LGGS Newsletter October 2022

CARE CONTRIBUTE CHALLENGE

WELCOME

Dear parents and students

I hope you enjoy reading about this half term’s events in our first newsletter of the academic year. A highlight of the half term was International Week. A huge number of students participated in the week, with many running workshops or organising events themselves. Two new features, the decorated door competition and the fashion show, were fantastic successes. Special thanks to Miss Whitehouse for all her hard work in organising the week. Thank you to also to those parents who joined us for the International Food Fair on Friday. The week’s events were captured in a short film, which has been shown to all forms. Well done to sixth former Izzy Street for her

available on our website Please do encourage your child to take part. There is something for every interest. We welcomed a number of new staff in September. In Maths we have been joined by Mr Drulia, Miss Shepherd and Mrs Emsley, who also teaches Business Studies. In MFL we welcome Mrs Fuller and Ms Cotarelo Jimenez. In Geography we are joined by Miss Lewis, in Science Mr Rogers and English Mrs Monroe. We also welcome two new Heads of Department Miss Sparrow RS and Miss Woodhouse Drama. A number of support staff have also joined LGGS, Miss Browne Senior Admin Assistant, Mrs Halstead Receptionist, Miss Jackson Library Assistant and Miss Plowman Departmental

results this summer.

Over 80% of grades were at A* B placing LGGS as the best performing school locally. A large number of subjects achieved over 80% of their grades at A* B including:

Business Studies

Language

Literature

Geography

Spanish (100% A* B)

Studies (100% A* B)

As is the case at LGGS, students have gone on to a wide variety of courses and universities, all over the country. Our most popular course was Medicine with a

SIXTH FORM OPEN

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fantastic 13 students achieving places in what was a very competitive year.

The top university choices for LGGS students were: Newcastle University 14 Lancaster University 12 University of Liverpool 6 University of Cambridge 4 University of Nottingham 4 University of Sheffield 4 Durham University 3

The University of Edinburgh 3 UCL (University College London) 3 University of Oxford 2

We wish all our students the very best, whether they have started their university course or apprenticeship, or are having a gap year. For those on gap years a reminder that LGGS staff are still here to support you and help with any future UCAS applications.

Mrs Jackie Cahalin, Headteacher

RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIP

Eve (Year 8), Emily (Year 9) and Lucy (Year 10) all ran strong races representing LGGS in the North West heats of the English Schools' Fell Running Championships at Giggleswick School in early October.

The competition was fierce, but all three students ran great races with some fantastic downhill technique, overtaking other runners, strong climbs and great technique through the challenging water jump which saw shoes lost and a few dips for other competitors! S. Hutchinson

DRAMA AT LGGS

term in LGGS Drama Department. During September we Physical Theatre Company, into school to run a workshop for

We launched the Performing Arts Festival (PAF) to Year 12 on 10th October. The PAF offers Year 12 students an opportunity to oversee the production of pocket musicals and drama performances and to be responsible for, and work with, younger students within their student House groups. PAF will take place on Thursday November, so, keep a note of this date in your diaries it

On 18th October a theatre trip was arranged for our GCSE students which allowed them to experience a live theatrical and musical performance. We travelled to Manchester’s Lowry and the students really enjoyed the performance and storyline which was both heart warming

ART SOC JAMES FOX

BIOLOGY FIELD TRIP

A Level Biologists in Year 13 travelled to Grasmere to carry out ecological surveys. This involved an investigation into changing diversity of flora in woodland at White Moss Common and a second investigation into the differences in invertebrates living in contrasting river environments in Tongue Gill. E. Houlihan, Head of Biology

YEAR 7 MIDDLE AGES TIMELINE

Year 7 have been enjoying their first few weeks of lessons in History getting to grips with the Middle Ages and 'The Medieval World, c.480 1485'.

Pupils have been practising their chronology skills creating a timeline of key events from the Middle Ages from the 5th to the 15th Century. Each student completed a homework task researching one of these topics/events and creating an information sheet about them to hang on our timeline 'washing line'. Many of these key events, people and places we will study in History this year. Knowledge organisers related to the course containing some of this can be found in the student booklet. This activity and many we carry out throughout the year and Key Stage 3 are designed to help students reflect on the bigger picture and story of history and historical narratives that stretch over decades, centuries and even millennia. Mr Yearnshire

LANCASTER SLAVE TRADE TRAIL AND POETRY COMPETITION

An aspect of our Year 8 History Curriculum is focused on a study of the Transatlantic Slave Trade through the lens of a local history study; can we learn all we need to know about the history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade from a study of the history of Lancaster?

As part of this unit of study we take all our Year 8 students on a guided walking tour and educational visit of the recently updated Lancaster Slave Trade Trail. Click here for more information.

One of the tasks our current Year 9 students had to complete following their visit, at the end of the last school

year, was a piece of creative writing, a poem, about their trip and their learning.

All student's work was then reviewed by teachers before being entered into a competition organised by LGGS History Society and judged by the joint presidents of the History Society, Lilly & Nancye in Year 13.

We were delighted with the high quality of the work that was entered, and we are now pleased to announce the three winners of this competition and share their poems with you (see below and the following page).

The students will shortly be presented with their prize, a copy of the recently published ‘Black Poppies: The Story of Britain’s Black Community in

This is a book that is also available in the School Library and which we are recommending to Key Stage 3 students as a wider reading option as part of our Black History Month celebrations at LGGS.

Well done to not only our winners but all the other students who wrote such thoughtful and interesting poems about their local history and their learning.

Mr Yearnshire Head of History

1ST PRIZE: CATHERINE HILL, YEAR 9

THE SINGLE WORD

The property is packed tight on the grand cargo ships, More are destroyed but still more profit is made, The conditions are terrible but at least they aren’t people, Just goods, One hears a single word, That turns to a murmur, And passes on to a sentence, That forms a rumour, Young ears are covered, Gasps fill the small air pockets, Looks of grief for people not yet deceased

cover faces, The word should never be spoken, Visions of a Quaker house are reflected in eyes, The facade shows wealthy Georgian architecture, Non-conformist Protestants not ‘loving thy neighbour’

Some fighting for freedom while others disapprove, Cargo on the right has heard of a Dodgson Foster, His place of burial hosting the Satterthwaite family, Nervous glances occur as the myth of the mummified hand is told,

But for some it is a tale for another day, Some on the left foresee the future to come, Of old muddy banks for unloading the goods, Little do they know they were replaced,

By a great quay for a saint and new, modern warehouses, A Norman castle of 1068 is pictured, A prison for nonconformists like George Fox, Margaret Fell and many more, Threats shouted by high authority at those with none, Screams of torture rising far above the castle walls, Or maybe a pleasant memorial comes to minds, Surrounded with nature and flowers inscribed with Walinson and Hind, A William Lindow’s wealth is thought of fondly, How it came to be is not, A James Sawrey is the lead subject in conversations for some, His mahogany from Jamaica is spoken of highly, His wealth even more so, But the suffering behind it all is often unheard of, Images of mills spinning and weaving cotton are described,

As goods share their greatest hopes of futures, A cotton town with mills calmly working perfectly, But some tell of the dangerous often fatal machinery of the industrial revolution, The canal built in the 1790s is referred to alongside the mills, It speeds up the industrial revolution, Transporting coal much faster than any other method,

Maybe some of the voices behind the rumours will end up on the boats, A beautiful and expensive Saint John’s church is envisioned by the artistic shipments, A memorial stone is in place for the 3 John’s, A prosperous home for the trade and made from its profits, Being the wealthiest country in the world has some things for it, The Sun Inn is whispered with crossed fingers, If the cargo is lucky enough they might become drivers, They would discover new places all over the country, And rest at the inn during their travels, The name Richard Gillow is heard from many other mouths, Gillow’s warehouse and pub are described with terror,

As the famous mahogany furniture manufacturer is said to have invested, In the very parcels muttering his name, A Dodgson Foster is also discussed, 5 voyages of 650 other individual purchases, Just like them, Wondering where most ended up,

The goods themselves may view their price, They will likely be worth, Alongside their companions, 900% profit during their voyage, The youngest imports think of the excitement, The Theatre Royal makes little eyes light up just at the mention of its name, Playing host to the great African American Ira Aldridge, Known for his incredible portrayal of Shakespe are characters, The theatre is mentioned again but through the mouths of the most academic, A Moses Roper spoke here as a proud abolitionist, Many of the mouths speak in admiration and awe, Maybe he will be the man capable of changing their future, Some older merchandise think if it’s beauty worthy of a museum, Of the Ancient Rome and Greek columns installed by a Richard Gillow, In the building made for customs and taxes, Of which they likely won’t have to pay, Or maybe a town hall comes to mind, With the same consistent Georgian architecture, Hosting Thomas Hind, John Bond and more mayors to come, Or perhaps it will become a museum for the small city to share its history, But there is one family name that is mumbled the loudest with danger of being heard, The Lindow family and their trade across the islands, In their home’s attic John Chance lives a quiet life, And William Lindow’s creation of Lindow Square is greatly approved of, Predictions for Odd fellows hall are given, The future speaking place for many African Americans, If only freedom was given, Someday it might just be, Not many parcels end up, Alongside all of the envisioned, But these whether they are lucky or unlucky, Have done just that, The stories were shared, The rumours continued, Until a shrill scream comes from all around, And the single word is finally shrieked at the highest octave, Not Lancaster!

2ND AND 3RD PRIZE WINNERS can be viewed on the News area of the school’s website. Click here.

LIBRARY BOOKBUZZ

This term, Year 7 students participated in BookBuzz 2022, a national reading programme run by BookTrust UK.

Our students watched videos from seventeen children’s authors, who had been nominated by a panel of writers and librarians. We ranked the books to help the students make a personal decision on which title to choose as their gift from LGGS Library. This year’s nominated titles made for an eclectic mix of genres from a futuristic fantasy adventure, ‘Orion Lost’, to the historical tale of friendship and courage, ‘When the Sky Falls’.

Books were distributed during English lessons to much excitement and just in time for half term. Happy holiday reading to all!

‘

I like that way of choosing a book as you get to listen to the authors first. There was a

large variety.’ Sophie, Year 7. (Sophie chose ‘The Astonishing Future of Alex Nobody’ by Kate Gilby Smith).

‘

My book, The Sinking of the Titanic by David Long, was really good as it gave you

facts and more detail than you would usually get. When we chose, there were many different options and it was really enjoyable to hear the authors talking about their work.’ Gracie, Year 7.

GREAT BOOKS TO INSPIRE READING FOR PLEASURE

NATIONAL POETRY DAY LGGS LIVING POEM

6th October marked National Poetry Day.

During form time, our students listened to Dean Atta’s performance of his poem, ‘I Come From’, a powerful eulogy to the poet’s rich cultural upbringing, influenced by his Greek father and Jamaican mother. (See following page).

In keeping with the theme of

identity and belonging, as part of LGGS International Week, our students were asked to write a single line of poetry on the theme of ‘home’, in any language of their choosing. We received many wonderful entries in languages as diverse as Telugu, Arabic and Polish. Students’ words were amalgamated into an interactive Living Poem. This

idea sprung from the MFL department’s ‘Mother Tongue, Other Tongue’ competition winners’ trip to Manchester Metropolitan University. In the University Poetry Library, we saw the Manchester Living Poem, written in 64 different languages! LGGS’s own version has been displayed on screen in the school Library. Please see examples below.

It has been lovely to see so many students in the Library at break and lunchtimes this half-term. Book reviews have been coming in thick and fast. You can view the video on the Library page of the school’s website for a recap on how to leave a review.

Don't forget, reviews are published on the library web app and displayed on the shelves to help other borrowers choose what to read … and they come with merit point rewards!

Miss Brown, Librarian

I COME FROM

I come from shepherd’s pie and Sunday roast

Jerk chicken and stuffed vine leaves

I come from travelling through my taste buds but loving where I live

I come from a home that some would call broken

I come from D.I.Y. that never got done

I come from waiting by the phone for him to call

I come from waving the white flag to loneliness

I come from the rainbow flag and the union jack

I come from a British passport and an ever ready suitcase

I come from jet fuel and fresh coconut water

I come from crossing oceans to find myself

I come from deep issues and shallow solutions

I come from a limited vocabulary but an unrestricted imagination

I come from a decent education and a marvellous mother

I come from being given permission to dream but choosing to wake up instead

I come from wherever I lay my head

I come from unanswered questions and unread books

Unnoticed effort and undelivered apologies and thanks

I come from who I trust and who I have left

I come from last year and last year and I don’t notice how I’ve changed

I come from looking in the mirror and looking online to find myself

I come from stories, myths, legends and folk tales

I come from lullabies and pop songs, Hip Hop and poetry

I come from griots, grandmothers and her story tellers

I come from published words and strangers’ smiles

I come from my own pen but I see people torn apart like paper

Each a story or poem that never made it into a book.

DEAN ATTA

OCT BOOK OF THE

CCF HALTON FIELD TRIP

Ten LGGS Army Cadets attended the recent Field Trip with LRGS CCF at Halton Army Camp.

They joined sixty LRGS cadets and were split throughout twelve teams from which they learnt many new skills and underwent challenges including

orienteering, drill, radio operation, first aid, air rifle shooting, command tasks and the assault course. All LGGS cadets showed great determination and resilience and can be very proud of themselves.

K. Edge, Lieutenant

‘

I think that the trip to Halton was a great experience that challenged us all physically and mentally. My favourite activity there was shooting the air rifles. Congratulations and well done for all your hard work and effort on the Field Trip’. Inaya Sarwar, Year 9

INTERNATIONAL WEEK

After a three year hiatus, the buzz of International Week around LGGS was more resounding than ever, and we are so proud of all of our students’ immense contributions to this fantastic celebration of cultural diversity present across the globe and indeed within our school community.

The week began with the unmissable lunchtime karaoke, with some outstanding performances from our students and staff singing in Bengali, Gujarati, Japanese and Italian, to name but a few of the many languages, and all of the audience also honed the important life skill of dancing the Macarena to perfection.

Throughout the week, students and staff alike ran workshops for their peers, in languages and cultural skills they have acquired, be it at home, through wider world experiences or personal interest, and the range of

activities on offer was astonishing. Want to learn how to make Chinese dumplings on a Trangia? No problem, pop into Pear Tree Gardens over lunch with

bit of Breton dance and BSL thrown in. Year 8 enjoyed student led workshops run by our sixth formers and Year 10s, and thoroughly enjoyed Bollywood dancing,

Mrs Williams. Slavic Cross Stitch? Oh yes, just in Room 10 with Sophia. Fancy a bit of Egyptian culture and a cup of hibiscus tea with Sumayah and Meara? It’s just over there, next door to Aboriginal Talk Stick decorating with Tara. I could go on!

Year 7 and 8 were fortunate enough to experience a morning off timetable to immerse themselves in a range of workshops, too. MFL staff taught everything from Thai Chi to Polish, with a

Swedish orienteering and Mexican mural painting. Meanwhile, Year 9 had a thought provoking afternoon watching the Arabic language film ‘Wadjda’, set in Saudi Arabia, and congratulations to Nelka whose winning review of the film is included in this edition of the Newsletter (see following page).

I should perhaps give a special mention to any kind and talented soul (both staff and pupils) who gave up time to

do henna en masse; there were a lot of happy students with beautiful hands, and a lot of henna givers with cramp in their fingers for several hours after.

It was also a real privilege to see our Year 13 Bollywood superstars, who began running workshops for International Week when they were in Year 8, giving one final, breath taking performance.

What an honour to see these young people grow and flourish in an incredible skill that is such an important part of their culture, spreading infectious joy to all who looked on.

To add to the colour of the week, each form group was allocated a country to represent through decorating their form room door. Our

FILM REVIEW: 'WADJDA'.

Film Wadjda by I bardzo przyjemny do oglądania. Zabiera nas w podróż, w której młoda dziewczyna, Wadjda, przechodzi przez wiele trudnych sytuacji, próbując zdobyć rower, o którym zawsze marzyła choć wszyscy mężczyźni powtarzali, że kobiety „nie powinny jeździć na rowerze”. Ten film był dobry, ponieważ ma bardzo szczególne przesłanie, dotyczące nierówności płci w Arabii Saudyjskiej. Tylko kobiety mogły jeździć samochodami aż do 2018 roku, więc rowery również były traktowane z pogardą większość tego filmu pokazuje, jak kobiety mogą zrobić wszystko, jeśli się tylko ku temu zwrócą , nie tylko mężczyźni, a po wygraniu wyzwania Koranu Wadjda wygrywa, i dostaje swój rower pokazując kobiecą moc i bez względu na to, jak trudne może to być, bez względu na trudności, z jakimi się borykała, naciskała i naciskała, aby osiągnąć to,

czego zawsze pragnęła, poprzez ciężką pracę i poświęcenie.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

The film, Wadjda, was a very enjoyable film to watch. It takes us through a journey where a young girl, Wadjda, goes through many tough situations to try and get the bike she always wantedthough all the men kept saying that women 'shouldn't ride bikes.'

It was good because it has a very special message, regarding the gender inequality in Saudi Arabia.

lunchtime supervisors had a tough job judging the contest, but special mentions must go to 9.1, 9.5, and 8.3 for their incredibly creative representations of Mexico, Spain and China, and the winning team, 8.4 with Ms Cotarelo, who brought the Costa Rican selva to Room 34.

I am delighted that our Sixth Form Diversity Team established an all new

Women only were allowed to drive cars since 2018, so bikes were also looked down upon most of this film showcases how women can do anything if they put their mind to it, not just men, and after winning the Quran challenge, Wadjda wins, and gets her bike showcasing female power, and no matter how hard it may be, no matter what difficulties she faced, she pushed and pushed to get what she always wanted, through hard work, and dedication.

Nelka Swierczewska, Year 9

International Fashion Show which was informative, colourful and understandably hugely popular, and this is a tradition we hope to continue. Last but definitely not least was the International Food Fair, where students, staff and family members took us on a culinary world tour. Who needs Borough Market when you’ve got

LGGS Centenary Hall. proceeds raised at the food fair and through our international themed day, LGGS had raised £1769.31 for our chosen charity EducAid, so a huge merci, danke, obrigada, gracias and shukriya to all who participated, contributed and enjoyed. See you next year! Miss Whitehouse,