Weekly Bulletin Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST February 13Th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6
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Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Weekly Bulletin Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST February 13th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6 STEM Club School Diary So far this year STEM club has been running some exciting new activities. We have a group of fabulous Year 12 students who have been helping us explore the electrical Mon 16 - Fri 20 Half Term properties of play dough. We started with making our own conducting and insulating Fri 13 - Mon 16 Year 12 & Year 13 Art trip to Madrid play dough and then used this to make electrical circuits. We even made a play dough battery and worked together to make the longest play dough circuit we could. After half Sat 14 - Thurs 19 Ski Trip to Pamporovo, Bulgaria term we have plans to make sculptures from waste electrical materials and use ‘MaKey MaKey’ to turn bananas into a piano! (STEM club is held every Friday for Years 7-8 at Sat 14 - Wed 18 Year 9 WW1 Battlefields Trip 12.40pm in L1) Mon 23 Y8 Opera Workshop Tues 24 Year 9 Immunisation Year 12 Higher Education Evening Thur 26 7.30pm Music Trip to Manchester Grammar Fri 27 School Altrincham Grammar February 13th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6 School for Girls Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST Spelling Bee School Final Senior Team Maths Challenge Congratulations to all the girls who took part in National Finals the school final of the spelling bee competition On 3rd February, a team of four on Wednesday 11th February. The standard of students (Jess and Abbie in Year the competition was very high and the girls had 13, and Clarissa and Lydia in Year clearly prepared thoroughly. Raavi, Mehnaz, 12) accompanied by Mrs Malkin Elena and Shradda have all qualified to take travelled to the Royal Horticultural part in the regional competition, to be held Halls, London to compete in at Manchester Metropolitan University on the UKMT Senior Team Maths Wednesday 18 March. We wish them well in preparing for the next Challenge National Finals. We had stage of the competition. Viel Glück! Bonne chance! Buene Suerte! prepared thoroughly for the event having qualified by winning the regional round of the competition in November. On the day we Ice Skating Success worked our way through a number of rounds involving some very challenging questions, as well as producing a poster based on the Congratulations to Tilly 8-3, mathematics of the solar system. Once all the scores had been Katrina 12-3 and Emily 12-2 collected we were awarded 44th place overall out of 79 teams. who competed at the Trophy We are all very proud of how we performed, especially in a field D’Ecosse ISU International comprised of the top schools in the country and heavily dominated Synchronised Skating by boys. Competition in Dumfries, This is the first time a team from AGGS has reached the National Scotland, last weekend. The Final of the competition, but we hope we will be back next year to girls all skate on the Silver Blades team and, with a personal best do even better! score of the season, gained the Silver medal. Tilly also skates on the Whizz Kid team, which also achieved a personal best and are Lydia, Year 12 now the Juvenile Champions. They were also awarded the “Most Entertaining Programme” award. Well done, girls. Altrincham Grammar February 13th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6 School for Girls Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST English Speaking Union On Tuesday 3rd of February, Céline (10-3) and Alice (11-6) competed in the North West regional heat of the English Speaking Union, a prestigious competition originally set-up with funding given by Winston Churchill to develop youth public speaking. The girls, one of six schools from Manchester including Altrincham Boys, Stockport Grammar, Manchester Grammar and Bolton Girls, drafted speeches on ‘THW to create a Universal Basic Income’, a controversial issue that was opposed by the home school. Alice rebutted questions from the audience, building the fundamentals of the case and flexing her expertise and keen research on the subject, whilst Céline crafted a speech based on the opposition’s argument, pressuring her to think on her feet and be fluent in her delivery, whilst at the same time maintaining an articulate and provocative argument. Despite not getting through to the third round, the girls were strongly supported by the audience, and received compliments from most members of the audience for their strong performance. One of the judges, a Professor of Psychology at Manchester University, even admitted that they should have won! The girls deserve much credit for their efforts, and they keenly accepted feedback to develop their arguments for future competitions. Here’s to next year! Altrincham Grammar February 13th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6 School for Girls Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST Opera Concert and Masterclass We are delighted to announce that Opera singer and former pupil Suzy Fischer will be performing a lunchtime concert and afternoon masterclass on 25th February. Suzy is a lyric coloratura soprano (which means she sings super high) and is currently working as a freelance musician. She has won some major prizes already and has experience of singing both operatic roles and as a Lieder singer. The lunchtime concert is open to all pupils and staff, and will be an excellent opportunity to hear a talented musician perform. In addition, our GCSE and A Level students, and pupils who have singing lessons, will attend the afternoon masterclass with Suzy to find out more about working as a professional musician. Mr Carr’s 12 Challenges in 12 Months Mr Carr is continuing his 12 months of 12 challenges for 12 charities. He has even added an extra challenge to encourage people to sponsor him. He has decided he will not have a haircut until he hits his target of £1200 and when he achieves this target he will shave his head! If you would like to sponsor Mr Carr, please visit the following website: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnCarr121212 Altrincham Grammar February 13th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6 School for Girls Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST Amended Bus Times Connexions Careers Advice Travel Master, M Travel and Hayton’s Travel have all confirmed that Connexions have a drop in session in the 6th Form library every Monday they will arrange an early pick up (2.30pm) on the following days when lunchtime. Any Year 12 or 13 students that would like advice, or have any school is closing early: queries about their future steps, they are welcome to just call in. • Tuesday 3rd March • Thursday 23rd April • Wednesday 29th April We have not heard from Goodwins about if they are able to arrange an early pick up. Sixth Form Higher Education Evening The Sixth Form Higher Education Evening will be held on Thursday 26th February. It is for parents only and starts at 7 pm at Main School. DTP/MENC Head Lice Immunisation Please be aware there is a Year 9 suspected outbreak of head lice in school. We are asking all Trafford Immunisation Team will parents to be extra vigilant and be in school on 24th February to take appropriate steps to and 3rd March. treat the head lice. Altrincham Grammar February 13th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6 School for Girls Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST Calling Y11 & 12 Physicists… Sports Dinner 2015 - Date for your Diary! The AGGS Physics The annual Sports Dinner will department is now be held on Wednesday taking bookings for the 1st April 2015 for Year annual trip to CERN. 11, 12 and 13 sports- women. It is being host- This is an exciting ed at Bowdon Rugby excursion with some Club and we once again participants dubbing have a high profile ex-pupil speaking at the event. Further de- it “the best school tails and a letter of invitation will be sent out soon after half term. trip ever!” It will take place History Tour to Berlin February half-term 2016 during the half term holidays in October 2015 and cost around £400 Please note that the tour is now open to all Year 9 and 11 pupils On this trip you will: even if they are not currently choosing History at GCSE /A level. • see this amazing site of international collaboration Some girls have expressed an interest but due to limitation on choices • bring to life the “particle physics” part of the AS Physics course they are not studying History at GCSE/A level, so we are opening it • find out about the challenges in learning at the frontiers of science to all Year 9 and 11 regardless of exam choices. It is open to current • find out about the day to day life of researchers Year 9 and 11, and you can collect a letter from any History staff • make the most of visiting the international city of Geneva member. The deadline for applications is now 9th February, and • use French if you have learnt it should be handed in with a deposit of £170 payable by cheque. • enjoy yourselves and get on with one another Many thanks, The History Dept. Contact the Physics department for an application form. Hurry! There are very limited spaces available on this extremely popular trip! Altrincham Grammar February 13th 2015 Volume - 50 Issue - 6 School for Girls Bright Futures EDUCATIONAL TRUST German Exchange Trip 30th Jan – 6th Feb On Friday 30th January, eight girls from Year 12 and 13 embarked on a work experience exchange with Maria-Ward-Gymnasium in Augsburg. The students spent a week with an exchange family, in which we did four days of work experience.