SHREK THE MUSICAL:
Over 80 talented students performed, read the full review.
25TH MARCH 2024
HISTORY HIT:
The story of how IHS opened on 29th April 1878.
HOCKY NEWS:
Read the latest Hockey results from across the Prep and Senior School.
Acastof over 80 talented students performed an energetic performance of a hit West End and Broadway show.
Our students performed ‘Shrek the Musical’, the hit musical based on William Steig's book and the DreamWorks Animation film Shrek. The curtain rose on the evening of March 13th, 2024, marking the beginning of a whimsical and entertaining journey through the kingdom of Far Far Away. The student performers brought the beloved characters to life on stage for ‘Shrek the Musical’. The production showcased the hilarious and heartwarming story of Shrek, a grumpy ogre on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a firebreathing dragon. Mr Paul Stone, Director of Drama, said "It is such a truly wonderful moment, when you see many months of planning and rehearsal culminate in a group of over 80 talented young people, bring to fruition a high-quality theatrical production, working as performers, technicians and crew in a full-scale musical theatre show. We are so incredibly proud of what our pupils have created. We have stunning costumes, a spectacular set and a superb live band, but the greatest joy comes from seeing these amazing young people bringing the theatre to life with such skill, energy and professionalism. We can't wait to share the magic of 'Shrek, the Musical' with
a full auditorium in our fantastic Hayworth Theatre."
Mr Browning, Head, said “The sheer scale of the talent and ambition of this production is both impressive and inspirational. A cast of 80 pupils has been thrilling audiences this week and will culminate in a gala performance on Saturday. Feedback from all who have seen it has been simply wonderful. I could not be prouder of the collective achievements of all involved.”
Audiences were treated to vibrant costumes, enchanting sets, and show-stopping musical numbers, creating an unforgettable experience filled with laughter, heart, and a whole lot of fun. The production featured a talented cast of Ipswich High School students, supported by a dedicated student crew and production team. Together, they brought the magic of ‘Shrek the Musical’ to life in the school’s fantastic Hayworth Theatre.
My comment this week must be about the spectacular IHS production of Shrek – The Musical. The ambition of the production, the performance by the cast who were brilliantly supported by a dedicated crew, band and technical team was simply amazing. The feedback from all involved has been incredibly positive and audiences were enthralled. A recording of the performance will be available to purchase next week. It really was an event that set us apart as a school and our IHS values shone through - Happy, Inspired and Successful. A full review can be read in the EADT. Click link here.
My thanks to all the staff, parents and most importantly, the pupils who made this such a wonderful success..
Orwell
This week I was driving a golf buggy for a very important video for Year 11.
From Mabel
I have Fridays off from the School. Without my IHS friends taking me for walks. I have to take myself out!
Thisweek, our eldest pupils thoroughly enjoyed a very muddy Forest School session. We have all heard for a number of years now about the benefits of outdoor learning. Being outside, whatever the weather, makes us feel better. It opens our mind and provides us with the opportunity to think in a different way and it makes us feel good!
At Ipswich High School we have the most breath-taking outside space; grazing land with sheep, developed woodland, fields of grass and the shoreline of the River Orwell on our perimeter. Our pupils and staff make use of this in everyday lessons through Forest School, Science lessons, Geography lessons, Mindfulness walks, PE sessions and numerous Enrichment opportunities. Learning outside the classroom supports the development of a healthy and active lifestyle by offering pupils opportunities for physical activity, freedom and movement, and promoting a sense of personal well-being. Our site is our biggest and most unique resource, constantly changing with the seasons and therefore, constantly providing an exciting and inspiring stimulus for us to learn from.
The rained stopped long enough for an enjoyable afternoon in Bury St Edmunds. Well done to all the boys in Year 3 and 4 that took part in the U9 TagRugby afternoon at South Lee on Friday.
U9 Hockey Year 3 and 4 girls were at Nowton Park on Friday playing Hockey. The A Team played against OBH and South Lee whilst the B Team enjoyed a friendly game of hockey against OBH. The hard work was rewarded with biscuits and juice before returning to school to start the weekend.
The boys took part in the County Hockey Tournament held at Framlingham College. They were disciplined for the first three matches in the morning losing to Ipswich School 1-0, Bardardiston 1-0 and a very strong Framlingham Prep School 3-0. We went on to play three further matches in the afternoon. Both Noah and Rasmus scored securing one victory out of the three games in the afternoon.
Prep school girls Olivia and Alice got stuck in at Riding Club and were mucking out Tula the Shetland’s stable, she gave them a grateful cuddle in reward. They even added more bedding and got to do the ‘bed test’… jumping in it to make sure it was comfy! The girls did a great job and should be very proud of themselves.
From giraffes to building Bridges and Cities, the Prep children had a brilliant time in the Stem Construction workshop hosted by Mrs Norie from Kapla Clubs.
It is such joy at this time of year to drive into school with the beautiful daffodils lining Nelson Avenue. It is a great school tradition that all pupils and staff past and present plant a daffodil as part of their induction to our school. It is a great legacy to leave to the future IHS community and brings joy to all, even on a rainy March morning.
'If one daffodil is worth a thousand pleasures, then one is too few. William
WordsworthEaster Mood We have been going hot cross bun crazy in Food Studies. The hot cross buns have looked nad smelled amazing. Well done to all of our pupils.
Science Week 2024 We had a slightly more streamlined approach to Science Week this year as it fell in the same week as Shrek but a number of pupils still enjoyed the extra events of the week. On Thursday Mrs Smith and the Chemistry department entertained everyone at lunchtime with some crazy chemistry experiments including fire and controlled explosions.
Form Girls Netball Fun It was the last Netball ISA for these Year 13 students last week! They have been an absolute credit to the school and created many memories in their years at IHS. Well done ladies!
To the left is an example of the outstanding work completed by Mr Thompson’s Year 8 RPE class. They have been studying Hinduism and this work was about how symbols are used to reflect important beliefs and convey meaning.
MFL Week As part of MFL Week at Ipswich High School our Language Leaders organised a cake competition on the theme of Languages/Countries. They were judged by Mrs Massey and theoverall winner was Ali. Ali had both presentation both with the cake but also the box! Ambitious and wonderful.
Our talks will continue to be held most weeks in the Spring term.
Parents, please continue to discuss options with your child. See Firefly for the letter home and full details along with helpful links and information. Deadline for paperwork is no later than May Half Term.
We commence the week with Careers Assemblies in Senior and Prep School on Monday 4th March.
On Tuesday 5th March, in Senior School, each lesson will have a Careers based starter and in Prep School one lesson (or registration time) will have a Careers based starter to it. We have an inspirational Careers talk from Alumni, Alice Newton who is a Barrister, working within the Trinity Chambers, this takes place within Enrichment 2, in The Leggett Room and is open to all Senior and Sixth Form students.
On Wednesday 6th March, Generation Next will be Careers focussed for all Year 12 and 13 students during Enrichment 1.
In school during the week there will be a quiz – we will all have the chance to guess some of the most unusual jobs that staff have done!
Dress up as a book character for World Book Day which is on Thursday 7th March. We will be celebrating our love of reading with multiple events throughout the Prep and Senior School. Please see letter home for full details. On World Book Day we will be inviting the whole school to dress up as a book character. Here is a quick summery of the main events:
Half Term through to World Book Day – Extreme Reading Challenge – open to Prep and Senior school.
W/C 4th March – Pupils will take part in virtual author events throughout world book day week.
Thursday 7th March – World Book Day – Dress up as a book character for the whole school, final judging will be done by Mr Browning and Mrs Finch with house points going to the winners of each Key Stage.
Tuesday 12th March - Author talk from Annalise Avery open to senior school.
Tuesday 12th March & Wednesday 13th March – Author workshops with Annalise Avery for Years 5, 7, 8, and 9.
Extreme Reading Challenge
This year for World Book Week we will be setting our pupils a challenge. Being in an unusual place or position can make reading more exciting, so this half term through until World Book Day, we would like pupils to have a photo taken of them in the most unusual place where they can read a book. Remember, we want this to be FUN but also SAFE.
With over 40 years in the trade, Bruno’s experience speaks for itself; his skills are frequently in demand worldwide. In this adaption of an interview on the Stuff Stitch Podcast, we discover what made him move from the romance and beauty of Paris to the bustling streets of New York … and more!
DID YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO WHEN YOU LEFT SCHOOL?
In high school, I was a music major and a linguistic minor, and after graduating, it appeared that a music career was not really the greatest thing. So, I opted to learn the trade of upholstery because I was surrounded by people from that environment. Also, my mother was a trade milliner in Paris in the 20s and a dressmaker and dress designer. I was always surrounded by threads and buttons … my bedroom was her workshop for years!
I actually wanted to be a tailor like my mother, but she discouraged me. I entered the trade school in Paris, which was a formal traditional training consisting of 40 hours at the bench and one day at school. Then after graduation, you obtain a certificate of aptitude, and with that certificate
After I graduated, my first job was working on a pair of chairs with a very pronounced lumbar bustle. That was for my boss’s girlfriend. She needed to have them reupholstered, and I needed to gain experience, so I took on the project. But, as a novice, I totally messed it up! I had to go and get more fabric, and thank God, the fabric was still available, so I fixed everything, and in the end, it became okay … the lady was pleased, and everything was fine.
MS NICOLA SANDERS MARKETING MANAGER
IS UPHOLSTERY SOMETHING YOU HAVE A NATURAL INSTINCT FOR, OR HAVE YOU WORKED HARD AT IT?
Maybe it comes from growing up or the way I was raised. Or maybe it’s from my French culture. Many of my contemporaries [upholsterers] are very astute and detail-oriented. The fact of the matter is that if you are doing French upholstery, particularly exquisite period pieces, you have to have a certain mindset of precision. It’s just a job that requires it; then, it becomes second nature. I think you develop good habits, and that’s important. Whether it’s instinctive or not, I don’t know. Maybe. But I have to say it was definitely a learning process. You have to apply yourself, and I think applying yourself when you start is good … but applying yourself for 40 years is the challenge!
You have to remain your true self and keep your enthusiasm. In the end, it’s not really about upholstery anymore. It goes further than that. The love of it, the appreciation of it, or the reverence that you have with it; you need to nurture that, and I think, to nurture that, you need to continue to be dedicated to doing exquisite work. What matters is that when you get it out of the door, you’re satisfied and pleased with your work.
HOW DID YOU END UP IN AMERICA WHEN YOU WERE BORN IN FRANCE IN PARIS?
Music brought me to America! I meet many people nowadays who are second-career upholsterers, and they have professional experience before. When I was in my 20s, it was the other way around. Upholstery was my ‘spare tyre’ in life. My ‘car’, my main set of wheels, was music. So, I went to America to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. It was an amazing experience. I did upholstery on the side, too, so it gave me some concept of what American upholstery was all about, which was very different from my experience in France. Then I met a
woman, and we had a baby, so everything changed! And a few years later, after the birth of my daughter, I opened my shop. I had worked in a few shops in America, and when I saw the level and the quality of work being done, I just decided to open my own shop because I had to make a statement!
DO YOU HAVE A MENTOR … SOMEONE YOU DISCUSS THINGS WITH?
At the moment, no, but I’ve had many mentors. I think my first was my boss in the shop where I apprenticed. He was a fully-fledged interior decorator. In France, if you open a shop, you must know about everything that takes place in the house environment in terms of decoration: fabric, curtains, and carpet. He had extensive knowledge of fabrication, colour schemes, etc. It was very impressive to me.
The second one was Roger. Roger was the man at the bench, and he basically taught me the everyday upholstery trade and techniques.
WHAT PART OF THE CRAFT DO YOU ENJOY MOST? WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE?
The most pleasure comes from facing a piece of furniture that has perhaps been through the French Revolution, the American Revolution, World War One, or World War Two. I look at the piece with a lot of reverence, and after a while, I notice that it is not me looking at the furniture, but it is the furniture that is looking at me, saying, “Are you worth it? Are you worthy of putting your hands on me?” And I think, “Well, you’re in front of me, so let’s do it!” I think, to me, the epitome of the trade ... of the craft ... is when you are responsible for maintaining and carrying on history. That’s basically what it’s all about.
Building new furniture is a lot of fun, too, don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of aspects that I love about the trade: designing furniture and building furniture, but at the end of the day, I think the most important is when I’m facing or dealing with history. To me, that’s more important.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT AS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT IN UPHOLSTERY?
Yes, and it has nothing to do with historical upholstery! It is to do with fabric walling and architecture and design. I was hired to do the walling of the private theatre for an important person that lives in Seattle. I won’t mention the name, but just the city will give you a hint! We developed chairs for the theatre, and the chairs had a little tray, and in the tray, there was a cup holder that would swing out of the tray. The tray would rotate 380 degrees, and you could put it on the left or the right depending on whether you are left or right-handed. That was one part of the project that was really exciting to develop. And there was a lamp on the tray, too. It was a lot of detail.
We had to do a set of chairs for the winter, a set for the summer, and a set of smaller chairs for when they needed to fit more people in the theatre. But the highlight of the project was to produce the walling. The walling was basically second walling from the existing walls and comprised 3’ x 3’ panels anchored to the substructure. The substructure was anchored to the original concrete wall with a space
between the panels to house the speakers. Also, the panels had to be done with a certain type of mesh to allow the sound to come through. The whole project was truly outstanding.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN UPHOLSTERING?
Gosh, maybe forty … forty-two years? Something like that!
WHERE (FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE STATES) WOULD YOU GO IF YOU WERE STARTING OUT LEARNING YOUR TRADE?
To learn the trade in the States, I would have to go to England! The British School of Upholstered Furniture, definitely. In America it’s an ‘old world’ trade … a ghost trade. When I was an apprentice, my original boss worked in New York in the early 70s and stayed for five years. I remember him telling me, “You know Bruno, in America, there is absolutely no upholsterers. Maybe one day you ought to consider going there!”
WHAT PLANS HAVE YOU GOT FOR THE FUTURE?
I have enough experience to share, so I think my future is teaching people. I want to leave a legacy or a mark somewhere and to teach youngsters, even if they are 20 or 30: whoever wants to learn.
I realised when I had the shop in Brooklyn and had three boys (they were 30, but because I was 50, they were boys!), and they had seven years of apprenticeship behind them, but they still wanted to learn more. Their youth and enthusiasm made me feel very at home. It’s important to me to be surrounded by youngsters who want to learn. Enthusiasm is contagious because, after a while, you can look at your work and say, “You know, I’m kind of tired of it”. But you have to be able to renew that flame; teaching is one way to renew it.
HOW DO YOU RELAX OUTSIDE OF UPHOLSTERY?
I hike, walk, read, write, cook … and have a glass of wine when I cook ... a lot of pleasures there, a lot of relaxation!
WHAT INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY?
I used to play trumpet and bass guitar, and now I tend to go towards electronic instruments such as the electronic woodwind instrument, which is amazing. It emulates 250 different kinds of instruments, so you can do all kinds of fun stuff with it. You don’t have to practice every day, and you don’t have to be good at it … you just do it.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ‘DESERT ISLAND DISC’ BOOK, FILM, AND MUSIC CHOICES?
The book would have to be Les Dames du Faubourg. It’s the story of an abbey in the hub of the furniture industry. The abbey was the only place that would allow the artisans to be creative and be free from the Guild (the Guild had very rigid laws and regulations on how to do your work). The abbey was a safe place for the artisans to express themselves. It’s basically three books, starting in the Middle Ages and ending in the 60s. It’s an amazing historical novel.
The film would be The Red Violin. The music would be Bach … maybe the Brandenburg Concerto. I think I could live with that on a desert island!
Education underwent much reform in the reign of Queen Victoria, and the provision of formal education exclusively for girls was undoubtedly one of the most progressive changes. The formation of the Girls’ Public Day School Company in 1872 encouraged an approach by Dr B. Chevallier, Dr W.A. Elliston, Mr J.R. Jeffries, Mr R.L. Everett and the Reverend V.V. Granville
-Smith of Ipswich with a view to opening a school in the town, of which
they were to form the board of guarantors. Their proposal was successful and Ipswich High School for Girls GPDSC opened on the 29th April 1878 under the Headship of Miss Sophie Youngman.
Originally based in the Assembly Rooms on Northgate Street (now the EasyHotel), the initial intake was of 43 pupils. Conditions can’t have been easy with shared teaching rooms, limited outdoor space and no
electricity, but such was the determination and resilience of young girls seeking an education that the best of their circumstances was made.
There was a large gymnasium on the ground floor which also served as a dining room, dance room, drawing studio and a space for students to spend their breaktimes. The kitchen was next to this, and the Kindergarten room was adjacent to the downstairs cloakroom. Prayers were held at the start of every morning in the large teaching room on the second floor. Red partition curtains were then drawn, and the room was divided for a series of 45 minute lessons for each age range. Miss Youngman’s desk sat in the centre of the shared teaching room and when not
instructing the older girls, she would quietly observe the various classes held around her. Apparently, she enjoyed parsing (the analysis of sentences) and insisted on clarity of thought and expression from all pupils. Girls were taught Latin and modern foreign languages, art, music and at the specific direction of Miss Youngman, all were to study at least one year of physiology. It is perhaps no surprise that so many of the early pupils of Ipswich High School went on to study these subjects at university, with an impressive number winning scholarships for Oxford, Cambridge and London universities.
Afternoons were set aside for examination prep,
needlework, gymnastics and tennis (at nearby courts or private houses lent for the occasion) and at 4pm classes were dismissed with day pupils going home and boarders returning to one of the boarding houses in town. Initially, there was no uniform except at the annual prize giving when pupils wore white cotton dresses with cherry red sashes. Once the school had been established for a few years, a winter uniform of a navy blue serge dress with red smocking was introduced, the summer uniform consisted of a white and blue cotton frock with a navy cardigan and a boater hat.
Improvements were made to the premises over the 21 years of Miss Youngman’s headship with the addition of extra
classrooms and a more sizeable playground enabling the school roll to increase significantly.
Pupils spoke very fondly of Miss Youngman. According to an Old Girl, Ethel Agnes Palmer, whose memories were recorded in the school newsletter of 1928, “her presence compelled rather than commanded ; it radiated, not outward brilliance, but an inner fire of spirit which burned up all smallnesses, and kindled in those who responded the white flame of her ideals. She
saw visions and dreamed dreams in advance of her time, and as we look back on our lives and see what in them of good we owe to her, we cannot but take courage and thank God for her.”
Recalling Miss Youngman in 1957, another Old Girl, Elsie Hoare said “she was gentle in her speech, and I never saw her lose her temper or get flustered…she could be firm and stern if occasion demanded.”
By the time Sophie Youngman retired in 1899, the school had
grown into a thriving and highly regarded institution which shaped its pupils into bright, industrious and pioneering young women. In 2019, a blue plaque was unveiled in her honour at the site of the Assembly Rooms.
The next Headmistress was Miss Kennett, who continued to strengthen the school’s success and due to the steady increase in numbers, had secured new premises in Westerfield Road, Ipswich by 1907.
During school hours, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead: Ms Extance or, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads: Mrs Finch (Prep School), Mrs Offord (Senior School), Mrs Vickers (Sixth Form) - on 01473 780201.
Out of School hours support below:
YoungMinds: 24/7 - Text YM to 85258
Samaritans: 24/7 - 116123
Kooth: kooth.com
Sexual assault: NSPCC - 0800 136 663 / help@nspcc.org.uk
Sexual assault local contact: The Ferns - 0300 123 5058
Childline: Call 0800 1111 or 1-2-1 chat online
NHS Mental Health Support: 111, option 2
Online bullying: thinkUknow.co.uk
Parenting is one of the toughest jobs we ever do but it should also be one of the most fun and rewarding.
All parents and pupils have FREE unlimited access to The Wellbeing Hub. Pupils are signed up automatically and have been sent an email to complete their registration.
In science, Year 6 have been inspired by all their research work on Charles Darwin and have created some posters.
Year 3 have thoroughly enjoyed their work in their computing lessons on branching databases.
Year 4 have been challenging themselves in French this week. They are learning the names for food, and how to order items from a menu.
Pupils were inspired by a display of science experiments during their lunchtime.
In MFL Year 11 have enjoyed competing against each other in a translation activity on Quizlet.
In History, pupil success is supported with a key question and keywords.
