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Principal’s

11 18 NEWSLETTER

February 2022 Edition 3

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

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February 2022 Edition 3

A word from the Deputy Head Co-Curricular

Natasha Hammond We look forward to extending our breadth of opportunities through a rich and dynamic crosscurricular program as we head into the summer term. New activities include kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, climbing, rowing and bushcraft skills. We are excited to introduce a number of specialist trained staff to deliver these activities and are delighted to invite onboard our new Head of Outdoor Education, Russell McAlinden joining us from the Leys School.

Natasha Hammond

Extra-curricular activities help students to learn about themselves in different contexts and build a wide portfolio of skills, knowledge and experience. Other benefits include creating broader perspectives, improving self-esteem, providing social opportunities and building life skills. Our new outdoor education program will focus on developing a deeper relationship with nature, enhancing personal and social development, and learning how to overcome adversity and increase resilience.

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

A note from our new Head of Outdoor Education

Russell McAlinden I have a zest for adventure and a passion for being outdoors. I’ve been involved in outdoor education now for over 20 years, both as a teacher and outdoor instructor, I commenced my journey working in North Wales, following a degree in Adventure Recreation. I quickly found a keen interest in developing outdoor learning in schools, and thus completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education specialising in Physical Education. I have since spent the past 16 years establishing and leading the Outdoor Education programme at the Leys School. I have really enjoyed seeing young people develop as a result of them stepping out of their comfort zone. My adventures have taken me all over the UK and indeed further afield, including Russia, Norway, USA, Pakistan, Nepal and Croatia. I look forward to bringing such adventures to Stephen Perse. Mindfulness Life Coaching is also a passion of mine, having recently completed a Level 4 Diploma in Mindfulness Life Coaching and supported individuals in and out of the education setting. I find that there are many links between the concept of life coaching and outdoor learning, including the notion of taking a person on a journey of personal discovery. I am excited to take on a new challenge, and look forward to joining the Stephen Perse Foundation in April.

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February 2022 Edition 3

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Now, as NCP looks towards the next ten years, they are dreaming big. They’ve purchased two acres of land within a community with high levels of poverty, with the goal of significantly scaling the number of children they’re able to support. bridge.

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February 2022 Edition 3

An introduction to our new charity

Nakuru’s Children’s Project The Foundation is underpinned by a strong belief that every child and young person has potential. In our connection to charities, much like our bursary scheme, we aim to ensure equality of opportunity where we can.

Our charity links are run by our Year 11 Charity Committee, who meet weekly to organise our support. We hope to build a strong relationship with Nakuru’s Children’s Project going forward, sponsoring a number of children through secondary education and building further facilities, such as classrooms. In the future, we hope to take our sixth form students to see the schools in Kenya and to get involved.

Nakuru’s Children’s Project -helping children receive a quality education Every child has the right to top-quality education. Nakuru’s Children’s Project (NCP) takes a holistic approach to every child, providing support at each educational level to help the most vulnerable and impoverished children get into school, achieve the best learning outcomes, and build their own dreams. To do this, NCP works in close partnership with government nurseries and primary schools to build vital facilities, provide free school lunches, and improve the standard of education - including for children with special educational needs. This helps children achieve the best possible exam results at age 14, qualifying for top-quality secondary schools or vocational training colleges, at which point NCU pays the fees for those whose families would struggle to afford them.

providing life-saving support to 368 families as coronavirus hit Kenya. This all goes above and beyond what NCP ever hoped to achieve — and they are so grateful for the overwhelming support that they have been given. Now, as NCP looks towards the next ten years, they are dreaming big. They’ve purchased two acres of land within a community with high levels of poverty, with the goal of significantly scaling the number of children they’re able to support. Their dream is to build a centre that serves the community: delivering free school meals to nursery and primary schools, building emergency housing and a social worker’s office to support vulnerable teenagers, and growing their own food.

Fighting for a future that is equal for all In the last decade, NCP have been incredibly proud of all they’ve been able to achieve — providing 387,000 free school meals to children in need, offering 164 students the chance to progress to secondary education, funding the construction of 21 classrooms and other educational facilities in Nakuru, and

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Science & Design Engineering Updates Senior School Science Science Club (Year 7-8) with Mr McBride have done a variety of investigations, demos, and talks covering a wide range of topics, including making spaghetti towers, lolly stick catapults and paper helicopters, looking at pond water under the microscope, fire writing and flame tests, a rat dissection, and a Christmas talk about the biology of reindeer. Key Stage 4 Biology extension with Mr Van Dijk has met since the start of the year and discussed a variety of topics such as the 2021 Nobel prizes, epigenetics, CRISPR-Cas9 and xenotransplants as well as discussing options for Sixth Form, careers and exploring the various specimens and slides in the Senior School.

It has been a busy time in Science with the co-curricular program in full swing. Students have the opportunity to extend and support their learning in the Sciences in many different year groups and the clubs see a large number of students on a weekly basis.

The Key Stage 4 Physics extension club with Mr Fradley aims to provide students with an opportunity to carry out a number of more advanced practical tasks along with some more advanced theoretical analysis and practice of Physics Olympiad papers. Both the Year 10 and Year 11 will get an opportunity over the coming months to sit the Physics Olympiad - Year 11 students who performed highly in the recent mocks have been invited to take part in the Year 11 Physics Olympiad. Practical work has involved the investigation of standing waves in Ultrasound and on a string, and how the tension of the string affects the speed of the wave on a string. Other investigations have included: estimating how thick a piece of paper is in atoms and factors affecting a gravitational potential energy driven cart.

Support lessons have been taking place for all sciences at various levels and are always available for students to drop in to clarify their understanding or catch up on any missing work.

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February 2022 Edition 3

Sixth Form Science In the Practical Science enrichment option, students have been planning and carrying out their own practicals as well as carrying out literature research and looking at areas of personal interest in preparation for writing their personal statements. Some of the practicals have included: extracting caffeine from different caffeine pills to compare their contents, a cuttlefish dissection, the production of an automated aeroplane launcher and a comparison of different growth media on the growth of algae. Medsoc with Dr Curry has supported Year 13 students with aspirations for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine as well as allied health subjects such as pharmacy, midwifery and all the biomedical related sciences. The program has now started for the current Year 12 students. The year-long programme supports exploratory tentative ideas, dissects the university courses available, supports work experience and aptitude test preparation before practice for interviews. Keeping on top of hot topics throughout the year we aim to build on the core competencies required for these professions.

Biology extension sessions with Mrs Dobson have been mostly concerned with entry tests and preparation for the Olympiad which will take place in early February. After this they will look at preparations for the Intermediate Olympiad as well as leading regular discussion sessions on topics of interest or current affairs in biological research. The Year 13 Physics Extension sessions with Mr Hudson in the Autumn Term were focused on Oxbridge aptitude test and interview preparation, along with the preparation for and participation in the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) competition. The three students who did well enough in the Year 13 ‘Challenge’ paper to earn entry to the BPhO proper all did very well in the latter: Paphon and Tony both achieved a “Top Gold”, the highest award putting them in the top 7% of entrants, while Roderick achieved a Gold, putting him in the top 9% of entrants. Support sessions are available for all sciences for students to catch up on work, clarify misunderstandings or review past assessments.

Chemistry extension sessions with Dr Lovewell have been focused on Oxbridge entry and RSC Olympiad preparation this last term, practising the level of questions required and looking at the various areas of Chemistry involved. This has led to 14 students taking part in the RSC Olympiad paper in the past few weeks.

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Science & Design Engineering Updates Design Engineering Key Stage 3 roundup - In Year 7 students have been completing ‘steady hand games’ and testing their skills to avoid sounding the buzzer to end their attempt. This project involves developing workshop skills with hand tools and machinery along with learning how to solder and create their electronic circuit successfully. In Year 8 students have created several projects including wooden boxes with CAD/CAM laser engraved lids, used pewter casting to make jewellery and key fobs, plus learnt about picaxe chip programming and vacuum forming to create their AI projects.

Year 8 Design Engineering

In Year 9 our creatives have made some fantastic architectural models which can be seen in the entrance to the Senior School. Whilst other groups spent their session researching lighting products in order to design and make their own wonderful lamp and lighting projects.

Year 7 Design Engineering

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Year 9 Design Engineering

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February 2022 Edition 3

Year 8 Design Engineering

STEM Projects in the Design Engineering Department Last week we had a visiting speaker from the Engineering Department talking to the Year 9 STEM groups about sustainability. There are two teams of students working on projects which will be entered for silver CREST awards. CREST stands for Creativity in Science and Technology and it is a national award supported by the British Science Association. Year 9 Design Engineering

Dr Claire Barlow, an Engineering lecturer and former governor, talked to the students about an Island in Scotland which is being developed as a sustainable community. She talked about all the successes and challenges they have had in making it possible to live on the island. This has been a great inspiration to the students who are working on two projects, a sustainable apartment block and an island school. We hope that the projects will conclude by the end of this term.

Year 8 Design Engineering

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Friday 4 February

Sixth Form Performance We were delighted to once again welcome a live audience to our third Drama and Theatre Performance of the year, this time for a double bill of plays by Steven Berkoff, performed by students in Years 12-13. The audience were seated at tables, cabaret style, and there was a really lovely convivial atmosphere. It was particularly nice to see so many senior and sixth form students in the audience, many of them boarders. The first play of the evening was ‘Dahling, You Were Marvellous’ which is set in a restaurant in the West End where a collection of theatrical ‘luvvies’ celebrate the opening night of a new play. Zoe, Tara and Yvonne acted in multiple roles to play an array of characters parodied from the world of theatre - the jaded critics; the ever-optimistic but always-out-of-work actors Linda and Steve; Brick, the American film star taking on a Shakespearean role, and the pompous public school-educated theatre expert, Sir Michael. Director Deborah Foote added her own layer to the play by poking additional fun at some recognisable political figures - voiceovers of speeches played whilst the actors, wearing ridiculous wigs, mimicked the politicians. The overall effect was colourful, comedic and quirky. In stark contrast, the atmosphere created in the second play ‘The Trial’, directed by Kim Albone, was dark and moody. There were no props and the set was stripped back to three simple door frames on wheels that the cast manipulated and moved around the stage to ‘frame’ different images and to create interesting shapes and shadows. This was another multi-role piece, requiring actors Nina, Tara, Charlotte and Zabeetah to play a host of larger-than-life characters, whilst they also used physical theatre, ensemble techniques and mime to depict locations, actions and even objects. We are so proud of all of the students involved in this performance. For some of them, this was their first production at Stephen Perse but for our Year 13 students, both cast and crew, this was their final show: they have all been on a fabulous theatrical journey with us over the years and shown excellent commitment to the Drama and Theatre department. We would like to wish them all the very best for the future and we hope they will continue to pursue their love of theatre. We will miss them!

For further details of the cast and crew and to read the directors’ notes view our digital programme here.

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February 2022 Edition 3

13 We are so proud of all of the students involved in this performance. For some of them, this was their first production at Stephen Perse.

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

14 I found all the events on Holocaust day extremely fascinating, Eva Clarke’s talk in particular.

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February 2022 Edition 3

Holocaust Memorial Day with

Eva Clarke, Holocaust Survivor Year 10 students welcomed Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke back to the Stephen Perse Foundation for Holocaust Memorial Day.

Year 10 student Yuxi reflects on Eva’s talk: “I found all the events on Holocaust day extremely fascinating, Eva Clarke’s talk in particular. Before this day I didn’t have a very deep understanding of the Holocaust, and having an actual person who lived through the time talk about it was incredibly helpful in deepening that understanding. The difference between reading about history from a textbook and listening to an actual person who lived through these historic events is that it is so much easier to paint pictures of the times and circumstances in my head. As Eva delivered her talk, she also continuously showed us pictures of life at the time which really helped reinforce what she was talking about. Her story was incredible; the experience was like a story taken straight out of a movie. Not only was it touching and astonishing, she also never forgot to add in the tiniest details, for example, she described ‘the damp donut box’ her mother took with her when she was taken to the first camp and showed us a photo of her relatives before they were deported, and pointed out the ‘the smile on their faces’ as the photo was taken. These minuscule details made her story so memorable and made me feel so much closer to the real world than if I had simply read about it in a textbook. On top of that, she also incorporated universal themes into her talk that affect all humanity, regardless of religion, such as love, friendship, kindness, courage, loyalty, and bravery, all of which made her story even more riveting. I think her story was truly a miracle and it had an incredibly powerful effect on both me and my peers. I believe people like her deserve so much of our respect and I am so grateful for this opportunity to be able to listen and learn from her. Her talk really inspired me to talk to my family more and get to know my own family

history better. Overall the day was exceedingly interesting and has made me determined to learn more about Holocaust and participate in more educational activities like these.”

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust You may be aware that, as well as Year 10 coming off timetable to learn about the Holocaust, there was also a whole school assembly to mark Holocaust Memorial Day earlier in the term. If your child is interested in finding out more about this seminal moment in history, then the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust website is an excellent and reliable source for them to look at. It also includes information about other groups, in addition to the Jews, who were persecuted by the Nazis as well as information about other genocides.

https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/the-ukhmd-2022-ceremony/

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Sustainability Update

January has seen a focus on identifying how as an institution Stephen Perse is reusing and recycling.

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An effort was undertaken to capture all of the items that the Foundation was able to reuse in the Junior School move from Rosedale House to the renovated Fitzwilliam Building (transforming a building designed for sixth form students to an appropriate space for junior school children). Stephen Perse was able to reuse the majority of the desks, chairs, and classroom trays, totalling over 400 items, with the Estates team taking care and effort to repurpose the fixed wooden playground equipment. In the coming month, Earth Hour plans (28 March 2022) will be developed to bring this to light across Stephen Perse.

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February 2022 Edition 3

Student Sustainability Committee The Stephen Perse Student Sustainability Committee have continued their work investigating the issue of food waste at the secondary school, having recorded a short clip to be shared with all students indicating the ‘new’ process of scraping plates, and how this will enable the sustainability committee to begin measuring the amount of food waste, feeding this information back to all students. The Year 11 Eco-committee have been forging ahead with creating a ‘Biodiversity’ action plan for the secondary school, which forms one of the three themes required for the eco-schools award. Danika, Year 12 student, and member of the sustainability committee, recently attended a Darwin College public lecture that explored the topic of ‘Food & Climate Change’ by Professor Sarah Bridle, University of York and author of ‘Food and Climate Change without the hot air’. Danika was inspired to reflect on the talk:

“It was by far the most interactive, well-informed lecture I’ve heard.”

Bridle told us should be shared with you: the global average food emissions per person per day is 6000 grams (6 kilograms) and, if we want to halve our greenhouse gas emissions in the next 10 years, this should be reduced to 3000 grams. Now, for the result: Chickpea tikka masala releases 604 grams of CO2, chicken tikka masala releases 1889 grams, and lamb tikka masala releases the most, at 6178 grams - more than double our daily 3000 grams goal! However, a point Professor Bridle made is that it’s important to compare this to other things. For example, a return transatlantic flight emits 8700 grams so if you’re taking multiple flights a year, obsessing over what you eat isn’t as helpful as reducing travel. These points made the lecture accessible to everyone because she wasn’t telling us how we are all doomed if we don’t stop eating meat; she was engaging us with ideas on how the food system can become carbon neutral. For example, solutions like eating less meat and more plant-based meals frees up land which can then be used for carbon capture and storage or solar panels which would help reach net zero emissions (where our carbon emissions are equal to or less than the planet’s carbon absorptive abilities). The lecture was energising and gave me the motivation to keep learning about climate change so that, like Professor Bridle, I can focus on creating solutions to climate change challenges".

Danika, Year 12 student

“It was by far the most interactive, well-informed lecture I’ve heard. Often, lectures are about being talked at and, although they may be insightful, it may require a deeper understanding of the topic than most have. However, Professor Bridle ensured that the audience engaged in the discussion and, rather than talk at us, she gave us polls and we could ask any questions we had at any point. The polls were on how many grams of carbon dioxide are emitted from variations of one meal. An example that really stood out for me was the difference in emissions between chickpea tikka masala, lamb tikka masala and chicken tikka masala. Before I reveal the difference, a key fact that Professor

"If you are interested, information on these lectures can be found on the Darwin College website. Lectures are live streamed so you can watch from home, and you can also catch any that you missed.”

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Stephen Perse Foundation and Cambs Youth Panel

Tackle Digital Inequality In December 2021, Stephen Perse Principal Richard Girvan and Director of IT and Systems Development Andrew Brett donated 50 iPads, cases and chargers to the Cambs Youth Panel.

The Cambs Youth Panel works with local councils as well as members of parliament. They give advice and guidance on all matters that affect young people to the key individuals who make the important decisions in our region. The Cambs Youth Panel looks for issues that need to be addressed and then does something about those issues. Recently this has meant getting computers to children and young people in repeated lockdowns.

Stephen Perse has ambitious plans for the future, building on its existing track record of sharing its expertise and resources with the community, to make a step change in its impact in tackling inequality in Cambridge, the wider East Anglia region and more broadly. Stephen Perse is underpinned by a strong belief that everyone has potential, but that some have neither the opportunities or the guidance, the life chances, to develop and maximise that potential.

Cambs Youth Panel believes that every child and young person needs a computer - digital inequality is a fair reflection of an unequal society that has been failing many children and young people for a long time. With Covid-19 digital inequality came to the forefront.

On Friday 28 January the SPF donated iPads were delivered to the following primary schools: • Highlees Primary School, Aston Road, Peterborough • Paston Ridings Primary School, Paston, Peterborough • The Beeches Primary School, Beech Avenue, Peterborough • Winyates Primary School, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough

“The Stephen Perse Foundation are a brilliant partner to work with and they make a clear contribution to communities and families from all walks of life.” Phil Priestley Founder of Cambs Youth Panel

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• Middleton Primary School, South Bretton, Peterborough The iPads were delivered by PCSOs from the South Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Policing Team Chris Wiseman and Lindsey Gardiner, with thanks to the support from Chief Inspector Paul Rogerson. The schools receiving the devices were thoroughly delighted. Phil, who founded the Cambs Youth Panel in 2016 said: “The Stephen Perse Foundation are a brilliant partner to work with and they make a clear contribution to communities and families from all walks of life, personal circumstances and backgrounds. It has been wonderful to assist the Stephen Perse Charitable Foundation in distributing these iPads and we are looking forward to doing more with the team in the near

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February 2022 Edition 3

Donate your old laptops, iPads and tablets and change a child’s life As part of our partnership with Cambs Youth Panel we are committed to support their work in addressing digital inequality within our community. We were thrilled to be able to donate 50 iPads before Christmas to help address the current need. However, we are aware that there is still more to do in reaching those within our community who are digitally excluded from education, health and wellbeing. Many of you may have received new laptops, iPads and tablets for birthdays or Christmas, or you may simply have devices that you no longer use in a drawer or cupboard gathering dust. We are running a campaign to collect donations of any unwanted devices which we will then pass to Cambs Youth Panel who will make sure they go directly to a young person or school that are most in need. We will be collecting your personal donations at our Sixth Form in Bateman Street, where our Charitable Foundation Office is located, on Friday 25 February from 8.30am to 5pm. Please drop in to the Sixth Form reception to donate your device. If you have your own business or work for a company who have laptops, iPads and tablets that are no longer needed and you’d like to donate them to our campaign please email

development@stephenperse.com. future. We’re grateful to Cambridgeshire Constabulary who helped us with the logistics of getting these devices to the recipient schools in Peterborough.”

We will keep you updated with where your donations go to allow you to see for yourself the direct impact of your generosity.

Heidi Hall, Charitable Foundation Director said: “We are thrilled to strengthen our partnership with Phil and the team at Cambs Youth Panel. The global pandemic has only highlighted the inequalities within our community and we are committed to do all we can to make a difference. We have ambitious plans for the future, informed by a contemporary reinterpretation of our Founder’s original vision. We are determined to make an impact and open our doors widely for young people in our community. Working together we believe we can achieve extraordinary things. Thank you to Phil, the Cambs Youth Panel and the Cambridgeshire Constabulary who made sure the iPads were delivered to the schools that needed them most.”

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Modern Languages Department Updates

新年快乐! Happy Chinese New Year to you all from the Stephen Perse Modern Languages Department. We have welcomed in the Chinese Year of the Tiger with a roar!

Students have been learning about Chinese New Year celebrations and developing their manual dexterity skills at the same time. There has been plenty of origami involved, more specifically zhe zhi (折纸) which is the Chinese equivalent of origami. The main focus has been producing paper tigers. General crafting has been fun and students have been applying their calligraphy skills onto special lucky red envelopes. The festive mood prevails also in the Japanese Club, where the students looked at Setsubun with chopstick competitions, singing and origami. This was a welcome break from the current ‘end of unit’ tests as the group prepares to jump from Book 1 to Book 2. Years 7 & 8 Spanish students have been working on video projects on the topics of ‘school’ and ‘at the restaurant’. This is a super opportunity for digital skills to complement their speaking work. We hope to share some of these through our twitter feed @spfmodernlanguages. It’s not just the Hispanists, getting creative with the iPads. Year 8 Germanists are taking their iPads and German skills into their kitchens to produce their own sandwich making videos. BakeOff contestant Jürgen Krauss will be proud! Collaboration has been at the forefront of the Modern Languages Department. Our German heritage speakers have been working on a project with the Design Engineering department to create a special display in one of the language classrooms.

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February 2022 Edition 3

Several Modern Languages Competitions have been launched, including a French Pop Video competition run by the Institut Français, the Mother Tongue Other Tongue poetry competition which is open to language learners and heritage speakers alike, and the particularly popular Language Immersion Challenge. An impressive number of students from Year 7 to Year 13 are currently working hard on these projects and we can’t wait to see their work. First heat of the UKLO Linguistics Olympiad is taking place in February. This is a competition for the ultimate language lover and problem solver. Last year’s challenges included the languages Ditema tsa Dinoko, Kabyle and Waama. We wish this year’s contestants the best of luck. In Sixth Form Spanish and German lessons, students and teachers have been involved in a Linguistics Project with Anglia Ruskin. The aim is to include some sociolinguistics into language learning. Here is an excerpt from the project completed with our Year 12 Spanish A Level students. There is a strong focus on developing communication and presentation skills. In Spanish A level lessons, students have been involved in investigative projects and presentations on a range of regional languages such as Gallego, Catalán and Euskera. The Germanists have been giving presentations on their favourite German-speaking related examples of architecture, works of art and most recently Jugendstil items.

We have been discussing the purpose of art and indeed whether a work of art needs a purpose at all. Kunst um der Kunst willen? To consolidate these communication skills further, we have a group of Sixth Form and Year 10 linguists preparing for Les Joutes Oratoires in April & May, where they will be participating in debating competitions in French and Spanish. Issues up for discussion include for the sixth formers whether we really have privacy in the 21st century and whether the state should fund the maintenance of places of worship. For the Year 10s we have ‘television is a waste of time’, ‘getting married is not necessary nowadays’ and ‘should we get rid of the school uniform’.

And finally, love is in the air! Love for modern languages! Students across the year groups are using their linguistic skills to write about love in Spanish, French, German and Mandarin. They have been applying their recently learnt vocabulary and grammar to producing poems and love letters - all in target language. Look out for these on our twitter feed

@spfmodernlanguages.

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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter

Dame Bradbury’s 500 Year Anniversary

U19 Netball Team wins Perse Invitational Tournament

This year marks the 500 Year Anniversary of Dame Bradbury’s. To start the celebrations we will be holding a 500th Birthday Concert at Saffron Hall on 25 March. Anybody who attended Dame Bradbury’s is invited back to perform as part of an alumni orchestra/choir.

Our U19 netball team had a fantastic start to the season winning the Perse Invitational Tournament against some very strong schools.

To get involved and to find out more email lmu@stephenperse.com

Parent Events: Second half of spring term 12 February

Boarders depart

12 - 20 February

Spring half term - Boarding house closed

20 February

Boarders arrive 12pm to 5pm

21 February

Term starts

23 February

Year 10 Parents Evening

14 March

Senior School Spring Concert

24 & 25 March

Year 9 Production

31 March

Spring Term Ends

1 April

Boarders depart

1 - 18 April

Boarding house closed

18 April

Boarders arrive 12pm to 5pm

19 April

Summer Term starts

Full school calendars can we viewed and subscribed to through our website here @SPFschools

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February 2022 Edition 3

Coming Soon

Alumnet our New Digital Platform We will soon be launching our new digital platform Alumnet, which we believe is a first step to reconnecting with our alumni.

This is a bespoke platform created for everyone in our community. It provides opportunities for our alumni, students and parents to network both professionally and socially: to reconnect with friends; to offer professional expertise and insight, and, we hope, to help our current students as they look to their futures beyond school. We hope the platform will enable those who are former students to share memories of their time at School, while allowing us to share details of more recent events and achievements at our schools today. We are proud that 141 years after the foundation of the original Perse Girls’ school, we continue to hold to the core values and the original vision of our Founder, Dr Stephen Perse: offering an outstanding education and inspiring our young people to become positive contributors to tomorrow’s world.

within our local community and beyond. If you would like to help us in realising these ambitions, please do get in touch. And as we reconnect and revivify our alumni network, we promise to share more news about our plans and our hopes for the future. We would be delighted to hear from you if you would like to contribute to the launch of this platform with any photographs, stories, memorabilia or any information you feel we should include. We are particularly interested in photographs and those who would be happy to champion an era or specialist subjects, such as music, drama, art or sport. Please contact development@stephenperse.com

Perse understood that education is a vital enabling factor for social mobility and he believed that education should be used to improve society. His values still run like a golden thread through our history to our present. As we emerge from the pandemic which has kept many of us apart from each other for some considerable time, we are hopeful that this new digital platform will assist in bringing us back together. We have ambitious plans at the Foundation not only to foster modern scholarship through a dynamic curriculum and exceptional teaching, but even more importantly, to champion and model equity, diversity and inclusivity, and to create access and opportunities for more young people

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