December - South Wilts Grammar School for Girls

ONWARDS
December 2011
Message from Mrs Chilcott
Yet again this has been a busy half term. Some events took place for the first time,
including the Chamber Orchestra, who were asked to perform centre stage at the
School Proms in the Albert Hall, a notable achievement. The Geography Department
took A level Geographers to California, students took part in the Science competition
“Top of the Bench” and a number of students competed with other schools in the
Cambridge School Debating Competition. This, though, should not detract from the
number and range of extra curricular activities which take place across all subject
areas, many of which are included in this newsletter.
I wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday. (Mrs Chilcott)
Inspirational Young People:
South Wilts Grammar School Chamber Orchestra at the School Proms
South Wilts Grammar School‟s Chamber Orchestra (Director - Richard Parsons)
appeared at the Royal Albert Hall on 8th November in the prestigious School Proms –
the culmination of a thrilling year. Having previously been selected to play at July‟s
National Festival of Youth Music Concert in Birmingham Symphony Hall, where the
adjudicators awarded the girls one of three special certificates of commendation for
school orchestras, this was a fantastic finale.
The girls were thrilled and immensely privileged to play Corelli‟s Christmas Concerto
in these iconic venues. At the packed Albert Hall they then joined other students
from South Wilts and other Wiltshire schools to accompany a massed choir of five
hundred Wiltshire children. Stunning performances followed by young people in
many different genres and from across the whole country. The adults were humbled
and inspired. The
splendid evening
concluded with a
rousing rendition of
Land of Hope and
Glory with fireworks,
balloons and union
jacks filling the
arena. (Mrs
Poppleton)
Page 2
Royal Albert Hall
Maths Enrichment
Dstl Visit
Page 3
Physics in Action
Conference
Year 12
Citizenship
Conference 2011
Page 4
Charity News
Page 5
Smilovichi
Volunteering
Project
South Wilts
Debating Team
SWAT Challenge
Day
Page 6
Sixth Form Writing
Club
Innocent
Smoothies
Page 7
Rotary Club
Young Chef
Competition
NUTS! In the
Food Technology
Department
Roman Mosaics
Page 8
Unique
Engineering
Experience
Page 9
California Trip
Winter Coats
Can I remind students that no hoodies are to be worn to and from school. School
coats should be plain colours only, either dark green, navy, black or grey.
(Mrs Chilcott)
Microsoft Office 2010 & Windows 7 at Home
Parents and students can purchase software such as Microsoft Office
2010 at significantly discounted prices by visiting the school‟s website
and clicking on the “RM Basement” link in the bottom right of the
homepage.
For example, Microsoft Office 2010 Professional is £36, which saves you over £390
off the RRP! (Mr Handford, Network Manager)
Page 10
Kimmeridge
French Exchange
Music News
Page 11
Music News
Page 12 - 14
Sports News
Page 15
School Calendar
ONWARDS
Royal Albert Hall
Today was a day I most certainly will never forget. I woke up with the thought fresh in my mind:
I‟m going to sing in the Royal Albert Hall! On the coach to London, all we could talk about was
“When we get there, will we…?” From the outside it looked spectacular with its majestic stone
walls and towering wooden doorways, but this was nothing compared to the inside.
The corridors curved around the main arena, forming a perfect circle; every aspect from the
dressing rooms to the performers‟ toilets was richly decorated. When the show began I could
hardly contain my excitement. As we sang „PLAY‟ the opening song, I could see the rest of the
Wiltshire Massed Choir singing in their brightly coloured tops. „You raise me up‟ sounded
beautiful – our voices filled the room and every particle quivered with the harmonies and
melodies of the song. „Reach for the Positive‟ was where most of our harmonies came in
(luckily this meant we didn‟t have to participate in all the actions!).
When our final song began, a spotlight appeared on our soloist, Noah. He was so brave, and
when we came in, and the little torches held by the audience danced like stars, and the
mushrooms on the ceiling shone with iridescent blue light, I thought I had never beheld
anything so beautiful. As the last note reverberated around the hall, I relished the moment: I
wanted to make sure it would stay with me forever.
All the other acts were very impressive, my favourite being a group all the way from Scotland
who played and sang lively Scottish reels. It all ended with „Land of Hope and Glory‟ of course,
and there was a huge balloon drop and confetti burst, accompanied by a spray of golden
fireworks all around the hall (I‟m
sure that the best view is from the
choir seats!), and as we left, I did
not have a feeling of anti-climax,
now it was over. Quite the
opposite: the coach was bubbling
with excitement on the way home,
and as we drove through the
darkness, I just couldn‟t wait to re
-live it all when I have the DVD!
(Rachel Herring 7E)
Maths Enrichment Activity
We had a great time at the
Maths Day. There were lots of
fun games and competitions,
and we all got certificates at the
end! Although our group did not
win anything we were pleased
all the same with our efforts.
We had a great game making tetrahedrons: I
made one out of an A21 piece of paper! We
also had to go around the room solving
problems in twos, and we only got 7 out of
13!!! It was hard and we were not the worst! I
had a great time though overall and would
be pleased to do something like it again!
(Maddie Harper 7B)
DSTL Visit
In November the sixth form
physicists were given the
opportunity to visit the DSTL site
at Porton Down. Once escorted
through the rigorous security, they
were shown presentations
outlining the options opened by studying
physics at university and beyond. They were
able to learn about some physics related
projects through networking with DSTL‟s
physics graduates, gaining some hands on
experience of thermal imaging and some recent
developments in motion tracking software.
A very enthusiastic bunch of potential research
scientists returned to school the next day!
2
ONWARDS
Physics in Action Conference
On10th November, we attended a physics conference held at the University of
London. Simon Singh opened the day with a talk on the beginnings of the
Universe. He focused on the origins of the Big Bang Theory: who started it and
how it has changed our perception of the Universe. This was followed by a talk on
Physics in Sports by a man with a PhD in cricket! He spoke about how physics
can enhance the performance of an athlete. We learnt about the LZR Racer Suit
used and later banned at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The suit was water repellent, lightweight
and quick drying, giving the swimmer 10% less drag: 17 world records were broken using it!
There were also talks on organic LEDs and their future applications and how a working
knowledge of physics can make you a better DJ!
The conference finished with The Magic of Quantum Physics. This was probably one of the
best bits of the conference. The talk was about the mystery that sub-atomic particles present
and described tests that have been performed on particles to show that even if you separate
them, an action on one will affect the other! This occurs whether they are next to each other or
across the universe! We were also spellbound by some genuine magic tricks to supplement
the physics. (Danielle Parker & Arianna Carrington Year 12)
Year 12 Citizenship Conference 2011
The annual citizenship conference was held on the 19th October 2011, a collaborative event
between SWGS and Bishop Wordsworth Grammar School.
We were supported by many local and national organisations who gave up their time to raise
important issues relating to being a responsible citizen. Students were given some choice
regarding the sessions they attended, with Help for Heroes a particular favourite! This is how
one of our students reflected on the day. (Mr Jones)
“Bright eyed from the social of the previous night, Y12 seemed somewhat apprehensive at the
beginning of the day. However, a well expressed introduction from Jessie Whittick followed by
an inspiring speech from Salisbury‟s local MP John Glen successfully captivated their
attention, which was further held by two of the 6th form‟s politics students, Annabel Mahoney
and Jamie Capp. A number of interesting topics were raised in the group discussion that
followed, with many students contributing and debating points.
The seminars that were held throughout the course of the day varied hugely, from Oxfam to
the Magistrates‟ Association, the Council for ArabBritish Understanding and the Holocaust Educational
Trust. All were engaging, thought provoking and
enjoyed by the students.”
3
ONWARDS
Charity News
Competition is always a good way to raise money and 8N decided to organise a charity
hockey match with staff competing against a student team. All members of staff involved
played fantastically well against the students with some excellent saves by the well-padded
goalie! Mrs MacTaggart was a very fair referee and made sure there was no nonsense from
either team. The final score was 2-0 to the students and the event raised a fantastic £111.
Well done to all staff who took part!
9N took a similar competitive theme with their teacher vs student quiz. The quiz questions
were organised by the form group and they included rounds on music, the school and general
knowledge. To liven things up there were forfeits for teams with the lowest points. The quiz in
total raised an excellent £87.
The start of December saw the Christmas events begin with a Teacher Nativity planned by
11E. 17 members of staff took on the roles of the various nativity characters and were dressed
and given well prepared scripts by the form group.
Everyone looked fantastic and played their part very
convincingly and the event proved to be a hit, raising
£224.08
The last week and a half of term will see a Christmas fair
organised by 11B, an advent calendar raffle event from 10E
and finally the traditional end of term cake sale kindly
organised by 7A. Again sixth form groups were also
organising charity events and 6GAM took on the task of
selling the popular Candy Canes!
Thanks to all the students who have been so generous this
term and also so creative with their charity events. (Miss
Taggart)
Trussell Trust
To begin I would like to send our thanks to everyone who donated food to the
Trussell Trust harvest appeal. In total we collected over 270kg which is
outstanding so thank you very much for all your support.
In addition to this the Trussell Trust also organised the Christmas Shoebox
appeal for years 7 to 9 for which students decorate and fill a shoe box with gifts
for children in Bulgaria so they have something to open on Christmas Day. Again your
generosity has been overwhelming and they collected 107 Christmas boxes! (Miss Taggart)
Remembrance Day
The year 12 and 13 charity prefects took charge of selling poppies this year
and altogether made £227.38 for the British Legion. Lots of fantastic
contributions made to a wide range of charities. (Miss Taggart)
Charity News
This has been a very busy term for charity events raising money for our 3 chosen charities
(Honeypot Charity, our link school in India and Help for Heroes). Many form groups have
organised and led successful events! The term kicked off with a Halloween Fair organised by
8A which raised £30 followed closely by a bonfire food fair event by 10N which raised an
amazing £140! (Miss Taggart)
4
ONWARDS
Smilovichi Volunteering Project
Twelve South Wilts sixth formers went to Belarus in
two-week phases throughout July and August to
volunteer with children who live in care.
My group of seven were divided into two smaller
groups for the first week. Half of us spent the week
at the orphanage in Smilovichi while my group went
to help out at the children‟s summer camp at
Ivanichi. Here our role was to play with and
entertain the children during the day. We had taken
some toys and games with us – face painting went
down particularly well. The staff organised a disco
each evening, which played many Top 40 British
songs in addition to the Russian artistes.
In the second week, children from across the region
came to stay at the summer camp and we were
needed to supervise the youngest (three years old)
throughout the day and later help put them to bed.
The children had a “siesta” from 2 till 5pm so we
were able to visit an array of small towns and
explore the local countryside with our translator, and
we had a day trip to the beautiful city of Minsk.
In volunteering for a project like this you might
expect to be doing all the giving, but this was not the
case. We found our hosts hospitable and the
children were eager to shower us with gifts; they
were more interested in our aptitude for table tennis
than our compassion. It was easy to become
attached particularly to the little ones, and difficult to
leave them when our stay was finished. Immersing
ourselves in a different culture gave us real insight
and living with children who had so little (compared
with us) gave us a new sense of perspective. All in
all an unmissable experience. (Philie Hollinghurst
6CEH)
South Wilts Debating Team
Monday 14th November saw the first round heat of
the Cambridge Schools debating competition,
hosted at Bishop Wordsworth‟s School.
Alice Kitt and Josephine Clarke (Year 13) won their
room of 4 teams and go through to the second
round for the second year running. South Wilts B,
Alice Yevko and Eleanor Wills didn't get through,
but after a decent first debate they improved a lot
for their second, short-prep debate; they enjoyed
the experience and gained a lot from it to stand
them in good stead for future competitions. (Mrs
Harris)
5
Smilovichi Volunteering
Project
SWAT Challenge Day
This term the South West Academic
Trust organised an event for eight Year
9 students focusing on debate of
Oxbridge style questions. These
questions ranged from “What makes a
strong woman?” to “If you are not in
California how do you know it exists?”
The girls worked in groups with
students from other SWAT schools and
all produced outstanding presentations.
The second day of the event focused
on presenting this work.
The students who took part were:
Isabel Bromfield, Emma Evans, Alice
Heaps, Jessica Lock, Anna Rolfe,
Honey Thomas, Emma Vaughan, Holly
Wingfield
Some groups were highlighted as
having been exceptional and these
were:
Creativity – If you are not in California
how do you know it exists? - Anna
Rolfe
Team Work – What books are bad for
you? – Emma Evans
Entertainment – Can a slug think? –
Jessica Lock
What makes a strong woman? – Isabel
Bromfield
Overall Winner – Can you imagine a
world without laws? – Honey Thomas.
It was a very rewarding experience for
both the students and staff who took
part and we look forward to going again
next year. (Miss Burt)
ONWARDS
Sixth Form Writing Club
Sixth Form Writing Club has met five times at lunch time to share ideas and work in progress.
This term we have been working on poetry reviews for the TS Eliot Shadowing Scheme. Alicia
Hooper has had a full page article published in the ‟Wiltshire‟ magazine and hopes to write
more for them.
Next term we will be writing poetry for the Tower competition. It is ideal for any students
studying English, those keen on entering competitions or anybody who just enjoys writing for
its own sake. Please join us next term – we would love to see you! (Mrs Coundley)
‘When I’m Gone’ by Rosie Walworth at the Blackledge Theatre, Salisbury
Rosie Walworth from 6JAC wrote and directed the play, „When I‟m Gone‟, in memory of her
brother, Rory.
It was performed by a brilliant young cast, including current and past students from SWGS and
BWS, to an absolutely full house on Friday 28th October at the Blackledge Theatre in
Salisbury. £2,388 was raised for the charity Wheels4Life, enough to provide 23 bicycles for
those in desperate need of transport in developing countries.
Rosie and all those involved are to be congratulated not only for raising so much money, but
also for tackling head on the subject of the tragic, sudden death of a young person and the
ensuing grief with such sensitivity, even offering a morsel of comfort and hope at the end to the
stricken audience. Anybody privileged enough to have been there will know what an intense
and moving experience it was, a truly unforgettable evening. (Mrs Coundley)
Exciting Writing Club
This year some Year 7 and 8 pupils have been going to „Exciting Writing‟ in 08 every Monday
lunch time. It has been run by two sixth formers, Sarah Merritt and Annabel Mahoney, who
have been doing a great job in coming up with ideas to interest the girls, including making up
stories, entering competitions and writing mini sagas.
Please join us next term if you enjoy writing! (Mrs Coundley)
Innocent Smoothies Competition
Competition winner! Emily Avant in 7N was the well-deserved winner of a competition
organised jointly between Innocent Smoothies and First News, a newspaper and website
aimed at young people. Emily designed the winning Smoothie flavour complete with
advertising and a marketing plan. Her prize was a fantastic trip to Fruit Towers for her entire
tutor group as well as a cash prize for the school. Her tutor group all had a wonderful time in
London and were treated to a tour of the offices,
plenty of Smoothie tasting and a chance to
make their own flavour of Smoothie. I think they
were most impressed by the artificial grass
carpet throughout the office building, the
wooden banana to sit on in the chill-out area
and the availability of free breakfast for all
employees. We intend to use the cash prize to
design and create a mosaic to liven up one of
the outdoor quad areas around the school, so
more news of this project later in the year.
So next time you see a competition, go on, why
not have a go and enter it. (Mrs Stammers)
6
ONWARDS
Rotary Club Young Chef Competition
On Thursday 10th November, I took part in the Rotary
Young Chef Cookery competition at Wyvern College; I had
to make a healthy main course and a dessert for two
people with a budget of £5 to be prepared in an hour and a
half. The room was set up just like Master Chef with
individual work stations which were observed by two
professional chefs. I was quite nervous about it but when I
got there I forgot about everyone watching and just started
to cook. I made Thai Fish Cakes with a Mint Pea Puree
and a Sweet Chilli Sauce for main and a Trio of Desserts,
which were a Lemon Cheesecake, a Raspberry Fool and
Shortbread Hearts. After the judges had deliberated and
announced the two winners, I was so surprised and
pleased to hear my name and was really looking forward
to the next round!
The next round was held on 1st December. This time I had
to make an international two course meal, and I chose to do an Indian main course and
dessert. I made a spicy prawn, butternut squash and mango curry with almond rice, a cooling
mint Raita and Peshwari naan bread. For dessert, I made a Creamy Aam Shikhand which is a
refreshing mango dessert, a Kadali Lassi which is similar to a banana milkshake and Crunchy
Nan Khatai which are almond biscuits with a marzipan flavour. This had to be made in an hour
and a half; I managed to complete my meal on time and served it to the judges to taste. After
the judges had tried all the meals made by my competitors, they gathered us together and told
us that I had won. I was so pleased and cannot wait for the next regional round in February!
(Emmeline Ross 10E)
NUTS! In the Food Technology
Department
The Food Technology Department operate
a strict no nuts policy for all ingredients
and dishes prepared in the department.
We have several students in school with
severe nut allergies and the risk of cross
contamination is too great a risk. Could
parents and carers please be aware of this
when providing ingredients for practical
sessions as sometimes it is not always
obvious to the students that nuts are
incorporated in the products they bring in;
marzipan is a good example.
Roman Mosaics
The whole of Year 7 had the opportunity to take
part in a Roman Mosaic workshop with local
artist Joanna Dewfall this term. The girls
designed and made mosaic coasters inspired by
the art of Ancient Rome.
The mosaics produced were all excellent and the
history department has picked out a student from
each tutor group to receive an award for the best
mosaic encapsulating the spirit of Rome and for
overall achievement.
Spirit of Rome:
7A – Eleanor Croker
7B – Isabel Boggust
I would also like to give my heartfelt thanks
7E – Charlotte Bullifent
to all the parents and carers who support
7N – Phoebe Cleary
the department by providing ingredients for
the students‟ practical lessons. I am more
Achievement:
than aware that the cost of food has risen
7A – Isabelle Walker
in the past few months and whilst every
7B – Cat Niven
effort is made to ensure affordable recipes 7E – Freya Love
are selected I am grateful for your
7N – Ciara Bennett
continuing support which enables us to
I am sure parents, grandparents and friends look
provide a meaningful learning experience
forward to receiving a very unique Roman gift
for your daughters. (Mrs Mahoney)
this Christmas. (Miss Burt)
7
ONWARDS
Unique Engineering Experience
During half term I attended the three-day Bloodhound SSC workshop,
starting at Bath University and continuing at Bristol, along with 15 other
students from schools around the country. The workshop focused on
understanding how the Bloodhound team are aiming to test the supersonic
Land Speed Record car to its limits at a record-breaking 1000mph, but it
also included other fields of engineering and team-building.
Our first day at Bath University was amazing; due to being a campus
university, it has the feel of a village. We were taken on a tour, which
included the 30 million pound Sports Training Village, which has Olympic standard sports
facilities. We also attended talks by professors from the Engineering Department which
ranged from the practical elements of engineering (designing a mini battery-powered car or a
mechanical hopping leg) to the theoretical (understanding drag and what aspects affect
speed).
The majority of us had arrived alone but over a delicious lunch we began to get to know one
another and lose any shyness. We were all there because we were interested in maths and
physics and wanted to get some practical experience.
At the end of Day One we were also introduced to additive manufacturing and how it can help
sustain the planet: it is the process of building products from materials in the form of powder.
Some components such as the gear box and steering wheel of the supersonic car are being
built by additive manufacturing through a 3D printer, which led to our team-building task of
constructing a 3D printer! At first I thought this a far-fetched goal, but once we had been split
into two teams and understood how to structure the printer, it seemed more accessible.
Days Two and Three were spent in the Bloodhound SSC centre in Bristol. Fixing and
screwing tiny bolts to fragile plastic pieces seemed tedious and tiring, but as Day Two neared
its end the two teams had developed a streak of friendly competitiveness. With one day left
our team was racing against time and our competitors, solving problems as well as creating a
few others! Having a few circuit issues we tried to pretend our printer was working by placing
an object into it already produced by another 3D printer: bad idea!
The workshop was an enjoyable experience and allowed me to acquire a better
understanding of the work of Bloodhound, meet new people with similar interests and become
familiar with aspects of engineering.
Bath University organised the whole workshop and other events regularly take place there, so
do apply to take part next time if you are interested! It really is a worthwhile experience.
(Pragya Thapa 12GAM)
“A wonderful experience for Pragya who was the only one of a number of applicants to be
selected on this occasion. (Mr Crouch)
8
ONWARDS
California Trip
October 23rd 2011- the day we saw Barack Obama. While this may seem to you the most
exciting thing that could happen in one‟s life, it was just the cherry on top of a magnificent
cake… On 17th October we had waved goodbye to South Wilts and embarked on our lengthy
voyage to the States. Touching down in San Francisco, exhausted from jet lag, we sought
refuge in the nearest Italian restaurant, Little Henry‟s, where we were greeted by half a chicken
and a plate of spaghetti meatballs each!
The next morning we went to the world renowned Berkeley University. We were shown around
by a delightful young man named Edgar, who informed us that none other than Johnny Depp
had visited just the previous day! Later that day we visited Alcatraz prison. It was a chilling
experience, quite literally! That evening we went on a tour of San Francisco, culminating in our
return trip to Little Henry‟s. During our time in San Francisco we were able to strengthen our
geographical understanding about earthquakes and see earthquake precautions such as
earthquake proof buildings first hand.
Yosemite National Park was a great experience, where we climbed a magnificent waterfall,
and enjoyed the spectacular vistas that the Park has to offer. We even had the good fortune to
see a wild wolf!
Visiting Death Valley was incredible; even in late October the temperature was sweltering, and
it was obvious why it was called „Death Valley‟. We actually walked in a dried up lake bed,
which was coated in a white layer of salt.
Driving into Las Vegas as the sun set, with „Can‟t Tell Me Nothing‟ by Kanye West blaring on
our iPod speakers, we felt like cast members of The Hangover! Due to street protests
however, we were unable to leave the hotel that night. Nevertheless, fun was had by all.
The following day Hoover Dam was the destination. This was a very interesting and
informative visit: we learned that the dam weighs 6,6600000 tonnes and holds 9.2 trillion
tonnes of water! Our visits both to Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam tied in with our recent
studies of water security for A2 unit 3 and it was inspiring to see human adaptations to enable
such thriving life in a desert location.
Next on our itinerary was our exploration of Zion National Park. Zion Canyon was breathtaking, but this was just a small taste of the Grand Canyon! We were just 32 of the 5 million
people who visit the Grand Canyon annually; it was soon apparent why it was such a popular
tourist destination, and therefore ties in with our rural tourism topic. At 1 mile deep and 18
miles wide, the word Grand doesn‟t seem to quite do it justice! We walked around the south
rim, where we took advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime photographic opportunity, seeing the
natural geographic landscape and topography at their best.
Last on our agenda was Los Angeles. We had a tour of the city, which took in Beverly Hills and
the Walk of Fame! We even managed to glimpse the Hollywood sign through the thick smog.
Arriving in Salisbury,
greeted by heavy rain, we
were sad to be back but
we cherish the memories
and experience, which will
provide excellent
preparation for our A2
exams. (Alice Poppleton,
Ellie Selby, Lottie Wells,
Livvy Tomlinson & Claire
Carney)
9
ONWARDS
Kimmeridge
Year 12 geology students from Bishops and South Wilts set off on a bleak and dreary day to
Kimmeridge in Dorset. When we arrived we were given hard hats to wear and split into two
groups to start our day‟s activities. We were given the task of sketching various geological
features such as faults, folds and slickensides.
The day was made even more entertaining when many people slipped on the slimy ground;
including Mr Wheeler! We ate lunch (primarily consisting of lots of party rings as it was
Sushmi‟s birthday) and continued our assessment.
Our work was halted when it started to rain and we had to finish off the work in the minibus quite a challenge in such a cramped area! We eventually managed to complete our controlled
assessment (with the help of more sweets) and soon were heading home, looking forward to a
warm bath. (Sushmi Jay & Kate
Hoggard Year 12)
French Exchange
For the 15th year, a group of Year 10
and 12 students from South Wilts
and BWS set sail for France. After a
rather choppy crossing and long
coach journey, all arrived safely and
met the exchange partners whose
names they‟d only had a few days
before. Initial nervousness was
quickly overcome as everyone
realised how lovely their French
families were.
During the week everyone had a
chance to experience real lessons in
a French school, get to know the city
of Nantes, use their efficient tram
service and experience the French
way of life. There were visits to
Angers, Paris, a vineyard, a primary
school, the football stadium, the
amazing „Machines de l‟Ile‟ and quite
a lot of shopping and parties.
By the end of the week everyone
was pleased to be going home but
sad to be leaving new friends. We
are looking forward to hosting our
French partners in March. (Mrs
Jouahri)
Kimmeridge
French Exchange
Year Ten Music GCSE students are organising a carol and Christmas music concert for the
elderly residents of Stratford Court on Stratford Road. Lily Fowler and Ellie May are busy
organising the group and writing a programme and carol sheet. We are grateful to them and to
the other students for kindly bringing in instruments at the end of a busy term to entertain
others. Well done girls, (Mrs Poppleton & Mrs Timperley)
10
ONWARDS
Congratulations
To the many girls who have passed individual Music exams this term, including the following
who have passed grade 8: Lara Agland, Oboe with distinction; Ella Dunlop, Flute; Penelope
Mashford, Flute with Merit. (Mrs Poppleton)
A Cappella Rehearsal
On November 9th Philip Lawson of The King‟s Singers took an A Cappella rehearsal in
preparation for our forthcoming concert in January. We all found Philip‟s enthusiasm for
singing and for choral music very inspiring and learned a great deal from the experience.
School Concert
The November Concert was a chance to experience the great talent that South Wilts‟
musicians have to offer. The evening got off to a rousing start with the orchestra playing
Walton‟s Crown Imperial, ably capturing the majestic and exciting mood. This was followed by
the Guitar Group and their two vocalists, Georgia Clarke and Annabel Salisbury, who
performed extemely well two very enjoyable pieces under Malcolm Wilkinson‟s direction. The
Amici Quartet then played Mozart‟s Allegro from Divertimento in F with great skill and
musicality. The Training Orchestra gave delightful and very impressive renditions of three
movements from Handel‟s Water Music. The Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of
Richard Parsons, gave a beautiful performance of part of Mendelssohn‟s String Symphony No.
4. The Senior Choir brought the first half of the concert to a close with a lovely selection of
songs. After the interval we were given more accomplished performances by Senior Orchestra
and then treated to some superb singing from the Junior Choir in a delightful range of pieces.
The Wind Quintet played one of Arnold‟s very challenging Sea Shanties with great verve and
flair. More singing followed, with A Cappella giving exquisite performances of Rutter‟s Three
Birthday Madrigals and Senior Choir singing beautifully
My Love’s an Arbutus and then the captivating Rhythm of
Life, in which piece they were joined by wonderful singing
from some willing and much-cheered fathers! The evening
finished with Wind Band‟s stylish and very enjoyable
playing of a selection of music from Les Misérables. We
should like to thank the Friends of South Wilts for
providing refreshments, all the staff who played, directed
and helped, the enthusiastic audience, and most
importantly the girls, who performed magnificently. (Mrs
Poppleton & Mrs Timperley)
Forthcoming Events
Saturday 28th January, 7.30pm, Salisbury Cathedral
The King’s Singers: Philip Lawson’s Farewell Concert with SWGS A Cappella Choir.
Enjoy an evening with one of the world‟s most famous vocal ensembles and celebrate Philip
Lawson‟s 18 years with the group in this, his final concert. The programme for the evening will
include a guest slot for South Wilts A Cappella Choir singing Duruflé‟s Requiem in addition to a
joint piece with The King‟s Singers written by former King's Singer, Bob Chilcott. The rest of
the programme will be performed by The King‟s Singers, closing with their much-loved close
harmony numbers. The King‟s Singers are giving their services for this concert, and all profits
will be donated to The John McNeill District Specialist Centre, Salisbury's nursery for special
needs. To buy tickets (£10-£25), please call Salisbury Playhouse 01722 320333.
Saturday, 3rd March, A Cappella sings Evensong at Portsmouth Cathedral
Tuesday, 13th March, 7.00pm, Main Hall, Spring Concert in the School Hall
Saturday 28th April, 7.30pm, St. Mark’s Church, Joint Choral Concert,SWGS Senior Choir
and BWS Choir
11
ONWARDS
Year 7 Netball Day
10 girls attended this event at Sarum Academy
where they experienced coaching in the morning
and a tournament in the afternoon. The girls had a
fantastic day and really improved their skills and
knowledge of the game. They went on to win the
tournament in the afternoon, winning all their
games.
Well done to Rachel Herring, Jodie Ball, Ellie
Fitzgerald, Anna Tuck , Didi Price, Ellie Russell ,
Elise Wolfarth, Annabel Ditchfield, Mathilda Julien,
Azzahra Lewin. (Miss Dew)
Football
Well done to the Year 10/11 football team who
have qualified for the semi-finals of the County
Cup. This match will be played after Christmas.
Ellie Wolverson, Alice Elgar, Hope Mayhew, Zoe
Maylin, Lizzie Clifford, Lidia Fedyszyn, Alison
Fulop, Beckie Gwyther, Emma Francis, Keeley
Clayton, Bryony Osborne, Clover Crosse, Jade
Creighton. (Miss Dew)
Biathlon
The following girls have all had their times entered
for selection for the schools biathlon event, which
involves a timed run and swim. Well done to:
Year 7: Freya Croager / Amelia Rogers / Katie
Franklin
Year 8: Phoebe Wing / Matilda Roylance
Year 9: Sarah Croager / Becky Esdaile
Year 11: Hannah Croager
Sixth Form: Louise Davidson / Nicole Esdaile
(Miss Marsh)
Leweston Cross Country Relays
The girls took part in the Leweston Relays :
The Junior teams were placed 8th and 13th out of
21 and the Inter / Senior teams were placed 13th
and 19th out of 26.
Year 7 Netball Festival
The girls competed against other
schools from the Salisbury area; both
teams won all their matches against the
other schools. The A and B team from
SWGS had to play each other in a very
close match proving that both teams are
of a very similar standard. The B team
won by one goal and won the tournament, the A team came second. Well
done to all the girls involved.
A Team
B Team
Rachel Herring
Mathilda Julien
Jodie Ball
Annabel Ditchfield
Ellie Fitzgerald
Azzahra Lewin
Anna Tuck
Steph Brown
Didi Price
Tara King
Ellie Russell
Jess Robinson
Elise Wolfarth
Georgina Cox
Naomi Sears
English Schools National Swimming
Relay Finals
Louise Davidson, Gemma Currie, Nicole
Esdaile, Gabby Pountney and Eloise
Toomer (years 12/13) had a fantastic
day at the English Schools National
Relay Finals; they competed against
schools from around the country who are
renowned for their swimming success.
They performed exceptionally well,
finishing 7th in the country in their
events, the freestyle relay and Medley
relay. This is a fantastic achievement!
(Miss Dew)
Well done to all the runners, especially the Inter
and Senior teams who chose to run rather than
have a day off due to strikes. (Miss Marsh)
In the summer term Imogen Wolsey (right) qualified for the 1500m
Steeple Chase at the English Schools Athletics Competition. She beat
her personal best by 17 seconds and finished
2nd in England. From this Imogen went to Belgium to compete for
England against competitors from Europe and she finished 5th in
Europe. This is an absolutely fantastic achievement. Well done!
12
ONWARDS
Cross Country News
The girls have taken part in many events
over Term 2 all in the fine, mild November
weather – a rarity for Cross Country
running! In the Salisbury District event we
gained the following results:
Individual Success to:
Inter Girls – Emma Clarke – Bronze Medal
Senior Girls – Imogen Wolsey – Gold Medal
Team Success to:
Minor Girls (Yr 7) Silver Medal
Junior Girls (Yr 8) Gold Medal
Inter Girls (Yr 9 / 10 / 11) Gold Medal
Our Junior and Intermediate Girls girls were
also placed in the Top 3 of the National
School Cross Country Cup and went
through to the Semi Final held at Millfield.
The girls were:
Yr 7: Katie Biddlecombe / Rachel Herring /
Ellica Fillingham / Amelia Rogers / Grace
Bairstow / Abigail Collinge
Yr 8: Rachel Lang
Yr 9: Becky Esdaile / Georgie Holman /
Phoebe Kalik / Izzy Dickson
Year 10: Sophie Kalik / Emily Herod /
Gabby Morse. (Miss Marsh)
Hockey
Our Hockey fixtures are underway with the sixth
Form team playing Warminster and winning
2 – 1. Well done to the girls and Miss Behan
who coaches the team.
Year 8 played Godophin and after a very close
match drew 2-2. Well done to the team who
played brilliantly: Beth Moloney / Beth Puzio /
Lara Shavren / Sarah Brown / Celeste Conn /
Lily Jackson /Lara Mayhew / Hannah Williams /
Kitty Bradley / Matilda Roylance / Phoebe
Wing / Hannah Pickup / Sammy Cole
Year 10 played Godolphin and after a very
exciting match on a very cold evening, drew 1-1.
The team were: Helen Thake / Sophie Kalik /
Caitlin Hogan-Lloyd / Hannah Copping / Emily
Green / Hope Mayhew / Anna Barnes / Clover
Crosse / Rosie Bishop and Holly Scott who
organised and captained the team. Well Done.
Well done to: Anna Barnes, Clover Crosse,
Hope Mayhew, Anna Rolfe and Emily Green
who all attend the National Hockey
Development days throughout the summer term.
They all passed the assessment day for the
Wiltshire Development team and are now
eligible to be picked to play Hockey for Wiltshire.
A fantastic achievement. (Miss Marsh)
South Wilts’ First Trampolining Competition!
The girls from the Trampolining Club represented South Wilts at their first competition held at
Sarum Academy. The event was a huge success and the girls bounced their way to both team
and individual success winning many medals between them. Well done to the following:
Individual successes
Year 8: Lucy Ramsdale placed 1st in the Open
Year 8: Jess Bonner placed 3rd in the Open
Year 8: Olivia Falconer placed 3rd in the Novice
Year 9: Beth Cusack placed 2nd in the Novice
Year 10: Catherine Dodd placed 1st in the KS 4 Novice
Year 11: Emma Clarke placed 2nd in the KS4 Novice
Team Successes
2nd Place in the KS3 Open: Tash White / Lucy Ramsdale / Jess Bonner
1st Place in the KS 4 Open: Sophie & Alice Nield / Emma Sandford-Hart
2nd Place in the KS3 Novice: Juliana Hemesley / Beth Cusack / Lizzy Boulter
3rd Place in the KS3 Novice: Olivia Falconer / Eleanor Kuszynski / Abi Eagles
A big thank you to Maggie Curtis, our Trampoline Coach, who has put in a tremendous amount
of work to coach the girls for this competition.
Congratulations to Lucy Ramsdale Year 8 who represented South Wilts in the South West
Trampolining Championship. She was placed 3rd in the Open Competition and now goes on to
represent us in the final. – Well done Lucy. (Miss Marsh)
13
ONWARDS
Inter School One Day Event
Equestrianism is all about taking the rough with the smooth, and four girls at SWGS (Didi Price
7E, Alice Uloth 7N, Emma Pike 8B and Bethany Puzio 8N) certainly experienced both when
they travelled to Stonar School in Melksham to take part in the team and individual Inter
School One Day Event on Saturday 24th September.
The first phase, the dressage, did not go too well. Poor Didi was feeling unwell and therefore
didn‟t do her best test but she finished on a good score of 37.5 penalties considering the
circumstances. Both Alice and Bethany made uncharacteristic errors in their tests, finishing on
44 penalties and 34.5 penalties respectively. Emma however, produced an excellent test of 31
penalties and it was very disappointing to find that her pony Murphy was lame afterwards and
so could no longer compete in the competition. She had to withdraw and her dressage score
could not count.
The show jumping phase was causing lots of problems for other competitors and lots of poles
were rolling off their cups. Alice had one fence down and Didi, who was still feeling ill, had two
down, whilst Bethany and Rookie jumped a clear round.
The final cross country phase was a challenge with large jumps and a tight time. Realising she
had to complete the competition to give the team a hope of
getting placed Didi jumped a very brave clear round, with
only 6 time faults. Alice also jumped a superb clear round
with only 4.4 time penalties. Then Bethany completed the
course, also clear, and just inside the time with no time
penalties.
At the end of the day, Bethany discovered that she‟d come
5th individually and was thrilled - but even better, the team
had come 6th out of 24 teams, giving Emma a wonderful
rosette which she deserved for her amazing dressage test.
Stephanie Sherborne represented SWGS at Stonar Senior
ODE national schools competition and was placed 2nd –
well done - an amazing achievement!
Equestrian Success
Rachel Christopher in 8N has had a busy year. In June she competed with her pony Naomi in
her first British Dressage Affiliated competition at Novice level. In July she was selected to
represent the South West BYRDS (British Young Riders Dressage Scheme) Region at the
Home International competition, held in Scotland. This was a fantastic experience, with an
“Olympic” style opening ceremony to bagpipes, and the opportunity to compete wearing the
England flag. In August she once again represented SW BYRDS, being selected for the team
competition, and also qualifying for the Novice Championship, at the Sheepgate Under 25s
Championships.
Although her first affiliated competition was only at the end of June, Rachel also qualified for
the Pet Plan Area Festival, at both Novice and Elementary levels. In September she was
placed 5th in a huge class of 30 adults at Open Novice, missing qualification for the
Championships by 1 mark, as only the top 4 go through. However she is hoping for a wildcard
for the Championships which will be at Hartpury next April.
On 8th October, Rachel and Naomi attended the BD Pony viewing day, for eligible riders aged
between 12 and 16. Following this they have been selected as one of 12 combinations for
National Training. Her first Pony National Training session with Darryl Thickitt is in November.
Rachel has just started competing at Medium level and will be working hard over the winter
working towards Premier League FEI competition next spring.
14
South Wilts Grammar School for Girls
SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES
2011 - 2012
August/September
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
29
30
31
1
2
5
6
7
8
9
12
13
14
15
16
19
20
21
22
23
Saturday
Sunday
3
4
10
11
17
18
24
25
October
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
10
11
12
13
14
17
18
19
20
21
24
25
26
27
28
8
9
15
16
22
23
29
30
December
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Saturday
Sunday
31
1
2
5
6
7
8
9
12
13
14
15
16
19
20
21
22
23
26
27
28
29
30
3
4
10
11
17
18
24
25
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
1
2
5
6
7
8
9
12
13
14
15
16
19
20
21
22
23
26
27
28
29
30
3
4
10
11
17
18
24
25
31
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
23
24
25
5
6
12
13
19
20
26
27
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
May
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
1
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
23
24
25
5
6
12
13
19
20
26
27
30
July
28
29
30
31
August/September
4
11
18
25
2
9
16
23
30
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
13
14
15
16
17
19
20
21
22
23
24
26
27
28
29
30
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
11
12
13
14
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
24
25
26
27
28
29
31
1
28
29
30
February
Monday
1
2
3
7
8
9
10
11
April
June
Saturday
Sunday
1
2
3
4
January
March
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
November
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
rd
Monday 23 July
Disaggregated into 3 twilight sessions – staff and
students do not attend school
TD
Days
st
Bank Holidays
Thursday 1 September Year 12 in school am Year 13 in school pm Years 7 – 11 studying at home
nd
Friday 2 September Year 7 only in school All other years studying at home
th
Monday 5 September Years 7 – 11 and 13 in school
th
Tuesday 6 September All years in school
Dates are correct at the time of publication
15
1
2
16
17