Bedford Girls' School | News Feed

Wet Weather Wonders

2013-05-17T00:00:00

Wind, rain and even the odd hail storm failed to dampen the fighting spirit of around 40 girls from Bedford Girls’ School who achieved some outstanding results at the town’s annual regatta, on Saturday 11th of May.

In an astonishing display of fortitude and skill the BGS Women’s Novice Eight, Jess Crook, Olivia Mason, Erin Gibbs-Charles, Gaby Crawford, Kate Long, Sarah Symmonds, Amy Osgood and Hollie Muldownie, coxed by Laura Goodship, battled through the rounds in one of the day’s biggest events to steal victory from University College, Oxford in what was to be the last race of the afternoon.

Racing in the Women's Junior 14 Octuplets and Women's Junior 14 A and B Quads, the BGS Year 9 girls were competing at their first ever regatta. They put in some excellent performances, all winning their first ever side by side races and progressing through to round two. All three crews met some tough competition, narrowly missing a place in round three, but should feel very pleased with their racing.

In the under 18 events, BGS girls raced in the Women's Junior Eight and Women's Junior Coxed Fours. The eight progressed to the final where they met a formidable crew from Sir William Borlase School who fought extremely hard to keep the girls just in second place.

In the fours, Gemma Crook, Courtnay Osbourne-Walker, Anna-Daisy Leftly and Mila Ilic, coxed by Harriet Lusty, had very strong performances in all of their races and deserve great praise for their hard work and fortitude.

From Rags to Riches

2013-05-17T00:00:00

A big thank you to the audience, cast and crew who all helped ensure the Junior Spotlight Youth Theatre’s production of Olivia! was a performance to remember.

Held in the Drama Studio, on Friday 10th May, the girls’ rendition of Malcom Sircom’s contemporary reworking of Oliver was extremely well-attended, much to the appreciation of the girls who had all worked hard to bring the writer’s humorous depiction of Victorian London to life.

The lively songs and up-beat story combined to lift the spirits of the audience and the young cast, creating a relaxed and happy atmosphere within the cosy theatre space. The experience left the girls brimming with confidence and delighted that the result of all their hard work had succeeded in bringing a smile to everyone’s face.

Combined Events Winners

2013-05-17T00:00:00

Outstanding results and strong performances saw Bedford Girls’ School claim the Junior Competition title for the second year running at the 2013 Bedfordshire and Luton Schools’ AA Combined Events Championships, held at Bedford International Athletics Stadium, on Friday 9th May.

Year 7 and 8 athletes, Ellie Lawton, Millie Garbutt, Molly Garrigue and Cecilia Castell competed against 39 other hopefuls in 70m hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put and 800m. In an exciting finale to a thrilling day of action, Ellie Lawton finished in a very impressive personal best time of 2m 31s and all four girls achieved very good times to push the team into overall first place. As individuals, Ellie Lawton was placed second in the competition while Millie Garbutt finished a close third.

In the Intermediate category, Year 9 and 10 pupils, Kate Axford, Dani Monks, Holly Dabson and Olivia Smith competed against 44 other athletes in 75m hurdles, high jump, long jump, javelin and 800m. Despite running, jumping and throwing well, they narrowly missed out on a place in the medals table.

As in previous years, the championships were organised by sports students and staff from the University of Bedfordshire and former Bedfordshire schools competitors have gone on to represent England, and Great Britain Athletics at junior level. Unlike other championships, where pupils are often required just to specialise in one or two events, the competition challenges them to take part in five, testing them to the maximum and making victory all the more commendable.

Impact on Youth Work

2013-05-17T00:00:00

When Year 12 student, Joelle Sweatman, was younger, she often found herself contemplating how nice it would be to have a youth club in the village where she lives. Just over year ago, aware that there was still no provision in the immediate locality, for 8 to 12 year olds, she decided to set up a youth group called IMPACT.

The group runs every Sunday evenings and is held in the village church and attracts between 15 and 25 young people each session. During the evening, the boys and girls are able to play pool, table football, table tennis and board games. Each week, Joelle organises a craft activity and, at the end, of each session the group plays games and listens to a short talk, followed by a discussion, on an aspect of Christianity. The popularity of the sessions has led to BGS girls Lilly King, Georgie Cole and Elana Sweatman joining Joelle at the youth club, as Assistant Leaders, as part of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

For the last few months Joelle has been fundraising to cover the transport costs for a trip away and over the last May half term holiday, she took 19 members of IMPACT away for an activity weekend to Devon. In addition to money raised by Joelle, the trip was made possible by a generous cheque donated by the Bishop of St. Albans. Having heard about Joelle’s work with IMPACT, he was keen to meet her and to support the group.

Joelle said: “We had a fantastic time in Devon and enjoyed a variety of adventurous outdoor activities, spent time exploring the beach and were fortunate to have wonderful weather. It’s rewarding to see the group establish itself in an important role within the community and we’re grateful for all the encouragement and support we’ve received.”

Heritage Day

2013-05-10T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School was delighted to host a special Heritage Day for former Headmistresses, Governors and benefactors of Bedford High School for Girls on Friday 3rd May.

The occasion began with our guests enjoying a tour of the school where they were able to see the legacy items brought over from the High School in their new locations at BGS. As well as taking in our Heritage Corridor, which houses photographs and paintings of former Headmistresses from both Heritage Schools, the party were able to see the boards that identify former Head Girls and our display case of memorabilia from BHSg and Dame Alice Harpur School. The fabulous stained glass windows, kindly donated to the BHSg Junior School by the Abrahams family, and now in pride of place at BGS, were particularly admired as another tangible reminder that our history enhances our future.

Speaking at a beautifully sunny reception in the gardens of Burnaby House, Deputy Head Girl and former High School pupil, Lottie Bruce said: “All these physical things are a constant reminder and presence of Bedford High, but there is much more than that to remind us. Bedford High had an infectious feel of enthusiasm and community about it, and I can also feel that here. Therefore, it is not just the physical, material memorabilia that has been bought over which you can see, as well as these, I hope you can feel a certain aspect of Bedford High in this school like I can”.

To read more about the day, click here.

U11 Tennis Triumph

2013-05-10T00:00:00

Eight girls from Bedford Girls’ School Junior School put in a smashing performance to come out on top at a special invitational U11 Tennis Tournament on Wednesday 1st May.

Our A team of Alessia Milazzo, Alexa Wilson, Breeanne Peer-Bonsu and Maddie Axford played Laxton A in their first match where they won by 17 games to 1. They then faced a strong Milton Keynes Prep team in the other match in their pool and, despite a shaky start, held their nerve to come through winning by 9 games to 7.

2013-05-03T00:00:00

High winds, cold and rain failed to dampen the spirits of girls on the Year 7 Geography field trip around Bedfordshire this week.

Starting in Stewartby and progressing to the Greensand Hill ridge of Ampthill, the trip examined the effect geology has had on the relief and land use. Visiting the soon to open Center Parcs development on the Greensand of Ampthill was also a thought-provoking segment of the trip with the girls being asked to consider its impact on the local environment.

During the day, the girls accompanied by Mrs Clements, Head of Year, and their Geography teachers (including Miss MacKenzie), also undertook a traffic survey in the centre of Ampthill before rounding off the trip on the chalk. Shortly before returning to the coach, the party was drenched by a violent hailstorm and heavy rain but everyone remained cheerful as they happily discussed the day on the way home.

Miss MacKenzie said: “I loved the opportunity to be out in the field once again teaching Geography. The vibrancy and fizzing energy of our school is in the class room and in the very special learning experience the girls enjoy and engage in here. The girls I taught on the wind blasted chalk escarpment last week were a joy. They were keen, engaged and motivated and, like me, found learning more about their local geography - and of course the importance of wearing wet weather kit throughout a fieldtrip - an inspiration”.

To read more about Miss MacKenzie’s reflections on the trip click here.

In the Swim

2013-05-03T00:00:00

On Sunday 28th April a number of Junior School girls took part in the Bedford Aquathlon which is a continuous swimming and running event. All the girls performed to their very best and finished with some outstanding results. In Year 3 Jasmin Brakenbury came second, Year 4 sisters Brooke and Bo Mahoney came fourth and 21st respectively and Porsche Laing, Year 4, also achieved an excellent swimming time. In Year 5 Aneira Bowmer came fifth, Ella Turner ninth and Mimi Collier 12th. Vicky Brakenbury in Year 6 had a fantastic swim and run and as a result won her age group with Kirsty Stark finishing fifth and Maddie Mahoney achieving sixth place. Congratulations to all the girls and also to Mr Castro who took part in the adult sprint triathlon on the same morning. Mr Castro swam the fastest swimming time and finished fourth in his age group!

During the May Half Term holiday, Mr Castro and his fellow coaches are running a series of four day courses at Bedford Girls’ School. Taught in small groups and open to boys and girls, courses for beginners and improvers are priced at just £20 for the full week. Mr Castro is also offering intensive courses for accomplished and elite swimmers priced at just £40 for four days. To find out more, or to book, please click here.

Netball Pathfinders

2013-05-03T00:00:00

Congratulations to Emily Green, Kate Axford and Anna Hunt in Year 9 who have been selected to be part of the U19 East Regional Performance Netball Programme following Inter County and East Regional Screening.

The Netball Performance Pathway is the England Netball process for developing athletes with the attributes to attain excellence. The programmes within the pathway are focused on developing athletes to reach their potential and form the foundations for England Netball to become the number one team in the world, by winning the World Championships.

These programmes provide performance-enhancing training for individuals, not squads. Festivals and match play is a part of the Pathway, but formal competition is not, to ensure that the focus remains on the individual and not the team.

The girls’ qualification is testament to their hard work and dedication and cements their status among the best young players in the country.

Antonia's Tale of 500 Words

2013-05-03T00:00:00

Back in February, BBC Radio 2’s The Chris Evans Show launched their 500 Words competition. As part of our Challenge and Extend opportunities, Mrs Hoar encouraged girls to send their short stories to her before they were submitted to Radio 2. Only expecting a handful of entries, Mrs Hoar was delighted to receive over 70 stories from both Junior and Senior school girls; we really have some extremely talented writers at BGS! The competition was stiff, but Year 8 student, Antonia Illingworth’s story, Antonia’s Tale, beat 87,000 entries and was selected to go forward to the next round! Congratulations Antonia, this is a fantastic achievement!

Open Morning

2013-04-26T00:00:00

Our next Open Morning is on Thursday 2nd May and, as ever, we would like to extend an invitation to parents’ friends and families or to anyone interested in finding out more about life at Bedford Girls’ School.

The morning will begin with a presentation by the Head and entertainment, courtesy of our young musicians, followed by a personal guided tour of the school. Refreshments will then be served in the Compass Room where staff will be on hand to answer any questions or queries.

Registration is from 9.30am and visitors can expect to leave by 1pm, although shorter tours or alternative dates can be arranged upon request.

Please register your attendance via email to: admissions@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk or by phoning Martha Habershon or Jane Taylor on: 01234 361918.

Year 4 Victorian School Day

2013-04-26T00:00:00

Girls in Year 4 learnt a lesson in hardship, on Thursday 18th April, when they ventured to Hitchin to spend a day re-enacting life in a Victorian school room. On arrival, the girls had to dress up in an apron and greet the Headmistress and their teacher before being led into a galleried classroom, one of the last in Britain, to take part in their lessons. The Mathematics topic was pounds, shillings and pence, followed by reading aloud. They experienced handwriting, working on a slate and also writing with an ink pen. Several girls blotted their copy book with two being told their behaviour might have warranted the cane in the harsh environs of a Victorian school house.

During the day, the girls also enjoyed the interactive museum, where they were able to touch artefacts from the Victorian era.

Aspiring Doctor in the House

2013-04-26T00:00:00

Year 13 student and aspiring doctor, Carla Barberio, has become a regular columnist for national magazine, JuniorDr., and her first column has been published this month in the Spring 2013 Issue!

Aimed at medical professionals from trainee doctors to consultants, the magazine is distributed quarterly in hospitals and Medical Schools throughout the UK. Carla has been asked to produce the column to share with readers her journey towards becoming a doctor.

Bedford Small Boats Head

2013-04-19T00:00:00

Sunday 14th April was a very busy day of racing on home water where our many crews put in some good performances all round. In the Women’s Junior 15 Quads we had two entries. The faster crew of Jess Crook, Gabriella Crawford, Kate Long and Hollie Muldownie coxed by Laura Goodship finished joint first with a St Neots crew who until now have been a long way ahead of our girls. It is a testament to the girls' hard work over the last few months that this gap has closed. Our other crew also did well finishing a strong second.

In the Women’s Novice Fours we had three entries from Year 10 crews finishing in first, second and fifth place. In the winning crew were Amy Osgood, Gabriella Crawford, Kate Long and Hollie Muldownie with Harriet Lusty coxing. With only three seconds separating our first and second place crews, we are well on track for the National Schools Regatta.

Our final win of the day was in the Women’s Junior 16 Single for Courtnay Osborne-Walker with a six second margin over second place.

We had four Women’s Junior 14 Quads racing, with our fastest crew on the day finishing a respectable fourth place. After an equipment failure, one crew were down to three girls for the second half of the race but completed the course in a gutsy performance.

In the Women’s Intermediate 3 Four our Year 11s finished fourth out of a field of 12 Senior crews, in the Women’s Intermediate 3 Pairs they had a strong row to finish second place and our Women’s Novice Quad finished in fifth place.

The Night Wear before Easter

2013-04-19T00:00:00

On the last day of the Easter term, girls in the Junior School were invited to come to school in their pyjamas. Here, Sophia Baker, 6CW, explains the important message behind an enjoyable day.

“The Junior School Council had thought it would be a great idea to promote reading in bed by wearing our pyjamas for a day, so on Friday 22nd of March, as well as wearing our PJs, we brought in our favourite book.

A lot of people brought in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Personally I think this was a great idea, as Diary of a Wimpy Kid is an easy read, great before bed when you’ve probably had a long and tiring day.

Speaking of long and tiring days, on the day of the pyjama day it was also the Easter bonnet parade! I thought all of the bonnets were great and, when I went to bed that night, I read my book until I fell asleep dreaming of the amazing day before.”

Equestrian Endeavour

2013-04-19T00:00:00

During the Easter break, the BGS Equestrian Team headed out to compete at the Headington Interschools Show Jumping at Addington Equestrian Centre in Buckingham.

This is the second year the girls have competed and they set out with some trepidation due to memories of a very challenging course and some nasty obstacles that none of them could jump successfully. Happily, they need not have worried as they proved just how far they have come and how all their hard work and training is paying off.

Jess Falle stormed the first individual class to take the winning title; the BGS Team made up of Olivia Wright, Jess Falle, Ellen Denton and Georgie Rapley came fourth in their team class, putting in the necessary 3 clear rounds that they needed against the clock to earn their place, and in the bigger class, Dani Stapleton, Rachel McGall and Emily Falle came a very credible fifth place against some very stiff competition, with Emily Falle taking sixth place as an individual.

Miss Mackenzie came along to watch them and see the first team earn their fourth place, providing a huge boost to the girls and making them even more determined now to put in more training and go for the winning title next year.

The Sweet Spell of Success

2013-04-19T00:00:00

Annabella Taylor, Fleur Leech, and Isobel Stearn proved Modern Languages are buzzing at BGS by representing the school in the Regional Final of the languages Spelling Bee on Wednesday 20th March 2013.

2013-03-22T00:00:00

Congratulations to BGS Year 11 pupil Tor Caldwell (above, in the green shirt) who has been selected to play for the England U19 Women's Football Squad following a successful trial last weekend.

Dr Susannah Abbott, Queen’s Park Rangers player and Chair of the Independent Schools Football Association, invited Tor to join the squad after a series of impressive performances. The women’s game is becoming increasingly popular and BGS has recently introduced its own football club. Well done to Tor for being selected and for inspiring other girls in the school to take up the sport.

Oarsome Results for BGS Rowers

2013-03-15T00:00:00

Three days of intense effort, stamina and panache reaped some terrific results for Bedford Girls’ School rowers between Thursday 7th and Saturday 9th March.

The first event was the National schools' head of the river, one of the highlights of the rowing calendar and a fabulous opportunity for the girls to go head-to-head with the best school squads in the country.

BGS had three crews entered in this event all of whom rowed brilliantly. The BGS women’s J15 8+ crew, of Amy Osgood, Laura Goodship, Kate Long, Gaby Crawford, Jess Crook, Ruth Watson, Erin Gibbs-Charles, Olivia Mason and Hollie Muldownie, had not raced in this combination before, yet exceeded all expectations to overtake more than three boats during their race and finish fourth. Next up were Hannah Selvey, Olivia Pryer, Mila Ilic, Finola Mcdonagh and Kerenza Killingbeck in the WJ16 4+. The girls had a strong race and overtook a number of crews before suffering slightly under Hammersmith Bridge. Happily, they soon switched on and got their speed back, finishing the race in a podium position in third place. The next crew was the BGS WJ18 4+, of Lottie Bruce, Gemma Crook, Anna-Daisy Leftly, Courtnay Osborne-Walker and Harry Lusty, who overcame recent set-backs in training to take another place for the school.

The next day, Bedford Girls’ School had five crews racing at The Scullery at Dorney Lake, the Olympic rowing venue, including a WJ16 quad of Hannah Selvey, Mila Ilic, Finola Mcdonagh and Olivia Pryer who finished eighth out of the 30 crews. Lottie Bruce, Courtnay Osborne-Walker, Anna-Daisy Leftly and Gemma Crook, in the WJ17 quad, missed out on winning by a mere 0.4 of a second. The next crew, a WJ15 quad of Jess Crook, Erin Gibbs-Charles, Olivia Mason, Ruth Watson and Laura Goodship, had a fantastic row to finish ninth out of 48. Our two WJ14 quads were next up for only their second race. Despite this Franky Lynn, Maddy Roberts, Annie Wallace, Charlotte Isaacson and Ellie McCarthy finished 20th, while Olivia Swain, Ella Monaghan, Ella Marlow-Gilks, Freja Kane and Kezia Hodgkin were placed 30th out of 47th.

On Saturday 9th March BGS were back on the water for the Women’s Head of the River where Harry Lusty, Gemma Crook, Lottie Bruce and Courtnay Osborne-Walker raced in a composite crew with girls from Boston Rowing Club, Eton Excelsior rowing club and Great Marlow School. The girls rowed a very strong race, having only trained in the crew once before race day yet managed to power on to finish 25th out of 303 overall, making them the second placed junior crew. For an event which the girls saw as a fun race they really did make their mark, with the Chief Junior Selector from the GB team saying he was very impressed with the girls' result.

A Festival of Finesse for BGS

2013-03-15T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School experienced tremendous success at this year’s Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama - so well, in fact, that we eclipsed every other school taking part.

We were entered into 66 categories, were placed in the top third in 57 and won an incredible 44. In the gala performance we won two of the outstanding categories, with Head Girl, Lucy Charatan named Outstanding Pianist of the Festival and a duologue of Franky Lynn and Jaspreet Sohal winning Outstanding Junior Speech and Drama Performance. Such success is testament not merely to the wealth of talent at BGS but also to the hard work and dedication of all the girls who took part.

Head, Jo MacKenzie, said: “Throughout festival week, as the results came in, I experienced an escalating sense of pride, not just in what the girls have achieved but also in how events such as this cement our place in the community of Bedford. I was fortunate enough to attend the gala performance, where we not only performed beautifully but conducted ourselves with the grace, modesty and intelligence that has come to define the essence of Bedford Girls’ School. The arts play a vital role in the life of the school and our success at the festival underlines how adept the girls are at sharing their true value with others.”

Nadine Joins the Girls for International Women's Day

2013-03-15T00:00:00

Questions about same-sex marriage, media manipulation and the worth of positive female role models were among those asked by Bedford Girls’ School Sixth Formers when Nadine Dorries, visited the school on Friday 8th March.

As well as braving a Q&A with Years 12 and 13, the controversial MP for Mid-Bedfordshire recorded a radio interview with girls in the Year 8 Radio Group which will be broadcast via the school’s website next week.

Dorries' visit coincided with International Women’s Day, a time to reflect upon the necessity for gender equality in a modern and progressive world. As well as describing the particular trials facing women in politics, Dorries spoke about how her own education played a pivotal role in opening up opportunities and aspirations for her.

Assistant Head, Kate Jones, said: “Critical thinking, considered debate and respect for the opinions of others are highly valued and encouraged at Bedford Girls’ School. The girls asked some very insightful and probing questions and Nadine answered them candidly and courageously which was very much appreciated by us all.

“We always welcome guests who can offer the girls an opportunity to reflect upon and discuss a variety of issues and points of view and we’re very grateful for Nadine’s time and honesty.”

U11 Netball Success

2013-03-15T00:00:00

Parents braving the cold to watch their daughters play in the St Francis Invitational Netball Tournament at Letchworth were treated to stunning performances from the U11 A and B teams who were both crowned champions in their group.

The B team won five straight games before facing Knebworth in a tightly-fought final which resulted in a draw. Knebworth had also won all their games so the overall winner was decided on goal difference. Having scored 35 goals and conceded only eight, Bedford Girls’ School came out on top. In the A team tournament, the girls were unstoppable again, winning all their games before meeting St Hilda’s in the final. Intelligent and inspirational netball guaranteed another convincing victory for the determined team and secured a fantastic double for BGS.

Head of PE, Jane Axford said: “I am very proud of both the Under 11 and the Under 10 netball players who have worked really hard and shown huge improvement since September across all teams from A to D. It is testament to the strength in depth that this A and B team came through to win both tournaments despite a number of girls honouring other commitments at the Bedfordshire Festival.”

Girls Get Going in Great Debate

2013-03-15T00:00:00

On Wednesday 6th March the History and Politics Department took a team of eight Year 12 girls to take part in the East Anglia Regional Forum of the European Youth Parliament Debating Competition. This year’s forum was held in the Debating Chamber of the Cambridge Union, which proved to be a very atmospheric venue. Six debates were held on a variety of topics such as stem cell research, organ donation, gender quotas in national parliaments and piracy in the arts. The BGS team spoke very well in open debate and special thanks go to Emma Hooker who delivered the team’s speech defending the resolution in favour of women’s rights and gender equality and Georgia Gadsby who gave the summation speech.

Bedford Festival Success

2013-03-08T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School has been enjoying tremendous success at the town’s Festival of Speech, Music and Drama this week.

Wonderful performances in each of the disciplines have reaped many first, second and third places and all of the girls taking part have worked extremely hard to hone and develop their pieces for this prestigious event.

Among the winners were the Junior Choir who came first in the Year 6 and Under Choir Class. Particular thanks to Mr Churchill for leading the choir in his arrangement of Harvest for the World and to the soloists Ayat Aslam, Sarah Beard and Imogen Churchill.

World Book Day

2013-03-08T00:00:00

A trove of literary treasures has been spilling over in both Learning Resource Centres this week in celebration of World Book Day.

Since Monday, the whole school has been taking part in activities, quizzes and a book swap as well as receiving their World Book Day tokens.

Among the highlights has been the BGS Book Awards, where girls have been voting online for their favourite ever read. At the time of going to press, The Hobbit was in the lead but the final result will be published next week.

Year 5 Shakespeare Day

2013-03-08T00:00:00

Costumes, characters and a taste of Tudor life all helped to bring the works of Shakespeare to life for Year 5 on Wednesday 27th February.

The girls enjoyed a whole day immersed in activities and studies centred around the lifetime of the immortal bard. Towards the end of the afternoon, the girls were joined by writer and broadcaster, Anne Atkins, who started her career as an actress at St George’s Shakespeare Theatre in Tufnell Park. Her career moved increasingly into writing and she made her last theatre appearance at the National Theatre in 1991.

Anne involved several girls in an enactment of a scene from Twelfth Night featuring the characters Olivia, Viola and Maria. She was very impressed by the standard of the performances and the girls were all very grateful to receive her guidance and feedback.

National Schools Lacrosse

2013-03-08T00:00:00

Friday 1st March was the first day of the National Schools Lacrosse Tournament. Bedford Girls’ School had a particularly difficult pool including Godolphin who went on to win the whole tournament.

Despite this the team battled hard and managed to get themselves into the second division on day two. Despite a few sore muscles the team came out strongly and continued to improve throughout the day culminating in a convincing win against St Swithun’s.

The tournament was great way to end the season and special mention must go to Anna Monk (Year 13) who has been selected to play for the South East Junior Regional Team on Saturday 23rd March.

National Climate Week

2013-03-08T00:00:00

National Climate Week is underway with all of us being asked to consider our ecological responsibilities between Monday 4th and Sunday 10th March. With over 3,600 events taking place across the UK, the campaign provides a perfect opportunity for all of us to get together and think of innovative ways in which we can create a more sustainable future.

In the Junior School, the girls have enjoyed a Shwapping event and raised a super £80 for our House charities after all the games, books and clothing that were kindly donated by pupils and their families were sold. As well as being an excellent fundraising activity, the event showed the true spirit of reusing and recycling.

Meanwhile, on Monday 4th March, Year 8 girls, Michelle-Linda Cudjoe, Charlotte Anderson, Charlotte Monks, Sophie Benzie and Christine Symmonds took part in a Climate Challenge at Bedford Academy.

The girls competed against five other local school teams, two from Bedford Academy and three from Harrowden Middle School. The theme of the Challenge was to design an Eco Home and each team had the rest of the day to work on ideas and come up with a proposal. Many ideas were discussed, but ultimately the BGS team decided on a design using an abandoned outdoor swimming pool to create a subterranean house with an eco-friendly grass roof. The day culminated in the girls presenting their design to a panel of judges consisting of representatives from the Harpur Trust, Bedford Academy Senior Leadership Team and Wilmott Dixon (who designed and built the new Bedford Academy building). Although the girls didn’t win the overall challenge – this was won by a Harrowden team – an enjoyable day was had by all.

Outstanding Results for Riders

2013-03-01T00:00:00

Bedford Girls' School Equestrian Team has made an outstanding start to the year with strong performance in the Cedars' School Inter-Schools Show Jumping Competition and County Challenge Qualifier on Monday 18 February at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre, Buckinghamshire.

The teams, made up of Katherine Stephen (13ARC), Rachel McGall (11GDS), Dani Stapleton (9RRM), Melissa Farquhar (9MMW), Emily Falle (8CLO), Jess Falle (6W), Georgie Rapley (8CAB) and Olivia Wright (7DDW) came home with some fantastic results and were named county champions.

In the 60cm class, Olivia Wright, Jess Falle and Georgie Rapley were the overall winners, riding three faultless clear rounds in the fastest time, with Olivia Wright coming second as an individual and Jess Falle third.

In the 70cm class, Bedford Girls’ School came fourth overall with the same team, and were announced as Bedfordshire County Champions for that class based on the points they had accumulated against other schools in the county. Jess Falle had another amazing result and was named the individual county champion.

In the 80cm class, BGS entered two teams. The first team, Emily Falle, Dani Stapleton, Melissa Farquhar and Rachel McGall were placed second overall, with Dani Stapleton taking the winning title as an individual and Emily Falle riding hot on her tail to take second place.

The second team of Katharine Stephen, Jess Falle, Emily Falle and Georgie Rapley, were placed third overall in their qualifier and were announced as the Bedfordshire County Champions for this class as, once again, they beat the other schools riding for the county. Emily Falle took the individual county title this time with an outstanding result.

In the last class at 90cm, the Bedford Girls' School team came seventh overall, qualifying for their top 10 ribbons.

On Friday 22nd February, six girls went out again to compete for a place at the National Schools Finals of 'Jumping with Style'. Up against tough competition in an event that involves both show jumping and cross country against the clock, the girls performed remarkably well.

Jess Falle, Emily Falle, Olivia Wright and Georgie Rapley came second in their class, missing the top spot by only four points and qualifying for the National Finals in October. Jess Falle also won the class by some margin as an individual.

Our second team riding in the higher class, consisted of Melissa Farquhar, Emily Falle, Jess Falle and Rachel McGall. They each rode an impressive round in a much bigger and more competitive class and finished a very credible eighth.

A great start to the year and a sign of the things to come from the girls.

Swimming Relay Gala

2013-03-01T00:00:00

On Monday 25th February, the U11 and U13 relay swimming teams took part in the 29th Bromsgrove Preparatory School Invitational Swimming Relay Gala.

The U11 competed in the 4 x 25 metre medley relay and the freestyle relay. Taking part were Eloise Bailey, Lucy Keith, Emily Ratcliffe and Vicky Brackenberry. The girls swam brilliantly and finished third and fifth respectively.

The U13s achieved second place in the 4 x 25 metre medley and came third in the freestyle relay. This team included Grace Spong, Rosalyn Dolan, Charlotte Anderson and Ella Cotton.

Do as the Romans

2013-03-01T00:00:00

All girls in Year 7 enjoyed a variety of activities which gave them a practical introduction to the Roman world as part of their Classics course as part of a special Roman Day on Friday 15th February.

The day began with some tasks involving both their general knowledge and their imaginations as they worked through some hexagon puzzles and wrote a mythological limerick or two. We then had a visit from Gaius, our 2000 year old soldier, who put quite a number of them through their paces. Using information from this, they then designed a Roman army recruitment poster.

Finally, there was an opportunity to get a real taste of Roman life by considering the Roman diet and trying some spelt honey bread dipped in honey and fish sauce, accompanied by dates and olives.

Eights and Fours in River Race

2013-03-01T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School entered 14 crews in The Bedford Eights and Fours Head with girls racing in all seven divisions. All the girls who raced on Sunday 10th February can be congratulated for some very fine performances and results and for the way they conducted themselves on what was a very cold and wet day.

Bedford Girls' School won three events and came second in three. The winning crews were: Finola McDonagh, Mila Illic, Charlotte Chandler and Erin Gibbs-Charles who won the Women’s Novice coxless quads event. Finola and Mila then teamed up with Olivia Pryer, Hannah Selvey and cox Harriet Lusty to win the Women’s IM3 coxed 4 event by an impressive 14 seconds, beating crews from Brunel University, Oxford and Birmingham.

Our third win came in the Women’s Novice Coxed Quads. Charlotte Chandler, Olivia Mason, Erin Gibbs-Charles and Ruth Watson coxed by Laura Goodship beat our second placed crew of Jess Crook, Gaby Crawford, Kate Long, Amy Osgood, and cox Amy Bird.

Another notable result came from the Women’s Novice 8 of Laura Goodship, Olivia Mason, Erin Gibbs-Charles, Jess Crook, Ruth Watson, Gaby Crawford, Kate Long, Amy Osgood and Maria McDonagh who raced against women several years their senior. The girls can be extremely proud of their second place by an agonising one second behind the winning crew from Queens College Cambridge Boat Club. Bedford Girls’ School also came second in the women’s J15 Coxed quads. The Year 9 team girls also raced for the first time at the event and although they did not win in their events, it was a good experience and they all rowed to the very best of their ability.

Despite the bad weather, the girls appreciated the support from the Friends of Bedford Girls’ School Rowing Club, who were clearly visible and extremely easy to hear on the bank from the tent. The Friends' tent is becoming a popular meeting point for the girls and their parents and it was lovely to see some new faces. Thank you to The Friends for providing drinks and snacks throughout the day not only to the girls and parents but also to the very busy coaches.

Hairspray Raises the Roof

2013-02-15T00:00:00

All the excitement of the swinging 60s was brought to life at Bedford Girls’ School last weekend with two outstanding performances of John Waters’ musical comedy Hairspray.

Joined by boys from Bedford School and Sharnbrook Upper School, the cast and crew recreated the sights and sounds of Baltimore in 1962 where young people stood together to fight against racial segregation and inequality against a backdrop of disco, big hair, entrenched small-mindedness and fear.

The feel good show with an important underlying message follows the trials, tribulations and heart-warming successes of Tracy Turnblad, played by Amber Howard, as she sets out to follow her dreams, inspire her beloved mum and win over the boy she loves.

Having just finished a hugely successful run in the west end, Hairspray has only just been released for school performances and the girls were delighted to be one of the first schools in the country to stage it. The sell-out performance was extremely well received and the school would particularly like to thank Hazel Kaye, Changes and Sarah’s Doo-Wop Dos who each volunteered their time and expertise to ensure our hair and make-up was bursting with retro wow-factor.

Charlotte Lucas, Chair of Turvey Amateur Theatrical Society, who was in the audience on Friday 8th February, for the first of two performances over consecutive evenings, said: “I want to congratulate everyone who was involved in your fantastic production of Hairspray.

“I was incredibly impressed by the whole standard of the production. Not only were there some stunning individual acting performances, but the choreography, vocals, set design, music and sheer energy and enthusiasm on stage left me singing and smiling all the way home!

I am involved in amateur dramatics myself and know just how much time, effort, passion and team work is needed to pull off a production of that calibre. Well done to everyone and keep up the good work!”

Happy Birthday Rosa Parks

2013-02-15T00:00:00

Monday 4th February would have been the 100th birthday of Rosa Parks, the Civil Rights activist. Parks House has been recognising their iconic heroine’s achievements in the battle for equal rights for all.

Charlotte Bociek, Parks' House Captain and Anisha Nayer, one of Parks' House Prefects presented girls in the Junior School with a cake showing a montage of the life of Rosa Parks, which was enjoyed by all during Parks' lunchtime activities.

The Fiction Library is showing a slideshow telling the story of Rosa Parks’ life, which will run until the end of February. In particular the slideshow tells of Rosa’s courageous act on her bus journey home from work on the 1st December 1955, the action that would set in motion what has been called the greatest non-violent revolution in American history.

Mrs. Johnson, Head of Parks House, said: “I feel very privileged to be Head of Parks House. Rosa Parks was a true icon of the 20th century. Her stand against racial segregation and her tireless work within the Civil Rights movement changed the lives of millions of people for the better.”

Community Dance Workshop

2013-02-15T00:00:00

On Monday 11th February pupils from Harrold Priory Middle School were invited to BGS to participate in a Community Dance workshop to share and learn from their own school dance experiences. Hosts, 5C worked responsibly and very confidently with 11 recognised Gifted and Talented girls from Harrold Priory, performing and then teaching sections of their Evacuees composition to partners, who they had never met before.

The emotional, drama-based first section led into a very lively Lindy Hop style of dance that involved intricate rhythms and timing, as well as complicated partner and group tasks.

In contrast, after a very sociable break, Harrold Priory pupils performed their piece of choreography that was based on a Harry Potter theme. As magical spells were cast, movements were created in the form of actions and responses to effectively form shapes and images to elaborate the theme. The happy morning ended on a real high, hugs were exchanged and the Harrold pupils were rather sad to leave.

Miss Bream said: “I am extremely proud of all the girls who took part; they have every reason to feel very proud of themselves. A big thank you to them all”.

Cross County Runners

2013-02-15T00:00:00

A huge congratulations to the 23 girls who were successful in qualifying for the County Cross Country Championships at Ampthill Park on Wednesday 6th February.

Their selections for the County Championships came on the back of an earlier notable performance at the district event were they were required to finish in the top 16 in order to progress any further.

In less than ideal, bitterly cold, conditions the girls showed great resilience and determination to produced superb runs. The Ampthill course is extremely challenging, with a number of climbs and descents to manage as well as varied and difficult terrain underfoot. Girls in Year 8 and above who finished in a position of 12 or higher have now been selected to run in the English Schools National Cross Country Championships on Saturday the 16th March.

Bedford Girls’ School will have the following girls competing in this race where they will have the honour of running for their school and county:

Ellie Lawton, Millie Garbutt, Kate Axford, Chelsea Spanoudakis, Hannah Selvey, Nicola Pasquire, Rebecca Murray, Revee Walcott-Nolan and Anna Monk.

All of the girls performed excellently, particularly Kate Axford and Ellie Lawton, who finished first and third respectively in the Junior Race.

Indoor Hockey Clean Sweep

2013-02-15T00:00:00

Bedford Girls' School Under 14 Indoor hockey team completed a clean sweep, winning all of the county’s trophies. After winning the U15, U16 and U18 Indoor trophies, it was the turn of the BGS U14 to compete against Cedars Upper School and Sharnbrook Upper School.

The team has been training hard since September and finally they had the chance to play their first competitive game. Their first opponents were Sharnbrook. Bedford dominated from the start and Rebecca Downing-Holmes scored early on after some nice interchange passes from Captain Kate Axford and Katie Parrish. Bedford continued to push forward, denying Sharnbrook any space or time on the ball, and ended up winning 4-1.

Bedford then played Cedars in their last game. Forwards Anna Hunt and Meera Patel caused the Cedars defence a great deal of trouble with their movement and pressing resulting in a 3-0 lead at half time. Millie Sutton scored straight after the restart after a fine pass from Elena Salmon. Rebecca Downing-Holmes completed the scoring and the game finished 5-0 to Bedford Girls' School with goalkeeper Alice Worker keeping a clean sheet after some fine saves.

2013-02-15T00:00:00

Congratulations to Charlotte Bociek, Nancy Paladina and Rebecca Preston on their outstanding performances in last week’s Spanish play Siete Gritos en el Mar by Alejandro Casona.

Every year, Spanish students from Bedford Girls’ School, together with Bedford School, hone their linguistic skills on the stage and this year’s choice was a dramatic re-enactment of the last night in the lives of seven passengers who are about to celebrate Christmas on a luxury liner. Just as the party is about to start, the captain informs them that war has broken out and they are going to serve as a decoy against enemy submarines to ensure other ships in the area are saved. In the few hours left, the characters decide to confess the secrets they have carried all their lives.

The result of weeks of hard work was an impressive two hours of authentic Spanish that should make the girls very proud. We are all looking forward to next year’s production.

Friendship Ambassador

2013-02-08T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School was delighted when local children’s author, Julia Jarman, chose the Junior School as the ideal location for the launch of her latest book Make Friends, Break Friends.

Described by Julia herself as “very much a girl's book”, the story - aimed at 7 to 10 year olds - follows the highs and lows faced by Daisy as she tries to get her two best friends, Phoebe and Erica, to see eye to eye. When the girls have to spend the night together in a spooky old abandoned mill, tempers flare as the suspension mounts. However, the girls soon begin to discover that each of their unique qualities might just be part of a magical mix that will see them become ‘best friends forever’.

Much to Julia’s delight, a group of girls in Year 5 acted out a scene from the book, demonstrating beautifully their understanding of the importance of friendship. They were later joined by girls from the Senior School who have entered Mrs Hoar’s Challenge and Extend BBC 500 Words competition. A number of budding writers from both the Junior and Senior Schools were invited to read their short stories to Julia who gave them each some wonderful feedback, well and truly feeding their creative fire.

2013-02-08T00:00:00

On Saturday 2nd February, all of our lacrosse teams took to the pitch away at Stowe School. Despite a weather-enforced break from competitive play, all of the girls equipped themselves well and played with determination, skill and tremendous team spirit. Two match reports from our winning teams appear below.

Despite playing together for the first time our U15B team, with the help of some U14 players, secured an impressive 6 – 0 win against Stowe on Saturday 2nd February. Although this was the first time we had played together, we went onto the pitch with a positive attitude and we all encouraged each other. Our defensive line, made up of Veronica Coladangelo, Izzy Gurney and Amelia Hillier were very strong and were always marking tightly which helped keep the oppositions from scoring any goals. Our mid-players, Millie Sutton, Melissa Farquhar, Katie Parrish, Katy Mansell, Emily Moffatt and Aarti Bhogaita, helped to get the ball to the attacking end but were also ready to defend when needed. Our attacking team, Kate Mallalieu, Alicia Leech, Ella Cleary and Imogen Cooper, were excellent and always on the move to receive the ball. A special mention to Alicia Leech, Melissa Farhquar, Ella Cleary, Millie Sutton and Emily Moffatt for scoring our goals and well done to Kirtsy Moffat for making some excellent saves as goalkeeper and clearing the ball out to enable us to charge down the attacking line. Overall all we worked well as a team and the game could not have gone any better.

By Katy Mansell and Aarti Bhogaita

After the recent snowy weather, the U14/U13B lacrosse team couldn’t wait to get back on the pitch against Stowe School on Saturday 2nd February. It was an excellent match from the start, full of energy, which resulted in a 5-3 win. Emily Falle scored two goals, with Millie Buckholt, Claudia Milazzo and Evi Cauldwell also scoring a goal each. Antonia Illingworth made some great tackles and Giselle Inglis made some fantastic saves on defence. An excellent effort by all team members. Well done!

By Captain Lydia Prettyman

Five Minutes of Fame for Charity

2013-02-08T00:00:00

A packed Assembly Hall rang with laughter on Saturday 2nd February as Year 13 treated their Bedford School counterparts to a hilarious social evening parodying the popular ITV programme Take Me Out. Insightful observations about 21st century television and the desperate pursuit of stardom so often in evidence on our screens had pupils and staff in stitches, all in aid of a good cause.

Organised by the girls in support of One Billion Rising, a charity initiative established to raise awareness of violence against women, the event succeeded in raising funds for charity and in bringing the two schools together in a united cause.

Badminton County Tournament

2013-02-08T00:00:00

On the bright, crisp morning of Monday 4th February, the Year 9 badminton team (Emily Botta, Melissa Nash, Charlotte Beechener, Eleanor Holloway and Katie Norris), travelled to Cranfield University to play in the Year 9 County Tournament.

The event was a round robin tournament with Denbigh, Stratton and Cedars in our pool. The girls played really well and lost only one game against Stratton’s number 1 player. As a result, the girls received medals as Year 9 County Champions.

This event was part of the national Centre Parcs competition and so the team now play the winners of the Year 7/8 tournament, Holmemead Middle School, Biggleswade. The winners of this game will then represent Bedfordshire at the Regional Round in Cambridge on 20th March.

World War II Tea Party

2013-02-01T00:00:00

Year 5 were delighted to welcome grandparents and our neighbours from Ray’s Close to a World War II Tea Party on the afternoon of Monday 28th January.

The Senior School Assembly Hall was transported back to the 1940s as the Year 5 girls performed pieces of dance, drama and music to our guests who enjoyed tea and cake whilst watching. Their performances were inspired by their study of WWII in History and the girls looked fantastic in their 1940s costumes. The afternoon finished with everyone, including the audience, singing a rousing rendition of We’ll Meet Again.

Head of Year 5, Karen Potter, said: “Huge thanks must go to the Dance, Drama and Music departments who worked very hard with the girls to prepare their pieces and of course to the girls who performed beautifully as always. Next week, we’re looking forward to wearing our costumes again and learning more, when we visit Duxford to meet Agnes the Air Raid Warden!”

First World War Experience

2013-02-01T00:00:00

On Wednesday 30th January, all Year 9 girls attended a half day workshop to enhance their studies on the First World War.

Jo and Steve Parish of Past Alive set the scene by taking the girls back to what life would have been like for young girls just prior to the outbreak of the First World War. They looked at a school timetable for boys and then one for girls and were truly horrified to see the path laid out for many girls which included such vital lessons as training for household chores. Re-enacting the lessons their wartime counterparts endured, the girls examined irons, candles, hair curlers and tried on corsets. They also had the opportunity to try on typical school clothes before exploring the fashion of the time.

They also learned about the suffragette campaign and how this was put on hold for the War. To set the scene for life in the trenches the girls were able to examine a number of guns, helmets, trench shovels and period telephones. They also witnessed a demonstration of a service revolver which certainly made the majority jump and led to a few screams! The noise was truly terrifying and indeed made a number of girls in normal lessons jump. The discussion moved on to looking at the role of the nurse and the typical Tommy soldier with more opportunities to dress up in authentic clothes. The girls asked many questions, listened to some poetry recitals and got a fascinating insight into what life would have been like during the First World War.

Storyteller Sparks Imagination

2013-02-01T00:00:00

A visit from professional storyteller, John Harris, marked an end to the recent snowy spell by firing the Junior School’s imaginations this week.

John entertained and informed the girls with his amazing animated retellings of myths and legends and was described by Year 3 as “The best storyteller that ever lived.”

A truly spellbinding orator, John left everyone reeling with his tall tales. Year 6 may well have experienced some scary moments, but they asked for a gory story from Ancient Egypt and Year 4 loved their dragon story which wrapped up in a very happy ending of love and romance.

A fabulous day was had by all, as they escaped into an alternative world of myths and legends. Many girls bought John’s books which he happily signed personally for them. Anyone who missed out on meeting John this week can visit his website at: johnharristhestoryteller.com.

Lessons from Auschwitz

2013-02-01T00:00:00

Year 12 students Kim Clifton and Becky Preston have been fortunate enough to be allocated places on this year’s Lessons from Auschwitz trip to the infamous death camp.

Organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust, the project introduces students to the personal and individual stories behind the Holocaust and emphasises the importance of showing respect to the victims by remembering their stories.

The trip has been running for fourteen years and has taken more than 18,000 students and teachers from across the UK to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. It aims to increase knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust based on the premise that ‘hearing is not like seeing’ and to signal what can happen if prejudice and racism become acceptable.

In the Swim

2013-01-25T00:00:00

Well done to Victoria Brakenbury, Eloise Bailey, Lucy Keith and Emily Ratcliffe who won the U11 trophy at the Girls’ School Association (GSA) Eastern Region Gala on Tuesday 22nd January.

Hosted by BGS, the event saw all of our teams put in strong performances to reach the respective finals for their age group while excellent team work and generosity of spirit ensured the girls were as welcoming outside of the pool as they were competitive in it.

Unfortunately, last year’s U11 winners, Stamford School, were unable to attend because of the weather so our girls weren’t able to lift their trophy at poolside. However, they were presented with their certificates and enjoyed showing them to Miss MacKenzie. When the trophy does arrive, by post, the team’s success will be celebrated in a special Junior School assembly.

Year 7 Master Class Pioneers

2013-01-22T00:00:00

Before Christmas, Bedford Girls’ School was delighted to be invited to take part in an extension activity organised and run by the Education Department at the University of Oxford.

Entitled Is this the right room for an argument?, this was an exciting opportunity for a group of Year 7 girls to take part in a piece of pioneering research as well as benefiting from the intellectual challenge of taking part in the activity itself.

Arielle Adams, Emily Allen, Judith Tarrant, Annabella Taylor, Nicola Crolla, Amber Field-Webber, Isobel Horsfall, Lauren Hough, Isobel Stearn and Jessica Savill were selected to take part based on their performance in Thinking Skills lessons. Between 1st and 5th January, they each gave up some of their time every evening to logon to an online learning platform and undertake a series of exercises designed to develop the critical thinking skills of argument, reasoning, communication and debate.

Feeding back on the experience during lunchtime on Wednesday 16th January, the girls shared some insightful reflections on the process, while Isobel Horsfall revealed her biggest challenge throughout the five days was principally geographical.

“We were in France on a skiing holiday during that week so I had to spend each evening logged on to a computer in the Tourist Information Point,” she said. “I felt quite negative at first but, in the end, I changed my mind. It was useful because I’d never really realised quite how relevant Thinking Skills lessons are before.”

All of the girls agreed that they were well-prepared for taking part and found they were able to complete each nightly challenge, and update their learning journals, well-ahead of the two-hour guide time. This was despite having to argue both sides of a contentious issue in just 50 words or less. Amber Field-Webber discovered that this process helped her glean a much broader picture of why people assume particular positions in arguments.

“As well as enjoying the optional Debating Chamber, where you could make up your own discussion topics, I found writing from both sides really useful,” she explained. “I was able to see both sides of a debate much more clearly and found that after taking part, I began to question my own reasons for holding opinions a lot more.”

Mrs Clements and Mr Canning are keen to thank everyone who took part in the course and BGS is looking forward to involvement with similar projects in the future.

Dance Success

2013-01-22T00:00:00

In November 2012, 27 BGS girls were entered for ISTD Modern and Tap Examinations. They had trained hard to master the technical demands of the syllabus and developed the stylistic and expressive features that are so vital for performance. The girls from Year 4 through to Year 13 approached their examinations with determination, performing with strong technical ability. The results were magnificent. All of them gained either a pass or merit and 10 were awarded a distinction.

Congratulations to all those who took part and good luck as you begin learning the new syllabus for the next grade.

21/01 School is Open

2013-01-21T00:00:00

Monday 21/01. Bedford Girls' School is open as normal. Please make the journey in to school if it is safe for you to do so.

Please email any absence notifications to information@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

Urgent - Mathematics Mock Rescheduled

2013-01-21T00:00:00

On Friday 18th January, approximately 35 girls in Year 11 were unable to sit their Mathematics Mock Exam due to the early arrival of buses serving the school.

The examination has been rescheduled for 9 am on Tuesday 22nd January. All girls who did not sit the examination of Friday afternoon, or who had to leave the examination before the end, must sit at the newly scheduled time.

Year 3 Assessment Day

2013-01-19T00:00:00

Bedford Girls' School is open and the Year 3 Assessment Day will be going ahead as planned. We look forward to welcoming parents and girls this morning.

If you need to contact us please telephone our Junior School Office on 01234 361910.

Snow Update - Friday 18th January

2013-01-18T00:00:00

Snow and Travel Update – Friday 18^th Jan

Due to worsening weather conditions, the bus companies serving the school have informed us that they will be collecting the girls early this afternoon.

Premier Buses will be boarding between 12pm and 12.30pm (approximately)

VB1, VB2, VB3 and VB4 will be collecting from BGS at approximately 12.35pm

Ouse Valley will be collecting at approximately 1.15pm

Drury Coaches will be boarding at approximately 1.15pm

Mumbles Mini Buses will collect at approximately 1pm

BS01/BS02 and BS03 are collecting early and will depart shortly after 2pm

3Star will also be collecting at approximately 2pm.

Shorey Buses routes 77X and 78X will be collecting early. Pick up will be at approximately 3pm.

These times are based on the estimated arrival times supplied to us by the bus companies. We are unable to provide more accurate details because driving conditions may impact upon timings. We are also unable to provide estimated arrival times for drop off points along the bus routes.

All internal exams scheduled for this afternoon will be going ahead as planned. However, alternative arrangements will be made for girls unable to sit due to the weather. Girls will be notified of the changes to travel and any girls needing to travel on buses scheduled to arrive during their exams will be taken out of the room with plenty of time to prepare for their journey.

External examinations will all take place as planned.

The school will remain open throughout the day unless we are advised it is unsafe for us to do so.

If you have any non-urgent questions or queries, please email the school at information@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk.

Please check the website or follow our twitter feed, @bedfordgirlssch, for regular updates.

Dibben Drops In

2013-01-18T00:00:00

Girls in the Senior School Book Club were thrilled to receive a visit from children’s author, Damian Dibben, on Thursday 17th January.

Damian has recently published his second novel, Circus Maximus, which is the second novel in his exciting time-travel series The History Keepers. Preceded by The Storm Begins, the story follows the further adventures of Jake Djones. Often compared to the Percy Jackson novels and hailed by some as the natural successor to Harry Potter, Damien’s books are renowned for their fast-paced adventure sequences as well as for their humour.

As the author explained, however, while his action-packed scenes are so gripping they make for excited, rapid-reading, these are the pieces that take the longest to write.

“Writing dramatic, action-packed adventure is actually the part I find the hardest. A little like shooting action scenes in a film, these require the most preparation, planning and attention to detail. When you see a short, sharp adventure scene in a film it often seems to fly by and it’s a little like that with books. The humour is much easier for me to write and so are the unusual characters, probably because I’ve lived around both all my life!”

After talking to the girls and answering a series of insightful questions from the floor, Damian happily signed copies of his first and second books. His visit was one of a packed programme of events the LRC has lined up for the Spring Term.

Final Answer?

2013-01-18T00:00:00

On Monday 14th January, four Year 5 and four Year 6 girls made it through the snow to take part in a general knowledge quiz against boys from Bedford Preparatory School.

Lucy Ellis, Lily Dempsey, Hermione Robinson and Olivia Clarke (Year 5) and Kathryn Wood, Alice Baker, Kirsty Stark and Madeleine Cox (Year 6) put up a good fight but were narrowly beaten by the boys. We are hoping to invite the boys here next term for a rematch when we’re sure we can even up the score. Thank you to all of the girls who took part.

DofE Direct

2013-01-18T00:00:00

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Manager, Sasha Doyle, and Assistant Head: Managing the Co-curriculum, Kate Jones, were delighted to attend St James’ Palace on Tuesday 15th January to collect a certificate honouring the school’s new status as a Directly Licensed Centre (DLO).

Awarded in recognition of the strength and innovation of our DofE provision, the new licence means we are no longer required to deliver our programme under the auspices of the local authority. Presented by the Duke of Wessex, the certificate will be displayed prominently in the school as testimony to the hard work of all the girls and staff who’ve helped to achieve such a prestigious accolade.

Eight Goal Start to 2013 Lacrosse

2013-01-18T00:00:00

Our first lacrosse match of the season, on Saturday 12th January, was against St. George’s School from Harpenden.

In the first half, BGS were dominant and created some great chances in attack. Due to some superb passing and team effort Elena Salmon scored a hat trick and we were off to a great start. St. George’s did not give up, however, and towards the end of the first half, we allowed them have some chances at goal. Izzy Gurney made some great saves in goal to keep a clean sheet and we finished the first half 5 – 0 up.

St. George’s came back strongly in the second half, scoring two quick goals and piling on the pressure. Great midfield work from Emma Lousada and outstanding bucket play in defence rebuilt our confidence and BGS quickly regained control.

A great team effort secured an 8 – 2 win for Bedford Girls' School. Our goal scorers were: Elena Salmon (4), Rebecca Downing-Holmes (2), Kate Axford (1) and, Captain, Anna Hunt (1). The other team members were Emma Lousada, Grace Gill, Emily Hibbert, Milly Knowles, Melissa Wellington, Katie Parrish, Joanna Prettyman, Meera Patel, Ellie Collett and Izzy Gurney.

Year 8 on the Airwaves

2013-01-18T00:00:00

On Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes, the Year 8 Radio Groups took to the airwaves to make BGS broadcasting history as their live lunchtime shows were streamed live via our website.

Interested listeners worldwide were able to listen to the girls’ own selection of music and in between commentary by following a special radio link at the bottom of our ICT and Innovation page. Methodical preparation, scripting and plenty of training in production ensured the broadcasts went smoothly and feedback has been extremely positive.

Mr Potter and the girls would like to thank everyone who tuned in and to remind us all that the link to listen to future broadcasts can be found here. Future broadcasts are scheduled for Thursday 24th January at 12:45pm (Year 8), Tuesday 29th January at 12:45pm (Year 8) and Thursday 31st January at 13:10pm (Year 7).

Severe Weather Reminder

2013-01-14T00:00:00

Whatever the weather conditions, we will not close the school unless we are advised that it is unsafe for us to remain open. Regular updates will appear in this section of the website so please check back regularly in the event of worsening weather conditions.

2012-12-14T00:00:00

Congratulations to Nicola Pasquire who won the Rising Star category at the Bedford Sports' Awards on Monday 10th December.

Held at the Corn Exchange, the evening catered for 350 guests including Olympic stars Etienne Stott, Phelan Hill and Gail Emms.

Nicola competed in the Olympic 2012 Trials for the 400 freestyle and is ranked 11th in the Country at the ASA National Champs in 200/400/800 freestyle, She is also ranked 4th in the Country in the 800 freestyle for 14 year old girls. Dedicated to swimming, Nicola trains every day and is County record holder for the 800 freestyle, taking 6 seconds off the previous record.

2012-12-14T00:00:00

Congratulations to cross country runner, Rebecca Murray, who has earned her first England selection and will be representing her country in Spain on the 16th December.

Rebecca (pictured here at the English Schools’ Track and Field Championships last July, where she came second) has had a tremendous year achieving some fantastic placements and times. We’re sure you’ll join us in wishing her every success on her international debut.

Year 8 Learn to Earn

2012-12-11T00:00:00

Just under 90 Year 8 girls enjoyed a day off lessons to take part in a careers day, Learn to Earn, run by Young Enterprise. Working in small groups, the girls considered what ‘success’ means and who they consider are successful people. They mapped out their dream lifestyle….and then added up how much this would cost….

Several quizzes and psychometric questionnaires helped each girl identify what five factors were really important to her (factors such as having a good job; having self-respect; being in love; having great friends; being the best at what she does; making a difference to others' lives; and travelling) and what type of person she is (creative, technical, outgoing or active). The challenge then was to match her individual profile with a possible career which would meet all these requirements. There was much disappointment as many discovered that the career in which they could be successful and which would make them happy might not support their dream lifestyle. Much interesting discussion focused on the compromises they would have to make.

A board game helped reinforce the message that there is a strong correlation between qualifications, career choice and income. The final activity involved girls taking on the roles of interviewers and interviewees, which they took very seriously while having fun practising their communication skills. The girls took away a folder of work from the day and several parents have commented that this was a focus of much teatime discussion.

Top Result in Badminton

As well as giving their time and energy so generously, the team also raised £385 for their efforts which will be split equally between Franklin’s charity, The Alzheimer’s Association Bedford and Arthritis Research UK, the Rotary Club’s nominated charity for this year’s event.

Year 6 at the Ashmolean

2012-11-30T00:00:00

A fascinating tour, a quiz and a trail around the curiosities were among the highlights of the Year 6 trip to the Ashmolean Museum on Thursday 22nd November.

Created in 1908, the present Ashmolean was transformed in 2009 with a programme of major redevelopment works including the addition of a purpose built Education Centre and a 100% increase to its original exhibition space.

The girls thoroughly enjoyed viewing the ancient exhibits in such a spectacular contemporary setting and were greatly impressed by the expanse of the museum.

Emily Ratcliffe, 6CW, said: “During a really busy day we found time to tour the museum, go on a trail, do a quiz and visit the shop. In the tour we looked at the galleries and a guide talked to us about the Egyptians and we even saw a real mummy, which was the body of a high priest, and a big painting that would have been in a tomb.

In the trail we did a quiz and then went to different galleries. In some of the galleries there were some remarkable statues, paintings and weapons. The shop was also really good as it had some papyrus, stationery, Egyptian jewellery and much more. The whole of Year 6 would recommend the museum and so would I!”

Christmas Parcels off to Serbia

2012-11-30T00:00:00

On Tuesday 27th November, girls from across the school came together to wave the Christmas charity shoeboxes on their way as they began their journey to disadvantaged children in Serbia.

Both the Junior School and the Senior School have been collecting the boxes as part of Operation Christmas Child, a charity initiative that asks people to buy small gifts and package them in a seasonally decorated box. As ever, girls and parents have been extremely generous with their donations. The Year 6 girls had to work hard on the day to ensure so many items were all packed into the charity’s van.

Swimming Gala Success

2012-11-30T00:00:00

On Friday 23rd November, eight girls from Years 7 and 8 travelled to Warwick School for their annual 50m swimming gala. There were nine schools competing from all over the country. Each girl competed in one individual event and then in the team relays.

The opening race was the U12 4x50m medley relay. Olivia Wenham had a strong solid swim getting the team off to a great start. Ella Cotton, Kara Christensen and Cecilia Castell all put in outstanding performances, resulting in our first win of the afternoon.

This was followed by the U13 4X50m medley relay. Grace Spong swam a brilliant first leg, followed by outstanding swims from Ellie Lawton, Katie McDonagh and Charlotte Anderson, resulting in the team winning their heat and coming second overall.

Olivia Wenham continued the upward trend, finishing second in the U12 50m backstroke race and an outstanding swim from Grace Spong in the U13 50m backstroke saw her place first with a new personal best time.

Ella Cotton put in a strong performance to finish second in the U12 50m breaststroke while Ellie Lawton came third in the U13 event. Kara Christensen put in a terrific swim to finish first overall but was sadly disqualified for leaving the block to early. Charlotte Anderson continued the success coming first in the U13 50m butterfly with a time of 36.29.

The final individual events were the U12 and U13 50m front crawl, swum by Cecilia Castell and Katie McDonagh. Both events had very close heats and Cecilia finished second and Katie in fourth.

The final races were the 4x50m freestyle relays. The U12 team of Kara Christensen, Ella Cotton, Cecilia Castell and Olivia Wenham swam brilliantly to win the event. The U13 team of Grace Spong, Katie McDonagh, Ellie Lawton and Charlotte Anderson finished a close fourth.

The U12 overall results saw Bedford Girls’ School placed fourth with the U13’s finishing in third. Combined, the scores saw the team placed second in the gala – a terrific achievement of which they should be proud.

Party for the Visually Impaired

2012-11-30T00:00:00

Our annual Party for the Visually Impaired took place on Saturday 17th November. Seventy guests from the community joined us in an afternoon of refreshments and entertainment by the BGS jazz singers. Girls from Years 11 to 13 supplied raffle prizes, cakes and volunteered to help out at the party. The guests were warmly welcomed and the room was soon buzzing with conversation. Our guests delighted in the opportunity to chat with girls and enjoy a cake or two donated by the girls. The afternoon was concluded with a hearty sing-a-long after each guest had received a present. Girls and guests alike thoroughly enjoyed the party and we look forward to this annual event in years to come.

Tempest Goes Down a Storm

2012-11-23T00:00:00

On Friday 16th November, Year 6 was delighted to welcome educational theatre company Fiasco Division into the Randle Hall for a workshop on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

The experience proved a fun and informative way to learn about Shakespearean language and Elizabethan theatre. The combination of acting, singing and games made the complex play infinitely more accessible.

Alana Pillai, 6B, said: “When we began the workshop, we were told we had to create a play that we would perform in the afternoon. The ladies from the theatre company were very funny, kind and professional so they put us at our ease.

“We tried to act like an element: water, wind or earth. We had to greet people like that element would do if it was alive. It was great fun and I learnt that I can be something that isn't a person. In the afternoon we didn't just perform. We climbed the rigging, scrubbed the deck and explored the island like a true Tempest character! It was a great experience and Year 6 had a wonderful time”.

Tennis Team Smashes into Finals

2012-11-23T00:00:00

Well done to our Year 8/9 tennis team who have reached the national finals of the AEGON Team Tennis Schools Championships.

Held last week, Bedford Girls’ School took to the courts alongside 32 girls’ tennis teams from across the UK to win their quarter final against Thomas Telford School by 10-0. Number four, Kate Axford, and Emily Hibbert, at number three, achieved convincing wins over their opponents while Harriet Potter, at number two, showed great determination to come back from 5-2 down to win 7-5. Number one player, Emma Brown, won her singles match 7-5 while doubles pair, Kate and Emily, worked in perfect harmony to claim a 6-0 victory.

The girls then had to face a strong team from Stratford Grammar school and fought hard to achieve a 2-2 draw after the singles. After a 3-3 match score in the doubles round, Emily Hibbert and Emma Brown faced a championship tiebreak which they won 10-7 after a thrilling match.

The girls will now travel to Bolton Arena for the National Finals on Saturday 1st December. Four teams compete in each event in a round robin format over the two days with each team placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in each event.

Living Memories of Occupation

2012-11-23T00:00:00

On Tuesday 20th November, fifteen girls from across the Senior School were delighted to welcome Elizabeth Farrant from the Alzheimer’s Society as part of Bedford Girls’ Schools’ Living Memory sessions.

Mrs Farrant gave a fascinating account of her life in occupied Jersey during the Second World War, describing how imaginative people had to be in order to survive, despite food restrictions and little energy supply.

Everyone was both amused and amazed to hear how people managed to conceal radios in baby cots or the church organ to keep in touch with the outside world but avoid punishment from the occupier. They were also moved when she explained how her family avoided deportation thanks to being at the right end of the alphabet and how different her fate could have been.

Mrs. Farrant’s 30-minute talk whizzed by and the girls were extremely grateful that she also stayed to answer questions at the end.

Gymnastics Success for Seniors

2012-11-23T00:00:00

Six Bedford Girls’ School pupils all achieved terrific results when they took part in the County Gymnastics competition in Luton on Sunday 18th November.

Kara Christensen won gold at Grade Three, Amandine Gaillard won the Novice bronze and Ellie and Charlotte Smithson achieved bronze in the Trio.

Reigning County Champion, Emma Lousada, successfully defended her title by winning gold in the National 3 Under 15 Tumbling while Fleur Leech was unlucky to be unplaced despite a poised performance in the Grade Three competition.

Stellar Rowing at Star Head

2012-11-23T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School rowers enjoyed five wins at the town’s Star Head on Sunday 18th November, where our Year 9 crew also made their debut.

Sarah Symmonds, Bethany Carpenter, Gaby Crawford, Hollie Muldownie and cox Laura Goodship won the WJ15 coxed quad; Charlotte Chandler, Lucy-Ann O'Kane, Veronica Jones and Finola Mcdonagh crossed the line first in the Women’s Novice Coxless Quad and Gemma Crook rowed to victory in the Women’s Novice Single Scull. There were also victories for Charlotte Chandler, Lucy-Ann O'Kane, Veronica Jones and Finola Mcdonagh and cox Amy Bird in the Women’s Intermediate 3 Coxed Fours and Anna-Daisy Stephens in the Women’s Intermediate 3 Single Scull.

2012-11-16T00:00:00

Congratulations to Anna Monk, Year 13, who played for a combined Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire U19 lacrosse team on Sunday 11th November.

After an outstanding performance in attack and being crowned top scorer in the exciting match, Anna has been selected to try out for the U19 South East Regional team.

Cross Country Tour de Force

2012-11-09T00:00:00

During Half Term week, our Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 cross country teams took part in the second of the Bedfordshire Cross Country Leagues in Stagsden. The ground was heavy clay and the girls all did brilliantly to complete a grueling course.

Ellie Lawton finished first in the Year 7/8 event while Millie Garbutt ran well to cross the line in third place. Molly Garrigue was placed seventh, Isabel Horsfall 17th and Emily Falle came 24th.

In the Year 5/6 category, Maddie Axford came a close second in a strong field of runners while Amy Chappelhow put in a good performance to finish fifth. Vicky Brackenbury came seventh, Jessica Falle 22nd, Hannah Tollman 29th, Martha Stock 48th, Erin McCammick 55th and Eloise Bailey was placed 56th.

BGS Crowned Malta Lacrosse Champions

2012-11-09T00:00:00

On Tuesday 30th November, 46 girls from Bedford Girls’ School flew to Malta for three days of intensive lacrosse training and an inter schools tournament, plus a day at leisure enjoying the sunshine and soaking up some Maltese culture.

On and off the pitch, the girls were great ambassadors for the school and put their all into each and every game, putting in some excellent performance to win the tournament and take home the U14/U15 Championship trophy.

The B and C teams faced the tough challenge of playing against mostly A Teams but withstood the pressure well. Their final match demonstrated the progress the team had made under the expert tuition of the specialist coaches on the trip, gaining a well-deserved victory against St George’s B Team.

The A team also met St George's in the final and played brilliantly from the first whistle. Goals came thick and fast in a thrilling match and the with the final score a 10 – 2 victory to BGS.

Head of PE, Jane Axford said: “I am immensely proud to have had the opportunity to take such a fabulous group of girls away and would like to thank Mrs Bullerwell for organising the tour and Miss Gray, Mrs Mason McLeod, Miss Lynch and Mrs Stedman for encouraging the teams, looking after the girls so brilliantly and, with their sense of humour, ensuring the girls had such a fantastic time”.

To read the full blog from the trip, please click here.

Thank You, Your Worship

2012-11-09T00:00:00

A team of budding legal eagles from Bedford Girls’ School has been judged the winner of this year’s Mock Trials competition at Bedford Magistrates’ Court.

Held on Tuesday 6th November, the annual event provided an opportunity for local students with an interest in a law career to meet solicitors, court officials, magistrates and other legal professionals and to learn more about the UK judicial system. Now in its 12th year, the competition also develops students’ skills in research, discussion, public speaking, analysis, communication and teamwork.

Alongside teams from Bedford Modern School and Redbourne Upper School and Community College, the girls were treated to a demonstration trial by magistrates and solicitors before assuming one of 12 key roles and bringing their own proceedings to life.

Natasha Mutch, Year 13, said; “It was fantastic to see a court case acted out in front of us by real solicitors and magistrates and to learn how to avoid asking leading questions. It was also interesting to see how judicial decisions are made in relation to the wider political system. All the girls were ecstatic when it was announced that our school had come first, winning a trophy and an Amazon gift voucher each, not least because the standard of competition from the other schools was very high.

”As well as being part of the winning team, Bedford Girls’ School student, Becky Preston, was given a special mention by the Magistrates for her intelligent cross-examinations and ability to put her case forward very clearly.

Election Sleepover

2012-11-09T00:00:00

Tuesday’s billion dollar election night provided a wealth of excitement and knowledge to the Sixth Form Politics Society who spent the night watching events as they happened.

Fuelled by some truly excellent, self-prepared catering, the girls were thrilled to see the counts come in live as they clustered round the big screen.

Geographical and artistic skills were also called into play as some girls drew maps and coloured them in state-by-state. After a long but thrilling night, the overwhelmingly pro-Democrat ensemble welcomed the final result with loud whoops and cheers.

Despite being short on sleep, everyone managed to keep their eyes open and their minds alert during lessons on Wednesday even though the brave supervising staff required a healthy dose of caffeine to see them through the day!

Good Tidings from the PTA

2012-11-09T00:00:00

Don’t forget that this year’s Christmas Fayre is due to take place on Saturday 1st December in the Dining Hall. We’ll have over 30 stalls including Christmas cards and wrap, homemade preserves, seasonal plants and wreaths, jewellery, clothing, kitchenware, handbags, cupcakes, cookies & cakes, raffle, tombola, hand-painted pottery, cushions, hats, glitter tattoos, children’s books & toys and vintage goodies. Plus there’ll be plenty of mulled wine and a festive choral performance at 4pm. Parking is free. Entry is free for children and £2 per adult including tea or coffee and a cake.

Please come along – family and friends are welcome!

The Write Path

2012-11-09T00:00:00

Congratulations to Madeleine Pettit, Elizabeth Howcroft, Nicole Percival, Sophie Allen, Francesca Lynn and Alice Worker who have won their category in The Write Path, a prestigious international writing competition.

On Friday 12th October, the girls – all in Years 8 to 11 - joined with schools across the globe to take their turns in continuing one of six stories begun by a well-known author. Competing schools had just one hour to complete their sections before passing the baton onto the next team via a website upload.

Established in 2008 as a 24 hour celebration of International School Libraries month, the annual competition regularly attracts participants from locations as diverse as Louisiana, Sydney and Beijing. This year, more than 40 schools contributed to the writing and the best Primary, Secondary and Poetry submissions were democratically elected by all of the teams taking part.

With its true international flavour and fast-paced excitement, The Write Path is widely regarded as one of the most challenging and enjoyable writing competitions in the world. The girls are extremely proud of their well-deserved triumph in the Secondary School category and are looking forward to honing their penmanship further using their wonderful prize of two NEO 2 Notepads.

Holly's Heading for Weymouth

2012-11-09T00:00:00

Year 10 sailor Holly Dabson, has been selected for the ITCA National Racing Squad. Instructed by four of the UK’s premier coaches, the team is comprised of just 24 members and competition for places is tight.

The elite squad meets for weekend training camps once a month, until the summer, in a number of locations including Weymouth, the Olympic sailing venue. They also benefit from coached support at major national events throughout the year.

Holly said: “I am really pleased to have been selected for the squad this year, it's really good fun, great for fitness and we get to travel around - much to my parents’ pleasure!"

IB Evening Opens Minds

2012-10-19T00:00:00

Lively debate, positive parental feedback and a series of stimulating workshops were at the heart of a highly successful IB Information Evening on Thursday 18th October.

On the same day The Times hailed the International Baccalaureate Programme as the “Saviour of British education”. The well-attended event gave a clear explanation of the philosophy, aims, endeavours and ethos of the UK’s fastest-growing qualification and provided pupils and parents with an opportunity to explore the options and possibilities it could open up for them.

Director of IB and Thinking Skills, Cliff Canning, said: “It was fantastic to welcome so many people to the IB information evening and to share with them the many virtues of a programme which is not simply an alternative qualification but a means of fostering critical thinking, respect for diversity, international understanding and responsible citizenship, as well as providing an academically and intellectually stimulating programme of study.

“The event was specifically designed so that girls and their parents experienced a true flavour of what the IB is all about. The questions, feedback and lively interactive seminars ensured that guests were at the very centre of the evening, just as the student is at the centre of learning”.

Providing a student’s perspective, Hannah Ventisei, Year 12, gave an excellent speech about her decision to study IB in the Sixth Form. Summing up, she said: “I cannot say enough good things about the IB. I am still new at it but I have been completely converted. If you had spoken to me about my decision to do IB just a few months ago I would have still been unsure but now I am loving the opportunities the course gives you to expand your horizons”.

Medieval Day Fires Imagination

2012-10-19T00:00:00

Role-playing is a highly motivating, active-learning strategy and can be particularly inspiring as part of the History Curriculum. When Northampton-based Active History visited Year 7 on Wednesday 17th October, it was one of an array of activities the girls enjoyed as Medieval History was brought to life before their eyes.

Emily Allen, 7DPL, said: “I really loved today's workshop with all the dressing up and handling of artefacts. My favourite bit was when we went outside to make fire. It was fascinating how they survived without half the things we have today, like matches, electricity and plastic! It was amazing to experience what life was like all that time ago!

Ella Cotton, 7DPL, said: “I really enjoyed History day; I learnt a lot of things about what they did in medieval times. Steve and Jo were excellent and very funny. I think that teachers/students should be able to experience what life was like a long time ago and learn how different it is to our lives today. We even learnt some Latin!

“The great thing about the History day was it was not just Steve and Jo talking to us. We actually got to make a fire in a hole in the ground of the playing field. We rubbed iron against flint to make sparks that lit a small piece of cloth which Steve put on the wood to make it burn. Fire was very important because it was used for cooking and keeping warm.

“Some of the girls even got to wear medieval clothes. The clothes were made of thin linen and were all sorts of dull colours. Medieval men and women had to wear a lot of clothing because they had no heating. They wore a lot of animal skin and fur to make tunics and even bedding and rugs”.

Harvest Festival

2012-10-19T00:00:00

Our Senior School Harvest Festival was led by Isabel Turner, who talked to girls from Years 7 to 13 with a moving description of her experiences in Uganda where she worked for RETRAK, a UK based charity, looking after street children to give them a real alternative to their very difficult life styles. Chloe Pinn entertained us all with beautifully performed oboe pieces by Saint Saens and Albinoni. Afterwards our visitor enjoyed coffee with girls and staff when we were able to have a chat and discover more about our Harvest charity.

The Junior School put on a spectacular display of their harvest gifts in the Randle Hall. Year 3 entertained us with the song Autumn Days and Year 4 explained some of the different words which could be made by rearranging the letters of HARVEST. Each word had a special Harvest meaning. Year 5 presented some thought-provoking information on the importance of water and Year 6 told us the story of how and why the song Autumn Days was written. The girls gave thanks for the food they have and reflected on how different they would feel if they were hungry. The harvest gifts were hand-delivered by our Head Girls’ Team on Thursday to our local elderly residents, and donations were also given to the Kings Arms Project. Ruby Sutton and Kathryn Wood of the Head Girls’ Team said: “When they opened the door they really thanked us. It made us feel really happy to give a gift to someone who may really need it".

Thank you to all the parents and girls who brought in Harvest offerings this year.

Bear Essentials

2012-10-19T00:00:00

Aspiring young actors from Bedford Girls' School and Bedford Preparatory School auditioned for a part in a brand-new children’s film on Wednesday 17th October. The girls and boys auditioned for top casting agency, Nina Gold (responsible for The King's Speech and The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader), for the opportunity to play the roles of Mrs and Mrs Brown’s children, Jonathan and Judy, in an updated telling of the story of Paddington Bear.

Horses for Bigger Courses

2012-10-19T00:00:00

On Sunday 14th October, Bedford Girls’ School Equestrian Club took part in its first National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) competition.

Held at Foxhill Farm in Northamptonshire, the Winchester House Hunter Trials saw the girls working hard to cover the 25 jump course; the biggest they’ve ever undertaken.

The weather was perfect for an autumn ride with a chilly start giving way to bright sunshine. The ground was rather soft but the two teams and two individual riders representing BGS put in determined performances throughout the day.

The final results were Emily Falle, in sixth place, riding in a pair for BGS in the Intermediate Class and Katherine Stephen came 10th in the open. Olivia Wright jumped the only clear round in the school teams event, but all girls put in an amazing effort, with most only having the odd refusal. The water jump caused the biggest problem to all the horses and riders on the day, because it was like riding through a lake. All the girls showed amazing courage and determination over the ditches, hedges and banks and all made it to the finish.

Team 1: Katherine Stephens, Dani Stapleton, Immi Marchant and Melissa Farquhar.
Team 2: Jess Falle, Olivia Wright, Charlotte Allsop and Emily Falle.
Individual: Katherine Stephen in Class 6: OPEN (3’3”) in 10th place and Emily Falle in Class 5: Intermediate (2”9 - 3’) in sixth place.

Ahead of the Game at Bedford Small Boats

2012-10-19T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School Rowing Club enjoyed a successful day at Bedford Small Boats Head, on Sunday 14th October, with a number of girls winning their first event of the season.

Finola Mcdonagh, Mila Ilic, Veronica Jones and Lucy-Ann O'Kane won their WIM3 quad race while Hannah Selvey, Georgia Spanoudakis, Chloe Ginn and Charlotte Chandler were placed first in the Women’s Novice Quad. Mila Ilic was triumphant in the Women’s Novice Single race and Lottie Bruce put in a terrific performance to finish first in the WJ18 singles.

BGS also won in the WIM2 race where Courtnay Osborne-Walker, Lottie Bruce and Gemma Crook were joined by GB medal-winning coach Jacqui Round.

Word Art

2012-10-19T00:00:00

As part of the celebration of the European Day of Languages on Wednesday 26th September, a number of girls entered a national art competition organized by Routes into Languages South.

The girls had to choose a word relating to the European Day of Languages, translate it into a foreign language of their choice and then illustrate it. The competition proved to be very popular and Clementine Macintosh, 9RRM, has been awarded a runner up prize in the Category Most Imaginative Word. She will receive a £10 WHSmith voucher and her work will be displayed in the Routes into Languages South’s website.

Clementine said; “The word 'Whakakotahitanga' means 'Unity' in Maori, the indigenous language of New Zealand. I choose this word because I think the meaning of 'Unity' is very fitting; the joining of nations to become a whole is such a peaceful and lovely concept. This word relates to the European Day of Languages because many countries unified to become Europe. I decided to use Maori as my mother is from New Zealand and this word is used to describe the coming together of all families within a wharenui (which is a Maori Meeting House). I am very happy to have won a prize and feel proud that I was chosen over so many other great entries”.

Career in English or Media?

2012-10-16T00:00:00

An array of professional speakers and specialist advice on Higher Education courses and admissions ensured yesterday’s English and Media Careers Evening was a great success.

With a packed programme of guest lecturers, including BBC 3 Counties presenter, Nick Coffer, local newspaper journalist, Hayley O’Keeffe, and Guardian Gardening Editor, Jane Perrone (pictured), the event offered an opportunity to evaluate and assess the wide variety of career opportunities available in the media while publishing and PR professionals provided information on other options open to English Graduates.

Julian Lovelock, English Admissions Tutor and pro-Vice Chancellor from the University of Buckingham, provided useful hints and tips about applying for a place on an English undergraduate course while, former pupils, Kate Agar, Ella Taylor, Chloe Spinks and Christine Diffey shared their experiences of studying English Literature, English Language and Linguistics and Journalism.

As well as being open to current Sixth Form pupils, the evening was enjoyed by girls in Years 10 and 11. The occasion provided pupils with a valuable opportunity to network. Several girls are talking to speakers about work experience placements and career opportunities.As part of an on-going series of themed careers events, the evening was hailed as an example of the many initiatives which cement the school’s status as a centre of excellence in Post-16 Education.

Ripping Yarns

2012-10-16T00:00:00

An excursion to the UK’s largest textiles exhibition proved a fascinating day out for girls in Years 10 to 13 on Thursday 11th October.

Held at Alexandra Palace, The Knitting and Stitching Show covers all aspects of textiles including embroidery, patchwork and quilting, felt making, shibori dyeing, jewellery making, card making and embossing.

The large venue and hundreds of exhibitors made it challenging to see everything in one day but the girls made it round the abundant galleries, stands and workshops and finished the day tired but brimming with fresh ideas.The opportunity to meet and chat with practising Textile Artists about their work proved to be an enriching and invaluable experience for the girls.

"You can get more of a feel for their work and how they produce it if you talk to them in person than if you just research them online." Emilia Manni, 11GDS

"I had such a great time and I was amazed by the standard of work shown. It really inspired me to look further into my project and the stalls provided a lot of unusual and wonderful materials that I can use in my work." Eliza Banks, 13 RAJ

"It was amazing to see such a variety of stalls and showcases. I especially loved seeing all the Graduate work, it was so inspiring. It gave great ideas and also enabled us to buy materials which we are unable to buy in our local Textiles shops. I will definitely be going again next year!" Lydia Cashman, 13 CSG

Half Marathon Holly

2012-10-16T00:00:00

An enormous well done to Junior School Teacher, Holly Crawford-Smith, who ran the Royal Parks Marathon last weekend in support of the Bone Cancer Research Trust (BCRT), a cause close to her heart.

Holly completed the course as part of Team Bones who, together, hope to raise £100,000 in sponsorship to help BCRT fund three crucial bone cancer research projects.

Survival rates for primary bone cancer have remained unchanged for the past 25 years and, because primary bone cancer mainly affects children, teenagers and young adults, delayed diagnosis is very common, with symptoms often being misdiagnosed as a sports injury or growing pains.

Speaking after finishing the race in a fantastic time of 2hrs 20minutes, Holly said: “The run was amazing and the atmosphere was astounding with so many supporters cheering everyone on. The work of the Bone Cancer Research Trust is absolutely vital and it was a real pleasure to support them.”

To sponsor Holly, please click here.

Congratulations Kirsty

2012-10-16T00:00:00

Congratulations to Kirsty Stark who has been elected Junior School Head Girl for 2012/13. Kirsty was among six girls in Year 6 who made a speech to their Year Group and met with members of last Year’s Head Girl Team. Their peers and Junior School staff voted to appoint the most appropriate candidate.

Kirsty spoke boldly with real enthusiasm and great presence and all six candidates equipped themselves well. She will now help to coordinate the Head Girl's Team of Kathryn Wood, Sarah Beard, Phoebe Miles, Sophie Kendall, Emily Taylor-Baker, Molly Kemble, Alice Baker, Ruby Sutton and Ellie Simester.

We wish her every success in this important role.

We Boldly Went to Leicester

2012-10-16T00:00:00

On Thursday 4th October, Year 5 went to the National Space Centre in Leicester. Here, Lucy Ellis, 5C, shares her experience of the day.

When we got to the Space Centre, the first thing that we did was to go into a massive dome and watched a film presentation called Astronauts. It was all about astronaut training and the screen covered the entire dome which was really fun!

Next, we walked to the simulator where our mission was to land on one of Jupiter’s coldest moons, Io. It would take a couple of years to get there.

The Planets Gallery was really informative as we learnt about all the planets – my favourite fact was that even though Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, Venus is the hottest!

At the large inflatable rocket section of the Space Centre, we climbed up 144 steps to get to the top where we learnt about the space race between Russia and America, the Moon landings and things like that. We learnt that Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space and Laika the dog was the first animal in space. The chimpanzee was the first animal to survive the launch into space and Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon.

Overall, the Space Centre was amazing!

U13 Lacrosse Champions

2012-10-05T00:00:00

Tournament Toppers

Bedford Girls’ School has been crowned U13 lacrosse champion at a national invitation tournament held at Berkhamsted School.

On Sunday 30th September, the A team battled their way through a tough competition to win four of their six matches and finish first out of 16 teams from across the country while the U12 team played brilliantly to be placed third out of a field of 15.

The victory followed on from an outstanding match on Friday 28th September when the girls beat Packwood Haugh School 9-2 with goals from by Eilidh Moffat, Annie Marks, Amelia Garbutt, Amy Lammin, Claudia Milazzo and Emma Brown. Outstanding goal keeping by Georgiana Rapley and fierce defending by Lia Forde, Lydia Clewlow and Bryonny Samasuwo ensured the opposition were unable to fight back.

Speaking after their tournament victory, U13 Captain, Eleanor Lawton, said: “There was great attitude on the pitch and outstanding goal keeping, defence and attack. As this was a tournament and goal difference could be a deciding factor, we fought hard for every goal in all six matches. Our hard work paid off and we were the overall winners. Well done to all the squad.”

County Campions Twice Over

2012-10-05T00:00:00

U16 and U18 County Champions

On Tuesday 2nd October, the Bedford Girls’ School U16 team played Sharnbrook in the Under 16 Bedfordshire County Final at home.

After some excellent performances in the new Midland Independent School League the girls’ confidence was flying high but they knew that Sharnbrook would be a tough team to play. The girls needed to work hard and play the fluid hockey they had been demonstrating at their Saturday afternoon matches.

The side, captained by Sarah Morse, dominated from the push back, putting the Sharnbrook goal under pressure, resulting in an early goal by Helen Knight after just five minutes. Matilda Olney and Louise Beechener were able to control the game from the middle, spraying excellent passes to the front three of Rebecca Swaney, Flora Charatan and Bethan Summerfield. Some lovely link play saw Elizabeth Corkery, Martha Jensen and Emilia Manni combine to win a penalty corner which was scored by Louise Beechener. Victoria Caldwell commanded her ‘D’ with authority, with Phoebe Dolan and Georgina Lusty making sure any Sharnbrook attacks came to nothing. Lucy Churchill-Coleman made her debut for the Under 16’s and gave a fantastic performance. Bedford Girls' School won 2-0.

The team will now represent Bedfordshire in the East Regional Finals in Bedford on the 22nd November.
There was also a superb win for our U18 team in the Bedfordshire Girls’ Schools Under 18 Hockey County Championship. The girls played against Cedars Upper School, Bedford Modern and Sharnbrook Upper School, winning all three matches without conceding a goal. The team, captained by Jessica Haines, beat Bedford Modern 1-0 with a goal scored by Rebecca Atkinson, Sharnbrook 1-0 with a goal scored by Alice Devaney and finally Cedars Upper School 3-0, with goals scored by Alice Devaney, Zoe Carter and Charlotte Stevens.

The team will now represent Bedfordshire in the East Regional Finals in Norwich on the 6th November.

Engaging with History

2012-10-05T00:00:00

Engaging with History

The Upper Sixth History Society were delighted to welcome Professor Clive Emsley, from the Open University, on Monday 1st October.

The main essence of the lecture was How a Historian Writes, essentially, how he researched and found answers for his book, Soldier, Sailor, Beggarman, Thief. Crime and The British Armed Forces since 1914 which is scheduled to be released in January.

2012-09-12T00:00:00

As the new Head of the Junior School I would like to offer a warm welcome to both existing and new girls to the Junior School. I would also like to thank the pupils and parents of the Junior School for the lovely reception I have received this week.

It has been an exciting and busy first week for our existing pupils and our new girls who have all settled in quickly to the school routines. Visiting classrooms I have been enthused by the exciting activities taking place and the genuine interest and pride the girls take in their work.

I have been working in education for nearly 20 years, and I am passionate about children and their learning. I truly believe that learning should be enjoyable, fun and engaging. At the Junior School we aim to develop a thirst for learning and through our Thinking Skills programme we encourage the girls to ask questions and challenge ideas in all subjects. This year we will continue to provide the creative and exciting curriculum that brings learning alive and that reflects the needs of girls in the 21st century.

I am committed to ensuring every girl receives the very best education and I am looking forward to developing strong partnerships with parents over the year. I hope to meet many of you personally during these early weeks of term and I look forward to getting to know you all throughout the year.

Athletics Triumph at National Championships

2012-09-12T00:00:00

Strong performances at the National Preparatory Schools Athletic Championships, on Monday 5th July 2012, proved another highlight in a highly successful year for Bedford Girls’ School pupils Kate Axford, Ellie Lawton, Chelsea Spandoukalis and Millie Garbutt.

Representing the East of England against competition from schools across the country, the rising track and field stars were greeted by cheers from the crowd at Birmingham’s prestigious Alexander Stadium where pre-Olympic excitement had boosted attendance and helped to create an electric atmosphere.

Competing in the U14 1500m final for a remarkable third year running, Kate Axford put in a powerful performance to finish third and complete a trio of successive bronze medals. In the U13 1500m, Ellie Lawton showed composure and tactical acumen to stay with the frontrunners throughout the race before breaking away from the pack in the home strait to claim second place. In addition to her silver medal, Ellie also achieved a new Championship record time of 4m59s, placing her 5th in the national rankings.

A focused run by Chelsea Spandoukis in the U14 800m saw her show great fortitude and skill to finish third in a strong field and claim another bronze medal for the team.In the U13 800m, up and coming athlete, Millie Garbutt built on the promise and potential she has demonstrated all season despite narrowly missing out on a top three finish.

Silver for Track and Field Star Rebecca

2012-09-12T00:00:00

A terrific run by Bedford Girls’ School pupil, Rebecca Murray, afforded her a decisive second place and a well-deserved silver medal at the English Schools’ Track and Field Championships despite competing in just her second 3000m race of the year.

For the first time, Rebecca ran in the Senior Girls’ Category and finished just two seconds behind the gold medalist with a new personal best of 9m 44.11s, a full 16 seconds faster than her previous individual record.The event, held at Gateshead International Stadium on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th of July, is widely regarded as one of the country’s premier events for up-and-coming athletes and the place to spot the next generation of UK Olympians. Facing such stiff competition, Rebecca was prepared for a difficult race but determination and Olympic inspiration spurred her on throughout the race.

The 17 year old, who is currently ranked 8th in the UK U20 women’s category, said: “It was hard but I’m happy with my performance and the silver because I’ve never medalled before. This is my second time at the English Schools’ Championships and it’s a nice to get a medal and being part of a team, particularly in such a great year for British Athletics, is great fun. I am so excited that I’ll be watching my heroes this summer and I hope it will make a huge difference for our athletes to know that we will all be backing the team.”

Girls' Stellar GCSE Results

2012-08-23T00:00:00

Girls, parents and staff are celebrating at Bedford Girls’ School this morning as pupils from the two heritage schools have again scooped an abundance of top GCSE grades.

Bedford High School pupils produced some stunning individual results with 39% of pupils achieving an average grade A; whilst records were broken by Dame Alice Harpur pupils with two thirds of all results at A*/A grades, nearly 90% of results at A*- B grades and the A*- C grades reaching a record high of 98%.

Head of Bedford Girls’ School, Miss Jo MacKenzie, said “I am delighted that the results continue to impress, especially when there has been a fall in top grades nationally. It is testament to the ambition and dedication of our pupils and staff. These results are the last public examinations for our heritage schools and I look forward to taking the long tradition of academic excellence forward with Bedford Girls’ School.”

100% Success at Bedford Girls’ School

2012-08-16T00:00:00

The long tradition of academic achievement at the heritage schools of Bedford Girls’ School has been evident again today with the last set of A level results for Bedford High School for Girls and Dame Alice Harpur School. Both schools have seen an outstanding 100% pass rate and much deserved individual success, with students gaining highly competitive university places.

Despite national results showing a decline our students have bucked the trend with an increase in the quality of all results; our A* - C grades topping 95% and every one in two entries achieving the highest grades A*/A.

Head of Bedford Girls’ School, Miss Jo MacKenzie, said: “Following on from the excellent IB results reported earlier in the summer we are delighted that our girls continue to achieve at such a high level. Their hard work and commitment from staff has been justly rewarded. With an exceptional 80% of entries at A* - B there is much to celebrate. This September will see the completion of the merger of our two heritage schools and we look forward to building on their success as Bedford Girls’ School.”

GB Gold for BGS Rowing

2012-08-09T00:00:00

Having shown tremendous form throughout an unbeaten season, rowers, Lottie Bruce and Robyn Armstrong have won Bedford Girls’ Schools first ever gold medal for Great Britain.

Taking on France in the WJ16 double sculls final, on Monday 16th July at an international match in Graveline, the girls came back from an early French lead to defeat the host nation by a massive eight seconds. Showing their signature maturity and determination, the girls crossed the line 3.5 lengths clear of their second place rivals.

Bedford Girls’ School Head of Rowing and medal-winning GB rower, Jacqui Round, said: “I’ve been so impressed by both girls all season but they surprised even me with the boat speed they have developed and their ability to concentrate on their own race rhythm while competing at international level. They are truly two superstars in the making and their victory seems all the more pertinent in a summer where British rowing has been so successful at the Olympics.”

She added: “I am so proud of all the girls’ achievements over the last year and I have now received confirmation that Robyn Armstrong and Courtnay Osborne-Walker, both year 11 girls, have been invited to attend the junior Great Britain World potential training camp in Nottingham in October.“

The girls have been acknowledged for their potential to make the GB junior quads and have been invited to the camp by the Chief Selector where they will row and train with other up-and-coming world-class rowers from around the country”.

Prestigious ICT Mark for Bedford Girls’ School

2012-07-05T00:00:00

Following an extensive external assessment, Bedford Girls’ School has been awarded the prestigious ICT Mark.

The award recognises the school’s success in developing the strategic use of ICT both in administration and across the curriculum. The accreditor’s report was extremely positive about the school’s innovative use and implementation of technology and praised the ICT Steering Group extensively.

Headmistress, Jo MacKenzie, said: “We are delighted to have achieved the ICT mark and I thank everyone involved in developing and implementing our forward-looking strategy.

We are committed to ensuring that everyone at Bedford Girls’ School possesses the skills and vision necessary to equip them fully for the 21st Century and it is wonderful to be recognised for the work and dedication we’ve already applied towards realising our vision. We look forward to telling parents more about the ICT Mark, and our on-going projects, in the Autumn Term edition of The Muse.”

Photographs from Recent Productions

2012-07-05T00:00:00

Thank you to everyone who came to watch our recent performances of The King and I and Oklahoma!.

Both productions demanded focus, empathy, teamwork and lots of rehearsal time from the young casts and it was a pleasure to see how well their efforts were supported by parents and the wider school community.

The musicals proved a fitting way to lower the curtain on a highly successful year for Speech and Drama at Bedford Girls’ School and we look forward to a full and inspiring programme of productions during the next academic year.

To view photo galleries from each of the performances, see below.

Oklahoma

The King and I

Grafham Water Adventure

2012-07-05T00:00:00

Sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, orienteering and bushcraft were among the adventurous pursuits enjoyed by Year 4 during their residential trip to Grafham Water Centre on Friday 20th July.

The two-night trip saw the girls eat, sleep and undertake activities as a team in a brand new environment. Spread over 15 acres of land, on the shoreline of Grafham Water reservoir in Cambridgeshire, the centre provided the girls with an opportunity to take up new challenges during the day before returning to comfortable, well-equipped and cosy accommodation in the evening where they enjoyed sleeping in dormitories with their friends.

Throughout the trip, the girls were resourceful, strong and caring in their dealings with each other and in facing new challenges as a team. They all coped well with being away from home, even if it meant not having much sleep.

Weathering the Storm in the Yorkshire Dales

2012-07-05T00:00:00

Immediately after finishing their final GCSE on Thursday 21st June, 27 Year 11 girls headed off to the Yorkshire Dales for their Practice Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme expedition.

Sadly, the weekend proved one of the wettest the Dales have experienced in many years and, after two nights of very wet and windy walking and camping, the group had no option but to return home early.

Very few of the girls had any dry clothing left and were relieved when they were told they didn’t have to pitch their wet tents for the scheduled third night of camping in sodden sleeping bags. However, there were some dry moments during the weekend when it was possible to appreciate the beautiful Yorkshire countryside and enjoy the culinary delights produced on the trangias.

Despite the inhospitable conditions, the girls valued the experience and demonstrated great fortitude in the face of the challenge. All of the group are looking forward to their Assessed Expedition at the end of the summer in the Chilterns and are hopeful of some better weather.

Alien Invasion Livens up Mathematics Lesson

2012-07-05T00:00:00

On Friday 22nd June, the whole of Year 8 exchanged their usual Mathematics lesson to take part in an Alien Invasion activity, led by Miss Newton. Girls were put into teams of four and taken through the scenario of being stranded on a school trip, after Alien Spaceships appeared in the skies. The girls worked through a range of puzzles and challenges, helping the army collect data on the aliens and using Mathematics to plan a safe escape plan. Teamwork was vital as the girls listened to radio broadcasts, news items and instructions whilst tackling the various challenges. The group that had the most success with their challenges, and showed excellent teamwork, was comprised of Amelia Knowles, Emma Leach, Grace Muskett and Rebecca Downing-Holmes. Well done to everyone who took part.

Year 9 Swimmer Makes National Waves

2012-07-05T00:00:00

Congratulations to Nicola Pasquire, 9MMW, who swam for the English Schools' Swimming Association (ESSA) East Division at the National Inter-Divisional Gala last weekend.

Nicola put in a series of very strong performances and came third in both the 200m and 400m freestyle events. She also competed in both relays.

The event, held at Liverpool Aquatics Centre, was Nicola’s third national swimming competition this season. Last October, she represented Bedfordshire in the Inter-County National gala before taking part in national Olympic trials in March. She will also be competing in the ASA Nationals in July having qualified for the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events.

In addition, all round athlete Nicola was also selected to run for the County in a national cross country event in Somerset in March and came sixth in the county for her age group.

U14 and U15 Teams Crowned District Rounders Champions

2012-07-05T00:00:00

On Thursday 28th June, the U14 and U15 rounders teams travelled to Biddenham School to play in the finals of the District Rounders Tournament. Both teams had previously won their respective leagues and were in a strong position going into the tournament.

The U14s played Sharnbrook Upper School against whom they had secured a hard-fought draw in the league. The girls knew they had to work hard to achieve victory and applied themselves fully to the match. After the first innings they were winning convincingly but a determined Sharnbrook clawed back the lead in their second innings. Eventually, hard work paid off for Bedford Girls’ School who went on to win the final 13.5 to 9.

The U15s final was against a strong team from Samuel Whitbread. After a difficult first innings from Bedford Girls’ School, the score was level at 4.5 rounders each. However, a strong team performance in the second innings, and sheer determination from Captain Victoria Caldwell, gave the girls a comfortable six rounder lead with Samuel Whitbread still left to bat. Excellent fielding from Flora Charatan and Helen Knight throwing to Jessica Inchbald prevented Samuel Whitbread from scoring more than four rounders in their last batting innings. The final score was 10.5 rounders to 8 giving Bedford Girls’ school the title.

Teams

U14’s: Rosie Davies, Olivia Smith, Harriet Ensor-Clinch, Lucy Churchill-Coleman, Laurel Stewart, Kirstie Moffat, Faye Ashton-Rigby, Alicia Leech, Ellie Muskett, Holly Dabson, Ella Major, Hope Taylor, Lily King and Heidi Lawson.

U15’s: Tor Caldwell, Sarah Morse, Jess Inchbald, Evi Craddock, Tilly Olney, Helen Knight, Flora Charatan, Poppy Blair, Niamh Williams, Louise Beechener and Phoebe Dolan.

Bedford Girls’ School Equestrian Team Jump to Victory

2012-07-05T00:00:00

On Thursday 21st June four members of the Year 12 Equestrian Team went to Backnoe End Equestrian Centre to compete in a show jumping competition against Bedford Modern School. The stables provided four ponies per team so each rider benefitted from growing more accustomed to their own ride as the event progressed as they did not have to switch mounts during the competition.

The Bedford Girls’ School riders began the afternoon by walking the course as a team with Katherine Stephen, the most experienced member of the team, highlighting the best approach for each fence.

Show jumping on an unfamiliar horse is a real test of the rider’s skill and each BGS team member demonstrated bravery and determination in managing at least one clear round. The rules allowed each school to drop their weakest round which meant that Bedford Girls’ School finished with no faults, beating Bedford Modern into second place.

Congratulations to the team of Leilani Rogers, Freya Duckett, Katherine Stephen (Captain) and Victoria Lombardi.

Oxford Commendation for Head Girl

2012-07-05T00:00:00

The Philosophy and Religion department is proud to announce the success of Head Girl, Lucy Charatan, in a Philosophy essay competition run by Oriel College, Oxford.

With her challenging title, You cannot be held responsible for actions that you do not freely perform, Lucy won a commendation and will go on to receive valuable feedback from an Oxford Philosophy Professor.

Co-curricular Information

2012-07-05T00:00:00

As you are aware, we pride ourselves on providing a wide range of exciting, challenging and enjoyable co-curricular activities, the success of which can be measured by the number of girls who choose to take part in them each year.

Many of our co-curricular activities are included in the day-to-day provision of a Bedford Girls’ School education. This programme is further supported by workshops and tuition designed to underpin your daughter’s individual interestsMany of our co-curricular activities are included in the day-to-day provision of a Bedford Girls’ School education. This programme is further supported by workshops and tuition designed to underpin your daughter’s individual interests and to promote confidence, enjoyment wider participation. To ensure the provision of specialist coaching and teaching, some activities are offered at a competitive additional rate.

If your daughter wishes to take up a new paid-for co-curricular Dance, Drama or Music activity in the Autumn Term, full details of the programme and prices can be viewed here

If your daughter is already enrolled on a programme of extra tuition, there is no need to reregister her for the Autumn Term. Should you wish to discontinue a paid-for co-curricular activity, a term’s written notice is required to discontinue the programme. Otherwise a term’s charges, for that activity, will be payable in lieu of notice.

BGS on the BBC

2012-07-05T00:00:00

On Monday 2nd July, girls from the Year 10 radio group were interviewed live on the Nick Coffer Show on BBC Three Counties Radio, where they talked about their experiences of setting up and operating the BGS radio station.

Throughout the interview, the girls all spoke with confidence and enthusiasm about their experience as producers, writers, controllers and presenters. Director of ICT, James Potter, also talked about the background to the radio station and the important role it now plays within the school.

After the interview, the girls were given a tour of the studio and were introduced to staff, including the Station Manager, who expressed an enthusiastic desire to make a return visit to the school during the next academic year.

If you have any problems with voting or have not received the email please contact information@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

BGS Hosts Harpur Trust Party

2012-06-29T00:00:00

Entertainment, good conversation and a nostalgic sing-a-long united the generations when Bedford Girls’ School hosted the Harpur Trust Almhouse Party on Friday 22nd June.

Every year, older people from across the Borough, including almhouse residents, are invited to one of the Harpur Trust schools where pupils provide entertainment, serve afternoon tea and enjoy meeting and talking to their guests.

As in previous years, the event proved hugely enjoyable for guests and pupils alike as both parties shared anecdotes, memories and laughter in the lively yet informal atmosphere.

Carla Barberio, Bedford Girls’ School Year 12 pupil and recently appointed Service Captain to the school’s Girls' Leadership Group, said: “As hosts, this year it was our turn to organise and coordinate aspects of the party such as catering, seating and greeting everyone as they arrived. However, each of the schools played a vital role in ensuring all of our guests enjoyed themselves and pupils from Bedford Modern School and Bedford School joined us in making people feel welcome and appreciated as they enjoyed tea and performances.

“Pilgrims' Pre-Preparatory School Choir sang beautifully as the entertainment commenced. The other schools then each provided a short programme of performances including dance, drama and singing.

“What I most enjoyed about the experience was the opportunity to join together with peers in meeting older members of the community and discovering that, while the world may change and develop quickly, a sense of humour and respect for others can be shared by generations. The event demanded a lot of organisation on our part and I really am grateful to my prefects and to all the other students who gave up their valuable time to help. We all really enjoyed the occasion and found that in exchange for giving up a relatively small amount of our own time to help in the community, we can get just as much out of such events as our guests can. This really sums up what Service is about at Bedford Girls’ School: providing enjoyment for others whilst enjoying ourselves.”

Guest and Old Modernian, David Dodd, said: “This really has been a wonderful evening. What I’ve observed in all the boys and girls is modesty, common sense, integrity and selflessness. I’ve also witnessed good manners and teamwork.

“If a school, fundamentally, is its students, then each of the Harpur Trust schools must be credited with being outstanding.”

Summer Exhibition a Success

2012-06-29T00:00:00

Thank you to everyone who visited Bedford Girls’ School’s first Summer Exhibition on Wednesday 20th June.

The evening showcased GCSE, AS and A2 Art and Textiles work by Year 11 and Year 13 Dame Alice Harpur School girls and Year 12 BGS pupils and provided an opportunity to view a collection of Art, Textiles, Food Technology and Design Technology work created by Year 9.

Throughout the evening, guests remarked upon the high standard of work on display and were impressed by the wide variety of media utilised in the pieces. They also enjoyed viewing the girls’ workbooks in order to gain a holistic overview of the creative process behind the finished work. So well-received was the exhibition that, Freya Duckett, Year 12, received a commission on the evidence of her displayed paintings and is now looking forward to beginning work on the portrait.

Head of Art, Christina Lugsden, said: “The Summer exhibition was a true success. We are all so delighted with the standard of work on show. All of the pieces in the exhibition were the result of a lot of hard work, and all exhibitors should feel incredibly proud of their achievements. It truly encapsulated the creative talent and capabilities of students at Bedford Girls' School.”

Year 10 Geography Field trip to Sheringham

2012-06-29T00:00:00

On Friday 22nd June, all Geographers in Year 10 set off for north Norfolk for an intensive weekend of fieldwork. The journey to Sheringham followed the coastal road towards Holkham enabling the girls to have a clear picture of the region and all the coastal features. Lunch was eaten on the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea with a sharp shower forcing some girls to shelter in the porches of the beach huts.

Arriving at YHA Sheringham, the girls gathered equipment to begin their various surveys. Geography GCSE involves the girls doing a Controlled Assessment based on gathering primary data which ultimately counts towards 25% of their mark. The girls could choose to do a human topic investigating Sheringham and honeypot sites or a Physical topic looking at coastal management. Pupils worked in groups collecting data and worked on their own individual projects into the evening. By Sunday, having enjoyed beautiful weather on Saturday everyone had managed to complete at least two main sections of their assessments and were ready to return home after a challenging and rewarding trip.

Dancing with Wolves

2012-06-22T00:00:00

On Wednesday 20th June, 4W took part in the final Community Dance Workshop of the Summer Term.

Sixteen boys and girls were invited from Putnoe Primary School to experience and learn a piece of choreography based on the lives of the American Plains Indians. As with previous workshops, the emphasis was on BGS pupils taking responsibility for teaching certain aspects of the theme they have been working on this term. The choreography involved seven sections that depicted various aspect of American Indian culture; at the beginning the group discussed and considered how people lived during the period and then worked to bring to life scenes based on aspects of various Native American Societies. The dance included dream catchers, hunting and searching phrases, circle dances and a pack of wolves. During the process, pupils from both schools recognised cross-curricular links with History, Geography, Drama, Art and Music.

Putnoe Primary pupils worked well with our girls who led the way very productively and confidently. Despite a tight time schedule, the group succeeded in completing the entire piece of choreography during the morning and the atmosphere was very happy and full of enthusiasm and commitment from all concerned.

Ancient Greece Comes Off the Page

2012-06-22T00:00:00

On Tuesday, 19th June, Year 5 learned about life in 490 BC with specialist teaching group, Off the Page.

Through role play, the girls experienced many facets of life during the Battle of Marathon. During the day, the girls used authentic tools and materials to learn skills as apprentices in a wide variety of workshops as well as taking part in numerous other authentically Ancient Greek activities.

To help transport them to Ancient Greece, the girls dressed up in classical costume and had their hair styled in an Ancient Greek Hair Salon. By the end of the day, the pupils all felt they had gained valuable insight into a fascinating period of history and were very grateful to the parents who volunteered their help on Greek Day.

Year 5 Crowned District Champions

2012-06-22T00:00:00

Congratulations to the Year 5 A, B, C and D teams who played in the district rounders tournament on Wednesday 20th June. All teams played exceptionally well with the B team making the semi-final and the A team becoming district champions. For full results, see below.

A team:

v Newnham = Win 7- 2 ½

v Lincroft B = Win 14 – 4 ½

Semi-final v Bedford Modern ‘a’ = Win 3 ½ - 4 ½

Finals v Bedford Modern ‘b’ = Win 10 ½ - 1

Squad: Alice Baker, Alessia Milazzo, Alexa Wilson, Noorie Kaur, Emily Taylor-Baker, Eleanor Bruce, Emily Ratcliffe, Lucy Ewen and Rosie Smedley

B team:

v Daubeney = Win 6 ½ - 6

v Lincroft = win 8 – 7 ½

Semi-final v Bedford Modern ‘a’ = Lost 6 ½ - 7

Squad: Vicky Brackenbury, Eloise Bailey, Hannah Tollman, Kathryn Wood, Imogen Otley, Jessica Falle, Amy Chappelhow, Maddy Mahoney and Charlotte Fanthorpe

C team:

V Bedford Modern ‘a’ = lost 7 ½ - 4 ½

V Beauchamp = Win 11 ½ -3 ½

Squad: Katie Simpson, Navina Brown, Ruby Sutton, Olivia Benjamin, Sophie Kendall, Molly Kemble, Eva Brazil, Phoebe Miles and Lucy Keith

D team:

V Bedford Modern ‘b’ = win 8 ½ - 8 ½

V Harrold Priory = win 10 ½ - 7 ½

V Robert Bruce = lost 2 ½ - 4 ½

Squad: Caitlyn Cameron-Fraser, Sophie Parry, Kirsty Stark, Ellie Simester, Georgia Bratton, Jessica Gilmartin, Jasmine Chambers, Mia Wilson and Thea Boylen

Sports Day Brings Sunshine

2012-06-22T00:00:00

Thank you to everyone who took part in a very successful Senior School Sports Day on Tuesday 19th June and to everyone who came to support the girls on the day.

Bright sunshine and a brilliant atmosphere made for an event that celebrated both the joy of sport and the on-going popularity and success of the thriving BGS House system.

The overall winner was Austen, with 743 points, while Chanel finished in second position with 705. Franklin took third place with a tally of 686 and Nightingale finished fourth with 676 points. Parks and Hepburn finished in fifth and sixth position, winning 662 and 646 points respectively.

Engineering Puts Girls in Pole Position

2012-06-22T00:00:00

Teamwork, determination and expert engineering secured Bedford Girls’ School an impressive sixth place at the Bedford Schools’ Grand Prix on Sunday 17th June.

Comprised of some of the youngest drivers and pit crew on the grid, Team BGS delivered a gritty performance that saw them move steadily through the field of 12 competing cars and gain ground throughout the race.

Fast, accurate pit stops ensured no time was lost as the drivers pulled in for the many battery changes required to power their eco-friendly electric car around the three-hour course and the drivers, many from Year 7, showed great courage in going it alone in the hot seat.

As well as forming the 12 person pit crew and driving team, the girls also built the car from scratch. Under the guidance of Mr Jackson and Mr Bowden, they began work in October 2011 to create their entry which was powered by a 240 watt electric motor with energy provided by two 12 volt car batteries.

As well as enjoying the experience of competing in the impressive surrounds of Bedford Autodrome, the girls also gained a great deal from their involvement in the engineering and construction process.

Speaking on the starting line, immediately before the race, team commentator and pit crew member, Laura Goodship, 9MMW, said: “Building the car was challenging and we needed to use a lot of different skills, including Mathematics, Physics, DT and Art, to make sure we could be here to race today. The process was also really enjoyable because we all worked with people we might not ordinarily work with, such as girls in other years, and have really bonded as a team.”

During the event, the girls were also interviewed by CBBC’s Newsround and were awarded the prize for the Best Hospitality for the jubilee themed Best of British catering on offer in the BGS garage.

In a further triumph for young female engineers, Bedford High School for Girls put in a remarkable performance to win the race by a clear margin and take top spot on the podium. The High School’s car, High Voltage, led the field for much of the Grand Prix and its lack of technical hitches and sheer speed were testimony to its build quality. The High School also won additional prizes for Fastest Car and Most Reliable Car but, sadly, their second car, Sparks, had to retire with a sheared axle.

For a selection of photographs from the event, please see below.

East Area Prep Schools Athletic Championships

2012-06-22T00:00:00

Four Bedford Girls’ School pupils have won places in the National Finals of the Prep Schools’ Athletic Championships at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium on Monday 2nd July.

Each of the girls qualified through success in the middle distance events in the East Area regional rounds, held at Bedford International Stadium, on Thursday 9th June.

Ellie Lawton ran a strong and brave race to finish second in the U13 1500m and Chelsea Spandoukis achieved second place in the U14 800m. Millie Garbutt comfortably won the U13 800m and Kate Axford reached the Finals for her third successive year with first place in the U14 1500m.

Sharing Excellence in IB

2012-06-22T00:00:00

On Thursday at 21st June, Bedford Girls’ School was delighted to host the IBSCA Network meeting. The Network is a collection of regional school and college groups, each offering IB.

The regional hubs are responsible for promoting, supporting and developing the International Baccalaureate and the meeting is an opportunity to share good practice and experience in pursuit of a common purpose.

The school was extremely pleased to have the opportunity to showcase its IB programme and the many innovative approaches taken to ensure girls gain all they can from their study.

Among the topics discussed were the recent IB L4 Science trip to Alton Towers and the forthcoming L6 Biology field course on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th July.

The non-residential course will be taught at Stibbington Field Studies Centre, near Peterborough, and all students currently studying Biology are expected to attend for both days. Girls studying both A Level and IB will have the opportunity to study a variety of ecosystems and ecological systems in a real life context

A Jubilee Party to Remember

2012-06-15T00:00:00

Apple bobbing, nail painting and a Splat-the-Rat challenge were among a host of attractions enjoyed by girls in the Junior School at their Jubilee Party on Friday 1st of June.

Dressed in red, white and blue mufti and responsible for running the many stalls themselves, the pupils eagerly entered into the spirit of the occasion and came together in celebration of the Queen’s 60 years on the throne.

Despite a few ominous clouds and an occasional flurry of raindrops, the afternoon stayed mainly fair and the girls were able to take part in the wide variety of activities and games set up in the gardens.

Rounding off the afternoon with a tea party on the lawn, the girls were all able to start the long weekend on a high note with a slice of the delicious Union Jack cake they had admired throughout the event.

Alice Baker, 5HW, part of the team running the Guess the Name of the Teddy competition, said: “This has been such a nice, happy afternoon and I think I’ll always remember it.”

Lego Olympic Village with Bedford School

2012-06-15T00:00:00

The development of the Olympic Village for the London 2012 Games may have taken several years but girls in Years 3 and 4 took just one day to build their own version from thousands of Lego bricks.

During the morning of Wednesday 13th June, Year 3 were joined by their peers from Bedford School and began work on building an Olympic Stadium, a swimming pool, plenty of accommodation and all the other features you’d expect to see in its full-sized counterpart.

After lunch, Year 4 took over the challenge and continued the good work. Demonstrating detailed planning, as well as solid and swift building skills, the girls carefully considered the needs of the athletes using the site in the short term but also had to think about how their vision of the facility could be used after the Games.

Joined by Lego expert, Mr Speed, the girls thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Bavani Dhinakharan and Libby Turnball said: “We loved making the Lego village and building houses. It looked exactly like a mini-version of the real thing.”

BGS Rowers go for gold at National Regatta

2012-06-15T00:00:00

Gold in the Women’s J16 Doubles and silver in the Women’s J15 Single Sculls, were among a strong set of results for BGS in the National Schools' Regatta over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend.

The annual regatta, held in Nottingham, is the premier UK Schools' event and the girls were competing against some of the best athletes from across the country. They put in a series of remarkable performances to cement their growing reputation as one of the top British schools to beat.

Robyn Armstrong and Lottie Bruce showed great focus and determination to win the J16 Doubles final a full three seconds clear of their nearest placed competitors and six seconds ahead of bronze.

A thrilling neck and neck final saw Robyn Armstrong take Silver in the J15 single sculls crossing the line a mere one second behind Olivia Kay from Nottingham. Both excellent scullers, the girls were level in gold position until the final 150m where Kay was able to narrowly pull away.

Jade Wright, Courtnay Osborne-Walker, Jordan Bruce, Anna-Daisy Leftly, Gemma Crook, Shevaun Davis, Chloe Ginn, Tori Swann and Lorna Howie put in a gritty performance in choppy conditions to finish 5th in the Women’s Championship 8, while Anna-Daisy Leftly and Gemma Crook rowed defiantly against the elements and rough water to maintain silver medal position for most of the Women’s J16 Coxless Pairs final before being beaten into 5th place during the latter stages of the race.

The BGS Junior 15 8 crew of Hannah Selvey, Georgia Spanoudakis, Lydia Watt, Olivia Pryer, Lucy-Ann O'Kane, Charlotte Chandler, Veronica Jones, Mila Ilic and Harriet Lusty achieved a very respectable 5th position and Courtney Osborne Waker finished 6th in the semi final of the Women’s J15 Single Sculls.

Jade Wright, Jordan Bruce, Shevaun Davis and Tori Swann fought hard to gain 14th overall position in the Women’s Championship Coxless Quads while 5th place in the semi final of the J14 Coxed Quads demonstrated the talent and potential of young crew Emily Stearn, Emma Harris, Erin Gibbs-Charles, Olivia Mason and Ruth Watson.

Ably supported by the Friends of Bedford Girls’ School rowing Club, all the girls worked incredibly hard and were highly deserving of their success at such a high level of competition. With many of the girls not having rowed together before September 2011, the dedication and commitment they have displayed all season is particularly notable and their results all the more commendable.

Equestrian Team Qualify for National Championships

2012-06-15T00:00:00

Strong team and individual performances secured some outstanding results for Bedford Girls’ School at the Wellingborough School's Show Jumping Event on Thursday 7th June.

Jumping in wet and windy conditions, the seven-strong team greatly appreciated the help and guidance they received from their parents and friends and the support of Miss MacKenzie and two of the school’s senior riders, Katherine Stephen and Nicole Gwynne.

The highlight of the day was a BGS qualification for the National Championships in Class 5, to be held at Addington Equestrian Centre on 20th and 21st, October. The Championships will see 24 teams from all over the country competing. Congratulations to Georgia Rapley, Charlotte Allsop, Jessica Falle and Olivia Wright who will represent BGS in the Mini’s 70cm fences for riders under the age of 13 and to the whole team for putting in such hard work and dedication.

The overall results were as follows:

Class 1

Emily Falle – Clear Round

Class 4

BGS Team Teal – Placed 4^th

Georgia Rapley, Charlotte Allsop, Jessica Falle, Olivia Wright.

Charlotte Allsop placed 1^st as an individual winning the cup and sash

Class 5

BGS Team Teal – Placed 2^nd and Qualify

Georgia Rapley, Charlotte Allsop, Jessica Falle, Olivia Wright

Best Turned Out award went to Jessica Falle

Class 5 – Individual

Melissa Farquhar – Clear Round

Class 6

BGS Team Damson

Unplaced but Clear Round from Melissa Farquhar and just 4 faults from Leo Field Foster

BGS Team Teal –Placed 4^th

Charlotte Allsop, Emily Falle, Jessica Falle

IB Group 4 Science Project

2012-06-15T00:00:00

A trip to Alton Towers theme park, on Wednesday 30th May, provided girls studying the International Baccalaureate with a rich source of inspiration and data for their Group 4 Science Project.

The aim of the project is to devise a series of experiments along a theme, defined by the girls themselves, and present this to an audience. The project develops their ability to work within a team, to collect data and to manipulate it, allowing conclusions to be drawn that they then communicate in a way that allows non-specialists to understand.

Using Alton Towers as the context for research, the girls attended a lecture at the theme park on the topic of forces entitled Rollercoasters and Relativity. They then spent the rest of the day conducting research on changes to blood pressure and heart rates, as well as orientation and balance.

On their return to school, the girls worked to refine the data and to draw conclusions, before presenting their findings to a panel of teaching staff on Friday 1st June.

The girls demonstrated considerable understanding of the subject matter and were adept at drawing conclusions from the data they collected. Despite only having two days to prepare their presentations, they all delivered their findings confidently and articulately and fulfilled the brief extremely well.

Parents of IB pupils and those interested in future IB study will have an opportunity to view their findings and enjoy their presentations at one of our Open Events in the Autumn Term.

Crowning Moment for Jubilee Competition Winners

2012-06-11T00:00:00

On Tuesday 22nd May, Bedford Girls’ School announced the winners of its latest house competition, held in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Invited to design and make a crown in honour of the occasion, the girls put their creativity to good effect and produced a total of 71 innovative and appropriately noble entries.

The winners were Kelsey Robb, Year 11, Parks; Freya Cooper, Year 7, Parks; Katherine Whitehead, Year 4, Nightingale and Nikeisha Patel, Year 4, Parks. Special mentions were also awarded to Jennifer Wright, Year 9, Parks; Alex Smith, Year 9, Parks and Victoria Sadler, Year 6, Nightingale.

All of the winners received House Points for their achievements and all entrants were invited to take part in a celebratory parade at lunchtime.

Online with Author Philippa Gregory

2012-06-11T00:00:00

A group of fifteen girls in the Senior School were delighted when their questions was chosen by bestselling author, Philippa Gregory, during a live web chat on Wednesday 30th May.

Before answering the question: “Many of your books are based on medieval women but how hard is it to do the research when most of the historical documents are written by men?” the writer and historian addressed Bedford Girls’ School personally and complimented the girls on their insight.

Visible to the girls via a large screen in the Learning Resources Centre, she said: “I spend at least 18 months researching each of my historical novels and a lack of resources written by and about women does make the process more complex. I tend to uncover the footsteps left by women by tracing the paths of their husbands. While the history of women up until the 1960s shows a typically brutal existence, I would love to visit the court of Elizabeth I, preferably for a party.

Philippa Gregory is best known for her novel The Other Boleyn Girl which was made into a television drama, and a major film. She has written six other novels and regularly writes reviews for the Washington Post, the LA Times, and for UK newspapers.

Decisive Victory for Rounders Team

2012-06-11T00:00:00

A decisive Victory against Goldington Middle School saw Bedford Girls’ School’s U11 A Team crowned overall winners of the Bedfordshire District Rounders Tournament on Wednesday 23rd May.

Winning with a final score of 12.5 - 2.5, the girls played exceptionally well and delivered performances typical of the high level of play exhibited by each of the BGS teams taking part in the annual event.

While the A Team comfortably beat hosts Beauchamp Middle School in the semi-finals, the B Team narrowly missed out on a place in the final two. Two additional U11 squads from the Junior School also impressed with strong performances despite very high temperatures and bright sunshine.

Burwell House Boosts Year 3 Team Spirit

2012-05-25T00:00:00

With its home-from-home atmosphere, Burwell House proved the ideal location for Year 3’s first BGS residential trip on Friday 18th May.

Built in the late 1700s and owned by Cambridgeshire County Council since the 1960's, the elegant country house retains the gracious atmosphere of a large stately home, while providing excellent contemporary facilities, including fully equipped classrooms and modern science laboratories.

With nearly three acres of walled grounds, the location offered the girls ample space to run around in when they were not taking part in the many activities available to them during the two and a half visit.

For many of the girls, this was the first time they had stayed away overnight without an immediate family member and the safe and secure environment of Burwell House helped them to relax, develop confidence and enjoy an extremely rewarding experience.

Head of the Junior School, Corinne Royden, explained: “The aim of the trip is for the girls to take part in a range of activities that develop teamwork and cooperation skills.

“They have to learn to share ideas and to negotiate and collaborate in a range of tasks that eventually culminate in a challenge called The Great Eggscape. The girls have the opportunity to work in pairs or teams of five and even meal times encourage collaboration to ensure the meal is shared between everyone and that clearing-up afterwards is done as a team. As in previous years, the trip was a huge success and the girls’ confidence and independence has notably increased as a direct result of their stay at Burwell House.”

Celebration and Reflection at IB Leavers’ Dinner

2012-05-25T00:00:00

International Baccalaureate examinations have now been completed and an opportunity to celebrate two years’ hard work and personal growth was provided courtesy of Bedford School on Tuesday 22nd May.

The annual IB Leavers’ Dinner was held in the school’s Great Hall where students from both schools, and their families, enjoyed a three course meal while sharing their experiences of the popular alternative to A Levels.

Without exception, each of the Year 13 students in attendance expressed great enthusiasm for their chosen path of study and feedback from parents was equally positive.

Cliff Canning, Director of IB and Thinking Skills at Bedford Girls’ School, said: “As well as being a celebration of students’ achievements, the IB Leavers’ Dinner offers girls and their parents a chance to reflect upon how much progress they’ve made as people throughout their time in the Sixth Form.

“All of the girls told me how happy they were to have studied IB and they were each able to identify how the programme had enhanced their critical thinking skills, helped them to develop self-confidence and increased their overall self-reliance and independence.

“Parents were also keen to explain how they have seen their daughters respond to the challenge of IB and how, over the course of two years, they have witnessed their development into mature, responsible and well-rounded young women educated beyond the parameters of accumulated knowledge and prepared for all aspects of life.”

Victory for BGS Ahead of National Schools’ Regatta

2012-05-25T00:00:00

Three wins at the Nottingham City regatta, on Saturday 19th May, have cemented Bedford Girls’ School’s position as top-class contenders for further success at the National Schools’ Regatta in less than two weeks’ time.

A comfortable victory for Robyn Armstrong in the Women’s J18 Single Sculls belied the extra challenge she faced as an under 15 athlete competing against girls up to three years her senior while an equally strong performance from Robyn Armstrong and Lottie Bruce in the Women’s J17 Double Sculls saw them lead throughout the race, winning by a huge margin. Again, both girls were competing above their age group but great technical form and determination ensured they maintained their season-long unbeaten record.

Careful race-planning and a seamless team effort helped power Lorna Howie, Jade Wright, Chloe Ginn, Jordan Bruce, Anna-Daisy Leftly, Lottie Bruce, Shevaun Davis, Gemma Crook and Tori Swann to first place in the Women’s Intermediate 3 Eights with a committed performance that shaved a full 15 seconds off their previous personal best time.

Harriet Lusty, Hannah Selvey, Georgia Spanoudakis, Lydia Watt, Olivia Pryer, Lucy-Ann O’Kane, Mila Ilic, Charlotte Chandler and Veronica Jones also delivered a remarkable display of determination and strength to take second place in the Women’s Novice Eight. All aged between 14 and 15 years, the girls were competing against adult crews from universities and rowing clubs and showed great maturity in achieving an excellent result.

Speaking from the event at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottinghamshire, Head of Rowing for Bedford Girls’ School, Jacqui Round said: “The girls really showed what they are made of today and have put BGS firmly on the map of national competitive rowing.

“All of them were competing above their age groups and such a strong set of results is indicative of the maturity, technical skill and endeavour they’ve applied all season. Despite their elation at their success today, they’ve all been able to analyse their performances and find areas for improvement which is what makes them such outstanding athletes.

“The National Schools’ Regatta on Friday 1st through to Sunday 3rd June is the largest regatta for juniors in Great Britain and the biggest event of the year for our girls. With such great results today, at the same venue as the National event, we’re looking forward to what could be a record-breaking competition for the school.”

BGS Welcomes New Starters

2012-05-25T00:00:00

On Wednesday 23rd May Bedford Girls’ School had great pleasure in welcoming more than 100 girls and their families to our New Parents’ Information Evening.

Comprised of a series of informative talks and presentations, the night provided a perfect opportunity for those joining us in September to learn more about day-to-day life at the school and to meet their new teachers and classmates.

An Invitation to the Arts

2012-05-18T00:00:00

Following on from the recent successes of the Summer Concert and Evening of Speech and Drama, Bedford Girls’ School will complete a school year, where Music and the Arts have proved such sources of pride and achievement, with a programme of performances and events to which parents, friends and family are warmly invited.

On Friday 22nd June and Saturday 23rd June, the school’s Spotlight Youth Theatre will be staging a production of The King and I. Based on the true story of how Anna Leonowens became a school teacher to the wives and children of the King of Siam, the musical offers an insight into the experiences of a young, naïve English woman thrust into an alien culture as well as featuring an array of well-known songs. Performances will take place at 7pm each evening and there will be a matinee performance at 3pm on Saturday. Tickets are £7 for adults and £5 for concessions, which includes interval refreshments, and can be booked through the Drama Department or School Office. With performances taking place in the Drama Studio, seats are limited and early booking is advised.

2012-05-11T00:00:00

An inspiring speech from two-times Classical BRIT award winner Alison Balsom, ensured the Official Opening of Bedford Girls’ School will live long in the memories of the pupils who have united under the school’s eagle emblem as a result of the merger between Dame Alice Harpur School and Bedford High School for Girls.

Addressing a specially invited audience, comprised of local dignitaries, Governors, parents of girls in the orchestra, members of the Alumnae of both former schools and the school’s newly appointed Head Girl and Leadership Team, trumpet soloist Alison talked about how hard work and dedication have enabled her to progress to the upper echelons of a career in classical music.

While girls who couldn’t fit into the school’s main hall watched via live video link in the gym, Alison said: “I have an unshakeable determination to stick to my guns and to keep going where other people might have given up. If you can keep your vision above the minutiae of every day logistics and on your real and ultimate goal, this will always remain your most rewarding achievement.

“Almost all of the most challenging moments in my life are away from the concert stage. The real work is in choosing the programmes and repertoire, performing as if your life depends upon it when you’re feeling under par or very tired and a whole host of other frustrating and, sometimes, tedious activities, not to mention the many hours of practice needed for every single performance. One piece of advice I can pass on to you is to keep your eye on the long game and stay true to your vision whatever obstacles are placed in your way,” she said.

“At times, you may face prejudice on the grounds of gender. Incredibly there is still a world where men and women are not always treated equally or judged on merit. In these fast changing times, the responsibility falls to us, as educated women, to challenge these out dated stereotypes in order to pave the way for every girl and woman in the world.

“I was brought up to believe you should follow whatever passion you desired, regardless of your gender and I urge you to have the confidence to take steps in the things you believe in as men have for millennia.

“To be present at this momentous occasion today is a joy and an honour and I know all of you have a future of much promise and opportunity, that you are confident enough to rise above any such gender prejudice and, will become ambassadors and pioneers for girls who have not enjoyed the same freedoms,” she said.

Alison’s speech was one of the highlights of a momentous day that also saw the Classical Brit Woman of the Year 2011 perform with the orchestra and the inaugural performance of the school’s brand new song The Road to Tomorrow. Specially written by singer, songwriter and musical director, Pete Churchill, the song is an uplifting and contemporary tribute to the school's core values: bold, imaginative and reflective.

Summing up the day, Headmistress, Jo MacKenzie said: “The Official Opening of Bedford Girls School has been a wonderful occasion for all of the girls and our guests from the wider community. Alison Balsom is both inspirational and aspirational. Her talent, creativity and intelligence are evident in everything she does and I am delighted that she was able to be with us today to show the girls how hard work, determination, confidence and talent can ensure women can achieve their goals.”

Gail Emms Visits BGS

2012-05-11T00:00:00

Having held their own Olympic event, ahead of the London 2012 Games this summer, pupils from Bedford Girls’ School were delighted to receive their medals from gold medal-winning Badminton player Gail Emms OBE.

Visiting the school on Friday 4th May, Gail, a former student of Dame Alice Harpur School, spoke to the girls about the positive impact of school sports participation on her own life and encouraged them to continue to enjoy taking part throughout their lives.

Addressing the Senior School in the Sports Hall, the former world number one said: “I wouldn’t be where I am today if it were not for school sports. Teamwork, challenging yourself, being the best you can be and self-confidence are all things I learnt from school sports.

“I have been playing Badminton since I was four years old but, ironically, I didn’t play too much of it at school. At Dame Alice I was involved in lots of different sports which really helped to both ground and inspire my career. School sport is all about the passion and enthusiasm and the people involved, and if you’ve got that then anything is possible.”

In addition to presenting the girls with their medals, Gail Emms also accepted a cheque for £2,880 on behalf of Sport Relief, raised by girls in Years 8 and 9 who ran the Sport Relief Mile on Thursday 25th March. The money will be used by the charity to help vulnerable people across the UK and in the world’s poorest countries.

BGS Success at Wallingford Regatta

2012-05-11T00:00:00

Despite racing two years above their age group, Bedford Girls’ School rowers Lottie Bruce and Robyn Armstrong fought off tough competition to win the WJ18 Double Sculls Final at the Wallingford Regatta on Sunday 6th May.

Although the girls would have normally raced in the WJ16 category, the decision to enter them into the WJ18 heats proved entirely justified as they qualified for the final with the fastest time.

Leading from the start of the final race, the girls worked hard to break away from the field in the last 1000m of the course and crossed the finish line in first position, a full seven minutes ahead of the second-placed pair.

Other impressive performances on the day included a fourth position for BGS in the final of the WJ18 Eight category for Lorna Howie, Jade Wright, Courtney Osbourne-Walker, Jordan Bruce, Anna-Daisy Leftly, Gemma Crook, Shevaun Davis, Chloe Ginn and Tori Swann and another strong performance from Robyn Armstrong in her single skull. Racing, again, above her age group in the WJ18 category, Robyn finished the final race in second place.

Courtnay Osbourne-Wallace, in the Intermediate 3 skulls event, narrowly missed out on the final after finishing fifth in her heat while Jade Wright, Jordan Bruce, Lottie Bruce and Tori Swann put in a good technical performance in the WJ18 Quad Sculls but didn’t quite make the final having been slightly over-powered by some of the best junior girls scullers in the UK.

Fencing success for Emma

2012-05-11T00:00:00

6th Place at the British Youth Championships has confirmed Bedford Girls’ School student Emma Burton’s reputation as one of the brightest talents in Under 18’s UK fencing.

Emma, who leaves Year 13 this summer, fought through to the quarter finals of the Under 18 Women’s Sabre category at the event, held at Sheffield’s Institute of Sport, on Saturday 5th May 2012. Competing against the very best of female fencers in her age-group, Emma only narrowly missed out on a place in the Semi-Finals.

Having developed her keen interest in fencing after going on a course with her brother while she was in Year 10, Emma is eager to promote the sport to girls and young women who might otherwise not give taking part much thought. During her time at Bedford Girls’ School, she has proved an inspiring ambassador for the sport and it is hoped her legacy, as she moves on to Higher Education, will include a continued interest in fencing among younger pupils.

Emma said: “One of the things I enjoy most about fencing is the ability to learn from others, particularly as you meet so many people, including Olympians, during competitions.

“I really hope that other people will see how much I have gained from taking part in such an interesting and exiting sport and will then become involved too.”

CCF Annual General Inspection

2012-05-11T00:00:00

This year’s CCF Annual General Inspection was a tremendous success as the heavy showers forecasted for Wednesday 2nd May held off for the duration.

Air Marshall Philip Sturley was the Inspecting Officer for the event where The Corps, made up of pupils from Bedford Girls' School and boys from Bedford School, took part in the parade at Bedford School.

In the afternoon, following the inspection, the Cadets were assessed for their skills in shooting, weapon handling, command tasks, climbing, diving and kayaking and took part in an initiative race. 30 Cadets also had the opportunity to fly in the Army Air Corps Lynx Helicopter.

A Glittering Night to Remember

2012-05-11T00:00:00

Last Saturday The Association marked the Official Opening of Bedford Girls’ School with what can only be described as a night to remember.

The evening glittered from start to finish as the guests arrived in glamerous evening dress and were greeted with bubbly in the Assembly Hall, accompanied by a string quartet comprised of recent alumnae.

As guests moved through to the marquee, the evening progressed with a three course meal served amongst candlelight and chandeliers while the BGS Saxophone Group played during dessert. After dinner, guests danced the night away to party band Accolade who played a range of tunes from decades past to the present day.

Three hundred people joined the celebrations and The Association received excellent feedback, via email, over the course of the Bank Holiday weekend.

Positive comments included: “I just wanted to send a short note to say how much we all enjoyed the May Ball on Saturday, it was a wonderful evening. I know that it takes a considerable amount of time and planning to ensure that an event is successful and without doubt you achieved all that and more. Please pass on our thanks to all involved, a truly memorable evening” and: “Very many thanks and congratulations for putting on a wonderful event on Saturday night. We had a great evening, as did our guests. It was all beautifully organised and the atmosphere was really lovely”.

The Association would like to say thank you to everyone involved for all their help and support in planning of the event, and, above all to all the parents, staff and friends of the school who attended the event and lit up the evening from start to finish.

BGS Welcomes Alison Balsom

2012-05-03T00:00:00

With so many activities taking place these next two days to celebrate the Official Opening of Bedford Girls’ School we have decided to send you all The Edit a day early this week.

The Official Opening on Friday marks an exciting phase for the school as we look back on the phenomenal growth we have made and reflect upon how well the girls have adapted to change, formed new friendships and made the most of all the opportunities it offers.

Throughout the morning, the girls in the Senior School will be involved in a range of events and activities including a mini-Olympics, an eco-fashion show, a live radio broadcast and dance, music and drama performances before enjoying lunch.

Internationally acclaimed trumpet player and Classical BRIT Award winner, Alison Balsom, will be rehearsing with the orchestra during the morning before speaking and performing at our Opening Ceremony. During the ceremony, the girls will also be singing our brand new school song, specially written by performer, songwriter and musical director, Pete Churchill. The girls have enjoyed learning the song and I hope all of you will come to know and enjoy the words and music over time.

2012-05-03T00:00:00

Congratulations to the school’s newly-appointed team of prefects whose names were announced on Thursday 3rd May.

The 36 Year 12 students will join the Head Girl, Deputy Head Girls, House Captains, Service Captain, Arts Captain and the Sports Captain in working as ambassadors, mentors and leaders both within Bedford Girls’ School and the wider Community.

As part of their appointment, the girls' leadership group took their first whole-school assembly where they outlined the importance and role of the school’s Student Voice.

For a full list of Prefects, click here.

Teambuilding Takes the Lead

2012-04-27T00:00:00

Having been selected to be part of the Girls’ Leadership Group, we were all very excited and anticipated a busy year ahead. The first stage was not what we expected; we spent part of our Easter holidays frantically trying to prepare a three-course meal for 24 and racing around Cambridge desperately looking for clues.

It was an early start with a light-hearted introduction over tea and coffee (and lots of cake!) at Miss MacKenzie’s house. After having put up our tents for the night using only one hand each, we created a shopping list and menu for the evening ahead. A trip to a supermarket later and there wasn’t a single surface in the house that wasn’t overflowing with food. Our chosen menu was bruschetta, Mexican fajitas followed by Eton mess. By the evening we had put up and decorated a gazebo in which we presented our hard day’s work to the previous Head Girls’ Team and staff. Things got competitive after dinner when students and staff alike were all racing to build the tallest spaghetti and marshmallow towers.

After a chilly night in the tent, we were greeted with warm bacon rolls made by Miss MacKenzie and then whisked off to Cambridge for reasons unknown to us. Once in Cambridge we were presented with drivers, maps, towels and cameras and tasked with a day’s treasure hunt all around Cambridge. When we realized we were up against the year above…things got serious. After a quick briefing amongst ourselves we split up in our teams and directed our chauffeurs (teachers!) all around Cambridgeshire collecting bizarre items and capturing rather unique photos.

We made it back to base with minutes to spare and excitedly discussed our challenges ranging from climbing church towers to wading through rivers! We tensely anticipated our results and to our delight our effective teamwork had paid off and we had secured a narrow victory! Over our well-deserved and delicious lunch we all reflected on how two days had made such a difference to us as a team. Not only did we know each other better but we had also learnt how to work with each other through delegation and enthusiasm and the most important lesson was always to have a plan B! We all look forward to a successful year ahead and wish the outgoing Head Girl's Team all the best for the future.

By Hannah Short and Surina Taneja

World Book Night

2012-04-27T00:00:00

Readings, book-giveaways, literary presentations and a visiting author ensured everyone was on the same page for Bedford Girls’ School's first ever World Book Night on Monday 23rd April.

Featuring readings from the winners of the Learning Resources Centre’s World Book Day Short Story Competition, as well as performances by Sixth Form girls who won their categories at the Bedford Festival of Speech and Drama, the evening was a showcase for the talents of pupils from Years 3 to 13.

To celebrate Shakespeare's birthday on the same night, the school was delighted to welcome back Dr Sullivan who offered the audience greater insight into The Bard and his works, as well as congratulating the girls on their excellent writing and presentation skills.

The girls also received praise, encouragement and guidance from renowned writer Julia Jarman who spent time speaking to the short story competition winners before talking to the audience about her love of reading and the inspiration behind some of her famous books for children. She also stayed until the end of the event to sign books and chat, informally, with guests over refreshments.

Julia said: “I always like to do something special on April 23rd. As well as it being Shakespeare’s birthday and, now, World Book Night, it is also my ‘glad-to-be-alive day’. When I was 17, I spent a long time in hospital with Tuberculosis. When I was released on the 23rd April, I was elated to be alive and strangely grateful for the time being ill had allowed me to read.

“Hearing such beautiful readings of so many well-written and imaginative stories has certainly made this April 23rd extremely special. I would encourage all the girls to carry on reading and writing. Not just because they all have evident talent but, perhaps above all, for the sheer joy of it”.

A Golden Mile With the Kenyan Elite

2012-04-27T00:00:00

Girls from Year 5, Year 6 and Year 12 were among a group of young people from across Bedford invited to run with two elite Kenyan athletes the day after they took part in the Virgin London Marathon.

As part of the school’s Marathon Club, the girls were among hundreds of budding Olympians from local schools to run a Golden Mile in Bedford Park with the visiting athletes who rank among the very best marathon runners in the world.

Bedford has enjoyed a close relationship with the runners since 2010 when the local Kenyan community and Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the town and Kenya. The agreement covers advanced educational, cultural, business and sporting ties and has offered numerous opportunities for school children in both countries.

Thanking everyone for taking part, Chairman of the Kenya Community in Bedford, Mr Waiyaki said: "We aim to advance these opportunities as part of the London 2012 Olympics ideals of friendship and global partnering. There has been a big increase in the number of tourists from Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas now visiting Kenya and even sponsoring pupils in schools back home”.

The girls who took part were:
Eloise Bailey 5B

Victoria Brakenbury 5C

Amy Chappelhow 5C

Isobel Horsfal 6W

Laura Fisher 6M

Rebecca Nisbet 6M

2012-04-20T00:00:00

On Sunday 15th April, Bedford Girls’ School joined a near record number of crews and scullers for the town’s annual Head of the River race.

With 15 crews competing over the 2,000m course, the girls worked incredibly hard to battle against opposition from top rowing clubs from as far afield as Nottingham, Stourport, Norwich, Henley, Guildford, Medway, Oxford, London and Cambridge.

Success in the quads, fours, single sculls and double sculls saw the girls win seven of the classes on offer, a local-club achievement matched only by the Star Club.

Head of Rowing, Jacqui Round, said: “I was delighted with the number of wins we had for BGS Rowing Club. The girls all performed well and it was great to see so many of them collecting medals at the end of the day. We’re now looking forward to the Bedford Regatta on Saturday 12th May where we hope for further success in what is the largest one-day regatta in the UK”.

Results

Womens novice coxed fours

We had 3 women’s novice fours from BGS entered into this event. The crews were-

1. Hannah Slevey, Lydia Watt, Olivia Pryer, Georgia Spanoudakis with Harry Lusty Coxing. This crew won this event out of the 13 novice women’s crews racing which was fantastic for them as they have never raced in this discipline before.

2. Lucy Ann O’Kane, Charlotte Chandler, Mila Ilic, Finola Mcdonagh with Natasha Coath coxing. This crew finished 8th/13

3. Aleysha Paymaster, Mila Ilic, Kerenza Killingbeck, Veronica Jones with Megan Lloyd coxing. This crew finished 10th/13

Womens Junior 15 coxed quads

We had 1 crew in this event made up of Hannah Slevey, Lydia Watt, Olivia Pryer, Georgia Spanoudakis with Harry Lusty Coxing. They had a very good row, over taking a few crews during the race and won this event out of the 3 crews entered, one of which was Star club, a local rival!

So these 5 girls won 2 medals this day in the women’s coxed fours and women’s junior 15 coxed quads.

Womens junior 14 coxed quads

We had 3 women’s junior 14 quads from BGS entered into this event. The crews were-

1. Emma Harris, Olivia Mason, Erin Gibbs Charles, Jess Crook with Emily Stearn coxing. This crew won the event out of the 5 crews entered. They had one of the best rows they have ever done, keeping there stroke length well the entire way down the racing course.

2. Lucy Jackson, Amy Osgood, Kate Long, Jess Crook with Laura Goodship coxing. This crew finished in 3rd/5

3. Sarah Maplesdon, Sarah Symmonds, Annabel Creak, India Garrett with Amy Bird coxing. This crew finished 5th/5

Women’s novice double sculls

We had 1 crew in this event, Anna-Daisy Leftly and Gemma Crook. The girls had not trained in this crew and just did the race for fun, however, they very nearly won it! Finishing 2nd/9.

Women’s junior 18 double sculls

We had 1 crew in this event, Jade Wright and Jordan Bruce. The girls had a very strong row and rowed together well. They won the event out of the 2 entries.

Women’s junior 16 double sculls

We had 1 crew in this event, Lottie Bruce and Robyn Armstrong. The girls had one of the best technical rows they have had all season and ended up winning the event out of the 8 crews entered.

Women’s intermediate 3 coxed fours

We had 1 entry in this event, Shevaun Davis, Tori Swann, Gemma Crook, Chloe Ginn and coxed by Lorna Howie. The girls had a solid row and finished 4th/7.

Women’s intermediate 2 coxless quads

We had 1 entry in this event Jade Wright, Jordan Bruce, Lottie Bruce and Tori Swann. The girls were racing talented adullts and did very well to finish 2nd/4.

Women’s intermediate 3 coxless quads

We had 1 entry in this event Robyn Armstrong, Anna-Daisy Leftly, Lottie Bruce and Courtnay Osborne-Walker. The girls sculled well finishing 2nd/5.

Women’s intermediate 3 single sculls

Courtnay Osborne-Walker raced in her single in this event against adult women. She sculled excellently and ended up winning the event out of the 3 entries.

Women’s junior 16 single sculls

Robyn Armstrong raced in this event and had a very strong scull, holding her technical focus well and ended up winning the event comfortably out of the 8 entries.

Fencing Success

2012-04-20T00:00:00

A combination of grace, skill, accuracy, agility and intelligence helped Sixth Former Emma Burton foil the opposition to achieve an impressive eighth place in last months’ Public Schools National Fencing Championships.

Held at Crystal Palace, the three-day competition saw 1,300 entrants taking part in one of the sport’s most popular and prestigious tournaments.

Emma’s first poule round proved particularly challenging when the referee, not being an experienced sabre referee, admitted to finding the girls’ style of fencing confusing and issuing conflicting scores.

Despite this, Emma progressed comfortably onto round two by which point the lowest ranked 20% of competitors had been eliminated. Facing competition from some of the UK’s finest female fencers in the Under 20 category, Emma fought well and gained a place for Bedford Girls’ School in the Direct Elimination round.

Halfway through a closely contested and exciting fight Emma was just 6 - 8 down. Although her opponent briefly surged ahead, Emma's determination saw her win back several points in a row.

A final score of 13-15 may not have been quite enough to win the fight but her overall eighth placement is testament to the dedication and hard work she continually invests in the sport.

Emma said: “I first started fencing at the end of Year 10, when my brother wanted to go on a fencing course, so I went with him. It was hard work to begin with but I soon started to really enjoy it.

I enjoy the ability to constantly improve by learning from others. I also enjoy my sport because of all of the different people who I have met though fencing, including potential Olympians. The hardest aspect for me is coordinating actions so that they are extremely quick as well as being accurate.

At large competitions, like this, there is big atmosphere and a great many people to cheer the fencers on. This increases the adrenaline and turns up the tension which makes it more fun and a lot better when you win a fight.

“I have the British Youth Championships coming up in a few weeks’ time, where I will be competing against the top girls in my age group from all over the country. This is one of the last competitions before the end of the season, so the level of competition will be high”.

Inspiring Olympian Visits Junior School

2012-03-23T00:00:00

2012-03-23T00:00:00

By Clara Major 6W

Each Wednesday, Year 6 holds its own assembly where we can share a talent or explain something we like to do with the other girls in our year group.

Earlier this month Nicola Crolla and Arti Katechia from 6W shared their talent for magic with us and put on a very funny and clever show.

They picked a volunteer from the audience and Arti went out the room while Nicola asked the volunteer to pick a word at random out of a book. When Arti came back into the room she said the word the volunteer had chosen and everyone was shocked by how she seemed to have read someone’s mind!

After that they showed everyone a 20p coin and a tub. They tipped the tub upside down to show us it was empty. Then they put the 20p into the tub and shook it thoroughly. Then they tipped it upside down and two 20p coins fell out.

Later, Nicola and Arti showed us how to do the last trick and explained that the first coin is really two coins stuck together using a glue stick. Simply shaking the tub very hard makes the coins become separated so it looks like the amount of coins has magically doubled!

Many hands make light work

2012-03-23T00:00:00

On Wednesday 21st March, Form 7DDW proved that many hands can make lighter work when they held an assembly on teamwork.

In the first of four assemblies, the girls worked together to express their ideas on working together and to talk about why it is important. Concentrating on leadership and coping with different situations, the pupils were encouraged to think about how working constructively together at school could help them in other areas of their lives.

The assembly was full of inspirational ideas and involved audience participation and a variety of pertinent interactive scenarios.

In a reworking of the traditional story The Enormous Turnip, the girls gave a practical demonstration of the benefits of teamwork. They also showed a film clip of Alaskan school children spelling out the words to a song, performed a poem about a lost cat and played the game Doctor Doctor. This is when a group of people are tangled up and the doctor untangles them as quickly as possible. One doctor couldn’t complete the task but when more than one doctor worked together, the task was achieved within 19 seconds.

After congratulating the pupils on their efforts Mrs Clements, Head of Year 7, concluded: “Teamwork is necessary in everyday tasks. As a team we are stronger, better and more successful.”

Under 16 Netball Team Ranked 8th in the Country!

2012-03-23T00:00:00

Congratulations to the Under 16 netball team who have officially been ranked 8th in the Country after competing in the National Netball Finals in Basildon on Saturday 17th March.

Having qualified by winning their County round and coming runners up in the East Regional Finals, the girls were buoyed up for a challenging day’s play despite knowing they would meet tough competition from some of the best players in the UK.

Arriving at 8.30am, the girls were gratified to discover a group of supportive parents had already erected tents for them to shelter under during the rain and drizzle between games. The tournament schedule consisted of eight matches in the group stages to determine qualification for the Semi-Finals and, eventually, the Finals.

Jane Axford, Head of PE, said: “Each player in the squad made a positive contribution to every game. Poppy, Harriet and Jo marked well in the defensive circle and never looked phased by their opponents and Bea made some match winning interceptions in the middle of the court as Wing Defence. Charlie Stevens never stopped working and moving in the centre linking the attack and defence while Gemma played a vital role in the centre court. Katie showed her versatility playing both Goal Attack and Wing Attack. Despite a recent illness, Grace dominated the attacking circle and Meghan shot with accuracy despite the pressure of the occasion.

“Particular thanks and acknowledgement are due to Russ and Di Wyatt for their dedication, enthusiasm and expertise in their coaching over the past six years, having worked with the vast majority of this group since they were Under 11’s in the Junior School."

Results

v Central Newcastle High drew 8 – 8

V Blessed Edward Oldcombe won 16 – 9

V Hulme GS lost 7 – 10

V Dean Close School lost 9 – 13

V Brooksbank school won 12 – 5

V Forest School drew 11 – 11

V King Edward VI School lost 11 – 14

V Stamford won 12 – 10

Squad: Harriet Clough, Johanna Rawlings, Beatrice Caldwell, Charlotte Stevens, Katie Rossitter, Grace Wyatt, Meghan Pemberton, Gemma Crook, Poppy Blair.

Combined Cadet Force Visit HMS Bristol

2012-03-23T00:00:00

Sailing, navigation and excellent catering were among the highlights of a recent Combined Cadet Force (CCF) trip to HMS Bristol in Portsmouth.

On Friday 9th March, girls from the CCF Royal Navy division set off for a weekend living aboard the decommissioned Type 82 destroyer which was converted to a training and accommodation ship in 1993.

Moored at the tip of Portsmouth’s Whale Ship Harbour, the former defence and command ship hosts up to 17,000 visitors each year, and is said to provide the closest thing to a sea-going experience without leaving port.

As well as offering the cadets valuable insight into life aboard a serving ship, the trip also helped them hone and develop their leadership and teamworking skills as well as delivering a range of physical and intellectual challenges they were more than able to rise to.

Sixth Form student, Lilla To, said: “Soon after arriving we sampled the excellent Royal Navy catering which was a million miles away from ration packs in terms of quality!

“Navigation was next on the itinerary and we were given charts, compasses and tide tables in order to experience firsthand the complex and accurate process of steering a warship safely and effectively in the most difficult circumstances imaginable.

“The next morning we took to the water and learnt to sail in yachts called Fox Terriers. Designed by Isle of Wight sailor, designer, businessman and philosopher Uffa Fox, the yachts are small cruisers which are also popular for racing.

“After lunch the weather was sunny and windless so we had to scrap light-wind sailing and opt for partial motor-sailing instead. This meant we were able to learn additional skills which may not have been possible if everything had gone to the original plans.

“On Sunday we visited the Royal Navy Submarine Museum and the Museum of Naval Firepower (commonly known as Explosion!), in Gosport. Having spent two nights enjoying the relatively spacious quarters onboard HMS Bristol, the cramped conditions submariners inhabit was an eye-opener and an interesting way to round off an action-packed and informative weekend.”

Trust Workshop

2012-03-23T00:00:00

As part of its on-going commitment to supporting local charities, Bedford Girls' School was pleased to invite Lucy Bardner, Grants Manager at the Harpur Trust, to run a workshop for Year 12 students about the third sector on Friday 9th March.

Accompanied by representatives from two diverse local organisations, Uprising and Home-Start, which have both benefited from recent grants from The Trust, Lucy explained the important role charities play within the town of Bedford before opening the floor to the other speakers

Sixth Former, Lucy Charatan, explained: “As part of the workshop we were asked to choose which of the charities present we would allocate a grant to if we were representing The Harpur Trust.

“The delegates from Uprising explained that they are a small group of young people undertaking a social action project trying to smarten up Tavistock Street. They invited suggestions from the Year 12 girls and talked about the importance of direct involvement at a local level and how working together enables everyone to feel part of the community.

“Wendie Lovatt then spoke about the charity Home-Start, which provides support for vulnerable families, helping them to cope with a variety of issues such as post-natal illness, isolation, bereavement, disability, domestic violence and much more. She gave a really clear and personal account of all the work that Home-Start does in Bedford and the challenges they are facing in the current economic climate. Her passion for Home-Start was evident as she described the time she and many volunteers devote to the charity.

“Lucy Bardner then went on to give information about the role of the Trust and how they make decisions about who to give grants to. The workshop clearly explained the business side of the Trust, the running of the charities and the importance of grants for their survival. We all asked lots of questions and offered our ideas in the workshop and are very grateful to Lucy Bardner, Uprising and Home-Start for coming in to speak to us, it was a helpful afternoon.”

Creativity is a Piece of Cake

2012-03-16T00:00:00

Mini-marshmallows, multi-coloured sprinkles and a gallon or two of icing ensured this week’s House cupcake decorating competition was a sweet success.

Held at lunchtime on Wednesday 14th March, the event was incredibly popular with more than 100 girls paying their 50p participation fee, packing into the dining room extension and transforming tray upon tray of plain sponges into creative confections.

Digging in to a wide variety of decorations including sugar flowers and silver strands, the girls produced an array of impressive edibles ranging from tasty tributes to the school’s House colours to funny faces and a seasonal spring chick in a nest.

Yet another advertisement for the popularity of the House system, the competition was the icing on the cake of a term full of fresh challenges, new activities and a plethora of ways for everyone to get further involved with the school community.

The winners were:

Noorie Kaur 5C, Parks

Georgia Cook 6W, Austen

Gwen Scott, 7EVP, Parks

Emily Stearn 9MMW, Nightingale

Amber Gallagher 10AAB, Parks

Jessica Stalley 12ARC, Franklin

All these girls get an extra 10 House Points for their entries. All other entries receive 1 House Point and the totals are therefore as follows:

Austen 31

Chanel 25

Franklin 45

Hepburn 17

Nightingale 32

Parks 54

An Invitation to World Book Night

2012-03-16T00:00:00

To commemorate World Book Night on 23rd April 2012, Bedford Girls' School will be hosting a celebration of reading, books and the arts.

Parents, grandparents and friends are invited to join us for a relaxed, informal evening of readings, refreshments, drama, entertainment and an exhibition of the girls’ art. Open from 5.45pm, the event marries entertainment with participation and sharing a love of all things literary.

Before the evening’s entertainment begins, renowned children’s author Julia Jarman will be meeting the winners of the school’s World Book Day Short Story Competition. A former teacher and Bedfordshire resident, Julia will also be signing copies of her well-loved novels for the girls.

Guests on the night will be treated to readings from the winners as well as a special appearance by Dr Sullivan. Following his spirited rendition of The Death of Nancy from Dickens’ Oliver Twist, Dr Sullivan will be sharing some of his favourite books with the audience as well as offering his detailed insight and analysis of some well-known classics.
Coinciding with the anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth and death, as well as St George’s Day, World Book Night 2012 will also see thousands of free books given away accross the globe as part of a worldwide endeavour to spread a love of reading.

Tickets for the event are free and will be available from the Junior and Senior School Libraries from Monday 19th March.

Netball Trophy for U10s

2012-03-16T00:00:00

A 16-0 victory against Bedford Modern School and a first place finish in the B Team tournament ensured that Bedford Girls’ School’s U10 netball teams had a successful day on Saturday 3rd March.

Having travelled to Swanbourne House School for an annual round robin competition, 17 girls from the Junior School’s A and B Teams fought hard against tough competition to achieve some excellent results and test their skills against their local rivals.

The A team won two out of their five matches, including a goal fest against Bedford Modern, and finished 4th overall. Despite a tricky start, finishing 2-0 down at half time against Swanbourne House School, the B Team quickly rallied and came back fighting. With some outstanding shooting from Caitlin Cameron-Fraser and Eleanor Bruce they went on to win the game 3-2. The girls’ winning streak continued and they went on to win the next 4 games and ulrimately the B team tournament.

Both teams played extremely well and, with their points combined, Bedford Girls’ School won the overall U10 Netball tournament trophy.

The results were as follows: A Team

v Swanbourne House ‘A’ 3-4 Lost

v The Dragon School ‘A’ 1 -8 Lost

v Bedford Modern ‘A’ 16 -0 Win

v Akeley Wood ‘A’ 10-1 Win

v Milton Keynes Prep 8-1 Lost

Squad: Alice Baker, Lucy Ewen, Jessica Falle, Eloise Bailey, Emily Taylor-Baker, Alexa Wilson, Amy Chappelhow, Imogen Otley

B Team

v Swanbourne House ‘C’ 6-0 Win

v Bedford Modern ‘B’ 4-2 Win

v Akeley Wood ‘B’ 5-2 Win

v Milton Keynes Prep 2-1 Win

Squad: Imogen Churchill, Eleanor Bruce, Caitlin Cameron-Fraser, Sophie Kendall, Emily Ratcliffe, Eva Brazil, Vicky Brakenbury, Georgia Bratton, Rosie Smedley

Both teams played extremely well and with their points combined, Bedford Girls’ School went on to win the overall U10 Netball tournament trophy! Well done to all girls who played.

Lacrosse Goes Top 20

2012-03-16T00:00:00

On Tuesday 6th March, the U15 A Lacrosse team travelled to London to compete in the 2012 National Schools Lacrosse Championship.

Knowing the competition was going to be tough, the entire team put in plenty of effort from beginning to the end.

After victories against Westonbirt (2-1), Stowe (2-0) and St Catherines (2-0) the girls narrowly lost 3-2 against Queen Anne’s and drew with Abbot’s Hill 1-1.

Finishing 2nd in our division, the team advanced into the first round of the finals to face Gulidford High School. This match resulted in a loss but the team went out on a high, finishing in the top 16th in the country.

Special congratulations to Sophie Wright, who made some fantastic saves and to the whole team who played!

Written by Captains Elizabeth Corkery and Georgina Lusty

Team: Kate Summerfield, Beth Summerfield, Charlotte Strickley, Phoebe Dolan, Bella Palmer, Juliet Allen, Amber Stewart, Tilly Olney, Martha Jensen, Kate Sivills, Evi Craddock, Elizabeth Corkery, Georgina Lusty and Olivia Savage.

Jubilant Jumping

2012-03-16T00:00:00

On Thursday 8th March BGS Equestrian Team went to Backnoe End Stables to compete against Bedford Modern School.
Each girl was allocated a horse or pony by the Equestrian Centre and completed two show jumping rounds. Victoria Lombardi, Charlotte Smith, Freya Duckett and Katherine Stephen all rode with confidence and all four either went clear or had a maximum of four faults.

At the end of the two rounds the score was level prompting a tie-breaker with one rider from each team picking a horse at random from a selection of names in a hat and completing a final round against the clock. Nominated by the BGS team, Katherine bravely picked up the reins on behalf of the girls and went clear in a time that proved unbeatable.

The presentation of winners’ medals rounded off a successful and enjoyable afternoon and left the girls eagerly anticipating their next competition in the saddle.

Bronze Medal For Rebecca

2012-03-16T00:00:00

A combination of stamina, strength, single-mindedness and athleticism helped Year 12 student Rebecca Murray power her way to a bronze medal in this month’s Cross-Country Inter-Counties Championships.

Held at Crofton Park in Birmingham, the event was well-attended by spectators and was streamed live on Sky TV. Having started strongly in the Women’s U17 race, Rebecca stayed on camera throughout as she put in a fantastic performance, putting Bedfordshire in a podium position and demonstrating that hard work practice and talent really do pay off. ,

Showing steely determination throughout, Rebecca was in contention for a fantastic finish from the beginning of the race. Spurred on by natural athleticism and tremendous courage, her amazing performance rounded off a season which has seen Rebecca take 1st place in the Bedfordshire Championships, 5th in the South Championships and 7th at the English National Championships.

Bedford Girls' School Lacrosse End of Season Report

2012-03-16T00:00:00

A fantastic finale to the 2011-2012 Lacrosse Season saw Bedford Girls’ School’s 1st XII squad finishing among the top 20 teams in the country at the National Schools Championship on the 2nd and 3rd March.

The 2nd XII team also rounded off the season on a high note with a brilliant performance at the same tournament.

Held over two consecutive days, the competition saw someexcellent performances from the girls, reflecting the hard work they have put in throughout the season and showcasing the popularity and success of the BGS Lacrosse programme.

With 56 teams taking part in the U19A division and a further 28 in the U19B, the girls faced opponents from some of the best lacrosse squads in the UK but the 1st XII’s incredible play on the first day ensured that their top 20 ranking was well-deserved.

Led by Captains Claudia Baker and Izzy Pugh, the girls won four of their six games and fought hard for a draw against Lady Eleanor Holles School who are ranked second in the country. On the second day, the girls also played exceptionally well and only narrowly missed out on a place in the Semi-Finals. The squad’s excellent results rounded off a season where dedication, hard work and commitment not only secured some fantastic victories for the team but also saw Claudia Baker and Izzy Pugh selected to play for the Midlands Regional Team while team mate Anna Monk captained the regional B Squad.

Captained by Maddie Inglis, Floss Jensen and Ellie Oakley, the 2nd XII started day one with an excellent win against Worcester’s Royal Malvern Grammar School. Another victory on day two, against St Helen - St Katherine motivated the team to give their all and a close final match against local rivals St Albans narrowly stopped the girls winning through to the next round.

National Schools Results:1st XII

Day 1, Section 2: v St Mary’s Calne - Win 3-2, v Malvern St James – Loss 2-5 , v Lady Eleanor Holles- Draw 1-1, , v St Helen’s Win 5-2, v Cranleigh -Win 2-1, v Abbots Hill - Win 4-0.

Day 2, Division 1: v Stowe – Loss1-4 , v Queen Margaret’s – Loss 0-4, v Cheltenham Ladies – Win 1-0, v St Bartholomew’s – Loss 3-5 , Bolton- Win1-0, v St Mary’s Calne - Win 1-0.1st

XII Squad - Izzy Pugh (captain), Claudia Barker (captain), Becky Burgoine, Rosie Leech, Helena Prettyman, Gabbi Shields, Lilla To, Anna Monk, Megan Craddock, Emma Brown, Georgina Jackson, Hannah Conquest, Hannah Short, Charlotte Stevens, Alice Devaney and Larissa Keyte.

National Schools Results:2nd II

Day 1, Section 4: v Wycombe Abbey –Loss 1-5, v RGS Worcester - Win 4-0, v Downe House- Draw 1-1, v Queen Anne’s – Loss 1-4, St Swithun’s- Loss 0-3, v St Paul’s Win 2-1

Jaipreet Gahir 6M (PDF)

Amy Chappelhow 5C (PDF)

Mikayla Ianiri 4T with Lauren Reilly 4S (PDF)

Natalya Syfret 3CS. (PDF)

Sharing Space in Dance Workshop

2012-03-09T00:00:00

Black holes, planets and aliens with wriggling tentacles might sound unusual subject matter for a dance workshop. However, on Wednesday 7th March, 4S shared a space-themed morning of movement with Renhold Lower School that was simply out of this world.

Working together in groups, the boys and girls let loose their imaginations and prepared, choreographed and performed pieces expressing their knowledge and feelings about the solar system. They also explored what might lie beyond the parameters of our current understanding in the furthest reaches of the galaxy.

In addition to offering everyone taking part an opportunity to reflect upon matters celestial and scientific, the workshop also helped develope team working skills and achieved excellent results all round.

Teacher of Dance, Lesley Bream, said: “The main purpose of the workshop was to encourage the children to take responsibility for how they shared their knowledge and learning with other people who they hadn’t met or worked alongside before.

“They were given specific tasks to undertake within the pieces of movement they created and they had to accommodate them in their work and then teach them to others.

“When passing on knowledge and sharing their work, they had to be considerate and mindful of the differing abilities within the group. They also had to use advanced communication skills to impart information to relative strangers.

“The workshop, the first of two, proved very successful with both schools sharing and learning in equal measure while demonstrating an incredible amount of enthusiasm for the task in hand.”

Braving the Elements on D of E

2012-03-09T00:00:00

Overly obstreperous geese, tumultuous rain and even a smattering of snow were among the hardships enjoyed by girls working towards their bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award last weekend.

Despite a difficult night under canvas, they returned to school on Monday relatively unscathed by the elements and prepared for the week ahead.

As well as brushing up on their cooking, fire building, first-aid and navigation skills the girls also received expert tuition in how to put up and secure their tents, an invaluable lesson should their next practice prove as rain-sodden.

Year 8 Girls Represent County

2012-03-09T00:00:00

Having recently been crowned County Champions, Bedford Girls’ Schools Year 8 Badminton A Team were invited to compete at the Bedford School Games at the Athletics Stadium on Thursday 1st March. The event incorporated the Year 9 County Competition which is part of the Center Parcs National Schools Competition.

After an incredible day’s play, the girls, coached by Colin Pearson and managed by Pippa Milton, finished the day as Year 9 County Champions and, despite being a full academic year younger than the other teams in their round, they are now through to the regional round on March 16th where they will represent the county.

Colin Pearson said: “This is an amazing achievement and a real testament to the school’s commitment to developing Badminton as a sport.

For the Year 8 team to be representing Bedfordshire in the regional event is remarkable and an excellent opportunity for the girls to play against more experienced players and learn from them.

The whole team played extremely well and Captain, Emily Botta, led the team competently, building team spirit and playing excellent badminton herself.”

Physicists Make Hospital Appointment

2012-03-09T00:00:00

On Wednesday 7th March those of us studying A2 Physics were fortunate enough to have the oportunity to visit the radiology department at Bedford Hospital. Medical Physics is an important part of the A2 syllabus, so it was brilliant to see the equipment that we have been studying in lessons: the CAT scanner, X-ray machines, a bone density scanner and ultrasound machines. We spoke to the radiographers who worked in the department and were able to ask them questions on the uses and practicalities of using the scanners as well as the physics behind how they worked. Seeing the scanners that we had been studying really helped us to understand the differences between them and aided the work we have been doing in the classroom.

Charlotte Jenkins, Year 13

Harpur Science Forum

2012-03-09T00:00:00

On Wednesday 29th February, Professor Chris Binns of the University of Leicester came to talk to the Harpur Science Forum about Nanoscience: 'Tiny Structrues, Big Ideas and Grey Goo'. Professor Binns opened our eyes to just how small the world of nanoscience is and how the behaviour and properties of molecules can significantly change as they are made smaller. It was particularly interesting for the aspiring medics in the audience to find out in detail how nanoparticles could be attached to antibodies and then manipulated by a magnetic field in order to kill cancers. Professor Binns then went on to explain some science fiction theories on the subject which appealed to many in the audience. In summary, this lecture was not one to miss. The combination of the in-depth science, the variety of uses of nanoparticles and the effect that they could potentially have on our society was enough to whet anybody's appetite.

Carla Barberio Year 12

World Book Week Wonders

2012-03-02T00:00:00

Exciting activities and literature related innovations have guaranteed a successful World Book Week for both the Junior and Senior Schools.

‘A Leaf out of My Book’ in the Senior School Library encouraged girls to write their favourite books on a paper leaf and add it to a specially constructed tree of knowledge in the Junior School the Austen's book to me was a great scucess.

The winners of the World Book Day Short Story Competition have also been announced and may have been invited to read part of their story at the school’s World Book Night Event on Monday 23rd April. During the evening they will also receive their prizes and meet author Julia Jarman for an informal chat.

For a list of the winners, see below:

Mathilda Singer 3H

Emily Coton 3P

Rosie Atkins 4T

Martha Stock 4T

Molly Kemble 5C

Isabella Iacono 6P

Aila Khan 7DDW

2012-01-13T00:00:00

Two brand-new House competitions are offering all pupils and staff the chance to showcase their bold, reflective and imaginative capabilities through the media of poetry and photography.

As well as injecting the Spring Term with a healthy dose of creative inspiration, the artistic challenges offer a fantastic means of winning House Points and getting more actively involved in the school’s exciting House system.

To coincide with Valentine’s Day, the first competition is looking for poetic submissions to suitably celebrate February’s dedicated day of love. Poems can be witty, cynical, romantic or just plain silly and form and diction are free. The only restrictive stipulation to be met is that entries must be suitable for publication.

The closing date for the Valentine’s Day Poetry Competition is Thursday 9th February 2012. Verses, typed up as a Word document, should be sent to Mrs Jones by email. All entries will automatically receive House Points with extra points to be awarded for the best and most imaginative poem.

Following on from the tremendous success of last term’s Photographic Challenge, the whole school is also invited to enter a Mini Photographic Competition by submitting a single image that best represent one of the school’s values: Bold, Reflective and Imaginative.

Subject matter, mood and style are all open to free interpretation and creativity is of the essence. Again, all entries will receive House Points and the winning photo will be displayed in the school alongside the best pictures from last term’s photography competition as well as appearing in a forthcoming issue of The Edit.

The closing date for entries to the Mini Photographic Competition is Wednesday 22nd February 2012 and should either be handed to Mrs Jones on a memory pen or sent to her, in jpeg format, by email to kate.jones@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk.

Please ensure that your name, form and House are clearly displayed alongside entries for each competition.

Speaking out Against Hurtful Words

2012-01-13T00:00:00

Following on from a variety of projects designed, developed and delivered in response to Anti-Bullying week last term, Year 6 wrote, researched and produced a Junior School assembly to remind everyone to reflect upon how words can sometimes be hurtful.

Held on Monday 10th January, the assembly featured a contemporary re-working of the well-known rhyme about Sticks and Stones from 6P, while 6M showed some short films they had produced on the theme of cyber bullying. Girls from 6W and 6K performed a self-penned play about how openness, honesty and speaking out are often the best way to stop bullying.

The theme of the most recent anti-bullying week, held between 14th and 18th of November 2011, was "Stop and Think: Words can Hurt." During the week itself, girls attended special assemblies, undertook numerous activities and worked together to promote consideration and discussion of the issues surrounding verbal, and written bullying.

As part of PHSE and ICT lessons, students were asked to consider how mobile phones, social networking and messenger services, such as BBM, have altered the way we communicate and the need to keep themselves safe in cyber-space as well as respecting the rights and freedoms of others. Pupils also discussed how smart phones and online resources, including Facebook and Twitter, have changed the way we use words.

Girls responded so well and creatively to the tasks and activities during the week and expressed such well-considered and passionate arguments against bullying that it was decided that further work would continue in 2012.

Crew Call for South Pacific

2012-01-13T00:00:00

Budding Stage Managers, Set Designers, Theatre Hands and Riggers are required to join the crew for February’s eagerly anticipated production of South Pacific.

Girls in Year 10 and above who are interested in learning the ropes behind the scenes need to be available to attend the remaining rehearsals taking place this Sunday and after school on Wednesdays.The performances themselves are on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th February at 7pm.

South Pacific is a musical score by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II as well as a book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story is loosely based on James A Michenser's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 novel Tales of the South Pacific which dealt predominantly with racism on the region's islands during World War II.

Considered by many critics to be one of the greatest musicals of the 20th Century, the story concerns a naïve young nurse from Arkansas who becomes romantically involved with a French plantation owner. With a large supporting cast and songs including Happy Talk, I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair and Some Enchanted Evening, South Pacific serves as a record of both the romanticism and tense conflict of the age.

Tickets for the whole school production will be available soon and girls in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 who are keen to share the experience of staging a major production, for which they will receive full training, are asked to contact Mrs Redford or Mrs Perren as soon as possible.

Franklin Make Music Memorable.

2012-01-06T00:00:00

As well as supporting research and raising public awareness, the Alzheimer’s Society in Bedford aims to help people living with dementia lead full, active and enjoyable lives while continuing to play a vital role in their local community.

As part of this objective, the charity runs weekly events where people with dementia and their carers are able to express and share ideas through poetry, music and singing. Called Music4Memory, the sessions are designed to be a diverse and dynamic celebration of the enriching power of music and song.

Each year, the organisation holds a Christmas concert where people with Alzheimer’s and their carers perform with musicians, singers and community organisations at an open and free event.

On Friday 16th December 2010, the 70-strong group of regular participants were joined by Helen Morse, IBuchi Chukwu, Lucy Ackroyd, Sarah Morse, Isobel Murray, Maria Lee and Eloise Toon.

As well as joining in songs, dances and recitals, the girls treated the 70 plus participants to a rendition of Jessie J’s Price Tag which has become Franklin’s official House song following its success at last Term’s House Glee.

Lucy Ackroyd, Year 12, said: “There was a lot of singing and dancing which we all really enjoyed. It was great to meet and talk to the Alzheimer’s patients and their carers. We all found the society inspiring and are really encouraged to tell Franklin House to support this amazing charity as much as they possibly can.”

Dementia is a term used to describe various different brain disorders that have in common a loss of brain function that is usually progressive and eventually severe. There are many types of dementia. The most common are Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies.

Alzheimer's Society staff and volunteers provide local information and services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to people affected by dementia. These local services include day care and home care for people with dementia, as well as support and befriending services to help partners and families cope with the demands of caring. From Alzheimer's Café's and Music4Memory sessions to group outings, The Alzheimer’s Society provides both practical support and an essential point of human contact to the community of Bedford.

BGS Badminton Bonanza

2012-01-06T00:00:00

Following a brilliant start to the season last term, the Year 8 Badminton A Team have started 2012 on a highnote with a place in the final round of the Bedfordshire Schools Badminton League.

Exhibiting some fantastic shots, the A Team, Clarissa Llanaj, Emily Botta, Katie Parrish and Charlotte Beechener won their group in last term’s competition and are now looking forward to further success in the next round of the competition, the date of which is to be confirmed.

Other BGS teams also enjoyed success in the same competition. The Year 8 B Team, Melissa Nash, Katie Norris, Eleanor Holloway and Izzy Buckholt, won all but one of their group games, whilst the Year 7 A Team, Amelia Buckholt, Grace Spong, Charlotte Monks and Charlotte Anderson, came 3rd overall and the B Team, Michelle Cudjoe, Christine Simmonds, Mia Armstrong, Ruth Kupshik and Gwen Scott, came a commendable 6th overall.

Simpson’s Rule at the IOE

2012-01-06T00:00:00

Novel approaches to Mathematical thinking and how the subject informs everyday living were among a range of topics students in Year 12 were asked to consider during a recent trip to the Institute of Education (IOE).

A graduate college of the University of London, the IOE has an international reputation for teaching excellence and the girls were delighted to attend an all-day programme of seminars and lectures on Wednesday 7th December 2011.

Jess Howard, Year 12, said: “The first speaker talked to us about ‘True statements that can’t be true’ which really made us think and warmed us up for the variety of Maths related lectures that followed.

“What we came away with, in particular, was an enriched understanding of how Maths is significantly influential in real life situations. Our particular favourite parts of the day were the lectures Dam Busters and the Bouncing Bomb and Maths in The Simpsons. Both were individually captivating, complete with humour and kept the four hundred strong audience engaged throughout the duration. It was a fantastic day filled with unique mathematical knowledge and we have come out of this experience with a deeper understanding of how Maths relates many professions and parts of our everyday lives”.

Christmas Fayre is a success

2011-12-09T00:00:00

On Wednesday 7th December 2011, the whole school attended a special assembly to celebrate the achievements and successes of Austen, Chanel, Franklin, Hepburn, Nightingale and Parks over the Autumn Term and to look forward to their continued growth in 2012.

Handmade bags from South Africa, mouth-watering chillies and an array of seasonal arts and crafts were among a plethora of goods on sale at Bedford Girls’ School’s 2011 Christmas Fayre.

Organised by Bedford Girls’ School Parent Teacher Association, the event attracted more than 250 visitors and generated over £1,500 for investment in future school projects.

Held on Saturday 3rd December between 2pm and 4.30pm, the fayre featured 23 professional stalls in addition to a wealth of stalls and attractions planned and manned by pupils. Guess the name of the teddy, a chance to win an MP4 in the tombola and face and nail painting proved extremely popular while music, fairy lights and decorations created a delightfully festive ambience.

Refreshments, including cakes, tea, coffee and mulled wine, were also available throughout the day in the dining room extension where visitors could also view hand-decorated baubles entered into a Junior School competition.

In addition to seasonal items and food, including wreaths, table decorations, cakes, pies and preserves, handmade jewellery and clothes were also offered for sale. Pyjamas and lounge pants were also available from new British retailer blueblancmange

Students from the Young Enterprise Group proved suitably business-minded in running their own stalls and Girls taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme were delighted by the success of their own ventures and the Junior School Choir warmed everyone’s hearts with a carol recital as the afternoon drew to a close

Bedford Girls’ School is grateful for all the hard work and generosity of the BGS Parent Teacher Association team, their helpers and the staff, parents and pupils who contributed so much time and effort to the day.

A Socktacular Knees-up

2011-12-09T00:00:00

Strange things were afoot on Wednesday 7th December when spots, stripes, stars and even skulls graced the corridors and classrooms of Bedford Girls’ School.

The bright colours and eclectic patterns were all for a good cause and were limited to the socks of girls supporting Parks House’s chosen charity, Bedford Concern for the Homeless and Rootless (BeCHaR).

In exchange for a 50p donation towards the work of the BeCHaR’s Prebend Day Centre, students in the Senior School were able to kick up their heels wearing their wackiest hosiery. As well as raising money to support homeless and vulnerable people in the town, the free-choice footwear day was designed to encourage donations of socks for the school to pass on to BeCHaR.

Ryan Flecknell, Manager of the Prebend Centre, visited the school to meet Parks’ Charity Representatives Anisha Nayer and Priya Shah. He also found time to give an interview to Bedford Girls’ School Radio Group.

Explaining exactly how donations of socks are distributed, he said: “One of the main reasons people come to the Prebend Centre is to have their basic needs met. As well as being able to eat a meal this includes showering and receiving clothing to keep them warm and healthy. While people continue to visit the centre and are given assistance with these things, we are then able to offer them our other services, such as drug and alcohol counselling, and help them to reintegrate into the local community.

“We give out an enormous amount of socks every day and donations like this are absolutely vital. We very much value our ties to Bedford Girls’ School and are extremely grateful for all the kind donations from pupils, parents and staff which directly help change the lives of vulnerable people in Bedford.”

New pairs or packs of men’s and women’s socks can be donated to BeCHaR in the Dining Room Extension up until the last day of term and Christmas stocking shaped cookies will be on sale in support of the charity during break time on Monday 12th December.

Pride in Bedford Girls' School

2011-12-09T00:00:00

Having been scouted via the school’s website, Year 10 student Ellen Shepherd put in a stunning performance when she was asked to sing at the Pride in Bedford Awards on Wednesday 30th November.

Together with Kerenza Killingbeck, Ellen won Best Individual Performance at Bedford Girls’ School’s recent House Glee competition for their song and dance interpretation of Adele’s 'Someone Like Yo'u. After video footage of the Glee was uploaded to the school’s website, Ellen was approached by the Times and Citizen newspaper who asked if she could sing at the black-tie event.

Despite only having two days to prepare, Ellen performed three songs on the night including Coldplay’s 'Fix You' as well as her House Glee winning ballad. Ellen put in a stunning performance to an audience who were astonished into silence by her emotive delivery and strong vocal performance.

Co-sponsored by The Bedford Charity, Pride in Bedford celebrates outstanding achievements and spectacular individuals throughout the borough of Bedford. During this year’s ceremony, Headmistress, Jo MacKenzie, presented the Child of Courage award.

Glee is a prime example of the fantastic array of activities and sense of belonging associated with Bedford Girls’ Schools’ House System which has gone from strength to strength since its September inception.

For another chance to view the highlights of the Glee performance at Bedford Girls' School, view below.

Tiggy-Winkle Tale

2011-12-09T00:00:00

When Beatrix Potter wrote the Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, more than 100 years ago, little could she have known how enduringly popular the busy hedgehog washerwoman would become. She might also have been surprised to see her character inspiring and informing the work of Year 4 pupils in their dance lessons throughout the Autumn Term.

Since September, the girls have looked carefully at Potter’s drawings and studied her descriptions of the anthropomorphic animals her work brings to life. Working in groups, each of the three classes made detailed observations of the characters’ traits and thought about how to physically represent them through dance.

As work developed over the term, they began to focus on Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and paid particular attention to her bustling sense of purpose, cheery good nature and industry. Having considered how best to convey her character through movement, actions and expression, the girls then began work on a choreographed four minute performance piece.

As well as incorporating tasks that typify Potter’s Lake District heroine into the dance, the girls also suggested using physical props to enhance the piece. While this presented extra challenges, including prompting the girls to think harder about spacing and movement, it succeeded in adding greater poignancy. As well as conveying the character’s busy and proactive approach to tasks such as washing, folding, rinsing and hanging clothes, the girls also succeeded in illustrating just how tired a hard-working hedgehog must be at the end of a busy day.

On Tuesday 29th November 2011, the girls staged their dance for approximately 80 parents and thoroughly enjoyed showcasing their work. They also took away from the experience the cross-curricular benefits of a glimpse into the world of women prior to the invention of labour-saving machines as well as enjoying a different way of reading and evaluating fiction.

Lesley Bream, Teacher of Dance, said: “This was a very polished piece of detailed choreography involving a great deal of research, consideration and understanding of the characters and tales of Beatrix Potter.The girls applied themselves extremely well, generated their own ideas and developed and demonstrated a great deal of enthusiasm for and understanding of the subject matter.”

Cadets Glide

2011-12-09T00:00:00

Despite changeable weather conditions and a little bit of turbulence, cadets from Bedford Girls’ School enjoyed a taste of the high life during a recent visit to RAF Henlow where they tried their hands at gliding.

After carefully watching a DVD of safety procedures and ensuring they were able to operate a parachute, the girls donned their RAF issue green overalls and went out to the hangers housing the gliders.

Each girl was then assigned an instructor before taking to the sky for half an hour’s airborne tuition and the opportunity to control a glider themselves.

Charlotte Chandler, Year 10, said: “The take-off was smooth and you were soon 100ft in the air and climbing higher. To begin with the turbulence was a bit bumpy but you were soon too high up to notice it anymore. The view around you was amazing, the sky was clear and you had windows to look out all around you. The instructor explained the different dials and about the horizon while telling you how to keep the glider steady.

“We were shown how to point the nose up and down, turning left and right, each time being given a chance to take control and do it yourself. After our first lesson in a few simple manoeuvres we were soon above Bedford Girls' School and were told to take control and fly back to Henlow. When we got close to the base the instructor took over again and brought us down for a smooth landing after half an hour in the air. It was an amazing experience and I would do it again!”

Austen Masterclass

2011-12-09T00:00:00

New insights into literature were afforded to students Years 12 and 13 when acclaimed writer and academic Richard Gill visited Bedford Girls’ School.

On Thursday 1st December, Richard delivered three lectures to Sixth Form English students beginning with presenting an analysis of Jane Eyre’s thought processes to Year 12 girls. Focussing on the affect Jane’s psyche and reasoning has on other characters and the narrative, he offered students a different and valuable reading of Bronte’s 1847 novel; before concluding with an overview of the role and function of women, men and God in Jane Eyre.

Later he talked to students in Year 13 about Pride and Prejudice and Much Ado About Nothing, highlighting the importance of character within the text.

Richard Gill is a lecturer and former Head of English whose many books include, 'How to Master English Literature', a study of Austen’s writing for the Macmillan Masterguide series and a recently completed critical evaluation of the poetical works of Christina Rossetti.

Choir Light-Up Christmas Trees

2011-12-02T00:00:00

The Years 5 and 6 Choir put in a sparkling performance at the opening of 'Bedford Hospitals Charity's 10th consecutive Christmas Tree Festival on Wednesday 30th November.

Immediately after the High Sherriff of Bedfordshire, Andrew Slack, finished his welcome address, the girls sang a beautiful rendition of Silent Night. After warm applause and accompanied by Acting Director of Music, Chris Gill, on Piano, they went on to perform the Holly and the Ivy and The Shepherd’s Pipe Carol.

Held in St. Paul’s Church, the week-long Christmas Tree Festival features a display of Christmas trees designed and decorated by local schools and community groups. The theme of this year’s festival was Light up the world and Year 5 pupils made glittering gold crowns and origami jewels for the Junior School's Christmas tree. Topped by an intricate rendition of the school’s eagle motif, the Bedford Girls’ School tree also included teal and damson to represent the colours of the jumpers worn by girls in the Junior and Senior School.

Kay Fulton, 69, from Bedford’s Prime Ministers area said: “The girls sang absolutely beautifully and the trees this year are the prettiest I’ve ever seen them.

“As soon as the choir began to sing Silent Night, I felt Christmas had really begun and the whole occasion was truly moving.”

Swimathon Success

2011-12-02T00:00:00

On Saturday 19th November, six Bedford Girls’ School students took part in the Rotary Club's Swimathon to raise money for the Prebold Centre for the Homeless and Bedford Hospitals Charity Gamma Plus Appeal.

2011-12-02T00:00:00

Sixth Form students Caroline Ball, Helen Morse, Catarina DeSapia and Amanda Field enjoyed tremendous success at their first major debating event of the academic year.

On Monday 21st November 2011, the girls took part in the first round of the Cambridge Union School’s Debating Competition. Held at University of Cambridge, the competition offers qualifying participants the opportunity to debate with peers from schools across the UK.

Working in pairs, the competitors took part in one prepared and one un-prepared debate, competing against each other for a place in the next round. Despite extremely stiff competition, Caroline and Helen were one of two pairs in their group to progress further in the competition and will be taking part in the next round in 2012.

Caroline Ball said: “Sadly, Cat and Amanda narrowly missed out on being selected despite a terrific performance but we all enjoyed the competition”.

Expert Insight into Renal Physiology

2011-12-02T00:00:00

Girls from the Senior School and Sixth Form were given greater insight into renal physiology at the Harpur Science Forum’s most recent lecture.

On Thursday 24th November, Dr Robert Wilkins, from the Department of Physiology at Oxford University, visited the Great Hall at Bedford School to deliver a talk about Kidney Ion Transport.

Year 13 student, Bethany Kuszlewicz, said: “He told us about the absorptive processes involving sodium ions that occur within the kidney and two different pathways for chloride ion reabsorption, paracellular and transcellular.

t was interesting to learn about primary, secondary and tertiary active transport, and how they differ as well as the need for solute transporters. Everyone who came thoroughly enjoyed the talk.”

England International Trains with Lacrosse Team

2011-11-25T00:00:00

Lacrosse players at Bedford Girls’ School were able to learn from one of the best and brightest talents in the sport when elite England international Alana Livesey visited Cardington Road on Monday 21st November.

Having spent the afternoon offering hints, tips, advice and guidance to girls in Year 8 and Year 9, Livesey rounded off the day training with the first team.

Over recent years, lacrosse has gained enormous popularity and is now played in over 22% of UK schools. To further promote and support the development of the sport, the English Lacrosse Association has brought together some of the country’s best coaches and players who are assigned to help support the game in specific schools.

Bedford Girls’ School was fortunate enough to be assigned Alana Livesey whose successes in the game include a pivotal role in the England Squad who finished runners-up in the 2008 European Championship in Finland.

Head Girl, Rochelle Jones, led the tributes as she and other members of the Head Girl's team laid a poppy wreath before silence fell over Randle Hall as the girls honoured the bravery and selflessness of the many servicemen men and women killed and injured during active duty.

Year 12 Future Fortunes conference

2011-11-18T00:00:00

Apprentice- style challenges and expert industry advice helped give Year 12 students a flavour of the working world at last week’s Future Fortunes conference at Bedford Girls’ School.

Attended by 10 professionals working in a diverse range of fields, including business, acting, science, fashion forecasting and counselling, the all-day event provided excellent networking opportunities as well as helping students to exercise their business acumen.

One of the day’s main tasks saw the girls split into teams and developing and running a pizza business where key decisions had to be made to maximise the profits generated.

In addition to making business decisions, teams had to design and create a pizza box as well as developing their own advertising strategy.

Competition was intense, especially during the lunchtime treasure hunt, and students showed a tremendous amount of initiative, imagination and practical skills throughout the tasks.

The afternoon culminated with groups giving presentations on their experiences of the day and its learning outcomes. In doing so, students were ask to evaluate critically their own performances and reflect upon how key skills such as teamwork, planning, creativity and communication are cross-transferable from school to the workplace.

Special Visitor Brings WW2 to Life

2011-11-18T00:00:00

As part of their work on life during WW2, pupils in 5P were delighted to welcome Mrs. Kendall, a friend of the Junior School, to their History lesson last week.

Recounting her own experiences of the day-to-day challenges she faced while growing-up during the period, Mrs. Kendall enabled the children to step into the shoes of their wartime counterparts.

Amazed by how small rations were during the war and how that affected children, pupils were happy to hear Mrs. Kendall’s stories about how people used to make food go further.

Mrs. Kendall explained that life was often easier for children who lived on farms during WW2 because they could sometimes supplement their limited diet with an extra egg or a glass of milk.

As well as explaining about rationing, Mrs. Kendall also talked to the girls about air raids and how the sounding of the siren impacted on the lives of children and young people in such austere times.

In addition to offering 5P greater insight into the realities of WW2, Mrs. Kendall’s entertaining and informative stories added even greater poignancy to the Junior School’s Remembrance Assembly on Friday 11th November.

Moving Onwards and Upwards

2011-11-18T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School was delighted to welcome parents of Year 6 pupils to its Transition Evening on Tuesday 15th November.

Through a series of informative talks, parents heard about the school’s commitment to ensuring that girls joining the Senior School settle quickly and happily in their new environment.

They also learned how a team of experienced tutors would work with pupils during every step of the induction process and how the same team would remain on hand to support the girls until they are ready to move into Year 8.

Knowing that girls are most likely to flourish and generally respond well to challenges when they are feeling safe and secure, Bedford Girls’ School aims to create an environment where each girl feels known and valued.

While the core message of the evening was to convey this message to parents, information about the assessment process and bursaries was also supplied.

Parents learned that the assessment day for Year 7 will be Saturday 21st January 2012 and that assessments shall include English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning.

Dominoes span the generations

2011-11-18T00:00:00

This week our co-curricular dominoes club was joined by special guest players Pauline Stratton and Hazel Sidebottom.

Both residents at Homebrook House, a supported housing scheme on Cardington Road, Pauline and Hazel joined Year 6 regulars for several games of double six dominoes.

Members of their own dominoes club, the visitors happily shared their experience and expertise with the younger players. In turn, Hazel was introduced to Triominoes which is a more challenging contemporary version of the game and a definite favourite with the Year 6 girls.

Mrs Royden, Head of the Junior School said, “It was a wonderful opportunity for the different generations to come together and learn new skills from each other.”

Gymnastics Success - County Championships

2011-11-18T00:00:00

Congratulation to both Fleur Leech and Kara Christensen on their success at the County Championships on Sunday. The competition was held at Salto gym in Luton.

In the Women's Group Grade 2, Kara and her partners gained a bronze and were only beaten by much longer established trios. In the Women's Pairs Grade 2, Kara and her partner Alex won the silver medal, which was particularly pleasing as it was the first time they had performed this routine in competition, after moving up a grade. Fleur Leech and her partner Jon won a silver medal in the Mixed Pairs Grade 2.

All partnerships should now progress to the Regional Championships in Ipswich on 4th of December.

A great set of results. Well done girls.

Mrs N. Howlett

Teacher of Physical Education

Franklin gain RESPECT for House Glee win

2011-11-17T00:00:00

With more than 50 participating acts from across the whole school, last week’s House Glee proved an amazing success and a brilliant showcase for Bedford Girls’ School.

Held over five consecutive lunchtimes, the event saw solo artists, duos, bands and ensembles sing a diverse range of songs and experiment with an array of musical styles.

Girls also demonstrated first rate choreography skills and tremendous enthusiasm for the new House system which the event so adeptly promoted.

The quality of all performances was so high that special guest Alex Levene, Venue Manager and Arts Co-ordinator at Bedford’s The Place theatre, found judging Friday’s grand final extremely hard.

After much deliberation, he succeeded in choosing three category winners and even announced to the packed Assembly Hall that he would be happy to stage the winning Individual Act performance in front of a paying audience.

Individual act winners were Kerenza Killingbeck and Ellen Shepherd, both in Nightingale and Year 10, for their song and dance “Someone like you” by Adele.

The winning House Song was from Franklin. An amazing rendition of “Price Tag” by Jesse Jay with a fantastic rap in the middle sung by Ibuchi Chukwu which featured almost the entire House taking part!

The overall House winner for the House with the most House Points (or the most entries) went to Franklin who narrowly pipped Nightingale to the post by 1 point!

The scores at the end of the week were:

Franklin 50
Nightingale 49
Hepburn 34
Parks 26
Austen 25
Chanel 24

Trophies and certificates will be awarded at a special whole school House assembly on Wednesday 7th December.

Music is Key to Brand New Facility at GS

2011-11-17T00:00:00

A celebration of music and its ability to enrich people’s lives ensured Bedford Girls’ School hit all the right notes at the grand opening of its new music school, Trinity House, on Saturday 12th November 2011.

Facilitated by the merger of Bedford High School and Dame Alice Harpur School, the purpose built state-of-the-art facility ensures music is at the heart of the school’s identity and available for all students to partake in and enjoy.

Boasting three large rehearsal rooms, several private tutorial suites and a cutting edge music technology studio, Trinity House will enable Bedford Girls’ School to maintain standards of excellence while innovatively nurturing and encouraging new talent, enthusiasm and skills.

Fittingly, the multi-functional Trinity House was officially opened by international performing artist and composer Ken Burton whose diverse array of musical talents have seen him conduct at major venues including The Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House, work with renowned artists such as Leslie Garrett and Willard White and perform on an array of television programmes including The X Factor, Ant and Dec and This Morning.

Headmistress of Bedford Girls’ School, Jo Mackenzie, said: “This fantastic facility will help us ensure that music is central to the lives of the girls here.

“As well as its intrinsic beauty, music allows us to celebrate group participation, which we have seen so well today. It is a superb way to showcase individual talents, it helps foster self-discipline and perseverance but it is also a means by which our pupils can express their own cultural identity and that of others.”

Stop and Think: Words Can Hurt

2011-11-17T00:00:00

As part of Anti-Bullying Week, Bedford Girls’ School has been encouraging all pupils to reflect upon the many ways in which words can sometimes hurt other people.

Established in 2004, the national campaign aims to educate and inform children and adults about all aspects of bullying and the harm it can cause. It also strives to empower individuals to report and tackle such issues appropriately and effectively in a variety of situations.

During the last seven days, girls have attended special assemblies designed to promote consideration and discussion of the issues surrounding verbal and written bullying.

The School Council is also busy implementing on-going plans to ensure the core message of Anti-Bullying Week, ‘Stop and think: Words can hurt’, is remembered throughout the school.

As part of PHSE and ICT lessons, students are already asked to consider how mobile phones, social networking sites and messenger services, such as BBM, have altered the way we communicate and the need to keep themselves safe in cyber-space as well as respecting the rights and freedoms of others.

Anti-Bullying week reinforces this message by further explaining that while smart phones and online resources, including Facebook and Twitter, make a largely positive contribution to contemporary communication, they also have the potential to convey upsetting content.

James Potter, ICT Director at Bedford Girls’ School, said: ‘As part of our e-safety programme we look at these issues in a variety of ways. Using discussion, role play and real life examples, we examine the steps you can take to stop permanently bullying by text or via social media if you are a victim of it.

“We also remind everyone that, while it might seem possible for online bullies to remain anonymous, texts, emails, SMS messages and internet postings can be recovered and traced even when deleted.

“Underpinning all of this is the promotion of safe and responsible use of technology, in that it is a tool which when used appropriately can enhance your life and wellbeing”.

National Maths Challenge is a definite Plus.

2011-11-17T00:00:00

Held under examination conditions at venues across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust’s Senior Maths Challenge proved a popular challenge for Year 12 and 13 students last week.

Aimed at 16-19 year olds who are studying Maths, the UKMT Senior challenge involves answering 25 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes. Completed test papers are subsequently marked by UKMT using an optical mark reader and are returned to participating schools by the end of November.

The top 40% of UK students to take the challenge receive a gold, silver or bronze certificate and each participating institution receives a Best in School certificate. Top performing students are then invited to take part in follow-on rounds and the very best can represent their country in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

UKMT Senior Maths Challenge questions from former challenges also make excellent classroom resources and the experience provides a useful national benchmark for teachers and students alike.

Sixth Form student Caterina Di Sapia said: “The challenge consisted of a short booklet of problems and puzzles ranging in difficulty. It isn't just a normal Maths test - the questions demanded imagination and lateral thinking as well as logic and mathematical knowledge.

“Overall, it was a brilliant opportunity to put our mathematical skills to the test and I thoroughly enjoyed the variety that the challenge offered”.

Battle of the Bard Photos and Update

2011-11-17T00:00:00

Congratulations to the cast of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' on their stunning performance at 'The Battle of the Bard' at Bedford Modern School on Tuesday 15th November. The girls had a long day of Dress and Technical rehearsals followed by the evening performance but they remained incredibly focussed and determined to perform to the very best of their ability. The adjudicator praised them for their creative use of music, song and movement and for giving the packed audience a thoroughly entertaining performance.

Following Jane Eyre’s Footsteps on a path to the past

2011-11-17T00:00:00

A recent trip to Haworth, home of the Bronte sisters, gave Year 12 English Literature students a valuable insight into the lives and work of the writers as they found themselves immersed in the world of Victorian England. Situated on the edge of the Pennine Moors, the West Yorkshire village became the hub of a packed programme of visits, tours and experiences

Beginning at The Workhouse in Southwell, Nottinghamshire - the most complete workhouse still in existence - the National Trust owned property enabled the students to discover how Victorian society dealt with poverty using authentic archived evidence such as records of food served to residents and logs of the arduous work they undertook every day.

Exploring the work yards, day rooms, dormitories, master’s quarters and cellars gave the girls new insight into the role of workhouses and prompted them to acknowledge that, while bleak and austere, they did meet the basic needs of many Victorian poor who otherwise may have perished. The group then boarded a steam train and made their way to Haworth in true Victorian style along the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

Staying at the Youth Hostel in the heart of the village, the students were able to visit key Bronte landmarks and sites including the Parsonage Museum and the moors across which Jane Eyre fled after her flight from Thornfield. Over their two night stay in Haworth during half term week, the group also attended a drama workshop led by local actress Gilly Kerrod. Focusing on Jane Eyre’s school days, the workshop helped nurture empathy for Victorian children and proved an excellent means of bringing the novel’s characters to life.

Before returning to Bedford, the group made one last excursion to Saltaire, a model Victorian town designed, conceived and built by industrialist Titus Salt. Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001, Saltaire found the girls immersed in Victorian Industrial life as a costumed guide conducted a richly informative tour.

Year 12 student Matilda Sturt-Hammond said: “The whole trip was a brilliant experience and really helped us understand the lives and works of the Bronte sisters.

“Going to Haworth Parsonage in particular was very interesting and it really helped me to understand the environment in which the Brontes grew up. Seeing the graveyard at the Parsonage was shocking because it showed how many people died very young in Victorian times. We also saw the Bronte treasures and this was fascinating because we were shown real letters and drawings by the Bronte family”.

A Taste of Sixth Form

2011-11-17T00:00:00

Year 11 Student Hannah Ventisei explains how Sixth Form taster lessons work.

From the start of Year 11 at Bedford Girls’ School, you are provided with Sixth Form information to ensure you are well prepared and have your key choices made before Christmas, so you can focus on your GCSEs.

There are evenings when you can find out more about A Level and IB, there’s an assembly where you can ask Sixth Formers questions without the teachers being there, most usefully, you get the chance to attend an actual Sixth Form lesson as part of a programme of taster sessions.

I had my taster lessons last week. You can pick two lessons: I chose A level Politics and Government and IB Economics because I wanted to try two subjects I’d never studied before.

My first lesson was Politics and despite it being interesting, I felt it wasn’t for me. I discovered that although I enjoyed the election on the television, studying it in class wasn’t something I was inclined to do. Without the taster lesson, I could have chosen a subject that wasn’t right for me, making my time in Sixth Form harder.

Then I went to Trinity House for my Economics lesson, which I loved. I was the only Year 11 there and only two Year 12 attended as it was an IB lesson but it was great to ask them about what they thought of IB and how they were finding it. I found that I could really trust their answers and being in such a small group meant I could ask any questions I wanted.

The future is challenging as well as exciting. Even people who said that they wanted to be doctors since they were five years old must feel pressure and a little trepidation when making their subject choices. Sixth Form taster lessons are a great opportunity for Year 11s to learn more about the Sixth Form: the perks, the work and the atmosphere.

Everyone I know has benefitted from these taster lessons in one way or another, whether it was learning that you do want to follow that subject, or that you want to do IB not A levels; it’s a preference that you could only have guessed at without this experience. For me, having a chance to preview the next step in my education has been a great help in making positive choices and empowering me to take control of my future which is what makes life fun.

Antarctic Traveller Comes in From the Cold

2011-11-11T00:00:00

When globe-trotter David Shepherd visited Year 6 pupils to talk about his time in Antarctica, he received anything but a frosty reception.

Accompanied by a life-sized cuddly penguin and numerous fascinating mementos from his time on the frozen, windswept continent Mr Shepherd talked to the girls about the unique environment, landscape and wildlife of the world’s last great wilderness.

He shared his story of adventure from 2000 when he travelled the region aboard a small Norwegian vessel. He recounted his affection for the penguins of South Georgia and his fear as stormy conditions, intense cold and rough seas made sailing around the Antarctic Peninsula an arduous but unforgettable experience. His own voyage gave him an insight into how brave the early explorers must have been as they tackled the inhospitable climate and sheer vastness of the continent.

Encouraging the girls to view the world as full of possibilities and adventures, he told Year 6 that he hoped some of them might themselves follow in his footsteps and experience the remote beauty of Antarctica first-hand.

STEM Ambassadors Help Grow Enthusiasm for Engineering.

2011-11-11T00:00:00

Creating fireworks in a glass, lessons in Photoshop and making paper towers were among a variety of enjoyable and informative activities offered to Year 6 when a group of Sixth Form STEM ambassadors spent an afternoon at the Junior School.

Supported by the Department of Education, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) aims to show pupils the diverse range of careers in each of the industry sectors with a particular focus on demonstrating how interesting and enjoyable a career in Engineering can be.

Organised and delivered by students in Years 12 and 13, the event on Tuesday 1st November, was well received by Year 6 and is likely to be the first of many ambassador-led STEM activities to come.

Year 6 pupil Judith Tarrant, said: “The afternoon was fantastic and brilliantly run and we all took part in genetically designing our own dog, learning about memory and building the strongest and tallest paper tower.

“We also saw who could make the wackiest picture in Photoshop and made fireworks without gunpowder. On behalf of Year 6, I’d like to thank the Sixth Form students and teachers for making such a great afternoon possible”

Actors Under the Spotlight for Battle of the Bard

2011-11-11T00:00:00

The School’s Spotlight Youth Theatre have been eagerly rehearsing for this month’s Battle of the Bard festival where they will be performing abridged versions of some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays.

Beginning on 15th November, Battle of the Bard is a three-day event where budding actors from local Middle and Senior Schools come together to showcase their talent to both parents and peers.

Now in its second year, Battle of the Bard is the only such event of its kind in Bedfordshire and provides an excellent opportunity for students to work in a new and exciting theatre space and to adapt their performance to the new environment.

Members of the Intermediate Level of Bedford Girls’ School’s Spotlight Youth Theatre Group will be performing their interpretation of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ on the first evening of the festival. On the same night, there will also be performances of ‘Julius Caesar’, ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Hamlet’ by other local schools.

Other members of the Youth Theatre Intermediate group are preparing a performance of Shakeseare's last play, ‘The Tempest’ and there will be an opportunity for parents and friends to see it on Friday 9th December at 7pm with a further performance on Saturday 10th December at 9.30am in the Drama Studio, Details of how to book tickets will follow soon.

This year’s Senior Youth Theatre production will be ‘The Threepenny Opera’ by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weil will be performed in March. This unusual musical written in 1928 will certainly provide the Senior Theatre Group members with an exciting challenge.

After their ‘Shakespeare experience’ the Intermediates will be starting work in January on the powerful Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ‘The King and I’, which will be performed in June.

A very small number of places are available in this class, which is open to girls in Years 7, 8 and 9 and meets on a Saturday morning from 9 -11am and anyone interested in joining in the New Year is urged to speak to Mrs. Perren, Head of Drama and Dance.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a Recipe for Success

2011-11-11T00:00:00

Record numbers of students have signed up to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme at Bedford Girls’ School this year.

The scheme involves completing a personally selected programme of activities in the four key sections of Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition. Those working towards their Gold Award also undertake a residential programme and help train their peers as they work their way through the scheme. To ensure Gold Award holders are able to offer first class help and information to their fellow students, the school organizes a variety of training seminars and workshops.

Among these is a cookery workshop where girls hone their culinary skills so they can produce imaginative, nutritious and enjoyable food whilst camping out - often under arduous conditions.

As well as having to consider issues such as the quality, quantity and best way to cook the food, students also need to be mindful of how much their rations will cost, weigh and last throughout the duration of their trip.

Gold Award holders Victoria Lombardi and Laura Vanbeck recently demonstrated their outstanding ability to guide other students by cooking camembert, chicken stir-fry with couscous and chocolate fondue using only a trangia.

Having planned their own menus and bought their own ingredients, the students had carefully selected the produce to ensure it was quick to cook, light to carry and sufficiently calorific to sustain them on the most demanding of expeditions.

Students who do achieve Gold are presented with their awards at a prestigious ceremony at St James’ Palace. At this year’s ceremony on Wednesday 26th October, Lucy Scott received her award from the Earl of Wessex alongside former students Verity Barber and Ellie Ecart.

Lifeguard Training Goes Swimmingly

2011-11-11T00:00:00

In the second week of half term, five Year 12 students joined other young people from different schools and universities to complete a nationally recognised lifeguard training course.

The intensive six day course comprised two Units of materials including first aid knowledge, timed swims, different water rescue techniques and how to deal with different rescue scenarios.

Nikita Bascombe, Nicole Gwynne, Harriet Jones, Anna Martin and Nuala Maher successfully passed the course and achieved the NPLQ (National Pool Lifeguard Qualification) qualification. Everyone enjoyed the course and felt it was a great experience. The quality of instruction was outstanding and the group would highly recommend the course to anyone else.

Accredited to Nikita Bascombe (Year 12)

Building an Engineering Career

2011-11-11T00:00:00

Aspiring engineers in Years 9 to 12 are invited and encouraged to take part in a range of events and courses offered by ground breaking organisation The Smallpeice Trust.

Held at some of the UK’s leading universities and a number of specially equipped centres across the country, the courses offer young people the opportunity to connect with industry professionals and technical specialists as well as incorporating a wide variety of hands-on tasks.

Held throughout the Easter and Summer holidays, the Smallpeice Trust courses afford students a real flavour of the engineering industry and are as enjoyable as they are inspiring.

Research shows that there is a massive shortfall of engineering talent in the UK and that many businesses are recruiting overseas to fill the gap. Women are particularly under-represented and The Smallpeice Trust hopes to change this by encouraging students to see the many benefits and opportunities a career in the industry can offer.

In addition, the subsidised courses are proven to help build essential life skills such as problem solving, presentation skills, team-work as well as building confidence. They also enhance CVs and help UCAS applications really stand out.

To read about the experience of one of our students, Nikita Bascombe on her Smallpeice course click here.

For more information or to book a place on a course, please visit www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk or contact Dr. Penney, Head of Careers.

Cinderella and Rockerfella Year 3 Treat

2011-11-11T00:00:00

This Christmas, Year 3 are set to bring the house down with a fabulously fun production of Cinderella and Rockerfella.

A contemporary panto-style reworking of the classic tale, the story is set in a world of fame and celebrity.

Cinderella, Rockerfella (formerly known as Prince Charming), the Ugly Sisters, and the Fairy Godmother are joined by a host of additional characters, including music moguls and paparazzi, to take a fresh look at fame, fortune and how true love will win in the end.

With a wonderfully comical script, fabulous songs and plenty of opportunity for audience participation, the show promises to be an excellent talent showcase for the whole year group.

The performance will be held on Tuesday 13th December 2011 at 7.00pm in the Randle Hall.

As the cast is large, tickets have been limited to four per family, with priority given to parents of pupils in Year 3, and must be booked by 18th November.

Community Party Hits all the Right Notes

2011-11-11T00:00:00

On Saturday 5th November 2011, we were delighted to host a party for members of our local community who are visually impaired. There were over 80 attendees who came for an afternoon with friends and music.

For the occasion we had organised a band to play: 'Quintet of Six', part of the Woburn Sands Band, they played many well-known songs as well as teaching everyone a bit about the instruments they were using. As well as the excellent music from the band, Zeynep Smith played the piano whilst the guests arrived and chatted - and many people commented on her talent.

Sixth Formers from DAHS Year 13 and BGS Year 12 helped all day, organising cake, tea and sandwiches for the guests and providing presents for everyone as a memento of the day.

Talking to our guests made us appreciate how we take our eye sight for granted and how precious it really is. We had several guide dogs in attendance and it was impressive to see how well behaved they were throughout the afternoon and how intelligent and caring they were when assisting their owners.

Our guests were very complimentary about the party and we all found the experience enjoyable and very rewarding. We would encourage all next year’s Sixth Formers to be part of the experience.

Amanda Field and Caterina Di-Sapia 13NJH

Doctor and The Medics Bring You Medicine and More

2011-11-11T00:00:00

Jade Wright and Sarah Jung, members of the Sixth Form Medical Society, have launched a brand-new monthly magazine aimed at students interested in studying medicine or related subjects such as Dentistry or Neuroscience.

Designed to keep apace of the latest research, innovations and opinions in the field, the first edition of Medicine and More includes reviews of topical books and films, a look at Louis Pasteur’s lasting medical legacy and an in-depth profile of the professional life of Anaesthetists.

Alongside a collection of some of the best contemporary research articles on a diverse range of topics, the magazine also features a look at the integral function of precious metals throughout the history of medicine as well as a quiz and a round-up of relevant volunteering opportunities.

Established by Head of Chemistry, Dr. Holmes, the Medical Society provides members with an opportunity to examine, evaluate and debate all matters pertinent to the study of medicine. It also offers weekly activities organised by an annually appointed Chair.

Last half term the group enjoyed presentations on the structure of the NHS, the implications of admissions tests such as BMAT and UKCAT, discussions on mental health, including interactive role playing sessions, and debates about ethical issues such as organ donation and transplants.

Speaking about Medicine and More, Society Chair Jade Wright said: “The magazine was set up to give students the opportunity to research and present aspects of medicine that have caught their interest.

By having a diverse variety of students writing for the magazine the articles look at issues from many perspectives; historical, scientific and sociological, meaning students can gain a view of medicine's integral role in society.

The informative yet informal layout of the magazine, means that everyone can benefit from being involved, by both writing for and reading the magazine.”

Already well attended by Year 12 and 13 students, The Medical Society welcomes new members to join its Friday lunchtime meetings in S001. Anyone interested in joining or receiving a copy of Medicine and More is invited to attend the next meeting or to contact Dr. Holmes in the interim.

Children in Need

2011-11-11T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School will be bursting with fund raising activities for Children in Need next Friday 18th November.

The Junior School will be having a non-uniform day with a £1 donation to wear something spotty; a cake sale – please do bring both cakes and money to buy more; and a ‘Guess what cake Pudsey has made?’ competition!

In the Senior School and Sixth Form Pudsey will be coming to Form Rooms for £1 donations; the tuck shop will be selling Pudsey cup-cakes and biscuits; there will be a raffle to win a large Pudsey cake to take home or share with friends; a Name the Pudsey coin bank' and a Pudsey colouring competition!

It promises to be an enjoyable day across the School. Please remember to bring plenty of pound coins as we have lots of ways to help you donate them and make it a record-breaking fundraising day for Children in Need!

Jane Austen's Bath in Regency Style

2011-11-10T00:00:00

When 'Pride and Prejudice’s' Caroline Bingley opines: “I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” it’s likely her creator Jane Austen was thinking of the beautiful Regency library at Chawton House where her brother lived at the time of writing.

Now housing a specialist collection of early women’s literature, the library was one of several evocative and significant landmarks visited by Sixth Form students on a Jane Austen inspired trip over half term.

Beginning with a visit to The Jane Austen Centre in Bath, the students took part in a variety of workshops, interactive activities and excursions specifically tailored to enrich and inform their A2 English studies.

At the Centre, the girls attended a programme of presentations and seminars about the cultural, social and historical significance of Austen’s work and learnt about her life, family and her residency in Bath between 1801 and 1866.

They also attended a workshop on the language of fans where they learnt to communicate silently phrases such as “I want to speak with you”, “We are being watched”, and “My heart aches for you” in true Austen style.

Later, during the three-day trip, the students went on a guided walking tour of the spa city before heading off to Chawton Village where they enjoyed a Regency dance workshop in the manor house library and toured Chawton Cottage where Austen lived out her days and wrote her best known and mature novels.

On the way home, the students visited Jane Austen’s grave in Winchester Cathedral which proved a poignant end to a memorable and insightful foray into the author’s intimate life and world.

Year 13 Take Fresh Approach to Interviews

2011-11-10T00:00:00

Preparation, persuasion and a confident appearance are key components to a successful interview, a recruitment expert told Year 13 this week.

Jo Thurman, Head of Select for FreshMinds Group, visited Bedford Girls’ School on Monday 7th November and gave advice and practical support to help students stay ahead of the game when applying for employment and university places.

Founded in 2000 by new graduates Caroline Plumb and Charlie Osmond, FreshMinds has developed into one of the most respected and awarded research and recruitment consultancies in Europe. Working with only the top 5% of UK graduates, the company is adept at spotting interview candidates with star quality and coaching them to hone their skills and abilities.

In addition to talking to the students about the importance of a good interview, Jo Thurman led several interactive workshops and role play scenarios. She also demonstrated a number of practical techniques, including how to appear confident when nervous and how to mentally ‘step outside’ an interview situation and objectively observe, analyse and evaluate the process.

Jo Thurman said: “With competition for University places so fierce the interview is your chance to shine and differentiate yourself. Preparation is everything. Read widely, network heavily with anyone who may have some relevant insight or experience, review everything you wrote on your personal statement to ensure its absolutely fresh in your mind and then practise and practice again. Practice with family, friends, and through the excellent mock interview sessions the school provides.

“It was a real pleasure working with the girls to develop techniques to enable them to fully convey their talents in interviews.”

Pair Row Ahead to Club’s First Victory

2011-11-03T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School Rowing Club has achieved its first ever victory in the Women’s Junior 16 Double Sculls race at the prestigious Pairs Head of the River regatta in London.

On Saturday 8th October Robyn Armstrong and Lottie Bruce completed the 4000m Mortlake to Hammersmith course in just 13 minutes 24 seconds beating arch rivals Nottingham into second place. Competing against the country’s strongest Junior 16 crews, the girls steered a perfect racing line, executed consistent rhythm and demonstrated tremendous strength and determination in the final third of the race.

Also enjoying success among the 425 crews at the National event were Tori Swann and Jade Wright who secured a fantastic 6th place in the Women’s Junior 18 Double Sculls and Jordan Bruce and Shevaun Davies who finished a respectable 13th in the same race despite only having trained together three times.

Despite a long and gruelling day in the competition, all six students were back on the water the very next day representing the club at Bedford Small Boats Head. Ably supported by the Friends of Bedford Girls’ School, students crewed 19 boats in the club’s first local regatta and achieved some fantastic results including another victory for Robyn Armstrong and Lottie Bruce who finished a clear 47 seconds ahead of their closest competitors.

On Sunday 23rd October, the Pairs Head of the River winners were awarded their trophies by double Olympic silver medallist, and three times women’s Quadruple Sculls World Champion, Debbie Flood.

Speaking after the prize-giving ceremony at Chiswick’s Civil Service Boathouse, Jacqui Round, Head of Rowing at Bedford Girls’ School, said: “As well as showing they can compete against the country’s very best on a lengthy and tricky course, the girls will go down in the history books as the club’s first ever winners.”

Asking for the Moon

2011-11-03T00:00:00

As part of its commitment to forging international charity links, Bedford Girls’ School will be hosting an array of fundraising events in aid of Mexican charity Children of the Moon.

Based in a socially deprived and impoverished area of Southern Mexico, Children of the Moon provides a variety of care and services to local children in need.

Poverty, domestic violence and other social concerns mean that many children are raised in single-parent households where making ends meet is extremely hard. The charity works with such families to ensure that children can develop in a secure and loving environment.

In addition to providing services such as a basic education, clothes and toys and drop-in facilities, Children of the Moon also offer psychological, medical and dental care.

Recently, some of the children the organisation helps have been learning to sew. This is an extremely important skill enabling the children to make clothes for themselves and to, possibly, help them find future employment.

In addition to holding fundraising events, Bedford Girls’ School Charity Committee is also making an appeal for donations of Singer sewing machines so Children of the Moon can offer this valuable skill to more children.

Anyone who has a machine to donate is urged to email: caterina.disapia@dahs.co.uk

Make a Splash for Charity

2011-11-03T00:00:00

Teams of up to six swimmers are invited to join in the fun of the Rotary Swimathon 2011 while raising money for their House’s nominated charity.

To be held at Bedford School pool on Saturday 19th November, the Swimathon is all about taking part and making a splash for a good cause. Teams can be of mixed ability and just need to spend 50 minutes in the water swimming in relay.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Bedford, the event will see all monies raised split 50/50 between a team’s chosen charity and the Gamma Plus Appeal, which aims to raise £600,000 towards the cost of a new Gamma Camera for Bedford Hospital.

Used in conjunction with a CT scanner, Gamma Cameras produce remarkably clear images of the body to dramatically improve disease detection and diagnostics. More than 80% of people who receive a Gamma Scan are cancer patients and the cutting-edge technology can dramatically improve their prognosis.

All competitors receive a commemorative medal and a prize will be awarded to the most successful school team fundraisers.

Any students wishing to combine a fun-filled day with helping a good cause should notify their Head of House and pass their details to Mrs Fudger Gálvez before Monday 7th November. Up to six girls can form a House team and Houses can enter more than one team. Volunteers are also needed to help out on the day and should ask Mrs Fudger Gálvez for details.

Don’t Forget to Give to Mark 90 Years Remembrance

2011-11-03T00:00:00

To show their support for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal 2011, Year 10 girls will be fundraising throughout the School from Monday 31st October until Friday 19th November.

The students will be selling poppies, commemorative crosses and wristbands as well as collecting donations during breaks and lunchtimes. This year is the 90th anniversary of the Poppy Appeal and there will be special items available marking this poignant occasion.

On Wednesday 12th October, Joanne Cockcroft from the Royal British Legion visited the school and gave a special Year 10 assembly about the charity’s aims, history and on-going work.

The girls learnt about the broad scope of the organisation’s services and were struck by the vital role the Royal British Legion plays in enabling former servicemen and women to recover from trauma and rebuild full and active lives after serving their country.

Adjudged the most effective campaigning charity in the UK by an independent survey of MPs, The Royal British Legion hopes to make this year’s appeal its most successful ever and Year 10 students are confident everyone will give generously both to help the charity’s current work and to remember the men, women and children it has assisted since 1921.

Harpur Science Forum is Out of This World

2011-11-03T00:00:00

On Thursday 1st November, Mr Mark Hempsell of Reaction Engines Limited spoke to the Harpur Science Forum about one of its current projects: The Skylon Spaceplane.

During an address at Bedford School, he explained that Skylon is a reusable spacecraft with the capacity to do 200 flights both for commercial and scientific purposes. The lecture was fascinating as Mr Hempsell went into great detail about the Skylon’s design and future aspirations. For example, the Skylon has been designed with the capability to travel to Mars which is a mind-blowing thought!

Overall, the lecture was captivating, detailed and incredibly interesting and I look forward to hearing more about Skylon in the future.

Accredited to Caroline Ball, Sixth Form student, Bedford Girls’ School.

Students Unite to Debate Global Concerns

2011-11-03T00:00:00

Crisis management, negotiation and debate were among an array of skills displayed by students when Bedford Girls’ School hosted its very own UN Summit on Saturday 15th October.

Organised by Sixth Form students Caroline Ball, Amanda Field, Cat Di-Sapia and Helen Morse, the Model United Nations event saw more than 40 student delegates recreating and experiencing the global concerns and issues faced by the organisation’s member states.

In addition to putting forward its own delegates, Bedford Girls’ School welcomed students from schools in Hertfordshire and Essex, as well as Bedford Modern, to join in with problem solving, public speaking and lobbying on the day.

Each delegate was assigned to one of 12 selected UN member states and was required to research that country’s views and opinions on a wealth of political and social concerns. They then had to prepare a detailed resolution to be debated during the summit.

Topics up for discussion included trade in developing countries, nuclear power and piracy. All delegates had thoroughly researched and considered their positions and participated confidently throughout the day.

In the afternoon, the students were presented with a surprise Emergency Crisis Resolution that challenged them to think on their feet. Presented with the scenario of a terrorist strike against a large and vital oil rig, delegates needed to use all their international negotiation and disaster management skills both to seek an immediate resolution to the crisis and to avert the possibility of further attacks.

Sixth Form student and Co-organiser, Caroline ball, said: “A Model United Nations event is a great experience for anyone interested in politics and international relations and provides a perfect forum for well-researched and serious debate.

“Organising and planning the event was time-consuming and took several months. However, this proved great preparation for the event and enabled us and our guests to experience first-hand the severity and scale of issues the real United Nations has to deal with.”

Working Holiday Boosts French Language Skills

2011-11-03T00:00:00

Variety was certainly the spice of life when two Year 13 students made a work experience trip to France over the half-term holiday.

Sara Pearson and Melanie Carlisle-Moore spent a busy week living with a French family in Descartes in the Loire Valley region where they had the opportunity to improve their French while working in a number of varied local businesses.

They were also invited to spend a day at a school in Descartes where they enjoyed meeting the staff and pupils and were able to take part in lessons.

In addition, the students enjoyed numerous excursions and visits during their time in France and were made extremely welcome by their host family.

Both girls thoroughly enjoyed their trip and would recommend it to anyone interested in improving their French and gaining a deeper insight into French life.

Christmas Concert

2011-11-03T00:00:00

Parents and friends are warmly invited to this year’s Christmas Concert, to be held at Bedford Corn Exchange, on Tuesday 6th December, at 7.00pm.

Orchestras and choirs from both the Junior and Senior Schools will be performing a wide-variety of musical styles and the ever-popular event is set to start the festive season in style.

Tickets for the event will be priced at £5.00 and parents will receive information on how to purchase them soon.

Do the Write Thing for World Book Day 2012

2011-11-03T00:00:00

Budding writers, aspiring storytellers and girls with a love of language could win a brace of literary goodies in The Learning Resources Centre’s World Book Day Short Story Competition.

Entries, of 1,000 words or less, can be about any subject and written in any style. However, whether funny, fantastical, heartwarming or heartbreaking, they must begin with one of the great story starters listed below.

The competition is open to the whole school and the winner of each of the five age group categories will receive a fiction book of their choice plus a novel written and signed by children’s author Jack Trelawny.

Completed stories, clearly marked with the entrant’s name and form, must be handed into the Learning Resources Centre by Friday 13th January 2012 and winners will be announced during Bedford Girls’ School’s World Book Day Event in April.

Here is your choice of Story Starters:

1. I heard an unearthly roaring sound coming from outside the house.........

2. I began to panic, running this way and that, losing my bearings until I tripped on a root and fell with a thud to the moist forest floor.............

3. Out of the blue, at breakfast one morning, my father announced, “ We’re going to buy you a pony,”...............

4. The attic was dusty and dark and filled with spiders’ webs, so it was a while before my eyes adjusted and saw the old trunk...............

5. A poor lot we looked, as we crammed ourselves aboard the tiny vessel, which was to carry us on the long and dangerous voyage.................

In case you are wondering about the answer to the first question, the answer is Hawaii.

Year 7 and 8 Pupils Pit their Wits Against the Boys

2011-11-03T00:00:00

Despite a healthy degree of competition, a recent general knowledge quiz between Bedford Girls' School and Bedford Prep School was extremely good humoured and well-mannered throughout.

The event, held at Bedford Prep School on Tuesday 2nd November 2012, saw pupils from Years 7 and 8 representing each school in two teams of four.

Held after school and open to parents, the quiz was divided into a number of different rounds including Literature, Science and Geography. The event also included a series of questions about multi-media clips shown via the interactive whiteboard.

After an extremely close-fought and enjoyable contest the boys scored 63, beating the girls into second place with a very respectable 52 but the girls thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would welcome a rematch soon.

Anne Atkins delights at Shakespeare Workshop

2011-10-13T00:00:00

On Wednesday 5th October Anne Atkins, Radio 4 broadcaster, journalist, novelist - and Shakespeare expert-held a workshop on the great writer at Bedford High School for Girls, for all students in Year 10 and above across the Harpur Trust Schools.

This was an exciting opportunity, not to be missed by any English Literature or Language student, or anyone simply interested in Shakespeare. It proved a successful day and was very well attended.

Anne told us not to study Shakespeare, by which she meant, we should look at why Shakespeare was writing, (largely financial reasons), and at how the plays were performed.

These two factors tell us a lot about how we should approach his plays. If the acting companies only had a day to prepare a new play, almost all of that day would have been spent by the often newly-literate actors learning their lines - and the actors had only a three-line cue, plus their own lines. Shakespeare gives very few specific stage directions (so the actors didn't have to learn those, too), but expects the actors to listen - and improvise.

So, in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo comments on the apothecary's appearance - for the actor to listen to, and enact. "Famine" is in the apothecary's cheeks; "contempt and beggary" hang upon his back - all cues for the apothecary to play. Similarly, the apothecary's speech makes heavy use of the vowel sound 'i': he tells Romeo, "Put this in any liquid thing you will, / And drink.... It would dispatch you straight"; the actor would need to contort his face to make these sounds: the 'stage directions' are in the language. Even Old (Grandfather) Capulet's language is written precisely. When he estimates the last time he was at a masked ball, his words are written thus: "By'r lady, thirty years". The language is the clue: with its repeated 'r' sounds, the language Shakespeare has used indicates that Old Capulet has a strong rural accent; perhaps the reason that Lord Capulet is so keen to marry Juliet off to the eligible County Paris is that Capulet himself is a nouveau-riche.

Of course, Shakespeare couldn't spell - or could he? Often, he will elongate sounds as cues for the actor: the longer the spelling of the word ('mee' instead of 'me', for example), the greater the emphasis the actor should place upon it. Similarly, Shakespeare may place a long word, mid-phrase, for emphasis. When Portia, in The Merchant of Venice, asks Balthasar to take an urgent letter, asking him to go in "speed", and not to "Waste...time in words" Balthasar replies, "Madam, I go with all convenient speed". The long word is the one to emphasise - it reveals Balthasar's character, as a lazy individual, or at least someone who comments ironically on Portia's sense of haste.

We can learn a lot from approaching Shakespeare from the perspective of a contemporary actor. Where possible, we should be familiar with the earlier editions of his plays - not the ones in which the spelling has been 'corrected', but the ones where Shakespeare's own use of language exists, so that we can really see how he directed his actors.

Credited to Clare Everitt, English Teacher

Stop and think - words can hurt

2011-10-13T00:00:00

Anti-bullying Weeks 14th - 25th November 2011

With the slogan ‘Stop and think – words can hurt’ this year’s Anti-Bullying Campaign is focussed on tackling verbal bullying. We know that derogatory language- words and expressions that seek to demean particular groups and individuals - is unacceptable.

Through this year’s theme we aim to:

challenge the casual use of derogatory language in our school
raise awareness of the consequences of using demeaning and harassing language through technology
give children and young people the tools to challenge others when they use derogatory language, to find new ways of expressing how they feel if they are angry or upset, and to make a conscious effort to speak positively and to compliment others.

We will be working through School Council to involve our pupils in the campaign. We would also like to ask parents to help us in the formation of our Anti-Bullying policy. Please do look out for Miss MacKenzie’s newsletter for more details about this venture.

Sue Willis, Assistant Head, responsible for Pastoral Care

Austen House Treasure Hunt Result

2011-10-13T00:00:00

On 4th October, Head of Austen House, Mrs Wathen organised a lunchtime treasure hunt. Girls had to answer a series of questions, answers to which were placed around the school for them to find.

The hunt proved popular and pupils from other Houses were allowed to take part. Congratulations to all those who took part in this enjoyable activity. The final result was:

Franklin, 1st place with 5 points
Parks, 2nd place with 4 points
Austen and Nightingale, joint 3rd place with 3 points each.

Travel Feedback Request

2011-10-13T00:00:00

We recently emailed parents a link to a travel survey Bedford Girls’ School is currently conducting; it can be found here.

Packed House at IB Evening

2011-10-07T00:00:00

The International Baccalaureate evening was very well attended. We were delighted to welcome parents and girls from both the Junior and Senior School to hear more about the philosophy behind the International Baccalaureate. The evening covered the IB Learner Profile, the significance of CAS and ultimately how the IB is centred on the development of the whole student – physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically. It was suprising to many to see the statistics comparing the success of IB and A level students in the race for university places and work beyond; with the IB clearly out performing the traditional A level route.

If anyone would like more information about the IB, or would like to discuss it in more detail than the evening allowed, please do get in touch with our Director of IB and Thinking Skills, Mr Cliff Canning at Cliff.Canning@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

House Challenges

2011-10-06T00:00:00

At the beginning of term, Bedford Girls’ School held a House Activity morning to help the girls and staff get to know each other and quickly get the House competitive spirit under way! The outcome of two of the challenges has been finalised and we are keen to share the girls’ work with you.

Photographic Challenge

2011-10-06T00:00:00

On 30th September the Junior School had a dahlicious time, raising money for Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity which helps seriously ill children.

The choice of costume was highly imaginative for both the girls and teachers, representing many of the characters from across the series of stories.

Thank you all for taking part in such an enjoyable and colourful way!

Dahlicious Time at Bedford Girls' School

2011-10-06T00:00:00

On 13th September, Bedford Girls’ Junior School celebrated Roald Dahl Day, the day that the great storyteller was born. To bring a bit of spice to the day, the Junior School Library held not one, but two competitions in recognition of the brilliant author. This Monday the winners were announced and Susanna Wray, Head of Learning Resources, was is delighted in congratulations.

Revolting Recipes Winners:

Giorgiana Roberts 4W, click here for recipe

Holly Smith 4W, click here for recipe

Cordelia Lightfoot-Jennings 4S click here for recipe and

Emily Edwards 4W click here for recipe

Roald Dahl Quiz: Rebecca Nisbet 6M

They will all receive a Roald Dahl book of their choice and a certificate.

Forging of friendships

2011-10-06T00:00:00

On a glorious sunny evening last Friday over seventy of our Year 8 girls joined the Year 8 boys from Bedford School for a film and pizza night. After socialising on the Astro everyone took their seats to watch the surprise movie Zoolander on the 'Big Screen'. The 2001 film, directed by and starring Ben Stiller, had great sing-along music and kept everyone highly amused! It was a great opportunity to mingle and get to know everyone better; especially at the interval over huge slices of pizza and a drink. We will be hosting a return visit in February and look forward to welcoming the Bedford School boys and choosing the surprise movie!

Harvest Festival Charity Appeal

2011-10-06T00:00:00

The School will be celebrating Harvest Festival on Friday 14th October. This year we have chosen to collect items for the King's Arms Project in Bedford.

The Project is a Christian registered charity working with a wide range of homeless and disadvantaged people in Bedford. In addition to the Harvest Festival gifts of food, the King's Arms Project has an urgent need for blankets and sleeping bags; mugs or plastic beakers; and woolly hats, gloves and socks. These can be brought into school from the week beginning 10th October.

The King's Arms Project provides a range of support services:

A Friday Night Meeting: a weekly outreach meal for up to 40 to 50 rough sleepers and homeless clients per session.

Night shelter: 18 bed direct-access overnight accommodation to which individual rough sleepers can self-refer. There is visiting specialist support-worker provision and weekly medical advice.

Barton House: a 14 bed hostel providing supported accommodation for between 30 to 40 residents per year. Key-workers provide basic life-skills training and support, helping residents work through issues which have led to homelessness.

Rough Sleepers Outreach Service: involving support workers engaging informally with a wide range of the ‘hardest-to-reach’ street homeless, helping them to access services and support.

We hope parents and girls will be keen to show their support for this charity. Further information about the King's Arms Project can be found here.

Year 8 Tennis Success

2011-10-06T00:00:00

Congratulations to our Year 8 tennis team of Kate Axford, Emma Brown, Octavia Cavill and Emily Hibbert; who are now among the top 16 schools' teams in the country.

The girls have now qualified to go through to the regional finals at Nottingham Tennis Centre on Thursday 17th November where they hope to secure a higher ranking. We wish them every success!

U16 Hockey County Champions

2011-10-06T00:00:00

This week the U16 Hockey squad arrived at Bedford Hockey Centre on Tuesday 4th October to play in the County Cup to emulate what the U18 squad had done a few days before. The girls had four games to play in this tournament and were finally crowned County Champions and will now go on to represent Bedfordshire at the East regional finals.

The first game saw Bedford Girls’ School face Cedars school. The game was dominated by BGS and the girls found themselves scoring five goals in the twenty minute game. Cedars tried to find the gaps through the defence and midfield but BGS were just too solid. The first goal came from Louisa Cocksedge closely followed by Sophie Mayes with two goals within minutes of each other. The defensive line of Charlotte Stevens, Larissa Keyte, Rebecca Atkinson and Frankie Kendall began to push up the pitch putting numbers behind the ball and stopping Cedars coming into the BGS half of the pitch. Goal keeper Harriet Clough had no work to do but kept encouraging the team from the back. Alice Daveney, playing centre midfield, dribbled through the Cedar defence to hit the ball hard into the back of the goal. The final goal came from some great passing down the right hand side of the pitch finding Hana Staddon free to slot it home. The final score was 5-0 to Bedford Girls’ School.

Game two was against Sharnbrook who would put more pressure on the Bedford defence. Bedford Girls’School stepped up their game and some brilliant defence work from Gabby Samuels, who was finding her feet in the new formation, and the defence/midfield linking well together found Alice Devaney free to shoot and score the first goal. Soon some silky skills from Ella Stanley gave her the space to score. The inside forwards Hana Staddon, Bea Caldwell and Georgie Hind linked well on the forward line but were also quick to react and to defend. Harry Elston got herself on the score sheet and Sophie Mayes scored her third goal of the tournament. With only minutes remaining, Ella Stanley once again confused the Sharnbrook defence with her quick stick skills and scored goal her second of the game.

Final score 5-0 to Bedford Girls’ School.

The squad went straight on to play the next game against Icknield, so were thoroughly warmed up! This gave our coach, Miss Kinnear a chance to try players in different positions. Larissa Keyte joined Charlotte Stevens in the centre defence with Rebecca Atkinson being put out onto the left half position enabling her to use her powerful hit to have chances in the ‘D’. There were goals aplenty in this game but Icknield continued to try to break through. A hat trick for Harry Elston, two for Ella Stanley and one a-piece for Alice Devaney, Louisa Cocksedge and Hana Staddon saw the final result at 8-0 to Bedford Girls’ School.

The final game was against local rivals Bedford Modern School. They were to be the hardest opponents Bedford Girls’ School were to face in the tournament. Bedford Girls’ School had the psychological advantage of knowing they had won games by huge margins during the afternoon, whilst Bedford Modern had not, so it was all to play for. Bedford Girls’ School put pressure on early, but did get caught once or twice too high up the pitch enabling Bedford Modern to break early through a very quick forward. However, Charlotte Stevens and Larissa Keyte were on hand to ensure no shots were taken in the ‘D’ and gave Zayneb Farhoud nothing to worry about in goal. The first Bedford Girls’ School goal came after a few minutes through Ella Stanley which settled the girls down to play some lovely hockey. Bedford Modern continued to try and break through but Bedford Girls’ were just too strong. In the closing minutes of the game Alice Devaney scored the second and final goal of the tournament from a well worked short corner routine.

The girls were crowned County Champions with not a single goal scored against them and will go on to represent Bedfordshire in the regional finals at Bedford Hockey centre on November 22nd. We wish them every success.

Squad: Zayneb Farhoud, Harriet Clough, Charlotte Stevens, Rebecca Atkinson, Ella Stanley, Hana Staddon, Alice Devaney, Larissa Keyte, Bea Caldwell, Sophie Mayes, Georgie Hind, Frankie Kendall, Gabbie Samuels, Harriet Elston.

U18 Hockey County Cup Triumph

2011-10-06T00:00:00

Last week the U18 Hockey team were triumphant in the annual County Cup competition at Bedford Hockey Centre. It was an extremely hot day and the squad knew that two tough matches in the heat of the afternoon sun was going to be hard work.

The first game was against local rivals Bedford Modern School. The girls knew this game would be hard fought. This, however, did not deter the girls from their goal of becoming County Champions under their new Bedford Girls’ School name. We started strongly and soon found ourselves in the BMS ‘D’ pressurising the defence. Within minutes, Olivia Curle had deflected the ball into the goal to score the first of five goals. Two more goals followed in the first half from Ellie Gill and Olivia Curle getting her second. BMS found gaps in the midfield on a couple of occasions, but they were dealt with swiftly by defenders Jess Haines and Becky Burgoine. The second half was similar to the first with Bedford Girls’ School dominating play and pushing forward in numbers', putting huge amounts of pressure on the BMS defence and goal keeper. A superb strike from Frankie Scott put us into a comfortable 4-0 lead. Ellie Gill scored the final goal to secure a great result and start to the competition.

Final score 5-0 to Bedford Girls’ School.

The second and final game of the tournament for Bedford Girls’ School was against another local school Sharnbrook. This was to prove to be another fine performance by everyone in the team and saw Megan Craddock score a hat trick. The goals were then shared out between three other players: Becky Wright, Claudia Barker and Frankie Scott. With the score line at 6-0 to Bedford Girls’ School at half time, Sharnbrook worked hard and continued to try their hardest to break the BGS defensive line. Goal keepers Anna Martin and Anna Monk saw little action throughout the tournament but were vocal from the back. The final score was 8-0 to Bedford Girls’ School.

The squad now go onto represent Bedfordshire in the East Regional round on November 10th at Bedford Hockey Centre. We wish them every success.

Squad: Anna Martin, Anna Monk, Olivia Curle, Mel Manning, Izzy Pugh, Rosie Leech, Becky Wright, Claudia Barker, Ellie Gill, Frankie Scott, Megan Craddock, Becky Burgoine, Flo Armitage, Jess Haines.

CCF cadets put through their paces

2011-09-30T00:00:00

Last weekend saw a packed and challenging schedule for our CCF cadets from our new recruits to more experienced NCOs.

The Royal Navy cadets undertook a canoeing expedition on the river Ouse from a camp site in Bromham to Great Barford; and then on Sunday sailed on Priory Lake. It was a very enjoyable two days full of new challenges that saw the girls preparing fresh food over open wood fires in a superb forest campsite to eating ration packs on the move.

The Royal Airforce section had a day’s training at RAF station Wittering, using the indoor computer controlled shooting range before moving on the Saturday evening to join the main body of cadets on the training area at RAF Barnham, located near Thetford.

The Army section with the main body of 96 cadets travelled on the Friday evening to Barnham training area for field exercises. Barnham is part of the huge STANTA military exercise covering 30,000 acres of Breckland and is ideal for holding this training. Jo Mackenzie, keen to experience a CCF activity, joined the camp on Friday night and saw first-hand how the girls work in the CCF environment.

The recruits under the watchful eye of experienced junior and senior cadet NCOs and officers learnt basic skills of living in the field such as patrolling, duties of a sentry camouflage and concealment. The senior cadet exercise involved, patrolling, harbour setup, ambushes, section attacks and the use and care of the infantry rifle.

With its lovely sunny warm weather the weekend was an outstanding success and involved not only a substantial number of BGS cadets but also for the first time we recruited cadets from the Bedford Academy. The cadet NCOs performed very well running the sections and activities in what is a very demanding environment.

We are looking forward to developing and enhancing our skills at the next field weekend at Swynnerton in Staffordshire on the 9th to 11th March 2012.

Credited to David Jackson RNR, Contingent Commander

Poetry Slam

2011-09-30T00:00:00

Bedford Girls' School cordially invite girls from Years 7-13

To a Poetry Slam
At Bedford Girls’ School, Junior Library with Mrs Wray,
Learning Resources Centre Manager, and invited staff.

On Thursday 6th October 4-5.30 pm in Room M111

Drink and cake provided - you only have to bring yourself and your favourite poem!

Places are restricted to the first 20 replies.
To book your place, please complete the attached reply slip and return this to
Mrs Wray in the LRC by Tuesday 4th October 2011.

Bedford Girls' School Dressing Up for Charity

2011-09-29T00:00:00

On Friday, 23rd September Bedford Girls’ School held its first major charity event, supporting the Gamma Plus Appeal run by Bedford Hospital Charity.

Amanda Brookes, a representative for the appeal, visited the School to raise awareness of the appeal and the work of the Bedford Hospital. The appeal aims to raise £600,000 for a new Gamma Camera for Bedford Hospital to greatly enhance the early diagnosis and prevention of serious disease.

To raise money the School organised a non-uniform day with a theme of ‘Doctors, Nurses and their Patients’. The girls entered into the spirit of the day wearing a variety of highly imaginative costumes. There was a great atmosphere amongst the students, and many took part in the house competition at lunchtime, where the best costumes won points for their House. Headmistress, Miss Jo Mackenzie said “We want our pupils to be outward looking - to recognise that it is important to give back to our local community and help make a difference to people’s lives. By supporting local charities it helps them become connected to the community, enabling them to develop a sense of belonging and responsibility. We were delighted to help Bedford Hospital and very pleased that we have raised over £700 towards their appeal.”

For further information about the Gamma Plus Appeal, run by Bedford Hospital Charity, please visit: http://www.bedhospcharity.org.uk

Rotary Swimathon 2011

2011-09-29T00:00:00

On Saturday 19th November Bedford Girls’ School will be taking part in the Rotary Swimathon 2011. It is an annual charity fundraising event that is not only for a good cause but is a really enjoyable day.

This year the Swimathon is in aid of Bedford Hospital’s Gamma Plus Appeal, raising £600,000 for technology that will improve accurate diagnosis of patients, 80% of which are cancer patients. The event will be held at Bedford School’s pool. Teams of six will swim in relay for 50 minutes gaining sponsorship either for each length they swim or for the total time.

We are hoping to enter a number of House teams to help support the Gamma Plus Appeal and the chosen House charities. 50% of the money raised will go to the Gamma Plus Appeal, and the other 50% can be donated to a team’s chosen House charity.

Any girls wishing to take part in this event should notify their Heads of House and give their names and Houses to Mrs Fudger Gálvez no later than 5th November. Up to six girls can form a House team and we hope the Houses will enter more than one team.

More information about the Swimathon can be found online at: www.rotaryswimathon.org.ukMore information about the Gamma Plus Appeal can be found at: http://www.bedhospcharity.org.uk/

Go for Gold Conference

2011-09-29T00:00:00

On Wednesday 21st of September 15 sportswomen from Bedford Girls’ School, Dame Alice Harpur School and Bedford High travelled to Edgbaston High School to attend the Girls’ Schools Association ‘Girls Go Gold’ conference. The conference is aimed at elite sportswomen at girls’ schools, who represent county and country in their chosen sport.

The day consisted of a variety of talks and presentations from Birmingham University on topics such as sports psychology, sports physiology and sports nutrition. Throughout the day we gained useful tips from experts which we will be able to use to help us improve our future performance in sport. There was an inspiring talk on ‘The day of an elite performer’ by Hannah England, who won a silver medal in the 1,500 metres at the World Athletic Championships in Daegu. But the highlight of the day for all of us was meeting Dame Kelly Holmes and listening to her empowering and motivating speech on winning medals at the Olympics. We came home armed with Kelly Holmes’ autograph, free nutritional cereal bars and smiles on our faces due to a great day!

Jo MacKenzie, Head at Bedford Girls’ School, said “What a fantastic opportunity for our talented young sportswomen to hear from such esteemed speakers about how to achieve, not only in their sports, but also life in general. The delegates took away so much valuable information and advice from the event, including the importance of good planning, determination, ‘following your dream’ and most importantly remembering to have fun and enjoy your sport.”

Credited to Shevaun Davis

Harpur Science Forum - 'Pain in the Brain'

2011-09-29T00:00:00

Pain in the Brain Lecture

On Tuesday, 20th September, Professor Nick Rawlins, a physiological psychologist from Oxford University, gave an excellent talk on the effects of pain on the brain. He included some history of brain research, which had used people with brain injuries to tell which areas of the brain controlled which behaviour. Professor Rawlins mentioned Pavlov’s dogs and his own research, which showed that the anticipation of an event often caused more brain activity than the event itself. Following the lecture, three girls were privileged enough to attend a dinner with the speaker, where many of the topics from the lecture were discussed in greater detail.

Credited to Sarah Jung

Dancing Feet

2011-09-29T00:00:00

The Junior School is moving with rhythm and style as a record number of girls have started dance classes in Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz. The girls are arriving at class with energy and enthusiasm and we look forward to seeing them thrive as they take on the new challenges ahead.

There will be opportunities for parents to watch classes during the year and we will be staging a performance in the Spring Term demonstrating some of the exciting classwork.

All the girls should now be clear about times and venues for their lessons. If anyone is still unclear or has any Dance queries please contact Mrs Winter at Suzanne.Winter@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

For a taste of what is to come see this clip of Year 5 Dance and Drama from last year:

Year 5 National Space Centre Trip

2011-09-29T00:00:00

10…9…8…Prepare your space suits for the Year 5 trip to the National Space Centre in Leicester next Tuesday 4th October. The trip will form part of our Science curriculum focussing on the Earth, Sun and Moon.

We shall be taking a trip into space (so remember your £1 for the simulator ride) and finding out what it takes to be an astronaut. In the planetarium, we will be taken to each of the planets in our solar system, where we will be asked to compete in an interactive quiz. Luckily, we also hope to make the most of time travel to find enough minutes in the day to visit all of the galleries and the shop too! Blast off!

Seniors enjoy 100% pass rate with LAMDA Results

2011-09-29T00:00:00

Once again we have enjoyed a 100% pass rate in the Summer term LAMDA examinations. It was particularly pleasing to note that several girls achieved their Gold Medals, a fitting end to their Speech and Drama studies! Special congratulations must go to Emma Hooker in Year 11 who achieved a staggering 100 marks, the first senior girl ever to achieve full marks in these examinations. Well done to all girls who worked so hard to achieve their best.

To view the Senior school results click here

Back to nature at Cranedale

2011-09-29T00:00:00

On Friday, 23rd September, 12 AS and IB Geography students and staff, left at an early hour for the Moors and Wolds of Yorkshire. We arrived before noon and after a substantial lunch, such is the Cranedale Centre Way, we left to look at how villages in the area have changed and adapted. This was focused on the beautiful village of Kilham which has all the features of a village that has evolved over time. Plenty of data was gathered and the analysis completed in the evening provided a thorough case study to be used for exam purposes.

Saturday was a gorgeous day with lots of sunshine and warmth; just as well as this was the river study day and three sites were to be examined. After mastering the techniques and equipment the students were able to work as an effective team and there was a lot of laughter as they worked. By the time site 3 had been completed they were very efficient. Meanders and flood plains were also observed and the resulting data set will ably support the IB students when they come to write their coursework as well as provide a case study for the AS students. Our final task on the Sunday was to complete an urban transect through the small town of Malton. We took a look at the way the River Derwent has been managed and controlled with the consequences of flooding being greatly diminished.

The girls were good humoured throughout the trip and their timekeeping was admirable. My thanks go to the girls for their great company and their ability to deal with a varied and packed schedule.

Credited to Mrs Whiteley

Bedford Girls' School Staff Bike Team Rides Again

2011-09-23T00:00:00

On Sunday, 11^th September, two members of the London-to-Brighton BGS staff cycling team took part in the Cycletta South event. Cycletta is a national organisation whose mission is to inspire more women to take up cycling by arranging women-only mass cycling events around the country. Ellen Pagliaro and Linda Penney completed the 40km route in good time. Starting at Whipsnade Zoo the route covered scenic parts of the South Downs, including some challenging hills! The staff duo were cheered on by former pupil, Emily Venn, who was volunteering with St Johns Ambulance. Ambassadors for Cycletta include Gail Emms, a former Dame Alice pupil, and Victoria Pendleton, who also took part in Cycletta South and who joined us at a feeding station.

Credited to Linda Penney, Head of Careers, Senior School

The Beauty of Brass

2011-09-23T00:00:00

We were delighted to host our first specialist musical workshop on Saturday, 17th September. The day was focussed on brass instruments and welcomed pupils of all abilities.

The workshops are designed to bring specialist tutoring to our pupils; providing them with an opportunity to learn from others sharing their passion and spark their desire to further their skills.

The workshop was led by Ian Facer, a specialist brass player with over 40 years of playing and more than 30 years of teaching experience. The day covered essential, basic playing techniques and more advanced skills. The Alexander Technique was demonstrated with the benefits to brass players explained. The day ended in style as Ian performed a short recital to inspire and showcase the magnificent sound of brass.

2011-09-23T00:00:00

2011-09-23T00:00:00

Last Friday saw the first live broadcast of Bedford Girls’ School Radio by our Year 10 pupils. Excitement had been building for days and everyone was keen to see how the day would unfold.

After a tour of the system, the girls quickly picked up the technical aspects of how to operate the station. It was then time to turn to the production of the show. The girls nominated each other for various roles in the team, such as Producer, Script Writers, Technical Crew and Presenters. They also decided on the music that was to be played.

After a couple of dry runs, the clock ticked forward to the broadcast time of 2.30pm, and the tension in the room increased. At 2.32pm, the first live broadcast of BGS Radio commenced and will be available to download soon. The girls were totally focussed on the task in hand and put on an excellent first show, which wrapped up around 9 minutes later to cheers of triumph and relief from the girls involved.

As a teacher, it was amazing to see the educational process that went into creating the show. There was virtually no input from staff and the girls were forced a long way out of their comfort zones in order to create a show that was to be broadcast live around the school. So often in education, we quite rightly provide our students with a safety net, but when it came to the live broadcast, this safety net didn't exist. If an element of the team failed in the broadcast, the school would hear it and there were no second chances to put it right. Skills like these are invaluable when it comes to moving through school and beyond. Thankfully however, the Year 10 radio team realised they were able to depend totally on each other and they all executed their roles brilliantly. The proof of the pudding is in the first show, which I think they can be justly proud of.

Elizabeth Howcroft, a Year 10 pupil who took part in the training and first live broadcast said “I wanted to be part of the radio team because I think that the radio station has a lot to offer us, as we can interview people and discuss in-school topics. The training was really useful because, although the technology is easy to use, there is a lot to learn. The day also provided me with an opportunity to learn other skills - I learnt to work with others efficiently and to confidently put my ideas across. And we all certainly learnt how much work has to go into making a radio broadcast!”

Credited to James Potter, Director of ICT

Junior Poetry Slam

2011-09-23T00:00:00

BEDFORD GIRLS’ JUNIOR SCHOOL

Cordially invite girls from Years 3-6

To The first Junior Poetry Slam

At Bedford Girls’ School, Junior Library with Mrs Wray,

Learning Resources Centre Manager and invited staff.

On Monday 3^rd October 4-5pm

Drink and cake provided - you only have to bring yourself and your favourite poem!

Places are restricted to the first 15 replies.

If the event proves very popular we may organise a second after school event,

during the first week of October.

To book your place, please complete the attached reply slip by clicking here and return this to

Mrs Eagles in the Junior School by Wednesday 28^th September 2011.

Roman Experience for Bedford Girls' School

2011-09-20T00:00:00

On Thursday 15th September 2011, our Year 3 (age 7) pupils arrived at Bedford Girls’ School to be greeted by a strange and mysterious sight. Awaiting their arrival were troops of Roman Legionnaires and throngs of Roman Goddesses led by the Roman Governor of Britain, Gaius Paulinus Suetonius! The girls were fittingly dressed and played their parts well for the occasion of their Roman Activity day.

Entering the assembly hall they discovered that it had been transformed into a Roman forum from AD 43. The girls quickly immersed themselves into various roles, learning first-hand about the Roman way of life. As the morning passed scrolls were delivered, a plague of rats struck and Paulinus Suetonius actively sought for news of the Boudiccean enemy.

In the afternoon the room was transformed once more, this time, becoming a rich merchant’s banqueting hall, the ideal place for a social gathering. Working together the girls prepared the entertainment for the feast. As the entertainment played on, the Romans ate bread, cheese and fruits served traditionally by slaves, once the gods had been honoured.

Head of the Junior School, Mrs Corinne Royden said, “The day was a perfect opportunity to introduce our youngest girls to the Roman topic, immediately capturing their interest and curiosity, whilst leaving them looking forward to learning more about the Roman way of life. It provided a wonderful taste of life from nearly 2000 years ago!”

Dahlicious Fun

2011-09-16T00:00:00

The Dahlicious Dress up Day Friday 30th September

Hitting the High Note

2011-09-15T00:00:00

Congratulations must go to our very own Chris Gill, Deputy Director of Music for his role in the acclaimed production of Mansfield Park over the summer break.

Mr Gill was the Musical Director of Jonathan Dove's new opera Mansfield Park, based on the novel by Jane Austen. The piece was commissioned and performed by Heritage Opera, a professional touring opera company founded by Mr Gill in 2006, which specialises in opera in stately homes and other small venues.

The world premiere, at Boughton House in Northamptonshire, was attended by a star studded guest list before commencing a tour of ten performances in historic venues across the country, culminating in the opening event of the Grimeborn Festival at the Arcola Theatre in London.

The Times gave the performance four stars and described it as a 'brilliant achievement', while the Evening Standard gave it five stars and called it 'witty, brilliantly inventive'.

To read The Independent’s review click here .

Listen to Radio 4 Front Row interview with Jonathan Dove (6 minutes in to the programme) click here.

Shining in the world of work

2011-09-15T00:00:00

At the end of last term, as part of their Careers programme, the Y10 girls were briefed on the Work Experience opportunity they will have at the end of Year 11. Many of them have been looking at options over the summer. As a way of reintroducing the topic, I invited Jane and Sam Roberts from Shine Academy, specialists in inspiring students to ‘shine’, to talk to the students about how ‘Networking’ can be a valuable tool in the world of work.

The students took part in an activity which gave a practical demonstration of how this can work. ‘Career cards’ were handed to them and they had to create friendship groups with those sitting in the chairs next to them. They then spilt up to form new friendship groups. They were able to see how friends of friends can be contacted and utilised to extend the network of friends.

The students have now received all the paperwork needed for work experience via their Form Tutors and many are busy sending it to their employers whom they contacted over the summer. There will be another session next week to go through this paperwork and to clarify any questions. The deadline for paperwork to be returned for work experience is Monday 12th December. This way the students can return for the start of Spring Term and focus fully on their GCSEs.

If anyone has any questions or has lost paperwork regarding work experience then please don’t hesitate to contact Eleanor Fox on Eleanor.Fox@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk or 01234 361900 ext. 123.

By Philippa Milton, Head of PSHE and PE Teacher.

Rehearsals start for South Pacific

2011-09-15T00:00:00

We have had a wonderful response to the Year 8, 9 and 10 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘South Pacific’. Last week nearly 80 girls auditioned for the show and although we were unable to include everyone in the cast we were impressed by the huge amount of talent the school has to offer. This production will be performed on 3rd and 4th February 2012 and we now embark on a concentrated period of rehearsals.

Jumping to Success

2011-09-15T00:00:00

Congratulations go to Katherine Stephen and Larissa Keyte from Bedford Girls’ School whom, as part of the Oakley Hunt North Pony Club, on 9th September, competed in the Blenheim International Horse trials Eventer Challenge. The girls who were one of 34 teams around the country, put in an excellent fight and showcased their skills to the full. The team ended with 20 faults and are currently awaiting the results to be announced.

They also took part in The Land Rover Burghley Horse trials Pony Club Team Jumping. In this event the team were placed 8th out of 40 teams.

Serving our Community, by Helen Hepher

2011-09-08T00:00:00

This summer, Emily Rickard, Ibuchi Chukwu and I took part in the Government’s National Citizen Service, joining a project run by the Prince’s Trust. We were in a team with other young people from different backgrounds and schools. The first week we spent away in Salisbury, challenging ourselves physically: doing outdoor activities such as raft building, hiking and crate stacking. It was huge amounts of fun and really helped our team bond.

The following two weeks we undertook a variety of community work, such as a litter picking around Bedford and a first aid course, before we started to plan our own community project. We choose to create a sensory garden in Addison Park in Kempston, transforming a piece of derelict ground. The garden will be used by the public, and especially by special schools to educate children in a safe environment. We had to design the garden, buy or get donations of material, fund raise, and carry out the construction. We planted flowers, vegetables and herbs, installed features, painted a mural and made bird boxes. It was a lot of hard work, but to see the results at the end made it all worthwhile. Everyone in the group was very proud of what we had accomplished and to finish off we celebrated at a formal event organised by the Prince’s Trust

I would highly recommend this to anyone next year who is in Year 11. I have got so much out of it: new friends, new skills and a greater appreciation of the people who do things for our community. It was a really rewarding way to spend the summer.

Trip of a lifetime for Hockey Team

2011-09-08T00:00:00

A 15 strong squad enjoyed a trip of a lifetime over the summer with a two-week hockey tour Down Under!

The girls, aged 15 -18, flew to Perth for a jam-packed schedule of match fixtures and training sessions, including a two-hour training session at Hale Hockey Club on the afternoon they landed! After the team acclimatised to the new time zone they visited three schools in Western Australia: Methodist Ladies, Presbyterian Ladies’ College and Narrogin Senior High School, playing six competitive matches against their Australian counterparts.

They took part in two training sessions run by professional Australian coaches and played against an U21 representative side comprising school club players from the Upper Great Southern region. The girls were also able to watch first-class hockey, with tickets to see the 1st Division YMCC v UWA Women’s match.

The girls immersed themselves in the Aussie experience by staying with host families and visiting a number of cultural sites including the convict embarkation port of Freemantle, learning to surf at Trigg Beach and see indigenous species at Caversham Wildlife Park.

Coach Lynda Sadler said: “Perth is home to the Australian Academy for Hockey – therefore it’s fitting that our hockey tour took them to this part of the world. The girls have come away from the trip with new friends, great team spirit and even more tactics at their disposal. It has certainly served the girls well in preparation for the beginning of our UK hockey season at Bedford Girls’ School."

The tour also provided a trip down memory lane for Head Jo MacKenzie, who accompanied the team on their visit to Presbyterian Ladies’ College where she studied as a girl. She met with Headmistress Beth Blackwood, and hopes to build a relationship between Bedford Girls’ School and her former school by offering student exchanges, linked lessons and maybe even teacher exchanges.

Students on Course for Career in Structural Engineering

2011-09-08T00:00:00

Over the summer holiday, Nikita Bascombe Year 11, gained a unique insight into what is involved in the design and construction of a structure. Organised by educational charity, The Smallpeice Trust and working in partnership with Coventry University, she gained a valuable practical knowledge of some of the greatest engineering challenges of our time.

Over the four-day residential course, she joined fifty students aged 16 and 17, to learn about the fundamentals of structural engineering including pressures, stresses and strains. They spent time discovering the principles of statics, mechanics, different structure forms and materials. Working in small teams, the students competed against each other in two bridge building tasks, with constraints such as a set budget and certain test criteria. Students were able to use the knowledge they had recently gained as they built their structures, including looking at the strength of various materials to see how their inclusion may necessitate a change in design.

As part of the course the students enjoyed a campus tour, giving them the chance to explore the university's facilities, including the recently built Engineering and Computing building. This gave them an opportunity to test their understanding of the information they had recently gained by seeing a structure first hand.

Throughout the four days students developed life skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving and time management. They also had the opportunity to find out about relevant engineering degrees, under the guidance of technical specialists who provided valuable careers advice. Social activities included a film evening, sports night and a barbeque on the penultimate night when students and supervisors had the opportunity to socialise and share their experiences of the week.

Images copyright, courtesy of Smallpeice Trust.

Meet our new Head Girl’s team

2011-09-08T00:00:00

Congratulations to our new Head Girl’s Team for 2011-2012.

Back row: Olivia Allen, Clodagh Mackay, Millie Temple, Ellie Hind, Emily Baker, Daisy Mann, Judith Tarrant, Izzy Cole

Front bench : Rachelle Jones, Lily Smith, Cecilia Castell

Our Year 6 pupils and class teachers will now vote for one of these team members to be elected Head Girl. We wish all the team good luck and lots of fun in their new roles.

Year 6 Personal Development Residential Trip

2011-09-08T00:00:00

An exciting residential trip has been planned for our Year 6 girls in May next year. As part of their personal development programme the girls will be staying at the Kingswood Centre in West Runton, Norfolk from Tuesday 8th to Friday 11th May 2012.

The girls will enjoy opportunities to stretch and challenge themselves physically and mentally through activities such as abseiling, archery, canoeing, caving, go-karting as well as plenty of time exploring the coast. The residential aspect will help them develop their emotional maturity and independence as they prepare to join the Senior School. It promises to be a fantastic learning experience; that will see the girls grow in confidence, strengthen their friendships and have a lot of fun in the process! A separate letter with full details will follow shortly.

Celebrating Roald Dahl Day

2011-09-08T00:00:00

Roald Dahl Day takes place every year on 13th September, on the birthday of the world's No. 1 Storyteller, and 2011 will be no different! There are events happening all over the world. We are celebrating by holding two competitions that are open to all girls in the Junior School.

The first is a ‘Revolting Recipe’ competition in honour of his fantastic book and a Roald Dahl Quiz. All you have to do is write your own ‘Revolting Recipe’ - make it as revolting as possible!

If you don’t feel like creating a recipe, but do know your peaches from your chocolate the second competition is a Roald Dahl day quiz to see how big a fan you are. You can download the quiz h ere.

We will draw a winner from the ‘Revolting Recipe’ entries and the Roald Dahl quiz. Both winners will receive a copy of one of his wonderful books.

To enter put your name and form on either your recipe or completed quiz sheet it and bring it to our Junior School Library before the end of school on Tuesday 13th September. You can enter both competitions if you would like to.

The winners will be announced in a future newsletter.

Good Luck and happy reading!

New houses, new friendships!

2011-09-07T00:00:00

Having spent the Autumn Term choosing our House names and colours it was with excitement that we gathered for our inaugural House Assembly and activity morning on Wednesday. It was our first opportunity for all girls from Years 3 to 13, (the House Officials) and staff to join together in their newly allocated Houses.

The House assemblies set the tone for the morning with inspiring words from the Heads' of Houses, before the competitive challenges of the activities got the girls working together with Sixth Formers guiding and supporting our youngest pupils. Activities included creating a House song, flag, newsletter, web page, poster and notice board to help them communicate their House news and achievements. There were also quizes, photographic, fashion and film challenges to enable the House members to get to know each other better and start to form new friendships and bonds across year groups.

The morning was a great success with all involved already feeling a sense of pride and ownership of their house; laying the foundations of what we hope will become an integral part of our school community.

The seeds of learning

2011-09-07T00:00:00

The Junior School has grown apace over the summer. Not only have all the girls come back a shoe size larger or a shirt size bigger, the fruits of their labours from the Summer Term have blossomed over the holidays. The girls have been excited to find that their spring seedlings are now runner beans, carrots, sunflowers and pumpkins!

As the first carrots were unearthed, there were audible gasps and exclamations of ‘Wow! Look what we grew!’ and ‘I didn’t expect their leaves to look like that!' Other girls asked, ‘Can we eat them now or do we have to wait until they’re cooked?'

Hands became muddy and new shoes less polished, but the thinking and learning experienced was evident throughout the whole process.

We are excited about our future garden projects and look forward to to growing and learning together, in more ways than one, over the coming year. Well done to all of our budding gardeners!

New Era at Bedford Girls’ School

2011-09-02T00:00:00

An aura of anticipation filled the grounds and hallways of Bedford Girls' School on Thursday as it opened its doors for the start of the new term and a new era for the school following the merger between Bedford High School for Girls and Dame Alice Harpur School.

Head, Jo MacKenzie, said "Over the summer, the site at Cardington Road has undergone an amazing transformation and we start the academic year in ownership of a new, stylish and uplifting learning environment. We are now the proud owners of a new music centre, a functioning radio station, two new labs, three state of the art ICT suites, additional car-parking facilities and a fabulously modern reception area which the girls absolutely love

It is a new school, it feels like a new school and we are so proud of what we have achieved in a very short time. "

Girls' Glorious GCSE Results

2011-08-25T00:00:00

Jubilant scenes swept across Bedford Girls’ School this morning as another outstanding set of GCSE results were announced for Bedford High School and Dame Alice Harpur pupils.

Girls, parents and staff were thrilled as news spread that over 20% of pupils had achieved straight A*/A grades.

Head of newly merged Bedford Girls’ School, Miss Jo MacKenzie, said: “This is a fabulous achievement. With almost two-thirds of results at A*/A grade, our school community has much to celebrate. Following on from our outstanding IB and A Level results, the quality of these grades clearly reinforces our academic status.”

“I am very much looking forward to welcoming these girls back in to our Sixth Form next week; it is going to be an exceptional start to Bedford Girls’ School and encourages all our pupils to aim high.”

Photo Captions Left to Right - Jenny Barnes, Jess Howards and Lucy Charatan. All three girls did extremely well and are delighted with their results. Lucy was especially pleased with her 10 A*s and all three girls will be continuing onto Bedford Girls’ Sixth Form next month.

Record Top Grades for Bedford Girls’ School

2011-08-18T00:00:00

At the newly merged Bedford Girls’ School, girls, parents and staff from Bedford High School for Girls and Dame Alice Harpur are celebrating top scoring A level results - with over one third of students from both schools achieving 3 or 4 A* and A grades at A level.

Head of Bedford Girls’ School, Miss Jo MacKenzie, said: “We are very proud of our students and absolutely delighted that so many academic records have been broken. It is testament to the very hard work of the students and staff, and the support given to them by our parents.

At both schools over 18% of entries were at the top A* grade and over 50% of entries were at A*/A grade – which is double the national average. These excellent results have brought much deserved university success, with all our students achieving the grades they needed for competitive places in Medicine, Law and Mathematics.

Following on from the exceptional IB results at Bedford High School for Girls in July, when they topped the national league tables, it has been an extraordinary year of results for both schools and is a formidable start to Bedford Girls’ School.”

Minibus donated to Eversholt Lower School

2011-08-09T00:00:00

On Friday 15th July Eversholt Lower School became the lucky beneficiary of a 17-seater minibus, donated by Dame Alice Harpur School in Bedford.

Deputy Head of Dame Alice, Fiona McGill, handed over the keys to new owner Headmistress Chris Warren. Chris said: “We’re a small country primary school and don’t currently have a minibus, so this is a wonderful gift and will enable us to take the children on more trips and activities. They’ve kindly stripped away the old logos, so we can make it our own and I’m sure it will serve us well for many years to come!”

The merger between Dame Alice and Bedford High School for Girls has created the opportunity to re-use and recycle resources and materials as the Senior Schools come together this September to form Bedford Girls’ School. Last week the school girls donated over a tonne of uniform to a school in Kenyan via the Salvation Army and they’ve also set up projects with School Aid and Read International donating books. At the end of last term Dame Alice was also awarded ‘Green Flag’ status by the external inspection body ‘Eco-Schools’ in recognition of their work to make sustainable development part of the life and ethos of the school.

Bedford High School Record-Breaking IB Results

2011-08-09T00:00:00

Scenes were jubilant at Bedford High School for Girls in July as the school received its best ever International Baccalaureate results, with an average points score of 36.47 and over 20% of students scoring at least 42 points (out of a possible 45).

The outstanding results and celebrations were further endorsed by The Times who ranked the school third in its IB league table based on average points score and number of pupils achieving the top grades.
Using the standard UCAS tariff - the normal way of equating IB success with A level achievement -28% of results were equivalent to the A* grade at A level, 61% were equivalent to A*- A and 89% A* - B grade equivalents.

Individual credit must go to Bryony Couchman who achieved 44 points, just one point short of the highest possible score achieved by less than 1 in 500 candidates.

Head of Sixth Form and IB Studies, Cliff Canning said “We are really delighted by these successes and are confident that as the girls progress to University they have received an excellent foundation for independent learning.”
Bedford High School for Girls is currently merging with its sister school Dame Alice Harpur to form a new school for girls aged 7-18 called Bedford Girls’ School. The International Baccalaureate will form a key part of the new Bedford Girls’ Sixth Form when it launches this September.

New School Uniform for Kenyan Kids

2011-07-07T00:00:00

Over a tonne of uniform has been donated to Kyamutwoi School in Africa by pupils of Dame Alice Harpur and Bedford High School, ahead of their schools’ merger to become Bedford Girls’ School in September.

Before the last bell rang for summer on Friday, the girls changed into mufti and packed up their old school uniform into special recycling bags provided by Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCoL). SATCoL operates the official Salvation Army Clothing Collection Scheme which usually runs clothing banks and door-to-door collections across the UK, however on this occasion SATCoL teamed up with the two schools to help promote awareness of the importance of textile recycling and its impact on the environment to pupils.

Estimates show that over a tonne of clothing was collected, and it is now on its way to be re-used in a Kenyan school in Kyamutwoi – a small rural community approximately 80km east of Nairobi.

Talking about her decision to give the girls the chance to donate their unwanted clothing to charity Headmistress Jo MacKenzie, said: “For many girls, their uniform symbolises special memories of their time spent at school, therefore it’s a privilege for them to know that their contribution will make a real difference to other school children, while cutting down on unnecessary environmental waste.

“We’ve worked hard to re-use and recycle what we can and I must give special thanks to Dame Alice’s ‘Green Society’ who’ve worked tirelessly implementing a range of initiatives over the last few years to improve the School’s carbon footprint. Just two weeks ago we were awarded the coveted ‘Green Flag Status’ by external inspection body ‘Eco-Schools’ in recognition of our work to make sustainable development part of the life and ethos of our school.”

Paul Ozanne, National Recycling Coordinator for Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCoL) said: “It’s wonderful to highlight the benefits of textile recycling to children at a young age. It can often get overlooked when we think about recycling; many people regularly recycle their bottles, cans and newspapers but textiles are actually the country’s fastest growing household waste stream, so we need to do more to stop our old clothes ending up in landfill. It’s been a pleasure working with pupils of Dame Alice Harpur and Bedford High School and we’d like to thank everyone involved for their continuing generosity.”

Green Flag Status!

2011-07-04T00:00:00

Dame Alice Harpur School has been awarded ‘Green Flag Status’ by international award programme ‘Eco-Schools’, in recognition of the pupils’ work to make sustainable development part of the life and ethos of the School.

Having achieved Bronze and Silver status in 2010, Dame Alice’s ‘Green Society’ has been working hard over the last year launching a range of initiatives to improve the School’s green credentials. The team impressed Eco-Schools with their work for School Aid, donating 53 boxes of library books to African schools, and also their links with Read International who are soon to be the beneficiary of 110 boxes of books. The whole school community has engaged with the drive to recycle paper, re-use and refill water bottles to cut down on environmental waste and also collecting stamps for the RSPB’s albatross campaign.

It appears that Dame Alice has become the first Senior School in Bedfordshire to achieve ‘Green Flag’ Status.
Eco-Schools Assessor Mr Paul De Koning, said: “The fact that the Eco-Schools programme is so pupil led means that this school is somewhat unique and can provide a good stimulus for other schools. The girls themselves have organised the Eco-Schools programme and have achieved a very creditable and impressive standard in respect of commitment, enthusiasm, enterprise and effectiveness. Well done!”

Eco-Schools is one of five environmental education programmes run internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), guiding schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help embed these principles into the heart of school life.

London-Brighton Bike Ride

2011-06-19T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School raised over £3,000 for the British Heart Foundation on Sunday 19th June thanks to the efforts of a 20-strong team of teachers, staff and friends of the School.

Led by Headmistress Jo MacKenzie, the team cycled a whopping 54 miles from London-Brighton, successfully battling their way up the notorious Ditchling Beacon Hill to reach the seaside resort in the afternoon.

The last members of the team crossed the finish line in just over 7 hours, glad to be off their bikes and ready to enjoy well-earned celebratory drinks on the beach.

Bedford Girls' School launches Junior School

2010-09-01T00:00:00

Bedford Girls’ School celebrated the official opening of its Junior School by poet and artist Diana Syder on Friday 17^thSeptember 2010.

Parents, pupils and local dignitaries including the Mayor of Bedford joined in the day’s festivities which included the unveiling of a plaque, planting a silver birch tree and a tour of the new School.

Year 6 girls got a chance to take part in an art and poetry workshop that afternoon run by Diana. Her poem “Prayer to a Telescope” has been adopted by the School as an expression of its vision; it includes the line: “Let me keep an open mind and stay up-to-date so I understand as much as I can in the time I’ve got and not, in my lifetime, reach the limits of my imagination”.

Head Jo MacKenzie feels that this idea is central to a successful education: “It is about the whole individual, how a girl learns to think and reflect, to make full use of innovative technologies in her study whilst maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

Bedford Girls’ School is founded by the merger of two highly successful and respected schools – Bedford High School for Girls and Dame Alice Harpur School. Its aim is to blend the best traditions of the two existing schools and offer an exceptional education experience to girls in the region.

With the initial stage of the launch successfully underway the School is now looking ahead to create a vibrant Senior School and Sixth Form community which will emerge over the next two years and be based on the Cardington Road campus along with the Junior School.