NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2016 BSG is the top performing state school in Dorset and Hampshire! FROM THE HEADTEACHER erm has got off to a good start with pupils keen and ready to learn! Final exam results are still not with us as we still have a number T of remarks underway. Nevertheless I am pleased to let you know that our results at both GCSE and A level confirmed that we were the top performing school - state or private - in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch and the top performing state school in Dorset and Hampshire. A tremendous achievement! As the year progresses girls will be offered a variety of visits and experiences intended to enhance their learning. Year 8 pupils have already visited Hampton Court and completed science fieldwork at Blashford Lakes. Year 10 artists have visited Tate Modern and geographers have been out on fieldwork. Year 10 pupils enjoyed a business breakfast finding out about a whole variety of careers from local employers. Our Duke of Edinburgh Award groups have been out on expedition at weekends. This week we have our careers convention, held this year at our school, when over 50 professions and universities will be on hand to help girls plan for future study and careers. It was good to meet so many parents at our recent Meet © BOURNEMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS CASTLE GATE CLOSE. CASTLE LANE WEST. BOURNEMOUTH. BH89UJ. | t: 01202 526289 | e.: [email protected] NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2016 FROM THE HEADTEACHER CONTINUED.... the Tutor evenings for years 7 and 12 and at our PSA AGM. After half term on Thursday 3rd November we will be holding our Sixth Form Open Evening. Although intended primarily for pupils and parents in year 11 we would also be pleased to welcome year 10 pupils and their parents. The evening runs from 6pm - 8.30pm. Come along at any time. There will be talks in the hall and also a subject fair with staff and students to help you start to make important decisions about post 16 study. May I wish all pupils and their families a restful half term break. We wish our groups going to Iceland, New York and Washington an excellent time. A reminder that Monday 31st October is an INSET day and school recommences on Tuesday 1st November. GOVERNOR NEWS irstly my congratulations on behalf of the governing body to students and staff on such an excellent set of exam results at both GCSE and A level. We can all be very proud of their F achievements. It was good to meet so many parents at our recent Meet the Tutor evenings for years 7 and 12 and at our PSA AGM and to hear how your daughters are settling in. It was especially pleasing that a number of parents made particular mention of the excellent pastoral care provided by the school. The governors are delighted that we have been able to make such good progress over the summer in improving the school environment with the creation of two new laboratories, a new Design Technology IT suite and extensive works to the heating and water system, making a real difference to the learning opportunities we provide for our pupils. You will have seen in the media a lot about government plans to expand grammar schools and to improve further social mobility by improving access to them. We are already committed to this aim as seen for example in our work developing positive links with our local primary schools. Governors recently decided also to go out to consultation to change our admission policy to give further preference to Bournemouth residents as the Poole grammar schools already do for Poole residents. Details of this consultation will be available after half term on our website. Jane Stichbury DATES FOR YOUR DIARY OF FORTHCOMING PSA EVENTS Friday 4th November Family quiz and curry night Friday 18th November Mufti-day in support of the Craft Fair Saturday 19th November PSA Craft Fair Friday 9th December Year 7/8 Disco © BOURNEMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS CASTLE GATE CLOSE. CASTLE LANE WEST. BOURNEMOUTH. BH89UJ. | t: 01202 526289 | e.: [email protected] NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2016 STAFF NEWS We are sorry to say goodbye to Mrs Colette Nickolls after 19 years of loyal service to the school in the school office. We wish her all the very best. We welcome….. Mrs Olga Watson Maths teacher Miss Helen Wedge Religious Studies teacher Mrs Theresa Wilson Teaching assistant Mrs Amanda Thurgur Cover supervisor Mrs Lisa McKenzie Senior administrator/PA to the Bursar (joining us in November) ENGLISH MARY BEDFORD CREATIVE WRITING he annual Mary Bedford Creative Writing competition this year invited students to produce a piece of ‘flash fiction.’ This is a short story told in exactly 50 words and is harder to achieve than you may think. T We were delighted to receive a large number of entries in every age category. Themes of death and disaster dominated but there were also some wonderfully quirky and amusing twists. The quality of writing was extremely good. Congratulations to the winners, who will receive their prizes on Founders’ Day: Y7 & 8 Syeda Hussain Y9 & 10 Catherine Allport Y11 & 12 Lora Bozkhova SPELLATHON very year at this time Y7 students undertake to learn 100 challenging spellings; the list includes tricky words such as miscellaneous, parallel, vicious and vacuum, so is no easy feat. As well as improving their spelling, the girls are encouraged to get sponsorship and raise money E for Mencap, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities. Parents of Year 7 girls, do help your daughters to prepare for this challenge! © BOURNEMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS CASTLE GATE CLOSE. CASTLE LANE WEST. BOURNEMOUTH. BH89UJ. | t: 01202 526289 | e.: [email protected] NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2016 ENGLISH CONTINUED…. YEAR 8 SHAKESPEARE DAY ith Shakespeare’s death being 400 years ago, some students find the bard’s work dull and often incomprehensible. Members of year 12 aimed to rectify this, organising and hosting a day of workshops and group performances for all of year 8. Packed into D1 on W the July 12th, the day was kicked off with separation into groups and an introduction to a selection of some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. Each group then moved to separate rooms where a team of sixth form volunteers led a number of different activities based around one of six plays, including Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest. These activities gave the year 8’s enough understanding to produce their own interpretation of the plays, combining dance, artistic and musical talents learnt both in lessons and through extra-curricular activities. These interpretations were presented to the whole year group in the afternoon and a competitive element was introduced through the addition of a chocolate prize. The English department, who kindly supported the event, judged the presentations, with a clear winner being chosen. The witty and innovative modern day interpretation of Antony and Cleopatra included rap music and a spectacular dance off between a Roman nightclub and an Egyptian pub. The day could not have been put on without the year 12 organisers and the help and support of the English and Performing Arts departments, with special thanks going to Mrs Burdett. A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all. By Jack Searle and Leah Robb PERFORMING ARTS BOURNEMOUTH ‘ARTS BY THE SEA’ FESTIVAL Rhianydd Davies (11A) and Naomi Leigh (10C) entered the ‘Call for Scores’ composition competition and had their piece ‘Song of the Sea’ selected for a workshop and performance by the Kokoro, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra New Music Group. This was a competition for students up to the age of 18 and Rhianydd and Naomi did extremely well to have their music chosen for this performance. Richard Burdett / Director of Music and Performing Arts FORTHCOMING EVENTS: AUTUMN CONCERT Thursday 10th November 6.30pm BSG School Hall. Tickets £3.50 (incl interval drink) available on ParentPay BSMA CAROL FESTIVAL Tuesday 22nd / Wednesday 23rd November 7pm Pavilion Theatre Tickets from Pavilion Theatre CAROL CONCERT Thursday 8th December 7pm St Francis’ Church Free admission © BOURNEMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS CASTLE GATE CLOSE. CASTLE LANE WEST. BOURNEMOUTH. BH89UJ. | t: 01202 526289 | e.: [email protected] NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2016 FORTHCOMING EVENTS CONTINUED: SCHOOL PRODUCTION: ‘GREASE’ (with Bournemouth School) PERFORMANCE DATES AND TIMES: Wednesday 30th November 7.30pm Thursday 1st December 7.30pm Friday 2nd December 7.30pm Saturday 3rd December 7.30pm (GALA) BSG School Hall Tickets £8 / £5 (conc), GALA £9 / £6 conc (incl pre-show drink) Available from Tuesday 1 November (advance cast booking from Monday 24 October) Log on to www.bsgtickets.co.uk to book your tickets! © BOURNEMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS CASTLE GATE CLOSE. CASTLE LANE WEST. BOURNEMOUTH. BH89UJ. | t: 01202 526289 | e.: [email protected] NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2016 GEOGRAPHY YEAR 10 TRIP TO HENGISTBURY HEAD ear 10 Geography students have recently visited Hengistbury Head to investigate coastal processes and management. Y The sandstone cliffs looked very impressive in the October sunshine. Ms Stowe Head of Geography HISTORY & POLITICS YEAR 8 HISTORY TRIP TO HAMPTON COURT PALACE o build on their knowledge of the Tudor period and Henry VIII in particular, year 8 visited Hampton Court Palace on the banks of the River Thames. T Each class undertook a workshop led by a costumed Tudor guide on the Tudor kitchens or the religious rollercoaster of changes from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. The guides were very enthusiastic and informative. The girls responded really well to the activities set and asked some excellent questions for their assessment task on Hampton Court as a reflection of Henry VIII’s wealth and power.