Trinity Term 2013

The Newsletter of St Helen & St Katharine European Youth Parliament

Being told ‘you just had to be there’ Assembly, the main event of the session. is never easy, but in talking about Over two days three hundred teenagers the 72nd International Session of debated passionately on issues as the European Youth Parliament, held important as stabilising the European in Munich from 5 to 14 April, it may banking system, fostering peace, and be justified. encouraging multilingual diversity. The St Helen's EYP team, comprising of The people we met – fellow delegates, 10 sixth form pupils, were selected to honourable guests, members of the represent the UK back in September. board or Mr President himself, made it The team travelled to Munich and were an unforgettable experience. Munich placed into committees with students 2013 made us all feel that much more from all over Europe, addressing European and united, despite our different themes based on the session’s differences, and it was a real honour for motto: Down to Earth. Resourcing the St Helen's EYP team to represent the United Kingdom. Navigating your Europe. Four days were spent way to World teambuilding, and then came General Mrs Hughes, Director of Students Champion! Here Come the Girls! Fiona Bunn (Year 9) has won the Gold Fidelius, the L6 company, providing a range medal for the long distance race at the of services connecting enthusiastic, World Orienteering Championships responsible pupils with parents who need in Portugal to make her World Champion! waitresses, babysitters or just a pair of helping hands; and Wrong Way who The week long event involved training and developed a range of personal products acclimatisation sessions followed by middle including hats and jewellery boxes. and long distance events. Fiona was running in the W2 select category which The companies have achieved record covers year groups 9 and 10 (U15s). There combined sales revenues, profit margins were athletes from 20 countries competing and won numerous awards for their and Fiona’s class had 51 competitors. outstanding efforts. In March Chez Moi was awarded the runners up prize at the Having missed out in the middle distance The award winning Managing Directors of Chez Moi, Fidelius and Wrong Way National Young Enterprise trade fair in race earlier in the week, Fiona bounced Stratford. Together the three companies back with a fast, accurate run to win the In 2013, Young Enterprise is celebrating its swept the board at the South long distance race in an area of complex, 50th anniversary with over 3500 companies and Vale Area presentations, winning every vegetated hills, and took the Gold medal. in operation. The has been involved prize. They went on to the Oxfordshire for over 10 years and St Helen’s companies Fiona was selected to represent England County finals to win yet more awards: consistently demonstrate that entrepreneurial after qualification races last autumn at Wrong Way – Oxford Computer Consultants spirit and business sense are very much alive the British Schools Orienteering award for the Best Use of Online Media, Chez and well. Championships. Moi – JSP Cup for manufacturing and Fidelius 55 pupils from Year 10 and Lower Sixth set Very many congratulations Fiona on a – Oxford Instruments Award for Innovation up 3 companies in September 2012: Chez Moi spectacular achievement. and Harwell Innovation Centre Award for selling a range of high quality home Marketing and Market Research. Move furnishings including customised products; over Alan Sugar – here come the girls!

St Helen & St Katharine, Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1BE T: 01235 520173 E: [email protected] www.shsk.org.uk headlines

Mountains of Medals St. Helen’s Sixth Form scientists have taken part in biology, physics and chemistry Olympiads over recent months, achieving a huge medal haul! The Olympiads are national competitions for the most able school scientists in the country. St Helen’s biologists doubled their previous highest medal tally winning two gold, two silver and six bronze. Special mention must go to gold medallist Eleanor Hurrell whose performance earns her a place in the next highly competitive round. The Chemistry Olympiad is targeted at Upper Sixth pupils and St Helen’s chemists achieved eleven awards – three silver and one bronze in Upper Sixth and one silver and six bronze in Lower Sixth. Twenty Lower Sixth physicists sat the demanding British Physics Olympiad, a one hour examination with an unforgiving time allowance! Katya Richards gained a gold award and a book prize; four students gained silver awards and We have been delighted over recent thirteen bronze. months to welcome back to St Helen’s Congratulations to all! Old Girls Rebecca Wait (‘06 Leaver) whose critically acclaimed book The View Catherine Moon, U6E. on the Way Down has been published recently; Elspeth Hanson ( ‘05 Leaver) who returned ‘hot foot’ from an international tour with the highly successful string quartet Bond to join us for Prize Giving and a wonderful music recital with St Helen’s musicians; as well as the many OGs who returned to School for the Annual Reunion in June, some from as far afield as the USA and Angola. Old School Hall was full of stories, laughter and much reminiscing. New Prefect Team

Many OGs comment that school is Congratulations to Head Girl Meg Buckingham; Deputy Head Girls Poppy McAlister and Kate unrecognisable from when they were Simmons; Sports Captain Hannah Ellis and the prefect team: Rea Averill, Ella Davis, Natalie here and indeed development continues Fatemi, Grace Fearnehough, Eli Glover, Alice Lowe, Clarissa Luxton, Lucy Matthews, Olivia Rohll, Stella Ryley, Adèle Scott, Chloe Topping, Eliza Tracey, Ottie Uden, Fiona Watters and Emily Wyatt apace, with work well under way on the on their selection. We wish them a happy and successful year. new Science Centre and the redevelopment of the netball, tennis courts and playing fields. St Helen’s is, of course, so much more the sum of its Redevelopment of buildings. Our ethos and values and the skill and dedication of staff remain the School Fields constants that provide the foundation on which all else is built. During the summer holidays work will take place on School St Helen’s is about discovering and Fields, to relocate and redevelop developing strengths, taking risks, being our netball and tennis courts and two lacrosse pitches. able to make mistakes and learn from them in a safe environment. Achieving To enable full use for practice and competition throughout the academically and developing the self year, it is essential to have flood belief and confidence required to help lights and we were unable to navigate the ever-changing world secure permission for this with Faringdon Road beyond school. Our aim is to continue to the hard courts in their current provide this foundation for generations location, so close to housing. This, combined with the age of of pupils so that our OGs continue to Artist’s impression of School Fields redevelopment the current courts, led to the become critically acclaimed authors, decision to relocate and redevelop the courts, to run along the Faringdon Rd, providing a top internationally renowned musicians or quality all weather surface and flood lighting which will significantly enhance the court facilities wherever their individual interests and available to the girls for lessons, practices and matches. The courts and two lacrosse pitches will be passions take them. ready for use in September. Huge thanks to the Parents Association who have already contributed £20,000 towards the cost of the Rowan Edbrooke, Headmistress project and have a number of further fundraising events planned for the Michaelmas term.

2 | Trinity Term 2013 SIDElines

Other Results Sports Dinner Round Up Swimming Years 5-9 competed in their inter-form galas in June, closely fought competitions with many records being broken. Congratulations to Nia Perks, Lydia Holt (Year 7), Annie Sharp, Rachel Young, Baylie Powell (Year 8), Emma Goudge, Ruth Delany and Florence Wiggins (Year 9), who all broke school records. Rounders The season began on a high with a training day with England rounders coaches and matches against national teams at St Helen’s. Rounders teams continue to present strong Lottie Hoskin receiving the Hunt Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding opposition, winning the majority of matches athlete across a range of sports in the Sixth Form. played this season. The U11 team won the Invitational tournament and the U14s our own event. On Friday 26 April, St Helen's held their second annual Sports Dinner. The review of sporting Tennis achievements, given by the sports leaders from each sport, highlighted what a hugely Developing in strength and depth across the successful year it has been for sport at St Helen’s and numerous individual successes were school with large numbers of girls playing recognised with prizes being awarded to girls across the years. each week and representing the school in friendly fixtures. The U13B and U15B teams Samantha Murray, GB silver medallist in the modern pentathlon at the London Olympics, have reached the finals of the county awarded the prizes and gave a fascinating talk about the highs and lows of her career, how competition, to be played in September. 6 she motivated herself to achieve at the very highest levels and even brought one of her laser U13-U19 pairs are playing in Independent pistols along to give a demonstration! Schools’ Tennis Association Championships. Athletics We were treated to a fantastic dinner, prepared by our Executive Chef Olivier and his team, The intermediate athletics team qualified for and the evening finished with a raffle to raise money for school charities and the gym squad the regional finals of the National Schools’ tumble track. competition, a first for St Helen’s. 12 girls Thank you to Mrs Wilson and the PE Department for organising a fantastic evening. qualified to represent the Vale or Oxfordshire at various championships. Hannah Ellis, Sports Captain Mrs Wilson, Director of PE and Sport Pre-season tennis at La Manga Club

Over the Easter holidays 17 pupils from Years 7, 8 and 10 and 3 members of staff enjoyed a week of intensive tennis training at La Manga Club, Spain. Under the guidance of the Spanish coaches everyone’s tennis (beginners and experienced) improved hugely. The tennis trip was a wonderful experience, allowing pupils and staff to train and play sport alongside each Sports Day other, and gave girls in different year groups the chance to make new friendships in a Blessed with a little sunshine, a slight wind and a smattering of cloud, SHSK athletes took to different environment. the track and field with great enthusiasm and determination. Keenly fought sprints, tactically run distances and exuberant jumping and throwing were the order of the day. Every form was competing for the title of ‘Year Group Champion’, resulting in some stellar performances from Year 5 all the way through to Lower Sixth. A number of school Faringdon Road records were broken including the Year 7 long jump record which has stood since 1987, broken by Charlotte Jonkers (7L). Other record breakers Artist’s impression of School Fields redevelopment were Alice Thorby and Anna Kelly (Year 6), Lara Ratcliffe (Year 8) and Lizzie Evans (Year 9). Huge congratulations to all who participated, supported and helped on the day and to Mrs Trumper for her fantastic organisation of the event.

Trinity Term 2013 | 3 FRONTlines

Your View of School Life ‘Frontlines’ is run by the girls, for the girls. Thanks to all who have contributed this term. Please let us know if you would like to write a report or if you are interested in joining the ‘Lines team’. You can email the editorial team: [email protected]

Year 8 at the Oscars

On Friday 26 April the Young Film Company, based in London, returned to St Helen’s to give Year 8 a Challenge Day to remember. After a busy morning of stunt fighting, camera work and screen writing workshops, the girls were then divided into small groups and given the challenge of producing a short, silent film, using Junior Department Thrills and Spills a variety of camera shots and Georges Polti’s In June, the Junior Department visited Kingswood Activity Centre on the Isle of Wight to take ‘rules’ on dramatic situations. The films, all of a part in a series of exhilarating challenges and team-building activities. There was much very high standard, were screened at the end of excitement from the moment the group left school, as the girls embarked on a rousing the afternoon and an Oscar presented to the rendition of ‘One hundred green bottles sitting on the wall...’! Despite some unfavourable group who had produced the best film. Year 8 weather, great fun was had by all as new friendships were made and old ones built upon. The clearly enjoyed the day, met the challenge with girls enjoyed the thrills of the Leap of Faith, Jacob’s ladder and the 3g swing, and the muddy great energy and enthusiasm and honed their Nightline course was a surprise hit. There was even time for a trip to the beach, where girls film making skills! battled against the tide in order to complete the sandcastle competition. Physics at Thorpe Park AS physicists experienced physics in action at Thorpe Park. The opening lecture described the g-forces experienced by riders; how roller coasters use a teardrop design to reduce g-forces to safe limits and how anticlockwise corkscrews, followed by clockwise, help reduce dizziness! The girls made energy calculations based on the Swarm ride, working out its maximum Maths Team success velocity and were reassured to learn that the braking system on the Congratulations to Anna Carpenter, Imogen Detonator worked solely on Richards, Calypso Phillips and Natalie Miron who electromagnetic damping, competed in the southern counties final of the rather than running the risk Year 10 Mathematics Competition, organised by of failing in the event of the Further Mathematics Support Programme, a power cut! Plenty of at Reading University. time remained to After five rounds of difficult and testing problems, experience the requiring understanding of mathematical topics g-forces and far beyond GCSE work, the St Helen’s team enjoy the thrill finished seventh, out of eighteen teams. The of the rides! team were presented with medals and a trophy for winning their respective heat to qualify for Mrs Edwards, the final and deserve much praise for their Head of Physics commitment and hard work in preparing for the competition. Mr Moylan, Mathematics

4 | Trinity Term 2013 Setting up Camp

Walking Boots

Over two weekends in May, 70 Year 9 pupils torrential rain to glorious sunshine – almost too undertook their Bronze DofE assessment hot for walking with 15kg packs on your back! expeditions. Each group planned a 2-day route Also out in half-term were 5 Silver teams from covering between 14–16km each day departing Year 10 on 3-day practice expeditions walking via from Bibury and walking through the Coln Valley Stow towards Chipping Norton before returning to camp near Filkins. The second day brought to Shipton to complete their training. All the Interview with them north to Burford through the villages of Silver teams are now ready to undertake their Holwell and Westwell. A further 8 participants completed their expedition during half-term, Assessment expedition in the White Peak Miss McAdam walking from Shipton to Stow, finishing the next National Park in July. day near Naunton. The weather varied from Mrs Wilson, DofE Coordinator Miss McAdam joined St Helen’s in February 2013 and is Deputy Director of Music. Sixth Form English students have had a busy English Enrichment term, starting with a stimulating lecture at Literary Society by Lucy Hughes Hallett who is What did you do before you joined a writer, critic and cultural historian. Lucy talked St Helen and St Katharine? about repression in Jane Eyre suggesting I was living in Dubai and working in an several new ways of reading the novel in the international school as Head of Music. At the run-up to AS exams. Upper Sixth students then weekends I would head out on safaris in the enjoyed seeing King Lear at the Globe in desert or go to the beach but I really missed London, which again provoked heated debate home, especially the countryside. over the interpretation. Finally, five Lower Sixth girls were challenged by a Taster Day at Queen What is the favourite part of Mary, London where they joined seminars and your subject? lectures of university level on texts beyond In discussion with Lucy Hughes Hallet their A level course. I love the sense of community and atmosphere in school. I really enjoy running the Musical Theatre Club for Years 8-10 as I completely adore musical theatre! I also lead Lower School choir and Sinfonietta so there Room 101 is lots of variety.

An opportunity for an invited ‘school celebrity’ to What would you like to achieve in the discuss their top five pet hates which they would next 12 months? like to consign to Room 101, the infamous torture chamber in George Orwell’s novel 1984. I want to help the music department to thrive and provide lots of opportunities and fun for Mrs Canlan-Shaw is Head of Psychology and will be the girls. I would like to be a role model and Head of Lower Sixth from September. be someone who they feel comfortable with I must say I find the consigning of 5 things to Room 101 and able to chat to. I am also accompanying a very difficult task. There are few things that I hate but the Year 11 and Lower Sixth Swaziland trip here goes. next summer which will be incredible! Pet Hate 1: People who don’t smile back at you. It doesn’t take much, and if someone rewards you with a smile to cheer up your day, then I feel it is only polite to reciprocate. What are your interests outside Don’t you? of school? Pet Hate 2: People who are ungenerous. I don’t mean in terms of material things, but I love walking, especially when a pub lunch is those who judge people and are not tolerant of other peoples little foibles. Everyone can involved! I have recently taken up golf and have a bad day and I think that it is important to cut people a little slack sometimes. would love to take up baking as there is (Maybe I should do that when people don’t smile back at me!) always so much cake in the department! I Pet Hate 3: Beetroot and, of course, sprouts (I think I am allowed two things in one here as am a member of a local theatre group and they are just little things!) play the piano there. Recently I played Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls which was Pet Hate 4: Bungee jumping. Well why would you? great fun. Pet Hate 5: Mosquitos. I hate them with a passion. I don’t understand how they can zoom in on me when others seem to get away scot free. A couple of years ago I went to Corfu What is your favourite musical? and I awoke one morning to find that I was covered from head to foot in bites. Bites seem to turn into great red carbuncles on me and so I didn’t quite create the impression I was I absolutely love Les Misérables but also hoping for when I strolled along the beach later that day! Carousel, especially the song If I loved you which always makes me cry! Actually that turned out to be easier than I thought. I’m just warming up!

Trinity Term 2013 | 5 CREATIVElines

Legends of the Lost For her last Lower School production Mrs Mason returned to a storytelling format. Her first production, in 2001, had been stories from Arabian Nights. Legends of the Lost is a compilation of stories and legends about lost children. Robert Browning’s poem about the Pied Piper provided the words of the first story, with a multitude of animal and human roles portrayed with conviction by the cast. The conflict between the mayor and the Piper was strongly brought out by Rose Pitman Wallace and Bethan Kelly. Other legends were sourced from Norfolk, Ireland, France and the U.S.A. The cast cleverly devised their own scenes from these stories, bringing out both pathos and humour. Izzy Caffyn played the feral child, Memmie Le Blanc, with an endearing combination of innocence and savagery. The chorus of travelling storytellers were colourfully costumed by Mrs Hughes Morgan, the Assistant Director.

The final Senior Concert of the year is always an emotional occasion and was particularly so this year as we said A Flawless Farewell goodbye to an outstanding group of musicians in the current Upper Sixth. The music was of the highest calibre, featuring choirs and instrumental ensembles performing works by Gershwin and Holst, Walton and Hindemith, to name but a few. There were sensational solo performances from Kate Parrot, Anya Chomacki, Eleanor Hurrell, Olivia Law, Maddy Clarke and Rosie Bartholomew and the wonderfully appreciative YPH audience were treated to a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Ms Rakowski, Director of Music Tuneful Tempest Summer Art Show The Art Department was delighted to showcase the GCSE and A level art and design work, together with highlights of art, ceramics, design and technology in Years 5 – 10, at the opening of the Art Department Summer Show in June. Many guests visited the show including Old Girls; parents, past and present; pupils; governors; art teachers from other schools and girls who will be joining us in September. The evening went with a swing as guests enjoyed the music from three bands; drinks and canapés that truly delighted; and were looked after by the amazing prefect team making sure everyone knew where to go. It was a wonderful way to end what has been a busy year in the creative arts at St Helen’s.

The Junior Department performed their summer production, a musical adaptation of The Tempest, to an audience of family, friends and staff, who were treated to a fast-paced show full of laughter and emotion. Ariel (Ella Crowcombe) narrated the tale as Prospero (Charlotte Rogers) sought revenge on those who had betrayed him. Two murder plots were revealed and a love story unfurled, all told through song, dance and some of Shakespeare’s original lines, which the girls worked hard to perform. The lead actors and chorus alike are to be congratulated on two very successful performances, and for starting the Junior Department’s fundraising efforts for the new school charity: profits from ticket sales will all go to World Vision.

6 | Trinity Term 2013 COMMUNITYlines

From the Archives... Serving the Community 110th Anniversary

Lower Sixth Home Visiting

Over 50 Sixth Formers take part in community service each week, visiting 10 different placements including the Kingfisher School, local primary schools, the Abingdon Alzheimer’s Centre, Abingdon Health and Wellbeing Centre and visiting the elderly. School has provided 8 bicycles for us to use and we can be seen, in high-vis jackets and helmets, pedalling around Abingdon en route to our placements! On Monday 11 May 1903, 11 children – ten girls and one boy, gathered in a room in a house on the Wooton Road waiting expectantly to be taught. It I have volunteered at the Alzheimer’s Centre over the past year. was the first morning of lessons at St Helen’s High School for Girls in I have really enjoyed my time there, getting to know the elderly Abingdon. One five year old girl later remembered her first day....“We started people, but it has also been emotionally challenging as I have simple lessons, learning to do a little needlework, with Sister Annie doing seen, at first hand, the impact of progressive Alzheimer’s on the cooking.” people’s lives. It is however, one of the highlights of my week, and I encourage pupils lower down the school to get involved The School was founded by the Anglican Community of St Mary the Virgin, in community service when they are in the Sixth Form. Wantage, who had set up St Katharine’s School at the end of the previous century. Frank Pearson designed the main school building which was Catherine Moon, U6E opened in 1906. In 1938 the two schools merged to become St Helen and St Katharine. 110 years on and the school has grown beyond all recognition and goes from strength to strength. Mrs Champion, School Archivist

SHSK Society Reunion 2013

The Big Draw In June, Lower Sixth artists worked with sixth formers from Larkmead School in Abingdon on a joint Big Draw Turning back the clock in the Sports Hall School Magazines from the Archives workshop organised by Adrian Brookes, art education officer from Oxford University Museums. Students worked More than seventy former pupils and staff returned to St Helen’s on Saturday in the Oxford Botanic gardens on a variety of drawing 22 June for their anniversary reunion, celebrating 20, 25, 30 or 40 years since leaving school. For many it was the first time they had visited the school since that techniques and then developed a longer drawing. A final time! It was a pleasure to be able to welcome them back. School was filled with session in the conservatory used collage to bring ideas the sound of laughter and squeals of recognition as old friends were rediscovered together. It was a wonderful opportunity to work and friendships renewed. Sixth Form guides led tours and thoroughly enjoyed collaboratively with other artists in a beautiful setting, hearing the vast array of memories and shared experiences. to create a range of drawings.

Dawn Wedge, Alumnae Office

Trinity Term 2013 | 7 BEYOND THE Lines

From the Alumnae Office Musical Finale to the Year It’s been a busy and exciting first six months in my new role We were delighted to welcome Old Girl quartet Bond who perform classical, and I am grateful for your Elspeth Hanson (‘05 Leaver) to this year’s contemporary and folk music alongside welcome and support. Prize Giving. An extremely talented violinist their own compositions. They have released at school and member of the National Youth seven albums, appeared on television, film New Alumnae Database Orchestra of Great Britain, Elspeth read music and at the closing ceremony of the London In June we began using a new at Manchester University and attended the 2012 Olympic Games. alumnae database that is linked to Royal Academy of Music in London for The evening before Prize Giving Elspeth our school information systems, postgraduate violin studies. In 2008 she joined current St Helen’s musicians for a enabling information about school appeared alongside David Beckham, playing wonderful music recital in YPH in which leavers to be automatically solo violin at the closing ceremony of the transferred to the alumnae database. Elspeth performed some solo repertoire, Beijing Olympics. In the same year she joined Mozart and Wieniawski, before joining All existing OG information has been the internationally renowned all girl string transferred and, in future, you can Camerata to perform Vivaldi's Summer and update me on any changes to your Bach's double violin concerto with current details either by completing an Year 11 violinist Bethan Rose. on-line form, which can be found on The concert was a spectacular and very the school website under SHSK moving end to a wonderful year of music Society, or you can call the OG office at school. on 01235 532012.

Keep in Touch The alumnae Facebook account (OG St Helens) is a great way to keep in touch. I would encourage you to add me as a ‘friend’ if you have not already done so. In the short time that I’ve been in role I’ve been able to help several OGs find accommodation/holiday jobs, shared many individual successes and also shared school news. Debut novel Drop me an email: Many congratulations to Old Girl Rebecca Wait [email protected] (‘06 Leaver) on the publication of her first novel The View on the Way Down. Rebecca, who read Old Girls’ Newsletter 2013 English at Oxford University, has been writing I hope that you enjoy receiving the for as long as she can remember and has won termly newsletter Lines and the numerous prizes for short stories and plays. She annual Old Girls’ Newsletter. It is wrote The View on the Way Down in the evenings, always interesting to read your whilst working as a teaching assistant. The novel contributions and I know you all was published in April by Picador, and has enjoy reading each other’s news. This received excellent reviews. year, in order to include news about Rebecca now lives in London and is writing her second novel. the 2013 St Kate’s Day celebrations and to give our editor, Kate Tolley ‘This is a book that leaves you contemplating many things. The (‘03 Leaver) a little more time to complexity of sibling relationships, the hidden contagiousness of collate your submissions, we will be mental illness, the long shadows cast by childhood, and the pain sending out the OG Newsletter at that is the price of love. The last few chapters build to a the beginning of January 2013 devastating climax, and as a reader you are caught in the together with Michaelmas Lines. undertow. It lingers with you, and for those who have suffered Dawn Wedge, Alumnae Office similar things, it echoes truth’. The Guardian, April 2013

Lines is the newsletter of St Helen & St Katharine, Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1BE. www.shsk.org.uk T: 01235 546 541 E: [email protected] Editors: Mrs Charlotte Carey, Jess Hoskin (11L), Emily Macpherson (L6E), Catherine Moon (U6E), Anna Murphy (U6F), Sophie Topp (11M) Photography: Thanks to Mr Paul Burnett, Mr Paul Moylan and the many pupils who have contributed photos Design by: MCC Design, Oxfordshire