West-Newsletter-Lent-2012

West House News Mrs Neill’s Message

Lent 2012

Well done to:

Karina Bonder‐ It’s been another extraordinarily busy term for West eva who won girls. The sixth form have had modules to contend the Junior sec‐ with, some of whom have now had their first experi‐ tion of the ence of AS level exams. The upper fifth had their Dashwood mocks earlier on in the term and have recently been Piano Compe‐ beavering away on French orals and Art and Design tition projects. Outside of the classroom, we were Hebe Westcott who is treated to an amazing performance from the cast of through to the next part of the “The Producers”. Grace Lent’s manic taskmaster squawking “Unhappy!” will the Helen Wareham Compe‐ live long in the memory! Likewise, we had numerous concerts as well as the various rounds of the Helen Wareham Competition. Karina Bondareva did superbly well to tition and Charlotte Brad‐ brook who made it through win the junior section of the Dashwood Piano Competition, whilst Charlotte Brad‐ to the final three in the Sen‐ brook and Hebe Westcott are both through to the final having made it to the final three in the Vocal and Piano competition respectively. House matches have been ior vocal competition. hotly contested this term and you’ll hear more about those from various people in Our House Debating team, this newsletter. The Charity Walk may not have been the most well attended of Maddy Austin, Emily Wolley, events but we raised over £1200 so thank you to everyone who made a dona‐ tion. The proceeds will go to a combination of ENKI, Tildy’s Trust and Beyond Our‐ Ellen Dixon and Ellie MacAleese who drew a diffi‐ selves. cult round and showed fine

I would also like to thank Helen, Sophie and all the tutors – they put in an enormous House Spirit. amount of work to ensure the well‐being of the girls, for which I am very grateful.

As always, our matrons Carol and Isabel continue to play an invaluable role in the house, making sure that the girls’ day‐to‐day needs are met and also being that all important shoulder to cry on!

All that remains for me to do is wish you all a Happy Easter. I look forward to see‐ ing everyone again next term, along with some warmer, sunnier weather! CN Millie Black, Sophie Kinally, Abby Frett and Tess Lenselink who gave hysteri‐ cal performances in the

North House Play, 'The Hap‐ Academic Awards: Sophia Greaves, Chloe Nicholls and Cathy Hobbs piest Days of your Life' by Progress prizes: Bee Hardcastle, Abi Dahl, Alex Adams, Kate Seymour and Sophie John Deighton.

Comber Effort prizes: Ella Hampson, Tatiana St Pier, Briony Pearson, Sophie Jones and Georgia Watson Half Colours: Ellen Dixon, Chloe Nicholls, Millie Black, Abi Camsey, Sophie Jones, Rachel Lubbock, Nancy Newberry, Immy Thomas, Emily Wolley, Lucy Burton and Emma Kelly Full Colours: Hebe Westcott and Immy Way House Badge: Freddy Dicks

….and everyone who took House Necklace: Mara Waters, Emma Wallis, Georgia Watson and Lottie Grafton part in 'The Producers'

Lent Term Award Winners

Good Luck to Freddie, Lucy, Emma, Immy and Ellie in the DW !

West House News

Lent 2012

House Cross Country I'll have to admit, it wasn't the easiest job to get a team to‐ gether for House Cross Country… so many of our girls were either injured, ill, or exhausted (by rehearsals for the Pro‐ ducers or DW training), so hats off to all those wonderful girls that were prepared to step up for West and have a go even though I know some of them would have preferred not to! So with our mixed bag of runners, some exceptionally good, some exceptionally house spirited, we weren't expect‐ ing to run away with any trophies. It was a chilly afternoon as the senior girls set off, but we didn't have to wait long for them to make it back. Lizzie Wait was the first West girl back home in 13.13, only narrowly missing the overall win by 2 seconds. Indi Thompson came in 4th and Rachel Lubbock a very respectable 8th place. Well done also to Emma Kelly, Sophie Kinally, Immy Way, Abby Camsey Georgia Hart and Sophie Jones who all put in spirited performances and very respectable times.

In the Junior competition, Megan Batchelor and Tats St Pier were the stars for West, bringing home third and forth place respectively. Izzy Greeno made it into 8th place, and Ellie Smith was very pleased with a solid 10th . Well done also to Tara Kohler, Sophia Greaves and Abby Frett who all made it back in excellent times. Jess Haller, Camilla Hampson and Camilla Mills took a less competitive approach, and sauntered around the course together in a leisurely 22.47,… we had to wait a little for them to arrive (we wondered if they had got lost!) but thanks to them

West and Loveday Charity Walk I woke up on the Sunday morning of the Char‐ ity walk to grey skies, wind and rain, and my heart sank for just a moment, until the lovely smell of bacon started to waft over from Love‐ day House, and I knew that Mr Wilson had already started on the barbeque ...all would be well! When I got to Loveday, the House was a hive of activity, families beginning to arrive, all the dogs politely sniffing one another and wagging their tails expectantly ( they could smell the bacon too!)

Despite the slightly disappointing weather, many of you made the effort to get up early, pull on your West t shirts, pack your wet weather gear and welly boots and join in the event. It was certainly muddy, more than a little wet and windy, but the was a wonderful friendly atmos‐ phere .We certainly worked up an appetite as we trudged round the coun‐ tryside, and so the lovely cakes that awaited us on our return were most appreciated!

Many thanks to all of you who made it to the event, made a donation, bought a t‐shirt or provided cakes. The current total is over £1200, and we are still selling t shirts so that total will continue to rise.

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West House News

Lent 2012

North U6 dinner West U6 were cordially invited to join the boys from North for their traditional three course black tie Dinner. The boys had spent all day preparing (with the help of the matrons!) and they had transformed the North Day room into a restaurant with white tablecloths, flowers and balloons. We were greeted with a small glass of Prosecco, and then escorted through to our tables. Starters was bruscetta, the main course was a delicious chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham. There was a choice of deserts, North mess ( loosely based on Eton Mess) or a lemon cheesecake. The meal was delicious and the boys all helped to prepared and serve it. It was a wonderful evening; many thanks to Mr Burnett, Mr Witcombe, Mr Jackson and the North Matrons.

House Lacrosse

Both West's Lacrosse teams enjoyed pleasing victories over South in House matches. The senior team was made up of Mara Wa‐ ters, Sophie Butterfield, Hebe Westcott, Cathy Hobbs, Hannah Wallis, West Win House Chess Chloe Nicholls and Tatiana St Pier. The match was very There had clearly been secret chess practice sessions going on in the house, or else close the whole way the West girls are natural grand‐masters, as they convincingly beat South 4.5‐0.5 in through, until the last few the first girls' house chess competition. Despite a few giggling fits during matches, seconds when Mara got an there were high levels of concentration as the girls all got themselves into command‐ amazing and unexpected ing positions in all of their matches. Rachel Lubbock, Sophie Jones and Georgia Hart goal, shot from the centre circle. This secured the win led from the front to clinically finish off their matches, of 9‐8. whilst Karina Bondareva worked hard to ensure that her In the Junior match it was a superior board position ended up with a victory. Despite slightly more comfortable getting herself into a strong position, Olivia Charman win of 8‐5. The team was was forced to settle for a draw. The competition was made up of Zoe Jackson, played in excellent spirits, and the girls should be proud Chloe Nicholls, Tatiana St of their success.

SDW Pier, Jen Vincent, Holly Par‐ tridge, Hannah Wallis and Abby Frett. Everyone played excellently and it was a pleasing win.

We all gathered expectantly in the Reading Chloe Nicholls (LV) room to support Hannah, Karina, Chloe and Ellie in their first round battle versus East. The girls made a very confident start. East were left looking bemused as our girls buzzed in We had three teams for first with almost every single starter question. each year group, and most They were confident and invincible. We of the girls got to play in at looked on proudly, perhaps a little smugly, if I am honest, feeling certain of victory as least one match against the score board turned increasing Pink, and East would seem to have no chance of South, so too many to men‐ coming back. However, pride comes before a fall, and in the second part of the com‐ tion individually. The good petition, the questions started to fall East's way. Our girls made some very intelligent news was that overall West guesses, but East ( rather annoyingly) made their comeback and finally pipped us in won both the Junior and the last few questions. It was very bad luck, but the girls were an impressive force to Senior Cups for House Net‐ be reckoned with, and certainly made East work hard for ball and we had a great deal their win. We will get them next time….. of fun along the way!

Junior House Challenge

House Netball

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West House News