pfeNews

Friday 27 February 2015

Dear Parent, We have celebrated a number of individual and team successes this week. Each of these has reflected the girls’ ambition and determination to give their very best. This is what we are most proud of when we see top levels of achievement: they aim high, pick themselves up when things don’t go to plan and recognise that 90% of their success comes down to hard work. In the weeks ahead we will enjoy some healthy competition in house matches and in the house riding, music and dance events. Next Tuesday the community will be involved in house art, with shortlisted entries being examined by a panel of external judges in the evening. Well over 100 girls submitted work, which reflects the breadth of creative talent in school. Finally, my weekly reminder about Big Event tickets, which are still available. The excitement is growing as this event creeps nearer! Julie Roseblade

pf:achievement Congratulations to: Abby Lebus who has been asked to represent Great Britain in the U17 category at the International Youth Competition on 14 March. The selection followed a ranking competition at Millfield at the beginning of February. Abby has to swim 200m, run and shoot in a combined event. Congratulations to: Hannah Knights who gained silver medals in both long jump and triple jump in the U20 age group at the Indoor County Championships during half term. Well done Hannah!

Congratulations to: Fourth form girls who took part in the UKMT Intermediate Mathematical Challenge before half term. Emma Aldred was Best in School and Sissi Guo, Tiffany Ng, Michaela Holmes, Beatrice Fomin, Alexandra Shaw and Zara Freeman were awarded certificates.

Congratulations: On Sunday 15 February Poppy Higgins, (a member of the PF riding team) took part in a national pony club Triathlon Qualifier (running, swimming and shooting) held in Berkshire. Against stiff competition, she came second overall in her age group and, as a result, she has won a place in the National Pony Club Triathlon Finals 2015. These will be held on 15 March in Milton Keynes. Good luck Poppy! Congratulations to: all the girls who passed their recent LAMDA examinations. Particular congratulations to those who achieved distinction: Charlotte Kettel, Eve Mayhead, Charlotte Oulton, Ella Redbond, Matilda Kettel, Emma Konarek, Rosie Phillips, Poppy Scillitoe, Grace Whitlam, Francesca Zamboni, Karema Laval, Victoria Whitmarsh, Saskia Lawrence, Charlotte Rogers, Abigail Rutherford, Lotus Jiang, Imogen Haywood and Natasha Cocksedge.

pf:achievement contd. Head’s Commendation to: Yu Lei for her outstanding IELTS essay.

Congratulations: Ellie Shaw’s poem about war has been selected for a national Young Writers’ Competition and will be published in a collection of poems called War of Words at the end of March. Well done Ellie!

pf:gold DofE A Royal date with the golden touch for Prior’s Field Students: Mrs Spencer reports:

On the morning of Tuesday 13 January in the Picture Gallery of St James’ Palace, Prior’s Field Old Girls Jessica Dean, Shree Desai and Jasmine Smith were presented with their Duke of Edingburgh Gold Award certificate from Trustee and Gold Award holder HRH The Earl of Wessex. I was delighted to accept an invitation to be a Marshall at the Palace and help the participants and their supporters enjoy the morning’s events. The Presenter in the Picture Gallery was Mike Naworynsky, Bursar of Pembroke College Oxford and former Deputy Sergeant of Arms at the House of Commons. He gave an entertaining talk on his first experiences as a participant at Gold Award level. Mr Hepworth represented Prior’s Field School and was presented to Prince Edward. The red and gold surroundings were fitting for such a special occasion and everyone attending took with them a special memory of the morning.

pf:cross curricular day First Form Cross Curricular Day: Mrs Morwood reports: DIGITAL DAY The first form cross curricular day was a day of digital learning! In the music workshops, ipads were used to compose and play tunes collaboratively while the Green Screen session saw girls in groups, directing, filming and editing their films to a tight deadline. One of the most valuable and relevant skills the first form learnt was the power of collaboration, using cloud based applications for their learning. In a google apps based Geography workshop, they used Skitch, along with google sheets (excel equivalent) to generate graphs of their collated data. In this digital age and in a school that highlights the value of digital devices, this was a real bonus and I hope the first form will lead the way in continuing to use cloud based applications for effective learning. It is clear from their feedback on the day that the girls found this a fun way to learn and were equipped with lots of valuble new skills. It was also excellent preparation for the collaborative, technology based way of working that is now so prevalent in the work place.

pf:textiles Sixth Form Textile Workshop with Wendy Dolan: Mrs Barnes reports: Local artist Wendy Dolan came in to talk about her work to the Sixth Form Textile students. She demonstrated her method of working creatively with fabric and threads in an exciting way which the girls could then apply to their own A Level work. Taking image to fabric using dyeing and stitching methods, the girls created some inspirational textured pieces. Wendy is a member of the Sussex Guild of Designers and Makers and exhibits her work nationwide. She will be showing her work as part of Art in Action, at Waterperry House in Oxford in July.

pf:pancakes Pancakes: Ms Teasdale reports: To celebrate pancake day (somewhat belatedly due to Shrove Tuesday falling in half term!) the Third Form Food Technologists all made “healthy” crepes using wholemeal flour, filled with bananas and chocolate sauce or lemon and sugar. They made beautiful batters and became confident in flipping the pancakes, before sitting down to enjoy them in the lesson. All in all, we agreed that it wasn’t a bad way to spend Wednesday morning!

pf:geography First Form Geography Fieldwork: Ms Treanor reports: On Wednesday the first form was set the task of investigating why people shop in Godalming. They worked in groups and put their data collection skills to good effect. Land use surveys, pedestrian counts and environmental quality scores were taken. The challenge of carrying out questionnaires didn't faze them and the girls found the majority of shoppers had plenty of time to spare. Back in the classroom the girls will learn how to use our Geographic Information Systems software to locate some of their data, manipulate results into graphical form and put their powers of analysis to the test in order to make a decision. Everyone was well prepared for the day and kept their focus- even when lured by the appeal of the sweet shop!

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS……POMPEII AND CAPRI 2016 Back by popular demand, the Latin trip to Pompeii, Vesuvius, Capri and Herculaneum is planned for 15-18 April 2016, at the very end of the Easter holidays. We shall be staying at the Hotel Il Faro, down in the picturesque port of Sorrento, with beautiful views over the Mediterranean to the magical Isle of Capri. We fly to Naples and are taken by coach to the hotel, with its en-suite accommodation on the Friday, and the next day to the fabled site of Pompeii and then up to Vesuvius itself, where we shall walk up to the rim of the volcano and see the breathtaking panorama of the Amalfi coast. On Sunday we shall skim across the water by hydrofoil to Capri, use the funicular railway to reach Capri town and then ascend to Anacapri, with probably the most beautiful views you may see in your entire life. After an evening’s entertainment, we will visit the Oplontis Villa before stopping at Herculaneum, reckoned by many to give a fuller idea of Roman life than even Pompeii. Priority will be given to Latin students, but anyone is welcome to join us on this trip. The cost will be approximately £530, and a deposit of £80 should be paid by Monday, 9th March. Please email [email protected] for further details or if you have any enquiries.

pf:staying safe online Staying safe online: Safer Internet Day: Mrs Sapseid reports: Before half term, we reminded girls about some of the dangers lurking online. There is a wealth of valuable information out there, so we thought it would be useful to provide you with some links. Following these links below will provide guidance to parents and girls about staying safe online and will make a good starting point for discussions. A point we made to the girls is the ‘white tshirt test’: whatever you write online, you should be prepared to write on a t-shirt and walk around in it. That will certainly protect your online reputation! http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2015/youth http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk Please note we also have a Pastoral Evening on Wednesday 11 March at 7pm with Karl Hopwood, leading specialist in eSafety issues. If you would like to attend, please rsvp Gail Knox-Wilson on gknox-wilson@ priorsfieldschool.com. For further information on Karl Hopwood, see http://esafetyltd.info/3.html

Stay Safe Online

pf:health A message from the Medical Centre: If your daughter has a prescribed Epipen, can you please check that she is carrying it with her at all times during the school day and that it is in date. Likewise, if your daughter has asthma and has a reliever inhaler, can you please check that she has it with her and that it is in date.

Beginners’ sushi workshop for staff, led by parent Mrs Hamilton-Barr

pf:fourth form dinner Fourth Form Dinner: Mrs Sapseid reports: The Fourth Form dinner is an opportunity for girls and parents to find out more about PF Sixth Form. We are unashamedly proud of all that our Sixth Form has to offer and of the young women who are part of it. Mrs Sapseid welcomed parents and girls, and spoke initially about the success PF Sixth has experienced over the last few years. We offer more than 27 subjects at A Level and constantly evaluate the courses, adding more options where necessary. The PF teaching staff know the girls very well so, with minimal settling in time required, the girls are able to take on their A level courses with confidence. Our sixth form caters for boarders and day girls in the same house, and we have a well-equipped day study to accommodate everyone. There is a real sense of cohesion in the house and our sixth form girls really do support each other. Mrs Sapseid went on to remind parents of the Sixth Form Open Evening early next academic year, where a more academic and formal approach is adopted, to guide girls towards making their option choices for A level. We also offer sixth form scholarships in the following categories: academic, art, sport, music and drama. Scholarship information will be sent out before autumn half term and exams will be in November. There are 100% means tested bursaries available, too. Current Lower Sixth students who attended the dinner shared much valuable information with parents throughout the evening as they chatted about their courses and the many activities in which they are involved. Mrs Lyon, Head of Upper Sixth, spoke about our strong tutor system, where Sixth Formers have regular one to one tutorials with their tutors who offer advice on all aspects of school life. This tailored, bespoke approach is something that many other, larger, Sixth Forms cannot offer. Likewise, leadership opportunities such as being a prefect and having the opportunity to coach and mentor younger students is not offered by Sixth Form colleges and these roles are much relished by our girls. Competitions for top universities and jobs is keen, so the need for students to be not only academically accomplished but also socially skilled, emotionally literate, able to think creatively and be infused with a work ethic, has never been greater. We regularly have 100% of our students applying to Higher Education gaining places at their first choice universities. This is done in a thorough way. We offer bespoke UCAS preparation and work very hard to find the best fit for your daughters. We match predicted grades with university requirements to help our students gain a strong portfolio of offers to first rate courses at first rate universities at home and abroad. We link students to universities for taster packages during their time here, arrange internships, have a rigorous interview preparation programme and advise on work experience and apprenticeship schemes. It is vital that we stay ahead of the curve and offer advice for the contemporary world of work that is changing faster than it has ever done before. To this end we have launched a unique package for our sixth form: when they leave us they will not only have had academic support and stretch through their years here but they will also have been able to choose from a menu of accredited qualifications that will give them an edge over other school leavers when they apply for Higher Education and for jobs. Some of the qualifications that we offer include TEFL, CMI and Lifeguarding. In addition we offer our students the choice of several enhancements to their learning and development of transferrable skills. Students may opt for an iPad to aid their studies or they may choose to take a set of driving lessons or make a bid for a start up fund for a business idea or support funding for an educational trip. We offer academic excellence and breadth with a wide range of subjects and small tutorial style classes to develop independent and reflective learning. In a friendly atmosphere, with delicious food and chilled wine, parents and fourth formers learned about PF Sixth and all it can offer within a single sex environment where results are likely to be better. Prior’s Field sixth formers are able to have it all: they work hard without distractions during the week, and enjoy life at the weekends. Teaching staff know their students well, relationships are strong and there is plenty of time for fun and for developing a range of skills, interests and talents beyond the classroom. We have no doubt that Prior’s Field Sixth Form is an excellent option for all our girls.

pf:sports Sports report. Miss Petch reports: The PE department has had a fixture packed week with some fantastic results. The U13 hockey squad played Farnborough Hill on Monday night and drew 0-0. Esther Bateman made some excellent saves to keep the game level and was awarded the player of the match. The game was a battle in the midfield where the play was very even. Sadly, a disallowed goal in the final minute meant the game finished as a draw. The swimming squad travelled to St Mary’s in Ascot and left as the overall winner. Each age group dominated and demonstrated Prior’s Field is a force to be reckoned with in the pool. The U12s and U13s both won, while the U14s and open age group came 2nd. Congratulations must go to all the swimmers, but with special mentions for Holly-Rose Harland Fairweather, Imogen Sutherland and Poppy Scillitoe who had superb races. At the Duke of Kent School on Tuesday evening, the U15 netball team lost 16-13 in a very tightly contested game. The player of the match was Abigail Rutherford. The U16 hockey team had their best game of the season to date when playing against Tormead on Tuesday. Everything just clicked in to place and they were on fire! Throughout the whole game, the midfield and forwards put a lot of pressure on the Tormead defence. Their GK played extremely well to deny PF many more goals. The final score was 7-0 with Sinead Kay scoring 4 goals. Alex Hardy, Chloe Mayhead and Grace Cerveny all scored, while the defence remained solid and supportive to the midfield. Player of the match was Alex Hardy. The success continued on Wednesday night when the U14 netball squad played The Royal. The U14 A team played a fast and furious game winning 14-3. Maya Payne was awarded player of the match for her excellent defensive skills. The final score for the U14 B team was 6-4. Eliza Austin was given player of the match for helping the team secure their win. The 1st netball team also played on Wednesday evening. They fought hard against Bedales but lost 20-15. Grace Richardson was awarded player of the match. Woldingham visited Prior’s Field on Wednesday to compete against the U12 hockey team. The A team won 5-0 and the Bs won 8-1. The A team passed the ball brilliantly, especially out of defence. They looked threatening every time they went forward and scored some impressive goals. The defence was solid which allowed the midfielders to push on and join the attackers. Player of the match was Emma Stewart. The B team had a comfortable win, scoring 8 goals with Annabel Youngman contributing 4 of them, making her player of the match. The U15 A and B netball squad played Woldingham on Wednesday. The A team were drawing at half time in a fast and furious game but Woldingham pulled ahead winning 9-5 in the end. The B team won 9-8 and Abigail Rutherford was player of the match for both games. Finally, the year 7 and year 8 cross country team took part in the Danes Hill cross country event. It was certainly a day suited to cross country - extremely wet and muddy. The course was long and undulating around the vast fields of Danes Hill. The girls ran over 2500m in very tough conditions. Imogen Henderson was the first PF girl to cross the line. Well done to all the runners. Good luck to the U14 netball squad which is competing on Sunday at the Surrey Netball Finals in Croydon. Good luck also to our swimmers in the Guildford District gala at the weekend.