Our tradition of exchanging Christmas cards at school continues, and our Rainbow Room post box is open until 9am on Thursday 18th December, however we would ask that these do not contain gifts or food items.

      There will of course be occasions when families do wish to exchange personal gifts.  Please feel free to supervise this yourselves at the school gate, whilst ensuring any children's presents are taken straight home and not brought into classrooms.  Thank you.

Timings for the final day of term are as follows:

• The Dining Hall will open as usual from 07:50 and will offer a festive breakfast.  Our catering team will attend church with the girls, so the Dining Hall will close promptly when service ends.

• Pupils should arrive at school for morning registration on Friday 19th as usual.

• Girls in Reception to Year 3 will travel to St Mary's Church by school transport, and older girls will walk.  All girls should wear their usual school uniform, with NGHS school coats.  Coins in coat pockets for the customary end-of-service collection will be much appreciated - this will be in aid of Equation, a local charity that works to reduce the impact of domestic abuse and gender inequality.

• For safeguarding reasons, all pupils will return to school after the service.

• Parents may collect girls at the end of term, at 12:15.  School buses will depart at 12:30 - kindly note that there will be no After School Club provision on the last day of term.

      As Year 4 were in the midst of their own preparations for this year's Winter Lights Concert, 4B quizzed Mrs Seedhouse about her own musical experiences. She explained that she began learning the violin early and later took up the piano at the age of seventeen.  The violin has remained her instrument of choice, and this is what she teaches in the Junior School.  She encouraged everyone to take up an instrument early and mentioned that she stayed in touch with her music teacher for many years, which helped nurture her love of music.

      Mrs Seedhouse also described how in her school days, performances were held in the Senior School hall as there was no performing arts centre.  For church services, the school community gathered at All Saints Church nearby.

      We thank Mrs Seedhouse for taking the time to share her experiences with us - interrogating a primary source of historical evidence in the form of an eyewitness is a great way to explore how and why things change over time.