13 September 2024
An update from Miss Abbott 🏆
A very warm welcome back to an exciting year of Physical Education! I hope you enjoyed this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics - athletes from the Games will feature on our PE noticeboard this year, as we consider who has best demonstrated our Recipe for Success when competing. We start with Zakia Khudadadi, a member of the Refugee Paralympic Team who won bronze in Taekwondo, so please do take time to read her story of RESILIENCE. A full inter-house and sports fixtures list will also be displayed and we hope that as many girls as possible will join a sports club, ensuring that they remain active and enthusiastic throughout the school day!
You may remember our Sheriff’s Challenge from last year where we logged our mileage from residential and field trips, swimming and Monday Mile Club, as well as any walking completed outside of school. NGHS Juniors finished in second place, with 3,471.9 miles and averaging 28.9 miles per student in Years 3-6. Well done, girls.
Swimming lessons start this week for Year 5, and on 20 September for Year 6. After Christmas, we will welcome Years 3 and 4 to the pool, and girls in Nursery to Year 2 will swim in the Summer Term. The state-of-the-art pool has a moveable floor, so all abilities are catered for at appropriate depths, and the instruction is excellent. We are looking forward to seeing all the girls excel!
Finally, just a reminder that when your daughter has hockey lessons (Y5/Y6 Autumn Term, Y4/Y4 from just before Christmas), she should have a mouthguard and shinpads. These can be purchased from any sports shop and are essential kit items - without a mouthguard, your daughter will not be permitted to participate in any game play.
Above and below - two examples of products which do not have ingredients stated on individual packets.
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 this important information is not printed on individual items.
Botanical Birthdays 🌿
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 will 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 bulbs (e.g. daffodils, allium) which can be planted during your daughter's Outdoor Learning or Science lessons, and which will last into the future. ***
🐱 Let's Build a Bear! 🧸
(Although we came back with a cat instead)
Mrs Brown
Reception had a wonderful time visiting Build a Bear in Sheffield on Tuesday. The girls were extremely excited to be choosing and making a class friend. Lots of important decisions were made, and finally 'Rainbow' was created - and with a set of special outfits too! Rainbow is very much looking forward to her adventures during the year with RB. What a great start to our school year!
We're freezing in Year 5! ⛄
Mrs Crawshaw
In 5C, our girls have had a fabulous start to science lessons, studying the properties of materials and how they can be changed. This week, they learnt how to make delicious ice-cream with flavoured milk, ice cubes and salt - YES, SALT - and without using a freezer!
JUNIOR ECO COMMITTEE 🌳
(Years 1 to 6)
Miss Simmonds and Miss Whitehead
Would you like to participate in school eco projects, to help raise awareness about green issues and suggest new ideas for us to care for our environment?
Meet once every half term
Speak in assemblies
Relay information to your class
Help to organise competitions
Visit local green projects
♻️
Applications should be given to form teachers by Friday 27 September.
(With apologies to Mr Elkington)
We’re the tops!
Wear the tops! 👕
On Tuesday 24 September, girls are invited to come to school wearing a sports top of their choice instead of their usual shirt and jumper - perhaps the shirt of a favourite football, ice hockey or rugby team, or maybe a top associated with a team or club that you represent outside of school. Our aim will be to celebrate the diverse range of sports and activities that we enjoy at NGHS and during our leisure time.
If you do not have a sports top, feel free to wear your usual PE performance polo shirt or house colour t-shirt instead. 😀
Year 6 have been warned ⚠️
Mrs Braud and Mr Cox
As part of our progressive approach to PSHE and Citizenship, girls from 6B and 6C spent Friday at Warning Zone, a Leicester-based charity dedicated to teaching life-skills and safeguarding children. The day also involved working with an NGHS Year 7 tutor, Miss Taylor - one of the many ice-breaking opportunities that are built into the Year 6 transition programme.
This study visit was all about understanding and assessing risks (e.g. crossing roads, what to do in the event of fire, using electricity safely), peer pressure (e.g. alcohol), anti-social behaviour and consequences - with special attention paid to the dangers of cyber-bullying, online grooming and scammers.
Well done, Year 6 - you were excellent ambassadors for our school and you engaged imaginatively and thoughtfully with the activities and challenges set. 👍
NGHS alumnae flying high 🎖️
Nottingham Women’s History Group was formed in 2010 with the aim of celebrating, promoting and researching the contributions of women to our local and national story.
The group has recently published Nottingham Herstory, a celebration of fifty remarkable women who were born, lived or achieved in our city - four of whom were NGHS alumnae.
One such example is Eleanor Wadsworth (née Fish, 1917-2020) who was educated at Nottingham Girls' High School and who became an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot during the Second World War. Over the course of the conflict, Eleanor flew 22 different types of aircraft including Hurricanes, Barracuda bombers and Mustang fighters, and achieved the rank of Third Officer - later earning a Blue Peter gold badge for her work as the BBC sought to emphasize the wartime contribution of women to a younger generation, and subsequently honoured with obituaries in The Times and The Guardian.
🍾 Partying for a good cause! 🥂
The NGHS Glitter Ball is set to be a wonderful evening of glitz and dancing, and a perfect chance to connect with other families in our school community. Tickets will be available until Monday 23rd September, and we’d love to see as many of you there as possible. Don’t miss out on this special night – secure your tickets now and join us for what promises to be a fantastic event!
With live music from The Money, a drinks reception and a three-course meal, we have some fantastic money-can’t-buy auction prizes for on the night, including Cook-a-Long with BBC Chef Mark Lloyd, a Fantasy Island weekend lodge break with hot tub and six entry passes, and a Weavers Wine tasting event hosted in your own home - with many more to be shared on the night.
We are very happy to arrange tables for those who wish to purchase just one or two tickets; our ambition is that every year group is represented at this whole school event.
An evening of fun and entertainment, and all for a great cause - the Nottingham Girls’ High School Bursary Fund.
Saturday 12 October 2024 7pm - 1am
at the East Midlands Conference Centre
Can't come to the ball?
If you cannot attend this year's Glitter Ball, there's another way in which generous families can support the NGHS Bursary Fund - by helping us to stock some extravagant hampers as raffle prizes to be drawn on the night! Please give donations to your daughter's form teacher by Friday 27 September, and thank you in advance for your support. ❤️
Chocolates
Beauty products and beauty gift sets
Luxury biscuit tins
Speciality teas and coffees
Family rainy day activities – board games, popcorn and snacks
Family day out vouchers
Gift vouchers - Amazon, cinema, Netflix or similar
Wine, soft drinks, spirits
Empty hamper baskets or gift boxes