The Chronicle 2022

From the Head

FOR THE PURPOSES OF SCHOOL HISTORY, I SHALL BEGIN BY EXPLAINING THAT SESSION 2021-22 WAS THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR TO BE PROFOUNDLY AFFECTED BY THE COVID PANDEMIC. NEVERTHELESS, HAPPILY, WHEN PUPILS RETURNED TO SCHOOL IN AUGUST, WE WERE ALL BACK TOGETHER IN 15-17 ALBYN PLACE, HAVING CONCLUDED OUR LEASE OF THE ADDITIONAL SPACE AT NEARBY 3-5.

As the school settled into new routines influenced by the latest public health advice, the nursery continued to benefit from their additional classroom space which had been vacated by Support for Learning the previous year. Meanwhile, Support for Learning moved into their new home in a former ICT suite which had been transformed over the summer holiday to a bespoke design which meets the needs of both junior and senior pupils. This development of our use of space was possible because this particular ICT suite was surplus to requirements now that each girl from 1 Junior upwards has access to her own Chromebook. I highlight this because it was one of a number of unexpectedly positive outcomes of the pandemic.

Over the course of session 2021-22, the whole school community responded to a number of Scottish Government changes to Covid guidance for schools, with colleagues and pupils demonstrating again and again their capacity to be flexible, creative and resilient. It was during this school year that we saw the highest number of positive cases in all age groups, and, in order to cope with what were unprecedentedly high levels of staff absence, we were pleased to recruit seven supply teachers who played a crucial role in ensuring that the normal timetable of learning and teaching continued. Technology was also a great help in that it became the norm in most lessons in the senior school for several pupils to be learning remotely via Google Meet and their Chromebook while self-isolating. The previous year’s

investment in a new WiFi system for the whole school proved invaluable!

Although this was the year when the virus had the most impact on the health of the school community, I am pleased to reflect that it was also the year when activities and events which we have long held dear began in person again. Over the course of the session, extra-curricular activities were rebuilt, helped by the relaxation of restrictions of the different age groups mixing. It was no doubt that the normal programme of clubs had been sorely missed by pupils and staff alike and, although the ongoing requirements for mask wearing and enhanced hygiene had to be worked into the pattern of the week, such opportunities were grasped with enthusiasm.

Introducing today’s pupils to ‘inspirational women’ and other role models from all walks of life is an important aspect of St Margaret’s life and throughout the year we benefited from a range of events which did just that.

Whenever we could, albeit that we could not do things in the ‘normal’ way, we took the opportunity to celebrate the milestones in the school year. St Margaret’s Day was no exception with an individual birthday cake for every pupil before the customary half day and yet more cake at a special afternoon tea hosted by the Lord Provost at the Town House to celebrate the school’s 175th Anniversary. We may not have been able to celebrate Christmas with an in-person Carol Service, but we did welcome some unexpected visitors in the form of donkeys to a surprise nativity tableau for the nursery and junior children in the playground. I was quickly asked if this could become a new tradition!

Introducing today’s pupils to ‘inspirational women’ and other role models from all walks of life is an important aspect of St Margaret’s life and throughout the year we benefited from a range of events which did just that. Amongst other things, over the coming pages you will read about a visit from Judy Murray, a Women in Business event, innovative careers sessions and a virtual assembly with former pupil Professor Sinead Farrington to celebrate Women in Science Day in February.

The Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen in June 2022 also shone a light on the value of service to others, an approach which is often talked about in the context of our whole school charity programme.

We continued to use a digital or blended approach in the first two terms for concerts, drama performances and parents’ events but by the summer term the national guidance allowed us to get back into the theatre once more for ‘Matilda Jr’, and it was not long before we were celebrating the talents of our young musicians at the Rosebowl Piano Competition and the Murray and Lamont Competitions. Sports Day in June 2022 was such a happy occasion with pupils from nursery to VI Senior coming together with staff and parents at Summerhill in what was thankfully good weather. The PTA’s catering on this occasion was a triumph as was their Summer Fair in the playground. After such a challenging period in all of our lives, there was a profound joy in ending the school year with our normal in-person events, not least a wonderful Speech Day in the Beach Ballroom.

Over the course of session 2021-22, it has continued to be a great privilege to work alongside all of the groups which make up our St Margaret’s community. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated staff, supportive parents and wonderful children and young people, whose enthusiasm for learning and whose desire to make the world a better place shine through in their leadership of projects to promote sustainability and celebrate diversity. This edition of The Chronicle is a colourful record of the life of our school and I am sure that you will feel just as proud of all that St Margaret’s pupils have achieved as I do. Tenez ferme!

From the Staffroom

As we began the academic year 2021-2022 it was again a very different start to the new school year for us all. Many Covid restrictions remained in place for schools – it continued to be a requirement for staff to keep at least a metre distance from colleagues and pupils. Face coverings were retained for all staff and senior school pupils and they were asked to take a lateral flow test twice a week.

There is little doubt then that the year began with its challenges and the staffroom remained a very different place! The first staff meeting of the year was held virtually which is how we therefore welcomed our new colleagues.

We welcomed Deirdre Latimer as Deputy Head (Academic) and Leona Goodwin, previously Head of Drama, took up the post of Deputy Head (Pastoral). I took up the role of Head of Finance and Operations and together with Miss Tomlinson and Mrs Murray we formed the Senior Leadership Team.

We also welcomed Kirsty Syme as Head of Drama, Mel Binfield as teacher of 2 Junior, Melissa Smart joined the Modern Languages department, Elzy Rasmussen joined the English department and Victoria Ellis joined the after school care team. A very warm St Margaret’s welcome was given to these new colleagues.

In September we said farewell to Naomi Shepherd, our admissions officer, who left to pursue a career in finance. Anne Bonandrini moved across the room swapping her marketing role for the

admissions role and Dave Stokes joined us in marketing bringing with him his particular experience in digital marketing.

In October, albeit later than usual, we welcomed Celia Druart and Mariam Zoufal, our two foreign language assistants who would stay with us until April. Throughout the winter months staff absence was high as a result of Covid and to ensure continuity of learning and teaching we welcomed a number of new supply staff to the team. We also welcomed back a number of recently retired teachers and to

all of these staff we extend a huge thank you for all the help and assistance they gave at times, at very short notice.

At the end of the autumn term we were sorry to say goodbye to Donna Gregory who decided to take time to look after her new granddaughter. Donna’s kindness and compassion towards the pupils she worked with in her role as a classroom assistant would be missed but it was not long before she too returned to help as a member of our supply staff. We were also sorry to say goodbye to Melissa Coutts who took up a new role where she was able to work from home. Melissa was replaced at reception by Marianne McBay who we welcomed to St Margaret’s.

The buzz around school is back and we can look forward to better times ahead when we can all be back together in the staffroom and socialising together again.

The return to school after the Christmas holiday started with a welcome back meeting at which Miss Tomlinson thanked staff for their resilience during these Covid times and noted that being in school in person this year was a positive step forward from the previous January when the country had returned to lockdown.

We welcomed Jill Matheson to school in February to a new role as Pupil Support Coordinator and Jill

very quickly settled in the front office where her previous experience in hospitality has been much appreciated at times! During the spring term we also welcomed Audrey Fraser to the nursery team as an Early Years Practitioner and said goodbye to Terry Ward, a history teacher who moved on to new adventures with his family.

At the end of the summer term we were sad to say goodbye to Shirley Torrie, our Head of English, who we congratulate on her exciting promotion to a city wide role within Aberdeen City Council. Shirley joined St Margaret’s in May 2016 and has in her time here made a substantial contribution to both the English department and to the professional development of all of our teaching staff through her leadership of literacy and other initiatives. We also had to say a sad farewell to Becky Milne, our modern studies teacher. Becky joined us in October 2020 to cover a maternity leave and stayed with us until the end of session 2021-22. During that time Becky made great contributions to her department and to the wider life of the school through her leadership of Model United Nations.

The end of the summer term also saw the retirement of Margaret Thom, our Banchory bus escort. Margaret joined St Margaret’s in November 2015 and has been a familiar face to families and pupils travelling in from Banchory for nearly 7 years. We wish Margaret a long, happy and healthy retirement.

As I conclude my first “From the Staffroom” I reflect on the changes this year has seen and the number of new faces who have so quickly become part of our community.

I also reflect on how far we have come from this time last year and whilst “normality” has not quite returned the buzz around school is back and we can look forward to better times ahead when we can all be back together in the staffroom and socialising together again. We thank all colleagues past and present for the huge contribution which each and every one has made to the life of the school.

Mhairi Miller Head of Finance and Operations

Speech Day 2022

SPEECH DAY AT ST MARGARET’S HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MUCH ANTICIPATED EVENT IN OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR: A DAY TO CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSES OF THE PUPILS AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. IT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY FAREWELL TO VI SENIOR PUPILS MOVING ON TO EMBARK ON LIFE BEYOND ST MARGARET’S. THIS YEAR THE CELEBRATION WAS MORE MEANINGFUL THAN EVER AS WE REUNITED TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY OF PUPILS, PARENTS, STAFF, GOVERNORS AND FRIENDS AFTER THREE LONG YEARS.

The afternoon began with a warm welcome by our Council Chair Professor Margaret Ross, who thanked parents for their support of the school during the pandemic and staff for their dedication in continuing learning and teaching in such unprecedented times. She then handed over to Miss Tomlinson for the Head’s report.

Miss Tomlinson’s speech began by highlighting the many exciting activities and events that had taken place over this extended period. This included marking the 175th anniversary of the school, which she explained had come a long way since it began in Miss Stephen’s drawing room on Union Grove in 1846. She spoke about how St Margaret’s had evolved to provide a rich and varied experience to successive generations of pupils.

Miss Tomlinson explained that Speech Day was a time to reflect on the values of St Margaret’s: respect, community, equality, hard work and ambition. These values had been paramount in guiding St Margaret’s through the challenging years of the pandemic, enabling us to face those challenges head on together. She spoke of her admiration for colleagues in their herculean efforts to ensure the school timetable and pastoral care continued without a break during the transition to online learning in March 2020. She said that supporting one another and growing together had always been the bedrock of our school and the St Margaret’s community.

Miss Tomlinson invited us to celebrate the excellent academic successes of the girls, but reminded us that

they were only one aspect of the St Margaret’s story and that pupils in the school are fortunate to be exposed from a young age to a huge variety of experiences and opportunities inside and outside of the classroom. She highlighted the many achievements of pupils in drama, art and design, sport and music. She said she recognised that most of what happens in a school is not played out in a public arena to public acclaim; it goes unseen and unsung. None of this would be possible without the teaching and support staff, and she paid tribute to them for their dedication and hard work.

Since March 2020, St Margaret’s has been on a journey, from a term with concerts, sports day and end of year celebrations that could only happen virtually in people’s homes, to the final term when the school came full circle and musicians, actors and audience were reunited once more to share the magic of live performance which is appreciated now more than ever.

Her closing words were to the sixth year leavers: “I know that I speak for all my colleagues when I say how proud we are of you and that it has been a privilege to work with you. So in the words of our school song –‘hold, hold them fast, those things that are most enduring – friendship and truth, fortitude and love’. To the class of 2022 – tenez ferme”

This year’s guest speaker was former pupil Professor Rebecca Wallace, a Human Rights Judge and University Researcher, who shared her thoughts on how an education at St Margaret’s has impacted her life and the debt she owes to the school.

Professor Wallace began by talking about the importance of education and how an education at St Margaret’s stood out above the rest. She explained how the school “encouraged one to become the best possible version of oneself”. She said St Margaret’s

“is a community (within) a community, in which the wellbeing of all as individuals is respected”

She spoke warmly of her time at St Margaret’s and the strong connections she had made in her 14 year journey at the school. She said how people were frequently surprised when she said that she is still in touch with girls who were at school with her. She explained “there is a bond that remains and transcends time and geography”

Professor Wallace spoke about living for the moment. She said that she didn’t want to come along today to preach about the things she wished she’d known when she left St Margaret’s because she said you cannot organise your life in advance. She talked passionately about living life to the full, to “prepare to be surprised, be awake to the unexpected opportunities”. From her life experience, she said it is all too easy to have regrets but you have to live for the now, but always remember that life is not a race, or a competition and to take time to do a variety of things: to think, to play, to read, be friendly, to love and be loved, to look around and take time to laugh.

Professor Wallace concluded her speech by wishing the sixth year leavers well as they leave St Margaret’s to embark on the next chapter of their lives. Quite simply she said, “the girl leaves St Margaret’s but you can’t take St Meg’s out of the girl”. She finished by reflecting on Christopher Robin’s words to Winnie the Pooh: “you’re braver than you believe; you are stronger than you seem and you’re smarter than you think”

A St Margaret’s Speech Day would not be complete without rich musical input and we were not disappointed. Girls appreciated more than ever the opportunity to play and sing together and at the end of the event the words of the school song were sung with great gusto and joy before the school departed for their summer holiday!

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Guest speaker Professor Rebecca Wallace

Speech Day Awards

Silver Awards for girls who have attended St Margaret’s for 13 years are presented to: Mariya Guz, Ashanee Hapuarachchi, Emily Smith

JUNIOR AWARDS

5 Junior Art and Design Lily Dingwall Literacy

Olivia Bergin, Zoe Munoz Martin Mathematics Evangeline Uwuijaren, Charlotte Wilson Class Cup Emily Mathieson

6 Junior Art and Design Sophie Howell Literacy Penelope Campbell, Lily Downey Mathematics Liduo Gao, Thejal Senthil Class Cup April Campbell

7 Junior Art and Design Amelia Blythe Literacy

Faye Brown, Rose Veitch Mathematics Alison McLeod Class Cup Samaira Noor

MERIT AWARDS

I Senior Oluwandamilola Adeoti, Libby Butler, Chloe Cherrie, Charlotte Holroyd, Eileen Joseph, Mary-Kate Kennedy, Jodie Macrae, Sylvie Muir, Michelle Njoku, Stephanie Nkwogu, Michaela Okosodo, Magdalena van Niekerk

II Senior Kimberly Asalor, Mia Bonandrini, Isla Bricknell, Hannah Burton, Shannon MacAngus, Isla MacFadyen, Orla Mackie, Ifunanya Okwu, Abigail Onyeakazi, Grace Scott, Chinyere Sorronadi, Erin Strathie, Alba Vila, Domini O’Kennedy

III Senior

Keanna Harris, Jewel Ifezulike, Vanessa James, Angelica Kumari, Jenny Lee, Camryn Mackie, Celine Muir, Rachel Murray, Ogheneyoma Omaruaye, Ellie Ong, Shafira Rahma, Sevani Somu, Elizaveta Thorn, Laura Thorn

IV Senior Marcy Bryce, Anna Byrne, Lydia Cherrie, Jane Curry, Laura Duringer, Shaneka Hapuarachchi, Marion Ikuenobe, Rebecca Jennings, Romanie MacAngus, Freya Miller, Tiana Mudkavi, Joy Olanrewaju

AWARDS

Alice Lumsden Music Prizes awarded for:

Piano Emily Smith

Singing

Olivia Douglas, Gracie Spencer Strings Mariya Guz, Ellen MacDonald

Woodwind Olivia Bonandrini

Alice Lumsden Speech Prize Tiana Mudkavi

Allardyce Memorial Prize Liberty Mountain, Aliyah Muhammed

Bell Cup (for spoken English) Rosie Thomson

Betty Wyness Rosebowl Ellie Ong

Caroline Davenport Quaich Pippa Stephen

Catherine Booker Prize (for Advanced Higher History) Diya Bansal

Daisy Gray Memorial Prize (for Craft) Katy McKee

Drama – most outstanding performance

Olivia Douglas, Gracie Spencer

Drama – most outstanding supporting performance Eve Reynolds

Fotheringham Cup for Advanced Higher Physics Kasia Bain

Higher Commendation Certificates

Leena Ahmed, Olivia Bonandrini, Amal Freigoun

John Witte Memorial Prize (for Advanced Higher English)

Emily Barker

Lamont Shield for Music

Olivia Douglas Murray Shield for Music Hannah Brown Progress Awards

Lucy Buchan, Ellen Smith Smith Award (Advanced Higher Mathematics) Kasia Bain

Sutherland Trophy (for Drama)

Katy McKee, Rose Veitch

The Owen Salver for Advanced Higher Modern Foreign Languages Jane Somerset

The Thomas-Wright Crystal for Excellence in Advanced Higher Biology and Chemistry Katie Crabb

William C. Brown Progress Cup Georgia Leslie

SUBJECT PRIZES

Art and Design Mariya Guz Drama Eve Reynolds

Computing Science (shared)

Oluwasekemi Adenuga, Weronika Rukat English Hebe Carter French Samly Koshy German Ellen MacDonald Music Freya Corry Philosophy Liberty Mountain Physical Education Laura Hampton Physics Gina Lee RMPS Emily Barker Spanish Eva Sheal Biology, Computing Science (shared), Economics Oluwasekemi Adenuga Business Management, Modern Studies Georgina Elson Chemistry, History, Mathematics

Abigail Allan

School Council Awards

Diya Bansal, Meriam Elbehaderie, Rose Jones, Liberty Mountain, Aliyah Muhammed, Emily Smith, Jane Somerset, Kirsty Wiseman

Head of Sixth Year Award Sawsan Basha

Head Teacher Awards Emily Barker, Ashanee Hapuarachchi, Sophie Jennings, Aliyah Muhammed, Emma Simpson, Jane Somerset

The Faye Benzie Memorial Quaich (for sport) Sophie Jennings

The Hay Award (for involvement in extra-curricular activities in sixth year) Sophie Jennings

Former Pupils’ Award (for all-round excellence) Kasia Bain, Katie Crabb Junior House Cup Kildrummy

House Shield Dunnottar

Nursery REPORT

New Term

It was wonderful to welcome our returning and new children in August. Being dropped off and picked up at the iron gate has worked well for our children and they quickly picked up the routines.

Myself

To help the children settle at nursery we started by looking at ‘Myself’ as a theme, with the children embracing opportunities to draw portraits of their friends and themselves as well as making simple graphs to record eye and hair colour and measuring and comparing heights. We have some budding artists in nursery who paid close attention to the detail of their subjects.

Autumn

The children enjoyed learning about harvest and the role of farms in providing food for us. We used natural materials to make music and talked about what we were thankful for. Talking and learning about the changes on the farms linked in very well with the changing seasons and the children enjoyed investigating Autumn.

There was plentiful opportunity for creativity when the children made their own bonfire and firework pictures. This was an excellent opportunity for discussions about safety near fireworks and was put into practice when the children were introduced to and held sparklers outside under the shelter.

Nativity

Although our nativity did not take place in person this year, there was a lot of enthusiasm and fun had while learning words to the songs, wearing costumes and recording songs to share with parents. In nursery, the children were extending their early literacy skills by ‘writing’ cards to family and friends and listening to the Christmas Story. We joined the whole school in welcoming a real life nativity scene to the playground with beautiful donkeys to bring the term to a lovely end.

There was a lot of enthusiasm and fun had while learning words to the songs, wearing costumes and recording songs to share with parents.

Penguins

Upon return to nursery in the new year, the children showed a real interest in penguins. We used this interest to investigate different types of penguins, where they could be found, what they eat and how they look after their young. The children did science experiments and were becoming familiar with using a globe, maps and atlases to find where the penguins live as well as where we live and go to school. This led nicely on to celebrating Scotland.

Burns

Using the globe as a starting point, the children learned about Robert Burns and his poetry and songs. This led to looking at the work of Scottish artist Steven Brown, who provided inspiration for the children to create their own ‘McCoo’ pictures and their own tartan. Each St Margaret’s McCoo was individual and bursting with personality. They were quite a work of art. This was also a great opportunity for the children to try a variety of traditional Scottish snacks such as shortbread, oatcakes and haggis, neeps and tatties. Some were more popular than others but the children were enthusiastic tasters.

Staff changes in February saw Mrs Lesley Dillon move within school to take up a post in the junior department and we welcomed Miss Audrey Fraser to the nursery team.

Dancing

With COVID restrictions easing, we were delighted to be able to welcome Miss Gillian back into school. Our preschool children have really enjoyed taking part in the weekly dancing lessons and the children were so pleased to be able to invite their parents into school to watch a dance demonstration towards the end of term to show all of the skills they had been learning throughout the session.

Book Day

The children enjoyed wearing their pyjamas to school on World Book Day and having had the opportunity to submit photos of them with their favourite books on the Google Classroom, the children were so pleased to see themselves on the ‘big screen’ and talk about their book to their friends.

Using The Gruffalo and other Julia Donaldson books as a theme was a fun way to introduce and reinforce rhyming words and sounds along with retelling the story in a variety of ways and making a giant Gruffalo and our favourite characters.

Outdoors

We continue to value outdoor play, with the children having the opportunity to spend time outdoors all year round. Having their own waterproofs and wellies in the nursery means the children can go outside whatever the weather. The colourful umbrellas have been well used with the children for sheltering from the rain whilst watching their colours reflect in the water on the ground. Jumping in puddles provided wonderful opportunities to develop gross motor skills as well as some understanding of science.

Loose parts are a core part of the learning opportunities the children have. The children have been creative, cooperative and adventurous with their use of these open ended resources. Social skills have been challenged and negotiation skills developed while building and sharing the resources. The children have created and served some wonderful creations in the outdoor kitchen, as well as making their own ‘building site’ with diggers and trucks.

We were delighted to get back to Wee Green Spaces with our pre-school children embarking upon adventures at Bon Accord Terrace Gardens. Of course, the adventure starts in nursery when the children pack their own bags and get ready for their outing, whilst discussing safety and what to look out for when walking

and crossing the road. We build an awareness of our local environment and familiar landmarks on the way. We often enjoyed looking in different shop windows and talking about what we could see. Once at the gardens, the children enjoyed investigating the area, developing gross and fine motor skills and learning more about their local environment.

Sports Day

It was wonderful for the whole school to come together for Sports Day at the playing field. Our nursery children enjoyed watching the junior girls race and demonstrated great effort in the numerous races they participated in. A lovely ice cream treat finished off a wonderful sunny sports day.

Summer Show

Welcoming parents in person for the end of term show was such a lovely experience for our children and a wonderful way to end the year. Their faces were beaming on stage as they spotted family members in the audience. The smiles stayed in place and the children sang and performed beautifully.

Jennifer

Minett Nursery Manager Laura Simpson Nursery Teacher

Junior

SCHOOL REPORT

The past two sessions at St Margaret’s have very much been shaped by the presence of Covid. I do, however, feel that the session of 2021-2022 should be labelled as the session in which, still in small print, we could start to say ‘We are back’. Yes there were still many measures in place to keep us safe and, unfortunately throughout the year many of our pupils and staff were to experience the impact of Covid on their lives, but in true St Margaret’s spirit we all worked hard to ensure that ‘normal service’ was resumed as much as possible.

W

e were able to start the year with everyone back at school, and we were delighted to welcome Mrs Mel Binfield onto our staff. She joined us as our 2 Junior teacher and very quickly she became a part of our team delivering great learning experiences for her pupils. Our curriculum evenings went online and were a lovely way for our teachers and parents to meet. We are fortunate to have the technology at hand to allow these positive interactions and our parents’ evenings later in the year were also held online and remotely allowing us the opportunity to meet with parents at a time when they were still unable to come into school.

During the first term we made great use of our outdoor space and welcomed some visitors into school to enrich our learning experiences. 7 Junior were able to take part in the team building workshops run by the Royal Navy. The girls enjoyed working together, developing both their teamwork and engineering skills. 5 Junior and 7 Junior were able to meet with Judy Murray when she visited in October. They enjoyed their interactive session and the opportunity to ask questions. 6 Junior once again took part in the local Victorian trails and all of our younger girls enjoyed their regular programme of outdoor learning activities, both in the playground and in the local area. 7 Junior took part in the Blessing of the Crib at St Nicholas Kirkyard. Being part of all of these events helped us all to feel life was returning to normal.

During the first term we celebrated our usual whole school events, albeit in a different way. Our harvest celebration saw us providing food items for the local Cyrenians charity and again this year our families’ generosity was fabulous. At a time when life was tough for so many in our local community, we were able to help others. The junior school and nursery pupils worked together to produce a large poster expressing our harvest thanks and this was displayed proudly in the junior school corridor as a reminder of how fortunate we all are and also as an example of how good it is to work together. Our 7 Junior pupils led our online Remembrance Assembly where they retold the story of Poppy Scotland, and recited ‘In Flanders Fields.’ With their teacher Mrs Gerbrandy, they also raised money for the poppy appeal by baking and selling cupcakes to their families.

Later in the term, we again placed the junior school Christmas tree in the playground and the girls decorated it with hand made natural craft items. It was wonderful to look into the gloomy playground throughout those short December days and see the lights twinkling on the tree. We were still not able to invite our parents into school but we were able to welcome two very special visitors to see our tree. On the last day of term we were visited by two donkeys and the characters from the nativity story, who looked very like our head girl team. We all gathered around the tree to welcome our visitors and also to take the opportunity to sing Christmas songs together. It was a wonderful finale to another successful term and a lovely surprise for our pupils.

In December, Mrs Gregory, one of our classroom assistants, retired. Mrs Gregory was a really valued member of staff and we were all very sorry to see her go. She has been such an important part of the lives of many of our girls and many of them have such fond memories of her help in the classroom, her support at Big Sisters’ Club and her encouragement when away on a residential trip. In the new year, we were pleased to welcome Mrs Lesley Dillon to our team as our new classroom assistant. Mrs Dillon joined us from our nursery and so had the advantage of already knowing the staff and quite a number of our girls. Very quickly Mrs Dillon settled into her new role and continues to make a positive contribution to our school.

Rehearsals for the Junior Show Club presentation in May began in January. We were hopeful this would take place in the Lemon Tree theatre in front of a live audience. The girls were very excited when Miss Syme and Mr Mazur announced the show would be ‘Matilda Junior’ and within the junior school we all quickly became used to hearing the songs being rehearsed at club, in music and drama lessons and regularly in the playground. It was all shaping up to be a fabulous show, but before that we had the 7 Junior Shakespeare performance to enjoy. Unfortunately for the 7 Junior girls at the time of their show audiences were still not allowed in the theatre so the girls had to record their performance at The Lemon Tree. Under the guidance of Mrs Goodwin, they gave a stunning performance of Macbeth and whilst it would have been great to be there with them in the theatre in some ways

the recorded performance was even more powerful. It always amazes me that our girls are able to give such amazing performances of these classic texts and it is wonderful to see their confidence and enthusiasm for theatre and Shakespeare develop throughout the rehearsal process. These opportunities give our pupils the chance to develop so many skills and we are fortunate to have excellent teachers to provide these learning opportunities. These events become cherished memories for them all.

Many more wonderful memories were made by our Show Club girls. The show in May was a great success and was indeed held in front of a live audience at The Lemon Tree. Matilda is a lively, uplifting show with so many great songs and touching moments and the girls were all superstars. They all gave such excellent performances and Miss Syme and Mr Mazur are to be congratulated on all they achieved with the cast.

In June we celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Junior school led a whole school assembly where each year group researched a different decade of the Queen’s reign and it was surprising the facts the girls were able to share. They also very much enjoyed hearing from a former pupil about her experiences as a pupil at the time of the coronation. It was wonderful to see the history of St Margaret’s being shared and the sense of community across the years was evident. Each class had also created a special jubilee craft which were then put together to create a stunning jubilee display. We also gathered in our outside space and shared in a special jubilee picnic lunch as well as taking part in playground games taken from each decade of the Queen’s reign. This showed what variety there was, and also how they are enjoyed by pupils today just as they were many years ago.

During the summer term, as well as all the local outdoor learning opportunities experienced by all of our girls –trips to the Maritime Museum, trips to the Science Centre, trips to Cove beach and Doonies Farm to mention a few, 6 Junior and 7 Junior were once again able to take part in their residential trip to Dalguise and the girls certainly enjoyed and made the most of all the great outdoor learning opportunities this trip offered. Mrs Gerbrandy, Mrs Dillon, Miss Pirie and I were so impressed by the girls’ enthusiasm and engagement with all of the activities.

It was also wonderful to be able to experience the junior school beach clean altogether, rather than in individual year groups and the sun very kindly shone for us too. We are so fortunate to have such brilliant locations on our doorstep and it is good to raise the girls’ awareness of the needs of our local environment, as well as taking enjoyment in it. Sports Day was another glorious day, celebrating sporting prowess and also team spirit and shared enjoyment in taking part in races and winning

house points for our houses, creating great memories and cementing our community spirit as family and friends were able to share in the fun.

As we headed towards the end of term we were all looking forward to being able to take part in the traditional end of year events. It was refreshing to be able to invite family and friends into school again for our 1-4 Junior celebration. Our girls rose to the challenge of singing and sharing their learning with their audience. Similarly it was great to see the older junior girls taking part in our speech day ceremony to mark the end of the year. These events are so special, so meaningful and are part of our St Margaret’s tradition, so to be back to normal for them was indeed very special and such a great way to finish the year.

As you can see it has been a year full of great events and super learning for all of our girls. This would not be possible without the professionalism and enthusiasm of the teaching and support staff and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for all of their hard work over this session. Throughout this year, due to staff illness, we have needed to call upon other staff members and I am very grateful to Mrs Shedden, Mrs Evans, Miss Scott and Mrs Grigas for helping us in our classrooms. I would also like to thank Mrs Cameron and Miss Pirie for helping out as classroom assistants during this session. As ever I am so grateful for the support and enthusiasm of our parents and for the hard work, enthusiasm and sheer joy which our pupils bring into school each day. Those sunny smiles and enthusiasm for learning are what makes St Margaret’s such a great place to be and what ensures that great learning is taking place throughout the school. As I said at the start it has been good to get back to normal and let us hope the new session continues to be a normal one – but one in which we all continue to do extraordinary things and continue to develop into extraordinary people.

Norma Murray Head of Junior School

After School Care and Holiday Club

Avariety of activities are offered to the children using their ideas which are collected via a mind map every month. The most popular activities include playing outside, going to the ICT suite, taking part in craft projects, role play and board games. The favourite activities indoors are crafts, role-play kitchen and dressing up. Outdoors, ‘loose parts’ are very popular and the children come up with wonderful ideas on how to use items that would otherwise be considered as junk. Leftover plastic piping was used to make a horse jumping arena, and various dens were built using tarpaulin and the tyres.

In the darker months, the children enjoy playing outside with torches and light up batons. Sometimes we tidy up early inside so we can turn the dining room into a light show.

The children who attend ASC receive a healthy snack which includes either fruit or vegetables every day.

The favourite snacks at the moment are toasted waffles and popcorn. The children decide what they want on the menu each month.

Once a year, we hold a Pupil Conference where the children share more ideas and thoughts about ASC. It is tradition that the meeting is led by the oldest girls in the group. We also hold a charity event which usually involves making lots of crafts to sell.

The school Holiday Clubs run in the October, Easter and summer holidays and the children have lots of fun. We had external visitors running events such as a Slime Fest, a foam party, Nerf Wars and a dinosaur day. We have been on trips to Hazlehead Park, Easter Anguston Farm and Crathes Castle. Everyone had a lot of fun and we all look forward to planning the next club.

School Care

Sandra Thomson After

Manager

WE HAVE A BUSY AFTER SCHOOL CARE (ASC) AND THE CHILDREN LOVE COMING

TO HAVE FUN WITH THEIR FRIENDS. THEY OFTEN ASK TO STAY LONGER WHEN THEIR PARENTS ARRIVE!

The most popular activities include playing outside, going to the ICT suite, taking part in craft projects, role play and board games.

Senior SCHOOL REPORT

Although the autumn term began with many Covid mitigations still in place, we were thankful that the whole school community could be back together in 17 Albyn Place. The buzz around the school as the staff and pupils returned after the summer break was heart warming and the atmosphere was one of let’s get back to as near to normal as we can.

As we said a fond farewell to the VI Senior as they moved on to the next chapter in their lives we welcomed our new I Senior intake. The transition from primary to secondary is a significant milestone in the life of any I Senior pupil and can bring its own challenges but the girls quickly settled into the daily routines of school life, embracing all that St Margaret’s has to offer. Other year groups also saw the arrival of new pupils and our II – VI Senior girls gave all our new pupils a very warm welcome.

The reintroduction of fieldwork in many curricular areas was of particular importance for the girls and in late September our IV Senior biology pupils took part in a trip to Banff Links and Macduff to study shore organisms, and girls from Senior geography classes visited Crathes Estate, where they carried out a variety of fieldwork techniques. Practical activities relating academic studies to the real world are a very important aspect of education and being able to provide these opportunities for the girls as we moved away from Covid restrictions was an important step. As the first half term drew to a close a group of Senior school girls, who had come third place in a competition run by the National Computer Security

Centre, visited the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. This was a very exciting opportunity for them. These are just a few of the trips that took place and as the session progressed the girls embarked on many more.

At the start of the second half of the autumn term we welcomed two Language assistants, Celia for French and Mariam for German. Celia and Mariam were a welcome addition to the languages department supporting the girls in developing their speaking and listening skills as well as providing valuable knowledge of their own cultures.

In early November Glasgow hosted COP26 and although sustainability runs through many areas of the curriculum, COP26 provided a focus for us. We participated in a UK wide initiative where pupils were invited to write a pledge to the planet on one side of a leaf and on the reverse side a promise they wish the world leaders to make on their behalf during COP26. Our leaves were displayed in the foyer during COP26 and formed part of a Forest of Promises that were sent to world leaders.

With Covid restrictions easing we were able participate in many extra curricular activities once again. Our hockey players were thrilled as they saw the commencement

of tournaments and in mid November the 1st XI hockey team travelled to Lomond to take part in the first round of the Scottish hockey senior girls challenge cup. Also in November a group of senior pupils participated in the Oxford Global Model UN Conference. The event was held virtually with over 700 delegates from around the world participating. It was another excellent opportunity for our girls, who formed part of the health, disarmament and humanitarian committees. A music and drama production was put together and although still virtual ‘For One Night Only’ was recorded at the Arts Centre and was streamed so family and friends could all see the girls perform.

The start of spring term in senior school traditionally sees the commencement of the prelim exam diet and this session was no exception. It was wonderful that the girls were able to sit these prelims in relatively normal circumstances. SQA had also provided some clear guidance as to how the final exams in May would run, giving three scenarios depending on the national situation at the time. Although not a definite plan, at least a sense of clarity was provided and after the uncertainty of the previous two years this was hugely appreciated by staff and pupils alike. The II and III Senior girls also sat a set of exams, giving them important experience of formal exams. As the girls progressed through their courses, there was still time to participate in educational trips. Amongst many that took place a group of III and IV Senior girls visited the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh where they participated in a workshop which involved handling Roman artefacts.

As the spring term drew to a close we said farewell to our two language assistants who, not only spent many hours supporting our girls to improve their language skills, but immersed themselves in the St Margaret’s community whilst here in Aberdeen; we thank them for their time and wish them well in the future.

In February SQA announced that they were activating what they called scenario 2; in reality this meant that the exams would go ahead in May and that adjustments to courses had been put in place alongside study aids to help compensate for staff and pupil absences. So as we entered the summer term there was a certain nervousness and excitement amongst the girls. The teachers and the girls had all worked very hard to get to this point and as the exams commenced the girls rose to the challenge of sitting formal SQA exams with a sense of determination and confidence.

In May we held our first Learning for Sustainability day for the IS – IIIS girls. The day focused on five themes: food supply, fashion, mobile phones, fair trade and climate justice. The girls enjoyed a fully interactive programme of activities, developing a

deeper understanding of how these five themes impact on our lives and the wider community. In early June we celebrated with the rest of the country the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The day started with a whole school assembly in which each of the girls was given a Platinum Jubilee pin badge. Thank you to the PTA for providing these! This was followed by a variety of activities across the school. The Duke of Edinburgh Bronze practice and qualifying expeditions took place, with over twenty IIIS girls participating. All went well and the girls arrived back fairly tired but proud of what they had achieved. In late May our first educational residential trip since the start of the pandemic took place to Hadrian’s Wall. The pupils learnt about the lives of the Romans who were posted along the wall. This was yet another step back to normality as we moved on from Covid.

As the SQA exams came to a close the school community came together once again for the remaining few weeks of the session. A particular highlight of the summer term was sports day at Summerhill. This session the whole school could participate together and parents and friends were invited to join us.

In the penultimate week of term many senior pupils participated in residential trips to London and Greece. The trips were very successful and the girls enjoyed the mix of educational activities and entertainment. The girls that remained in school embarked on a week of activities, spending four days in school choosing to participate in either a drama, team building or sports programme. The week came to an end with the girls going on various trips in the local area. A great time was had by all.

I have only touched on a handful of the many events, activities and trips that have shaped this session and we are all immensely proud of everything the girls have achieved. Our team of dedicated staff, both teaching and non-teaching, all contribute towards the overall experience that we have to offer and we cannot thank them enough for their hard work and dedication.

As I come to the end of this report I reflect on my first year here at St Margaret’s and can not imagine being anywhere else. It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to be a part of this incredible community and I look forward to continuing the educational journey of our pupils with the staff, pupils and parents in the coming years. I hope you enjoy reading the articles that follow, sharing more detail of many of the wonderful experiences that our girls have experienced.

Deirdre Latimer Deputy Head (Academic)

Charity Events

2021-2022

Charity events have once again been an integral part of school life. We have had a number of very successful events both whole school and individual class events. The girls had the challenge of organising their events during Covid restrictions; however, they rose to this and came up with some excellent charitable events.

Each form class in the senior school is tasked with organising a charity event at some point during the school year. They use form times to decide which charity they would like to support and how they plan to raise the money. Charity representatives tend to take the lead when organising these events and I thank them for their efforts with this.

Stephanie Stirton Charities Coordinator

Senior School

I SENIOR

IM held an Easter carnival event, with fun stalls and a lemonade stand. They raised £306.15 which was split between Water Aid and Cancer Research. IA organised a scavenger hunt and raffled a hamper full of goodies and raised £97.20 for Befriend a Child

II SENIOR

IIM organised a whole school raffle and raised £178.24 for the Eve Rose Foundation, which helps those suffering with cystic fibrosis. IIA also organised a raffle and they made £220.45 for Mental Health Aberdeen

IV SENIOR

IVM organised a Christmas hamper raffle for Calico and raised £400.

III Senior

V Senior

A number of girls from VM have been volunteering individually for various charities. VA organised gifts for Mission Christmas. This provided many local families with presents for their children on Christmas day.

VI Senior

Unfortunately the girls were unable to hold their Winter Wonderland event due to Covid restrictions. However, they channelled their energy into helping with a collection of food for the Cyrenian’s foodbank in December.

Both IIIM and IIIA worked together to organise a sponsored run during their games lesson. They raised a fantastic total of £1,040 for Friends of the Neonatal Unit.

Junior School

THE JUNIOR SCHOOL SUPPORTED A RANGE OF CHARITIES THIS YEAR.

2 JUNIOR

In March, 2 Junior girls played their part in supporting the international community by raising money for the Fairtrade Foundation, which helps improve the lives of farmers and workers worldwide. The girls organised a raffle and sold tickets across junior school.

5 JUNIOR

In March, Charlotte, Evangeline, Jessica, Manuela and Olivia in 5 Junior decided that they would like to raise money for the SSPCA. The girls prepared an assembly for the junior school where they launched a drawing competition for all of the junior school classes.

In addition to this, the girls decided they wanted to take part in a sponsored silence themselves and they were joined by some of their classmates. They spent a very quiet lunchtime, and were silent for a full half hour. From the sponsor money and the entry fees for the drawing competition the girls raised the impressive sum of £252.00 for their charity.

7 JUNIOR

The girls in 7 Junior made poppy themed cupcakes in Design and Technology to raise funds for Poppy Scotland. In total they raised £90.

Whole School Events

In September staff enjoyed the return of the Macmillan Coffee Morning.

IIS food technology pupils and some staff baked some delicious treats and £322.47 was raised for the charity. In October our first non-uniform day took place for the SSPCA and £274.60 was raised in total. The Poppy Appeal for the British Legion was well supported by the whole school in November.

When the War in Ukraine broke headlines in February the whole school rallied together to collect vital supplies to be sent to those in need via the charity Abernecessities. The bra bank for Against Breast Cancer has been filling up throughout the school year. Finally the second non-uniform day raised £484.20 for the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Overall, this year has been another successful year for charitable causes.

Careers

II Senior Team Building Event Monday 6th June

ON MONDAY 6TH JUNE, II SENIOR TOOK PART IN A TEAM BUILDING EVENT. THEIR TASK WAS TO PRODUCE, MARKET AND PITCH A PLATINUM JUBILEE TOTE BAG. AS WELL AS DESIGNING AND CREATING THE BAG, THE TEAMS WERE TASKED WITH DISPLAYING THEIR DESIGN ON A STALL USING A THEME OF THEIR CHOICE TO MARK THE QUEEN’S JUBILEE.

The girls were asked to think about their target audience and then try to convince the judges of their company’s design in terms of being the best value for money, the best looking product, and having the most professionally presented display. They were also encouraged to think about other benefits that may entice the judges such as supporting a charity or using sustainably sourced materials.

Each of the teams were enthusiastic and focussed on doing their very best. They all succeeded in producing some excellent designs and delivered some fantastic presentations. Guest judge Kyla Almeida (VS) commented, “The teams displayed their knowledge of business to promote their tote bags discussing a range of pricing strategies, target markets, cash budgets and many more, which all led to very persuasive pitches. It was a great event and well done to all the pupils who took part.”

Becky Milne Teacher of Modern Studies

The teams displayed their knowledge of business to promote their tote bags

UCAS Day Wed 8th June NESCol – Lauren MacAskill

V Senior were delighted to be treated to the opportunity to hear from Lauren MacAskill, a member of the recruitment team from NESCol. She shared the many interesting pathways you can access in higher education, taking the time to inform us on students’ positive experiences and the application process.

As fifth years, we are moving into our final year of school therefore it was inspiring and encouraging to hear of alternate but rewarding pathways we could take to enter the next chapter of our lives. She opened our eyes and showed us how there are more ways to get to where we want to in life than through traditional means, like university, stressing that it is important that we can go our own way.

Lauren mentioned the many interactive facilities at the college and the wide range of subject choices, which would allow anyone to indulge in a previous interest or passion, developing their knowledge and expanding their skill sets. She explained that for some courses you are able to start the first two years with extra support from the college that you wouldn’t get in university. You are later able to join your third year of university and finish off your course. Some of their partner universities, such as Robert Gordon’s University, intentionally leave spaces for NESCol students, allowing them to have both the college and university experience. This way they can obtain a meaningful degree with added support that allows them to become more confident and independent.

Lauren mentioned that those who would have attended college beforehand have a visible advantage of being ahead of their peers when it comes to practical work, as they have been given more opportunities for more ‘hands-on learning’. Not everybody learns the same way, so this would be very beneficial for visual learners and allows them to have a level playing field with those who thrive in a lecture theatre.

The college offers plenty of opportunities for the more physically demanding courses, especially engineering, as they have a separate facility just for developing, constructing, building and more there which can be accessed by a college bus that takes you there and back once a day. We were shown that there isn’t a simple one direct path to university and if that door closes NESCol offers the chance to find another way.

Aimee Anderton and Ayo Atti VS

CV writing and interview skills TMM Recruitment –Emma Rutherford and Craig Low

It was really interesting to learn about the ins and outs of the interview process.

Emma and Craig discussed how to deliver a good interview, what to expect, how to answer questions without being too boastful and how to present yourself and your surroundings. It was especially useful when they talked about the virtual interviews as these have become extremely relevant in recent years.

Georgina Elson VS

How to choose a uni and how to write a personal statement University of Aberdeen –Helena Ziegler

This year, the fifth years were very lucky to finally have our UCAS day back in person.

Helena Ziegler from Aberdeen University came to teach us how to write a personal statement and inform us of the wide range of flexible degree programmes that many universities – and specifically the University of Aberdeen – has to offer. This was extremely insightful to all of us to see just how many options and paths we could take and what a personal statement actually entails. The talk really helped to set us on the right path and showed us the steps we need to take for the months to come.

Adefolami Olawuyi and Womano Odu VS

International Opportunities

University of Aberdeen –Louisa Stratton

Listening to the talk given by Louisa Stratton helped us gain a deeper knowledge of the possibility of studying abroad, and helped us to appreciate the skills you can gain as well as other benefits from this experience.

Louisa gave us examples of these benefits, telling us of possibilities such as making new friends, growing your network, getting to know a new culture and so much more. We also learnt that this experience gives us many opportunities in study and work through having access to a wider range of resources and a different view of the material in the courses and of life in general. Louisa also highlighted to us how the experience can be very beneficial as it can make us more independent and capable in the real world.

Jamila Akchurina VIS

University of Stirling Amy Shimmin

As part of our UCAS day, Amy Shimmin from the University of Stirling kindly came to talk to us about student life, accommodation and range of opportunities within the University.

She took us through what we felt was important to us in our daily lives aside from our school life, and how this may be provided at the University. We gained a great insight into Stirling’s unique campus set up and the many fantastic extra curricular opportunities, with a particular emphasis on the University’s world class sporting facilities. We got to see the amazing history that the University of Stirling is surrounded by, and we were also shown examples of

university accommodation, as well as the help and support that may be provided to students. Overall,

it was a highly informative talk that really provided us with a lot of valuable information, not only about the University of Stirling, but also student life as a whole.

Ellen MacDonald and Samly Koshy VS

IVS Careers Days

Thursday 9th & Friday 10th June

RGU – How to Choose a Uni

The fourth years were fortunate enough to have Careers Days on 9th and 10th June, where we had lots of guest speakers, one of them being Ilona Noreikaite from the Robert Gordon University.

She held a workshop where she gave us advice on how to choose a university and what the UCAS process entails. We learnt a lot and we’ll keep it as useful information for the coming years.

Bricknell and Joy Olanrewaju IVS

Jeanette Forbes

We also had a talk from Jeanette Forbes OBE who is a local businesswoman and founder of PCL Group and owner of Grape and Grain. She spoke about what it is like to run your own business, one of the key points being leadership. She also shared how the pandemic had affected her and her business.

Jeanette gave us lots of advice to take away with us, where she mentioned the quote, “Strive for progress, not perfection”. This felt like a very good quote as it teaches us to not think about always

being the best but making progress within yourself.

Anthropology University of Aberdeen

On Thursday the 9th June the anthropology department from the University of Aberdeen came to talk to us about their experiences working in the field of anthropology.

Dr Tatiana Argounova-Low started the discussion by giving a short talk on what anthropology is and how closely related it is to all of our lives. The speakers also discussed fieldwork they had carried out in Nepal and Vanuatu, which was very interesting. We then heard about the work of anthropologists undertaken in a museum environment. Many of us did not know what anthropology entailed before the talk so it was both educational and enlightening to hear from the speakers.

AKE International

Claire Fleming

Claire Fleming who is Associate Director of AKE International came in to speak to the IVS pupils about job opportunities outside of the traditional political environment which are available to those who have studied a politics degree. Claire’s own company is a security and risk consultancy firm based in London and she talked about her own route from university studying politics, international relations and Middle East security at the University of Aberdeen to where she is today. The talk was insightful and interesting, giving a full flavour of what opportunities exist for those who wish to study in those areas.

Charlie

Charlie Bricknell and Joy Olanrewaju IVS

On Thursday 9th June, as part of our careers day we were lucky enough to have the Wood Group come and talk to us about engineering and stem renewables.

There were three different stations showing the different sides of engineering. We got the opportunity to try out their VR set where we were able to virtually look around an oil rig as well as the sea bed. We were also able to make a battery out of a salt solution and coins. Their presentation gave us an insight of what engineering is really like especially in a woman’s role and made us consider a career in engineering.

Charlie Bricknell, Rachael Law and Blessed McDonald IVS

university and he explained how the programme works, how to apply and what to expect in the programme.

Charlie Bricknell and Joy Olanrewaju IVS

The topics we focused on were Fashion, Construction, Ocean Plastics, Fairtrade and E-waste.

Law Talks

Professor Rebecca Wallace

On Friday 10th June, 15 girls had an extremely insightful talk from former pupil Professor Wallace, a human rights judge as well as university researcher who has had a varied, interesting career all over the world.

Army Workshop

On Friday 10th June Robbie, John, Mojo, Tegan and Alannah came in to talk to the IVS pupils about careers in the army.

They came from all different backgrounds working in HR, the postal service, mechanics and artillery. We started the morning with a team building task where we were split into 4 teams and had to build a wheelbarrow with resources given to us which could carry a ball without it falling off. We then moved to the hall where they spoke about the different entry options into the army and the careers available. It was a fun and informative morning.

Sustainability Workshop

On Friday afternoon we came together in the hall to consider careers linked to sustainability.

Computing Workshop University of Glasgow

Matt Barr

In the afternoon, Dr Matthew Barr from The University of Glasgow came to speak to us about graduate apprenticeships.

He spoke about how The University of Glasgow’s Graduate Apprenticeships in Software Engineering offers the students the opportunity to obtain a university degree while earning a salary. It was interesting to hear an alternative to full time studying at

The purpose of the workshop was to get pupils thinking about the issues of sustainability which exist in our world and the impacts they are having. We then thought about what the solutions to these issues were and what careers which might exist now and in the future to tackle them. With all of this information we had to build our own careers websites which aimed to inform readers about an issue, its impact, the solutions and therefore jobs and qualifications needed for those to help meet the 17 sustainable development goals.

Her stories regarding her work in countries such as Malawi, Canada and the Bahamas provided us with knowledge regarding the vast opportunities a law career can provide you and the experiences you can gain worldwide. Professor Wallace has taken on roles women have never previously had in the law world which showed us what you can achieve through drive and passion for what you are doing as well as the major barriers that have been broken with regards to women in law.

Erin Gibson VS Medic Talks

Steph

Walker and Ansu Saji Ryen Crabb and Jemima Curran

The medic talks in June were very informative and gave us an insight into the training pathway involved to becoming a doctor. The talk by medical students Steph Walker and Ansu Saji developed our understanding of the preparation process for the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), an exam that all medicine or dentistry applicants are required to sit. Following the talk, it allowed us to plan our time effectively when practising for the UCAT. The talk by Ryen Crabb and Jemima Curran showed us the realities of life as a medical student and junior doctor. We really enjoyed these talks as they gave us a deeper understanding into a career in medicine.

Oluwasekemi Adenuga

STEM Renewables/Wood

In the News

St Margaret’s & Women’s Business Centre encouraging girls to be their own boss

KEEN TO PREPARE THE GIRLS OF SCOTLAND WITH THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE FOR A FUTURE IN BUSINESS, ST MARGARET’S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AND THE WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTRE (WBC) JOINED FORCES FOR A WEBINAR ON TUESDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER WHICH LOOKED TO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER YOUNG SCHOOL-AGE GIRLS TO CONSIDER ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A CAREER CHOICE.

The 2019 Rose Report, which looked into the disparity between male and female entrepreneurs in the UK, found that only one in five businesses in the UK are run by a woman and that women are less likely to believe they possess entrepreneurial capabilities. This inspired St Margaret’s School for Girls and WBC to work together on nurturing the entrepreneurial mindsets of females from an early age.

The webinar, which was free and open to all young girls across the country, was chaired by Chief Executive of Women Enterprise Scotland, Carolyn Currie, and featured talks from a range of women business leaders. These included WES Ambassador Jeanette Forbes OBE, and Elizabeth Gammie, Head of Aberdeen Business School at Robert Gordon University, who hoped to pass on their wealth of expertise to the next generation of female entrepreneurs.

Anna Tomlinson, Headteacher of St Margaret’s School for Girls, said:

At St Margaret’s we are passionate about challenging our girls and giving them the confidence to believe that they are capable of anything, including starting their own business. Research shows that it is still the case that women and young girls often feel they do not have the same entrepreneurial abilities as their male counterparts and we are keen to change this.

That’s why this event was open not only for the girls of St Margaret’s but for school-age girls all over the country. We were honoured to partner with Women’s Enterprise Scotland and the wonderful female ambassadors, Jeanette and Elizabeth, who are important role models for school girls up and down the country who see a future in business.

It is an exciting time for women in business and I was honoured to be sharing my knowledge and experience with the next generation of female leaders. It’s disappointing to know there are still so many women who suffer from imposter syndrome to get started in the industry and I hope this webinar has helped inspire the next generation of female business leaders.

Equestrian success for St Margaret’s School girls

Congratulations go to St Margaret’s horse-riding pupils for their excellent results at the Howe’s equestrian centre in Fife for the Kilgraston Scottish Schools Equestrian Championships which took place on 6th March 2022. The St Margaret’s Class 3 and 4 dressage teams of Rachael, Marcy, Grace and Hilary came first in both competitions with Hilary placed 1st individual in both. Marcy also competed in the class 7 show jumping and came fourth out of 50 riders.

RESULTS BY CLASS:

Class 3a (Prelim dressage) Hilary 1st, Marcy 2nd, Grace 5th Class 3a Team was 1st Hilary, Marcy, Grace and Rachel Class 4 Hilary 1st Individual Class 4 Team was 1st Hilary and Marcy Class 7 85cm jumping Marcy 4th out of 50 riders

St Margaret’s broad extra-curricular programme enables every girl to find something she enjoys and which she would like to continue after she leaves St Margaret’s.

Research consistently shows that relatable role models are vital for inspiring girls and women to start their own businesses. If we are going to restart our economy after the Covid pandemic and encourage women to realise their economic potential, it is vital that we inspire and encourage more girls and women to consider entrepreneurship as a career choice.

Jeanette Forbes, OBE, Chief Executive of PCL Group, said:

Carolyn Currie, Chief Executive of Women’s Enterprise Scotland, said:

Judy Murray raises a racket OVER GIRLS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPORT

Scotland’s sporting icon Judy Murray visited St Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen on Wednesday 27th October to celebrate Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week 2021, which aims to increase the visibility and participation of women and girls in sport and physical activity.

Judy’s visit was organised as part of the Battle of the Brits in the Community programme in partnership with Brodies LLP to mark Sport Scotland’s Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week.

An alarmingly disproportionate number of teenage girls drop out of physical activity compared to their male counterparts and although numbers have improved over the years, there is still a way to go;

In the 13-15 age group only 30% of girls are meeting the physical activity recommendations, compared to 44% of boys (source: 2019 Scottish Health Survey).

Teenage girls were also less likely than teenage boys to be taking part in sport (56% of girls compared to 63% of boys) (source: Sport Scotland).

Throughout her morning at St Margaret’s, Judy Murray held three interactive sessions with school pupils, including Higher PE students and sports captains, before heading to a Q&A session with 65 girls from Primary 7 and fifth year.

Discussions focussed around the challenges of coaching, practice, ability, and being mum to Andy and Jamie. Judy responded with a focus on positive attitude, commitment and a memorable quote, “it is a talent to be able to work hard”, in a bid to inspire a legacy of participation and offer the older pupils an insight into women in leadership roles within sport.

Well known for supporting both her sons’ outstanding tennis careers as well as leading a successful sporting career of her own, Judy uses her platform to encourage young people, especially girls, to pick up a sport.

Commenting on her visit, Judy Murray said:

I’m really passionate about getting girls involved in sport. The doors that it can open and the life skills it promotes are endless, so it was wonderful to be able to develop leadership and physical skills with the teenage sports leaders and some of the primary school children. It’s good to see that there’s a vibrant extracurricular programme at St Margaret’s which encourages girls to enjoy being active together through a wide variety of physical activities and sports.

St Margaret’s School For Girls, Scotland’s oldest all-through girls school, champions a ‘sports for all philosophy’ and aims to promote equality when it comes to barriers facing young girls both in sports participation and further afield.

Anna Tomlinson, Head Teacher for St Margaret’s School for Girls, added:

This is a fantastic and timely opportunity for everyone at St Margaret’s and it is my hope that Judy Murray’s visit will inspire our girls to reach for the stars in everything they do.

The ongoing pandemic has undoubtedly created a shift in thinking and more than ever we are focused on how we lead healthier and active lifestyles. We have seen a real increase in the number of our girls taking part in sport and activities as extra-curricular activities have re-started, which is so great to see.

Being given the opportunity to take part in sport and being encouraged to do so is vital for so many reasons. Not only are we focused on addressing historical gender inequalities, but taking part in sport can have far-reaching physical and psychological benefits for young people. We believe that the confidence and skills gained from taking part in sport and activities can be hugely beneficial in so many aspects of life.

The opportunity to speak directly with and learn from leading female figures is something that the staff of St Margaret’s are keen to make a regular occurrence. Earlier in the year, they hosted their ‘Inspirational Women’s Webinar Series’ as part of the school’s 175th anniversary, which featured talks from Judy Murray, Mary Contini OBE, Dr Nicola Steedman and Leanne Crichton.

t Margaret’s School for Girls, Scotland’s oldest all-through girls’ school, received special recognition at a civic reception hosted by Aberdeen’s Lord Provost to mark the School’s 175th anniversary.

Lord Provost, Councillor Barney Crockett held the reception on Friday 19 November, which is also St Margaret’s Day, to recognise the school’s 175 year legacy and commitment to providing girls with first class education in Aberdeen.

A total of 90 special guests including Vice Lord Lieutenant Andrew Lawtie, Depute Provost Jennifer Stewart, councillors and former heads and pupils attended the afternoon tea.

Poetry, readings and musical acts were performed by pupils throughout the reception with a speech from the Lord Provost on the institution’s long serving commitment to Aberdeen City.

Councillor Barney Crocket the Lord Provost of Aberdeen commented on the celebrations: St Margaret’s School for Girls is our country’s oldest all-through girls’ school and it was an honour to host this celebration in recognition of their 175th anniversary. Friday the 19th of November is also the day when the school marks St Margaret’s Day, so to be able to hold the civic reception on such a special day for the school, along with so many inspiring current and former pupils, heads and teachers was fantastic.

Providing first-class education opportunities is just one of the many offerings that Aberdeen has to be proud of. Fostering, supporting, and encouraging the future generation has never been so important and St Margaret’s School for Girls is at the forefront of breaking down the barriers that face so many young women today.

On behalf of the entire school I would like to thank the Lord Provost for organising such a wonderful celebration, marking St Margaret’s Day and recognising 175 years of our school providing first class education to the girls of Aberdeen.

I am extremely proud of everything that we have collectively achieved and today’s event is testament to the hard work and dedication shown by pupils and teachers alike. It has been a privilege to be surrounded by so many former pupils today who still feel such an affiliation with our school, and our current girls have enjoyed a wonderful day and have put on some brilliant performances.

In the morning pupils enjoyed a school birthday cake followed by a half-day, a St Margaret’s Day tradition. A number of pupils from across all year groups then attended the afternoon civic reception where each table had representatives from the school alongside special guests.

Headteacher of St Margaret’s School for Girls, Anna Tomlinson, said:

St Margaret’s work with Aberdeen Independent Schools to help tackle digital poverty

St Margaret’s School for Girls and two other Aberdeen independent schools are playing their part in the fight against digital poverty by working with ICT support provider, Mother Technologies who are leading a project to donate surplus IT equipment to a national charity involved in digital reuse.

Mother Technologies is supporting St Margaret’s School for Girls, International School Aberdeen (ISA), and Albyn School, to take part in the initiative driven by The Edinburgh Remakery, to reuse old electronics in a bid to tackle rising levels of digital poverty in Scotland and social isolation among disadvantaged communities.

The Social Enterprise’s free IT Disposal Service for Businesses was officially established in 2020 in response to the growing need for convenient and secure IT disposal avenues. The project offers businesses and individuals the means to pass on a host of unwanted electronics such as smart phones, laptops, PCs and tablets, in an environmentally friendly way which prevents these items from going to waste.

The schools’ initiative is a joint enterprise with Aberdeen-headquartered IT specialists Mother Technologies, which is the ICT support service company for all three independent schools. Between Aberdeen’s three independent schools, more than 280 pieces of IT equipment have been donated to The Edinburgh Remakery over the last month to repair, refurbish and offer back to the community.

Miss Anna Tomlinson, Head of School, said:

St Margaret’s School is thrilled to be taking part in such a fantastic initiative to help provide a better and fairer education to children, whilst setting an example of sustainable practice.

At St Margaret’s we are strong believers that every child should have access to the correct educational tools in order to maximise their potential and broaden their minds. We hope that other schools, places of work and individuals are able to donate where they can and help support the young minds of the future.

The Edinburgh Remakery uses government-approved software that securely wipes any data from donated equipment to ensure it is all non-retrievable and allows items to be easily reused.

Elaine Brown, CEO of The Edinburgh Remakery: Our free IT Disposal Service and IT donation drop-off points continue to grow and offer a much needed secure and sustainable way for old electronics to be passed on and reused.

We are hugely grateful to St Margaret’s School for Girls, International School Aberdeen, and Albyn School, who have each donated a range of surplus IT equipment to us, for supporting our mission to end digital poverty in Scotland while keeping old and unused electronics out of landfill.

We thank them for lending their loyal and generous support to us, and hope this is the start of many more educational bodies taking action to support their communities and embed sustainable practices within their institutions in this way.

For more information visit www.edinburghremakery.org.uk

From 500 to 3

FEMALE FARMER SHORTLISTED FOR BBC COUNTRYFILE’S PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

t Margaret’s School for Girls is celebrating the accomplishment of former pupil, Nicola Wordie, who is a finalist for the BBC Countryfile’s Young Farmer of The Year Award 2021. The annual competition, which is a part of the BBC Young Food and Farming Awards, recognises the best of young countryside champions aged between 16-24, from farming and naturalists to eco warriors all across the UK.

Out of the 500 entries across the country, Nicola Wordie has been selected as one of three finalists with the chance of being awarded Young Countryside Champion. Should Nicola win, some of the BBC Countryfile team, Matt Baker, Ellie Harrison, Adam Henson, Tom Heap or John Craven will head back up to the North East and film a second episode documenting her days spent on the farm.

Growing up on a farm, Nicola found herself well versed in the farming lifestyle from an early age and would come home from St Margaret’s School for Girls on weekends and holidays to help her family. However, after encouragement from her parents to travel and gain new experiences, it was then that Nicola realised her heart was set on working on the 1,350 acre family farm.

The 23 year old was nominated by her older sister after receiving great comments regarding her Instagram account which she uses to openly educate people about the reality of working on a farm. However, it is not just her passion for spreading awareness of farming to her social following that secured her place in the final, but her commitment to working on her farm from a young age.

Finalist and former St Margaret’s pupil, Nicola Wordie, said:

I have loved farming from an early age, however, more recently, it has become important to me that I spread awareness of the reality of working on a farm, the highs and the lows. It’s amazing to know that what I am doing is being recognised.

Throughout my time at St Margaret’s I felt constant encouragement to pursue my career in farming, but former Geography teacher, Mrs Crisp in particular, went above and beyond to support me and my decision to study Agriculture at college (SRUC).

Head Teacher at St Margaret’s School for Girls, Miss Anna Tomlinson, said:

I was thrilled to learn that Nicola has excelled in her chosen field and received recognition for her hard work. Nicola is setting an example not only to the girls at St Margaret’s, but also for young women across the country who wish to pursue a career in Agriculture.

International Day

OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SCIENCE

To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Friday 11th February, St Margaret’s held a special assembly featuring an online interview with former pupil and particle physicist, Professor Sinead Farrington from the The University of Edinburgh. Interviewed by Emma Murray in IV Senior, Professor Farrington generously shared information about her studies and career in physics, before moving on to talk about underlying values and her wider interests, ending with a reflection on the St Margaret’s school motto!

Professor Farrington attended St Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen before studying physics at the University of Edinburgh. She remained in Scotland for her doctoral research, moving to the University of Glasgow. Her research was on a measurement of the lifetime of the strange B meson as part of the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) collaboration. Professor Farrington is interested in B physics, Higgs physics, tau physics, and long-lived particles. She is a Professor of Physics at the University of Edinburgh. In December 2020 Professor Farrington was named the physical sciences and engineering laureate for the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom 2021.

Whole School Events

Festive four legged visitors to St Margaret’s

On the last day of school before the Christmas holidays, the Nursery and junior school were delighted to meet some furry four legged visitors. The children enjoyed some festive fun activities with the adorable donkeys called Major and Lilly.

International Women’s Day Celebrations

As part of our International Women’s Day celebrations in March, we were delighted to welcome GP and St Margaret’s mum Dr Adaeze Ifezulike MBE to our senior school assembly. Aliyah and Emily interviewed Dr Ifezulike about her work in addressing health inequalities in Scottish minority ethnic groups, and the whole school was inspired by her encouraging and enabling words about self-belief and wellbeing.

The theme of International Women’s Day this year was #BreakTheBias, the symbol for which was demonstrated by Dr Ifezulike during the assembly. The spontaneous and rapturous applause from the school community was an indication of how well her message was received.

We have long benefitted from and seen the value in introducing our pupils to inspirational women and men at St Margaret’s, and it was wonderful that we were able to hold such an event in-person once more.

Easter Inter-house Hockey Tournament

BDespite the dismal weather, over 30 pupils braved the rain and played in the inter-house hockey tournament. A few bunny rabbits turned up as part of our Easter theme! oth senior and junior pupils worked hard for their house with Dunnottar winning the competition overall and Kildrummy and Crathes coming joint runners-up. We were very grateful for the hot drinks and some sweet treats to enjoy after our matches which were provided by Miss Tomlinson, Mrs Goodwin and Mrs Miller.

Earth Day 2022 –Litter Picking

In the spring term, as part of an ongoing community initiative and in celebration of Earth Day 2022, girls volunteered to assist local Councillor Jennifer Stewart litter pick in Rubislaw Terrace Gardens, a park which many of us enjoy. Thankfully the sun was shining, the park was looking splendid, and the girls did a super job.

A few bunny rabbits turned up as part of our Easter theme!

Learning for Sustainability Day 18TH MAY 2022

ON 18TH MAY, ST MARGARET’S SCHOOL HELD ITS FIRST LEARNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY (LFS) DAY FOR IS-IIIS PUPILS. LFS IN SCOTLAND ENCOMPASSES SUSTAINABILITY, GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AND OUTDOOR LEARNING AND THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.

It is a right of every pupil to receive Learning for Sustainability education, which is designed to tie in with the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (a global action plan to end poverty, combat climate change and fight injustice and inequality by 2030) and the UNCRC. Our world is an increasingly crisis-driven place and LfS aims to equip our pupils with the knowledge, skills and values to enable them to navigate complex issues successfully. Our LfS day focussed on five themes which directly affect our pupils in their everyday lives: food supply, fashion, mobile phones, fair trade and climate justice. The girls selected their preferred topic and followed this for the day, and our academic staff undertook training in global citizenship education which centres around participatory learning. The tasks and learning activities used were designed to foster questioning, openness and a willingness

to express views, listening to others and to consider different perspectives in complex issues. Developing skills in critical and creative thinking, empathy, self-awareness and reflection, communication, cooperation, managing complexity and uncertainty and taking informed and reflective action. Through their activities the girls learned about social justice and equity, diversity, globalisation and interdependence, sustainable development, human rights and power and governance relative to the topic they chose. Global citizenship education also provides a space where girls can consider their own values and attitudes toward self-identity and self-esteem, commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion, respect for people and human rights, value diversity, concern for the environment and a belief that people can bring about change.

It was an exciting programme of fully interactive activities with valuable input from visiting speakers and regular social media updates and engagement. The girls worked in small groups of mixed ages which then led to consider possible solutions and actions in response to their learning. All groups gathered at the end of the day to share their learning and ideas with each other in the school gymnasium. We look forward to seeing where these conversations take us in the future, and which direction the girls would like the school to go in relation to their chosen topics.

Abby Miller Head of Biology

I am going to buy more fair trade products. I will try to eat less meat.

I will look at the story behind my clothes and if the workers were paid fairly.

I have started not charging my phone overnight.

I have stopped using my phone so often.

I learnt a lot on this day, I realise how much my actions can affect others.

I will be more conscious of where my food comes from and waste less.

Jubilee Assembly

and Celebrations

St Margaret’s celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II with a day of special celebrations, starting with a Jubilee Assembly. Assembly was led by pupils in the Junior School, with classes presenting on each decade of the Queen’s reign since her ascension to the throne in 1952.

We were delighted to welcome a former pupil, Mrs Mary Troup, from the class of 1962 as our special guest at assembly. Mrs Troup shared her memories of school life during the period when Queen Elizabeth came to the throne including the school uniform worn by pupils at the time and the games they played in break. She shared a particularly special memory from 1953 when, to mark the coronation, her 5J class planted the beautiful cherry tree outside No.15 Albyn Place.

The assembly concluded with a performance by the specially formed Jubilee Choir who sang at the lighting of the beacon at the Town House the following evening. After assembly, Junior School pupils enjoyed playing traditional games from each decade since 1952, followed by a special picnic lunch in the playground.

And to mark this unique occasion, the PTA gifted each pupil and member of staff a commemorative Platinum Jubilee pin.

Sports Day 7th June 2022

We enjoyed glorious sunshine for our school sports day on 7th June with pupils, staff and parents enjoying the house games and friendly competition.

The day began with the traditional March Past with the pupils all competing to win. Miss Tomlinson chose Crathes as the worthy winners. This was an opportunity for our athletes to shine with some excellent performances. Many thanks to the school PTA for organising the delicious refreshments. Congratulations to all the girls who competed; the final results were very close with only a few points between each house.

Karen Norval Head of PE

Congratulations to all the pupils who competed, the final results were very close with only a few points between each house.

The Music Department

The Music Department was delighted to welcome back our brass, woodwind and voice tutors just a few weeks before the end of the summer term. This meant that in August the department had a full complement of tutors, in school, teaching face to face. After 15 months of online lessons it was a very welcome return for all! In addition to our established team of tutors we were pleased to welcome Mrs Ailsa Matheson, Miss Yla Garvie and Miss Lucy Webster to the department as woodwind tutors.

n October there was a small Harvest Celebration when 5, 6 and 7 Junior classes sang some harvest songs for the rest of the junior department. We hope that the next academic year will see the return of our usual Harvest Celebration with parents and friends present.

November was an incredibly busy month for the Music Department. ‘One Night Only’, a combined drama and music production, was recorded at The Arts Centre over two days with the backing tracks to the musical performances having been pre-recorded by a small group of musicians earlier in the month. This was a fabulous evening’s entertainment which everyone could enjoy online. This was closely followed by the switching on of the Christmas tree lights at the Castlegate. A group of woodwind, brass and percussion players conducted

by Ms Brown played a selection of seasonal favourites on this lovely family occasion. This particularly packed week ended with the Civic Reception at the Town House celebrating 175 years of St Margaret’s and the contribution that the school has made to the wider community in Aberdeen. A small group of musicians played a variety of pieces interspersed with readings from the head girl team. These were all warmly received by former pupils, staff, past and present and friends of St Margaret’s who had come together to celebrate this milestone. Due to ongoing restrictions we recorded our Christmas celebration and produced it online. There was a huge amount of planning and preparation that went into these recordings, pulled together by Mr Mazur and Mrs Goodwin. Opening with the traditional singing of Once in Royal David’s City by our VI Senior girls, there were

Spring Concert

performances by 1-4 Junior, Cello and Bass Club, Senior and Chamber Choirs, 5-7 Junior, Brass Ensemble, Wind Quartet, Bach Ensemble, Correli Ensemble, and Concert Band. Music was interspersed with readings, poetry and stories and the event ended with a rousing performance of We Wish You a Merry Christmas by the Nursery.

Just before the Christmas break 1-4 Junior spent a lovely afternoon in the GP room simply performing to each other, sharing the many things they had learnt and enjoyed in class music lessons. This included some narration, singing, violin and ukelele playing and some very enthusiastic wild geese, robins and blackbirds courtesy of 1 and 2 Junior.

February saw the return of Mrs Rhonda Scott as voice tutor after a break of a couple of years when Miss Carron Flett took on the role.

Preparations for the group items for the Spring Concert could not start in earnest until after the February break due to ongoing Covid restrictions, but in true St Margaret’s style, the girls rose to the occasion and worked incredibly hard to achieve a fantastic and very polished performance.

After a full day of scheduled rehearsals in the GP room on Monday 21st of March, each separate group and soloists were given a time slot to record their items at Queen’s Cross Church on Tuesday 22nd.

The sun shone as the girls were escorted up to Queen’s Cross Church for their recordings. It was an utter joy for both staff and pupils to be rehearsing, performing and recording in the beautiful sanctuary of Queen’s Cross Church.

As has become a bit of a tradition, each VI Senior girl and soloist was presented with a small posy of flowers as a token of the Music Department’s appreciation of all that they have contributed to the musical life of the school.

It was so encouraging to be taking what seemed like the first steps towards returning to our celebrated St Margaret’s performances.

Our grateful thanks to all the girls for all their hard work.

In April the Music Department was delighted to announce that Ellen MacDonald (viola) in V Senior had successfully gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland’s Senior Orchestra.

Congratulations also went to Rose Veitch (clarinet) in 7 Junior, who gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland’s Junior Orchestra.

They attended two separate and intensive four-day courses held at Strathallan School, Perthshire; one in April and one in July, each culminating in a concert. These are tremendous achievements for both girls who participated for the first time. They gained invaluable orchestral experience with excellent tutors and renowned conductors.

Tiana Mudkavi in IV Senior was also selected to take part in NYCOS, the National Youth Choirs of Scotland Girls’ Choir. She attended two courses, one in April and one in July, culminating in concerts in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Tiana has worked very hard to have gained a place on these prestigious courses and we hope that she will continue to get recognition for her efforts.

May saw the fabulous combined music and drama production of Matilda by Show Club in the Lemon Tree. Grateful thanks to Miss Syme and Mr Mazur for a superb production.

On Thursday 2nd June St Margaret’s had the privilege of being invited to sing at the Lighting of the Beacon Ceremony for Aberdeen in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at Marischal College. The girls performed a specially composed song for the Jubilee called ‘A Song for the Commonwealth – A Life Lived with Grace’. Well done to the choir, to Rosie in III Senior who performed a beautiful trumpet solo and to Emily Smith who accompanied on the piano. Thanks to Ms Brown for rehearsing our special Jubilee Choir.

The Betty Wyness Rosebowl Competition for Piano Performance took place in June. Girls entering this competition were asked to prepare a recital of at least two contrasting pieces of Grade 6 standard or higher in any musical style. This year’s competition included the following girls: Hannah Brown, Rose Veitch, Ellie Ong, Mariya Guz and Emily Smith – a spread of year groups from 7 Junior right through to VI Senior.

Mrs Wiedermann introduced the adjudicator for the evening, Dr Ben Marsden from Aberdeen University, and said how wonderful it was to welcome everyone to this live musical event, referring to it as a lovely concert of piano music. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the room and after taking numbers out of a hat to determine the order of performances the audience enjoyed a fantastic concert. We were treated to music by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Dring, Mier and Norton. Dr Marsden gave very insightful feedback to every girl. He also mentioned how much he had enjoyed all the performances and in every case was impressed by the level of difficulty of each piece the girls had chosen to perform.

Ellie was announced as a worthy winner of the Rosebowl for 2022. Her programme was Nocturne in C Sharp Minor by Chopin and Pink Minor by Madeleine Dring.

Congratulations to the following girls who were successful in being awarded scholarships for lessons at the North East of Scotland Music School in the following disciplines:

Rose Veitch: Clarinet

Isla MacFadyen: Double Bass Noemi Moleda: Piano Emily Smith: Piano Tiana Mudkavi: Voice Freya Corry: Voice

The 99th Aberdeen and North East of Scotland Festival of Music and Drama took place from the 9th to the 13th of June. This festival usually takes place during the first week of June but was put back due to the Queen’s Jubilee. There were both competitive and non-competitive classes in strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, piano, and vocal, individual solos, ensembles and choirs.

As this year’s festival clashed with the London and Greece trips for Senior Girls, the majority of participants were from the junior school. Some were participating for the first time.

As can be seen from this wonderful photo they had a great week, with lots of lovely encouraging comments from the specialist adjudicators. Rose in 7J was asked to take part in the Festival Showcase held in the middle of the festival week. This was a fantastic experience for her to perform on the stage of the Music Hall. Well done to the select group of seniors who did manage to represent the school. We very much hope to be able to enter more classes next year as it will be the 100th year of this festival and I am assured it will be pretty special!

Murray and Lamont Competitions for Musical Performance

Ten brave performers entered the Murray competition, which was held on 21st June. We were delighted that Lorraine Cormack (retired Head of Music at Kemnay Academy) agreed to adjudicate both the Murray and Lamont competitions.

Mrs Wiedermann welcomed the audience and competitors to what was a lovely hour of live music. We enjoyed performances by Marcy Bryce (clarinet), Erin Strathie (flute), Joanna Malikebu (flute), Grace Scott (clarinet), Isla MacFadyen (tenor saxophone), Lydia Cherrie (piano), Eva Munoz Martin (piano), Lizzy Thorn (piano), Hannah Brown (voice), and Michaela Okosodo (viola), playing a real variety of pieces from Bach through to James Rae. After some encouraging words from Mrs Cormack she announced Hannah Brown as the winner of the Murray Competition for 2022. Her programme was Water is Wide – Traditional, and Someone Like You by Wildhorn.

After a short break we proceeded to the Lamont competition where there were 9 performers. Eve Reynolds (voice), Tiana Mudkavi (voice), Hannah Brown (‘cello), Rebecca Jennings (‘cello), Ellie Ong (‘cello), Ellen MacDonald (viola), Liz Gao (violin), Olivia Douglas (voice) and Rose Veitch (clarinet). Like the Murray Competition, the selection of pieces the girls chose to perform were

from different genres, and there were several stunning performances. An extremely difficult task for our adjudicator finally resulted in Olivia Douglas being announced as the winner of the Lamont Prize for 2022.

ABRSM and TRINITY successes

Throughout the academic year the music department continued to enter girls for theory examinations and Associated Board and Trinity practical grade examinations in both live, face to face examinations when allowed and some in the new Performance Grade form. A total of 81 examinations took place with a respectable array of distinction, merit and passes. Considering the restrictions the department has been under, this is to be commended and applauded.

The processional march for staff at this year’s Speech Day was Pomp and Circumstance March No 4 by Elgar, very apt in this the Jubilee year of our Queen. The concert section featured the concert band playing a selection from The Sound of Music, Olivia Douglas and Gracie Spencer singing I Will Never Leave You from Side Show. The Vivaldi Ensemble played a Reely Good Set – Traditional, the Jubilee Choir sang A Life Lived with Grace by Vincent Atueyi, Emily Smith played Un Sospiro by Liszt on piano and the whole school singing We Stand Together words and music by Ms Brown. I cannot emphasise enough how lovely it was for both staff and musicians to be in the Beach Ballroom for Speech Day and able to perform again. The recessional Radetsky March by Strauss was particularly enjoyable, heralding the beginning of the summer holidays.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all the school’s independent tutors who have worked so hard with the girls over this last academic year. None of the fabulous performances that we have enjoyed this year would have been possible without them.

Lorna Gurney Head of Woodwind

he past few years have highlighted the importance and value of being able to connect with others whether it is through teamwork, coaching, or being a spectator cheering others on through sport. Visitors have been missing in recent years so it was very exciting that one of our first visitors to the school was none other than Judy Murray as part of the Battle of the Brits Community Programme. She started the morning off with our newly elected sports captains to help develop their leadership skills through tennis skills and drills. Then the 5 Junior class were then invited to join in where the sports captains could try out their new found skills by working with the junior pupils. At the end of the practical session Judy answered a variety of questions from pupils where one of the main messages was about

working hard and being proud to represent women in sport.

Hockey started up again fully and it was satisfying to see six of our hockey players being selected to play in the U16 North District team. From this, one of the pupils was also invited to attend the Brave Academy development squad after her impressive performances at the tournament. Later in the year we had five pupils selected to represent the U14 North District squad. For both teams a St Margaret’s pupil was chosen to captain the team which is a great honour for both the school, themselves and their families. The 1st XI team reached the semi-final of the Scottish Hockey Challenge Cup after defeating several teams in the lead up. The only consolation being that the team who knocked us out went on to win the final.

AS WITH ANY CHALLENGE IT OFTEN ALLOWS TIME FOR REFLECTION AND APPRECIATION. THE PANDEMIC HAD AN ENORMOUS EFFECT ON MANY PEOPLE AND IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. WITH THE EASING OF RESTRICTIONS, SPORT AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION STARTED TO FEEL MORE ‘NORMAL’ SO THE NEW SCHOOL SESSION BEGAN ON A MORE POSITIVE NOTE.

As always our philosophy in the PE department is about instilling a lifelong love of sport. In addition to our usual sports we offer tasters when we can. I was delighted to once again offer rowing to pupils in third year as a games option. Pupils in the junior school were given cricket lessons led by the cricket development officer. Pupils in 1-4 Junior also had the opportunity to go skiing on the local dry ski slope on a Friday afternoon, while the older junior and senior pupils attended a skiing and snowboarding club after school.

missing out on first place by two points. The 5-7 Junior age group competed at the sports village with firsts in the 800m and shot put, seconds and thirds in the 100m and relay.

We also celebrate sporting achievements outside of school with pupils excelling in athletics, badminton, rowing, gymnastics, highland dancing, equestrian and swimming to name but a few. It is heartwarming to see sporting success in so many disciplines across a variety of ages.

It was so good to be able to host more of our annual sporting events. One of our first events was the senior school swimming gala so it was lovely seeing our swimmers have the opportunity to race competitively again both for the championship medal and points for their house. Despite a rise in Covid 19 cases after Christmas which stopped our 5-7 Junior swimming sessions, we still managed to run the gala. Both events had a lovely atmosphere where pupils cheered and supported each other in their races, with Dunnottar reigning supreme in both competitions. We also had the senior badminton championships along with the dance cup. This was made even more special because we were able to have spectators again watching all the wonderful dance routines that the pupils created. Performing to an audience is an integral part of sport so it was very important that this could happen once again.

Not only did we manage to offer more St Margaret’s competitions this year but there were also opportunities to compete against other schools in different sports. The school cross-country team ran at the local Balgownie event competing against schools across the region. With determination and grit we had some amazing results with the 5 Junior and second year teams coming first. The 6 Juniors also achieved a medal with a second team place. What wonderful achievements in this competition after a three year break! Our horse-riding team travelled to Fife for the Scottish Equestrian Championships with 150 competitors across the various classes. We had firsts in the dressage classes 3 and 4 with first individual places in both events. We also came fourth in the show jumping 80-85 class. The athletics meet at Milltimber also went ahead for pupils in first to third year with the track competitors coming first and the overall team just

Sports Day was the cherry on the cake because it was the first whole school event that parents could come to and watch. With the march past tradition to signal the start of the day we witnessed a variety of talent and team work (through the relays) on display and new records set. Our dedicated PTA parents helped with the catering and what a treat we had! The day was warm and sunny so the ice-cream, kindly donated by the PTA, was soon gobbled up. One thing we did not miss was the usual rain that often has been known to blight our sports day.

We finished the year looking forward with hope and excitement to the next school year and all the sporting opportunities it would bring.

Karen Norval Head of PE

Sports Captains 2021-22

ATHLETICS

BADMINTON

BASKETBALL

CROSS-COUNTRY

DANCE

FOOTBALL

HOCKEY

HORSE-RIDING

NETBALL

SWIMMING

TABLE TENNIS

Sophie Jennings (Captain) Oluwasekemi Adenuga (Vice-Captain)

Jane Somerset (Captain) Samly Koshy (Vice-Captain)

Aliyah Muhammed (Captain) Zahra Zeynalzade (Vice-Captain)

Sophie Jennings (Captain) Amy Coxon (Vice-Captain)

Olivia Douglas (Captain) Anna Byrne (Vice-Captain)

Camille Narducci (Captain)

Jane Somerset (Captain)

Natasha Hamilton (Captain) Hilary Cowie (Vice-Captain)

Sawsan Basha (Captain)

MARTIAL ARTS

Laura Hampton (Captain) Kyla Almeida (Vice-Captain)

Ellen MacDonald (Captain) Jessica Rhodes (Vice-Captain)

Ana Malik (Captain) Irum Rizwan (Vice-Captain)

Marria Jobi (Captain)

Freya Miller (Vice-Captain)

TENNIS

Kasia Bain (Captain) VOLLEYBALL

Alexa Odell (Captain) YOGA

House Captains 2021-22

CRATHES

KILDRUMMY

Aditi Kavi (Junior House Captain) Rose Veitch (Junior House Vice-Captain)

CRATHES

Meriam Elbehaderie (Senior House Captain) Laura Hampton (Senior House Vice-Captain)

Katy McKee (Junior House Captain)

Faye Brown (Junior House Vice-Captain)

DUNNOTTAR

Gracie Spencer (Senior House Captain) Ana Malik (Senior House Vice-Captain)

DUNNOTTAR

Alison McLeod (Junior House Captain)

Bukayomi Adejuwon (Junior House Vice-Captain)

KILDRUMMY

Marria Jobi (Senior House Captain) Sawsan Basha (Senior House Vice-Captain)

Harvest

Part of the tradition at St Margaret’s is to hold a harvest celebration in the nursery and the junior school. We once again celebrated harvest by collecting food stuffs for the Cyrenians. We worked together as a nursery and junior school to produce a thank you poster which was a great reminder of how fortunate we are to have such a wonderful world to live in and so many wonderful things to enjoy.

Junior School visits Hazlehead Woods

In October, girls from the junior school had the opportunity of a number of outings to Hazlehead Woods to enjoy some outdoor learning. The highlight for all the girls was toasting marshmallows and s’mores in the fire pit!

Easter Visitors to Nursery and Junior School

Pupils in the junior school and nursery were surprised by two springtime visitors. Easter Bunny and Spring Chick took time out from their busy schedules to visit the school and hand out prizes for the PTA Spring Bonnet Competition.

It was a tough competition to judge with so many fantastic entries. The children had clearly been working really hard designing their bonnets. We saw lots of little chicks, sheep, spring flowers, a frog and one bonnet even had lights on it! Well done to all the pupils who entered the competition and congratulations to the winners.

Spring Chick and Easter Bunny also delivered treats to all the nursery and junior pupils for all their hard work after a busy Spring term.

Before they left the school, Spring Chick and Easter Bunny took some time out to relax in the playground after their busy afternoon!

Rachel Paterson-Davies Head of Department

1 Junior Knight Visit

In the spring term, 1J girls had a visit from a medieval knight who spoke with them about history and showed them a variety of medieval objects.

The girls had lots of fun holding the mace, axe, shield, and other medieval objects.

1 Junior visit to the science labs to investigate owl pellets

The 1 Junior girls have been reading The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark and enjoyed going to the science lab to look at owl pellets with the senior school teachers. They found lots of tiny bones and stones from mice and shrews.

Judith Garden Teacher of 1 Junior

2 Junior trip to the Maritime Museum

2 Junior had a fantastic trip to the Maritime Museum. They enjoyed a talk with Lynsey, their guide, who showed the girls some artefacts. The girls ate their snack before heading out to the museum to complete a quiz in groups and explore all of the brilliant displays and activities.

2 Junior Aberdeen Science Centre Trip

In May, 2 Junior visited the Aberdeen Science Centre to take part in a Human Body workshop. They thoroughly enjoyed taking part in all the activities and exploring the exhibits.

Mel Binfield

Teacher of 2 Junior

3 Junior National Bee Day Outdoor Learning

On Friday 20th May, Miss Tomlinson spoke about National Bee Day in assembly, so 3 and 4 Junior were given bee facts and given the task of writing bee facts on the path of Rubislaw Park to educate the public about bees as part of their outdoor learning.

3 Junior Viking Project

In the spring term, 3 Junior enjoyed learning about the Vikings. They made some Viking jewellery and they finished the topic off with a Viking feast.

They had some strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and bread which they dipped in honey which the Vikings would have enjoyed. They even had a fancy drink of white grape Shloer!

They also enjoyed a visit from a Viking and he told them the story of how Odin gave one of his eyes to the tree of knowledge. The girls enjoyed dressing up and they all got a chance to blow the horn and handle the artefacts.

Alison Dressel Teacher of 3 Junior

4 Junior Visit to Doonies Rare Breed Farm

As part of the 4 Junior farming topic, the girls went to Doonies Rare Breed Farm.

They were met by their tour guide, Alice, who took them round the family farm. Alice taught the girls about the different breeds of animals on the farm and some key facts about each. They learnt about subsistence farming and crop rotation. Did you know that pigs don’t sweat, or that sheep only have 8 teeth?

In May, 4 Junior had a visit from the Royal Northern Countryside Initiative, who brought along two very cute lambs. The classroom on wheels team spoke to the girls about many aspects of farming and the countryside.

Sophie Hulme Teacher of 4 Junior

5J

Outdoor Learning

Investigating leaves

In May, 5 Junior were out in the playground investigating the properties of different leaves.

Did you know there are so many different leaf shapes, sizes and colours? The girls tried to find examples of all of the different types of leaves and then spent time creating an outdoor artwork from them. They were all amazed at how many different leaf types they discovered in the playground.

Norma Murray Head of Junior School

6J French Breakfast

In May, 6 Junior finished their current topic talking about what they like and dislike eating for breakfast with a celebratory French breakfast.

Each girl was given €5 to spend in the café and placed their order in French. Some used their maths skills to purchase an extra ‘half’ croissant at the end if they had opted for the free drink option! It was great to see them enjoying the delicious treats at the same time.

Karen Williamson Head of Modern Languages

History Detectives

?

Over two weeks in October, 6 Junior had the opportunity to work with Mr Paterson from the Aberdeen Urban Studies Centre. The girls visited some familiar landmarks in the Queens Road and Rosemount areas of the city.

They were able to evaluate how much Aberdeen has changed since the Victorian period. They were surprised to discover that Rubislaw church once had no bell tower, and stood alone with only six other houses in the nearby vicinity. Not only that, the church was considered by city folk to be out in the countryside.

Other remnants of Victorian life were spotted along Esslemont Avenue, with the tenement blocks built for workers in the nearby mills, some still having boot scrapers outside the properties. Next time you are walking around the area have a look for some of the boot scrapers that can still be found today.

Back in class the girls were able to carry out further research and find out about Victorian school life, houses and homes, sport and pastimes and many other aspects of Victorian life. Having the artefacts at hand brought to life the differences between living now and then.

Paula Twigg Teacher of 6 Junior

7J Mindfulness Course

THE 7 JUNIOR GIRLS ENJOYED WORKING ON A MINDFULNESS COURSE IN THE AUTUMN TERM AS PART OF THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING LESSONS.

Their discussions included learning about what mindfulness was and how they can integrate it into their lives. They worked on mindful eating and decided to bake bread which is a slow, mindful process. They thought it was the perfect recipe to help them celebrate Harvest.

The girls worked in small groups and individually produced a small loaf of bread. Some girls made plaits and some traditional loaves. The school smelt amazing and we can confirm the bread was absolutely delicious.

7J WW2 Streetscape

The 7 Juniors completed a WW2 Streetscape with Mr Allan Paterson from Aberdeen Urban Studies.

It was a fascinating tour. The girls learned about life in 1939 in Aberdeen, they completed their information booklets, stepped inside a real air raid shelter and worked a fire pump.

Vanessa Gerbrandy Teacher of 7 Junior

Dalguise Residential Trip

In June, the girls in 6 and 7 Junior enjoyed three days away at Dalguise Activity Centre.

They enjoyed team building activities such as orienteering, problem solving and the sensory trail. They also had great fun on the giant slide and abseiling. Being away with each other was such a delight and we all really enjoyed ourselves.

Vanessa Gerbrandy Teacher of 7 Junior

giantIabsolutelylovedthe swing!Itwas scarybutdefinitely worthtrying!

BUKAYOMI ADEJUWON

Overall I had an amazing few days and enjoyed every activity we did. The groupies and activity leaders were all very friendly and helpful.

MILLIE LEIGHTON

When I was at Dalguise, I conquered my massive fear of heights by doing the giant swing, abseiling and the vertical challenge.

RHONA NESBITT

I loved the disco! It was so much fun! FAYE BROWN

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD ®

CAMPSITE Bronze Duke of Edinburgh

By the time we reached the campsite everyone was extremely tired but we put up our tents and immediately started our stoves up so we could get some hot food.

We soon settled down and cooked some food. The campsite was my favourite part of DofE because we got to see all the other teams and catch up. We had a lot of fun toasting marshmallows over the stoves but we were all very worn out from the day’s walking so we all ended up in bed by 10pm.

In the morning we woke up early and made breakfast before we packed up and set off again. I don’t think anyone had a great sleep due to the low temperatures that night but we managed to get some energy from breakfast so that we could finish the last half of our hike.

Helena Gerbrandy and Celine Muir

Silver Duke of Edinburgh

EXPEDITION

The cool air of Ballater surrounded us as we embarked on our new adventure. Filled with excitement and ambition we set out disconnected from the rest of the world. Ready to venture into the beautiful Scottish countryside.

Hiking boots were put to the test as we followed the land upwards before finding ourselves between two hills. The rest of the day was lost as we walked through thickets of heather and dared to cross a river, where our map took the opportunity to slip out of our hands across the water.

Our scenery quickly changed as we turned a corner, finding ourselves in what could only be described as something out of a fairy-tale. A waterfall accompanied us as we made our way down the hill looking at the flowers and sun rays that surrounded us. Between two valleys we set up camps of tents and sleeping bags. Once we were settled we took the opportunity to leave our map behind and do our own exploring. As night fell and the sun was replaced by the moon we found ourselves lost in the night and nature. Resorting to flashlights to illuminate a path back to camp, where we stumbled back hungry and tired. The morning breeze of the next day quickly brushed away any sleep from our eyes. We packed up our belongings to begin another day of walking. The landscape transformed from woods to rocky paths and open landscape. Lunch was at the foot of several mountains and we soaked up the cool air, allowing ourselves to relax after a busy day of walking. Across the rocky mountains we set up camp again at the edge of a flat hill that looked down at the landscape below.

Filled with adrenaline we set out again for one final day. Following the route on our map we ventured through hills, to mountains where we met the grey sky and a windy road between trees to finally come to the end of our expedition.

The journey over the course of the three days was tough and challenging, having to use a map to navigate a landscape we did not know and work together to set up camp. Despite this we all worked together, helping each other to overcome these challenges and came out with skills that could be utilised in our daily life. Duke of Edinburgh is an excellent way to get outside of the safety net of life and experience new things, learn new skills and come back with memories to last a lifetime.

Aimee Anderton, Alexa Odell and Jessica Rhodes V Senior

Classics department

Salvete omnes! (Greetings to all of you!)

This year saw the re-introduction of the Ancient Greek and Myths Club at St Margaret’s. A number of enthusiastic 7 Junior and I Senior pupils met to learn some Ancient Greek language and read famous Greek myths. Learning the Greek alphabet and discovering the roots of common English words such as names of subjects studied at school (geography – earth + writing) and reading some famous myths allowed pupils to learn about the ancient Greeks and be transported into their world through their stories.

In March, III and IV Senior Latin students visited the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh in the context of the study of the Romans in Scotland. The morning workshop was about handling Roman artefacts, asking questions about these objects and trying to find out what they were used for. The session allowed the pupils to think about aspects of daily life for civilians and soldiers in Caledonia. In the afternoon, the pupils had the chance to explore the section of the museum dedicated to Scotland’s Early People. The focus was on the Romans

and the museum’s rich collection covers themes such as religion, army, food and trade. One of the key objects is the Bridgeness Slab which was once part of the Antonine Wall built across Scotland. With their knowledge of Latin and of Roman numerals, the class managed to make sense of most of the inscription on the slab.

Véronique Oldham Head of Classics

Reading some famous myths allowed pupils to learn about the ancient Greeks and be transported into their world through their stories.

Model United Nations Club

This academic year, we were delighted to begin running the school’s popular Model United Nations Club again as a whole senior school activity as Covid restrictions meant we were unable to do so last year. We got off to a flying start welcoming many new and returning club members, as a large group of students were keen to take part in a fun lunchtime activity. For our older returning members, this year of Model UN afforded the opportunity to participate in an activity which we have all greatly missed during the previous year. There were many highlights throughout the year of weekly Model UN sessions including the Christmas quiz and the Covid vaccination mini debate.

Our first event this year was the virtual Oxford International Model UN event. Topics ranged from the South China Sea to Covid and aid.

Students from all around the world took part in this excellent event and the club members all enjoyed interacting with a wide range of people with different levels of experience. There were also very interesting guest speaker talks from people who were associated with Oxford University and students had the opportunity to attend an admissions panel for the University.

The Model UN club’s second endeavour this year was creating impartial information boards about the current conflicts in Ukraine. We placed these boards in the main hall so they could be accessed by anyone who wanted to learn more about the crisis. The boards included a large map with fact files about each country that was involved in the news about the Ukraine conflict, a glossary of definitions and accessible and understandable information about this crisis. We also held a charitable drive for the Ukraine crisis and

collected a variety of essential aid items including children’s clothing, toiletries, non-perishable foods such as rice and pasta and toys for children.

We ended this year of MUN with one final event, a mini conference at Robert Gordon’s College. Four schools participated in this exciting debate about cyber terrorism. The St Margaret’s Model UN club all performed really well at this conference as it was many of the younger students’ first Model UN conference experience. The delegates representing Tonga received a Commended Award and the delegate of Iran received a Highly Commended Award.

Finally, I would like to give a vote of thanks to the Deputy Secretary Generals, Blessed McDonald and Georgia Leslie for all their hard work with the club this year.

Kasia Bain Model United Nations Secretary General 2021 – 2022

Youth Philanthropy Initiative

YPI (Youth Philanthropy Initiative) provides a wonderful opportunity for pupils to develop their communication, organisation and teamwork skills. Our III Senior pupils represented six different charities this year: Friends of the Neonatal Unit, Rape Crisis Grampian, SensationALL, Aberdeen Foyer, Grampian Women’s Aid and Mental Health Aberdeen. Using their creative and ICT skills, each group produced a digital presentation with the hope of winning the prize of £3,000 for their chosen charity. Friends of the Neonatal Unit were successful in securing the prize money. Here are some thoughts from members of the winning team.

“

“

YPI was a very enjoyable experience which impacted my personal life hugely. I learnt so much not only about our charity but about how all charities and how much they rely on donations from programmes just like YPI. I hope that the donation received from YPI will help lots of sick babies.”

Celine Muir

YPI was a great opportunity for us to learn lots of useful information and have new experiences whilst making the video to represent our charity. We used the information we noted down from our interview and had lots of fun filming the video. The most challenging part was probably remembering our lines of the script but in the end we were all proud of the contribution each of us made during this process.”

Jenny Lee

Grampian Women’s Aid

MHA

Winning Team – Friends of Neonatal

“

During YPI, our team had the pleasure to meet a representative from Friends of the Neonatal Ward. The Google meet we had widened all of our views of the charity as well as answering all questions we had about what they did to help and how they would use our donation. Being able to ask questions directly to the charity helped us to understand how important the charity was and how important the work they do is to the sick babies and their families.”

Rachel Murray

“

YPI was a great opportunity to develop our ability to work as part of a team. I really enjoyed communicating and planning along with my peers. As well as working for this great cause, we also had great fun working together to gather information and create an interesting, enjoyable way to present what we had learnt.”

Sevani Somu

Furthermore, III Senior also raised an additional £795 for the Neonatal unit by successfully completing a sponsored run. Their target was 100km and they went

above and beyond that to cover an impressive 206km. All donations are to be used to support babies and families whilst in the unit. This could include specialist equipment like Giraffe incubators and breast pumps, advanced staff training, photos of special moments, counselling sessions and bursaries for parents who are struggling financially.

Congratulations to all of our III Senior pupils.

Foyer Rape Crisis

III Senior Art Trip to Zandra Rhodes Exhibition

V and VI Senior Dance

Senior Activities Week: Aberdeen

PAGE TO STAGE

During activities week a group of girls from IS-VIS chose the ‘Page to Stage’ option. At the start of the week the girls focused on creating characters and understanding their characters’ objectives. Next, they took part in a workshop with 10 ft Tall Theatre Company, which explored different ways of approaching scripts.

Armed with all the skills, the group then wrote and directed their own play based on the characters they had created. The drama was all about a group of children who were searching for long lost treasure! The girls presented their work in the hall at the end of the week and their audience was thoroughly entertained – well done to everyone involved!

Kirsty Syme

Ultimate Team Challenge

Girls from IS to VIS participated in the Ultimate Team Challenge. This included a number of different challenges that the pupils had to complete over the week, using their teamwork skills.

On Monday morning the girls took part in ‘Mission to Mars’. During this activity the girls had to design and build a motorised vehicle that could be used on the surface of Mars. In the afternoon, the girls learned how to create a documentary, which helped prepare the girls for their documentary filming on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the girls ventured to Aberdeen beach for a historic five mile walking route around Footdee and the Bridge of Don. As the girls moved around, they filmed historic features in preparation for their final documentary. The films were shown to pupils taking part in the in-school activities.

Wednesday’s task was to design and build a board game. The girls had a

range of materials that they used for this activity. All the games were unique and provided various challenges for those who would play them.

Thursday morning once again developed the pupils’ design skills. A trio of ladies from Conoco Oil, including former St Margaret’s pupil, Lucy Wong, carried out a very interesting presentation on the design of oil rigs. The girls then had to build an oil rig. The girls worked hard, using materials including straws and wooden lolly sticks.

They then watched a presentation about the design of earthquake-proof buildings. The girls used cocktail sticks, wooden skewers, modelling clay and mini marshmallows to build an earthquake-proof structure.

The girls appeared to enjoy themselves throughout the activities and have learned some new and very interesting skills.

Fiona Stone and Becky Milne

Multisports Programme

Deeside Activity Park

Senior girls ventured to Deeside Activity Park in Aboyne and enjoyed a variety of activities including archery, quad biking and go-karting.

Codona’s

Lots of fun was had when the girls visited Codona’s Amusement Park in Aberdeen as part of activities week.

NUART AND LUSH

On the last day of activities week, a group of girls from I Senior to VI Senior went on a tour of some of the city’s NUART installations, including some of the more recent additions. Ms Kennedy and Mrs Stone informed the girls about the stories behind some of the murals. Many of the art pieces reflect the culture and history of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including the history of granite quarrying.

Unfortunately, we did not receive much in the way of summer weather, however, we soon warmed up in the city’s award winning art gallery, where the girls were able to browse through a selection of artworks from different historical periods.

We then walked to Marischal Square, where we had a quick look around Provost Skene’s House (one of the oldest buildings in the city), before enjoying a very appetising lunch at Mackies ice cream parlour.

In the afternoon we were joined by volunteers from the Lush shop on Union Street. They discussed sustainability with the girls, something that Lush takes very seriously. The girls then got the opportunity to make their own Lush bath bomb. They learned about the problems that cosmetic production in Indonesia has created for the rainforests and endangered orang-utans, as the demand for palm oil has increased in recent years. This palm oil is used extensively in cosmetics, as well as food products.

Sarah Kennedy and Fiona Stone

Cyberfirst trip to McLaren Technology Centre Woking

In spring, IV Senior girls took part in a competition run by a branch of the UK government called the National Computer Security Centre.

The NCSC has a section called Cyberfirst that educates and encourages young people into cyber security. The competition required teamwork, quick thinking and perseverance. Whilst taking part we gained valuable information on cryptography, logic/coding, cyber security as well as networking. It was an exciting competition where we had all worked hard and came first in the Scottish semi-finals and third in the final.

As part of the celebration finals we participated in during spring we got to spend two days in Woking, England to learn more about cyber security. We were given the opportunity to go to the McLaren Technology Centre where we heard a wide variety of talks. The talks were from women in senior positions at both McLaren and Darktrace which is the UK’s leading Artificial Intelligence company. The talks were not only inspiring and thought-provoking but have given us an insight into having a future in cybersecurity, a career we had never

considered but now see as a great opportunity. We were all also impressed by their wide variety of modern and classic Formula One cars. We were given a full history of the engineering aspect of how these Formula One cars were developed, as well as their extensive collection of trophies.

During our time at the McLaren centre, we first went into a room where we were shown a presentation and talked to by a variety of speakers. Then, the groups of students involved in the competition were split into two teams, A and B. We had to do a mini cybersecurity competition to crack some code, which our side won. We moved on to tour the centre, again competitively. We were split into groups and had to do a scavenger hunt for the correct Formula One cars. We ended the brilliant day with an afternoon tea.

Ellie, Iris, Rachel and Celine IVS

Sixth Year Conference

MARCLIFFE HOTEL 28TH OCTOBER

2021

At the end of October our VIS girls enjoyed their Sixth Form Conference at the Marcliffe Hotel. The focus of this year’s conference was ‘Next Steps’ with a specific focus on continuing to help our final year girls prepare for the world beyond St Margaret’s. Over the course of the day the girls enjoyed several informative and practical sessions.

Firstly, the girls enjoyed a workshop with life coach Sarah Smith of Lightbulb Coaching whose session allowed them the opportunity to learn more about their own innate personality traits as well as identifying and understanding the traits of others in order to work more successfully as a team. Former pupils of St Margaret’s then helped our VIS girls by answering their questions about university life – from accommodation to finance, societies to workload – and also shared their top tips on how to approach university life. The girls enjoyed the stories of a number of our FPs, which has made them feel more confident about what next year might be like.

After a delicious lunch, the girls threw themselves (literally!) into the Self Defence Workshop organised by Arizona Brodie of Empowered Self Defence with much enthusiasm. This session was requested by the VIS girls themselves as something they wanted to see included in the conference programme, and Arizona and her colleague Rachel did not disappoint. In the session the girls learnt some valuable physical self defence skills and also worked through a scenario in which they identified ‘red flag’ behaviour and how they might deal with such behaviour as it escalates.

Emma McDonald Head of VI Senior

At the end of the day the girls reflected on their day and

conference experience:

The setting goals session has convinced me to be more organised in order to reach my goals.

Being in a different venue made the conference more professional and fun.

I feel that learning about different personalities was really interesting and helps especially when meeting new people.

The self defence class was really down-to-earth and practical.

Getting to dress in work attire really made the future feel tangible.

Everything we were taught was fun and memorable, and it made me feel a bit more confident about the future.

were very positive about the

Friday 13th to Sunday 15th May

Our first visit was the Roman fort of Segedunum in Wallsend where we had a very informative guided tour. Our guide took us around the main sections of the fort and showed us a replica of the Wall. We then climbed to the top of the modern tower attached to the museum to get a good impression of the layout of the fort.

ur accommodation was in the Roman fort of Birdoswald, the only hostel situated in a Roman fort. It is at Birdoswald that the longest surviving stretch of the Wall can be seen.

On Saturday, we learnt about and saw examples of the main defensive features along the 74 mile long north-west frontier of the Roman Empire: milecastles, turrets, the Vallum and forts. Walking to the fort of Housesteads with its commanding views over the Northumberland countryside and to the famous bath house in the fort of Chesters prepared us physically for the last challenge of the day: training as auxiliary soldiers in the Roman army. Rufus Aelius Victor, alias Roy, trained us as his new recruits after he had shown us the weapons and armour of both legionary and auxiliary soldiers. From disorganised barbarians we were changed into disciplined and skilful auxiliaries!

On Sunday, we visited the fort of Vindolanda and the extensive civilian settlement outside its walls. In the museum, the students had the chance to look at the large collection of leather goods, coins and the photographic exhibition of the scripts of the writing tablets discovered in a rubbish heap in the fort. It is in one of these texts that the author uses the term Brittunculi (“wretched little Britons”) to speak about the local British. The term did not apply to our group, Brittunculi being masculine…

The pupils learnt a lot about the Wall and the life of soldiers posted along this northern frontier and participated with great enthusiasm in the various activities organised.

OPTIME!

Véronique Oldham Head of Classics

Twenty pupils from IS, IIS and IIIS took part in the trip to Hadrian’s Wall in May.

Replica of a turret and a section of the Wall

London Trip

13th June,

from

5S

of

school’s

On the first night we all arrived safely and, after a long train journey, enjoyed watching Mamma Mia the musical. Throughout the rest of the week everyone participated in many activities and learned from and enjoyed many workshops that were offered.

This included a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a dance workshop from a professional dancer and a river cruise on the famous River Thames. We were also given the opportunity to look round the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and The Tate Modern Art Gallery as well as Borough Market or Covent Garden for lunch.

During our visit we saw two more musicals, Wicked and the Lion King which we all loved and we participated in a DNA workshop at the Royal Institutions where we collected our DNA and put it in a necklace. The highlight of the week for many was visiting Thorpe Park where we

could experience the thrills of many roller coasters or take a ride on the relaxing river rapids. The weather all week was amazing, the experiences we gained were once in a lifetime and we have all collected many memories to look back on.

Marcy Bryce

On the

many pupils

IS –

headed off on one

the

trips to London where we got the chance to discover some of London’s famous sights and shows and develop our academic skills and knowledge.

I think this has been one of the best weeks of my life. I felt excited every second from the moment we stepped onto the train platform till the moment we came home. This experience has been spectacular!

The dancers and singers in the West End plays who put on such thrilling and beautiful performances combined with the delicious food filled the evenings with pure joy and amazement. Getting to have lunch in some of London’s most scenic parks and streets made the food taste even better.

We got the chance to see the sights on the river while smoothly cruising by on a boat. Having the chance to learn a routine from the Lion King show was something I’ll remember forever. As well as this we got the chance to explore science and history with the DNA workshop showing us how to extract our own DNA. This taught us skills we wouldn’t normally learn till later on in a Higher science class. It was amazing and I loved independently having the chance to explore the natural history museum.

Thorpe Park was something else entirely. The thrilling day left me bouncing with leftover adrenaline. I think one of the best things about this trip was the people. I’ve had the time of my life dropping from heights while holding hands and yelling my head off, exploring London and experiencing some of the most exceptional West End acting with my best friends. Overall I had an incredible time and I wish it didn’t have to end.

Sylvie Muir

Greece Trip

Our trip began in the country’s capital city, Athens, which was named in honour of the Greek goddess of Wisdom and War, Athena. Although our time there was short, it was filled with activities and adventures which allowed us to explore this beautiful city. Our first stop was the Acropolis, Athens’ most historical and sacred building, which provided us with a window into the ancient culture of Greece. The Acropolis is a citadel located on a rocky outcrop that looks down onto the city: marble curved pillars for a soft and elegant presence and intricate carvings a reflection of its interesting and significant past.

Following this we visited Greece’s largest turtle rescue centre, Archelon. There we were educated on the ever present threats human behaviour poses to the lives of the sea turtles. We were also lucky enough to view some of the turtles currently in care like Mickey who, after an

accident involving humans, was left without front flippers. It was devastating to see the damage people do to these stunning animals, although learning about the work of the incredible volunteers who work there inspired us with our own conservation efforts. We then had the opportunity of partaking in an Invisible Tour, where we were able to hear straight from a formerly homeless citizen of Athens. During this activity we journeyed through some of the most troubled and deprived neighbourhoods, seeing firsthand the poverty and struggles people in Athens face. For many of us this was a stark reminder of just how privileged we were. Even having a roof over our heads was a luxury many were not able to afford.

After the tour, we ventured to a social enterprise café. A unique project, it doubled up as a small gallery space and culinary experience. As we dined we admired the

With our trip to Greece behind us, we decided to sit down and reflect on our experience in both the bustling city of Athens and the beautiful island of Kefalonia as a part of activities week 2022.

colourful and eclectic artwork, some crafted from newspapers, all of which were made by homeless or formerly homeless people. A representative of the café explained to us their mission: providing the homeless with an opportunity to get their life back. Whether through training by a Michelin-star chef or working in their studio to create art, those in need were given an income that allowed them to sustain themselves and get back on their feet.

Our packed day in Athens drew to a close under a setting sun, washed down by the sweet taste of fresh fruit juice. This was to be our final stop of the day, a boisterous inn with live Greek music. As the final chords rang out some opted to end the night on a sweet note with some local ice cream, then we headed back to our accommodation in preparation for our journey tomorrow.

Although Athens was a fabulous experience, we were all eager to set out across the vibrant blue waters to Kefalonia. Here we worked closely with Wildlife Sense: the group we were to collaborate with throughout the trip. We discussed their goals to protect sea turtles and preserve their homes. We took part in surveys on the behaviour of sea turtles along the harbour edge, to collect data on their activities, as well as wandering the sandy beaches to look for the whisper of turtle tracks. We were thrilled when, on one of our early morning scoutings, one of our

groups discovered two sea turtle nests made the night before! Because of these discoveries we had the chance to witness an egg relocation, where ninety nine eggs were successfully moved to a safer area of the beach because they were too close to the water edge and could have been damaged if the tide crept up too high. These actions are vital in preserving the next generation of the species.

Although the main aim of the trip was to contribute to the conservation of the sea turtles in Kefalonia, we still visited other places around the island. These included an olive oil factory, where we were educated on the process that turns olives to oil, and a bee farm where we learned about the unbelievable activities of honey bees and their importance to our ecosystems. Our penultimate day was dedicated to sea kayaking, which was a new experience for many of us. One of the highlights of the trip had to be eating lunch on a beach practically untouched by humans. Its beauty was incomprehensible; the palest white stone met with crystal clear turquoise water. We know none of us will ever forget the magic of that hidden gem.

Much like that beach, our experience in Greece has been unforgettable and we are so grateful to have had the opportunity to help such ancient and important animals.

Eve Reynolds

Geography Field Trips

GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT VISIT TO CRATHES ESTATE

In September, girls from IIIS, IVS and VS visited the Crathes Estate. They measured footpath erosion at five sites. This area is very popular with tourists and locals. Footpath erosion is an important issue and is studied in the context of the lithosphere unit at N4, N5 and the Human Environments units at Higher.

The girls also conducted a study at the Coy Burn. The source of this river is found in the hills above Raemoir near Banchory. The river then flows down into flatter farmland, before entering the Crathes Estate. Its mouth is at the River Dee at Milton of Crathes. The girls collected pebble samples, measured the width and depth of the river and used a flow meter to determine the velocity of the river. All those measurements were

I Senior Geography

Field Trip

conducted at three sites. The measurements will be used to determine whether the river changes as would be expected, as it travels towards its mouth. All the pupils involved got the opportunity to carry out a variety of the fieldwork gathering techniques.

Finally, environmental quality surveys were carried out adjacent to the car park and castle. Those were used to ascertain impacts that large numbers of visitors to sites such as this, have on the environment. The surveys were also used to find out if the estate provides a quality experience for its visitors.

Despite the often wet weather, the girls were very positive about their field trip and seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves.

Fiona Stone Teacher of Geography

I Senior girls took part in a field trip in May to familiarise them with land use, building height, building density and environmental quality in the inner city and central business district in Aberdeen. The girls worked together to analyse their findings and write-up their results. The girls had a great morning and even managed an ice cream at Mackie’s!

Fiona Stone Teacher of Geography

II

SENIOR

GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP

SEA DEFENCES

The II Senior girls have been learning about sea defences and the importance of protecting Aberdeen from coastal erosion.

In May, they got to see these sea defences in action as well as the businesses and homes that they protect. The girls carried out a number of activities, including measuring the sand at groynes, recording land uses along the esplanade and counting waves to then decide if they are destructive or constructive. There was plenty of choice for ice cream and candy floss!

Fiona Stone Teacher of Geography

Senior Scientists Field Trips

Advanced Higher Biology field trip to Forvie Nature Reserve

The Advanced Higher biology class enjoyed a very enjoyable day at Forvie Nature Reserve to carry out some fieldwork in March.

III Senior Biology Fieldtrip to Banff Links

Beach/Macduff

TThe rain held off eventually for the IIIS biologists to carry out their study of a rocky shore at Banff Links beach. here were rich pickings of biodiversity on the rocks: barnacles, limpets, periwinkles, dog whelks (the driller killers), anemones, worms, crabs, butterfish, sea slugs, starfish, and hermit crabs to name a few. We had a sunny picnic lunch outside Macduff aquarium and then spent an informative hour in the aquarium with manager Marie, who shared with us invaluable insight into the lives and adaptations of the marine life on display. Most surprising was how long lobsters live for (40-50 years) and how big a halibut can grow to (5m!); Jamima in the kelp tank has a bit to go yet. We extend our sincere thanks to Aberdeenshire Ranger Sarah Gosden and Aquarium Manager Marie Dare for enriching our trip with their enthusiasm and expertise.

Abby Miller Head of Biology

The girls were guided by Nature Scot Rangers Cat and Daryl whose extensive knowledge of the area was incredible. Their enthusiasm and passion for their jobs was infectious and we were hanging off their every word – girls and staff alike! We spent the morning learning about the migratory birds which frequent Forvie and how they are tagged/counted, their status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and sand dune succession where the girls completed a transect to see the difference in plants that can grow the further away you get from the sea. After lunch, we got the bus to the other side of the estuary at Newburgh so that we could perform an ethogram (observing behaviours) on the seals who were enjoying the sunshine! We were lucky to have beautiful weather for the whole day which resulted in walking further and seeing more of the nature reserve.

Laura Howitt Teacher of Biology

Art Gallery

Journey Final Pieces

Turner Skies

Waves

Queens

Feather Wave Finished Didgeridoos

Boomerangs

Team Cave Art

A Selection of Work from 7 Junior

7J In the classroom

Safiya Rahman

Rhona Nesbitt

Misha Anthwal

7J Masks

Katy McKee

NUART Exhibition

A Selection of Work from 5 Junior to 7 Junior

A Selection of Work from I Senior

Lena van Niekerk

Yashila Muniandy

Mary-Kate Kennedy

Freya Campbell

Clarissa Iluore

Michelle Njoku

Eileen Joseph

Charlotte Holroyd

A Selection of Work from II Senior

Cushion Covers

Automatic Drawing Group Snowflakes

A selection of Global Goal journals from II Senior Insects

Mia Bonandrini

Girls at work

Alba Vila Domini O Kennedy

Gwen MacDonald

Romy Bryce

Scumble Pears

A Selection of Work from III Senior

ZR Quick Drawings

AutomaticLauraDrawing Thorn

Lizzy Thorn

Keanna Harris, Hannah Milne

Bukunmi Adejuwon, Lizzy Thorn

Hiba Tahhan

Jewel Ifezulike

Milly Moyes

Laura Thorn

Vanessa James, Jewel Ifezulike

A Selection of Work from IV Senior – National 5

Charlie Penny

Jorja Clarke

Katie Jamieson

Freya Miller

A Selection of Work from IV Senior – National 5

Ellie Lang

Orla Madden

Freya Miller

Marion Ikuenobe

Milly Finnie

Charlie Penny

Marion Ikuenobe

A Selection of Work from V Senior – Higher

Kyla Almeida

Jamila Akchurina

Amal Freigoun

Ella Moyes

Yousra Khalifa

Amal Freigoun

Mariya Guz

Joanne Sharples

A Selection of Work from V Senior – Higher

Joanne Sharples

Yousra Khalifa

Jamila Akchurina

Bethan Wood

Ayo Atti

A Selection of Work from V Senior – Higher

Mariya Guz

Ella Moyes

Zahra Zeynalzade

Alexa Odell

Yousra Khalifa

Bethan Wood

Joanne Sharples

Alexa Odell

A Selection of Work from VI Senior Advanced Higher – Design Outcome

Joanna Malikebu

Mary Loudon

Joanna Malikebu

Mary Loudon

A

Selection

of

Work from VI Senior Advanced Higher – Design Outcome

Joanna Malikebu stills from animation

A Selection of Work from VI Senior Advanced Higher – Expressive Outcome

All by Liberty Mountain

At First I was Afraid, I was Petrified

In March, I Senior and II Senior pupils did a production of “At First I was Afraid, I was Petrified” by Douglas Maxwell which was a new script written for a project called ‘Positive Stories for Negative Times’. The show was directed, choreographed and edited by our drama teacher Miss Syme.

Iwas given the role Cleo and I had so much fun with it! At first, it was a bit tricky to keep track of everything and get it right but I just tried to learn it chunk by chunk and eventually I got it! This show was different to any shows I had ever done before because instead of doing a live performance in front of an audience, we recorded it in sections and then edited it together into a full length video. Once all the editing was finished we posted a live link so parents, relatives and friends could all watch it together. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I’m so glad that I was a part of it!

Sarah Reynolds II Senior

7 Junior Macbeth

I really enjoyed the process of making the play because it was a whole new experience due to the old vocabulary that is new to us. I liked auditioning because it gave me more confidence. I wouldn’t say I had a favourite line, but my favourite part of Macbeth was when Macbeth realised he would be King.

Amelia Blythe

In our 7J play Macbeth, I played the part of Malcolm, one of King Duncan’s sons. My favourite line from the play was from the witches when they said ‘double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble’. My favourite scene was the beginning where we were making noises and creating an eerie atmosphere. I really liked doing Macbeth. It was really fun and such a good experience.

Sophie O’Neill

In Macbeth I played the role of Macbeth. I loved playing this part because it was very exciting and had lots of dramatic parts in it. One very cool bit was when an army of guards, all in black formed a circle around me while the ghost of Banquo came and stood outside, on the other side of the circle. Then, all the guards dispersed leaving the ghost of Banquo in front of me. Another fun bit was doing the sword fighting with Aditi and Michelle (Young Siward and Macduff).

In Macbeth I played Lady Macbeth – Macbeth’s determined and power-seeking wife. It was very enjoyable and was a super experience for the whole class. Although the language was difficult at first, after practice we understood it well. My favourite lines were the witches spell.

McKee

In Macbeth I played the role of Donalbain. I enjoyed Macbeth and my favourite scene was at the end when Macbeth’s head was chopped off and Macduff held it up and we all shouted. ‘All hail Macduff’. My favourite line was when the three witches did the ‘double, double, toil and trouble’ rhyme. I think Macbeth was a great opportunity and I learned lots of new skills.

Rose Veitch

Katy

Millie Leighton

One Night Only

AFTER A LONG TIME AWAY FROM THE STAGE WE FINALLY GOT BACK TO THE REHEARSAL ROOM, READY TO PERFORM FOR “ONE NIGHT ONLY” , A FILMED PERFORMANCE CONSISTING OF EXCERPTS AND MUSICAL NUMBERS FROM VARIOUS SHOWS, FROM ‘THE WEDDING SINGER’ AND ‘LES MISÉRABLES’ TO ‘ALICE IN WONDERLAND’ AND ‘MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM’

We began by brainstorming some ideas so that everyone had a say in what we would be performing – a new concept that St Margaret’s drama department hadn’t done before. This year we attempted something new in filming the show to be streamed online. This was due to the challenges we faced with Covid restrictions. But that didn’t stop us! We rehearsed with masks as well as social distancing to ensure everyone’s safety and still created a brilliant performance. This show gave everyone the opportunity to experiment with genres and characters but also be both in the orchestra and on stage performing.

Once we had rehearsed we moved into the Aberdeen Arts Centre for the first time in two years. This was an exciting few days for everyone taking part as we were reintroduced to a professional performance space and we also had the opportunity to use cinematography equipment. This made our final performance professional looking so that when it was streamed online it was almost like being back in the theatre!

Eve Reynolds and Ella Moyes V Senior

Matilda JR

Every year pupils from 4-6 Junior have the opportunity to take part in Show Club, which runs after school every Wednesday from January to May. This year, girls were delighted to be able perform Matilda JR at The Lemon Tree – the first live performance in quite some time!

After lots of rehearsals, and a full dress and technical day at the theatre, the performance was a huge success. The girls’ talent, hard work and team spirit really paid off and we are already looking forward to next year!

This year’s Show Club was Matilda and it was amazing. I learnt that everyone is important even if you don’t have a part. I loved it and I was with my friends the whole time. We are all really sad it’s over but we are so proud of ourselves and each other. It’s the end of Show Club but just the start of more opportunities in Drama and more shows to come. If it wasn’t for Miss Syme, Mr Mazur, Jessica and all the staff that helped us get on that stage this would never have been able to happen.

Ava Scott

I think that 4J-6J were superb in the performance of the junior school production of Matilda. This was the first time that any of us had performed, and done a whole play in Show Club. So I was exceptionally happy with how it went. I absolutely loved being in this play because it was such a good opportunity to show everyone’s acting, singing and dancing talents. It felt so good to be up on a stage with people enjoying something you’ve all participated in. The choreography was amazing and so were the numbers.

Penny Campbell

The Matilda show was stunning and everyone was hardworking and outstanding. The Lemon Tree stage along with some props was all that we needed. Everyone was buzzing as the house got fuller by the minute. The play itself was performed beautifully by the cast that was chosen and the audience loved it and they laughed a lot through the show. You could even feel the excitement as people went in!

Liduo Liz Gao

At the beginning of the show everyone was nervous but we ended up doing marvellously. I think everyone in 6J was sad that this was our last show in Show Club but we all had a great time. Everyone was amazing and overall it was an excellent experience.

I am very thankful for Miss Syme, Mr Mazur and all the other people who were involved.

Rose Downey

Silver Awards

The word ‘memorable’ is not definitive enough to describe our time at St Margaret’s. Mariya, Emily and I have been at the school since we were three years old, during which there has been an amalgamation of hilarity, joy, chaos and bittersweet moments. So much has changed in the last fifteen years, from nursery uniforms and teaching staff to the school building and our own journeys as we grew older. It’s time for this trio of silver girls to begin a new chapter in our lives, built upon the foundations constructed through our years at St Margaret’s.

Between Emily and Ashanee fighting over who got to play with Twinkletoes the horse and whoever managed to sing the loudest during music, the girls’ time at the Daffodil Nursery was full of many memories – both amusing and fond. Those two years from ages three to five were the very beginnings of our school journey, and crossing through the divide between the nursery and the 1 Junior classroom was, in a word, daunting. But there was excitement, too; we were finally going to be ‘big girls’, and we were raring to dive straight into the new and exciting experiences that Junior School would no doubt offer us.

1 Junior got off to a great start: namely, in the form of our entire class being gifted St Margaret’s teddy bears, complete with blue polo-shirts. Little did we know at the time that

as the years progressed, we would end up collecting numerous St Margaret’s teddies, all with different outfits and badges that mirrored the changing school uniform as we made our way further and further up the school.

4 Junior was a busy year for all three of us; not only were we now the oldest in the lower Junior School, but we had new responsibilities to undertake, such as cleaning our tables following lunch in the dining room. Mariya also had the job of sitting inside the 4J classroom with Ashanee during breaks and lunchtimes after the latter fractured her foot while running up the stairs. Despite being unable to play outside, both girls found ways to make their time indoors entertaining, and soon enough they came to enjoy their time chatting and coming up with imaginative stories to tell each other.

Mariya Guz

Ashanee Hapuarachchi

Emily Smith

When 5 Junior came around, the responsibilities of 4 Junior seemed to pale in comparison. Not only were we now located in a classroom on the first floor of the Junior School building with the older year groups, we also got to wear a completely new uniform. As well as changes to our appearance, our arrival to 5 Junior gave us the opportunity to take on more prominent roles in school shows, attend more school-wide assemblies, and participate in more school events like the Christmas Carol Concert, Sports Day and Speech Day.

However, it was the transition to Senior School when things began to change for all three of us – and the rest of our class. I Senior was full of new experiences and introductions to subjects that were not part of the Junior School curriculum: III Senior was the beginning of our preparations for National 5 exams; IV and V Senior were most certainly difficult for everyone. Covid meant that we had to learn from home, and cancelled exams served to bring a lot of new challenges our way, but we pulled through and made it to the other side, having gained more experience and knowledge throughout our time spent social distancing and isolating from our friends and families.

VI Senior was a whirlwind from start to finish. For the first time in two years, our year group was given access to the sixth year flat – something that everyone was eagerly anticipating. Our year group came together as we prepared to take our next steps, whether that be applying for college or university or pursuing a career in our preferred fields. Between dress-up days and school trips, panics over personal statements and scrambling to put together a sixth year assembly, our final year at St Margaret’s was one to remember. Before we knew it, it was our last day. Speech Day was an emotional event for everyone, and while the future for our year group –and our trio of Silver Girls – is ours to shape, leaving behind the only school we’ve ever attended was something daunting. It was brightened, however, by the three of us receiving our Silver Awards – and more St Margaret’s teddies, complete with sixth year badges. It’s strange to think about how we’re now former pupils of St Margaret’s, but the memories and lessons that we have gathered and learned throughout our school journey are cherished, and to them, we will always hold fast.

Ashanee Hapuarachchi

Parent Teacher Association

Throughout the 2021-2022 session, thanks to the pandemic, we continued to meet in virtual format, and although not ideal, it was great to see so many smiling faces keen to promote the PTA as best possible in what have been some of the most challenging of circumstances. We had a series of ideas for fun events and fundraising opportunities, but sadly they were curtailed by Covid.

ut, after many frustrating starts and stops, with the lifting of restrictions the PTA is thrilled to be finally back in full swing, having being given the go-ahead to resume in-person events at school.

Earlier this year, we put our tentative toe in the water with an Easter Bonnet competition and a gift-bearing visit to the Junior School by the Easter Bunny and Spring Chick – an outing which saw our very adorable giant Chick performing a spontaneous ‘moonwalk’ in the centre of the playground to the sheer delight and cheers of the girls. What a hoot!

With the arrival of summer came Sports Day and in the same week, the School Fair, with an array of activities and stalls that attracted scores of excited youngsters and

their equally enthusiastic parents. It was combined with our first in person pre-loved uniform and book sale which saw bumper trade. Among the attractions was a giant inflatable slide, fabulous face painting, nail art, beauty tombola, a book-bola, hook-a-duck, bottle stalls, food and cake stalls, and much, much more.

Parents rallied to both provide the stalls and help with setting up and running of the event, others who turned out with their families and friends and together all helped to make the event a tremendous success. With the sale of refreshments on sports day – organised by vice-chair Marie and her team, and the Summer Fair – PTA funds have now been boosted by a super £6,399.89, all of which will be spent on those wonderful little extras that make our girls school lives all the sweeter.

Well, what a year it has been!

We have to thank Gillian Corry, who for the last six years, has been responsible for the organisation of the sale with help from her dedicated band of volunteers. Gillian continued to provide this invaluable service, right through lockdown while juggling family and professional commitments and the PTA is truly indebted to her. With her family now off to and heading for university, Gillian has passed the reins on to Mandy Hirst, who is already up and running and doing a great job. Parents have in the past suggested adding to the in-person sales that take place during the year, an opportunity to sell and buy their uniforms online. In the past this has proved challenging but with the arrival of Mandy on the team, she and Gillian have come up with a method that now makes this possible and it is up and running. See the PTA Facebook page for details.

The PTA is also indebted to our fabulous vice-chair and treasurer Marie Harris and Laura Ferrari respectively who have been stalwart in their support and great fun. As with Gillian Corry, they and their invaluable contribution will be sorely missed.

We cannot thank enough all those who made the most recent events this academic year such a success: our thanks go to all who donated time and goods, to our members, and supporters, to parents, school staff and support staff, including the janitorial team and Mark and Chelsea of Entier who cooked up a storm during the sports day and summer fair. We could not be more grateful.

We have more events lined up for the rest of the year. The popular fish and chip quiz – with bar – for the grown-ups and their pals only will be back, along with our fabulous festive family quiz in the run-up to Christmas.

We’d love to see some new faces and new ideas on the PTA so please do contact the secretary via the school office if you’d like to find out more. We’re proof of the pudding that many hands make light, fun work, and we’d love you to be part of that – the benefits the PTA provide for the girls are more than worth the little effort involved. So do, please, get in touch. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Sally McDonald Chair

t has been another busy year for the Development Office as pandemic restrictions eased. We were pleased to be able to meet with former pupils and friends again in person after so long.

Former pupil visits to school

To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science we held a special assembly featuring an online interview with our former pupil and particle physicist, Professor Sinead Farrington from the University of Edinburgh. Professor Farrington spoke about her work on particle physics, underlying values, her wider interests and ended with a reflection on the school motto.

We were delighted to welcome a former pupil, Mrs Mary Troup, from the class of 1962 as our special guest at our jubilee assembly. Mrs Troup shared her memories of school life during the period when Queen Elizabeth came to the throne including the school uniform worn by pupils at the time and the games they played in break. She shared a particularly special memory from 1953 when, to mark the coronation, her 5J class planted the beautiful cherry tree outside No.15 Albyn Place.

At the end of May former pupils and former staff returned to school for our first in-person reunion since 2019. We were particularly delighted to welcome back Elizabeth Patterson from the class of 1946. Guests enjoyed tours of the school with prefects, before having a lovely picnic-style lunch followed by both the old and new school songs.

Rachel Paterson-Davies, Head of Development, and Mary Troup, former pupil by cherry tree

Annual school reunion guests

Supporting our pupils

Gift to Library

The school received a generous donation from a family of sisters, all former pupils, to support our library. The family were keen that the school invest in STEM books in particular, which is wonderful as there are so many pupils with a keen interest in STEM. As well as working with our teaching staff, a group of senior pupils volunteered to research and suggest new titles that reflect their own interests and those of the donors.

Interactive whiteboard

We also received a donation from a current family to meet the cost of a new interactive whiteboard. Our Modern Studies teacher, Mrs Milne, shared how this benefited her classes:

It’s particularly useful for Enquiry Skills as it involves analysing a lot of statistical data such as election results and data regarding the economy.

Giving the girls a good learning experience through technology is vital to them attaining their individual potential.

The school are incredibly grateful to our donors for investing in teaching tools which are invaluable for a modern classroom.

School archive

Our school archive is a treasure trove of images, documents and artefacts, a collection which grows annually. Our archive has been supported by a kind benefactor for a number of years which has allowed us to bring in specialists to develop the archive. We now have a searchable inventory for staff which is so handy and there are always new additions to be added.

Our Fundraising Priority – Bursary Programme

The education I have received at St Margaret’s is something I will be eternally grateful for. It has provided me with confidence and a multitude of skills I will value and use for the rest of my life. Not only has St Margaret’s aided me in my studies and helped me to pursue my interests, but the school has also taught me valuable lessons and attributes that have shaped who I am today; that of kindness, resilience and confidence. Thank you for giving me the chance to receive a fantastic education, to make lasting friendships and to be part of the St Margaret’s family, a family I will forever be proud to be part of.

BURSARY RECIPIENT

Visit St Margaret’s Connect at stmargaretsconnect.com/donate

How to Give

Donate via your bank

Transfer your donation to us using your bank’s phone or online service. For further details contact r.patersondavies@st-margaret.uk

Donate by post

Post a cheque made payable to ‘St Margaret’s School for Girls’ to: Development Office, St Margaret’s School for Girls, 17 Albyn Place, Aberdeen AB10 1RU

Pupils in playground, circa 1915

VIS Leavers’ Ceremony

n June, we welcomed pupils and their families to school for their Leavers’ Ceremony, marking the end of the school journey for our VIS pupils. Although the sky threatened rain, after the ceremony guests were treated to refreshments in the playground kindly provided and served by our wonderful Former Pupils’ Club.

Our leavers may be moving on from school but they are now part of our alumnae community and we look forward to sharing their news in years to come.

Leavers’ Ceremony Invitation

FP President’s Report

The FP Club had high hopes of springing into action this year after the previous year’s imposed Covid restrictions brought social events to a halt. However, this was not to be and early 2022 saw us again holding our AGM by Zoom. We had a healthy turn-out and again it was good to catch up with fellow FPs from near and far.

Prior to the AGM, in December we were pleased to donate a hamper and wine to the PTA’s Festive Fundraiser. It was good to help the PTA in this way, and we would be happy to continue to support this excellent event in future years.

It was wonderful to be involved in the reunion held at the end of May. Everyone was clearly delighted to be able to meet up in person, and to greet so many old friends. We provided and served coffee and biscuits to welcome everyone to what proved to be a most enjoyable day.

As always, the Club provided sparkling wine and strawberries for the Leavers’ Ceremony at the end of term. This is a lovely way to say farewell to our senior girls, to wish them well in the future and to invite them to stay in touch with School via Connect.

Lesley Robertson FP Club President

17 Albyn Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1RU

T: +44 (0)1224 584466

E: info@st-margaret.uk

St Margaret’s School is a registered charity (OSCR Reg. No. SC016265)