Hitchin Girls School:Hitchin Girls School
Hitchin Girls School:Hitchin Girls School
Hitchin Girls School:Hitchin Girls School
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HITCHIN GIRLS’ SCHOOL<br />
A Specialist Science College<br />
Summer Term 2012<br />
Term ends at 12.30 pm on Friday 20 July.<br />
Students moving into Years 7, 12 & 13 return for the new academic year at 8.40 am on Tuesday 4 September.<br />
Year 13 students will leave at 12.30 pm that day.<br />
Years 8, 9, 10 & 11 return at 8.40 am on Wednesday 5 September.<br />
From September there will be no afternoon registration period. Students will go directly to Period 4 after lunch and will be registered there for the<br />
afternoon session. There will be a five minute warning bell at 1.25 p.m. to ensure that Period 4 starts on time.<br />
Welcome to our Summer and final edition of the Newsletter<br />
for this academic year. The size of the newsletter is an<br />
indication of just how much has been achieved this term; it has<br />
been a very busy and enjoyable period in the life of the school.<br />
I am writing this in the week following an amazing celebration<br />
for the school, beginning with World Sports’ Day and ending<br />
with our traditional Founders’ Day. There were so many events<br />
taking place in the Olympic themed week, which you can read<br />
about in this newsletter. I was also most impressed by the<br />
entrepreneurial skills shown by the girls at the end of the week<br />
when each form ran their stalls on Sports’ Day to compete to<br />
raise the most money as part of our Enterprise month.<br />
We were lucky enough to be invited to take a group of students<br />
to <strong>Hitchin</strong> to see The Queen’s visit in June where our <strong>School</strong><br />
Council represented us along with representatives from other<br />
Secondary and Primary schools in the town.<br />
This term has also been the main examination season for our<br />
senior students. The girls have worked incredibly hard and I<br />
wish them every success with their results in August and for<br />
their further studies. From September, our Year 10 students,<br />
along with others nationally, will no longer follow modular<br />
courses of study at GCSE, but will instead be taught and<br />
examined in a linear course where their examinations will all<br />
be taken at the end of the two years period of study. This will<br />
provide a different landscape for these students and the staff<br />
are working on these new programmes of study to support<br />
these changes.<br />
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who<br />
responded to our consultation, regarding our uniform and<br />
changes to the school day. Particularly to those of you who<br />
made comments and suggestions. I can assure you that these<br />
were all read and discussed by both the Leadership Team and<br />
the Governing Body prior to our decision and were of great<br />
assistance in making our final decision.<br />
A number of staff are leaving us this term for a whole variety<br />
of exciting opportunities. These are:<br />
Mrs. McAdam (Science) who is relocating to live and work in<br />
Scotland.<br />
Miss Rai (Science) who has taken a teaching job in Malaysia.<br />
Miss Shah (Psychology) who is going to teach in Oman.<br />
Mrs. Frampton (Head of RE) who is relocating.<br />
Miss Mellowship (PE) who has been here temporarily is<br />
transferring to another local school.<br />
Mrs. Plowman (Technology) who has been appointed to<br />
another school locally.<br />
Miss Jacobs (Student Development) who is going to train to<br />
teach PE.<br />
Mrs. Elliott (RE) who has completed her temporary contract.<br />
There are also a number of staff who are retiring, having given<br />
many loyal years of service to the school. They are Mrs.<br />
Morgan (Mathematics), Dr. Logie (English) , Mrs. Poole (History<br />
and formerly Head of Frank House), Mrs. Gannon<br />
(Psychology) and Mrs. Mead (Assistant Headteacher).<br />
I would like to extend our sincerest thanks to leaving staff for<br />
their dedication and commitment to the school and to wish<br />
them all the very best for the future. I am particularly indebted<br />
to those staff who have been in the school for many years and<br />
those retiring staff have between them given 111 loyal years<br />
of service to our girls.<br />
I would like to thank you all for your support again for the<br />
students and the school over this academic year. The<br />
partnership between parents, the staff and the students is what<br />
makes this school successful and your input and support is<br />
much appreciated. I hope that you all enjoy the summer<br />
period and that hopefully there will be some good weather for<br />
us all to enjoy.<br />
Frances Manning, Headteacher<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
EXAM RESULTS<br />
Students can collect their exam results from the Lower<br />
<strong>School</strong> Hall at the dates and time specified below:<br />
YEAR 13 STUDENTS<br />
Thursday 16th August 2012<br />
Arrive from 8am<br />
YEAR 12 STUDENTS<br />
Thursday 16th August<br />
Arrive from 10am<br />
YEAR 11 STUDENTS<br />
Thursday 23rd August 2012<br />
Arrive from 10am<br />
YEAR 10 STUDENTS<br />
Thursday 23rd August 2012<br />
Arrive from 11am<br />
SCHOOL BUILDINGS &<br />
FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS<br />
SPORTS FACILITIES<br />
We are very pleased to report that our new changing<br />
facility and classroom on the Highbury site behind the<br />
Music <strong>School</strong> has been completed on time and budget and<br />
will be in full use from September. Known as the Pavilion, it<br />
comprises a large classroom, changing facilities with<br />
showers, and a staff office. Refurbishment of the netball<br />
and tennis courts will now start with the aim of having these<br />
ready for September as well. When complete, we will have<br />
courts which meet the standard for school, local league and<br />
club netball and tennis.<br />
HIGHBURY HOUSE<br />
When the school transferred to Academy status last August,<br />
the Local Authority transferred responsibility for Highbury<br />
House, the base for the North Hertfordshire Music <strong>School</strong>,<br />
to <strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong> to allow the school to have greater<br />
use of the building during the school day. Since then, major<br />
refurbishment has been underway including repairs to<br />
plaster, new heating, improvements to lighting, redecoration<br />
and new flooring. All this has taken place whilst<br />
still allowing the rooms to be used for Music during the day<br />
and for Music <strong>School</strong> classes in the evening. This work will<br />
be completed for September when the school will use three<br />
of the larger rooms in the building as classrooms. Individual<br />
Music lessons will still take place in the remaining rooms<br />
and the Music <strong>School</strong> will continue to operate in the<br />
evening and at weekends.<br />
SCIENCE LABORATORIES<br />
Over the past few years we have been refurbishing and<br />
upgrading our Science laboratories. Eight have been<br />
completed so far with one remaining. We are very pleased<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
to report that The Wolfson Foundation has awarded the<br />
school a grant towards the cost of refurbishing the final<br />
Science Laboratory and purchasing a class set of<br />
computers. We are extremely grateful to The Foundation<br />
for their support, which will allow us to provide modern<br />
teaching facilities for all of our Science classes.<br />
MOBILE CLASSROOM (M29)<br />
The ‘mobile’ classroom situated between the Gymnasium<br />
and Main <strong>School</strong> building was erected in the early 1990s<br />
to provide an additional teaching space. This building has<br />
now reached the end of its practical life and is going to be<br />
replaced. We have applied for, and obtained, planning<br />
consent to erect a new two-storey block in its place which<br />
will provide two large classrooms. Work on dismantling<br />
and removing the existing classroom will start in the summer<br />
holiday and we hope that the new building will be complete<br />
and available for use by October half term.<br />
IT FACILITIES<br />
Plans are also in hand to improve our IT and e-learning<br />
facilities during 2012/13. This includes a new wireless<br />
system to allow greater use of mobile technology and an<br />
update to some of the workstations in our computer rooms.<br />
We will also be providing additional Apple Macintosh<br />
computers for Music and Media Studies.<br />
CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS<br />
END OF YEAR REPORT<br />
We are just completing our first year as an Academy and<br />
it seems appropriate to review how this new status has<br />
influenced the school and the community we serve. Many<br />
people will have noticed little difference in the day to day<br />
activity of the school. Others will have noted changes in<br />
attitude and approach to our longer term strategy as a result<br />
of greater financial and operational freedom.<br />
Where have some of these changes been? <strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’<br />
continues to be well oversubscribed. We have raised our<br />
planned admission numbers and following consultation with<br />
the Local Authority and community amended our admission<br />
criteria to maintain places for girls from the local <strong>Hitchin</strong><br />
parish.<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
The school is responsible for setting its own curriculum<br />
under Academy status. The Curriculum and Performance<br />
Committee has fully supported an increase in teaching time<br />
for GCSE subjects and a change from modular to linear<br />
teaching. A full review of the curriculum is taking place.<br />
The new Pavilion and tennis courts at Highbury Road are<br />
nearly complete and we are hoping to officially open the<br />
new building and courts early in October. This event will<br />
be combined with the re-opening of the Highbury House<br />
Music <strong>School</strong> following its refurbishment. This building was<br />
transferred to the school as part of the Academy settlement.<br />
The Asset Management Committee and all Governors<br />
decided that the old mobile classroom should be replaced<br />
as it is now not fit for purpose. Planning has been obtained<br />
for a new two storey building and contracts are being<br />
signed to commence this replacement during the coming<br />
summer break. We have been fortunate to obtain a grant<br />
of £40,000 from The Wolfson Foundation to complete the<br />
refurbishment of our Science laboratories.<br />
Financial management remains a major task in these days<br />
of austerity and reduced funding. Along with our Head<br />
and Financial Director the Finance Committee are able to<br />
keep a sensible balance between what the school needs<br />
and what it can afford. It is important that we maintain our<br />
Sixth Form numbers. We only have a very modest<br />
contingency planned for the next year or two.<br />
On behalf of the Governors I want to give grateful thanks to<br />
the Head, the Senior Leadership Team, Heads of Departments<br />
and House and all the staff for their magnificent contribution to<br />
the education and development of our students. This newsletter<br />
is full of the achievements of staff and students alike.<br />
Like every successful enterprise we see a healthy turnover<br />
of staff going to greater things whether professionally or<br />
personally. We lost our Deputy Head, Mrs. Donna Lodge,<br />
this year who was promoted to Principal of the new Studio<br />
<strong>School</strong> in Stevenage. We have been very fortunate in<br />
finding a new Deputy Head, James Crowther, who joins us<br />
in September from The Highfield <strong>School</strong>. We also<br />
welcomed two new Assistant Heads this term, Ruth Cooper<br />
and Richard Cave, who herald the change of focus on<br />
Teaching and Learning. Along with Assistant Head, Sally<br />
Mills and Director of Finance and Resources, Tony Hankin<br />
this makes a very able and very strong top team under the<br />
leadership of Frances Manning.<br />
At the end of this term we say farewell to our Assistant<br />
Head, Marie Mead, who is retiring. Marie has been<br />
serving this school for thirty nine years. This is a huge<br />
teaching lifetime of immense and incalculable value to so<br />
many students and colleagues. Amongst many other<br />
things, Governors will always remember her for the<br />
charismatic presentations of the year’s exam results. We<br />
wish her a long and happy retirement.<br />
The Governing Body welcomed three new Community<br />
Governors this year. They bring fresh skills and experience<br />
round the table. I would like to thank all our Governors for<br />
their energy, wisdom and good old fashioned common<br />
sense which they bring to bear in tackling the increasingly<br />
complex issues of Governance in this day and age.<br />
My final thanks go to the students themselves - you make us<br />
proud to be Governors.<br />
Colin Minton, Chairman of Governors<br />
AWARDS & PREFECTS<br />
Each year at the Founders’ Day assembly, a number of<br />
awards are presented to recognise achievement and<br />
service to the school. The following are congratulated on<br />
their awards:<br />
The Rand Award - presented for outstanding service to<br />
the school is awarded to Amy Saunders<br />
The Helen Porter Award for Biology is awarded to<br />
Stephanie Smith<br />
The Cathy Taplin Award for Art is awarded to<br />
Sophie Barks<br />
The Wendy Fitzgerald Award for English is awarded<br />
to Julia Speakman<br />
The Frank Ellis Award for Chemistry is awarded to<br />
Cassandra Kennedy<br />
The Beryl Wearmouth Award for Citizenship is<br />
awarded to Fiona Montgomery and Maria Verdeille<br />
The Anne Hendy Cup for Mathematics is a new award<br />
and is awarded to Sasha Gatselyuk<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
Also at the assembly, the outgoing Head Girl, Ambir Mann,<br />
presented Chantal Taylor with the Head Girl badge for<br />
2012/2013. For the first time this year we have appointed<br />
two Deputy Head <strong>Girls</strong>, Gabrielle Hammond and Molly<br />
Mahoney, to assist our Head Girl.<br />
The Prefect Body for next year was also confirmed and the<br />
following are to be congratulated on their appointments:<br />
PREFECT BODY 2012-2013<br />
Head Girl – Chantal Taylor<br />
Deputy Head <strong>Girls</strong> – Gabrielle Hammond & Molly Mahoney<br />
AUSTEN HOUSE<br />
House Captain: Laura Sheldrick<br />
Deputy House Captain: Louise Fitzakerly<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s: Hannah Sheehan<br />
Sports Prefect: Hareena Gill<br />
BRONTE HOUSE<br />
House Captain: Anna Randall<br />
Deputy House Captain: Bobbi Minnis<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s: Ellie McKie<br />
Sports Prefect: Nikki Lau<br />
CURIE HOUSE<br />
House Captain: Gemma Brook<br />
Deputy House Captain: Ellis Wharton<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s: Vicky Barclay<br />
Sports Prefect: Sidney Nurthen<br />
FRANK HOUSE<br />
House Captain: Alexis O’Sullivan<br />
Deputy House Captain: Lauren Howe<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s: Laura Robinson<br />
Sports Prefect: Georgie Mumford<br />
JEWEL HOUSE<br />
House Captain: Anna Osborne<br />
Deputy House Captain: Jodie Vallance<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s: Megan Kerr-Barr<br />
Sports Prefect: Grace Mann<br />
TERESA HOUSE<br />
House Captain: Poppy Allen-Quarmby<br />
Deputy House Captain: Keziah Powell<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s: Alice Mills<br />
Sports Prefect: Zoe Waring<br />
STUDENT COUNCIL<br />
Behaviour for Learning: Serene Esuroso<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s: Claudia McPhail<br />
Making A Difference: Sammi Wong<br />
Community Cohesion: Aminah Ramzan<br />
Teaching and Learning: Aimee Magill<br />
SPECIALISM<br />
HGS COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS<br />
Once again this year’s cohort of Ambassadors has built on<br />
the excellent standard established by last year’s group. Both<br />
in school and in the wider community the praise for what<br />
our girls offer and contribute is overwhelming. The impact<br />
of the scheme is felt by students and staff alike with some<br />
Ambassadors now seeking to undertake degrees in areas<br />
related to their Ambassador roles.<br />
Again this year we shall be celebrating their<br />
achievements at our annual Celebration Breakfast on<br />
Thursday 19 July where those that have been<br />
Ambassadors will be presented with certificates. This also<br />
marks the official end of their Ambassadorial role, many<br />
will continue their roles into Year 13 on a voluntary basis<br />
and we look forward to their continued contributions. We<br />
would like to thank all of the Primary schools and<br />
community group colleagues for their continued support<br />
and enthusiasm for this scheme.<br />
We were exceptionally pleased that our fantastic art work<br />
for The Memory Project received coverage in The Comet<br />
newspaper.<br />
We are anxiously waiting to receive footage of the orphans<br />
receiving their portraits which we will share with everyone<br />
in the Autumn newsletter. Until then we have received the<br />
following comment from The Memory Project’s founder,<br />
Ben Schumaker:<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
‘Thanks so much to you and your talented, creative,<br />
dedicated team. These will be delivered to the kids in<br />
Honduras over the summer. The kids are really going to<br />
value these gifts.’<br />
We were also thrilled to receive the images below of the<br />
portraits that our friends at The Chapin <strong>School</strong> have been<br />
creating for the same orphanage in Honduras.<br />
Mrs. R. Cooper, Assistant Headteacher<br />
STUDENT GLOBAL<br />
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE<br />
This summer, we; Rebecca Hankin, Ayo Awokoya and<br />
Nikki Lau (Year 12) will be travelling to Hawaii for two<br />
weeks to attend this year’s Student Global Leadership<br />
Institute. This will involve many different schools from<br />
countries all around the world, including America, China,<br />
Singapore, Sweden and Japan participating in activities<br />
based on this year’s topic which is ‘Health’. On our first<br />
day, we must give a presentation about ‘Health’ from our<br />
perspective, i.e. as we know it in our own country. This will<br />
give us an amazing opportunity, working with students from<br />
other schools, to see how the UK’s health system compares<br />
with that of other countries, such as the United States and<br />
China. For example, a major topic (of course) will be the<br />
NHS, and the pros and cons of being able to have a free<br />
National Service for the whole population.<br />
During our stay, we will be listening to talks and seminars from<br />
many prominent figures from the International Health Industry.<br />
So far, we have been completing online tasks as<br />
‘homework’ for the upcoming trip, we have contacted girls<br />
from The Chapin <strong>School</strong> who we are combining with to<br />
represent global girls’ education for the trip. Our friends<br />
there seem very enthusiastic about the trip and we are also<br />
very excited to meet them, so we can further develop our<br />
partnership with their school.<br />
Upon our return we will begin to put into action, both in<br />
school and the local community, the project we have<br />
devised whilst at the SGLI.<br />
We would love for you to follow us while we are away. We<br />
will be making a daily blog and video diary which you will<br />
be able to access via the school website.<br />
HGS OLYMPICS WEEK<br />
In this great year of British sport we marked the forthcoming<br />
London 2012 Games with a fun packed week in school.<br />
Across all subjects students had Olympic themes and elements<br />
highlighted in their normal lessons. Just some examples of the<br />
activities that took place are:<br />
The Paula Radcliffe Challenge – Year 10 girls tried to<br />
complete the same distance and time as Paula Radcliffe –<br />
even by combining their efforts this was hard!<br />
Year 7 composed fanfares for the opening ceremony in Music.<br />
Qualities of an Olympian were explored through lessons in<br />
English.<br />
Students in Classics lessons looked at the Ancient Olympic<br />
Games and what they contributed to modern Olympics – not<br />
to mention Miss Hay, Amy Saunders and their team of<br />
students preparing the performance for the ‘sacred lighting<br />
of the flame’ for the Opening Ceremony.<br />
Health and Social Care students looked at Disability in Sport.<br />
Get set - on your marks, get set, breathe experiments were<br />
undertaken in Biology lessons throughout Years 7-9.<br />
Technology ran a competition for students to design their own<br />
Olympic Logo and have it made into a t-shirt.<br />
In Art students looked at how movement is captured and<br />
represented in Art looking at the work of an artist from the<br />
Futurist movement.<br />
Olympics based tasks, differentiated at Bronze, Silver and<br />
Gold level to cover different year groups and abilities, were<br />
used in Maths along with the Grand Finale of our annual<br />
Maths Road Show with teams from William Ransom, Purwell,<br />
St. Andrews schools and our own Year 7 students.<br />
In MFL lessons students undertook language tasks against<br />
the clock. In doing so they built up a range of vocabulary<br />
and structures relating to the Olympic Games and<br />
developed a greater understanding of how foreign<br />
languages play a pivotal role in the success of the games.<br />
In Geography students continued with their ‘Faster, Higher,<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
Stronger’ project.<br />
We all (staff included!) kick started the week with a mass<br />
Zumba session on the field! Nearly 800 students and staff<br />
met on the field at 8.50am and proceeded to be led in an<br />
invigorating Zumba session that left us all energised for the<br />
day ahead. We would like to thank Ruth our professional<br />
Zumba instructor who led us all in dance.<br />
In addition to this the PE department ran a range of exciting<br />
activities both during lessons and at lunchtimes which<br />
included a Cheerleading workshop, Dance workshops,<br />
Wheelchair basketball, Christians in Sport, UK Jump Rope<br />
team workshops and Rugby workshops.<br />
The whole week was captured on camera and thanks go<br />
to the Media department for their help in organising this.<br />
Special thanks go to Vicky Barclay (SF C2) who filmed the<br />
vast majority of the week and who has created a wonderful<br />
film that students will see during the end of year Celebration<br />
Assembly.<br />
Our HGS Olympics Week culminated in a very special day<br />
that saw in the morning our Founders’ Day followed by a<br />
very special Sports’ Day complete with full Opening<br />
Ceremony, Olympic Flame and Medal Ceremony.<br />
Throughout the afternoon announcements were given in a<br />
variety of languages spoken by our girls including German,<br />
Swedish and Hungarian as a celebration of the wonderful<br />
array of home languages that our girls speak. Thanks go<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
each challenge.<br />
Winning teams from most of the schools attended the<br />
Roadshow Finale here at <strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong> and were set<br />
even more complex challenges. They worked solidly for<br />
over 90 minutes on a very warm afternoon and the<br />
competition was fierce! Congratulations to Purwell <strong>School</strong>,<br />
who were the winning team<br />
to the MFL department for organising and co-ordinating this.<br />
We have made significant and important progress during<br />
this academic year to the international work that we do and<br />
with our participation in the SGLI this summer and the<br />
collaborative work we plan to establish with Miss Rai when<br />
she has settled in Malaysia and Miss O’Reilly when she is<br />
settled in India. We know that it will only be a matter of<br />
time before we secure the Full International <strong>School</strong> Award<br />
from The British Council.<br />
MATHS DEPARTMENT<br />
THE HENDY CUP<br />
This year sees the inauguration of a Mathematics Award,<br />
The Hendy Cup. It is presented to a student who has not<br />
only distinguished themselves mathematically, but has<br />
contributed to the promotion of mathematics within school.<br />
Mrs. Hendy is a former Head of department who has spent<br />
her entire teaching career at <strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong>. She has<br />
had an incredible impact on the school, the Mathematics<br />
department, and the thousands of students whom she has<br />
taught and supported through their mathematical studies<br />
and examinations.<br />
This year the cup has been awarded to Sasha Gatselyuk<br />
in Year 13.<br />
THE MATHS ROADSHOW<br />
The Maths Department have again been visiting local<br />
primary schools with the Maths Roadshow. Year 5 and 6<br />
students have been set many problems to solve, including<br />
tangrams, code breaking and number puzzles and have<br />
felt a real sense of achievement when they have completed<br />
MATHS CHALLENGE<br />
This term we have had great success with the UK Maths<br />
Challenges that we have undertaken. These test the girls’<br />
problem solving skills and mathematical abilities, stretching<br />
and challenging some of our most able students.<br />
Firstly, in the Junior Maths Challenge, the girls achieved 20<br />
Bronze Awards, 21 Silver Awards and a special mention<br />
goes to Charlotte King, Florence Allard, Violet Pritchard,<br />
Priya Mann, Fiona Burn and Emily Brewis, who all achieved<br />
Gold Awards, with Shannon Fang gaining best in Year 7<br />
and Isolde Pryle best in <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Secondly, two teams from Year 7 were entered into the<br />
Hertfordshire Team Challenge. One team was selected to<br />
take part in the County Final, they came a very close fifth.<br />
Mr. B. Allison, Head of Mathematics<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
Have a go at the following puzzles:<br />
1) In a certain family, each girl has as many sisters as<br />
brothers but each boy has twice as many sisters as<br />
brothers. How many children were there?<br />
2) Betty and Belinda’s combined age is 91. Betty is now<br />
twice as old as Belinda was when Betty was as old as<br />
Belinda is now. How old are they both now?<br />
ANSWERS ON PAGE 11<br />
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT<br />
CHEMISTRY<br />
ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY ANALYST<br />
COMPETITION<br />
This term we have entered two practical Chemistry<br />
competitions. In the Analyst competition, two teams of Sixth<br />
Form students carried out detailed chemical experiments<br />
which were designed to show how accurate and precise they<br />
could be. They competed against several public schools and<br />
finished creditably in fifth and sixth places respectively.<br />
SALTERS CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE<br />
We also entered a team of Year 8 students for the Salters’<br />
Chemistry Challenge. This was a practical, problem-solving<br />
day held at the University of Bedfordshire with a dozen<br />
other teams. Congratulations go to our team of Dora<br />
Housham, Isolde Pryle, Katharine Morley and Hannah Croft<br />
who beat off stiff opposition to win first prize!<br />
BIG BANG SCIENCE FAIR<br />
As I write we are just about to send off three teams to the<br />
Big Bang Science Fair at Duxford. This is an opportunity for<br />
the winning teams to display the work they did for the<br />
school Science Fair in March with up to one hundred<br />
schools from the Anglian region participating.<br />
OTHER NEWS....<br />
Finally the Summer term would not be the same without our<br />
visits to local junior schools to present ‘The Potions<br />
Roadshow’. This is a chance for us to show off our best<br />
experiments and to stimulate young minds to the wonders<br />
of Science. If you have not seen it yet, make a date to come<br />
to next year’s Science Fair in March.<br />
Mr. P. Jackson, Head of Science<br />
PHYSICS<br />
CERN, GENEVA<br />
On the 12 and 13 July, Miss O'Reilly and I will accompany<br />
a group of 11 A-level Physics students to CERN in Geneva,<br />
host to the largest particle accelerator in the world.<br />
Relevant to the A2 Physics course where Particle Physics<br />
forms an important part of the syllabus, this will be a useful<br />
opportunity for the students to study and learn about one<br />
of the top research facilities in the world, currently engaged<br />
in the search for the illusive Higgs Boson or 'God particle'.<br />
This is one of the so far undiscovered fundamental particles<br />
which is expected to be found by CERN if our ideas about<br />
Particle Physics are anywhere near correct. There will be<br />
opportunities for the students to question Research<br />
Physicists about their work as well as having a tour of the<br />
laboratories, detectors and computer facilities in this huge<br />
complex that stretches across the French-Swiss border.<br />
Over lunch the group will also meet Ph.D. and Post-<br />
Doctoral students working at CERN with a chance to ask<br />
about their research projects in a more informal setting.<br />
Mr. Adrian Jackson, Head of Physics<br />
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Classes also in other areas<br />
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Extra summer holiday openings<br />
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BRITISH SCHOOLS MUSEUM<br />
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-10-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
BIOLOGY<br />
BAYFORDBURY 2012<br />
In May all A2 Biologists took part in an ‘Ecology in a Day‘<br />
course at the East of England Learning Centre. It was a<br />
packed day of theory and practical work with lots of walking.<br />
The students had to work hard but it was worth it as we<br />
actually finished the A level course that day and additionally<br />
several students were able to improve their practical skills.<br />
INDONESIA 2013<br />
This proved to be a popular trip and 30 students from the<br />
present Year 11 and 12 groups were lucky enough to gain a<br />
place. We will travel to Indonesia in July and August 2013<br />
where students will study tropical rainforest ecology including<br />
canopy access. We will be living in satellite camps and<br />
sleeping in hammocks. In the second week we travel to the<br />
coast and students will be trained for their PADI diving open<br />
water qualification and then take part in tropical reef surveys.<br />
Mrs. M.Dixon, Head of Biology<br />
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT<br />
‘THE TIMES SPELLING BEE’ COMPETITION’<br />
YEAR 7 SPELLING BEE SEMI FINALISTS!<br />
Eleanor Graham, Lauren Moore, Mary Thornton and Olivia<br />
Abbiss proudly took <strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong> through to the<br />
Regional Semi Finals in Cambridge on Thursday 17 May.<br />
After competing in the online round at school, we found that<br />
we were one of only 100 out of 1200 schools nationwide<br />
to get through to the semi finals! We continued to practise<br />
with weekly meetings until the 17 May when we all<br />
feverishly hoped we were<br />
ready!<br />
On arrival at Cineworld<br />
we prepared to face the<br />
fearsome judges. The first<br />
round was just like a<br />
game show and the<br />
teachers watched in<br />
nervous anticipation.<br />
After a short break, came the tense quick-fire round and the<br />
pressure was on! Sadly, we were not victorious, but we did<br />
have lots of fun!<br />
By Mary Thornton and Olivia Abbiss, 7J<br />
MICHAEL MORPURGO MASTERCLASS<br />
I was lucky to attend the Creative Writing Masterclass at<br />
Ashlyns <strong>School</strong> in Berkhamsted with Michael Morpurgo.<br />
The aim of the day was to find out more about Michael<br />
Morpurgo and the inspiration for his writing.<br />
I have enjoyed Michael Morpurgo’s books so much and I<br />
was very excited to be meeting him in person. He started<br />
the day by talking about how he picks out experiences from<br />
his life on which to base his stories. He spoke about his<br />
career as a teacher and how his writing began. When he<br />
read to his Year 6 class the students were bored, so he<br />
decided to make up his own stories.<br />
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<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
He spoke about ‘Private Peaceful’ and ‘War Horse’ and<br />
how he based his stories around an object. He enjoyed<br />
going to museums to look at objects and conjure up<br />
possibilities for his stories. His characters are based on<br />
people he has met over the years.<br />
He read a passage from ‘Private Peaceful’ and used voices<br />
to get the identity of the characters across. Sometimes he<br />
sounded quite dramatic and it brought the characters to life.<br />
He said it was very important to read every day to broaden<br />
your imagination.<br />
I enjoyed the day very much; I just wish there had been<br />
more time to ask Michael more questions.<br />
By Isobel West 7B<br />
MUSIC DEPARTMENT<br />
animated music and to have conversations with the girls.<br />
Founders’ Day was on Friday 29 June, this is a very<br />
important part of school life for students in Years 11 and<br />
13 as it often marks the end of a school ‘journey’, and the<br />
Senior Choir plays a very important role in this. This year’s<br />
selection of music was chosen and conducted by Ms.<br />
Hetherington from <strong>Hitchin</strong> Boys’ <strong>School</strong>, as this is rotated<br />
between the two schools’ Music departments. As always,<br />
the choir performed in a professional manner and the<br />
occasion was one to remember not only for leavers in Years<br />
11 and 13, but for all involved, including those in Year 7<br />
participating for the first time.<br />
The Summer Concert involved ensembles of all sizes from<br />
the Junior Flute Group to Wind Band. For many, this was<br />
the last concert with the school after 7 years of<br />
participation in musical extra-curricular activities. They will<br />
be sorely missed and thanks go to these girls for all their<br />
support over the years.<br />
Mr. B. Chambers, Head of Music<br />
SPANISH PAELLA EVENING<br />
On 30 May, the Modern Foreign Language and Food<br />
Technology departments hosted a Spanish Paella Evening<br />
for Year 9 students interested in studying GCSE Spanish in<br />
Year 10 and keen to sample a typical Spanish dish. The<br />
evening started with a demonstration by Mrs. Richards and<br />
then the girls made their paella (with or without seafood!)<br />
whilst listening to some Spanish music<br />
Miss. C. Gunns, Modern Foreign Languages<br />
Although the Summer term is always the busiest due to<br />
exams for all years, students have continued to engage in<br />
the extra-curricular music activities. Earlier this term, the<br />
HGS Folk Group went to entertain the residents of Elmside<br />
Care Home. The residents were very pleased to hear the<br />
ART DEPARTMENT<br />
ART AND DESIGN A LEVEL ART SHOW<br />
Our annual exhibition of work by AS and A Level students<br />
was presented to students, family, friends and the general<br />
public between the 25 and 27 June. The work, which filled<br />
the Drama room and main school corridor, represented the<br />
hard work and talent of our forty two students over their<br />
respective one year courses.<br />
The standard of the work was as high as ever, with the<br />
-12-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
addition this year of film work to complement the sculpture,<br />
painting, drawing, textiles and photographic work on show.<br />
Congratulations to all the students concerned.<br />
THE QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE<br />
Year 8 students at <strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong> have created three<br />
major, collaborative pieces of textile art to mark The<br />
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. These ambitious wall hangings<br />
are the result of an on-going homework based project run<br />
jointly by the Art and History departments.<br />
We wanted our Year 8 students to mark The<br />
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and develop<br />
valuable independent study skills. The Jubilee<br />
Time Capsule - an ambitious on-line time<br />
capsule that gives people across the globe<br />
the chance to create a digital Diamond<br />
Jubilee gift for Her Majesty The Queen –<br />
proved the ideal focus for the project.<br />
Students have researched History from The<br />
Queen’s reign, collected and written stories from their own<br />
and others’ memories and researched a commonwealth<br />
nation. As well as creating individual entries for the on-line<br />
time capsule, they have used further research into historic<br />
and contemporary textiles and art to inspire the making of<br />
their own textile flag to represent a Commonwealth nation.<br />
The final works were put onto the Jubilee Time Capsule as an<br />
entry which has been in the top sixty and will, if chosen by a<br />
panel of judges, be shown to The Queen. Entries were due to<br />
be judged in June, but the deadline has now been extended<br />
until this autumn, so please keep voting for our entry ‘Art for<br />
the Queen’ at http://www.jubileetimecapsule.org.<br />
This project was only possible due to the kind donation of<br />
fabrics by parent Millie Reeves, founder of Quantum<br />
Interiors who can be contacted via www.qidesigners.co.uk.<br />
Ms. S. Wallace, Head of Art.<br />
participation in an interactive programme Year 12 students<br />
will continue to develop transferable skills, knowledge and<br />
understanding for use in full-time education and in the<br />
working world.<br />
On 25 June we were delighted to welcome Peter Thorp from<br />
Studyflex. While Peter worked with the students new ideas<br />
blossomed about how they could develop current and future<br />
job roles. Students also discussed and presented ideas on<br />
how the course might help them adapt to life at university.<br />
Successful completion of the course leads to the Level 3<br />
Award in First Line Management accredited by the CMI,<br />
the UK’s leading awarding body for management<br />
qualifications. Our students are showing real enthusiasm<br />
and commitment which we hope leads to them becoming<br />
members of the CMI Academy.<br />
ENTERPRISE MONTH<br />
As Enterprise month draws to a close, we were pleased the<br />
wind and rain did not deter<br />
our students from setting out<br />
their stalls on Founders’ Day.<br />
This year our young bakers,<br />
aided by parents and carers,<br />
produced a wide selection of<br />
tempting goodies many of<br />
which were linked to a Jubilee<br />
or Olympic theme. Under the<br />
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Wheelock pancakes galore<br />
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BUSINESS STUDIES<br />
The department is working with<br />
Studyflex to deliver a programme of<br />
study that provides an introduction<br />
to management. Through<br />
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-14-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
consumed. Our students also used their art and craft skills to<br />
entice buyers with a range of jewellery and hand and face<br />
embellishments. Customer service was taken to new heights<br />
as staff were encouraged to try new experiences.<br />
So far, we have raised just over £1,500, which will be<br />
added to the profit made during Enterprise month last year.<br />
All the monies raised will be used to purchase sports<br />
equipment for use in the new sports hall.<br />
The activities provide pupils with many new experiences<br />
which would not be possible without the support of parents,<br />
carers and sponsors. We extend our thanks to all who<br />
supported the day.<br />
Mrs. J. Molloy, Head of Business Studies<br />
DRAMA<br />
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DRAMA<br />
FESTIVAL<br />
Mr. Balfe, Head of Drama, represented <strong>Hitchin</strong><br />
<strong>Girls</strong>’ at the International Student Drama Festival<br />
(ISDF) in Sheffield in June. Mr. Balfe has been<br />
attending the National Student Drama Festival<br />
(NSDF) as a student and teacher since 1981 and<br />
has taken groups from <strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ and <strong>Hitchin</strong><br />
Boys’ <strong>School</strong>s in the past. The ISDF was a special one-off<br />
version of the NSDF designed to celebrate the 2012<br />
Olympic Cultural Festival. In the four days he attended Mr.<br />
Balfe saw ten plays in six different theatres, including the<br />
entries from Japan and Germany. He also saw a film<br />
presented by a theatrical practitioner from Gaza showing<br />
children’s monologues. As well as the plays there were<br />
various discussions, special events, workshops and talks.<br />
Mr. Balfe is hoping to organise a visit by Sixth Formers to<br />
Scarborough, home of the NSDF, for the 2013 Festival<br />
which runs from 23 to 29 March. It is even a possibility that<br />
we might enter a play to be auditioned for the Festival –<br />
further details will be available next term.<br />
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S<br />
AWARD<br />
A number of Year 11, 12 and 13 students attended a<br />
presentation evening recently to collect their Duke of<br />
Edinburgh’s Awards. The evening was hosted by <strong>Hitchin</strong><br />
<strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong> and the awards were presented by ex-pupil and<br />
now successful Author and Comedienne, Emma Kennedy.<br />
Congratulations to all those who achieved their Bronze and<br />
Silver awards.<br />
HISTORY<br />
In February Ayo-Oluwa Awokoya (Year 12) and Tara<br />
Anderson (Year 13) took part in The Holocaust Education<br />
Trust’s Understanding the Holocaust Programme. This<br />
involved visiting the Polish WW2 Camp and communicating<br />
their experience and understanding to the wider school<br />
community upon their return.<br />
POLAND TRIP AUSCHWITZ<br />
As part of The Holocaust Education Trust programme I took<br />
the opportunity to visit the Polish Death Camp Auschwitz<br />
with Tara Anderson (Year 13). The main aim of the trip was<br />
to gain a better understanding of The Holocaust and the<br />
enormous impact it had on the Jewish population within<br />
Europe. What I learnt on that trip was invaluable, allowing<br />
me to experience some of the obstacles the Jews had to face<br />
and though I could never truly grasp the hardships faced<br />
during The Holocaust the perceptions I entered with<br />
changed completely. Going on that trip was a worthwhile<br />
experience that I would encourage others to participate in.<br />
By Ayo-Oluwa Awokoya.<br />
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-16-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
SPORTS’ REPORT<br />
SUMMER 2012<br />
The summer has been one of the most disrupted summers<br />
that we, in the PE department, can remember for many<br />
years, due to the inclement weather. We have had a<br />
number of important fixtures and events postponed and so<br />
at the time of going to press are still in the middle of trying<br />
to complete all our matches, clubs and many of our lessons.<br />
We started the Easter holidays with our first Senior Netball<br />
Tour to Malta where our Senior Netball players took part in<br />
a busy week of coaching and fixtures, against a number of<br />
British and International teams. The students were excellent<br />
Ambassadors for the school, both on and off the sports’ field.<br />
Congratulations also to Miss Mellowship and Miss O’Reilly for<br />
completing the London Marathon at the beginning of this term.<br />
A few days into the Summer term, our Cricketers took part<br />
in the Regional rounds for Women’s Cricket. They all<br />
played commendably against some tough opposition.<br />
Our Gifted and Talented athletes attended a training<br />
afternoon, where they were coached in the finer points of<br />
a number of events.<br />
Also our GCSE and A level PE and Dance students worked<br />
hard at the beginning of the term to complete their practical<br />
coursework. Many of the Year 11 students took part in a<br />
highly charged Saturday revision session and our dancers<br />
displayed their choreography in an ‘Evening of Dance’ for<br />
parents and friends.<br />
Many of our students have been taking part in the Inter-<br />
House League although the weather has caused us to<br />
postpone and re-arrange a considerable number of these<br />
fixtures. We are hopeful that we will be able to complete<br />
this League before the end of term.<br />
A large Year 7 team also took part in a Sporting Festival at<br />
Knights’ Templar <strong>School</strong>, where they participated in a wide<br />
range of Paralympic activities including Wheelchair<br />
Basketball and Boccia.<br />
Our Sports’ Leaders are coming to the end of their level 1,<br />
2 And 3 Awards, continuing to develop their coaching and<br />
leadership skills in school, in our local feeder schools and<br />
at local festivals. Our Year 10 Netball players have<br />
completed their Young Netball Leaders Award.<br />
Our athletes have competed at County and District level<br />
and also in the County Championships and District<br />
Championships. We started the term with the County Multi<br />
Events Championships, with our Under 17 team of Olivia<br />
Dixon, Alice Sunderland and Fran Maydom finishing in<br />
2nd place overall. Individually, they all finished in the top<br />
12 with Fran Maydom being selected as second reserve<br />
for the County <strong>School</strong>s team. At Under 15 level, Sophie<br />
Pyle achieved 21st place. She also achieved 7th place<br />
overall in the Hertfordshire Pentathlon Championship later<br />
in the term. At the Individual County Championships, Emily<br />
Evans finished in 1st place in the Under 17 Hammer event<br />
and has been selected to represent Hertfordshire at the<br />
English <strong>School</strong>s’ Championship in July. At County level,<br />
Alessandra Stevens finished second in the Under 17<br />
Hammer, Kirsty Bateman-Foley finished 2nd in the Under<br />
17 Javelin and Vicky Marquiss achieved 6th in the Under<br />
17 300m. At Under 15 level, Ellie Mann was 5th in the<br />
200m and Alana Hollingsworth Biggs was 12th in the<br />
1500m. In her first athletics season, Synovia Green (Year<br />
7) achieved an outstanding 2nd place in the 100m finals<br />
at Under 13 level. Alessandra Stevens also competed at<br />
East Region Club level in Hammer where she finished in 1st<br />
place, ranking her at 14th in the UK.<br />
At District level our Year 7 (A and B teams) finished 2nd<br />
overall, the Year 8 (B and C) team finished 2nd and the<br />
Year 9 (B and C) team were overall winners!<br />
At County League level, our Year 8 and Year 10 teams,<br />
reached the plate finals where they finished in 6th and 4th<br />
place respectively.<br />
The Senior District Championship took place on the evening<br />
before the examinations started and we were delighted that<br />
our Senior team finished in 1st place overall. The District<br />
Championships for other years saw all girls work hard in some<br />
tough competitions with many Gold, Silver and Bronze medals<br />
being won in a number of events. Overall, we achieved 4th<br />
place in the Year 8 competition and were 2nd in the Year 9<br />
and joint 1st place in the Year 7 and 10 competitions. District<br />
Champions were Hettie Inniss (Hurdles), Olivia Dixon<br />
(Hurdles), Kirsty Bateman-Foley (100m and Javelin), Synovia<br />
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-17-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
Green (Long Jump and 200m), Ellie Mann (200m), Ria<br />
Xenophontas (Shot) and Maddy Davies (Discus). A special<br />
mention to Kirsty Bateman-Foley who now holds the record for<br />
the Year 10 Javelin at District level.<br />
We continue to challenge all<br />
of our students who are<br />
taught Athletics during<br />
lessons, to complete the 5<br />
star Award scheme; this<br />
year, the top award of 5<br />
stars was being calculated<br />
as this bulletin went to press<br />
and will be announced in<br />
Final Assembly.<br />
The week of Sports’ Day was<br />
especially busy as we made<br />
this our Olympic themed<br />
week, where students were<br />
given the opportunity to take<br />
part in numerous extra<br />
activities. In PE lessons the<br />
girls were able to access the expertise of Rugby coaches,<br />
Cheerleader coaches, Specialist Dance workshops,<br />
Wheelchair Basketball and took part in workshops run by<br />
the GB Jump Rope team. Sports’ Day took place over two<br />
days but culminated in an Olympic Sports’ Day afternoon,<br />
all teams represented a country with a display of flags and<br />
mascots. We were delighted that a number of our old girls,<br />
who are existing record holders, were able to return for the<br />
afternoon and present our special commemorative medals<br />
in their particular events. The trophies this year were won<br />
by Year 11 (Senior), 9A (Intermediate) and 7J (Junior) with<br />
the House trophy being won by Austen.<br />
As part of our involvement in the Olympic Get Set programme,<br />
we were given 16 tickets for the Women’s Football events<br />
which will be distributed at the end of this term.<br />
One of our most exciting individual achievements this Summer<br />
happened at the Olympic Stadium, where Maria Verdeille<br />
(Year 11) qualified to compete in the 100m and 200m in an<br />
International Pre-Test event and the National <strong>School</strong> Games.<br />
She achieved two consecutive<br />
Personal Best results in the 100m<br />
over 2 days, with a Season’s Best in<br />
the 200m. We are all very proud of<br />
Maria’s achievements and look<br />
forward to seeing her compete at a<br />
high level in the future.<br />
A special mention also to Sophie<br />
Pyle who competed at National<br />
level in Diving where she finished in<br />
11th place in the 14–16 age<br />
group. Also, many congratulations<br />
to Charlotte Reid who competed in<br />
the ASA National Championships<br />
in Sheffield where she qualified for<br />
the finals in the 50m Backstroke. In<br />
doing do, she also broke the East<br />
Region record for this event which<br />
means that she holds the fastest time<br />
within 6 counties.<br />
Congratulations to Louisa Field (Year 7) who achieved first<br />
place overall in the Herts. Artisitc Gynmastics Grade 9<br />
competition and then went on to win second place in the<br />
Regional Championship.<br />
Our Rounder’s teams have continued to play well this season.<br />
At the District tournaments, the Year 13 team finished in 3rd<br />
place in their round, with the Year 12 and Year 11 teams<br />
losing out in the semi-finals. The Year 7 team narrowly missed<br />
qualifying for the semi-finals finishing 2nd in their section and<br />
the Year 8 team were knocked out in the semi final match.<br />
The Year 9 will play their tournament at the end of term.<br />
Tennis Clubs have been well attended this term despite the<br />
weather. Congratulations to Elizabeth Hodge and Aoife<br />
Scanlan who have been excellent Tennis leaders this term,<br />
helping out with the House League and Tennis Clubs. The Year<br />
8 Tennis team of Sophie Taylor and Juliet Todman won the<br />
Letchworth Tennis Tournament coming up against another<br />
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ doubles pair, Libby Brodie and Katherine Morley<br />
in the finals. This team of girls have also qualified for the<br />
Nicola Mabbitt Final later on in the term.<br />
We were fortunate to obtain Wimbledon tickets this year and<br />
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-19-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
10 students were able to go along on the first day of play.<br />
The annual Gym and Dance display involving over 200<br />
students took place during the week of 2 July. The<br />
participation rates in these clubs and activities are unfailing<br />
and we are continually amazed at the commitment and<br />
enthusiasm for this annual event. We are also very grateful<br />
to the army of senior students who assist and lead a variety<br />
of Gym and Dance clubs; without them we would not be<br />
able to offer the breadth and range of activities.<br />
As another busy Summer comes to an end, we continue to<br />
be impressed with the achievements of the girls and look<br />
forward to re-starting the Winter activities in September.<br />
Have a good Summer and enjoy the Olympic Games!<br />
Mrs. D. Maydom, Head of Physical Education<br />
AUSTEN HOUSE<br />
Well done to all the girls who have worked very hard for their<br />
exams. I hope the results will send you off to your chosen<br />
destination at University or College. I must also thank the<br />
outgoing Prefects, for their hard work. I would also like to<br />
welcome Austen’s new Prefects who have already started<br />
enthusiastically becoming involved with the lower forms.<br />
Since the school exams each form has been busy getting<br />
ready for various activities happening this term. There have<br />
been House Rounder’s and Tennis Leagues, teams for Sports’<br />
day, stalls for the Enterprise event and Choir and Orchestra<br />
rehearsals for Founders’ day; We gained an excellent result<br />
on Sports’ Day with 7A in 3rd place, 10A in 2nd place and<br />
9A winning their year group. Overall Austen House won<br />
Sports’ Day, an excellent achievement! I am very proud of<br />
all the girls. Well done to all those girls who have managed<br />
to work all year with 100% Behaviour for Learning; at half<br />
term there were 73 girls. Also a very special mention to<br />
95 students who have an exceptionally good attendance<br />
record of 95% or above. Certificates will be awarded for<br />
this outstanding achievement at the end of the Summer term.<br />
May I take this opportunity to wish Miss Rai all the very best<br />
in her new job and thank her for all her hard work with 9A.<br />
I wish all Austen girls and staff a very restful Summer holiday.<br />
Mrs. J. Cornell, Head of Austen House<br />
BRONTE HOUSE<br />
Bronte students have been working hard this term to organise<br />
wonderful Enterprise stalls for Founders’ Day, which include<br />
selling bath bombs, face masks, henna patterns, bracelets,<br />
fruit cocktails, samosas and the ever popular cup cakes!<br />
We have had representatives from each Bronte form taking<br />
part in the Summer Sports League at lunchtimes throughout<br />
this term and I am delighted to say that Bronte came 2nd<br />
in Sports’ Day this year.<br />
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Bronte<br />
House Prefects and welcome in the new.<br />
As House Captain, Tara Anderson-Bonner has represented<br />
Bronte House with confidence and an approachable smile.<br />
This term Tara delivered a thoughtful and insightful wholeschool<br />
assembly reflecting on her trip to Auschwitz. This,<br />
as well as helping to organise numerous House activities<br />
has shown Tara’s competence as a leader and she has<br />
done herself and Bronte House proud. I would like to thank<br />
Tara and the rest of the Prefect team for their contributions<br />
to Bronte House this year.<br />
We took time this term to look at photographs and share<br />
stories of students in Years 11 and 13 who will be leaving<br />
us at the end of this academic year. It was a time to<br />
remember the good times and celebrate their growth as<br />
individuals and their achievements. We wish you every<br />
success in your next steps.<br />
Miss. C. Evans, Head of Bronte House<br />
CURIE HOUSE<br />
This term has been an eventful one for Curie House with<br />
many individual achievements and successes across a wide<br />
variety of criteria. At the annual Sports’ Day whilst Curie<br />
House did not win the overall competition, there were some<br />
individual successes. Amy Allpress (7C) was our only<br />
individual champion winning the Junior Javelin, and 7C and<br />
8C achieved 6 more second place finishes in other events.<br />
Four new prefects have been appointed, they will be<br />
supported by additional appointments to the prefect team<br />
in September. I would like to extend my personal thanks to<br />
our departing prefect team, led by Rebecca Dawson, for<br />
their contributions during the past 12 months.<br />
Our second annual Enterprise Day was an opportunity for the<br />
lower school forms to follow in Sir Alan's footsteps and turn<br />
£10 into a healthy profit. Whilst at the time of writing totals<br />
are yet to be submitted, our stalls had an impressive diversity<br />
and creativity. From a Ja-make-a-cake stall and a temporary<br />
tattoo parlour to a bracelets and a cut out lion king photo<br />
opportunity, it was a very successful afternoon and a great<br />
advert for the school. A special mention needs to go to 7C<br />
who somehow convinced their Head of House to stand in the<br />
stocks whilst they tipped a bucket of water over him....<br />
As always when we reach the end of a year we say goodbye<br />
to some members of the House. Some of our Year 11 students<br />
and all our Year 13 students have already left and Mrs.<br />
McAdam will be leaving to work in Scotland at the end of the<br />
term. I wish all of them the best of luck in the future and look<br />
forward to a successful year for Curie House next year.<br />
Mr. A. Jackson, Head of Curie House<br />
FRANK HOUSE<br />
7F has had an excellent term. The Charity Carwash raised<br />
a great deal of money. We also had the Easter Raffle, Easter<br />
Quiz, Rainbow Revision Tombola and a Sweet Sale. Scarlett<br />
Welbury has also launched a Creative Writing Competition<br />
and we will be publishing the winners in September.<br />
-20-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
Lately, our tutor group, 8F, has been showing team spirit.<br />
We took part in the energetic Zumba at form time. Many<br />
of 8F took part in the Athletics tournament and had a good<br />
Rounders team. Lastly, we had the best Behaviour for<br />
Learning points for the week commencing 18 June.<br />
Aphrah Raja 8F<br />
9F have done many things this term, particularly Emily<br />
Hornblower who took part in the 1500m after already<br />
running more than 1km in her previous lesson. We have<br />
held various charity events such as Founders’ Day and<br />
helping with the Fairtrade stall for Healthy <strong>School</strong>s.<br />
Lucy Ahern, Beatrice Simpkiss and Maia Perry 9F<br />
10F have had a good summer term. They have worked<br />
hard, taken modular exams and internal exams and<br />
completed many Controlled Assessments. There have been<br />
many good achievements including Alisha Keeling who has<br />
worked hard at her subjects and April Hammond who has<br />
achieved a high Philosophy and Ethics grade this term.<br />
There have been some noticeable sporting achievements:<br />
Evie Darrell won the House Tennis Doubles competition,<br />
and Lauren Batten has had a very good year competing in<br />
Athletics events. Everyone in 10F is looking forward to the<br />
challenge of Work Experience and then enjoying the<br />
summer holiday. Annisah Dhillon 10F.<br />
It has been a privilege being the Form Tutor of 11F over the<br />
last five years. The last day before study leave was one of<br />
mixed emotions; sadness at the end of one stage, mixed<br />
with pride as well as excitement about what the future will<br />
bring. During their exams, 11F were exemplary, I wish them<br />
good luck in their exam results in August. TTFN!<br />
Mr. A. Gaunt.<br />
SF12 have been very busy taking their AS Level exams this<br />
term - good luck to everyone! The form are now working<br />
on their UCAS applications. Alexis O'Sullivan was a<br />
member of the winning Sixth Form team in the traditional<br />
form running event which took place at the end of last term.<br />
From Laura Robinson, Sian Adams, Serene<br />
Esuruoso and Mr. S. Hanse.<br />
I hope everyone has a good Summer break<br />
Mrs. D. Pearce, Head of Frank House<br />
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-22-
<strong>Hitchin</strong> <strong>Girls</strong>’ <strong>School</strong><br />
girls have received certificates throughout the year for keeping<br />
a clean Behaviour for Learning record. I am very proud of the<br />
girls in Jewel House and I would dearly like to see their efforts<br />
and conduct recognised by winning<br />
the ‘fish and chip’ lunch.<br />
SPORTS NEWS: Congratulations<br />
and thanks to all those who have<br />
taken part in our recent Sports’ Day,<br />
and in various House sporting events<br />
throughout the year. Firstly<br />
congratulations to 9J, who have won<br />
both the Year 9 Rounders and Tennis Leagues this year, and to<br />
7J who came first in the Year 7 Sports’ Day, and 2nd in the<br />
Netball and Hockey House League. Special congratulations<br />
go to the Year 7 relay team, who set a new school record for<br />
the 4x100m relay on Sports’ day. The team members were<br />
Synovia Green, Molly Beard, Hettie Inniss and Georie<br />
Felstead. Well done girls. Synovia has also been selected to<br />
run in the North Hertfordshire Athletics team. Mrs. Edwards<br />
has said Synovia is the fastest runner she has taught since<br />
teaching Synovia’s mum!<br />
LITTLE GEMS: It continues to give me much pleasure to read<br />
of all your achievements both inside and outside school.<br />
Remember, you do not have to be an Olympic Gold<br />
medallist to have achieved something worth shouting about.<br />
NEW PREFECTS: I am very pleased to officially welcome<br />
our Prefect body for September 2013. I very much look<br />
forward to working with them all and watching their<br />
contributions to the success of Jewel House. I must also<br />
thank the out-going prefect body who under the leadership<br />
of Georgia Tomkins have supported both the pupils and<br />
staff of Jewel House. I hope experiences they have gained<br />
in their roles will prove valuable to their futures ahead.<br />
As we say goodbye to our Year 13, we must also say goodbye<br />
to their Tutor! Dr. Logie has supported her form for the past<br />
seven years in a very caring and professional manner. I wish<br />
her much enjoyment and fulfilment in her retirement.<br />
It has been a wonderful and very rewarding year being<br />
your Head of House. I could not, of course, support any of<br />
you without my team around me, and so my gratitude and<br />
thanks must also go to the wonderful Jewel House Tutors. I<br />
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wish everyone a happy, safe and relaxing summer break.<br />
Mr. S. Ferguson, Head of Jewel House<br />
TERESA HOUSE NEWS<br />
It has been my first year as Head of Teresa House and I have<br />
been so impressed with all your efforts. I would like to take this<br />
opportunity to publicly thank your Tutors for all their hard work<br />
in helping all of you achieve the<br />
very best that you can.<br />
Sports Day and Enterprise:<br />
Congratulations on a fantastic<br />
day - your sporting efforts and<br />
Enterprise stalls were fabulous!<br />
Our sporting champions include<br />
Emily Saunders in 8T, Emma<br />
Saunders and Ellie Mann in 9T.<br />
Teresa House representatives in the Year 11 team performed<br />
brilliantly. Special congratulations to Fran Maydom, Alice<br />
Sunderland and Caroline Willis who won their events.<br />
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing<br />
Teresa House prefect team for their considerable efforts over<br />
the course of the year. Their support and hard work have<br />
been much appreciated and the Teresa students further<br />
down the school have benefitted greatly from their guidance<br />
and expertise. You are all Teresa Stars!<br />
We welcome the incoming prefect team and look forward<br />
to sharing in their exciting ideas over the coming year.<br />
SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORED CHILD<br />
This term we sent a parcel to our sponsored child, Aracele.<br />
No doubt she will enjoy all the lovely things you gathered<br />
for her. Thank you especially to Natasha Kumar for sending<br />
the parcel on behalf of Teresa House.<br />
Farewell...but not goodbye, we would like to wish Miss O-<br />
Reilly well in her secondment to India next academic year<br />
where she will be teaching in a school and also training<br />
teachers. We look forward to hearing about life in an Indian<br />
school when she returns to us.<br />
Have a restful and enjoyable summer break and I look<br />
forward to welcoming you back in September.<br />
Ms. A. Salmon, Head of Teresa House<br />
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