New hall School - Michaelmas Term Newsletter 2017

MICHAELMAS TERM NEWSLETTER

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to the first termly newsletter of the academic year. This term saw the start of our 375th anniversary celebrations, beginning on Foundation Day. New Hall’s strong musical tradition was recognised at our Gala Evening of Music, held at the historic Ingatestone Hall. Students, parents and staff have been keen to treasure New Hall memories by becoming proud owners of the beautiful bespoke mugs, designed especially for New Hall’s anniversary by renowned British ceramics manufacturer, Emma Bridgewater. Pupils in the Preparatory Divisions enjoyed the visit from Sister Teresa Lenahan CRSS, Prioress. She taught them about the history of the founding Religious Community and the school, showing them artefacts over 375 years old.

Students remain keenly focused on charitable work. NHVS held a Christmas lunch for their regular lunch guests, with entertainment provided by our talented students and staff. Our school community responded generously to the ‘Link to Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal’. We sent over 200 shoeboxes to some of those in greatest need in Eastern Europe. A further initiative came from an entrepeneurial group of Sixth Form students, who raised over £400 for a local homelessness charity, Chelmsford CHESS, by setting up a Christmas hamper business at New Hall, using locally sourced produce. A keen supporter of this project, I can testify that these hampers were excellent quality and brought much joy to those who received these thoughtful and unique Christmas gifts.

You will read about remarkable achievement from our students in many areas, including academia, sport, music and dance. A number of events have seen our STEM provision at New Hall recognised and celebrated, such as the memorable events of Biology Week and stimulating talks about careers in technology and science.

There have been lively debates on gender and equality issues, which are very much in the news. In October, I was invited to address the Sixth Form at Eton College on ‘Women in Educational Leadership’ and was struck by a comment in the introduction that New Hall is the only co-educational HMC school in the UK with an unbroken line of female Heads - and, moreover, for a remarkable 375 years! This term also saw the inauguration of girls’ rugby at New Hall, due to popular demand from the girls. Hot on the heels of the recent successes of our girls’ cricket teams, we look forward to seeing the progress of girls’ rugby at New Hall in the years ahead.

There has been a wide range of challenging and exciting educational visits, bringing classroom learning alive. Visiting speakers have enjoyed attending events and activities; students have been inspired by their expertise and stories. There has been an abundance of successes, regionally, nationally and internationally. We are proud of the way that students have been prepared to try new challenges, out of their comfort zone, and have worked collaboratively to fulfil their goals.

I hope that you enjoy this round-up of events and successes.

Mrs Katherine Jeffrey, Principal

WHAT’S NEW?

FOUNDATION DAY We enjoyed a particularly special celebration at our annual Foundation Day, as festivities began for the school’s 375th Anniversary. The day started with a Mass, a new setting written for the 375th Anniversary by composer Jeffery Wilson. The school was honoured by the presence of the Rt Rev Alan Williams, Bishop of Brentwood, who concelebrated the Mass with Fr Lee. Before Mass, Mr Fardell led the whole school in singing ‘happy birthday’ to New Hall!

After this, for Senior students, rehearsals ensued for the hotly-

Congratulations to the winners, Owen House, and to Southwell and Fisher Houses, who finished in 2nd and 3rd places respectively. contested annual House Singing competition. Meanwhile, pupils from the Preparatory Divisions began their task of planting 375 daffodil bulbs in the school grounds! At lunchtime, the Senior students enjoyed treats from a chocolate fountain, whilst the pupils in the Preparatory Divisions tucked into cupcakes.

In the afternoon, Preparatory pupils celebrated by joining

in the carousel of fun House activities and competitions.

The Senior House Singing competition was a wonderful display of House spirit, enthusiasm and, most importantly, was great fun for all involved. The judges, Mrs Jeffrey, Dr Goddard and Fr Lee, had difficult decisions to make in awarding first, second and third place, but eventually announced

the results, dressed in regal style.

Congratulations to the winners, Owen House, and to Southwell and Fisher Houses, who finished in 2nd and 3rd places respectively.

A number of events will be held throughout the year, to continue the anniversary celebrations, and limited edition Emma Bridgewater mugs have been produced for the occasion, which are proving popular with students, parents and staff.

WHAT’S NEW?

BIOLOGY WEEK A number of exciting ‘Biology Week’ events were held for our students.

Mr Melloy led an after-school ‘Dissection Club’, during which students had the opportunity to dissect a rat to study the different organ systems. Arthur W (Year 7) thoroughly enjoyed working with Chris H in Year 13.

Year 8 attended a Rainforest Workshop, led by Chloe Askew from ZooLab. Chloe brought a range of animals with her, to show the students, including various reptiles. Did you know that a cockroach can survive for a week without its head?

Year 11 triple Science students and Sixth Form Biologists attended the ‘VIVIT Experience’, where they had the opportunity to look at different body systems, handling the specimens and learning about different diseases.

Angus C (Year 11) said: “I really enjoyed the VIVIT experience and I’m now really interested in pursuing a career in medicine.”

Congratulations to Niamh C (Year 8) for winning the Biology Week Photography Competition!

YEAR 2 STEM WORKSHOP Year 2 pupils celebrated Biology Week with the Senior Divisions on 12 October.

Pupils participated in a Biology workshop, led by Biology Prefects, Tiffany W (Year 13) and Jake P (Year 13), where they learnt about the different habitats that animals live in.

They then had the opportunity to create their own animal, based on a specific habitat, using a variety of materials.

The Year 2 pupils had a fantastic time. Thank you very much to Mrs Willson for organising the workshop.

“I really enjoyed the VIVIT experience and I’m now really interested in pursuing a career in medicine.” Year 11 student

WHAT’S NEW?

STEM RECOGNITION This term we received a certificate from ‘STEM Learning’ for our exemplary work as a school in encouraging students to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects, through the use of STEM ambassadors.

We look forward to further developing the opportunities in STEM subjects at New Hall and working with ‘STEM Learning’ to do this.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE? On 18 November, selected dancers took part in an American-style dance competition. The competition took a slightly different format from the ones that New Hall usually enter, with only two categories: Cabaret and Classical.

The standard was high and the sections had an average of 20-30 dancers in each group.

The Dance Department were delighted with the final results.

Our Preparatory dancers

achieved the following: 2nd place in the Cabaret solo (age 9/10 years); 1st and 2nd place in the Classical solos (age 9/10 years); 2nd and 4th place in the Cabaret section (age 8 and under); 1st and 2nd place in the Classical section (age 8 and under); 3rd place in Modern duet, and overall best Junior Boys Dancer at the final presentation.

For our Senior dancers, awards were as follows: 4th place for Classical solo (13/14 years); 3rd

place for lyrical duet; 1st and 4th place in the Solo Song section; 2nd and 3rd place in the Solo Song section; 3rd place for Classical solo; 3rd place for Classical solo; 3rd place in the group section; 1st place in the quartet; trophy for Best Senior Boy Dancer, and two dancers were awarded a week’s summer school course at the Brighton Dance Academy.

Congratulations to all those who took part for another successful weekend for team New Hall!

WHAT’S NEW?

A GALA EVENING OF MUSIC The Music Department was delighted to present a charity Gala Concert in the spectacular surroundings of the Gallery of Ingatestone Hall. This amazing building is the home of the Petre family, who have connections with New Hall spanning centuries.

The first half contained spectacular solo performances from Michael H (Year 13), Molly T (Year 12), Scarlett G (Year 9), Dr Goddard and Kayleigh McEvoy (New Hallian, 2004-2011). The second half

featured performances from the Chamber Choir and Voces male voice group, starting with music by William Byrd, to whom the Petre family acted as patron, and ending with a selection of seasonal music. We

extend particular thanks to our accompanists, Michael Danes, Jordan Meakin and Duncan Archard. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the work of Brompton Fountain and the New Hall Voluntary Service (NHVS).

The concert will benefit the work of Brompton Fountain and the New Hall Voluntary Service

EMMA BRIDGEWATER MUG We are pleased to announce that limited edition New Hall School mugs, made by Emma Bridgewater, went on sale on Foundation Day and are available to buy from the Main School Reception, the

Preparatory Divisions Reception or, for those who live further afield, online on our school website.

The mugs, which are made in Britain and are individually hand decorated, feature a hand-drawn

illustration of New Hall by Emma Bridgewater’s husband, illustrator Matthew Rice.

The mugs are on sale for £15.00.

WHAT’S NEW?

NHVS CHRISTMAS LUNCH On 6 December, the New Hall Voluntary Service (NHVS) hosted their annual Christmas lunch in the North Gallery for their lunch group guests (elderly residents from the local community). The guests enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner, served by Year 12 NHVS student leaders, and were entertained by: the Pre-Prep Choir, who sang so beautifully; Voces male voice group members – Liam R (Year 13), Jonjo M (Year 12) and

William K (Year 13) – who got the guests tapping their toes; and finally, members of the Senior Divisions choir, including Mr Fardell, Miss Tait, Mrs Wilson and Mrs Reid, who put everyone in the Christmas spirit by singing some of the guests’ favourite carols.

At the end of the lunch, guests were presented with their beautifully wrapped Christmas hampers, that had been packed by members of the NHVS

volunteer team with donations from the Christmas Hamper Appeal.

A sincere and special thank you to Mrs McPherson, Mrs Williamson and all the NHVS volunteers, to the Catering and Domestic departments for all their help behind the scenes, and to Mrs McCartney, for her hard work with the Infant Choir.

These events really would not be possible without everyone’s continued support and commitment. Thank you, too, to everyone else who helped to make our Christmas celebrations so special by donating their time, food, crackers, wrapping paper and gifts.

WHAT’S NEW?

LINK TO HOPE SHOEBOX APPEAL Thank you to everyone who donated to this year’s Link to Hope shoebox appeal. The charity were amazed by the generosity of our community,

with over 200 shoeboxes donated: certainly a New Hall record! Miss Williams praised tutee, Madeleine J (Year 7) for her efforts in preparing a grand

total of six boxes.

The shoeboxes are so gratefully received by some of the poorest families in Eastern Europe.

JOHN PRIDMORE VISIT John Pridmore – the author of From Gangland to Promised Land – visited New Hall to speak to our students. Students were fascinated by John’s personal testimony of how his life was transformed through discovering a relationship with God. His words were very powerful and thought-provoking and left a deep impression on all who heard him.

At lunchtime, some students took the opportunity to spend time in silent reflection in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in our Chapel, to pray and reflect on John’s wise words.

John was also joined by Fr Frankie Mulgrew, who gave an inspirational speech to pupils in the Preparatory Divisions. Both John and Fr Frankie have been leading a mission at Brentwood Cathedral and we wish them every success and blessing in

their ongoing faith journeys.

Years 3 to 6 were treated to a very inspiring talk from Fr Frankie. He entertained the children with a retelling of the parable of ‘The Good Samaritan’ and made links to how we can

spread God’s word by doing good deeds. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to reflect on their talents and think about how they can have a positive impact on the lives of others.

PREP

PREPARATORY DIVISIONS JUNIOR LANGUAGE CHALLENGE On 13 September, five very keen and able linguists attended the semi-finals of the Junior Language Challenge at Berkhamsted Preparatory School. It has been a recordbreaking year, as nationally 2,200 pupils entered the first round of this competition, which started in March. Our pupils did exceptionally well to be amongst the top 300 across the country, who secured a place in the semifinals!

Louise A (Year 5), Sienna S (Year 5), Danielle A (Year 4), Ariane S (Year 4) and Oliver S (Year 4) all demonstrated their high level of motivation, discipline and linguistic skills, as they learned Japanese independently over the 3

months leading up to the competition. They maintained their composure very well when under pressure, as they were tested on a wide range of vocabulary areas including: countries, body parts, food, time, number, colours, and phrases.

This is our third year of taking part in the competition, and our most successful so far, with very high scores on the leader board achieved. A huge well done to all the participants, and thank you to the parent helpers who supported this trip.

PREP

LIGHTS, CAMEL, ACTION! The highlight of the last week of term in the Pre-Prep was undoubtedly the Christmas Production, ‘Lights, Camel, Action!’. What a performance! We are blessed to have such a talented group of pupils, who can demonstrate such maturity, enjoyment, enthusiasm and confidence in such an arena. Each and every child made a contribution to the spectacle, whether through song, dance, acting or humour! Thanks once again must go to our Pre-Prep teaching staff for coordinating the production, and to parents for ensuring lines and lyrics were learnt.

Thank you for your generosity in donating to the collection, which raised £430 for the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society.

YEAR 4 FRENCH Félicitations (congratulations) to Year 4, for the fantastic work produced in the Michaelmas Term.

They have been learning about the gender of nouns, developing their bi-lingual dictionary skills, and understanding how adjectives work. This has involved singing a very catchy and popular ‘le le le/la la la’ song, performing role-plays, writing a poem about a very unusual animal, and designing their own zoo with information panels about the animals and where they live. They have worked with great enthusiasm and interest.

PREP

ADOPT A CHEF Year 3 pupils took part in an ‘Adopt a Chef’ session with ‘Chef Davis’ from our school catering team. In the session the pupils learned chopping techniques and information about food hygiene and eating a healthy, balanced diet, all whilst having fun making their own salads.

The aim of the ‘Adopt a Chef’ sessions is to teach children “in a holistic way, about food, food provenance, food growing, healthy eating, nutrition, hygiene and cookery”. Year 3 certainly enjoyed their session with Chef Davis!

TEATIME CONCERT On two occassions in the term, young musicians and their parents gathered in the Preparatory Music Room for Teatime Concerts.

The concerts featured a range of instruments, including trombone, violin, clarinet, piano, guitar, saxophone and voice. Many of the performers have recently been preparing for graded examinations and local music festivals, including the youngest performer, Victor B (Year 2), who performed his Grade 3 violin piece ‘Polonaise’

by Mozart. For some of the participants, such as Alyssa B and Maryam A (both Year 3), this was their first solo performance in a concert.

A big thank you and well done to all who took part in the concerts!

HISTORY WITH SISTER TERESA CRSS Sister Teresa visited Year 4 to teach them about the history of New Hall and the founding Religious Community, the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre. The pupils were fascinated by the artefacts that Sister Teresa brought with her, including a school register that travelled from Liège, an original prayer book, and a beautiful chalice, gifted by Susan Hawley, founder of the Order.

PREP ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI MASS AND ANIMAL BLESSING On 4 October we celebrated the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, to whom our Preparatory Divisions Chapel is dedicated.

The day began with a Mass in the Main School Chapel for Years 3-6. In his homily, Fr Lee explained who St Francis was and what he did. At the end of Mass, everyone processed to the St Francis Chapel, where we met parents, pets and the Pre-Prep Division. During this service, Fr Lee blessed a range of animals, from our school chickens and rabbits, to dogs and cats, and even a tortoise!

Following a short break, the Pre-Prep children gathered for a liturgy with Fr Lee in the Denford Hall.

FOREST SCHOOL This term has seen the launch of our Forest School Programme in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Children from Pre-Reception and Reception have had a wonderful time using the natural outdoor environment to enhance their learning.

Even the wind and rain has not dampened their enthusiasm!

YEAR 1 VICTORIAN WORKSHOP Year 1 travelled back in time to the 1800s to spend the day as Victorians.

In the morning, the children worked in a Victorian house, learning all the jobs needed to keep the house running smoothly, from scrubbing the floors and laying the fires as scullery maids, to learning how to set the table properly and serve guests in the dining room. They had a thoroughly enjoyable morning acting, creating and living Victorian life.

In the afternoon, they were transported to the Victorian Music Hall, where they put on their own performance with jugglers, actors, singers, tightrope walkers, and some incredibly strong weightlifters.

A great deal of fun was had by all; the children even asked if they could do it again the next day!

SENIOR

SENIOR DIVISIONS SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS EVENING Our annual Scholarships and Awards Evening was held at the beginning of term. The event included wonderful music performances by Toby H (Year 8), who played the clarinet, and Lexie M (Year 8) and Miles M (Year 9), who played a viola duet. New Hallian, Felix Fardell, who returned as one of our Oxbridge successes, also played the trombone.

The occasion provided an opportunity for family, friends and staff to celebrate the successes of our Scholarship and Special Talent Award recipients, those who achieved outstanding grades in public examinations, and our successful Oxbridge students.

Following Mrs Jeffrey’s welcome, Dr Goddard, Deputy Principal, delivered the address, offering sage advice to our

scholars and award winners as to how they might make the most of the opportunities afforded to them.

We look forward to the contributions that these students and their peers will make to the New Hall community in the coming year.

SENIOR

NATIONAL POETRY DAY National Poetry Day is an annual celebration throughout the UK to enjoy, discover and share poems. This year, National Poetry Day took place on Thursday 28 September, and the theme was ‘Freedom’.

In preparation for the occasion, English students in Years 9, 10 and 11 undertook various poetry-fuelled activities in order to get into the spirit of the event.

Year 9 spent an exciting week studying a variety of poems with Mr Kerr, looking at what ‘freedom’ means to them. This culminated in a dramatic ‘poem-off’, in which some students read pieces that represented something particularly special to them, whilst others read their own poems based on the ‘freedom’ theme. We were delighted with the variety of poems and the thought which had gone into them!

CISC CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION Four of our students, Wendy L (Year 13), Georgiana R (Year 10), Isabella B (Year 8) and Amrit C (Year 7), entered wonderfully creative designs for the CISC (Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference) Christmas Card Competition this year, in answer to the brief ‘God is with us’ (Mt 1:23).

We are delighted to share that Amrit’s design was chosen as Runner-Up in the Junior Category. Amrit’s card appeared on the CISC newsletter, which goes out to all member schools and featured on the CISC website.

SENIOR THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

BOOKBUZZ All our Year 7 students participated in the annual celebration of children’s literature that is Bookbuzz.

The Booktrust, with additional funding from our NHPA, provides a book for every Year 7 student in the country, with the aim of promoting reading in secondary school as important and fun.

FRENCH EXCHANGE VISIT Students in Years 9 and 10 had great fun hosting our French partner school in Dijon for a day at New Hall.

The French students were intrigued to see how lessons are taught in the UK; they particularly enjoyed participating in a French class and sampling our wide range of co-curricular activities. Their next visit will be in November and we shall return to Dijon in Easter 2019.

After three months’ preparation, Narnia came to New Hall with the school production of ‘The Lion, the Witch And the Wardrobe’. With two alternating casts of principals, and a host of good and evil Narnian supporting characters, the Eaton Theatre was transformed into the location of C S Lewis’ enduring tale of the struggle between the light and the wintery dark.

The hard work of the Drama department, ably assisted by staff from across the school, solved numerous staging problems: How do we make the magnificent sleigh move (without crashing)? How do we cover the stage in snow but get rid of it at once when the heroic children go back through the wardrobe? How is Aslan going to fly?

After road-testing the show on dress rehearsal audiences of Preparatory students and Senior boarders, performances ran for three evenings and a matinee.

Audiences were large and appreciative, reflecting the fact that the cast worked hard through long hours of rehearsal to make the show come alive in every aspect. Congratulations are due to all the student cast and backstage crew, and all the staff who ran rehearsals, wielded face-paint, organised the tech and (crucially) moved a large lamp-post on and off stage with aplomb. It was an excellent Christmas show.

SENIOR SCIENCE COMPETITION FINALISTS This term, all Year 9 students entered a national essay competition, run by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Science and Technology Facilities Council. They were tasked with writing a 500 word essay entitled ‘Why I love Science’.

The students’ excellent essays displayed a wide variety of interests and experiences. At the end of term, we heard the exciting news that, of the 15 national finalists, 7 were New Hall students: Ellie L, Amika S, Dillon A, Livia G, Catherine K, Ellie M and Niamh W. The students were invited to a behind-the-scenes tour of the highpowered laser facility and to give a presentation at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The quality of the presentations was superb and the director of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory commented on the professionalism and confidence shown by our students. We would like to congratulate these students on their excellent effort and a special mention goes to Livia G, the national competition runner up!

NHVS GUEST On 2 October, the Chess Club were honoured with a visit from a NHVS Tuesday Tuck In group guest, Mr Jim Howson, who, in 1958, came 4th in the British Chess Championship, and was Essex Chess Champion 1967-8.

Mr Howson, who remains as passionate as ever about the game and regularly competes in chess competitions, was delighted to be invited to share tips and strategies with the students.

JOINT ORCHESTRA DAY It was a great pleasure to welcome musicians from Walthamstow Hall School in Sevenoaks to share our Joint Orchestra Day on 18 October (and good to see Mr Castell, their Director of Music, who left New Hall four years ago).

The group worked at music from two great works for the stage – Bizet’s Carmen and Bernstein’s West Side Story – with all sections having the opportunity to develop their sound and enjoy working with a new desk partner. The fruits of the rehearsal were presented at the St Cecilia’s Concert on 21 November.

SIXTH FORM

SIXTH FORM SENIOR TEAM MATHEMATICS CHALLENGE On 5 December, four further mathematicians: Alice Y, Joanna J, Giggs L and Steven Y (all Year 12), participated in the Senior Team Mathematics Challenge heat. This event, organised by the Further Mathematics Support Programme, in partnership with the UK Mathematics Trust, is a national competition which combines mathematical, communication and teamwork skills, and offers students another way to express and develop their enjoyment of Mathematics.

After a 30 minute warmup session, which gave the students a chance to evaluate their strategies whilst solving trial mathematical puzzles, the competition began. This involved

three parts, all of which required team work: a group competition, a ‘crossnumber’ (similar to a crossword) and a relay. The students were challenged to solve problems with speed and agility, and to compete against the other 18 teams over a two and a half hour period. Our students proudly rose to the challenge and, with stiff competition, were placed in the top 50% of the competitors. This was a highly valuable experience of mathematical enrichment for all students involved.

SIXTH FORM

NEW HALL HAMPERS The newly-formed Enterprise Club ran during the Michaelmas Term for students in Years 10-13. During the first few meetings, students worked collaboratively to think up creative business ideas with the potential to make a profit to donate to charity. Students then discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each proposition before selecting their preferred business idea.

Year 13 students, Stella X, Coco K, Jin L and Jodie L, created the business ‘New Hall Hampers’, with the aim of sourcing high quality local products, packaging them into hampers and selling them, with profits to be donated to local homelessness charity, Chelmsford Chess. Via the Peter Jones Foundation’s ‘Tycoon in Schools’ initiative, the girls successfully applied for and secured a business loan over over £800.00, used to purchase their hampers and stock.

The girls worked tirelessly to market the hampers, communicate with suppliers, package up 40 hampers, and record costs and revenue. The hampers were sold to parents and staff via Firefly, as well as at Year 12 Parents’ Evening and during the interval of the school production. Miss Walters is delighted to share that New Hall Hampers raised over £400 and the girls look forward to presenting a cheque for this amount to a representative from Chelmsford Chess in the Lent Term.

YEAR 13 HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL DAY On 5 October, the first Human and Spiritual Day of the year was held, on the theme: “What does it mean to be human?”

In the morning, the Year 13 students attended three workshops: one run by Mrs Murray-Turner on resilience, a debate run by Miss Webb on maintaining human relationships in a digital age, and a workshop run by Fr Lee on the work of Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche communities. L’Arche communities are places where people with and without learning disabilities share life together, living and/or working in community.

In the afternoon, the students took in an art project, producing a self-portrait.

A lot of fun was had by all and some brilliant works of art were produced.

SIXTH FORM PHYSICS FEST A group of Year 12 students volunteered at this year’s ‘Physics Fest’. This is a large venture organised by the Chelmsford Branch of the Institute of Physics, which aims to enthuse the next generation of Physicists.

The event was held at Great Baddow High School and included lots of hands-on Physics demonstrations, including superconductivity, magnetism and the tensile strength of party poppers! There were also talks on the ‘Physics of Superheroes’ and the ‘Art of Science’, as well as a planetarium. Our students worked hard all afternoon and were excellent ambassadors for both the school and Physics.

NHVS YEAR 12 LEADERS The NHVS are delighted to announce that the selection process for the new NHVS Year 12 leaders is now complete and the newly-appointed leaders began their duties after October half term.

On 16 October, the new leaders met with the adult volunteers who lead and support their group and were issued with leader badges and handbooks outlining their responsibilities.

The NHVS are very much looking forward to working with them over the course of the year.

The NHVS would also like to take this opportunity to thank the retiring Year 12 leaders, who have made such a valuable contribution to the NHVS action groups over the last year; their ongoing support and commitment to their role was much appreciated.

DEVISED PERFORMANCE EVENING On 14 December, the Year 13 Drama students presented their work for their Devised Performance Examination.

Their brief had been to work in groups to create an original piece of drama using the influence of the practitioner, Antonin Artaud.

Artaud, inventor of the abstract ‘Theatre of Cruelty’, was very interested in using drama to explore extreme states of mind. Therefore, the audience who filled the studio space witnessed two short but powerful pieces of work that looked at mental instability, addiction and corruption.

It was a powerful and wellacted event that reflected the performance skills of the students.

SIXTH FORM EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT INTERNATIONAL FORUM SELECTIONS Further to last term’s news that Charles M (Year 13) has been selected for the International Forum of the European Youth Parliament, we were delighted to hear that Constance D and Elizabeth S (both Year 13) have also been chosen for the EYP final round.

Charles, Constance and Elizabeth will be working with the other top selected students from across Europe and the outcomes of their sessions will actually be passed up to the European Parliament for consideration. This is a superb achievement and the students should be extremely proud. Thanks must also go, once again, to Mrs Clark, Head of Classics, for preparing the team so well for the EYP events.

THE ‘BEAULIEU BULLETIN’ Students and staff enjoyed receiving copies of the ‘Beaulieu Bulletin’ at the end of term. The new student-led school newspaper was proposed and edited by Charlize S (Year 12) and includes articles on school affairs, as well as world issues.

Mrs Jeffrey is impressed with Charlize’s initiative, hard work and dedication in producing the first school newspaper, and we look forward to future editions.

BOARDING

BOARDING MAGDALEN GRAFFITI WORKSHOP The Magdalen girls had great fun during the first weekend of term in a workshop run by ‘Graffiti Stars’, creating some new artwork for the boarding house. The personalised pieces will add another splash of colour to the walls of Magdalen House and the activity was an exciting addition to the boarders’ first weekend back at school.

The girls also had lots of fun at a giant inflatable session in the Swimming Pool, as part of their beginning of term bonding activities.

BOARDING THE GRAND TAPESTRY PROJECT This term, Hawley House have been embracing the 375th Anniversary of the school by leading the ‘Grand Tapestry Project’. Beginning with showcasing each of the six boarding houses, they are leading the way on an embroidered adventure that will hopefully grow to encompass the entire school community.

The project is drawing inspiration from the historical account that is the Bayeux Tapestry, aiming to tell the story of New Hall in emroidered panels.

A recent exhibition in Chelmsford Cathedral of the Quaker Tapestry has also given ideas as to how the panels will be produced. Much like the Quaker Tapestry, Mrs Taylor and the Hawley residents invite members of the New Hall community to help with the stitching of the designs.

The boarding students in each house are hard at work designing a panel that truly represents their house community. Once designs are complete and transferred onto the fabric, the hard work of stitching begins. Students are inviting their friends and family to help with the stitching and many teachers are also eager to get involved; this is a true community project.

An exciting aspect of this project is that it can grow with the school, with panels being added over time. The tapestry project can stretch out into our community and involve people of all ages, portraying all parts of school life, from boarding houses to school buildings, from academic subjects to music and sports.

The Hawley girls are very proud to be leading the way with this project and invite you to get in touch, should you wish to be involved.

DENNETT HOUSE HIJINX Dennett House was the usual happy and vibrant place our Years 11-13 girls call home during Michaelmas Term.

Trips included letting off steam at Jump Street and soaking up the Christmas atmosphere at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.

Dennett gals also enjoyed lots of fun events at school, from the NHPA Firework Display to pizza nights in the cafe, swimming with big inflatables, ice cream sundaes and a Sixth Form social.

A group of girls took a selfdefence course, others learnt how to make Christmas cake and we shall certainly not forget playing in the snow after a rare winter snow storm in Essex! We look forward to more trips and fun times in the Lent Term.

BOARDING A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF EARLE HOUSE The pace of life in Earle House remained as busy as ever in the Michaelmas Term. One typical weekend began with a ‘relaxed’ start of feeding the rabbits and chickens in the Preparatory Divisions, followed by rugby matches and a House football game. After a brief lunch, the boys embarked on an afternoon of gaming competitions and watching films. Sunday was spent out at Notley Park, tackling the high ropes course, with the obligatory ice cream to celebrate their success.

The school week is no less action-packed. Study has been moved out of Earle and into a classroom, to give boys the best chance to seek help, and study in a structured environment.

The nightly activity routine is now well established: Monday nights in the

PETRE HOUSE TRIPS Petre House offers a different trip each weekend, with the aim to provide a range of activities, from cultural experiences to all-out physical exertion.

In the Michaelmas Term, these experiences have included Parkour on the school campus, Christmas shopping at Bluewater and, an annual favourite, a visit to the Snow Centre at Hemel Hempstead. The Snow Centre trip is not only great fun, but an important part of the induction programme for new and existing boys. The challenging activities and need to work collaboratively (one of New Hall’s Learning Habits) helps to develop communication, team work

Michaelmas Term saw the boys making preparations for a Christmas show of ‘Earle’s Got Talent #EGT’, with music, acting, sports skills, magic, and more being prepared and perfected. Tuesdays are reserved for the ever-popular swimming session with fun floats. Wednesdays see the football session, with boys enjoying the use of the new 3G pitch. Thursdays are very popular, as the boys have been going to the Cookery Room to learn some new and useful skills.

On Fridays the boys enjoy a walking trip to Sainsbury’s for the weekly replenishing of tuck supplies and Sunday trips include trampoline parks, go-karting, shopping trips to Westfield and ice skating. and House spirit. The boys come away from an afternoon of skiing challenges, rubber-ringos and, of course, hot chocolate, having demonstrated a great deal of resilience and developed stronger bonds with each other.

A key success of the trip programme is the input the boys have in selecting the outings. This is done through the House Council, which is run by House Prefects and gives the boys further opportunity to have their say on the running of their boarding house. Some of the highlights for the term ahead are indoor climbing, ‘Top Golf’, and a chance to explore the unique Camden Market. Keep an eye on the Petre House Twitter feed for pictures and updates from house trips.

BOARDING MAGDALEN HOUSE CHRISTMAS EVENTS Magdalen House boarders enjoyed getting into the Christmas spirit. The girls travelled to Bluewater, where they tried their hand at ice-skating and all had great fun. Then, a few days later, they enjoyed their annual Christmas outing. The girls shared delicious Chinese food and sang their hearts out with karaoke; even the Magdalen ‘Elf on the Shelf’, Snowflake, came along for the party!

CAMPION HOUSE: ACTIVITIES DAY Campion House residents set off for a day full of puzzles, team bonding activities, and even an Escape Room challenge on the first Sunday of term.

Campion worked together to overcome their fears on the rope runners, clambered up a particularly high climbing wall and spent time figuring out how to get out of an Escape Room puzzle. For images and videos showing daily life in Campion and more trips, please visit the Campion House Twitter page.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

san francisco

During the half term break, 22 excited students from Years 10-13 ventured to San Francisco for a Computer Science/STEM trip.

Over six busy days, the group were able to explore the Silicon Valley, making them appreciate how much the rapid increase in technological development has altered the landscape around San Jose over the last two decades. They also visited Intel and the homes of Facebook and Google.

The group was extremely privileged to listen to an inspiring talk by Dr Mark Smith, Head of Medicinal Chemistry at Stanford University, supplementing their student-led tour of the Stanford campus.

Of course, The New Hall visitors also managed to take in cultural landmarks, such as Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown and “the crookedest street in the world�, all whilst enjoying the California sunshine. An exhausting but eye-opening time was had by all!

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

&

Washington DC new york A report by Charles M, Year 13 Over the half term break, 36 Year 12 and Year 13 Social Sciences students travelled to America, bringing classroom facts and theories to life in a culture so similar yet so different to that of our own.

This fantastic opportunity kicked off in New York, where one of our first experiences was observing the metropolis of the ‘Big Apple’ from the top of the Empire State Building at night, and from the ground amidst the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Such awe was only reinforced by daylight, as we took a cruise on the Hudson River, where we could admire the famous Manhattan skyline on the way to visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We continued on to the temple of capitalism and free economics of Wall Street, where we all made sure to touch the Golden Bull for good luck.

The 9/11 memorial and museum proved to be a moving experience. One evening was spent enjoying a gripping performance of Wicked on Broadway. We also experienced a more rustic side of America in our time in Philadelphia, exploring the history and significance of the Constitution only several hundred metres from where it had been signed.

This was enhanced by our later tour of Congress in Washington DC and we also had great fun exploring the capital on Segways, visiting all the major memorials.

When visiting the White House, we even believe we caught a glimpse of the President entering the perimeter. A personal highlight was visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which immersed us all in the

pain and suffering that was endured by such a large section of American society. The trip culminated in coming face-to-face with the actual funeral casket of Emmett Till, whose tragic story became an icon of the Civil Rights Movement. It had been emotional enough hearing the account in History lessons - the Museum really made the story resonate with us.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

technology has advanced over the past 50 years through practical and engaging activities.

Each student enjoyed a tour, including a demonstration of the Elliott 903, a computer built in the sixties, which receives instructions through punched tape. They also programmed a buggy to move backwards and forwards using a Raspberry Pi computer. There was even an opportunity to try out a variety of retro video games consoles, allowing the students to consider how game development and entertainment has evolved.

There was certainly a lot to take in during the short visit and we hope that all students returned with an appreciation of the impact that Computing continues to have on all our lives.

computing history A total of 86 Year 9 students visited the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge over the course of the term. The students investigated how

Medical Society visit Report by Elizabeth S, Year 13 11 Sixth Formers from our Medical Society visited the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridgeshire. The organisation is a worldleader in genome research and using genome sequences to gain a better understanding of human and pathogen biology. In Medical Society this year, as part of the Genome Decoders project, we will be working with 60 other schools across the UK and with scientists to identify all the genes in the DNA of the human whipworm, which causes the neglected tropical disease, Trichuriasis.

The project will involve working with scientists to produce the first fully-annotated genome sequence for the whipworm. The DNA sequence contains an estimated 15,000 genes, which need to be identified! Using a programme called Apollo, we can identify where the genes are likely to be by finding start and stop codons. The information from the project will help researchers understand the biology of the parasite and aid the development of vaccines or treatments.

During the trip, we viewed the worm at different stages of its life cycle. We then met some of the scientists who are working on the project, as well as conducting research on other parasitic worms, and were able to ask them questions about their work. We are extremely excited to be working on the Genome Decoders project and hope that, in the long term, we can help to reduce the number of children infected with whipworm in less-developed parts of the world.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

SYNAGOGUE VISIT

Year 3 went to Southend to visit a Jewish Synagogue as part of their RE topic. The pupils were shown the different features of the synagogue and their importance, as well as learning some Hebrew and even being able to take a closer look at the Torah.

They were also able to explain their existing knowledge about Judaism, as well as asking some meaningful questions. All the children showed great respect and behaved brilliantly.

fast5 at The o2 On Saturday 23 September, Mrs Hussain took a group of girls from Years 5 and 6 to watch Miss Drayne playing for the Hertfordshire Mavericks at the O2 Arena in the Fast5 tournament, which was broadcast live on Sky Sports TV. The girls thoroughly enjoyed watching the games and being able to chat to Miss Drayne after her matches. It was a memorable and inspiring evening.

Charlotte G, Year 6, wrote the following report:

On Saturday 23 September, members of Year 5 and Year 6 went on a trip to watch the Fast5 netball tournament, at the O2 London.

During our visit, we watched the following teams play: Manchester Thunder, Hertfordshire Mavericks (which our netball teacher, Miss Drayne, plays for), Surrey Storm, Wasps, Team Northumbria, Severn Stars, the runners-up: Team Bath, and the winners: Loughborough Lightning.

Although Miss Drayne and her team played well, we were sad that they did not get past the quarter finals. We all had great fun at the Fast5 netball tournament!

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Danbury park Year 5 enjoyed a fantastic visit to Danbury Outdoors.

In groups, they tackled obstacle courses, solved puzzles, and tested their nerves whilst aerial trekking. Great fun was had by all, including a few of the teachers who participated in some of the activities.

It was great for the teachers to see the children encouraging each other, working as a team and conquering some of their fears. The children behaved impeccably and were a credit to the school.

university of cambridge A group of Year 11 students enjoyed a trip to the University of Cambridge, as part of the Oxbridge programme.

The group enjoyed a walking tour of Emmanuel and Sidney Sussex colleges, followed by talks about the Oxford and Cambridge university systems and how to begin preparing for the application process. The students left Cambridge inspired and excited by their visit.

EAL CULTURAL VISIT EAL students, along with other full boarders, enjoyed a cultural visit to South Kensington.

The boarders were able to visit their choice of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum or the Natural History Museum.

In the Victoria and Albert Museum, students visited all the different exhibitions to find the museum’s list of the 20 most interesting artefacts. In the Science Museum, students went to the Wonderlab, where they watched a Science show and enjoyed ‘hands-on’ exhibitions.

At the end of the day, there was some time for shopping. The students hit Harrods and quickly found the toy department, as well as the confectionery! It was the first time that many of the students had visited the iconic department store.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

cHINESE cLUB vISIT Mrs Rutherford and Mrs McLaren took 11 Chinese Club members from Years 7, 8 and 13, on a trip to London. The group visited the British Museum and Chinatown.

At the museum, they looked at some ancient items from the Neolithic age through to the Qing dynasty. The exhibits in the ‘Enlightenment Room’, which was compared to a treasure island, where time seemed to have stopped, fascinated the students. They also learned how the famous Chinese porcelain is made and about the trade links between China, Southern Asia and Europe.

In Chinatown, the group sampled some delicious Chinese food.

Feeling adventurous, Aston D (Year 8) even tried Chinese tofu for the first time. Everyone enjoyed soaking up the festive atmosphere in Leicester Square and Chinatown.

tATE MODERN Year 9 and Sixth Form Art and Photography students visited the Tate Modern.

They spent the day working in response to the permanent collections and also took in the Modigliani retrospective and the two Soviet exhibitions, ‘Kabakovs’ and ‘Red Star Over Russia’, which looked at Soviet propaganda inspired by the 1917 Revolution.

Tectonic hazards conference

Year 13 geographers enjoyed a fantastic day at the Hodder Tectonic Hazards Student Conference. The day included talks on a range of topics delivered by a plethora of speakers from the field of Geography.

Professor Iain Stewart began the day on ‘Tectonic

disasters: reports from the frontline’, followed

by Dr Martin Degg on ‘The Megacities and earthquake risk’. Professor Fiona Tweed, David Redfern and Dr Debbie Milton covered ‘Exploring the impacts of Iceland’s hazards’, ‘What makes a hazard a disaster?’ and ‘Why are volcanoes rarely big killers?’, all gripping students with their enthusiasm and knowledge.

Each session provided students with up-todate knowledge from the field of research and case studies that they can utilise in their essays.

The latter sessions covered techniques of giving more thought-provoking arguments in A Level essays and looked into the idea of application of knowledge, as well as developing informed opinions. The conference was a great success, and the teachers and students returned to school energised, with renewed enthusiasm for tectonics and the risk they pose in our world.

SPORT

ESSkiA National Finals

Members of the New Hall ski team, from the Senior and Preparatory Divisions, travelled to Norwich Dry Ski Slope to take part in the English Schools’ Ski Association (ESSkiA) National Finals.

More than 20 schools took part, all having come first or second in the heats that took place last month all over the country.

The New Hall skiers’ performances were,

once again, exceptional. On the first day of the competition, the U14 girls team, consisting of Chloe G (Year 8), Madeleine J (Year 7), Charlotte M (Year 7) and Juliette M (Year 7), finished 3rd. The U16 girls team, consisting of Isabelle L (Year 10), Sophie H (Year 9), Alexia M (Year 9) and Emily M (Year 10), and came 1st!

The following day, the New Hall Open age group teams put in superb performances, winning New Hall places in the Great Britain Finals in Wales next month.

The girls’ team, Alice M (Year 12), Lauren G (Year 11), Emily M (Year 10) and Sophie H (Year 9), impressed as they finished as the second fastest team in England, whilst the boys, Thomas H (Year 12), Luke H (Year 11), Alex M (Year 11) and Joe M (Year 11), finished in a very credible 6th place in a highly competitive field.

Well done to all our skiers for their impressive achievements!

Nsea championships New Hall was well-represented at the National Schools Equestrian Association Championship, held over four days in half term at Addington Equestrian Centre in Buckinghamshire. Schools from all over the UK had qualified at regional level to be present at this truly National Championship.

Unfortunately, as is often the case with equestrian sports, not all of the New Hall combinations that qualified were available, but this enabled some less experienced riders to enjoy the opportunity of competing at this level for the first time.

New Hall had qualified teams and individuals in JWS (Jumping with Style/indoor cross-country), show jumping and dressage.

Albert H (Year 9) competed individually in both the 70cm and 80cm JWS and put in very creditable performances in both classes, including an excellent clear round in the 70cm class.

A team, consisting of Fern C (Year 10), Mia M (Year 10), Albert H (Year 9) and Toby H (Year 12) competed in the 80cm JWS and, together with some good performances, important experience was gained.

The 70cm show jumping team, composed of Charlotte M (Year 7), Anna L (Year 7) and Albert H (Year 9) gained very valuable experience from competing at this level. Katherine S (Year 10) put

in a very competitive performance in both the individual 90cm and, together with Holly G (Year 11) and Toby H (Year 12), the team 1m class.

Mia M (Year 10) and her horse Danny competed well in the Elementary competition (the third tier of difficulty, out of four, at these championships).

The pair performed well and also gained useful experience at this level.

A really enjoyable, if somewhat blustery, four days were experienced by all the competitors and the event provided very useful practice at a high level for future competitions.

SPORT

U14 Swimming Success

The U14 swimming team competed in the South East Swimming League (SESL) Final. The team consisted of Jack S (Year 8), Lily U (Year 7), Claudia M (Year 9), Ethan P (Year 8), Sophie G (Year 8), Daniel L (Year 7) and Lauren S (Year 9).

The team finished 5th overall!

Congratulations to Jack S, who now holds the SESL record for the 100m Individual Medley with a fantastic time.

Alumni Rugby Match 22 New Hallians returned to the school on 16 December to play against the 1st XV. With arguably the school’s four best ever rugby-playing year groups playing against each other, the crowd of over 150 were treated to an expansive, exciting game, which saw the 1st XV victorious, with a final score of 12-7.

Thank you to all who supported the event and to those who helped in its organisation.

Indoor Hockey Tournament The U16 and U18 boys indoor hockey squads played in county rounds of the national competition. The U16s unfortunately lost their only match to Forest School, but gave a good account of themselves. The team consisted of Daniel S, Ben C, Matthew C, Aaron B (all Year 11) and Alexander B (Year 10).

The U18s started against The Coopers’ Company and Coborn School and found themselves 3-0 down within 4 minutes. However, they fought back well and ended with a 4-4 draw. This was followed by wins against Forest School, Colchester Sixth Form College and also a good 3-2 win against Bancroft’s, meaning that the boys were crowned Essex County Champions and will go on to the East round of the competition on 3 December. The U18 squad consisted of: Matt R (Year 13), Dillon A (Year 9), William C and Daniel S (both Year 12), Justin R and Aaron S (both Year 11).

SPORT

Teddylympics Eight pupils from Year 1 took part in the annual ‘Teddylympics’ athletics event at Melbourne Park, competing against other schools.

The pupils completed eight activities, focussing on skills such as throwing, jumping and running, and earnt points for each event.

The pupils had a fantastic time and represented the school brilliantly, coming first and achieving the highest score of the entire competition. It was a pleasure to see the enjoyment and teamwork shown by the children that participated. Thank you to the parents for their support on the day.

u13 tennis As Essex champions, the 13 & Under boys and girls tennis teams advanced through the Regional Knockout phases to reach the Regional Finals of the national competition at Gosling Tennis Centre. The final 16 schools in the country left in the competition are split into four regions, with one team from each region advancing to the National Finals in December.

The girls’ team travelled to Gosling Tennis Centre and faced a tough encounter against Surbiton in the semi-finals. There were some tight matches and New Hall were disappointed to lose some close singles and doubles rubbers against a strong Surbiton side, which included several national players.

The girls picked their heads up for the next match and finished the competition strongly with a 10-2 win over Framlingham College to secure third place.

The boys’ team faced Culford School in the semi-finals of the competition. New Hall put up a great fight but Culford were too strong across the singles and doubles, securing their place in the final. The boys then faced Aylesbury Grammar School for the third place. New Hall made an impressive start and exerted their dominance over the Buckinghamshire side. The team won all singles and doubles rubbers to win the tie 12-0 and secure third place in the East of England. It was a great experience for our players and the team will look to advance on this position next year.

SPORT

Cross Country

Congratulations to Holly W (Year 7), who has been selected to run for Essex in the U13 girls cross country team at the UK Inter-Counties Championships in Loughborough.

A fantastic performance by the Years 7 and 8 girls cross country team at the Cut-Hedge Cross Country Championships at Gosfield led to New Hall winning the competition, with an overall score of just 17 points.

The Years 7 and 8 girls B team also came first in their competition, with a total of 107 points, and the Years 7 and 8 boys finished 4th in their competition, with a score of 63 points.

Top 100 cricket schools

New Hall has once again been named as one of the top 100 cricketing schools in the country. This follows a season of great success in 2017. The 1st XI broke the school’s records for batting partnerships (Sean S (Year 12) and Nathan K (Year 10) - 213, James B (Year 13 last year) and Nathan K 252) and for a team total scored in a Twenty20 match (222 vs Haileybury).

All other teams also excelled, with the school winning the County Cup competitions in the U12, U13, U14 and U15 age groups. We look forward to another successful season in 2018

hockey awards evenings On 15 and 18 December, we hosted our annual end of season awards presentations for Boys’ Rugby and Girls’ Hockey respectively.

Each event was an opportunity to relive some of the highlights on and off the fields of play, from the U12D team right through to the senior 1st XV/1st XI sides, and to celebrate the participation and development of all students, who have given such great commitment to these sports throughout the term.

Head of Rugby, Mr Taylor, and Head of Hockey, Mr Ward, were each effusive in their praise of the boys, girls and also of their coaching staff. The New Hall Learning Habits of ‘Collaboration’, ‘Communication & Feedback’ and ‘Resilience’ were common themes throughout the team reports and serve to further illustrate the critical role that a student’s involvement in the co-curricular life of the school can play in their own personal development. Mrs Jeffrey distributed awards to the ‘Most Improved Player’, ‘Coach’s Player’ and ‘Players’ Player’ for each team, alongside Divisional (Years 10 and 11) and School (Years 12 and 13) Colours, which are awarded for outstanding commitment to Sport, Music, Drama and Dance. Congratulations and thanks to all those who received awards and to all those who have represented the school in either sport through the course of this term.

Join us at our upcoming Open Morning Saturday 5 May 2018 9.00am - 12.00noon To book your family’s place, please visit our school website: www.newhallschool.co.uk

The Avenue, Boreham, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 3HS Tel: 01245 467 588 Fax:01245 464 348 Email: admin@newhallschool.co.uk www.newhallschool.co.uk