Canons Life - Summer 2017

CANONSLife The Summer Term 2017 at North London Collegiate School

FEATURING

Interview with theArabian Head Nights The Emerald Ball Day Stars &Trips Stripes Arts Festival Arts Festival Sports & Exchanges

Canons Life / Summer 2017

Contents 2-3

NEWS AND EVENTS Interfaith Conference Mental Health Society Young Enterprise Livability Summer Party The Emerald Ball

page 2

4-5 FEATURE

Bernice McCabe Interview page 6

6

PERFORMING ARTS The 39 Steps Middle School Concert

7 TRIPS & EXCHANGES

USA Lacrosse Tour China

Year 9 Adventure Week

Bath & Bristol 8-9

ARTS FESTIVAL Arts Showcase

10-11

JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS Stars & Stripes Peter Pan Rainbow Sports Day Cuffley Camp Monsterlump Day Swaminarayan Temple

page 12

page 4

page 7

12 ONL NEWS Reunions 13

SPORTS NEWS Sports Celebration Evening Swimming Gala Gym and Dance Display Sports Day

page 10

page 13 FRONT COVER: A TASTE OF INDIA CELEBRATION

Welcome from the Headmistress T

he Summer term at Canons is always beautiful; windows open into the lovely gardens, the scent of the pale pink Chandos roses and the sound of tennis being played. But there is also the sense of things coming to a close; the School is quieter; girls are on study leave and in examination halls; term will soon be over, and I think we are all trying to capture and preserve the mood and the moment - not least me in my last term as Headmistress after 20 years at NLCS. The setting at Canons has always inspired creativity, and I was incredibly proud of the new “Big Six” who led and inspired the whole Senior School to put on a spontaneous talent show which raised money for the victims and families of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. I am also proud that we held our 2nd Arts Festival 2017, which took place from June 26th to July 4th. Year 12 gave a fantastic performance of The Importance of Being Earnest, there was a whole school gym and dance display, Music Society pop music session and of course the Year 13 Leavers’ Concert. Congratulations to all who took part in these imaginative events.

This term’s Years 7 & 8 production of The 39 Steps, featured over 60 performers, and was wonderfully entertaining, revealing the students’ flair for exaggerated characterisation and comic timing. We were also treated to productions from Year 6, Year 10 and Year 12, as well as Middle and Lower School concerts. I do hope you were able to enjoy some of the events and witness the Arts at North London.

The glorious Canons setting was the background for a number of special events this term, including The Emerald Ball, and it was a testament to parent power that everyone enjoyed a truly magical evening. The dresses were beautiful, the food delicious, and the entertainment from girls was a superb example of the vibrancy of NLCS. Thank you to everyone who helped make the evening such a success.

The Summer term has been a busy one for the Junior School girls: The chess team are the National Under 11 girls’ chess champions, and at the end of term

they will be competing in the English Primary Schools’ Chess Championship Finals having won the semifinal round. Junior girls have been on residential trips supporting their study of the Industrial Revolution and understanding of rivers, and our swimmers did brilliantly in the London School Swimming Association finals.

Reception girls kept cool on a canal trip on the hottest day of the year so far, and the Year 2 visit to Paradise Wildlife Park helped bring their animal research projects to life.

As all members of our community know, it is an important part of our ethos to give students the opportunities to look outwards and become internationally minded. Trips and exchanges for Senior School girls have included Malaga, Paris, China as well as a Lacrosse Tour to the USA. Students are returning to the Flying Angels School in Zambia this Summer, to make a practical and meaningful difference in the 10th year of our partnership with this inspirational school.

Vogue editor and NLCS Alumna, Anna Wintour, received the Queen’s honour in recognition of services to the fashion industry, and we welcomed a number of Old North Londoners, including Sky Sports presenter Olivia Wayne and Secretary of the Department for International Trade Antonia Romeo, to take part in a photo shoot for the website. I enjoyed seeing so many ONLs and former staff members at the ONL cocktail party, as well as at other special events at the end term including The Emerald Ball.

We tell parents that their daughter will be a North Londoner for life, and it is with this sentiment that I think about how much I shall miss the inspiration and warmth of the community here at Canons. It is goodbye in one sense, but I too shall remain part of this special family, as I take on my exciting new role as Director of International Schools and Education Strategy. I wish you all a happy and restful Summer break, and I wish Alex Wilson, who will be Acting Headmistress, and the Senior Team all the best for the Autumn Term.

Bernice McCabe, Headmistress

Canons Life / Summer 2017

News & Events INTERFAITH CONFERENCE This term, the School held its first Interfaith Conference; an evening inspired by the theme, ‘Creation: A Dialogue between Science and Religion’. Girls from Year 12 organised a series of talks, given by a diverse panel of speakers from all faiths and backgrounds. Their topics of discussion presented students and audience

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members with a thought-provoking insight into the role of science and religion in our everyday lives, and how the two concepts may be more interlinked than one might think.

Meanwhile, the evening provided an opportunity for Year 12 students to raise funds for North London’s partner school, the Flying Angels School in Zambia.

Canons Life / Summer 2017

THE EMERALD BALL

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Canons Life / Summer 2017

INTERNATIONAL CHOIR

Bernice McCabe Interview

I always enjoy coming to work every morning, and I don’t think many people can say that.

I

INTERVIEW WITH MRS MCCABE

t is with much sadness that we say goodbye to Mrs McCabe, who will be stepping down as Headmistress of North London after 20 years. In the busy weeks leading up to the end of the Summer term, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs McCabe, for her last edition of Canons Life. She speaks about those who have inspired her, working with Prince Charles and her favourite memories of NLCS.

Q: What do you think makes North London so special?

A: The students and the teachers. The vibrancy and positivity of the community is phenomenal. I always enjoy coming to work every morning, and I don’t think many people can say that. My office is deliberately near the classrooms because I love the buzz that the students create and when I have visitors, I want them to feel that too.

SOPHIE BRYANT

Q: As an English teacher, do you have one book that you would recommend to all the students?

A: Middlemarch by George Elliot. I love the story of Dorothea and her emotional education throughout the book. It shows how a woman finds her way in the world when she has got so much to offer intellectually. It’s also about the development of Dorothea’s heart and is as good as any romantic and aspirational novel. I have also always loved the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. When I first read it at University, I wrote on the front cover: ‘the most amazing novel that has ever been written’. I love the character of Gatsby; as, despite his flaws, he stands for aspiration and unwavering belief in an ideal.

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OFFICIAL PORTRAIT

THE PRINCE’S TEACHING INSTITUTE

Q: Were you a good student at school?

A: I wasn’t terribly well behaved and therefore was never made a prefect.

Not being the perfect student has made me more empathetic towards the more quirky individual- the person who wants to be different from the norm. I was told to speak more in lessons, and I found that being told I needed to do something, without giving me the guidance and tools to do it, was difficult. That’s why at North London, we give students the opportunity to do different things and encourage activities where they take the lead.

Q: What were your first impressions of NLCS? A: When I first arrived in June 1996, I walked along the herbaceous border, and I thought that the School was so beautiful.

Canons Life / Summer 2017

PRINCES CHARLES

HRH PRINCE CHARLES VISITS NLCS

What struck me most though, were the students - they were amazing. I loved the ambition and confidence that was so apparent amongst them and, together with the vibrancy of the place, I knew instantly that I would love it here.

Q: When you started working with Prince Charles as Co-Director for The Prince’s Teaching Institute were you nervous or excited?

A: I was a little bit worried about whether I would be able to deliver what he wanted me to do. You can’t say no to such a great chance to do something to help teachers and to inspire them. He loved visiting the School in 2005. He said he felt like a rock star because it was so nice for him to have people cheering and pleased to see him. Every time I see him he asks, “How are those amazing girls?”

He was so impressed.

Q: Who inspires you?

A: My parents. My mother was a teacher and passionate about education. She instilled a strong work ethic in me; she was also very glamorous. I always have a picture of her on my desk. My dad loved reading and would always read his books to me; I think this is where I developed my passion for English. The Headmaster from my previous school also inspired me. He believed that every child, irrespective of their background and abilities, should have access to a good education and he was the one that made me see how that was possible.

Q: What will you miss about NLCS? A: The people! I love coming into work. My favourite moment at School is Founder’s Day when the girls come in holding their daffodils, it just absolutely blows me away. This year, the Junior School joined us for the first time.

Watching the girls process, with that kind of discipline, which speaks of respect for the tradition, is something that I love.

Seeing the whole School, honouring Frances Mary Buss is incredible. That’s the key memory that I will always hold with me forever.

Q: Do you have any advice for the School during this transition?

A: Embrace change. This year for my Founder’s Day speech I deliberately chosen to talk about Sophie Bryant who was told this by Miss Buss. This message continues to be passed onto each new Headmistress; to be pioneering and confident, and to seek out opportunities, this is what NLCS has always been about. The heart of the School will always stay the same, but it needs to move into a different era.

FOUNDERS DAY 2017

JUNIOR SCHOOL GIRLS ON FOUNDERS DAY 2017

Q: Any regrets?

A: I have no regrets about my time here at North London Collegiate. I have truly loved it, and it has been the most extraordinary privilege to be Headmistress of this wonderful School.

If I changed anything, I would not be the person that I am today.

Interview by Ashlin Gadhia (Year 12)

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THE HERBACEOUS BORDER

Canons Life / Summer 2017

Performing Arts

THE 39 STEPS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCERT

The 39 Steps

Middle School Concert

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python, and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre.

This term’s Year 7 & 8 production was wonderfully entertaining, revealing the students’ flair for exaggerated characterisation and comic timing.

Riotously amusing, these young performers demonstrated great skill and control creating a wealth of personalities and performed the piece with style and energy.

Congratulations to all involved.

This term, the School hosted an evening showcasing the range of music offered in the Middle School. The concert included many musical groups including the String Quartet, Chamber Choir and the newly formed Middle School String Orchestra, who performed Viva la Vida by Coldplay.

All musicians rehearsed tremendously hard throughout the term, and gave a fantastic performance to friends and family, displaying their talents.

Canons Life / Summer 2017

Trips and Exchanges

CHINA

Eleven girls travelled to China as part of a Mandarin trip. Based in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, they were able to take part in a lesson of the traditional martial art of King Fu. They also visited many shopping markets, including the Ancient Streets of Jinli, and took a boat ride to the largest statue

of the Buddha in the world, at Leshan.

During the trip, they took a cable car up to the peak of mountain E’mei and took a long walk down the mountain, encountering monkeys! A highlight was volunteering at the panda base in Dujiangyun; learning how to clean the panda’s cage, feed them and even make panda cake!

BATH & BRISTOL

Year 8 had a fantastic trip to Bath and Bristol. Activities included visits to the historic and peaceful baths to the very adventurous and state-of-the-art Science Centre. The trip also included a fun day out to Longleat Safari Park, plus pizza and bowling!

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Canons Life / Summer 2017

A COMEDY OF ERRORS

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Arts Festival A great number of concerts, performances, exhibitions and workshops took place to celebrate the creativity and talent of our students.

F

ollowing on from the resounding success of last year’s event, we once again held the NLCS Arts Festival at the end of the Summer term. A great number of concerts, performances, exhibitions and workshops took place to celebrate the creativity and talent of our students.

Highlights included a Year 12 production of The Importance of Being Earnest, a Year 10 Double Bill of Shakespeare’s farcical

play A Comedy of Errors, a Year 13 Leavers’ Concert, an open-air performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Year 7, ‘Moth’ Storytelling workshops and a Teacher University Challenge! We were also delighted to unveil a new mural in the grounds of Canons, created by students, to celebrate Mrs McCabe’s 20 years as Headmistress, and her passion for art and literature.

A TASTE OF INDIA CELEBRATION

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NLCS MURAL

Canons Life / Summer 2017

BEST OF FANTASY FASHION

ANYTHING GOES - ONL GRACE LINK

Arts Showcase On the final day of the festival, an exciting range of activities took place in the grounds of Canons. These included: an ‘open mic’ poetry event, a Year 10 Spanish performance of Lorca, the Film and Media Short Film Competition final, plus creative arts projects around the pond.

In the afternoon, the whole school gathered together for an afternoon of entertainment in the grand finalé to this year’s festival. There were many performances including dance, poetry readings, a fashion show, the First and School choirs and an extract from the Senior School musical West Side Story.

We were delighted to welcome back two ONLs, Grace Link, who performed a song from the musical Anything Goes and Tori Blackburn, who sang a song from West End production The Girls, which she is currently appearing in. It was a truly wonderful afternoon and a perfect end to the Summer term.

THE GIRLS - ONL TORI BLACKBURN

BEST OF FANTASY FASHION

‘OPEN MIC’ POETRY SLAM

MADHATTERS - GAME OF AWESOME

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WEST SIDE STORY

Canons Life / Summer 2017

Junior School News The girls used their learning habits to collaborate and create some unique and fascinating artwork.

T

his term the Junior School girls were very busy, exploring new ways of learning and going on fascinating trips.

Reception enjoyed creating imaginative representations of a terrifying monster, called the Monsterlump, using lots of exciting and messy resources. They asked lots of questions such as: ‘what would he enjoy for his dinner?’ and ‘what is he afraid

STARS & STRIPES

of?’ The girls used their learning habits to collaborate and create some unique and fascinating artwork. They all had a fun-filled day investigating the secret world of the hideous Monsterlump!

Lower School held the annual Frances Mary Buss talks. This year’s theme was ‘A World of Opportunities’ and the girls enjoyed an inspiring and entertaining range of presentations from six Old North Londoners

working in a variety of fields. Each visitor spoke about their school days, chosen career path and current job.

They gave some excellent advice and emphasised the importance of learning good communication skills, taking full advantage of opportunities offered and to enjoy a broad range of activities. We are very grateful to our visitors for taking the time to come and talk to us.

Canons Life / Summer 2017

PRESTON MONTFORD

PETER PAN

RAINBOW SPORTS DAY

CUFFLEY CAMP

MONSTERLUMP DAY

Year 3 visited the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden. They enjoyed looking at the beautiful architecture of the building and learnt information about how the Hindu community came together to build it.

They also had the opportunity to see an Aarti ceremony, complete with incense and hymns.

Year 1 spent the day at Cuffley Camp.

The girls took part in a number of activities in and around the woodland.

They solved problems as a team, were introduced to simple orienteering and followed a trail, going under, over and through the trees. Their communication

SWAMINARAYAN TEMPLE

Year 6 delighted audiences with their full scale production of Peter Pan. and collaboration skills came in very useful. It was lovely to see girls being supportive of each other as they faced different challenges and it was great for everyone to be able to spend a whole day in the fresh air.

Girls and their parents were lucky to be able to enjoy the sunny weather on

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both the First School and Lower School Sports Days. From Reception to Year 6, girls ran, skipped and jumped with their teammates, and all showed fantastic team spirit.

As part of the School’s second Arts Festival, Year 6 delighted audiences with their full-scale production of Peter Pan, complete with evil pirates and the wicked Captain Hook!

The Lower School Concert, Stars & Stripes, was a fantastic finale to a busy Summer term in the Junior School and a perfect way to say farewell and good luck to our Year 6 girls.

Canons Life / Summer 2017

ONL News The Summer term began with a reunion for the classes of 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007. Over 200 ONLs attended and the event was anything but quiet with many stories and memories being shared, and the odd sneaky glass of wine being snuck into old classrooms!

2017 REUNIONS

CLASS OF 1987

The ONLA Cocktail Party took place on 22 June, to mark the end of Mrs McCabe’s 20 Years as Headmistress of the School. Over 100 ONLs and former staff joined current staff in the grounds of Canons, with cocktails such as Lime Avenue Fizz and Pilgrim’s Punch, on the menu.

The sun shone at the annual ONLA Summer Picnic, where ONLs of all ages came to enjoy the grounds with their friends and families. It was wonderful to see so many generations back at School.

The class of 2014 were welcomed back to School in late June for an evening of Pimms and canapés. Many have now finished their degree courses and it was lovely to hear their stories and share their news from the last three years.

EVENT

ATTENDEES & VENUE

DATE

TIME

ONLA Arts Society

All ONLs NLCS

12 September 2017

TBC

Class of 2016 1 year Reunion

Class of 2016 NLCS

13 September 2017

5.30pm

ONLA 50 Year Reunion

Class of 1967 NLCS

26 September 2017

11:30am

ONLA Law Society Evening

ONLs working in, or with interest in Law Central London (TBC)

26 September 2017

6.30pm

CLASS OF 2014

CLASS OF 1977

ONL COCKTAIL PARTY

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Sport News

GYM AND DANCE DISPLAY

SPORTS CELEBRATION EVENING

SWIMMING GALA

GYM AND DANCE DISPLAY

SPORTS DAY

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CANONS LIFE - SUMMER 2017 CONTRIBUTORS: Staff Editor: Larraine Bristow Student News Team Reporters: Aimee Shah (Year 9), Charvi Jain (Year 9), Faye Song (Year 10), Mia Lane (Year 10), Jasmine Chen (Year 12) Student Editor: Ashlin Gadhia (Year 12) Additional Photography: Steve Gregson, Scott Rylander, Graham Ryder and Neville Bloom