Inside Heathfield - Issue 112

Issue Number 112 November 13 2020

View this email in your browser

This week, for the first time since March, the whole school managed to come together outside the Chapel for our poignant Remembrance Service.

In these strange times of lockdown and face coverings I am delighted to be able to bring you positive news. With the increasing numbers of girls on roll at Heathfield it is becoming even more urgent that we build our Sixth Form Centre, and the great news is we have raised 1.2 million pounds towards our goal of 2.5 million.

Inspired by this, a family with connections to Heathfield have offered to gift match every donation to a total of ÂŁ150,000. This is so exciting as it means that we can meet our plan to ensure that the building is up and ready by September 2022.

In School, it is our Sixth Form who have dominated the news this week. We have celebrated the Lower Sixth achievements from the Summer at our GCSE presentation evening and Minty, our outgoing Head girl, made the most amazing speech to the school to welcome in our new Head Girl Team Claudia, Auriel and Louise.

On behalf of the whole school, I would really like to thank Minty, Amelia and Olivia for all their hard work and efforts made on behalf of Heathfield; they have done a sterling job.

With best wishes Mrs Gardiner Legge

New Head Girl Team It is always a privilege to welcome the new Head Girl team and all the new Prefects who were elected just before half term. It is not an easy process applying for a Prefect position at

/

Heathfield as we believe in the importance of preparing girls for interviews and recruitment techniques.

This year, after a rigorous application process and hustings to the whole school, congratulations go to Claudia who was elected Head Girl and to Auriel and Louise who were elected Deputy Head Girls. They were awarded their red ties, a badge of honour at Heathfield and a sign of responsibility, from the outgoing Head Girl team in Assembly. I know they will lead the school with integrity and dedication.

Mrs Gardiner Legge, Headmistress

Sixth Form Centre Update It has been clear for some time that facilities for the Sixth Form, the final two years of formal education, need to be improved. There are plans to deliver a Sixth Form skills programme and to strengthen the support network we are currently able to offer. With the increase in pupil numbers, we need a purpose-designed space that enables Heathfield’s Sixth Form academic, skills, and support programmes to be delivered. The Governors are confident that the plan to build a new Sixth Form Centre by September 2022 will best secure Heathfield’s future for many decades to come.

The plans and timelines can be found on the School’s website. The total cost of Heathfield’s first Sixth Form Centre is £2.5m. This project will be financed by fundraising. The current pupils and alumnae spearheaded our fundraising campaign through their record-breaking efforts at St Nicholas’ Stalls 2019. With generous gifts from Old Girls, parents of Old Girls and current parents we have £1.2m already raised through a legacy, pledges, and donations.

After pausing our fundraising efforts last academic year due to the impact of COVID-19 and appreciating these might be challenging times for some members of the Heathfield community, this term a generous Heathfield Family wishes to kickstart the fundraising by offering to match your donation up to a total of £150K – you can read more about our Gift Match Challenge 2020 at www.heathfieldschool.net/giving/ourproject/#giftmatchchallenge.

Further information can be sought from the Director of Development, Emma Boryer (development@heathfieldschool.net). I hope that you will support the transformation of Heathfield’s Sixth Form in any way you can, every donation currently brings Heathfield and the current pupils closer to completing this project.

Mr Tom Cross Brown, Chair of Governors

/

Sixth Form Centre Building Work To demonstrate our commitment to the development of the Sixth Form Centre the Governors have agreed to the commencement of preliminary works to satisfy and discharge several conditions contained in the detailed planning consent. To start this process a team of geotechnical specialists commenced work on site, to conduct fortnightly ground gas monitoring. Further specialist companies are instructed to complete specific assessments over the coming weeks.

Detailed design build and tender documentation will be completed in the New Year whereafter selected contractors will be invited to submit their costed tenders. Subject to our fundraising target being met the successful contractor could be on site in April 2021.

With an anticipated ten-month construction programme the new Sixth Form Centre will be completed before the start of Michaelmas Term 2022.

Mr Guy Egerton-Smith, Governor

Lunchtime Virtual Music Concert This term, we were so happy to be able to meet again in St Mary’s Theatre and play and sing together, whilst socially distancing. We were able to maximise the balcony space for our Orchestra with Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. We also flipped the stage by putting the choir in the auditorium for Puccini’s beautiful Humming Chorus from Madame Butterfly.

Sonya (Form IV), Tina and Ziyi (UVI) gave memorable piano renditions of Kuhlau’s Rondo from the Sonatina in C major, Pure White by KV and the 1st movement from the Sonata in D major by Haydn. The Woodwind Ensemble played a very compelling and well-judged rendition of Edward MacDowell’s To a Wild Rose and the concert ended with the Band playing a rousing version of Sha La La arranged by Miss Kong. It was a real treat to be able to eat lunch whilst being entertained so aptly.

Mrs Julie Dance, Director of Music

/

Remembrance Day Service Gathering the whole school together physically has not been possible since the end of March. But in a way that was entirely fitting – and, I hope, a template for future occasions – we surrounded the sunken garden outside the Chapel at just before 11am to participate in the Act of Remembrance.

Despite the present circumstances, the sense of togetherness and solidarity was palpable, and with the reading of In Flanders Fields by the Headmistress, the scene was set for a powerful commemoration of those who have laid down their lives in the service of freedom and justice. For two minutes, every part of our school community stood in silence to consider the sacrifice of men, women, children who for your tomorrow, gave our today.

The Last Post and Reveille sounded across the school site and with God’s blessing we committed ourselves to carrying the torch bequeathed to us by those who have served in conflicts past and present.

Father David, Chaplain

Loughborough University: Art College Talk Pupils in Forms IV to Upper Sixth interested in pursuing a creative degree course benefited from a presentation with Matt, the Student Recruitment Officer at Loughborough

/

University. Matt detailed the courses on offer, the application process, showed examples of digital portfolios and discussed the wide range of internships available at world famous enterprises, such as L’Oreal, Rolls Royce, Walt Disney, and Princess Yachts.

Loughborough is ranked 1st place in the UK for Fashion and Textiles and offers a guaranteed degree place for almost all their degree courses for those opting to undertake a Foundation Course in their first year. Matt’s advice on drafting the Personal Statement was particularly useful.

Mrs Eve Feilen, Director Creative Development

Uniform Update With the successful introduction of the new Heathfield sports kit in September 2019, the production of the new formal uniform is well underway.

It has been on display in our reception area since February, and although our visitors are greatly reduced, the uniform has received numerous compliments. The formal uniform will be available to purchase from our uniform suppliers, AlleyCatz, from June 2021, either online or in their store. There will be a transition period of one year so current pupils have time to grow out of all their existing uniform items.

Students moving into the Lower Sixth in September 2021, along with the Upper Sixth, will /

be wearing their own business suits.

Ms Anna Morgan, Director of Marketing & Admissions - amorgan@heathfieldschool.net

Recipe for a Successful Seacole House Shield Winners Celebration Ingredients: Seacole girls and staff 1 Assembly Hall 30 metre roll of Purple Table Cloth 20 metres of Purple bunting A selection of soft drinks and various sweet treats Dough & Deer mobile pizza oven company 1 unique pizza menu especially for us!

A lot of laughter!

Decorate the hall with as many purple items as possible, allocating an area for soft drinks and filling up the bowls on individual tables with sweets. Ask willing LVI prefects to serve drinks throughout the evening.

Celebrate Seacole’s outgoing House Captains, Nicole and Tabby, then welcome our new House Captains, Scarlett and Tamara.

Miss Karen White, Subject Leader of Photography and Head of House Seacole

/

Key Stage Three Textiles Club Forms I, II, and III have been designing wearable sculpture in Textiles Club during the Michaelmas Term. We currently host four Textiles Clubs throughout the week to accommodate high demand and pupil bubbles.

Students have created their design ideas on fashion templates, using a range of materials from coloured pencils to paint, to produce a dynamic aesthetic. Girls have been sharing their imaginative ideas with one another, which has proven to be excellent in developing their ability to rationalise their ideas and articulate intention.

At this stage, students are bringing their visions to life by creating their outcomes on the mannequins and exploring different techniques such as macramĂŠ, spray painting and hand embroidery can be utilised to complement each other.

Miss Louise Holloway, Fashion Designer in Residence

Halloween Writing Competition A huge well done to all those who entered the Library’s Halloween Writing Competition.

The task was to write a story of no longer than 500 words using an option of three Halloween starter sentences. There were over 35 entries from across the years and topics ranged from zombies rising from the grave to murders as well as being buried alive. All /

entries were atmospheric, unsettling and well written.

The competition was judged by Lower Sixth A Level English students alongside Mrs Southern and me. After much deliberation we decided that the winner was Mima (Form I) and the two runners up were Flo (Form I) and Millie (Form II). A special congratulations to them. The prizes were signed copies of Frozen Charlotte, one of the most popular books in the library now, and Mima as the winner received a special dedication in her copy as well as a signed copy of the sequel.

Alex Bell, the author, said of the three top stories, I really enjoyed all three and they certainly sent shivers down my spine! They obviously all have a lot of talent so I very much hope they will continue writing too.

Mr Nathan Lobo, Librarian

Juliette Losq, Teacher of Art and Design The Art Department are delighted to announce that Juliette Losq R.I, teacher of Art and Design, has been elected to the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. This is the highest of accolades which recognises only the elite within this area of expertise. Miss Losq is in esteemed company with Her Majesty the Queen as Patron and HRH Prince of Wales an honorary member.

Miss Losq received a BA in English Literature and Art History at Newnham College, Cambridge commencing her studies in 1997. In 2001, she received a Master of Arts in 18th Century British and French Art from Courtauld Institute of Art. In 2007, she graduated with a first-class honour in Fine Art from Wimbledon College of Arts and was later awarded an MA in Fine Art from the Royal Academy Schools in 2010.

Joining Heathfield Art Department in 2019, Miss Losq’s unique approach to fine art installation has influenced pupils at examination level who have created large scale drawings and paintings that are integral components to a sculptural artwork.

/

Winner of the John Ruskin Prize in 2019 and the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2005, Miss Losq’s work is held in The Saatchi Collection, All Visual Arts, and The Newhall Art Collection, Cambridge. The Mall Galleries London continue to exhibit Miss Losq’s work annually. For more information about Miss Losq’s studio practice you can find examples of her work at the following link: https://www.losq.co.uk/ Mrs Eve Feilen, Director Creative Development

Heathfield Sport I am so proud of how everyone is currently coming together during these times. Sport is looking a little different, but due to the huge effort from staff and students, we are continuing to run as ‘normal’ as possible. A huge thank you to those students who are helping staff to sanitise everything, tidy equipment, placing bibs in laundry bags, cleaning their changing room area after use etc. Every small contribution makes a huge difference and we really appreciate it!

Congratulations to Allegra, Birdie, Olivia and Sasha in Form III who attended the England Lacrosse National Regional Academy trials over half-term and have been selected to become part of the academy. Well done!

This term House netball takes over Saturdays. It was great to see so many girls taking part and enjoying their netball for the first session this Saturday. It is a shame spectators are not currently allowed to see such wonderful commitment to House Sport, fingers crossed we can soon.

Within lessons, all students in Forms I - IV will have the opportunity to have at least one lesson of Trampolining this term during their normal lesson times. If students wish to continue practicing, Trampolining Club is on a Wednesday after school.

New Clubs Indoor Hockey Club - Forms I to III, 12.35pm on Tuesdays Advanced Netball Skills - 1.05pm on Wednesdays Form I Multi Sports Club - 12.35pm on Fridays A reminder that Netball and Lacrosse practices are compulsory for Forms I and II this term.

Please email me if there is an issue with attending either of these sessions. Thank you to those students and parents who have already been in touch.

Miss Carys Willimott, Director of Sport and Deputy Head of House Austen

/

/

Weekend 7 – 8 November Boarders and day girls enjoyed a wide variety of activities this weekend, including trampolining, den making, cookery, crazy golf and a textiles workshop.

The weekend began on Friday evening with movies for Brontë and Wantage giving the girls the opportunity to relax and unwind at the end of the school week. After supporting their Houses at netball in the morning, the Upper Sixth girls made good use of the remainder of the weekend to prepare for their forthcoming mock examinations.

Saturday afternoon’s den making in ‘Rhodie’ (Rhododendron Walk) was unquestionably the highlight of the weekend for Brontë House. Wantage House’s ever-popular baking sessions went down well. As girls from Wantage House rose to the challenge of a photo scavenger hunt on Saturday evening, the Lower Sixth Form enjoyed watching movies whilst tucking into pizza and snacks.

After Mass on Sunday morning, Brontë girls headed to the Sports Hall for trampolining.

Wantage girls relished the opportunity to express their creativity in a textiles workshop, making decorative items in macramé and the weekend was rounded off with indoor crazy /

golf for Brontë and Wantage Houses.

Mrs Janet Liepa, Deputy Housemistress Wantage

16 Nov 18 Nov 19 Nov 25 Nov

Lower Sixth Online Parent Meeting 11+ Entrance Examinations for 2021* GCSE Drama Practical Exam 13+ Entrance Examinations for 2021*

26 Nov 27 Nov 1-11 Dec

13+ Entrance Examinations for 2021* St Nicholas' Stalls (Pupils only) Form V GCSE Mock Exams

2-11 Dec 17 Dec 18 Dec

Upper Sixth A Level Mock Exams Carol Service Livestream 12.00 END OF TERM

11 Jan 13 Jan

Upper Sixth Online Parent Meeting LENT TERM BEGINS

*Email: Admissions@heathfieldschool.net 16+ Entrance dates to be announced.

Copyright © 2020 Heathfield School, All rights reserved.

Want to change how you receive these emails?

You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

/