Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends
September is definitely a month of change and transition for our new students, their families and for our staff and their families too. We have staff who have had children starting primary school, secondary school or college this month. Over the last two weekends colleagues have travelled around the country dropping off their teenagers at university and at the other end of the life spectrum…..settling in elderly parents, aunts and uncles into nursing homes. The excitement, uncertainty, joy and tiredness alongside the making of new friends and hopefully independence makes September a big month! It is true to say that in addition, twinges of sadness and worry, make for an emotional month too.
We are now in our third full week of the new school year and the Year 7 and 12 transition has been pretty smooth – the Year 7s have been brilliant; we rarely see them lost between lessons and they are so cheerful! However, we still see girls who are virtually toppling over with the weight of their rucksacks….they really do not have to carry every book for the week in their bags…..just pack for the day!
Are Liverpool FC trying to emulate the success of our Year 8, 9 and 10 netball teams, who have all won their first games this season? Our under 18 team and Year 11 team both achieved gold medals in the South East Berkshire tournament – well done!
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Thank you to Mr Gray and Mrs Carter for preparing the school choir for their concert to celebrate the opening of the new theatre at Wellington College. The Duke of Kent attended and our girls sang ‘What a Wonderful World’ by Louis Armstrong.
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Mr Gray is also leading an expedition to The Philippines with Mrs Williams in the summer. Last weekend they took Year 11 and sixth form girls for a 15-mile training walk around Hurst and Wokingham in preparation for a 5-day hike whilst in The Philippines. The girls carried 10kg in their rucksacks to add to the enjoyment, tested out their new walking boots and other gadgets but still struggled to read an old school map! Well done girls – a great first hike in good spirits and not too many blisters.
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Mrs Nayyar took 18 sixth form students to the Atom Conference at Reading University, where they found out about degrees and careers that are an alternative to studying medicine. They met academics teaching Genetics, Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Science and took part in laboratory sessions/workshops in these areas.
On Thursday the Student Leadership Team are leading the Harvest Assemblies with the theme of ‘a little into a lot’. Miss Harris is coordinating all the charity food parcels, which Year 11 will deliver to our local elderly residents and the food bank on Friday afternoon. Every House is setting up a Harvest display and they will be judged on Thursday afternoon. Good luck to all the girls involved.
Mrs Van Wyngaardt along with the charity prefects are organising the Macmillan Cake sale at break time on Friday. Thank you to Year 7 and 8 for donating all the cakes and to all who donate to the Charity –so many of our school community have appreciated the support of the Macmillian Nurses over the years.
Best Wishes
Anne Kennedy