St George's Ascot, eNews Issue 70

eNews Issue 70, Friday 16 November 2012

County Lax Selection

Sincere congratulations to the following girls who have been selected for the Berkshire County Lacrosse Teams for 2012-2013.

In the Fourth year: Jade Agnew, Eliza Ballin, Anna Mason, Octavia Mason, Caitlin McArthur, Emma Streatfeild and Ella Walker and in the Upper Sixth Maeve McKenny and Helen Sale.

It is fantastic to see so many girls on the county team, marking the start of what we hope will be a great term of Lacrosse at St George’s. I am sure that the girls will echo my thanks to to the PE Department for their continued support.

The U19 Berkshire Team, with Maeve and Helen playing, took part in their first matches at the West Counties Lacrosse Tournament last weekend and emerged triumphant after winning their matches 14-0, 6-4, 7-4. Well done girls!

Upper Sixth US Trip

During the October half term, we were accompanied by Mr Sharkey, Miss Jackson, Mrs Potter to Washington DC and then to Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary.

Whilst in Washington we saw the White House, the Capitol building and the Washington monument. But what we were most excited to see was the Lincoln Memorial, where we experienced a re-enactment of MLK’s “I have a dream speech” by Mr Sharkey.

On our last day in Washington we went to visit Arlington Cemetery and were lucky enough to see JFK and Roberts Kennedy’s graves.

Around their graves were some of their most inspiring and well know quotes from famous speeches. Whilst at the cemetery we saw the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This represents those unidentified soldiers who fought and died for their country.

Over the next couple of days we travelled around the area to colonial sites to see what life was like in the 17th century, this gave us insights which would help with our coursework. This involved trying on armour, taking part in re-enactments and seeing canons being fired, amongst other things.

two to the police station to wait for another bus. We got the full experience when he turned on the sirens and weaved in-between other cars. We just made our flight with 15 minutes to spare.

Overall it was a great trip which we would highly recommend to the younger years. Thank you so much to Mr Sharkey, Miss Jackson and Mrs Potter for taking us.

We were warmly welcomed to the College of William and Mary with homemade cookies and a library orientation, although the cookies soon disappeared into Miss Jackson’s handbag!

We attended lectures and one seminar where we were able to contribute by explaining the definition of clever to the American students, which they believed meant crafty.

After a weekend of fun and shopping, we hit the books like proper students and attempted to blend in by spending hours researching for our coursework in their world class Swem Library.

On our journey to the airport, we broke down, had to stand for an hour in the baking heat waiting for rescue. Eventually a police car pulled up and our hero, Trooper Johnson offered to take us two by

Astrid Bagger, Alexandra Baker, Victoria Harding, Amiee Roberts, Alisya Rozhan, Jennifer Tilley, Alexandra Tyan and Hannah Wall

16 girls from the Third Year upwards together with Miss Masters and Miss van Ravenstein experienced the trip of a lifetime during October half term.

India is a country visited by thousands of tourists each year but few of them could have had the opportunity to live among the community as we did.

A highlight of the trip was four days spent teaching at the Dundlod School in Rajasthan. This school could not operate without financial assistance from schools like ours and it was heartbreaking to see what few resources they had. It inspired us to return to the UK with renewed vigour for fund-raising.

Our girls did us proud; they prepared lessons in English, Maths, and Environmental Studies, and delivered them to classes of 40 pupils. The first day was a learning curve (!) but the rest of the week proved that our girls have the spirit, common sense and aptitude to adapt to any situation.

Another highlight was a visit to the Taj Mahal where we bumped into two ‘old girls’ who had left St George’s ten years ago. It was amazing to meet them at such a crowded and atmospheric place.

The Dundlod Fort, where we stayed for four days, will remain in our memories forever. It was similar to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel but with added bats, beetles and cows. An unforgettable trip, with unforgettable memories…

Ms Masters

India 2012

Grenada 2012

The first week of half term a group of Fourth – Fifth and Lower Sixth went to Granada for 5 days for a linguistic and cultural trip. We spent the morning in a languages academy working in Spanish only, and after eating typical Spanish food in local restaurants went for excursions in the town.

After an early morning flight the group managed to make it up the hill to visit the Albaycin, part of the old Granada, overlooking the Alhambra. The view was definitely worth it!

We visited the Alhambra the next day and enjoyed the sun and the 26 degrees!

After such a long walk though, we all felt like having some comfort food and tried the famous ‘Churros con chocolate’.

On Wednesday, we made paella at the academia. The girls went shopping at the local market and bought the ingredients before cooking it in the patio of the school. Tessi took charge and was head chef for the afternoon and we ate lunch at about 3.00pm; clearly we adapted well to Spanish time. ¡Qué aproveche! It was delicious and the hard work was rewarded by some free shopping time in the centre of Granada.

Overall, the weather was fantastic with only a few drops one evening, the hotel was very comfortable and breakfast was almost as good as St George’s! The girls learnt a lot by being immersed in a Spanish environment and did a lot of conversation work in the morning session at the Academia Castila. Despite the cobble stones and hills of Granada, we did not give up and we explored Granada and discovered a beautiful and vibrant city.

In Cordoba we visited la Mezquita which used to be a mosque but is now a Catholic Cathedral. It was such a mix of culture, just like the town itself.

At lunchtime, we often had the set menus of the restaurant and sampled the local specialities. In the evening, the girls could order their own dishes and we were delighted to see that they asked for very typical dishes and shared to have a taste of the various delicacies. Some tried famous tapas and raciones such as calamares (squid), lechuga a la plancha con ajo (braised lettuce with garlic), jamon ibérico (cured ham), merluza al horno (baked cod) etc. Some even started getting brave and tried the squid’s tentacles….and enjoyed them!

Most importantly, those for whom it was the first trip to Spain said they would love to come back!

Mrs Burrows

Current Affairs Society: Adam Afriyie, MP for Windsor Girls at St George’s had the opportunity to hear from their local MP Mr Adam Afriyie in a meeting of the school’s Current Affairs Society on Friday 9 November. Mr Afriyie began the meeting with an insight into his difficult school life, how he became an MP and what his role now involves. After his presentation, the girls had an opportunity to question him on his policies. The extensive Q&A covered all areas of political life, but the girls were particularly interested on Mr Afriyie’s views on tax, university funding and overseas aid in this economic climate.

Second Year visit Reading Synagogue

Poppy Appeal I am delighted to confirm that we raised £198.55 for the Poppy Appeal. Thanks to the girls, staff and parents who contributed at the Remembrance service on Remembrance Sunday.

The Great EU Debate Instead of the usual Sixth Form Discussion Evening at Mrs Owens’ house, about 25 Sixth Form girls met in the Old Library to listen to two guest speakers debate the costs and benefits of the European Union (EU). Christopher Quinton (Civitas) and Tony Koutsoumbos (European Movement) were expert public speakers and the girls learnt a huge amount listening to them present their arguments.

The debate sparked many questions and although the room was divided in our final opinions, we all gained a better understanding of the EU and its powers.

Arts Conference On Tuesday 13 November the Second Year visited Reading Synagogue as part of their Religious Studies course. The visit started with an entertaining talk by Rabbi Zvi who talked about the history of the Jewish faith and also the symbolism used in the synagogue itself. After the talk the girls had an opportunity to see many Jewish artefacts and even to taste some kosher food. It was a fascinating trip and much enjoyed by all the girls.

On Wednesday 31 October three keen Art Historians accompanied Mrs Major to the Arts Conference held at Heathfield School. We were privileged to listen to Lord Dalmeny, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s present on the world of auction houses, as well as Silke Lohmann who talked about her work in PR in the Arts. It was an enjoyable evening and certainly helped to spark some future career ideas.

From left to right, Celina Brar, MD of Branded, Dragons; Anna Cook, Arabella Maguire, Edward Luker, Sue van der Veen and Isabelle Berger MD of Forget-me-Not.

Young Enterprise Teams face the Dragons’ Den The Sixth Form Young Enterprise teams faced their toughest challenge to date, in a Dragon’s Den challenge on Wednesday 14 November. Young Enterprise is a national Charity which enables young adults to learn about business by setting up and running their own companies. The Lower Sixth at St George’s have formed 2 companies; ‘Forget-me-Not’ who are selling bespoke jewellery and ‘Branded’ who are selling personalised pencil cases. In this challenge, the teams faced our own Dragons comprising, Edward Luker, Chair of Governors and property investment leader; former Georgian, Arabella Maguire of Credit Suisse; Sue van der Veen, former Deputy Head of St George’s and Anna Cook, Governor, former Georgian and management consultant.

The Managing Directors, Isabelle Berger and Celina Brar, along with their teams, presented their intricate business plans to the Dragons who each had £25 of their own money to invest. They were then interrogated by the Dragons before a decision was made. Dragon, Edward Luker, commented “both teams’ presentations were exceptional and it was inspiring to hear from these young women, some of whom will no doubt be leaders of the future in UK business.”

Both teams received financial backing from the Dragons but Forget-me-Not came out on top with £60 compared to Branded’s £40 investment. The evening ended with a presentation from Dragon Arabella Maguire on working for Credit Suisse and also an initiative called Modern Muse which is an initiative to inspire young women to work in finance and business in the UK. Both teams will be attending local craft and school fairs in the run up to Christmas. Find out more about our Young Enterprise Teams and their excellent products by following them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ForgetMeNotYE & www.facebook.com/brandedYE.

Confirmation It was a pleasure to once again welcome Bishop John and Mrs Ruth Bone to St George's for our annual Confirmation service.

The girls were supported by parents and godparents making for an intimate and meaningful celebration. Bishop John reminded us of the need for tools on our journey in life just as we need tools when setting out on a long walk or hike. We are aided along the way by good gear, a map and the ability to find perspective by using markers such as trig points. Similarly, markers along the way of our spiritual journey, like the experience of Confirmation, broaden and complement the standard tools of Scripture, prayer, worship and fellowship which aid us in our spiritual journey.

Fantastic Fireworks Many thanks to all the parents, girls and staff who attended the Fireworks Display on Friday 2 November. It was a clear crisp night and the fireworks were superb. It was wonderful to have such a great turn out. The House stalls raised nearly £150 for Dundlod School in India with the Coconut Shy and Face painting from A and D House being particularly popular! A particular thank you to the catering team who did a splendid job with the hog roast, hot soup and hot chocolate which kept us all warm!

Music School Parents’ Evening

The Music School Parents’ Evening held on Thursday 8 November gave parents the opportunity to meet with their daughters’ peripatetic music teachers, to discuss their progress and to hear then perform in a short concert at the end of the night. It was a lovely occasion and the varied programme featuring girls throughout the school ended the evening beautifully.

Σinstein Club!

Antique St George’s Cup Found

Last edition, we launched the Einstein Club with a problem for you to solve. This edition we have a clue to help you start to solve the problem. First of all here is a reminder of the problem: There are five houses in a row and each house is a different colour. A different person lives in each house and is from a different continent. Each person drinks a certain drink, plays a certain sport, and keeps a certain pet. No two people drink the same drink, play the same sport, or keep the same pet.

Use the following 15 facts to determine who owns the fish.

1. The person from Europe lives in a red house 2. The person from Asia keeps dogs 3. The person from Africa drinks tea 4. The green house is on the left of the pink house 5. The green house owner drinks coffee 6. The person who plays squash rears birds 7. The owner of the yellow house plays hockey 8. The person living in the house right in the centre drinks milk 9. The person from North America lives in the first house 10. The person who plays netball lives next to the one who keeps cats 11. The person who keeps horses lives next to the one who plays hockey 12. The person who plays lacrosse drinks ribena 13. The person from South America plays golf 14. The person from North America lives next to the blue house 15. The person who plays netball has a neighbour who drinks water.

Solution (Part 1) It is easiest to start by listing the various house colours, nationalities, drinks, sports and pets. This helps us to determine what information we have used and what still needs to be put into the table. By going through all of the facts you can see that we have the following options.

Colours:

Nationality:

Drink:

Sport:

Pet:

Red

Europe

Tea

Squash

Dogs

Green

Asia

Coffee

Hockey

Birds

Pink

Africa

Milk

Netball

Cats

Yellow

N America

Ribena

Lacrosse

Horses

Blue

S America

Water

Golf

Fish

Next, we need to create a table using the following categories: House Colour Nationality Drink Sport Pets

And so, now we shall use the 15 facts to fill in the table. It is best not to go through the facts in order. Rather, try to use the options that limit the number of possibilities. Try starting with facts 9 and 14. Can you fill in the table? Next, take a look at fact 4. At this point you may need to consider more than one possibility. Try having a different table for each possibility and see what else you can fill in from there.

We were delighted to be reunited with a cup, originally presented at St George’s for Junior Gymnastics in 1884, at the time when Winston Churchill was studying here. The cup was found by Jenny Tilley’s mother at an antiques fair and we are so delighted to see it once again. We are trying to find any records relating to it in the archive, although it seems unlikely that Master Churchill was the recipient!

Chapel Floor Renovation Parents who have attended an event at school over the past few weeks may have noticed the stunning new floor in the Chapel. Abingwood flooring were appointed to take on this project and have written this for inclusion in eNews: After being recommended by a London construction company we were delighted to be awarded the contract for St George’s school Chapel floor. We arrived on site and it was “all hands on deck” when the staff mucked in and helped move all the chairs. Thankyou!

The job went well and we installed English Pippy Oak on our ply sub-base. This is a bespoke service and when the laying was completed we sanded the floor and finally applied two coats of oil. This floor, if maintained properly will last many generations, so students attending now, may be visiting their granddaughters prize giving in years to come on the same floor. We are happy to give free advice, design and estimates to parents as Abingwood cover a large area of the South East and London, being based in Wimbledon. Email peter@abingwoodflooring.com.

Becket House Party

5 Minutes with …

Name: Mrs F Burrows Maitrise(Toulouse) GTP Job Title: Head of Modern Languages

ST GEORGE’S ASCOT Parent association

Christmas Sale at the Winter Social on Friday 30 November 2012

From 3.00pm - 5.00pm

What did you do before St George’s?

I was a Senior Sixth Form tutor and Head of Spanish at Reading Boys Grammar School.

in the South Lawn Room, St George’s, Ascot Mince Pies

What is your greatest achievement?

A few years ago I passed Grade I piano with distinction, which was a big achievement given my lack of coordination!

• Mulled Wine

Merchandise

• Wrapped Gifts &

• Bumper Christmas Raffle

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Dynamic, chatty and kind.

Please park in the main car park

Who is/was the most influential person in your life?

My mum was an inspiring person in my life, she was quite academic but still very inquisitive. She had a very generous personality.

What was the last book you read?

‘Histoires Peu Ordinaires à Toulouse’ – anecdotes based on events that happened in my home town.

What would you do if you won £2m in the Lottery?

Pay off my house, go away with my family and treat myself (and my husband!) I to some Michelin starred meals.

Match Results - Full reports can be found on the website.

Team

Versus

Result

Player of the Match

SE Berkshire Netball Tournament: 1st Team Crowned Champions 1st

LVS

Won 5-2

1st

Heathfield

Won 10-0

If money was no object where would you travel to?

America (north and south) and South Africa.

1st

St Mary’s, Ascot

Won 7-3

1st

Charters

Won 9-1

What is your ultimate Desert Island Disc?

It would have to be ‘The Little Road to Bethlehem’; the latest CD from my husband’s vocal group ‘Quintessential Voices’ or another of his recordings - ‘The Seeds of Love’ by the group Opus Anglicanum. Beautiful music and words.

U16A

Various

8th Place

A Blackburn

U16B

Various

2nd Place

C Groves

1st

Heathfield

Lost 12-8

D Winter

U14

Heathfield

Won 8-3

S Mason, S Bankole & G Woodward

U13

Heathfield

Won 6-5

S Arbib & G Wiszowaty

U12

Heathfield

Lost 14-8

S Ross

U12

Dunottar

Won 5-1

S Lyons

U13

Dunottar

Won 10-3

S Arbib

Which person alive or dead would you most like to spend a day with?

At the moment, I am addicted to Masterchef so it would have to be Michel Roux Junior.

What makes St George’s so special?

I like the fact that nobody is anonymous at St George’s, we all know each other and help each other out.

M McKenny & I Berger

Lacrosse

House Netball 2012

On a cold and rainy Tuesday afternoon all girls from St George's met to play in the annual House Netball Competition. The girls arrived promptly and were clearly eager to get the competition underway. The Senior girls were great at ensuring all Junior girls knew what they needed to do and got everyone organised and briefed on the competition ahead of them. Miss Jackson (Head of Alexander House), Mrs Jones (Head of Becket House), Mrs Fidler (Head of Churchill House) and Mrs Johnson (Head of Darwin House) were all in attendance to cheer their houses along and compete for the Netball Trophy.

There were some excellent performances amongst the Senior girls which resulted in Becket Senior girls 2nd team and Churchill Senior girls 1st team both playing superbly throughout the competition and remaining unbeaten in all of their games. The Junior teams also managed some wonderful performances with Becket Junior 1st team and Darwin Junior 2nd team also remaining unbeaten. At the end of the day the results were as follows: Juniors Seniors 1st: Churchill Joint 1st: Becket & Churchill 2nd: Becket 3rd: Darwin 3rd: Alexander 4th Alexander 4th: Darwin Overall 1st: 2nd: 3rd: 4th:

Churchill Becket Darwin Alexander

Well done to all girls that participated in the tournament and a big thank you to all the house captains and Miss Lofthouse for making this House Event so successful.

Looking Forward...

Wednesday 21 November 2012 A2 Drama - Devised Pieces Performances 7.30pm, Studio/Cormack

Sunday 2 December 2012 Advent Carols & Mulled Wine 7.15pm, Chapel

Friday 23 November 2012 Sixth Form Wine Tasting with Eton 8.30pm, SLR

Monday 3 December 2012 First Year Drama Club Production of Cinderella 7.30pm, Sue Cormack Hall

Saturday 24 November 2012 Darwin House Party 7.00pm Tuesday 27 November 2012 Nocturne Piano Recital by Mr Hillier 9.00pm, Chapel Wednesday 28 November 2012 Fifth Year Candlelit Supper 7.00pm, SLR

Tuesday 11 December 2012 Christmas Dinner for all girls & staff followed by the end of term Disco 6.00pm Wednesday 12 December 2012 Carol Service 11.30am, Windsor Parish Church 12.45pm, End of Term

Tuesday 13 November 2012 Piano Recital by Mr Hillier 9.00pm, Chapel Friday 30 November 2012 Parent Association Christmas Sale 3.00pm, SLR Saturday 1 December 2012 Alexander House Party 7.00pm

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