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Transcript of Blackheath High School - Autumn 2012
Autumn Term 2012
TALKING HEADS – MEET OUR LEADERSHIP TEAMS
WHY LANGUAGES ARE SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CURRICULUM
CELEBRATING 140 YEARS OF
THE GDST
HIGHLIGHTS
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 1 06/03/2013 14:17
2 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
talking heads
Talking Heads – meet our Leadership TeamsMrs Laws HeadteacHerWhat initially attracted you to joining BHS?
I was attracted to the idea of being Head of
a GDST school as I knew, by reputation, that
they were excellent schools. Also, having
previously been Head of a stand-alone
school, I liked the idea of being part of a
family of mutually supportive schools. Then
once I had visited Blackheath High, I was
captivated!
What are the most interesting and
enjoyable aspects of your role?
I love my job for two main reasons: Firstly -
working with our committed, talented and
interesting girls is a constant pleasure and
secondly for the scope and variety of the
tasks and activities for which I am responsible.
Each day is different but also very busy and
intense. There is no time to be bored and
I can go from dealing with a difficult and
stressful problem to being delighted by a class
assembly or watching our girls perform at a
concert.
Recently, I spent a few days at Juniors
enjoying interviews with each of our Y6 girls
who are so articulate and interesting. One
of the days I had lunch in the Junior Dining
Room. Within seconds, a Y2 girl got up from
her table, picked up her plate of food and
came to join me with the words “and how are
you today Mrs Laws?” She was soon joined
by a couple of curious friends and they spent
the next 15 minutes quizzing me about my
day and my life and giving me their thoughts
on all sorts of fascinating topics. I was totally
charmed and impressed by their social skills
and confidence. What other job would allow
me such entertaining lunch companions?
What do you think makes BHS so
remarkable and different to other schools?
I think there are many factors including:
• the way in which our girls and staff are so
wholehearted about all that they do. They
give of their time so generously to support
school events and activities.
• the diversity of the school community and
the way in which we all enjoy and value the
differences. We are fortunate to have girls
of a wide range of nationalities from varied
cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds
which provides a rich, cultural mix which
benefits us all.
• The friendly atmosphere; and
• The breadth of the educational experience
which nurtures the all-round personal
development and high academic
Dr Pascoedeputy Head
What initially attracted you to joining BHS?
Having previously worked in a GDST school,
I was fully committed to the benefits of
delivering single sex education. I was looking
for an opportunity to develop professionally
and to take on new challenges. The more
I found out about the school, the more I
realised what a special place it was. I was
convinced that I would be very happy at
the school and would fit in with its ethos.
Needless to say, I was very excited to be
given the chance to join such a diverse and
busy school.
What are the most interesting and
enjoyable aspects of your role?
Learning new things every day! Being part
of the Leadership Team is a very busy and
fulfilling job. I know I am very lucky to be
working with such an experienced staff
and wonderful students. I am particularly
interested in teaching and learning and really
enjoy evaluating and improving current
practice.
What do you think makes BHS so
remarkable and different to other schools?
Blackheath High is such a very friendly
school. The size of the school means that
it is big enough to be a busy and dynamic
place, but small enough for the students
to know each other and the staff very well.
This brings a real sense of community and
creates a happy and creative place to learn
and develop.
What do you try to instil in our girls?
Take every opportunity that is presented to
you to learn and experience new things. To
reflect on things that go wrong – learn from
them and move on! Also to always strive
to achieve YOUR best, not just to compare
yourself with others.
What are you working on at the moment
that will help improve or enhance the
learning experience we provide for our
girls?
I am currently working with many of the
Heads of Faculty to ensure that we are ready
for the changes to GCSE and A-level courses.
I am always keen to explore pedagogy and
to ensure that the current excellent teaching
is always continuing to improve and that
we are progressing with improvements in
technology. It is my responsibility to ensure
that the education we provide is relevant and
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 2 06/03/2013 14:17
Summer 2012 Blackheath High School 3
talking heads
Mr Parsons assistant HeadWhat initially attracted you to joining
BHS?
I’d previously worked in a boys grammar
school, an international school in Budapest
and a crumbling independent school in
Bermuda, so I thought I’d try an all-girls
school. It was clearly the right choice as this
is the longest I’ve ever worked in the same
place. I love the Tardis-like qualities of our
school site – it’s utterly labyrinthine, full of
character and strongly contributes to the
school’s strong sense of community.
What are the most interesting and
enjoyable aspects of your role?
Much as I love to see our girls working hard,
enjoying themselves and making steady progress, I find it similarly satisfying lending a
helping hand when things aren’t going so well. Our girls are incredibly supportive of one
another, so a few kind words of encouragement and advice from someone with age and
experience behind them is often all it takes to get things back on course.
What do you think makes BHS so remarkable and different to other schools?
BHS is very much an inner London school with a very cosmopolitan studentship;
so many languages, nationalities, cultures, religious and political beliefs. Such an
environment, coupled with a curriculum tailored to the specific needs of our girls,
helps engender an internationalist outlook that will serve them well in our increasingly
globalised world when they leave us.
What do you try to instil in our girls?
Imagination, confidence, resilience, habitual critical engagement, high aspirations
specific to the individual and the will to succeed.
What are you working on at the moment that will help improve or enhance the
learning experience we provide for our girls?
I am currently developing KS3 Philosophy and the KS4 Matrix of Knowledge history of
ideas course, both of which are unique to BHS having been designed specifically for our
girls. Followed by IB Theory of Knowledge in the Sixth Form, these courses aim to equip
our girls with the critical thought that will help them navigate their way through the
bewilderment of this age of information and to further enable them to compete during
the Oxbridge and Russell Group application process.
What would you like BHS to be known for?
Producing intelligent, informed, open-minded, confident and articulate young women
who enjoy challenge and are keen to embrace what life has to offer. We are a small,
friendly school that gives the girls the individual attention they deserve and need to take
control of their lives and open opportunities.
What have been your HIGHlights of the Autumn Term?
Osmington Bay with Year 7, drumming with the ukulele players at the Year 8 Talent Show
and leading BHS Iron Woman Club after school every Wednesday... usually from the back!
achievement of our pupils.
What do you try to instil in our girls?
The same sort of values and qualities that
I know their parents also promote such
as the value of hard work and always
doing one’s best; resilience – an ability
to persevere through disappointment &
challenging situations; high self-esteem
and confidence alongside respect for
others and their views.
What are you working on at the moment
that will help improve or enhance the
learning experience we provide for our
girls?
We are never complacent and are always
looking for ways to improve the education
that we offer our pupils.
Currently we are evaluating the benefits of
senior girls using their own electronic devices
in lessons and are also trialling the use of
ipads – particularly at juniors.
We are also giving thought to ways in
which we can improve the “lunch time
experience” at both Juniors & Seniors.
We are planning new serveries at Seniors
and improvements to the menus and also
refurbishment of the Junior Dining Room.
Improvements to the accommodation at
seniors are also being discussed with the
GDST Estate’s Department, in particular a
new Sixth Form Centre.
stimulating for our students.
What would you like BHS to be known
for?
I would like Blackheath High to be known
as a place where students achieve and
develop beyond their own expectations
and leave with many wonderful happy
memories that will last a life-time.
What have been your HIGHlights of the
Autumn Term?
Settling into the new Deputy Head role
and having the opportunity to further
develop my Leadership Skills. Planning a
trip to India and feeling the excitement
build of all the students who have signed
up. Accompanying “Team Hamper” to the
‘Ahead of the Game’ Final. I was so proud
of them; they worked so hard and did
extremely well to get into the final. The
excellent performance of “Daisy Pulls it Off”
was so impressive. It takes a huge amount
of time, effort and courage to put on such
an event. I have great respect for all the
students and staff involved.
What would you like BHS to be known for?
The many achievements of our confident,
interesting and talented girls.
What have been your particular highlights
of the Autumn Term?
There were many but particular highlights for
me were our girls’ successes in the Ahead of
the Game competition and the Beckenham
Festival; six Upper Sixth girls gaining
interviews to Oxbridge; and I was hugely
entertained by “Daisy Pulls it Off”, the Nursery
and KS1 Nativity performances and the Junior
Carol Service.
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 3 06/03/2013 14:17
4 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
Mrs eLLiot Head of sixtH form
What initially attracted you to joining BHS?
A friend of mine worked here and was very
happy and couldn’t speak highly enough
about the school and its pupils.
What are the most interesting and
enjoyable aspects of your role?
Interesting: helping students through the
university application process to achieve the
place to which they aspire.
Mrs MaDDison assistant Head
What initially attracted you to joining BHS?
I joined BHS as Head of History 12 years ago.
When visiting the school, I liked the fact that
the girls were sparky and asked questions in my
demonstration lesson. I thought that they would
be great fun to teach – and I was right!
What are the most interesting and enjoyable
aspects of your role?
I still very much enjoy teaching, particularly the
Russian History course for GCSE, but this year I
have worked much more closely with staff looking
at staff training and development as my role has changed.
What do you think makes BHS so remarkable and different to
other schools?
BHS is part of the local community; we are not elitist but we do have
very high expectations of every student and every member of staff.
BHS girls genuinely care about other people; they are passionate
about charity fundraising and this always makes me very proud.
What do you try to instil in our girls?
I try to instil a belief that they can overcome obstacles, that they
should reach for the stars and always aim to try their hardest. They
should be proud of their achievements and proud of their colleagues
when they achieve their goals.
What are you working on at the moment that will help improve or
enhance the learning experience we provide for
our girls?
The Shine Project involves our girls volunteering
on Saturday mornings to be classroom assistants
and minibus supervisors. This involves them
giving up their time to support the children
who are part of the project. They have taken
responsibility for the practical aspects of the
project, organising the staffing of the volunteers
for example plus attending every week. In terms
of their learning experience, they have proven
leadership qualities and organisational skills. They
have demonstrated care and commitment for the
children and they have been totally responsible
and reliable – beyond the level expected in a sixth
former. This will undoubtedly enhance their university applications
and, it is an aspect of the project that I would like to develop further
next year.
What would you like BHS to be known for?
I would like it to be known as a school where girls are passionate about
education and all of the life-long benefits it can bring.
What have been your HIGHlights of the Autumn Term?
My highlight has been the SHINE project – staff and students gave
up their own time to provide exciting and creative Saturday morning
sessions for 10 year olds from the local area. We have been humbled
by these children and I have been humbled by the dedication shown
by our staff and students who have committed themselves to this
programme from December to February. The SHINE programme
shows what BHS’ community spirit is really about!
talking heads
Enjoyable: Sharing my days with the fun and
intelligent young women who make up our
Sixth Form. We work hard but have many
laughs along the way!
What do you think makes BHS so
remarkable and different to other schools?
BHS is all about developing the ‘individual.’
We know all of our students very well and
this really does help them to aspire to and to
achieve their very best.
What do you try to instil in our girls?
The idea that hard work really is the key to
success. That resilience is needed throughout
life. Also that humour will get you through
the tough times…and to be kind to others.
What are you working on at the moment
that will help improve or enhance the
learning experience we provide for our
girls?
I am putting together a programme with a
team from Trust Office which will focus on
the skills required to work independently and
help with university applications.
I am also working on further developing
our EPQ programme and participation
as we encourage students to take up the
Extended Project Qualification. It is an AS
level qualification that helps students to
develop their research and presentation
skills, by completing an extended piece of
work about a topic outside of their normal
curriculum. The EPQ is valued by university
tutors, because of the independent learning
skills it encourages in students. Similarly, in
order to give the girls opportunity to examine
subject areas in more depth, we have
introduced a series of weekly Masterclasses
and TED lectures. Each is hosted by a subject
specialist, who then guides students through
relevant questions and discussions. This is a
much valued opportunity, which is attended
by many students.
What would you like BHS to be known for?
Enabling students to do their very best and to
grow into balanced, outgoing young women.
What have been your HIGHlights of the
Autumn Term?
Six interviews at Oxbridge for our talented
students! Fingers crossed!
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 4 06/03/2013 14:17
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 5
What initially attracted you to
joining BHS?
I was initially attracted to
Blackheath High school as a
prospective school for my own
daughter and having attended a
very welcoming Open Morning
I knew that Blackheath High
school was just the school for my
daughter. I was proved right. My
daughter flourished under the care,
guidance and teaching that she
received. The junior building itself is
stunning and in many ways it reminded me of my boarding school.
What are the most interesting and enjoyable aspects of your role?
I joined the staff in September 2004 as a Year 5 class teacher
with responsibility for Science. Since then my role has evolved
and developed quite considerably. It has been extremely
interesting to be part of the management team in thinking about
and contributing to the future development of the school. I
am delighted to be part of this successful team and it has been
professionally rewarding to have our efforts acknowledged by
parents as well as inspectors. The best part of my job is working
with the girls and I am fortunate enough to teach several year
groups as part of my working day.
What do you think makes BHS so remarkable and different to
other schools?
Blackheath High is a very vibrant and busy place to work in, no
school day is the same, there is no other profession I can think
of that, in a single week, I might be taking pupils to the National
Gallery, teaching Year 6 PE, delivering an assembly on Internet
Safety and dressing up as a book character for Book Week. I am
always so proud of their achievements.
What are you working on at the moment that will help improve
or enhance the learning experience we provide for our girls?
I think that we are always striving to provide our girls with a
curriculum full of different experiences that are going to prepare
them for their futures.
What would you like BHS to be known for?
That Blackheath High School is a place where everyone is
welcome, where learning can take place, where challenges can
be taken on, achievements are reached and, above all, a happy,
friendly place where adults and pupils can learn together.
What have been your HIGHlights of the Autumn Term?
There have been two particular highlights for me this Autumn,
the first was when our Junior School Chamber Choir won the
Beckenham Festival Singing Competition for the third year
running, a marvellous achievement, and the second was the
Junior School Carol Concert, when all the girls delivered their
readings and performed their pieces with confidence and
enjoyment, it was a wonderful way to end a very successful term.
Mrs skevington Head of Junior scHool
What initially attracted you to
joining BHS?
I joined BHS from a challenging state
primary school and was drawn by
the sense of calm and the happy
atmosphere which prevailed here. I
wanted to enjoy teaching instead of
managing difficult behaviour and I have
certainly been able to do that here.
What are the most interesting and
enjoyable aspects of your role?
I love the daily inter-action with our
girls; they are sparky, witty, kind individuals who always have something
interesting to say.
What do you think makes BHS so remarkable and different to
other schools?
I think BHS is remarkable in the way that we allow individuality to grow in
a nurturing environment. The fact that all the staff care so much about the
girls, lets them feel comfortable and secure at school, ready to have a go at
the many opportunities on offer.
What do you try to instil in our girls?
I want our girls to be resilient and strong characters, willing to try
new challenges and taking the odd set back in their stride. I love Ms
Eastaugh’s mantra with our Reception girls; “be brave and strong when
little things go wrong”. It is a motto that works well for all ages – adults
included.
What are you working on at the moment that will help improve or
enhance the learning experience we provide for our girls?
I am very excited by two initiatives at school at the moment. The Library
has been transformed with the installation of beautiful, new furniture
which will show off our amazing book collection. At the same time,
teachers are busily working on developing the use of the iPad in Juniors.
It sums up our approach to learning, combining the best of the traditional
with the most innovative.
What would you like BHS to be known for?
I would like BHS to be known for creating a springboard for confident,
well-rounded, well-educated girls, providing them with opportunities to
excel in so many different ways.
What have been your HIGHlights of the Autumn Term?
There have been many highlights already this year but the Chamber
Choir’s success at the Beckenham Festival for the third year stands out.
The standard of singing was remarkable and, as ever, I was amazed by the
confidence and poise of our girls. With a very different flavour, the Diwali
evening was another joyful event. We are incredibly lucky to be blessed
with parents who support and contribute to the life of the school and this
was a true family evening celebrating the diversity of BHS.
I have also been delighted that Florence the Labradoodle has settled
into school so well. The girls love her and she feels the same way about
them! We have been trying her out as a “listening dog” for girls practising
their reading; judging by the wagging tail, it is going well! An added bonus
is a regular procession of small visitors to my room throughout the day
who come to stroke Florence and have a quick chat.
talking heads
Ms DaLy acting deputy Head of Junior scHool and Head of Key stage 2
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 5 06/03/2013 14:17
6 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
talking heads
QUOTE frOm IndEpEndEnT SchOOlS InSpEcTOraTE:“The quality of the school’s leadership and management is outstanding. It enables the school to excel in meeting its aims and strategic goals.”
Mrs DonneLLy Head of Key stage 1
What initially attracted you
to joining BHS?
I was attracted to BHS by the
confidence, enthusiasm and
excitement that exudes from
the girls as they go about their
daily routines.
What are the most
interesting and enjoyable
aspects of your role?
The most enjoyable aspect
of my role is teaching and
working with the girls They
can always be relied on
to contribute something different and love to share their own
experiences.
What do you think makes BHS so remarkable and different to
other schools?
Blackheath High School enables girls to reach their potential in any
area of the curriculum, not only academic subjects, resulting in
confident young people who are not afraid to try new things.
What do you try to instil in our girls?
I try to instil in the girls that it is ok to make mistakes as that is how
they learn and move forward. In addition¸ I try to encourage them to
have a go at different things even if they are unsure.
What are you working on at the moment that will help improve or
enhance the learning experience we provide for our girls?
Over the past three years, I have been responsible for the
introduction of the Creative Curriculum to Key Stage 1. This has been
an exciting challenge and the girls have most definitely responded
well, showing great enthusiasm for our topics. I am still very much
involved in improving the Creative Curriculum, liaising with other
GDST schools and looking for new ideas. I remain deeply committed
to this as I see first-hand the impact it has had, and continues to have
on our girls.
What would you like BHS to be known for?
I would like BHS to be known for giving all girls opportunities to achieve
excellence in any area of the curriculum, not just English and Maths.
What have been your HIGHlights of the Autumn Term?
Being responsible for our Charity fundraising work, my Autumn Term
highlight was the incredible generosity of our girls and their parents
in supporting a variety of worthy causes, especially in this difficult
economic climate.
Mrs eastaugh Head of early years foundation stage
What initially
attracted you to
joining BHS?
The ethos of a high
achieving all girls
school which is stated
so clearly by the
Leadership team and
followed through by a
committed staff.
What are the most
interesting and
enjoyable aspects of
your role?
The most enjoyable aspect of my job is spending my days with my
lovely class who, on a daily basis, delight and amaze me and make
me laugh !
What do you think makes BHS so remarkable and different to
other schools?
The most remarkable aspect of BHS is the truly international feel that
it has, so many of our girls are so well travelled and many of, even
our youngest pupils, are fluent in two or more languages - amazing !
What do you try to instil in our girls?
We try to instil into, even our youngest pupils, a reserve of
resilience, we have a mantra in the EYFS ‘Be brave and strong
when little things go wrong’
What are you working on at the moment that will help improve
or enhance the learning experience we provide for our girls?
This year we are working on making the most of our new iPad
technology; check out the RSE Nativity animation on the portal -
it’s brilliant and we are looking forward to adding to our portfolio,
we will keep you posted !
What would you like BHS to be known for?
Innovations in education combined with traditional values.
What have been your HIGHlights of the Autumn Term?
The highlights of the Autumn term were the learning we do outside
the classroom and the two visits we made, one to the Maritime
Museum and one to The Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood.
There are so many exciting opportunities for the girls on outside
trips and they are such a treat to take out as they are always so
good. But of course the best highlight of the term was watching
the Hillbilly Angels skipping and clapping with such energy and
enthusiasm to Cotton Eye Joe in the Christmas Nativity!
Meet Mr Sutherland our Business Manager and also a member of the Leadership Team, in the next issue of HIGHlights and learn how he makes things happen here at BHS!
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 6 06/03/2013 14:17
GDST 140th Anniversaryon 7th June 1872 a public meeting took
place in the royal albert Hall to discuss the
establishment of schools to advance the
education of young women. this led to
the establishment of the girls’ public day
school company, now called the gdst.
to mark the 140th anniversary of this
historic occasion, we have been celebrating
in many diff erent ways and engaging with
pupils, staff and parents of other gdst
schools. the range of activities highlight
the fun and variety provided by a gdst
education and include sports, science,
history, fi lm, foreign languages, creative
writing and even a cookery competition to
fi nd the best birthday cake!
We hosted one of the gdst ‘Bake-off ’
semi-fi nals and were delighted to be given
the opportunity to show other students our
super cookery room and to also taste the
delicious entries!
the wonderful aroma of baking fi lled the
air as the thirteen girls whisked and stirred
to carefully create their version of a lemon
Victoria sponge cake, as detailed in a recipe
designed by ‘Queen of cakes’ mary Berry,
herself a former pupil of a gdst school.
local food journalist and restaurant critic,
michael Breese, joined us with the enviable
task of tasting and judging the cakes, all of
which were produced to an exceedingly
high standard. the girls presented their
entries in many diff erent ways including
one contemporary display on a slate
tile with fl owers and fruit and another
student adorning her cake with specially
made ribbon printed with “gdst 140th
anniversary.”
continued on page 20
Bake oFF
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 7
gdst 140th anniVersarY
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 7 06/03/2013 14:17
the new school year arrived and, with it,
our new cohort of year 7s. However, for the
majority of them, the senior school was not
all new as they had been coming here for
taster lessons, summer school and evening
events all designed to help them settle in
really quickly. We enjoyed many activities on
our induction day which had been planned
to enable everyone to get to know each
other really well and the school buildings.
after spending time with their form tutors,
the year 7s had the run of the school,
following our fun and exciting “school
trail” – learning where key classrooms,
labs and studios are in the school. lots
Super 7s settle in superbly!
of House points were earned! they also
played drama games with me and we all
got to know each other a little better and
i practised remembering the names of the
girls who i had so much enjoyed visiting in
their primary schools in June, throw in some
sport’s games and what a busy morning
we had! i noticed friendships blossoming
across the year which were further
cemented during our fantastic osmington
Bay trip, where the girls learned new skills,
conquered fears and supported each other
throughout. our year 7s have settled in
exceptionally quickly and are now moving
around school with confi dence and a smile.
Well done girls!
Mrs Tyrrell, Head of Year 7
awesoMe osMington Bay!on a lovely late summer’s day in
september, our fresh-faced year 7s
travelled down to the dorset coast for
the outward bound activity weekend that
would forge friendships as the girls faced
and met the challenges together. there
was the giant swing, aptly named, which
leaves your stomach behind as you swing
down through almost 180 degrees and a
vertical plunging experience that the girls
just couldn’t seem to get enough of! We
also went dragon Boating and discovered
our inner Vikings. We comprised three
boats, three teams and the open water
of the off -site olympic Water sports
facility, where team gB had participated
just a few weeks before. it was beautiful
on the water under the glorious sunny
skies. later, as we walked on the beach at
osmington Bay, with the shore stretching
out to the horizon, the pgl leaders told us
stories of pirates, smugglers and treasure.
some girls even found small pieces of
jewels on the beach before moving on to
play Beach assault.
the next day was an altogether diff erent
story with the weather – downpours of rain
meant we had to go inside for activities, but
this didn’t dampen our spirits as we happily
moved from the individual challenge of
trapeze or abseiling to the team challenge
of ‘drying out’ plus fun team games led
brilliantly by the pgl staff . all too soon
we were packing up to return to london,
knowing that, in the elements and energy of
the weekend, fi rm friendships had formed to
ensure the happiest of schools days ahead.
Mrs Tyrrell, Head of Year 7
8 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
transition
Smoothing the transition between key stages
“I really love the Resources Centre as there’s so much information available and we can go there aft er school too.”
“Th e school trail was great on the fi rst day, it really helped me familiarise myself with the school buildings.”
“I really was welcomed with open arms and love it here. Children in Need day was great fun and I raised £28 by wearing my ‘onesie’ to school.”
“I didn’t go to the Junior School but I wasn’t nervous on my fi rst day as I made lots of friends at the Summer School where we did lots of art including appliqué and had great fun trampolining.”
“It’s great to have more independence than at my old Junior School, there’s so much going on and we have lots of interesting things to do.”
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 8 06/03/2013 14:17
terriFic tea Partyin october, having settled in and already
feeling truly part of life at Blackheath High
school, our y7 girls invited parents, Junior
school teachers and Headteachers to a
celebratory tea party. the delicious spread
of fi nger sandwiches, biscuits and beautiful
cupcakes, all washed down with cups of tea
or coff ee, made a splendid sight and proved
very enjoyable. the colourful array of cakes
was matched by an exciting programme
of entertainment from the talented piano
playing of lacey reid to the upbeat songs of
the “out of the Blues” choir.
New EYFS Girls – Happy from the Start!at Blackheath High school we place a lot of
importance on smooth transitions between
key stages. in the eyfs we ensure that girls
enter the nursery in a calm and happy way
and, when they move from nursery, or join
us from other settings, that their experience
is as pleasant and stress free as possible.
We liaise with families at every step to make
sure that any small concerns or worries are
quickly and sympathetically resolved.
We view the eyfs (nursery and reception)
as a complete unit and aim to make the
transition between the classes as seamless
as we possibly can. our girls’ happiness is
paramount and we are always keen to meet
with parents individually to discuss any
queries you may have.
transition into nurseryin the november preceding the girls’ entry,
we host play dates for provisional girls and
siblings. this involves the children coming
into nursery, along with their parents, and
having the opportunity to experience a
play session and meet the nursery staff . in
January, we hold informal interviews with
mrs skevington, Head of Juniors and then
off ers of places to join us are made.
in the summer term, play dates are
hosted for those who have been off ered
a place for the following september
but, on this occasion, parents leave
the children and go for a talk with both
ms eastaugh, Head of eyfs and mrs
skevington; giving the children the chance
to experience the nursery environment
independent of their parents. once children
have been allocated to classes, the nursery
staff visit the children either at home or in
their pre-school setting. this allows the
children to meet their new teachers in a
familiar setting so that they feel completely
comfortable with the transition. to further
assist with the settling in process, we
stagger the intake of girls in september,
giving them the opportunity to familiarise
themselves with the nursery environment
and school day in smaller groups.
transi tion to recePtion cLassesgirls from our own nursery are familiar with
popping into reception class from time to
time, en route to somewhere else in the
school. reception teachers spend time in the
nursery classes so they are known by the girls.
We arrange for the nursery and reception
classes to engage in activities together such as
sports days and drama or dance workshops,
so that they are used to each other and familiar
with the teaching staff .
in the summer term, prior to moving into
the reception classes, we arrange regular,
time- tabled visits for playing and story time
sessions in their new class groups. We hold a
new parents’ coff ee morning in the summer
term so that we can all meet each other
informally and staff can answer questions
about the daily routine, uniform etc. We
also invite all of the new girls to their new
classroom for a ‘moving up mornin’g in July
so that everyone has a chance to meet up
with their new or old friends !
to further welcome the girls into reception,
the class teachers write to all of their new girls
during the summer Holidays with a friendly
letter – a touch that is very much appreciated
by the children and parents.
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 9
transition
Smoothing the transition between key stages
“Our Osmington Bay adventure was a great chance to make new friends, especially as I came here knowing no one! We enjoyed so many diff erent activities; trapeze, dragon boating, abseiling and also deafening everyone whilst we screamed ourselves hoarse on the dreaded (but fun!) giant swing! Everyone had the time of their lives. We had so much fun and I would love to do it all again.” Ashviny Srinayagam Y7
siblings. this involves the children coming
into nursery, along with their parents, and
having the opportunity to experience a
play session and meet the nursery staff . in
January, we hold informal interviews with
mrs skevington, Head of Juniors and then
off ers of places to join us are made.
hosted for those who have been off ered
the children and go for a talk with both
ms eastaugh, Head of eyfs and mrs
skevington; giving the children the chance
to experience the nursery environment
independent of their parents. once children
have been allocated to classes, the nursery
staff visit the children either at home or in
their pre-school setting. this allows the
”We had a wonderful time at the Y7 Tea Party. First Ashviny
read out a beautiful speech about her time in Y7 so far, then I played ‘Carnival in Rio’ on piano. Th e Y7 Choir then sang ‘I’ve got
Rythym’ followed by the Y7 ‘Out of the Blues Choir’ singing the popular Jessie J song ‘Pricetag’ and everyone loved Maureen’s rap!
Aft erwards there was African Drumming and then we all sang the Blackheath High School Song. We all loved it and, from the look on
their faces, everyone in the audience loved it too!
Lacey Reid Y7
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 9 06/03/2013 14:17
Most people would agree that learning a foreign
language takes time and dedication. they would
also agree that the end result makes the effort
worthwhile.
london is the melting pot of the 21st century with over 600
languages being spoken here alone. learning a foreign language
helps to prepare young people for the globalised world of tomorrow
but, even if our daughters decide to never leave this city, they will
come into contact with friends, family and colleagues who don’t
have english as their first language.
speaking a foreign language allows people to widen their horizons in
terms of higher education and career aspirations and achievement.
if their work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign
languages, being able to talk to them in their own languages
will help to make sales and to negotiate and secure contracts.
Knowledge of foreign languages can also increase their chances of
finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas.
our girls are very lucky to be able to learn in a state of the art
modern foreign languages lab with the latest technology to
enhance their learning experience; along with excellent teachers
delivering interesting, engaging lessons and arranging many ‘outside
of the classroom’ language related activities and events.
many english speakers seem to believe that wherever you go on
holiday you can get by speaking english, so there’s no point in
learning any other languages. if people don’t understand you, all you
have to do is speak slowly and turn up the volume. you can more or
less get away with this, as long as you stick to popular tourist resorts;
however, if you want to go beyond such places, knowing the local
language really is necessary.
a basic ability in a foreign language will help you to ‘get by’. if you
have a more advanced knowledge, you can have real conversations
with the people you meet, which will add a new dimension to your
holiday. i also believe that, when somebody at least tries to learn the
language of the country they are visiting, it shows a lot of respect.
people really appreciate it.
communication in another language, however, isn’t just practical.
it gives you a better understanding of another culture and way of
thinking. it is the key that opens the door to the literature, poetry,
films or music of another world. it’s even been proven to delay the
onset of dementia!
learning what a fellow human speaks, teaches you about humankind
as a whole. the more languages you know, the more you understand
our species and that is beneficial, regardless of the situation.
Mrs Pheiffer, Head of Modern Foreign Languages
Why languages are an important part of the Blackheath High School Curriculum
languages
10 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 10 06/03/2013 14:17
Taking the learning out of the textbook - Some of the fun language-based activities our Senior girls enjoyed during the Autumn Term:
poetry day
european day of languages
letters to santa in foreign languages
german exchange
open day – french café with year 11s serving in french
classroom performances of snow White and cinderella in
french
...and plans for Spring Term include:
Bfi study days – using film as a tool for language learning
mfl spelling Bee competition
“i love you” wall project with art department
celebrating chinese new year – (snake)
experiencing a flamenco gala
french camp in school
languages
soMe eXciting Foreign triPs PLanneD For 2013:
february india y10-13
april france y8
June france (pgl) y6
august Borneo y11-13
august france y7 entering y8 in september
october new york y10-13
october sorrento, italy y7-9
We are delighted
to have recently expanded
our MFL Team to include
Language Assistants:
Ms Celda Real – Spanish,
Ms Arnaud – French and
Ms Tatzel – German
“Kolik jazyků znáš, tolikrát jsi člověkem.” “You live a new life for every new language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once.” (Czech proverb)
Blackheath high school en français Our ‘French blog’ on the school’s portal was created with the idea
of developing our students’ confidence and fluency in writing
‘outside the textbook,’ about topics in which they are interested.
Some students write about their visit to a music festival or other
interesting event, some about a previous trip to France. The
blog allows creative and more spontaneous writing in French.
It facilitates real communication through sharing ideas or
experiences, understanding, reacting, commenting or expressing
views and opinions. For example, Year 10 were recently writing
book reviews which they posted on the blog, they were then asked
to read and react to each other’s reviews for homework. The blog
was created last summer and is becoming an integral part of the
learning process for some classes.
“I really enjoy the French blog and it is simple to use as work can be uploaded very easily. I enjoy reading other people’s work, especially work from the older girls as it is useful to read different work levels and also very interesting. I think the French blog is a very useful resource and is fun to use too.” Harriet Aubertin
“I think that the French blog is very useful because it helps us practise our French and to learn more vocabulary. I also like the fact that it enables us to interact with others.” Katy Hillier
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 11
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 11 06/03/2013 14:17
12 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
senior sport
Gibraltar Netball Tour 2012 – BHS girls ‘Net-it!’o
ur long awaited netball
tour to gibraltar departed
senior school on Friday 19th
october. netballers from
the u14 and u15 squads, plus two sixth
form helpers and three pe teachers made
up the 28-strong party. after a very early
start on friday morning, we were greeted
in gibraltar with sunshine and a warm
welcome from the tour representative. it
was wonderful to escape the rain in london
and be in sunnier climes.
our hotel rooms enjoyed either sea
views or a view of the rock with monkeys
hanging around on the balcony. after
refreshing, we set out to get some lunch
and explore the beach surrounding the
Hotel. We were in a great location and our
first afternoon was spent relaxing on the
beach, followed by exploring the central
shopping and café area, casemates square.
day 2 was action packed. the continental
breakfast was plentiful – just what we
needed before setting off on a busy day
of sight-seeing and the all-important
netball practice. our guide, eddie, drove us
through the major tunnel under the rock
and explained the occupancy and history
of gibraltar, particularly its involvement
during the World Wars. We then came to
the lighthouse and enjoyed views across
the straits to africa. We jumped on the bus
again and headed up the rock to explore
st michael’s cave. this is a network of
limestone caves located in the upper
rock nature reserve, at a height of over
300 metres above sea level. it was great
to explore and take in the stalagmites and
stalactites. upon exiting the caves, the
monkeys decided to drop in – quite literally!
a few of us had monkeys on our shoulders
and some great photos were snapped.
the afternoon was dedicated to netball
and we arrived at the Victoria sports centre
to meet our netball coach, Keisha, who
plays for the gibraltar national team. she
set out drills to target key skills, and it was
great to challenge ourselves. plus, it was
wonderful to be playing outdoors in the
sunshine. immediately after our intense
training session, each squad played a
friendly match with a local club team. We
were all nervous but keen to play. the
u14 team had a great match and really
demonstrated the driving and dodging
movements practised in training. it was
an excellent game and the u14s came out
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 12 06/03/2013 14:17
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 13
senior sport
on top, winning 16 – 12. the u15 squad
had to face much tougher opponents and
the score line was not as close. despite
this, players held their heads high and the
performance standard was outstanding.
day 3 sunday, included two morning
netball matches. We were quite tired from
such a busy day previously, so everyone
had equal opportunity to substitute and
rest. again, it was great to play diff erent
teams and to try out the skills we learnt in
the training session. Both gibraltar club
teams were very good and played to a high
standard. they were challenging opposition
teams and it is fair to say we were all well
and truly exhausted after our games. We
thanked the opposition and made our way
back to the hotel for lunch on the terrace.
later in the afternoon, we set off to the
harbour for a dolphin Boat tour. it was
great fun trying to spot the dolphins as
they swam alongside the boat and jumped
through the waves. it was a wonderful way
to fi nish the day.
day 4. monday morning was spent
relaxing on the beach and by the pool.
We played ‘kick-rounders’, built sand
castles, swam and enjoyed the sunshine.
the weather was glorious and it was
wonderful to be able to relax. after lunch
in casemates square, and one fi nal
opportunity to go shopping, we returned
to the sports stadium for our fi nal two hour
training session. our focus this session
was ‘clear leading’ and ensuring our passes
were fi rm and fl at. We also practised some
set plays from the centre
pass.
final day. sadly, on
tuesday 23rd october, we
had to depart gibraltar
and return to london.
Before checking out of
the hotel, every player was
presented with a small
token award in honour
of memorable moments
on tour…and there were
many! But it didn’t stop there… even our
fl ight home was eventful. We were delayed
in departing, so the flight captain invited
passengers to view the cockpit and chat
with the co-pilot. Before we knew it, with
all the discussions about buttons and
the hotel, every player was
monitors, we were back in our seats and
in the air. in no time, at all the coach was
pulling up to the senior school and it was
time to start our Half term holidays. our
netball tour to gibraltar was a success and
great fun was had by all. Miss Reed
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 13 06/03/2013 14:17
14 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
senior sport
autumn 2012 saw
the senior students
returning enthused after
a wonderful summer of
excellent sport in London. riding
on this enthusiasm, we started the
term with netball training and went
straight into playing matches. We have
been concentrating on developing the
teams into squads across the board
and this is starting to pay off; u12,
u13, u14, u15 squads have all had
significant wins against teams such as
st. dunstan’s, chislehurst and sidcup
grammar and dartford grammar
schools. at the Kent tournaments
so far this year we have produced
confident team performances against
other teams from throughout the
county, including Kent college,
farringtons school, langley girls’
school and Bromley High school.
our commitment to developing team
sports and extra-curricular activities
remains very high and, with the
addition of several new ventures, our
girls have had the opportunity to learn
many new skills.
during the autumn term we
enjoyed basketball coaching sessions
by Joel moore from greenwich sport
academy, who taught and motivated a
determined group of year 10 students
in an after school club. they have
made such progress within a short
space of time and are now ready to
challenge other schools to matches.
our girls have also shown great
enthusiasm in cross-country practices,
despite the poor weather, in readiness
for competitions this term. We have
also had the sports field mapped for
orienteering which our year 10 and 11
students are very much enjoying.
Senior Sport
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 14 06/03/2013 14:17
the autumn term began another
busy start to the academic year
for the Junior Pe Department.
girls in years 3, 4, 5 and 6 have
been involved in numerous sessions at the
fi eld and lots of inter-school matches.
Our school also hosted a very successful
Under 9 Netball Tournament.
The Year 6 Netball team are yet to lose a
league game and are training hard, as they
have some tough games in the Spring Term.
Our Year 4 and 5 teams have played well in
both their game fi xtures and tournaments
and show great potential for the future.
Year 3 have had some excellent training
and practice opportunities. They have also
had a practice match against Blackheath
Prep and look set to follow in the footsteps
of the teams that went before them.
In October, 40 Blackheath pupils
travelled to Bromley High to take part in
the Tony James Memorial Cross Country
Competition; there were some fantastic
team and individual results. The Year 6
Hockey team also travelled far afi eld for a
very successful Hockey tournament.
We fi nished off the term with the Y5 and
6 annual inter-house Netball Tournament
where we saw some very close fought
matches and some excellent play, plus
delightful displays of House pride!!
During the Spring Term, the
sporting events programme continues
to grow with Hockey, Netball and
Cross Country even ts hosted by
Blackheath and other local schools.
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 15
junior sport
Junior Sportmatches and some excellent play, plus
sporting events programme continues
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 15 06/03/2013 14:17
senior art
Head of Art, Mr Whitfi eld, refl ects on his fi rst term at BHS
Senior Art
What an action packed
fi rst term! I have
been given a warm
welcome by the pupils
of Blackheath High School into their
Art department, and that’s what it is:
theirs. By the time a girl has reached
the 6th form, the art department
has become her own art studio and
is no longer just a classroom. that’s
just what i want for it too; for it to be
a space where every pupil can feel
comfortable to bring in any idea and
test it out in an open and experimental
environment where everyone is
included and participates in their
own way. We have a beautiful mix of
individual ideas and group discussion
and criticality. this is what it’s like:
i am standing in the middle of the
studio turning slowly around: there is
a group of y8s making a huge snake
costume with a red fl oppy tongue;
there are three y11s jacked into imacs
researching their exam work; and
there’s that y12 student weaving a
huge sculptural net on the ceiling
like a spider; two y12s melting plastic
bits together to make accessories
for their plastic jerkins; six girls from
several year-groups are continually
walking around a table to some very
funky music rehearsing for the fashion
show; and there’s leah’s face with
an enigmatic mona lisa expression,
projected massively onto the wall. on
the other wall there is a slowly rotating
china doll, and over there is the three-
metre square year 9 collaborative
painting being jigsawed together. clay
sculptures are drying, life drawing
easels are standing nude, the print
press is pressing, pencils are scratching,
paint is splatting, sewing machines are
gnashing, laser-cutters are shooting,
fruit still-lifes are slowly rotting, trompe
l’oeil are tripping the eye, shutters are
snapping, stuff ed birds are keeping very
still and squeegees are splurging…
What a great thing to be standing in
the middle of this.
i’d better leave it there as i just need
to check there is nobody inside that
trunk paola is sawing in half!
“It has been a real pleasure to encounter such passion and talent, and to begin to belong to it.”3Dimensional Art Experimentation
self-Portrait rag Doll planning
cara eddie, y4, art capturing ‘speed’
16 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 16 06/03/2013 14:18
junior art
Children in nursery have been very busy
learning about ‘celebrations’ and creating
some outstanding string paintings of
fireworks and most recently, some charming
christmas decorations out of salt dough. Reception girls
produced some fantastic self-portraits as part of their topic
on ‘Ourselves’. By looking in mirrors, they thought carefully
about using appropriate paint colours and pasta. They also
learnt about celebrations and used clay to make divas for
Diwali.
As part of their topic ‘Yum Yum’, Y1 looked at various still-life
art works depicting fruit. They researched the work of ‘Giuseppe
Archimboldi’ and used paint to create their own fruit portraits!
This term, Y2 also based their art work on their creative
curriculum topic ‘Deep Down Under’. They explored a
variety of media, from watercolour paintings based on
Monet, to clay fish.
Y3 were very busy celebrating Autumn and used sponges
to create eye catching Autumn leaf prints. They also made
three-dimensional Autumn leaves to use in the Harvest
Festival assembly.
Y4 have been studying Abstract Art and used topics on
‘Dreams’ and ‘Movement’ to capture speed and explore
different perspectives.
Along with the wonderful year group art, we have also
participated in various school wide activities including
the GDST’s Christmas Card competition and designed
Christmas cards to purchase.
What a term, full of exciting creative activities!
I have now been teaching Art and
Design to girls in years 5 and 6 for a
whole year at Blackheath High Juniors.
I teach one day a week here and spend
the rest of the week working on my
own art commissions and projects
for galleries and museums across the
country. I love my time at Blackheath
High as it allows me to get back to
the core of ‘making’ and reminds me
why I love art and why I became an
artist (rather than constant meetings,
fundraising and emails that my own
art work often involves). I also find
it very inspiring working with the
girls; absorbing their excitement and
enthusiasm every time they try a new
technique or discover a new artwork
that they like.
My approach to teaching art is
rooted in a desire for the pupils to
make work that is directly meaningful
to them and which relates to
contemporary art and design practice.
In Y5 I put this into practice through
a self-portrait project, in which the
pupils design and make a self-portrait
Rag Doll. Here, they must consider
carefully how they want to represent
themselves through choice of clothing
and this allows them to think more
critically about how we read the
semiotics of clothing in everyday
life. The project is complimented by
learning the principles of how to draw
a face and the study of both historical
and on trend rag dolls.
In Y6, pupils explore their local
environment and social setting
through a ‘public art project’ and a
‘branding project’ for a local market. In
the Autumn Term they were focusing
on the public art project, for which
they were briefed to ‘design a public
sculpture for the Heath.’
In order to do this, they had to
research the history of the heath and
the surrounding area and also consider
its role today, as well as thinking about
how they use it or would like to use
it. There is a strong conceptual side
to this project which, for many, is the
first time of working in this way and
can be a challenge but one worth
taking on. The girls have developed
some fantastic ideas from giant ice
creams that actually contain real ice
cream inside to platforms that the
public are encouraged to stand on
and declare their beliefs in response to
the Blackheath Suffragettes. Through
this project, the girls have been
introduced to conceptual art but also
have developed their drawing skills and
learnt new sculpture techniques when
making their models.
I am looking forward to seeing
the end results of the Spring Term’s
projects during which the Y6 girls will
rebrand Lewisham Market and make
a series of print designs to showcase
their new brand.
Junior Art - Ms Drummond, Art and Design specialist for Y5 and Y6 reviews her first year with BHJS
ice-cream sculpture for
the heath
allanah Bonnar, nFt, salt Dough
christmas Decoration
reception self-Portraits
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 17
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 17 06/03/2013 14:18
senior draMa
For two evenings in november
our school theatre was
transformed into ‘grangewood
Boarding school for girls’. We
performed “daisy pulls it off” by denise
deegan. it was a tremendously spiffing
evening, watching our heroine daisy
(Hannah good) prove her worth and that
her scholarship to a prestigious school
was well deserved. she made lifelong
friends including trixie martin (lucy
englefield) and overcame difficulties,
namely the exceedingly mean sybil
Burlington (poppy cracknell). all of the
girls played their roles with conviction and
energy, making the scenes of treasure-
hunting full of suspense, the hockey
game a triumphant sporting achievement
and the dare-devil rescue at the end an
extremely exciting scene. there was an
excellent sense of ensemble from the
girls and we all enjoyed the witty script.
Well done girls and thank you for your
continued commitment to drama.
‘Daisy Pulls it off!’
18 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 18 06/03/2013 14:18
junior draMa
in the autumn term, Drama played
a key role across the curriculum
and throughout the year groups.
we have held numerous events,
workshops and christmas productions,
displaying a high standard of skill and
enthusiasm in all year groups.
foundation stage girls have taken part in
a number workshops, including ‘mermaids
and pirates’.” a divali workshop also took
place, where pupils in reception and
nursery re-told the story of ‘rama and sita’
through role play and movement.
the highlight of the drama activities
in Ks2 this term was the gadesden
competition, which took place on thursday
29th november. girls in each year group,
from year 3 to year 6, formed groups of
two to four from the same House to write
and perform their own plays; which had to
be no more than three minutes long. each
year group was given a different scenario
from which to develop a script, for example
‘the suitcase’ for year 3 and ‘the shed’ for
year 6. at the end of a week having been
spent developing, writing and learning their
scripts, the children from each year group
got together to perform their plays. each
group was awarded a mark, graded from
‘pass’ to ‘distinction’ and winners were
chosen from each House to perform at the
finals held the following week. the girls
had a fantastic time producing their plays,
and some brought in costumes, props
and even sound effects to enhance their
performances!
meridian House won, with a superb act
from clementine simpkin, anna Hadingham
and freya Burton-franklin. the girls were
given a prompt called ‘the pet’, and
came up with the idea of a ‘Ware
Hamster’. the girls demonstrated
superb acting and were very funny
and performed their story with an
unusual twist!
towards the end of the autumn
term, Ks1 performed a fantastic
nativity called ‘prickly Hay’.
reception performed a superb
dance to ‘cotton eye Joe’ dressed
as Hill-Billy angels. nursery also
performed a beautiful version of the
christmas story.
the term ended with a wonderful
interactive pantomime of Hansel
and gretel. isobella in 1VW said “i
loved it when gretel made a spell
and the handkerchiefs came out of
his pocket!”
it was a wonderful end of another
successful term, with fantastic
acting and script writing. Well done!
Junior Drama
“It took a lot of hard work and practice, but in the end, our performance was put together well and we made it funny. I enjoyed the week of writing and performing and look forward to it again next year!” Clementine Simpkin 4TS
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 19
BHS_6_Text_rev5.indd 19 06/03/2013 14:18
gdst 140th anniVersarY
World Record Science Attempt
Foreign language spelling bee competitionarounD the worLD in 140 worDs
our girls have also been participating in the
gdst’s fi rst foreign language spelling Bee
competition and, during the autumn term,
girls have been practising their spelling skills
in four modern foreign languages, including
mandarin!
the competition is designed to showcase
the linguistic talents of our girls and to
encourage the study of foreign languages,
enabling our girls to leave school with the
confi dence and the competence to succeed
in an increasingly globalised society.
the preliminary rounds have taken place
in school and 18 girls, from year groups 8
and 9 have been chosen to represent our
school in the inter-school rounds this term.
20 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
Who says girls don’t do physics?
on tuesday 13th november, we
attempted to enter the World record
Book. a science experiment involving
over 2,300 girls at 26 schools across
the country – 62 of them from
Blackheath High school – measured
gravity in a bid to set the record for
the world’s biggest practical science
lesson in multiple venues.
the experiments measured the value
of acceleration due to gravity. one
measured the time taken for an object
to drop a set distance, and the other
timed a swinging pendulum.
We were delighted to hear, on 9th
January, that we had, indeed, done it!
“It’s really exciting to be part of this world record attempt and
participating in a lesson that involves girls from all over the country. I can’t wait to see if we’ve managed to make
science history!”
“We’re hugely excited to have been part of making science history
particularly as recent studies have shown that women who go to girls’
schools are more likely to study stereotypically male subjects like
physics and chemistry, both at school and at university. We know this to be true from our own experience, with
around 25% of our girls studying A-level physics, compared to the
national average of 1.6%. Taking part in this world record has created even further enthusiasm for science.”
Mrs Laws
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Fundraising
Senior Fundraising
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 21
autumn was another busy term of fundraising
at the senior school, which began with an
impressive harvest Festival ‘cakefest’, an event
where the four houses competed to produce the
most impressive array of cakes (or one big cake)
for sale at breaktime. My particular favourites
this year were the ‘teapot and cups,’ and the
‘Burger, fries and ketchup’ platter!
our ‘children in need’ fundraising efforts
culminated in a highly entertaining year 8 talent
show. mufti days were held to raise money for the
‘Jeans for gene’s campaign and the trust’s Bursary
fund. an impressive £475 was raised for the ‘marie
curie cancer fund’ in addition to fundraising for the
‘poppy appeal’, the ‘samaritan’s and ‘action aid’, the
term’s charitable activities climaxed shortly before
christmas with a frenzy of fundraising for the ‘crisis
at christmas’ charity. nail bars and hair salons were
set-up, festive sugar canes were delivered and mr
parsons auctioned himself as a personal assistant for
the day, ultimately to a syndicate of girls in year 7! in
was an impressive performance that ultimately raised
£923.36 for those less fortunate than ourselves.
the total raised for the autumn term was an
impressive £2,927.30. Well done, girls!
Mr Parsons
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Junior FundraisingFundraising
22 Blackheath High School Autumn 2012
the autumn term was packed with charity events. the fi rst
of these was the ‘Dahlicious Dress-up Day’ in aid of roald
Dahl’s charity for children with neurological disorders. the
children and staff came to school disguised as one of the many
and varied dahl characters. it was great fun and quite a spectacle!
not long after this followed ‘Jeans for genes’ and ‘Breast cancer
awareness’. the girls again enjoyed the opportunity to come to
school in ‘mufti’ in exchange for £1 towards these worthy causes.
Harvest festival was celebrated in october and the generous
off erings of food were donated, as usual, to the salvation army to
be distributed to those in need.
the charity prefects worked hard this year to sell all of the
poppies we had in support of the royal British legion, ensuring
that we made a fantastic contribution. on 16th november was
the children in need day. as usual there were several fund-raising
events going on, ranging from pudsey cookies for sale to ‘guess
the weight of the cake’. the girls had a fantastic day and, most
importantly, managed to raise lots of much needed money.
We have continued to support the noah’s ark and schools in
Kenya through the nasio trust. during the autumn term we sent
girls’ school summer dresses and toothbrushes, kindly donated by
our parents. they were very much appreciated by the trust and the
children themselves.
as ever, we are extremely grateful to the continued generosity of
our parents and enthusiasm of our girls and staff which allows us to
support so many diff erent, important charities.
Autumn 2012
“I took the Toothbrushes to Noah’s Ark School where there were so many to choose from that, rather than be handed a toothbrush each, the children were able to choose their own one. Th ank you so much for
bringing a smile to all of their faces.” Nasio Trust
“It has been wonderful to see the
entrepreneurial and community spirit shown by so many of the
girls in arranging their own fund raising activities. All should be
congratulated with a special mention for Dilmi Gunatilake, Jasmine Bassi. Suki Harris and
Phoebe Jones.” Mrs Skevington
children from the noah’s ark school proudly wearing Blackheath high Junior school summer dresses and holding toothbrushes, all of which have been kindly donated by our parents.
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ForthCoMing eVents
Autumn 2012 Blackheath High School 23
Note from Blackheath High School Old Girls’ Association BHSOGA (www.bhsoga.org.uk)
Forthcoming Events
after serving over 30 years on the committee in various roles
caroline owens has retired as chairperson and Jane allerton
has now taken over the role. Jane has been on the committee
for the past six years and is a teacher at Bromley High school.
caroline was presented with a gift from the members at the
agm and reunion which was held at the Junior school at the
end of september and was attended by around 60 members.
the next agm and reunion will be on 12th october 2013.
the oga has recently launched its new website www.bhsoga.
org.uk which allows members to keep in touch more easily
with each other and the oga, and also provides a forum to
share memories and photos and talk about current and future
activities and events.
March
Bhsa easter Fair
9th March, 11am-3pm, Junior School
year 5 anD 6 concert
14th March, 4:00pm, Junior School
Hall
sPring concert
20th March, 7:30pm, Senior School
the teMPest ProDuction
25th March, Greenwich Theatre
Tickets available from the theatre
www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk,
020 8858 7755 or from the Box
Offi ce in person
year 3 anD 4 ProDuction
26th March, 6:30pm, Junior School
Hall
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