the
ISSUE 15 THE MUSE SUMMER ~ 2016
MUSE
INSPIRING INDEPENDENCE Learning through creativity and self-discovery
Visits & Voyages This list is by no means exhaustive, but offers a flavour of guests in and visits out during the Summer Term.
Visitors In Alumnae Coffee Morning
Greek Day, Year 5
Alumnae Drinks Party, 2011-2015 Leavers
Junior School Summer Concert, Years 3-6
The Association Fiesta Ball
Junior School Teatime Concert, Years 3- 6
Bedford High School Guild Biennial Reunion
Lego Activity Morning with Bedford Prep School, Year 3
BGS Public Speaking Competition Careers Day, Year 10 Celebration Evening, Year 6 Charity Fair, Year 7
The Lion King Production, BGS Junior Youth Theatre Lunchbox Careers Lecture, Brooke Curtis, Years 10-Upper Sixth
Creative Arts Exhibition, Years 8-Upper Sixth
Lunchbox Careers Lecture, Emma Doney, Years 10-Upper Sixth
Cross Curricular Event marking the 100th Anniversary of the Somme, Year 7
Lunch Club
Dance Workshop with Pinchmill Lower School, Year 4
Medics Careers Talk
DAHSA Reunion, 1985 Leavers Disco with Bedford Prep School, Years 7 and 8 Educate Girls India Charity Evening with Bedford School, Year 9
Maths Quiz, Year 10
Senior School Informal Lunchtime Concert Senior School Performing Arts Awards Evening Treasure Hunt, Year 6 The Unravelling Production, Years 7-9
Evening of Dance, Years 3-Upper Sixth
Work the Room Networking Skills, Lower Sixth
French Play, Years 8-10
Zulu Nation Warrior Workshop, Year 6
Voyages Out A Level and IB Biology Trip, Suffolk, Lower Sixth Big Bang STEM Fair, University of Bedfordshire, Junior School
Junior School Sports Day, Bedford International Athletics Stadium IB Dinner, Bedford School
Burwell House Trip, Cambridgeshire, Year 3
Kingswood Trip, South Yorkshire, Year 6
Cadbury World Trip, Birmingham, Year 4
Lacrosse and Hockey Tour, USA, Years 10-Sixth Form
Challenge and Extend British Library Trip, London, Years 7-9
La Rive Activity Week, France, Year 7
Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award Expedition, Lake District
Music Trip, Handel House Museum, London, Year 10
Eastern Region French Debating Competition, Cambridge, Year 10
Maths Roadshow, Castle Lower School, Year 10 National Space Centre Trip, Leicester, Year 5
EU Referendum Question Time, Bedford Modern School, Years 11-Upper Sixth
Of Mice and Men Drama Trip, Cambridge, Year 11
Faith Tour, Bedford, Year 6
Playing For Pitches Charity Event, Bedford School
French Trip, Normandy, Years 7 and 8
Senior School Prize Giving 2016, Bedford Corn Exchange
Geography Field Trip, Mid Bedfordshire, Year 7 Geography Field Trip, Norfolk, Year 10 Grafham Water Trip, Cambridgeshire, Year 4 Harpur Trust Fun and Run Day, Bedford Priory Marina History Trip, Ypres, Belgium, Year 9
Science Trip, Isle of Wight, Year 8 Senior School Activities Day, Various Locations Senior School Sports Day, Bedford International Athletics Stadium Upper Sixth Leavers’ Ball, Bedford Park Inn
Waitrose Cookery School Trip, London, Year 10 Wimbledon Tennis Championships Trip, Lower Sixth Woodlands Way Eco Day, Bedford, Year 6
Editor’s Insight
I
It is mid-July and I am sitting in the sunshine, quietly reviewing the articles for this edition of the Muse. Like all of our students and staff the summer holidays provide a time to rest and reflect, to look back on what we have achieved as we plan for the year ahead. As a school we have come an incredibly long way since our inception five years ago. As we start to deliver the strategic plan for the next five years, my thoughts have returned to our original vision and goals to reflect on just how far we have travelled. Our vision has always been to deliver a modern, forward-thinking education where every student feels valued, confident and supported so they can strive to succeed. We want our girls to be able to think independently and encourage them to move beyond their comfort zones. Education at Bedford Girls’ School is not solely about examination and academic results, although these are important indicators of an active and engaged student; our education is about developing well-rounded young women who have a sense of purpose and self-worth. Our jobs as humans is to discover our own unique song. Nobody can do that but ourselves. Our role as educators is to help our pupils discover their voice, to find their song that makes them come alive. To open up their minds and their hearts, give them the means and the skills, but most importantly the confidence to sing their song. I can see this ethos so deeply rooted throughout the school, and our article on IB Visual Arts Exploring Creativity is a clear articulation of this. The IB Visual Arts course is as much about self-discovery, as it is about exploring art and understanding its impact on civilizations throughout history. Through the course students are encouraged to understand their place in the world and I believe this goes to the heart of a relevant, modern education. I passionately believe that our young people need to be prepared to be active citizens - nationally and internationally. Change comes through the collective action of individuals, but it always starts with a single person taking a single step. We have seen countless positive examples of this at BGS this year, as reviewed in the article Community Matters, which discusses some of the many projects our students have undertaken this year to impact global change. All examples of collective action, having their voices heard and making a difference. I am extremely proud of what these students have achieved and know that the new academic year will bring about more wonderful work.
Reading the thoughtful reflections of our Year 8 pupils in Inspired By about their trip to Sicily at Easter, I can feel the freedom of spirit and enquiry which is at the heart of what we do, their sense of excitement and wonder climbing up a volcano or clambering around ruins is evident in all that they say. Key to being a modern school is ensuring that our facilities and technology serve a relevant purpose, helping us deliver our vision. Over the past five years we have undertaken an extensive programme of building projects to ensure that our facilities match our aspirations. Sports are central to a BGS education and all girls eagerly participate in a huge range of activities throughout their school lives. There is therefore much excitement around the opening of our new lacrosse facility, Cople Fields. We are developing a reputation as a top lacrosse school in the UK, so it is fitting that we have the pitches and Clubhouse to match our reputation. A vital area of investment for BGS has been the integration of iPad technology into the curriculum. We took a risk, we were early adopters in the education sector and whilst we believed that this technology would give us the most flexible and rewarding platform, we had to wait for it to be truly embedded before we could assess the long term impact of our strategy. Carolyn Howe, Head of the Junior School, explains in the article Technological Transformations how iPads have had a profound impact on learning and teaching in the Junior School, creating excitement and innovation in the classroom. As a school community we are so fortunate to be supported by wonderful teachers and parents who embrace our forward-thinking approach, and who are passionate about the endless possibilities for our girls. We welcome new staff with open arms, and I hope you enjoy getting to know our new Head of Science, Mrs Emma Smart, in her interview for the Muse.
“ Key to being
a modern school is ensuring that our facilities and technology serve a relevant purpose, helping us deliver our vision.
”
I am looking forward to the next year with such opportunism. It will be another great year, as we reach new heights and witness more of our students finding their unique songs.
Jo MacKenzie Headmistress
The Muse | 02
Inspired by
Sicily “You have to show them a mountain, show them a power station, show them a nuclear site.”
These comments were made by
Learning beyond the classroom has been
An action packed few days; the girls were full of
Michael Palin – the renowned
central to the Bedford Girls’ School ethos
enthusiasm to try and do as much as possible,
since its formation in 2010, with BGS
and they needed all of that energy to reach the
writer, TV presenter and former
departments running a wealth of day and
summit of Mount Etna at 3329m, where they
Monty Python star - in a media
residential field trips for each year group
were welcomed by snow, ice and strong winds.
locally, across the country and around the
interview in 2012, where he
world.
stressed the need for schools
Back in April, during the Easter holidays,
to place a renewed focus on
ran a joint five-day trip to the Italian island
traditional geography field trips.
T
his came after a study showed that pupils in Britain were less likely to take part in field trips than in most other developed nations. Mr Palin, a former President of the Royal Geographical Society, wanted children to view the natural world first-hand, inspiring them to study the subject further, an outlook that can be applied to all subjects which place an emphasis on outdoor learning. 03 | The Muse
the Geography and Classics departments of Sicily for 40 Year 8 pupils. Tying in with the cross-curricular vision of the School, the varied nature of the trip allowed the girls to build on their geographical, classical and communication skills. The itinerary involved a busy schedule visiting sites of outstanding geographical importance, ancient
Europe’s tallest, active volcano, Mount Etna, certainly left a lasting impression on the girls. Lucy Ellis said: “My favourite experience in Sicily has got to be when we trekked up Mount Etna. “The sheer size of the volcano was breathtaking and when we (finally) reached as high as we could get, the landscape was amazingly natural, peaceful and untouched. Crunching over the ice as we walked up the final path was something I won’t forget for a long time.”
archeologically wonders and traditional
Natasha Humphreys and Olivia Clarke added:
Sicilian towns, providing the girls with an
“Standing on top of Mount Etna in the freezing
overview of how natural, historical and
cold, as we looked around and saw the snow
cultural elements all play a role in the study of
sticking to our friends’ hair and eyebrows,
Geography, and how they interlink with other
is a sight and feeling that we will never be able
aspects of the curriculum.
to forget.”
Another excursion the girls went on involved a ferry-crossing to the island of Vulcano to climb to the Gran Cratere summit, where they saw yellow sulphur crystals around the steam vents. Descending to the beach, Year 8 then found a hot mud pool at 32˚C to relax in. Holly Smith commented: “Going in the mud pools was an amazing thing to do. “They didn’t have the most pleasant smell because of the sulphur but when we got in they were really warm, enjoyable and quite different. I had never done anything like this before so it was a very exciting and new experience.” Sarah-Jayne Fishwick and Charlie-Mai Weddell continued: “The best part of the trip was sliding down the side of Vulcano. It meant a lot to us getting to the top and feeling a real sense of achievement.” Keziah Olu-Jospeh and Ella Kirkup said: “The boat ride was amazing. We sat at the top near the front. Whilst we were at the front we met a Sicilian family and spoke to them. It was nice to communicate with a different culture of people to see what life is like in another country.” In addition to these activities, Year 8 walked through the ancient streets of Piazza Armerina to experience the flavour of a traditional Sicilian town with its market, narrow streets and beautiful blue and white church. They also visited the nearby Villa Romana del Casale, which has some of the most exceptional Roman mosaics in the world, and was a rural hunting lodge in the 3rd and 4th centuries (AD). Furthermore, on the final afternoon the party stopped off at the tourist honeypot of Taormina, which clings to the steep hillside.
The picturesque town boasts an ancient Greek Theatre and impressive views over the coastline.
For many of the girls it was their first experience
Lucy explained: “I remember thinking ‘Wow!’ as we stood at the theatre in Taormina, after climbing what seemed like hundreds of steps, and looked over the sea and bay next to the town. You could see for miles and it was incredible to see the mix of old Roman structures and new colourful buildings.”
Nevertheless, the travelling party relished
of being away from home for a prolonged period of time, let alone in a different country. spreading their wings and discovering new experiences in the company of their friends. These trips give the girls a chance to grow their independence, as excursions away become common place right through to the Sixth Form. Milly David and Natasha thoroughly enjoyed experiencing memorable moments with their
“
Standing on top of Mount Etna in the freezing cold, as I looked around and saw the snow sticking to my friends’ hair and eyebrows, is a sight and feeling that I will never be able to forget..
”
Holly continued: “The thing that touched me emotionally was walking through the streets of Taormina. It was so busy and noisy, people were selling souvenirs on the street and there were a real variety in the shops and what they sold. When we went to the shops, the people inside were very friendly and smiling. It really touched me to experience a new culture.” Anna Hull added: “Meeting the other Italian guests who were staying in the hotel at dinner was a wonderful experience, as although we couldn’t communicate much, it was still brilliant to test our language ability and meet people from another country.”
friends, learning to fend for themselves and sharing rooms. They seemingly can’t wait to do this all over again on future trips. Milly said: “I had a fantastic trip and I especially loved going with my friends and doing things I never thought I would do, like climbing up volcanoes and sitting in hot smelly mud baths. I experienced things that I would never normally do with my family, and moments that I found were better to experience with friends and people of the same age.” Natasha added: “My favourite experience of the amazing Sicily trip was being away with my close friends and sharing a room. Sharing rooms was such fun and the constant race for the showers after the long days definitely kept us all on our toes.” It’s clear that the girls gained a lot from their time in Sicily, both in an educational and holistic sense, but perhaps most importantly they will have memories that will live with them for a lifetime. They were truly inspired by going on a field trip and getting out of the classroom – proving Mr Palin’s instincts right.
The Muse | 04
Carolyn Howe Head of the Junior School
TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS Two years after iPads were first introduced to each girl in the School, Mrs Carolyn Howe, Head of the Junior School, reflects on the ways in which they have contributed to a transformation in teaching and learning in the classroom.
M
rs Howe said: “iPads were
pencils and iPads, to gather, understand and
introduced in the Junior
present information. They are not fazed by
School at the same time
the choice, even girls in Year 4 will think about
that we introduced the
what app or book best suits their needs for
Enhanced Curriculum and the two go perfectly
a specific task, they really know their way
hand in hand. The integration of iPads has
around the technology.”
really assisted in reinforcing the underlying ethos of the Enhanced Curriculum, which encourages more creative and student led independent learning.”
The philosophy behind the integration of iPad technology into the School follows the principles of the SAMR Model. Developed by leading educational consultant, Dr Ruben
getting the balance right and being able to demonstrate the impact.”
Mrs Howe continued to give examples
of how, by adopting a Substitution and Augmentation approach, she has seen
significantly improved organisation and a
sense of responsibility in the classroom. The adoption of Google Classroom and Google
Drive have replaced the need for homework folders, traditional worksheets and in some
cases the need to bring bags of books home
Every girl receives an iPad Mini as part of her
Puentedura, SAMR stands for Substitution,
educational toolkit when she joins the School,
Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition,
from school each day.
and educational apps are downloaded on
and provides a technique to support
behalf of the pupils. In the Junior School, the
teachers as they move through degrees of
“All central topics, timetables and homework
iPads stay in school, but as the girls move into
technological adoption in the classroom.
the Senior School, iPads are taken home to be used for home study.
Mrs Howe explained: “The SAMR model has been a very useful tool in the Junior School,
She added: “Girls who joined us in Year 3
as it has helped teachers recognise when
two years ago when the iPads were first
technology can really transform teaching and
introduced are now going into Year 5, they
learning. It is important that as teachers we
have always had an iPad, it is an intrinsic part
remain focused on using technology only
of the mix and as natural as a pen and paper
where it can make a real impact and improve
to have on their desk. When observing lessons
what we are doing. We do not want to use
it is really interesting to see how the girls
technology for the sake of it or to replace other
move between the different options of books,
key teaching and learning tools. It is about
05 | The Muse
tasks can now be found on Google Drive or
Google Classroom. The girls are very familiar with these tools and they are now the central resource area. It has really helped them.
By knowing all shared resources are in one
place, they can quickly find the work and get on with the tasks, whether at home or in the
classroom. Time saved finding and organising work frees up mind space which the girls can use more productively.
“In addition, it starts to teach them about how the wider world is organised, the concept of
shared-drives and the replicating of some
workplace practices, all of which are useful life skills for the girls to grasp as they will move into a world with more emphasis on virtual workplaces.
“An added advantage is that parents can get
a more relevant insight into what is happening in the classroom. For example, a teacher
may create an Explain Everything video to
explore a mathematical concept. The girls will have studied this together in the classroom and then be expected to carry out some
homework to embed the learning. They will
be able to access the same tutorial at home
through Google Drive. They can watch it again
with their parents to help reinforce the learning before tackling the task. It engages both
students and parents in a more meaningful
cases technology provides a good platform to allow these practices to be developed.
Teachers are able to plan lessons on iPads.
For example, they may prepare a slideshow on the aspects of a topic they are studying. They can then share this with the class and review it together. The girls can then work either
independently or in groups to extend their learning taking different approaches.
explain the concept that a cam will change
rotary motion into linear motion. The teacher had explained the concept to the group and they were tasked with making the cam.
independently asked herself a question and quickly found the answer. She didn’t need
to have direct instructions from the teacher.
She was able to articulate her findings to the
develop these learner attributes. In many
ends. We feel it is important that the girls also understand the technology behind the devices and from September we will be introducing app design into the curriculum. The girls will get to grips with thinking through needs and solutions, bringing together problem solving skills, creativity and technical competence in very exciting ways.”
really enhanced our teaching methods. It
has had on opening up new avenues of
individuals and small groups to help them
really are able to use it to its most creative
create different impact.”
her cam design to show that different shapes
tackle problems and projects. Traditional
the flexibility to spend more time working with
are natural adopters of technology and they
In conclusion, Mrs Howe reflected: “Overall
Mrs Howe believes that the greatest impact of
this behaviour and the teachers needs to have
Mrs Howe commented: “This generation
teacher and put this into practice by adapting
willing to take more risks, pushing themselves
teaching methods don’t always encourage
a solution (Redefinition). For example, they
presentations.
shapes had on different motions. She had
to be more adventurous with ways they
very well versed in “appsmashing” to create
the girls were making moveable toys to help
understanding.”
pupils to work more independently and to be
themselves limited by specific apps, they are
to enable them to add music into their video
motion and studied the impact that different
Enhanced Curriculum is to encourage the
problem solving skills, as the girls don’t see
Year 5 Design Technology lesson in which
parents which is a wonderful demonstration of
in the SAMR model. A key objective of the
In addition, technology also helps develop
iMovie with a music app such as GarageBand
went and got her iPad, she looked up cam
relating back to the Modification objective
to the written work.
classroom experience: ”I was observing a
to help explain the concept back to the
teach in different and more imaginative ways,
their areas of study which adds another depth
may mix together a video making app like
way. We often find the girls using the tutorials
an important role in allowing the teachers to
voiceovers giving views and reflections on
Mrs Howe gave an example of a recent
“The girls settled to the task, one girl then
The integration of technology has also played
into interactive material. Students will create
the iPad technology is the effect the approach creativity as the pupils redesign (Modification)
the introduction of iPad technology has does not replace a great teacher explaining a concept to a student but allows for more creative, engaging and varied approaches to be taken.
and invent new tools. For example, the use
“Our students learn in different ways and by
way of presenting projects enables the girls
helps us individualise the learning, and ensure
of Book Creator or Explain Everything as a
integrating different methods into teaching, it
to create copy, images, sound and music
that each girl is able to flourish.”
The Muse | 06
EXPLORING CREATIVITY “The world is but a canvas to our imagination.” Henry David Thoreau
C
entral to the International
and the Muse talked with Mrs Christine
how we respond, appreciate and enjoy
Baccalaureate Diploma
Lugsden, Head of Art and Technology, to
it. Through this process it embeds key
Visual Arts course is an
find out more about this course of study.
communications skills into the students
appreciation and
Mrs Lugsden said: “Fundamental to the IB
learning, teaching them how to appraise
understanding of how the arts are
Visual Arts course is developing a lifelong
and analyse artwork by putting it in
engagement with the arts. It encourages
to a global context. It is a truly holistic
students to look at art over time, and
permeates into all aspects of our lives,
approach to studying art, creating
to understand its influence on societies
developing communication and cultural
and culture, demonstrating how artistic
wonderful linkages into other subjects and
understanding.
expression is central to thinking and
an integral part of everyday life. The course explores how the arts
Each year at Bedford Girls’ School a
learning.
opening up the study of art to students who may not have taken it at GSCE. It is fundamentally about opening eyes and
number of IB students select the Visual
“Students are taught to celebrate not
minds to the wonder of visual arts and its
Arts course as part of the IB Diploma,
only the way in which art is created but
place in our world.
Iona Webster Metamorphosis: I am changing
Emily Stearn Curator Rationale: A Linear Persp
The IB Diploma Programme has led me to question the way in which I define myself: my identity. The themes of transformation and growth led me to look at ways of presenting my work in series to show change over time. I was inspired by USA artist Adam Welch and later Bill Woodrow to introduce continuity by lacing a line through the series to highlight the fact that although each element is different, they are representative of a single body, each element existing at a different point in the chain of change. Continuing my exploration of change over time, I looked at ways of representing the fourth dimension of time with the limitations of three-dimensional space, moving from videos of myself dancing to freer and more expressive forms of mark-making, eventually settling on the zoetrope, a Victorian form of moving image, incorporating quick-fire drawings created in time with the videos, yet fixed in their static positions on the rotating
My Visual Arts exhibition explores and challenges the concept of a journey, primarily through the form of line. Line, metaphorically, doesn’t always travel in a straight direction; it is how we adapt and evolve to continue our journey on this line that challenges the visual boundaries of art.
mechanism until the viewer chooses to spin it.
07 | The Muse
‘Visual art is “not just an image you look at, it’s a process you go throu
I have explored identity through this abstract instinct is towards graphic art and Rebecca W in screen printing, image transfer and sublim Henri Matisse: The cut outs exhibition (Tate portraits, with the colourful geometric shape The shapes exploding from the constraints of mistakes and that for every positive there is a
“Core to the IB approach is a focus on
pieces which demonstrate learning and
such as Kate Malone, Cornelia Parker
independent learning, with an emphasis
progression; this then leads to the second
and Grayson Perry. These talks not only
on research, reflection and critical
component, a final exhibition which
influence the girls’ work but provide
analysis. It is very much driven by
showcases carefully selected materials to document the explorations, manipulation
fertile ground for the third component of
personal passions and interests. The focus is less on learning fixed technical
and experimentation that the student
skills and more about the students
has undertaken to create their final
taking a variety of routes, whether that
submissions.
is painting, art and design, graphics or
Mrs Lugsden explained: “Central to the
textiles to demonstrate their creative expression. It a wonderful journey to observe as the students become more confident in their ideas, and their ability to communicate their creative concepts
exhibition component is the development of the curatorship skills, the ability to develop a theme, assess and self-censure your own work and then present it as a cohesive statement of artistic intent.
the IB course, the comparative study.” The comparative study encourages focus on a global mindset, with students required to analyse and compare artwork, objects and artefacts by different artists across cultures and timeframes. For Higher Level students, this study should also reflect on their own creative work, and they need to explain in their final exhibition how this has influenced their
and inspiration.”
These skills are hugely transferable to life
As with all IB courses, Visual Arts can
beyond school and really demonstrate
own artwork.
deeper level independent thinking.”
In the Spring Term, three Upper Sixth IB
Level, with both following the same
She continued: “We work with local
students curated their final exhibitions
structure of three main components.
galleries and explore the work of many
and invited family and friends along to
Firstly students build a portfolio, which
artists, sculptors, printers and designers.
view their work. Below we share extracts
is testimony to the individual and made
Each year students attend talks and
from their work, which illustrates
up not of finished, polished work but
lectures by prominent practicing artists,
aspects of the IB Visual Arts in progress.
be taken either at Standard or Higher
pective
ugh.” (Sculptor Anish Kapoor)
t concept. I favour structure; my natural Wright (2015) steered my initial responses mation printing. It was my visit to 2015), that influenced my final series of es representing my explosion into colour. f the frames illustrate my acceptance of a negative.
Sarah Symmonds A Sense of Place My exhibition A Sense of Place, highlights a series of attempts to try and work out who I am and where I fit amongst my family and peers, within society and, indeed, the universe. My artworks - predominantly exhibited in a series, are the results of reflecting on the experiences that have shaped and influenced me. The aim, when curating the exhibition, was for the audience to initially see my art as individual stand-alone pieces but, on wandering around the show and reflecting on my art more holistically, to come to the realisation that these pieces fit together; they are the pieces of the jigsaw that is me. I liked this sense of anonymity in my work and it became something I explored in a variety of different print processes: sublimation, screen and digital printing. By abstracting the imagery and removing any sense of reference or meaning, I was enabling the viewer to evoke their own memories from the piece and connect in their own way to the work.
The Muse | 08
COPLE FIELDS
As the popularity of lacrosse continues to grow in the UK, Bedford Girls’ School is set to remain at the forefront of the sport with the investment in an impressive new lacrosse centre.
I
nvestment in the fabric of the School
The impressive new facility encompasses six
and 10 students from across the Senior
is always ongoing, as BGS look to
full size lacrosse pitches, a stunning modern
School have been selected to represent the
ensure that the facilities reflect the
pavilion and ample parking.
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire age group
aspirations of the School, and provide
students with an inspiring environment for a 21st century learning.
Girls, staff and spectators will be pleased that the Clubhouse offers large changing rooms and a wonderful viewing gallery with a kitchen,
squads. Furthermore, a number of girls are on the England Performance Pathway, and two students are representing England and Wales respectively at U19 level.
Miss Jo MacKenzie, Headmistress, explained:
which will be serving hot drinks, warm snacks
“Sport is an integral part of the Bedford Girls’
and lovely match teas to brighten up even the
However, it is not only lacrosse and rounders
School ethos, rooted in the curriculum from
coldest of winter mornings.
players who benefited from a makeover this
Year 3 to Upper Sixth. As one of the UK’s
Miss MacKenzie said: “Cople Fields is a
leading girls’ sports schools, it is important that we have the facilities to provide the best possible training and, playing environment, for the girls both to enjoy and compete in.”
wonderful new addition to the School’s estate. We play lacrosse at a high level nationally and it is important that we have the room to host
summer, back at Cardington Road the School’s astro pitches have been re-laid, providing high quality playing surfaces for netball, hockey and tennis.
regional competitions and tournaments. Cople
In addition, the School has recognised the need
is a stunning site and there is a real sense of
to continue to invest in sports communications,
excitement within the school community about
and in the Autumn Term we will be launching
the much loved Beverly Crescent, which has
its opening.
a dedicated Sports Portal where parents will be
been designated as an area for redevelopment
She added: “Cople Fields is much more than
This month witnesses the launch of the School’s new home for lacrosse, Cople Fields. Replacing
by Bedford Borough Council. The 30 acre site sits on the edge of Cople village and is just a short seven minute drive from School. Since acquiring planning permission in 2014, work has moved at a rapid pace. With support of the village and under the direction of S.A.C Construction Limited , a two-year project to drain, landscape, design and build the new site quickly got underway. In addition to laying new
just lacrosse pitches; in the summer it will provide us with a great venue for holding
able to find match schedules for the term, along with times and route maps, as well as team lists and up-to-the-minute results.
rounders tournaments, and all year round the
The Sports Portal will also allow the girls to
girls and teachers can make the most of the
scout their opposition, including checking their
lovely community orchards and outside space
track record. Match times can be downloaded
as alternative learning environments. We are
and synced with parent diaries, with the aim of
very thankful to Cople village for their support
making it easier for parents and girls to have an
and we look forward to inviting the village
overview of sporting commitments.
school to use the resources at Cople Fields.”
Miss MacKenzie concluded: “We have a truly
pitches and building the Clubhouse, the project
Lacrosse continues to go from strength to
outstanding Sports Department, providing
has included undertaking an archaeological
strength at BGS, with all girls in Years 7 and
incredible training and support to the girls.
survey, managing the migration of Greater
8 playing the sport and at least a third of each
With our investment in facilities matching
Crested Newts to a newly created pond,
year group continuing to play at a competitive
the expertise, we really are set to maintain
planting a community orchard and installing
level up to the end of Upper Sixth. BGS are
our position as a premier sports school. I am
Swift boxes.
current U13 National School champions
excited to see the first match played at Cople.”
09 | The Muse
Angel of Afghanistan Dubbed the ‘Angel of Afghanistan’, for her heroic work as an RAF emergency nurse in the Helmand province, it’s safe to say Sqn Ldr Charlotte Thompson-Edgar has come a long way since her days at Bedford High School.
C
harlotte spent nine years at Bedford High from the age of 9-18, studying a range of GCSE and A Level subjects.
The nurse from Peterborough was a keen sportswoman whilst at Bedford High School
(BHS), often getting up early for rowing training on the River Great Ouse, as well as playing hockey, lacrosse, swimming and tennis. Furthermore, Charlotte was a sergeant in the Air Training Corps, completed her Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze and Silver awards and was a school prefect. “Preparing for what to say today has been very enlightening for me,” said Charlotte, who was speaking at The Harpur Trust’s 450th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service in April. “I suddenly realised all of the opportunities that my schooling offered me; opportunities that actually, I embarrassingly took very much for granted, so in my case, dragging my poor father out of bed at half past five in the morning to get me to the boathouse for 6am. And then of course the huge range of subjects to choose from – Latin, French, Politics, Geology let alone all of the core subjects. “But it was only after reminiscing about my school days that I realised what a huge privilege it had been to attend such an amazing school, and the sacrifice my parents made to afford my brother and I such an education. “They gave me an amazing start in life and allowed me to benefit from the guidance and direction of the incredible, experienced teachers at Bedford High, who helped provide me with the confidence to grow and develop into who I am today.” Upon leaving BHS, Charlotte studied for a degree in Nursing at University College Hospital, London, which set her on a path to eventually serving with Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service.
The BHS alumna served six tours in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2014 and is thought to have taken part in more helicopter evacuation missions than any other British nurse. Charlotte in fact evacuated more than 600
wounded from the battlefields of Helmand, resulting in her being awarded the Associate of the Royal Red Cross medal, which is given for exceptional services and devotion to duty, last year.
My time in Afghanistan “and Iraq highlighted the many types of different leadership styles and the benefits that effective leadership could have on individuals and teams.
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She was at the forefront of care in Britain’s medical emergency response team helicopters, which acted as combat air ambulances picking up wounded soldiers from across Helmand and dashing them back to the hospital at Camp Bastion. Mark Ormrod was one of the soldiers Charlotte picked up and saved. Mark was the first surviving triple amputee of the war, after stepping on a homemade bomb on Christmas Eve 2007. In her speech to the congregation at the 450th Harpur Trust Anniversary service, Charlotte pointed to the teachers at BHS, who prepared her to be a leader in difficult circumstances in Afghanistan and Iraq. Charlotte added: “My time in Afghanistan and Iraq highlighted the many types of different
leadership styles and the benefits that effective leadership could have on individuals and teams. “Upon reflecting on how I gained those leadership skills, or the courage to lead my team onto the battlefield in order to save others, or making difficult decisions under the most extreme pressure, it was a mixture of a military upbringing and what I learned at school.
“The military taught and developed me a lot but the process started long before; it started at Bedford High. Without you realising it, your teachers are letting you develop your leadership skills every day through the opportunities and challenges they provide you. “They encourage you to make decisions, to express your thoughts and to make choices, they certainly taught me to be confident in my decisions, but they also taught me to consider other people’s opinions and the reasons why others might think differently than I do. “Embrace your school values, they will push you to strive for excellence and to be the best you can – the wounded soldiers we evacuated needed that excellence, there was no room for second rate care.” At the end of her speech Charlotte expanded further on Bedford Girls’ School’s values of being bold, imaginative and reflective, and how these develop you into a well-rounded individual. Charlotte concluded: “Be bold and imaginative, stand up for what you believe in, for what you think is right. “Be reflective, assess those things that went well, or not so well, identify areas that might require change and strive to achieve that change.” Charlotte is certainly well placed to comment on being bold, imaginative and reflective, as her school and military life have helped her to be such an individual. The Muse | 10
The Muse Interviews
EMMA SMART HEAD OF SCIENCE
Bedford Girls’ School welcomes Emma Smart to its community as Head of Science. Specialising in Chemistry, Emma joins us from Vandyke Upper School, Leighton Buzzard, having previously taught in Southeast Asia, and the Muse caught up with her ahead of her move to the School in September.
Can you tell us a little bit about your
and I’m really looking forward to bringing
something called the ‘leaky pipe’, which is
background?
in some fantastic ideas I’ve picked up
women dropping out of Physics once they’ve
from the various places I’ve worked, and
got into the sector.
When I chose my GCSEs I wanted to study Physics. At that time you didn’t have to study all of the sciences, and at school my teachers tried to persuade me to pick
establishing a number of projects. Do you have a mentor/role model?
I feel very passionately about women in science and hope to bring that into my role at Bedford Girls’ School. The school has a
another science, so I took up Chemistry.
I have a lot of people I look up to.
I had the most amazing Chemistry teacher
In addition to my previously mentioned
related careers and I hope to build on that
and by the time I finished my GCSEs I
Chemistry teacher, Sir David Attenborough
and tap into the wonderful rich Alumnae
absolutely loved the subject. I was definitely
is a big inspiration and funnily enough he’s
inspired to pursue Chemistry as a career by
that BGS have to inspire the girls.
a distant relative. My dad did some family
that teacher, going on to study Chemistry at
tree research and discovered that we were
What attracted you to the
A Level and university, and then teaching
related to the Attenboroughs.
Independent Education Sector?
Michael Mosley, the broadcaster who
When I grew up I had a mixture of
specialises in Biology and Medicine, and
independent and state education so I’ve
the anatomist Alice Roberts, are also role
always had an interest in both.
the discipline. Having not initially wanted to study Chemistry, it’s incredible to think I then had a teacher who inspired me and helped me fall in love with the subject and
models of mine.
great track record of girls going into science
The opportunity to work somewhere like
make it my life. It helps me remember
Furthermore, because I feel very strongly
Bedford Girls’ School, where you’ve got
the importance of always trying to be an
about women in science, and I feel they’re
students who really want to learn and have
inspirational teacher myself, ensuring that
often overlooked, Rosalind Franklin is
big aspirations – is a brilliant environment
my classes are innovative and interesting
another. To do what she did in discovering
to work in. As a teacher you’re able to tap
and most importantly making sure that
DNA is incredible and she’s one of my
your students enjoy your lessons.
into the ambition and really allow them to
biggest inspirations.
develop.
How important to you is it more
What most attracted you to Bedford
I’ve taught in many different schools, including in an Malaysian English language college, where I lived for five years with my Malaysian husband, teaching English
women are working in the STEM sector?
Girls’ School? The prospect of working in an all-girls
foreign language students.
It’s massively important.
Before my last role as an Assistant Head at
At the moment I’m working on the
them the opportunity to excel in a subject
Improving Gender Balance Project with
that might not traditionally be associated
the Institute of Physics. It’s part of a
with girls. I like the fact that there’s the
countrywide initiative to try and get more
opportunity here at the School for girls to
I love all the opportunities and the
girls into Physics. Once they’re interested
thrive in any subject they like – there are
interesting things you can do with science
in Physics it’s all about attempting to fix
no barriers.
Vandyke Upper, I was Head of Science at Samuel Whitbread Academy and Head of Chemistry at Sharnbrook Upper.
11 | The Muse
environment really excites me, giving
Because I’ve been working in upper schools
Enthusiasm is obviously an important
things. It’s okay to make mistakes –
for a long time, I’m also looking forward
quality, I’m a lifelong learner and I’ve been
that’s how science moves on. We learn
to working with younger pupils and
able to find that inspiration within me.
through mistakes. There’s a need to move
encouraging them to be thinking about science and the world in different ways. This really excites me. Years 6, 7 and 8 is an ideal age to start developing a pupil’s
What attributes would you like to develop further in Bedford Girls’ School pupils?
on and test new things out. Risk taking and experimenting are essential. These attributes can all be developed in the right environment, which Bedford Girls’ School does brilliantly, especially with its
passion for subjects.
I’d like to develop the girls’ thinking skills,
What type of skills do you think
want the girls to be just accepting the first
you’ll bring to the role?
answer, but I want them to explore the
I’ve a lot of experience from a lot of
help deepen the girls’ understanding and
I love reading, swimming and travelling.
encourage them to grow as people.
We travel a lot as a family, especially to
different schools and cultures which will stand me in good stead.
I want them to be thinking deeply. I don’t
steps that get them to that answer. This will
I’ve previously been involved with a project
commitment to the IB ethos. Do have any particular interests/ hobbies?
Malaysia, with my husband’s family still living there.
I’m developing all the time as a teacher
called Cognitive Acceleration in Science
and being able to share that with people
Education, and that’s dropped off the
I have three sons so a lot of my free time is
and developing Science departments is one
agenda a little bit. But there’s some really
taken up on the side of rugby and football
of my passions. Working with people who
important things I learned from that
pitches and taking them to various places. I
have different perspectives and bringing
project – in that you can’t just accept the
love cooking as well.
all of these ideas to together to form a
first right answer and move on.
really good team is something that I find
In addition, I’d like to develop the girls’
to know the community and inspiring more
fascinating.
resilience, encourage them to try new
students, just like my teacher inspired me.
I am very excited about joining BGS, getting
The Muse | 12
COMMUNITY MATTERS “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” Martin Luther King, Jr
Educate Girls India Art Club
Understanding the value of what we have encourages the Bedford Girls’ School community to be reflective, and this is underpinned by the work the girls do in supporting charities.
G
etting behind local, national and international charities, both by raising funds and
awareness, enables the BGS
community to connect with wider parts of
society, allowing for greater understanding and appreciation of the School’s place in the world.
want them to make a difference to the world
the #ToSaveAnEgg slogan, and fundraising
Miss MacKenzie added: “We encourage
Year 9’s designated charity is Educate Girls
international causes so they really start to
issues at the root cause of gender inequality
that they live in.”
the students to look at local, national and
appreciate that global issues can also impact very local communities. It is through such
study that they can really start to understand their place in the world.”
Each year a wide variety of not-for-profit organisations are supported, whether
that would be the six Houses supporting
Bedfordshire charities or the Service Team fundraising for a national body. In the
Sixth Form all students take part in CAS
(Community, Action, Service), the service
Miss MacKenzie commented: “We take
element which is central to the IB Diploma,
at Bedford Girls’ School, and I am always
opportunities as part of their Duke of
raising money and awareness for their chosen
the First Give programme each year, which
understand the role they have in using their
panel, including Miss MacKenzie, to win
in difficulty, or for issues they feel strongly
charity.
events throughout the year.
India, a not-for-profit organisation tackling
in India’s education system. The girls were
asked to form committees and independently develop a series of events to raise awareness and funding over the course of the year. With activities ranging from sponsored walks and a social event with Bedford School to an
instigation of Educate Girls Red Ribbon Day, they have so far raised more than £2,000
and taken their messages far and wide with
presentations to parents, students at Bedford School and Deloitte LLP in Milton Keynes, to name just a few.
great pride in the charity work we undertake
and others become involved in volunteering
Educate Girls India has also been the choice
impressed at how determined the girls are in
Edinburgh awards. Lower Sixth also support
running a healthy tuck shop to raise money for
charities. It is central to our ethos that the girls
involves groups of girls pitching to a judging
education and voices wisely, to help those
£1500 grant money for their chosen local
about.
Charities supported over the last year by
“Community involvement is central to the
BGS include Target Ovarian Cancer – the
the girls develop a global mindset. I truly
save lives and help women diagnosed live
responsibility whilst at school will stay with
Service Team have raised money and helped
encourage them to be compassionate, and
such as a YouTube video focused around
School’s philosophy and key to helping
national ovarian cancer charity working to
believe that instilling a sense of community
their lives to the full. The School’s Sixth Form
our students throughout their lives, and
further awareness of the charity via initiatives
13 | The Muse
of charity in the Junior School, who have been this very worthwhile cause.
Miss MacKenzie continued: “We really
encourage all of our committee work to be
student-led. The idea is very much that the students work independently on activities
and as such they develop a real sense of
pride, achievement and new skills through the process. We see them building team working skills as they work collectively
towards a shared goal, as well as developing strong persuasive communication skills
as they think through how they can attract attention for their causes. I also think it
teaches them wonderful problem solving
and project management skills as they learn how to budget, arrange and run events.
Pakistan as refugees during the civil war, and
the sport has proved a major hit with females. “Cricket is a sport I love dearly and I’m
“Developing these skills helps our students
passionate about more women having the
qualities that employers want to see. We
who plays as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
prepare for the wider world. These are the often hear from our younger alumnae that when they are at interviews for graduate
level jobs, employers are more interested in their community and charity work than they are discussing what they studied at A Level or IB. It helps our students stand out.”
The student’s commitment to making a
difference is also often seen through the impressive efforts of individual girls.
This year, Lower Sixth student Izzy Gurney
has been raising money for an international charity Afghan Connection, a body which
supports refugees returning to Afghanistan, and promotes gender equality for girls through cricket.
Izzy, a passionate cricketer herself,
captaining Buckinghamshire U17 Girls, is
hoping the money she raises helps Afghan
Connection to build more cricket pitches in
the country. The charity has already built 80 pitches to date in Afghanistan at schools, and holds regular youth cricket training
camps as well as camps to train coaches. The popularity of cricket in Afghanistan has soared in recent years, with many Afghans exposed to the game after fleeing to
opportunities to play the game,” said Izzy, “Interest in women’s cricket is growing in
many countries but the fact so many females are being inspired by the sport in a war-torn
schools, England cricket greats, Alastair Cook and Graham Gooch, attended the event to show their support, running masterclasses sessions and signing autographs. With a raffle held at the end of the evening and former Dame Alice student, Anna Edwards, whose a producer for Sky Sports News HQ, presenting prizes to winners of the mini games competition, Izzy raised
country like Afghanistan really appealed to
approximately £1,000.
me, and I wanted to help Afghan Connection
JustGiving donations and a silent auction
in their mission to promote gender equality by building cricket pitches. “I feel I have grown so much as a person, and gained more confidence, over the past few months undertaking this project, as it was my responsibility alone to raise much needed money and awareness for Afghan Connection, who help people piece their lives back together.”
featuring a framed authentic England Test Match shirt – signed and dated by Cook, and an Essex CCC bat signed by Cook, Gooch and members of the Essex Squad, raised a further £1,000. Miss MacKenzie commented: “Izzy’s Playing For Pitches campaign for Afghan Connection was a wonderful achievement and shows once again what a difference the girls can
Izzy’s Playing For Pitches campaign has
make. Engaging such a wide breadth of
seen her tirelessly fundraise over the past few
the BGS and Bedford School community,
months for Afghan Connection.
including Alastair Cook, Graham Gooch, staff,
Having raised over £2,000, the bulk of those donations came from the cricket event
hosted at Bedford School on a sunny June
evening. Izzy and BGS Head Girl Anna Hunt worked together with a group of students at Bedford School to put the event together. Holding a series of mini cricket games
between staff and students from the two
students and parents, proves how our charity work is embraced.” Miss MacKenzie concluded: “It is exciting to see the passion and ambition of our students and staff to make a difference. Whether it is through individual or collective projects, charities will remain at the heart of a BGS education.”
The Muse | 14
Legend in their Lifetime
Jane Brearley Teacher in Charge of Textiles
INSPIRED BY COLOUR & FORM
organic structure of Iris Van Herpen’s fashion pieces particularly inspiring. As a regular visitor to the New Designers show, I really enjoy seeing how new graduates combine materials; this definitely provides me with a rich source of ideas both for my teaching and my own work.
Barbara Rae
Jane Brearley, Teacher in Charge of Textiles, discusses her many sources of inspiration
W
hen reflecting on who has been my inspiration I gradually began to realise that not one person or one thing has created an overwhelming impression on me, many things have, and that it is this eclectic mix of influences which motivates and inspires both my work and life. Colour is hugely important to me and I tend to be drawn to rich, strong hues applied in an abstract way, whether it’s through painting, printing or stitching. I have loads and loads of books that I’ve collected over the years and when I’m starting a piece of work or just mulling things over and need ideas, particularly for colour, I often turn to the Post Impressionists, German Expressionists, Fauvists or anybody who uses colour with energy and emotion. For example, Gabriele Münter whose work I have only recently discovered, uses the most wonderful greens and blues together with just an accent of popping yellow or orange. Pierre Bonnard, Patrick Heron, Mark Rothko to name but a few have been a source of inspiration for many years. Barbara Rae prints with the most gorgeous colours (pictured).
It doesn’t always have to be bright and colourful as I can just as easily be inspired by the stillness and tranquility of the more muted and quieter tones of Scandinavian or Scottish artists.
In writing this piece “ it has helped me appreciate that creativity in all different guises feeds my imagination and that as such every day new “legends” can enter
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into my life.
Visiting exhibitions and art galleries continue to provide a lot of pleasure and inspiration especially if the work is thought provoking or innovative. If there’s meaning or pathos behind the art work and if the aesthetic is appealing, all the better. One such exhibition that I saw years ago that still resonates with me was that of Eva Hesse. Her work had a profound effect on me in a way that that I hadn’t anticipated. I’m definitely inspired by good design whether its architecture, fashion, jewellery, furniture or ceramics. For instance, I find the bold, sweeping, clean lines of Santiago Calatrava’s buildings and the
Like most people, music has always been a great source of comfort and inspiration. As a teenager, I would spend hours doing my artwork whilst listening to the ‘angst and pain’ of singer-songwriters, quite often female it has to be said, such as Patti Smith, Dory Previn, Janis Ian and Joan Armatrading. I don’t tend to have music as a backdrop to working these days, as I seem to find more enjoyment from listening to programmes on the radio, especially if they talk about social history or music and people’s lives. I’ve always had a love of foreign films that offer a window into the lives of others. Films where a lot of people would probably say ‘nothing much happens’. Although I love making things (in fact I have a need to create and can feel quite frustrated if I’ve not managed it) I also need to have time and space to dream and ponder. Places that are in a state of regeneration seem to appeal to me especially when you can still see what it was like. I’m not nearly as interested once all the work’s been done. I went to Berlin in 2003 and that was visually very exciting because I could see the contrasts between the new and the old buildings. The city was undergoing an incredible transformation and many striking new buildings were jostling for aesthetic superiority. The Sony Centre featured towering glass facades all set at intriguing angles. I once visited Iran and again they were in the process of restoration. I’ve got some fabulous photos of palaces with their frescos of peeling paint, glimpses of gold and incomplete scenes from long ago. In conclusion, in writing this piece it has helped me appreciate that creativity in all different guises feeds my imagination and that as such every day new “legends” can enter into my life, I can discover new and wonderful sources of wonder. I hope in my teaching I am able to help my students develop a sense of wonder and inquiry into the world around them, to pass on the pleasure that opening our minds, eyes and ears has to discovering beauty all around us.