Alive with the School Year Was the Moving and Highly Impressive Production of the Sound of Music, Which Many of You Came to See

JULY 2014 Head’s Lines Dear Parents I am delighted to send you this update on our girls’ curricular and extracurricular activities in the latter part of this summer term. As the front cover illustrates, the climax of Alive with the School year was the moving and highly impressive production of The Sound of Music, which many of you came to see. Many thanks for your support for the cast and crew, who worked so hard to achieve such high standards. We have been planning a number of events to celebrate the 125th anniversary next year, of the School’s foundation in 1890. I will have Withington was well and truly alive with the more news about this next Sound of Music as one of the School’s most term but, meanwhile, ambitious productions yet took to the stage. would like to thank all Family and friends of WGS were treated those families who have already ordered copies to a stunning extravaganza of theatre, in a of the commemorative book Towards the Light. show that brought together music and drama There will be an event to launch the book in the against the backdrop of a magnificent Alpine set. second half of next term. With a cast, orchestra and crew of more than 150, girls from every year in the School from Looking to the future, we are now waiting for Transition through to Upper Sixth, were involved planning permission to build our new Junior in this epic production of the iconic wartime School and Hub. We have been assured it classic. Boys from The Manchester Grammar is imminent! As soon as this is granted, our School played some of the male roles while contractors will be able to move on site, setting others were ably and amusingly played by WGS everything up during the holiday period, so that girls. There were many more pupils and staff the building works can be carried out safely and back stage and front of house, helping out during efficiently during the following months. We are the performances and in the many months of still anticipating that the new Junior School will preparation and rehearsal. be finished in time for September 2015. Work on the show began 15 months ago and there have been over 140 hours of rehearsals. I look forward to seeing many of you on A Level And it showed – the singing, music and acting and GCSE Results Days, and to welcoming the were truly flawless. Yet more hours were put into girls and staff back to school in September. costume and set design, ensuring a production of With all good wishes, truly professional standard. Continued on the centre pages... Mrs Sue Marks Headmistress Farewell Class of 2014... School’s Out À bientôt ‘Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble’ became entertainingly real as The annual Leavers’ Concert and Dinner for girls, their parents and Upper Sixth students transformed themselves into a ‘scary’ array teachers was held the night before, on 7th May, with individual of witches, vampires and zombies to mark the annual tradition of musical performances and a grand finale by the whole year group Leavers’ Day. For the morning of 8th May, visitors were welcomed in which every girl joined in a rousing WGS adaptation of What by a sign informing them that they had arrived at Withington Dreams Are Made Of by Hilary Duff. Ghouls’ School. Around 300 attendees enjoyed a French-inspired dinner in Head of Sixth Form Mrs Elizabeth Robinson quickly discovered the School Dining Room. Speeches and toasts were made by that her office had been magically turned into a Haunted House Headmistress Mrs Sue Marks, Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Robinson, with her usually business-like base, located next to the Sixth Form Head Girl Helen Wheeldon and the two Deputy Head Girls Rhona Common Room, having been treated to a Not-So-Grand Designs Dawson and Emma New. makeover as bats, spiders, cobwebs and other creepy crawlies took Said Mrs Robinson: over her room. “ As with every cohort, we will be sad to see Part of the Leavers’ Day celebrations, organised by the Sixth Form pastoral team, included a morning of fun and games with a them go, yet thrilled to see them go forward to competitive bistro quiz, followed by a hearty brunch and rounded exciting pastures new. They each have so many off with a series of house games in the Common Room - won by strengths and talents and can do whatever they Lejeune - before the morning ended, as all good parties do, with put their minds to. I have no doubt that they all cupcakes and goody bags. have great futures ahead of them.” Leavers’ Ball The final celebratory event for the class of 2014 was a grand ball, together with their counterparts from The Manchester Grammar School and Manchester High School for Girls, held at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester. Cheshire Life and Lancashire Life magazines covered the event, hopefully in the September issue, on sale from around 22nd August. Private View Withington’s recent GCSE and A Level Art Exhibition drew a crowd of more than 100 invited guests in an exhibition hailed as “extremely impressive.” The event - held on 12th June in the Art Studio and around School - showcased the work of 31 Art and Design Students from Upper Fifth through to Upper Sixth under the theme of Self. Family and friends of the students, Governors and Staff were treated to a musical welcome from the School’s accomplished harpists led by teacher Louise Thomson and a tour around the stunning display of work produced by the group of 23 GCSE and eight A Level students. The School’s artists focused on a variety of subjects including architecture, landscapes and portraiture and used a broad range of techniques encompassing ceramics, porcelain, textiles, printing, life drawing and traditional painting. Head of Art, Mrs Ruth Fildes, said: “ I was absolutely blown away this year by the quality of the group of artists here, not just individually but as a whole group. Their work was extremely impressive and the whole evening had a great feel about it. It bodes really well for the aspirations of these girls as artists of the future.” Author Visit Third Formers were treated to an Dof E inspirational visit by award-winning author Michelle Harrison. Bronze Silver Gold Michelle, who won the Waterstones Congratulations to our nine Bronze Award groups, The Silver Practice Expedition took place on 6th-7th A magnificent 22 Lower Sixth pupils have taken on Children’s Book Prize in 2012 for her novel who successfully completed their Qualifying July when 28 girls in six groups walked from Whaley the Gold challenge this year and they have completed Thirteen Treasures, has subsequently written Expedition in the West Pennines on 11th-12th June. Bridge to Hayfield with an overnight camp in Edale. Practice and Qualifying Expeditions this term. two sequels, Thirteen Secrets and Thirteen Many thanks to Mr Snowden, Mr Lindsay-Dunn and The weather was good apart from a couple of light The Practice expedition took place in the Yorkshire Curses, and her latest novel One Wish was Mr Eckersall for their support and to all the parents showers - ideal for midges, who tormented us in the Dales. Gold Qualifying took place over four days in published recently. who were check-pointers. campsite. We were joined by six mountain leaders on July, also in the Dales, with a route starting and ending During her visit to the school on 10th June, day two, who walked with the groups and provided at Ribblehead via Sedbergh, Ravenstonedale and the girls enjoyed a Question and Answer additional training. Hardraw. All girls completed the expedition; a special mention should go to Esther Webber who finished session, listening to Michelle talk about despite carrying a knee injury and to her team mates her books and her work, her sources of Mrs Ruth Lindsay Dunn DofE Coordinator who helped and supported her throughout. inspiration and what it is like to be a writer. LAMDA Showcases Aspiring actors from the Third Form to Upper Fourth took to the stage in force in this year’s LAMDA showcase event. In an action-packed day of examinations on 20th June, culminating in separate evening performances for each of the three year groups, 63 girls in total performed to a packed house of friends and family in the School’s Drama Studio. Ranging in LAMDA Grade Levels from 1 to 6, the girls produced a well-balanced display of their acting abilities with a variety of monologues and duologues as set or devised pieces, dressed in full costume against a backdrop of stage lighting, music and sound effects. Said LAMDA teacher Mrs Nicki Smythe: “ We had sad pieces, happy pieces, drama and comedy. It is a real commitment for our girls to undertake these exams. The energy and enthusiasm shone through with every performance. Every year the standard seems to get better and better.” This year’s showcase was the largest yet as Withington’s LAMDA courses are increasing in popularity. “We already have quite a number of the new Third Form, due to start in September, signing up for lessons,” said Mrs Smythe. Holocaust Centre MUN Conference 2014 Manchester Grammar School Girls from the Lower Fifth were given a rare opportunity to hear at first hand a On 21-22 June, WGS participated in the third MUN conference to be held at Commended Delegates: Holocaust survivor’s account of life in a MGS. Representing the delegations of Russia, The Congo and Qatar, WGS had concentration camp during World War Two.

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