THE NEWS
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021
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SCHOOL LIFE
This has been a term of unexpected opportunities and all too expected uncertainties. Remote learning allowed mixed age activities to take place again as we could forget the constraints of bubbles. We had all sorts of different age groups attending debates and interacting in the virtual Reading Room for example. It was a pleasure, also, to be able to take part in activities with other schools such as academic lectures and careers events. With physical space no longer an issue, it was a treat to run baking clubs for three times the usual number of participants. Remote learning #2 also led us to further imaginative ways of raising spirits and keeping a feeling of community. U5 continued the baking theme with an extraordinarily professional Bake-Off competition whilst Rev Wallington introduced the concept of TaskMaster – rebranded as TaskSetter – to St Swithun’s. If you haven’t seen the tv show, it consists of a series of challenges requiring an element of imagination or lateral thinking. We particularly enjoyed the L6 ‘make the biggest splash’ films and how M5 filmed some of their toys on ‘a big day out’. Back in school on 8 March, even behind masks, we could see that everyone was delighted to be together again although we missed those of our friends who were unable to return. Our kind and efficient volunteers ran our two Covid testing centres like clockwork, ensuring that all students were back in class by 9.30am on that first morning – an astonishing feat. We have continued the twice-weekly lateral flow testing regime, fortunately without any positive test results. Students and staff are now testing themselves at home.
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I mentioned uncertainties. One that looms large is exactly how we will be required to assess GCSE and A levels. At the time of writing, we still await precise instructions from the exam boards although we now have information on the general framework. It is to the credit of U5 and U6 that they continue to behave with good humour, optimism and fortitude, but this has undoubtedly been a worrying time for them. We are hopeful, at least, that we will be able to end the summer term with some of our usual celebratory events for these year groups. Although it may not feel like it at the moment, it is also true that tough times make us better equipped to face future challenges. I know that U5 and U6 will have resilience and adaptability to spare by the time they move onto the next stage of their education.
6 Jane Gandee MA (Cantab) Headmistress
1 Making earthquake-proof buildings out of pasta, paper and blu tack in geography 2 Macaroons made by L4 for their Mademoiselle Patisserie competition 3&4 L5 making Rube Goldberg machines in science 5 L5 embroidery in textiles 6 Cake and Bake club created cute looking brownies 7 M5 biologists carried out kidney dissections during remote learning 8 M5 making fresh pasta in their food lesson 9 Students created their own monsters to celebrate World Book Day
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SCHOOL LIFE
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SCHOOL LIFE
TASKSETTER Students have been enjoying taking part in TaskSetter challenges this term. Each year group has been set a different task to complete which requires using their imagination. U6 girls made the most unusual sandwich they could think of; one of the entries we have pictured here was a Vicar of Dibley-inspired ham, lemon curd, marmite, chocolate spread and taramasalata sandwich. L6 students filmed themselves creating the biggest possible splash; U5 students were tasked with drawing a monster; M5 filmed their cuddly toys going on an amazing adventure; L5 students participated in a live challenge on Teams collecting objects around their house with a first letter which spelled out ‘TaskSetter’; and the U4 had to create the largest possible statue of Ms Gandee. L4 students are set to complete a series of live challenges in the summer term.
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Our linguists took part in the Education Perfect Languages Championships 2021 and were delighted to be awarded first place amongst UK schools and ranked an impressive 58th worldwide. Individually, Cheryl Chu U4 and Erin Thorne-Henderson U5 both placed in the top 100 in the world, finishing 63rd and 65th respectively. The Education Perfect Languages Championship is a language learning competition where participants are awarded a point for every correct answer. The questions are from a large bank of vocabulary lists and from reading, writing, speaking or listening tasks. At St Swithun’s, language learners use the Language Perfect website for their everyday learning process, as well as competing against each other in tests or championships. In the recent global Language Championships our students cumulatively answered 356,096 questions and logged over 544 hours of answering language questions.
MATHS CHALLENGE This term 13 mathematicians from L5, M5 and U5 took supplementary follow-on papers in the national Intermediate Maths Challenge competition for which they qualified through their exceptional performance in the main challenge. Three of our students qualified for the Olympiad competitions for the best 1,000 students in their year in the country. The tough, twohour papers were enjoyed by Magdalena Beil-Harvey, Iris Zhang (both U5) and Shannon Huang (L5). Ten of our students qualified for the Pink or Grey Kangaroo competitions for the next 5,000 or so mathematicians in their year.
HAIR CUT FOR LITTLE PRINCESS TRUST L4 student Lily Daukes cut almost 50cm off her hair for the Little Princess Trust. The trust makes wigs for children who have lost their hair as a result of chemotherapy or a medical condition. In addition to donating her hair Lily has also raised over £1,000 for the charity.
SCHOOL LIFE
EDUCATION PERFECT LANGUAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS SUCCESS
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SCHOOL LIFE
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT This term our academic enrichment programme has been in full flow. We have had themed weeks where our academic lunch sessions have focussed on empathy, classics, history and archaeology, philosophy and theology, social sciences, supporting LGBTQ communities, law and justice, themes surrounding health and mental health and finally, mathematics. We always welcome special guest presenters to these sessions and this term we were delighted to be joined by founder of The Philosophy Foundation, Dr Simone Webb, and author Claire Fuller amongst many others. Our Culture, Curiosity and Coffee group has studied a range of texts including John Barton’s A History of the Bible, John Ruskin’s essay Unto this Last, the poetry of Rupi Kaur, The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins and St Augustine’s Confessions. For younger students, our Stories for Thinking sessions included thought-provoking stories such as the Tanzanian folk tale Tortoise deceives Elephant and extracts from Alice in Wonderland. We were also able to host our annual GCSE Culture, Language and Meaning conference virtually, looking at culture through the study of languages, philosophy, archaeology and anthropology.
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These delicious Easter cakes were baked and decorated by our GCSE food students.
SCHOOL LIFE
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA
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BOARDING LIFE Wooden egg decorating
Making bubble tea
Hillcroft egg race
Jigsaw art in LeRoy
Pom pom making
Hyde Abbey’s Project Hydrate
International boarders from High House sent vlogs to share what they had been eating and what they had been doing with their friends at school
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BOARDING LIFE
The end of term Argentinian BBQ
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THE ARTS
MUSIC SCHOLARS AND EXHIBITIONERS’ CONCERT The spring term’s music scholars and exhibitioners’ concert took place virtually during the national lockdown. The concert featured over 20 of our pupils from L4 to U6 performing selected pieces from their homes. Thanks to all the family members for their support and in certain cases, piano accompaniment!
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Sophie Kelly L6 made her Vitality Netball Superleague debut playing for Surrey Storm. She was voted Player of the Match and caught the attention of former England coach Tracey Neville, amongst others, who commented on her performance. There was also netball success for U5 student Emily Beardmore-Gray, who has been selected for the U19 Surrey Storm NPL team, and for her younger sisters Jess L5 and Eloise L4 who joined the U15 and U13 Hampshire netball teams respectively. Tabitha Grime M5 was selected for the U17 Surrey Storm team and Alice Hines M5 joined the U17 Team Bath squad. We are delighted to have four pupils selected by Superleague franchises.
LACROSSE It was wonderful to be back on the lacrosse fields during the spring term. L4 picked up where they left off at the end of the autumn term, and practised their stick skills ready for a regular season in 2021.
SPORT
NETBALL
St Swithun’s School, Alresford Road, Winchester, SO21 1HA 01962 835700 office@stswithuns.com www.stswithuns.com Registered Charity Number 307335