19 April 2024
NGHS JUNIORS ANNUAL SPONSORED SPELL 🔤🐝
We are delighted to launch our 2024 annual Sponsored Spell - and for the first time, staff will also enter the ring with a list of demon words prepared by Mrs Fowler and our Year 6 Sisters of Charity!
Pupil challenges (ranging from 10 to 100 words, mostly from the government’s statutory lists) will allow every girl to be rewarded with the satisfaction of doing her bit for someone else, as well as opportunities to earn coveted places in the Book of Excellence and special edition achievement certificates for exceptional progress or effort. Tests will take place during the week beginning 13 May (in instalments for some year groups).
Families are kindly invited to sponsor girls (or indeed staff!) per correct word, or for a fixed sum regardless of outcome, provided they ‘have a go’ at every word. It has long been a wish of the Junior girls to have some age-appropriate climbing apparatus - so proceeds this year will support both the School Council-led fundraising campaign for that equipment and the Attenborough Nature Reserve.
We are sensitive to the ages, needs and learning styles of all pupils, and would ask parents to join our teaching team in emphasizing the ‘taking part’ aspect of this team endeavour. Please be reassured that words will for the most part have already been taught and tested this year – there should be no nasty surprises! For now, please just motivate your daughter through online sponsorship and by helping her to revise, using the resources provided by her teacher. In the meantime, thank you for your generosity and here is a breakdown of the challenges to be set for each year group:
Nursery : 10 words * Reception : 20 words
Y1-2 : 50 words * Y3-4 : 75 words * Y5-6 : 100 words
Plus 20 surprise and devilishly tricky words, to be tested ** LIVE ** in assembly on these gullible good sports:
A very musical interlude 🪈
Mrs Quine
A fun time was had on Thursday morning when absolute beginners to post Grade 8 flautists from Years 4 to 13 performed together in assembly - a massive achievement, especially for those who had never played in a group before. Most of the older girls started their flute journey when they were in the Junior School, so this was a fabulous opportunity for us to witness both excellence and resilience.
The girls opened with Gossec’s Tambourin and then - while the younger players caught their breath - the Seniors played Little Red Monkey. The Juniors then joined in with the bass line of the final piece, Round for Edvard.
Without exception, the performers demonstrated professionalism, musicianship and brilliant ensemble skills, resulting in a performance of an extremely high standard. Well done, everyone!
Year 6 receive a letter from The Prince of Wales 👑
It is estimated that over 300,000 people - nearly half of whom are children - are sofa surfing, sleeping on the streets, staying in hostels, and living in cars or other forms of temporary accommodation in the UK.
So well done to the girls from Year 6 who wrote to Prince William last year, following a PSHE lesson about what home means to us and how homelessness afflicts others. Their letters included words of encouragement for the Prince's new charity, Homewards, which is all about finding long-term solutions for people who want somewhere to call home.
Supporting the NGHS Equestrian Team 🐎
Junior School girls recently enjoyed two opportunities to get involved in exciting events whilst helping to raise funds for the NGHS Equestrian Team, which has qualified for the National Schools’ Equestrian Association’s finals at Hickstead in May 2024.
Our Animal Fun Day on 28 March included a handling session with our Senior School’s Pet Club animals; Loki the bearded dragon was a firm favourite, as were the stick insects. Our girls also especially enjoyed meeting and grooming Pegasus the miniature Shetland pony, and creating their very own hobby horses which they raced in Upnah Gym.
The second event - held this week - was a traditional ‘school disco’ for Years 4 to 6 to get down to! The Senior School hall, complete with rotating glitter ball, was the venue to see many shapes being thrown and a good time being had by all! Thank you to everyone who has supported these fundraisers, and we wish the equestrian team, below, the very best of luck in May.
Millie Blair Baxter (Y7), riding Little George
Matilda Murray (Y7), riding Wizard and Awelygrug Geraint
Isabella Elliot (Y7), riding Sillogue Boru
Natasha Platt (Y9), riding Coldwood Cruise Star
Lauren Fowler (Y13), riding Rosscon Mr Archer
Year 5 Informal Concert 🎺
Mr Rolfe
On the final afternoon of last term, Year 5 demonstrated outstanding commitment to music in their Informal Concert. As well as whole year group ukulele and voice performances, numerous girls demonstrated their individual skills with a variety of solos and duets which covered many musical genres, styles and disciplines.
Informal concerts allow our wonderful young musicians and vocalists to develop the confidence to perform and engage further in a life-long love of performing arts. Huge congratulations to all, and well done for putting your audience in a jolly mood for their Easter break!
Click on the gallery below to see just a small cross section of our musical talent!
A reminder for Year 6 parents
Mrs Keller
Year 6 parents are invited to join us from 5.00pm – 6.00pm on Tuesday 23 April for drinks and a bite to eat in the dining hall. My leadership team and I will deliver some key messages, and we very much hope that you will be able to come along.
This adults-only event will also present opportunities to meet parents of girls joining us from other schools in September, as well as to ask questions.
If you have not already confirmed your attendance or have lost the link emailed to you previously, please email k.haddow@not.gdst.net .
READING BUDDIES IN NURSERY AND RECEPTION
Mrs Brown and Miss Duce
We are so pleased that our READING BUDDIES programme has resumed after the Easter break, with girls from our classes paired up with older pupils once a week to develop their love of books!
Reading informally with a 'big sister' and learning by example are great ways for boosting a beginner's confidence and engagement with the printed word, and it also helps to develop the social skills necessary for young children to make friends outside of their immediate peer groups.
A further appeal from Miss Abbott ♻️
Has your daughter grown out of a swimsuit, and would you like to recycle and re-home it?
Please consider donating plain black or navy blue swimming costumes to school, which we can use as spares when girls occasionally forget their kit. These can be handed in at the office, marked for my attention. Thank you!