All the latest news & events from BGGS July 2014

the LEADER

An Excellent Performance

1Bradford Girls' Grammar School, Squire Lane, Bradford BD9 6RB Tel: 01274 545 395 Web: www.bggs.com

Parent Governor ElectionsFollowing the recent election, we are pleased to announce that parents Helen Whitcome and Sania Rafaquat have been elected as school Governors for the next four years.

Results of the election: No. votes:

Ijaz Amjid 5

Syima Aslam 5

Munaza Mir 8

Stuart Nunn 2

Kavita Patel 4

Sania Rafaquat 22

Helen Whitcombe 28

Bradford Girls’ Grammar School Dance Club has done it again!! Their recent production "Connections" received huge accolade throughout the school from Governors, staff and pupils alike.

Starring performers from Years 7 to 13 and supported by a group of Lady Royd children, the girls danced with skill, grace and such obvious enjoyment, sending the ‘feel good factor’ sailing into the upper echelons!!

Act one followed the ‘connections’ of a young man's life, played by Harriet Whitaker-Myers; taking him to prison, gambling in the casino and finally finding love as he set off on a new

pathway. Act two explored the compulsionof social media sites as the young Year 5 actress, Lottie Turner, created her impressive alter-ego on Facebook! Lydia Howarth sang beautifully on guitar whilst Sarah Brodie-Brown and Abi Buckle danced. Beautiful music, stunning costumes and expressive dancing kept audiences mesmerised right up to the final curtain.

A special thank you to Jezz Hellens whose amazing lighting and sound design made the show as close to professional as we could possibly get.

Jo Hudson. Choreographer and Producer

A Shakespearean Tragedy Sixth Form literature students enjoyed a trip to the National Media Museum at the beginning of May to watch Sam Mendes' critically acclaimed production of King Lear broadcast live from the National Theatre. Starring Simon Russell Beale in the title role of the ageing, tyrannical king, the gripping modern-day version of Shakespeare's epic masterpiece provided students with a valuable insight into the staging of one of the set texts for A Level.

CONNECTIONS DANCE SHOW

At Bradford Girls’ Grammar School music and the performing arts have always flourished both as taught subjects and in the myriad of concerts, shows and drama productions performed each year. It is therefore no surprise that we conclude the year with a term abundant in opportunities to enjoy the rich and diverse range of artistic talent across the whole school: the stunning dance show, inspiring primary and senior concerts, rousing house competition, and the wonderful musical adaptations of the Lion King and Wizard of Oz.

This exceptional wealth of talent is further confirmed through the impressive level of examination success and array of awards received from the prestigious Royal Society of Music and the esteemed London Academy of Dramatic Arts, along with recognition at a local level from the celebrated Wharfedale Festival of Performing Arts.

May I therefore take this opportunity to congratulate all those pupils who have achieved such tremendous success this term and to particularly thank the staff

who have worked tirelessly alongside pupils, offering insight, encouragement and support to help them deliver exceptional performances both in the various schools productions, and as partof their exam submissions.

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We are proud to introduce the new Student Leadership Team who have been elected by the school community to represent the student body and run the School Council. President Brittany Skeels and her team will play an important role in helping to run the school. Over the elected term, this will include; welcoming visitors at school events, leading formal assemblies, organising house activities and school fundraising events, co-ordinating prefect rotas and the Community Volunteering Programme and helping to run the various clubs and activities in Lady Royd Primary.

More importantly, members of the Student Leadership Team are expected to act as ambassadors for the school as well as inspirational role models for the younger pupils.

President: Brittany Skeels

Vice Presidents: Lydia Howarth,Sarah Zahid

Student Leaders: Saarah Kanval, Rajni Kullar, Zainab Ngala, Jasmine Sharp, Ghania Tahir

On Wednesday 30 April, the senior swimming team enjoyed a magnificent and hard fought victory in an inter-school gala against Bradford Grammar School. The pupils from Years 7 and 8 each raced two lengths of the pool in their assigned stroke before playing their part in the team relays. With all members swimming exceptionally well on the day, the girls dominated the completion, finishing clear winners with 80 points to Bradford Grammar’s 71.

‘We always expect a tough competition against Bradford Grammar School and today was no exception’ said Miss Jackson. ‘The girls worked tremendously hard and came together as a strong team. They certainly deserved to win and I am immensely proud of them all’.

A Magnificent Gala Success

Welcome to the New Team

Bungee Jumping for World ChallengeOn Saturday 4 May, daredevil Year 11 student Demini Patel took part in a sponsored bungee jump off the iconic Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge, to raise money for her World Challenge Expedition to Malawi. Here she recollects the experience:

‘After climbing what felt like a hundred steps to reach the top of the bridge, my nerves started to kick in. I became even more panicky when I stood at the top and realised the height from which I was about to jump.

During the weeks leading up to that moment, I had decided that, when the time came I would volunteer to jump first. However, standing 160 feet above the river Tees, I soon changed my mind. Instead, I decided to go last, by which time, hopefully, I would have managed to calm my nerves.

Finally, when everyone had taken their turn I stepped forward. With my harness and jump chord secured, I hopped carefully to the very edge. This time I was ready. The instructor counted; one, two, three… and I just jumped. It was absolutely incredible! The feeling was like nothing I had ever experienced. Once I had stopped bouncing I was collected in a boat and taken to dry land’.

Demini expects to raise around £500 through the sponsored jump which will put her firmly on track to hit her target of £3,700 for the trip in July.

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On Friday 11 April senior girls took part in the House Music Competition, a contest run at the end of each year which pitted the musical talents from each of the four Houses against one another. Castle was awarded ‘best house song’ with a stirring rendition of ‘We Will Rock You’ and then went on to take the coveted overall winners title.

Two particular performances proved very popular with the audience; Year 8 pupil Alycia Booth’s beautiful song and dance routine and the comedic partnership between Lydia Howarth (Year 12) and Lottie Turner (Year 8) singing "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from the Disney hit ‘Frozen’.

The Geography FieldTrip to MalhamBy Sadiyah Iqbal (10P)

During our three day residential field trip in May, we visited a number of different locations; not only the beautiful North Yorkshire village of Malham but other surrounding areas such as Silsden, Skipton, Grassington and even a quarry!

We conducted a number of different surveys in each town, and then focused on the rivers and waterfalls of Malham. What was really interesting was examining how the waterfalls were formed and studying the main characteristics and unique features of a Gorge. We all enjoyed the trip. It was very interesting and has certainly helped us with our understanding of the formation of a gorge. Also the majority of the information gathered on this trip can now be used for our Year 11 coursework!

House Music Competition

This year’s Spring Concert showcased the breadth of musical talent across the school with a diverse range of musical styles and instruments that both impressed and entertained the audience of families and friends.

The Intermediate Orchestra started the evening off with a lively rendition of Dancing Queen, followed by two steel pan ensembles. The Ukulele Orchestra then took us to sea with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme tune. Next we heard the beautiful voice of Farrah Colilles and two confident solo performances from Year 8 pupils, Karolina Kowalczyk (piano) and Lucy O'Donoghue (flute). A trio of Year 11 singers followed; Beattie Azfar, Sana Haq, and Alys Ross-Griffiths covered Song for the Hopeful and were joined by the rest of the Soul Band for a lively performance of Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher. The Lady Royd choir then teamed up with the senior choir for the last act before the interval.

The second half of the concert kicked off in a grand style with the Bollywood Orchestra performing hit song, Tum Hi Ho with Hannah Mahmood on a traditional Indian Harmonium. Solos by Ashmita Singh (flute) and Lydia Howarth (guitar and voice) followed.

The Guitar Ensemble then turned up the volume with their version of Santana's Oye Como Va, followed by the Flute Group with a tuneful and serene performance of Cantilena. The infamous Hotel California was then visited by four GCSE music students with Nicole Hibbert bravely stepping in as lead singer at the last moment.

After sixth former Karishma Nursiah played an expressive piece by Einaudi, the evening was brought to an end by the senior choir, with their lively versions of Wings and Happy.

Spring Concert

A Celebration of Musical TalentABRSM Examination Results

Congratulations to the following senior pupils for achieving their ABRSM grades:

In addition, well done to Farrah Colilles on passing her Trinity Guildhall Grade 6 for singing.

Violin

Grade 1 Merit – Hana Habib

Grade 1 Distinction – Josie Baker

Grade 2 Pass – Amina Chowdhury, Amn Bashir

Piano

Grade 3 Merit – Elin Thomas-Rowe

Grade 3 Distinction – Josie Baker

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FundraisingIn early June senior girls from Years 7 to 9 raised £350 for LEPRA, the international charity that provides support to people and communities affected by leprosy. This was in addition to the £1,700 raised at the end of March through a variety of fundraising activities, including a sponsored silence, car wash and a sweet and cake fair.

Well done to Rukhsar Jahangir in Year 7, who single-handedly raised £50 for LEPRA from the sale of her delicious home-made chocolates.

Duke of Edinburgh:Silver Assessed ExpeditionOn 5 April, two groups of Year 11 pupils completed their three day Duke of Edinburgh assessed expedition in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Starting in Hawes, the groups covered the twenty miles to Leyburn via the picturesque villages of Askrigg, Thoralby, West Burton and West Witton.

‘Three Days of Filth, Friendsand Fun’ by Ezra Khan, 11LWe arrived at Hawes very excited and keen to embark on the expedition. The weather was cool and just right for walking. However, upon viewing the map; it was evident that it was going to be a very long day. So, after turning down the wrong roads several times, befriending sheep, rolling down hills, wading through waters, and trotting in the countryside for a total of nine hours, we finally arrived at the Newbiggin campsite in Wensleydale. Unfortunately, there was no cheese available!

On Sunday, after an early breakfast, we set off again towards Leyburn. Thankfully, the day was considerably shorter than the first, with a welcome, unscheduled visit to a very pretty church. The most fun, however, was had during the night when we all played Frisbee and that classic ‘truth or dare’ game. Midnight selfies were equally amusing. It was also gratifying to know that we had completed over half the expedition.

As the third day was underway, we all felt just about ready to walk home. Luckily, after walking for endless miles, we were picked up by Mrs Stead earlier than scheduled due to stormy weather conditions. The weather once more proved to be on our side. I was so grateful to have such determined and supportive team members as well as Mrs Stead right through to the end. On the whole, it was a unique experience. Thank you, Mr Warren, for organising the challenge.

A History Tripto YorkOn Tuesday May 13 Year 7 pupils set off to explore the city of York as part of their study project on medieval history. The first part of the day was spent exploring the unique features of the historic city followed by a guided tour of the magnificent York Minster. With its intricate medieval stained glass and gothic architecture it was clear to pupils why it is considered to be one of the finest medieval buildings in Europe.

The day continued with a visit to York Castle Museum, housed in a former prison and set around a recreated Victorian Street; then on to Clifford’s Tower, the last remains of the Motte and Bailey Norman Castle. From there the party took to the city walls and admired the spectacular Roman defences.

The day concluded with a walk along York’s famous street ‘The Shambles’, with its overhanging timber-framed buildings and huge meat-hooks outside the shops which were once the premises of the medieval butchers.

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By Royal InvitationOn Wednesday 21 May, Mrs Severn was delighted to accompany her husband John, a civil servant of more than 40 years, to the Queen’s garden party at Buckingham Palace. Mrs Severn thought the reigning monarch looked stunning in her lilac Angela Kelly coat and matching hat, whilst the Duke of Edinburgh was suitably dapper in his morning suit. She was particularly thrilled to have a front row view as the royal couple, along with granddaughter Princess Beatrice, acknowledged the crowds.

Visiting Author Sufiya Ahmed

Over a one period week at the beginning of term senior girls collected over 2,000 food items for Bradford’s Metropolitan Food Bank.

Mrs Mirza, who organised the collection said: “I am delighted with the enthusiasm with which the pupils approached this task. While the aim of this exercise was to collect as many food items as possible to feed the most vulnerable families, it also brought to the forefront a true sense of community

spirit, encouraging pupils to make a positive contribution to society’.

Pupils presented their impressive donation to Ken Leach, one of the food bank co-ordinators. ‘This is a significant donation and will certainly go a long way towards supporting the many desperate individuals and families who are struggling to put food on the table’, said Ken. ‘I would like to thank all the pupils and staff, your generosity is overwhelming’.

Soap Club Sales Help CharityWell done to the BGGS soap club who have been raising money for charity throughout the year from the sale of their luxurious range of hand-made soaps, including the popular Bubblegum Burst and Foaming Strawberry Cupcake. With Christmas, Valentines Day and Mothers Day all boosting sales, the sixth form students have delivered a commendable profit of £119 which has been donated to the international charity, The Penny Appeal.

On Thursday 12 June, Year 9 welcomed award-winning children’s author Sufiya Ahmed to discuss her book ‘The Secrets of a Henna Girl’ which tackles the question of forced marriage and the wider, often linked, issues of culture, religion, class and ethnicity.

Sufiya talked about her inspiration behind the story of Zeba Khan; a sixteen year old girl living in the north of England who, on a summer holiday in Pakistan learns that in a matter of weeks she is to marry her cousin.

After reading extracts from the book, Safiya asked pupils to consider how they would feel if faced with a similar situation and asked them to suggest alternative endings to Zeba’s story.

‘Sifiya’s talk was engaging and very inspiring. She encouraged the girls to take a real interest in politics and the wider world around them’, said Mrs France.

Food Bank Collection

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LAMDA Examination SuccessCongratulations and well done to all senior pupils who were successful in their recent LAMDA Examinations.

Speaking Verse and Prose

Level 3: Grade 8 - Maria Rafaquat

Level 2: Grade 5 - Kiran Bashir, Louise McIntosh

Level 1: Grade 3 - Anaya Sohail

Acting

Level 3: Grade 7, Silver - Sonal Patel

Level 3: Grade 6, Bronze - Iqraa Sajjad Aneesa Chowdhury, Shaan Bashir, Zaynab Awan, Hannah Pazvakavambwa, Lucy O’Donoghue, Anjum Haq, Parivash Tahir

Level 2: Grade 5 - Saniya Nawaz,Josie Baker, Sama Rafaquat, Aaisha Khan, Amina Chowdury, Syrah Kishver

Drama Award NominationsFollowing the successful drama production of ‘Annie’, Harriet Whitaker-Myres, Mariam Hussain, Abigail Buckle, Emily Addison, Iqraa Sajjad and Shaan Bashir have all been nominated for ‘best actress’ in the Youth and Schools category of the Wharfedale Festival of Performing Arts Theatre Awards. The winners will be announced at the annual Awards Evening which is being held on Saturday 12 July at St Mary’s School in Menston. Good luck to all those nominated.

On Wednesday 25 June, Year 10 Business and Communication students presented a bounty of toys and games along with a cheque for £500 to Bradford Hospitals Children’s Charity which helps provide state of the art equipment for critically ill babies, children and teenagers, as well as outstanding play, rest and therapy facilities.

The money raised represented nearly £800 of profit earned through the pupils’ three ‘companies’: ‘Candalized’, ‘Charm’ and ‘Diversion’ which they established at the

beginning of the year through their Business Enterprise Club.

Jane Campbell, the representative for the charity thanked the pupils and their teacher, Mrs Mirza: ‘‘The donations you have kindly brought today following all your hard work will go towards enhancing the environment for babies, children and families being cared for by Bradford Royal Infirmary, helping to make their time here a little easier. Thank you all for your tremendous generosity and kindness’.

Enterprise Club Support the Children’s Charity

A Sporting End of Term CelebrationOver sixty senior girls attended the annual Sports Teams’ Tea on the evening of May 8, to celebrate their sporting achievements and to recognise individual performances. Certificates were awarded for the ‘players' player’, ’most improved’ and ‘most committed’ team member in each sport.

Year 12 pupil Abi Buckle and Year 8’s Karolina Kowalczyk swept the board. Abi received certificates for ‘players' player’

in netball and dance, ‘most improved’ in netball and ‘most committed’ for athletics, whilst Karolina picked up ‘most improved’ in badminton and swimming and ‘players' player’ and ‘most committed’ in hockey.

Sixth Form student Sarah Brodie-Browne also received a special award to acknowledge her outstanding contribution and commitment to dance during her seven years at the school.

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On Tuesday 20 May, Year 6 pupils set of for a three day trip to London, stopping on-route at the famous Warner Brothers Studios where all the Harry Potter films were made. Pupils were delighted to discover the magic behind the spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the gripping wizardry stories. Walking through the iconic Hogwarts Great Hall, encountering animatronic creatures and wandering down Diagon Alley to visit Ollivanders Wand Shop; the afternoon offered a magnificent, magical experience which brought the stories of Harry and his friends to life.

Pupils then boarded the coach for the final part of their journey, arriving at their accommodation near Notting Hill in time for their evening meal and a quiz challenge. An early start on Wednesday allowed for a full and interesting morning at the Natural History Museum to see the ‘Mammoths and

Ice Age Giants’ exhibition and meet some of largest mammals to have walked on Earth. Fossils, skeletons and huge models towered above in a mighty display of tusks and trunks.

Lunch at Pizza Express followed, then back on the coach and across Blackfriars Bridge for a tour of The Globe and a demonstration of the weapons used in many of Shakespeare’s battles. The afternoon was spent exploring the sights of London; the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. James’ Park and Buckingham Palace, concluding with a theatre trip to see ‘Warhorse’, the stunning production with equine puppetry brought to life on stage.

A sunny Thursday morning provided perfect conditions for a trip on the London Eye and clear panoramic views across the capital, before it was time to board the coach for the final journey home.

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NEWS FROM LADY ROYD

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On 6 May, Year 5 pupils took part in the Injury Minimisation Programme organised by Bradford Royal Infirmary which aims to teach children basic first aid skills and equip them with the skills to cope in an emergency. Pupils learned how patients are looked after when they are first brought into the accident and emergency department, how the heart monitor works with its electrodes and probe and even how to stitch wounds.

Children particularly enjoyed learning about the resuscitation methods which they practised on a dummy called ‘Auntie Joan’. ‘I enjoyed learning all about injuries and CPR’, said Tanya Farooq, ’because they will help me when I am older if I want to become a doctor, which I do!’

Exploring the Sights of London

Music Examination SuccessCongratulations to Malayeka Alam (4P) and Izzah Hussain (6L) for passing their ABRSM Grade 1 examination on the violin and Malaika Amini (6P) for passing her Grade 2. Also, well done to Year 6 pupils Ayesha Ashfaq and Ayesha Habib who both passed their ABRSM Grades on the flute.

Safety First at Bradford Royal Infirmary

NEWS FROM LADY ROYD

National Quiz Club CompetitionCongratulations to Mohammad Ali Khan (3P) Mah-E-Noor Shahzadi (6P), Iqra Qureshi (5L) and Halimah Sadia (4P) who, after winning their regional heat of the National Inter-Schools Quiz Club Championship, went forward to represent Lady Royd in the semi-final held at Park Grove School in York on 29 April.

Up against tough competition from schools across Yorkshire, the team faced questions that were significantly more difficult than the earlier heats. However, the Lady Royd team rose to the challenge and certainly held their own, maintaining a top three position throughout the competition.

With the top placed teams very close, the tension built until it all rested on the last few questions. Poor Mr Warner could hardly look, he was so nervous.

Everything changed on the very last question. The team that had been leading throughout were pipped at the post by the host team. With only a few points separating the top placings, the Lady Royd team was just nudged into fourth position. ‘It was an exciting and very competitive event’, said Mrs Coulson. ‘The Lady Royd team performed extremely well and robustly represented their school’.

Entrepreneurs Go To MarketTeams of budding entrepreneurs took part in the ‘Set-Up Market Challenge’ early in the year; a Dragons' Den-style contest staged by Bradford Council which challenges children to create a product they could sell profitably on a market stall.

Four teams: ‘Fruit Fusion’, ‘Funky Lips’, ‘Delightful Dates’ and ‘Flowerlicious’ made it through the first round for the chance to pitch their business idea to a panel of judges and secure a place in the final stage of the challenge to become market traders for a day.

After an impressive presentation, complete with a company jingle, the ‘Funky Lips’ team of Penelope Gordon, Zara Akhtar, Henna Akhtar, Imaan Nazir, Aishah Azam and Hafsah Hussain won the Dragons Den round, securing a cheque for £90 towards their start-up costs of fruity, funky lip balms, and a place alongside 40 other teams in the final stage of the challenge.

On Saturday 28 June, the ‘Funky Lips’ team joined the other finalists at Darley Street Market to sell their wares to the general public. With a busy day’s trading the team soon cleared their stock and agreed to donate all the profits to the Bradford Hospitals Children’s Charity.

FundraisingSweet sales at Easter raised £50 for the NSPCC, with the Easter Egg Hunt raising £100 for the Candlelighters Trust, the children’s cancer charity, whilst a non-uniform day on Friday 31 May raised £280 for the World Wildlife Fund.

Children have also been supporting the Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal. By donating £1 to the appeal and wearing the beautiful yellow daffodil pin badge, children showed their support for the charity and raised a total of £175.

Children have played their part supporting the Barnardo’s appeal by taking home a small collection tin to fill with any small or spare change over the course of the school year. With all the boxes returned brimming with coins, Barnardo’s were absolutely delighted with the final count of over £1,500 raised!

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NEWS FROM LADY ROYD

Follow us on Twitter @Lady_Royd Tel: 01274 545 395 Web: www.bggs.com

A Showcase of Musical TalentThis year’s music concert on June 12 provided a magnificent showcase of Lady Royd talent with Steel Pans ‘rocking around the clock’, the Orchestra playing ‘C-Side Rock’ and the Rainbow Rockers delivering a ‘Tiger Tango’. An impressive array of solo performances on piano, violin, drum, flute and clarinet, including Amina Ayyub’s beautiful vocal solo of

‘Lazy Sunday Afternoon’ delighted the audience. Two recorder groups, Junior Strings, Flutes and Guitars along with the Year 2 Ocarina Group all contributed to an enjoyable musical extravaganza and concluded with two up-beat numbers, ‘When I Grow Up’ and ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ from the Lady Royd choir.

A Coastal Adventurein Scarborough On Monday 16 June Year 3 set off on their three day residential trip to the seaside town of Scarborough. Starting at Flamborough Head, the children explored the lighthouse, cliffs and beach followed by a tripto Bempton Cliff’s Nature Reserve and the chance to use their binoculars to spot Fulmars, Kittiwakes and Puffins.

After settling into their accommodation at The Cober Hill Hotel and enjoying a hearty three course dinner, children and staff enjoyed a walk down into Scarborough Town to explore the harbour.

Tuesday morning commenced with a visit to the Sea Life Centre to discover the underwater world of fascinating creatures and marine life including: rays, jellyfish, otters, penguins and even sharks. The children particularly enjoyed walking through the ocean tunnel, visiting the turtle sanctuary and watching the sea lions being fed. Then it was off for an investigation of the rock pools at Scalby Mills to find shore and hermit crabs, anemones, limpets, whelks, shrimps, butterfish, blenny fish and various types of seaweed.

Full of sand and quite soaked from their activities, the party returned to the hotel for hot showers and another very welcome hearty meal, before making the most of the huge gardens with an orienteering evening to complete an exciting but tiring second day.

The last day came all too quickly for the children, but offered one final excursion; a four mile walk along the cliffs to the secluded cove of Hayburn Wyke for a picnic lunch beside the picturesque waterfall. A return walk along part of the Cinder Track, the disused railway line between Scarborough and Whitby, concluded a wonderful three days.

The Wizard of OzWell done to Year 5 and 6 pupils who delivered another dazzling musical performance with their interpretation of The Wizard of Oz on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 June. With a classic score including ‘Over the Rainbow’ and ‘We're off to see the Wizard’, parents were delighted to follow Dorothy and her friends down the yellow brick road.

NEWS FROM LADY ROYD

Exploring Manor HeathChildren in the Reception classes particularly enjoyed visiting the ‘Jungle Experience’ and parklands of Manor Heath in Halifax on Tuesday 10 June. The trip was part of the 'Our World' topic the children had been studying and included an exploration of 'the jungle' where the children spotted beautiful exotic butterflies, tropical fish, quails and terrapins all in different stages of their lifecycle.

The boys and girls particularly enjoyed investigating the park using all their senses; looking at all the different colours of nature and making a colour palate from objects found in the natural environment, making perfume from all the different

plants in the park and listening to the different sounds of nature.

Following a picnic lunch, the day came toa close with lots of fun in the adventure playground. ‘It was certainly very hot and humid in the jungle experience’, said Mrs Rimmer ‘but we still had a marvellous time exploring nature and learning about the wonderful world in which we live’.

Poetry Festival Well done to all the pupils who took part in the Poetry Festival on Friday 20 June. Children in 2P were delighted to be awarded overall winners in the infant category for a beautiful recital of ‘Please Mrs Butler, by Allan Ahlberg, while 3L took the title in the Junior category with their adaptation of Roger McGough’s ‘The Sound Collector’.

Individual year group winners were:Year 3: Naba Zafran Year 4: Aiza Khan Year 5: Malika Ijaz Year 6: Iman Ellahi

LAMDA AwardsWell done to all the Lady Royd pupils who passed their LAMDA ‘Speaking Verse and Prose’ examinations. Whilst the majority passed with merit, a number of pupils particularly excelled and were awarded a distinction; Aminah Mailik, Ushbah Hussain, Safa Israil, Aaliyah Chowdhury, Huma Anees, Umarah Rashid and Amaan Rehman came away with a Grade Two distinction. Grade Three distinctions went to Laiba Hussain and Alishba Mahek whilst Iman Ellahi and Malaika Ijaz earned a distinction at Grade Five.

In the LAMDA Acting examination, Mariya Hussain was awarded a Grade Four distinction, and Amina Qamar, Ayesha Chaudry and Ayesha Ashfaq were awarded a pass with merit.

Handwriting CompetitionCongratulations to the following pupils who came first in their class in the Lady Royd Handwriting competition held in the final weeks of term. Year 1: Nida-ul-Haque, Inaaya Ahmed Year 2: Aleena Nazir, Ayesha Sadiq Year 3: Halima Chaudry, Elleza Ali Year 4: Saqlain Hussain, Aliza Arshad Year 5: Iram Razak, Zara Akhtar Year 6: Iman Ellahi, Hafsah Bhatti

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The National Railway MuseumAt the beginning of May, Year 3 pupils enjoyed a fascinating trip to the National Railway Museum in York as part of their school project ‘Inventions that changed the world’.

Pupils were enthralled by the railway exhibits that spanned over 300 years of railway history; from Stephenson’s rocket of 1890 and the magnificent Mallard, the world’s fastest steam locomotive, to the present day Shinkansen high speed bullet train. A particular highlight of the day was the demonstration of the train turntable and the explosive ‘from rocket to bullet’ workshop which explored the science behind the railways.

NEWS FROM LADY ROYD

The Lion KingAt the end of April, pupils from Years 3 to 5 took part in a musical production of the Lion King. The show was based on the Disney animated film and followed the tale of Simba, the young lion cub, as he journeyed through life and struggled to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role as King of the Pridelands.

Parents were treated to an afternoon of impressive acting, wonderful dancing and mesmerising singing which included particular favourites; ‘The Circle of Life’ , ‘Akuna Matata’ and the iconic ‘I just can’t wait to be king’. With vibrant costumes, including the stunning masks made by Ms Leary, the stage was awash with the vivid,

dazzling colours of the African Serengeti, featuring flags and feathers alongside a spectacular gathering of wild animals.

Blogging and Skyping with Year 3Ms Thomson’s class have been forging international links with other schools this term with two very exciting ICT projects: ‘quad-blogging’ and ‘skyping’.

Year 3 commenced ‘Quad Blogging’, which involves a group of four schools taking turns to produce a blog for the other three to read and comment on, earlier in the year and are now regularly ‘blogging’ with a school in Adelaide, Chicago and Brighton Hove.

Pupils have been regularly posting updates about their school day, trips they have enjoyed, and the topics and projects they

are currently working on. ‘This is proving to be a very exciting and fascinating project for 3L. They are so interested in finding out what other bloggers do at their own school’, said Mrs Thomson. ‘Not only does this project help further develop their ICT skills, but it also helps improve their writing and command of the English grammar’.

Mrs Thomson’s class have also been ‘skyping’ a group of pupils in the same year group at The British School in Prague. On their most recent ‘skyping’ sessions, pupils in 3L talked to Niko from Switzerland, Meda who was Lithuanian and Jacek from Poland.

WWI and the Peace MuseumOn 2nd May, pupils from across Years 4 to 6 enjoyed a trip to Bradford’s Peace Museum as part of their classroom topic ‘Choices then and now’ which provides an alternative approach to finding out about World War I. Instead of just looking at the events, dates, and places of the Great War, the pupils were asked to consider the choices available to young people in 1914 at the start of the war.

The children were allowed to handle the various artefacts on display at the museum and were asked to consider any particular items, including the propaganda posters of the time, they would like to see in the exhibition.

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ASA AwardsCongratulations to the Lady Royd pupils who achieved their ASA distance swimming awards during afterschool swimming sessions. Year 3 pupil, Eleeza Ali completed her ASA 800 metre distance award whilst Year 4 pupils Huda Mahmood, Aisha Matib, Laiba Hussain, Aamina Ayyub and Year 5 pupil Aaisha Bashir all completed their one mile ASA distance award.

Children discussed their favourite games, films, and subjects at school and, as the discussion moved onto sport, both classes said they would be watching the World Cup. The Prague pupils were also particularly impressed to learn that the Tour de France was coming to Yorkshire.

NEWS FROM LADY ROYD

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A Blackpool TreatOn Monday 23 June, Year 2 boys and girls boarded a coach for an exciting day trip to Blackpool. First stop was Central Pier to enjoy the fairground rides then down to the sea front to make the most of the glorious sunshine for fun and games on the beach. With all the fresh air activity children soon

built up an appetite for a picnic packed lunch on the sand.

Donkey rides ensued before pupils and staff made their way along the promenade to the famous Blackpool Tower for the ‘Mooky Goes to Hollywood’ show at the Tower Circus. The

show featured acts from around the world and included astonishing acrobats, dare-devil stunts and the hilarious comedy antics of the stars Mooky and Mr Boo, the cheeky clowns, concluding with the world famous spectacular, the grand water finale.

On Monday 20 May, Year 4 and 5 pupils enjoyed a residential trip to the PGL Adventure Centre at Winmarleigh Hall near Preston.

The week long adventure and multi-activity course enabled pupils to test their confidence and physical ability with activities including: abseiling, climbing, archery, fencing, high ropes, a high trapeze and walking the wobbly bars.

Even though many of the children were apprehensive about tackling some of the

challenges presented, many surprised themselves at what they were capable of achieving. ‘When I went to go on the zip wire the height did scare me but when I did go down on it, it was the most amazing thing I have ever done’, said Hamza Sajid in Year 4.

Pupils enjoyed working in teams and supporting one another during group tasks, in particular building a raft from a number of different components and then launching and steering it on the lake. ‘At the start we had to build a raft and we all

had to work together. When we all went into the water it was probably one of the funniest moments of all my life’, said Hamza.

The last day of the trip was left for the Giant Swing, the ultimate test of nerve and joint decision-making which proved the most popular activity. Members of each group hauled the swing ten metres into the air with two people in the harness. When both participants agreed, they pull the ripcord and swung towards the ground at high speed.

Adventures at Winmarleigh Hall