Wakefield Girls' Founders Day 2020

WAKEFIELD WHERE GIRLS HAVE BIG FUTURES. WAKEFIELD WHERE GIRLS HAVE NO LIMITS. Founders' Day Order of Service 2020

WAKEFIELD GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL

Founders' Day 11th September 2020

Wakefield Girls’ High School has a strong sense of community and collective endeavour.

We act with kindness towards each other because we care about those around us. We appreciate each other for who we are, we respect our differences and value what each of us contribute to our school and wider society.

Music Trumpet Voluntary (Stanley) Lucy, Year 13, accompanied by James Bowstead

Opening from the Head We have come together to thank our Creator for the foundation of this school in 1878. We remember with gratitude all those who have enriched the life of the school and pray for blessing upon our work. We give special thanks for those who helped to endow the school, especially Margaret Knott, Edith Blair, Florence Geoghegan, Pamela Brown, Mary Smith, Nannette Capstick, Agnes Latham, Sheila Parker and Miss Bentham; for those who have gone on to serve our nation with distinction especially Dame Anne Mueller, Dame Barbara Hepworth and Dame Marjorie Williamson; and for those who have given in service for their county in war and in peace.

I wish to remember and thank all custodians of Wakefield Girls’ High School who have gone before me, for their contribution to our school, shaping it into what you experience today. So as you sit here now, please consider our heritage, our diversity and individuality, how we respect and care for each other, strive to excel and embrace all opportunities for learning. Finally, to thank all our alumnae, past and present, who continue to promote these values and our school: including Heidi Allen, Helen Fielding, Sophie Carrigill, Laura Siddell and Baroness Usha Prasar. For all this, we give thanks.

Music The Lord Bless You and Keep You (Rutter) Alex, Year 12, accompanied by James Bowstead

Bidding Prayer Read by Reverend Canon Leah Vasey-Saunders Let us pray.

God our Father, we come before you with praise and thanksgiving for the many good things we have received.

We offer you our joys, needs and sorrows.

We pray for your continual blessing upon us, our school and our country; and we renew our commitment to the service of all our neighbours.

May the spirit of truth dwell in us, that we may serve you with hope and gladness all the days of our life. Â

Amen

The Lord's Prayer Read by Reverend Canon Leah Vasey-Saunders Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Reading Happiness by Raymond Carver Read by Elspeth, Old Girl, 2019

Music Praeludium and Allegro, Kreisler Wuyou, Year 11 (violin)

Gown Ceremony The Senior Prefect Team 2020/21 are presented with their gowns

Bible Reading Luke 19: 1-10 (NIV) Read by Alison Tetley, WGHS Board of Governors

Reading Small Kindness by Danusha Lameris Read by Anna, Deputy Head Girl

Music Yellow (Coldplay) Charisa (voice and guitar)

The Address

By Reverend Canon Leah Vasey-Saunders

Prayers and Thanksgiving The Head Girl - Sarah - leads the prayers of the school community

O God, Our creator, our redeemer; We give thanks for our community; Which has been grounded in our heritage of hope and wisdom.

Our heritage in which we replace indifference with compassion, Exclusion with tolerance, And stagnation with growth.

We give thanks for inclusivity and justice; So that we all may gather and serve as one.

All -We worship and praise You forever.

Let us celebrate the identities of those around us; As we travel our journeys towards grace and success, as did those before us, Help us to remember the diversity which paves and upholds such roads; As well as how it may differ for each member of our community.

You give us the patience, humility and generosity to accept our peers’ struggles, And in doing so, You give us the courage to accept ourselves.

All -We give you thanks and praise.

For For For For For

the the the the the

health of our school; generosity of our benefactors and the opportunities to flourish; care of our teachers and support of our loved ones; dedication to knowledge in the face of failure; persevering communal spirit which joins us in your service.

All -We give you thanks and praise. Bless us, O Lord; Help us to serve in your image; So that we may inspire to do unto others the same.

Guide us to support our school and our neighbours; And to welcome support when we are in need.

Remind us that throughout adversity and separation; We are connected through faith, service and heritage.

Show us our ability to endure and create hope within our community; To continuously learn, to empower others, to uphold our beliefs; So that we may all endeavour to shape the future; Where every member of every generation may strive to achieve excellence. All -Amen.

Written by Sarah Shah

THE BLESSING

by Reverend Canon Leah Vasey-Saunders

POSTLUDE Carillon (Vierne) Phoebe (organ)

THE FOUNDATION OF WAKEFIELD GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL In 1864 the Taunton Commission was set up by the Government to investigate secondary education in England.

This included a review of the secondary education provision for girls. They found only thirteen schools educating girls, each with a curriculum based around “the genteel accomplishments of deportment, drawing and a little music.”

To deliver a speedy increase in both the number of girls’ schools, and the number of subjects studied therein, the Commission recommended that some endowments, previously used exclusively for the education of boys, should be allotted to girls. The proposal became law in 1869 with the Endowed Schools Act.

In Wakefield plans were drawn up by the Charity Commission and approved by the local council on 13 May 1875.

This included the provision to found “a school for one hundred girls providing education up to university entrance standard”. On 1 November 1876 the Governors of Wakefield Charities (the forerunner of the Wakefield Grammar School Foundation) agreed “that steps be taken to establish a school for girls”.

Premises were sought and staff recruited. Wentworth House was purchased as a suitable home for the School and its first Headmistress, Miss Allen, appointed. Miss Allen had attended Newnham Hall Cambridge. Along with two of her fellow teachers, Miss Wilkinson and Miss Dagg, Miss Allen held a “first class certificate” from Cambridge. (‘Degrees’ were not awarded to women there until 1921). The fourth member of staff, Miss Brittain, was educated at Bedford College, London. A prospectus was published and advertisements taken out in the local press. Fees were set at £10. An entrance examination was prepared and the opening date of the school fixed.

On 16 September 1878 some 58 pupils attended the new “Wakefield Endowed High School for Girls”. Their ages ranged from 8 to 17. Academic lessons took place in the mornings with drawing, music and sewing lessons taking place in the afternoon. The School library was then used for “prep” (homework) until 4.30pm. Within a year the school had over 110 pupils. By 1920 this had grown to some 600 girls, and was one of the largest and most successful in the country. Today, with over 1,000 pupils, WGHS continues in that tradition.

The High School was granted its Armorial Bearings by the College of Arms in 1963. The leopard heads are drawn from the Wentworth coat of arms, the fleur de lys is a symbol of the city of Wakefield and the surround of ermine symbolises learning. The School motto “Each for All and All for God” comes from the School Song, and predates the crest.

In 2015 the Governors agreed that the High School should mark its foundation with an annual service at Wakefield Cathedral. The inaugural service took place on Friday 18 September 2015.

With thanks MRS BENTHAM

DR DUNLOP

for arranging the music

for arranging the readings

BY KIND PERMISSION OF DEAN AND CHAPTER CALAMUS LICENCE 2211 CHRISTIAN COPYRIGHT LICENCE 90545 WAKEFIELD CATHEDRAL