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BulletinAPRIL... 2007 Paving the way... Head’s Lines Dear Readers To celebrate the ongoing success of the School’s 100 Plus Bursary Appeal – aimed at ensuring that We have faced a real dilemma with this there are always at least 100 girls in the Senior School receiving means-tested financial help with edition of the Bulletin in terms of fees – a Bursary Garden is being created to be enjoyed by the whole community. representing the majority of the many The garden, designed and created by Shirley Williams, a current Withington parent and Grounds Manager, and varied events that have occurred Laurence Bradley along with other volunteers, offers supporters the opportunity to make donations since Christmas, whilst not producing towards plants that will transform the front of the School. the equivalent of our annual Newsletter. The initiative got off to a wonderful start when more than £1,500 was raised by the sale of shrubs and The outcome is, as can be seen, a perennial plants at the school’s Spring Fair. predominance of pictures over text as The garden will also feature a path which will be paved with personalised bricks specially engraved with the latter is being stacked up in the the sponsors’ name or any other appropriate wording. Newsletter file. Bricks can be sponsored by donations of £60 or £100; plants range from £10 to £30. The wealth of opportunity in terms of Work on the Bursary Garden will begin during the 2007 summer holidays. overseas school holiday trips continues to grow and I was privileged to be The 100 Plus Bursary Appeal has a target of £2m. Almost £1,250,000 had been pledged by mid April, but Budget tax changes are likely to have an adverse impact on the Gift Aid scheme to the tune of around included in the Grammar/ £5,000. Withington Easter trip to Uganda – an unforgettable experience which provided **The Withington Girls’ School Trust is working with envirofone to support the Bursary Appeal. By trading in your old mobile telephone – and there are estimated to be over 100m thrown away every year a real insight into rural life in a central nationwide – the Trust will benefit from a cash donation. African country. The first reaction of Ugandans of any age is to smile by way Pupils will soon be able to bring old serviceable mobiles in to school and place them in a box at Reception to be traded in for the Appeal and recycled to help the environment. of greeting, to be generous even when they have virtually nothing and warmth The phones should power up and be in a working condition, have a battery and be of UK/European of welcome, dignity and regard for specification. Cosmetic damage is acceptable. Any mobiles without a trade-in value will still be properly recycled. others are amongst their many defining characteristics. We are hoping to establish a partnership with the Wanyange Girls’ School (another WGS!) the sister school to Busoga College Mwiri which has a long-standing and mutually enriching link with Manchester Grammar School. Further details of this, and of the shared experiences of all 24 members of the party, will be printed in December. In October 2007, we shall be inspected as part of the programme of six-yearly inspections arranged by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. The process incorporates questionnaires for pupils and parents; the latter will be sent out with an explanatory letter in the near future. Continued on page 2. Head’s lines continued from page 1 Fat frog Leavers concert On Sunday May 20th, I hope to be one of 28,000 people participating in the Fifth and Sixth Form pupils enjoyed a full day of THE Leavers’ Concert, an evening of music and fifth Great Manchester 10k Run. This is training on the new Fat Frog lighting console in song performed by members of the Upper Sixth the only event in any year for which I the Arts Centre. They learnt to program multi- was a particularly poignant occasion for the seek sponsorship and in past runs this stage chases for moveable lights. This was the Music Department on March 22nd. has been for ‘The Kirsty Appeal’. This culmination of a substantial stage lighting The programme consisted of solos, small year I shall be running for a children’s upgrade started in the autumn to increase the ensembles and popular songs performed by girls care home that we visited in Uganda versatility of the stage lighting facilities. and for the WGS Bursary Appeal. who have been hugely committed to music Sponsor forms will be available in throughout their time at Withington. Reception and the Receptionists would also be happy to take details of sponsorship by telephone. I warmly thank you in advance for any support you feel able to give. Finally, I wish everyone reading this, be they candidates or parents thereof, the very best of success – and calm – throughout the forthcoming examination season. Hooray for Hollywood Old girls enjoy success in a whole range of careers, perhaps none more so than Justine Baddeley who has found fortune Model United Nations Living edge art and considerable fame in Hollywood. Withington enjoyed further success in the Model Eleanor Hedley’s work was highly commended in Justine, from , left Withington United Nations conference at Bath where several the Living Edge magazine Art Competition 2007 at 16, became a successful model and is delegation and individual awards were achieved. in the under-18 category, open to schools across now a highly regarded casting director Cheshire and the north west. All the entrants’ work was showcased at the Lowry arts centre in in Los Angeles. Salford and within the magazine’s glossy pages. Among her Hollywood movie credits are Eleanor is now studying architecture at Being John Malkovich, Grosse Point Cambridge. Blank, Never Been Kissed, Charlie’s Angels, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Fever Pitch and Little Miss Sunshine. Her sister Lisa also left Withington early and has lived in Los Angeles for the last 15 years. She is vice-president of an independent film company and has recently set up a foundation for orphaned children. The girls’ mother Judith ran a fashion business in Didsbury. In an interview in the Manchester Evening News in 2003, Justine said: “I can’t thank my mother enough for sending me to the best school she could afford.” Oxbridge Captains Louis Louis Macca forms new band THERE was only ever one winner in the hard- Ten excited Lower Sixth historians, fought Oxford v Cambridge Varsity lacrosse accompanied by Ms Maher and LVY’s Band Night, featuring Mr match recently - Withington Girls' School. Mrs Kean, enjoyed a four-day trip to McKenna, raised more than £1,000 for Paris in February. Having studied Michelle Goulty (left) and Claire Nance, captains Leukaemia Research, Changing Faces Louis XIV since September, the of the Oxford and Cambridge University teams and St Ann’s Hospice. girls nominated the Sun King’s respectively, are both former pupils. palace at Versailles the Chemistry Camp highlight of the trip. Alexandra Rogers of the Lower Fifth has been offered a place on the Chemistry Camp run by Salters at Bristol University in July. The residential course offers students with a keen interest in the subject the opportunity to engage in experiments and chemistry-based exercises. Ratz Trading places Almost 50 girls from the Third and Fourth Forms tookpart in a Arts Centre and Drama Technician, Will Osmond, left at Easter after five production of Simon Adorian’s play The Ratz in March. terms at Withington. He will begin studies for a Master’s degree in Theatre Direction in September. In the meantime he is hoping to stage a reprise of the play Splendour at the JuJu Theatre Company – patron Georgia Taylor who won national acclaim as Coronation Street’s Toyah Battersby - at the Zion Arts Centre, , where he is a founder and director. Will’s replacement is ex- Manchester Grammar School pupil, James Wallace, who has been working as a backstage technician in ’s West End, most recently on the Novello Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

French Exchange The journey begins for the Upper Fifth and Sixth Form girls who took part in the inaugural French Exchange to Hazebrouk, near Lille.

Twenty-nine Senior pupils immersed themselves in Spanish language and architecture on their Easter trip to Barcelona. They also attended a cookery demonstration commentated in Spanish and, naturally, enjoyed the resulting tapas and cake!

It's show time... A dozen members of staff raised money for the School’s forthcoming expedition to Namibia by presenting their own version of the hit television show Strictly Come Dancing. SUMMER ACTIVITIES Latin and Greek You’re hired! Summer Music Course Withington’s young entrepreneurs celebrated a 30th July to 3rd August for boys and Reading Competition field day at the North and South Manchester girls aged 8 - 14. Withington girls were highly successful in the Area Board final of Young Enterprise, staged at ’s Atlantic Suite. BUDDING young musicians attending Latin and Greek reading competition, in which ten other schools took part, held at Bolton The two companies, Siren and Nostalgia, scooped this year’s Summer Music Course will be so many prizes that the local press referred to asked to put sounds to silence. School on the 7th March. Results will be published in the Newsletter. the event as a “Withington Whitewash”. Under the guidance of a skilled team of professionals, they will make their own silent film and compose music to lend atmosphere to the movie. The project is the latest innovation on the ever-inventive week-long Summer Course. The organisers, Tim Chatterton and Rebecca Thompson, both members of the Northern Chamber Orchestra, said “We always try to introduce something new and exciting that will inspire the children.”

Down the Cavern An Inspector Calls Third Form girls spent a fascinating day – above Police’s Inspector Peter and below ground in Treak Cliff and Peak Forster, who leads policing in the area, visited Caverns - in and around the Peak District village the School to hand out certificates to girls who of Castleton on Geography field trip. had compiled a local crime survey.

Tennis Camps 23rd July to 27th July and 6th to 10th August for boys and girls aged 6 upwards Professional tennis coach, Simon Douglass, will be running two Tennis Camps at Withington during the Berlin Russia summer. Although tennis will be the Girls studying Lower Sixth German pupils spent 4 days in Berlin main activity, there will be the A-Level during the Easter holidays. They enjoyed lots of opportunity to play many other sports History spent interesting cultural visits and the weather was and games including cricket, football six days in excellent. The photo is of the girls standing in and basketball. Russia where front of a piece of Berlin wall at Potsdamer Platz. they visited Art Workshops Moscow and There will also be the opportunity to St Petersburg. attend Art workshops to be held at Withington and Whalley Range High. Full details will be circulated shortly. For further information contact Mrs Penny Willis on 0161 249 3457 or [email protected] Gambia 2006 Daze of Glory A dozen Sixth Form girls spent a week in The Gambia School Daze, a short film shot at in December working on a range of community projects. Withington last year by students from Manchester Metropolitan University, has won the Royal Television Society NW Award for best student drama. The film, starring two Upper sixth Withington Girls – Becky Stern and RADA-bound Emily Harding - and featuring others as extras, will feature in the RTS national finals in London in May. School Daze had already been voted runner up in the BBC’s Best of the North category at the 2006 Exposures Film Festival. Lobby Sixth former Rebecca Usden spent an exciting day in Parliament taking part in a lobby of MPs aimed at securing the release of three missing Israeli soldiers. Radio COMMERCIAL radio broadcaster 105.4 St Paul’s Century FM put Withington on the airwaves twice this term when pupils and Thirty members of the School’s Senior Club spanning 43 years attended a staff were involved in debates about Reunion at St Paul’s Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral School on March 14th. healthy eating. Mr Sharples also spoke on air about the debating society. The Reunion, a “spill-over” from the over-subscribed gathering at the House of Lords last May, included tours of the Cathedral led by Andrew Dobbin, Head 1st XI Hockey success of the School, and Maurice Sills, a sprightly 91 year old guide, featuring The 1st XI Hockey team travelled to the library, crypt, Wren’s Great Model and the geometrical Altrincham Girls` Grammar School in staircase not normally open to the public. March to take part in the county tournament and were placed joint second. Later members attended Evensong in reserved seats in the Cathedral Quire, followed by a champagne reception ISSP Spanish and meal in the Cathedral School. The School hosted a joint cultural session for Fourth Form pupils from Withington and Whalley Range High School just embarking upon learning Spanish. The after-school get together, arranged as part of the DfES Independent State School Partnership scheme, was led by Mrs Maria Anderson and her counterpart from Whalley Range. The girls from the two schools began with a feast of tapas followed by dance workshops in salsa and meringue. Gym Display Parliamentary competition Girls from throughout the School The Arts Centre was transformed into the performed with skill and determination House of Commons for the filming of in the annual Gym Competition in Withington’s entry in the National Youth February. The judge this year was Mrs Parliament Competition. Sarah Newman, Head of PE at A DVD of the event has been sent to the Manchester High School for Girls. Citizenship Foundation in London for real MPs to judge our entry for the National Youth Parliament Competition. A place at RADA IN only its second year of offering Drama at A Level, the department is celebrating its first admission to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Emily Harding of the Upper Sixth will be heading for RADA in London in September to embark on one of the academy’s coveted technically-orientated courses involving production and stage management. Pull Scull

Third Former Harriet McLeod was one of ten youngsters taken for training on the River Irwell at Salford Quays as UK Sport Visitors began its search for budding talent for The Junior School has had the pleasure of receiving a diverse the 2012 Olympics. parade of visitors during the Spring Term. History debate In January Mr and Mrs Baloch presented a Pakistani cultural afternoon. The Historical Association staged a Later in the month all Juniors welcomed Ms Vogler, a debate at the School during March in percussion teacher, to one of their Friday musical which participants debated who had extravaganza assemblies. made the greatest impact on British In March, Manchester's Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress history in the last 500 years, took great trouble to explain the duties of their Office and to Sophie O’Neill and Hannah Woods, answer many searching questions from the girls. represented Withington, putting the An end-of-term treat was a day of poetry workshops from case for John Lennon and Sir Winston the Manchester poet and writer, David Horner, who visited Churchill respectively. each Form inspiring them to write whacky poems and showing them ways to improve their writing skills. Raven Visits Watch out for Charlotte Moss McCrory In February Transition and Form One took a trip out to who will be appearing on our television Manchester Museum's 'hands-on' exhibitions of Roman and screens twice in the near future… in Egyptian artefacts. Transition are studying the Romans this Blue Peter and a special edition of Raven year and Form One are studying the Egyptians. filmed in Hyderabad, India. Also in February, Upper II spent a weekend at Winmarleigh An academic first Hall. It proved a hugely enjoyable experience and everyone had a wonderful time. Former Withington pupil Sarah Foot is Events the first woman ever appointed Regius All the Junior pupils took part in the Gym Competition and Professor of Ecclesiastical History at then performed in the Gym Display, reported elsewhere in Oxford University. The post carries with this Bulletin. it the appointment as Canon of Christ On World Book Day they all dressed up as a character from a Church by Her Majesty the Queen. Sarah, book and each gave a multi-media presentation about their 45, is currently Professor of Early chosen book. Mediaeval History at the University of In a special assembly, the Junior School was entertained by a Sheffield. rendition of A Drop in the Ocean from the Junior Choir. After leaving Withington in 1979, she Many girls took part in the Junior Maths Challenge and were went to Newnham College, Cambridge, thrilled with their awards. gaining her doctorate in 1990. She was The Junior School also enthusiastically took part in raising a Research Fellow at Gonville and Caius funds at the PTA Spring Fair. College, Cambridge, from 1989 to 1990 before becoming Fellow and Tutor there. Before and after School In 1993 she was appointed to a Many girls took the opportunity of taking tennis lessons Lectureship in History at Sheffield; was from professional coach, Simon Douglass. There were also made Senior Lecturer in 2001 and was pottery classes delivered by Art Technician, David Critchlow, who was amazed at the quality of the products created by appointed to her current, newly the Junior girls. established Chair in 2004.

A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of the Society of Antiquaries, Sarah’s work has focused on the early Mediaeval Church and she is writing the first biography of Aethelstan, first King of all .

She is married to Michael Bentley, Professor of Modern History at the University of St Andrews. They have one son. Mrs Sue Wilson DRAMATIS PERSONAE The funeral took place on March 24th of The dramatic highlights of the term the School’s Secretary, Mrs Sue Wilson, at All Saints Church, Stretford followed included Antigone, Road and Two by committal at Manchester Crematorium. She was 51. Mrs Wilson came to Withington in June 2005 and immediately became a popular and respected member of staff. She was highly efficient, undaunted by the mountains of work and variety of demands from all quarters, and totally loyal to the school. It was entirely typical that she worked right up to the time of her hospital admission.

After being diagnosed with leukaemia, Mrs Wilson underwent her treatment with fortitude and a very positive attitude, always presenting a cheerful face despite her health problems. She That’s was well liked by both staff and girls with her helpful attitude and outlook. In February this year she went into hospital Entertainment... for a stem cell transplant but sadly and unexpectedly died in hospital on March 17th. A number of colleagues represented the School at the funeral. The family had requested no flowers but a donation was sent to The Christie Hospital from the School and staff. Mrs Wilson leaves a husband, Dave, and two daughters Rebecca (19) and Laura (16). She will be greatly missed. Northern Schools Classics Conference Miss Holden drove 10 Sixth Formers in the school minibus to Stonyhurst College near Clitheroe in to attend the Northern Schools Classics Conference.

Third Form style 28th March 2007 We gave it all to become U19 National Uganda Trip Schools Lacrosse, The two-week combined MGS/WGS trip left indelible memories for all 24 participants. Division II Farr Cup Champions 2007 The first team won through in the National Lacrosse Tournament staged at Sherborne, Dorset, to become Division Two Champions.

SUMMER TERM 2007 Hannah Bates Kim Meadowcroft APRIL Lexi Brown Elsa Morgan 16th Monday Term Starts Zoe Clayton-Smith Lucy Pike 22nd-23rd Sunday-Monday DofE Bronze Practice Expedition (Peak District) Annie Gough Leanne Rolye 25th Wednesday Parents' Evening: Upper IV Kathryn Hurrell Karen Walden 26th Thursday Junior UK Mathematical Challenge Katie Hamlett (Vice Captain) Tena Walker 26th Thursday Auction of Promises [Gambia fund] 7pm Georgia Layton Michelle Yu 29th Sunday D of E Silver Training Walk Alana Livesey Rachel Day (Coach) MAY Tara Livesey Mhairi Ferroll (Head of P.E.) Hannah Martin (Captain) 1st Tuesday Careers Dinner 6.30pm 2nd Wednesday Musical Showcase 7.00pm 3rd Thursday History Trip to North Wales Castles: (Third Forms) All Day Withington Girls’ School would like to 3rd Thursday Junior School Afternoon Tea thank Professional Investment 5th-7th Saturday-Monday D of E Gold Practice Expedition Consultants for their sponsorship of the 7th Monday May Day Holiday Lacrosse team. 9th Wednesday Bursary Appeal Donors' Reception 6.30pm 11th-12th Friday-Saturday Stratford Weekend 15th Tuesday ‘W’ Factor 7.00pm 16th Wednesday Biology Trip to Chester Zoo: (Third Forms) All day 21st-25th Monday-Friday Junior School Examinations 22nd Tuesday Leavers' Dinner 7.00pm 24th Thursday Euro Disney & Alps Info evening 6.30pm 28th-1st Monday-Friday Half Term JUNE T: +352 27 62 30 50 4th Monday School Examinations begin (Third - Lower V Forms) F: +352 26 25 76 40 8th Friday Third and Lower IV examinations finish 8th-10th Friday-Sunday Draper's Field Centre Trip (Lower & Upper II) E: [email protected] 11th Monday Upper IV examinations finish W: www.pic-europe.com 12th Tuesday Lower V examinations finish 15th-18th Friday-Monday DofE Gold Qualifying Expedition 16th Saturday Senior Club Reunion 20th Wednesday Civil War Day (Lower IV Forms) All day New Third Forms and Junior School - Induction Day DO CALL US 21st Thursday Parents' UCAS Information Session (Lower Sixth) 7.00pm 26th-27th Tuesday-Wednesday DofE Bronze Qualifying Expedition (West Pennines) [BEFORE WE CALL YOU!] 27th Wednesday Junior School Summer Serenade 6.00pm 28th Thursday Geography Field Day (Lower V) Pupil absence: Please would all 29th Friday Swimming Gala parents use 0161 249 3476 to inform 30th-1st Saturday-Sunday DofE Silver Practice Expedition the school of pupil absence before 30th Saturday PTA Summer Event 8.30am on each day of absence. JULY 2nd Monday Sports Day For contact after school please use 2nd Monday University Experience Session these numbers: 3rd Tuesday Citizenship Day 4th Wednesday Namibia World Challenge Expedition departs Senior Late Room: 0161 249 3492 5th Thursday Festival of Spoken English Junior Late Room: 0161 224 1077 6th Friday Term Ends 2.30pm 9th Monday Hockey Tour - Singapore, Australia & Fiji departs 6th-14th Friday-Saturday Alps/Euro Disney Trip (Lower IV Forms) 8th-12th Sunday-Thursday Rhineland Trip (Upper IV & LV Forms) 23rd - 27th Mon - Fri Summer Tennis Camp [ for boys and girls aged 6 and above] 25th Wednesday Namibia World Challenge Expedition returns Withington Girls’ School, Wellington Rd, 30th Jul- 3rd Aug Mon - Fri [Inclusive] Summer Music Course [for boys and girls aged 8 - 14] , Manchester M14 6BL. AUGUST 1st Wed Hockey Tour - Singapore, Australia & Fiji returns T: 0161 224 1077 F: 0161 248 5377 6th - 10th Mon - Fri Summer Tennis Camp [for boys and girls aged 6 and above] E: [email protected] 16th Thursday A/AS Level Results Day 23rd Thursday GCSE Results Day W: www.withington.manchester.sch.uk 24th-30th Friday-Thursday Biology Field Trip (A2) Registered Charity No. 526632 31st-2nd Friday-Sunday DofE Silver Qualifying Expedition