Co-Curricular Activities 2017 – 2018
WELCOME
At Tudor Hall we champion the varied interests and talents of all the members of our community. Our pupils are individuals and we endeavour to ensure that, as they go through school, we retain their unique characteristics whilst we work to develop increased resilience, tenacity and true sense of self. Boarding provides the opportunity for the all-round education that allows girls to truly flourish. We know that the opportunities offered through the co-curriculum are, in most cases, more important in helping the girls develop as people than what happens in the classroom. We have established a programme of activities during the week which is complemented by the activities that occur at weekends. The extended school day and boarding life provide time for girls to take part in activities that will enrich their school experience. The diverse range of opportunities allows them to work as members of a team, to lead others, to develop specific skills and to increase in confidence. There is truly something for everyone. All girls are involved in the co-curricular programme and their commitment is monitored by the pastoral team to ensure a good balance between academic work and their other interests. Increasingly, we hear from employers that, although they expect excellent academic results, these alone do not allow our young people to stand out from the crowd. However, interests sustained and developed through school and beyond provide evidence of the transferable skills and the individuality that will get them noticed.
Wendy Griffiths
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contents
CASE STUDIES
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Academic 10-17 ART 18-22 COOKERY 23 DANCE 24-25 DRAMA 26-28 MUSIC 29-31 SPORTS & GAMES
32-39
EQUESTRIAN 40 CLUBS & ACTIVITIES chargeable activities
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FLORA RITBLAT – TODD
Oliver!
When I am not in class, I am busy with lots of other activities, including hockey and netball, and from to time I have been captain of these teams. I also enjoy swimming. When I am not busy with these activities, I have been playing polo with the polo club, where I get the chance to ride and have fun with the horses. On top of my sporting activities, I am also involved in the choir and drama. Recently, I took part in ‘Oliver!’ and I am also going to be in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ next term. When I am at home, I spend my time riding my pony, Boyne. He is not a polo pony, except in his own mind!
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KATIE HURST – IIs
Scuba Diving
As I am both a music and a sport Scholar, most of my co-curricular activities involve one of those subjects. Once a week I have a piano lesson and a singing lesson. For piano, I am working towards Grade 4 and in singing I am working towards Grade 6. I take part in Junior Choir on a Monday and Chamber Choir on a Tuesday; these are great fun and they make me more confident singing with other people and performing. For sport, I am part of the Swimming Squad and we often practice during tea-time, in the mornings and at Banbury Swim Club on a Thursday, after supper, at Spiceball Leisure Centre. I have also been chosen to enter the Supreme Swim Squad, who train everyday at tea. Outside of school I also love to go Scuba Diving. I enjoy swimming because I like splashing around and doing an individual sport. I also do tennis twice a week; one double lesson on a Tuesday after supper and Tennis Squad on a Wednesday with my tennis group. I love tennis because I enjoy improving my skills and working with my squad to learn different techniques. Hockey is one of my favourite sports and I play for Banbury Hockey Club on a Monday with my team. Also, I have been selected to attend Tier 2 Hockey where I get to play with mixed teams of girls from different year groups at Tudor. I have been playing hockey for a long time and being at Tudor has really helped me love it even more. I now feel confident playing in matches against difficult teams because I know that I have my teachers and my team mates to encourage me to improve. But all co-curricular isn’t just about sport and music. There is also Speech and Drama, extra lessons, Book Club, Classics Club, CDT and Art Club, which involves ceramics, Cookery and a number of Dance Clubs, including one for your year, Evolution and Reaction Dance. We are very lucky to have so many opportunities to do so many things.
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CAROLINE GOUGH – IIIs
House Music
The co-curricular clubs at Tudor are great. There is a wide range of options every day, leaving no-one out. Some examples include sports, art, dance, music, riding, polo, and shooting. What I love about the sports clubs is that if you have another commitment or are unable to attend there is more than one session you can go to, for example there are netball clubs in the day and at night, there are lacrosse practices in the morning and in the afternoon. This goes for many sports including hockey, swimming, athletics, tennis and many more. Each term in lessons we try out different sports, which is really nice as we have a wonderful range of different activities. I am also very committed to the music department as I play the violin and love to sing. There is a choir for girls of my age group and below on Monday evenings, which is ideal for me as we go to the music school and have a very enjoyable rehearsal with Miss Lea-James, the Head of Music at Tudor. Every week I have three paid extra music lessons, violin, singing and I am also able to do music theory; this really helps with my progress with violin and singing. For nearly every subject there are lesson ‘drop-ins’ e.g. English, Maths, Science, Art, Spanish and Textiles etc. These are great if you are struggling with a topic, or the subject in general, but also even if you just want help with your prep. I am also able to attend second prep after supper which is really nice when I am not able to do all my prep in the time slot before supper. We go to the library as it is a very nice and quiet working space.
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LIZZIE COOMBS – Vs
Netball
I have been offered many interesting and diverse co-curricular opportunities at Tudor throughout the three years that I have been here. The challenge has been finding the time to fit in everything that I have wanted to do! As a music scholar, music has been my main commitment at Tudor. I play the violin as my main instrument and am currently working towards my Grade 8 exam. I have also had singing and piano lessons during my time at the school, and I am now working on the Grade 5 piano pieces. Alongside music lessons, I am a member of Senior Choir, Orchestra and String Group. The many different music groups that I take part in have not only exposed me to lots of new music that I would not have otherwise appreciated, but have also taught me how to play and sing in a group. I am not a natural performer, but I have been given many opportunities to perform as a soloist, both in school and beyond, which has greatly increased my confidence. I have always loved sport and have been able play a lot at Tudor. Last term, I was part of the 2nds hockey team. This was a great opportunity to improve as a player, as well as making friends in older years. Netball, however, has been my favourite sport and I have thoroughly enjoyed representing the school in matches and county tournaments. Away from sports and music, I have been encouraged to attend the ‘Aim Higher’ sessions as an academic scholar. I have found them really thought-provoking and they have introduced me to many topics that I have never considered before on really diverse subjects. I have also gone to extra French lessons every week, in which we work on our speaking skills in a small group. This has not only improved my pronunciation and vocabulary, but has also allowed me to become a lot more confident in having a conversation in French which I have found to be an invaluable skill.
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FLORA AYRES – LVI
Blue Stockings
Tudor Hall offers a wide range of activities, so I try to take part in as much as possible including singing lessons, cross-country and the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. My main focus of my co-curricular activities is Drama and Sport. There are a lot of clubs and activities for these subjects and they help me to improve my skills. Drama has been a huge part of my academic life and involvement in co-curricular drama, such as acting in a devised A-level piece when I was in Todd, playing Lucy in ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ and having various parts in school musicals, such as ‘Grease’ and ‘Oliver’, has helped me improve my drama at GCSE and A Level. I have participated in all of the school productions and the experience has helped me learn what it is like to work with a large company as well as a small one. It was a lot of fun to be able to work with all the different age groups in school and get to know everyone better. Each play I have done has been more fun than the last and I can’t wait to watch the next junior production which is ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in the Summer term. My singing lessons have also helped me with my confidence in Drama and I have completed my Grade 5 Musical Theatre exam. I hope to move onto my Grade 6 in the future. I am now studying Drama for A Level and continue to take any chance I can to be on stage and act. In total contrast, I am very keen on sport of which there is a very diverse and interesting range on offer at Tudor. Currently, I enjoy playing team sports such as Hockey for the 1st team and cross-country running, both competitively for school and occasionally for Banbury Harriers. Our school cross-country team have been very successful during my time at Tudor, reaching the National Finals twice. Football training is also available for everyone and as part of my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, I assist Mr Pickering with planning each session. I will be running the London Parks Half Marathon in October, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award. Gymnastics is a recently added option to our co-curricular timetable, with twice weekly sessions. In a recent session I managed a flip! I have also started working towards gaining my NPLQ which is an internationally recognised life-guarding qualification. I am aiming to get it before the summer as I would like to be able to work as a life-guard at the Tudor Hall Summer Camp. I love the variety of activities on offer at Tudor Hall and aim to make the most of them. 9
ACADEMIC 10
Animal Encounters
The Aim Higher programme affords the girls a range of academic opportunities beyond the classroom,allowing them to pursue their intellectual curiosity and to engage in subject areas of particular interest to them. The programme is inclusive,so all girls can benefit, should they wish to be involved. Activities are varied: from entry to national competitions,independent project work,attending lectures as well as taking part in the many co-curricular clubs on offer. All girls in Todd, IIs and IIIs will take part in an independent learning project which involves reading three books,completing a piece of creative writing,taking part in community service in the school or wider community,as well as writing a project on a topic they have researched. In addition, the IIs are expected to make regular contributions to the debating page on Firefly. The project requires the Todds and IIs to choose a topic to research from an extensive list. Examples of topics include: ‘How do nanoparticles in socks stop them smelling?’, ’The London 2012 Olympic games: was it a positive or negative event for our country?’ and ‘Read a poem. Create a poster which includes the poem, annotations, influences etc’. The IIIs have a completely free choice of topic, decided upon with their group tutors, and is based on the EPQ model. Aim Higher sessions take place every Friday for academic scholars and any other girls who are interested. Sessions involve discussion on topical issues,critical thinking,and lectures from teachers. Recent sessions have included a lecture on ‘Life as a Vet’ ‘and a modern language workshop entitled ‘Dictionaries - best friend or worst enemy?’
ACADEMIC
Aim Higher
Animal Encounters Club This is an exciting, hands-on and interactive animal handling session run during the Autumn term. A mother and daughter team, Jeanette and Tegan, bring in a different selection of their animals each week, ranging from mammals, snakes and lizards to invertebrates. Being a former teacher, Jeanette is able to show the students how to care for the different animals and handle them confidently. She also shares interesting facts and knowledge about the animals such as how lizards use Vander Waals forces between their feet and a surface in order to hold on, and how this is now being replicated in research so people could potentially scale buildings. The club is open to all ages and to anyone who has an interest in animals.
Big Cookies, Big Questions Girls can come and solve some tricky maths problems and enjoy both the satisfaction of rising to the challenge and the taste of some delicious cookies! The problems will often involve applying and extending the algebra skills learned in the classroom, and will significantly improve IGCSE mathematical skills.
Book Club The girls choose the books they would like to read from the Group Readers section. We meet on Friday lunchtime once we’ve had a chance to read some of the book and then have a discussion about it. It is open to anyone from Todds to IIIs and is a great way to read things you wouldn’t otherwise choose. Participating in reading group discussions does wonders for your communication skills, teaching you to listen to different points of view and different ways of expression. We are hoping to shadow the Carnegie Medal award this year and post our reviews of the shortlisted books on our special page on the website.
Dissection Club This is an exciting, sometimes gory and always engaging club, open to all years. We look at organs and entire organisms. So far we have dissected rats, hearts, squid, eyes and brains. This club is great for expanding the knowledge of the budding scientist!
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ACADEMIC
Dissection Club
Doughnut Discussion This is a weekly event in which all A Level Biologists get together and discuss something of a biological nature. It is sometimes a presentation put forward by a girl, sometimes a selection of video clips or it can be something entirely different. Every week a selection of treats is made available, usually featuring chocolate mini-rolls!
Drop-In’s Many subjects offer drop-ins through the week for students to come and ask for additional help and support with any classroom topic or prep they may have found difficult to understand. This is also a great opportunity for girls to seek additional challenge to really push themselves further in the subject.
English Clubs English at Tudor is a dynamic subject with a real buzz about it. Our theatre trips are inclusive, allowing students from all years with a declared interest in the subject to enjoy a nice dinner out and a great play. Across the year we also run a good range of clubs: the (sometimes two) weekly Oxbridge clubs; the IIIs - U6 weekly Literature club; our Lower School Club; our GCSE Support Clinics; and our Nuts & Bolts club in the Autumn and Spring terms.
EPQ
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The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a qualification equivalent to half an A-level and highly sought after by universities because it prepares students well for independent research. In the co-curricular sessions, students are introduced to the EPQ process and are taught the skills that they need to complete an extended project, including topic selection, project management, research and referencing skills and presentation skills. The sessions also give students the opportunity to discuss their ideas and get feedback and advice on their projects.
This club is run by the French assistant in the department. Students are encouraged to speak French as much as possible during the session while playing French games. Tea is offered to the students during each session.
German Club Students learn about the culture of the German-speaking countries through activities like cookery, crafts and cultural research.
ACADEMIC
Fun French
Greek Club This is a chance to be introduced to Classical Greek, the language of Socrates, Sophocles, Plato, Alexander the Great and Aristotle. The girls don’t need any knowledge about the language to start. This club is for girls who are interested in the ancient world or a fan of languages. As they study the language, they also learn more about the myths, society and history of ancient Greece. In the first year, the girls can achieve the same standard as Common Entrance Level 1, and they can continue on learning more of the language afterwards.
Junior Classics Club Calling all fans of Rome and Greece! Classics Club is open to all Todds to IIIs and is the place to go to find out more about myths, gods, history and how people lived in ancient Rome and Greece. We will explore everything from fashion and cooking to the deeds of terrible emperors, how myths keep changing and how we can find out more about the past. You don’t need any knowledge of Latin or Greek, just an inquisitive mind! Junior Mathletes
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ACADEMIC
Junior Science
Junior Mathletes A fun and informal way of tackling Maths questions. This club is open to all girls in Todd to IIIs. We look beyond the curriculum and do activities like maths treasure hunts. We also enter competitions as a team, such as the National Cipher Challenge at Southampton and UKMT Team Maths Challenge.
Junior Science Junior Science is all based around fun and often very messy scientific activities. The year started with a Biological Scavenger Hunt with prizes, followed by a range of other activities including flying eggs, making 3-D glasses, bath bombs, alien blood, fizz pop rockets and monster bubbles.
Language Leaders
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This weekly club is open to girls in the UVI who study languages. The aim is to help students develop leadership and team-work skills. During the first term, students learn to teach language lessons and practise delivering lessons to each other. They also carry out a small research project in the target language culture and present it to the group. In the second term, in small groups, they lead a languages event such as a cookery session and teach a lesson at Tudor and at a local primary school. Throughout the course, they complete a log book of their experience and receive a certificate at the end. Many students refer to the award on their UCAS forms.
Sixth Form linguists team up with their counterparts at boys’ schools to practise their linguistic skills and learn about the culture. Recent events have included Spanish discussions followed by a salsa lesson and speed dating in French, German and Spanish Socials.
* Mandarin Mandarin is a private lesson, which girls can choose. The teacher comes from the organisation ‘Dragons in Europe’. Girls work towards an appropriate qualification. Recently, students have worked at Common Entrance level and Asset Languages Breakthrough level.
ACADEMIC
Languages Socials
MUN In Model United Nations, girls represent different countries from UN member states to debate current issues on the organisation’s vast agenda. Girls research global problems to be addressed, drawn from current events. MUN participants learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development, and globalisation. During MUN, participants must employ a variety of communication and critical thinking skills in order to represent their countries. MUN teaches girls skills such as public speaking, small group communication, research, active listening, negotiating, conflict resolution, note taking, and technical writing. Moreover, MUN is great fun for those involved: they work with and compete against boys, and occasionally declare war. Over the year, girls attend MUN conferences at different schools across the country and often make friends with other MUN delegates from other schools who regularly attend the same conferences.
MUN
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ACADEMIC
Oxbridge Our programme extends into the GCSE years, where interested students meet regularly to sharpen their skills of logical and lateral thought. Recent topics have included: ‘What would happen if, overnight, cars were able to run on water?’ and ‘How should Apple spend its billions?’ In addition to the school’s lecture programme, these students are also invited to hear additional visiting speakers, such as the recent talk on life in Burma. Furthermore, they experience additional cultural and intellectual events, such as theatrical performances, film screenings and external lectures. We run bespoke events in Oxford to inspire and inform. In recent years our students have enjoyed spending a day at Trinity, Lincoln and Merton colleges and enjoying the magnificent buildings, not least Merton’s medieval Upper Library. We host events for other schools, including workshops on interview technique and general access events, delivered by the University of Oxford. In the Lower Sixth, applicants also attend weekly Critical Thinking classes, and every aspect of their Oxbridge application is scrutinised and supported.
Philosophy Club Philosophy Club is the place to come and discuss big ideas! We talk about current affairs, famous philosophers and key moral issues. Some examples of topics we have discussed this year include the ethics of eating meat, should free speech be limited, and the death penalty.
Spanish Film Club This club runs several times a term and is open to Vs and Sixth Formers. A range of contemporary Spanish or Latin American films is shown, in a range of genres. Chocolate or popcorn is also on offer!
Spanish (IIIs’ Conversation Club) Using songs, role play, games and real life scenarios, this lively club will equip you with the basics to communicate in Spanish and to use language in a variety of social and holiday situations. The emphasis is on speaking and listening. Prior knowledge is advisable but not essential; just bring your good humour along.
Spanish (Sixth Form Oral Clubs) UVI Spanish Oral Club With an emphasis on oral exam practice and lots of fun, we cover topics like the environment, the impact of technology in the home and workplace, or we discuss ethical issues linked to scientific progress. LVI Spanish Oral Club In a relaxed atmosphere and with an emphasis on fun and learning, we explore how to develop strategies which will enable students to tackle the hottest topical news such as fashion, TV viewing habits and preferences, the cinema, family relationships and partnerships amongst others.
STEM Club Todd-IIIs
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STEM club is a place for girls to explore science, technology, engineering and maths in fun and interesting ways in a non-academic environment. The girls will work together on building a range of models that they will use to develop an understanding of how things
Tudor Debating and Public Speaking Society The Tudor Debating Society is new to the co-curricular timetable. Offering girls an opportunity to learn how to: structure cogent arguments; think on their feet; and get to grips with a wide range of issues, debating is a valuable skill for both education and beyond! If you haven’t debated before, that’s not a problem: come along and watch some debates and maybe attend a workshop. If you’d rather do some public speaking, we will be offering that as well!
ACADEMIC
such as motors, pneumatics and gears work. The club is hands-on, practical and most importantly fun.
Language Leaders
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ART 18
Art Club
Once a week during the Spring term, the Sixth Form have the opportunity to learn the process of zinc plate etching. The Fine Art group have used the opportunity to create extension work related to their Personal Investigations, creating very decorative prints with a combination of techniques such as soft and hard grounds to apply textures to the zinc plates as well as the traditional dry-point drawing technique. The club is open to all Sixth Form, regardless of whether they are studying Fine Art.
ART
Etching Workshop
General Art Club and Art Clinics This club is open to Todd to IIIs. Girls can do various activities relating to the arts in general. It is a great way of extending their interest in the arts and gives them the opportunity to do independent research and learn new skills.
Figure Drawing The Sixth Form girls can create figure drawings in the Autumn Term. Girls from the Sixth Form have been sitting for the group to raise money for various ventures. Once they have built up their confidence with the clothed figure, they attend a life drawing workshop at Compton Verney in the Spring Term and have the opportunity to attend local life drawing classes in the summer term.
Art Detectives Girls have the opportunity to learn about art and architecture in a fun and exciting way. We look at pictures, step through time and explore the lives of the Old Masters, play art-related games, as well as creating miniature models of famous buildings.
Screen Printing
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ART
Ceramics
Ceramics Ceramics club is aimed at laying the technical foundations of using clay. Members are challenged with different hand-building techniques and are introduced to various methods of using moulds. They are shown a wide range of decorating styles and techniques which they can explore further. Once they have mastered the basics of clay work, pupils are encouraged to design their own work and experiment with the materials, working towards a self-determined goal.
Design and Technology Senior Tech Club GCSE and A Level students have the opportunity to carry out extra work on their examination projects and to experiment with new processes and manufacturing techniques, such as laminating veneers, steam bending and wood turning products. Junior Tech Club
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This club is open to girls in Todd to IIIs. They are able to carry out their own personal projects in wood, metal or plastics. They can also follow set projects such as making sets of tiled coasters, storage boxes, creating wooden cork/chalk boards, metal jewellery and crafting acrylic decorations. There is the opportunity for girls to catch up with any practical work that they have missed in lessons and to experience new techniques and crafting skills.
Photography club is a relaxed way to become comfortable with handling a digital SLR camera. Members are encouraged to develop their own curiosity by trying to emulate professional photography. Small tasks are set to get the girls used to the principles of photography and a range of key camera accessories. They will also be exposed to digital manipulation through Photoshop but still with an emphasis on in-camera effects. The photography department has a number of SLRs which can be used by the girls attending each week. As the year progresses, the more serious photographers will be introduced to specific areas of photography, such as close-ups or lighting.
ART
Photography
Textiles club This club is designed for girls in Todd to IIIs. You can bring your old, worn clothes or fabric to turn them into something new, or ‘upcycled’ . If it’s a new pencil case or scarf that you want, then all you need is some added enthusiasm as we have lots of fabric scraps in the Textiles department. Girls in the IIIs have the chance to improve their machine skills and learn other extension skills that can be useful if they choose to take the subject at GCSE level the following year.
GeneraL Art Club
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ART 22
Photography
COOKERY
NEED NEW IMAGE
Cookery Club
Cook Your Own Supper/Lunch Girls in the IVs, Vs and LVI create and eat their own lunch or supper. They discover quick, colourful, inspiring recipe ideas using fresh and seasonal ingredients. The lessons are relaxed and fun and the girls learn how to understand about the creativity and enjoyment of food.
Cookery Club (Todd and IIs) Students cook sweet and savoury dishes on alternate weeks, wash up after themselves and eat the fruits of their labour. Examples of dishes prepared and cooked are sausage rolls, Croque-Monsieur, flap jack, sweet and savoury muffins.
*Leiths Through being shown a wide range of professional practical cooking methods and being taught the associated theory, the primary aim of this course is to provide Sixth Form students with a vital life skill for independent living which, should they choose, could open up areas of possible employment. Students will gain the confidence by making judgements on the ingredients they buy, the dishes they put together in their menus, and the methods they use to cook and serve the food to achieve the best results. By the end of the course, students should be able to show that they can produce specified dishes to the required standard under timed conditions using professional methods.
*Lettuce (Vs and Sixth Form) Students cook and eat their own supper using quick, easy, healthy and creative recipes.
MFL Cookery The club is a great opportunity for girls from Todd to IIIs to learn more about the cuisine of the countries in which the languages we teach at Tudor are spoken. They have great fun cooking dishes such as Spanish tortilla, French crĂŞpes and German Christmas biscuits. 23
DANCE 24
Ballet
Classes follow the RAD syllabus as well as non-syllabus material. Sessions are inspiring, exciting and challenging, and all groups learn choreography to be performed at school events. Pointe work is also offered to students who are considered physically ready. Groups are mostly organised according to year groups but also in relation to students’ ability. These classes are not suitable for absolute beginners and pupils must therefore have some knowledge of the basic ballet movements. Pupils working towards higher grades in ballet have the opportunity to train outside school.
DANCE
*Ballet
Evolution Dance This is the new ‘feeder group’ for Reaction Dance. Girls from all years, who demonstrate commitment, a passion for dance and the potential to progress to Reaction Dance, are invited to join. Weekly sessions of choreography take place resulting in two final pieces being created for end-of-term performances in the Autumn and Summer terms.
Group Dance by Years and Solo and Small Group Dance Girls in Todd to IVs may attend the group dance sessions every week and any year may attend the weekly solo and small group dance. Movement and sequences are devised using various styles of dance: street, hip-hop, contemporary, jazz and ballet. The sequences are then performed in dance shows which take place at the end of the Autumn and Summer terms.
New York City Ballet This weekly session is run for our keen Tudor dancers. The session starts with a gentle warm up followed by stretching and a floor barre which includes abdominal strengthening exercises leading into leg extension exercises, grand allegro and finishing with a cool down. The workout is both challenging and inspiring and continued practise will result in increased core strength, flexibility, stamina, concentration, balance and strengthened muscles without bulking.
Reaction Dance Entry to this group is by either invitation or audition and girls from all years are accepted. Weekly sessions of choreography take place resulting in two final pieces being created for end-of-term performances in the Autumn and Summer terms.
*Tap Incorporating the ISTD Tap Syllabus, this class teaches students the basic and intermediate tap steps, without the stress and worry of an exam-structured environment. Classes are open to all students of any ability who share with us the joy of tap. Each term new steps and routines are learnt, culminating in a performance on Summer Show Day. A fun and enjoyable, lifelong skill!
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DRAMA
Audition Support and Coaching for Drama Schools Coaching sessions are available to girls who wish to audition for drama school or pursue their passion for drama beyond Tudor. Staff are able to provide advice regarding suitable courses and aid girls in their choice of audition material. Girls meet regularly to rehearse and gain valuable interview practice.
DramaBites These are informal drama presentations to an audience of girls, staff and parents. The aim of DramaBites is to provide girls with the opportunity to show some of the work they have been doing in drama lessons, but also to present work in progress, or ideas that they might like to try out. Part of each DramaBites session is given over to improvisation games, which often include audience participation.
Junior Production The Junior Production is performed in the Summer Term and comprises a cast of girls from Todd, IIs and IIIs. Recent productions have included: ‘Bugsy Malone’, an outdoor production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
The Well-Made Players The Well-Made Players is a company comprising drama scholars, which looks to develop the girls’ skills in drama, as well as enabling them to enjoy further visits to the theatre and opportunities for performance.
National Youth Theatre Sessions are available for any girl who wishes to audition for the National Youth Theatre. Half hour weekly sessions can be arranged via the staff in the drama department.
A Midsummer Nights Dream - Junior Productions
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DRAMA
Oliver! - School Musical
School Musical A biennial event that is open to all year groups. The musical exhibits performing arts at their best, combining drama with music and dance. Boys from local schools have often joined the girls at Tudor as part of the cast. Recent musicals have included: ‘Grease’ and ‘Oliver!’
Senior School Play This is also a biennial event that is open to girls in the IVs, Vs and Sixth Form. The senior school play is performed in the Autumn Term,and often involves boys from local schools. Recent productions have included: ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Blue Stockings’.
Senior Drama Society The Senior Drama Society comprises a series of ad hoc events for girls in the IVs to Sixth Form who have displayed considerable flair in drama. Many of the girls involved are drama scholars,though any girl with a passion for the theatre is strongly encouraged to come along. Girls have the opportunity to participate in workshops, often run by industry professionals,enjoy visits to the theatre, and direct their peers and other students in the school.
National Theatre Connections and New Views This is a new initiative, introduced in September 2017, aimed at senior drama scholars and those girls who are considering drama beyond Tudor. 250 schools are picked nationally to participate in a festival, which enables students to present a new play by an established playwright in a local theatre. A lucky 10 schools enjoy performing their play at the National Theatre. The playwriting initiative ‘New Views’, also sponsored by the National Theatre, is being introduced for September 2017. This is a national competition open to 15-19 year olds and encourages students to write a play on issues that matter to them. The winning play is performed at the National Theatre by a professional cast. 27
DRAMA
Bronze Arts Award The IIIs’ drama curriculum enables the girls to achieve their Bronze Arts Award through work achieved both inside and outside the classroom. Girls undertake a research task, evaluate live theatre, demonstrate their acting skills and create a piece of original theatre, which they then perform in local prep and primary schools.
*Speech and Drama Girls have the opportunity to take the LAMDA examinations in solo, duologue or group acting as well as mime, verse and prose, and public speaking, which is an essential skill when preparing for interviews. All examinations are optional and many pupils prefer to take a group examination when first starting lessons. Groups typically involve between two and six girls. The classes give the girls confidence when speaking or performing in front of an audience, as well as the enjoyment of learning how to work as part of a team. Classes provide excellent preparation for GCSE Drama and A Level Theatre Studies and Drama.
Todd Drama Club Todd Drama Club runs throughout the year and is aimed at developing the confidence of those new to the school. The girls are responsible for suggesting and rehearsing their own material, and then working towards a performance. The club is often run by a member of the Sixth Form or drama scholars.
Tudor Techies Girls are encouraged to develop their technical skills by joining the Tudor Tech Crew. They undergo training in lighting and sound operation, and offer backstage support for major shows.
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Speech and Drama
MUSIC
Todd Music Group
Brass Group Brass Ensemble is open to all girls playing any brass instrument. They have the opportunity to play many styles of ensemble music in many of our concerts, including the Carol Service and termly concerts.
Chamber Choir The Chamber Choir is an auditioned choir for up to 18 voices. The repertoire is extremely varied and often challenging, and the singers are expected to be good sight-readers. There is much opportunity for performance in and out and out of school,at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, for example.
Clarinet Ensemble The intermediate clarinet ensemble is for clarinettists of approximately grade 4 – 7 standard. The group regularly performs a variety of ensemble pieces in school concerts.
Flute Ensemble The group is open to all flautists. It is an opportunity to play duets, trios and quartets in lots of different styles with other flute players.
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MUSIC
Junior Choir This choir is for the younger years. It offers everyone the chance to sing repertoire that they enjoy with their friends. We sing many styles of music, including pop, jazz, musicals and classical songs. It also gives the girls an opportunity to sing in the Christmas Carol Service in Banbury as well as in our main concerts. There is no audition; we just want the girls to enjoy singing.
Orchestra The orchestra is for girls in any year. It encourages girls to gain experience working in a large ensemble, as well as developing their own skills on their instrument. They will have many performing opportunities and take part in an important ensemble as well as getting to know girls in other years.
Saxophone Ensemble Saxophone Ensemble give saxophonists ranging from beginner to grade 2 standard the opportunity to play duets, trios and quartets together.
School Band The band comprises Vocals, Keyboards, Bass, Guitar and Drums, and plays a variety of covers in all styles. So far this line up of the band has played songs by artists such as Shawn Mendes, Scouting For Girls, Journey, Snow Patrol and more. The band is open to contemporary musicians in the II’s and above, who love rock and pop music and want to play live.
Senior Choir The Senior Choir is for girls in the IVs to UVI, and we cover a range of styles and genres from modern day pop songs to the more traditional jazz, classic song and church repertoire. There is no audition, only a love of singing is required, and there are lots of opportunities to perform in concerts and services.
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Drum Lesson
MUSIC
GCSE Recital
6th Form Band The 6th form band works on a mixture of cover songs and original material in a wide variety of genres. We have Singers, Guitar players and Keyboard players and are always looking for enthusiastic musicians to join. There is strong emphasis on vocal harmony and stage craft in the older band and for those who want to perform popular music, it is a great way to get on stage and gain some valuable experience.
String Ensemble This is open to string players in any year. They will be working to develop their ensemble skills and gaining experience in performing and understanding rehearsal techniques.
*The following are available as individual music lessons: • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Aural Tuition and Training Cello Clarinet Double Bass Euphonium French Horn Harp Oboe Piano Saxophone Trombone Tuba Violin
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Bassoon Chanter Cornet Drum-kit Flute Guitar Music Theory Percussion Recorder Singing Trumpet Viola 31
SPORT & GAMES
Athletics The athletics co-curricular club runs during the summer term and is open to all year groups. This club provides the opportunity for girls to come and consolidate and improve their athletic ability. All events are practised to enhance skill levels,enjoyment and the chance to be successful in competitions. Sprinting fast, jumping high and throwing far are the aims for the pupils at the club.
Badminton Badminton is offered to all our girls from Todd to Upper Sixth, there is an emphasis on developing key skills and understanding of the game. This club builds on work done in core PE lessons and is a chance for the girls to play a popular sport against different people each week. The girls are encouraged to take part in matches against girls from all different years which really helps their game understanding and match play.
Bootcamp This is a circuit-based class which takes place outside in all weather conditions using the beautiful grounds of the school. The work incorporates bodyweight moves, running and sprinting with the added exercises of lifting,throwing and carrying logs. The girls have been getting wet and muddy, but also fit! This is open to anyone serious about their fitness. Tudor Bootcamp provides something for everyone and each of the exercises has adaptations to make them easier as well as progressions to make them harder for those who want to take their fitness up a level.
Boxercise A fun, fast-paced exercise class involving all the elements of training like a boxer, just with none of the associated bruises and broken noses! Girls are put through their paces, learning the correct stance and footwork for boxing, along with the eight punches of boxercise. Sessions include ‘rounds’ of skipping, boxing combinations, shoulder tag sparring and circuit training to challenge the girls’ fitness. Athletics
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Netball
SPORT & GAMES
Clay Pigeon Shooting
Circuit Training This is a circuit class incorporating bodyweight moves such as press ups, sit-ups, burpees and other moves using light weights such as bicep curls, shoulder press and boxercise stations. This fun, fast-paced class benefits anyone who wants to get strong and athletic and develop their fitness for sports and their busy life at school. Each of the exercises has adaptations to make them easier and progressions to make them harder for those who want to take their fitness up a level.
*Clay Pigeon Shooting Shooting lessons takes place at Honesberie Shooting School in Priors Marston. The club is aimed at girls in the IIs and above, from novices to experienced shots. The girls are coached under the watchful eye of Honesberie professional instructors. Throughout the year we enter several competitions, taking part in local school challenges to national competitions, representing the school in both individual and team categories. Girls will be provided with all the equipment they require, but are welcome to store their guns at Honesberie shooting school.
Cricket Cricket is fast becoming a popular ladies sport world wide, we offer cricket to all year groups in the co-curricular programme. The idea of these sessions is to help the girls develop their understanding of rules and regulations of the game and have a chance to develop and progress skills in batting and fielding. The girls have the opportunity to develop indoor and outdoor cricket skills and take part in some match play. 33
SPORT & GAMES
Tudor Mud Run 2016
Cross Country (including Banbury Harriers) The Cross Country Club is open to girls of all abilities and caters for those simply wanting to improve their fitness as well as those aiming to compete at a national level. Cross Country Club runs sessions twice a week and Tudor also has a strong affiliation with the Banbury Harriers Athletic Club. Those wishing to run at a competitive level are able to train at the club on a Thursday evening with the middle distance group. There are numerous races and competitions that runners can compete in for Tudor. More recently, a number of girls have also taken the opportunity to run as members of Banbury Harriers Athletics Club at weekends.
*Golf Girls have the opportunity to be coached by a golf professional from one of the local golf clubs and can, throughout the year, develop their technique and game understanding both here at Tudor and on a local golf course. All standards are welcome from complete beginners to advanced level players.
Gymnastics
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Gymnastics club is a open to all ages, whereby girls have the opportunity to work on core skills, strength and balance and can also work through the British gymnastics awards. The British gymnastics awards involve the girls completing a set of 10 skills and then receiving a badge and certificate for each level. The awards are suitable for all abilities and the girls can work through them at their own pace. There are opportunities for the girls to take part in rhythmic gymnastics and perform in gymnastics displays.
Hockey clubs run from Todd all the way through to the 1st XI. Each team has scheduled training sessions to work on technical play, team tactics and set pieces. There are also sessions open to all years to allow students to integrate and play with stronger players. All sessions are designed to improve fitness, individual technical ability and tactical awareness. Junior and senior girls can opt to join Banbury Hockey Club and are taken to weekly training sessions with the opportunity to play some weekend matches if school commitments allow.
Lacrosse The co-curricular lacrosse clubs run from Todd to the 1st XII. The girls are encouraged to attend clubs for their year group as well as attend the clubs that are run for all, so that they better understand the fundamentals of the game, as well as improving their playing ability with the other years. We encourage the older girls to attend sessions with the younger years to assist in coaching and to share their love of the game.
Hockey
SPORT & GAMES
Hockey (including Banbury Hockey)
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SPORT & GAMES 36
Cross Country
Co-curricular netball clubs are run for each year group. The girls practise for the county tournaments, school matches and develop their skills and play games. There is also a shooting clinic open to all year levels where the girls can get specific coaching for shooting techniques. We have a strong club link with Banbury Blues Netball Club and Tudor girls are invited to train with the club on Thursday evenings on site at Tudor. The girls are also given the opportunity to play for the club in competitive leagues.
Pilates Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps build flexibility, muscle strength, endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips, and back. It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing,and developing a strong core or centre, thus improving co-ordination and balance. The Pilates instructor allows for different exercises to be modified in a range of standards, from beginner to advanced. Intensity can be increased over time as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises.
SPORT & GAMES
Netball (including Banbury Blues)
Reflexology Reflexology is a non-intrusive complementary health therapy, based on the theory that different points on the feet, lower leg, hands, face or ears correspond with different areas of the body. The trained therapist works with the senior girls to develop their understanding of the treatment and teaches them how to relieve specific points of tension in the body.
Rounders and Softball In the Summer Term there are recreational sports clubs for all the striking and fielding summer sports. Girls are given the opportunity to come with friends to hone their skills and improve their tactical understanding of the two sports.
Pilates
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SPORT & GAMES
*Skiing Every year Tudor Hall send a team of pupils to the British School Girl Ski Races in Flaine. The pupils train for two days with highly experienced ski race coaches and then compete against other independent schools from the UK. The standard of racing is extremely high and our girls take the competition very seriously. We have had various successes over the years, but more than anything the girls enjoy the trip and have a lot of fun in the beautiful surroundings of the Flaine resort. There is always a few hours of downtime at the end of the trip, where the pupils get the chance to enjoy some free skiing, sometimes off-piste and even one year they tried snowboarding!
Strength and Conditioning - Gym This provides an opportunity for the girls to use the gym under the supervision of a trained fitness professional. They are encouraged to build their own workouts and exercise programmes depending on their individual goals and targets. All girls are welcome to use this facility where advice can be given on exercise selection and coaching on correct form and technique. This programme is hugely beneficial for girls returning from injury and illness as it allows them to build up strength and stamina slowly and carefully to avoid further injury problems. Swimming
Swimming (including Banbury Swim Club) Each term there is a comprehensive swimming timetable with early birds from 7am and swimming at tea and after supper. There are many opportunities for the girls to enjoy the water, improve their water confidence or get serious with some competitive swimming. Competitive galas against local schools are available for the swimming squad, and individual training programmes are set so that the girls get the most out of the time they spend in the water. The most committed girls are invited to train weekly with Banbury Swim Club with the option to compete for the club if they desire. 38
SPORT & GAMES
Tennis
*Tennis Alongside the opportunity to have paid tennis lessons all year round, there are also numerous tennis clubs in the summer term making full use of the fourteen tennis courts at the school. There are specific clubs for each year group designed to improve individual skills, specific fitness for tennis and singles and doubles match play. All girls are encouraged to attend practice sessions and are given individual attention by the tennis coaches and PE staff.
Yoga Yoga is offered once a week for those who wish to increase their flexibility and improve their pranayama (breathing) technique in order to enhance relaxation and meditation. This club is open to the IIIs and upwards.
Zumba The class is fun and fast-paced with funky music. It is a combination of Salsa dancing, cheerleading and street dance, created specifically for the girls to get a mix of everything. The girls have developed their own cheerleading routines with this class in previous terms. 39
EQUESTRIAN 40
*Equestrian Girls of all ages and abilities have the opportunity to ride at Tudor Hall. We use Radway Riding Centre and the stables have a team of fully qualified instructors on hand, whether you are a complete beginner or progressing. They have a great selection of horses and ponies suitable for everyone. Girls are grouped in lessons according to ability. In addition they also have livery facilities if you wish to keep your pony/horse stabled close to school. Tudor’s Equestrian Team is going from strength to strength and there are a number of girls throughout the school who compete in National Schools Equestrian Association events in various disciplines from Dressage, Show Jumping, ODE and Eventers Challenge.
*Polo The Todds to UVI have the opportunity to join the Tudor Hall Polo Team and learn to play polo. The one-hour sessions are taught by qualified instructors from Oxford Polo School. The staff ensure that each girl has a thorough induction and give full instructions on the safety aspects of playing polo, as well as how to handle the polo ponies.
Equestrian
Careers advice is available to all year groups. The Head of Careers is available to support with any aspect of higher education, work experience and related queries throughout the week; including evenings and Saturday mornings. The Careers Room is open during the school day for girls to access information on university courses, apprenticeships, internships and gap year opportunities. There are specific sessions on work experience, writing a CV, higher education, studying abroad, applying for jobs and interview technique, in addition to talks from external speakers across a range of career paths. Work experience is undertaken by girls in the IIIs (one day), Vs (one week) and Sixth Form.
Explore Explore is a fun and informal way to explore the Christian faith. We meet every week to look at the Bible and to learn about God and ourselves. It is a great chance to think about the big things in life, as well as play games and eat cake! Everyone is welcome to pop in, whether with questions, doubts, faith or just curiosity! Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
Careers (Junior and Senior)
*Duke of Edinburgh’s Award The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is all about self-development. It focuses on helping our girls to improve existing skills and gain new talents, abilities or perspectives. Girls make good friends, develop social and inter-personal skills, and increase their initiative, organisational skills, independence and self-confidence as well as their tenacity. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (D of E) is available to all girls at Tudor Hall from the Spring term of the IIIs. Participation in the scheme will encourage girls to be committed to a range of school activities. There are three levels of D of E Awards: Bronze (started in the IIIs), Silver (started in the IVs), and Gold in the Sixth Form, with Gold being the highest. Within each level there are four sections to be completed:, a voluntary activity, a physical recreation, a skill and the expeditions (one practise, one qualifying). In addition, at Gold level, each girl must attend a five-day residential activity of her choice. Training for expeditions and the expeditions themselves take place over long weekends within term or during the Easter or Summer holidays. 41
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES 42
*Lifeguard Training Training is open to the girls in the Sixth Form and involves them in a 40-hour course covering the following three sections: The Lifeguard, Swimming Pool and Supervision; Intervention, Rescue and Emergency Action Plans; and CPR, Defibrillation and First Aid. This course is awarded by the Royal Lifesaving Society and the girls are subject to formal assessment by an external assessor at the end of the course in a series of theory questions, practical bandaging and first aid scenarios, and aquatic work in the swimming pool. The award, the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification, will enable girls to find work on their gap year straight out of school, or use this as a starting point for a career in the leisure industry. The award is equivalent to a First Aid at Work qualification and is recognised by employers.
Young Enterprise Young Enterprise gives LVI students the opportunity to form their own genuine company, offer shares for sale, write a business plan, provide a service or sell different products, the components of which they have to source from outside companies, or which they create themselves. Each team member has a well-defined and valuable role within their company. They have weekly meetings where they can put forward ideas, review their sales and marketing strategies and discuss their finances. At the end of their experience they write a company report, do a four minute PowerPoint presentation at the area county finals and pay VAT on their earnings. Taking part in Young Enterprise gives a real insight into how business works, encourages resilience and creative thinking, and develops both teamwork and leadership skills.
Young Enterprise
Please note that some Mandarin, Polo, Riding, Speech and Drama, and Tennis lessons may take place during prep. Your daughter’s tutor will help her to manage her time so that she can catch up on any prep sessions missed. Music lessons for the Todd to IIIs take place during academic lessons and for the IVs to UVI, lessons are timetabled during their free periods. Please note that a clear term’s notice is required to cancel most chargeable activities.
Parent Portal The following information is available on the Parent Portal for current parents: • Co-curricular timetable
CHARGEABLE ACTIVITIES
In addition to the activities offered by staff on site, some activities are chargeable and are marked with a * throughout this booklet.
• A list of your daughter’s chargeable activities • Sign-up and cancellation forms for chargeable activities
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www.tudorhallschool.com