23 January 2026
23 January 2026
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Above - It's all happening at Ski Fit sessions on Friday mornings!
Here to help
Here to help
Mrs Fowler
Success at school depends on much more than just teaching and learning in the classroom. Every child is different and from time to time, some will need more help than others to be happy and healthy in school, both physically and emotionally.
Pastoral care here is second to none, and it begins with class teachers who are parents' and pupils' first ports of call. Additionally, we have a team of pastoral experts who are always on hand, all with one objective in common - supporting girls to achieve and succeed. Some of our newer parents might not yet know about two of our key players in this endeavour, Mrs Williams and Mrs Maxted:
Our School Nurse, Brenda Williams, is a highly qualified paediatric nurse with over 25 years of experience working with children with complex medical needs.
Brenda spent 16 years at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in a senior managerial level and four years at Nottingham University Hospitals QMC where she was the manager of Children’s Outpatients. She joined NGHS in 2009.
Brenda's role is all about helping pupils to fulfil their educational potential by supporting their emotional and physical needs in the school environment. She manages the medical details of all students and liaises with parents and any relevant external bodies. She also carries out routine wellbeing checks on pupils and oversees the administration of medication in school. This includes helping with allergies and other medical conditions that require extra attention.
Meet Mrs Maxted!
Meet Mrs Maxted!
"I have been Head of Educational Support for five years at NGHS; my role is to support pupils with any aspect of their learning that they find tricky, and provide strategies that may help them overcome these barriers to their learning. This sometimes involves working 1:1 with students, or supporting teachers in the classroom.
Previously, I worked mainly in Rotherham schools as a PE teacher, SENCO and head teacher. I remain passionate about sport and I love going to watch football, rugby, cricket, golf and tennis; my favourite football team is Sheffield Wednesday - which makes me a blue and white owl! I live on the edge of the Peak District and I love nothing more than walking in the countryside and enjoying the fabulous scenery that the area has to offer.
"I love my job at NGHS; our students are so keen, motivated and hard-working, and they are a joy to work with. The staff are also so welcoming, and I feel very well looked after and appreciated here. Overall I feel that this is a fantastic, inclusive school that offers great opportunities to all its students!"
A space for calm, comfort and connection
A space for calm, comfort and connection
Our Sensory Room has been created as a quiet, therapeutic space where girls can decompress, self‑regulate and reset during the school day. Soft lighting, tactile resources, gentle soundscapes and calming visuals work together to make the space feel safe and soothing.
Using the room is neither a reward or a consequence, but a supportive tool that recognises emotional regulation as a skill to be taught and practised. For some pupils, a few minutes in a calm environment can be the difference between feeling overwhelmed and being ready to re‑engage with learning.
Understanding the needs of girls who mask
Research highlights what many educators observe: girls often present emotional or behavioural needs differently from boys. Many become skilled at masking - hiding signs of anxiety, sensory overload or neurodivergent traits in order to 'fit in'.
Girls who mask may appear calm while experiencing significant internal stress, which can lead to exhaustion or shutdowns later at home. Early intervention and supportive environments are therefore vital.
The Sensory Room offers a place where pupils can safely lower their mask, step away from a busy school day, and regulate their emotions before returning to class. For those experiencing anxiety, sensory sensitivity or social fatigue, this can be transformative.
Supporting emotional literacy and regulation
Alongside the physical space, our pastoral team will help pupils develop strategies such as:
recognising early signs of feeling overwhelmed
using breathing and grounding techniques
understanding sensory triggers
building confidence in asking for help
These lifelong skills support both academic progress and emotional wellbeing.
A community effort
The Sensory Room reflects our commitment to nurturing the whole child and is the result of collaboration across staff and the wider school community. Above all, it represents our belief that every girl deserves to feel seen, supported, and understood.
We are now seeking a gentle, student‑friendly name for the room. Please send suggestions to l.fowler@not.gdst.net - we look forward to sharing the chosen name soon.
What is a Sensory Regulation Room?
A calm, therapeutic space that helps pupils decompress, self‑regulate and reset using soft lighting, tactile resources, gentle sounds, and soothing visuals.
Why has the school created this space?
Children learn best when emotionally grounded. Pupils experiencing anxiety, sensory overload, or social fatigue benefit from a quiet place to pause and regain control before returning to learning.
Who can use the Sensory Room?
Any pupil who needs a moment to regulate. Staff might suggest it, or pupils may request it. It is not a reward or consequence but a wellbeing tool.
How does this support girls who mask symptoms?
Many girls hide signs of anxiety or sensory distress to 'fit in', which can lead to emotional exhaustion. The room provides a safe space to lower their mask, regulate and receive support before difficulties escalate.
Will this replace pastoral support?
No. It enhances our existing pastoral care, led by class teachers and the pastoral team.
How long do pupils spend in the room?
Typically 5–10 minutes, although this varies. Staff guide pupils back to learning when they feel ready.
How will I know if my child uses the room?
Parents will be informed if use is regular or part of an ongoing support plan. Occasional use is considered normal pastoral care.
PRELOVED UNIFORM POP-UP SHOP
in the Rainbow Room
Mon 2 Feb 08:00-08:30, then 1600-18:00
Tue 3 Feb 08:00-08:30, then 1600-18:00
Wed 4 Feb 08:00-08:30
Huge savings - many items as good as new
NOTICE FOR YEAR 5 PARENTS
NOTICE FOR YEAR 5 PARENTS
Mrs Crawshaw and Mr Cox
We look forward to welcoming Year 5 for their all-important evacuation to the safety of the Leicestershire countryside, on Friday. This will be a testing time for everyone concerned, including our WRVS helpers - Mrs Eggington and Miss Robinson - who will provide wartime entertainment 😟
Advice from previous evacuees (below) includes: "Wrap up warm - heating fuel was rationed during the war and I remember it being REALLY cold at Beaumanor Hall, even though we were indoors." "Don't forget your gas mask!" "The air raid shelter experience was really interesting, with very realistic special effects."
Sports Desk
Sports Desk
Miss Abbott
On Wednesday, our Year 6 netball team travelled to Oakham School where they were pitted against a Year 7 'B' team and came away with a very creditable 5-5 draw. Congratulations to Claudia who was voted player of the match by our opponents - overall, this was great preparation for future matches and especially the upcoming GDST Condover weekend. Well done, everyone!
Our annual SKI FIT programme is now well underway, in preparation for our return visit to Aprica in Italy at the end of the Spring Term. Further information - including a full kit list - will be made available within the next ten days.
Celebrating teachers and education
Celebrating teachers and education
The School of Education at the University of Nottingham has joined forces with Notts County Football Club to celebrate teachers who have a real impact on learners and create spaces where everyone feels valued, included and seen.
For pupils, this is an opportunity to nominate a teacher and tell them how they make a real difference to you or our school (see link below).
Miss Abbott says she was inspired in 'everything sporty' by her own primary school PE teacher, Miss Kiernan. Editor - Miss Kiernan has a lot to answer for.
Miss Duce says ...
"My nursery teacher, Mrs Lowe, made learning fun. I recall role playing a hairdresser, putting lots of clips in her hair to give her a restyle! My passion for Early Years stems from my own early education with Mrs Lowe, and I was further inspired when I did work experience with her prior to teacher training. I especially remember her patience and enthusiasm!"
MrElkington remembers ...
"Miss Jones was the Year 4 teacher who sparked my curiosity in history, the natural world and science through her enthusiasm and the trips which she planned. She encouraged us to follow our interests and made learning exciting. Nearly fifty years on, I often think that her own passion for learning played a big part in my inquisitiveness and lifelong enjoyment of 'finding out about stuff’!"
Mrs Bailey recalls ...
"Miss Ling was my first teacher in Reception class. She wore crazy clothes and stripey socks, and she brought her things for school in a big basket on the front of her bicycle. She was kind and caring, and I adored her. Looking back, I think my desire to be a teacher came from her - she was my inspiration."
Teachers who inspired me
Teachers who inspired me
Mr Cox
Above: Yes, girls - there was a time when your teachers had to remember their PE kits on the right days!
Below: The books read to me by my teachers in Years 3 and 4.
I can remember all of my teachers. It was Mrs Carpenter in Year 1 who gently explained to me, "Eighty and ninety are not followed by tenty." She was closely followed by the big-hearted Mrs Boon who tapped into my very good spatial awareness and my love of Lego to demystify number bonds once and for all. Then came the ever-so-artistic Miss Weaver and Mrs Hibbins whose passions for great storytelling and exciting books made me the avid reader, writer and narrator that I am today.
Miss Rowney followed in Year 5, and was a stickler for clear handwriting. She had a broad Scottish accent, and I recall her rolling her Rs as she modelled joining them on the blackboard. To this day, my 'best handwriting' is 100% attributable to Miss Rowney's never-ending supply of chalk and patience.
But the most special place in my memory goes to Mr Murphy, in Years 6 and 7. He was the teacher who encouraged me to take to the stage - first as the devil who taunted Adam and Eve in The Fall, and then as the sly singing fox in the tale of Chanticleer and Pertelote. The former involved donning Mrs Murphy's black hooded cape and evening gloves, and the latter 'chasing hens' wearing a pair of my mother's red tights and in front of a special royal guest 😳
Mr Murphy also had a talent for conjuring up the most interesting curriculum visits which are still firm in my memory - these included an outing to a trout farm (fascinating, but it did put me off fish for a while), and a tour of a Tupperware factory with all its amazing machinery!
Above: Yes, that's me centre stage in 1980! The eagle-eyed among you might recognise Princess Anne's trademark cottage loaf hairdo in the front row, unchanged to this day!
Poetry, please
Poetry, please
Mrs Crabtree
The GDST Laurie Magnus Poetry Prize was established in memory of Laurie Magnus by his widow. Laurie Magnus was a GDST Council member from 1907, and Chairman from 1929 until his death in 1933. He also wrote The Jubilee Book of the Girls’ Day School Trust (1923).
This year's competition provides an opportunity for girls in Years 1-6 to compose a poem on any subject. Entries should:
have a title
be typed in WORD
be attached to an email and sent to Miss Morley k.morley@not.gdst.net no later than 9am on Friday 6 March.
This is a great opportunity for ambitious girls to be creative, with the chance of winning a prize.
Kindness across the generations
Kindness across the generations
Mrs Fowler
Well done to Katharina from 5MC whose beautifully written Christmas card to 80 year-old NGHS alumna Valerie Walker recently elicited a lovely reply!
Valerie is from the Class of 1964; she studied at Liverpool University in the late 60s, qualifying in medicine and eventually specialising in children's biochemistry. She finally retired at the age of 79, after completing research and writing papers with University Hospital & Southampton University Medical school. WHAT A LIFE, VALERIE!
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