Farlington Focus January February 2016
Transcription
Farlington Focus January February 2016
January/February 2016 Message from Louise Higson, Headmistress “The service we render others is the rent we pay for our room on earth" Wilfred Whately I am always impressed with and proud of the way that Farlington girls never fail to think about others and consider those less fortunate than themselves. This term there is, as ever, a great deal of charity fundraising going on with many events initiated by the girls. On Thursday 25th February, we will be holding a 12-hour cycle ride in the Senior School Reception. The bikes will be static ones! The event is being held to raise awareness of epilepsy and to generate much-needed funds for the charity Young Epilepsy. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in! On Friday 26th February, Arabella Mason in 3M will be following in the footsteps of Head Girl Rebecca Briggs and having her hair cut in aid of the Little Princess Trust. The charity provides real hair wigs, free of charge, to children suffering hair loss. Well done to Arabella for having already raised over £1500 in sponsorship! Following a recent assembly by Paul Kasadha, Head Teacher of the Nalango School in Uganda, a group of Senior girls has established a committee to raise funds for his school. They have come up with lots of fundraising ideas, including a sponsored hike and a musical event. I know they will want to get the whole school community on board and I am sure they will be in touch with you soon. I hope you will enjoy reading about the many and varied activities in this edition of Focus, and my very best wishes for a relaxing half-term break. LIFE AT FISHPONDS JUNIOR BOARDING HOUSE Fishponds Junior Boarding House, which opened in September 2015, is proving a great addition to the School and all the girls have settled in well. Head of Boarding, Mrs Roberts-Barter, comments, “Fishponds Junior Boarding House is exactly that – a house. This gives the younger boarders, ranging from Year 4 to Year 8, a real sense of coming ‘home’ at the end of the school day, and eases them into the boarding experience gently. They share smaller bedrooms which are much more like a bedroom that they might have at home. The house is run much like a big family and the garden offers a safe and enclosed space for the girls to go outside and play. “Being in a small school means that the girls are known to all staff, whether or not they are boarders. This makes flexi and occasional boarding an easy option for parents, who will be safe in the knowledge that their daughter will be welcomed into the boarding family, and less daunting for girls who may not be used to staying away from home. Likewise, the Extended Day facility ensures that younger girls can be cared for in a homely environment, giving peace of mind to busy working parents.” Rania Hyde, Year 8, has been at Farlington for five years and recently became a full boarder as her parents are now in Venezuela. She says, “Being a full boarder has really changed my life a lot. At first it was scary and a bit worrying, but now in my second term in Fishponds, I am fully settled and very happy. All of the staff look after us so well and all of the girls are my closest friends. Fishponds is one of the most enjoyable and exciting places I could ask to be for the next few years without my parents.” ROUND TABLES I have always liked round tables. In fact, I have longed to live in a home with round rooms - possibly not a draughty castle though. There is something satisfyingly beautiful about a complete circle and from a practical point of view, when sitting at a round table (one supported by a central pedestal) nobody gets the leg uncomfortably between their knees! When I lived in Kenya, I decided a round table would create some harmony in a living room that had a curved balcony, a drum table and circular stools – bit over the top? So I had one made by a local ‘fundi’ and it was great. My little lad’s highchair was drawn up to the side and we could all sit across from each other and chat about the highlights of the day. My son soon discovered that he could crawl out of his highchair pretty easily and in a couple of little leg lengths, could reach extra helpings in the middle! Round tables afford more than this. For the Knights of the Round Table, as everyone congregated, nobody was at the head: they were all equally placed, showing equal status. Everybody seated at a round table has the eye contact of one another, too. The notion of a Round Table was adopted by a group of New York City writers - with a bit of a twist! They began as something of a practical joke, dubbing themselves, ‘The Vicious Circle’ and met for lunch daily at the Algonquin Hotel, hence becoming known as the Algonquin Round Table. Obviously a lively-minded group, they met to tell jokes, make plays on words and devise witticisms that were then shared through countrywide newspapers. Of course, there exists a countrywide Round Table Association, here and abroad, for men between 18 and 45 to network, help communities and develop friendships. The principle is always of a group meeting harmoniously to get things done. The School’s own Round Table provides a wonderful platform for parents and staff to have open, equal and honest debate. All parents are welcome to feed in ideas, issues or concerns of a general nature to their Form Links and this proves to be enormously helpful. (We currently have vacancies for Form Links in Reception, Prep 1 and 6S if any parent is interested in getting involved). At the last meeting, topics were as diverse as match teas and lunches, power cuts, parking and mobile technology. Whilst we actually sit around a rectangular arrangement of tables, the Knights’ principles of coming together to talk openly and equally are very much in evidence. I think a little of the Algonquin spirit also permeates at times, most witticisms this time centering on ParentMail! Have a lovely half-term break! Mrs Mwale, Prep Headmistress SIGN2SING EVENT Prep pupils took part in the national ‘Sign2Sing’ annual fundraising event on Wednesday 3rd February to raise money for the deaf charity, SignHealth. The girls sang and used sign language to perform “Reach out your hand” in the New Courtyard Hall during assembly. Along with thousands of schools, businesses and other organisations, they performed a specially written song and signed as they sang. “We were very excited to take part,” said music teacher Mr Dallimore. “It’s a fantastic way for children to learn the importance of communication whilst mastering a little sign language. It has also raised their awareness of how sign language is used. “All the girls from Reception to Prep 6 have been really engaged by this inclusive project. The girls have worked together very effectively and developed communication, music and motor skills by combining movement with music in a fun, enjoyable way.” FIRE IN THE LABS Prep 2 were taken to the Science Labs to learn more about the properties of fire to further their understanding of the Great Fire of London, the topic they are studying this term. Mr Snewin, Head of Chemistry, undertook some dramatic and explosive experiments to demonstrate the way fire works, how it reacts with other materials and how fire can follow a trail of fuel. -2- TRADITIONAL WASSAIL On Tuesday 26th January, despite the onset of rain, Farlington Belles, the School’s Morris side, gathered around the School’s apple trees to perform a traditional ‘wassail’. They dunked bread in apple juice and put it in the branches, decorated the tree with ribbons, read a poem to the trees and then danced around them, culminating in a hullabaloo, ably aided by Nursery and Reception pupils. All of this is to ward off bad spirits and bugs that may hinder next year’s crop, and to give thanks for this past year’s crop. The dance firms the trees’ roots against winter winds and the noise scares away evil spirits. This is a traditional ceremony that has been performed for over 1000 years. The Morris dancers, some of whom only started this term, all enjoyed themselves and look forward to their next dance display in Horsham in May. TRIP TO THE GLOBE All the world’s a stage and all the girls of Prep 6 merely players. The Globe Theatre opened its doors once more to Farlington Prep and took us on a magical tour round the world of Shakespeare. We were truly entertained by a very flamboyant actor, with feathered cap and full length swirling leather coat reminiscent of the Pied Piper. He gave us a wonderful talk on the life and times of Shakespearian London, from the heads on Traitors’ Gate to the frost fairs on the Thames. We then went to the Studio and were put through our paces, doing scenes from ‘Macbeth’, taking on the roles of Banquo, Macbeth, and the three weird sisters. The girls thoroughly enjoyed taking on different personalities and learning key lines from the play. After lunch, we returned to the theatre and visited the exhibition, looking at different interactive areas, from special effects to playing chords on a synthesised lute. We also had the opportunity to find out what it would be like to wear costumes in Shakespeare’s time. Roseanna was dressed from head to toe in the costume of a shepherdess, whilst Millie had the chance to wear the jacket worn by ‘Richard the Third’. So one could say that, ‘All’s well that ends well’. ARABELLA MASON Arabella Mason in Prep 3 is having her hair Arabella cut at School on Friday 26th February. She photo will be donating it to the Little Princess Trust, who make wigs for children with cancer and other illnesses. Each wig costs the charity £350 and Arabella has already exceeded her target of £1,000. Prep pupils will be supporting Arabella as she 'loses her locks'. If you would like to donate to this very worthwhile cause, please visit Arabella's page on Just Giving - www.justgiving.com/ arabellashaircut. Thank you very much. JAZZ MUSIC WORKSHOP BRASS DEMO BRINGS HILARITY Prep 5 had a demonstration from brass teacher Matt Ellis on 4th February and had the opportunity to try playing the trumpet, trombone, French horn, baritone and tuba, with some very interesting results! -3- Farlington is running its first jazz music workshop for instrumentalists in Years 5 and 6 on Saturday 5th March. The workshop will be open to boys and girls from local schools who play any instrument at Grade 2 and above. It will be led by jazz musician and Farlington Prep School music teacher Brian Dallimore. Students must be prepared to move sing, play, improvise and most importantly have fun whilst engaging in an innovative and exciting jazz workshop. It will run from 9.30 till 11.30am with a performance to parents at the end. The cost for the morning is £10. To book, email [email protected]. SPORT UPDATE FROM THE PE TEAM CONGRATULATIONS This half-term has seen some decisive wins for our hockey teams with notable victories against Pennthorpe, The Weald, St Catherine’s and Christ’s Hospital. Well done to the four hockey players - Meg, Sophie, Bibi and Freya - selected for the Sussex Championship Squads. Sophie Plowright in the U14 age group and Freya Millis, Bibi de Bruijn and Meg Savage in the U15 age group have all made it through extensive trials and have been selected for the Sussex Championship Hockey Squads. Gaby Eltham and Amelia Wright were invited by GB Pentathlon to attend the selection Talent ID Camp for Pentathlon which includes swimming, running, riding, shooting and fencing. As a result, Gaby has been selected to join the Pentathlon GB World Class Programme at Talent Level which is the highest level for her age group. Amelia Wright gave an excellent performance at the South East Schools Inter-County match at Bexhill on 6th February. She came 8th and was the first Sussex girl home from both Years 8 and 9. She has been selected to run for Sussex at the National English Schools Cross-Country Championship event on 5th March. Gymnast Lilyella Paul attended trials to represent the UK for the World Championships in China. The netballers have also been working hard and have had some excellent wins, including some outstanding results from the U11B’s and U13B’s. The U14’s played some great netball in winning games against Prior’s Field and Christ’s Hospital and the U15’s and U16’s came away from Burgess Hill with excellent score margins. Special mention to the players who have ‘played up’ for teams, filling in for injuries, must go to Emilia Fisher, Isabella Hayes, Imogen Rimer, Sophie Rowland, Minty Noble-Jones, Freya Millis, Sophie Plowright, Amber Dale, Julia Richardson and Gaby Eltham. Sussex Schools Cross-Country The Farlington cross-country runners performed well at the Sussex Schools Cross-Country Championships at Waterhall, Brighton on 20th January. The weather conditions were ideal with a little sun and no wind; the ground conditions were an entirely different matter! The surface became muddier and muddier as more runners went through and the girls were struggling to keep their feet from sliding away underneath them. In the Inter girls age group Gemma Cumber came 49th and Mary Chandiman 62nd out of a field of 100. In the junior age group (Years 7 & 8) Amelia Eltham came 109th and Amelia Wright 6th out of a field of 200 runners. Well done to all the runners on an amazing race. As a result of her performance, Amelia Wright was selected to run for Sussex at the Inter-County competition in Bexhill. Who would have thought that girls needed any help hearing Miss Whittaker on the astro? -4- Felbridge Well done to the riders who competed at Felbridge on 6 th February in very blustery conditions in a new type of competition of show jumps and cross-country style fences. Lucia Mayhew, Suzie Lunt and Clarissa Burnell-Price did very well in the 80cm class and came 4th. Clarissa BP, Ella Heron, Suzie Lunt and Lucy Crichton were placed 6th in the 90cm class. Clarissa, Lucy and Ella were unlucky in the 1m class, but great team spirit was shown by all throughout the day. House Cross-Country The annual house cross-country competition was run in a changed format this year to make it more of a team event. The baton had to be carried around the 12 laps of the course by the Juniors (Years 7-9) and 10 laps by the Seniors (Years 10-12). Each house had to have a minimum of 6 runners in the Juniors and 4 runners in the Senior events. The girls participated in good spirit and worked well, running as a house relay team. There were good performances from individuals as well Isabella Hayes, Gaby Eltham and Gemma Cumber. The Junior competition was run with pace and was exciting to watch. It was won by Curie and the Senior competition was won by Cable. Well done to the girls who competed for their houses, showing true house spirit. A great team effort! ANGRY GULLS SCIENCE WORKSHOP Science came to life at Farlington on 20th January when girls in Years 6 to 9 were treated to a presentation and workshop from Richard Robinson, Director of the Brighton Science Festival, and Jonathan Hare, physicist and presenter of BBC's Rough Science. The ‘Angry Gulls’ workshop was a hands-on opportunity for the students to use their ingenuity and their understanding of Science to solve a very practical problem. The workshop’s focus was on how seagulls manage to bomb us so effectively, allowing for their own forward motion and factoring in the acceleration of gravity. The challenge for the students was to design and build a delivery system of comparable accuracy. The wider social aspect of this is that we can learn how to accurately place air drops, such as food or medical supplies, in war-torn areas when landing a plane is not an option. ZAMBIA 2017 FUNDRAISING The Year 10 and 11 girls planning to embark on the True Adventure Zambia expedition in 2017 have their fundraising well underway. Cake sales have started and a Valentine’s Disco has been organised for the Prep School. Ms Williams, who will be taking the group of 24 girls, said, “We have a fabulous group of girls who will throw themselves into their fundraising. I’m sure the hard work will be worthwhile as the trip to Africa will be rewarding and meaningful; they will be making a significant difference to many people’s lives through the projects they will undertake there.” The girls were split into groups during the one-hour sessions and given gull models and various materials for them to create a gull which would glide along a rope and drop its deposit at the correct place. The students came up with many different solutions - some more effective than others as they worked through the problems relating to the physics and maths of moving bodies, and the pure engineering challenge of building the delivery system. Mrs Barber-Khan, Head of Lower School Science, who organised the workshop, commented, “The problem-solving approach towards learning is very empowering for students and during this enjoyable activity the development of the girls’ understanding could be tracked by observing the change of expression from initial puzzlement, through curiosity and determination, to final grins of triumph at successful delivery of the gull ‘bombs’!” The annual Musical Soirée took place in the Studio on 10th February, showcasing our talented A-level and GCSE students, together with music scholars. The standard was very high, with a wide range of instrumental and vocal music performed and recorded in addition to some most effective A-level compositions from Dawn Richards. Dawn provided a wonderful start to the evening with her recital, playing some impressive Bach and Grainger on her violin before giving us a lovely Tchaikovsky song and a tricky vocal trio. Elizabeth Elliott and Katie Hardy gave shorter but equally assured performances, on recorder and voice respectively: Lizzie amazed us all with her dextrous fingerwork in contrasting pieces by Telemann and Colin Hand, and Katie with her final vocal portamento in a lovely rendition of Gershwin’s “Summertime”. GCSE pupils also excelled with delightful solos on guitar, flute, voice, trumpet and piano, plus a charming vocal trio; and the evening ended with a flourish with a concerto for two recorders and strings, performed by the Telemann Ensemble and soloists Lizzie Elliott and Kira Hyde. -5- YEAR 7 TRIP TO YORK Year 7 had a very successful two-day trip to York at the end of last term. They spent three very interesting hours at the National Space Centre before they reached their accommodation at the York Racecourse Centre. The second day was busy, starting at York’s Chocolate Story where the girls made their own lollipop and were given a tour with information about the history of chocolate in York. The afternoon was spent touring the beautiful stately home, Castle Howard, where they bought some gorgeous Christmas decorations. The Christmas Market in York beckoned and the girls loved walking up and down the stalls spending their money and enjoying a little independence. Though tired, they still had enough energy after dinner to perform brilliantly in the ‘Farlington Has Talent’ competition! The last morning was spent at the amazing York Minster. Everyone was impressed by the stunning stained glass windows. The trip was very successful and gave the girls an excellent opportunity to bond. HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR TALK On 29th January, Year 10 historians attended an Amnesty International Workshop, followed by a talk from Holocaust Survivor Steven Frank at Chichester Cathedral. During the workshop, the girls discussed human rights and the Declaration of Human Rights with pupils from other schools in the region. The students learnt a great deal from the workshop and charted some of the areas of the world where those rights are being denied. It was insightful and the girls gained a greater understanding of Amnesty International and its work safeguarding human rights throughout the world. The students then attended a talk with Steven Frank, who gave a vivid retelling of his time during the Holocaust. Mr Frank gave a moving account of his wartime experiences with the Nazis in the Netherlands, how his father was tortured and died at Auschwitz and how he was incarcerated and sent to Terezín concentration camp. The students found it very humbling and moving to hear his firsthand account. CHINESE NEW YEAR The Chinese New Year was marked by a display in the library by Sixth Former Vanessa Tsang and our catering team, Harrison’s, laid on a delicious Chinese banquet at lunch on Monday 8th February to celebrate the event. RIDING TEAM FUNDRAISING In the last few months the Farlington Riding Team has raised a whopping £202. £50 was raised as commission from sales from our stall at the Farlington Christmas Fair selling stock from local shop Pointers in Forest Green. Thank you to Jill Earp for supporting us and trusting us with her stock! £152 was raised from a raffle of two Christmas hampers. These were kindly made and donated by Jo Saunders. We are very grateful for her support. Money from the riding fund will be used to buy items such as numnahs, embroidered with the Farlington logo which will be used at schools events. Great joint effort from the Riding Team. -6- ‘MATILDA’ THEATRE TRIP Year 9 and GCSE Drama students had a very enjoyable theatre trip to see ‘Matilda’ at the Cambridge Theatre in London. "The play was extraordinary. The cast was amazingly talented, the set was ingeniously clever and the music sublime! I came away feeling uplifted, inspired and raring to see it all over again!” said one student. FARLINGTON TAKES TO THE SLOPES On 12th December, 43 pupils and 6 members of staff went on the Farlington School ski trip to Montgenèvre in south eastern France. This annual event is open to all pupils of all abilities in Years 7 to 13 and provides many girls with their first opportunity to ski. new memories would be made, and new stories could be told. My friends and I had an amazing time experiencing moments which can never be forgotten. I enjoyed it so much I have already signed up for the next ski trip. Need I say more!” On the last day, the advanced group went to Sestriere in Italy and didn’t even have time for gelato, while the remaining girls and staff chased an orange Yeti around the mountains, before returning to the hotel to give in their skis and attend the presentation ceremony, where the girls received their medals from the instructors. Mrs Binns, Head of Sixth Form, said, “All of the girls really improved and are now confident on skis. The sun shone continuously and there was enough snow to ski. The instructors were really inventive with their challenges. The girls even played netball on ice before setting off for their lessons. An amazing trip.” Each day the girls went to ski school for five hours and worked with the instructors to improve their technique within their ability group. On the first day the instructors took everyone to explore the mountain according to their skill level. The intermediate and advanced skiers got straight on to the runs to find their ski legs, whilst the beginners found their confidence on the nursery slopes. Fun was had off the slopes, too. As Gaby Eltham, Year 10, said, “Every evening was action-packed including a trip to the swimming pool, a complicated town trail and bum-boarding, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Traditionally, most nights the teachers and girls played a game of UNO following Miss Whittaker’s strict rules with no time for slacking. Every night everyone fell into bed ready for the next day where “Each year we have a fantastic time on the ski trip and this year was no exception,” said Sara Whittaker, Director of PE and Games, who organised the trip. “The ski resort and instructors were excellent and the girls and staff got on tremendously well - a brilliant bonding opportunity. It introduced some of the girls to a sport they had never tried before, while others were coming for a second or third time. Ski trips are so much more than a holiday. They enhance physical skills and knowledge, develop personal and social awareness, provide the opportunity to set and achieve personal goals and develop environmental awareness, as well as the obvious health and fitness benefits.” PTA RACE NIGHT SUCCESS NEXT VIVE LECTURE Thank you so much to everyone who came to the race night last Friday. Not only was it a really enjoyable evening with lots of laughter and excitement, but we raised an amazing £1400 for Farlington! My favourite race was the one where only one horse finished! Huge thanks must also go to the great PTA team who hosted the evening. They were outstanding. Clare Wilson, Farlington PTA Friday 26th February 4.00-5.00pm "An Hour With Virginia Woolf" with Jane Williams -7- VIVE LECTURE The Vive Lecture entitled ‘A Force for Good in the World’, was given by our very own Prep Headmistress, Frances Mwale. She spoke to students and parents about the thought-provoking topic of social responsibility. Mrs Mwale’s inspirational talk focused on her role as a street pastor and what this has entailed over the last six years. Fascinating and thoughtful accounts of various cases where her help was required were sensitively and splendidly re-told and enabled the audience to see the reality of issues for others, such as homelessness. The audience was led through scenarios of Mrs Mwale’s experiences working within the local community on our streets during the night. She highlighted how helping people is about building relationships and communicating with people at their level in order to make a positive difference. The moving story of a young lad who sent a message to his mother that he loved her certainly brought a tear to more than one eye! Mrs Mwale finished with the very apt question - ‘How about doing something for somebody for no other reason than because you can?’ The students found it a very moving lecture and it inspired them to think about altruism and helping others in our local communities. ALEXANDRA HARRIS Former Farlington School pupil, Alexandra Harris, has gained excellent reviews for her new book, ‘Weatherland: Writers & Artists Under English Skies’. Her latest work has been included in many ‘books of the year’ lists for 2015 and has been The Week’s ‘Book of the Week’. Harris examines the creative impact of the British climate. Drawing on writers from Chaucer to Ian McEwan, she explores the ways in which the weather is daily recreated in the human imagination. Miss Lewis, Farlington’s Head of English, said, “We have followed Alex’s literary and academic career with great interest, and obviously we are very proud of her. This is yet another scholarly and fascinating work with a tremendous range of literary and artistic references - a remarkable feat.” BOARDERS’ NEWS So far, this term, the boarders have been busy over the weekends with a variety of activities. The term started gently with the girls heading to Crawley to the cinema, followed by a trip to the shops for some well-deserved retail therapy. The following week we put on our artistic hats and descended upon the Ceramic Shack in Horsham, where we painted a variety of objects ranging from a little garden gnome to a multi-coloured elephant. We awoke, on the Sunday, to the girls’ excited squeals as the much-anticipated snow had finally arrived! Not to be put off by the mere sprinkling – the girls were still successful in making a snowman! They then had a morning of baking in the Home Economics room, in preparation for the guests they had invited to Afternoon Tea. They created an impressive selection of delicious treats, including scones (thanks to the ever-reliable kitchen goddess, Nigella), beautifully prepared finger sandwiches including smoked salmon and cucumber and two moist Victoria sandwich cakes. The girls enjoyed entertaining a number of staff who had previously received hand-written invitations. ALUMNAE NEWS This summer former Head Girl Olivia Middleton will be trekking Machu Picchu to raise money for Worldwide Cancer Research with other students from the University of York. To further this aim, on Saturday 2nd April, she is organising a cycle ride from Steyning to Slinfold and back which you are welcome to join. To sponsor her directly, visit https:// yorkmp16.everydayhero.com/uk/olivia. ALUMNAE EVENT On the afternoon of Saturday 18th June 2016 we shall be holding an exciting, celebratory event at school. Did you know this year is Farlington’s 120th birthday? Details are currently being finalised, but I wanted to ensure you keep this date free. Do keep checking on our Facebook page where details of our celebrations will be posted - https://www.facebook.com/ groups/366641753481124/ Keep in touch and remember to send us any exciting news you may have. I looking forward to seeing you in June. Joy Baggs Farlington School, Strood Park, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 3PN Tel: 01403 254967 Fax: 01403 272258 Email: [email protected] www.farlingtonschool.net