The Script Spring/Summer 2019 by Sherborne Girls

Script THE

Spring / Summer 2019

Born to be wild

The school grounds are having an ecological make-over as part of a brand new initiative launched by Operation Future Hope (OFH). Sherborne Girls was the first school in the country to sign up to the OFH Conservation School Award Scheme, which aims to increase the biodiversity of school grounds with specific areas given over to ‘rewilding’. The girls have been working alongside ecologists and horticultural designers to turn previously plain, grassed areas and old boundary hedging into places specifically planted up to encourage bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The girls have been involved with every stage of the enterprise from planning and planting, to nurturing the plants. The ultimate aim is to harvest a selected range of our own ‘SG’ botanicals. Lesley Malpas, ecologist and founder of Operation Future Hope, explained: “The aim of the award is twofold: to educate and raise awareness amongst the girls of the devastating decline of nature and wildlife at a global scale, and to inspire and enable pupils to get involved in conservation locally at every stage of the process, in a practical and meaningful way. We hope that this project really does sow the seeds of conservation and encourages the girls to take action – instilling a belief that stays with them always.”

grounds. There are plans to introduce an orchard and a new conservation hedge in the autumn to enrich the existing hedgerow for birds, small mammals, reptiles and insects. A nature walk will also be created to flow through the wildflower meadow, created by habitat specialist, Andrew George, with the aim of providing a place for pupils to be immersed in nature. Sherborne Girls has been instrumental in encouraging the other schools in town to join the OFH initiative with Sherborne School also fully committed to the award scheme. As part of the project, Sherborne Girls was invited to nominate and sponsor a local state school to participate. The school is therefore delighted to be working alongside The Gryphon School, making it a truly collaborative and synchronised approach to re-wilding from three of the schools in town. Keep an eye on social media channels to see our progress. #operationfuturehope

Front cover image - Wells Cathedral by Josie Sturgess-Mills

Initial groundwork started during the Easter holidays and there are already visible changes to parts of the school

Lesley Malpas (centre) with girls preparing the wildflower seed mix

Celebrating our community

The pace never seems to slow at Sherborne Girls and the way the pupils and staff maintain their enthusiasm and energy continuously through the term is inspiring. You will see from articles in this issue of The Script how the academic departments and boarding houses have been keen to try new ideas and concepts; they are determined to make the experience for your daughters improve year on year. We are always looking for ways to bring learning alive, whether that’s a classics trip to Naples, submitting a piece of work for an essay competition, or even having the courage to stand up and perform or give a presentation. The ‘give it a go’ ethos is an infectious quality in school.

Alongside the numerous opportunities for the girls, we are incredibly mindful to create a balance between academic studies and co-curricular activities. Girls need to learn how to balance and choose wisely – an essential life-skill. Learning how to prioritise workloads and yet make time and space for exercise, relaxation and friends is key to our physical and emotional wellbeing, so having the fabulous new social space in the Arts Centre is sure to be of welcome assistance. With the formal opening ceremony for ‘The Merritt Centre’ planned for the end of term, the various events and celebrations will bring together our Sherborne Girls community so that we can formally thank all those who have been involved in delivering such an incredible and ambitious project. I can’t think of a better way to mark the end of term.

Dr Ruth Sullivan, Headmistress

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

Classics trip to Naples

Reach for the stars

As part of British Science Week, we were temporarily transported into outer space when ‘Explorerdome’, a planetary roadshow, visited the school. This ‘out of world experience’ provided our L4, M5 and L6 girls with a workshop on space, astronomy and the science behind it.

The girls enter a large inflatable dome which then becomes completely dark to allow a light and sound show which, along with the informative and interactive narration, gives them a taste of what lies beyond our blue planet. It also helpfully covers the section of their GCSE syllabus on the solar system, star formation and red shift! Very, very early in the morning of Friday 15 March, 22 pupils from M5 and U5 who study Latin, Greek or Classical Civilisation, left Sherborne for a weekend trip to the Bay of Naples. Once arrived (and suitably refuelled thanks to a deliciously authentic Neapolitan pizza), we toured Naples Archaeological Museum and then walked in the footsteps of the gladiator Spartacus at the amphitheatre at Pozzuoli (Puteoli to the Romans). A couple of hours later we made it to our hotel, which was right on the beach near Sorrento. We headed off early the next morning to climb the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. This was where Spartacus hid when he led other slaves to freedom. It was a short, steep climb and rather atmospheric since the cloud was low meaning we could not see too far ahead. Pompeii was next on the itinerary and we spent the rest of the day there, at times guided by a local historian, Dario Davide. We were able to walk in some of the buildings that are studied as part of the GCSE syllabus to get an excellent appreciation of what life was like in this busy and bustling port. Back to the hotel for a walk on the beach and a paddle before sleeping very well and heading off

the next day to the Villa Oplontis. This is a huge and lavish palace that has allegedly been associated with Poppaea, the wife said to have been killed by the Emperor Nero. Built overlooking the sea, it was most definitely designed to impress: it has an enormous swimming pool, beautiful wall paintings and endless rooms for guests to laze around in. Our final visit was to my personal favourite destination: Herculaneum. This wellpreserved Roman town is quiet and enables the visitor to appreciate how terrifying the volcano eruption must have been. A stroll along what would have been the shoreline takes you past numerous skeletons of those poor and desperate folk who had fled to the boat houses in the hope of escape. Our last evening was spent in Sorrento where we visited a gelateria that had the most delicious ice cream. The girls were great company and all had a go at speaking Italian. Each pupil had a booklet to fill in and it was wonderful to see them doing this of their own volition – not once did we need to nag! The trip was exhausting but extremely successful.

This year we ran an extra day to widen the opportunity to our Ogden Trust partner schools, which proved really popular. The event was a great opportunity for the pupils to learn about, and develop interest in, the science of the universe in a fun and memorable way.

In this issue

3-4 Academic Enrichment 5 Literacy and Art Showcase 6-7 Boarding, Pastoral and Wellbeing 8-9 The Arts 10-11 Adventure and Leadership

Rachel Allen, Teacher of Classics and Assistant Director of Sixth Form

12-13 Community 14-15 Sport Highlights 3

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

How science The ‘Big Apple’ beckons is shaping our future

Our U5 scientists attended the GCSE Science Live! lecture day at Bath University. The girls joined a series of lectures from a number of very highprofile scientists who are pioneers in their area of academic research. The day began with a lecture by Professor Dave Cliff entitled ‘The Future of Computer Science’. Professor Cliff introduced some of the huge advances made over the last fifty years in computing and the potential progress, developments and challenges facing computer scientists of the future.

Professor Alice Roberts, who is a well known evolutionary biologist, biological anthropologist and television presenter delivered a lecture on how the domestication of three species (dogs, wheat and horses) have changed our world and became essential to the survival and success of humans. Two short sessions were given by the AQA GCSE Chief Examiner who gave our students some excellent advice on how to succeed in their summer Science examinations. He covered what Science is, and how Science is tested at GCSE level, including types of questions used with examples, revision and examination techniques – lots of notes were taken in that lecture! Professor Lord Robert Winston gave an inspirational, informative and, at times, very amusing lecture on early human development. He described in great detail his early work in the research and development in gynaecological microsurgery along with his major contributions to this area. This was followed by Professor Lucie Green who delivered a lecture on the future of space exploration. The final mind-blowing lecture of the day was from the everenergetic and super-enthusiastic Professor Jim Al-Khalili who explored whether time travel in Einstein’s Universe was fact or fiction. What a day – our minds were buzzing with scientific facts and the potential change in scientific and medical fields we will see in our lifetimes.

Antonio Angelosanto, Head of Science

Observing the city from the Empire State Building on the first night seared a vision of New York into our minds. Such a crystal clear evening, the yellow taxis working their way around the grid system and the lights and neon signs on Broadway helped the girls understand such abstracted works as Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie-Woogie in the Museum of Modern Art as well as the world of Hopper and Johns in the Whitney Museum. We visited the Guggenheim with its iconic architecture, the 9/11 Memorial, Times Square and Wall Street. The photography students were kindly hosted by Grey Zisser, of Blonde Studios, who showed them how his agency worked. We spent some time in the Metropolitan Museum exploring

Japanese, Indian and African cultures, as well as Greek and Roman, in order to explore the art of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist galleries. The Renaissance works were exquisite and we were awe-struck to see the rebuilt Adam by Tullio Lombardo that smashed in 2002 when its plinth gave way and so was not viewable on our last trip, five years ago. Experiencing the good and bad of subway travel and seeing the all-night diners, the steaming manhole covers and the café from Friends gave the 29 girls and six staff a vivid snapshot of this incredible modern machine for living. The girls are currently producing an amazing book of images and experiences that will be available soon.

Jonathan Casely, Head of History of Art

Getting to the HART of the matter Congratulations to Amara in U5 who was shortlisted for the HART Prize for Human Rights essay competition 2019. The trust seeks to raise awareness of conflict, poverty and human rights abuses amongst young people in the UK, particularly situations that are under-represented in the mainstream media.

The competition is a vehicle to encourage young people to examine and engage critically with human rights issues by conducting independent research, and producing written or creative pieces. Amara did particularly well to be shortlisted as the organisers said this year had a record

number of entries from an eclectic number of countries around the world, and it was their toughest competition yet.

LITERACY AND ART SHOWCASE

The Moon, the Stars, the Sea Porcelain skin meets dark, glassy water. A white silhouette illuminatedby the moon that guides her forward to fate. Breath visible in the clean midnight air, ragged and sharp like the rocks on the shore.

Her heartbeat is as steady as the waves that wash across the sand, masking footprints. Left by her. Final pieces taken for the contract. To be signed. Moon smiles wickedly, pearl teeth glinting as her stars spin wildly around her. The girl leans back and gazes up at themas the sly sea coils round her body. A still and quiet peace settles over. The lost girl. As the desperate tugging of the sea. Drags her down.

The Last One

Weaving through the vast sea-bed of coral Pigmented plastic, Famine is searing Through my side. It seems to be immoral That waterfalls of waste are not clearing. Weaving through the disquieted marine: The shade of neglect, feeling trapped not free. Never shall I ever have a daughter Because I’m the last fish in this sad sea. Weaving through the ocean so clean and pure No longer. I glimpse a grieving sliver Of food? I swallow enticed by the lure. Choking, I am pulled to the Acheron river.

Icy grip around icy waist, it pulls her. Silver hair pulsates and frames crystal facecold blue lips mouth silently to the sky, and water rushes in, stopping the sigh. “Cold, cold, cold” her mind whispers in warning, “breathe, breathe, breathe” the water coaxes, gnawing at her chest. As clear turns to deep, inky black she thinks, “isn’t it pretty?” Glistening bubbles rise up and away, final breath and words too late to say. Stars and moon the only witness to the crime, which has and always has been carried out through time.

Isobel Bates L6

Eleanor Miller L6

Artwork by Tilly Fender U6

BOARDING, PASTORAL AND WELLBEING

Sunday sewing bees After a busy weekend packed with activities and socials, you’d think the girls would want to spend Sunday evenings resting in their rooms or listening to music but in Dun Holme everyone has been gathering in the dining room which has turned into a hive of creative relaxation, before the rush of toast and tea making.

Being grateful

Every Lent season in Reader Harris brings with it a number of self-inflicted challenges, usually involving the giving up of chocolate munching and the iron-willed resistance of the multiple jars of delicious chocolate spread we seem to get through at every other time of the year. This year, however, we were inspired by school prefect Lucy Holcroft’s address to the school about the benefits on our physical and psychological health in developing a list of things one is grateful for at the end of each day. So every girl in RH was given a ‘Radical Gratitude’ journal to list just three things they are grateful for in that day. The lists varied from the important: ‘my loving parents’, ‘my health’, ‘my supportive teachers’, to the more trivial ‘Fish and Chip Friday’ and ‘my new bottle of nail varnish’.To complement the journals, we have resurrected the Lent Tree from several years ago and the girls have added labels as leaves on which they have written things that they are feeling particularly thankful for. It has unexpectedly served as a special and unique way to send lovely messages to each other as well. Not only have we enjoyed looking outwards rather than inwards (eg. by complaining about the lack of chocolate in our lives), writing these lists is backed up with some robust scientific evidence of the increase in dopamine, serotonin melatonin and heightened pain thresholds. So what’s not to love?

Suse Hammond, Housemistress Reader Harris

The Sunday Arts Club has become the go-to place with girls choosing painting, sewing or other creative activities as the perfect way to enjoy some ‘down time’. We have been very impressed – some girls have definite hidden talents – and it is another way the girls from all year groups can relax, socialise and help one another. The only problem it’s given us is finding enough room in the house to display their creations!

Hayley Garnsworthy Housemistress, Dun Holme

Westies on the catwalk

It was a case of ‘waste not, want not’ for the girls in West when they put their upcycling skills to the test. Using materials that would simply have been binned or discarded, the girls were challenged to turn their rubbish into fashion fit for the catwalk and they didn’t disappoint. Look out London Fashion Week!

Exam preparation

Making space for relaxation amid the build up to exams is so important, so as part of exam preparation, an evening of pampering and treats was arranged in the Library for U5. Reflexology, yoga, a story corner, bead craft, a nail bar and mindful colouring were all on offer allowing the girls to unwind. Our school counsellor, Heddy, arranged for six professional beauticians to attend who offered hand massages – definitely the most popular option. Thank you to everyone who helped and assisted on the night – the girls really benefited from the event and went away feeling incredibly chilled and relaxed.

Debbie Miller, Housemistress, East

Dancing the night away

The L6 Dinner is a momentous, traditional black-tie event, organised every year by the lower-sixth pupils at Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls.

The evening commenced with decorating the dining room: clambering over tables to hoist the fairy lights around the ceiling, bringing our whole year together in a chaotic but amusing way. As memorable as the evening was, getting ready was the standout highlight due to the typical scenario of 16 girls frantically running from dorm to dorm to ensure their shoes matched their dress. With dancing, karaoke and a raucous few games of table football after supper, the evening came to a close and we reluctantly said our goodbyes. We reminisced the events of the night, with a special mention going to the chocolate pudding which was a universal favourite! On behalf of all those who attended, I would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff who made the evening so special.

Lucy Knott, L6 Kenelm

Clubs and weekend activities Each term we review the evening and weekend activities to ensure there is the widest possible selection for the girls to choose from. Naturally, girls can’t fit them all in (although some do try) but there should always be something that strikes a chord and we encourage the pupils to give new activities a try.

The lighter, summer evenings mean we can make the most of our grounds to run outdoor activities and longer sessions for sport and it is fabulous to see the tennis courts being used well into the evening. The girls’ cricket has taken off brilliantly and the uptake for the electronics and astronomy clubs is so encouraging. The feedback we receive helps us to shape and create future events which is why the social event options are changed regularly to reflect that. With weekends packed with barbeques, socials, cinema trips, go-karting and

With the new Deputy Head (Co-curricular and Planning), Mr Ian McClary, joining us in September, there will be further opportunity to strengthen the range of trips, tours and off-site events, which provide such a valuable breadth to our offering at school.

Ben Gudgeon Deputy Head (Pastoral and Planning)

Supporting parents We are committed to making sure that our pastoral support extends to our parent community as well as the girls and we are delighted that our series of pastoral seminars, held in collaboration with Sherborne School, have been so well attended.

They could have been canoeing down the Amazon! Actually, the girls in West spent a lovely, sunny Sunday afternoon in Hampshire on the Beaulieu River – perfect weather for canoeing.

horse riding to name just a few, there’s good reason why almost 90% of the school stays in at weekends and why our full-boarding offer is so compelling.

Our guests – experts in their fields – offer excellent practical advice and also help dispel some of the common myths about teenage and adolescent behaviours. With topics covering alcohol, drugs, screen

time and ‘sleep and the teenage brain’, it has been invaluable to learn more around the issues facing young people today – many of which were not fully understood or explored a decade ago.

A couple of the hot topics planned for future seminars will look at anxiety and internet safety. Everyone is welcome to attend so keep a look out for dates and venue details.

Bex Brown, Director of Boarding 7

THE ARTS

James and the Giant Peach A WEST PRODUCTION

Friday 21 June, 1.45pm and 6pm Saturday 22 June, 6pm

Natalia Clavero Perez, L5

tickets from www.sherborne.com/events

The future is orange!

This year the West Play will be the weird and wonderful story of James and The Giant Peach adapted for stage by Richard R George. The performance will be a joyous, high-energy journey through Roald Dahl’s hilarious novel filled with animation, puppetry and live music. With a full cast and backstage team made up entirely of Aldhelmsted West students, this production is a real group effort. We are well underway with rehearsals now and there is a huge amount of work going into the production from both cast and crew alike. The set is taking shape and shades of orange/peach are currently being discussed! The performance itself will be a collaborative journey and will include projections, stop motion animation and live sound effects. The girls are working incredibly hard and we cannot wait to perform in the school hall in June to friends and family.

Zosh Skowronska Director in Residence 8

Welcome to The Merritt Centre

Following two years of construction and many, many more in the planning, the dream of having a new arts facility at the heart of the campus has finally become a reality. The Arts Centre will be known as The Merritt Centre, in memory of Gwendoline Merritt, a former member of staff affectionately known as ‘Queenie’, who left her entire estate to the school when she passed away in 2014.

Queenie was a much-loved member of the housekeeping team and a tea lady in Kenelm for many years. Her love of music and school concerts was well known, so we are honoured to acknowledge Queenie’s kindness, tireless service and generosity in this memorable way. Pupils and staff will be able to make use of the facilities for assemblies, meetings, match teas and concerts as well as providing areas for studying and socialising. The venue can also be used by the local community and we have already seen it used by the National Children’s Orchestra, Sherborne Abbey Music Festival and TEDxSherborne. A celebratory occasion to mark The Merritt Centre’s formal opening is planned for late June during Commemoration Week but, in the meantime, it is being used on a daily basis and is already having a wonderful impact on the pupils, staff and the community.

Pianos on a grand scale

It is not every day you have 26 pianos – 21 uprights and five grands – all in one place with 56 pianists playing simultaneously. But that was exactly how we marked the arrival of our new fleet of pianos for The Merritt Centre on 24 April. After carefully manoeuvring the instruments into place in the concert hall, the girls played an arrangement of Faure’s Berceuse (from his famous Dolly Suite) followed by an arrangement of Mozart’s Variations on the French tune ‘Ah Vous Dirai-je Maman’ (which later gave origin to the famous nursery tune ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star) – a truly remarkable achievement! Every pianist in school was involved, from the youngest beginner to the more seasoned player. An incredible team effort.

Ana Manero, Head of Keyboard

‘Stuff’ and Music moves us! connections

We had the fantastic opportunity to take part in National Theatre Connections – a nationwide celebration of plays for young people. We performed a play called ‘Stuff’ by Tom Wells which is one of ten brand new shows written especially for Connections by some of the best playwriting talent in the UK.

With a cast of nine students ranging from M5-L6, this was a hugely successful production. The girls performed the show four times in total, with three nights at Sherborne Girls for friends and family. We were thrilled to receive some hugely constructive and positive feedback from a National Theatre director who came to watch the Friday night performance. This was in preparation for the final public performance at The Egg, Theatre Royal Bath. The public performance day was fantastic, with the opportunity to have a full technical rehearsal, a workshop with a Theatre Royal practitioner and a full dress rehearsal before the show in the evening. The final performance went very well and the cast played convincing characters, receiving some brilliant audience feedback and experiencing the intimate performance style that comes with performing at The Egg. We also had the chance to watch another group perform a different Connections play which the girls thoroughly enjoyed. The whole experience was a fantastic opportunity and the girls were a credit to Sherborne Girls Drama, showing commitment, determination and excellence in their performances.

Lizzie Nurse, Director of Drama

We would also like to congratulate Ellie Miller (L6), who has been longlisted for the New Views Playwrights Competition for the second time. Her entry is one of around 50 which are longlisted from 500, so already a huge achievement and we wish her luck for the shortlisting.

The Lent and Trinity terms this year will be remembered as a time that heralded great change for the Music Department. Who knew we had so many files, books and mementos to move? I’m now rather more familiar with packing crates than I ever thought possible. Yet in the midst of all the move the number of performances and concerts never ceased.

In February, Sherborne Schools’ Choral Society performed Verdi’s Requiem in the majestic setting of Wells Cathedral. With a choir of more than 150 singers drawn from both schools as well as adult singers, four distinguished soloists and full orchestra, it truly was an outstanding concert. The trip to Oxford with the Sherborne Schools’ Symphony Orchestra in March was beautifully memorable. We enjoyed Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral and stayed overnight at St Hilda’s College.

John Jenkins, Director of Music

Yetminster Concert

Many congratulations to all those girls who participated in an outstanding concert in St Andrew’s Church, Yetminster, raising funds for the restoration of the church. The Madrigal Society were on excellent form and performed a lovely varied programme of sacred and secular music, including several pieces new to their repertoire. The String Orchestra and The Cantilena Trio (Kelly Kwong, Daisy Kwong, Isobel Gordon) likewise produced an impressive range of music, from Bach to Piazzolla, and played with great style and sensitivity. This was the first time that we had given a concert in Yetminster Church for several decades. The audience was extremely appreciative of the girls’ musical talents and has already extended a warm invitation for a further visit. Well done, all of you, and thank you for being such fantastic musical ambassadors for Sherborne Girls.

Musical masterclass celebrates 10-year anniversary

A musical milestone was celebrated in March with the ten-year anniversary of the Harriet Tory Masterclass.

The Harriet Tory Masterclass Trust was established in memory of former pupil Harriet Tory (Aylmar ‘86) who tragically died in 2005. A memorial fund was set up in her name in 2009 and masterclasses and concerts have been given each year since, each one with a different music professional leading the day. This year we were privileged to be joined by renowned conductor Richard Dickins. Richard worked with our 45-strong orchestra during the day leading up to a wonderful evening performance. Given Harriet’s life-long love of music and the personal support she gave to many to help pursue their musical passions, we are thrilled to be able to continue to share musical excellence by way of the annual masterclass.

John Jenkins, Director of Music

ADVENTURE AND LEADERSHIP

Overcoming challenges On 9 May we were thrilled to host the inaugural TEDxSherborne event in the new Merritt Centre. TEDx events provide a platform for sharing individual ideas, vision and debate and are a growing part of the world-wide series of TED talks. One of the 14 selected speakers was sixth former, Chloë Dick, whose talk on conservation entitled, ‘Walk on by’, covered why she feels that there is hope if her generation works together to prevent catastrophic and irreversible events. Chloë explained the inspiration behind the topic of her talk: “In ten years time, when I’m 27, we’re likely to see several species such as tigers and the African elephant

become extinct. We can’t allow this to happen, we need to act now and we are all capable of creating a change for the better.” There was such a diverse range of topics discussed during the day; the atmosphere was incredible and the ideas swirling and the discussions that ensued absolutely showcased what a vibrant and fascinating town we are part of. Eve Messervy, Angel Lulu-Briggs and Amara Agwo, (U5) headlined a highly charged ‘poetry slam’ during one of the speaker interludes. Their emotive performances were unbelievably powerful and they held the audience with strong but heartfelt issues delivered in modern poetry format. With tickets for the event selling out in a matter of days, people were still able to tune in by watching the live-stream allowing a much wider audience to experience the day. The talks are still available to watch online by going to: tedxsherborne.com

Back in October, my DofE group and I did our final silver expedition walk. We had practiced during another walk a few months before to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the real thing. For me, it was the mental endurance that was the hardest challenge to overcome.

The overwhelming urge to give up, breakdown and cry was quite hard to suppress at times, especially when we were exhausted and still had two more nights to spend in a cold tent. Despite this, I was able to push negative thoughts away and keep going. On the physical side of things, it was an effort to climb each hill and mountain knowing that we still had miles to go before settling down for the night. However, thanks to the exercise and keep fit regime completed in the months before the expedition, I did not get any stiches or cramps whilst walking. To finish off, I think that there are always going to be challenges in life but how you deal with them now will make it easier in the long run.

Katy Lauchard U5

French play

Tackling social media When we were asked to take part in a verbatim drama piece for the TEDx talks, we knew what an opportunity it was. From the very first rehearsal, we gave it our all. In the cast, there were two of us from Sherborne Girls, two from Sherborne School, three from Leweston and two from The Gryphon. It was really good fun to work with new people and get to know everyone during the rehearsal period. Our piece was on the topic of social media. Interviews were collected from across the all three schools and Ms Nurse edited

Speakers in the spotlight

them into a track which we listened to through our headphones whilst performing. Overall we had an amazing experience, which we will treasure throughout our time at Sherborne. We made friends with the girls and boys from our neighbouring schools, most of who we probably never would have had chance to meet. It was a great day, being able to perform and watch the other events. We’re looking forward to similar events in the future!

Georgina Andrews & Poppy D’Abo M5

We aim to get an ideal mix of speakers for our regular ‘Friday Series’ lectures and this year we’ve been incredibly lucky to secure some fabulous guests including Anita Corbin, photographer and curator of the 100 First Women exhibition; Dany Cotton, Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade and Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala’s father. Each one gave accounts of their own experiences that held nuggets of advice and anecdotes which resonated with the girls. One of the memorable quotes was from Ziauddin who explained: “Whenever anybody has asked me how Malala became who she is, I have often used the phrase: ‘Ask me not what I did, but what I did not do. I did not clip her wings’.” For parents and teachers it really struck a chord, reflecting how we try to encourage empowerment and independence.

Annie Taylor, Events Co-ordinator

One Friday evening in March a group of some 200 students studying French from both the Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls were given the opportunity to support their studies by experiencing a French language performance of ‘La Salle des Énigmes’ (The Hall of Riddles) by the Onatti Theatre Company. Performed entirely in French, the production involved two characters, Jérémy and Marie, who were locked in an escape room with one hour to solve a series of riddles, puzzles and clues. Four pupils, two boys and two girls, were invited onto the stage to help (in French) and eventually they unlocked the door which enabled them to escape the room.

Only professional foreign actors take part and the plays are modern and written especially for students learning a foreign language. Each story is aimed at a modern audience and pitched at the perfect level to complement language learning. The event brought both originality and authenticity to the school hall enabling pupils to review all the key vocabulary that they are currently learning in a clever and entertaining way. The theatrical performance and relatable scenario, coupled with the carefully pitched vocabulary, made the evening a fantastic and hugely accessible experience for all those learning French.

Madeleine Hamilton, Teacher of French 11

COMMUNITY

Former pupil takes centre stage

Old Girl and eminent violinist, Ruth Rogers, took centre stage for the first official public concert to be held in the recital hall of the new Arts Centre in April.

Sleepless in Salisbury

Determined to highlight and support the plight of the homeless, a group of 11 sixth formers swapped their cosy beds in the boarding houses, for sleeping bags in Salisbury as part of the Alabare ‘Big Sleep’ charity event.

Ruth was a pupil at Sherborne Girls back in the 1990s and was able to further her love for music and her talent as a violinist by subsequently moving on to the Royal College of Music. Her career has gone from strength to strength and she has performed extensively in the UK and overseas for concerts and commercial work, including a tour as solo violinist with Andrea Bocelli. She was the CoLeader of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and is now Leader of the London Mozart Players. Ruth performs every year at the BBC Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra for television broadcasts, appears all over the country with her piano trio and also as a guest leader for many of the UK’s major symphony orchestras. When asked how she felt about this occasion, Ruth said: “Being able to return to Sherborne Girls and perform in the brand new Arts Centre is an incredible honour. I am very excited to make music in this venue and am quite sure that the new facilities will inspire current pupils to pursue their love of music which I hope will last a lifetime. My teenage years were crucial in deciding to follow my dream.”

Proceeds from ticket sales went towards the final leg of the fundraising campaign for the Arts Centre and contributed to the project’s original target to raise £2.5 million. The school is planning to mark the building’s official opening with a week of celebrations taking place during Commemoration Week in June.

The students, along with School Chaplain Rev’d Katie Windle and myself, braved the chilly March weather to link up with other young people and sleep outside in the open cloisters at the Cathedral. Whilst the girls knew that this experience would only offer a tiny taste of what it’s like to sleep rough, the experience has made them even more determined to support the Alabare charity and to make a difference to the homeless cause, today and in the future. Well done to everyone involved and to those who supported the girls – we managed to raise a brilliant £2,800 for the Alabare charity.

Jenny Nelson Sxith Form Tutor

Serena’s Samaritans dress

As part of my GCSE Textiles course I chose the theme of ‘mental health in teenagers’ to inspire a garment design with the aim of conveying messages through the medium of textiles. I wanted to be able to raise awareness of mental health and the problems and issues many young people face. Two representatives from the Samaritans charity based in Yeovil visited me at school and together we discussed all the different ways we could advertise the charity and make those who need their help aware of the support they offer. I decided to use the Samaritans’ telephone number, the charity’s colours and inspirational quotes and slogans within the design of the dress. With the help of Monica and Geoff who work for the Samaritans, I found great inspiration for my garment design and it was a very proud moment when I was able to unveil the finished garment to them.

Serena Clinch U5

It has been particularly rewarding for me to be able to support Serena with her GCSE Textiles project. It is rare to find a young person like Serena who has the awareness

and motivation to gain a greater insight into the malaise of mental illnesses that can affect so many people of all ages. Raising the profile of emotional health with her own peer group in the school helps to raise awareness about the subject and creates a better understanding of how poor emotional health could affect anybody. By doing this, we create a more open and caring approach to people who might be struggling to cope. We can embrace mental health issues rather than ignoring them – we can be supportive and caring rather than dismissive and uncaring. I am thrilled to support and raise the profile of Serena’s project. The garment was interesting, colourful, plain and not perfect – exactly like us all! Despite all the challenges in making this dress, Serena has shown enormous character in not giving up. Thank you for inviting us to be involved with this new and very creative way to bring attention to such an important subject. Thank you so much to Serena, Ms Smith and Miss Bugg – stay happy and healthy!

31 years at school!

At the end of the Lent Term we said farewell to Mrs Jacqueline Hatcher, Finance Manager, who has worked at the school for an incredible 31 years. Over that time Jacqueline has worked in reprographics, she set up the school shop and worked in the bursary in payroll, purchasing and billing but most people will remember her for collating the information to generate the school fee bills each term, so she will be known to literally thousands of parents, past and present.

As one of our longest-serving members of staff, we were able to publically acknowledge her loyal service and thank her with a celebratory afternoon tea. Her colleagues in the bursary even managed to gather a full set of the school uniform from the mid 1980s which was put on display in her office and brought many memories flooding back. We wish her well in her retirement and look forward to seeing her around school as her husband, Richard, also works for the school in the Facilities Department. Thank you and good luck Jacqueline!

Geoff Urch The Samaritans

Bristol Uni scientists spark interest

Budding scientists from local primary schools had their interest in Chemistry ignited thanks to an explosive science lecture by Tim Harrison from the University of Bristol’s School of Chemistry. Armed with liquid nitrogen, dry ice and a bit of chemistry ‘magic’, several explosions were created, all of which served to enthral the visiting Year 5 and 6 primary school children.

The presentation was incredibly fun to watch and was a fantastic way to share learning about gases in the air to make it memorable and easy to understand. We’re hoping that it has sparked an interest in science ahead of when they take up the subject at senior school. The event, organised as part of the expanding community outreach work by our science department, was attended by local primary schools including Sherborne Abbey, Buckland Newton, St Andrew’s, North Cadbury Primary, St Nicholas, Preston, Bradford Abbas, Yetminster, Sherborne Primary and Thornford Primary Schools.

James Grierson Teacher of Physics 13

SPORT HIGHLIGHTS

Exercise and emotional wellbeing

Netball To mark the final week of what has been an incredibly successful netball season, we ran a Six Nations Netball tournament on the Reader Harris courts. Everyone entered fully into the spirit of things by wearing a coloured t-shirt of the country they were playing for and by performing their national anthems. Much jollity was had by all with Dun Holme ending up as tournament winners.

Hollie Greenaway, Teacher of PE

Emotional wellbeing is a hot topic at the moment and there are many published papers and documents that support the positive contribution that physical activity has on our emotional wellbeing. Physical activity does not necessarily mean ‘thrashing’ ourselves in the gym. Ultimately, to enhance our emotional wellbeing, we need to feel good about ourselves and that is why we should select activities that not only elevate our heart rates, but also those sports we enjoy.

• It reduces stress – ‘feel good’ chemicals called endorphins that are released during and after physical exercise can moderate our response to stress. Physical activity can also regulate the release of cortisol, a destructive stress hormone.

According to the NHS, we should try to engage in 60 minutes of physical activity each day. I know that that sounds like a lot, but that can include a multitude of moderate intensity activities such as walking or taking the stairs instead of the lift, through to more vigorous intensity activities such as an aerobics class, playing tennis, cycling, playing netball or swimming.

• It can alleviate worry – chemicals released during and after exercise ‘dopamine’ (a reward/pleasure chemical) and ‘serotonin’ which helps to regulate mood and irritability among other things, can help to reduce stress and worry.

Emotional wellbeing is a basic ‘sense of feeling good about ourselves’. We live in a very challenging world and we need to be able find ways to relax, be sociable and find activities that make us feel happy and good about ourselves. We should endeavour to have a well-balanced lifestyle by taking in a combination of pursuits that cater for our intellectual, social, spiritual and physical needs. So, what are the benefits of physical activity on emotional wellbeing? • It can lead to improved self-confidence – basic physical fitness can boost selfesteem and self-image. 14

• Physical activity can increase relaxation and improve sleep – there is a proven correlation between hours of sleep and emotional wellness. • In combination with good nutrition, physical activity and exercise can improve our cognitive function. • Being active can get us into the beautiful outdoors. • Exercise can be very social. So, get moving, stay active and above all, enjoy your physical activity and reap the emotional and health benefits that it brings.

Mark Spivey Head of Performance, Fitness and Wellbeing

Quicksticks Festival

As part of our sports outreach programme, we hosted the first ever primary school hockey festival on 22 March at the Oxley Centre for children in Years 3 and 4. The festival involved five primary schools: Preston, Buckland Newton, Thornford, All Saints (Bishops Caundle) and Abbas and Templecombe. During the afternoon each team played in a four-a-side tournament and competed as individuals in a skills challenge involving dragging, juggling and dribbling. Our M5 Sports Leaders helped with the smooth running of the event under the guidance of Miss Heather Dixon. All the children had a fabulous afternoon and were great ambassadors for their schools with Preston Primary crowned the final champions.

USA Lacrosse Tour During the Easter break the Lacrosse players had a fabulous opportunity to take part in the USA Tour Team. Our first stop was Disney World Resort, Florida where we played our first match against DuPont Manual High School in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It was inspirational as well as an honour to be able to play at such an excellent sports facility which was constantly buzzing with energy and excitement. We won the match which boosted our confidence and was a fantastic way to begin the tour. The following day we played a lacrosse club called Orange Crush and even though we lost the match, we finished the game in high spirits because we worked fluently as a team and were matching the high standard of Crush towards the end. We had the opportunity to train with their coach the following day which was invaluable, with the drills being noted down to be replicated in September when lacrosse begins again.

Over the next couple of days, we had a mixture of training, matches, and exploring the different theme parks of Disney. We were sad to leave the complex in Florida as it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, with many of us making lots of friends from the matches and the resort. However, we were looking forward to our final few days finishing off the tour in Washington DC with further training sessions and matches. In such a short space of time, the improvement of the teamwork and game play was remarkable and really inspiring to be a part of. The tour was a huge success with every member of the team coming away with fond memories and a renewed enthusiasm for the sport and it was a wonderful opportunity to get to know some of the players who will be joining senior sports in September.

Ellie Miller (L6)

Castle Challenge Jumping for joy

The sixth annual Castle Challenge took place under glorious blue skies with perfect running conditions for the race. Encouragingly, 20 out of the first 25 runners were from our endurance squad. For the first time, the shorter 2km course was opened up to local primary, prep and senior schools to enter, making it a wonderful community event with 130 visiting runners.

It is over 20 years since Sherborne Girls has been able to boast a long jump pit suitable for girls to train and compete on. This April saw the builders arrive on site and by the start of the summer term they had created a fantastic long jump pit to accompany our new grass running track. For the first time in the school’s recent history we will be able to host a multievent Inter-House competition at Sports Day on 22 June.

Performance hockey

What an exciting year of hockey we have had for our U16 XI team who made it through to the Investec Girls Schools Championship Plate finals at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This success follows the introduction of a performance hockey group for girls in L5 to L6 who have the opportunity to train year-round, alongside their other sporting interests. This initiative is designed to create opportunities for our younger players to improve their stick skills, tactical awareness and style of play by training regularly with more experienced players. Playing in a mixed-age team brings all sorts of additional social and developmental benefits and it is hoped the extra coaching and investment in these players will help raise the standard of hockey across all the teams in the school. This inspirational, performance programme is overseen by our two hockey specialists, James Bell and Heather Dixon, who recently took the girls to see the women’s GB team play an international fixture against China. Next on the horizon is a coaching session with former England and GB Hockey Captain Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE. Kate is the most capped female hockey player and a Rio Olympic gold medal holder - we can’t wait to meet her!

Jayne Dart, Director of Sport, Adventure and Leadership

@sherborne_girls_sport @SG_SportDept 15

Diary dates Friday 21 June

Saturday 22 June

West Production of ‘James and the Giant Peach’

Sports Day West Production of ‘James and the Giant Peach’

Wednesday 26 June Art and Design Exhibition The Merritt Centre Opening Ceremony and Concert

Thursday 27 June

Festival of the Arts Leavers’ Service

Commemoration Day 28 June 2019

9.30 11.00 12.30 13.30 15.00 15.00

Coffee (Houses) Commemoration service (Sherborne Abbey) Prizegiving (Marquee) Lunch (Houses) Leavers’ concert followed by refreshments (Arts Centre) Parent and daughter tennis match (lawn tennis courts)