Leweston Life Summer 2012

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Leweston Life

Summer 2012

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Contents

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Heads’ Welcome

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Academic Awards and Successes

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Science News

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Creative Pursuits

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Senior School Production Sweet Charity

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Summer Art and Design Exhibition

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Senior Sporting Success

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New Head at Leweston Prep

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Prep ISI Report

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Prep News

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Prep Sporting Success

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Prep Summer Production Olivia

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Facilities: Making a Splash

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Jubilee Celebrations

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Boarding Skills Award

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Duke of Edinburgh

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Trips and Visits

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Leiths and Lord Knight

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A Final Word from the Head Girl and OA News

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Dates for your Diary

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www.leweston.co.uk

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Welcome from the Heads 2012 has seen much to celebrate at Leweston and the achievements across all areas of school life have been both numerous and impressive.

Highlights of these two busy terms include the excellent feedback we received from our integrated ISI inspection at the Prep School (page 18) and our successful Senior School boarding inspection. We are also delighted to be in the top 10% of independent schools in the UK for ‘Value Added’ as judged by Durham University CEM (page 5) and there has been much individual academic success at Leweston which you will read about in the following pages.

On the sporting front Leweston has continued its impressive record. So far this year we have seen three of our senior girls represent England in biathle, football and riding (pages 12-15) and we also have a World Championship silver medallist at the Prep. Over all we have had 14 county representatives and 5 regional representatives across hockey, crosscountry, netball, football and athletics.

In the creative life of the school we saw two of our best musical productions for years, Sweet Charity at the Senior School and Olivia at the Prep (pages 8 and 24).

The summer Art and Design exhibition was once again of an exceptional standard (page 10) and we have also had considerable success in both the singing and acting categories at the Bath Festival.

Schola has continued to amaze and impress with some wonderful school and public performances.

We could continue to write about all that has happened at Leweston this spring and summer, but the word limit does not allow it. You will see in the following pages of this magazine that Leweston really does offer its pupils all the benefits of a small school community alongside the opportunities of a larger one.

We say goodbye to our 2012 leavers safe in the knowledge that they have been well prepared for the next stage of their lives and we are sure that they will continue to ‘Rejoice and Do Well’ in the years ahead.

We are also delighted that our sports provision has been further improved by the opening of our newly enclosed swimming pool and the traditionally delightful summer weather has meant that we have already seen the benefits of this (page 26).

Adrian Aylward Headmaster

James Savile Head of Leweston Prep

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Leweston Tops School League Tables This year’s outstanding public examination results achieved by Leweston’s GCSE and Sixth Form pupils have been recognised in the school league tables published by the Department of Families and Education in January.

The league tables place Leweston as one of the top two schools in Dorset and Somerset for both its GCSE and AS/A Level performance. Leweston’s Sixth Formers produced an average UCAS point score of 914.4 per student, the equivalent of well over three A grades per pupil and 90% of all GCSE examinations were passed at grades A* – B. Both the 2011 GCSE and A Level results were a record for Leweston.

To see the published league tables please visit www.bbc.co.uk or www.education.gov.uk

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Academic Awards and Successes Top 10% for Value Added The MidYIS Value Added feedback produced by Durham University has once again placed Leweston in the top 10% of schools nationally.

Leweston Girl is one of the Country’s Top Young Mathematicians Congratulations to Leweston pupil, Monika Dec (Year 12), who came 22nd overall in Round 1 of the 2012 British Maths Olympiad and was awarded a silver medal. This paper is sat by the top 1300 maths students nationally and Monica was selected following her outstanding performance in the Senior Maths Challenge where she scored an impressive 120/125 and was awarded a Gold certificate.

Monika’s performance at the BMO means that she is one of the top 5 female mathematicians in her age group in the UK. Monika is studying for A Levels in Maths, Further Maths and Additional Further Maths as well as Chemistry, German and Physics and is planning to study Mathematics at Cambridge on completing her Year 13 studies.

This is a truly exceptional achievement that demonstrates the skill, talent and potential that Monika has in Mathematics.

I have no doubt she will continue to excel in this subject both at Leweston and beyond.

Martin Crozier, Head of Mathematics

Value added is a measure of the progress pupils make between different stages of education; if girls perform beyond expectations this will be reflected in a high ‘value added’ score. This high ranking demonstrates Leweston’s ability to add value to each girl’s education and encourage them to perform above original expectations. The MidYIS system measures performance to GCSE and is used by almost all independent schools.

Oxbridge Offers 2012 We are delighted to congratulate Hebe Stanton (Year 13) and Isabelle Barber (who left Leweston in 2011) who have both received offers to read English Literature at Oxford and Cambridge respectively.

These offers in English complement our recent excellent record in places awarded at the more selective universities in Maths and Science related disciplines. We wish both girls continued success in their studies.

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Leweston’s Science Conference Goes With a Bang!

PUPILS IN YEARS 5 AND 6 FROM SEVERAL LOCAL SCHOOLS ENJOYED A DAY OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY AT LEWESTON IN THE SPRING. Pupils enjoyed participating in several workshops in Leweston’s purpose built science centre which were followed by a demonstration lecture entitled ‘A Pollutant’s Tale’ given by Dr Tim Harrison of Bristol University and his team. The lecture used exciting and engaging chemistry demonstrations involving liquid nitrogen, oxygen foam, dry ice and a few explosions to explain topics such as the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere, the

chemistry and properties of nitrogen and oxygen, the tropospheric pollutants and climate change.

This is not the first time Leweston has worked with the staff from Bristol University. Leweston was also chosen by The Royal Society to receive a partnership grant that has enabled pupils to work with Professor Dudley Shallcross and his team at Bristol on a pioneering project, titled ‘Every

Breath You Take: Mining Atmospheric Chemistry Data’. The selected pupils aged 15-18 have been working on the project for the last year and their findings have been published in Science in School magazine in a recent issue under the title ‘Smoke is in the air: how fireworks affect air quality’ and can be found at www.scienceinschool.org. The group are working on a full paper due to be published in academic journals in the near future.

WOW… National Recognition for Leweston’s Scientists Leweston has had a bumper year of awards at the 2012 Biology and Chemistry Olympiads and the 2012 Physics Challenge, all national competitions reserved for the nation’s most talented post 16 scientists.

Well done to Year 12 pupil Monika Dec, who won a silver award at this year’s AS Physics Challenge.

Congratulations also to Marta Tondera (Year 13) who was awarded a gold certificate at this year’s Chemistry Olympiad and to Bonnie Chau and Jennie Chow (Year 13) who were awarded bronze certificates. This places them in the top 50 competitors and Marta in the top 8% nationally. Marta was also awarded a bronze medal at this year’s Biology Olympiad which placed her in the top 15% nationally.

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Creative Pursuits Schola Perform as part of Sherborne Abbey Festival Leweston’s Schola Cantorum gave a magnificent recital as part of the four day Sherborne Abbey Festival in May. Their programme was entitled ‘Songs of the Sea’ on the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and included music by Eric Whittacre, Michael Head, Holst, Elgar and British folksongs. The performance was extremely well received by the festival audience and a wonderful opportunity for the girls to showcase their talents to the wider public.

LAMDA Gold!

Year 10 pupil Molly Foster has passed her gold medal LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) exam in speaking verse and prose. The gold award is equivalent to NQF level three or an A Level and means that Molly is now qualified to teach LAMDA and has letters after her name. This is an exceptional achievement at such a young age – well done.

Leweston collects prizes at the Mid Somerset Festival of Speech and Drama It was another successful year for Leweston at the 2012 Bath Festival of Speech and Drama. Congratulations to Abi Hardy and Sarah Newton (Year 9) who won the U14 duo acting class and to Connie Froy and Sophie Hawkins (Year 12) won the U21 duo acting class in what was a large field.

Several other high placings were awarded to Leweston girls in other categories including Alice Liddle and Isabella Carpendale (Year 7) in the U13 duo acting class, Jessica Dixon and Flo Kosky (Year 11) and Hannah Boyden and JoJo Hawkins (Year 10) in the U17 duo acting class, Connie de Pelet and Jasmina Tims (Year 8) in the U14 duo acting class and Rose Sullivan (Year 10) in the U15 solo acting class.

Drama Students visit the West End The GCSE and A Level Drama students visited the West End in March to see the spine tingling The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre. Although there were almost always only two actors on stage, this infamous production riveted the audience and provoked several high decibel screams! The girls left the theatre with plenty of inspiration for their written live theatre responses as part of their course work.

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Sweet Charity Sweet Charity, this year’s Senior School musical production and the culmination of months of rehearsal, took place in the School Theatre at the end of February.

The extensive rehearsals, dance sessions with the choreographer, Karen Pankhurst and singing rehearsals with Director of Music, Claire Hawkes, paid huge dividends as the cast took the audience by storm on both nights.

The story of Charity Hope Valentine, played brilliantly by Year 12 pupil Esmee Roach, trying to find true love moved some to tears and others to exhilaration. The band was fantastic and the Year 7 and 8 technical team dealt skilfully, under the stewardship of Kathryn Adams, with the major demands of both the lighting and sound.

It had been a long journey that had started in the summer of 2011 but it was well worth it with the show coming together on the performance nights with awesome dynamism!

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Jessica Straughan, Year 13

Lucinda Marsh, Year 13

Louisa Lau, Year 12

Octavia Rome, Year 13 10

Lucy Robinson, Year 13

Rachel Mayo, Year 13

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Ivy Ng, Year 13

GCSE & A Level Art & Design Exhibition Invited guests and parents once again enjoyed Leweston’s much anticipated GCSE and A Level Art and Design exhibition held in June. The standard, as always, was exceptionally high and the work encompassed fine art, textiles, graphic design and sculpture. Erica Williams, Head of Art and Design at Leweston commented: “I am delighted with this year’s show.The exceptional quality of finish that the girls have achieved this year pays testament to their hard work. I have no doubt that they will be rewarded with excellent grades at GCSE, AS and A Level”.

Jessica Straughan, Year 13 11

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Senior Sport

Mud, Sweat and Tears . . .

Leweston has gathered another impressive haul of trophies and titles over this cross-country season. The Senior team has managed top three finishes in the Marden Trophy at Kings Bruton, the Sherborne Trophy, the Kingswood Races and in the Canford and Clayesmore Relays. The school won both races at the Studland Stampede with Georgie Waite (Year 9) comfortably winning the U14 race and Georgia Buckland (Year 10) winning the U16 Race. At the Clayesmore Relays the U16 team was victorious and the U14 team finished 3rd of 30 teams at the Ken Baily Races.

The season was also littered with impressive individual achievement. Victoria Halford, Year 10, won the Sherborne Trophy and was 2nd at Kingswood and Milton Abbey. In addition she has been awarded the trophy for Dorset Independent Schools U16 cross-country runner of the year. Victoria was also selected, along with Siobhan Stewart, Year 12 and Chloe Taylor, Year 13, to run for Dorset at the South West Championships, with Year 7 pupil Eve Southcombe selected as reserve. Siobhan and Victoria then went on to compete at the English Schools Cross-country Championships. This was the 5th consecutive year that Siobhan had gained Dorset selection, an exceptional achievement.

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Leweston’s Second International Footballer . . .

Year 12 pupil Siobhan Stewart is the second Leweston girl in 2 years to be selected for the Independent Schools Football Association National U18 squad. Siobhan was selected for the 25 woman squad after representing the South West Region alongside Year 13 colleague Rachel Mayo in the inter-regional tournament held last March.

Siobhan will be the third International sports woman at Leweston this academic year.

In 2010, Sixth Former Maria Barlow was also selected for the U18 team for its international fixture against Australia and last season the Leweston U15 football team was semi-finalists in the national 6-a-side tournament held at Bradfield College.

This is not the first sporting success for Siobhan, who formed part of the Leweston U15 cross-country team who were the 2009 National Champions. She has also been awarded the Dorset Independent Schools Athlete of the Year for three consecutive years from 2009 to 2011 inclusive and is currently one of the three Leweston girls who have been selected for the Exeter Junior Regional Performance Centre Squad in hockey.

Riders Qualify for the National Finals Excellent performances from Leweston’s show jumping teams at the NSEA show jumping qualifier held in June have meant that the teams from Classes 3 and 4 have qualified for the National Finals in October 2012. A challenging course caused trouble for many; however the Leweston teams managed to achieve placings in all four classes. In Class 1 the Junior team finished in 5th position, with Charlotte Radford (Year 6) picking up 6th place individually. In Class 2 the team finished 4th and in Class 3 the team finished 2nd with Georgia Buckland (Year 10) doing exceptionally well to finish 2nd individually. In Class 4 the Leweston team finished in first position over what was a very challenging course. Lydia Hannam (Year 8) rode a very impressive round to finish 3rd individually. We wish you luck for the finals in October.

Netball

Siobhan Stewart, Year 12

A number of Leweston teams played in tournaments at the Hampshire Collegiate School in the spring. Congratulations to the U15 team who just missed out on 2nd place on goal difference after some exceptional play. The U14s went one better and finished as tournament runners up, missing out on the top spot by just one point – well done all! Congratulations also to the U13 netball team who won this year’s North Dorset netball tournament.

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Victoria Selected for the Pentathlon GB England Talent Pool Programme International biathle competitor and Year 10 pupil Victoria Halford has been selected for a place on the Pentathlon GB England Talent Pool Programme. This is the first formal stage of the talent development pathway for athletes in the sport of modern pentathlon, which has the ultimate aim of developing athletes to progress through to the World Class Pathway.

Victoria has been selected following her performances in running, swimming and biathle/biathlon competitions in the South West regional events and the international events she has competed in (she forms part of the current U16 GB world champion biathle team). She has been identified as having potential to go further in modern pentathlon. The programme starts towards the end of July and will develop her skills in each of the 5 pentathlon disciplines. This is the latest in a string of outstanding sporting successes for Victoria and we wish her all the best with her pentathlon training.

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Hockey Highs!

Sport Relief 2012 Pupils at Leweston Senior and Prep Schools raised a record amount for Sport Relief this year. Pupils walked, hopped, jumped and even ‘wheel barrowed’ a mile for charity in May and their efforts did not go unrewarded with a total of £1,450 being raised for this worthwhile cause. Well done all!

Record Results for Leweston at the English Schools Track and Field Cup Leweston was one of only 24 of 90 schools to qualify for the regional rounds of the English Schools Track and Field Cup. With points being awarded for times and distances in the various events, both the Junior (Years 7 and 8) and Intermediate (Years 9 and 10) school teams achieved the highest aggregate scores ever by Leweston in this competition. The highest scoring Junior athlete was Bella Shuldham (Year 8) who scored 35 points from the high jump and 1500 metres, with Florence Perkins (Year 10) being the highest scoring Intermediate athlete gaining 34 points for her two events, the 80 metre hurdles and high jump. Well done all! You can find the full results on the English School Athletics Association website: www.esaa.net

Olympic Torch Leweston girls saw the Olympic Torch pass through Yeovil as part of the Olympic Flame Relay in May.

Congratulations to the three Leweston girls, Siobhan Stewart (Year 12), Flo Perkins (Year 10) and Freya Logan (Year 9) who, as a result of excellent performances in various regional tournaments last term, have been selected to attend the Junior Regional Performance Centre squads in Exeter.

These girls, alongside Sophie Hawkins (Year 12) and Lizzie Davis (Year 8) have also all been selected for the county team. Well done also to the U13 X1 who are 2012 county champions and to the U13 7s who are 2012 Dorset runners up.

Awesome Athletics . . .

Sophie Hawkins (Year 12), Flo Perkins (Year 10) and Olivia Henry-Thrussell (Year 7) are all 2012 county champions following their performances at the Dorset Schools’ Athletics Championships in June.

Leweston’s athletics success does not end there… Lizzie Davies, Bella Shuldham and Minna Wollocombe in Year 8 and Olivia Henry-Thrussell have all been selected to represent the Wessex area in various disciplines at the National IAPS finals at Alexandra Stadium this summer following excellent displays at the IAPS Senior Wessex athletics finals at Kings Park in May. Well done all.

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Prep

New Head at Leweston Prep We were delighted to welcome James Savile as the new Head of Leweston Preparatory School at the start of the summer term.

James joined Leweston from Gordonstoun Junior School, a leading Prep School in Scotland, where he was Deputy Head. He has extensive experience of working in co-educational preparatory schools and he will now look to develop Leweston Prep School with energy and purpose in the years ahead. James, who is a Catholic, is married with two young children who both attend Leweston Prep.

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James writes…

During the recent Diamond Jubilee celebrations I regularly cast my mind back to not the Golden Jubilee but to the Silver Jubilee. I clearly remember the celebrations at the time in 1977 as I was in what is now known as Year 3. As the pupils at Leweston were recently given commemorative mugs, we too were given one each and there were parties and celebrations throughout the country. It was in this year that started my tremendous love of prep school life. In a rural Derbyshire setting I learnt to participate in many activities and I acquired a lot of new skills, each of which brought so much excitement.

My own son is now at the age that I was then and it has been fascinating to see both him and my daughter as well as all of the other pupils grow both as individuals and as members of the Leweston School community. They too have many opportunities and each day I see the pupils in the Prep School seize these occasions with over-spilling enthusiasm.

Whether it is learning a new sport, taking part in one of the many activities or rising to the challenge in class, they do so in such a positive manner. None of this would, however, be possible without the dedicated staff that we have and I am extremely grateful for all that they do.

While one could say superficially that the life of a prep school child has the same ingredients now compared with 1977, it would be wrong to suggest that changes have not taken place and it is only right that they have. Gone are the days of children sitting in rows, learning nothing but facts in a rigid environment.

In Dickens’ book ‘Hard Times’, the notorious Headmaster Mr Gradgrind said: ‘Now, what I want is facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else and root out everything else.’ Times have certainly changed and children nowadays are offered a creative curriculum where they are fully involved in active and passion-based learning with originality and individuality being encouraged at all times.

As the new Headmaster of Leweston Prep, I believe that the pupils are fires to light and not vessels to fill. I am truly excited about being given the chance to lead the school into its next phase and it is my sincere hope that all of the children will look back on their Prep School days with tremendous satisfaction knowing that they have been on a personal journey. This journey will have taken them to many wonderful experiences and, while the road may not always have been easy going, they will all have been watched over and encouraged by staff who genuinely care about them as individuals and who delight in seeing their success.

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Leweston Prep Celebrates Inspection Report Leweston Prep School is delighted with the findings of its 2012 ISI inspection report which graded the school excellent or good in all areas.

The inspectors commented that the ‘pupils at Leweston Prep achieve well, reaching high standards and emerging as confident, articulate and independent learners extremely well prepared for the next steps of their education’ and that the work in the classroom is backed up by ‘excellent extra-curricular provision’. They noted the strong provision for games and Physical Education.

The report acknowledged the school’s particular success at meeting its aims of encouraging all pupils to flourish as individuals and fully developing their strengths and talents. There was also praise for the excellent relationship between the staff and pupils and amongst the pupils themselves.

“I am delighted with the findings of the report.

The inspectors’ comment on the pupils’ awareness of others and their collaborative and supportive approach to learning reflects what is special about Leweston Prep and the ethos that underpins the school. It is gratifying that this report acknowledges that the children not only achieve well but that the less tangible indicators of success, such as the pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, so fundamental to what we offer at Leweston, are also excellent.”

James Savile, Head at Leweston Prep commented:

A full copy of the report can be downloaded from our website: www.leweston.co.uk

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Year 5 Spend a Day at the Senior School The Year 5 pupils at the Prep spent a day at the Senior School in June, sampling lessons and generally experiencing life as a Senior School pupil. The girls had fun making goo and explosions in science, cooking up a storm in the design centre and creating and performing both musical and dramatic pieces. A great time was had by all – we look forward to seeing you all again at the Senior School soon!

Pre-Prep Pupils Recreate the Olympic Torch!

Pupils from Reception and Year 1 were fired with Olympic enthusiasm when they took part in an unusual celebration in advance of the 2012 games.

Leweston was invited to join Cerne Abbas First School in creating a human Olympic flame on the Cerne Abbas giant. After a tough 45 minute walk to the top of the giant the pupils, wearing red and yellow carefully positioned themselves to create the image of an Olympic torch in the hand of the infamous giant.

London Trip 2012 Years 5 and 6 of the Prep School left the idyllic Dorset countryside for the bright lights of London in May. During their two day visit the pupils and staff were taken by coach on a sight-seeing tour of London and dined at the Rainforest Café in the West End. The evening involved a trip to the theatre to watch the performance of Matilda which was fantastic! Another successful trip enjoyed by all.

Local Schools Attend Scientific Theatre Performance at Leweston Over 250 school children from Leweston and 5 local primary schools enjoyed a science based theatre performance by the well-known schools’ theatre company Kinetic Theatre at Leweston in the spring.

Kinetic’s performance of Robin Hood and the Withering Wood was an interactive and engaging adaptation on the well-known folklore and used the story to explore the seven conditions for life: chlorophyll, action of UV light, photosynthesis, plant reproduction, food webs and leaf design. The KS2 audience members had to help Maid Marian save Sherwood Forest where the trees and plants were dying. In the end the answer was in the leaves...!

Some comments from the children who attended...

“Dear Leweston, thank you for inviting us to your play, it was cool. I enjoyed the part when the badger was doing the worm dance. It was funny when we learned about the food chain and the refreshments were lovely!”

“Thank you for inviting me to see Robin Hood and the Withering Wood. I loved lots about the play and we learnt about invertebrates and vertebrate animals. Thank you for the refreshments they were very yummy! I thought your school was cool!”

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First Holy Communions At the Mass on Corpus Christi Sunday, four young people from Leweston Prep and Sunday congregation made their First Holy Communion.

The School Chapel was filled to the brim for this important moment in their lives and those of their families. For the last year they had been prepared by a catechist from our own Prep School staff, Ms April Walker-Bambury.

Leweston’s visiting Chaplain, Fr Peter, was the celebrant and Leweston’s nuns from Sherborne Parish joined us for this special occasion.

Refreshments were served in the school’s Eleanor Library following the Mass, which the children had helped to write. A truly beautiful cake was made for the celebrants and their families by the Senior School sugar craft club members. The families also brought and shared a delicious picnic, and a wonderful time was had by all.

Congratulations to all the communicants: Sophie Worrall (Year 3), Grace Pilkington (Year 3), Harry Savile (Year 3) and Sebastian Strachwitz-Hamilton.

Youth Makes Music!

The very smartly dressed Prep School Choir represented the School at the Rotary Club charity concert in the Digby Hall, Sherborne. Several school groups took part in the concert and many people commented on the choir’s vibrant performance of three contrasting songs, their appearance and their behaviour. Their performance of Hats was a real treat – well done everyone!

Over The Wall!

The pupils at Leweston Prep have been raising money for Over the Wall, a charity that runs residential activity camps for children with serious illness (www.otw.org.uk). The pupils in the Prep collected donations, ran an inter-house quiz and completed an assault course in the sports hall to help raise £100 for the charity.

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World Book Day 2012 – Read all About it!

Pupils and staff at Leweston enjoyed dressing up as their favourite literary characters to raise money for charity on World Book Day in March. Over £250 was raised for the local charity Julia’s House Hospice, who provides an incredible service for children with life-limiting conditions (www.juliashouse.org). Leweston organised a successful book exchange and book sale in the school library and also hosted the Julia’s House mobile sweet shop which raised an additional £100 for the charity.

Braeside 2012 Years 5 and 6 spent an action packed 3 days at the Braeside residential centre in Devizes at the end of May. They participated enthusiastically in activities ranging from team building and problem solving activities to habitat surveys and mini beast hunts. Through these activities that enriched the Science and Geography curriculum, they developed leadership qualities as well as improving their investigative skills and had heaps of fun!

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Ana Downing and Charlotte Radford (Year 6)

IAPS National Sailing Regatta 2012 Leweston Prep competed at the third IAPS National Sailing Regatta at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in May. . .

This year’s event grew again with 168 sailors representing 48 prep schools from across the country with Leweston Prep once again being named as the regatta’s official host school. During both days the racing was highly competitive yet the invaluable experience of sailing on the Olympic waters was one of the greatest prizes for the young sailors who entered.

Our U11 Leweston Prep sailing team consisted of Year 6 pupils Poppy Boyden and Portia Manson making up one crew and Charlotte Radford and Ana Downing making another. The pairing of Poppy and Portia 22

performed brilliantly in the morning’s full fleet races to improve on Leweston’s final standings of last year and managing to achieve a place in the coveted Gold fleet. Charlotte and Ana were equally high flying lying fifth overall in the Silver fleet by the start of afternoon racing. For them the opportunity to gain a medal place was a distinct possibility and the girls went into the afternoon races buoyed up with the aim of making up two places to secure the bronze medal or higher.

Sadly, the wind speed continued to rise in the afternoon so, following an aborted attempt to start the first of the U11 Gold and

Silver fleet races, the decision was made to abandon racing for the day. This meant that the girls did not have the chance to improve on their morning successes although everyone agreed that they still took home special memories of their National Regatta racing experiences in Portland Harbour.

Leweston Prep’s profile as a leading school in the national school sailing scene continues to grow with an even bigger scale regatta being planned for next year.

Mark McCloskey Sailing Co-ordinator

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School World Champion Biathlon Silver Medallist!

Congratulations to Year 4 pupil Anya Evans who has won a silver medal at the School World Biathlon Championship.

Anya competed in a county biathlon competition in October and her time was entered alongside times from other competitors at biathlon events all over the world. Anya’s exceptional performance Poppy Boyden Anya Evans (Year 6) (Year 4) means that she was the second fasted biathlete in her age category in the world in 2011. Three Year 6 pupils also achieved world rankings – well done to Poppy Boyden, Ana Downing and Portia Manson. What an achievement!

Howzat!

Cricket has been very popular this term with opportunities for boys to play in extracurricular clubs and numerous fixtures.

There will be further opportunity for the Members of the U8 cricket team boys in Years 1, 2 and 3 to play over the forthcoming year with winter cricket commencing in January. The cricket provision at the Prep will be enhanced by the new cricket ground which will be ready for fixtures next season. The ground also has two additional rugby/football pitches which will be ready from September. Leweston Prep has been running summer rugby sessions with the pupils in the Prep in preparation of the season ahead and look out for visiting specialist coaches in hockey, rugby and cricket from next September…

Dorset Biathlon Champs for the Third Year Running Congratulations to the Year 4 biathlon team of Perdi Digby, Isabelle Bridge and Anya Evans who took gold at the Dorset Schools’ Biathlon Relays held at Portland in June. The mixed Year 4 team of Angharad Jones, Jamie Baker and Grace Milbank, and the Year 6 team of Alice Southcombe, Poppy Boyden and Charlotte Sewed, also enjoyed great success finishing in silver medal position.

Poppy Wins Gold!

Congratulations to Year 6 pupil, Poppy Boyden, who won gold at this year’s Dorset Schools’ Orienteering Competition at Moors Valley Country Park. Poppy was crowned champion with 220 points gained following a fantastic and tactical run.

Portia Manson (Year 6) came a creditable 3rd with Kiara Monachello (Year 6) in 4th.

Year 5 pupil Alice Leach finished in 5th place overall.

Well done all – a fantastic result for Leweston!

Outstanding Athlete Congratulations to Year 6 pupil Ana Downing who won the Clayesmore Athletics 800m title when she competed in April. Ana also came 5th out of 23 competitors in the 800m at the highly competitive Senior Wessex Competition in May, just missing out on a place in the IAPs finals in Birmingham.

Hole in One (or nearly!)

Budding golfer Charlie Miles (Year 2), has won the beginner category and nearest the pin at the CCGA Golf Tournament in May. Charlie was competing against other beginners who were representing several other local schools. Well done also to Year 2 pupil Angus Evans who was victorious at a local interschool golf competition in June where he beat some tough opposition to clinch first place!

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Olivia The Prep School has once again put on another spellbinding summer term production. This year’s show was entitled Olivia, a witty take on the well-known and much loved musical Oliver! This brilliant and innovative show, set in Victorian times, traced the steps of Olivia from downtrodden orphan to star of the stage. Exceptional and engaging performances were given by Year 6 pupils Charlie Sewed (Olivia), Scarlett Cole (Eliza Doolittle) and Honor West and Poppy Boyden who played well known criminal duo Fagin and Dodger. They were well supported by an excellent cast, chorus and backstage, technical and production crew who worked tirelessly to create another outstanding show!

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Making a Splash!

Leweston was delighted to officially open its newly enclosed swimming pool as part of the Senior School Speech Day at the end of term. World champion swimmer and BBC commentator Karen Pickering MBE opened the pool and presented the prizes at the swimming gala that followed.

Although Speech Day was the official opening, pupils have been swimming in the new pool since May. This facility will enable year round swimming for all pupils and it will also enhance what Leweston can provide for the wider school community and parent body. This improved swimming provision will not only support the pupils in the Senior School but also our younger pupils in the Prep and early 26

years, equipping them with a valuable life skill and an excellent grounding.

The new roof is comprised of green powder-coated aluminium arches with Perspex glazing. The heated facilities include indoor girls’ and boys’ changing rooms, showers, separate toilets and a staff office. The design maintains the ‘lido’ feel in summer with the lawn end gable opening

completely and the panels on the outdoor changing room side rising to give direct access and an open-air feel. The UV protective roof provides valuable shade for swimmers.

We are delighted with this development and what it will mean for the sports provision Leweston.

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The grey weather did not dampen the mood of the Leweston pupils and their families who lined the streets to see the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh when they visited Sherborne as part of the Queen’s 2012 Jubilee tour.

Jubilee Celebrations

Four Leweston pupils were chosen, alongside pupils from other local schools, to take part in an art activity in the Abbey which was admired by the Queen and Prince Philip. Other Leweston pupils lined the streets and waved their flags as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelled through Sherborne to the Abbey!

The Queen’s visit was followed by the school’s official celebrations which took place on the 1st of June. The pupils in both the Prep and Senior school dressed in red, white and blue and hosted an ‘al fresco’ Jubilee concert for parents and friends of Leweston in the afternoon.

Leweston was delighted to welcome the Mayor of Sherborne, Peter Rhodes, to the concert which featured Schola Cantorum, the Senior and Prep School choirs and various musical ensembles.

The concert culminated in a wonderful performance of the National Anthem.

Jubilee Tree In addition to the celebrations listed above Leweston paid a more permanent tribute to Queen’s Diamond Jubilee by planting an oak tree in the grounds of the school. Head of Leweston Prep, James Savile, planted the tree with the help of boys and girls at the Prep School.

The oak tree will undoubtedly be enjoyed by the staff and pupils at Leweston for years to come.

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Boarding Skills Award at Leweston The boarders at Leweston have been selected, alongside pupils from 10 other schools nationally, to trial the new BSA Boarding Skills Award. The scheme, endorsed by economist and government advisor Will Hutton, has been devised to evidence the soft skills learnt by boarders in boarding communities that employers will use as a currency for employability alongside academic results, in an ever more competitive market. The awards have been produced with ASDAN to create a flexible and attainable award to reflect the skills and experiences generated from being a boarder in a British Boarding School.

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Lyndsay Fielding, Director of Boarding writes . . .

Race For Life 2012 Vet, doctor, actress, snowboard instructor, teacher, artist, writer, marine biologist and sailing instructor - just some of the varied careers that the Year 7 and 8 boarders at Leweston would like to do ‘when they grow up’! How do I know this? Challenge 2 Module F of the Basic Boarding Skills Award of course!

Leweston’s young boarders trialled the award for the BSA, one of only ten schools in the country to do so, and enjoyed every minute.

All the girls that began the award back on a dark and wet October evening have now finished the course and hold their completed challenges in what has become known as ‘our sacred file’!

After the resounding success of Leweston’s debut entry to the Sherborne Castle Race for Life in 2011, over 50 boarders and staff took part in the 2012 event raising nearly £1,000 for Cancer Research!

After attending the initial meeting with the BSA in London in June 2011, I was extremely enthused about what the award would encapsulate: a practical course allowing the Leweston girls to evidence already learnt skills and the opportunity for them to develop new skills too! They had nothing to lose but an awful lot to gain!

The importance of developing the whole person at Leweston was paramount in my mind and this award allows this to happen in a structured and supported way. It’s a bit like the Duke of Edinburgh Award without all the walking! Each girl received a work booklet and each would work on one, or on a good week two, challenges.

The challenge the girls decided to do was up to them and this meant they were engaged with their chosen challenge on a personal level.

This engagement was key and has led to a successful completion of the award by all those girls taking part in the pilot. Trialling this award has had its moments; would the girls manage the work load?

Would any extra support be needed for those girls for whom English is not their first language? What format would the evidence take?

Would the colour printer hold out with the frantic and enthusiastic printing of evidence pages? Could it be possible that each girl could bake so much for Challenge 2, Module E? Do Year 7s really eat so much fruit and vegetables each day (Challenge 2, Module B)?

The invaluable support of Lee Smith (award co-ordinater) and Alex Thompson at the BSA has meant stepping into what was frankly ‘the unknown’ was an easy and enjoyable ride. With the support of the parents at Leweston and also the staff, it has made the whole process easy to do and one thing is for sure, Leweston will be continuing to provide a vehicle for boarders to evidence their ‘life’ skills for many years to come.

Never a Dull Moment!

Boarders have been kept busy over the course of the spring and summer terms with trips to Kingston Lacey, Cheddar Gorge, Moors Valley Country Park, Weymouth, Corfe Castle, Stonehenge, Lulworth Cove, and Brownsea Island. The girls have also enjoyed activities including camping, ice skating, high ropes, go karting, jewellery making, pottery painting, trail biking and chocolate making (an obvious favourite). There have also been a total of 19 socials with pupils from other local schools. Never a dull moment!

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Duke of Edinburgh

The summer has been exceptionally busy for the 56 girls involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award at Leweston.

With groups at every level we hope each girl will be involved in at least 2 expeditions over the 2012 season. Both the Bronze and Silver groups have finished their practice and by the end of the term they will have been assessed. The Bronze group are

heading to Cranborne Chase where they will spend 2 days convincing the assessor that they have the right skills to pass, whilst the Silver teams will head back to Exmoor for another 3 days, this time with the assessor watching.

The Gold team are off to Morocco in July having completed their final practice on

the hills of the Lake District.

Their planning avoided any really difficult ascents in the Lakes, but on the last day Helvellyn would have been in sight had the weather been better. After a long wait and a lot of work, the trip to Morocco is only days away.

But Duke of Edinburgh activity does not stop over the summer

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and a second Silver group will be heading out on their practice before we return to school. They hope to have passed this section of the award by the end of September, clearing the way for the girls’ exams next year. We wish them all luck in their endeavours.

As well as giving the girls adventures and memories that

they will have for life, the Duke of Edinburgh Award challenges girls and enables them to discover talents they did not know they had. Achieving the award will give the girls skills, confidence and a view on life that everyone is looking for, including universities and employers. The girls will also be making a difference to other people’s lives, and to their local

communities. Of course, it is also great fun, and the fact that so many girls are involved at Leweston pays testament to this.

I look forward to continuing to develop the Duke of Edinburgh Award at Leweston.

Keith Whitehead Duke of Edinburgh Co-ordinator

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Cordoba 2012 For seven days over the February half term, a record number of Spanish GCSE candidates from Leweston and Sherborne boys immersed themselves fully in the life and language of Córdoba in Spain. The students attended lessons in the morning at Academia Hispanica and also had arranged language workshops with two other Spanish schools in the area. The pupils stayed with Spanish families and had the opportunity to sample the local food and to enjoy a variety of excursions and visits provided for them including a visit to the great MezquitaCatedral and the beautiful old city of Medinat Alzahara. Another fun-filled and culturally enriching trip that benefited the pupils who attended in many ways.

Year 9 Paris Trip The girls in Year 9 enjoyed a trip to Paris at the end of the summer term. The girls crammed a lot onto their four day visit, exploring the beautiful sights of Paris including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and L’Arc de Triomphe. Year 9 also had the chance to visit the Louvre, the Pompidou Centre and the Orangerie museums.

They greatly enjoyed experiencing first hand the Parisian culture and a fabulous time was had by all!

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Trips and Visits

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Krakow and Auschwitz A group of Year 12 Philosophy and Ethics, History and Politics students took part in a study tour to Krakow for four days at the end of the spring term. The girls travelled to Poland primarily to witness the evidence of the wartime experience of Europe’s Jewish population in the ghettos and in particular the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenhau.

The group enjoyed visiting the beautiful St Mary’s Church in Rynek Glowny which also boasts the largest medieval town square in Europe. The girls also had the opportunity to visit Wawel Castle and Cathedral in a fortified position over the River Vistula, the former Jewish district of Kazimierz and the very moving exhibition in Schindler’s Factory, established by the German industrialist Oskar Schindler and made famous by the film Schindler’s List. In addition the girls also enjoyed a trip to the extremely impressive salt mines at Wieliczka, a UNESCO world heritage site.

On the last day of the tour the group visited Auschwitz-Birkenhau, the largest concentration and death camp in Europe. They had a superb guide and were incredibly moved by their experience. The weather was cold and wet but this did not dampen the energy and enthusiasm of the girls who all greatly enjoyed this moving but informative trip.

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Leiths Girls Pass with Flying Colours The first group of Sixth Form girls enrolled on the Leiths course at Leweston have successfully completed their basic certificate in food and wine, a practical five term cooking course.

The course is designed to run alongside the school timetable and it is a big undertaking for the girls who take part. Afreba, Christina,

Lucinda, Octavia and Rachel had to complete five terms of practical lessons, the food hygiene certificate, wine tasting and appreciation and menu planning, and a theory and a practical exam at the end of the course.

The girls worked hard for two hours in the final practical exam to meet the required Leiths standards

Lord Knight Visits Leweston Lord Knight of Weymouth, member of the House of Lords and appointed spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, visited Leweston to talk to girls from Year 9 and above as part of the Peers into Schools programme in the spring.

Lord Knight provided an eloquent speech on the role of the House of Lords, the working of Parliament and gave insightful knowledge on many subjects such as the passing of bills and election of peers. The girls were very engaged as was evidenced by the 45 minute question and answer session at the end of his talk.

Lord Knight commented: “Despite the increased recent media coverage on the House of Lords, there is still a good deal of misunderstanding and stereotyping about what the House of Lords is and does. The Peers into Schools project provides us with a great opportunity to build a better understanding of our second chamber and it was a pleasure to visit Leweston as part of the project today.�

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and managed to prepare and cook some exceptional food.

The girls have passed all elements of the Leiths examination process with flying colours, with two of the girls managing to achieve a first class pass. Well done all!

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The Best Things Said Come Last . . .

Old Antonian News

As she approaches the end of her time at Leweston, Head Girl, Jade Letts (left) reflects on her time at school . . .

Leaving Leweston to move on to new things is one of the most exciting prospects I have faced in my lifetime but also one of the saddest. Having finally finished my exams many people have asked me how it feels; the truth is I feel somewhat lost as Leweston has been my second home for the last nine years.

Having arrived aged 9 with my kilt brushing the floor, the years have passed quickly. I progressed from the red uniform of the Prep School to the blue uniform of the Senior School and along the way spent increasing time on the sport fields playing every sport imaginable and generally benefiting from the

exceptional opportunities I found at Leweston.

My talents have not only developed on the sports field, but also in the classroom with the help of the committed and approachable teaching staff. With their help I have been able to fulfil my academic potential and realise my ambition to study Radiology at Exeter in September.

My time at Leweston could not have been better spent, I have made some of the best friends I could ever have hoped for and I know that these friendships will last into my adulthood. Leweston has given me the happiest and most memorable times and prepared me for the future in every possible way. Although tinged with sadness, I feel I leave well prepared for whatever life throws at me!

Gaudy Day Saturday 12th May 2012 Leweston was delighted to welcome over 100 OAs back to the School for their annual Gaudy Reunion in May. It was delightful to see such a large gathering of Old Antonians from various leaver years back at school.

A huge thank you to those OAs who were instrumental in getting their year groups together, it was a very memorable day for all and we look forward to welcoming you back to Leweston in the not too distant future.

OA appointed as a Research Fellow at Cambridge University Old Antonian Helen Roche (year of 2004) has been appointed as the Alice Tong Sze Research Fellow at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge and will take up her appointment in October.

Helen, who recently completed her Classics Ph.D, studied at Gonville and Caius and we congratulate her on her appointment.

Year 13 at the Sixth Form Ball in November 2011 35

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Open Days 2012/13

Friday 5th October 2012 Joint Schools Open Day 9.45am Sixth Form Open Information Evening 6.00pm

Thursday 6th December 2012 Nursery and Pre-Prep Open Activity Morning 10am - 12 noon

Friday 15th March 2013 Nursery and Prep Open Morning 10am - 12 noon

Bank Holiday Monday 6th May 2013 Joint Schools Open Day 9.45am

Dates for your Diary…

Saturday 29th September Leweston Inter-Schools Show Jumping Competition Friday and Saturday 19th and 20th October Activity Day and Junior House Boarding Taster Weekend (for prospective senior school pupils) Monday 5th November 6.30pm Bonfire Night and Hog Roast

Leweston is a registered charity number 295175

Thursday 8th November 10am – 5.30pm Leweston Living and Christmas Fair

Monday 3rd December Prep Scholarships for 2013 entry Deadline for applications Monday 26th November 2012

Saturday 8th December Christmas Concert at Chideock Church Thursday 13th December 4.00pm Prep and Senior School Carol Services For more information about any of these events, or to register your attendance, please call 01963 210783 or email office@leweston.dorset.sch.uk

Friday 9th November Sixth Form Taster Experience (for girls in Year 11) Monday and Tuesday 19th and 20th November Sixth Form Scholarships for 2013 entry

Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/Leweston

Deadline for applications Monday 12th November 2012 LEWESTON SCHOOL, SHERBORNE, DORSET DT9 6EN 01963 211010 ADMISSIONS@LEWESTON.DORSET.SCH.UK