23rd September 2011
Dear Parents
I hope that you have received the Examinations 2011 Leaflet which was posted earlier this week. Our excellent results certainly ensured that we started the term with much to be proud of.
I was pleased to welcome back parents and girls to our High School Curriculum Evenings last week, and trust they were informative. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time should you have any queries or concerns. Similarly, staff in Littlegates presented the Numeracy curriculum to parents of our Reception Class; as ever, it was a lively presentation involving conkers and feet!
As a Head, the one thing that you really miss is teaching. I am, therefore, back in the classroom teaching geography to Upper 3, and I hope the girls have enjoyed the lessons as much as I have. In addition, you may be aware that I have been visiting and observing lessons and shall continue to do so throughout this term. The warmth of welcome I receive is always gratifying and, of course, I love the opportunity to see, and be a part of, what the girls are doing. Our younger girls scrutinise me very closely so I have learnt that I have to look my best on these days! They make some delightful comments.
We welcomed girls from Upper 3, Lower 4 and Upper 4 back to School on Monday following their team building weekend at Carlton Outdoor Activity Centre. The girls entered into all the activities with ‘gusto’ and didn’t allow the torrential rain to dampen their spirits.
The first of this year’s Master Class Programme took place this week with ‘Hold the Front Page’. Some of our Lower 3 pupils were joined by pupils from Bardsey Primary School and Brodetsky School to become young reporters for the day, creating the front page of a newspaper. The course focussed on news reporting, interview techniques, headline writing, picture selection and page design from our guest host, author and journalist Yvette Huddleston.
On Wednesday we welcomed again our Spanish exchange guests and pupils from Mendebaldea School in Vitoria to enjoy a week in Gateways and Yorkshire. They were impressed yesterday by their visit to Harewood House and today are heading to Skipton and down into the caves. Thank you for kindly hosting girls.
We have been piloting ‘Pasta King’ meals for High School pupils at lunchtime this week and, judging by the queues, it is a great success! We will adjust the lunchtime rotas next week to enable all pupils to enjoy these dishes, including Prep.
On the sporting front, the term has started tremendously well with netball players of all ages recording some impressive victories over our rival schools. Next Tuesday, hockey training and team selection commences, the girls will train on astro turf at the Weetwood Playing Fields of the University of Leeds and will be coached by a hockey specialist. As a once keen hockey player who has hung up her boots, I’m delighted to bring this competitive dimension to the School.
Some of our senior sports girls went ‘Gold’ on Wednesday, attending a national Girls Schools’ Association conference in Birmingham, titled ‘Girls go Gold’. They joined hundreds of girls from across the country and listened to some impressive speeches, in particular Dame Kelly Holmes.
Our senior choir performed in Leeds Town Hall last Saturday; they sang beautifully and were a credit to themselves and the School. We enjoyed an insight into their performance in this morning’s whole school assembly. May I kindly remind you that parents are very welcome to join us at assembly on Friday mornings? We commence at 8.45am. Also, please do continue to ‘spread the word’ that every Friday morning is ‘Open Gates’; we warmly welcome prospective families to see our school in action.
‘Heads Time’ continues and I look forward to meeting girls from Prep and High School at Wednesday and Thursday breaktime ~ I am pleased to see their ‘commended’ work but also just love the opportunity to talk with them.
The School Council has held two meetings so far and has given me much to think about! I have reported back in assembly today and am responding to their requests on a venue for GBay, year group Common Rooms, lunch rotas, water fountains and aerobic classes.
Lunchtime picnics have introduced new members to the Houses and have strengthened the House spirit. The girls really appreciate the new picnic tables that have been kindly purchased for them by FOG. We are fortunate to be well supported by our Parents’ Association, who extend a warm invitation to you to join them at their Annual General Meeting on Monday 10th October. I look forward to seeing you.
Dance classes and activities are, as expected, enormously popular proving the Studio to be a great asset to our School. Indeed, Break Dancing arrives next week!
Girls continue to be busy devising new methods of raising much needed funds for their expedition to Cambodia in June 2012, and are in training for the trek across Cambodia on 7th October. I know they would value your kind support.
You will have noticed from the website that we are currently in the process of developing it in line with our new prospectus (expected any day now!). I would welcome any feedback or ideas from you on how we can ensure this is a most effective form of both communication and information.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Y Wilkinson
Headmistress