CHS Newsletter 8th Feb. 2013

NEWS

Week ending 8th February 2013

LETTER FROM THE HEAD Dear Parents On returning to the school after my stint as part of an ISI Inspection Team it was good to attend, rather than present, Monday morning’s assembly during which the Sixth Form reminded the girls of the efforts put into the Fashion Show in November and presented the final cheque to the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Trust. The amount raised was a staggering £16,000 and represents an amazing achievement by the girls who put so much effort in to the whole venture. We have a proud record of raising money for charities, both local and national, as well as supporting international disaster and development projects, but this amount represents a new high and the girls can be very proud of what they have achieved.

As you know, the Girl’s Day School Trust is celebrating its 140th anniversary with a number of events that are involving schools that form part of the organisation. One such event is a short film competition – girls have been invited to enter a short film lasting no longer than 3½ minutes that addresses the subject of “Success” (for Key Stage 3 entries) and “Resilience and Courage”(Key Stage 4). A number of entries have been submitted with a view to be the one that CHS enters into the competition. Such events are another reminder of the substantial benefits girls receive through CHS being a member of the largest independent provider of private education in the UK. Other competitions run by GDST have been at the fore this week with teams of girls visiting Heathfield School to take part in the foreign language spelling bee. The girls were grilled on their spelling prowess in French, German and Spanish and we are so proud of all of the girls who entered and represented the school with such distinction. I was absolutely thrilled to hear that our teams won both the German and Spanish contests. We look forward to their participation in the national competition in the near future.

Of course the study of languages forms a very important part of the education of any Croydon High Girl and, with this in mind as well as the wider cultural benefits, we have been working to strengthen our relationship with various schools in other parts of the world. In this context our links with schools in China are becoming increasingly important and we were pleased to host 40 students from Bayi High School on Thursday. We have had a relationship with this school for a number of years and are, at the moment, exploring the possibility of an exchange programme to begin in the summer of 2014. I will keep you informed of developments in this area.

You will no doubt have heard or read yesterday about Michael Gove’s announcement that he is abandoning plans to abolish some GCSEs and replace them with the EBacc Certificate. As you know, we have been keeping a watching brief concerning any amendments to the curriculum and will continue to do so as the Government continue their process of reform, albeit at a slower pace! The fact is that the education provided at CHS meets, and indeed exceeds, Mr Gove’s expectations. We will continue to commit ourselves to the highest quality of teaching and learning, whilst also looking for innovation that will enhance the educational experience of our girls. These have been aspects of GDST schools for the last 140 years and will continue to be so in the future.

Yours sincerely

D Leonard

CROYDON HIGH SCHOOL Old Farleigh Road, Selsdon, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 8YB Tel: 020 8260 7500 Fax: 020 8260 7461 E-mail: info2@cry.gdst.net www.croydonhigh.gdst.net

JUNIOR SCHOOL INFORMAL CONCERT

On the 3st January we had our first Informal Concert of the New Year, extra special on this occasion as it was the girls´ first chance to perform in the newly refurbished Recital Room and to use the stunning Boston grand piano.

Many of the performers had contributed to the fund for the piano, so it was fitting that they and their families should see the fruits of their practice, and their generosity. The concert itself was another treat, with a wide range of music in different styles, and an equally wide age range, with Amber and Temilola from Year 1 showing no nerves in their performances, and, at the other end of the school, two Year 6 violinists, Josephine Baker and Zara Uddin, started and finished the concert in fine style. In between we had a Big Band classic - Chattanooga Cho Choo- from Charlotte Hoy, Mancini´s ‘Pink Panther’ played by Elizabeth Bishop and folk melodies from Joani Baker on the oboe and Isabelle Kurankye on the piano. But it was also lovely to hear the classics, with Mozart and Corelli placed by Caitlin Perry and Antara Singh, and a beautiful rendition of Schumann´s Von Fremden Länden und Menschen by Rikako Hirai on the cello. Well done to all the girls for a wonderful concert.

PRIMARY MATHEMATICS CHALLENGE

In November, Year 5 and 6 took part in the Primary Mathematics Challenge run by The Mathematical Association.

This year we were very pleased that three girls - Seyi Ogunyemi, Zara Uddin and Francesca Doswell - achieved very good scores and their names were submitted for the Bonus Round. They were all selected to take the next paper and yesterday they sat for 45 minutes under close supervision and had to answer questions such as: • In a computer game, the code to the door into Cyberheaven has four digits and is divisible by 13, 17 and 19. What is the number?

• My teacher, Mr Oak, says ‘That’s great’ half the time, ‘That’s bad’ a quarter of the time, ‘That’s cool’ an eighth of the time and ‘Solid’ the rest of the time. What fraction of the time does he say ‘Solid’?

• A palindrome is a number whose digits are the same when read forwards as backwards (for example 2002). In how many years from now (2013) will the next year be a palindrome?

Comments from the girls – ‘It was really difficult and very challenging.’ ‘It made me think.’

‘The last questions were extremely difficult.’

Their papers have now been sent off and we look forward to hearing how they have done.

SENIOR SCHOOL GDST CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION - to mark the 140th anniversary of the GDST

A HUGE THANK YOU to the 123 girls who entered work for the GDST Creative Writing Competition and many congratulations on the impressive quality of the writing. It was extremely difficult to decide who should represent the school in the two categories of Senior (Years 11 to 13) and Middle (Years 7 to 10) as the overall standard of the written work was excellent. A tough decision had to be made and we decided that the stories of Katya Pitt 7Si and Kate Shillabeer 11F will represent CHS. We wish the girls luck as their work goes forward to be judged by Helen Fraser, chief executive of the GDST.A number of girls who made the short list will receive certificates of commendation and all entries will earn the writers house points.

NIGHTS TO REMEMBER…

Sixth Form honour former student and dear friend with magnificent fundraiser

Many of you will remember that on two consecutive nights last November, our Sixth Form produced their annual Fashion Show, which this year raised money for the Forget Me Not fund. This Leukaemia and Lymphoma research charity is particularly close to the girls’ hearts, as it was founded in memory of their good friend Nicole Favre. In 2004, this much loved Croydon High student lost her battle to acute myeloid leukaemia. She was 8 years old. Her classmates, now in the Sixth Form, wanted to remember her which they did in quite spectacular fashion. The girls delivered two memorable shows, with fabulous catwalk themes where the talent really shone through! Nicole’s favourite colour pink was much in evidence and the night ended with a bang with an explosion of pink and purple confetti. The target for the fundraising was set at £4,000 and the school is very proud to announce that after donations came flooding in, they have raised a staggering £16,388.55 for Nicole’s charity. Last Monday, the Sixth Form girls presented a cheque for this amount to Sophie Loveday, Regional Fundraising Assistant (London & South East) for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research charity. The presentation took place in a special assembly in front of the whole school and Sophie commented later that she has been hugely impressed, not just with the girls’ magnificent fundraising but with their whole approach to the event. This is not a one-off fundraising effort by the school, as each year since Nicole’s death, girls have competed in the Purley Swimathon to raise money for her charity. Nicole's younger sister, Jennifer was one of the team swimming at the event on Thursday 7th February, as she does every year.

Congratulations girls – a wonderful effort and a memorable experience for everyone.

PURLEY SWIMATHON

Croydon High School continues to raise funds for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research in memory of former pupil, Nicole Favre, who died in April 2004 aged eight, from acute myeloid leukaemia. After the huge success of the Sixth Form Fashion Show last term which raised over £16,000, some of our girls swam in the Purley Swimathon last night to raise money in her memory. Jennifer (Nicole’s sister) started the Swimathon and the whole team swam extremely well, swimming a total of 144 lengths in 55 minutes. Congratulations to Jennifer Favre, Louisa Rowland, Yasmin Nartey, Clara Agyekumhene, Shreena Patel, Madeline Jones and Jessica Riley. We would like to thank all those people who have supported and helped us raise money for this very special cause.

‘POW!’ FASHION SHOW

This week at ‘POW!’ (a lunchtime club raising awareness of world poverty issues) we held a fashion show. Some of the girls brought along an outfit from home and paraded on the ‘catwalk’ and then posed as they told us where they bought the clothes. We looked at a list from a website giving an ethical rating for that store.

The ratings were particularly concerned with the way workers and suppliers are treated. Most of these come from LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries) and we watched two short clips of films about the conditions some workers in these countries have to endure. We plan to continue discussing this and watching further films next week.

WHOLE SCHOOL COFFEE MORNING

The Ivy Club opened its doors to the third PTA coffee morning last Friday 1st February.

Once again the scene was busy, noisy and very welcoming. There was a steady flow of parents who enjoyed the fresh coffee, tea, toast and pastries. It was particularly nice to meet and greet new parents who were joining us for the first time. This is fast becoming the place to meet and catch up! A big thank you to Miss Cordingley, the PTA, the class reps and all the other parent volunteers who helped organise and run the event. Be sure to come along to the next one in March!

CHARITY DISCO

On Friday 1 Feb nearly 80 CHS girls descended upon Whitgift School for their annual Y6 and Y7 Charity disco. A great evening spent dancing, socialising and waving glow sticks was had by all, including Mrs Male and Mrs Bennett who were seen dancing to One Direction quite vigorously! The girls looked fabulous, as did the boys, and we look forward to welcoming Whitgift back in the summer term for our return event for Y8. Bring on One Direction!

A SPECIAL IVY LINK VISIT

On Monday morning, most unexpectedly, we received a visit from one of our most senior alumnae, Mrs Joyce Winbolt-Lewis. Joyce left Croydon High in 1935 and now lives in Tooting, close to some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was accompanied by her son, Martin who explained that he was visiting his mother from York. When he had asked her what she would like to do for the day, she had surprised him by saying she would like to visit her old school. They were unsure of the reception they would receive, but we were of course, delighted to see them and to hear some tales of life under Miss Ransford’s Headship. Joyce has lived a full and fascinating life and is a true Croydon High ‘girl’…charming, interesting and full of enthusiasm. It was a pleasure to meet her.

SPORTS RESULTS SPORT Netball

EVENT vs Alleyns

SAFETY NOTICE

AGE GROUP U12A

RESULT Lost 18-2

SPORT Netball

EVENT Woodcote

AGE GROUP U12A

RESULT Won 11-5

U12B

Lost 12-4

U12B

Won 10-2

U13A

Lost 14-10

U13A

Won 18-0

U13B

Won 12-8

U13B

Won 17-3

U14A

Lost 12-10

vs Alleyns

U12A

Lost 6-1

U14B

Lost 15-2

vs Woldingham

U14

Won 1-0

U16A

Won 11-7

vs St Dunstans

U18

Won 2-0

U16B

Lost 8-6

Gala at Caterham

Y3-6

Won the gala!

Hockey

Swimming

Following on from last week’s alert regarding Wallington High School for Girls, we have since had a communication from Selsdon Police that a man has been seen in the local area loitering outside schools. Tutors have warned the girls about personal safety while travelling to and from schools. The advice from the police is as follows: If you are approached by anyone then you must do the following: • Ignore them and walk on • Call 999 if possible, carry on your journey home or make your way straight to school • Tell someone immediately at home or at the school • If possible, try and remember as many details as possible so this can be passed on the police • Do not keep any worries or concerns you have to yourself