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Mrs Jarada took some girls from Years 10 and 11 to the Language Show Live at Olympia, Europe’s largest exhibition for anyone with a passion for languages.

Language Show Review

There was so much to do and plenty of resources. Everyone we met was so

welcoming and kind. There was also a lot of interactive and engaging activities, and an educational atmosphere. So much was learnt and we also

got ‘freebies’ from each stand we visited. It helped us to develop skills that we need in everyday life and gave us a boost of confidence. The Year 11’s and

Year 10’s had a lot of fun going around London and all in all it was an exciting experience.

By: Hibah Khattak, Sara Alef and Tanya Sowaruth

PARK SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AUTUMN 2016 NEWSLETTER

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Operation Christmas Child This worthwhile charity give shoeboxes full of essentials, treats and toys to needy children around the world. A big thank you to all the staff, pupils and parents who generously donated items required or gave money to help the shoe box on its way. Special mention to Mrs Lacey and her Year 10 class who managed to fill six full boxes and Year 6 who help take all the boxes to Mr Flemings car for distribution.

In total we sent 21 boxes.

Thank you all very much.

Prizegiving Dance

For all those at Prizegiving I’m sure you would agree on how good the performance was this

year. Well done to the following girls and Mrs Lesser for all their effort and commitment in making it such a success:

Year 11 Taro and Deah Year 10 Betsy, Sumaiya, Tanya, Seyi Year 9 Kithmini, Swarah

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NETBALL

Netball fixtures – Seniors Spring 2017 Netball training for the Seniors resumes week beginning Monday 16th January 2017. Monday 6th February v Chigwell, U13, U14, U16 Monday 20th February v Forest U13, U14, U16 Monday 27th February v Woodford County U13, U14, U16 Thursday 2nd March - Redbridge Rally U14 at Redbridge Sports Centre Friday 3rd March - ISA Rally U13 at Redbridge Sports Centre Monday 6th March v Trinity U13, U14, U16 Monday 13th March v St Aubyn’s U13

Prep Netball

Since September, there has been lots of netball. Each girl who has attended netball training on Tuesdays has worked very hard, with lots of progress being made. Over the term, there have been two tournaments – Chigwell School Tournament and Forest School’s Tournament. Lots of girls have taken part: Year 5 – Joshna and Makaila Year 6 – Tia, Mariam, Maariyah, Angelina, Jiya, Marwah, Aleeza, Asiyah and Aliyah The girls played their best and had lots of fun while taking part. They did well in their group stages especially in the Forest School Tournament, where they finished further up the result table. In November, we had a fixture against Eastcourt School. Every girl that attends training gets the chance to participate in a game. They all worked hard, resulting in an overall WIN from both teams. Each team played 3 games each. A very well done to all of them. Year 4 – Safah and Sara Year 5 – Joshna and Chenai Year 6 – Tia, Mariam, Maariyah, Angelina, Jiya, Marwah, Aleeza, Asiyah, Aliyah, Neeha and Aleena Our Year Nine girls umpired the games, they did really well for their first time umpiring a competitive game. The Year Nine girls are all learning to umpire to help them achieve the Youth Umpire Award. Year 9 – Khadija, Zara Z, Zara Y, Kithmini, Zafina and Leah

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PSHEC – Careers As a school, we are trying to encourage our girls to make the right choices and help them with their plans for their future regarding their career choices. Over the term I have organised a few talks to help with choosing sixth form establishments. These have involved Ursuline High School, Woodford County High and Havering 6th Form College. All establishments have come in and told us about what they can offer the girls, which has allowed the girls to think and listen about what is provided by other schools and help them with their search. We also made a visit to Ursuline High School, which gave them the opportunity to see what the school is like on a normal day. Over the rest of the year, there will be various other career events which will offer the girls ample opportunity to seek information and guidance from professionals. We as a school find this very important in order to give our girls insight and help them to follow their dreams and ambitions. We went on a visit to the Careers, Skills for London Exhibition at the EXCEL Centre on Friday 9th December. This gave the Year 11 girls the opportunity to ask many questions and see for themselves what is involved in various jobs and to gain hands on experience with different activities. The event had many stalls from companies, charities, universities etc. The girls had a great time and definitely had an experience from attending. Also, as part of Anti-Bullying Week, Year 7 to 10 were involved in lessons that have made them aware of bullying and the importance of telling someone if it was happening to them. We also talked about the importance of Sepsis on World Sepsis Day. As it’s an illness (caused through an infection) that has caused too many deaths too quickly if not caught in time and needs to be made more aware of. Thank you for reading – Mrs D Lesser

School Choir At Prizegiving the School Choir and the Vocal Group did themselves, Ms Harris and Mr Bluck proud. The theme of the evening was the Great Fire of London as 2016 is its 350th Anniversary and the girls sang a variety of ‘Fire’ themed songs, such as ‘Light My Fire/Light It Up’ by Will Young/Majer Lazer, ‘Just Like Fire’ by P!nk, ‘Burn’ by Ellie Goulding and ‘This Girl Is On Fire’ by Alicia Keys. The audience was enthralled and showed their appreciation with tumultuous applause.

Year 11 Biology Field Trip On Monday 26 September 2016, Year 11 went on a one day Biology field trip to Suntrap Education Centre in Epping Forest. The purpose of this trip was to gain practical experience of Ecological sampling techniques as part of their GCSE Science studies. The day was divided into three sections: 1. Pond sampling, 2. Plant sampling and 3. Animal handling. The day re-enforced learning about key concepts in many areas of Biology including Ecology, Human impact on the environment and organism adaptations. Pupils had the opportunity to handle many organisms including a chicken, corn snake and bearded dragon.

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Business Studies Trip to the Museum of Brands

On 29th September we visited the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising for our GCSE Business Studies trip. We learned a lot of things such as customer profiling which was quite interesting. Customer profiling was fun and helped us increase our Business skills. We went through a time line tunnel and saw how different brands have changed over the years. The Timeline Tunnel was by far the best part of the trip. From 1920’s to 2012 we got to see the brands that were common at those times. The Timeline Tunnel taught us how the brands developed and how people’s interests changed for example one item in a period of 10 years was out of fashion in another 10. We saw brands from the years that our grandparents were children for e.g. Milo Hot Chocolate Powder. It made us realise that packaging often changes in relation to the way people change, it always stays with the times. Two ladies took us to a room where they gave us a talk about how to view different shoppers, without stalking them! This is called Customer Profiling. They have us all a different product and made us really think about who was purchasing the product.

UNIFORM REMINDER

We would like to remind you that school coats should be dark brown, not beige, khaki or cream. There is a woollen school hat available from Lucilla’s which can be worn in the Senior School, the Prep School should wear their brown felt hats with red ribbons or brown or red woollen hats. Shoes should be shoes, not boots, and they should be brown. Slip on shoes are not appropriate for children below Year 7. Please make sure that your daughters uniform, including her PE Kit, is clearly marked with her name.

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Wheelchair Tennis Championships

It was a pleasure to take girls from Year Ten and Eleven to the recent Wheelchair Masters Tennis Championship at the Olympic Park Tennis Centre. I cannot commend them enough for their exemplary behaviour throughout the day. The group were able to participate in a selection of tennis activities for an hour before watching a men's match between Gordon Reid (GBR) and Stefan Olsson. Reid won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics this summer plus the Australian Open and Wimbledon. A great day was had by all.

Once in a Lifetime at the Young Vic Theatre As part of their History Controlled Assessment, eleven Year Elevens went to see a production of Once in a Lifetime at the Young Vic Theatre. Having stayed after school for an hour of study and with only ten minutes to change and get ready, the girls, accompanied by Mrs Nicholas and Mrs Harker, set off for a well-deserved evening out. We enjoyed a delicious and efficient supper at Nandos before settling in for two and a half hours of excellent entertainment. Cartoon energy was guaranteed by Harry Enfield leading the cast as a Hollywood studio boss. The girls, and their teachers, laughed out loud at the wise-cracking words of the strong female lead, May Daniels. This all-star cast focussed around the comic antics of Dr Lewis played by John Marquez (Doc Martin) who was accompanied by verbal zingers aplenty from the rest of the cast. If you can get a ticket, go! My thanks to the girls for being such delightful company. If only all study could be this much fun!

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MATHEMATICS MASTERCLASS

We went to the Year 9 Mathematics Masterclass for 6 weeks where we were taught by professors at Queen Mary University. We had lessons on game shows where we learnt the probability of winning the 1980’s show ‘Play Your Cards Right’ with speaker Michael Fletcher. We also learnt how to program a robot with Professor John Rosewell. We learnt how messages were sent in war and how to decode using ‘Random Numbers’ with Professor Andrew Fitzharris. We enjoyed this class the most because it was very interactive and it was fun decoding messages. At the last session we received certificates to say we’d completed the course. We thoroughly enjoyed the course and hope to return in January 2017.

YOUNG WRITERS’

The Prep School submitted a selection of some of the girls’ work to be considered for this year’s Young Writers’’ poetry competition. ‘Once Upon A Dream’. The competition was organised in conjunction with primary schools all over the UK, the aim being to encourage young writers to enjoy reading and writing poetry. There was in excess of 25,000 entries nationwide! What A Weird Summer Trip! This week I had a crazy summer trip. It was totally upside down. It was fun, it was great. I rate it as eight (out of ten). But the end is crazy. First the car broke down. We had to walk instead. And what happened to the inflatable bed? It broke and it was a total nightmare. Then the tent got lost. We luckily found a tree to stay in. But a helpless old man came. And we wanted to help. And here is the worst part. The soil was mud. The tent was in the mud. And we ended up in a great big flood! I screamed and swam for my life. And I saw a high up beam. I knew I could not reach the beam and that I’d drown. But I did. Then I woke up. It was just a dream! Phew! Neeha Dharsandia-Patel

Congratulations Neeha, we are very Proud!

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MEDICINES When students are taking medicine (prescribed or over the counter) it is recommended that they remain at home until the course of medicine is completed. Please refer to the ‘Period of Exclusion’ notice. In the event that illness coincides with an important exam or test and students are well enough to attend but are still taking medication, the following procedure must be followed:

• Medicines must be brought into school by an adult and handed in at the school office.

• A letter stating the dosage and time of day must be provided.

• It is your daughter’s responsibility to attend the office at the appropriate time.

• A member of staff can check that your daughter takes the correct dose but it is not their duty to administer medicines to pupils.

Below is the School’s Policy ‘Period of Exclusion’ table to minimise the risk of transmission of infection to other children and staff.

Period of Exclusion

Sickness Should return 48 hours after the last episode Diarrhoea Should return 48 hours after normal stool motion returns Chicken Pox Scabs must be dry – usually 5-7 days after the appearance of the

rash Conjunctivitis 24 hours after the start of antibiotics and until the discharge has

stopped Impetigo 24 hours after the start of treatment and until lesions are crusted or

hardened Measles 5 days after the rash appears Mumps 5 days after the onset of swelling or until swelling has subsided Rubella (German Measles)

5 days after the onset of the rash and whilst unwell

Scarlet Fever 24 hours after the start of the antibiotic treatment provided they feel well

Slapped-Cheek Syndrome

An affected child need not be excluded because she is no longer infectious by the time the rash appears

Tonsillitis/Pharyngitis 24-48 hours after the start of treatment and until the child feels well Whooping Cough Affected child and unvaccinated contacts under 7 years old should

be at home until they have had at least five days of antibiotics

Absences If your daughter is going to be absent from school for any reason, please telephone the school office before 8.40am to let us know, on EVERY day that your daughter is off. On her return to school you should provide a note to cover the period of absence.

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CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME On 7th December we went to Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch with Reception to Year 7. We went to the Cinderella Pantomime, it was an amazing experience and a treat for the girls. The actors and actresses were hilarious and were excellent at acting out the scenes and they kept us entertained for the whole performance. During the interval the pantomime provided some snacks for us such as ice cream, drinks and sweets.

By: Mariam Anwar, Jiya Johal and Angelina Agard-Augustin

HAMPTON COURT PALACE Year 7 and 8 went on a trip to Hampton Court Palace which was the home of Henry VII. We took part in an educational workshop and learnt about different rulers. In one activity, we were split into two different teams and we had to find key points about two different rulers. One team found points about why Mary Queen of Scots should become queen and the other team found points about why Catherine Grey should be Queen. We walked around the palace and we went inside the kitchens, the wine cellar and lots more. We also saw the amazing stained glass windows around the Palace. The stained glass window in the room he built for Katherine of Aragon represented Henry and his children. We also went to the Chapel Royal. Kings and Queens used the private pew which looks down upon the main body of the chapel. Towards the end of the trip we went ice skating! We got our skates on and got onto the ice. Some of us hadn’t tried ice skating before and fell over on the ice. This part of the trip was really fun. When our time on the ice was up we all went to the café and bought snacks. This trip was amazing and we all had a fantastic time. By: Hemma Kondel

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SENIOR SCHOOL TRIP TO LILLE CHRISTMAS MARKET

The early start to the day had everyone tired but the journey to Folkestone was anything but exhausting. There was a sense of infectious excitement on the coach, and when we finally emerged from the colossal shuttle, we could hardly wait to explore France. Through the window view, I gazed at the rolling hills and vast green trees dotted here and there. The occasional church surrounded by a cluster of houses. At long last we reached Lille and the anticipation of Christmas was evident in the city. Holly and lights strung from lamp posts, shop fronts decked with garlands and vibrant colours. Locals strolled from shop to shop, bags of presents in tow, joy lighting up the city brighter than any Christmas lights. When the coach rumbled down the winding streets and finally reached the grey cobblestone square, we could not pile off the coach any faster. Brasseries, cafés and restaurants encompassed the market. Stepping into the Christmas markets was like being transported into a completely different world, a festive winter wonderland. Everywhere there was small booths built of wood and decorated with sparkling stars, fairy lights and tinsel. People were smiling, laughing and constantly chatting. Friendly French stall owners complimented our French when we bought souvenirs and food. Buying Hot Chocolate, Crêpes and Christmas decoration seemed to be the finest part but seeing the market at night was by far more beautiful. Going on the Ferris Wheel and seeing Lille at night was breathtaking. The night passed in a flurry of Tango dancing, sightseeing and midnight feasting. For many Park girls, including myself, this was the first time away from home. It brought out a sense of independence like I’d never felt before. The experience was truly thrilling. By Aneesa Sattar – Year 10

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Meet The House Captains

Aneesa and Seyi Betsy and Zara Amrita and Farheen Valentines Cranbrook Wanstead

House Dance House Dance 2016 was amazing thanks to the hard work and organisation of this years’ captains. I cannot commend them enough showing maturity, patience and tireless effort.

Cranbrook Valentines Wanstead Betsy and Zara Aneesa and Seyi Amrita and Farheen To encourage participation, the Captains chose their own themes, Cranbrook and Valentines danced to ‘Feminism’ and Wanstead chose a ‘Cultural’ theme. Nearly all girls from years 3-10 took part which was fantastic …….. but there could only be one winner Valentines. Well Done! Now, on to House Music in the spring term

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And Finally, A Word from the Headteacher The Autumn Term seems to have flown by, everybody has made me feel so welcome, it seems as though I have always been at Park School; that is predominantly down to the very special nature of my girls. It has been an absolute pleasure working with them and such a dedicated team of staff. The term as you can see, has been packed with many and varied extra-curricular activities, providing experiences which have been invaluable for the students. Everybody now deserves a well-earned rest. I wish you all a safe, healthy and happy holiday, with an opportunity to re-charge your batteries ready for January 5th. Best wishes Androulla Nicholas

PARENT MAIL

At the end of this term the School is going to start using a system called Parent Mail. We have carefully researched this

product and feel that it will benefit both the school and parents, and also the environment. This is a system which

allows the school to send information to parents electronically, both by Email and Text message. Once you receive an initial message you will need to download the free App, suitable

for both Android and IPhone, with easy to follow instructions in order to register with us. In time we intend to use this method as our primary way of sending fee statements, newsletters, trip information etc. There is also a built in secure payment function, similar to PayPal, enabling parents to pay for music lessons, school trips, and eventually school fees etc.

Mrs Williams and Mrs Attridge have carefully checked all email addresses and mobile phone numbers against the contact sheets that each student recently received, should you change your mobile number or email address it is vitally important to let us know. We intend to go ‘live’ with this on the last day of term, giving you plenty of time to register before the Spring

Term. Fingers crossed for a successful launch!