11 September 2026
11 September 2026
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Above: See Chloe's report, The wheels on the bus
Year 1 step back in time🧸🪀
Year 1 step back in time🧸🪀
Mrs Garton
As part of their TOYS - Then and Now topic, girls from Year 1 recently enjoyed a visit to the National Trust's Children's Country House at Sudbury in Derbyshire.
This was an opportunity to explore the differences between toys from the past and present day by examining materials, colours and uses, and by discussing how play has evolved over the years. Handling objects in a curator-led workshop was especially enjoyable, as was touring the toy galleries in the museum and the formal gardens outside. A highlight for many of the girls was squeezing through tiny spaces as child chimney sweeps would have done in the past!
Developing a sense of change over time can be quite a tricky concept for young minds, but these girls are well on the way to becoming junior historians with an interest in yesteryear and how it has helped to shape our lives today - well done, 1G!
Free ice cream for Year 5 🍨
Free ice cream for Year 5 🍨
Mr Cox
5C's science lesson had a very practical and hands-on focus this week, creating sub-zero saline solutions and witnessing what happens when liquids becomes solids through freezing.
More importantly, the girls' experiment involved a range of Lidl's finest flavoured milks which - once sufficiently encased in a super cold saline - turned into the most delicious ice cream! 😋
Musical notes 🎷
Musical notes 🎷
Mr Rolfe
Welcome back to another brilliant year of learning in a school that boasts a rich history of music making! Nominated three times in recent years for the national Music Department of the Year award, we celebrate our love of all things melodic through many genres and styles, ranging from high energy rock bands in city venues to classical choirs in local churches.
Our exciting 2026-2027 extra-curricular programme will start next week. Email invitations to clubs and concerts have been sent home for those pupils who have been invited so far, however please note that these are based on the information which we currently hold. If your daughter would like to be involved and has not received an invitation, please reach out to m.rolfe@not.gdst.net. The Music Department is inclusive and welcoming; if there is something that we don't yet offer, we will try to find a way to accommodate you!
Lesson availability
A new academic year is always a time to invest in future musicians. In July, the Junior and Senior Schools bade farewell to outstanding Year 6 and Year 13 cohorts, so we now have vacancies to fill in all year groups to maintain our musical supply chain! We are especially keen to hear from prospective new students of the flute, saxophone, clarinet, bassoon, cello, violin, oboe, guitar and harp - as well as all brass instruments.
We are often able to lend instruments, so please reach out if your daughter would like a free trial lesson!
Lastly, we welcome Mr Lorrimore-Davis (right) to our team of specialist tutors. He brings tremendous energy, enthusiasm and experience to Nottingham Girls, and he is eager to welcome new saxophone and clarinet pupils. Feel free to contact him at m.lorrimore-davis@not.gdst.net.
Here's our current calendar for the Autumn Term. Full details will be provided three weeks prior to each event:
Making her mark
Making her mark
Miss Duce
Our youngest pupils in Nursery and Pre School have recently enjoyed exploring a range of techniques to create different marks on paper and other materials.
This activity is a good basis for early writing skills as it develops hand-eye coordination, fine motor strength and allows children to then create letter shapes. Well done for working so carefully, girls!
A positive start
A positive start
Miss Baker
In PSHE and as part of their HERSTORY topic, Year 2 recently put actions to our STAR Code by contributing to an ongoing piece of art. This involves girls adding stickers whenever they see the code applied by a classmate.
Click on the GALLERY below to crack the STAR Code!
2B have also been reintroduced to the GDST Positive Project's emotional barometer. They role played different scenarios, used their drama skills to act out different emotions, and then composed entries for their Positive Journals. Well done, girls - learning to name, describe and share feelings is an important part of growing up!
From the author herself 🖊️
From the author herself 🖊️
Mr Cox
Girls in Year 5 recently read Journey to Jo'burg, a children's classic by the acclaimed South African-born author Beverley Naidoo. Set in the apartheid era, the novel includes aspects of historic racism and discrimination which are very much at odds with our inclusive values of today.
Well done to everyone who used their creativity to design alternative covers for the book, and congratulations to Marni, Isabelle, Penelope, Kiara, Helia and Isla for writing to Beverley Naidoo about their reading experiences. Her reply is below!
Botanical Birthdays 🌿
Botanical Birthdays 🌿
A reminder about our ongoing green initiative for girls' birthdays
Bringing in sweets and cakes for birthday treats is becoming more difficult with food intolerances, allergies and our healthy eating agenda.
Please consider donating a potted house plant to the school instead. These indoor plants can be labelled with birthday girls' names and cared for by their classes, whilst also making their classroom more environmentally friendly places.
*** Alternatively, you can donate spring flowering bulbs (e.g. daffodils, allium) for planting during your daughter's outdoor learning or science lessons, which which will last into the future. ***
Below: As well as looking good, indoor and outdoor plants support human health in homes and workplaces, improving both wellbeing and productivity!
The wheels on the bus 🚌
The wheels on the bus 🚌
Travelling to and from school by bus promotes self-reliance and social skills, and helps parents to cope with their own busy schedules. It can also be a great way to reduce carbon footprints and avoid the stress of the school run!
Thank you to Chloe S from Year 6, for her own account:
"I like the new bus because my driver is really friendly and I get home earlier than I used to. It's a good way to set myself up for the morning because it gives me time to wake up properly - and after school, I can relax because it's nice and quiet. I go on the Mansfield route; it takes a while, so I usually read a book and it's a great place to wind down. It also gives me a bit of independence, ready for Year 7!"
Tooth be told! 😁
Tooth be told! 😁
Mrs Crawshaw and Mrs Crabtree
Year 4 have been getting to grips with all things dental in science this week, and they now know their incisors from their molars! The girls worked hard to identify different types of human teeth, explaining their functions such as cutting, tearing and grinding.
What a fabulous learning experience, using real-life dentist moulds and mirrors - and thankfully no actual teeth were lost in the process!
Above and below - examples of multipacks which do not have ingredients stated on individual packets.
FOOD BROUGHT IN FROM HOME 🍬
FOOD BROUGHT IN FROM HOME 🍬
An important reminder from Mrs Fowler
If you intend to send in treats for your daughter’s class on her birthday or any other occasion, these must be COMPLETELY NUT FREE and individually wrapped with all ingredients and allergens printed on each wrapper. Treats will be sent home with pupils, for parents or guardians to decide whether they can be consumed. They must not be eaten at school.
Due to various allergies - whether known or unknown - we are unable to distribute any treats that fall short of these rules. This includes items contained within multipacks which may display ingredients on the main packet, but where allergen information is not printed on individual items.
PE REPORT 🏃♀️🏃🏽♀️
PE REPORT 🏃♀️🏃🏽♀️
Miss Abbott
A warm welcome back to another term packed full of sporting opportunities - when is it not?!
Next week will see Years 5-6 trying out for our 2026-2027 cross country teams, and in PE lessons we have our first inter House event – the Y5/Y6 pentathlon. Who will score highest? Which House will emerge victorious, and who can then build on their fitness as the year progresses?
Our annual swimming programme also started today for Years 5-6; they will be followed by Years 2-4 in the Spring Term, then Nursery to Year 1 in the summer.
Please remember - earrings are not allowed in any swimming or PE lessons, so should not be worn to school on those days. Religious bracelets should be removed or covered safely with a sweatband.
It is lovely to see so many girls from Year 3 upwards wearing our new style PE kit, but please help your daughter by ensuring it is the appropriate size. Many skorts have been bought ‘to grow into’, however these are liable to fall down as girls run. Tracksuit trousers should also be turned up to the correct length to prevent tripping, and all kit should be clearly named.
iPads and Chromebooks
iPads and Chromebooks
A reminder for parents
NGHS Juniors continues to be at the forefront of classroom technology, having been an early adopter of tablets in lessons.
Girls up to Year 2 use iPads, and girls from Year 3 upwards use Google Chromebooks. This progression widens their expertise with different devices and operating systems, and helps with the development of keyboard skills.
In terms of headphones or earphones which you provide for use in school, both devices are Bluetooth compatible - however please be reminded that the jacks for any wired earpieces is different:
New for Year 1
New for Year 1
Year 1 were recently upgraded to new iPads with just one multi-use USB-C port. This can be used for headphones by using a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adaptor, or by using headphones that have a USB-C connector.
Year 2
Year 2
Apple Lightning connection for iPad
Year 3 upwards
Year 3 upwards
3.5mm jack for Chromebook
Squire Performing Arts Centre - What's On
Squire Performing Arts Centre - What's On
There are some great shows coming up over the next few months at the Squire Performing Arts Centre - and there really is something for everyone! Click on the links below for information and bookings, or view What's On HERE.
🎶 Becky Syson & Lauren South: Friday 16th October 2026
Borne out of a friendship that blossomed through shared musical experiences, motherhood, folk festivals and a desire to connect with others, singer-songwriters Becky Syson and Lauren South join forces for a unique evening celebrating original song.
Popular Nottinghamshire-based Becky Syson is described as ‘the Mike Tyson of singers’, with BBC Introducing East Midlands writing, ‘An incredible artist; we love what she does’. With countless blooms of first-rate songs and an infectious personality on stage it’s no wonder that she’s highly received by audiences and promoters alike. Becky has been featured on BBC Radio Nottingham and Lincoln, gigged with Jake Bugg, and performed at festivals both in the UK and internationally.
Multi-instrumentalist Lauren South is renowned for songs which exude heartfelt emotion, inspired by the natural world and her journey through motherhood. Lauren’s debut solo album was released in 2023 to critical acclaim, featuring on FATEA magazine’s Spring Showcase, BBC Lincolnshire and Shropshire folk shows and BBC Introducing. Lauren is also a regular performer on the UK folk circuit and has been playing folk festival main stages since 2019.
🎶Piaf: Friday 27th November 2026
This is not a tribute show! Christine Bovill established her reputation as one of Europe’s finest interpreters of French song with her smash-hit Piaf. She now returns with a revised version of the show and looks back on her remarkable journey with a fresh take on this self-penned work. At the heart of the often funny story is a young Glasgow girl, reluctant in school French until she heard ‘that song’. Her journey is interwoven with Edith Piaf’s life and those incredible songs.
An award-winning songwriter in her own right, Bovill has toured throughout Europe and the Far East with her self-penned homage to the Little Sparrow, appearing on BBC Newsnight and on BBC Radio 4’s series, Soul Music. Her own compositions have appeared in film and TV. During her Edinburgh Fringe sell-out run at the Famous Speigeltent, she shared the stage with Charles Dumont, great friend of Piaf and, most famously, composer of ‘Non, Je ne Regrette Rien‘. Validation for her work didn’t come much higher…
🎙️ Allie Bailey - Ultrarunning: Friday 5th February 2027
Allie Bailey is an ultrarunner, coach, speaker and podcast presenter who has run in some of the most extreme places in the world, with a number of world firsts to her name.
In ‘Ultrarunning: Can you Hack It?’, the follow-up to her successful first tour ‘Running Won’t Save You’ and based on her second book, Allie offers a zero bulls*** mindset masterclass for the modern runner, as well as insight into her big adventure runs; the 200-mile ultras, the Dragon’s Back race and The Winter Spine race.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS SHOW WILL CONTAIN VERY STRONG LANGUAGE
😄What Would Victoria Do?: Friday 26th February 2027
How on earth have we all survived the past decade of modern living without Victoria Wood and her observational wit and wisdom?
What would she make of an Air Fryer? The Repair Shop? K-Pop Demon Hunters?
Paulus The Cabaret Geek is on hand to help us find answers.
From the creators behind the critically acclaimed Looking For Me Friend comes What Wood Victoria Do?, a brand new show, that takes an even deeper dive into the world of Wood. It is a celebration of those women who don’t mince their words but make everything better with a cuppa and a mutual distaste for next door’s extension: navigating friendship and loss amongst tea towels and village halls. Sit back and enjoy a fresh batch of brilliant tunes from The Victoria Wood Songbook.
Directed by the multi-award-winning Sarah-Louise Young (An Evening Without Kate Bush) this is a show not to be missed. Though Vic may be gone, she has left behind so many nuggets of advice to help us build community based upon camaraderie, gossip and Custard Creams.
So come and get your second helping of music, mirth and macaroons!
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