2 May 2025
2 May 2025
Embedded Files
Good luck to everyone in this week's annual NGHS Juniors Sponsored Spell!
Fun at the farm!
Fun at the farm!
Miss Duce
At the end of last term, Nursery enjoyed a visit to the Farmer Barnes Dairy near Melton Mowbray to support their farm animals topic.
They were excited to learn about the milking process and saw the huge tank where milk is stored before it goes off to be processed into cheese and butter - it was VERY cold. 🥶
The girls were then thrilled to meet calves who were not yet old enough to go out into the fields; Farmer Jane taught them that females are called cows, males are called bulls, and baby females are called heifers. Finally, there was an opportunity to enjoy deliciously nutritious milkshakes!
NGHS JUNIORS ANNUAL SPONSORED SPELL 🔤 🐝
NGHS JUNIORS ANNUAL SPONSORED SPELL 🔤 🐝
A REMINDER
Thank you to everyone who has already sponsored their daughters for this important fixture in our Junior School calendar, and well done to the girls who have already been overheard practising with their friends. Our four staff entrants are preparing to enter the ring where they will be tested on a list of demon words prepared by Mr Elkington and our Year 6 Sisters of Charity - Mrs Bailey is hoping to hold on to her winning position from last year, however there are three other members of our teaching and support staff who are determined to knock her off her pedestal!
Pupil challenges (ranging from 10 to 100 words, mostly from the government’s statutory lists) will allow every girl to be rewarded with the satisfaction of doing her bit for someone else, as well as opportunities to earn coveted places in the Book of Excellence and special edition achievement certificates for exceptional progress or effort. Tests will take place during the week beginning 12 May (in instalments for some year groups).
We are sensitive to the ages, needs and learning styles of all pupils, and would ask parents to join us in emphasizing the ‘taking part’ aspect of this team endeavour as well as the importance of revision. Please be reassured that words will for the most part have already been taught and tested this year – there should be no nasty surprises! For now, please just motivate your daughter by helping or encouraging her to revise, using any resources provided by her teacher. In the meantime, thank you for your generosity and here is a breakdown of the challenges to be set for each year group:
Nursery : 10 words * Reception : 20 words
Y1-2 : 50 words * Y3-4 : 75 words * Y5-6 : 100 words
If you have not yet had a chance to support our 2025 fundraiser - this year in aid of the Royal National Lifeboats Association (RNLI) in memory of Mrs Sail's late husband, Grant - please use the link below:
Pieces of eight 🏴☠️
Pieces of eight 🏴☠️
Mrs Garton
As an introduction to their current Pirates topic, Year 1 recently enjoyed a drama workshop with an expert in living history.
Activities included going on a 'pirate adventure' to several destinations, including seeing penguins in Antarctica, swimming with dolphins to reach a volcano, and eventually - with the assistance of some very helpful monkeys and parrots - locating treasure on a Polynesian island.
These memorable activities will now support the girls as they write a pirate adventure in English lessons, with the arrrghh topic crossing over into mathematics, science and geography too! 🦜
Coming very soon to Year 4!
Coming very soon to Year 4!
Miss Baker, Mr Cox, Mrs Eggington, Mrs Price
We are so excited about next week's BRAND NEW residential study visit and field trip, which will see 4B and 4M spending three days at the How Hill Trust Education Centre on the Norfolk Broads!
Lessons will include tracking animals and capturing footage of local wildlife such as hedgehogs, foxes, squirrels and deer, plus we'll be dyke dipping to catch and identify water invertebrates - all linked to our current English and science topics, and based in a beautiful Arts & Crafts house which was once the country home of one of the Colman's Mustard heiresses.
Specifically, the settings and workshops at How Hill support the girls' Summer Term studies of Water in the Environment and their current English fiction text, The Iron Woman. Written by Ted Hughes in 1993, this novel looks at the environmental harm done to wetland invertebrates, mammals and birds by human activities that pollute watercourses - a book which is now considered very much ahead of its time.
Right: The Iron Woman - representing Gaia, or Mother Nature - wreaks revenge on polluting humans by turning them into water-dwelling creatures, in the hope that they will learn what it is like to live in polluted rivers and wetlands.
Summer of Sound
Summer of Sound
Dates for your diary, from Mr Rolfe
Preparations are now well underway for a busy term of music-making in the sunshine!
Wed 14 May - Junior School Summer Concert
17:30 - 18:30 in the Squire Performing Arts Centre
Percussion Ensemble, Junior Steel Pans, Brass and Wind Ensemble, String Orchestra, String Quartet, Ukuladies, Flute Choir, Treble Clefs and Vocalise Choirs.
Tue 10 June - Year 4 Informal Concert
14:00 - 15:00 in the Junior School Hall
Wed 1/Thu 2 July - Years 5-6 My Son Pinocchio
Time tbc, in the Squire Performing Arts Centre
Mon 7 July - Da Capo and EYFS concert
14:00 in the Junior School Hall
Also coming up on our fast-moving musical highway is a third, final and very special edition of the Music Ambassadors' podcast in which the Music Department will square up to the PE Department in a number of inter-departmental challenges!
Above: Girls practising in our specialist Percussion Suite which is equipped with drum kits, a marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel and timpanis, as well as more comtemporary outlets.
PERCUSSION CLUB 🥁
PERCUSSION CLUB 🥁
Mr Robertson
Percussion Club meets before school on Mondays and is open to girls who have drum kit and percussion lessons, to build upon what they are taught during those sessions. Playing in an ensemble helps to develop key musicianship skills such as listening, balancing dynamic within the group, and following a conductor. It also enables girls to develop their confidence and social skills, as the ensemble performs in concerts throughout the year. Subject to availability and experience, the club accepts new members throughout the year - email j.robertson@not.gdst.net for further details.
Cricketing update 🏏
Cricketing update 🏏
Miss Abbott
Our first fixture of the Summer Term was played under beautiful blue skies against Nottingham High School, and our Year 5 and 6 cricketers were out in force.
Year 6 fell to a narrow defeat; tied scores as the final ball was bowled made for a tense finale, but alas a wicket was claimed and our match ended with a 5-run defeat. Next time, girls 💪🏼
Our Year 5/6 mixed team also fell to a loss, albeit with Liliana being the only player from either match to score a 6 - well done!
We live to fight another day, and we are already looking forward to the GDST cricket rally at Northampton High School in a fortnight 😀
From our ancient Rome correspondent (!)
From our ancient Rome correspondent (!)
Mr Cox's recent study visit has taken him to Italy, where he has been brushing up on Roman history and his rather rusty schoolboy Latin. Although this coincided with the funeral of Pope Francis, it still presented him with opportunities to learn more about Renaissance art at the Borghese Gallery and Vatican, and view the most recent finds and reconstructions at Pompeii and the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
He looks forward to chatting with Year 4 on his return, as much of his recent learning was linked to the plot and settings of Escape from Pompeii - which the girls read last term - and has allowed him to explore how artefacts, locations and events can be used to inspire creative writing and historical enquiry.
GIRL POWER! ⚡
GIRL POWER! ⚡
Miss Abbott
It's always a pleasure to write about sporting efforts and achievements that happen during physical education lessons, on sports days and at home and away fixtures, but it's equally motivating to report news of girls applying the RESILIENCE and POSITIVITY which are instilled at school, at home and in teams further afield.
Two recent examples that come to mind are Tala from 6C and Sophia from 5C ...
🚴🏼♀️
🚴🏼♀️
Congratulations first to Tala who recently cycled from London to Paris on the scenic Avenue Verte. She covered 206 miles over seven days, with the furthest single day being 42 miles.
Although they were understandably sore by the last day, Tala and her parents pushed themselves to the finishing line, with the added achievement of Tala raising £155 for her local hockey club through sponsorship, which will help to fund a future team tour in the Netherlands.
* What an accomplishment! *
🏸
🏸
More exciting news from across the English Channel! Well done also to Sophia who - together with her older sister Michelle - competed in the Junior Olve Badminton Tournament in Belgium during the Easter break, winning silver medals in both the girls double and mixed double events.
And thank you to Sophia's mother who wrote to Mrs Fowler:
"We appreciate the school for always supporting the girls being active and performing their best in their favourite sport."
* You smashed it, Sophia! *
Music Makers return! 🎻🎺
Music Makers return! 🎻🎺
Week 1 - Monday 14 to Friday 18 July
Week 2 - Monday 21 to Friday 25 July
Music Makers has delivered inspirational courses at NGHS for the past eighteen years, aimed at children from a range of ages in a secure and exciting environment. This is all about enriching attendees' experience of music with new ideas.
The course - developed and run by Mr Rolfe - is one of the few music summer schools that welcomes both absolute beginners and more experienced musicians. Beginners are enthused by starter instrumental lessons and workshops, and more advanced musicians are challenged with innovative activities. Each weekly course concludes with a concert, where everyone can showcase their talents to family and friends. All activities are led by a highly experienced and fully DBS-checked team of professionals, including visiting musicians and student volunteers.
Page updated
Report abuse