Education and Fulfilment through Challenge and Support

News Issue 36 Winter 2014

An Independent Day School for girls aged 3 to 18 and boys aged 3 to 11

Celebrating Achievements

A few words from the HeadteacherWelcome to the first newsletter of the 2014-2015 academic year.

In the few short weeks since the start of the Autumn term the School has been buzzing with exciting activities and this edition of the newsletter is almost bursting at the seams with photos and stories. This time we have taken a slightly different approach in that we have two separate ‘Focus on…’ sections. One is looking at our new PE department and all the exciting initiatives they have introduced, and the other is looking at our Sixth Form from the students’ point of view.

Whilst at the end of the Summer term it is sad to say goodbye to our Year 13s as they head off for universities, apprenticeships or gap years it is wonderful when they revisit us for their final Prizegiving. This year’s Prizegiving was a triumph of celebration of all our senior students have achieved in the last year and included audience participation for possibly the first time ever.

As this term draws to a close I hope you will agree with me that once again we have had an excellent start to the School year and you will join with me in congratulating our students of all ages for their hard work and wholehearted involvement in all aspects of School life.

Mrs Hawley

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Mrs Knowland (Full Time)I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our brand new PE Team from September 2014. Working in the PE department we now have myself as Head of Department supported by Mrs Hopper and Miss Dyas. I have been teaching for 13 years across two previous schools. My first post was at Dinnington Comprehensive School, where I was responsible for Assessment for Learning and Key Stage 4 Coordinator. Then following this my second school was Campsmount Academy, where I worked for 7 years as a PE Teacher and School Sports Coordinator. I feel extremely privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead and drive forward the PE department at OLCS and hopefully by reading on you will see the impact our new team has started to make with our new initiatives and ideas.

Focus on PE

OLCS Sports Leadership AcademyA new and exciting Sports Leadership programme has been introduced and embraced by Years 10 – 13. Sports Leadership allows all young people, whether they are talented or just like PE to develop an active role in sport and physical activity. Students are given the opportunity to work alongside the PE department in coaching younger students in practices and games. A range of opportunities from First Aid qualifications to netball coaching and umpire awards will be on offer throughout the year.

Benefits of volunteering:• It increases self-confidence that comes

through taking responsibility for their own and others’ learning and enjoyment.

• Fun and practical accredited qualifications which can lead to potential employment.

• It provides the foundation of practical skills employers and further education establishments are looking for.

• Improves self-worth.

Already twenty Year 10 students and six Year 12 students have volunteered and are being trained, 15 of these were chosen to officiate at the North Charnwood Primary Schools Indoor Athletics competition, held at Charnwood College on Wednesday 19th November. There were over 500 primary school pupils to organise and guide through 10 events and our leaders were praised for their involvement. Please encourage your daughter to consider volunteering for future events and opportunities that are advertised by the PE department.

Our Leaders officiating at the Indoor Athletics were as follows: Ella Astbury, Emma Bardsley, Matilda Bignell, Angel Brooks, Rebecca Collins, Grace Elliott, Victoria Higgins, Jessica Howells, Jemima Hunt, Lucy Jones, Amelia Leeland, Claudia Morris, Olivia Platts, Olivia Sherwood, Lucy Thompson.

Sports Star Leader of the first half term is: Ella Astbury - Fantastic commitment to practices and assistance at our first set of Netball fixtures.

Meet the PE TeamMrs Knowland, Head of PE

Mrs Hopper (Monday - Wednesday)Also new to our PE Team is Mrs Hopper, who has been working for 12 years at Charnwood College. Mrs Hopper has worked there as a PE Teacher and School Sports Coordinator and in addition to this has also been a Head of House. Mrs Hopper is also keen to develop the sporting provisions we offer our students and has already taken up the role of running our newly formed Leadership Academy.

Miss Dyas (Fridays)Miss Dyas is our final new addition to the PE Team, who works every Friday. She runs the newly formed Street Dance and Cheerleading Academy. However in addition to this she is delivering various PE lessons during curriculum time including Zumba, dance and cheerleading to those classes that have PE on a Friday. Miss Dyas is a freelance dance teacher, who is also qualified to deliver Zumba, Pilates and yoga. She is a fantastic asset to the team and we have been extremely fortunate to have her join the School once a week to develop this new aesthetic area of the curriculum.

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Focus on PE

Recognising Sporting Success We would like to praise and recognise the commitment of students who compete and train at an elite level in their own time.

We have set up an ‘All Star Students’ board for all students who represent at County level or above in their respective sports and activities. The students are asked to complete an athletic profile, which will be placed on the board and updated with their achievements. If you feel your child should be recognised for their achievements, please contact Mrs Hopper in the PE department.

Students we have recognised so far are:Esmee Esho – AthleticsMillie-Mae Matthews – TennisEmilie Kirkbride – East Midlands Martial ArtsNaomi Wilbram – East Midlands Martial ArtsOrianne Capsticks – RowingOlivia Preston – Kick BoxingJessica Holland – Ice SkatingLarysa Smaditch – DanceKiara Jones - DanceEleanor Beachell – GymnasticsLucy Jones – AthleticsCara and Iona McNeill – Horse RidingAnna Wanstall – Modern PentathalonEva Carrier – EventingKitty Dowell – DressageEllie Kivneen – ChessAmy Taylor – Gymnastics

This is a new and exciting academy which has been introduced at OLCS, where we currently have a large proportion of students participating. This is run by our new Street Dance and Cheerleading coach Miss Dyas, who produces some amazing work with all of her students.

It runs from Early Years up to Sixth Form and it offers students the chance to work on routines in Street Dance and Cheerleading, working towards an annual show called the Eurovision Dance Contest. Students have started work on their choreography this half term for the show and all pieces are working in line with the theme that has been set for the show,

Street Dance and Cheerleading Academy

Recognising Effort and Improvement in PEIn each unit of work Mrs Knowland and Mrs Hopper are awarding a “High Flyer and High Tryer” to each class.

A high flying student is someone who has made the most progress in the sports studied that half term. The high tryer is the student who has applied the most effort, assisted others or persisted in their progress. The students are awarded a merit card and their picture is placed on a display in the main hall, with comments from each member of staff for the high tryer. As a department we hope the students see that we recognise their efforts and progress and will strive for the award in the next unit of work.

This half terms awards went to:High TryersHeather BrownMaddie SepedeMegan RavenSophia KennyOlivia PrestonOlivia AustinJoanne SiddallNaomi Van BunnensLydia JohnsonDaisy RussellKirsty HarrisMollie PenderyNiamh ProudfootGeorgia MorrisStephanie HenshawEleanor CairnsOlivia JonesDemi IronsBeth Green Olivia Platts

High FlyersJaideep SadhraEleanor MiddletonNaomi WilbramFarah HassanAngel BrooksLucy JonesAmy TaylorCleo LoizzoLauren DandoSummer WaldronLiberty SlingsbyEva LeelandMolly BrownSophie LongSerena FathersFinlay Royle Zahra BhojaniRuth ElsegoodJenny Unwin-BeharrellLucy Thompson

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Focus on PE

Save the date: Thursday 7th May, 7pmIn addition to this event students will also be selected to enter different competitions run by the School Sports Partnership and compete against other schools in these disciplines. New to the Charnwood competitions, which OLCS are running, is a cheerleading competition and there will also be a dance competition at Rawlins Academy. With our new Street Dance and Cheerleading Academy we will be entering these competitions, with a view to hopefully doing very well.

HOUSE SPORTS COMPETITIONSThis academic year has seen the introduction of a new PE Curriculum. We now offer breadth and depth in our teaching through a focused, broad and balanced range of activities utilising a mixture of games and individual activities.

Students have a clear mapped out curriculum for the year, working in similar ability set groups in their games lessons and mixed ability groups in their PE lesson. Students in the Senior School enjoy a wide variety of sports including netball, hockey, basketball, badminton, football, rounders, tennis, cricket, dance, gymnastics, fitness, trampolining, table tennis, cheerleading and athletics dependent on their age.

Within the curriculum we also support the flourishing House system, which runs throughout the whole School, and sporting opportunities are an important part of the overall House programme. In the Senior School at the end of each unit of work in PE we are now celebrating students’ achievements by holding a House competition within those areas of the curriculum. This is to showcase their talents at the end of the unit of work and something for the students to strive to achieve well in.

The students have thoroughly enjoyed these competitions and we have had some closely fought contests within certain areas. Please see the results below:

which is “A night at the Movies”. Over the coming months everyone attending will work hard on different street dance and cheerleading pieces to then enter into the show.

The Eurovision Dance Contest presents a fun way of showcasing the pieces to parents, staff and peers, and it is also run as an exciting competition, where each dance or cheerleading piece enters representing a country. We have judges on the evening scoring and the Eurovision Dance Contest is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate all our students’ hard work throughout the year.

Primary Members of the Academy

Year 7Netball

Year 8 Netball

Year 9 Hockey

Year 9 Badminton

Year 10 Hockey

Year 10 Netball

Year 11Netball

Agnes 0 Teresa 4Peter 2 Rosmini 1Agnes 0 Peter 1

Rosmini 3 Teresa 1Agnes 1 Rosmini 0Teresa 2 Peter 0

1st Teresa 6 points (6 goals)

2nd Peter 6 points (3 goals)

3rd Agnes 1 point4th Rosmini 1 point

Peter/Teresa Rosmini/Agnes

Peter & Teresa won the game

Teresa beat Peter then in the

shoot out

Peter 0 Agnes 2Rosmini 2 Teresa 0Peter 2 Rosmini 2Teresa 2 Agnes 1Peter 1 Teresa 0

Rosmini 1 Agnes 4

1st Agnes 6 points2nd Rosmini 5 points

(5 goals)3rd Peter 5 points

(3 goals)4th Teresa 3 points

Peter 0 Agnes 2Rosmini 2 Teresa 0Peter 2 Rosmini 2Teresa 2 Agnes 1Peter 1 Teresa 0

Rosmini 1 Agnes 4

1st Agnes 6 points2nd Rosmini

5 points (5 goals)3rd Peter

5 points (3 goals)4th Teresa 3 points

Peter 1 Agnes 3Rosmini 3 Teresa 2Peter 1 Rosmini 4Teresa 3 Agnes 4Peter 0 Teresa 1

Rosmini 2 Agnes 4

1st Agnes 9 points2nd Rosmini 6 points3rd Teresa 5 points4th Peter 0 points

Peter 0 Agnes 3Rosmini 1 Teresa 2Agnes 1 Rosmini 1Peter 1 Teresa 3Agnes 2 Teresa 0Rosmini 3 Peter 0

1st Agnes 7 points2nd Teresa 6 points3rd Rosmini 3 points

4th Peter 0 points

Peter 0 Agnes 2Rosmini 2 Teresa 0Peter 2 Rosmini 0Teresa 0 Agnes 2Peter 1 Teresa 1

Rosmini 0 Agnes 2

1st Agnes 9 points

2nd Peter 5 points

3rd Rosmini 3 points

4th Teresa 2 points

MAY

7th

The winning House in the first half term is Agnes

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Netball Tour FixtureOn Thursday 16th October we had the pleasure of hosting our first netball fixture against a school touring from Wales. We welcomed Amman Valley School to the Convent to play our U14 netball squad. Our girls played this fixture during the afternoon and they were up against some tough competition.

The girls were split into an A and B squad and the A squad played some excellent netball moving the ball down court effectively to attack and score goals. It was closely fought, however they managed to win their first half of the game. Then the B squad came onto play and again they worked well as a team, unfortunately though their opposition were too good for them and they lost the second half. The end result of both games was 7-14 to Amman Valley. Following the game our girls hosted some post match hospitality over in the Refectory and enjoyed socialising as a team and with their opponents.

Players of the Match were Lily Matthews – A Squad and Orianne Capsticks – B Squad.

Year 6 get a Taste for the Senior LifeEarly in October our Year 6 girls were joined by some external candidates for an opportunity to experience life in the Seniors as a Year 7. Here’s what they thought…

It was really fun…I met this really nice girl from Holy Cross School. I really enjoyed the day and I can’t wait for the Seniors. Millie Sherwood

I was a bit nervous at first when I saw all the girls that were here for the Taster day. After a lovely assembly we were separated into our groups, we went over to the main building to do cooking and I paired up with a new girl called Bethan. I loved making biscuits with my new friend.Ruby Armes

…All of Year 6 had a lovely day being Year 7. We had lunch with the seniors then we had PE and then Geography. It was awesome, I liked being a senior.Mia Smith

Delicious cookies to take home after the Year 7 Taster day

Year 7 Taster day was amazing and really, really fun. We did all kinds of fun things like in Maths we played with dice with Mr Rowe, then we had a short break and Science. Science was really fun because we solved the mystery of ‘Who stole the missing poodle?’ – we analysed the proof and found it was Fiendish Freda!...This was the best day ever, I had fun and I hope everyone in the Juniors does too when it’s their turn.Katie Long

Wimbledon calls to Millie-MaeMillie-Mae Matthews continues her excellent progress in Tennis, recently she competed at Wimbledon on the hallowed grass courts in the HSBC 14 AND UNDER Junior Road to Wimbledon. At only 11 years old Millie was competing against girls up to 14 years old.

In the singles she won all three games in straight sets in her qualifying box against 13 year olds. She then reached the main draw round of 16 but was beaten by a 14 year old in two tight sets 5-7, 4-6.

She also competed in the Doubles with Tiana Fox from Sussex who was also 11 and they reached the final and after having two match points eventually lost 4-6, 6-2, 10-12, a great effort! After the final and receiving her runners up trophy from Tim Henman Millie was interviewed by the Loughborough Echo. Speaking at the time she said, “…I’m still really happy to come away with a trophy and finish as a runner-up at Wimbledon…”

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ISA Art CompetitionOur School has a long and respected tradition of enabling artistic students to flourish and develop to their full potential and each year we submit selected artworks to the ISA Regional competition. Each year our students excel at this level but this year we have a National winner as well.

In the Regional competition second prize was awarded to Claudia Morris in the Key Stage 5 drawing category even though she was entered as Key Stage 4. Her piece entitled ‘Family’ represents members of her family in a ‘totem’ style formation with surreal representations of mortality in the form of a skull.

Emma Case was awarded a Highly Commended for her ‘Flowers’, a colourful study of red and orange flowers in a vase using oil pastels.

First prize for the Key Stage 5 drawing category was awarded to Lucy Bedford for her large scale charcoal piece called ‘Hand to mouth’. This piece is based on a photo of Lucy’s mother and ideas she collected from early examples of black and white photography. She also received Highly Commended for her sketchbook ‘Gestures’. Any items achieving a Regional first place are automatically entered into the National competition and we have just heard that Lucy triumphed once again achieving a First place in her category.

Well done to all three girls

‘Family’ by Claudia Morris ‘Flowers’ by Emma Case ‘Hand to Mouth’ by Lucy Bedford

Year 5’s Friendly Netball Match against SwithlandOn 6th November we played a netball match against Swithland (St Leonard’s) School. Our A team played four quarters and the B team also played four. I was in the B team and I played as Goal Keeper and Goal Defence. It was a real adrenaline rush and great fun. The result was a draw.Sofia Genco-Billington

I played in the A team and I was Centre. Thank you to Swithland for coming to play. We all had a great time.Estella McDermott

It was great fun playing a match against Swithland. The A team won, the B team lost, so overall it was a draw!Demi Locker

Mrs Hawley congratulates A level students on their excellent results

Joy at receiving outstanding GCSE results

Resounding Results Success Summer 2014This summer students, parents and staff were again celebrating another tranche of excellent A level and GCSE results.

Speaking about the results at the time Mrs Hawley said, “I am so proud of all our students, they have been dedicated to their studies and their results speak for themselves; they achieved a 100% pass rate with 89% achieving A* to C at A level and an outstanding 100% pass rate with 88% of students achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE level, a testament to their hard work. Congratulations to them all.”

The fantastic results have enabled our then Year 13 students to realise their ambitions for the next stage of their lives. Most have chosen to progress to university whilst others have chosen to take a gap year or join an apprenticeship scheme. Below you can see where those students have progressed to and which courses they have selected. All were delighted to achieve a place at their first or second choice university. We wish them well and hope to see them visiting the School again in the future.

Destination CourseSheffield Hallam Education Studies

Surrey Psychology

Liverpool Law

Reading Physical Geography

Sheffield Hallam Hospitality Management with Culinary Arts

Leeds Management

Leicester Apprenticeship

Warwick Civil Engineering

Sheffield Hallam Food Marketing Management

Nottingham Trent Fashion Management

Nottingham English

Warwick History of Art

Liverpool Hope Psychology and Special Educational Needs

Leicester Operating Theatre Practitioner

Manchester Metropolitan English and Creative Writing

Cardiff Optometry

Gap year

Gap year

Remembrance 2014In this centenary year of the start of the First World War acts of Remembrance have taken many different forms, most notably the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red ceramic poppy art installation at the Tower of London.

Throughout the School the historical facts of this conflict have been revisited with the Senior History department leading the way with their displays, the Primary department have also taken time to understand and appreciate the sacrifices made, particularly in the First World War. Students in Year 3/4 were so moved to learn that 565 men from Loughborough lost their lives in WWI that they hand made the same number of poppies and put them on display in the Chapel for all to see.

These beautiful creations supplied a poignant backdrop for the Remembrance assembly and an eye-catching draw to the Chapel for visitors on Open Morning. One hand-made poppy for each of the Loughborough men who were lost in WWI

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New Look LibrariesMiss Bradshaw

Senior LibraryIt has been a very busy summer… The Senior Library has seen great change with a stylish refurbishment while the Infant and Junior Libraries have been relocated into the new Primary Learning Hub.

In the Summer holidays work began on refurbishing the Senior Library following a consultation period with students and staff during the previous term. First came a brand new suspended ceiling, giving the effect of added light and space within the learning environment. Next the walls were given a new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint. PCs were relocated and a new carpet fitted to give definition to the new Learning Zones, creating a flexible and welcoming study space. The Reception area has been reimagined with new seating and an easily accessible Careers Section for Sixth Form. Lucy Bedford, Head Girl 2013-2014 has kindly donated ‘Shhh!’, an original artwork reminding pupils to be considerate of others when using the Library.

Towards the end of the project we received a wonderful surprise – Mrs Alison Justham, a former pupil contacted us wishing to make a donation… This generosity was unexpected and we are pleased to rename the Senior Library ‘The Justham Library’ in her honour. Mrs Justham was a pupil of the School during the 1970s and remembers her time with us with great fondness. The official opening and re-naming of The Justham Library took place on Thursday 11th September and the day was greatly enjoyed by all.

Author VisitsOn Thursday 11th September, established teen-fiction writer Isla Whitcroft visited us to officially open the new Justham Library and to deliver an enthralling Thriller Writing Workshop to our Year 8s. The workshop offered an opportunity for our girls to learn top tips for writing fiction from a true master of the craft. Isla’s acclaimed series ‘The Cait Carlisle Files’ has been written specifically for young teenage girls to provide a female counterpart to the Alex Rider series aimed at teenage boys. During the workshop, girls learnt how to create a back story for a character and how to visualise and effectively describe the location of their stories.

Following on from the success of our Writing Workshop for Year 8s, Isla returned on Tuesday 30th September to officially open our relocated Primary Library and to deliver a specially tailored writing workshop to a selection of our Year 3-6 pupils.

Primary LibraryThe joining together of the Infant and Junior Libraries has created a larger purposely designed Learning Zone for our pupils from Reception to Year 6. Browsing for younger borrowers has been simplified so that pupils can quickly locate the right book for them. The newly relocated Primary Library was officially opened by author Isla Whitcroft, to the great delight of the Primary pupils on Tuesday 30th September.

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Celts come to life at Beaumanor HallYear 3 and 4 enjoyed a great day out at Beaumanor Hall extending their learning about the Celts. They all dressed as Celtic warriors (some with war paint) and visited a round house in the woods to do some weaving, play instruments and listen to a story.

Cai said, ‘My favourite bit was the battle training.’

Amelia said, ‘I liked the runic decoding trail but it was quite hard.’ The Celts prepare to battle the Romans at Beaumanor Hall

Mr Ayton

As a fairly recent convert to cycling (the knee joints are starting to complain about too much running!) I had been thinking for some time about setting myself an appropriate challenge to raise money for a worthy cause.

It occurred to me some time ago that a commute into school might be the answer. I have become more and more concerned about how few of our children use their own energy to get themselves to school, the internal combustion engine usually being their (or their parents’?) preferred means. Now, if I could manage 27 miles each way for a week, might that encourage others to do likewise?

I also thought that the Caritas team’s choice of Rainbows Hospices was a particularly worthy cause. So the plan was put in motion: wait for the Y11s and Y13s to go on Study Leave, making my own working week a little easier, and carry out the challenge before Sports Day. The weather would be warm and dry, what could possibly go wrong?

And in fact, everything went right. The weather was kind – no rain at all, and a tail wind for six of the 10 journeys. I began by riding home on Friday 13th June, leaving my car-cum-mobile workshop in School. Journeying into School the following Monday was one of the most pleasant cycle rides I have ever undertaken: stopping at the railway bridge over the Derwent on the Cloud Trail at 6.45am to take in the scenery, the sun, the tranquillity, it occurred to me that the only thing that could spoil the day would be having to teach my Y12s! Eight trouble-free journeys later and the job was done.

By the end of the challenge I was able to think about where, precisely, the actual challenge lay. Any half decent cyclist will tell you that 27 miles isn’t that long; but either side of a School day, with little opportunity for recovery for the legs during the day … well, that’s 270 miles during the working week – not such a shabby total. The solitary nature of the challenge (no team mates to help keep up the spirits, no slipstreaming) was also a significant feature. However, guilt-free sausage baps for breakfast from the School Refectory more than made up!

My thanks to all who sponsored me, not least the parents at Sports Day, but also to every pupil who spared an odd 20p or so – and often significantly more. With your help, I raised over £360 for Caritas. In addition, my family and friends sponsored me in aid of St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham, and the £390 I received for this achieves a grand total of over £750 overall – way ahead of my expectations.

So what next? What about next year? Well, I do have one or two ideas. For example, what about that earlier point I made about persuading more pupils to walk or cycle to school? And would some of the staff benefit from a little more mild daily exercise? I think I’m beginning to feel a whole-school challenge suggesting itself…

Bicycle Challenge in aid of Rainbows Hospice

Mr Ayton still smiling after 270 miles!

Grand Knight of Council 197, Brother Will Holland, and Sophie Harrison, with her winning entry in the Years 10 to 13 competition.

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The Choir relax after their performance

Beautiful, Memorable and SignificantThe Senior Choir Sings Out at St Margaret’s, Westminster Mr Henry

At the end of the Summer term the Senior Choir had a wonderful day in London when they travelled, at the invitation of Dame Joanna Bogle, to sing at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Schools’ Bible Trust. The girls were outstanding ambassadors for our School not just in their singing performance but in how they conducted themselves throughout a very long day.

The Service was beautiful, memorable and significant and our girls, whilst nervous at the rehearsal, really rose to the occasion for the performance. Before the service the Senior Choir were given a free tour of Westminster Abbey and an impromptu history lecture from Joanna Bogle on the steps of the Abbey. After the service everyone convened in a small West End restaurant for a delicious meal followed by a performance of Les Miserables which was excellent as ever.

The following is a note from Dame Joanna Bogle: A note to send HUGE thanks for that wonderful singing at St Margaret’s today. It was truly inspiring to hear those beautiful young voices in that magnificent church. One lady on our organising committee confessed to wiping away a tear! It was absolutely beautiful music, and I am so grateful to you for bringing the choir, and helping to give us such a glorious and memorable afternoon...you helped to give all the young people a very special experience which I think they will long remember.

With warmest thanks

The Choir rehearse inside St Margaret’s Church, Westminster

Prizes Awarded by the Knights of Saint ColumbaOur School did outstandingly well in the Order of Saint Columba’s National Easter painting competition.

Maud Wainwright-Pilton came second in the Year Group 7 to 9 competition, and Sophie Harrison was awarded first place for Years 10 to 13.

Molly Brown, another pupil at the School, came second in Province 9’s own competition. Grand Knight Will Holland of Council 197 said, ‘The quality of the art work submitted from the Convent was nothing less than superb, demonstrating the talent of the pupils and the level of support provided by the staff. I heartily congratulate the winners and all those who took part on their success in this National competition.’

Winner Sophie Harrison’s pleasure at receiving her prize was followed by a brief period of panic when it was discovered that the family’s new puppy had eaten the cheque! A new one has been issued.

Maud Wainwright-Pilton who came second in the Year Group 7 to 9 competition with her framed drawing and certificate

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Food Sciences Summer SchoolBy Rhiain Wilson - Y12

During the summer I was chosen to attend a Food Sciences summer school at the Sutton Bonnington campus of Nottingham University. Only fifty students from across the UK were selected to go, and each student was sponsored to attend. The summer school lasted three days with an arrival lunch on the first day and a goodbye lunch on the last day.

Once we arrived we were shown to our accommodation on campus. The rooms were lovely and spacious and gave us a glimpse into university life. We were then put into ‘forms’ with current university students and tried lots of different activities. The first activity my form did was going up to the biology labs and looking at how surfaces are cleaned in the food industry using a special gadget that told us how many bacteria were present. We also got to use this on our hands with some rather shocking results, which made us spend the rest of the day constantly washing our hands. The highest reading in our group was around four thousand, and for something to be spotlessly clean it had to be within the one hundred mark.

Prizegiving 2014At the dawn of a new school year we take time to reflect on students’ achievements from the previous academic year through our annual Prizegiving ceremony.

Students past and present, parents and family members assembled in the main School Hall to enjoy a programme of speeches and performances from girls of all ages. Concert Pianist Mrs Anoosheh Farzin-Nia entertained the audience before the proceedings commenced at 7pm. Mrs Hawley welcomed guests of honour; Mayor and Mayoress of Charnwood, Councillor Paul and Mrs Pauline Day, Professor Robert J Allison, Vice-Chancellor & President of Loughborough University and Mr John Stone, Chair of Governors before sharing her recollections and reflections on the past year.

Representatives from the Sixth Form then took to the stage to guide the audience through the packed programme of student performances and to share reports of academic and extra-curricular achievements, and at one point encouraging audience participation!

Prizes were presented by Professor Robert Allison who had a kind word of congratulation for everyone and who gave a most engaging and enjoyable address on ‘Building Excellence’ before handing back to Millie Elliott, Head Girl to draw the formal evening to a close.

After enjoying Anooshesh Farzin-Nia’s rendition of Mozart’s Sonata in C minor guests were invited to mingle and take refreshments in the Cloister making this a most social, joyful and celebratory Prizegiving.

Mayor and Mayoress of Charnwood, Councillor Paul and Mrs Pauline Day with Head Girl Millie Elliott and deputies Kitty Dowell and Christina O’Dowd

Professor Robert Allison of Loughborough University flanked by Mr John Stone, Chair of Governors and Mrs Hawley, Headteacher

Mrs Anoosheh Farzin-Nia entertaining the audience before the proceedings commenced

Head Girl, Millie Elliott, revisits her award winning public speaking for the Prizegiving audience

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A Review of Key Stage 3 History in the Autumn TermMiss Davies

Year 7 have worked incredibly hard during the Autumn term in History and have enjoyed learning new historical skills. They have created timelines, studied examples of bias and developed an understanding of the difference between primary and secondary evidence. All of Year 7 performed well in their historical skills revision test and they should all be pleased with their progress. They have begun a new topic ‘historical mysteries’ and have especially enjoyed studying elements of Ancient History such as the life of Julius Caesar and Pompeii.

Year 8 have been studying the Tudors. They researched and presented their views on whether Henry VII was a good or bad king, recognised the importance of religion during Henry VIII’s reign and both 8P and 8Q visited the Chapel during a lesson to identify traditional features of a Catholic church and make comparisons with other branches of Christianity.

Year 9 have studied the Industrial Revolution during the Autumn term and have developed a thorough understanding of the living

Other activities included looking at different types of good bacteria in yoghurts, playing a game about demand and supply for factories which helped us understand how factories try and get ahead of demand and how they try to keep enough in stock at all times. We also went up to the sensory analysis part of the university where we dyed our tongues and counted the number of taste buds to determine if we were ‘super taster, medium tasters or low tasters’. A super taster is meant to be able to differentiate between all the different tastes that there are. I was in-between a super taster and a medium taster which meant I am sensitive to certain foods like spice and sourness.

The next day we attended a talk by a representative from Mars UK about how much energy we get from a Mars Bar. Later that day we listened to another talk by the Two Sisters Food Company who let us make pizzas! In between we went to the food processing room they have on the campus where we all had to get suited up in hairnets, lab coats, shoe covers and gloves. Once we were in suitable attire we learnt about the molecular side of food. That evening we had a lecture from a guest speaker about the use of umami in cat food. We then had a special dinner where we could

meet our sponsors and greet other professionals from the industry.

The next day was our last and so in the morning we all went off to different food factories. I went to Coventry to the PepsiCo factory where they make Doritios, Wotsits, French Fries and Squares. We had a talk about how things work in the factory and different types of jobs that were available within the company to do with food or food science. We then had a tour of the factory wearing different shoes provided by the factory, hairnets, hard hats, ear plugs and lab coats. After returning to campus we had our final lunch, which parents were allowed to join, followed by some speeches and thank you’s. This brought an end to the summer school.

I really enjoyed the summer school and made many new friends who I am still in contact with. This was a great opportunity to see what different lines of work are available within the food industry. It also gave a slight insight to university life. Overall I had a great time and made many memories that I will cherish forever. I also feel privileged to have been chosen out of the thousands that applied. It is a fantastic opportunity and I highly recommend it!

Year 8’s work on the Tudors

and working conditions during the Victorian period. Year 9 have completed excellent presentations, performed role plays on child labour in factories and designed a newspaper report on Charles Dicken’s novel, Oliver Twist. They will be looking at the worst jobs during the Industrial Revolution and participating in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ game before Christmas to assess which new invention was the most beneficial for Britain as the first industrial nation.

I hope Key Stage Three have enjoyed the Autumn term and I am very much looking forward to welcoming them back after a well-deserved rest.

Twelfth NightBy Fran Smith and Anna Cutler - Y11

Year 11 have recently been to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield to see a production of Shakespeare’s comedy ‘Twelfth Night’, to support our study of the text for our coursework.

The play was directed by Jonathan Munby and it included very thought provoking interpretations of the characters, especially the way that the complicated love entanglements were portrayed.

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The new perceptions of the characters have definitely been beneficial towards our preparation for our upcoming controlled assessment. Different props, such as red petals which appeared to symbolise love whenever a dramatic scene was occurring, helped to make the play really enrapturing and enlightening towards the behaviour of the characters; which we have to analyse for our coursework. Through this experience we were able to understand the language and its meanings which can seem challenging at times. Also seeing the characters and their relationships brought alive helped us to appreciate the complexity of some of the relationships happening throughout the play.

OutreachBy Joanna Siddall – Y12

Throughout the course of the Autumn term the Sixth Form have taken part in Outreach.

Outreach is where we create an assembly for an audience of younger pupils, with the aim that the children will learn from us in a fun and interactive way. This year, the Sixth Form chose to re-tell the story of God’s wonderful Creation from a more up to date perspective. This emphasised that God is “cool” and that each beautiful feature of creation is “so good”. We visited many primary schools within the area and each and every one of the pupils participated enthusiastically with the actions and the catchy Song of Creation. We made a clear, positive impact on the primary pupils and we will continue to do so, in the hope that we inspire and teach a generation about the word of God.

Focus on Sixth Form

The Year 12 and 13 Outreach Team

SportsBy Ella Astbury, Olivia Platts and Lucy Thompson – Y12

Thanks to the new sports staff, Sixth Form have been able to participate in a variety of new sports such as; trampolining, cheerleading, lacrosse and gym sessions at Loughborough Leisure Centre.

The traditional sports of netball and hockey are still part of our curriculum, and we are now competing in the local leagues. We have also been given the opportunity to coach the younger years in a variety of sports, helping us develop key skills we will need in later life. Due to the developments in the PE department most of the Sixth Form are choosing PE lessons as opposed to ICT.

Young Enterprise By Emily Fathers and Rhiain Wilson - Y12

Fifteen eager girls from Year 12 have joined together to create Gray Street Co. which is this year’s company name for Young Enterprise.

After deliberating over many weeks, we finally came to a conclusion as to what our product would be. This year our product is going to be a healthy eating place mat for people with weight problems. In order to raise funds for this we decided upon a fundraiser of selling handmade scrunchies. We will be selling them at the Christmas fair and throughout the Autumn term.

The program has given us an open mind to the business world whilst also teaching us how to work successfully in a team. We aim to create a product in which we can fulfil our potential and achieve recognition for our hard work and commitment.

Our trip to Loughborough UniversityBy Ellie Kivneen - Y12

On Wednesday 8th October 2014, the Sixth Form made their way down to Loughborough University for an informative day filled with interview techniques.

We battled the elements trekking to the university, making good use out of umbrellas and disposable ponchos. Once we arrived, we straight away got to work with the activities that had been set up for us. These ranged from selling the person next to us as a product to putting ourselves in the position of business women to try and reverse the decline in revenue of The Loughborough Times newspaper. However, the main focus of the day was the interview. For that everyone was nervous. The questions differed from ‘how have you successfully influenced a group of people?’ to ‘what celebrity would you like to be and why?’. Everyone will take away the interview and presentation skills and how to apply them to jobs or university interviews. We also learnt valuable life skills in teamwork, communication and leadership. I would like to thank the university on the behalf of the Sixth Form for a day thoroughly enjoyed. Hopefully there will be more days spent at the university to come.

Sixth Form students put through their interview paces

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Focus on Sixth Form

GOLD Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ExpeditionBy Christina O’Dowd - Y13

At the end of last term five Sixth Form girls undertook the mammoth task of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition.

This included four days of walking up huge hills, navigating and camping in the Yorkshire dales. The girls had been preparing for this since September and had done several practices throughout the year. Unfortunately the girls had been unlucky when it came to the weather in all previous expeditions, camping in the snow in March and facing deep bogs in May, so they were prepared for anything when it came to July! However, the weather was mainly fine and despite getting lost a few times the girls were in high spirits. They finished the expedition with a few minor bumps, bruises and blisters but still managed to run towards the finish point on the final day! I know the girls will agree that D of E is always a challenge but is also an extremely rewarding thing to do. Thank you to Mr Sutch, Mr Langham and Mr and Mrs Hopkins for all your help and support.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ‘...is always a challenge but also an extremely rewarding thing to do

A review of ‘A Streetcar named Desire’ National Theatre Production at The Corner House Cinema in NottinghamBy Beth Green - Y12

Sitting down to watch the National Theatre production of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, I had great expectations for the performance. Not only because the cast was a tremen-dous line-up, but also for my anticipation of a modernised performance of this play. I was intrigued to see it happen.

This performance was extremely well thought out when it came to staging. The audience were seated in the round, facing a rotating stage in the centre of the room. All of the drama took place on and at the side of this stage. The audience had a permanent view of what went on on stage, and could really feel part of the play. The way the stage was set out also gave the actors the opportunity to act more naturally as if no one was watching them. They did not need to worry about whether they were facing the audience or not, as they permanently were.

As for set design, Stella’s apartment had been constructed with no walls, just doorframes where the actors entered and exited the rooms. Not only does this make it easier for the audience to see what is happening, it also brings to the attention of the audience how vulnerable Blanche felt staying in her sister’s home. Blanche makes it apparent that she is uncomfortable with the lack of privacy there is, and how indecent she finds it to have to share this small space with Stanley. The fact that all of the costume changes happened on stage also highlights the lack of privacy. It makes us as the audience feel as though we invade Blanche’s privacy.

Overall, I have much praise for this powerful performance and I believe it definitely captured what Tennessee Williams wanted to portray in this play. The clash between Anderson as Blanche and Foster as Stanley was very powerful, and made the end of the play ever more tragic and heart-breaking. It was definitely recommendable and an interesting, modernisation and interpretation of the play.

The Kite Runner ReviewBy Nasreen Hajat and Emily Taylor - Y13

Earlier this year the Sixth Form took a trip to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre to see The Kite Runner, based on the bestselling novel by Khalid Hosseini which the Lower Sixth are studying and the Upper Sixth studied and loved the year before.

The audience witness three decades of Amir’s life from his childhood memories in Kabul to his move to the beaches of California, exploring poignant themes of friendship, love and the trials and tribulations of family. Matthew Spangler manages to translate this complex story effectively to the stage with a cast of only ten actors and minimum set pieces. This simplicity allows the show to fully explore the relationships between the characters which are so crucial to the play’s message.

Ben Turner who skilfully managed the transition from Amir as an innocent child playing with his best friend Hassan, to a young adult trying to adapt to his new life in America and, without spoiling too much, trying to atone for sins from his past.

New Girl at OLCSBy Zara Bukhari - Y12

I joined the Sixth Form at OLCS in September, and in that time I have achieved so much.

As well as making many new friends, I have been given numerous opportunities to express my passions and hobbies, and even give back to the School what I have gained. Although I am new to the School, I have still been able to apply for the role of Ambassador, as well as being part of a wonderful public speaking team. I will admit that I was extremely apprehensive when first joining OLCS, since this was the first move I would have made in 6 years. However I can honestly say that I couldn’t have been greeted and accepted by warmer and more welcoming people. The teachers have gotten to know me well and are extremely supportive, and the rest of the Sixth Form have made me feel right at home in Year 12. I still have the rest of the academic year, as well as Year 13, to look forward to, but I can be assured that there is nothing to be worried about with the pastoral care here at OLCS and its familial environment.

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Calendar Dates for 2015 Open Events

Saturday 21st March 2015 Open Morning, 9.30am - 12 noon

Wednesday 6th May 2015 Open Morning, tours by appointment please ring to book

Established in Loughborough since 1841. Member of ISA.

Gray Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 2DZTelephone: 01509 263901 Fax: 01509 236193 Email address: office@olcs.leics.sch.uk Web: www.olcs.leics.sch.uk

Entrance Exams

Thursday, 8th January 2015 Year 7 Entrance Exam

Friday, 9th January 2015 Year 9 and 10 Entrance Exam

Mrs Knowland asked 8Q if we could create a shoebox with things that represent us (hobbies, family, etc….) and we had to include pictures, phrases and objects of interest and relevance. On the outside of my shoebox I decorated it with flowery wrapping paper and put a family photo on the lid of the box. I then decided to decorate it with lots of different words/phrases like family, friends and Coronation Street and did it in funky handwriting and colours. Inside I put my netball shield…my football medal…my lucky Turkish eye bracelet…my dance medal…my Holy Communion ornament and the Italian flag.

Madeleina Sepede

…We all bought in a shoebox with a few items inside such as trophies, medals, rosettes and ornaments. We also put in pictures of our family, friends, and any other things we were proud of or wanted to show.

We learned a lot about each other including Mrs Knowland, our Form teacher, we learned about her family, friends and her pets. We got to learn things about each other that we never knew even though we have been at School together for a year. We all tried very hard on our shoeboxes and enjoyed showing them and looking at each-others.

Sophie Davies

On the first day of school (3rd September) after properly meeting Mrs Knowland our new form tutor we were set a little bit of homework to make a shoebox about ourselves so that she could get to know us a bit better….I really liked everyone’s boxes, it helped me to know a bit more about everyone, especially Mrs Knowland and that has helped me.

Eva Leeland

Year 8 Box Clever with the Shoebox Challenge

8Q ready to share with each other their shoebox creations

Focus on Sixth Form Continued

A Little Pot of Gold for RainbowsLast academic year our Senior School Council selected the Loughborough charity Rainbows as the one to benefit from that year’s fundraising.

In November Jennifer Leach from the local hospice attended a special assembly in the Chapel to receive a donation of the funds raised. Ms Leach was presented with a cheque by Frankie Devine (Year 13) and Rhiain Wilson (Year 12) totalling an impressive £4,186.

Frankie and Rhiain hand over a cheque to Rainbows for £4,186

Nottingham University Open DayBy Hannah Bursell - Y12

On Saturday 11th October, five Year 12 students visited the University of Nottingham Nursing Open Day hosted by the Medical School and Faculty of Health Sciences.

During the course of the day we attended question and answer sessions on different fields of nursing and the university application and selection process. It was beneficial to receive expert careers advice from medical professionals and we even learnt how nurses wash their hands! Overall, the day provided a great insight into working in a hospital and I feel privileged to have experienced it.