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011 M U S Ethe

Showcasing Individual Talent & Celebrating Group Participation

A VIBRANT, INVOLVED & ENGAGING COMMUNITY

Trips Out

Bath, Jane Austen A2 English Field Trip

BBC Media Village, “Off by Heart” Shakespeare Competition

Bedford, Government’s National Citizen Service Prince’s Trust project

Bedford Corn Exchange, Christmas Concert

Bedford School Observatory Visit

Bedford Geographical Association Lectures

Bel Canto Anglo Italian Service

Bishop Stortford High School, Model United Nations Assembly

Cambridge Union Schools Sixth Form Debating Competition

Castleton, Y9 Geography Field Trip

Chemistry in Action Conference for A Level and IB Students

Coventry University, The Smallpeice Trust Structural Engineering Course

Cranedale, Y12 Geography Field Trip

Edale, Y10 Adventure Weekend

France, CCF Ski Expedition

GSA “Go for Gold” Conference

Howarth, AS English Field Trip

Isle of Wight, CCF Coastal Endurance

Loire Valley, Y13 French Work Experience

National Space Centre, Y5 Science and Technology Field Trip

Peak District, Duke of Edinburgh Expedition

Perth, Australia, Hockey Tour

RAF Cranwell, CCF Competition

RAF Henlow, CCF Gliding Training

Rotary Club’s Swimathon

St. Paul’s Church, Christmas Tree Festival Opening, Y 5 & 6 Choir,

Visits & VoyagesThis list is by no means

exhaustive, but offers

a flavour of guests in

and visits out during the

Autumn Term.

Visitors In

Anne Atkins, Author & Broadcaster, English Society Shakespeare Workshop

Alana Livesey, England Lacrosse International

Amanda Brookes, Gamma Plus Appeal

Barbara Spencer, Author, Lunchtime Talk

Charlotte Jacovou, Fashion Designer on Being a Trend Forecaster

David Shepherd, Antarctica Explorer, Talk to Y6 Pupils

Dawn Fitt and Gerry Heather, Bloodhound SSC, Science Lectures

Dr R Wilkins, Oxford University, Science Lectures

Future Fortunes, Y12 Careers Advice

Happy Puzzle Company, Y7 & 8 Maths Puzzle Day

Homebrook House Residents for Y6 Dominoes

Ian Facer, Brass Workshop

Jane and Sam Roberts, Shine Academy, Y11 Work Experience

Jo Thurman, FreshMinds Group, Y13 Interview Techniques

Ken Burton, International Performing Artist and Composer, Opening of Trinity House

Mike Shevdon, Author, Lunchtime Talk

Mr Mark Hempsell, Reaction Engines Limited, Science Lectures

Mrs Kendall WW2 Survivor, Y5 History talk

Professor Nick Rawlins, Physiological Psychologist Oxford University, Science Lectures

Reverend Royden, Harvest Festival Celebrations

Richard Gill, Lecturer, Jane Austen Master Class

Roman Governor of Britain, Gaius Paulinus Suetonius, Y3 Roman Day

Russell Prue, Y10 School Radio Training

Ryan Flecknell, Manager of the Prebend Centre for Bedford Concern for the Homeless and Rootless

The Young Shakespeare Company, Y6 The Tempest

Visually Impaired Society Christmas Party

Bedford Girls’ School | www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

The Muse | 02

Editor’s Insight

edford Girls’ School is

an exceptional place where

remarkable things happen

and everyone plays a part

in bringing excellence and innovation

together. Our new magazine, The Muse,

has been created to share with you some

of the many forward thinking, outward

looking and imaginative activities and

practices that help shape the perfect

environment where girls learn and

grow holistically.

As the year unfolds, each termly edition of

The Muse will offer further insight into what

we do and how we strive to develop the

whole child and all of her key intelligences

rather than just the logical and linguistic.

A good school must provide an education

in all integral aspects of humanity. In striving

for excellence, we support and challenge

every pupil to achieve her personal best

not just academically but also culturally,

socially, physically, personally and morally.

By showcasing a diverse array of some of

the many highlights of the Autumn Term,

I hope The Muse further demonstrates

our commitment to ensuring every girl

feels valued in every aspect of her life at

the school and helps to convey the care,

dedication and imagination that goes into

giving everyone as many opportunities as

possible to flourish and shine with our rich

co-curriculum provision. Variety, inclusion

and participation lie at the heart of this

philosophy and are at the core of the

stories you can enjoy here.

When we invited performer and songwriter

Ken Burton to open our new music school,

Trinity House, on Saturday 12th November

2011 we did so safe in the knowledge

that, as well as providing facilities for

those who are gifted technical musicians,

it will nurture and encourage new talent,

enthusiasm, passion and skills.

Such versatility and fresh thinking is

integral to our vision and I hope The Muse

continues to offer you an insight into this

as well as sharing with you a snapshot

of the increasingly vibrant, involved and

engaging education and activities we offer.

“ The Muse

has been created

to share with you

some of the many

forward thinking,

outward looking and

imaginative activities

and practices that

help shape the perfect

environment where

girls learn and

grow holistically. ”

B

Jo MacKenzie Head

03 | The Muse

early 200 years after its initial publication, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice continues to top most popular book polls the world over and has been adapted for television, film and radio countless times. Part of the A Level syllabus, the novel continues to inspire and delight new readers with its insightful observations of character which still hold relevance today.

During the Autumn Half Term, a group of Sixth Form English students visited Bath, where Austen lived between 1801 and 1806, before moving on to Chawton House where the author lived in a cottage in the grounds of her brother’s Regency estate.

Year 13 student Helen Morse explains how the trip informed her understanding of Pride and Prejudice and inspired her to take a different view of the world around her.

“We began the trip at the Austen Centre in Bath

where we attended a series of lectures and seminars about the cultural, social and historical significance of her work.

It became apparent that Austen’s life was one dominated by the company of women and was largely spent in enclosed environments where men seldom entered and Austen seldom left.

I began to think how it must have been for her to live such a sheltered existence but was struck by how, after moving to Chawton, Austen appeared happy within the confines of her family’s home. It was here she produced much of her best-known work, including Pride and Prejudice, and a visit to

the library in the Manor House highlighted the importance of physical places and social context to truly understanding the novel.

Throughout the book, Austen repeatedly uses time and place together to create situations where her characters can subtly show the best and worst qualities of their personalities. As well as communicating

these characteristics in conversations, between characters who are brought together within a particular place, she also uses people’s belongings, clothes and houses to let slip details of their thoughts, nature, opinion and temperament.

We also attended a workshop on the language of fans where we learnt to communicate silently phrases such as “I want to speak with you”, “We are being watched”, and “My heart aches for you”. This further highlighted Austen’s use of objects as descriptors of people which she deploys so effectively throughout the book; she does not need a narrator to guide readers through the text.

Re-reading Pride and Prejudice after we returned home via Jane Austen’s grave in Winchester Cathedral, I felt a sense of affection for both author and novel which was previously lacking. Despite her relatively sheltered existence, Austen succeeded in weaving beautiful, witty and entertaining tales that rely on subtlety and environment to tell tales of their characters.

In my own work, I am inspired to think in greater detail about the role the physical environment plays in a strong narrative and also to consider swapping significant action with more subtle, prosaic devices when informing the reader of people’s natures.”

N

“ Austen repeatedly uses time and

place together to create situations

where her characters can subtly

show the best and worst qualities of

their personalities.”

A Journey with Austen

Inspired by

The Muse | 04

s part of our commitment

to create an environment

where pupils can flourish,

grow and excel, Bedford

Girls’ School provides more than the

ideal springboard to continued academic

success. Through its holistic approach

and dedication to helping girls develop

well-rounded values, ethics and attitudes,

the school also delivers preparation for

life and an opportunity for everyone to

assume their place in society with dignity,

compassion and an awareness of the

needs of others.

Mindful of the intrinsic correlation between

personal happiness and achievement, as

well as the vital role social cohesion plays

in both, the school has recently introduced

a peer-led House System which has

already impacted positively on interactions

between pupils across all year groups,

forged links with the wider community

and encouraged everyone to think more

altruistically about the world around them.

Kate Jones, Assistant Head with

responsibility for Co-curriculum and the

House System, explained: “Girls are

assigned to a House as soon as they join

the school in Year 3 and are immediately

welcomed into a community where they

can feel a sense of identity and belonging.

With so many House activities and events

being led by and for students, they also

become part of a family where they are

supported, encouraged and nurtured by

older girls as well as finding their own

voice and becoming involved in cultivating

their House aims and ethos. Each House

brings together pupils with a wide variety

of skills, competencies and specialisms

and is a tremendous boost to learning as

well as to personal confidence.

The House System:

A

BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY

Each House is home to 200 girls and a

representative from every year is elected

to sit alongside five Sixth Form House

Officials during meetings and forums.

Two representatives per House are also

appointed to work closely with a nominated

charity organisation to ensure pupils are able

to learn more about their services and the

wider issues associated with their work.

A member of teaching staff acts as Head

of House and helps direct, encourage and

support the girls in the planning and delivery

of engaging, innovative and purposeful

events that meet the system’s inclusive

and proactive objectives and challenge

each individual to use their resourcefulness,

imagination and abilities for the betterment

of others as well as themselves.

In 2008, the Specialist Schools and

Academies Trust (SSAT), which represents

most of the state secondary schools in

England, strongly endorsed the House

system as a way of preventing pupils from

regressing academically after finishing

primary school.

With Government research estimating that

the progress of as many as one in three state

school pupils suffers when they move up to

secondary school, the Bedford Girls’ School

House System is an admiral benchmark

by which other schools can measure their

progress and a prime example of the

accumulated high-standards born of the

merger between Dame Alice Harpur School

and Bedford High School for Girls.

Speaking at the end of the Autumn Term,

Kate Jones said: “Both of our composite

schools had historic House Systems and

building upon their good work was an

exciting prospect as well as the perfect

opportunity to unite pupils as part of a new

venture of which they can be proud.

“In combining the excellence of our

predecessors with a contemporary look

at the far-reaching social and academic

benefits of a successful House System

we are able to offer a revitalised approach

to a fine tradition that offers everyone

the opportunity to meet and exceed their

potential and gain valuable insights

into the rewards and challenges of the

real world.”

05 | The Muse

“ The House System enables everyone to learn and encourage each other as part of a team giving them a realistic experience of a very positive, if sometimes challenging, aspect of adult working life.”

“School is perhaps the only environment

where the majority of people’s days

are spent solely among people of

commensurate ages. Unlike the workplace,

this can prove restrictive because cultural

references, opinions and ways of being,

no matter how personally diverse, are still

informed by the commonality of time. In

providing the opportunity for girls from Years

3 to 13 to co-operate, socialise and achieve

goals together, the House System enables

everyone to learn and encourage each other

as part of a team giving them a realistic

experience of a very positive, if sometimes

challenging, aspect of adult working life.”

Launched on September 7th 2011, the

system is comprised of six Houses, each

named after an inspirational and visionary

woman who has, in her own right, made a

notable impact on the lives of others. The

names: Austen, Chanel, Franklin, Hepburn,

Parks and Nightingale were voted for by

the Student Council in the Senior School,

the winning names aptly convey our values,

including originality, creativity, invention,

boldness, integrity and care, which, in turn,

are central to the vision and character of

Bedford Girls’ School. The six House colours

were chosen by girls in the Junior School.

The House System Continued

The Muse | 06

s well as treating their peers with consideration and kindness, we encourage girls to think about their place in the community and the wider world.

In reflecting on the needs of others, everyone can learn much about themselves, challenge preconceptions and prejudice and take positive steps towards addressing inequalities.

By learning about the services and work of charities, as well as taking part in fundraising activities, girls readily develop a compassionate worldview as well as gaining a sense of dignified purpose from meeting social responsibilities and impacting positively on the lives of others.

In addition to supporting national and international organisations, the school also supports six local charities every year. Assigned to each of the Houses and chosen in conjunction with the Harpur Trust, these organisations work closely with the school to ensure girls understand why their help and support are needed and how important it is.

Each issue, The Muse profiles two of the local House charities to explain more about their work and objectives. Here we look at Bedfordshire Refugee & Asylum Seeker Support (Chanel House) and Bedford Concern for the Homeless and Rootless (Parks House).

Bedfordshire Refugee & Asylum Seeker Support

Bedfordshire Refugee & Asylum Seeker Support (BRASS) works to empower, inform and support refugees and asylum seekers as they try and develop their place in UK society.

Established in 1999 in response to large numbers of refugees coming to Bedford in need of protection and support, the charity has specialist knowledge and understanding of the specific needs of refugees and asylum seekers and offers services such as housing, money and legal advice at the point of need.

Refugees are often vulnerable and afraid when they arrive in the town and their situations can be further complicated by language problems and the shock of entering an unknown and alien culture.

BRASS works with people to help them both with immediate issues as well as providing long-term support with the aim of achieving complete integration.

There are nine million refugees around the world, the majority of who are living in the less developed countries (providing asylum to 74.3% of the global refugee population, leaving the wealthier countries to help just 25.7%).

Bedford Concern for the Homeless and Rootless

Bedford Concern for the Homeless and Rootless (BeCHaR) works with vulnerable people aged 16 and over, helping them to take the next step towards reintegration into the local community irrespective of why they might be homeless.

Through its drop-in facility, the Prebend Centre, BeCHaR provides hot meals, clothing, help with receiving healthcare and multi-agency support. It also undertakes a range of outreach work including holistic rehabilitation work and on-going advice and assistance even after people find suitable accommodation.

Ryan Flecknell, Manager of the Prebend Centre, explained: “Our principle aim is to improve the quality of life for those least cared for and most vulnerable in the community of Bedford. The town’s homeless and rootless population exceeds the national average and the support of Bedford Girls’ School is vital to our work in helping to change this. Every donation given by pupils, parents and staff goes directly towards helping someone living in Bedford move a step closer to re-entering the local community and rebuilding a safe, fulfilling and valued life.”

A sense of care is central to the ethos of Bedford Girls’ School. Together with respect, it plays a vital role in ensuring all pupils feel a sense of familial belonging throughout their lives at the school. It helps connect us to communities different to ours, enabling us to reflect on what we have and what we can offer to others.

A

Learning through givingConnected Community

07 | The Muse

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWNAs an academically selective school one of our four key objectives at Bedford Girls’ School is striving for excellence. We have set ourselves an ambitious target for academic achievement and are committed to seeing continuous improvement in examination results over the next five years.

The Muse | 08

There are a number of critical steps to be taken to ensure this objective

is met. The first of these measures, implemented by new Head Jo MacKenzie this term, has been pupil performance monitoring. Here The Muse talks to Susie Mason Patel, Assistant Head, responsible for Performance Monitoring about the new measures.

“Performance monitoring in schools may sound daunting but it is a key component in ensuring each and every pupil is on track to reach or exceed their academic potential. A key tool in assessing whether pupils are realising their potential is standardised testing.

At Bedford Girls’ School, the starting point for these assessments is Year 7 when girls sit tests as part of the Middle Years Information System (MidYIS), developed by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring at Durham University. Comprised of Vocabulary, Mathematics, Non-verbal Reasoning and Skills sections, the tests act as a measure of predicted ability at GCSE. The prediction is based on mathematical probability and indicates the probable grade a student will achieve.

The prediction is designed to help set realistic expectations for pupil and parents to understand exactly how much hard work, effort and discipline will be required to improve their performance over this benchmark. And critically for staff too, a tool to identify those who need additional support to achieve their benchmark and those that need extension to move beyond it; so that all pupils make sustained improvements and remain challenged and engaged at an appropriate academic level.

Susie is quick to point out that the benchmark grade is neither a floor nor a ceiling. “The probability is based on the assumption that all variables stay the same. If a variable is changed, so will the grade. Those who take their grade as given and do little to achieve it are likely to be disappointed. Equally those that rise to the occasion will be rewarded. It is a powerful tool for managing standards and helping pupils and staff set realistic targets for achievement, but it is the difference the pupils and staff make to the learning

journey from Year 7 to Year 11 that ultimately determines the final GCSE grade.”

The difference between a pupil’s predicted grades based on MidYIS and their actual GCSE results is calculated to give an added value score. This score is a measure of the additional achievement a pupil in partnership with their teacher has made. It is an equation that demonstrates the power of confident, motivated pupils and inspiring, high quality teaching.

The combined influence of a pupil’s hard work and a teacher’s stimulating delivery of their subject is a potent formula. The monitoring and focus on achievement can also have the added benefit of creating a virtuous circle whereby all involved are encouraged and rewarded with raised standards.

When asked if this means we are expecting the girls to get a straight set of A* Grades at GCSE, Susie responds with a resolute “No, certainly not”. She goes on to explain, “Many girls are by their nature, natural worriers and keen to please. For some this means they are fearful of failure and work tirelessly to achieve more, always striving for perfection. Often this can be at the expense of their wider well-being and happiness. We are not here to see girls push themselves relentlessly. We want them to appreciate and value their individuality and be proud of their achievements. That is why we are also monitoring their level of engagement within the co-curriculum. We have set standards that we expect every girl to meet in terms of the wider activities they are undertaking away from their academic studies.

“One of the benefits of the benchmarking process is that it gives the girls a realistic target. For some this might mean they should recognise their achievement and take pride in achieving a B grade, rather than being disappointed that they didn’t get an A. The girls also take comfort and confidence from being able to visualise the path ahead; for many it is reassuring to know the level of work required of them and what they need to do to achieve their ambitions.”

Underpinning

what we aim to

provide at Bedford

Girls’ School is

an education that

doesn’t just provide academic

excellence, but sees the girls

developing in every aspect.

We want to ensure that every

girl feels valued and enjoys a

holistic and happy education.

Post GCSE, performance monitoring continues into the Sixth Form using the Advanced Level Information System (ALIS). Also run by Durham University’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, the ALIS project is a national system designed to predict how students are likely to perform at A Level and in the International Baccalaureate.

“The ALIS system works in the same manner as the MidYIS and again an added-value score is calculated from predicted to actual grades. The greater debate at this stage is the level of added value that can be achieved. If the value has been maximised between Year 7 and GCSE it will be very difficult to add even more value between GCSE and A Level or IB. What is critical here is that the girls’ performance is monitored and their momentum continues to ensure they maintain the level achieved.

“Girls can and do exceed their predicted grades, levels and points and are encouraged, nurtured and supported to do so. In allowing us to monitor performance so effectively, MidYIS and ALIS play a vital role in our delivery of a specialist education for all girls as well as demonstrating continual value-added achievements for each pupil and the school as a whole.”

09 | The Muse

ith a much higher than

average proportion of

students studying the

subject at A Level,

Bedford Girls’ School is both bucking a

national trend and engendering a life-long

appreciation of the beauty of Mathematics.

With research demonstrating that the

sexes comprehend Mathematics in vastly

different ways, the school has structured

an engaging, exciting and challenging

programme of learning especially tailored

to girls. It also offers extremely flexible

and adaptive teaching methods, helping

to ensure individual pupils benefit from

bespoke learning and are able to absorb

and fully comprehend the subject at each

level of their education.

Head of Mathematics, Geraldine Hubbard,

explained: “As a team of highly-qualified

and experienced educators of girls we aim

to ensure that Mathematics challenges

and inspires pupils from Years 3 to

13. Whereas boys tend to master the

intricacies of the subject quite quickly

and are often very competitive, girls tend

to evaluate and consider more complex

aspects for longer and prefer to master

one problem at a time before moving on to

the next challenge.

“From their first Year in the Junior School,

our girls are encouraged to think creatively

in Mathematics and are engaged in

activities and events that build confidence

and enthusiasm. By keeping the subject

fun, varied and relevant to life outside the

immediate confines of academia, we are

able to offer the perfect environment for

girls to achieve groundbreaking results

and to go on to successful careers in

sectors such as engineering and computer

sciences which might traditionally be

regarded as male dominated”.

In the Junior School classrooms are filled

with practical resources and girls soon

begin to gain confidence through hands

on experience and tangible learning tools

including puzzles and games. A team of

Learning Support Assistants is also on

hand to provide individual encouragement

and to allow girls to take the time they

need as individuals to process fully

information. Extra support and tuition

is also available to pupils in the Junior

School before school as well as during one

assembly time each week.

Girls are streamed into sets when they join

the school in Year 3. These sets are not

tied and girls move freely between them.

By creatively engaging girls at an early

stage and ensuring a smooth transition to

Year 7, the Junior School instills a genuine

passion for Mathematics in girls who

might gradually lose confidence in a mixed

school environment.

Karen Potter, Junior School Mathematics

Co-ordinator, is keenly aware of how a

varied and fresh approach to teaching

helps girls maintain their interest and

enjoyment of the subject through to the

Senior School and beyond.

“We are committed to delivering

excellence in our field and understand

that happiness, self-belief and a holistic

approach to teaching is the absolute

bedrock of this,” she said.

“By utilising diverse and stimulating

teaching methods and ensuring the

girls have a rich understanding of the

underlying complexities of the subject, we

can ensure they enter Year 7 as continual

improvers and do not begin to fall behind.

“In the Junior School our creative

approach to Mathematics during the

Autumn Term saw pupils making mini-

video documentaries about properties

of 2D shapes and decomposition of

numbers. Some of the younger girls

THE BEAUTY OF NUMBERS

National numeracy consultants have identified that some girls who

appear to achieve well at Mathematics in primary schools might

actually be struggling to understand the underlying methods,

causing them to lag behind boys by the time they reach Year 7.

W

The Muse | 10

completed a practical investigation using

pumpkins that involved estimating and

ordering their weights. Years 5 and 6 also

enjoyed participating in the UK Junior

Maths Challenge.

“Year 6 girls have opportunities to meet

the Mathematics staff at the Senior School

at a variety of clubs including Domino

Club, Chess Club and MathMagic League.

Many will have a Mathematics lesson on

induction day and, in the Summer Term,

Years 6 and 7 team up for a joint Maths

treasure hunt.

“Together with ongoing liaison between

staff in both schools, as well as continuity

of work schemes, this all helps prepare the

girls for the next stage of learning in the

Senior School”.

Similar activities and challenges are

available throughout the Senior School

alongside annual team challenges for girls

in Years 8, 9, 12 and 13. The MathMagic

league for Years 6 to 8 provides a fun

way to practise mental arithmetic and

involvement in age-appropriate UK Maths

Challenges is enjoyed by girls in most

years of the Junior School.

Girls design posters to aid their classes

with revision and some have created

PowerPoints that can be accessed and

shared with their peers using the pupil

shared network StudyWiz.

A group of Year 9 students recently

attended a series of enrichment

workshops hosted by the Open University

and Mathematics students in the Sixth

Form regularly attend similar events and

are encouraged to see how Maths is used

in nearly every aspect of life.

Bedford Girls’ School also offers

the Linked Pair GCSE: Methods in

Mathematics and Applications of

Mathematics which provides extra

topics such as financial mathematics

and is highly relevant to their use of their

learning in the wider world. Stronger

mathematicians are offered the opportunity

to sit the Free Standing Mathematics

Qualification which includes a number of

AS topics and is an excellent preparation

for the challenges of A Level Mathematics.

The school also offers Further

Mathematics A Level which gives girls

the chance to study the subject at

greater depth. Further Mathematics or

Mathematics at Higher Level, as part of

the International Baccalaureate, provide an

excellent foundation for girls who want to

go on to study Mathematics, Engineering,

Economics and the Sciences as well as

demonstrating a high level of logic and

reasoning to future employers.

Themselves both highly qualified

Mathematicians, Geraldine and Karen each

have a tremendous desire to demonstrate

how pertinent, interesting and elegant

their subject is and, with the rest of the

Mathematics Department, relish helping

girls to not only meet their academic

potential in the subject but to enjoy

Mathematics throughout their lives.

Geraldine said: “As well as aiming to

ensure girls are confident in persevering

with challenging tasks at the highest level

we also want everyone to appreciate

the very beautiful web of Mathematical

relationships which underpin the natural

world as well as man-made systems

and inventions.”

“ We want everyone

to appreciate the

very beautiful web

of Mathematical

relationships which

underpin the natural

world as well as

man-made systems

and inventions.”

A talking dog, fairies in wellies and a gaggle of snapping paparazzi were among the cast of characters showcasing their singing, dancing and acting talents as part of the Junior School’s Year Three production at the end of the Autumn Term.

uring three remarkable performances of the musical pantomime Cinderella and Rockerfella, the girls not only demonstrated a wealth of ability in Performing Arts but also displayed confidence, maturity and teamwork skills as they brought a tangible sense of ownership and pride to the stage.

Despite being part of Bedford Girls’ School for just three months, their polished performances were a wonderful showcase for the progress they have made since September and an excellent advertisement for the participation, collaboration and

cohesion that enabled them to prepare and deliver three flawless 90 minute productions in the last week of term.

As with all successful theatre, work in the weeks building up to the show was an integral part of Year Three’s achievements under the spotlight in the last week of term. What might not be immediately obvious is how much of that preparation takes place not just in Dance and Drama lessons but across the whole curriculum. A further interesting aspect is how vital a role the production continues to play in the academic lives of the girls long after the final curtain falls.

Junior School Headmistress, Corinne Royden, explained: “When girls first join the school in Year Three they are ushered into an environment that promotes rapid growth, development and hard work within a caring atmosphere where co-operation and respect between peers is highly valued. It is a positive setting in which we have high expectations of the girls.

“The end of year production provides a perfect focus for the girls as they work together to learn parts, rehearse and plan and make scenery. In the weeks leading up to Cinderella and Rockerfella everyone pulled together incredibly well and supported one another to ensure they delivered a phenomenal performance.

“In subjects including Art and Maths, they discussed making scenery and even designed and constructed a large clock for the set. Equipped with moving hands, the clock was used during a crucial scene where Cinderella flees the ball at midnight. Seeing their own work in a performance setting helps the girls think about the practical applications of learning and helps them to bond over a shared sense of pride in shared creations.

“Perhaps most importantly, teamwork surrounding an event of this scale really helps to build self-confidence with everyone playing a valued part in the production’s success. It brings with it a feeling of friendship and belonging that will impact positively upon their aspirations and achievements in all subject areas as well as instilling a sense of identity and well being they can carry through their entire time at Bedford Girls’ School and beyond.”

“ In the weeks leading up to Cinderella and Rockerfella everyone pulled together incredibly well and supported one another to ensure they delivered a phenomenal performance.”D

11 | The Muse

Teamwork takes centre stage

Arts

The Muse | 12

n the past four years, the number of players in university clubs has increased from 1,700 to 5,000 as enthusiasts flock to Facebook to arrange impromptu fixtures and tournaments. Internationally, England’s Elite Lacrosse players are achieving increasing success and the sport offers excellent opportunities for global travel as well as local competition.

Played with twelve players on two opposing teams, lacrosse is Native American in origin and the women’s game has been played in the UK since 1890.

The object of the game is to use a long handled racket with a net in its triangular head (known as a lacrosse stick or a crosse) to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball in an effort to score by hurling the ball into the opposition’s goal; with games lasting 30 minutes each way.

Head of Physical Education and double silver medalist in two Lacrosse World Cup Finals, Jane Axford explains more about the game’s appeal.

“Often described as ‘the fastest game on two legs’, lacrosse is physical and exciting but graceful and aesthetic to watch at the same time.

Because it’s played on grass, numerous teams are able to take to the field simultaneously and, at Bedford Girls’ School, we have 10 A, B and C teams playing regularly in fixtures from under 12s upwards.

There are tournaments for every age group at County and Regional level and the highlight of the season is the National Schools Tournament where more than 50 schools compete over two exhilarating days. Having so many schools competing on 12 or more pitches makes an amazing atmosphere and a memory-making experience for our girls.

We also play inter-school matches against teams from Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Middlesex on Saturdays. Regular opponents include Stowe School, Wycombe Abbey, Berkhamstead and Haberdashers.

Players at Bedford Girls’ School benefit from the teaching and coaching expertise of Rachael Pickin and Allie Amala who joined the PE Department fresh from lacrosse scholarships in top University lacrosse programmes. This term they also enjoyed training with elite England lacrosse player, Alana Livesy, who spent an afternoon at the school.

Claudia Barker and Isobel Pugh, in Year 13, recently represented the Midlands in the U19 Tournament and Anna Monk, in Year 12, captained the Midlands U19 B team which also included, fellow Year 12 student, Hannah Short.

A number of girls in the Senior School are involved in a regional and national performance programme operated by the English Lacrosse Association. Called CENTEX, this programme is only open to players who have the potential to represent England at U19 level or above. As a very inclusive game, other girls focus on the exhilaration and excitement of taking part.

The game also offers excellent touring opportunities in America, Canada and Japan as well as across Europe and the high standard of play at Bedford Girls’ School could well see our girls become world-beaters and globetrotters as they make their mark in the international game.”

Lacrosse One of the fastest growing sports in the UK played by

22% of English Schools, lacrosse is a firm favourite at Bedford Girls’ School. The game is fast-paced, exciting yet inclusive and accessible for all abilities.

I

Sports Report: Lacrosse

13 | The Muse

James Potter Director of ICT

Jade Wright, Upper Sixth pupil, reflects upon

a Bedford landmark that has inspired and

informed her approach to life and studies.

As well as being a keen oarswoman, Jade is

President of the Sixth Form Medical Society

and co-founder of its flagship publication:

Medicine and More.

“When I think about how many times I have

rowed up and down The Great Ouse, the

number is unimaginable. The landscape of

the river; its bridges, bends and turns have

become known to me, like a map carved

into my memories. Yet each time I pass the

familiar surroundings, I see something new.

Paperback, hardback, eReader or audio book?

eReader every time. Its flexibility is amazing

as you can get your books on phone, tablet,

or computer. Also who wouldn’t want a way

of reading in bed in the dark!? Great for scary

novels like Dracula (free on eReaders!)…

A book that made me cry

A book that Mrs Potter wrote for me called

The Great Jewels of Brom. She spent a

long time writing it as a surprise for my 30th

Birthday. As I was reading it, I couldn’t believe

that she had put so much effort and thought

into writing a whole story - just for me!

A book every ICT student should read

I couldn’t recommend just one. Anything

good in the Sci-fi genre would be a sensible

choice. If you read a classic like Arthur C.

Clarke’s 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968), or

William Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984) these

were written before much of the technology

in it existed. This for me is the essence of

technology: if you can imagine it, technology

can make it happen.

A book I wish I had written The Art of Captaincy by Mike Brearley. Mike was a fairly ordinary cricketer, but had an excellent brain for captaincy. As a result of this, he became one of England’s most successful cricket captains. If I had written this book, then that would have meant I would have been England cricket captain, which was one of my dream jobs when I was younger!

A book to give This is difficult to recommend as I think it should be a personal choice. I recently bought a book for a nine month old as I’m going to be his Godfather. The book is called ‘My Life Story’ and is completely empty! I’d love him to be able to fill it up with all of his thoughts and feelings as he grows up so he could look back on his life as he gets older.

A desert island book

Diplomacy by the legendry American

diplomat, Henry Kissinger. I have actually

read this book on a desert island in Malaysia.

Strangely, I took it backpacking around the

world with me. Apart from doubling up as a

pillow (as it is so thick), it is an exhaustive

study of politics through the ages. I find

there is always something to dip into and a

small nugget of wisdom you can take with

you each time you read a chapter of it.

My favourite bookshop

Galloway and Porter, 30 Sidney Street,

Cambridge. This bookshop used to specialise

in slightly spoiled books (read: cheaper!),

and books seemed to be on the shelves in

a random order. It was a haven for me as a

bargain hunting under and post graduate.

I found lots of books there that ended up

being vital for my studies.

A Place of My Own The Great Ouse

Like the flow of the river, life for its users is

constantly moving. Each year the strength

and technique of the rowers develop, the life

cycle of the swans continues and the trees

change from green to brown.

And most recently, the rowing blades have

changed from the separate green of BHS

and blue of DAHS to a new vibrant damson.

When I see the bright colour reflecting

through the water, I am reminded of the

strength and triumph that can be achieved

when two, originally separate, teams work

together to achieve their goals.

The Great Ouse will always be cemented in my

thoughts as a place of friendship, dedication

and hard-work, yet empirically: beauty. It is not

only home to birds, ducks and fish; it is also a

place in which I found home.

Contextual Lives

What is The Association?

The Association is the collective of every

parent, guardian or carer of current pupils and

current staff of Bedford Girls’ School. It exists

to advance the education of our pupils in two

key ways. First, by developing the relationship

between parents and the School and secondly

by supporting activities or providing facilities

which enhance the pupils’ education.

Why do we need a Parent Teacher Association? What role does it play?

One of our objectives at Bedford Girls’ School

is to build a connected community. We want

to create a community that has a sense of

belonging and involvement and we see our

parents and The Association at the heart of

it. We want to give parents opportunities to

meet each other and members of the school

in a relaxed atmosphere at a number of formal

and informal social occasions. We hope

that The Association will be where parents,

accompanied by grandparents, aunts and

uncles come together with staff, alumnae

and other friends of the School to foster a

wider sense of community; help support the

education of our pupils and have a lot of fun

in the process.

Who is a member of The Association?

Every parent automatically becomes a

member of The Association when their

daughter joins the school; and every member

of staff is routinely given membership. We

are hoping over the coming year to develop

a network of parents from every year group

so that every current parent has a readily

accessible point of contact. At the centre of

this network is The Association Committee, a

group of enthusiastic and committed elected individuals who help the Chair with the day to day running of The Association. The Committee meets once each term and consists of parents from different year groups and representatives from the School. If you have any questions or would like to join the Committee please do get in touch. How do I get involved?

We would love as many parents as possible to be involved in The Association. We have a few, high quality events planned for this year and we hope that each one will be well attended. Your support is welcome in whatever capacity you can provide it, ultimately The Association is there to benefit you and your daughters.

For those of you that might be able to lend a hand at events The Association are developing a ‘Helpers’ List’ - a (hopefully!) long list of parents who are willing to volunteer a few hours of their time to help with event planning or running. Signing-up does not commit you to helping! Before any event the Helpers’ List will be contacted to see who is available, if you can’t make it there isn’t an obligation to do so.

In addition, if you think you might have some useful contacts, please do get in touch. We are always keen to find marquee hire, caterers, entertainers, wine merchants, donations for raffle prizes etc. Is The Association just about raising money?

No. Whilst we will run some events to raise funds for specific educational items, we hope that the main purpose of any event will be to have fun and provide an opportunity for the whole school community to come together.

This term saw the official formation of Bedford Girls’ School Parent Association: The Association. Here we share its aims and ambitions.

The Committee

President: Jo MacKenzie Chair: Karen Cotton Treasurer: Tina Beddoes

Secretary: Juliet Jones Vice Chair: Andrea Spicer

Committee Members 2011 to 2013: Clare Eagles, Helen Fisher, Amanda Fishwick,

Amanda Goodman, Alexis Hayward Old, Richard Hibbert, Kate Jones, Yvonne Pemberton,

Joanna Quantril, Cathy Rogers, Corinne Royden, Sharon Spong, Jane Stewart.

theassociation@bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

More details will follow via email, letter or on the parent portal. We look forward to seeing you there!

‘House’ Quiz

Saturday 25th February 2012

Who will win the battle for

supremacy at this competitive

family event? Help support your

daughter’s House by winning

points that go towards the House

Champion Trophy.

Inaugural May Ball Saturday 5th May 2012

In conjunction with the official

opening of Bedford Girls’ School

we will be holding a black tie May

Ball. Tickets will go on sale early

in the new year, so start planning

your tables, and of course your

outfits now! This will be an over

18s event only.

Junior School Music on the Lawn Sunday 23rd September 2012

A Junior School only event.

A lovely way to mark the start

of the new school year and

an opportunity for all the new

girls and parents to meet in an

informal setting.

The Muse | 14

LEGENDS IN THEIR LIFETIME

“ For those not of a mathematical background the relevance of mathematics in life beyond financial requirements can seem quite limited and its purity obscure. For me, Ron Rivest (1947), Adi Shamir (1952), and Leonard Adleman (1945) are Living Legends not just in the mathematical world, but kings of the security of the online world; and I hope they will demonstrate how mathematics has practical outcomes for everyone.” Geraldine Hubbard, Head of Mathematics

rom the earliest spies and

military leaders people have

tried to find ways of sending

messages securely by turning

the message into a code that only

the intended recipient would have the

knowledge to decipher. This coding of

messages is known as cryptography.

With the advancements in technology,

the birth of the personal computer and

the internet, cryptography has become

an essential feature of modern living.

When money is transferred

electronically, when an email is sent,

when a purchase is made online,

F

the users of such systems want to

know that the transactions went as

planned and were not ‘hijacked’.

Mathematics is at the foundation of

making on-line transactions secure

and the RSA algorithm, as described

in 1977 by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir and

Leonard Adleman whilst working at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT), is the cornerstone of this.

In traditional cryptography two parties

that wanted to share secret information

arranged a system, which typically

required a ‘key exchange,’ of a single

key. The key is a way to ‘lock’ a

message that is being sent in secret.

If the receiver has an identical key to

the sender, then the message can be

unlocked. The development of Public

Key Cryptology is based on having two

keys. One key, used to send a secret

message to a particular person X, is

publicly available. The second key,

which is not made public, is held by

X to be used in conjunction with the

public key.

The algorithm that Rivers, Shamir and

Adleman developed is the method by

which the two keys are generated and

is based on the presumed difficulty

of factoring large integers. The RSA

algorithm involves multiplying two large

prime numbers and through additional

operations deriving a set of two numbers

that constitutes the public key and

another set that is the private key. The

private key is used to decrypt text that

has been encrypted with the public key.

Both the public and the private keys are

needed for encryption / decryption but

only the owner of a private key ever

needs to know it. Using the RSA system,

the private key never needs to be sent

across the Internet.

A quarter-century later the RSA

algorithm is the most widely used

method of public key cryptography and

has been deployed by more than one

billion applications worldwide including

the web browsers from Microsoft

and Netscape. Rivers’, Shamir’s and

Adleman’s innovation solved a daunting

challenge in network security: how to

enable secure yet transparent exchange

of encrypted communications between

users and enterprises and strangers to

each other.

As new techniques are being found

for manufacturing faster and smaller

chips, the mathematical teams today

are considering if breaking the RSA

encryption is as hard as factoring into

prime numbers and so the cat and

mouse games between those who try

to create a secure internet environment

and those who want to steal money

without standing in a long line in a

bank continue!

P & Q PRIME N = PQ

ED = MOD (P-1) (Q-1)C = M E MODNM = C D MODN

Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman: Inventors of RSA Algorithm, a method of public key cryptography.