The Script Autumn 2017 by Sherborne Girls

Script THE

Autumn / Winter 2017

Shaping lives

As the school’s new Director of Studies, Alasdair Matthews has a clear vision for successful learning. When you learn, you grow, and can reshape the world. That’s a simple dictum, but it encapsulates much of what I believe is important about education at a school like Sherborne Girls. We are in the business of giving girls fresh experiences, accompanying them on stimulating intellectual adventures that empower them to formulate their own thoughts and shape their dispositions for the future. At the heart of this is inspiring, academically nimble teaching, which is able not only to handle unpredictability, but deploy it as a mechanism for helping students grow in knowledge, understanding and confidence. As a new member of staff, I know a thing or two about the power of the unfamiliar to shape you in exciting ways. My wife Jo and I moved with our two children to Sherborne from Benenden at the start of the summer. Already, she’s noticed a spring in my step as a result of my excitement at, and enjoyment of, my new role. There is a freshness to my daily routines that is mould-breaking and stimulating. There is space to think in new ways, to address unfamiliar challenges, and to draw on my experience as a teacher to lead the school’s academic strategy. It is my hope that we continue to build on Sherborne Girls’ excellence in education to ensure our students are similarly excited by the opportunity to garner fresh experiences, and make a difference to the world around them. By remaining at the forefront of academic success, while ensuring girls receive an all-round education that offers a wonderful mix of the cerebral, the physical, the spiritual and the artistic, we can help them become the thought leaders of tomorrow: people of influence, forming others as they have been formed.

Embracing change

Our students need resilience, creativity and a profound sense of belonging so they can handle uncertainty with confidence. What does it take to thrive in the maelstrom of our contemporary world? Tossed about as we are by political and economic upheaval, the uncertainty of Brexit, the everpresent fear of terrorism and the pressures of living in a social-media age, it can be hard to discern what is good, what is true and what is conducive to our flourishing. Here at Sherborne Girls, we are unwavering in our commitment to giving students a sense of perspective. By this, we empower them to live fully in the world, in all its occasional mess and muddle, while having a deep sense of rootedness in our supportive school community. The all-round education we provide is profoundly optimistic, in so far as our fundamental assumption is this: if we equip girls with the right skills, dispositions and attitudes, they will succeed in the modern world, not in spite of its fast-moving and ever-changing character, but because of it. The quality of our provision has been recognised recently in our award as Tatler’s Public School of the Year, and with our place on the shortlist for TES’s best boarding school. These accolades are a welcome endorsement of our values, which shape not only the girls, but the world they inhabit. That sounds like a bold claim, but it is at the heart of our theme for this academic year: embracing change. We’re in the midst of a period of change here at school, with the work on our new Arts Centre creating a degree of disruption to our usual rhythms of life. But as this project exemplifies, to make progress, we must cultivate a fundamental orientation to relish uncertainty, becoming fleet-of-foot people who see open doors when others see obstacles and reasons not to act. I am proud to be a part of a community that instils such values in its members. I feel excited about what it means for the future of our country, and our world. So this is our message: embrace change, dwell with uncertainty. Then make a difference, because it’s in your gift to change the world.

Jenny Dwyer, Headmistress

Front cover image from House Drama competition, Fantastic Mr Fox, Dun Holme (winners)

LEADERSHIP

Leading from the front

Our Heads of School are charged with leading by example, empowering change. The best way to acquire a skill is to practise it, so that you form habits and dispositions that stay with you a lifetime. That is why we ask our girls to take leadership responsibility throughout their school life, in the expectation that they will embody the values required of those who inspire and motivate others. This is especially the case with our Heads of School, who have oversight of the whole pupil community and help set the tone for our corporate life. Through this, they not only undergo a profoundly formational experience themselves, but share some of that formation with their peers.

This year’s Heads of School are Grace Storrie and Harriet Lees. Grace says that one of her principal aims for her tenure is to encourage the school’s friendly and supportive atmosphere. “I am hugely grateful to be closely involved in shaping our school community,” she remarks. “By the end of the year, I hope we have managed to continue providing a strong supportive community spirit that serves all members of our school.” Grace’s aim is echoed by Harriet, who sees community cohesion as an important goal. “It would be great,” she says, “to be remembered as someone who encouraged girls to be confident and who brought the school even closer together.”

Addressing the school Head Girls Harriet and Grace inspire the school at morning prayers.

“Change doesn’t mean abandoning everything that we’ve learnt. A lot of what we’ve experienced during our lives so far has been positive and will help us to achieve things later on. What we learn and experience at school shapes us individually and collectively, and will continue to impact upon our lives. It is only by taking risks that we stretch the boundaries of our experience and can make positive change for ourselves and others. Here at Sherborne Girls, we are in

In this issue 3

4-6 7 8-9

Leadership

Academic Enrichment Student Showcase The Arts

Adventure and Leadership

Foundation

Boarding

Community

14-15

individual houses and undertake individual activities in our daily lives, but if we work together as well, we can make big changes for the wider community – by looking outwards and exploring what lies beyond our individual horizons, we expand the horizon for the whole community – and I am looking forward to seeing how this unfolds throughout the year. And so, the thought I would like to leave you with this morning is how are you going to make change for this community?”

Harriet Lees

“In these times of social upheaval, it is vital that we exercise our power to decide which changes should be promoted and which changes should be protested. I am not saying that at every turn, our actions are reflective of a wider political agenda. Instead, I think we should be aware of the power individuals possess: the power to determine the change of our community. Therefore I encourage you not only to embrace the change you are presented with but to actively create the change that you wish to see and the community you wish to live in.”

Grace Storrie

Sherborne Girls is pleased to announce that it has become a centre for the Institute of Leadership and Management

Sports Highlights

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

The power of words New Head of English (and Old Girl) Louise Troup reflects on her excitement at joining Sherborne Girls. Some things change, and some things stay the same.

Academic leaders

One of the benefits of a full-boarding education is that students can help and inspire each other when they’re not in lessons. As part of our quest to create a community of empowered learners, we adopt a student ambassador system that provides support in every house. This helps our older girls develop valuable leadership skills, as well as providing an extra layer of guidance and encouragement to their younger peers. Academic Prefects Sophie, Flora, Olivia and Grace support the team of L6 Subject Ambassadors, who provide guidance to younger girls in their house. This team is familiar with the academic demands of their subject, and always willing to offer encouragement and help. They provide a friendly presence, giving girls someone they can easily talk to and enabling fresh thinking and creativity. The L5 girls certainly appreciate this support network as they settle into new subjects. This is also true for girls in the U5, who often seek a calming mentor during their GCSE revision. 4

The Student Ambassadors are not only there for in-house clinics and revision sessions, but they also engender a genuine interest in their subject, by engaging in meaningful ways with their peers in house and throughout the school. To help support this initiative, the Student Academic Forum develops ideas for fueling imagination, intellectual enquiry and independent thinking. Ambassadors also feed back on the academic experiences of students and make suggestions for developments. These leadership roles are a key feature of our mission “To provide a broad and enriching full boarding education that develops the unique talents of every girl within a supportive community.”

Louise Orton Deputy Head (Teaching and Learning)

That’s been my perception since joining the staff of Sherborne Girls in September, 30 years after my time as a student here drew to a close. The school retains its characteristic warmth and friendliness, but today’s girls undoubtedly face different challenges when compared to my generation. In an era of uncertainty, I am delighted to see that Sherborne Girls commits itself to forming young women who can influence the world around them. I believe the study of English is crucial to this process, because it engenders a love of language and an ability to use it effectively, as well as a profound appreciation of literature and its capacity to shape the world. This is certainly what I hope we are teaching in the department, and through activities such as the reenergised debating society. It is an attitude that shaped my former career as a BBC and ITN journalist, and it inspired my vocation to become an English teacher. So I am delighted to be at Sherborne Girls, delighted to give back to a school that did so much for me. I am excited by the vibrancy of English here, and by initiatives such as the recent appointment of Jemima Norton as social editor of Tatler. I am keen to build on this brilliant foundation, to show the girls how to speak, act and be in a world of change. That is how they will make a difference – and if there’s one thing that Sherborne Girls has always been committed to, it is ensuring students make an enduring impact, whatever path they choose to follow.

Cutting-edge chemists

The school’s chemistry department has a long tradition of inspiring girls to think more deeply about their studies and engage in further research, and this term has been no exception. For example, in September the first Chemistry Symposium of the academic year was held in the School Hall at Sherborne Girls.

This event attracts more than 150 sixthform chemists from Sherborne Girls, Sherborne School, Leweston and King’s Bruton. The idea is for students to engage with the latest scientific research, by making presentations about topics at the cutting-edge of the discipline. So it was that Amelia Fortescue, Emilia Wharton and Insha Raza (U6) delivered a hugely informative lecture on the chemistry of allergies, including how they occur and the role of antihistamines in alleviating symptoms. In addition, Agnes So, Juliana Ma and Crystal Cheung (U6) gave an excellent presentation on the synthesis of paracetamol and how it acts to reduce the pain in our bodies.

In a further bid to stimulate our students’ love of chemistry, three PhD students from Bath University presented a workshop on spectroscopic techniques in October. This topic is a key component of both the A Level and International Baccalaureate courses. The session greatly enhanced the girls’ understanding and fired their

enthusiasm to discover more. As well as the chance to learn more about a highly specialised subject, the girls relished finding out about university life. They received helpful tips on UCAS applications and the long-term options for studying chemistry at doctoral level.

Extending knowledge, expanding horizons

Extended Project Qualifications provide students with a chance to reach beyond the A Level syllabus and prepare for university In an increasingly competitive environment for undergraduates, universities are eager to identify ways of differentiating candidates. One means of our students standing out from the crowd is by taking an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). EPQs, which are worth extra UCAS points for university entrants, enable students to expand their abilities and knowledge beyond the confines of their A Level syllabus. By undertaking the programme, they commit to researching and writing up a project that is conducted largely autonomously, with supervision and guidance from a member of teaching staff.

At the heart of the programme is a recognition that many sixth formers are ready to undertake a significant amount of independent learning. So they identify a topic that fires their imagination and produce a 5,000-word essay with a clear argument and carefully evidenced conclusion. As a further stage, students present their research findings to their peers, and undertake structured reflection on the whole process.

It is clear that EPQs represent a bridge between A Level study and undergraduate work, which is why they are so valued by universities. They also contribute to our corporate knowledge in school, thanks to research projects with titles such as: “To what extent has the One Child Policy had a positive effect on China?”; “How has the etymology of six English swear words changed?”; and “Were Amazons in literature written in order to dissuade Greek women from behaving inappropriately or to praise the independence of such women as the Scythians?”

Rachel Allen Assistant Head of Sixth Form 5

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

Prize winners

Sixth Form students Sophie and Omodunni reflect on their essays.

Inspiring thinkers

Girls across all year groups were invited to complete an independent research project during the summer holidays investigating someone who has inspired them. The entries could be in any field, including art, politics, literature, sport, science, and music. Submissions could take a variety of forms, such as a scrapbook, an essay or a film.

R A Butler Politics Prize, Trinity College, Cambridge (Special Commendation)

Philosophy Essay Prize, Trinity College, Cambridge (1st Prize)

At the end of last Summer, I wrote an essay for the R A Butler Politics Prize for Trinity College, Cambridge, answering the question "How can democracy be more than the rule of the ignorant?”.

I entered the Trinity College Philosophy Essay Competition because I wanted to stretch myself analytically.

The flaws inherent in democracy have always been of great interest to me, and in light of the EU Referendum and the election of Donald Trump, I saw the chance to analyse not only a system that has dominated our political thinking over the past century, but also the political ignorance apparent in recent current affairs. After researching the extent to which political ignorance exists in our society, (to quote Winston Churchill, “the best argument against democracy is a fiveminute conversation with the average voter”), I came to the conclusion that one actually has to become less democratic in order to improve democracy, entertaining the idea of a basic political knowledge test and weighted voting. Overall, the experience of writing at length about one of my interests and gaining a greater understanding of the world we currently live in was very rewarding. I was delighted to receive a special commendation for the essay, and to be invited to Trinity College to meet the tutors and hold general discussions about the problems facing democracy today.

Sophie West

We received a wide range of entrants, including scrapbooks about figures such as Martin Luther King and J K Rowling, and essays about subjects like Emily Davison, Cleopatra, Mary Anning, and Gandhi. The standard of entries was high, and we were delighted that so many girls had a go at the competition.

A chance seminar on Lewis Carroll's contribution to mathematical logic meant that I had an unconventional introduction to the study of logic, and an interesting angle from which to tackle the essay title. The question quoted an argument supporting philosophical study and asked for an assessment of it. I wrote the essay in two halves: the first finding the flaws in order to strengthen the topical argument and the second exploring the grounds we have for making logical inferences and giving their conclusions normative status. Although writing the essay was beneficial in terms of fine-tuning my logical knowledge, investigative prowess and punctuality, the Trinity College Philosophy faculty's refusal to modernise their means of correspondence meant that I also learnt a great deal about the British Postage system.

Omodunni Bello

Congratulations to the following girls who have been awarded honorary sixth form scholarships as a result of their exceptional performance at GCSE: Jemima Arnold, Ella Beaumont, Alice Richards, Gabriella Auret, Matilda Fender, Eleanor Wheatley, Iona Brewster, Emilie Tubbs, Mary Yuen.

THINKERS’ Competition 2017

The winning entry from U5-U6 was by Isobel Bates (U5), who wrote a wellresearched and eloquent essay on Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. This conveyed the strongest personal connection with her subject and the most vivid sense that she had reflected on the topic for a considerable period of time. The winning entry in the U4-M5 category was by Venetia Tett (M5), whose scrapbook on Nelson Mandela was singled out for making a person’s actions and their effect on the world around them inseparable.

Kate Scorer History teacher, Oxbridge Co-ordinator

STUDENT SHOWCASE

City in the style of ‘Love on the Dole’

Daylight crept through, pulling and tugging its way past the vast buildings. A procession of men and women follow, a continuous march with a cascading chaotic clip of shoes against the worn concrete. Minds think alone, ignoring another. People disperse as they slowly drift like bees into their hives. Red taxis scattered from place to place spitting out people in certain stops. Grey, the hazy fog slowly drips down the side of towering buildings like treacle. A strong scent of tobacco smoke draws in and out of the noses of passers-by.

Sophie Maynard (U5)

The Party

As the sun wearily rolls away, and darkness engulfs the night, the stars begin to illuminate the sky and produce an aesthetic display. The gentle chime of a bell triggers a surge of heels and top hats to impatiently sit around the grand table, already being piled high with overly expensive delicacies. The cream of lobster and salted sourdough was

Poppy Smith (L6)

followed by succulent pork, glazed with honey, accompanied by vegetables of all shapes and sizes, painted in a generous lashing of apple and mint sauce – all a work of art. An orchestra of red and purple, coated in a blanket of thick, white cream was topped off with crisp, sweet meringue – a perfect finale to the banquet.

A dense smog of expensive alcohol and cigar smoke has built up inside the mansion, accompanied by the bubbles of giggles between the hiccups and plush faces. The flow of furs and silks gradually began to ebb away as the stars had ended their twinkling display, the deep crimson of the horizon introducing another day.

Alice Richardson (U5) 7

THE ARTS

Beautiful music in Budapest Fourteen members of the Madrigal Society enjoyed a memorable trip to Budapest in early July, performing in a variety of spectacular venues throughout the city.

Art students form relationship with local school The images below reflect the shortlisted sculptures for a recent project undertaken in collaboration with Horsington Primary School. The local school was awarded funding from Tesco to create a sculpture in its playground. It invited our GCSE students to design and create maquettes for the project, which provided a wonderful opportunity for them to exercise their creative flair and make connections with the local community. Our girls have visited the primary school on a number of occasions, and delivered art workshops for its students, both here and at Horsington. In addition, they have developed their sculpture designs, which were recently viewed by Horsington’s Headmaster, Mr Ian Rumbelow.

The Madrigal Society was accompanied by Simon Clarkson, Dr and Mrs Dwyer, and me. Our tour began in the delightful provincial town of Vác, some 30 miles from the capital city and with a beautiful cathedral in which the girls sang Mass followed by a wide-ranging evening concert. We returned to Budapest the next day, to perform in the impressively proportioned St Stephen’s Basilica. This space has an enormous acoustic, ensuring our 150-strong audience enjoyed a rich auditory experience. From here, we were accorded the honour of singing the Mass in one of Budapest’s most beautiful and famous places of worship: St Matthias Church. As with our other performances, the choir received a generous welcome from the congregation and clergy, with

the Cantor racing home to find us some Hungarian music that we could add to our repertoire. Our final concert was in the downtown Church of St Michael, and proved to be a truly memorable occasion. The church has a wonderful acoustic, showing off the girls’ impressive range of tone and dynamic to brilliant, and much-admired, effect. With thanks to Mr Clarkson for his mastery of a number of Hungarian organs, and to the girls, who were a genuine delight to be with. Experiences like this live long in their hearts and minds, and it was a pleasure to be alongside them as they impressed at every turn.

John Jenkins Director of Music

Mr Rumbelow was really impressed by the girls’ designs, and drew particular attention to their inventiveness. He whittled his favourites down to a shortlist of three, and they are now being costed to ascertain the feasibility of creating a full-size sculpture for the playground at Horsington. The chosen three are by Matilda Jenkins, Daisy Foreman and Cecilia Darwall. Meanwhile, the art department would like to recognise the professionalism and flair evident in all of the entries. Experiences like this help form our girls’ attitudes for the future, showing them how to use their creativity for the good of others and the communities in which they live.

Claire Mason Head of Art and Design Technology

Fantastic House drama

An impressive line-up of plays was chosen by the L6 directors in the recent house drama competition. Each house performed 20 minutes of material, with both a larger and a smaller group piece included. The girls’ efforts in rehearsals certainly paid dividends, with truly excellent performances of plays such as And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, Leaves by Lucy Caldwell, and Girls by Theresa Ikoko. The girls from Mulliner also gave a hugely entertaining performance inspired by High School Musical. Dun Holme won the competition with their wonderful performances of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox and Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf by Edward Albee. The former included

brilliant character acting by Alice Stockton (L6), Alice Richardson (U5) and Amelia Longpre (L5), as well as some focused performances by the younger girls in the house. Verity Robinson (L6) played the title role, and also had a hand in the make-up. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf was performed by Willow Wordie (L6), Ella Milne (L6), Constance Cottrell (L6) and Cecilia Burney (L6). Their performances were mesmerising, and marked by a careful focus on playing their characters with

accuracy and authenticity. Kenelm’s Charlotte Holford (L6) won best director for her artistic vision and bold choreography in Broadcast Yourself by Mona Mansour – a striking short play written in response to 9/11. In all, these plays showed how effectively the girls can work across year groups, with the older girls providing leadership, direction and encouragement to their younger peers, and inspiring them to give their all.

Sofia Skowronska, Director in Residence

Art students go west in search of paradise The Art department took the U5 artists to the Eden Project for the weekend in September. The purpose of the trip was to produce lively and exciting observational drawings for the start of their third and final unit of coursework. The girls were fantastic, taking every opportunity to sketch, paint and photograph the spectacular Rainforest and Mediterranean biomes. They were similarly enthusiastic about the Eden Project’s vast outdoor gardens and landscape, in spite of the Cornish drizzle and sea mist. We stayed overnight at the YHA Eden Project, in the ingeniously designed ‘Snooze boxes’, which are disused shipping containers. The girls gladly worked until late in the evening on their sketchbook pages. The work they produced has really enriched what they are doing back in the classroom. Meanwhile, the whole trip provided an opportunity to develop their independence, creativity and passion for the great outdoors. It was a joy to share it with them.

Fleur Bugg Art Teacher

ADVENTURE AND LEADERSHIP

Warriors programme gives taste of adventure

Broadening horizons The L5 has a new route through the school’s adventure and leadership programme, engendering important skills for life and a can-do spirit At Sherborne Girls, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to breathe deeply of the fresh air, stretch their legs in the great outdoors, and taste adventure by putting themselves in the way of new experiences that stimulate and inspire. With this in mind, we are always striving to find the best way of delivering our adventure and leadership programme, and we’ve recently introduced some changes to the L5 provision. First, to ensure every girl in the L5 has a chance to explore the beautiful countryside right on our doorstep, we enrol the whole year in the John Muir Award. This is an outdoor adventure award that involves a variety of wonderful experiences, such as hiking, camping, outdoor cooking and

navigation. It helps build the girls’ resilience, tenacity and leadership skills by taking them into new places and inspiring them with a sense of connectedness to the natural world. With this under their belt, they are offered the chance to sign up to the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award halfway through the academic session. This takes their adventurous pursuits to a new level, with an additional overnight expedition, a community service element, and the chance to develop their team-working and leadership potential. We believe the opportunity to develop their skills, broaden their knowledge and expand their horizons is profoundly formational, helping them grow into people with deep self-knowledge, and the confidence and humility to shape others in ways that really can make a difference to the world.

Teacher exchange

Tom Fremlin, Head of Adventure and Leadership

While we are deeply committed to giving our students exciting and challenging experiences, we understand that an energised and inspired teaching staff is also crucial to our success. That is why we have expanded our exchange programme to include teachers. As part of the initiative, we will be welcoming music specialist Sally Rounsevell from St Peter’s School Adelaide to Sherborne Girls next term. Then, in July, our very own Jessie Clarke will pay a return visit to Australia.

Both schools recognise the benefits of investing in staff. We share a belief that given the opportunity to experience and contribute to quality teaching in a similar school overseas, teachers will develop their expertise in numerous ways. We believe this experience will greatly enrich our common life at Sherborne Girls, bringing a fresh perspective and helping us learn from a different educational culture. 10

Fiona Clapp, Deputy Head (External Affairs)

Many of our students understand that out-of-the-ordinary experiences are a path to personal growth and formation. That is why the annual Warriors Accelerate Scholarship Programme is always oversubscribed, because the girls realise its value in shaping their dispositions for the future. Each year, three L6 girls are selected to represent Sherborne Girls at this challenging event, held in South Africa. It involves eight days of extreme adventures such as waterfall jumping and longdistance hiking as well as wildlife watching and a visit to an orphanage. At every turn, participants are encouraged to push themselves beyond their normal limits in order to unlock their true potential. When asked why they applied, this year’s successful Warriors – Ella Beaumont, Jessicca Upton and Ella Milne – said that they wanted to push themselves and become more independent. Afterwards, they agreed that simple experiences such as getting up at 5am and hiking for miles were hugely enjoyable, and showed just how much stamina they possess. All three concluded that it was one of the best things they have ever done. The Warriors programme is available each year to three L6 girls. It has become one of the most sought-after personal development opportunities available in the school year.

FOUNDATION

Giving for the future

So the Foundation is helping Sherborne Girls to pursue its objectives. Its activities complement all five pillars of our strategy: • Full boarding: with the support of the Foundation, we continue to invest in our facilities, ensuring we provide a first-rate full-boarding environment for our students. • Culture of ambition: thanks to our Candlelight Bursaries, we aim to widen access and attract talent, as well as encouraging the whole community to aim high. • 21st century women: the Foundation supports our enrichment activities. For example, the Women in Leadership initiative being developed with the Old Girls will inspire a new generation of female role models. The Sherborne Girls Foundation provides a focus for philanthropy and social responsibility. When we launched our new strategy – ‘Roots to Grow, Wings to Fly’ – earlier in the year, we cast a deliberately bold vision. We want to ensure Sherborne Girls remains at the forefront of women’s education, not just for the sake of the ongoing vibrancy of our school, but for the good of the world around us. By offering an inspiring, formational and empowering education to young women, we believe we equip them to change the world. It has never been more important to help our girls become opinion formers, influencers and leaders. The Sherborne Girls Foundation plays an important role in supporting these purposes. It helps with major capital investments such as the Arts Centre, for which we’ve raised an impressive £2m and just need a further £500,000, and to fund initiatives such as the Candlelight Bursaries, which widen access to our awardwinning all-round education. But the Foundation isn’t only about raising funds. We know that the wider school community is a repository of experience, expertise and intelligence that can greatly enhance our shared life. The Foundation ensures we benefit from this knowledge and good will.

• Community: we are committed to serving the wider community, building partnerships with neighbouring schools and other organisations. The Foundation supports this through a network of excellence on which we and our partners can draw. • Leadership and management: the Foundation seeks to grow an endowment that will support Sherborne Girls for the long term, enabling us to go on producing empowered learners who will be an influence for good. I find it inspiring to think of the ways the Sherborne Girls Foundation supports the school’s strategy, and humbling to think that so many people in our wider community want to get involved. If you have time, talent or treasure to share, please do get in touch (kem@sherborne.com). I would be delighted to hear from you.

What’s in a name?

When Gwendoline Merritt died, she left her entire estate to Sherborne Girls. This was an act of supreme generosity from a lady who worked as a cleaner and tea lady here for many years. Queenie, as she was known around school, was thoroughly committed to Sherborne Girls and everything we stand for. Her gift has been put towards the new Arts Centre, and we’ve named a room in the building in her memory. We still have Naming Opportunities available for those who want to support the Arts Centre. You can name a seat in the recital hall or an entire room, providing a wonderful way to support this inspiring project and leaving a legacy that endures. Katherine Massey, Director of Development and Marketing (kem@sherborne.com)

BOARDING

Mobile technology We live in an age of unprecedented access to communications technology, and while we are eager to encourage use of it among the girls, we are committed to ensuring they do not have too much screen time.

Adventure weekend

A recent three-day adventure weekend gave the residents of West an opportunity to extend their friendships.

Girls from the L4 and U4 attended the Blackrock Outdoor Adventure Weekend, held in the Secret Valley in the Quantock Hills. They took part in a number of waterbased activities, including zorbing, raftbuilding and kayaking. There were plenty of opportunities for fun on land, too. These included mountain boarding and archery, as well as tree climbing and problemsolving games. Every aspect of the weekend helped cement the relationships that are forming among the girls in West, as well as

enabling them to widen their circle of friends. Thanks to the mixed year groups, there was plenty of communication between ages, and excellent food gave the girls plenty of energy for the adventures available. Trips like this are a vital part of the personal development of our youngest students, helping them learn independence and adjust to the rhythms of boarding life. What’s more, they provide an opportunity to be out in the fresh air, and test themselves with exciting activities that inspire and challenge in equal measure.

Karen Chapman Tutor, Aldhelmsted West

Girls enjoy vibrant mix of socials

A great advantage of our full-boarding environment is the space it creates for girls to interact during leisure time. We make sure that day girls as well as boarders have every opportunity to participate in every aspect of school life, including our full programme of weekend and social activities. We understand that girls will rightly focus on their academic work and co-curricular commitments during the week. When the weekend comes around, we are keen to provide a variety of social activities that enable them to develop their skills and habits.

Socialising enables students to have fun, build friendships, develop communication skills, cement their sense of belonging to our community, build confidence and, most importantly, relax. By developing elements of our programme collaboratively with Sherborne School, we provide a chance for 12

boys and girls to socialise together – something that’s really important as they move through adolescence. So far this term, we’ve offered activities such as discos, house socials, bubble football, a shopping trip to Cribbs Causeway in Bristol, a pool party, coasteering, tree climbing and air hop. Next term, we have plans for tag archery, a spring sling disco and the much-enjoyed L6 formal dinners. We can’t wait!

Debbie Miller Housemistress, Aldhelmsted East

With that in mind, we have introduced a new school-wide policy, enabling us to harness the power of the latest technology, while ensuring sensible use of it among our students. The new policy resulted from a detailed consultation process, led by our student Digital Leaders.

Our findings were unanimous: too much screen time has a negative emotional, physical and academic effect, and must therefore be avoided. That is exactly what we have done, by reducing pupil access to mobile devices. All girls in Years 7 to 11 are now asked to leave their mobile phones in boarding houses during lesson time, and to hand them in an hour before bedtime. Sixth formers have been presented with the evidence about the effects of too much screen time, but are trusted to make their own decisions about appropriate mobile phone use. Meanwhile, all students are encouraged to use technology such as tablets and laptops to support their studies, and can bring these to lessons when appropriate. We are very clear that this move is not a step away from technology. Instead, it is about promoting good learning and lifestyle habits among the girls. In an era where life can seem to proceed at an unrelenting pace, we believe limiting access to smart phones will encourage the girls to look up, enjoy the view, and ensure they take appropriate rest, free from the distractions of their phones.

Ben Gudgeon, Deputy Head (Pastoral)

COMMUNITY

The power of music music, and raising awareness of the inequalities in her home city. Students between the ages of 13 and 18 perform in the annual concert, held in India, including those from the Salaam Bombay Foundation, which educates children from Mumbai’s slum areas.

Students at Sherborne Girls are hoping to perform in a charity music concert next year, offering them a chance to take the stage alongside children from Mumbai’s slums.

Speaking about her move to England before this year’s concert, Mrinalini said that she thought it would be great to involve her new classmates in the 2018 event. She said it would demonstrate the power of music to “bring people together.”

The concert is the brainchild of new sixth former Mrinalini Somani, and attracts an audience of nearly 500 people. Mrinalini conceived the idea as a way of bringing people together around a shared love of

Such a performance would no doubt provide a memorable experience for students at Sherborne Girls, helping reinforce the global perspective offered to all students.

Parent seminars

A new programme of joint schools’ Parents’ Pastoral Seminars got underway in September, helping parents make the most of their time associated with Sherborne’s schools.

School later in the half term, and gave listeners helpful tips on practising the discipline in their own lives. A similar course is available to our sixth formers, and has proved highly popular.

The series started with a lecture by Bob Tait entitled “A Parent’s Guide to Drugs”. This gave clear advice about how to identify drug use among young people, and the appropriate action to take if such use is suspected.

Future lectures include Aric Sigmum on the effects of too much screen time on mental health. Aric’s evidence helped shape our new policy on mobile phone use, and we are keen to share his insights with parents.

A second lecture on the topic of mindfulness was hosted by Sherborne

Parent Task Force

Sherborne Girls is committed to encouraging a strong community spirit among all those who are connected to the school. The Parent Task Force (PTF) plays an important role in supporting this culture, thanks to its work inspiring philanthropy as part of the Sherborne Girls Foundation. One of the principal means by which the PTF enacts its purpose is by arranging events at which parents can meet. In June 2017, for example, we hosted a Midsummer Festival with Pimms and paella, including a silent auction and plenty of opportunity for parents to mingle. The event raised £10,000, and we are already planning a quiz and curry evening for next term.

Bex Brown Director of Boarding, Head of PSHEE

Careers event focuses on media world Sherborne Old Girls and the Old Shirburnian Society teamed up for a recent alumni careers event, with a focus on the media. Former students from a range of professions attended, offering advice to those seeking employment in sectors such as film and TV, publishing, advertising and PR.

Those currently in their first media jobs were also welcomed, and received helpful guidance about the next steps in their career. The event, which involved a number of panel discussions followed by a lively Q&A session, was hosted by Old Shirburnian Charles Lewington, chief executive of the Hanover PR agency. These events provide welcome networking opportunities for students who have recently left, as well as giving them helpful information to shape their future careers. They also demonstrate the strong connection Old Girls feel with the school, and the role our students go on to play in shaping opinions in the wider world.

Fiona James, Old Girls Secretary

This term, we are encouraging year reps to come forward from each house. Their role will be to keep parents informed of upcoming events and promote the PTF more generally. We are also keen to have a presence at the new girls’ tea, supporting houseparents and offering advice and reassurance to new parents. Our next event is planned for Sunday, 3 December, at 11.30am. It’s a dog walk, with welcome coffee and bacon butties. We would like to request a minimum donation of £5 to cover catering costs, which will be collected on the day. We hope to see you there!

Alice Wordie, Parent 13

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

Cross Country

British Shooting Target Sprint

In early September, Araminta Stubbs won a Silver Medal at the British Shooting National Target Sprint Final held in Yate, Bristol. She now attends GB squad training in preparation for international events.

All of our teams performed well at the recent meet at St Mary’s Shaftesbury. The senior team finished first in the team event with Christa Cripwell (U5) recording the fastest individual time for the course on the day. Our intermediate team also finished in the medals, coming third in its class. On the same day, a small group of girls travelled to Salisbury to compete in the Intermediate Girls ESSA National Cross Country Cup. Marianna Sawyer demonstrated real determination to out-sprint the opposition and win the race, while Daisy Baker finished in third position.

Lacrosse It’s been a positive start to the Lacrosse season. We started with two days of pre-season training for the 1st XII squad and a one-day event for the U15 girls, who really impressed with their level of play. This year every girl in the L5 has been given the opportunity to experience lacrosse. It has been quite a spectacle watching upwards of 90 girls developing skills which are transferable across many sports. Successes so far include our U14A team beating St Mary’s Calne and finishing second in the County Tournament, and an 14

unbeaten day for all teams when we travelled to Heathfield School. As a school community we would like to wish Tamsin Miller (U6) well in her efforts for the forthcoming Wales U19 try-outs and congratulate Matilda Spivey (U4) on gaining a place in the Junior Wales Development squad.

“The habits formed on the sports field shape students’ lives”. Mark Spivey Director of Sport

Hockey

This year started with a very successful pre-season tour to Amsterdam for the senior and U16 teams. The competition was tough and provided a great opportunity for the girls to develop their skills in unfamiliar surroundings. On the first weekend of term Sherborne Girls held its annual pre-season hockey tournament for both the 1st XI and the U15 age groups. Both of the Sherborne Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; teams progressed through to the semi-finals, narrowly losing out in both matches. Sherborne Girls performed exceptionally well at the Dorset County Hockey Championships. Our senior U18 girls won the County Championships while our U14 and U16 teams were runners-up. All three age groups progress to the next round. I am pleased to say that more than 20 girls have been selected for the Junior Academy squads in either Dorset, Wiltshire or Somerset. The squads are part of the England Hockey Single System Player Pathway and we wish all the girls luck as they seek to progress.

Swimming

Our link with Yeovil District Swimming Club is strong. Several girls train with the club on a regular basis, either on its elite programme or with the potential squads. Our own Tuesday and Thursday morning swim sessions are also popular, with 30-plus girls regularly training. In the ASSE South West Schools Relays our U18 team performed well against some very strong competition. Sherborne Girls finished fifth in the event and although final results have not been published, we are confident that our recorded time will secure our progress to the National Relay Finals at the Olympic Pool in London later in the year.

Netball

The girls have been training hard in the first half of term ahead of the county tournaments. Our U19s competed in the area tournament at Blandford School, where they successfully qualified to county level. The U14 and U16 area tournaments take place later this term. We have seven girls representing Sherborne Girls in the County Academy who have been training hard and developing their skills. Our U12s represented Sherborne Girls at the Hanford tournament and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Equestrian

Perdita Digby (M5) competed in the Horse of the Year Show, where she recorded only 8 faults in the Leading Pony Show Jumper Class and a double clear in the Pony Foxhunter Championships, finishing 5th. She was then selected to jump for GB at the Lyon International Horse Show in November.

Diary dates Sat 9 Dec - Carol Service, Abbey

Fri 19 Jan - U5 Parents’ seminar and meeting

Sun 14 Jan - Abbey Service and L5 Parents’ lunch

Sat 27 Jan - Confirmation Service

Wed 7 Feb - Choral Society Concert, Abbey Fri 9 Feb - L5 Parents’ seminar and meeting

Sat 3 Mar Parents’ pastoral seminar, Dr Aric Sigman, Screen Time and Health

Thurs 8 Mar - Harriet Tory Concert

Thurs 15 Mar - Joint Schools’ Concert, London Sun 18 Mar - SSSO Concert, Bristol

Sherborne Girls comes out on top of Tatler Awards

We are delighted to be named Public School of the Year at the Tatler Schools Awards 2017-18. The award comes after a 10-year strategy, spearheaded by Jenny Dwyer and focused on growth and development. It follows investment in a new Sixth Form Centre, refurbished boarding houses, and a new science centre, swimming pool and astro pitch. Every member of the school community has contributed to this award which, gives us a really strong platform on which to build for the future.

Sherborne Girls shortlisted for Boarding School of the Year

We are so proud to announce that Sherborne Girls has been shortlisted for ‘Boarding School of the year’ in the TES (Times Educational Supplement) awards. The TES Award recognises commitment, quality and innovation.