never give this to you I know it could never work Because you’re everything And I’m nothing I love you And I hate myself for it.

Natasha.

20th November Natasha, It hit me like a bus.

A train.

Hell, you were a lorry.

I don’t know how I didn’t notice before The way you gaze moodily out of the window, Appreciating the rain, While I appreciate you.

Your endearing stubbornness, The leather jacket that never leaves your side, The eyeliner that could cut me open and does. Often.

The ripped jeans and battered converse curled Under you as you bang your head to loud music.

Your chipped nail paint; your sharp green eyes.

The coffee that you never seem to be without.

I never saw the galaxy in your eyes, I saw the whole bloody universe.

Love Jen xx 3rd December Dear Nat, I don’t know who I was kidding.

#ThisRMSGirlCan

I told myself I liked your outfits.

That I was jealous of your bravery To showcase who you were.

That that was all it was.

It was over.

But you knew and I was done for.

And then, And then – You kissed me.

I was not expecting that.

Nat.

But it was your face that haunted my every waking moment, The ghost in my dreams, The image seared into my eyelids.

16th December Nat You had coffee, I had tea.

You cackled at my bad puns, I giggled at your wit.

You told me about your cat, you heard about my dogs.

You glanced at your black nails, I blushed scarlet.

You lent in, I kissed you back.

The thought of running my fingers through your long, wild hair, The smell of your intoxicating shampoo, The gaze that scorches everything in its path, The dark sense of humour and your wry, crooked smilkes.

All of it should ward me away – It should but doesn’t.

It just makes me want you more Because I can’t help loving you.

All my love Jen xx

You took me to see a movie, We sat in the back row.

You threw back your head And laughed at Deadpool’s humour.

You tipped popcorn on me And I stole your drink.

You kissed me during the credits And I knew This was the beginning And I promise you there will be no end.

Jen xx

15th December Jen, You tapped me on the shoulder today.

I flinched.

You held out a ball of paper, A messy scrawl trailing into the cracks.

My messy scrawl with your beautiful name…

And I knew.

I knew I was done for.

16th December It’s been one year One whole year.

One whole year with your smiles, with your laugh, with your eyes.

With you.

Did you know before?

I wonder if you saw how my eyes softened when I gazed at you.

I wonder if you noticed my goosebumps when you held my hand.

I wonder if you felt my pulse racing when you hugged me.

I wonder if I wanted you to know.

You woke me up this morning.

With tulips of red, pink and blue.

‘They’re beautiful,’ I said.

But they’re nothing compared to you.

You made me a blanket.

You were delighted with your kitten.

We curled up and rewatched Deadpool.

I fell asleep on your shoulder, the cat fell asleep on your lap.

But there you were, In the middle of the corridor.

And you knew.

Fifty excuses fly through my head to defend Why I would write all this about you.

And panic swarms my body As to how you found it And what you’re going to do with it/

To one year, and to all the years to come, Love you, Jen xx

Suddenly, the tension, the worry, the agonizing doubt Slips away.

The realization that this torture Of hiding my love, Of not knowing whether you liked me back, Of the wondering,

17th July Jen, It’s been three years.

Three whole years without you, Three years without the laugh that I fell in love with.

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They said it was quick.

That you wouldn’t have been in pain.

That the car rolled over on the side of the road.

Three years and two days since you kissed me goodbye.

Since you told me you would see me on Sunday.

Since you went for the weekend but were gone for the rest of my life.

I wonder what your final moments were like, Whether your life flashed before your eyes And whether it was on purpose.

Two years and 354 days since your funeral.

Apparently it was beautiful, apparently I cried.

But all I could see was your empty space beside me, empty forever.

Now I’m lying on our sofa.

Watching our cat.

Alone.

Five years since we had our first fight.

You threw a cup, I poured tomato sauce on your skirt.

And I’m sorry for not helping more at home.

I’m sorry for not telling you I loved you everyday.

I’m sorry that I made you go to the weekend away because it’s all my fault.

Two years and 353 days since the wake.

I played highway to hell Because if you were watching, you’d know I would love you forever.

But you promised you would see me on Sunday.

You promised that you would be back in time for tea.

You promised that you wouldn’t ever leave me.

But you did.

And I can’t do this without you Jen. I tried and tried but you were my everything.

And without you, I am nothing.

Nat x

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CHEMISTRY CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION WINNING PIECE This piece was the winner of our Key Stage 4 ‘Chemistry’ creative writing competition. Congratulations to Millie.

Golden rays of sunlight pierced through the luscious emerald trees, which scattered the bank, like splashes of paint on an artist’s canvas. The beams were stones, skimming the cars and roofs, like water, only to bounce back into the sky. We sat there in silence, looking up at the bundles of white fluff, floating by like boats on the horizon, sailing to an unknown destination. Tiny ice crystals settled on dust particles, suspended over 6,000 metres in the air. All eight of us together, lying on the soft shards of grass, reunited.

The memories of the warm spring day where we frolicked about in the English countryside repeated in my head like a broken record. Tianjin was a fresh start for all of us. My mother stayed at home with the children until we were settled in the alien environment.

We were alone, even when we were all together. Isolated, even though the city was vast. Afraid, even when we were safe.

I peered out of the marigold curtains on to the cranes below us. A faint glow of the evening sun, hidden by thick clouds, illuminated my room, tinged with golden light. In the shadows, the unknown lurked, ready to pounce. A faint rumble of the lorries passing the flats on the road beneath me shook my possessions lightly like ripples on a clear ocean. I was a bird; trapped within my cage, overlooking the city as night fell, secret and unknown. I looked closely at the port, hoping to see my father coming home from work, but the people were distant spots, with their features blurred and insignificant.

A small flicker of light shone in my eyes, drawing them to the source. In amongst the chemical warehouses a blaze of amber burst through the rooftops.

As I watched it, it grew, producing a coal-black cloud, erupting from the flames. Flashes of sapphire pierced through the industrial jungle, heading the port. The sirens echoed through the flats, shaking the residents off their sofas, to the windows.

Ten minutes passed. Over a hundred firemen swarmed the port. The flames had grown into a crown of blazing light, burning through the defences put up by the firefighters. As the night took over, the charcoal dust cloud blended into the night sky, occasionally glowing from the intense flare. With a dull pop, my eyes were set ablaze with a pure white light, burning through the sky. When my eyes adjusted, I looked up at a floating fireball, towering above the city. Out of the colossal tangerine cloud, rising above me, flew thousands of radiant meteors, plummeting to the Earth. I quickly rushed away from the window, in fear of shattered shards. As I turned to run into the next room, an incandescent light emerged from behind the glass and within seconds, the world was filled with darkness.

The Seven Ages of Me

MACBETH VISIT TO STRATFORD

Life is like a rainbow, And each year brings a new colour to its spectrum.

Each life starts off with the same white brilliance; And fades to end in solitary darkness.

Her life is split into seven colours. At first; red.

The colour of rosy baby cheeks and teething gums And her angry red face before words can form.

Next is orange, the colour of her beloved stuffed rabbit And the orange squash that dribbles down her chin.

Then yellow, the colour of the daisy chain that incircles her head, And the colour of her favourite summer dress. Followed by green; The colour of the grass stains on her white school socks And her skipping rope lying discarded on the grass.

Green fades to blue, like the dark pen stain on her hands Or the florescent colour of her chipped nail polish.

Next is indigo the shade of her plastic phone case And her new crop top that her mother disapproves of.

And now violet, the colour of her earrings And of her computer keys as she types this poem.

But what colour comes next? What colour comes after violet?

Well, there are many different colours and possibilities.

Some vibrant and some dull, some happy and some sad, Some new and exciting but some scary and worrying.

But no matter what there will be a colour after violet, Because violet isn’t the end of the rainbow.

Jessica - Year 9 MACHIO

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ENGLISH WHY WE NEED A DIVERSE HOLLYWOOD  AN ARGUMENT It was the swallowing feeling young children of colour knew too well, feeling stripped of confidence due to your skin colour but not understanding why: a subtle spark of shame and disappointment. Why could I only be able to dress as one Disney Princess out of eleven? Why did people always ask if I was good at maths? Or why I didn’t have a heavy accent like so and so or this and that?

It’s very true that one could spend several sunlit days listing the problems with Hollywood but I’m asking for specific attention to be drawn to an issue often neglected. Not only is the issue of racial diversity overlooked but the impact of it too. No child growing up should feel ashamed of their ethnicity or race due to the prejudiced portrayal of them on screen. Correspondingly, no person should feel alienated or underrepresented due to the sole fact that there is a lack of people of their race in a certain industry.

USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism released a thorough report of their findings of diversity in the movie business and one of the findings released was that out of the top 100 movies of all time (according to IMDB), only 17 of them featured a lead/co-lead from a racial/ethnic minority.

17 out of 100 of the highest rated films. I hope that it is not necessary to mention the damaging effect of a lack of racial diversity on screen-especially amongst young children- as it should be apparent.

Arguably, the most harming issue is the blatant stereotyping and denigration we see when racial/ ethnic minority is in a speaking role. To strengthen my point, a newly released study conducted by the University of Southern California stated the evident; that Hollywood suffers an “epidemic of invisibility” for minorities and has the tendency to perpetuate stereotypes - A statement slightly overdue. How many more times are we going to a patronizing portrayal of a black male as the sidekick, gangster or drug dealer? How many more times are we going to see a painfully stereotyped Asian, a ‘tech-whiz’ Indian or a Chinese who excels in maths and martial arts? Why does the Hispanic man have to be portrayed as a lazy tax avoider with a thick accent and 8 kids? Not only are these stereotypes detrimental to the social view of this race but can lead to prejudice-fuelled feelings of shame, sadness and anger towards individuals.

Fierce defenders of film argue tirelessly at any who dare to scrutinise their religion-like -belief in Hollywood. Budding actors/actresses coming from a racial minority may not be as talented at depicting the awkward yet loveable schoolgirl, the fierce and passionate detective or the subtly frightening but charming rebel with a cigarette lit between their fingers. Maybe they really should stick to the drug dealers and samurai soldiers. It could just be that when leading roles are given to people of colour, they do not achieve so well at the box office or amongst critics. As stated by Walt Disney ‘We don’t make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies’. That said but a new study by the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) says that films with more diverse casts perform better at the box office than less diverse ones, confirming the remarks made by actors an people of colour for years. The data, that studied 413 films released between January 2014 and December 2016, catalogued the ethnicity of the top 10 actors per film, noting that those with at least a 30% non-white cast have tended to financially outperform films that fail to reach that threshold.

We need to see a diverse Hollywood. The influence that the silver screen has on us is undeniable and it cannot be disagreed that the situation with racial diversity is vastly improving. More and more movies with performances delivered by coloured people are appearing, on and off the camera. It is inspiring to see the power one film can hold; where children feel empowered when they can relate to a character rather than lower their heads in shame. Although a world without prejudice is impossible, it is the duty of Hollywood and mainstream media to use their worldwide platform in a positive way and provide a trustworthy industry where racial differences never serve as a barrier for new opportunities.

Keep in mind, you don’t change the girl to look like the poster - you change the poster to look like the girl.

Rebicca - Year 9

YEAR 10 READING REVIEW The Importance of Being Earnest

By Oscar Wilde 1895 My honest thoughts: this book was quite comical in a satirical way. I thoroughly enjoyed it, which for me was a huge surprise. It was clear and easy to follow although the two main characters were playing two characters each themselves.

However saying this, there weren’t many characters which obviously helped to make the book so easy to understand. Would definitely consider reading a book by the same author again. My favourite line of the book was: “My dear boy, I love #ThisRMSGirlCan

hearing my relations abused. It is the only thing that makes me put up with them at all. Relations are simply a tedious pack of people, who haven’t got the remotest knowledge of how to live, nor the smallest instinct about when to die.”

Jack’s imaginary younger brother who lives in the city was called Earnest. Jack wants to marry Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen, however must first convince her mother; Lady Bracknell. This proves difficult for Jack or Earnest (his

Brief Summary: The book follows the story of two young men’s lives: Algernon and Jack Worthing. Both these characters create imaginary friends when they want to escape life.

Algernon’s imaginary friend who lived in the countryside and always got ill was called Bunbury and

name according to Algernon and Gwendolen), as he didn’t know his parents as he was found at Victoria station at birth.

Algernon visits the countryside where Jack lives and falls in love with Jack’s ward Cecily. According to Cecily, Algernon is actually Jack’s daring younger brother. They get

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engaged to each other, however not long after, Jack arrives home announcing Ernest’s death. Of course, this sets of a chain of events and eventually everyone finds out the truth. Nonetheless, there is a happy ending to this comical novel.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable book to read and I would recommend it as this book is also good for context of the period in which it was written.

Jeea - Year 10

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OXFORD SCHOOLS’ DEBATE COMPETITION On the 21st February, Manayka and I took part in the Oxford Union Debate Competition at Finchley High School.This competition was structured very different to any other debates I had taken part in before. We were given our teams and room numbers and then we had fifteen minutes to find our way to our designated room and come up with an argument for our given motions which were: ‘This House would ban zoos’ and ‘This House prefers an education system with both vocational and traditional schools compared to an education system with just traditional schools’. The debates were set out in a way whereby we were put into groups of eight with four debaters for each side. As there were only teams of two allowed, you were competing against not only the opposing side in the debate but also half of your team. We were not able to confer with any of our competitors during these fifteen minutes; this meant that we were at a disadvantage when Manayka and I were the last two speakers, as we had no idea what the first two speakers were going to say.

Nonetheless, we rose to the challenge and argued as best as we could. Unfortunately, we did not find out whether we won the debates or not as we were never told by the judges.

Jeea and I anxiously waited for Mrs McCurdy in the New Mark Hall, preparing ourselves for the competition. Although we were on edge for the journey to Finchley High School, we reassured ourselves and discussed potential motions.

After 45 nerve-wracking minutes, we had arrived and noticed the wide range of debaters that we could be against. Putting aside all the nerves, and slowly building up our enthusiasm, Jeea and I prepared ourselves for the first motion: ‘This House Believes that zoos should be banned’. As we had already done this motion in The Great Hall Debate, within the 15 minutes of preparing it wasn’t too much of a struggle. The hardest part was that we were not allowed to discuss our points with the other pair that was in our team, especially being third and summary speaker.

After an extremely eager debate, we had our packed lunches and took a break. Based on the first motion, Jeea and I gradually gained more confidence but we knew we should not get complacent. The second motion was ‘This House Prefers an education system which consists of both vocational and traditional schools compared to traditional schools’. This was a big jump from the first topic but we didn’t hesitate and wasted no time. We had a strong argument and enjoyed the debating experience as a whole.

I love debating, so this provided an insight for me in which I gained many new skills. Doing this competition was a huge eye opener for me as I was able to compete against people from a plethora of schools including: Merchant Taylors’ and Queenswood. I was able to see other people’s way of interpreting motions, different ways of delivering a speech and others’ ways of thinking. Additionally, I was able to meet new people and make new friends. One particularly useful experience was meeting debaters from the Oxford Union Debate Society as they gave us a lot of useful advice that we can

We would like to thank Ms Callow for smoothly arranging this trip and Ms McCurdy for being our companion throughout this experience, sitting through all our debates and there to advise us for future debates.

Manayka - Year 12

implement in future debates. As well as this, I was really able to gain confidence in my own speaking and delivery, and was given practice of speaking with very little or no notes - which I found to be quite thrilling! Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and thank Mrs McCurdy for kindly taking Manayka and I there and back.

Jeea - Year 10

YEAR 10 READING REVIEW The Man with the Twisted Lip This was a short story from ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’. In summary, the mystery involved a woman seeing her husband through the window of the top floor of an opium den when he was supposed

her husband for days, the woman goes to Mr Holmes who, without giving it away, solves the mystery of where he or indeed his body could be, and how the beggar was involved. It was a very engaging read with a miraculous solution.

unbelievable discovery. I very much enjoyed how they explain Mr Holmes reasonings, but I thought the story line lacked some excitement.

The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb

experience he explained to Mr Holmes that he had lost his thumb in a murder attempt on the job. I found the mystery very intriguing but didn’t feel that there was much of Mr Holmes’ incredible solving skills, and the ending was very

to be at work. He was wearing a coat but no shirt and pulled back from the window hurriedly when he locked eyes with her. She was denied entrance to the room so called the police. In the room the police found only his clothes, some drops of blood, and an old beggar, who was arrested. After no sign of

A Case of Identity This was also a short story from ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’. In summary, this was about a woman whose fiancé went missing. There were many details of the events leading up to his disappearance, which lead Mr Holmes to a rather surprising and

Another short story from ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’. In summary, a hydraulic engineer explained his very unusual, unnerving and dreadful experience on a job fixing a compressor. He explained how he came about this job and the unusualness surrounding it. After a fearful

underwhelming.

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Miranda - Year 10

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FOOD & NUTRITION EďšşTWINNING Food and Nutrition took part in an e-twinning project with a school in Slovenia. The Slovenian school sent us some of their sweets and chocolates and RMS sent some of our typical sweets and chocolate bars to Slovenia.

Some of the Year 7s and 8s had the opportunity to taste the Slovenian confectionery and see what they thought of another country’s sweet treats.

The girls then examined the sugar content of the items they tasted. The girls also weighed out the amount of sugar in the confectionery so they could see how much sugar went into each item. Having done this the girls made short videos about the amount of sugar in sweets and chocolates and the health risks of eating sugar.

The girls enjoyed the experience and were astonished at the amount of sugar in sweets and chocolates, both Slovenian and British.

CHRISTMAS CAKES Here are a few of the Christmas delights made and decorated by the students.

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COOKERY CLUB MAKING SUSHI AND JAFFA CAKES At RMS we have an excellent Cookery Club where the pupils can turn their hand to many types of cooking. Making Sushi and Jaffa Cakes are just a few of the many opportunies they have to practice their skills.

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MACHIO 201718

GARNISH DEMONSTRATION FOR YEAR 11 Year 11 students of Food and Nutrition were able to attend a demonstration by a visiting chef in February. Andew Wakeford is Head of the Catering School at West Herts College in Watford and provided a stimulating lunch-time workshop on presentation techniques with food. Some of the techniques demonstrated included making quenelles using two spoons to shape ice cream into neat oval shapes on a plate and making flowers out of a tomato and spring onions.

The Year 11 students found this particularly helpful ahead of their three hour GCSE final practical exam in which they had to prepare, cook and present three dishes.

Several students used the techniques demonstrated in their final dishes and many were inspired to focus carefully on the presentation of their dishes in the practical exams.

These were some of the comments from Year 11 Food and Nutrition students: ‘’Inspirational” “He skilfully turned a plain vegetable into something beautiful like flowers” “Really good. He showed us how to do things professionally such as lemon baskets and using a canelle knife”

FOOD AND NUTRITION GCSE The GCSE standard was very high, with the students producing some very appetising sweet and savoury culinary delights!

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GEOGRAPHY YEAR 8 CADBURY WORLD VISIT Since the start of the year, Year 8 had been looking forward to their trip to Cadbury World. Although the coach journey to Birmingham was long, the thought of delights of chocolate awaiting us kept us going.

Just before we arrived at Cadbury World, we drove through a pretty town called Bournville, which was originally created by the Cadbury family to improve their workers’ lives. Cadbury World was in the middle of Bournville, but it didn’t look like a factory as it was made from the same bricks as the houses surrounding it.

We even drove past the place!

Once we were there, we were greeted by the sweet aroma of chocolate. As we went through the gates and into the exhibition, we were given a Crunchie, a Curly Wurly, a Freddo and a Dairy Milk. Not many people waited to tuck into their bars.

The exhibition was very interesting with videos showing chocolate through the ages and the creation of Cadbury. Half way round, we went into the actual factory and were given a little cup full of melted chocolate.

We could then choose what we wanted to put in the chocolate. The toppings were Jelly Babies, ground Crunchie, mini marshmallows, ground biscuit and fudge. It was a very difficult choice to make.

The exhibition ended with a 4D experience. Part of the experience was going on a roller costar made of chocolate and the chairs moved with the video. It felt like we were actually inside the roller coaster.

Everyone wolfed downed their sandwiches so quickly and Miss Cook let us go on the climbing frames in the playground. We were climbing all the rope ladders and sliding down the slides for an hour and we would have stayed there for longer, if there wasn’t the temptation of the shop.

The shop was amazing. It was a room full of chocolate. At the back, there was a little room off to the side that sold Mis Shapes and boxes of chocolate quite cheaply. Everyone bought something and lots of us couldn’t actually lift the bags our chocolates were in. All in all, it was a successful shop.

The coach journey home seemed to fly by and we were back at school in what seemed like no time but was actually two hours.

Millie - Year 8

GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIPS TO SLAPTON SANDS In September 2017, the GCSE Geographers visited Slapton to carry out two days of fieldwork in preparation for their Unit 3 paper. After a very eventful coach journey and with enthusiasm running high, the girls embarked on a journey to explore the physical characteristics of Slapton Sands. Saturday saw a visit to Plymouth to investigate regeneration in the city and the docks. After working hard in the classroom back at the study centre presenting and analysing their results, the girls spent the evening in the games room relaxing and having fun. Sunday morning saw pouring rain and strong winds, but the girls persevered and demonstrated resilience to evaluate the different coastal management strategies along Slapton Sands.

Then in spring 2018 the Year 12 Geographers visited Slapton during the infamous ‘Beast from the East’ to carry out field work for their independent investigations. After a slow, but fun journey through the snow the girls settled into four days of field work and write up. Temperatures were below freezing but that didn't stop them from visiting the beach every day to collect their data - very dedicated! The girls planned their own data collection methods and used specialist equipment whilst on the trip. In the evenings they collated their findings and completed some tricky data analysis. It was a cold, but important trip! #ThisRMSGirlCan

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MACHIO 201718

CHESS VALLEY WALK It was a lovely June day for a map-reading geographical adventure with Year 7 not too hot, not too cold, and the perfect balance of sun and clouds! Our route took us along the valley of the River Chess, stopping regularly to check our location on our handy OS maps and to work out what direction we should be heading next.

Walking two-by-two we followed footpaths through fields, under power lines, along the river and over bridges!

Along the way we spotted ducks and ducklings, learnt all about chalk rivers and drew various field sketches. We also managed to fit in a lovely picnic for lunch. Of course the highlight of the day was playing pooh sticks from one of the bridges over the river!

GEOGRAPHY PROJECTS During the course of the year the students were very busy undertaking a variety of Geography projects with different topics and they created some lovely colourful artwork and models to support their studies.

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HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS HAILEYBURY MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2018 On Friday 23rd March a group of Sixth Formers together with Mr Grogan, Mr Buddy and Mrs Booth went to Haileybury School to take part in Haileybury Model United Nations. This was a conference that aimed to simulate the events of the United Nations by assigning groups of students to countries in the UN to discuss current global issues.

Before going we went up we chose which committee to sit on and researched the issues to be discussed. I had chosen to be part of a political committee which focused on fixing issues of global political significance. On arrival, we congregated in the Sports Hall for the opening ceremony and then headed to our committees to begin lobbying. Once we had arrived at our committees we began to lobby other delegates with our resolutions, hoping to get the 10 signatures necessary to get the resolution debated. Although lobbying with the other delegates was fun, we were all glad to see dinner even though we were only given 15 minutes! After some more lobbying we returned, exhausted but excited to our hotel.

We were awoken at 6:30 the next morning for breakfast, which had so many options it took longer to decide what to eat than to actually eat it. After breakfast we set off for Haileybury. We all went off to our committees and continued to lobby. After signing slightly too many resolutions we began to debate the resolutions which had passed through the approvals panel. Things got pretty heated in our committee with a form of cold war developing between Jordan and Japan, who both spent a large majority of the conference debating each other, rather than the resolutions at hand. Even if you were not speaking in the debate, a way in which we could remain involved even without speaking was note passing. Note passing allowed us to communicate about all manners of things, political and non-political. This continued for most of the rest of the day, with breaks for lunch and joke awards in between each resolution. Although the debates were fun, the highlight of the day for many was the Shack night, which was essentially a massive disco held in one of the boarding houses. RMS students displayed resilience, dancing non-stop for nearly two hours even with a broken water machine.

We returned to the hotel late Saturday night, needless to say we were very tired in the morning. We were further disorientated by the clocks changing in the middle of the night, stealing a precious hour of our sleep. We went straight to our committees upon returning to Haileybury and continued to debate.

After the debating was all finished we gathered in larger groups to have plenary debates, to officially pass the resolutions which each committee had passed. Note passing got even more intense during the plenary debates, with around 20 Haileybury students running across the hall attempting to deliver each note on time. After the plenary debates had finished we all collected in the sports hall for the closing ceremony and Haileybury MUN was officially over. Finally, we all headed back to RMS. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Haileybury MUN, with severa of us coming home with a whole new group of friends, and greater insight into the world of international politics. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who is interested in just about anything relating to world affairs.

Ollie Year 12

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WHAT LIES BENEATH….

A chance discussion last summer between RMS Grounds Manager and a member of the History Department has resulted in around seven tonnes of earth being shifted to once more reveal a network of underground tunnels used by pupils of the school during the Second World War. Constructed at the same time as the School in 1932, these tunnels are around 300m long, snaking beneath the current Science and Geography blocks, the school golf course and some of the lower fields. During air raids, the 400 girls who were students at school at the time, as well as around 100 junior girls who were sent to Rickmansworth from their school in Weybridge, Surrey, would troop down to the shelter and spend the night there on wooden benches that lined the tunnels. Visitors today can still see the shelving on which the blankets they used to keep warm were stored in between times.

We don’t know exactly how many times the shelter was used during the war, but it is known that on 25th September 1940 at 9.35pm German bombs landed on All Saints Church in Croxley Green, just a mile from RMS, and the tower, roof, organ, pulpit and the Lady Chapel all suffered serious damage.

The original seven entrances and exits were closed in the 1960s, although not well enough to put off some more determined students... some more contemporary graffiti sits alongside some names from 1939-45 that are etched into the walls. The tunnels were also used by the local fire brigade up until 1988 as a training location to simulate working in pitch black conditions.

Later, in 2011, the tunnels were sealed with 6 tons of soil and steel plates; but when Hester Eccles, teacher of History at the school met with Billy Lees, Grounds Manager, they hatched a plan to once again open these up for official guided tours for the girls and staff to give them some insight into the School’s history. So far, nearly 150 visitors have been able to explore the dark corridors and see for themselves the environment their predecessors would have slept in over 70 years ago.

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HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS DIARY ACCOUNT OF WW1 SOLDIER Monday 21st December 1914 I enlisted for the army today. I went with Alex and we signed up together. I’m excited to start! Mum says I shouldn’t, I’m too young, but I’m 20 and I’m plenty old enough to make my own decisions. Course, I know why she does it. I wasn’t old enough to remember when Papa died but she already lost one family member to war, and she’s scared for me, isn’t she? Well, she’s got no need to be. We’ll surely win – the Fritz don’t stand a chance with brave young men like me and Alex going to fight! Charlie down at the butcher’s wants to go too, but I told him he ought to wait till he’s 18. We all appreciate the enthusiasm, but I said there’s no sense in risking his neck till he’s legally old enough to do it. Anyway, I said, they’d probably see straight through him.

He’s not exactly a strapping lad, our Charlie. Mary’s of the same mind as Mum is. She says I do plenty enough at home without committing suicide trying to fight the Fritz. I said that was ridiculous. Post Office’s boy is hardly an essential part of the Home Front! I told her I wouldn’t die. I’m much more responsible than that, does she take me for a chump? And anyways, I’ll hardly be out there long. They’re saying it’ll be over by Christmas. JDL Thursday 11th February 1915 Well. So much for Christmas. It’s February already and still no sign of stopping. I’m beginning to think I’ll never see the end of this blasted war.

We went over the top again yesterday. It was really scary and there was so much noise…there was mud flying everywhere…guns blazing from all directions….I didn’t realise Alex had gone down till it was too late to do anything about it. It was when I got into the German trenches and turned to celebrate with him that I saw he wasn’t there. I can’t describe what I felt, in that moment. Disbelief, grief, anger, sadness, the words aren’t strong enough.

It was just pain. Mind-numbing, agonising pain.

He got me a Christmas present, Alex did. I wasn’t expecting anything till the packages came from Mum and Mary, but Alex took me aside on December 25 and said, “Look mate, I can’t get you much, but I reckoned something was better than nothing at all.” He gave me a bullet from his own ammo stock and told me to keep it mum. “If Sergeant Cradler found out I’ given you this, I’d be in for it then!” I hadn’t even written it in here, cause if someone’d read it, Alex’d get in trouble. Course, it doesn’t matter now. I wanted to have it written down so I’d always remember. I keep it on me at all times. It’s a sense of security, I suppose, that even if I ran out of everything else, Alex’s bullet would always be there, that I’d always have Alex to rely on….And now….I won’t.

Not anymore. Private Alexander Smith was a good man and a good soldier. The entire platoon was sad to lose him.

Don’t worry, Alex. I’ll never forget you. JDL Saturday 17th March 1917 It’s lousy, really. I spend all my time fighting guns and shells sent by the blasted Fritz and a gas attack is what takes me out of commission? I reckon gas is a cowardly weapon. It’s only used by soldiers who aren’t brave enough to face the fire. I’d never be so cowardly – I say if you’re going to fight, do it with dignity.

I sent a field postcard home to let Mum and Mary know I’m in hospital, and have not yet received word back. Hope all is OK. I celebrated by 23rd birthday yesterday! Private Cooper managed to convince the nurses to get me some alcohol and we celebrated together. Let’s hope I’m alive to see my 24th!

I wish Alex had been there. He used to make things so fun. It’s awfully boring being stuck in hospital. I’m eagerly anticipating being let out – although, now I think about it, being stuck in the trenches isn’t exactly paradise either. JDL Sunday 21st December 1919 It was five years ago today, exactly. Five years ago to the date that I signed up for that accursed war. I was so excited to be going off to be a hero just like my Pa had been 14 years earlier. Nobody told me what it was really like.

Sure, it wasn’t all bad. I got packages every so often from Mary and mum containing sweets, meat and all sorts of contraband, and I made new friends, like Jack Cooper, but you could say that about boarding school too, couldn’t you? And anyway, I hated boarding school, and that was without the blasted Fritz shooting at me and my comrades the second we dared rear our heads.

I thought, when it was over, it would be over. Mary and I got married, we got a cat, I reckoned everything was all OK, didn’t I? And then the nightmares started.

I’ll wake up in the night screaming, and Mary’ll have to calm me down before I could even think about going back to sleep. My hands started shaking so bad, all the soup would slop off my spoon. It wasn’t long before the nightmares started to happen in the day, as well. Mary, bless her, is always there for me to tell me it’s OK, but others aren’t so sympathetic. The amount of times I’ve been told I’m just being weak or cowardly…

Little kids see me in the street and run from my scarred, hideous face. Younger men stare at me as I pass. I wanted to be a hero, sure, but I never asked for social isolation.

I reckon war’s not all it’s cracked up to be. All the good men we lost fighting, and what for? There’s only one thing left to say, absolutely – never again.

Francesca - Year 9 #ThisRMSGirlCan

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A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE CIVIL WAR Being a bird, you can’t understand a lot from what is around you. The owls know pretty much everything that goes on, but sometimes even they struggle to explain strange things. For example, the time when the sun suddenly disappeared then appeared again in a matter of minutes. Even they were astounded, and believe me, its hard to impress an owl.

So, one day, I was resting in this tree when I saw a big man with a huge cloak and a chunk of gold on his head, shout at a flock of people who looked very stingy and fancy and didn’t look too pleased. I was very confused by with whole situation, so I consulted my local owl and from what he understood, the King was having a row with Parliament again and that the situation was getting worse.

The next day, I went out for a morning fly and spotted the man with a chunk of gold on his head talking to flock of humans and repeating the words, ‘Destroy Parliament!’ which I didn’t find too comforting, so I flew back home. From what the owls told me, I understood that two groups of humans, (the Roundheads and Cavaliers) had declared war on each other and that everything was going to be chaos.

Several months later I saw humans with strange heads gathering on a field and more of them trying to force their way into a town. I’m proud to say that I’m a very curious bird so I swooped down lower to take a closer look. Some of the humans with funny heads were going into nests with other humans looked extremely reluctant to let the strange men into their territory. Some were slurping on stew and others pecking at biscuits and cheese, (they look absolutely REVOLTING!).

Soon after this eventful evening, a flock of humans with some sort of red feathers around themselves were gathering on this huge field and the men with funny heads had all put on another orange feather thing and were gathering together on the other side of the field. Within a matter of hours, the two sides started to run and crash into each other as well as bashing other humans with metal blocks. I really didn’t see the point of trying to bash yourself and fall over so I consulted my local owl to make sense of the situation. After some tutting, the owl gave me the following information, (in which I noted down because I am a very organised bird): ‘Due to some messy arguments, the King and Parliament declared war on each other. Supporters of the King were mostly Catholics whereas supporters of Parliament were mostly Protestants. The Parliamentarians were named Roundheads and the Royalists named Cavaliers. There are lots of different types of fighters, Ironsides, Pike men, Musketeers, Cavalry men and other ones, (which the owl didn’t mention). Their weapons are things like pistols, huge pikes, swords, muskets and horses. It is best to stay away from them or they’ll bash you and you might catch a disease called typhus which was passed on by lice.’

The owl used some really complicated and big words, (which I had to look up later) but I think by the end, I had some vague idea of what he was talking about. The owl reckoned that the Parliamentarians were going to win because they had this huge flock called the New Model Army which were really well trained and disciplined.

I do hope that the humans sort themselves out because it’s getting really hard to sleep at night. I just hope that they won’t destroy all those juicy worms waiting for me. We’ll just have to wait and see what destruction they will end up doing, (again).

Zara - Year 8 MACHIO

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HOUSE PHOTOS MOIRA

SCARBROUGH

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ATHOLL SUSSEX

CUMBERLAND

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LIFE SKILLS 2018 LIFE SKILLS DAYS On Wednesday, 6th June the entire Year 7 was off timetable to participate in a Life Skills Day. Starting the morning was Mrs Williamson, who earned a MSc in Nutrition and leads sessions and workshops for adults and teenagers on the science behind food choices.

She touched on topics of protein, sugar consumption, the importance of water and iron, linking what we eat to how we feel. The ‘good mood food’ message was well-received by the year group as was the encouragement to reduce food miles by buying British.

The second session of the day was led by Nikki Bennett, the School Counsellor, on being positive about oneself and others. The girls enjoyed creating bookmarks of compliments for someone else and thinking through tricky scenarios.

After a pre-lunch PE session the day ended with a whole group session with Mrs Whetstone of Amnesty International. Ms Whetstone introduced the girls to the problems faced by refugees and encouraged them to take action to improve the well-being of others. Time was given for the students to write a short note of encouragement and support to a teen refugee injured whilst sheltering in Turkey and ďŹ nally reunited with his family in Germany.

Thursday saw the Year 8s also attending a series of sessions. The experts at ChildNet presented a session on On-line Safety including information on danger. They thoroughly enjoyed learning the techniques and practising on the instructor as well as each other!

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MACHIO 201718 The second session was on Personal Safety with Peter McCarthy of Krav Maga.

This action-packed session introduced skills in awareness, escaping a hold and using reasonable force to remove themselves from The final session was with Bob Tait (affectionately known by staff as the ‘drugs man’) who spoke on Drug and Alcohol Safety. Bob uses a dynamic presentation style, real-life examples and a series of very cool props to inform students of the risks of both legal and illegal substances.

Friday started off with sessions for Year 9s on Consent with speakers from Sexplain and role plays with Hertfordshire Magistrates on the law and young people. The students were actively involved in discovering their own voice and viewpoints.

The day ended with a hilarious session applying the 4Rs – Resilience, Reciprocity, Resourcefulness and Reflectiveness. Students were put into small groups, provided with minimal resources and challenged to create an inspirational outfit in 30 minutes. We are always amazed by their creativity and style!

Year 10 also had a Life Skills day in February. They had a challenging session with Tim Peake on business skills that included asking questions for clarification, working in teams and time-management. One of the activities involved making a ‘tank’ out of blocks only for the girls to find out the ‘tank’was supposed to be a fish tank – a practical illustration of the importance of getting all the information!

This session was followed by a presentation from Herts Aid, a sexual health charity, on identity and LGBTQ+.

Emma Jeal, a frequent speaker at RMS, led the exploration on gender identity.

The Life Skills days support the work we do at RMS in Life Skills lessons, consolidating taught materials and giving students the opportunity to hear from other voices about the importance of well-being and community.

As girls move up in school years and gain more independence, the Life Skills messages help them make informed decisions and knowledge of where they can get advice and help.

TO YOUR

TEEN ABOUT DRUGS Friendly, confidential drugs advice talktofrank.com

Follow us at @RMSLifeSkills

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MATHS SENIOR TEAM CHALLENGE 2017 In November, the Maths Department entered a team of two Year 12 students and two Year 13 students in the UKMT Senior Mathematics Team Challenge at Merchant Taylors’ School. This event is a competition which tests mathematical, communication and teamwork skills, and we were pitched against teams from other schools in the area.

During the competition, we had to answer ten questions, deciding our own strategy as to how to go about this (ie as individuals, pairs or as a whole team). We then had to do a “crossnumber” – similar to a crossword but with numerical answers, with one pair solving the “across” clues and one the “down” clues, using logic and deduction to complete the grid – it was tough but great fun!

Whilst the competition was pretty challenging, it was also really enjoyable, especially the integration between Year 12 and year 13 students. We all felt that participating in the event has boosted our maths teamwork skills, and enhanced our problem solving skills. The challenges were fun, and we got to meet a lot of pupils from other schools in the area. We are very grateful to Mrs Cubbon for arranging for us to take part in this event and we were delighted to finish in an impressive 9th place as the competition was fierce!

Anny, Cheryl, Irina and Rachel

MATHS FEST 2018!

On 6th February, a group of Year 10 girls went on a Mathematics trip to the Piccadilly Theatre. The Piccadilly Theatre is home to the West End musical Annie. We, however, did not go there to see the show but instead the theatre was being used to host a huge group of GCSE and A Level Maths students for what they describe as ‘a day-long mathematical extravaganza’, which was very true. Maths Fest is a day where some of the best mathematics speakers in the world gather to celebrate all different Maths theorems in the A Level and GCSE specification.

The day was hosted by Matt Parker, with talks and demonstrations by James Grime (Enigma and the Secret World of Code Breaking), Aoife Hunt (The Shape of Escape - investigating ways to move crowds and to make big events safer), Ben Sparks (The Windmills of Your Mind - connecting maths and music), Rob Eastaway (Pick a Card, Any Card… - maths and card tricks combined), Seb Lee-Delisle (Explosions, Sparkles and Lasers - Using Maths for Graphics and Special Effects using coding) and Hannah Fry (Totally Random - Finding different ways to make a random number which is harder than you might think). We also were lucky enough to have a section of Numberphile Live in the middle of the day; Numberphile is a YouTube channel which does the public’s maths questions or just random maths questions on brown paper. At Maths Fest they did the audiences questions on brown paper live. Part of Maths Fest is the maths slam, this is when schools can enter students in to a competition to explain maths theorems, these were all done really well although sadly no one from RMS entered - there is always next year…

During the lunch break some of the Year 10 students went to go and visit our very favourite Matt Parker, although he had to go on his lunch break, but the RMS girls used their resilience and went to go and see Ben Sparks and ask questions about his section in the show. The answers we got were very helpful for our GCSE and inspired us to think outside of the box and link Maths with STEAM (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics). We hope we made a good impression on him, and hopefully can hear him speak again - on another school trip or maybe at RMS. Last year 45 of us went to see ‘The Curious Coincidence Of Maths In The Day Time’ which was hosted by Matt Parker who had invited Rob Eastaway, Hannah Fry and Ben Sparks. It was very interesting to hear them speak again but about completely different things and of course when the group of us met Ben Sparks, we told him how much we enjoyed his talk the year before.

If you ask any of the Year 10s who came on this trip they will tell you how much they enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to any younger years who love Maths, are thinking of extending themselves or doing Add-Maths at GCSE. A lot of the talks are not things you do in the classroom but just extend your knowledge, understanding and love of Maths that little bit further.

Thank you to Miss Cassidy for organising it, and to Mrs Cubbon and Mrs Young for giving up their day to take us on such a fun trip - Mr Broome you missed out big time.

Sami and Mirabelle - Year 10 #ThisRMSGirlCan

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UKMT (UNITED KINGDOM MATHEMATICS TRUST) MATHS CIRCLE In June, four Year 10 RMS students took part in the UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematics Trust) Maths Circle hosted by RMS. Here two of our students write about their experience: Here we had the opportunity to go to many sessions based around Maths; these were designed to give us the opportunity to enrich our Maths skills, to show us different applications of Maths, and, hopefully, to inspire us to take mathematics further. Some of my favourite sessions were on the mathematics of a cannonball, learning about mods, and factorials. These were very enriching and not necessarily something I would see in school, so they really focused on the wonders of Maths and how I could take Maths further when I was older.

Not only were we exposed to many different great teachers, but we also met other students from other schools who shared our interest in mathematics. This was really beneficial, because not only did it challenge me to work hard throughout the two days to keep up with the really clever people at the circle, but I also found that I had a lot in common with the other students and this allowed me to make new friends.

At the end of the two days, we were able to compete in a mathematical relay with another pair of students from a different school. This helped us to work on our teamwork skills, especially because we did not know the other people on out team well well. The relay was very intense, but also lots of fun because it put us under pressure to solve random problems as a team which is something I can definitely see happening in real life in my future career.

All in all, it was a really fun two days, and I hope to have the opportunity to do something similar in the future.

Charlotte - Year 10 I took part in the Maths Circle event last week and had great fun. We had lessons about different topics including solving Maths problems related to colours, introduction of the modular world, interesting facts about factorial function and so on. From these lessons, I learnt so many fascinating things; these lessons made me realise that Maths can be creative and there might be more than one answer to a question.

During the last hour of the Maths Circle event, we were divided into groups of three or four and had a Maths relay. The answers to the questions were all connected, therefore one pair in the group must answer the first question and give it to the other pair to solve the next question. The relay was very intense and we had to read the question and think quickly. We cooperated well and I had gained knowledge during the activity.

Aimee - Year 10

IT ALL ADDS UP Our trip to Oxford for getting inspired about Maths was very interesting and impressive, as different speakers talked about different aspects about Maths, for example, the relationship between Maths and a chocolate fountain, guess the percentage of rubbish in the ocean. One of my favorite part is about sport which talked about which areas have the highest percentage to be scored in. This trip showed me Maths is always around me and full of mystery to let me explore.

Vicky - Year 10 I really enjoyed the trip to It All Adds Up as it allowed me to have a greater persepctive of the continuation of maths into higher levels and understand more about the different mathematical careers there are available. My favourite lecture was one by the Professor of Statistics at Oxford University, Jennifer Rodgers. She taught us about how statistics are used in everyday life and the importance of them, expecially in the digital age we live in today.

This allowed me to see the real world applications of the maths that I am just beginning to learn in the classroom.

Charlie - Year 10 I have always had a strong interest in Maths and enjoyed learning it at school and outside the classroom, but was never very confident about doing it later on in life at university. The experience of seeing the Mathematical Institute at Oxford University was definitely memorable and speaking to a couple of students studyingMaths there really encouraged me to continue the subject for as long as possible. Going on this trip really changed the way I approached the subject because it made me realise not only the importance but also the enjoyment I could get out of it. I had never realised that anything and everything you do can be seen as a maths problem and there can always be new, exciting things to discover. I found it great that I could use maths to understand aspects of everyday common hobbies. A mixture of listening to engaging lecturers and trying to tackle challenging maths problems made the day really special for us all.

Kiran - Year 10 MACHIO

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MODERN LANGUAGES MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES DAY The Modern Foreign Languages day for Year 8 in my opinion was fantastic! This was a day that I will remember for years to come. During the day we took part in activities such as salsa dancing, tasting food from around the world, Italian opera, Chinese dancing, African singing and a world quiz. These activities filled the day with fun and excitement. I particularly enjoyed salsa dancing where we learned about how the salsa dance was created in New York by a Latino group who did not enjoy the modern day music so decided to create their own style thus salsa was born. I really enjoyed African singing where I learned a welcoming song that is sung at hotels and airports, and I also learned some key Swahili terms like ‘jambo’ which means hello. Tasting food from around the world was a thrilling experience - we tried foods from different cultures like Turkish pomegranate molasses and Brazilian chocolate brigadeiros which were my personal favourite. The quiz was challenging and had many brain-twisting questions and ended with a prize of Kinder chocolate to the highest scorer. Unfortunately, I did not win but it was an enjoyable experience nonetheless. To conclude the only con to the day was that it was over too quickly as I would have loved for it to be more than one day!

Josephine - Year 8

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PHARMACY ROLE PLAYS Students used Pharmacy Role Play as a way of enhacing their language skills whilst within the school environment.

YEAR 9 USING QUIZLET

RMS LANGUAGE SKILLS

The Year 9s used Quizlet on their ipads as a learning tool.

At RMS students can learn a variety of different languages, below is an example of Mandarin work by Isha & a Spanish Ambassador Worksheet

by Mae which she has created to help younger girls.

YEAR 9 WRITING SONGS IN SPANISH Year 9s used their Spanish knowlege to write songs!

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PERFORMING ARTS 9 TO 5 ‘9 to 5’ must have been one of the most fun shows we’ve ever done at RMS. It takes the storyline of the film (in short, this is an office satire about three female secretaries who decide to get revenge on their tyrannical boss by abducting him and running the business themselves), along with the title hit song and adds in some wonderfully catchy numbers written by Dolly Parton. It’s an uplifting and hilarious story of female empowerment and our 45strong double cast were truly superb. The show really had the ambitions, talents and success of not only our girls, but (in terms of the storyline), women everywhere right at its heart. There are very few musicals which have so many strong female lead parts, and I was so proud to see such talented performances by all of the girls involved - both on and off-stage.

Mr Hyde

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OLIVER! In February, 44 excited students were gathered in Scarborough Gallery, with mud on their faces and wearing ripped up clothes, all eagerly awaiting the moment that the clock turned 7.30. “Why?” You may ask. Well Mr Broome - aka Mr Bumble could tell you in his starring number; “O-liv-er!”

The auditions had been held months earlier, in October, and we had all been very excited to find out what parts we had been given. Many of us had achieved main parts, such as Jhanvi and Helena, cast as Oliver himself, but for those of us in the chorus we knew that every single person was so important to the success of the production. Ms Flatto often told us as much, early on Sunday mornings, when it took a lot of persuasion to get us out of bed!

However, it was absolutely worth it, for the massive success the production was, and the amazing feeling we all experienced performing the show.

“Oliver was the most amazing experience, of being in a group production and being involved in something so incredible, with the power to make the audience laugh.”

I think this sentence, from a girl in the chorus, is applicable to the feelings that the entire cast experienced in this incredible production. “It was a privilege to be a part of,” agreed another chorus member. We all enjoyed it so much and we can’t wait until the next one!

Our production of Oliver! would never have been possible without the incredible work and dedication of the backstage crew, the lighting crew, the costume and makeup helpers and of course, Ms Flatto! Thank you to all of the people who helped and shaped our fantastic production.

And while us Year 9s are sad to be leaving our Lower-School Production years, we know most of the Year 7s and 8s who were in it really enjoyed it, and they promise they’ll “be back soon!”

Anna Sophia and Francesca - Year 9

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PERFORMING ARTS ROYALTY When I first found out that one half of the Fusion dance show would be based on Henry the Eighth and the other on Ella Fitzgerald, I was very shocked and confused as to how both were linked. Mrs Isherwood explained to us that the ‘royal’ connection between them both was that Henry the Eighth was a king and Ella Fitzgerald was known as the ‘Queen of Jazz’.

If we wanted to be one of the main parts in the Henry the Eighth section, we would need to audition. So, I went along to the audition, not expecting to get a very big role, and performed the piece I had already prepared. Once everyone had auditioned, Mrs Isherwood emailed us to tell us what part we had.

When I found out I was Henry the Eighth I was extremely surprised, as I never expected to get an important role.

We immediately started working on the Henry the Eighth part of the dance show. When we first heard the music, everyone was intrigued as to why we were going to use this particular music – the music is ‘The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth’ by Rick Wakeman.

The Ella Fitzgerald half included live music performed by Choro, soloists and the Big Band. This half included some dances performed by Fusion and other duets, solos and small groups. We tended to alternate weeks of Henry the Eighth and Ella Fitzgerald rehearsals, so that we wouldn’t get too bored of doing the same thing every week.

Rehearsals for all of Fusion included; 4.00pm to 5.30pm every Thursday, some until 6.00pm; two 6 hour Sunday rehearsals; one dress rehearsal on Tuesday 13th March from 4.00pm to 9.00pm. I had to be at every single one of these rehearsals and even gave up almost all of my Wednesday lunchtimes for a whole term. Everyone was extremely committed and the show turned out extremely well.

We all had an amazing time and it was a wonderful experience of which to be a part.

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MUSIC EVENTS AT RMS Music events at RMS were as frequent as they were eclectic over the past year. Our set piece concerts included a huge celebration of Christmas in the Chapel. The combined forces of the RMS Orchestra and Sinfonia accompanied the audience in singing traditional carols, and the choirs ranging from the Cadogan House Chamber Choir to the staff, parents and friends of RMS in the Community Choir - came together to create a very special event. The musical numbers were interspersed with biblical and secular readings relating to Christmas and this added poignancy particularly the reading about the Christmas Truce in the First World War. The Spring concert was, as usual, a mixture of celebration and sadness.

Celebrating the fine work of the ensembles - the Concert Band, the Choirs and the Orchestras, but sadness in having to say goodbye to our Year 13 students. This year there were many Year 13s across the choirs and the Sinfonia and they will be missed.

Throughout the year, Mr Hagyard's Rush Hour Concerts were a real treat at the end of a busy week. From the beginners in Years 3 and 4 to our Upper Sixth, these concerts showcased our students' talents across all instruments and voices and the success of these concerts is a testament to the hard work of our team of Visiting Music Teachers. Their leadership of ensembles was also showcased in the Ensembles Concert held in Cadogan House Hall which is always a highlight of the year.

The year also included a fascinating Percussion Masterclass lead by industry expert Calie Hough. Six of our percussion students were given the chance to work with her in advance of their ABRSM exams. Both in the ABRSM music exams, and the London College of Music exams we had a huge amount success, with a number of girls gaining their LCM diploma, allowing them to use the term DipLCM after their name!

RMS AT THE FRINGE

From executive producer Dan Hyde

‘A well deserved reputation for excellence at the Fringe”

Nine Sixth form students got together a for a week in August, practically locked themselves in the Space and devised a multi-discipline performance piece to take up to the world's largest arts festival - the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

After long days of workshops, writing and devising, they created 'Panopticon' - an exploration of the effect of social media on our lives, considering whether we are always being watched - and if that is our fault. The piece incorporated movement, sound, chorus speech, dialogue and monologues and was very positively received at the festival. The students - most of whom are part of the Year 12 BTec Performing Arts group - worked hard to market the show. With 3000 different shows happening across 300 venues, to get even a single audience member can be tricky. With daily flyering, ad-hoc performances on Edinburgh's Royal Mile and (ironically) an instagram marketing campaign, they ensured each performance was well attended.

Impact Theatre presents

Every move watched.

How willingly do you share your life?

20 - 25 August 2018 13:10

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PHOTOGRAPHY BETHANY

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MACHIO 201718 PHOEBE

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PHOTOGRAPHY RHIANNON

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MACHIO 201718 SOPHIE

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPORTS PARTNERSHIP ROUND UP 2018 The Watford and Three Rivers School Sports Partnership continue to provide a huge range of different sporting opportunities for all our pupils. Inter school competitions for Cadogan House pupils have included indoor athletics, X-Country, Tri Golf and netball. The Senior School pupils have taken part in tournaments including Multisports, badminton, trampolining, swimming, table tennis and cricket. Not only are our pupils able to participate in a competitive nature, RMS have also hosted various events enabling our Sports Leaders to gain valuable experience in leading and officiating. The partnership staff run intra-sports mornings for our younger pupils where they have enjoyed learning new sports and then competing against each other, as well as teaching the Year 5 pupils to lead games during break times with the younger pupils in their Playleading Workshop day.

Success has been aplenty in all SSP competitions this year not least the Year 7 indoor athletics team who won the district rounds qualifying for the County competitions. They went on to become County Champions beating 16 other teams from around the county.

ATHLETICS This year girls from Years 7 to 10 have performed extremely well in the athletics team and many have achieved personal bests in their main events.

Overall this year the athletics team performed exceptionally well, facing some tough competition.

On the 3rd May, athletes went to Stevenage and took part in the Herts Combined events Championships. Both the U15 and U17 teams placed 2nd overall with Amelia and Freya placing first in their age categories. This was a tough day as all the athletes had to compete in 5 different events.

The U14 girls finished 10th in the league after 6 tough matches against many different schools. They did extremely well and all achieved great times and distances. In the district championships their 4 by 100 m relay team put in an outstanding performance to be crowned district champions, and Hannah in the 1500m and Carys in the 800m both ran very well to become district champions.

In the U16 team many girls achieved amazing times and distances resulting in us winning the County league, for the first time ever, after an extremely tough and tense final meet against Haberdashers. The U16 girls league final was a very competitive competition with the U16 team coming an amazing 2nd overall missing out on first by just 4 points! Congratulations to Amelia who broke a county long jump record that has stood for 30 years in one of our league matches.

The U16 team also did extremely well in the Track and Field Cup, winning with a very impressive 392 points. Following that success, we qualified to compete at the Regional Final where we performed very well and came 7th competing against the top athletics schools in the country.

In the subsequent District Championships, Mia, Ella, Emily, Freya and Jane were crowned district champions in their event.

A huge congratulations goes out to Amelia, Freya, Emily, Zuriel and Grace who have qualified for the English Schools Championships.

Amelia

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Cross country Team

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Year 8

NETBALL REPORTS YEAR 8A Throughout this season the A team has progressed and excelled. Our team work has improved massively and we are working together better. Our ability to communicate on the court has really shown in our performance. By losing some of our matches we have learnt from our mistakes. The whole team persevered and tried very hard throughout every match, which lead us to some wins.

During training we tried out different strategies and positions to achieve our best in all matches and training. Thank you to all the members of the netball team and to Miss Watts; you have made this season an amazing experience.

Livvy - Year 8 (A team Netball Captain)

Year 9

YEAR 8B This season Year 8 B team played very well and worked as a team, we worked together and eventually got to where we wanted to be. We won all our matches apart from 1 or 2. Our attack and defence where always successful and always trying hard, we moved a few people to give us the best chance and we succeeded; we shot and defended many goals. All the girls should be super proud and very happy with their performance, I am very happy with how we have improved and grown as a team. We came 2nd in the B team Netball District tournament! Massive thanks to all of the B team.

Well done girls it had been an amazing season and so much fun!

Annabelle - Year 8 (B team Netball Captain)

Year 10

YEAR 9 The Year 9 netball teams have had another great season with both teams winning the district league.

We had some tough matches in the first term against some of the top netball schools in the county including Berkhamsted, who unfortunately the A team lost but the B team won. At the start of the term the A team entered the county tournament at Stanborough School. Maddie joined this year and made a great start and impact by being GS and backing me up in GA. We came 5th with many close matches and a couple of wins. The B team have had a great season winning many of their matches.

Thank you to Mrs Joyce for taking the squad and being a great coach!

Stephanie - Year 9 (Netball Captain)

YEAR 11 Although this netball season has been snowy and extremely cold, with a few of our matches sadly being cancelled, this has not fazed the year 11 team. We have successfully won 6 out of the 6 district fixtures we played in, with large goal differences. We were particularly successful against St Margaret’s where we won 24-5, Watford Girls Grammar with a score of 17- 1 and Bushey Meads winning 20-10. We were particularly pleased with our score against North London Collegiate,15-3, since they are normally one of our toughest competitors. We have had an amazing season and the results are a credit to the commitment, hard work and determination of the team.

Jasmine - Year 11 (Netball Captain)

SENIORS With the finish of the 2017/18 season, we look back on all of our achievements, challenges and memories created throughout the year.

Some of the highlights of the season were the A team coming 2nd in the District Tournament- only losing one game against Habs. There have been many extremely nail biting matches such as the B team winning 11-10 against St Clement Danes and the A team sadly losing by 1 goal to North London Collegiate - both were very exciting games to watch, play and umpire. Other successful matches include the A team winning against Dr Challoner’s by a massive margin of 21 goals.

The B team in general have had a very challenging season playing in the A league, against very strong teams but every player did themselves proud.

For many of the Year 13s, including myself, this has been our 7th and final year of RMS netball.

Friendships have been created and strengthened through netball and for me personally school netball triggered my love for netball and my dream of playing for England one day.

We cannot thank all of the PE teachers enough who have been our coaches over the year. A massive thank you to Mrs Pooley especially, we appreciate everything you have done for us and all the time you have sacrificed for the team.

Megan MACHIO

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION BADMINTON TEAM REPORT This year the RMS Badminton team has achieved highly throughout all age groups.

The Year 9 Badminton team has been playing particularly well and they have won many matches. In the Doubles tournament in which many schools participated, pair 1 of our Year 9 team came 3rd and pair 2 came 4th! They also won many league matches against other schools.

For example, they did exceptionally well in their match against Northwood College where they won 7-2. They also won their matches against Haberdashers 6-3 and against NLCS 5-4. These were all very tough matches but the girls worked very hard and did a great job in all of their matches, always doing their best!

The Year 10 Badminton teams also did well this season. The Year 10 pair 1 came 4th and pair 2 came 6th in their tournament. Both of these were amazing achievements. The Year 10 team played very impressively also won their matches against St Helens (friendly) and NLCS 5-4.

The RMS Senior Badminton team worked so hard and did their best in every single match. In the Senior tournament pair 1 of the Senior team came 3rd and pair 1 came 9th. The team also did very well against their competitive opponents from Northwood Collage and won 5-4. Two of the amazing players from the senior team took part in a highly competitive Elite Singles tournament and both did very well. This Elite Singles tournament was newly organised this year for the first time and those who participated enjoyed it very much and played to a very high standard.

Finally, these two together with a pair from the Year 9 team took part in the Elite Doubles tournament for all year groups and both did very well with the Senior team pair finishing in 4th place.

Overall it was a very impressive season for all year groups and everyone played very well. I was very proud of everyone’s efforts and enjoyed being the captain of the Badminton team this year. I hope that next year is even better for those who will continue to play for the marvellous RMS Badminton team.

YEAR 7 AND 8 FOOTBALL REPORT The Year 7 and 8 football team has improved so much from the start of the year. The first game we played was against Westfield and we played very well, considering that some girls had never really played a football game before. We had our first victory that day and we were all very happy.

The match against St Margaret’s was exciting as it showed that we could work as a team and defend and attack. This resulted in another win.

Every game our performance gets that little bit better due to the extra work we had been putting in at training.

At training, we worked on corners, tackling, off side and simply playing the game of football.

In the matches I have noticed that some Year 7s have become more confident with the ball at their feet and are willing to press and even take the ball a little way before passing.

We have progressed immensely this season and we have all played really well in all the matches.

ROUNDERS REPORT Rounders has gone well for RMS this year as all the teams have won many matches.

The Year 8 Rounders have been very successful beating Edge Grove, St Helen’s, Aldenham and St Clement Danes, unfortunately the Year 8s lost to Parmiters by 1 rounder but their District tournament is still yet to play and we wish them the best of luck. Well Done Year 8!

Deniz (Captain of the Badminton Team)

Year 9 Rounders team have had a very good season, crowned District champions they fought off tough competition in the final rounds.

Finally but by no means not least Year 10 have had a fantastic year, we have remained undefeated all season. We were crowned district champions after a close match with Watford Girls in the final. Other than Watford Girls we have won all of our matches by nearly double the Rounders and managed to catch out all of the Haberdashers team in only 15 bowls. Overall it has been a fantastic last season for the Year 10 Rounders team, due to this being our last year playing together I would like to thank Mrs Hamer on behalf of Year 10 Rounders for all her help throughout the year.

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GYMNASTICS REPORT In February, over 20 girls competed in Milano and Sports Acro competitions, all with the aim of making it to nationals which takes place in Stoke on Trent.

On the Saturday, 4 teams consisting of 4 girls competed at the Milano competition. In this competition, 3 girls would be competing an individual floor and vault and 3 would compete a group routine. After a 6.00pm start everyone was very tired yet everyone competed amazingly well. The U13, U15 and U19 teams came 1st, meaning everyone qualified for the Nationals.

The following day, the gymnasts travelled to Milton Keynes to compete in the Sports Acro competition. All of the pair routines and tumbling competed in the morning before the group routines in the afternoon. All tumblers and pairs competed amazing well with Talia going through to nationals for her tumbling and Mia and Sophia coming second for their pair. The groups also competed very well, with the U11 and U14 teams coming 3rd and the U14 team came 1st.

RMS also took part in the I.S.G.A competition, in which everyone did amazingly well, with the U15 team winning overall and the Over 13 team coming 5th.

Overall, it was a very successful weekend for the RMS gym team. Also this term, we had Milano Nationals, which lasted over 2 days up in Stoke-On-Trent.

Each of the teams competed extremely well, with the U19 team coming 6th overall. Overall, this has been a very successful term for the RMS gym team and everyone should be very happy with all of their achievements.

SWIMMING SEASON ROUND UP This year the RMS Swimming Team has pulled out all the stops and achieved far and beyond. At the start of the year, we had the first round of the league, with the RMS Junior and Intermediate teams winning the first round, each with 42 points ahead of second place (Berkhamsted) by 9 points. On the 14th October the junior team: Issie, Emily, Laura, Lilly and Diya and the Team of intermediates: Mirabelle, Georgina, Maddie, Steph and Ellie went to the English National Schools Swimming Qualifiers (ESSA) in Watford. The junior team swam amazingly and qualified for the National Finals for the medley relay placing 7th. The intermediate team qualified for both relays (medley and freestyle) placing 1st in the medley relay and 2nd in the freestyle relay, making them 7th in the country for the freestyle relay going toward Nationals.

The London Aquatics Centre has always been visited at least once a year by the RMS girls for the ESSA National Finals. The 18th November came very shortly after the second round of the league and all of us were very well prepared. All the girls swam to their best ability, some making new Long Course PBs. The junior team came in at 22nd overall for medley relay making them 22nd in England. The intermediate team came 8th in the freestyle relay and 10th in the medley relay. Making them 10th/8th best in England. The last round of the league came and the girls pushed themselves to the extreme as all the points reset for the final round. RMS girls don’t like to lose and so the intermediates won with 53 points beating their rivals Berkhamsted and St Albans High by 17 points. The juniors did their best and came 4th overall which is an amazing result.

Towards the end of the season our final gala was against Wycombe Abbey School and unsurprisingly, all teams won making the Intermediates undefeated throughout the whole season. The girls have done beyond amazing this season from National Finals to the District league and I can’t thank you enough for having such a supportive team that has so much enthusiasm for swimming and always wanting to do well. Miss Boddey, thank you for getting us to National Finals and for all the training you have given up your lunch times for to help improve our skills and team work.

We could not have done it without you!

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION HOCKEY REPORTS YEAR 9 This season has been great for the Year 9 hockey team winning all of our matches, one of them 11-0, on our way to becoming District Champions. We went through to the County Cup Semi Final against Dame Alice Owen’s. It was the best team performance we have played all season. holding them at 1-0 down for the whole game, we unfortunately let in 2 goals very near the end losing 2-1. everyone played at a great standard and tried their hardest.

Well done everyone for an excellent season.

Can’t wait for next year!

YEAR 10

SENIORS

After hockey trials in September, it was pleasing to see that the Year 10 hockey team not only involved girls that had been in the team previously, but also gained a lot of new members. We were all keen to start working towards a great hockey season. Our first match was a success against Aldenham, and this winning streak continued for the entire term as we worked hard in training. Focusing particularly on tackling, deflections and ball control, we noticed ourselves beginning to play at a much higher level of hockey as the term went on.

After the Christmas holidays, we were all a bit rusty having not played together as a team in weeks. We began preparing for a match against Queenswood, a very tough opponent. Knowing we would really have to play our best to win, Mrs Booth gave us an incentive in the form of a team McDonald’s if we won. It’s amazing how much food can motivate us, as we played an amazing game of hockey winning 3-1. This was definitely the highlight of the season and saw us through to the County Cup Semi Finals. Despite not winning the tournament, we still all played really well and are now looking forward to another year of hockey!

Miranda & Charlotte - Year 10

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The senior hockey team this year have excelled in all matches and have been very successful in most. We ended by winning our last match 9-0 which was a brilliant end to an amazing season.

All girls have worked hard this year to balance their work load while maintaining committed to the team. Despite some matches being unfortunately cancelled this year, by the other team, we still got to play many which we all enjoyed. We had tough matches against schools such as Queenswood however we stayed resilient and strong as a team and didn’t give up, playing our best till the end. We would like to thank Mrs Booth for all the support and patience this year.

Jessica and Nikki

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TENNIS REPORT The RMS tennis team has put in a lot of hard work this season with many matches won, also qualifying to many finals.

The Year 7 team tennis girls won all of their matches in their pool and moved through to the quarter finals. They won their quarter final against Beaumont and have now moved through to the semi-finals and finals day on July 5th at Queenswood. The pairs of Aneka and Elsie won the Year 7 Hertfordshire Schools Tennis tournament. The District team won against Croxley Danes 18 games to 12 and tied against St Clement Danes 18 games to 18. Furthermore they also won their match against Rickmansworth 16 games to 8 and NLCS 6 games to 5.

Year 8s have won many matches this season and came 2nd in the District. Well done to them all!

The Year 9 District team won 2 of their matches and Team Tennis won both of their qualifying matches meaning they are now through to the Semi-finals.

Good luck to the girls and hopefully they will advance through the finals. A great team effort by all players!

The Year 10 team has done very well this season. The District Team qualified to the finals and came 3rd overall only losing 2 matches. Team Tennis played very well but just missed out on finals.

Well done to all tennis girls, particularly to the Year 7s and 8s who went through to the Team Tennis final.

Maddie

SPORTS DAY REPORT Sports Day was on 30th June, where every girl, House and Year group performed to their best abilities.

In Year 7, Atholl Sussex came out on top with 151 points. The Victrix Ludorum winner was Anya from Atholl Sussex. Unusual sports winner was Sophie for Scarborough and Hayleigh was the rower winner for Moira.

In Year 8, Scarborough won with 144 points.

The Victrix Ludorum was awarded to Carys from Scarborough. Unusual sports winner was Lirit for Cumberland and the best rower went to Isabella from Moira.

In Year 9, Scarborough came out on top with 148 points. Victrix Ludorum winner was Freya, breaking a record for Javelin for Scarborough.

The trampoline winner was Charlotte for Cumberland and the Volleyball award goes to Molly from Atholl Sussex.

In Year 10, by a long way, Atholl Sussex won with 156 points. The Victrix Ludorum winner was Mia from Atholl Sussex. The winner of trampoline award is Emma from Moira and the volleyball award goes to Ellie from Scarborough.

Overall, it was a day of ice-cream, hot weather and lots of athletics. The overall results were: 4th place: Cumberland with 472.5 points 3rd place: Moira with 516 points 2nd place: Atholl Sussex with 543.5 points 1st place: Scarborough with 559 points Well done to all the girls for participating and trying their hardest.

Big thank you to the PE Department and all the staff who helped.

Georgina

The fastest relay team of the day went to Year 9 Scarborough team so very well done to them.

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PRIZE WINNERS OCTOBER 2017 GCSE Certificates Elizabeth Abbott, Aaliya Abdur-Rahman, Abie Alexander-Ikwue, Keila Anderson, Sofia Arnaldi, Jessica Astbury, Rebecca Bartholomew, Hannah Bayes, Rachel Bennett, Alice Bishop, Alexandra Bond, Katie Bruce, Emily Burke, Olivia Burrows, Maria Charles, Eashani Chauhan, Bo Kiu, Natalie Chu, Georgia Chu-Glen, Ashley Clarke, Lucy Clarke, Sophie Clayman, Molly Coates, Beth Cook, Megan Davies, Ella Dichlian, Juliette Dormoy, Priyanka Dubb, Araminta Evans, Celine Eymery, Grace Fahy, Hoi Ting, Heidi Fan, Grace Foster, Beatrice Fyles, Emma Gratte, Hannah Harrington, Abigail Hickox, Emily Hogan, Ella Hooles, Ellie Hunt, Yi Wen Jin, Kareena Jivan, Nia Jivan, Caitlin Jones, Rhiannon Jones, Uliana Kartseva, Constance Keating, Elana Keiles, Sabrina Khan, Amanpreet Kular, Emma La-Plain, Arianne Lazarus-Noel, Cheryl Liu, Elena Lizzi, Olivia Long, Sophie Lucas, Pepper MacPherson, Florence MacSwiney, Amelia Markham, Nicole Marshall, Amelia Matthews, Erin McMoneagle, Ollie Megainey, Melanie Metcalf, Lucy Michaels, Christina Moriarty, Talia Morton-Kemsley, Lara Myers, Lucy Mynard, Camilla Newton, Regan Newton, Zara Nimmo, Mia Odell, Ellie Pennington, Natasha Perry, Florence Quinlan, Summer Reed, Julia Reid, Rosie Ridler, Olivia Robins, Ellie Roston, Virali Shah, Lok Tung, Minnie Sham, Isabel Sheaf, Emilia Sheffield, India Sheridan, Amelia Small, Kirsten Sowunmi, Pascale Spanswick, Amelia-Jade Stedman, Kirsty Stewart, Charli Stonefield, Bronte Tallentire, Jiayan, Anny Tang, Katherine Thirkettle, Poppy Tunstall, Uma Verghese, Lucie Wass, Isabelle West, Cassie Williams, Safia Williamson, Faye Wilson, Angela Wise, Rebecca Wood, Wing Yee, Winnie Yip, Zihui, Julia Zhuge GCSE PRIZES Aaliya Abdur-Rahman, Rebecca Bartholomew, Emily Burke, Beth Cook, Hoi Ting, Heidi Fan, Beatrice Fyles, Abigail Hickox, Elana Keiles, Emilia Sheffield Governors’ Prizes for Personal Achievement at GCSE Jessica Astbury, Constance Keating, Bronte Tallentire, Bo Kiu, Natalie Chu, Olivia Long, Jiayan, Anny Tang, Ashley Clarke, Natasha Perry Outstanding Attainment at GCSE Elizabeth Abbott, Emma La-Plain, India Sheridan, Rachel Bennett, Pepper MacPherson, Charli Stonefield, Ella Hooles, Florence MacSwiney, Katherine Thirkettle, Caitlin Jones, Regan Newton, Rebecca Wood, Sabrina Khan #ThisRMSGirlCan

Year 10 Attainment Prizes Georgina Browning, Anna Gould, Emily Saunders, Jennifer Ferguson, Emmeline Hodsden, Yu Tong, Emma Wei, Megan Giandinoto, Megan Jenkins, Viktoria Wiggins, Annabel Gorton, Isha Sadana, Hao Fei, Nicole Yeung Year 10 Progress in Term Prize Tallulah Baker, Rosa Mountstevens, Rachel Roger-Lund, Sienna Hall, Heleen Oostervink, Anastasia Swan, Nada Hussein Mansour, Elena Izquierdo-Hall, Chloe O’Sullivan, Eesha Parikh, Abigail Williams, Meiqi, Iris Yin, Olivia McGuire

GCSE Prize for French Rachel Bennett GCSE Prize for German Angela Wise Sixth Form Prize for Spanish Mae Boehler GCSE Prize for Spanish Emily Burke Sixth Form Prize for Latin Carla Tilsiter

Sixth Form Prize for English Literature Grace Stewart-Ricketts

GCSE Prize for Latin Elizabeth Abbott

GCSE Prize for English Literature Natasha Perry

Sixth Form Prize for Classical Civilisation Lauren Croucher

Sixth Form Prize for English Language Lauren Fraser & Georgina Norman

Sixth Form Prize for Mathematics & Further Mathematics Chineme Okoli

GCSE Prize for English Language Emily Burke Matt Cup for Achievement in Debate Emily Fell & Myrtle-Cleona Priddy The OMGA Sixth Form Prize for Geography Caitlin Finnan GCSE Prize for Geography Ella Hooles

Sixth Form Prize for Mathematics Elizabeth Jack GCSE Prize for Progress in Mathematics Jiayan, Anny Tang GCSE Prize for Mathematics Wing Yee, Winnie Yip Sixth Form Prize for Biology Bryony Lovegrove & Mia Robertson

The Rothband Sixth Form Prize for Religious Studies Isabella Attey

Sixth Form Prize for Chemistry Charlotte Gill

GCSE Prize for Religious Studies Elana Keiles

Sixth Form Prize for Physics Chineme Okoli

The Dennis Machin Sixth Form Prize for History Caitlin Finnan

The Ogden Physics Prize Yu Tong, Emma Wei

The Dennis Machin Sixth Form History Essay Prize Miriam Bonney

GCSE Prize for Science Elizabeth Abbott Sixth Form Prize for Economics Mae Boehler

GCSE Prize for History Emily Burke GCSE Prize for Mandarin Ellie Roston GNVQ Prize for Mandarin Mae Boehler Sixth Form Prize for French Amber Baksh de la Iglesia MACHIO

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Sixth Form Prize for Government and Politics Carla Tilsiter Sixth Form Prize for Psychology Mia Robertson Sixth Form Prize for Sociology Bethany Vos

MACHIO 201718 Sixth Form Prize for Design & Technology Harriet Askew

GCSE Prize for Child Development Wing Yee, Winnie Yip

The McGregor Cup for Service to the Sixth Form Amber Baksh de la Iglesia

GCSE Prize for Design & Technology Bo Kiu, Natalie Chu

GCSE Prize for Food and Nutrition Safia Williamson

The Perfect Ashlar Prize Elizabeth Abbott

The Charlotte Moore Prize for Computer Science in the Sixth Form Charlotte Bridgett

Prize for School Drill Mia Robertson

The Sixth Form Perfect Ashlar Prize Sabrina Puri & Mia Robertson

Army Cadet Force Cadet Lucy Clarke

The Judge John Edwards Prize for Outstanding Achievement Caitlin Finnan

The Catherine Moore Prize for Computer Science at GCSE Bronte Tallentire Sixth Form Prize for Art Talya Soames GCSE Prize for Art Ashley Clarke Hilda Bailey Prize for Textiles in the Sixth Form Layla Chauhan GCSE Prize for Textiles Grace Foster Sixth Form Prize for Photography Rhiannon Cliffe Chorister of the Year Sabrina Puri The Strachan Trophy for Contribution to Music Layla Chauhan & Madison Harris GCSE Prize for Music Emma Gratte The Joanna Moss Prize for Musical Composition Charli Stonefield The Chapel Choir Cup Araminta Evans & Emma Gratte Mrs Whitbread’s Prize for Commitment to Choirs Aurelia Gross Sixth Form Prize for Music Simran Sapat The School Prize for Contribution to Performing Arts Elana Keiles GCSE Prize for Performing Arts Emma La-Plain The Claire A Cooper Cup for Technical Theatre Chloe Chancheong Sixth Form Prize for Performing Arts Turaya Morton-Kemsley

Sixth Form Prize for Physical Education Nikki Greaves GCSE Prize for Physical Education India Sheridan Silver Fern Award for Outstanding Netball Megan Elworthy Sixth Form Prize for Business Studies Georgia Dover GCSE Prize for Business Rachel Bennett The Young Enterprise Business Award Anna Baker & Jessica Faulkner Prize for Contribution to Boarding Myrtle-Cleona Priddy V.I.O.L.A Prize (‘Values in our lives always’) Layla Chauhan Prize for Courtesy, Dignity and Kindness Aaliya Abdur-Rahman, Emma Gratte, Rosie Narden, Heather Addison, Aurelia Gross, Sonu Pun, Miriam Bonney, Ciara Lathrope, Olivia Robins, Alexandra Browning, Wing Tung, Sharon Leung, Freya Setton, Charlotte Butcher, Jasmine Lobo, Estelle Thomas, Rhiannon Cliffe, Kitty McCarthy, Alexandra Whitehead, Deniz Erkan

The Vocational Medal for Health & Social Care Katherine Reid Silver Medal Carla Tilsiter Kenyon Gold Medal Elizabeth Jack Gold Medal Mae Boehler Prefect Leadership Team 2017/18 Deputy Head Girl – Logistics: Alexandra Browning Deputy Head Girl – Boarding: Myrtle-Cleona Priddy Deputy Head Girls – Charities: Caitlin Finnan & Elizabeth Whittaker Deputy Head Girls – PR: Emily Fell & Turaya Morton-Kemsley Deputy Head Girl – School Council: Sophie Mantio Deputy Head Girl – Pupil Welfare: Megan Elworthy Deputy Head Girl – Academic Support: Mae Boehler Head Girl: Amber Baksh de la Iglesia

Prize for Perseverance and Assiduity Sofia Arnaldi, Sareena Gurung, Talia Morton-Kemsley, Naomi Aron, Bethany Halbard, Daniella Nicolaou, Bilgenur Bezcioglu, Sophie Houghton, Sophie Oshry, Alice Bishop, Ellie Joseph, Jessica Rowe, Katherine Boxall, Tamzin Kraftman, Katherine Sowerby, Ashley Clarke, Amanpreet Kular, Sophie Stewart, Megan Elworthy, Jessica Lockwell, Isabelle West, Araminta Evans, Christina Moriarty The Chadwick Prize for Community Spirit Isabella Hallett MACHIO

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PRIZE WINNERS JUNE 2018 PRIZE FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE FORM Year 7 Darcey Janackovic Anya Morzaria Zahava Owolana Maya Sidhu Cosima Wiltshire Year 8 Lexie Crabtree Josephine Fyles Tara Sadleir Dulcie Smith Year 9 Shaan Birk Stephanie Bryer Heidi Trumper Ruby Williams Madeleine Winder

Berry Partridge Anisha Shreesh Hattie Simpson Maisie Tizzard Abigail Valentine Olivia Warner

SPECIAL PRIZES Courtesy, Dignity and Kindness Imogen Bradley Helena Burns Anna Duan Eloise Garth Sophia Griffiths Maaria Hashmi Libby Hayward Lottie Jenkins Issie Johnson Sam Kitton Jessica Levy Porsha Manjania Nia Mercurius-Johnson Aaliya Nadeem Rhiannon Phillips Ellie Powell Emma Roger-Lund Frankie Saffer Dulcie Smith Livy Spencer Sienna Tallentire Suhani Thobhani

The Tom Weise Prize for Drawing Zhang Meng Yuan (Jenny)

Perseverance and Assiduity Niamh Barber Hannah Blokhuis Charlotte Clarke Lilly Dempsey Montana Geminder Rachel Kay Evie Keating Anusha Khan Diya Liyanwela Imogen Lotz Isabella Massey Amy McGuire Neve Mortimore Cara O’Toole Caitlin Parkinson #ThisRMSGirlCan

Business & Communication - Attainment Year 9 Eva Opoku Business & Communication - Progress Year 9 Molly Gallagher

SUBJECT PRIZES CREATIVE ARTS Art & Textiles - Attainment Year 7 Remi Parmar Year 8 Jana Ivezic Year 9 Zoe Cronin Art & Textiles - Progress Year 7 Rhian Francis Year 8 Wai Chi Ki (Michele) Year 9 Taisha Sharma

The Daniels Prize for Effort and Perseverance in Creative Arts Rachel Kay TECHNOLOGY Design Technology - Attainment Year 7 Imogen Bradley Year 8 Aleena Rizvi Year 9 Holly Townshend Design Technology - Progress Year 7 Emily Harper Year 8 Tiya Purohit Year 9 Madeleine Salkeld Food & Nutrition - Attainment Year 7 Molly O’Boyle Year 8 Isabella Janssen Year 9 Lauren Cliffe Food & Nutrition- Progress Year 7 Georgina Powell Year 8 Mia Viscito Year 9 Beatrice Vane Computing - Attainment Year 7 Elsie Roche Year 8 Diya Patel Year 9 Olivia Wheatley Computing - Progress Year 7 Wang Shi (Angel) Year 8 Purva Pusalkar Year 9 Paizlei Kerr

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LANGUAGES French - Attainment Year 7 Alexa Wolff Year 8 Diya Patel Year 9 Francesca Wolff French - Progress Year 7 Supipi Bopitiya Year 8 Amelie Kalms Year 9 Claudia Draper Spanish - Attainment Year 7 Angelina Paz-King Year 8 Aleena Rizvi Year 9 Isabel Mendes Rodrigues Spanish - Progress Year 7 Chloe Moran Year 8 Tia Patel Year 9 Sabrina Ibrahim Latin - Attainment Year 7 Imogen Bradley Year 8 Zara Khan Year 9 Polly Berryman Latin - Progress Year 7 Tiggy Temple Year 8 Maddie Foroughi Year 9 Anisha Shreesh Second Language Prize at KS3 - German Marie Sanseau Second Language Prize at KS3 - Chinese Jessica Harvey Second Language Prize at KS3 - Spanish Paris Cale MATHEMATICS Attainment Year 7 Alexa Wolff Year 8 Xu Xiao Qi (Rachael) Year 9 Maria Cowle Progress Year 7 Brooke Rowland Year 8 Ava Connors Year 9 Lucy Newton

MACHIO 201718 SCIENCE Attainment Year 7 Laura Ferguson Year 8 Zara Khan Year 9 Anna Sophia Montesdeoca Roy

Progress Year 7 Sara De Sales Fardad Year 8 Ashni Jani Year 9 Alina Kamal PERFORMING ARTS The Young Trophy for Perseverance in Music Anna Sophia Montesdeoca Roy

Progress Year 7 Ava Mangan Year 8 Skye Shields The Lesley Reading Prize for Progress in Science in Year 9 Phoebe Eggs The Marie Curie Prize for Practical Science in Year 9 Francesca Wolff

The MOMA Prize for Progress in Music Kitty Redman The Matthews Prize for Dance Katie La-Plain Prize for Dance Katie Axford

ENGLISH Attainment Year 7 Jessica Levy Year 8 Isabella Greenaway Year 9 Anna Sophia Montesdeoca Roy

Prize for Drama - Attainment Benedicta Sodeinde

Progress Year 7 Lily Robb Year 8 Lara Batchelor Year 9 Grace Heskin

The OMGA Chorister Prize Francesca Wolff

The Sidney Ellis Prize for Creative Writing Isabella Greenaway HISTORY Attainment Year 7 Sofiya Ovsiyenko Year 8 Diya Patel Year 9 Lottie Jenkins Progress Year 7 Sophia Hall Year 8 Ella Pryce Year 9 Devi Vekaria GEOGRAPHY Attainment Year 7 Alexa Wolff Year 8 Man Cheng-Si (Sarah) Year 9 Rebicca Rai Progress Year 7 Sophie Iggulden Year 8 Diya Chotai Year 9 Adam Rose RELIGIOUS STUDIES Attainment Year 7 Hattie Simpson Year 8 Zara Khan Year 9 Abigail Valentine MACHIO

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Prize for Drama - Progress Amaani Mehmud

Mrs Whitbread’s Prize for the Most Enthusiastic Chorister Harriet Evans The Henry Nelken Prize for Contribution to the Performing Arts Zuhah Jaffri PHYSICAL EDUCATION Attainment Year 7 Aneka Patel Year 8 Emily Roycroft Year 9 Betsy Godfrey Progress Year 7 Zoe Hargrove Year 8 Livvy Rowan Year 9 Baillie Newton The Amy Grubb Prize for Excellence in Sport Freya Witheat Contribution to Boarding Anisha Shreesh The Peters Prize for Enthusiasm Mimi Lau-Webb The Old Masonians Prize for a Young Driller Polly Berryman The V.I.O.L.A Prize (Values In Our Lives Always) Daisy Smales

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RELIGIOUS STUDIES YEAR 7 TRIP TO BHAKTIVEDANTA MANOR In May 2018 the RS Department and all of Year 7 visited Bhaktivedanta Manor (Hindu temple and UK Headquarters of the Hare Krishna Movement) in Aldenham.

On arrival, we had a very warm welcome from members of the community, some of whom live on site. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for exploring the Bhagavad Gita walk, which lead around the beautiful gardens and provided short passages from the Bhagavad Gita for us to think about. We also visited the George Harrison Garden, created as a memorial to George Harrison (of ‘Beatles’ fame) who provided much financial support to the Hare Krishna Movement in the UK and found personal solace in its teachings.

We enjoyed a bumpy cart ride, pulled by one of the cows kept on the farm. We saw butter being made from the cows’ milk and fed some of the cows in the barn. It was great to see how the Hindu conviction of cow protection is lived out.

After enjoying so much of the grounds, we made our way into the manor itself. We removed our shoes and tried hard to remember where we’d left them! We went into a very ornately decorated room which had been the work area of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the temple. Here, we had a talk about Hindu life and were introduced to a variety of Hindu artefacts.

Six volunteers dressed up as the Trimurti and their wives which was great fun! Later, everyone got to try on a sari and several of our party became quite skilled at pleating.

We were invited to join the community for arti (worship) in the temple room. There were lots of visitors who had come from all over the country to see the temple and to worship here. It was a great privilege to spend time with the community and to see how they worship. The was a wonderful atmosphere - joyful and reflective at the same time. As it was a hot day, the murti were fanned with peacock feathers before the curtains were drawn.

Our party stayed in the temple room where a fantastic lunch was served. All the students sat in rows on the floor and enjoyed many treats including paneer curry, rice and puri.

Before it was time to return to School, many students had their hands or faces painted with traditional patterns.

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YEAR 10 HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY EVENT In January 2018 the Year 10 RS students attended a Holocaust Memorial Day event at Northwood United Synagogue.

We spent time in workshops, discussing what the Holocaust was, who was affected by it and how life for Jews, and other targeted groups, became progressively restricted under Nazi rule. We spent time considering what it means to be a perpetrator, bystander and victim. This raised important questions about the responsibilities we have in the world today, particularly as bystanders. A reading of Martin Niemöller’s poem ‘First they came…’ helped us to reflect on this.

We were extremely privileged to listen to Mala Tribich, a Holocaust survivor, talk about her experiences. She had been born in Poland and spent time in Ravensbrück and BergenBelsen concentration camps. There was opportunity to ask questions before participating in a short act of remembrance for all who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

It was a powerful morning, provoking questions about prejudice and discrimination and it left us with many things to reflect upon and strive for in our own lives.

YEAR 13 CONFERENCE AT ST. HELEN’S SCHOOL In December, St Helen’s School held a conference for the OCR A Level Religious Studies course. This began with a useful talk

by Libby Ahluwali, who gave us a number of handy tips on how to go about the course, including a good way to structure essays. Another fascinating speaker, Daphne Hampson, whose views on gender and theology are included in our textbook, followed this. As such, it was extremely exciting and interesting to hear what she had to say, and we all very much appreciated the opportunity to speak with her afterwards.

The day was then concluded with two breakout sessions, which were given in a more informal style. The first I attended was on Sexual Ethics, which is the next topic we will be studying. This was extremely interesting, causing us all to really question what we deem to be immoral. The second breakout session was a useful revision session of a topic we studied last year, Religious Experiences.

As such, we all left feeling pleased at having had a useful and fascinating day, which has given us much excitement for the rest of the course.

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RMS EXAM RESULTS  2018 ANOTHER YEAR OF OUTSTANDING RESULTS The dedication and hard work of RMS A Level and GCSE pupils and teachers has paid off with an amazing set of results which were well above the national average. The students were delighted with their success and are now looking forward to continuing on with their studies at the next levels.

Well done to the students for their achievements!

GCSE 2018

RMS

National Average

A*/A/9-7

60%

21%

A*/A/B/9-6

79%

35%

A LEVEL 2018

RMS

National Average

A*/A

49%

26%

A*/A/B

75%

53%

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RUSPINI HOUSE

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IT’S ALL CHANGE AT RUSPINI In June we said a sad farewell to Mrs Finkel - we wish her lots of happiness in her new role - and we welcomed our new Head of Ruspini House, Mrs Greig (right).

UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD  PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES: Through celebrating a variety of different cultural and religious festivals, Ruspini children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others; among families, communities and traditions. We are delighted that our parents, relatives and staff come into Ruspini to share their customs, special foods and ways of celebrating with us all.

HANUKA

HARVEST FESTIVAL

NATIVITY

DIVALI

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RUSPINI SCIENCE WEEK

WORLD BOOK DAY

EASTER SING ALONG

The children all looked fantastic in their World Book Day outďŹ ts. They all enjoyed dressing up for the day as their favourite characters!

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Lots of Easter bonnets were on show at our Easter Sing Along!

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UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD  THE WORLD: We are so lucky at Ruspini to have the amazing RMS school facilities, grounds and Forest School to enhance and expand our children’s learning experiences. Children are able to observe similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things, through participating in experiments in the Science Block, visiting the Planetarium and on nature walks around the grounds.

This enables the children to talk about the features of their immediate environments and comment on how environments vary. It also encourages observations of animals, plants and the explanation of why something happens or changes. The children in Red Class completed posters at home with their parents to demonstrate what they had learned from our Environmental theme.

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SCIENCE STEAM CLUB STEAM Club was born in September 2017 as a follow-up of our STEAM Focus Day in 2016 and our STEAM lecture series in 2016-17.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, but we believe strongly that there would be no "STEM" without the Arts - hence our decision to go for "STEAM".

The aim is to introduce students to various STEAM topics and inspire them to seek a STEAM related career.

The club uses the expertise of staff members from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, DT, Art and Mathematics and the club members enjoyed making their own fidget spinners, growing crystals, building geodesic domes, making slime and learning about the unusual properties of non-Newtonian liquids just to mention a few projects.

Here are some comments from the students themselves: It was really fun when we tried to walk on custard even though we only had about two trays full. Mimi My favourite activity we have done so far in STEAM is when we wrapped bicarbonate of soda in a tissue and put it in a sandwich bag and added vinegar and warm water and then it exploded. It was very cool but one of the bags exploded in my hand and it exploded all over me and made me smell like vinegar which wasn’t very nice. I also enjoyed it when we did paint pouring. We poured paints and then swirled it around on a foam board and it made a very beautiful marble design. STEAM is my favourite club that I go to because every week we do something different and we always do really fun projects and experiments. Hattie Follow us on Twitter at #RMSBiology #RMSDT #RMSArt #RMSMaths

CREST CLUB Once again this year, lots of our young scientists are busy during Tuesday lunchtimes, working towards their Crest Bronze and Silver Awards.

The projects this year include growing cress seeds in a variety of environments, studying fingerprints on different surfaces, working out if cheques have been tampered with using chromatography, and investigating antibiotic resistance. #ThisRMSGirlCan

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BIG BANG FAIR The Science and Mathematics Departments organised an amazing day at the forefront of STEM at The Big Bang Fair in Birmingham for Year 10 students. Here pupils had access to a huge variety of activities and displays aimed at inspiring the next generation of scientists and mathematicians to achieve the very best they can. A voyage of discovery of virtual reality, medicine, marine biology, film and TV, space exploration, explosive chemistry, crime-solving, robots, computer coding, microscopic bugs, giant trucks and more. The Fair gave young people the chance to hear from inspiring engineers and scientists from some of the UK’s biggest companies and find out about the opportunities available in science and mathematics. This event also complemented the GCSE Science and GCSE Mathematics courses and here are some quotes from the pupils about their experience: I really enjoyed watching the ‘Dangerous Equations’ talk by Marty Jopson. It was fun to see how dangerous experiments could be completely safe if accurate thought and science was done before hand. The fire, martial arts and more all came together to make a very exciting show to watch! I also loved going round all the stalls and trying out the activities they had to offer. One of my favourites was the virtual reality by the RAF who showed what it is like to fly in a plane with the Red Arrows.

Elizabeth The Big Bang Fair was an enjoyable day away from the classroom, to learn different things to do with Science and Maths. I really enjoyed how interactive it was and how we got free pens, key rings, badges, stickers and wristbands - you could even win a water bottle for completing three challenges. My favourite stand was the National Theatre because I enjoy Performing Arts and am doing Production. It was interesting to see how science and engineering was used in the National Theatre and theatre in general.

Sami Our Year 10 Science trip to the Big Bang Fair 2018 was one of my favourite trips of the year. It was my first time going to this event and I didn’t expect that science could actually be so fun! I had a great time with my friends and I loved how the whole place was filled with games, displays, shows and souvenirs! My favourite part would have to be experiencing being in a VR game, making slime and customised candy. It was lots of fun and I hope there’s a chance to visit it again next time!

Anna I enjoyed walking around the Big Bang Fair.

The best bit was going in the dome. It was a good day and I learnt loads of new facts.

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SCIENCE YEAR 8 VISIT TO WHIPSNADE ZOO As part of their Key Stage Three Science Curriculum the Year 8 students have been learning about food chains and food webs in their Science lessons. While at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, they attended a classroom session about Ecosystems and Food Webs. First they were asked to act out a food chain constructed around animals from England. They then took part in an interactive iPad session, where they were challenged to complete a food web based on the ecosystem of the Gir Forest in India.

The girls were thoroughly challenged and enjoyed the activity, and the School Coordinator from the zoo commented on how impressed she was with their attitude and ability.

Whilst at the zoo, the girls also had a chance to take photographs, and these were then judged by the Science Department and the Year 8 Tutor Team. Well done to the winners and to everyone who took part.

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RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORIES TRIP The A Level Physics students were all looking forward to their trip to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories by the time it finally happened, especially Year 13 as the trip had been cancelled the year before. After battling both the M25 and the M40 in rush hour we made it to Didcot and the labs.

We began with a series of short lectures on particle accelerators and their uses in the wider world outside of their obvious applications in research. The lectures consolidated our A Level knowledge, whilst also showing all of us the sheer range of opportunities that a career in Physics holds.

We then moved on to an interactive activity to find the Higgs Boson particle. This turned out to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. From this we learnt just how much data the detectors and research stations on the LHC in CERN process. we were all shocked at the amount of results that scientists have to thoroughly go through each day.

The last stop on our visit was the diamond laboratories accelerator where we had the chance to talk to the actual scientist who worked with the device.

We were able to walk on top of the accelerator, showing all of us the size of these machines, whilst talking to the scientists about the range of experiments in which the x-rays it produced could help.

We would like to thank Mr Dacanalis for taking us, and Miss Black for helping to organise the trip. It left Year 12 looking forward to their forthcoming trip to CERN and Year 13 glad that they’ve all chosen degrees heavily based around Physics.

Beth

BIOLOGY WEEK Biology Week showcased the important and amazing world of biosciences, getting everyone from children to professional biologists involved in fun and interesting life science activities.

Here are some photos of the activities undertaken at RMS.

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SIXTH FORM YEAR 12 LEAD EMPLOYABILITY COURSE LEAD is a course which is run after school for all Year 12 students, its purpose being to prepare us for university and post graduate life. Speakers are invited to RMS every other week to talk about specific and specialised skills which will be vital to our careers whichever path we choose to take.

A few of our sessions have included, CV writing, preparing for the interview process, and presentation skills. A couple of the tips I have picked up within these sessions are: a technique which has helped me to improve my thinking on the spot, and something as simple as remembering to smile during a presentation, which really impacts and reflects on your image.

Some of these skills are in the process of being put to the test because we have been set a £1 Challenge and our groups will present these to Mr. Carson at the beginning of next term. Overall, this course has really improved my confidence to lead and has prepared me as I take some of the essential steps towards my future career.

Eashani - Year 12

WINGS OF HOPE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (WOHAA) 2018 Wings of Hope is a charity whose aim is to broaden access to free education across the world - ‘to empower through education’ is its mission statement. Their particular countries of focus are Malawi and India where they sponsor schools for local communities. Each year they run a fundraising competition which includes schools across the U.K. from all sectors, as well as the International School of Geneva. In the 15 years since it has been running, this competition has involved over 460 schools and over 36,000 students.

This year we had two RMS teams who put themselves forward to participate in the competition. Both the teams - Dreamcatchers (Emily and Rachel) and ICUBS care (Katie, Eashani, Curtisand Deniz) got through semi-final presentations to reach the awards ceremony in London on Thursday, 28th June, and we were delighted to see both teams come away with well-deserved awards. Dreamcatchers were runners up in the ‘Wings of Hope Awareness’ category and ICUBS Care were runners-up in the ‘Award for Excellence in Arts’ category. We are all incredibly proud of the girls, though credit belongs solely to them, as they needed minimal support from staff members and ran their projects entirely independently alongside all the other commitments these girls have both in and out of school.

Here is what the girls had to say: “We are proud to say that we have learnt a lot throughout our WOHAA experience, from how to organise and carry out events effectively and efficiently to persevering when faced with challenges along the way.

We feel that these two skills are vital for our future careers and lives. We also gained a tremendous amount of experience in charity work by participating in this award, which has actually sparked a great passion within us for implementing education resources around the world. All in all, participating in WOHAA has been a thoroughly enjoyable yet humbling experience which we are very grateful to have been a part of.”

Team Dreamcatchers “Wings of Hope Achievement Award has been an incredible experience for our group: ICUBS Care.

Reflecting on our journey there were three aspects that really made it worthwhile. Primarily, raising money and awareness of the cause was our fundamental goal, which was to provide free education for impoverished children in India and Malawi. We have gained skills from it as well, such as time management, teamwork and leadership, which are essential to learn for the future. Finally, our friendship in the group has progressed in parallel to the project which has made this journey even more valuable and I would genuinely recommend this project as an enjoyable and rewarding experience.”

Team ICUBS Care

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LEADERSHIP DAY 2017 The annual RMS and John Hampden Grammar School Leadership Day is an unmissable opportunity for the student teams at both schools to develop a range of essential skills required as leaders, whilst learning to effectively communicate as a team. This year was no exception; the day was packed with a variety of activities, from problem solving in classrooms to covering the length of the school grounds orienteering, all targeted at honing in on such important skills. Activities had been carefully constructed in order to challenge and encourage us to think more specifically and pragmatically about the ways in which, as leaders, we can be most effective, whether this be within the prefect body or in the wider school community. Of significant importance throughout the day was the development of an aim for the upcoming academic year. Several ideas were considered on the girl’s side, however we decided on #ThisRMSgirlCan, an initiative concerned with the empowerment of individual interests and the ways in which RMS girls can be encouraged to challenge themselves, perhaps by trying something new. We will be looking to implement this into school life as quickly as possible through for example, the #ThisRMSgirlCan board, focused on celebrating the ways in which girls have personally challenged themselves. Although not the most important aspect of the day, the girls team came out triumphant against the boys, being awarded the trophy for our performance throughout the day. As a team, we must acknowledge and thank the efforts of Harry Kemsley and his team who organised such a valuable day, alongside the teachers who gave up their time to support us.

Emily - Year 13

EXAM AND UNIVERSITY SUCCESS 2018 Nearly 50% grades A/A* 86% in to one of their top choice of universities 24 unconditional offers 30 different types of subjects ranging from Stage make-up to International Business to Aeronautical engineering 34 different universities (Leeds and Exeter being most popular this year) All Med/Vet/Dent students take up their places Lizzie takes up her place to study Veterinary Science at Cambridge Nikki takes up an Apprenticeship with GSK

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SPORTING ADVENTURES RMS HORSE RIDING CLUB Ms Brooks

Sofia (Year 10), Irina (Year 6) Lexie, Lirit and Kiara (all Year 8) and Vicky (Year 10) have been attending horse riding lessons at Coltspring School of Riding this term.

Below is a letter to Ms Brooks from Vicky.

Thank you so much, Ms Brooks for organising this wonderful club. I really appreciate the opportunity to take riding lessons.

I still remember that I was a bit nervous when I first joined in the club as I hadn’t ridden a horse before. However, surprisingly, my skills have developed quickly over the past few weeks, and I have started to have more confidence. Ms Brooks and our coach are helping and caring for me a lot, including every tiny detail. So far, we have learnt cantering and stepping over some small jumps… It was fun!

OTHER RMS HORSERIDERS

Also, I think that I quickly developed skills by relying on a good relationship with my horse - Maya who is very calm but also energetic .

I hope in the future I can continue to develop my skills and have more fun!

Olivia in Year 3, Cadogan House, getting her pony Belle ready for gymkhana games. #ThisRMSGirlCan

Sofiya in Year 7 is mad about horses. The grey is “Doodle”, a dressage horse owned by a friend.

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Thank you again for Ms Brooks and RMS for providing this amazing opportunity to me!

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RMS ADVENTURE SPORTS CLUB

SCUBA DIVING

The Adventure Sports Club at RMS have enjoyed taking part in a huge variety of activities this year, and even managed to introduce a new Scuba Diving club. This was a huge success with over 100 RMS girls signing up and taking part in a Discover Scuba Dive, well done!

Our Ski and Snowboard club was ďŹ lled with enthusiastic and daring girls who challenged themselves every week on the slopes, some of whom became quite the experts by the end of the Michaelmas term. This was followed by an incredible visit to Colorado with the senior girls where we skied our way across the Rocky Mountains enjoying the incredible views and food!

The year ended on a slightly more relaxing note with sailing club, until we found ourselves in the water of course! All participants gained a new RYA level in their logbooks, and we ended on a high with a BBQ and paddle boarding in the sunshine. We look forward to seeing what a new year will bring.

SAILING

SKIING

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TEXTILES HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GCSE AND A LEVEL TEXTILES EXHIBITION SARAH

ELLIE

IRIS

TURAYA

OLEA

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CIARA

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MACHIO 201718 IZABELLA

LAYLA

BETHANY

FREYA

ANNA

FREYA

FREYA

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TRIPS YEAR 7 AND 8 TRIP TO FRANCE Early one fresh April morning we boarded a coach at RMS, bound for sunny France! We were all excited for the week to come, full of fun activities and French language classes. The coach journey was split by the ferry crossing, timed perfectly for lunchtime as well as some post-meal shopping.

Back on dry ground, in France at last, we enjoyed yet more retail therapy at the Cité Europe hypermarket in Calais. Here, however, we were given a task - we had to find a set of French products as part of a scavenger hunt across the giant store. On our way to the hotel we stopped off at the Boulangerie Le Fournil where we were taught how to make delicious croissants - which literally means ‘growing’ in French, as the pastry expands in the oven! Once checked in at the hotel, we unpacked and headed down for dinner and a quiz on French culture.

The next morning after breakfast we took part in our first language lesson with Hannah, and immediately felt more confident with conversational French. The other main activity of the morning was exploring the town of Montreuil, following our trail booklet. That afternoon we went to a bee farm and learned all about bees and honey-making, getting to see the beehives up close on a walk around the gardens. After all these activities we had some free time in Le Touquet - some people bought ice creams or went souvenir-shopping, while others went to the beach! After our evening meal back at the hotel we went bowling at the Sunset Agora in Berck-sur-mer, which got very competitive!

Our first activity the next day was a trip to the Chocolaterie de Beussent-Lachelle, a chocolate factory. We saw the whole manufacturing process, from the raw cocoa beans and sugar through to moulded Easter bunnies. We also got some tasty samples as well as a chance to buy more at the end. On to Boulogne where we had lunch and did even more shopping, before making our way to a biscuit factory run by two brothers - again we were lucky enough to taste some of the finished products! That evening consisted of a crêpe party and another quiz about France.

After our final breakfast at the hotel, we headed to the Aquarium Nausicaá to take a look at the amazing fish and other sea life, swimming around their huge tanks! We ate our lunch by the sharks, glad that we were doing the eating at that particular moment!

After one final bit of shopping we boarded the ferry and said ‘au revoir’ to France as we headed back to freezing cold England!

Annie and Molly - Year 7

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HAVERGAL EXCHANGE 2018 In March and April 2018, Francesca, Millie and Roxy in Year 9 embarked on an international exchange with Havergal College in Toronto, Canada. RMS has had links with this school for the past thirty years and the girls were able to experience and contribute to life there in April having hosted their Canadian partners here in March.

So what made them apply for the programme and what have they gained from it?

Francesca: “I chose to go on this trip because I am interested in Canadian culture and I wanted a chance to practise my French, although we went to Toronto so there wasn’t much opportunity.”

Millie: “I wanted to go because it looked really interesting and fun!”

Roxy: “I applied for this trip as I am interested in the difference in our cultures and schooling systems, as well as the people. It’s no secret nor lie that the Canadians are lovely people. We all had an amazing time.”

The Canadian students spent two weeks here, living with us and going to school with us. We also took them on trips outside of school to show them the culture of England, for example, high tea and Windsor Castle. RMS also organised a school trip to Madame Tussauds, followed by a workshop with a British actor at Regent’s University, London.

We arrived at Pearson airport, Toronto, on the 7th of April. We were quite scared to be spending two weeks in an unfamiliar house in an unfamiliar country but everyone was lovely. The airline staff were all really kind and they made sure we were all right travelling on our own.

We went to school there and lived with our partners. The school was really fun and they did a lot of lessons we hadn’t done before. There were five exchange students from Scotland there at the same time as us and they were really nice and friendly We all went on really cool trips like going to the CN tower and Niagara Falls, seeing a Blue Jays baseball game, a Raptors basketball game, and going to a school ball!

However whilst those of you that stayed here in England enjoyed what has been predicted to be the hottest day this year in Britain, it was -5 degrees celsius and snowing in Toronto! Havergal College organised a trip to Casa Loma, one of Canada’s only castles, and it was only built last century! We found that quite strange, coming from a country that’s nearly a thousand years old compared to Canada’s 150 years.

We were really sad to go but it was good to be home. We were very tired and jet lagged afterwards but luckily we still had four days before we had to go back to school. We have all kept in touch with our exchange partners after having a wonderful time with them, and all intend to meet up with each other again.

We would definitely recommend this trip to any Year 8s thinking about it. We had an amazing time and learnt a lot from a Canadian school and about Canadian culture. We would definitely do it again if we had the chance as it was an incredible opportunity and experience.”

And here is what Elina, Francesca’s partner, had to say about the exchange: “The culture of RMS is very different from the culture of our school. There are lots of differences but also many similarities. Being in RMS really allowed me to experience the daily routines and the life in another school. What I really liked was that the teachers and students didn’t change what they were doing or alter their daily routines for me. I was just another student in the class, and I really liked it, since it allowed me to be a part of the class and participate actively in class. Overall, I think life in RMS definitely allowed me to enjoy and experience another school’s culture.”

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TRIPS YEARS 9 & 11 SPANISH TRIP TO ALICANTE We all know that the best way to improve our speaking ability in a foreign language is to spend time in that country, hearing it spoken all around us, so it was with great excitement that a group of Year 9 and Year 11 students set off for Alicante during the Easter holidays, ready to absorb as much Spanish language as possible - and of course, enjoy the food and culture too!

I can honestly say that this trip definitely rates as one of the best ever – and the teachers certainly kept us busy! Quite apart from the intensive language lessons, we managed to pack in some salsa dancing, a visit to the castle and local markets, some time on the beach, and Mr Piqueiras’s now renowned “Apprentice” task! And even when we weren’t in classes, we had plenty of opportunities to use our Spanish and have practical conversations; we all grew in confidence using the skills we had learnt and it was a great experience to be able to put into practice what we had learnt in the classroom in “real life” situations.

Obviously no RMS trip write up would be complete without the obligatory mention of FOOD - and in Alicante, we were more than spoiled; of course, the paella was top of everyone’ s list of favourites!

As always, we are very grateful to the staff who accompanied us on this trip – and we would definitely recommend this trip to anyone studying Spanish lower down the School!

Trip Participants

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ORCHESTRA AND CHOIR TOUR TO BERLIN Thirty girls and four members of staff headed to Berlin on a cultural music tour right before Christmas. Whilst it was a whistle-stop tour of three days, there was plenty packed in. The first day saw an incredibly moving and memorable trip to the Jewish museum. The first striking thing is the architecture. The building is built on stark diagonals and whilst walking through, seeing items donated by survivors of the holocaust the silence was palpable. The museum houses the Holocaust tower - a light and heat starved room where one can hear the noises of people and traffic outside but not see anything. The whole experience played on everyone’s minds as we progressed onto the rest of the day.

Walking past checkpoint Charlie, the Deutsche Dom and having eaten lunch at the Christmas market at Gendarmenplatz we made our way to the Komische Oper, one of Berlin’s three internationally renowned opera houses. The girls were treated to a backstage tour and a workshop on that night’s production, the award winning Magic Flute. That night the girls were enthralled by this production which relies on whole stage projections and is heavily influenced by silent movies.

The next day, we headed to the Berlin Instrument Museum and following that a rehearsal in the Osterkirche where that night we performed an atmospheric and candlelit concert of English Christmas music. The audience of English and German locals were very appreciative. The concert was followed by a visit to the Gedechtniche Kirche and Christmas Market.

The final day saw a quick trip to the huge Berlin aquarium before we all flew home ready for Christmas.

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TRIPS HARROW BANGKOK EXCHANGE You can read the unabridged blog at https://rmsforgirlsblog.wordpress.com/

Day 1 Leaving RMS at 11.00am, we boarded our trusty mini coach for the relatively short ride to Heathrow. Once there we met up with the John Lyon boys and staff, went through the usual formalities and emerged airside to await our aeroplane.

After school we left for the Crystal Grill at Baiyoke Tower. As night fell the Bangkok skyline became distinctive. The buffet is divided into regions from South-East Asia and international dishes - everyone was encouraged taste things they were curious about, and then go back if it was a success.

After dinner we went to the viewing platform which moves 360 degrees before making our way back down from the platform. Some decided they wanted to walk.. all 84 floors…

Day 2 On landing, tracksuits and sweatshirts were discarded in favour of shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. After a 3 hour drive we arrived at a sun-blasted port to catch a speedy boat to Ko Samet, located in part of Thailand’s National Park. Sky - azure; clouds - zero; humidity - err, a little soggy; seabreeze - most welcome.

Day 6 At school, the girls and boys had a cultural induction session where they were informed of how to behave in Thailand, and which Western norms were considered offensive. For instance, never walk anywhere in bare feet or show the soles of your feet because the feet are considered dirty.

At the hotel, it was a case of dump your bags, grab your costumes and let’s swim. We ate dinner sitting beside the sea, listening to the waves.

For a first Thai meal, I was most impressed by the variety of choices attempted, with anything from chicken noodle soup to Thai green curry appearing on the table.

We were guests of the Boarding Houses for dinner, and were shown the fantastic facilities. Unfortunately a massive cloud had burst and we were shown where the BBQ should have been - which was flooded. The menu was switched and we ate indoors, saving the BBQ for Friday evening.

Day 3 We left at 9.00am piling onto the boat and as usual the RMS girls were first into the masks and snorkels and into the sea.

Day 7 And the routine continues. Today I went into a History class to see Year 9 learning about WWI. The group was very focused and able to contribute to the class.

We island-hopped, snorkelled in the clear waters and bobbed about in the very salty sea. The girls were a very tight group, trying to elicit conversation from the boys and to include them in their activities. They are all slowly getting to know each other.

Our trip out tonight involved food and shopping at the Central Plaza.

Goodness can the girls shop! The comfort of the air-conditioned Mall with the outside was marked and when we left, in the dark, the air was humid and hot, hot, hot.

Day 4 The tide was high today, so we weren’t able to access the beach. As all good RMS girls do, they hit the pool and entertained the masses with Aqua-Drill, dutifully led by Charlotte. You can take the girl out of RMS but you can’t take RMS out of the girl…

So far we have been lucky with Bangkok traffic. I am told we have to take it in our stride because it is always ‘a nightmare’, ‘a relative nightmare’, or ‘a total nightmare’.

Day 8 I’ve purchased a road map of Thailand! I know, that sounds very English, but l do like to see where everything is in relation to Bangkok.

Our boat came for us at midday, followed by a long, long drive back to Bangkok. Once there we went to the food market which was doing a brisk trade in just about everything you could possibly wish to eat. It is strange - for the relative size of the numbers on the bank notes, the transfer into sterling is tiny…

As in all good schools, it is Fishy Friday together with chips for lunch! The girls are rather chuffed that in their textiles lesson, they managed to pass their skills on to the rest of the class by helping them to thread their machines.

School tomorrow - back to rooms, pack school bags, we leave at 7.00am!!!!

Day 5 At the school gates the pupils met their Thai buddies, and proceeded to registration. They received a talk from a CNN journalist about the dangers of fake news and how to recognise it.

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Tonight is a re-run of our attempt at a BBQ with the whole Boarding community.

Day 9 Another early start to get to the Ancient City, a replica of the ancient

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MACHIO 201718 Thai/Siamese/Burmese villages from the past. In one vista you can imagine the Royal Family in their boats, with another you will see a floating village, and in another you will see farms growing crops in the style of the period, interspersed with Buddha, fountains, temples and pavilions.

totally stuck in to whatever is going on with enthusiasm.

There was a session on Thai Culture in last week’s timetable, and the girls made some table decorations, and learned to speak some Thai phrases.

The girls and I had a little stroll to the shops. Thais eat out. Everywhere there are food stalls, water stalls, fruit stalls; everyone has something to sell. Shrines to Buddha appear in the most interesting places

The group rode bicycles around the villages, and we all joined together for a freshly cooked lunch at a floating restaurant.

In the evening we took a river cruise, eating a traditional Thai dinner with Thai dancing as entertainment. The river view was beautiful in the dark, with temples and hotels brightly lit.

Day 12 Today school went ahead as normal. For dinner we went to the River Tree Restaurant, taking a range of different types of transport including the Skytrain. Thailand is a very ordered society. There is none of the crushing onto the train like we have in London.

Day 10 This morning we drove to the Royal Palace along streets that reminded me of the Champs-Élysées - wide boulevards and big monuments in the middle of the junctions.

From the Skytrain we rode on the river bus, observing the whole riverscape in daylight and at sunset. Our next mode of transport TucTuc! These crazy vehicles seem to be the backbone of the taxi system in Thailand.

I find it so very difficult to put comparable dates on the architecture. If the signage provides a Thai date, I am totally lost. Suffice to say, in the 1400s, ordinary society in Thailand seemed very sophisticated compared with 1400s Europe.

We had a lovely meal in the River Tree, with lots of different dishes for us to try, providing very tasty food at which the spices and chili could be moderated!

We then went to MBK - the biggest fake designer mall I have ever seen.

We were told - even if they say it is real, it is fake. Early bartering skills came into play.

Day 13 This morning we travelled to Sampran Village to experience crafts such as weaving, learn about silk, do a bit of umbrella painting, make flower garlands, try out Thai Boxing, plant paddy and harvest and convert the rice, and try Thai sword fighting. We also saw how coconut bananas were cooked in the Thai kitchen.

Day 11 Back to school, HIS set up water sports in the shape of canoeing and kayaking. There was much hilarity, and splashing about, with a number of the girls "accidentally" falling in.

It was the Bamboo Dancing which had us all giggling. You either had coordination, or you did not and we were a real mixed bag.

I am hearing good things about the girls in class. Everyone has got

After lunch we got to ride elephants. I gave the girls strict instructions about how to behave - no sudden noises, don’t walk behind the elephant, speak gently to them… etc. etc. And hang on.

Day 14 After school we went to the Siam Niramit, a show about the history of the Thai land through costume, dance and song. The theatre is named in the Guiness Book of Records as one of the largest.

It was colourful and tuneful and if you concentrated you could pick out the stories of the southern traders coming to the land and settling and intermarrying with the local fisherfolk. You could see the sacking of Ayutthaya by the Burmese and the removal of the gold from the temples.

Day 15 Oh dear, some very sleepy heads today!! But we got here. We are packed, pretty much, and it is pouring with rain! The Late King’s Rainmaking Programme seems to be working - though sceptical, I was assured that this was genuine and the Thais can now make rain!

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TRIPS notably Strokkur Geysir which erupts every 6-8 minutes at a staggering 18m high! We spent time wandering through the different geysers, being able to see the beautiful coloured rock and bubbling blue water, but yet again were met by the familiar smell of sulphur.

GEOGRAPHY TRIP TO ICELAND On the first day of the summer holidays, a group of sleep deprived but very excited RMS girls arrived at school with bags full of warm layers, ready to set off on our journey to Iceland, the land of ice and fire.

We drove to a small hill and climbed to the top of it (it felt like a mountain!) and looked out at the views over the lava fields and glacier valleys - it was beautiful. We also looked out over Helva – an island formed in the 1960s after a volcanic eruption. Unfortunately we were stranded here for a couple of hours because our coach broke down, however it was sunny and the scenery was amazing so it wasn’t that

Our first stop was the Bridge Between the Continents, which spans the Alfagja rift valley, which marks the boundary of the Eurasian and North American continental tectonic plates. We saw solidified lava for the first time and ran up and down the rift valley!

Next we visited the Krysuvik Mud Puddles, situated in the middle of the fissure zone on the Mid Atlantic Ridge. There, we could see hot, sulfurous springs bubbling up from beneath the ground. We could also smell the sulfur. Very, very clearly.

bad!

We had lunch then headed to our next visit of the day, the Gullfoss waterfall. We climbed straight up to the viewpoint from which we were able to see the massive double tiered waterfall in its entirety, complete with a rainbow. By walking further down we were able to get a closer look and were amazed at just how enormous it was! After taking far too many pictures we walked back to the coach.

After a long day of flying and driving we finally arrived at the hotel, where we were fed a delicious dinner. Some of us even took a dip in the hotel pool before going to bed, excited for the days ahead.

On the second day of our trip we woke up early for our first full day in Iceland. After a quick breakfast we got on the coach and went to our first stop, The Thingvellir National Park, a section of the major rift valley between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates that runs through the centre of Iceland. We climbed down and walked through the valley, amazed by the size of the rift. We found our first waterfall of the trip and were excited for what was to come.

After this we drove to a beach with amazing stone columns. These were formed by cooling lava in the sea. We climbed on these columns and looked at the puffins flying from the cliffs. There was a wedding photoshoot happening here too which we were all very interested in!

That night we spent the evening swimming in the pool. Bed time arrived and the sun was still shining – it never got fully dark!

After leaving the National Park we headed to see various geysers, most

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The next day we departed from the hotel at 9.00am and we travelled to

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MACHIO 201718 museums and sights of the city, as well as a bit of shopping. The church, Hallgrimskirkja is visible from 20km away.

After a long day out we all got back on the coach to go back to our hotel, looking at the unique and barren scenery made the journey go quickly.

Once we got back we had some free time to reflect on our day and relax.

After dinner some us of took advantage of the heated swimming pool outside as well as the Jacuzzi.

Thursday 10th July, was our last and final day in Iceland. After checking out of Hotel Ork, we said our goodbyes and departed for the Lava museum.

After an hour’s drive we eventually arrived at our final activity of the trip.

The Lava museum is a brilliant museum about the volcanoes on Iceland.

It tells you their history and taught us about what happens inside a volcano. There was a fantastic graphic that showed what was going on beneath Iceland! We walked through a corridor of ‘ash’ that was terrifying. I would definitely recommend this museum.

Once we departed the lava museum, we took in everything from this amazing opportunity of a trip and arrived at Reykjavik airport. We checked in and were allowed some free time to get last minute gifts and dinner.

Many of us didn’t want to go home, but were relieved to be back after a long flight, and the majority of us were looking forward to sleeping in our own beds.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and was such an amazing, informative trip. Thank you to Mrs Walker, Mrs Freeman, Miss Cook, Miss Warr and Mrs Beedell for making this trip so momentous.

Trip Participants Landmannalaugar, which is a lava field situated in a valley between colourful mountains at the dark edge of the field. Many hot and cold springs create a bathing warm brook, where people bathe. The banks of the brook are boggy but it is forbidden to use soap. The mountains are split with gullies and gorges, one of which, the Jokulgil, is about 13 km long. We walked (supposedly an easy walk) around fumeroles and steam vents, showing that hot magma is not too far beneath your feet. Around the fumerole mouths, the variety of colours indicates the various minerals that are deposited there from the volcanic steam.

Later we all got dressed into our bathing suits and bikinis and began swimming in a geothermal heated stream. Bubbles of hot water rise up from the fine gravel streambed causing a lovely place just to relax. Then after a long hard day of walking and swimming we left Landmannalaugar and arrived at the hotel awaiting our dinner and finding out that the Wi-Fi had finally started to work once again.

The next day we went to the famous Blue Lagoon. Before we could relax and swim in the lagoons geothermal sea water we had to sprint from the warm building into the lagoon, I think it was the fastest any of us had sprinted.

There were face mask stations around the lagoon and we all took advantage of them and covered ourselves. It was a change from the walking and hiking and an experience I will never forget.

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TRIPS HISTORY TRIP TO VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA During the Easter holidays 20 of us embarked on an expedition to South East Asia, not knowing what to expect other than lots of sights and lots of interesting food! In all we travelled more than 14,000 miles, visited seven different cities, went on eight flights, stayed in six different hotels and drank endless amounts of iced coffee! Here are a few of the highlights…

For the first part of the trip, we got to experience two very different sides of Vietnam.

Starting out in Hanoi we enjoyed the energetic hustle and bustle of the capital city. But we then took a breath-taking trip to Halong Bay, and what a contrast it was! Cruising around the rocky, tree-topped limestone islets in the emerald green water was a truly magical experience, topped off with a freshly-caught seafood lunch.

On to Da Nang, where me met our memorable tour guide Uncle Neer. The breakfast buffet at the hotel ranged from traditional Vietnamese dishes to pancakes with chocolate sauce. If you ever go to Vietnam you must try the coffee which is amazing, and it also helps with the jet lag which is a bonus!

In the centre of Hoi An we visited the Confucian Quan Cong temple, built in 1653 - it was filled with the aroma of incense, along with beautiful gold statues for worship. Then at a silk factory we were shown the whole crafting process, from harvesting the raw material from silk worms, through to the creation of beautiful finished pieces of artwork and clothing.

After this we embarked on perhaps the most adventurous experience of the trip. Uncle Neer had described it to us as a relaxing bike ride through the countryside, but little did we know that after about 20 minutes of rural cycling we would then have to navigate the crowded, busy streets of Hoi An!

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In Vietnam there seem to be no rules when driving, except that everyone has right of way, and you just have to manoeuvre your way around people. At traffic lights all colours – red, orange and green – mean ‘go’!

As a result, it wasn’t like going for a bike ride in England, as there was no point when you could relax. You just had to keep going and hope you wouldn’t hit someone, and that they wouldn’t hit you!

In the capital Phnom Penh we visited some of the chilling and infamous Killing Fields. More than a million people were murdered by the Khmer Rouge government from 1975 to 1979 for not fitting the communist ideology of the regime, constituting a state-sponsored genocide.

Fortunately, the rest of the journey was much more pleasant, cycling by the rice fields and spotting water buffalo, Vietnam’s national animal. We all made it in one piece to our destination, a little restaurant where we got to make our own delicious spring rolls.

This was one of the most sobering and bleak visits of our trip, and represents a shameful part of relatively recent history that many people are still not very aware of around the world. However, the Killing Fields are now attracting increasing numbers of tourists, spreading some important lessons and reminding us all of the importance of tolerance in the modern world.

After playing games in the pool and browsing the boutiques, we had another tasty dinner. This was followed by an enjoyable evening

Overall the trip to Vietnam and Cambodia

wandering around the amazing street markets buying various items of clothing, particularly trousers!

was truly eye-opening.

In particular, we loved tasting the local cuisine! While from time to time the combinations of flavours were interesting to say the least – for instance pineapple and fish soup – it was an amazing experience trying such different food to what we would normally eat at home.

Throughout the trip we discovered a great deal more about the culture and history of Vietnam. The newly-independent country had been torn apart by brutal war from the 1950s well into the 1970s, fought between the communist north Vietnamese and the non-communist south, each backed by their respective Cold War superpowers. The Americans used a lot of chemical weapons on the Vietnamese countryside and people, including Agent Orange to clear the forest cover, and these are still causing health issues today.

In Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it was previously known, we visited the Củ Chi tunnels. These were dug by the northern Viet Cong soldiers, renowned for their guerrilla tactics, to hide in during battle, but they were also used for sending messages and supplies, and even as hospitals and living quarters!

It was a truly amazing trip, so if you get a chance to go on any trips with the History Department then be sure to take up the opportunity, because you are guaranteed a great time and some incredible memories! Thank you Mr Grogan, Mrs Onyems and Miss Simmonite for such an unforgettable trip!

Climbing through these tunnels, many of us struggled to breathe for just a few minutes, let alone the hours the fighters would have spent down there in conditions the American soldiers dubbed "Black Echo". It was also fascinating and scary to see examples of the booby traps set up by the north Vietnamese soldiers to protect the tunnels.

Trip Participants

For the final part of our trip we hopped across the border into Cambodia.

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TRIPS CHARITY TRIP TO ATORKOR, GHANA On our recent trip to Ghana, everyone learnt a lot about ourselves and the world around us. We were faced with a completely different world the second we stepped foot outside the airport, the humidity alone was a grim realisation for most people for two weeks without hair straighteners and minimal aircon. However, as we toured Accra and its bustling market we soon forgot our hair-related woes; nowhere around us was silent, it was full of people shouting and selling their wares, some from stalls others from baskets perched precariously on their heads, a skill we were all eager to learn.

Arriving at the village was a surreal experience. We were greeted by a group of drummers who walked ahead of us to mark our arrival, which the entire village turned out to witness. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel extremely welcome and were greeted with water as it is a local custom after three hours on a bus it was definitely welcome!

The first week started by meeting our partner girls, who we had been partnered with based on our likes and dislikes. It is safe to say that somehow the teachers got all our partnerships perfect and my partner girl and I clicked after only a short amount of time together. We proceeded to visit the vocational school where we had a welcome assembly. Watching how the students interacted with their teachers was refreshing; each teacher was introduced in turn and was met with whoops and cheers, so I was certainly distressed to find out that we would be next as I had been nominated to introduce the staff and pupils, and we were met by certainly fewer cheers. We were able to see a selection of the students’ art work, an incredible array of pieces which had been etched into wood, and dresses and jewellery made to an extremely high standard.

The next day was one of my favourite days of the whole trip; the Basic School Prize Day. It was a very special moment as we had earlier been measured for outfits made from traditional fabrics, and a few of us had bought beads from a local woman, which we were able to wear and feel a part of the community. Watching the students receive their prizes, some of which we were able to give out ourselves, with such pride made me truly appreciate our own prize day and how special it truly is. However, my favourite part was definitely when the speaker told us it was time to ‘shake our bodies’ and the speeches and prize giving were interrupted for a dance break. The traditional dance which everyone endeavoured to teach us didn’t come naturally to most, but a local woman clearly liked my attempt as she pulled me out of the group of RMS girls to dance with her in front of the entire school, much to my horror. When we returned to our seats I was assured I didn’t look as foolish as I felt as a local teacher assured me I was the best dancer from the UK. Over the next few days we learnt how to wash our clothes properly without a washing machine and how to carry babies strapped to our backs like the locals, something that is exactly as terrifying as it sounds, but strangely quite comfortable. We then embarked on a series of friendly football, volleyball and table tennis matches organised by a local teacher. I’m afraid to say we were beaten every time by a large score but it was good fun especially when Philip sourced us some football kits for the match, so we really looked the part, even as we lost, monumentally. We were also able to watch the local team play a game of handball against a local school which was gripping, even if none of us understood the rules. We ran some arts and crafts sessions for the

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local children which were extremely popular and busy for us! The local children had a great time colouring in, making bracelets, masks and getting covered in glitter.

One day we visited a local market with our partner girls, stopping at a lighthouse along the way which we climbed for a great view of the ocean and beach, where a fish market was taking place. The fishermen had caught a load of eels and were selling them in the sand to a hoard of hungry people. After this we temporarily said goodbye to our partner girls for a short trip across the coast to the Cape Coast where we did a canopy walk in the rainforest and visited two slave castles which were extremely saddening and eye opening. The few days away were exactly what we needed to boost our spirits for the second half of the trip. We went back to the village to visit the baby clinic, a venture run by the clinic the ADF helped to build that travels to local villages to run check-ups on small children, giving vaccinations and helping to educate women on the dangers of disease. It was incredible to see the vastly different methods used by the staff and to speak to the mothers and children, some of whom were terrified of us as we were the first white people they had ever seen.

The final few days were a blur of emotions, practising Ghanaian cooking and preparing for the final goodbye to our partner girls. On the penultimate day we visited our partner girls’ houses; my partner girl Esther introduced me to her family with pride showing me their home and speaking to me in the local dialect, Eewe (I was not very good at it). We spent the morning cooking at her friend’s house with some other volunteers, bonding over fanning the cooking fire and sharing jokes, and later when we re-grouped, music and national anthems and promises. As a group we had collected lots of donations to give to the children while we were there, a large section of these donations were sanitary towels (back at School last term, we had done a non uniform day with the theme of ‘a pound and a pad’ to collect more for donations), and I was lucky enough to be able to go, with two other students, to the clinic to hand over 1000 pads to the nurses there for distribution to the women that came in. It was an extremely special moment to see the expression on the nurse’s face when I opened the over-flowing duffel bag and told her that they were all for her to donate, as pads are very difficult and expensive to obtain in Ghana. To be able to see what a difference they would make to so many women’s lives was incredibly special and was one of my favourite moments from the trip.

The final day was one of the hardest days; we had breakfast outside with all of our partner girls making them cereal - some of them had never had cereal before - and listening to music; a touching prayer was said that didn’t leave an eye dry, and then it was the long coach journey to the airport.

After an unfortunate 30 hour delay we arrived home safely, if luggage-less, in England, deeply moved by our experiences. I know I will never forget my time in Ghana and would love to revisit one day through the ADF. Florence - Year 12 MACHIO

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TRIPS MEXICO We were lucky enough to have the chance of a lifetime visiting Mexico. Going to a new country is one thing but having the opportunity to explore the depths of the jungle and experience the culture in that country is a whole other story. To begin with we spent a week in the jungle in Calakmul, where we explored the wildlife and nature whilst living on a very basic campsite, amongst the trees and next to an aguada where a large crocodile lived. During the day we would visit different transects on the search for information about animals and vegetation and their migration patterns, due to the decline in water sources in the jungle. This gave us an insight into the large scale problem that has been occurring over the last few years. Going to the jungle gave us the chance to help to start to conserve the jungle as well as helping us to bond closely as a group. While we were in the jungle we got the opportunity to have close contact with species of animals, for example, we spent one night sat on a tarpaulin in the middle of the jungle where we had close contact with bats.

We even had the opportunity to paint bats toe nails so they can be recognised if re-caught. Finally, we also visited the ruins of the Mayan People. This was a great experience as we were able to climb the ruins and have a view for miles over the emergent layer of the jungle.

In the second week we travelled for 10 hours to the coastline where we were going to have our diving experience which included earning our PADI open water diving qualification. As well as all of this we had the experience of staying in large dorms of 14. This was an amazing experience as it bought a lot of us together who weren’t close before the trip. At the coast we were conserving and exploring the coral. This was an amazing experience as we were able to go to 18 meters under water and fell in love with the turtles!!!! Obviously!!!! We would like to thank Miss Bench and Miss Reidie for such an amazing and once in a lifetime experience we will never forget!

Elana and Rhiannon After a long flight to Cancun (with a stopover in Atlanta) and then an eight hour coach journey, we finally arrived in Calakmul, a province on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. On arrival we were dropped off at the side of the road. The camp leaders than took our bags and we walked up a dirt road into the jungle. Our camp was aptly named Homiguiero. This translates quite literally to ‘ants’ nest’ as there were loads of them! (ugh!). At first, the camp took a bit of getting used to but I soon adapted to the unusual environment and had a fantastic stay. We were only going be in Calakmul for a week before moving to Akamul to do our marine studies.

At the camp we slept in two-man tents and boy did I miss my bed, but I was so tired at the end of every day I slept like a baby. The shower was a small wooden shack which consisted of three cubicles. We hung our head torches on the line in the shower, after we had filled a bucket with water from an outside tap. We used a plastic cup to wash ourselves with the water from the bucket. It was very cold and I often had bugs in the shower with me! The bathroom was in a similar wooden shack; it was so dark in there you could barely see! It was effectively a seat over a hole in the ground and, I have to say, the smell in there is a smell that I will never forget.

Despite the lack of home comforts my stay at the jungle camp was an incredible one and I am extremely lucky to have been given the privilege to go to such a remarkable place.

Alex

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TRIPS HISTORY TRIP TO BERLIN As the summer holidays came to a close 38 Year 11s visited the German capital city, Berlin. This trip consolidated our knowledge of Weimar, Nazi and Cold War Germany. It was an intensive four days where we learnt a lot, walked a lot, ate a lot, walked a lot, laughed a lot, walked a lot, learnt a lot and walked a lot!

On our first day we were a little sleepy after the very early start, but this pain was eased by the relaxing experience of travelling through Terminal 5. On our first trip out of the hostel we ventured onto the Berlin U-Bahn and went for lunch in the sunshine followed by a brief visit through the Sony Centre to purchase some cinema tickets for the next night. We spent the afternoon in the German Historical Museum where we consolidated our knowledge of Weimar and Nazi Germany and tasted some of the best apple strudel in town (well, Mr Grogan did).

In the evening we took a sunset trip up to the top of the glass dome of the Reichstag; the German parliament. From here there are views across the city. It was designed

by Norman Foster, the architect who designed the Gherkin and you can walk on a platform all the way up, whilst listening to an audio tour along the way.

At the very top we could lay back and look at the starts through the glassless space that serves to collect rainwater. This was a highlight of the trip for many of us.

The next day we embarked upon a walking tour with a focus on Nazi Germany. We saw Museum Island, the Berliner Dom, the city’s largest church and Bebelplatz, the site of the infamous Nazi book-burnings in 1933. We saw the site of Hitler’s bunker, which is now a car park and the memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which occupies a spot very close to the Brandenburg Gate and was erected after much debate over how to honour those murdered during the Holocaust. It consists of lots of differently sized concrete blocks and once you walk down into the middle of it, it is quite an eerie experience. We were unsure about whether this was a fitting tribute or not, but then could not agree what would be.

In the gorgeous afternoon sun we took a trip out of the city to the Olympic Stadium, built by Hitler in 1936 for the Olympic Games. He used this event to show off Germany to its full potential and showcase what he deemed was the ‘master race’. Today, the sports and cultural life of today’s Berlin would be unimaginable without the “Berlin Olympic Park” built for the 1936 Olympic Games. The stadium is the home of the soccer team Hertha BSC; Bundesliga games and international soccer matches take place here. We enjoyed having a little wander and of course, an ice cream!

The next day we journeyed to the north where we visited Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. This was a very bleak place. The camp was used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May, 1945. In the camp we saw the cells where prisoners may have been put in solitary confinement and where there are now memorials to some of the more well-known inmates such as Martin Niemoller and read the story of men such as Georg Elser who had attempted to assassinate Hitler. We also saw reconstructions of barracks, which were horrifically crowded and went down into the camp kitchen. Our guides told us insightful stories about the camps from money laundering to escape plans. The visit was moving and memorable, something that will stay with us throughout our lives.

In the evening we lightened the mod with a relaxing evening at the cinema. We went to one of only five IMAX cinemas in Germany, and all enjoyed watching Christopher Robin.

On our final day we squeezed in one more tour tracing the history of the Berlin Wall. We saw surviving sections of the Wall and learned a bit more about its history. We learnt about some of the adventurous escape plans people attempted throughout the period and the risks they took. We managed to fit in a little bit of shopping before we departed for the airport - a great start to another academic year at RMS!

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MACHIO

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WORK EXPERIENCE AND CAREERS

MACHIO 201718

RMS CAREERS CONVENTION The biennial RMS Careers Convention took place in May and was once again a great success. The fair was aimed at young people from Year 9 upwards whether pupils at RMS, their siblings or friends, or others from the local area. The event was very well attended, with lots of people coming along during the evening to find out more about some of the brilliant career choices available to today’s school leavers and graduates.

We had many exciting professionals, companies and vocational experts from a wide variety of sectors on hand to answer questions and offer first-hand insights into working life in different careers. Afterwards they commented on how impressed they were with the confidence of the RMS girls. Fortunately the Great Hall was large enough to accommodate the high numbers of people while still leaving enough room to wander around and explore the different stands.

We were delighted to welcome representatives from Centrica, Marks and Spencer, the Civil Service Fast Stream, The Royal Veterinary College, Vinci Civil Engineers, GSK, Google, Bosch and The Armed Forces as well as healthcare professionals including a consultant, nurse, midwife, physiotherapist and GP an architect, a fashion designer, a journalist and many more.

Many of the larger companies now offer both apprenticeships and Graduate Training Schemes and were able to provide information about these.

Thank you so much to everyone who supported the Careers Convention, especially to those who took time out of their busy schedules to man stands and answer questions. Particular thanks also to Mrs Isherwood for organising it and arranging all the career representatives. The Careers Convention is a key way of sparking the imagination of pupils at RMS and beyond into thinking about what they might want to do in life after school.

You can follow the Careers Department on Twitter @RMSCareersDept

CISCO Evie and Nikisha in Year 10 applied for and were successful in being chosen to take part in the Cisco work experience programme for 15 and 16 year olds.

While having a lot of lectures from employees as well as apprentices, practical activities such as ‘tear downs’ were a lot of fun as well as giving me an insight into all the different opportunities and roles you can take up at Cisco. Along side learning skills critical for the work place, I learned many things that I brought back to school which have allowed me to progress further in my lessons. An example of this was learning how to program QR codes using Python, I can now use this in my Computer Science lessons in addition to regular programming.

Here are their accounts of the week: Nikisha: “I went to Cisco from 13-17 November. It was a great experience and I am so glad that I was approved to do it. I learnt lots of new skills like teamwork, leadership and lots of business skills.

I learned lots about how to prepare myself for going to work like speed interviewing, marketing analysis, finance and how to make a chip for things like Sky viewing cards. It prepared me for work in lots of different ways and it also made me think about what I would like to do in the future.

I also worked on my presenting skills in front of a whole audience which really pushed me out of my comfort zone.”

In the five days I was at Cisco, I learnt many useful skills and got to know a working environment, which allowed me to feel more confident when I apply for my first job in a few years!”

Evie: “Work experience at Cisco was a great opportunity for me to widen my skills based around technology, computing and communication. All skills that I will need when entering the working world! The week I spent at Cisco was very interesting and I learnt a lot as well as becoming more confident about being introduced to a working environment.

Evie and Nikisha - Year 10

MACHIO

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RMS for Girls Rickmansworth Park, Rickmansworth Hertfordshire WD3 4HF +44 (0)1923 773168 www.rmsforgirls.co.uk