Above - A chance to purchase school hoodies and accessories in time for upcoming study visits and field trips - see ORDER, ORDER!
Mrs Bailey and Mr Cox
Final preparations and checks are now in hand for Year 3's brand new two-day residential study visit and field trip, just before May half term.
At Ironbridge Gorge on Day One, the girls will see evidence of the Industrial Revolution. This will involve an exploration of the Georgian legacy of canal building and ingenuity, which laid the foundations for the Victorian age.
On Day Two - at the Black Country Living Museum - the focus will shift to domestic life and childhood, including a reenactment in a Victorian classroom, exploring 19th century shops and a recreation of the experiences of young miners in the days of child labour. Here, the girls will also have an opportunity to compare technologies, materials and pastimes from the early 1900s with those developed in the post-war period.
NGHS Juniors study visits and field trips are an integral part of our girls-first offering. They provide pupils with opportunities to develop their questioning skills and stretch their learning beyond what is taught in the classroom, to widen friendship groups, and to develop their sense of personal responsibility, self-reliance and organisation.
Ramadan marks the month in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, with the actual night on which the Qur'an was revealed being known as Lailut ul-Qadr - 'The Night of Power'. Ramadan falls in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, with its exact dates changing each year according to the lunar cycle.
In 2026 in the United Kingdom, Ramadan began on 17th February and is expected to end around Thursday 19th March. To our many families who follow the Islamic faith, we say, “Ramadan Mubarak!" - may this holy month bring you peace, blessings and joy.
Above: Ramadan starts when the new Moon first appears in the night sky. Full moon marks the middle of Ramadan. As the moon wanes to the other side, Ramadan ends.
"Ramadan is a very special time of the year; it's when Muslims fast to remember the poor, and the revelation of the Qur'an to the prophet Muhamed (Saw). We fast for thirty days, only eating before sunrise (Suhoor) and after sunset (Iftar) when we can enjoy our usual diet which might include halal meat, curries or salads. It is optional for children to fast, but many like to challenge themselves to see how long they can last - this year, I'm fasting for all thirty days.
Sometimes children like to receive Ramadan calendars for fun; at the end of Ramadan, we celebrate Eid al Fitr (the festival of breaking the fast). This is my favourite time of the year, because it is all about spending time with family and friends, dressing up and gifting! During Eid, we eat lots of sweets and savoury foods such as biryani, gulab jamun, samosa, pakora, ras mulai and my favourite, halva.''
Maryam, 6B
Biryani
Gulab jamun
Pakora
Halva
Mrs Fowler
Well done to everyone who has beaten the deadline for this year's writing competition, which all pupils in Years 3 to 6 are expected to enter. We have seen excellent use of the resources provided on GoogleClassroom, and teachers have been impressed by girls who clearly understand how hard their parents work and the professional journeys which their successes have involved. The excerpts below are just a handful of examples that capture a real sense of appreciation and respect.
The final deadline for this task is this coming Monday morning, after which our usual homework routines will resume. Judging will commence immediately after entries close, with winners and runners up announced before the Easter break.
"I think my mum was a very resilient and hardworking student ... I don't yet know what I want to be when I grow up, but I hope to become a kind, confident, compassionate and inspirational person like her ... She is my sunshine!"
(Hamna, Y5)
"I am super proud of my dad because he works so hard to make sure that his businesses are successful ... He cares about his team and feels responsible for their wellbeing. I love him because even after a tiring day at work, he still comes home with a smile."
(Harneet, Y4)
"My mum studied for many years and worked very hard ... She is proud of what she does because she helps people during some of the hardest times in their lives. She also wants to make healthcare safer ..."
(Aleesha, Y6)
"To do his job you need to work hard, never give up, have strong beliefs, be kind, be good at maths, have people skills and help others. Because my Daddy has lots of people working for him, he has to be caring and supportive, and help people to learn."
(Lucia, Y3)
On building sites there are lots of machines including diggers, excavators, and dumpers. There are also lots of tools such as screwdrivers, hammers and saws ... When Mum goes on to a building site, she needs to wear a hard hat ,a high-vis jacket and boots with steel toe caps.
(Jasmine, Y5)
"Even though his work is difficult, my dad remains determined and dedicated to his work because he loves his job ... I am really proud of what he has accomplished in eleven years; I can see that he works very hard at what he does."
(Maia, Y6)
Miss Duce
Nursery and Pre School had a wonderful time on their recent visit to our sister school, Northampton High. The girls enjoyed travelling in a school minibus, making new friends whilst exploring a different learning environment, chatting over lunch and playing outside.
The highlight of the day was taking part in an Outdoor yLearning session with our hosts' specialist teacher - a chance to have fun in the mud kitchen and develop gross motor skills on the trim trail whilst balancing, swinging and climbing. There were also opportunities to meet the residents of a bug hotel, which links beautifully with our current topic 🐜🐛
Mr Cox and Mrs Crawshaw
Above and below: Year 5's class and home texts recount wartime events through the teenage eyes of an English evacuee in Wales and an underage Indian soldier at Dunkirk
On Monday, Year 5 welcomed alumna June Evans to NGHS Juniors for a Q&A about life on the Home Front during World War Two.
June joined our school at the age of nine in 1942 and was evacuated - along with staff and other boarders - to Ramsdale Park near Calverton, whilst day pupils were relocated to a local Masonic lodge as school buildings had been requisitioned for the war effort.
This was a fascinating hour for everyone. June was thrilled to discover that her life story reflects many of the characters and situations which 5JC and 5MC have studied in this term's set texts. As well as hearing her first-hand accounts of the blackout, air raid wardens and rationing, it was interesting to learn that June's mother drove ambulances during the Blitz (just like Mrs Willow in Carrie's War), and that her father served as a British officer with the Royal Indian Army (just like Captain Ashdown in Now or Never). We were also very touched to hear that even the family dog 'did his bit' in the war, as he was enlisted as a guard dog for the RAF and deployed to North Africa.
We thank June for taking the time to visit us, for sharing her vivid memories, and for helping us to appreciate the importance of eyewitness accounts and the value of realistic historical scenarios that can be found in high quality children's fiction.
Above and below: June with her school friends and teacher Mrs Tucker, and with her brother
Mrs Fowler
Finding her Voice shines a spotlight on the achievements of our girls beyond the classroom - moments where they’ve taken the skills, values and confidence nurtured at school and applied them in exciting, real-world ways, and then shared those high points with their classmates.
Chloe's rising star moment 🎭
This week, we’re delighted to celebrate the achievements of a Year 5 pupil whose recent endeavours have been the subject of great personal pride:
Back in 2025, Chloe lit up the Donald Wolfit Festival with a standout performance that earned her first place in Junior Dramatic Speaking, and the coveted title of Most Promising Performer. All this whilst also rehearsing for High School Musical at Newark’s Palace Theatre, where she took to the stage just weeks later.
Chloe's festival success soon opened another door when Argent Theatre Group contacted her out of the blue, inviting her to join the cast of Goodnight Mr Tom. Unbeknownst to her, Argent had also performed at the festival and had been so impressed by her delivery that they tracked her down to offer her a role. Since September, she has been rehearsing twice weekly for their sold‑out March 2026 run at Averham Theatre.
Chloe plays Ginnie, one of the spirited twins who help William Beech to find his feet after being evacuated during the Second World War. Practical, warm and full of mischief, this character is a great match for Chloe’s natural energy and empathy.
Working with Argent has given Chloe a taste of professional theatre-disciplined rehearsals, detailed direction and the thrill of performing with an experienced cast. Along the way, she met broadcaster Gyles Brandreth during his visit to unveil a blue plaque honouring Sir Donald Wolfit, whose legacy continues to inspire young performers like her. With Goodnight Mr Tom already running a waiting list for tickets, it’s clear that Chloe’s journey is only just beginning!
Above and below - examples of this year's entries already submitted
(FINAL REMINDER)
Mrs Crawshaw
The submission deadline is looming for the Royal Academy's annual YOUNG ARTISTS SUMMER SHOW on London's Piccadilly, for children aged 4-18.
Creative girls from NGHS Juniors should enter this wonderful exhibition, as we have registered Nottingham Girls’ High School for inclusion. Entries should be submitted online by parents, however we would love to receive girls' original artwork for exhibiting in school too. Happy creating!
Registration and submissions accepted
5 January - 4 March 2026
Judging
May 2026
Online exhibition opens
14 July 2026
Display at the RA open:
14 July - 30 August 2026
Mr Cox and Mr Padvis
We are looking forward to the next round of the Nottinghamshire Primary Schools Chess Association League which will take place at Nottingham High School on Tuesday 10 March.
Also of interest to members of our Thursday intermediate and Friday advanced coaching groups - the NPSCA County Individual Championships on Saturday 28 March! With categories and prizes for all ages, this is a great opportunity to widen horizons and even be talent-spotted by the County Team coaches.
Mr Elkington
Girls of all ages are invited to enter our exciting annual Pi competition on 12 March, in celebration of Pi Day! This is a great opportunity to showcase your mathematical skills, exercise your memory and have fun with numbers.
The objective is to memorise and then recall as many digits of Pi as you can, in the right order. Whoever recites the largest number of digits will be awarded the much-coveted NGHS Juniors Pi Trophy.
Last year's winner, Elsie (now in Year 7), managed a whopping 208 digits! 😮
3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482534211706798214808651328230664709384460955058223172535940812848111745028410270193852110555964462294895493038196442881097566593344612847564823378678316527120190914564856692346034861045432664821339360726024 and on, and on, and on!
Further details to follow - in the meantime, start practising!
Mr Rolfe
SOMETHING HUGE IS COMING! On Tuesday 12th May 12th at 5.30pm, we host our Junior Summer Concert. Full details will follow in April, so for now please just save the date for what promises to be a night to remember. This event will include performances by:
Infant Steel Pans
Treble Clefs Choir
Percussion Club
String Orchestra
String Quartet
Year 3-6 Steel Pans
Guitar Ensemble
Brass and Woodwind Ensemble
Flute Choir
Treble Clefs Choir
Vocalise Choir
The Ukuladies
Girls from Reception to Year 3 are invited to a 'movie night' on Thursday 12 March, from 4pm to 6pm in the Junior School Music Room for a screening of the animated film Sing.
Tickets are £10, to include popcorn and squash. Monies raised will help to fund the travel costs of two Year 10 NGHS students who will be volunteering at a women’s charity in Uganda (details below). Girls are welcome to bring a packed tea, a change of clothes and a soft toy - but all of these are optional. Collection will be at 6pm prompt from the Rainbow Room.
Kindly note that ticket sales will close at 4pm on Monday 2 March, with costs then added to ParentPay accounts which should be settled by 8am on Monday 9 March. Sorry, we are unable to accept childcare vouchers for this event.
Miss Abbott
This week, we finally saw better weather so what better way to enjoy it than playing netball? Teams from Years 5 and 6 travelled to The Elms for an afternoon of game play. Demonstrating the resilience required in match play, they rose to the challenge and put into practice what they have learnt in recent training sessions.
Alas, increased toughness and fight for the ball did not lead to victory on this occasion, and we succumbed to scores of 11-16 and 2-7 - however we came away better players and now know that netball is not as 'non-contact' a sport as we first thought! Well done to Gabi and Jasmine C-M who were voted players of the match in their respective teams.
We now wish good luck to our Year 6 A team who are off to the GDST residential netball weekend today. A weekend of high ropes, personal challenges and the small matter of a netball tournament await over this 3-day trip!
Parents of girls in Years 4 and 5 were recently sent preliminary details of the 2027 GDST ski trip. At this stage, we are just looking for expressions of interest in order to ascertain approximate numbers. Please do read the message in full, and reply via the link provided if you wish for your daughter to be considered ⛷️
Reminder - deadline Monday 2 March, 8am
For Years 3 to 6, school hoodies are compulsory for study visits and field trips, and can also be worn for Outdoor Learning. In Years 1 and Year 2, this item is optional.
FINAL REMINDER
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 a WORD document
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.