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THE 39 STEPS
Students from all year groups wowed audiences with their excellent comedic performance of the parody adaptation of The 39 Steps.
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CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DAY
Girls enjoyed a series of workshops and talks from leading creators from around the city and were treated to a Q and A from Nadiya Hussain.
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CAREERS FAIR
EHS hosted a careers fair which featured leading businesses and universities.
ISSUE #8 SPRING 2019
A MESSAGE FROM DR WEEKS Message from Briony Chitty, Head Girl My name is Briony Chitty and I am Head Girl for the academic year 2018-19. I joined the school in Year 1, when I was only 5 years old, and I have not looked back since.
There is never a dull moment at Edgbaston High School and this academic year has been no exception. We started the year in a very positive way with our new girls settling in quickly and our Sixth Form starting their A Levels with confidence following exceptional GCSE results in the new specifications graded 9-1. We celebrated our success at GCSE and A Level with our annual Speech Day at the University of Birmingham’s Great Hall and our success in the school examinations for Years 7-10 in the Awards Ceremony in the Octagon. Mr Lane’s production of ‘The 39 Steps’ was a very clever and highly entertaining performance much enjoyed by the audience and the participants. Productions are a highlight of our year and provide an opportunity for teamwork both on and off the stage. Christmas at EHS is always spectacular but the pinnacle this academic year just had to be Christmas lunch which we held in the Octagon so that everyone could eat together. We were delighted that the Sixth Form surprised us all with their flash mob dance to “All I want for Christmas”. The Spring Term started with mocks and an Inspection but we have all survived and were delighted to welcome Nadiya Hussain to school as part of Creative Industries Day. Never a dull moment indeed!
During my time in position I have enjoyed working alongside my deputies, Mariam Al-Ani and Georgia Marfoh-Hoare, to organise many activities including the Sixth Form Sleepover, speaking at Open Days as well as welcoming the new Year 7 into the school. One of the most poignant moments of the Autumn Term was delivering the annual Pink Rose Assembly where the Senior School came together to remember and celebrate the lives of Old Girls and staff who have sadly passed away. This year we decided to focus on the importance of gratitude, and during the assembly we allowed girls the opportunity to reflect on things and people they are grateful for during a series of readings and musical performances. My passion for music has flourished during my time at EHS and I have enjoyed performing in a number of musical ensembles, ranging from the senior and chamber choirs to the school’s orchestra. This term has been no different and I have thoroughly enjoyed performing with the string quartet at the Fashion Show as well as being a member of the choir at the Carol Service and Speech Day. Speech Day is, of course, a significant event for the whole school but also marks one of the most nervewracking evenings for the Leadership Team who are asked to deliver a speech each year. Mariam, Georgia and I focused our speech around the lives of three inspirational women that we believe embody the school’s motto - Fideliter, Fortiter, Feliciter, and despite our apprehension, was a wholly rewarding experience and one that will not be forgotten. In our final term in post, I am especially looking forward to working alongside the whole year to organise our final assembly, which will be delivered before going on study leave, as well as interviewing the candidates for the Leadership Team of 2019/20. The role of Head Girl is a challenging yet rewarding one, and I could not do it without the support of the Deputy Head Girls and staff. I honestly mean it when I say I wouldn’t want to spend my final year at EHS in any other way and I am excited to see what our final term brings!
NEWS IN BRIEF
Senior soloists shine at concert
Superb performance at Independent Schools Mock Trial In late January, a team of 14 Year 11 and 12 girls took part in their first Birmingham Independent Schools Mock Trial Competition at Birmingham Crown Court. The competition required them to play the roles of barristers, witnesses, victims, defendants, clerks and ushers in real court rooms, all under the watchful eye of the professional Judges who were marking them on their performances. The girls had spent many months preparing for this competition, learning cases, writing speeches and familiarising themselves with court procedures - they even came to school over the Christmas holiday to make up for time that we lost during their mock examinations! The team narrowly missed out on progressing to the final but a number of the girls were personally commended by the Judges for their skills in questioning, and how well they coped with fierce crossexamination. We are incredibly proud of all the hard work and dedication girls demonstrated. The event has given them an excellent insight into the demands of a career in criminal law and we look forward to representing the school again next year.
Last October, EHS girls from Year 7 to Year 13 took part in the first Senior School soloist concert of this academic year. The recital was held in the Hexagon and was the first public musical performance in this space. Students presented a range of repertoire for their chosen instruments or voice. There were many different styles on show from Classical works to Jazz and Folk music. These informal events are designed to give students an opportunity to perform repertoire that they are preparing for public concerts or practical examinations and area great way in developing confidence in performing in public. I would like to thank all of the girls for performing so expressively and to all staff who helped make the evening such a success! Mr Robson Director of Music
ACTORS TAKE ON CLASSIC THRILLER
‘THE 39 STEPS’ This year’s production of ‘The 39 Steps’ was an exciting shift away from the darker themes of recent productions ‘Lord of the Flies’ and ‘Phantom of the Opera’ towards a more comical tone. This inevitably presented new challenges such as the choreography of slapstick scenes and comedic timing. ‘The 39 Steps’ is a slapstick comedy adapted from the 1915 novel of the same name, written by John Buchan. The original novel is a spy thriller and could not be further in tone from the stage adaptation, written by Patrick Barlow. The play follows the hero, Richard Hannay, on his journey across England on the run from the police after being wrongly accused of murder. Along the way, he meets many unusual characters such as a secluded couple from the highlands of Scotland and a beautiful yet temperamental young woman. Meanwhile, he is chased by an evil professor who is trying to smuggle secrets out of the country. From initial casting to opening night, the rehearsal process was two months: a relatively short time to prepare for a major production such as this. This meant that the rehearsals were particularly intense compared to previous EHS shows.
The production brought together a large number of students from a wide range of experience levels, each with their own unique abilities and talents that they brought to the production. The cast were incredibly well supported by the highly talented make-up team, and diligent, meticulous tech crew. The make-up team, led by Mrs Lindsay Lucas, made sure that the whole cast were looking their best and got them on stage on time after requiring speedy costume changes. The tech crew worked for hours to create beautiful lighting designs and managed to mic up the whole cast with only a day’s notice. This all led to two superb performances that ended with the audience leaving the Octagon thoroughly entertained. This was the first EHS play for which we have used a live band and it was a roaring success. Thank you to Mr Skilbeck for getting together the group of talented musicians who played in the shows. A huge thank you must also go to Martha Howells in Year 11 who took charge with all of the props and backstage work. She put many hours into planning this production and we would’ve all been lost without her. A final thank you, of course, must go to Mr Lane for his hard work, patience and support, which made this production an amazing and unforgettable experience. Madeleine Howl - Year 12 Drama Scholar
Production scoops double prize at Columba Trophy Awards In the previous academic year, EHS staged five incredible performances of The Phantom of the Opera in the Octagon which dazzled audiences with its complexity and sparkle. On the opening night, two representatives of the Columba Musical Theatre Award were present to observe the first show. EHS was the first school of the year to be assessed by the Columba board of adjudicators. The representatives always attend the opening of each production to give schools an equal chance of getting through to the competition final. Out of a total of 26 schools, six were chosen to progress to the prestigious finale, held at the Birmingham Council House last month. We were delighted to be awarded a Commendation for the production, which was received on behalf of the Cast and Crew by Esther Simkiss, our leading lady, Christine. We were also delighted that Isabella Birch received a Commendation for her role as Meg Giry. The jury highlighted her contribution and selected her as a student who shows tremendous promise. The presentation itself was extraordinary, lead by a distinguished Master of Ceremonies, the renowned thespian and veteran of the boards, Adrian de Redman. It was certainly an occasion that will live long in our memories.
ACADEMIC LECTURES
KATE ADIE DELIVERS FASCINATING TALK
In November, former BBC news correspondent and journalist Kate Adie visited EHS. Billed as ‘An Evening with Kate Adie’ she delivered an insightful and, at times, amusing talk about her life, career and the challenges she has faced and overcome during her time working as a correspondent for the BBC. Girls were fortunate to gain important advice about how to succeed in journalism from a pioneer in the field, followed by a Q and A session and a book signing. It was fantastic to see so many girls and parents turn out for this muchanticipated evening. Briony, Head Girl, said of the event: “Ms Adie was an excellent speaker and held the audience captive. It is amazing to think that she has done so much in her career”. Thank you to everyone who attended what was a highly enjoyable event.
ACADEMIC LECTURES
MINDU HORNICK DELIVERS AN INSPIRING AND MOVING LECTURE
CLASSICISTS DEBATE THE FALL OF THE REPUBLIC In February, EHS welcomed Oxford Classics lecturer, Dr Andrew Sillett, to school. As an A Level Classical Civilisation student, I had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a workshop with him, along with the four other girls studying this subject. He encouraged us to discuss the Fall of the Republic and debate whether the Fall began after the assassination of Julius Caesar, or earlier still. We used knowledge from our ‘Politics of the Late Republic’ lessons and were introduced to fascinating new ideas and events which will undoubtedly help our studies later on in the course. The A Level Latinists also enjoyed their time with Dr Sillett. The girls have been studying Cicero’s Philippics, and this workshop gave them an excellent opportunity to explore the motives behind this speech and the historical context. They thoroughly enjoyed hearing his thoughts about the Philippics and were able to contribute their own observations too, expressing all that they had been learning in class. After the workshops, we were invited to attend Andrew’s Oxbridge Admissions session in which he clearly described the application process and offered us some unique insight into how we can prepare for the interview. I now feel inspired to further investigate degree courses I would be interested in, and perhaps apply for Oxford University. After this session, we received a lecture about the political ideologies of Ancient Rome, which was very interesting as Dr Sillett explained the concepts of ‘res publica’ (the Republic) and ‘dignitas’ (personal honour), which we learnt were very important to Roman politicians. Overall, it was a highly informative and enjoyable day and we are extremely grateful to have had the chance to meet and learn from Dr Sillett. Emily Hurst - Year 12
During the Autumn Term, we were honoured to be joined by Mindu Hornick for an Academic Lecture. Mrs Hornick is a Holocaust survivor. At the age of 13, she was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp with her mother, sister and two younger brothers. Girls in Years 9 to 13, and parents, took this rare opportunity to listen to Mrs Hornick share her experiences, and asked thoughtprovoking questions. It was a highly memorable talk with a strong message of tolerance and respect for all.
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CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DAY
NADIYA HUSSAIN CLOSES FANTASTIC CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DAY
In February, EHS hosted Creative Industries Day, an academic theme day dedicated to the pursuit of the creative subjects. This event follows on from the success of previous academic theme days that have included a focus on STEM, the Humanities and Language & Literature. The event comprised a series of interactive workshops aimed at girls, particularly those in Years 9 and 10, to demonstrate the range of opportunities available in this vast and diverse field. Girls attended many interesting sessions, led by leading figures based in and around Birmingham, including a filmmaking workshop with local company, Blue Monday; Jewellery Design with designer and manufacturer, Sian Hughes.; a costume workshop with designer Sophie Spurgin, whose work has been featured in both TV and Film including the award winning Netflix show, ‘The Crown’; Claire Downes, co-founder of drama group Round Midnight, delivered an insightful session about her work writing drama (her latest work has been Sky One’s ‘In the Long Run’ starring Idris Elba) and an Illustration session led by Birmingham-based artist, Rob Conway whose work has been featured around the country.
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Other sessions included Pop Band and Music Technology sessions led by our very own Mr Skilbeck and Mr Southall, both of the Music Department, and an Irish Dance workshop led by Miss Lawrence from our PE Department. There were also two further dance workshops in Flamenco, with Ana Garcia and Contemporary Dance, with Harry Fulleylove. Our special guest this year was Nadiya Hussain, leading celebrity baker and winner of television’s ‘The Great British Bake Off’ who, alongside her career in television and writing, was commissioned to bake the Queen’s 90th Birthday cake. Nadiya joined girls in Years 5 to 13 for a Q & A session, followed by a book signing. Girls, staff and parents were taken with Nadiya’s natural and open approach to answering questions and the thoughtful and inspiring answers she delivered. Deputy Head Girl, Georgia said of the event: “Nadiya was an inspirational speaker and a superb role model for girls of all ages and cultures”.
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DAY
Nadiya also judged a technical baking competition with Year 10 girls taking GCSE Food and Nutrition. Mrs Syer gave the girls a technical challenge of preparing lemon meringue pie for which they had two hours to prepare. Well done to Freya Arden and Lucy Aktins for winning first and second place respectively. It was a fantastic experience and thanks must go to all who helped make the day a success.
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CAREERS FAIR
SUCCESSFUL CAREERS FAIR PROMOTES OPPORTUNITY
The students were particularly pleased to see the familiar faces of our alumnae, and to listen to the advice they gave regarding their careers in medicine, physiotherapy, medical physics, geography and media. The students were able to ask the many questions they had and gain a valuable insight into a variety of career paths. Many discussions regarding work experience were held and we are very grateful for all the connections that were offered to the girls.
On Wednesday 28 November, EHS hosted its Careers Fair which showcased a wide range of career pathways and was attended by girls from Years 7-13. There were approximately 40 stands in total covering careers from theatre and film production to engineering, medicine and dentistry and the Octagon was a hive of activity all afternoon with students excited by the opportunities available. The exhibitors were particularly impressed with the thoughtful and relevant questions they were asked. We welcomed many universities including Birmingham, Cardiff, BCU, Loughborough, Lancaster, Leicester, Sheffield, Surrey, Warwick and employers including University Hospitals Trust, Network Rail, BBC radio, Jaguar Land Rover, the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Veterinary College, Cundall engineering, Army and RAF, Gowling, Shoosmiths, Deloitte, KPMG and Deutsche Bank. Other organisations such as gap year companies and NCS, and advice on interview techniques were also available for students. Also during the afternoon the series of talks including choices at university, how to choose a course, student finance and placement years during degree courses were well-attended and we would like to thank the universities of Birmingham, Loughborough, Surrey and Birmingham City for their talks which were very well received by the students.
We were also delighted to welcome visitors from Ark Academy to join the event. It was wonderful to see so many students and their parents at the Careers Fair after school where there was the opportunity to attend a talk from the University of Birmingham, have further conversations and collect information and prospectuses.
SPORTING SUCCESS At EHS, sport is an integral part of school life and, as such, each girl has the opportunity to participate at every stage of her physical development. Amongst our pupils, we are lucky enough to have some exceptionally talented young women who are playing at the top of their sport and we are delighted to bring you news of their progress over recent months.
A NEW ENGLISH CHAMPION! Last Autumn, Year 11 pupil Amy competed in The English Championships in Tumbling. Amy was determined to put all of her training into action, and was one of only two gymnasts who attempted a transition - two doubles in one run. She executed the pass with skill and precision and was delighted to do so in such a major competition, which meant that she was rewarded with a fantastic score and the title of English Champion! Amy joins the official British team that will compete at the forthcoming 2018 Trampoline, Tumbling & DMT World Championships in St Petersburg, Russia in November. Well done Amy! She continues to go from strength to strength in her sport and we wish her good luck for her preparations for the world championships.
FREYA DANCES HER WAY TO TOP TITLE In October 2018, Year 11 pupil Freya competed in the three day East of England Dance Championships. Freya won both the Under 16 Slow Starter category and Under 16 Fast intermediary category. Following this, she was delighted to be announced Champion of Champions as the overall winner across all the winners of all age ranges. Congratulations, Freya, a fantastic achievement!
SPORTING SUCCESS
ELLIE FLIES THE FLAG FOR GREAT BRITAIN! Congratulations to Year 10 pupil Ellie Egan-Williams who was selected to represent Great Britain at the JCC Maccabi Games in Los Angeles over the summer. 71 athletes were selected and Ellie was the only one selected from outside of London. Once the team arrived in Orange County, they met up with their host families that they stayed with for the next 10 days. At the opening ceremony, Ellie was asked to carry in the Maccabi UK flag and lead Team GB out into a stadium that seated 10,000! Ellie competed in the swimming and won a bronze medal in the 200m Butterfly and a gold medal in the 400m IM relay. Fantastic achievements - well done Ellie! We look forward to following her progress over the course of this year.
BADMINTON STAR
NATIONAL SWIMMING SUCCESS! In November, a team of four swimmers travelled down to the London Aquatics Centre, the home of London 2012 Olympic swimming, to compete in the Secondary Schools Team Relay Championships. This event, organised by the English Schools Swimming Association, is extremely difficult to qualify for at Secondary School level; in fact, the last time EHS qualified was over 15 years ago! EHS were swimming in Heat 2 against strong competition from school such as Repton, Torquay Grammar and St Teresa. The girls swam fantastically, achieving a time of 2:04.52 which was nearly three seconds faster than their qualification time. This meant that although the team qualified in 28th place, their performance on the day moved them up to 17th.
At the start of term, Asmita Chaudhari, Year 12, competed in the U19 European Junior Championships in Badminton (pictured). Asmita competed in both the team and individual events. In the team event the team won their group, beating Portugal, Spain and Hungary before playing Germany in the quarter finals where they narrowly missed out on reaching the semi-finals. In the individual event, Asmita and her mixed doubles partner had an outstanding result beating the 3rd seed Danish pair. In the last 16 of the tournament, Asmita and her partner narrowly lost to the French pair who were seeded number 1 and who went on to win overall. Fantastic achievements; well done, Asmita!
Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TS Tel: 0121 454 5831 • Fax: 0121 454 2363 Email: enquiries@edgbastonhigh.co.uk (School Office)
To be one of the top 20 schools nationally is an incredible achievement and one which will be remembered in EHS’ swimming history! Congratulations go to all our Year 8 girls who took part.