61 minute read
House Reports
RILEY
AS ANOTHER BUSY YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE, IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO SIT AND REFLECT ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND SUCCESSES ALL THE CHILDREN IN RILEY HAVE HAD
BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. The Rileyites have been nothing short of incredible and amazing during the summer term. All engaged fully with the opportunities that were provided through Strath Worldwide whether it was interactive Zoom games sessions, dress up scavenger hunts, bake offs, Kahoot quizzes or just coming out of their comfort zone and turning their videos on in Microsoft Teams lessons.
Certainly the year has not been without its challenges, but in usual Riley style everyone pulled together with love, laughter and the occasional tears to once again accomplish something remarkable and I will try to limit our successes to a few highlights.
We began the new school year with our new pupils and parents’ tea party where we welcomed the new children to Riley, not only through team building challenges on the paddock, but over tea and the legendary Strathallan strawberry tarts! Our visit to Landmark in Carrbridge then closely followed on the first Saturday of the new term. This is a memorable day out for all the children where they continue to bond and make life-long friendships with plenty of exciting activities for all to try. Over the year the children have had many opportunities to take part in activities, expanding both their knowledge and life experiences. These included trips to the Crannog Centre, National Museum of Scotland, Surgeon’s Hall, skiing at Glenshee and rugby matches at Murrayfield.
We were also fortunate to have many visiting speakers who shared their knowledge of the armed forces, the Westminster and Holyrood Parliaments as well as the staff from Sodexo talking about healthy eating. Ms Wilson organised a fantastic CSI day for some of our budding scientists. Split into teams, the pupils were tasked with solving a murder case by conducting six experiments to gather evidence and choose from a list of suspects. Curriculum Day closely followed where the children, in mixed age-groups, had to collaborate solving mathematical problems. Mr Amdurer once again organised a fantastic World Book Day which Riley celebrated by dressing up
as their favourite character from a book. We had some amazing costumes ranging from Danny the Champion of the World to the Midnight Gang.
Inter-divisional events continued to flourish in terms one and two. These develop a strong divisional spirit throughout the house, and it was pleasing to see so many parents support their children and Riley during these. My grateful thanks to the Divisional Leaders who organised fun and enjoyable, yet competitive events! The Divisional Plays in our first term were extremely creative. These are always a highlight of my year with the children not only having to write, but also cast and direct their plays. After a varied and entertaining morning, Balmanno were the worthy winners. This was followed by an exceptional Divisional Music showcasing all the children’s incredible musical talent. Choir songs from all divisions continued to amuse, however Glenearn’s solo was the standout performance of the day. I cannot forget to mention the many sporting events which were equally competitive — rugby, hockey, cross-country and netball to name but a few. What makes these events so special is the full participation from all the children. Dron and Balmanno battled it out for the comfy seats at the end of both terms, so I suppose it is only fitting for these divisions to become joint winners of the Divisional Shield for this academic year.
Halloween is always a special time in the Riley calendar and great fun was had once again at the party. Returning from school tea, the common room, lit with Halloween lights, was a spooky sight. Then lights on and music blaring for the costume parade, followed by apple bobbing, the mummy game, and the balloon relay. A huge thank you as always to Mrs Gibson for her decorations and goodies. This year the boarders enjoyed their visit to the Spirits of Scone… who can forget the mystical maze or indeed Pennywise!
Music has continued to play an integral part of the curriculum under Mr Gooch, our Director of Music. Our choir, orchestra and ensembles have surpassed our expectations and shown the amazing talent the children possess. The children have participated in a variety of activities such as the Headmaster’s Musical Showcase, our informal concerts, the Performing Arts Showcase and the Kilgraston Strings Day. All these events have continued to broaden the experiences of the children and performing has fine-tuned their abilities.
Our activity programme continues to grow, with an excellent selection of new activities and old favourites for the children to choose from. The activities on offer — from shooting to canoeing, bush craft to football — have encouraged friendships, adventure and independence as the children learn new skills. I cannot wait to see what LEGO creations are built this year!
It has also been a wonderful year for our charities committee, who through our first Riley Ramble, Christmas Jumper Day and a BINGO night, very ably led by the Form 2 boys, have raised a huge amount of money for Kenya and Macmillan Cancer Support.
It is always sad at this time of year that we have to say farewell to those members of staff who have moved on. Max Farinazzo and Grace Hayes, our gap students from Australia, left at Christmas and left a big hole! However, their shoes were soon filled by Daniel Grove and Miranda KennedyHines. We also said goodbye at the end of the school year to Miss Olivia Streatfeild-James who was with us for two years as a Riley tutor and we wish her well in all her endeavours. I would also like to wish the Form 2 children well as they move across the causeway to the senior part of the school. It has been wonderful having them with us and we look forward to seeing their academic and pastoral progress and development. I would also like to offer my sincere thanks to all the Riley team for their tireless work, to the parents for their continued support and finally the children themselves, who make each day unique and full of joy.
EL
Riley 2020 Visions
As the coronavirus pandemic interrupted normal schooling, here’s what summer term looked like for some of our pupils.
“Summer term has been great new experience for everyone. Personally, I have enjoyed the extra hour in bed and breaks with the family. It is great to be able to have a private chat with the teachers at any time and get personal feedback on assessments. Although the schooling is online, the experience is great for learning and the way it is used by the teachers makes it very enjoyable to learn with. The amount of prep we get is sometimes overwhelming but always enough to be able to have time for myself.”
Fergus T, Form 2
“This term has been amazing even though we haven’t been in school but have had online school. Although we have sadly missed the sport fixtures of this term, we have still been keeping fit by doing the after-school workouts. I love sport and was excited to take the role as Riley Sports Captain, and share my ideas on participation in different sports with others. I think that the teachers and staff at Strathallan have done a good job at keeping us focused with interesting lessons and varying how it is delivered online. We have been mainly using Teams but have now started to do non-curricular chats on Zoom. I am a boarding student and the biggest change for me personally is missing my friends and participating in class and after school activities. I do love being at home and have kept in contact with my friends with calls, but it is not as good. Art lessons have been really good because we can keep working after school, and in Maths I feel that I have learnt a lot of new skills this term. We have had a Zoom tutor meeting every week to check up on us, where you can share your feelings with Mrs. Ailinger, who also hosts an event once a week that we can all join and have a bit of fun. “
Louise B, Form 2
“My first term at online school has definitely been very different to normal school: no activities, longer lessons, not seeing friends. The thing I am missing the most is not doing sports, although I am playing netball and hockey and keeping fit in my garden. Once we got going with online school, however, it was really nice to see teachers again and to get back to work. We’ve all made big adjustments this term, and a lot of it has been fun, such as making a cake for my final English project, but I am looking forward to getting back to normality, if that ever happens!! “
Olivia D, Form 1
“The summer term I had at Strathallan was the first school online I ever had. The variety of challenges I faced were interesting yet difficult. Strathallan never fails to surprise me with new and exciting ways of teaching. This year was different, because if I did go to school, there would be a very fast trip to the NHS and nobody wanted to suffer this horrible disease, so they shut all the schools down, and instead made us do all the work given to us using new platforms called Firefly and Teams which I had never used before. I quickly got used to it and found that some of the work set was really fun.”
Tom N, Year 6
“Since 2019 when I got my first pony, Puzzle (a 17-year old 13.2 pie-bald, cob-cross gelding), I’ve wanted to compete in dressage. Although I have had regular lessons for about five years before I got Puzzle, it was attending dressage events with one of my friends that convinced me that that is what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, coronavirus hit in 2020 and all the horse shows this year have been cancelled. In March I saw an advertisement for E-riders Online Dressage so decided to give it a go. I made the money to pay for my entrance fee by doing chores.
April was my first attempt, but in May (my second try) I came in 5th with a score of 66.46% and 6th in the veteran class (because of Puzzle’s age) with a score of 66.73%. All the entries are filmed and sent in via YouTube, Facebook, or WeTransfer. The person filming stands at “C” in the arena — roughly the middle of one end — and zooms in when you are at the other end of the arena. Usually on the first day of the next month the results are released. All the results are posted on Facebook and rosettes are shipped along with test sheets and prizes. There are rosettes for everyone under 10th place and a prize for first by a monthly sponsor. E-riders has been going for a while, but May they had over 1000 entries as so many horsey people wanted to do something positive during lockdown.
There were some challenges to competing during lockdown. As everything was closed it meant that Puzzle’s farrier could not come to do his feet, although he needed new shoes. Luckily, the livery manager found a farrier that was still shoeing. Of course, we could still go out and get feed for all of the horses at the yard as animal feed stores had an exemption to shutting. Thankfully, as well, one of the ladies that used to be at my yard has a small mobile stall so when we ran out of fly-spray and Puzzle’s stirrup-leathers broke, we replaced them easily and kept on riding.
The past few months have been nothing I expected, however discovering E-riders and being able to focus so much on my riding has been an unexpected positive to the lockdown. Hopefully, next year things will get back to normal and everyone can get back out competing, but for now I have some new rosettes and skills that will help me remember this time.”
Isla T, Form 1
Riley Prizegiving 2020
Hewson Cup
Form 2 MSG Form Prize
Form 2 MSG Effort Prize
Form 2 TA Form Prize
Form 2 TA Effort Prize
Form 1 KSJ Form Prize
Form 1 KSJ Effort Prize
Form 1 PK Form Prize
Form 1 PK Effort Prize Mia L
Tara G-R
Zac M
Fergus T Mia L
Eric M
Natalie DCT
Caitlin M
Hamish Q Anna P
Sami L
Surina C
Harriet R
Sebastian G
Layla A
William C
Sophie D
Archie M
Charlotte M
Year 6 Form Prize
Year 6 Effort Prize
Year 5 Form Prize
Year 5 Effort Prize
Boys Drama
Girls Drama
Boys Music
Girls Music
Boys Sport
Girls Sport
RILEY SPORTS
Autumn Games awards are presented to Emily P, Louise B, Fionn T and Jasper FC by Lisa B and Cam P.
BOYS U13 RUGBY
THE U13As HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL RUGBY SEASON WITH 9 WINS AND 3 LOSSES. The highlights of the season included victories over Edinburgh Academy (28-18) and Merchiston School (16-15). The team worked tirelessly throughout games sessions to develop their attacking strategies with Archie M, Derek M, Conor F and Fionn T providing numerous tries over the season. Additionally, the U13As competed at the Ardvreck 7’s Tournament. This was a very wet and windy day which is far from ideal 7s conditions.
In the pool matches the team lost 10-6 to Cargilfield and drew 10-10 with Loretto. Strathallan did however make it out of the pool to play Ardvreck in the quarter final, winning this match 11-7. This then led to a very exciting semifinal. At full time it was 8 all against Fettes and in extra time Strathallan scored a golden try to make it to the final. A final awaited against Merchiston School. With the weather worsening it was a tight game and Merchiston scoring the match’s only try for the win. Well done to all the boys who played for the A team: this is a really promising group of players for the future and the two co-captains Fergus T and Derek M have led the team superbly.
THE U13Bs HAD 8 MATCHES THIS SEASON WITH 1 DRAW, 3 WINS
AND 4 LOSSES. It was clear that as the season progressed they got stronger, working together in attack and defence to win their last two games against Robert Gordon’s (18-3) and Cargilfield (3310). Key players included Reuban L who worked tirelessly in defence and made the best tackle of the season against Fettes to prevent a try. Additionally, David A, Magnus H and Oscar P worked hard all season to improve their tackling and defensive work.
U13As team at Ardvreck 7's Tournament.
BOYS U12 RUGBY
THE U12s RUGBY SEASON WAS GREAT, AND WE PLAYED REALLY WELL WINNING EVERY MATCH
WE PLAYED. I was very honoured to be Captain of this team, everyone has potential to be a great rugby player including the younger ones who have stepped up to the plate. Next season I hope we train extremely hard so we can enjoy an exciting season and play as a strong team. If we play as a team, I am sure that we will have the makings of a great squad. I can’t wait to play alongside everyone again so we can have some ‘banter’ and play some good rugby! Our best match of the season was against Queen Victoria School and we beat them 50-20 (every try was five points and there were no conversions). These are the players that played in the
squad: 1, Jasper F-I, 2, Fergus, 3, Cameron B, 4, Bertie M, 5, Buzby W, 9, Jack F, 10, Fin G, 11, Jack B, 12 ,Olly S, 13, Jacob H, 14, Eric M, 15, Archie C, 16, Raghallaigh D. We were coached by two great coaches last season and that was the reason we played so well. Mr Tod would coach us when we were training which was three times a week if there were no matches on and Mr Dickens coached us before our matches and made sure we were ready to play. My favourite moment last season has to be the match against Queen Victoria School not because of the score but our passing, tackling, rucking and running worked well, most importantly we had a lot of fun!”
Fin G
BOYS HOCKEY
ASEASON WHICH WAS CUT SHORT AND HIT BY THE WEATHER SAW THE U13A TEAM ONLY PLAY 2 FIXTURES AND THE U13B TEAM PLAY
1 FIXTURE. The As had two draws: 1-1 v Belhaven and 2-2 v Craigclowan. This is a team with great potential, and they showed this at times in each match. Conor F played well in goals and was lively for rebounds and Archie M worked hard to get into spaces, helping to create chances. The U13B team had a great win against Belhaven, score 5-4. The boys showed great determination to come from behind and score a late goal to win the match.
THE U12s HAD 4 FIXTURES AND U11s 3 FIXTURES
RESPECTIVELY. The U12s went undefeated and won all 4 matches. They scored plenty of goals in just 4 matches - 26 goals for and only 8 against. We are all excited to see these boys play at U13 level next year and with, we hope, a full season which will really allow them to show what they can do. The U11s won 2 and lost 1 match this season. An exciting and end-to-end match was had against St Leonards, with Strathallan winning 6-5. Some great performances by Faisal H and Sami L ensured Strathallan had lots of scoring opportunities but also kept working back to help defend.
GIRLS HOCKEY
THE U13s WERE CAPTAINED BY CHARLOTTE M THIS SEASON. We were able to field two teams this season with several new girls learning hockey for the first time and their first eleven-a-side match against Queen Victoria School. From the start of this match the girls worked very well as a team. They had several chances to score very early in the game with Mia L scoring the first goal followed by Louise B. In the second half, Charlotte M got the final goal to finish the game with a 3-0 victory. In their regular 7 aside matches they had a mixture of results for both the A and B teams. The girls made great improvements throughout the season, learning how to defend in a press, elimination skills and passing on the move.
Girls U13A hockey team
THE U12 AND U11 TEAMS WERE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC AND ENERGETIC IN TRAINING AND
MATCHES. There were some very close matches at the start of the season, but the girls seemed unable to find a win. However, after half term they started to link better as a team and score goals resulting in better performances and some wins for both teams. Notably performers throughout the season included Flora R, Olivia D, Niamh C, Harriet R and Elspeth W.
GIRLS NETBALL
THE NETBALL SEASON WAS DISRUPTED DUE TO POOR WEATHER FOR OUTDOOR MATCHES AND CORONAVIRUS.
This did not stop the girls from training well and playing a few friendly matches. The U13As had a good season recording wins against Ardvreck, Fettes and Loretto. Their best performance of the season was in the match against Loretto where the girls all linked well to maintain good possession. The shooters Charlotte M, Emily P and Flora R scored 21 goals between them. Additionally, Mia L and Louise B used their pace and skills to manoeuvre the ball into space and into the shooters.
THE U13Bs HAD A SIMILAR SEASON AND PLAYED A FEW FRIENDLIES AGAINST CRAIGCLOWAN, FETTES,
LORETTO AND ST MARYS. They had 2 wins and 3 losses in the season. Their best performance of the season was at home against Fettes. Minnie H captained the team and showed good leadership on the court. With some strong defence from Eliza E and Alice C, the Fettes shooters were kept quiet allowing Strathallan to win 18-5.
THE U12 TEAM STARTED THEIR SEASON WITH A COUPLE OF LOSSES AND THEY WORKED HARD TO DEVELOP THEIR SHOOTING AND MARKING
SKILLS. Their best performance saw them win against St Marys in a triangular, scores were 9-3 and 12-4 to Strathallan. Lois M scoring the majority of Strathallan’s points and Amelia C worked hard with Niamh C to get the ball into the D from the centre passes to allow Strathallan to score.
THE U11 TEAM HAD 4 FIXTURES
AND WON 1 AND LOST 3. It is a young team with several girls able to play this age grade next year. In their win against Lathallan, Harriet R and Elspeth W scored several points each with Ailsa T and Anna P working well in defence to prevent the opposition from scoring.
AMW
FREELAND
Head of House Muna N Deputy Head of House Andrew C & Oren W
FREELAND, AS A HOUSE, SHOWED A LOT OF CHARACTER IN DEALING
WITH THE CRISIS OF THE PAST YEAR. It was a year that featured several members of the House achieving in leaps and bounds in a range of fields. Although our time in the company of one another was cut short, this was one of Freeland’s more fruitful campaigns. From as far as Australia and the United States, Freeland received newcomers from around the globe. Dalmas, joined Fourth Form for six weeks from Kenya and left a lasting impression. Age was no barrier to his confidence as he addressed the whole school in chapel and engaged enthusiastically with everyone he met. Angus R joined us on exchange from Canberra Grammar and his contribution to the life of the House was greatly enjoyed by the senior members. I am pleased to mention that Oliver M-J was selected I must also mention that several to attend Hilton College in South Africa as an exchange pupil but sadly members of the House used this the circumstances prevented him year as an opportunity to further from going. We kicked off the year with the themselves in their respective Inter-House Rugby competition competencies. It gives me great with our third formers being standout performers. Swift decision pride on behalf of the whole making from the likes of Lewis M and Stan B were complemented by house to commemorate these. the power and pace of the rest of squad; these amongst other things allowed them to achieve a clean sweep in the competition and gave us our first win of the year. With the ball already rolling, the House was determined to defend our title of the ‘Best Boys House’ at the House Music competition for this year. Our songs of choice and array of musical talent led us to believe that the contest was simply ours for the taking. After an impressive opening choir performance of “Hooked on a Feeling” the crowd were serenaded with Euan H’s electric guitar solo: ‘Reapers’ by Muse, a piece that showed off outstanding technical ability. I would say, however, that our ensemble our biggest mark on the competition. Freeland was able to give a sensational rendition of Glen Campbell’s ‘Southern Nights’, which saw Francis Y make a cheeky guest appearance on his trusty kazoo, which virtually no one in the audience saw coming. Alas, in the eyes of the judge at least, the competition was stiff this year and we were bested. Just as we took time to celebrate our efforts, the echoes and lamentations of ‘highway robbery’ came soon after. I must also mention that several members of the House used this year as an opportunity to further themselves in their respective competencies. As a result the fruits of their labours became manifested themselves, we celebrated them: Hamish N got a direct call-up to Strath’s First Hockey Team as well as invitations to the Midlands and Scottish Development squads. He and I (Muna N), along with the efforts of many others, took Strathallan to the Scottish Schools Hockey Bowl Final and came away as Joint Bowl Champions. Oren W, captain of the Strath’s Volleyball Team got a national call up to the Flying Scots team where he competed in two international fixtures against the respective Irish and English squads. Ethan W was awarded the ‘Young Magician’s Performance of the Year’ award
for 2019, a remarkable achievement that was promptly followed by a win at Strath’s Variety Show.
Alexander E, who is a member of the Scottish Golf Performance Academy, was selected to play in the Solheim Cup diversity event
The second term saw Freeland’s participation in many more events. The third formers again put their best foot forward to win the junior section of the inter-house cross country. Freeland’s junior hockey team starred in their own right. Having advanced into the final of the tournament, it wasn’t hard to recognize that they deserved to be there. With every flick of the ball and with every sweeping pass, you could feel the passion from each player. As much as hockey is a team game, it’s safe to say that our goalie, Josh C was more or less, a deciding factor. You see, Josh had received numerous shots coming from all areas of the penalty circle. In the occasional fracas that was ‘organizing our defence’, our goalie showed no fear, only quality. Josh’s laudable efforts and Freeland’s overall defensive grit managed to see us through and take the game to penalties. In a nail-biting, end to the match, having saved a further flurry of shots, an ill-hit ball managed to find its way into the back of the goal, and marked the end of all the drama. Although Freeland’s junior team did place second in the tournament, in our eyes, they were no different from champions.
The House was able to place 2nd in the Indoor Inter-House Hockey Competition, a feat most people never imagined possible. In the outdoor competition, Freeland played against a formidable Simpson side. We Hamish N got a direct call-up to Strath’s First Hockey Team as well as formulated a game plan, that was invitations to the Midlands and Scottish Development squads. He and carried out to the best of our abilities: I (Muna N), along with the efforts of many others, took Strathallan to Robert B-S was quick to make his the Scottish Schools Hockey Bowl Final and came away as Joint Bowl presence known with his unique Champions. and occasionally questionable style Oren W, captain of the Strath’s Volleyball Team got a national call of play, Scott C and Ben L, our secret up to the Flying Scots team where he competed in two international weapons, did their best to organize the fixtures against the respective Irish and English squads counterattacks. Having narrowly lost Ethan W was awarded the ‘Young Magician’s Performance of the the game, we were to play Ruthven in Year’ award for 2019, a remarkable achievement that was promptly a 3rd place final. The Ruthven match followed by a win at Strath’s Variety Show saw our defence bombarded from Alexander E, who is a member of the Scottish Golf Performance all directions as our sturdy defence, Academy, was selected to play in the Solheim Cup diversity event consisting of Thomas C, Ross G, Fergus S and Cameron G, had their skills tried and tested. In the dying seconds of the match and a stroke of luck, Stuart H was able to slot one home to win us the match: altogether, a performance not to be ashamed of.
In debating, Muna and Francis did well to reach the final of the senor inter-house competition.
Perhaps the most anticipated event of the year, the Freeland Dinner, was the send-off that we never knew we needed in the light. Members of Freeland’s Lower and Upper Sixth arrived in their very best to celebrate and exemplify the very essence of our house: fraternity and comradery. The night was filled with banter and jest and was capped off with great speeches from Charlie R and Beau L and a few words from myself. The night was a mix of melancholic celebration, for the Upper Sixth at least, as it was a sign that the crazy ride was finally coming to an end.
I’d like to extend my thanks to Mr and Mrs Heaney, for being at the forefront of another successful academic session and to the tutors for their good company and support. I would also like to thank Diane, Alison, Leone and Liz for always being there when we needed them and being such an integral part of the House. I’d like to send my congratulations and goodwill to Beau L and Andre K as they take on the reins for the upcoming year. Finally, I would like to say how proud we are that Fergus S has been appointed Head of School and wish him all the best.
Muna N
NICOL
Head of House Douglas B Deputy Head of House Shay C & Cameron P
AS THE UNFORGETTABLE YEAR OF 2020 PASSES AND ANOTHER GROUP OF NICOLITES MOVE INTO THEIR NEW POST-STRATHALLAN LIVES, WE ARE REMINDED OF THE SPIRIT AND ENTHUSIASM THAT FUELS THE BOYS OF NICOL HOUSE IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
For many of us, Nicol is the proof that with constant support, genuine motivation and a shortish speech from Mr Bergin, anything is possible. We have been fortunate enough to see a great bunch of lads coming up in the years below who have made our time here such a blast. In Nicol we will always aim to be the best, no matter how difficult the task is. Whether it is an
individual or a collective effort we will always aim high and if we don’t get the results we aimed for, we will have known that we always tried our best. Whatever our skills, we know that effort is key - and we’re not afraid to show it, much to the annoyance of other houses.
Friendships are also key to all of us in house and I’d like to thank the efforts of all years, especially the older boys, for making sure all new pupils felt welcome despite one or two being blissfully unaware what the rest of us did at 8 o’clock every morning! It really has been a pleasure to be Head of House this year, with Shay C and Cameron P, alongside the support from a brilliant team of UVI Prefects. We even witnessed an initially shy Third Form transform into a bubble of noise and laughter that could be heard throughout the house.
As usual we started the Autumn term off on a high (heel… didn’t we Shay?) with our almost tuneful rendition of Uptown Girl by Billy Joel, led this year by a stunningly attired Shay, which we are proud to say was almost in time with the musical backing track. Archie D blew us all away with a very polished performance of Thunderstruck on the bagpipes. Much to our surprise, the pipes didn’t win the solo competition, and we put it down to the adjudicator preferring singers as it appears is the case most years. So hopefully, one of the boys will develop a singing voice over the summer to win it next year, or maybe I’m overlooking someone with a hidden talent for Christmas songs? However, such a person did come forward from our UVI and on behalf of all the girls at Strath I would like to thank Calum B for organising our House Ensemble. Some cynical observers might suggest that everyone else in the band was there to make up numbers, but we’d refute that. We finished House Music with the usual feeling that we’d deserved to win, but when we got into house that evening we were greeted like warriors when Mr and Mrs Bergin laid out a full feast of hotdogs, popcorn and sweets. So, I guess we really were winners after all!
One thing many people tell you about Nicol is that they are consistent, and this was highlighted by our performance across all the competitions this year.
The Senior boys played some lovely rugby to come out on top, but the Juniors struggled to maintain momentum coming into the finals and we came a close second place overall. A similar scene unravelled in the hockey finals where again we fought valiantly and with heart but finished second after an intense penalty shootout. However, what was great to see was all the Nicol boys who hadn’t played the respective sports for years step up and play their hardest for the house. As with every year, we saw a huge proportion of the house take part in the cross country and swimming standards, in which we performed well.
As the Autumn term progressed, we turned our attention to the dreaded UCAS and all that it meant for our bright red and yellow futures. Little did we know that the whole process would later be radically changed in a way no one could have predicted. However, I’m
sure all the Nicol Upper Sixth will be relaxing in the fact that we worked hard all year — well, in Mr Bergin’s eyes at least. Hopefully, all of us will receive the grades we each need and will meet the amazing offers some have received. Good luck boys! Let this be a careful reminder for the younger boys that you will not always be able to pull it out of the bag at the end of the year… So, I urge you to continue to take your academic progress seriously. It will be worth it. Trust us: we’ve all been in your place before.
The reputation of Nicol boys is one of good spirits, a sense of unity and working for each other. This attitude in the house comes directly from the support we have receive and this year it has been magnificent. The ‘girls’ (Alison, Yvonne and Lana) battled, usually successfully, to keep brew rooms, common rooms and corridors spotless. Despite Woody, Cam G, Fadah and even the illustrious Wiseman’s inability to understand the function of a wardrobe, rooms have been tidy. Kirsteen has kept us all in good spirits and has done a fabulous job as Matron. Our resident tutor, Mr Fraser, joined us at the start of the year and I’m not sure he really knew what he was getting into. If he had, he might have trained a bit harder for the evening ping pong games. Nonetheless, his “chat,” both good and bad, has made a huge contribution to the great atmosphere in house. Our visiting tutors, Mr Banda, Mr Drover, Mr Dick, Mrs Birrell and Mr Foster, have been equal stalwarts. Each in their inimitable way has done much to add to that recognisable Nicol atmosphere.
In what seemed very strange at first, but is now a rather comforting routine, we have been challenged by Mr Bergin with a vast array of quizzes and questions through Strath Online. Mr Bergin recently announced the name of the new Head of House, Blair M. I am sure Blair will do an excellent job and I wish him, together with Woody and Donald who will be his deputies, lots of luck in their new roles. I would also like to congratulate wee Forbes W who has somehow been appointed as Deputy Head of School. In all seriousness, it is great to see the Nicol boys secure these well-deserved positions. They will set an excellent example for the House to follow. Finally, thanks to Mr Bergin whose job can’t be easy even though he seems to stay calm whatever happens and to Mrs Bergin, Eve and Hestia for their home baking and always a wagging tail. Who knows, maybe next year Alex will help around the house? I don’t think the boys could ask for a better Housemaster than Mr Bergin. He has supported all the Upper Sixth from day one and I know he seriously supports everyone with whatever they do. The House seems to get better and better each term and the future is definitely bright with the new Upper Sixth carrying the torch. Do us proud, Nicolites.
Douglas B
SIMPSON
Head of House Finlay C-S Deputy Head of House Rowan L & Tom M
ITHINK EVERYONE CAN AGREE WITH ME WHEN I SAY THAT THIS SCHOOL YEAR BEEN FAR FROM
NORMAL. However, not even a pandemic could stop Simpson from filling up its trophy cabinet again.
The start of the year was great, and all the new pupils adjusted to Simpson life quickly (even better than some U6th you could say). Even before term had started, as I walked through the door in August, the sense of community was there. I was met by new faces and the usual anticipation and excitement, as well as the odd “how on earth are you head of house” from my peers (a question that may never be answered).
One of the first sporting events that included the majority of the house was rugby and it’s fair to say that with Simpson taking up a lot of the 1stXV spots we were in a good position. The seniors only managed a draw with Nicol but the junior team picked up the slack and got us a win in both competitions. Both indoor and outdoor house hockey were also won by Simpson which was no great surprise given the calibre of players such as Struan G, Finn D, and Tom M. Unfortunately, due to the events of the
Simpson pupils have also been excelling outside of house competitions with skiing, equestrian, debating, hockey, rugby, cricket and even buffalo farming giving us cause for celebration this year. I also have to mention that Will L and Struan G took on the most senior leadership roles this year as Captain and Vice-Captain of school respectively.
Summer term, sports day wasn’t on but if it was, I think it would be fair to say that the famous “OOFTA” celebration would have seen another outing.
Don’t think for a single minute that I have forgotten about the legendary night that was House Music, and what a night that was. Our rendition of I want it that way by Backstreet Boys was an instant House M usic classic. Thanks go to all the hard work and passion put in by the whole house. It showcased the ‘raw’ musical talent we have here in Simpson, not to mention the adlibs from the whole of the 6th form. DJ Louden’s solo performance transported the whole of the Strathallan sports hall to Ibiza with a self-written piece which won the Best Solo prize. The ensemble was great even though a minor mishap happened when one of my guitar strings broke. I decided to play the emotional heartstrings of the judge to grab a few extra points instead. In the end we won the overall prize which hasn’t happened in over a decade (I think it may have been even longer than that Fin — Mr B), with all the U6th, and Zhibo, storming the stage to collect the trophy. I seriously can’t thank everyone enough for all the hard work which ended up paying off.
As many of you may have heard Mr Muirhead, the Simpson in-house tutor, is moving out of the flat. Throughout my life at Strath he has always been there, and I think that many of the boys agree that it’s just not going to be the same without him there all the time. He has always played a vital role in Simpson life and never fails to put a smile on everyone’s face and brighten their day. All is not lost, of course. He will be staying on as Assistant Housemaster, but we’d like to thank him for all that he has given the house so far.
I would also like to pass on a big ‘thank you’, on behalf of the whole house, to Deborah, Debbi and Nicki, not least for putting up with our not so perfect rooms, and of course Matron for putting up with all of us and never failing to help us out. The same goes for all the tutors who I can always rely on for help or just a good chat.
Of course, I would like to thank Mr. B for managing to run the house extremely well for another year, and I really don’t know how he does it, but he does it brilliantly and (usually) with a smile on his face. Tom M and Rowan L as Deputy Heads of House played their parts in making the house run smoothly and that supplies of Nutella were kept with their rightful owners!
Simpson life has been something really special and not something I can easily put into words, but the number of laughs I’ve had, friends I have made, and experiences I’ve had really speak for themselves. I couldn’t imagine being in another house, or even having another housemaster and I can only hope Simpson remains as good as it has been for the future years. Good luck to all the boys and tutors next year, I think I’m leaving the house in safe hands.
Finlay C-S
THORNBANK
Head of House Eva M Deputy Head of House Steph C & Halle S
FROM UNEXPECTED CUBBY SCENARIOS TO VICTORIOUS HOCKEY GAMES AND CHEEKY
BANTER, Thornbank has had a year that will no doubt be ingrained into everyone’s memories — particularly because of the pandemic and its effect on our final term.
The year began with a breath of fresh air as the house welcomed our new resident tutor, Miss Quigley, and our new matron, Jackie. We did not really need to welcome the Third Form as they made themselves comfortable in their new environment and quickly became the most industrious year group in the house. They threw themselves with enthusiasm and energy into the Third Form retreat and left Imogen (Captain of School), Bryony (Vice-captain of School) and me thoroughly convinced of the fact that we no longer possess that amount of crazy Third Form energy — if indeed we ever did!
This has certainly been a year of welcoming. We started by welcoming new members of staff, new pupils, two house puppies Hamish and Cooper, and finally we welcomed Mrs Collister’s baby boy, Ruairidh. Now we are welcoming the unknown; a new and uncertain situation and future; but one that will no doubt strengthen the bonds between the girls once they return to school or start their new lives beyond.
Everyone had settled in within the first couple of weeks of term and this came in handy when we welcomed back old girls for Thornbank House’s 30th anniversary. Every girl was welcome to the celebration and one of our Third Formers, Sophie C, alongside her brother, performed pieces on the bagpipes for us. This celebration came in handy in two ways, as that afternoon the Senior Girls Hockey team won the outdoor Inter-house Hockey, and soon after the indoor as well.
Halfway through the first term we had a slight collapse in celebrations (similar to Imogen’s collapse on a yoga ball) due to an ‘interesting’ Halloween Party that consisted of a night of misunderstandings (for which I take half the blame as organiser) and an ‘interesting’ Inter-house Music result that might have caused some house trauma. No one can dispute the hard work and time that Bryony gave as our Music Rep, which ultimately led to us all having the best time on stage: arguably the most important facet of a house event. We all thought that Amy F-P’s dance battle with the Upper Sixth Form at the Halloween Party should have won a prize (even though it did allow for some interesting side-eye looks from Miss Quigley).
Soon after, everyone regained their spirits with the success of winning Inter-house Swimming, a most rewarding performance of The Crucible and a notso-disastrous but actually rather pleasant Christmas Party. Tired but happy, everyone was ready to go home by the end of that first term, not least because of Steph C’s horrible accents and her apparent inability to hear.
The second term sped by full of laughter, light and of course, hardworking girls until the end. Then our year
took an unexpected turn and although Thornbank became home to those members of the school whose travel was disrupted by the quarantine situations around the world, for many of us it was time to go home. Regardless of Mr Kent’s many attempts, Mary left school still on her phone and went on to become an online celebrity for a while with her recording of her return journey to China through the lockdown.
It has been more than gratifying being head of house this year (the 30th in the history of Thornbank) and being able to work with Mr Kent, the tutor team and all the girls. This may have been an unconventional year, but it was one that was full of the laughter and growth which defines Thornbank and I am sure that next year will continue this fine tradition.
Eva M
WOODLANDS
Head of House Sophia H Deputy Head of House Dhriti S
ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT THE ENDING THE GIRLS IN
WOODLANDS WERE HOPING FOR, we did make the most of the first two terms of this academic year.
Our juniors came out on top in both hockey and netball, our intermediate team won cross-country, and Bronte, Dhriti, Ava, Elvie, Mina and Rachel came out on top to win the Best Ensemble at House Music with their amazing performance of Creep. Even though we didn’t win House Music overall, I want to thank the girls for the effort they put in because it did sound amazing on the night. Woodlands also won the Academic Challenge this year which is incredible. I think everyone will agree that the Woodlands girls are always the winners for enthusiasm — showing the biggest turnout for support, covering ourselves with questionable red lipstick and more importantly having the most fun and easily the biggest grins on our faces, no matter the outcome.
My time at Woodlands wouldn’t be the same without the support we receive from not only the girls but more importantly Margaret, our House Matron. Over the years I have spent many hours laughing or crying with her. Woodlands would not be the same without her little nags for sinks to be cleared on a Tuesday or beds to be changed. Her kind words lift you up as you help her with the puzzle in the foyer. The house could not run as smoothly as it does or have the nurturing feel we all cherish without Margaret. So especially from the leavers, we thank you for all of your care over these many years, Margaret. Our thanks are also due to Mary, Ishbel and Ferlyth for ensuring the smooth running of the house. Another big thank you goes to our house tutors, for all their hard work.
Finally, Mr McKinney, you have been a calming and incredibly supportive housemaster from the moment you stepped through the doors all those years ago. Your advice has been invaluable to all who have been subject to it and the house will be forever grateful for all your time and effort you have given us. Specifically from your Upper Sixth, you have been a trusting and nurturing tutor to us all and in times of stress or confusion helped us get through. You will be greatly missed by us as we move out into the world. Everyone in Woodlands wishes you love and luck as you move out of the house and we’ll see you in the Maths department.
To finish off, I want to congratulate and wish all my best to the new Captain of school, Suzy M; our new Head of House, Erin M and all the new Upper Sixth on the challenges that next year may bring. I know the house is being left to the best people it could be. To all the girls, enjoy everything the next year brings you. I would also like to welcome the new Housemistress, Mrs Ettle, and wish her the very best of luck. She won’t need it: there is no better place to be than Woodlands.
So when we say Woodlands is like a family, it’s because you can’t really describe it any other way. We are all like big or little sisters to one another and I don’t think anyone would have it any other way if you asked them.
Woodlands has been a second home for me for many years now. I have made friends for life and had experiences I could never forget, from running around singing at the tops of our lungs to studying hard in the link. I can remember all too well moving up from Riley and finding the freedom of eating toast at break exciting, or the various events the house would put on for quiz nights. We dressed up as all kinds of characters, from Oompa Loompas that left us still orange days after, or gangsters whose face makeup was spot on.
We Sixth Formers had our annual chocolate night where too many secrets were let out of the jar but don’t worry, what’s said at chocolate night is washed away later that night together with all the chocolate that’s on our faces.
Throughout the year we have events such as pizza night and movie nights where younger and older years mix and get to know just how much we all love food! But I’ve found from my time that we don’t normally need these mixers to get to know one another. Over the course of every year in house you end up having hour long conversations in the foyer with people you may never otherwise have met. These people often turn out to be some of the best friends you could ask for. Sophia H
A Letter to the Woodlands’ Girls from Mr McKinney
“I’m not going to lie, I had reservations when I applied for and then accepted the position of Housemaster. I must be crazy to want to look after and live with 60 teenage girls. However, despite the challenges, I am glad that I had the opportunity to meet all of you. You are all amazing people and it has been a privilege getting to know you and watching you achieve exceptional things. As I said to you when I told you that I was stepping down as Housemaster, my decision had nothing to do with you, you are the best part of the job. I thank every single one of you, both past and present, for making a mark on my life and my family’s lives. We will miss seeing you each day. I will forever be a Woodlander and I am proud of that. Thank you.”
Ruthven Reflects
Alistair Jeynes-Ellis
Last year, in what was for us a moment of unimaginable shock and sadness, we lost our friend Alistair. Ruthven House, the school as a whole and his family mourned the loss of a much-loved friend. Losing somebody like Alistair was incredibly hard for everybody who knew him not only because of his kindness to friends and family, but because of his ability to find fun and humour in every situation. He was an incredibly upbeat person which is probably whey he was at the heart of a tight knit group of friends from the time he joined the school in Riley and it is still almost impossible to believe that he won’t graduate with the rest of the class of 2021.
Alistair was a talented drummer, he really enjoyed this and was proud to represent the house which he did in last year’s House Music ensemble. He was also a very talented skier. As well as representing the school in this sport, Alistair skied at international camps. It gave Alistair a wide social circle and we were touched to see how many people who knew him through skiing joined us to pay tribute to him.
We all knew how important family was to Alistair and he showed this by always making time for them. This included looking after his gran, keeping her company, and phoning his mother and father when he was away boarding at school. Alistair will not only be missed as a friend to us but as a beloved son and grandson to his family. He had a huge impact on people around him and their lives, this was shown greatly at the memorial service held in the chapel at school where many people had travelled from all parts of the world to come remember and celebrate Alistair’s life. Friends and family shared many stories of the fun and fond times they had with him. Through the sadness, we could see just how much there was to celebrate. Alistair will never be forgotten.
Harry H
Writing ‘In Pace’ for AJ’s funeral
When we were told about the news of Alistair’s passing, I have no doubt that it hit everyone in many ways and in different forms. For me personally, I didn’t really know how to feel as it was the case for many of my friends around me. I didn’t have any thoughts as such or anything to say, it was all kind of…blank.
When it comes to ease my mind away from things, both playing and listening to music is my main method when doing this. One night in the following days after the news was announced I went to the downstairs music room and just played. I commonly improvise whilst playing as it lends me a useful side benefit other than relaxation, but in that moment I listened to what I was improvising, and I found it was a mirror image of my conscience and my thoughts of this tragedy. At that time, I didn’t know that this was my way of showing how I felt but later on I found that it was.
I think that ‘In Pace’ was my reflection of my memories with Alistair and that is somewhat present in the music. The beginning being the life of Alistair and the scrolling of all the memories mentally. The middle being his death, a small moment of saddened calmness but followed by the confliction of thoughts and denying the acceptance of the loss of a friend. And finally, the end, his rest, and our acceptance with what has happened. Writing ‘In Pace’ in memory of Alistair and for his parents was one of the best feelings as I had left something for everyone to remember him by, but also because I was able to find some conclusion to my confliction. I hope that those who are able/were able to listen to ‘In Pace’ felt they could emphasise their own emotions through it.
Alex W
A quote which was brought up on many occasions stuck to me at that point, “When words fail music speaks”, this quote by Irena Huang was exactly what I was experiencing sitting at the piano.
RUTHVEN
Head of House Josh M Deputy Head of House Cole P
IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST TUMULTUOUS YEARS IN RUTHVEN’S
HISTORY. We started with our usual camaraderie and energy, and despite everything we have been through, this is what will shine through as our memory of this school session.
We had a successful start with the junior inter-house rugby team coming out on top of the 4 houses. Unfortunately, the senior team had less success coming in at third place. Even with multiple players in the team representing the 1st XV we couldn’t seem to perform and ended up losing two of our three games leaving us in 3rd place. Myself (Josh M) and Liam D played for the Caledonia U19 team this year, Callum B played for the Scotland U18s development squad, the Glasgow Warriors U18 side and Caledonia U17s alongside Duncan W who also represented the school playing for Caledonia U17s. You really can’t blame us for hoping for more with a team of this calibre!
House Music was not as successful as we had hoped for either. Ruthven this year had justifiably high hopes. We opened with an excellent ensemble performance led by Sebastian P singing the Kings of Leon’s Sex on Fire with five other talented boys backing him up to form a very good band. The solo performance from Charlie W also helped bump up our hopes for the prize but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. The house did, nevertheless, have lots of fun during the event. By anyone’s standards, our whole house choir was a stand-out success, it involved our conductor George C dressing up as a massive minion as we all sang Katy Perry’s Firework. Ah well, there’s always next year.
Sebastian P and Alex W had a very successful year overall with their music. Both were selected for the prestigious National Youth Choir of There are many more individual achievements in the house but not Scotland. Approaching the end of the first enough space to mention them term, Ruthven went through an all so I would like to congratulate extremely tough time with the loss of one of the boys in house. Alistair everyone in the house for a Jeynes-Ellis was an extremely successful year and for all their popular person not only in house but around the school. He will be greatly achievements. missed by us all, in Ruthven and beyond. The true spirit and sense of community of the house was shown as boys stepped up to help and support the people closest to AJ. The house really came together and showed great support for each other. I am so proud of how Ruthven was able to unite in this awful time and support each other. The reverberations of this will be with us all for a long time and even as we move forward, he is in our thoughts.
The now traditional Christmas ceilidh was a success and the boys had good fun. Our usual end of term outing to the house’s favourite restaurant Jimmy Chung’s was changed this year. Instead we got a pizza van which baked us fresh pizzas to enjoy in the comfort of the house in front of a film. It’s fair to say we were still feeling a bit raw and the right thing to do seemed to be to celebrate but in a more intimate and closed way.
After Christmas, Ruthven retained the cross country trophy, dominating in all the age groups. This win was helped by Blake H, Olly S and Alex W representing the school and house at the Scottish Schools Biathlon. They
came 1st, 5th and 6th respectively in their age groups. The house also had success in the inter house debating with the junior team coming out on top of the houses winning their debates.
We also retained our grip on the Inter House Swimming Championship by nearly doubling the score of the next best House, and our fantastic swimmers, led by Oboe C and Cole P, were rightly elated by their performances as several records fell.
The year was unfortunately brought to an abrupt end due to the Covid 19 pandemic and many inter-house competitions were missed out, many of which we as a house are reigning champions in so I’m sure the boys are looking forward to retaining them next year. Inter-house tug of war in particular which we have won for the last 2 years feels like it is rightfully ours and there is a score to settle when Sports Day is next held, we narrowly lost out on last year coming second.
I would also like to encourage the younger years to keep up their hard work in the future and make the most of their time at school. I would like to particularly wish the Lower 6th as they will be taking on the challenging role of running the house next year.
Josh M
GLENBRAE
THE YEAR KICKED OFF WITH THE HOUSE MUSIC
COMPETITION which I am very proud to be able to say was a huge success for Glenbrae, not just because we brought home two trophies!
The girls in house all worked extremely hard as a choir rehearsing our song Pack Up. By on the night expressed how much fun it all was, and to top the night off being announced second overall made everyone very proud.
The first term is always a busy one, including as it does inter-house swimming and swimming standards, inter-house hockey, House Music, Halloween, Fireworks and UCAS for UVI. Many girls were also involved in The Crucible as well as many practising in weekly music groups to prepare for the Musical Showcase and the Carol Service. The Crucible saw Rhianna M and Louisa K as part of the core cast, telling the tale of the Salem Witch Trails. Working hard behind the scenes were Saoirse O’C-B in lighting and sound and Sarah G as the Head of Stage Crew. This was a fantastic
performance, with Louisa putting on a great accent and Rhianna finding a way to terrify the audience with her screams — well done girls!
During second term, in preparation for The Addams Family, Stage Crew in house grew to include Johanna T, Shelley W and Natasha G. Joely F took up the central role of Grandma fresh from her professional stint on stage
The girls have competed in countless inter-house competitions over the year with some wins and some losses but almost every girl has participated in some respect. This, after all is what it is all about: trying something that you have maybe never done before, and we are so pleased with everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness this year.
the end, our daily rehearsals were not everyone’s cup of tea but all the hard work paid off and we won best girls house choir. All the girls were colour coordinated, thanks to Ellie and Bea-Bea, which looked amazing on stage with the actions we added resulting in Glenbrae also winning best presentation. Our ensemble duet saw Eleanor N and Cameron W singing Somewhere Only We Know accompanied by a very talented group of our musicians. The judge commented on how it gave her ‘chills’ (even if one of our main players went home ill the day before — poor Sophie — and another had to step in — thank you Maddie!). The solo category saw Madeleine S playing Hoe Down on the violin. This was equally as stunning and we loved that this was different to the other solo performances and really stood out. The smiles on the girls’ faces
at Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. Mia R and Katie B had also joined the in-house actors with roles in the ensemble cast.
We did manage to find time to celebrate both Halloween and Christmas with parties. For our Halloween party, the Upper Sixth won the costume competition. Each had dressed as a different house tutor, including Alex B as a pregnant Mrs Halley! We then had a silent disco which turns out to be anything but, thanks to our ‘wonderful’ singing voices. Later we bounced back to house to eat enough food to last us a week, such is the Glenbrae way! For the Christmas party we all went over to the theatre in our PJs and duvets and watched the classic Christmas movie, Home Alone. A whole house Secret Santa had been arranged and it is always funny to see what people buy for others with their £5 budget. We then finished the night with a Christmas cupcake in hand, watching the Christmas videos each year group had put together.
The girls have competed in countless inter-house competitions over the year with some wins and some losses but almost every girl has participated in some respect. This, after all is what it is all about: trying something that you have maybe never done before, and we are so pleased with everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness this year.
A few of our more memorable events included having no catch-up swims for inter-house swimming (although Mrs Johnstone does wish us to test everyone’s actual ability to swim before next year); face painting III and IV Form for hockey; Miss Haddick’s signs for basketball and a nerve-
wracking finish in the final netball game versus Thornbank. Our senior girls secured wins in cross country, basketball and netball. The juniors had an equally impressive year, showing a massive amount of effort and skill to win basketball and cross country. The achievements are certainly improving, and you can see the teamwork getting better every match. There have also been academic competitions such as Debating featuring Emma C and Johanna T and the Enrichment Challenge, ably captained by Emma C, deputised by Shelley W and with Elise C, Louisa K, Jemima F-S and Bowes M-B all participating.
The house has continued to help with all the school’s charity events, supporting Adrianna as part of the extremely busy Charities Committee. Glenbrae’s aim was to be as active as we could in charity events, and to also sponsor a child in Kenya. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, we are still waiting to sponsor a child, but the house remained busy. Christmas jumper day, candy canes for Christmas and Love Hearts for Valentine’s Day were all ways in which money was raised. Rhianna M, Amy M and Adrianna G all slept out on the streets of Perth, outside St John’s Kirk for ‘Big Sleep’, raising awareness for homelessness and funds for CHAT (Churches Housing Action Team) and we are proud of their efforts.
Wednesday night is definitely the highlight of the week. When you hear the five rings of the house bell you know it is time for BINGO! Run by Bingo Master, Mr Samson, and helped by Abi, bingo night is always a sociable and fun evening with the chance to win free sweets. You are able to drop in and out, but some very dedicated members would be seen every week, using their BINGO badges to double up their prizes! The winner of the first ‘house’ each week would get their name up on the house bingo board — it’s important everyone knows who the reigning Bingo Queen is!
The summer term has, for obvious reasons, not followed the usual routine but we have found ways in Glenbrae to keep connected. With quiz nights, tutor group pizza ‘innings’ over Zoom, nightly riddles, virtual tour links, 30-day song challenges, photo submissions and even a Bake-Off we have certainly had the opportunity to stay busy and connected. We have spent some time writing to the new girls, making connections online and ensuring that they are already feeling welcomed into house.
Miss Wilson definitely knows that food is the way to our hearts. Endless biscuits keep everything ticking along. Birthdays are always well-catered. In house there is a big cake provided to each birthday girl for their year group to share. It is safe to say Pancake Day was again a huge success, with everyone eating their body weight in Nutella, lemon and sugar, golden syrup and whipped cream pancakes. Thanks to the Rev for helping run the pancake heating.
A huge thank you to all of the house tutors this year – Dr Woodman, Miss Haddick, Mr Samson, Mr Tod, Mrs Halley, Mrs Pfupjena, Mrs Sim-Sayce, Dr Sapsford and Mrs Waugh - for helping us with prep when we were unsure and making sure we were all where we were meant to be, on time!
Thank you to Matron Lynn for always being there for us, if we were ill or just needed a chat. To Miss Haddick for trying to get to know us so well and so quickly this year and to Dr Woodman, an awesome tutor who has gone out of her way to help us too many times to mention and who kicked us into shape with our UCAS statements. A huge thank you also needs to go to Miss Wilson for keeping the house going, and always having an eye and ear on us at all times to make sure we are all good and doing what we should be!
Glenbrae, we will miss you but know that you are in good hands with Shelley, Emma and Bowes.
Ellie N, Bea-Bea M-B, Alex B, Sarah G, Adrianna G, Abi H and Amy W
