Winter 2018 | Issue 26 The Newsletter of Girls School

Proud to lead the... HEALTHY LEARNING TRUST

HEALTHY MINDS • HEALTHY LIVES • HEALTHY FUTURES

Dear Readers, I hope this issue of Excel provides you with an inspirational start to 2018! As you will see at FGS we continue to provide a wealth of opportunities for our students to empower them and to help them to achieve excellence in many different aspects. On our front cover you will see images of our year 11 and 6th form students with their highly prestigious cups and trophies from our Annual Academic Awards Evening where we celebrate the highest academic and community achievements from Year 11 and 6th form and all students receive their all- important, formal examination certificates. In many ways the Academic Awards Evening is the pinnacle of the girls’ time with us and it is the culmination of everything they have done over five or seven years. In the pages of Excel you will see snapshots of the achievements of groups and individuals that contribute to the development of well- rounded and well-educated young people. Finally I would like our community to think about what we all do to make history for each and every student, ensuring that HER story is successful, memorable and great preparation for her future. ACADEMIC AWARDS Julie Hazeldine Students at FGS have again achieved excellent examination results reflecting a solid Headteacher reputation for delivering high quality education. These results are not a ‘flash in the pan’, they have been consistently high at well over 70% 5 or more A* to C grades for several years. These stunning examination results are very well deserved; both students and staff have shown great determination and commitment in achieving such a significant outcome.

Special recognition goes to retiring Head Girl Mia Foley who won the Head teacher’s Award for Service to the School. Kia Tyacke, who won two prizes; Sixth Form Endeavour and Duke of Edinburgh Gold award, our first gold award in school; presented by Paul Griffiths, Greater DofE Manager; as well as Anna Myerscough who won subject award for RE and Academic Progress award.

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Creative Writing COMMUNICATE FACULTY Clare Littlemore ex-teacher ENGLISH visited our girls to strengthen their writing techniques in preparation for their Chillerfest examinations. Clare left FGS in 2015 to pursue her A creative writing competition love of writing and has gone onto write and publish launched to support literacy across the first of her planned 6 series of books. the whole school giving students www.amazon.co.uk/Flow-Clare- the opportunity to flex their Littlemore/dp/1999838106/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 creative muscles. Three entries were chosen by Mr Owen and each won a £10 Waterstones Gift Card. MFL Very well done Thamara Ahmed Parents and daughters into 7EH - best short story, Simran languages evening delivered Kaur 9NH - best poem and Sam shared experiences and O’Connor 10MH - judges’ choice. current language lessons.

COLLABORATE FACULTY GCSE History Year 11 and sixth form students attended Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre forming part of their GCSE and A-Level History studies; focusing on German History between 1918 and 1939. The girls received first-hand knowledge of a holocaust survivor who fled the Nazis and settled in the UK in 1938. They felt the trip was both moving yet uplifting and emphasised the importance of tolerance in all societies.

INVESTIGATE FACULTY MATHEMATICS Senior Maths Challenge Four sixth form students participated in 1. Designing a new safety product that meets a need not yet catered for this most challenging of maths events; 2. Improving a safety device that already exists which really got the participants talking together about maths. Year 12 students 3. Explaining how a safety device that already exists actually works Katie Greer, Farah Kaye and year 13 The morning of the STEM fair students were able to complete their projects; students Ambur Parkes-Ainsworth and practice and prepare their presentations before the judging began. Fatima Mazhar did the school proud, producing some impressive maths and working well collaboratively. 1st place - ROAR consisting of Zara Aziz, Hibah Talib and Subeda Hussan. 2nd place - Safety Jewellery consisting of Arabella SCIENCE Burns and Izzy Scowcroft. Year 9 STEM fair part of our Health and Wellbeing (HWB) provision focussed on 3rd place - Safety vest consisting of Maysem Alkhfaji. ‘staying safe’ with students working in groups to complete the challenge of looking into personal safety devices linking the STEM fairs we had held previously to our This was a great activity based around Health and HWB day. It all started a month earlier when the challenge was set and students Wellbeing as well as the Science behind the products. were given the choice of three options to produce a project around.

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CREATE FACULTY Design a Christmas Card Year 7 students had a great opportunity to enter local MP Kate Green’s annual Design a Christmas Card Competition, sponsored by Cargill PLC in . Following the selection process FGS were informed that three students were lucky enough to have their designs chosen. Congratulations Isabelle Fortune, Faith Brown and Chiraze Hadjam for your great designs. Kate said: “I received hundreds of entries from schools around the constituency. I was so impressed with the range of creative designs submitted and it was incredibly hard to pick a winner.

work in making this a fabulously heart-warming PARTICIPATE event and a culmination of our Christmas festivities. FACULTY

Christmas Concert This evening of fabulous performing arts was a great success. We thank GCSE PE Beyond the Classroom everyone for their hard PE teachers ensure our GCSE PE students are able work in preparing for this to demonstrate a range of skills from physical to event and all attendees for theoretical for their examination thinking beyond joining us. the classroom and using school facilities. This Damian Dallimore, school trustee commented ‘Please pass House Art Finals on my congratulations to the teachers and pupils The theme of this year’s House Arts final was ‘Being British’ with over thirty students chosen to compete in the finals from over sixty entries. Winning acts in KS3 were Isabelle Rose 8MG, singing ‘Almost There’ from Princess and the Frog, with 7FH in second for their performance of ‘When I Grow Up’ from Matilda, Saskia Street 8PN in third singing ‘Make you feel my love’ by Adele and Maddison Boswell and Mia Waring 7ZN receiving a academic year has seen the girls’ rock climbing at special mention for their gymnastics performance. The Climbing Depot, ; track and field involved in the Christmas Concert. I can honestly athletics at Whilst in KS4 the winner was Ebony Riley say that it was the best event of its kind that I’ve Longford Park; 9NH dancing to ‘It Gets Better’, Skyla Stanhope ever seen or been involved with. You have some Trampolining 11SH in second with a poem entitled ‘Britain’, incredibly talented pupils and everyone involved at Mia Robertson 10JF in third singing her own should be very proud of putting on such an Leisure Centre material and Eden Woodstock-Burgher received entertaining show.’ and theory a special mention for her singing ‘Lay Me studies at Down’ by Sam Smith. Christmas Carol Service the National Congratulations to all students who participated St Clements Church was full to bursting with Football in this extravaganza of superb talents promoting students, staff, parents and visitors for our annual Museum, diversity and British values. Christmas Carol Service. Thanks for everyone’s hard Manchester.

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RAINFOREST CRITTERS Over 170 primary school students from English Martyrs and Urmston Primary attended our Rainforest Roadshow; delivered by Sue Shaw. This was a hands-on road show and students had the opportunity to dress HOSPICE HALLOWEEN HOCUS POCUS up in tribal clothing Head Girl Team, headed up by Emily Bates; Friends of Flixton fundraising and Derian and get up close and coordinated a variety of Halloween activities House; a children’s hospice in Chorley. The personal with a beetle for year 7 students, aiming to celebrate event raised over £158 and was thoroughly grub and scorpion. Halloween whilst also raising funds for enjoyed by all students and staff. NATIONAL TH CITIZENSHIP 85 REUNION SERVICE Sixth form students received information signposting them to register for the NCS which promotes a commitment to learning employment skills, how to budget and live for yourself; whilst also getting your voice heard. Those seeking to access university placements can use this as part of their UCAS application.

Calling all ex-students, staff, teachers and governors please join us on Saturday 24th March REGISTER TO VOTE 2018 2-4pm to celebrate our 85th year. Register Kate Green visited Flixton Girls School; as part of via Eventbrite from the link on the school website Parliament Week early this term to encourage our ‘Home’ page.

We would love to see as many of you as possible to make this event one to remember. Stay up to date for all future events by joining our alumni register also from the website www.flixtongirls.com/ alumni/alumni-registration/

We have also launched our official FGS alumni Facebook page ‘@FGSAlumni’ – ‘Like’ our page students to register to vote and have their voices to have access to specific events and information. heard. Students aged 16 and over can register to be on the electoral role, in just a few minutes all Please contact us if you wish to offer your services they need is their National Insurance number go as a guest speaker for assemblies or smaller to: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote groups; sharing your school / careers pathways and life experiences.

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SKELTON’S FUNDRAISING PROWESS Year 11 student Paige Skelton raised over £3000 for Cystic Fibrosis by completing a 24 hour Crossfit Challenge with a little help from her friends at Crossfit Consillium and with sponsorship from Kettlebell Kitchen. Very well done Paige and colleagues for this fantastic achievement.

RAINBOW BAKE SKI SLOPE SUCCESS SALE Forty four students accompanied by four staff skied Following the ski trip parents of our participating Equalities club raised over into the New Year, departing school for Austria students commented: £130 with a cake sale for the on the 2nd January, which included a twelve hour Jo Dean, ‘Ellie had an amazing time, thanks to the Proud Trust; a youth LGBTQ journey through Europe. Just prior to school teachers who made it so enjoyable; she is ready to charity based in Manchester. closing for Christmas students and staff took part book for the next trip.’ The club involves over thirty in training at Chill Factore, providing them with students across all year groups, who meet at valuable slope time experience. Read all about the Hazel Guest, ‘Emily didn’t want to come home; lunchtimes to show support to each other and groups trilling ski adventures via their blog: she is also ready to book on the next trip.’ learn to live together peacefully. https://fgsskitrip2018.wordpress.com/ HARVEST COLLECTION Thanks to everyone who kindly provided a donation for this year’s harvest collection which was greatly received by Stretford Food Bank.

The volume of donations was overwhelming; with our total of emergency meals donated in 2017 at 1170, making 4531 over the last few years. Additionally 150 meals were also donated to Food Bank.

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HOORAY FOR HARRIETT Harriette Jones Year 6 pupil from St Michael’s REMEMBRANCE School held her own when she won our Thanks for all poppy appeal donations which Open Evening Fun Trail raised a total of £498.16, our best year to date. Competition prize. Well done Harriette - happy memories spending your Trafford Centre Gift Card.

RESTART A HEART FGS took part in the nation’s biggest mass CPR training event during October. FGS welcomed Students and staff shared together this poignant volunteers from North West Ambulance Service respectful whole community event. Students who gave up their time to deliver the lifesaving produced some excellent remembrance works lesson to over one hundred and sixty year 9 students. during their form time activities and helped to mark our minutes silence with waves of poppies in the quad. Mrs Hazeldine and House Captains laid PIVOTAL CENTRE our wreath of remembrance at our local cenotaph. OF EXCELLENCE FGS has worked with SIXTH FORMERS SAFEDRIVE Pivotal Education for a number of years; creating shifts in behaviour improvement throughout the whole school. Mrs Dorothy Trussell, Head of School has worked to embed the pivotal way into FGS routines. Dorothy has been invited to become a Regional Lead Instructor for Pivotal and FGS has been designated a Centre of Excellence in behaviour. Sixth form students participated in an over 16’s those lost in collisions, to tell their own personal ‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ road safety initiative; stories of tragedy and loss. bringing together young people from across the Following the event students were asked to submit region face-to-face with the consequences of a their road safety pledges to be in with a chance road traffic collision. of winning an Ipad and our lucky year 12 student The project is the first of its kind in Greater Lizzy Price was selected at random and presented Manchester and uses real people, including with her prize at school. emergency service staff and family members of DUKE OF EDINBURGH Sixty bronze and twenty one silver 2017 student groups officially finished their awards TRAFFORD YOUTH CONFERENCE by presenting to both parents and student. Year 11 students participated in the Let’s Talk presentation session. The entire event was an This year’s gold group have already started Youth Conference run by Trafford Member of enriching experience, empowering our students to their award, with bronze and silver students Youth Parliament, held at Sale Life Centre. become more involved in their local community commencing later this month. Our girls got their creative skills flowing with and awareness of topics which they or their peers Tia-Robyn Sharp volunteering to open the are affected by.

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OUTWARD BOUND: MISSION CHRISTMAS Thanks to all those that supported us in the Key YEAR 10’S 103 Mission Christmas cash for kids appeal again this year. We had a great response both with donations of unwrapped gifts delivered to school SCOTTISH and the Christmas Carol Service. SURVIVAL CHRISTMAS FAIR Thirty six year 10 students and accompanying staff attended a residential Outward Bound Leadership Skills Course at Loch Eil in the Scottish Highlands. The aim of this residential is to empower our students to take on new challenges and overcome them, as this is what makes life interesting and meaningful. Thanks to everyone who supported our students fundraising efforts on Saturday 2nd December for our annual Friends of Flixton Christmas Fair. We raised over £2900 from student groups, Friends YEAR 7’S ULLSWATER ADVENTURES of Flixton stalls and café and match funding from Barclays Bank Charities Trust. Miss Longden tweeted: ‘Extremely privileged to have spent 3 days at @OutwardBoundUK with a Visitor Helen Gaskell commented ‘Your girls are a great group of year sevens hiking, jog and dipping credit to you and the fair was a lovely event, with some and toasting marshmallows’ lovely products and activities, thanks for organising.’

CHRISTMAS SHOE BOX APPEAL Over one hundred and eighty year 7 students Sixth Form students promoted attended the Outward Bound Centre at Ullswater the Manchester Homeless Shoe in Cumbria for a split week of outside the Box Appeal throughout school classroom experiences. The purpose of this using a reverse advent calendar residential is for students to have an increased process to request donations for show box awareness of their own skills; whilst improving contents. Well done Hannah Kenyon-Land, Freya their confidence and self-belief in their abilities. Ashcroft and Lily Betteridge for coordinating this festive local community appeal on behalf of FGS.

HEALTH & WELLBEING MATTERS CHANGE 4 LIFE Part of our partnership with Tesco FGSSP hosted a Christmas festival; students from three Trafford primary schools cooked healthy pizzas and sushi before taking on a series of festive themed physical activities. The festival formed part of the Sports Partnerships Change 4 life programme which aims to ensure that all young people access at least thirty active minutes during their normal school day. Health and wellbeing definitely does matter and here at set range of lessons. The curriculum content is made FGS we actively promote health and wellbeing activities up of five pathways: Emotional, academic, nutritional, to all our students and staff. Our Health and Wellbeing social and moral, and physical health which aims to Curriculum has launched this year with students provide students with the foundations to leading a receiving health and wellbeing education as part of their happy, healthy and successful life.

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BUDDING BALLERINA’S ATHLETICS FGS hosted English National Ballet dancers; whilst A massive well done to the year 10 @FlixtonGS on tour at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. Students athletics team, they performed amazingly under Stockton, Sophie Gilbert, Abbie Potter, Mia Webb from across all year groups attended a workshop; some tough competition! Breanna Bradshaw, and Ebony Riley. learning a variety of routines taught by a professional Lucy Monaghan, Sophie MacDonald, Jess Reid, dancer. The students then attended the English Ms Croniken said ‘The students performed to the Ella Sutton, Ella Bowness, Freya Harris and best of their ability, against strong competition National Ballet performance of La Sylphide / Song of Holly Malpus. the Earth for the matinee at the Palace Theatre. from across and did the Also we had the year 8/9 Indoor Athletics school proud. Congratulations all but special competition in early December, with the following mentions to Jasmine Richardson on winning gold students taking part in a variety of events Jasmine in 100m, Amelia Carr who won her heat in the Richardson, Eve Brighouse, Amelia Carr, Jasmine 200m and Olivia Russell on coming 4th in 800m.

team cross country event at Longford Park earlier this term and came out on top with a gold medal. The girls take part in cross country outside school SWIMMING with Sale Harriers and Trafford Athletics Club and Amazing performance from year 7/8 swim team attend Miss Holts after school running club. Miss finishing third out of twenty in @TraffordSSP Holt said ‘the girls were absolute stars.’ swimming gala! Miss Callaghan tweeted ‘Enjoyable Additionally our girls performed well at Trafford and competitive Secondary Swim Gala’ Secondary Schools Cross Country Competition Year 7’s: Mandy Sihlangu , Mia Mason, Kim Collum CROSS COUNTRY being placed 5th overall. Well done Ella Bowness and Olivia Dickinson Shona Wilkinson 7EH, Imogen Davenport 7SL and 10LG on coming 12th, Sophia Gilbert 8EC placed 14th and Olivia Russell 8SW placed 16th. Year 8’s: Sophia Gilbert, Maddison Cotill, Erin Isabelle Beaumont 7EH organised entry into the Surtees and Faith Robinson

KARATE KID FOOTBALL RESULTS Ellie Costin year 8 has continued to pursue her chosen sport Karate over the last three years. Competing in both individual and pair Kata’s has brought her achievements in English Championship pairs bronze medallist, British International Open Champion pairs and British International Open silver medallist Year 7 Trafford Schools 7-a-side competition at BTH. individual. Ellie is now aiming high and hopes to be selected for the Youth Kata Team. The ‘A’ team won the competition playing with only 6 players, while the ‘B’ team did themselves and the school proud! super goal scoring by Jessica Reid, Ella Sutton and Lucy Monaghan - great team effort. Lymm High FGS have again entered the English Schools Cup, NETBALL eventually knocking us out 2-0. in age groups Under 12’s through to Under 16’s: Trafford League Under 16s: currently through to the quarter finals Under 12s reached the third round achieve some for the first time in 10 years to face Cramlington Year 7B won 4-0, 7C/D won great wins against Wilmslow High and BTH. 3-1 and Year 8B lost 4-0 against Learning from Northumberland. Mr Wellington. Under 13s: reached the fourth round after some Coultas (Director of Culture & Ethos, PE Teacher fabulous scoring, they performed well only losing and Team Coach) said ‘Amazing achievement, I’m Year 8 Group C results - all wins - to Fred Longworth High School 2-0. so proud of the team! In fact all our team shave 7-4 Broadoak, 12-0 Lostock, 5-0 done exceptionally well this season.’ AOM and 8-1 St Antonys. Under 14s: reached fourth round achieving success during extra time and penalties in their The 16’s are also expecting a new team football Year 10 won Group B; having later matches, losing narrowly to St Wilfrid’s 5-4. kit for all their current achievements as played both BTH and sponsored by Dataspire. College. The team were superb Under 15s: reached fourth round with some and finally got their first place after 4 four years of dedication, determination and teamwork. Year 9 - played Ashton on Mersey and Broadoak; Flixton Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 5DR won one and lost one. T: 0161 912 2949 www.flixtongirls.com Introducing the Trafford 7A League Runners Up! 7A Team: Ceira Flood, Olivia Jackson, Amber ‘LIKE’ US AT facebook.com/FlixtonGirlsSchool Wilkinson, Shona Wilkinson, Alexa Thomas, Sophie Jones, Evie Pete, Holly Hurst and Evie Edgington @FlixtonGS - FOLLOW US ON TWITTER FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS