NGHS JUNIORS ANNUAL SPONSORED SPELL 🔤 🐝

      We are delighted to launch our 2025 annual Sponsored Spell - and for the second year running, staff will also enter the ring with a list of demon words prepared by Mrs Fowler and our Year 6 Sisters of Charity!

      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).

      Families are kindly invited to sponsor girls (or indeed staff!) per correct word, or for a fixed sum regardless of outcome, provided they ‘have a go’ at every word.  Proceeds this year will support the Royal National Lifeboats Association (RNLI) - please read Mrs Fowler's message below, detailing the reason behind this decision.

      We are sensitive to the ages, needs and learning styles of all pupils, and would ask parents to join our teaching team 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 through online sponsorship and by helping 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


Plus 20 surprise and devilishly tricky words, to be tested ** LIVE ** in assembly on these good sports:

LUXTON - Mrs Astill

SKEEL - Mr Cox

HASTINGS - Mrs Sail

BOLTON - Mrs Crabtree

Why are we supporting the RNLI?

Mrs Fowler

      We have chosen the RNLI as this year's beneficiary of the annual NGHS Juniors Sponsored Spell in memory of Grant Sail, Mrs Sail's husband of 40 years.

      Grant sadly died in January of this year.  He had a lifelong passion for dinghy sailing which took him to national championships in Dorset; this stretched back to a love of being on the water in childhood, and he then continued to share that interest with his family every year in New Quay, West Wales.  There, he took part in the annual sailing and swimming regatta , as well as events arranged by the RNLI from their lifeboat station on New Quay beach.   

      Mrs Sail hopes to join Year 5 when they visit the RNLI in Whitby during their residential study visit in June.  Presenting a cheque to them in a working lifeboat station will be a lovely way to combine Grant's support of their vital work with our own educational links to a charity that helps so many people to stay safe in British waters.

LUXTON WINS THE HOUSE CUP!

Congratulations to the girls from LUXTON who won this term's House Cup, with an impressive haul of house points earned through RESILIENCE, POSITIVITY, CREATIVITY and EXCELLENCE!

Above:  The original Miss Luxton, third headmistress of NGHS, from 1880-1882. 

Excellence in Science 🏆

Miss Baker

Congratulations to all of the girls who were nominated for attainment and progress in science this term, and especially to Olivia from Year 6 who was the overall winner of the Excellence Cup!

Year 1 go wild! 🦒

Mrs Garton

      Year 1 enjoyed a wonderfully sunny study visit to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park this week, with sightings of meerkats, lions and wallabies before they'd even embarked on a polar bear workshop - this consolidated their learning from their Spring  Term science topic on animals, and their recent reading and writing activities in English lessons.

      The girls were also thrilled to see monkeys, lions, polar bears, a tiger and giraffes up close - and even a rhinoceros!   Overall, this was a memorable day out with lots of interesting opportunities to ask questions, make observations and apply learning from the classroom.

An appeal from Miss Abbott ♻️

Has your daughter grown out of a swimsuit, and would you like to recycle and re-home it?

Please consider donating plain black or navy blue swimming costumes to school, which we can use as spares when girls occasionally forget their kit.  These can be handed in at the office, marked for my attention.  Thank you!

There's a buzz in Year 3 ... 🐝

     Earlier this week, girls from 3B engaged in a hands-on learning experience as they collaborated to construct our school's first beehive!  We witnessed impressive teamwork a good deal of ingenuity as they crafted the hives, frames and 'supers' (superstructures are the boxes in manmade hives in which bees store honey).

      Our project not only fosters a sense of environmental responsibility, but it also emphasises the importance of bees as pollinators - both of which are key to understanding nature and sustainability.

Calling all budding artists!

Can you help us to transform our new beehives into vibrant works of art?  We're excited to announce our first ever Beehive Painting Competition, open to pupils in Years 1-6!  Here's how to enter:



Winning designs from each year group will be painted on a real beehive super 🐝

They're in it to win it! 

      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).

      We wish Elsie Plant and Florence Best the very best of luck, as their entries for this GDST-wide competition have been chosen to represent NGHS Juniors!


Year 2 visit the Framework Knitters Museum

Mrs Crabtree

      Tuesday's study visit to the Framework Knitters Museum was an opportunity for Year 2 to see the inventiveness and creativity of a craft that started in Nottinghamshire.  A unique surviving example of a 19th century framework knitters’ yard, the Ruddington site has been restored as a living history museum.

      Activities included watching a live demonstration of human-powered knitting machines, using vintage Griswold circular knitting machines to create our own souvenirs, exploring the factory floor, and touring two cottages to see how knitters and their families lived and worked in Victorian times.

Make do and Mend Exhibition 🧶

Mrs Crawshaw

      Well done to all the Year 5 girls who painstakingly hand-crafted or upcycled items as part of our Make do and Mend project.  They can be very proud of themselves for exhibiting fabulous attention to detail and creativity.

      As well as bringing to an end our WW2 Home Front topic - during which we have witnessed deep learning and a genuine empathy for people who are affected by war - this also marks the beginning of our school's 150th anniversary celebrations.  🎉

Tuning up  🎶

Mr Rolfe

      The Music Department is proud to present this term's edition of Tuning Up, featuring events from across the whole school and including the NGHS Piano and Voice Festivals, the Year 5 and 6 Informal Concerts, and The Wizard of Oz.

      These highlights demonstrate our commitment to musical diversity and mastery, creating opportunities for musicians and singers of all levels of experience.  Happy viewing!



Year 6 at Dobroyd Castle 🛶

Mrs Braud, Mr Elkington, Miss Abbott and Mr Cox

      Year 6 have just spent three days at Dobroyd Castle's Robinwood  Activity Centre in West Yorkshire, where they faced a variety of personal and team challenges such as climbing, caving, zip-wire and canoeing - all of which involved venturing beyond their own comfort zones to achieve team and personal success.

      From crossing the legendary 'piranha pool' to escaping from a dungeon-themed escape room, our oldest pupils tested their problem solving, leadership and collaborative skills to the max.  The instructors noted how supportive and encouraging the girls were of one another; their communication skills and adventurous responses to each hurdle were especially impressive.

      Year 6, you can be very proud of your spirited approach to a grueling programme of events this week, your behaviour in sometimes testing conditions, and your manners when working and living with others.  Well done, girls!  👏

CLICK ON THE GALLERY BELOW TO SEE MORE HIGHLIGHTS

Years 3-6:  PE kit for the summer term 👟

Miss Abbott

Heads up!  PE and Games topics after the Easter holiday will be tennis, cricket and athletics with the following kit required in school all week:

Performance polo shirt

Skort or shorts

White socks

Trainers

Tracksuit bottoms

Mid-layer

Storm jacket (optional)


Inter-house netball

Miss Abbott

       On Friday, we rounded off our winter and spring sporting programme with Year 5-6 inter-house netball, umpired by our Year 10 Sports Leaders.  Well done to SKEEL  who came away victorious - what an exciting way to end the term!

Year 5 DAaRT graduation 🎓

Mrs Crawshaw and Mrs Spencer

      Year 5 celebrated their DAaRT (Drug, Alcohol and Resilience Training) graduation on Wednesday, showcasing to their Year 7 audience all that they had learnt throughout a ten-week course.

     Important subjects such as peer pressure and making the right decisions regarding drugs and negative behaviours were addressed in a fun, imaginative and creative way.  From designing posters to reciting poetry, performing role plays and musical recitals, as well as being informative quiz masters, the girls showed how they are able to make safe and responsible choices and manage personal stresses, as well as understanding differences and having respect for others.

     In the course of this programme, Yera 5 have exemplified every element of our NGHS Juniors RECIPE, working together and collaborating to give themselves the best possible springboard for safe and healthy lives in the future.  Congratulations on your graduation, girls!

Year 5 Informal Concert

Mr Rolfe

      On Monday afternoon, Year 5 hosted an extraordinary informal concert that not only demonstrated their talents but also highlighted their passion and dedication to music.

      Every single girl played a role in the creative process, from delivering wonderful solo performances to managing the stage and even making speeches to captivate their audience.  This was an excellent showcase of hard work, collaboration and commitment to the arts - as well as musical diversity with instruments and repertoires that ranged from baroque to rock, and classical to jazz!

      Thank you to our very supportive parent community, to Mr Robertson, Mr Costin, Mrs Shaw and Mrs Keys who helped out on the day, and to Mrs Crawshaw for her support and encouragement.