July 2013
Dear Parents, Girls and Friends,
I am delighted to write the introduction to one of our biggest newsletters in recent years. The students of Sutton
Coldfield Grammar School for Girls continue to achieve to an extremely high standard. This newsletter
showcases just some of the many activities in which they have had the opportunity to participate.
Looking back over the school calendar for this academic year, there have been so many opportunities for the
girls to maximise their learning both inside and outside the classroom. Our girls relish these activities and I
would like to thank all the teaching and support staff for providing the chance for the girls to flourish. Next year
promises to be an extremely exciting time for the school including the new Sports Hall which is due to be
completed by Easter and a whole-school production taking place in the spring term. We will, of course, keep you
updated of these developments and the girls’ ongoing successes. Developments and activities such as these
help us to secure what is at the heart of the Sutton Girls’ vision: securing outstanding outcomes for every student.
We are saying goodbye to a number of staff at the end of term. Mrs Davies and Ms Kauser are beginning their
maternity leave. Mrs Ambrose and Mrs Thomas are retiring after many years of service to the school and Miss
Mahmood, Mrs Aston and Ms Maiden are leaving to join other schools. All these colleagues have our very best
wishes for the future.
I would like to wish you all a safe and happy summer.
Mrs Shackleton
Headteacher
A valuable Insight into life at Oxford
University
On Friday 7th June, 15 girls from Year 10 accompanied by Mr Millman
and Miss Penn travelled to Keble College; Oxford for a very interesting
day, exploring what life is like to study at Oxford University. Our day
began with a brief introduction to the University which included a range
of information from the admissions criteria to the wide array of extracurricular activities that are available. Sports such as tennis and
swimming but also other societies, one of which is the Harry Potter
Society! The question and answer session with 3 undergraduates who
were studying at Keble College proved to be an ideal opportunity to
gain an insight into life at Oxford. After we had been introduced to the
3 students, we were taken on a guided tour of Keble College where we
were shown the college’s amenities, accommodation and the Chapel
which was very interesting as we were able to see what the College
offers for ourselves. Once we had been shown around the college, it
was time for lunch in the magnificent Dining Room where there was a large selection of meals available to
choose from along with waiter service to clear the table once we had finished! This was a thoroughly enjoyable
experience as we were able to see other students at the college who had also gathered in the Hall for lunch.
After lunch, it was time to leave Keble College and walk a short distance to the Pitt Rivers Museum of
Ethnography and World Archaeology which is celebrated for its period feel and density of displays. Here we were
introduced to a wide range of objects and were given a task where we were given an object and we had to find
where it was from and other interesting facts about it by cross-comparing with other objects in the museum.
Once we had finished exploring the Pitt Rivers Museum, we embarked on a short walking tour of Oxford, guided
by Miss Penn, who is an ex-student at Oxford and this enabled us to visit another college: St John’s College
where she herself had studied. This was a great opportunity to see what another college was like and compare
this to our opinions of Keble College. Whilst walking around Oxford we also saw many famous buildings including
the Bodleian Library which contains over 117 miles of shelves filled with books and we also saw the Bridge of
Sighs. To conclude our visit, we met Loukia Koumi who left Sutton Girls in July 2011 and is now studying Greek
and Portuguese at Wadham College and she very kindly took us to her college to have a look around.
I would like to thank Mr Millman for organising the trip and Miss Penn for accompanying us for the day, that
contributed to a thoroughly enjoyable trip and valuable insight into both life and work at Oxford University.
By Charlotte Cotterill 10A
Careers & Higher Education Evening
Monday 17th June
The school held its inaugural Careers Evening with a focus on some of the most popular professions pursued by
our students. We are extremely grateful to all the professionals who volunteered to take part and gave their time
to make this event a success. Many of the volunteers were governors and ex- students and volunteers from their
network of contacts. The overwhelming response and turnout by students and parents demonstrates the demand
and interest in this type of event.
Comments received on the evaluation forms included: “It is good to speak to professionals from different areas of
work.” Another parent commented: “It was a well organised event.”
At next year’s event we would like to offer a wider range of professions to be represented so if you are able to
volunteer, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Mr J. Cooper – Assistant HeadTeacher
Preparing for Medicine
With Open Day season well underway, university prospects are on most our minds in Year 12. Perhaps even
more so for the potential medical, dental and veterinary medical applicants whose deadline comes earlier in
October. The Year 12 Medicine Day enabled students to establish what they need to do over the summer to
ensure that we have the best chances of getting a place on extremely competitive courses.
On the day, we met junior doctors Dr. Eoin Dineen and Dr. Anisha Popat, as well as University College London
students, Harpreet Dodd and Rebecca Caroll. Their own experiences of applying gave us an insight into the
different pathways of becoming a doctor; whether it was a straightforward application, taking a gap year or
applying as a postgraduate. We browsed prospectuses and analysed different course structures like Problem
Based Learning that include clinical sessions from the beginning or the traditional method that focuses students
on pre-clinical lectures and tutorials. We discussed the importance of work experience as part of our application.
Work experience in any health and social care environment is vital to demonstrate commitment to learning about
the healthcare system in the UK, for example working in a GP practice, a hospital or a nursing home. Following
that, we were given advice for the UKCAT and BMAT exams that have to be taken prior to our application. The
words verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning brought back old memories from our 11+ entrance exams but this
time we know it will not be as simple.
After the break, we began the daunting task of writing our personal statements. However, the doctors and
medical students worked with us to brainstorm ideas; incorporating our personal qualities, ambitions and
experiences that have lead us to wanting to become doctors, dentists and vets, but writing in a way that would
make us stand out as applicants. It was then that we were quizzed with ethical scenarios, forcing us to use our
knowledge of medical ethics and the law whilst considering issues like euthanasia, transplant lists and blood
diffusions. When we returned from a well-deserved lunch, we turned our focus to interview techniques. Hopeful
medics Charlotte Nesbitt, Rebecca Bowen, Laurie Hampson and one of our aspiring vets, Joanne Cheung,
bravely faced the panel of doctors and medical students. They all performed very well, tackling difficult questions
based on hypothetical scenarios like inappropriate conduct in the work place, scientific knowledge and personal
hobbies. All four individuals remembered to draw from their contextual knowledge from textbooks to wider
reading in journals and the media, work experience and extracurricular activities. The panel admitted that they
tested their interviewees to a high degree of difficulty, but the students managed to respond in ways that showed
their ability to think critically under pressure.
To round off the day in which we learnt how to get into medical school, we were shown what life was really like
once there. Life as a junior doctor is not as glamorous as it is sometimes seems on television but requires long
hours, lots of training and love for learning as medicine is always advancing. For many of us listening to the junior
doctors, this is what we want to achieve and aspire to so that we can provide the best care that everyone
deserves.
By Emily Bentley, Shri-Ishvarya Rajamoorthy and Wajeeha Sheikh 12B
Youth In Nazi Germany
“In a world on the brink of war, you either march to one tune or dance to the other.”
What? Swing Kids (History Film Club)
When? Wednesday 12th June 2013
It’s Nazi Germany, the world is slowly edging
towards another world war, and Sutton Girs’
Year 10 History group, are being whisked
away to Germany to discover the rebellious
lives of the Swing Kids.
Simply wanting to have a good time by
dancing to American or British jazz music was
banned in Hitler’s Nazi Germany and it soon
became an underground movement for young
people. Refusing to join the Hitler Youth or
even to cut hair to a short enough length, put
youth in Nazi Germany at risk of being sent to
a concentration camp…yet many continued to
defy these rules.
“The Swing Kids” told the story of two friends,
Peter and Thomas, who were young men in
Germany at the start of Hitler’s rule (he ruled
from 1933 until 1945). They despised the Nazi cause and refused to even consider joining the “HJ” (Hitler Youth),
but they both had a common passion – swing. Throughout the film, we saw the impact of Hitler’s increasing
control over the German people, especially on the friendship between Peter and Thomas. We were also able to
see the difficult decisions that had to be made by the youth between right and wrong, survival and punishment,
and the effect of the Nazi’s brainwashing propaganda…
…It was a great opportunity to be able to see what we have learnt in History lessons being put into action, and I
am sure that the film put a tear in nearly everyone’s eye as it progressed.
By Daniella Marston 10N
Year 7 and 8 Celebration Evening
Thank you to all those who attended this event on Tuesday evening and well done to the many Year 7 and 8
students who won awards. The range of achievements on display was fantastic and rounded off an exceptional
year for the two year groups.
The English Schools’ Swimming
Association National Championships
Congratulations to Emma Smith 11A who represented Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls School at the
English Schools’ Swimming Championships on Saturday and Sunday, 29th-30th June 2013. She did extremely
well and won Gold in the 200m Backstroke and Silver in the 400m Individual Medley. This means that Emma will
move forward to represent England at the Schools’ International Championship later in the year.
Emma Smith 11A
Physical Education and Sport Report
2012 - 2013
There is so much to share with you about PE and Sport this academic year. The girls have been participating and
competing in a variety of activities via extra-curricular clubs, inter-house competitions and school competitions
and tournaments throughout the year, and we have had many successes to celebrate. Of course it is also not all
about the performance; we have also had many girls continuing to develop their leadership skills, taking the
whistle and responsibility in supporting and running many events both in school and the local community.
The netball teams have all worked hard this year; Year 7 entered three teams for the PGL netball weekend in
March. All teams had a fantastic time despite the weather. That lovely spring weather; snow, unfortunately
prevented the tournament from being completed; However, the ‘A’ team was on course to be in the semi-finals.
The Year 8 team came 5th in the Birmingham Schools’ tournament and narrowly missed out on 1st place by only a
few goals in the Sutton Schools’ tournament. This team displays some excellent skills and cohesiveness and has
a great deal of potential and is definitely a team to watch next year.
The Year 9 and 10 team came 1st in the Sutton Schools tournament and
went onto represent Sutton in the Birmingham School Games, missing
out on 1st place by only three goals! Many of our girls are being put
forward to county trials this month, and with many talented individuals,
future success awaits.
We could not let the opportunity slip by to also tell you about the
individual successes of some of our girls in netball this year. Ayana
Clarke, Lucy Parize and Hannah Leighton have all been successful in
getting into the West Midlands Regional Netball squad. Well done to al
three.
Gymnastics has also continued to have successes. Gym Club is very
well attended every week and our girls did very well in the two
competitions we entered. In the Birmingham Schools’ Novice
competition, our two U12s teams; Sutton Stripes and Sutton Stars won
Bronze and came 4th respectively. The over 12s teams won Silver and
Bronze. Individual gymnasts also came home with medals. Holly West
won Silver on the floor, Madonna Jonhera won Gold on Vault, Lucy
Holgate won Gold in the overall gymnastics as a result of coming 4 th on
Vault and winning Gold on floor. Emily Crowley won Bronze on Vault
and Caprice Wilson just missed out on a medal in the individual over all
competition, coming in 4th place. The Main Birmingham Gymnastics
Competition was also a success as Morgan White explains;
“On Friday 3rd May 2013 several girls travelled to the Birmingham University to compete in the Birmingham
Schools’ Gymnastics competition. It was a great day out for everyone, as we were able to experience the talents
of girls from our school and those from other schools with the gymnasts ranging from Years 7-13. We all had to
perform two vaults and a floor routine both of which we learnt and practiced at the weekly Friday lunchtime
Gymnastics Club run by school. At the end of the day there was a presentation to award medals to winning
individuals and school groups. Sutton Girls did extremely well, the under 14s came overall 2nd with Jessica
Shingler coming 2nd in vault, floor and overall and Natalie Flanagan coming 3rd on vault. The over 14s also did
very well coming 3rd overall with Faye O'Hara coming 2nd on vault and 3rd overall. It was a thoroughly enjoyable
day and we look forward to next year’s competition.” Morgan White 8A
I could not continue without a massive thank you to the Gymnastic leaders who have supported Mrs Cole in
Gymnastics Club every week, inevitably contributing to the success of our gymnasts. Thank you therefore to
Faye O’Hara, Heidi Lucas, Stephanie Cave, Chloe Dent and Ceri Jury.
Rowing is continuing to go, or should I say ‘row’ from strength to strength. The
demand for this sport is phenomenal, with girls from all yeas groups eager to get
involved. Twenty seven girls took the trip down to London in March for the
National Rowing Competition at the Lea Valley Athletics Centre. Five teams were
entered into the Boat Relay with our mixed age super squad finishing 14 th out of
59 teams from across the country. Each individual rower also did very well. There
are too many results to mention here, so I will share our top performers results in each
age group. Kyra Flynn (Year 7) finished 129th out of 207 athletes; Charlotte Cropper
(Year 8) finished 42nd out of 238 athletes; Lucy Holgate (Year 9) finished 37 th out of 204
athletes; Jade Alexander (Year 10) finished 92 nd out of 169 athletes; Emma Plant (Year
11) finished 75th out of 96 athletes and Laurie Hampson (Year 12) finished 26 th out of 51
athletes. Mrs Peel has done a fantastic job with this club, and her passion has clearly
transferred to our girls for the love of this sport. Thank you also to our dedicated leaders
Zoe Plant, Charlotte Nesbitt and Chloe Cashmore for helping to coach the girls. Rowing
has also been taking place outdoors at Powells Pool in Sutton Park, allowing the girls to
transfer their skills to the water.
During the Autumn term, twelve girls from across the year groups committed
themselves to a six week British Military Martial Arts course. All were successful in
achieving their Yellow Belt. Some girls have now continued to progress further in this
sport by joining the local club and we wish them every success in the future.
The Autumn term was also the time for cross country. Georgia Curry (9N) is one of our talented runners. This
year she had this to say;
“I have entered many running competitions this year. In the Sutton Schools’ League, I
came 1st in both events whilst representing the school. Later in the year, I took part in
the West Midlands Schools cross country race and came 5th, qualifying to represent
West Midlands in the English Schools cross country championships. In this national
event I came 78th, 2nd in the West Midlands team.”
All the hard work in lessons and Dance Club for the ‘Evening of Dance’ in April paid
off, with fantastic performances ranging from beginners in dance, to performers of an
extremely high standard. My personal favourite was a performance to the Lion King
by girls in 11T. An amazing 102 girls from all years took part in what was truly an
inspirational evening.
“Wednesday 27th March saw the return of the
Evening of Dance. There were many fantastic
dances ranging from ballet to hip-hop and
Bollywood. Everyone performing had either won
their year’s House Dance Competition or been
asked to perform by a teacher. The evening was
great fun as each student got the chance to
show their talent in dance, by performing a
routine they had made up to a large audience;
this was a great opportunity for many students.
It was lovely that parents could come and watch
their own daughter and others too in order to
see the variety of talent on show.” Jessica
Shingler 8A
During P.E. lessons in January, Year 7 and 8 girls were trialling to compete in the indoor athletics competition
held at Arthur Terry School. Despite not finishing in a medal position, both the Year 7 and 8 teams selected, tried
very hard and performed to their best.
“Budding athletes had attended trials in order to represent the school at Sutton’s Indoor Athletics Competition
held at Arthur Terry on the 31st January. The team had been picked and those selected piled into the minibus
after missing the end of lessons in order to leave promptly at the end of the school day. When we arrived we
were informed as to how the competition would run. We were all very excited and eager to compete in our
events. They ranged from long jump to sprints and relays to speed bounce. After the individual running events,
we each went off to tackle the field events before everyone gathered at the end for the team races. Finally it was
time for the results and even though everyone did the school proud, we finished just outside the medals.”Jessica
Shingler 8A
The summer term saw the start of the outdoor athletics, tennis and rounders season. The
first event at Wyndley Leisure Centre provided the opportunity for our talented athletes to
trial for the North Birmingham District Athletics team. Six of our girls were successful in
earning a place in the team and went onto compete at the Alexandra Stadium in June.
Well done to: Sophia Karski (Year 10) 800m; Georgia Curry (Year 9) 1500m; Emma
Greenaway (Year 9) 800m; Lucy Wood (Year 8) Discus; Abazz Shayaam Smith (Year 8)
100m; Natalie Flanagan (Year 8) 75m Hurdles. Georgia Curry also went onto finish 3 rd in
her event in the West Midlands Schools Athletics trials. Well done again to all of our
athletes.
The Sutton Schools’ Athletics competition for U12s, U13s and U14s also took place in
June. The teams finished in 6th, 3rd and 5th place respectively. There were many good
individual performances and a great deal of potential was demonstrated. I am looking
forward to these young athletes developing their skills and performance next year.
“At Athletics Club, we have practised many events and skills needed for athletics, as well as doing trials for the
athletics meets at Wyndley. The first meet was trials for the North Birmingham team. I competed in the discus
and the 200 metres, and I got through to the district team for the discus as I cane 1 st. I then went on to represent
North Birmingham at the Alexander Stadium and I came 3rd. At the Sutton Schools’ athletics I came 2nd in the
discus and 4th on the 200 metres. I have really enjoyed athletics this year, and I hope to compete for the school
again next year.” Lucy Wood 8N
The Sutton Secondary Schools’ Tennis Competition was hosted at Sutton
Girls. Both our Year 7 and 8 combined and 9 and 10 combined teams won
their overall tournaments, with the Year 7 and 8 team going through to play
at the Aegon Tennis tournament at Edgebaston Priory. Despite the very wet
weather on that day, the girls all performed well and also had the opportunity
to watch some professionals in action.
Rounders has been well attended. With clubs two nights and one lunch time
a week, many girls have really begun to raise the standard of their game.
Year 7, 8 and 10 competed against other schools in the Sutton Schools
Rounders tournament for their age groups. Year 7s came 3rd, Year 8s had
two teams who came 3rd and 4th and the Year 10s came 2nd, narrowly
missing out on representing Sutton at the Birmingham Summer Games.
Throughout the year we have participated in leagues for 7 a side hockey, 7 a side football and cricket at Wyndley
Leisure Centre. Teams have involved girls from Years 7 to 10 participating and enjoying competitive sport. For all
of our girls taking part in Cricket, this was their first experience of the game, and for their first competitive season
the squad did very well and made definite progress in not only their performance but their confidence over the
duration of the six week league.
“ Cricket this year has been fun as it has allowed us to try something new since we do not play cricket very often
in lessons. I attended the cricket club at lunchtimes where we practised our batting and fielding skills in small
matches against other people in Year 7, 8 and 9. The six week tournament that took place at Wyndley enabled
us to put the skills that we had learnt on practice to the test. Although we were not the best team there, we were
able to pick up on tactics and skills from other teams which improved our playing immensely and so towards the
end of the tournament we started to win matches and work much better together as a team.” Danielle Kelley 9V
“The best hockey players from Years 7 and 8 were brought together in one team to compete against other
schools in our area. Come rain or shine we walked down to Wyndly for another Thursday evening packed with
hockey playing madness. Whether we were in on the action or taking a break to cheer our team on a great time
was had by all. We unfortunately didn't win but we felt like winners as we had an amazing time and loved every
second of it. It was an inspiring experience and has really encouraged me to continue playing hockey.”
Daisy Kynman-Sprinks 8A
After weeks of practise in the summer term, our
enthusiastic cheerleaders participated in the
Birmingham Cheerleading competition on July
10th and finished in a respectable 4th place. Well
done to Jessica Daly, Caprice Wilson, Isha
Bahia, Miah Dimascio, Jada Houghton-White,
Olivia Kellerman and Megan Waters. Miah
Dimascio has also gone onto be successful in
becoming a cheerleader for a new Basketball
team in Birmingham.
Of course we could not possibly forget to mention the inter- house competitions that our girls have participated in
this year. There has been much rivalry, with each house striving to come out on top. Inter-house competition
days are always enjoyable, played in good spirit and it is lovely to see healthy competition between the girls.
Arden came out on top overall in both the dance and rowing competitions, as well as Arden Year 9s winning the
football, their senior team winning the netball, rounders and tennis and their Year 8s also winning the tennis.
Tudor won the volleyball competition, as well as their Year 7s and 8s winning the football, their Year 9s winning
the tennis and their Year 8s and 9s also winning the netball. It seems like the other three Houses have a lot of
catching up to do. However, the other Houses have had successes, with Nevil Seniors winning the football and
their Year 7s won both the rounders and the rowing. Vesey Year 8s won the rowing and Year 7s won the tennis
and Warwick Year 8s and 9s won the Rounders. It all starts again in September, so let the battle commence!
However it’s not all about competitions and matches. Many of our girls have been demonstrating their leadership
qualities by leading and supporting a variety of clubs, competitions and events throughout the year. Many girls
have taken the lead at extra-curricular clubs including netball, hockey, football, dance, gymnastics and rowing.
Their commitment has really contributed to the success of the clubs that we run here at school and has been
greatly appreciated by the girls that attend and all of the P.E staff. Our girls have also been leaders at many
Primary School competitions including athletics, tennis, rounders, netball and golf. Some of the girls have also
been successful in achieving the Level 1 umpiring qualification in netball and in hockey. We are very proud of the
quality of our leaders and we expect the standard to continue in future years. Congratulations go to level 1 netball
umpires; Lucy Parize, Kellie Brooke, Annie Manning, Hannah Leighton, Ayana Clarke, Angalea Varma, Hayley
Pritchard Jones, Ore Akinwale, Emma Buckroyd, and Francesca Bakhtiari; and level 1 hockey umpires Lucy
Holgate, Lauren Newbould, Erin Neville and Emily Beasley.
It has been a very busy and exciting and somewhat successful year, and we intend to build on our successes
and continue to raise participation rates and opportunities for our girls. It truly is an exciting time at school, with
the new sports hall on its way, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Physical Education and sport at
Sutton Girls.
Miss R. Hughes – Head of PE
PUZZLE IT OUT??
On Thursday 13th June, the Happy Puzzle Company came to our school to give us an opportunity to challenge
our minds using puzzles. The puzzles varied from placing penguins on an unstable iceberg to trying to make a
3D sculpture using hamster tubes with no way in and no way out. Lindsay, from the Happy Puzzle Company
assisted us in solving the brain-teasing puzzles.
For an hour and a half we sat in the Drama Studio making our brains work intensely. However we had some rules
that we had to follow such as trying not to be conceiving or devious. Lindsay said ‘You may think you have come
up with an original plan to cheat on the puzzles but I can guarantee that someone has thought of it before.'
Although, the main rule was to work as a team.
The first puzzle consisted of teamwork and patience as well as balance. We had to place all the penguins on an
iceberg that was unstable. Different solutions were brought up to try to keep the penguins balanced such as
starting from the top of the iceberg and working your way down or starting from the bottom and working your way
upward also putting 2 penguins on from opposite sides and finally putting one penguin on at a time.
Vinita Kaur and Bellina Hunjan 7V: “Our favourite puzzle was the jigsaw with the circle inside the square. We
liked this because it was fun, you get to work as a team and there was a straightforward pattern that made it
easier to crack the puzzle.” The aim of the puzzle is to make the edges of a square using puzzle pieces and then
to make a circle that fit perfectly inside the square. To make this easier there was an allocated pattern that we
could make to fit the circle with the colours: blue, red, yellow, green, and orange.
Another popular choice of puzzle was the road puzzle. In this there were 20 pieces of fabric which fitted with
every other piece of fabric. In this fabric was a road circuit and we had to fit them all together to make a 4x5
rectangle. However, the catch was there was over a thousand ways to do it. It took us a long time to find just one.
Overall it was a fantastic opportunity to enhance our skills to work out the puzzles. Mya Donaldson quoted that ‘It
was really fun and helped us to work on our communication skills and teamwork. Also the puzzles were really fun
at the same time’ Even from this quote it is evident that we all had a fabulous time. Thank you for the opportunity
to make it happen. A very special thank you to Lindsay for coming all this way to help us also. Well done Year 7.
By Natalie Machisa, Emily Milner, Zainub Imran 7V
Not for our own advantage …
Thank you to the whole school community for your fundraising efforts this year. Since September we have raised
the following magnificent amount for a wide range of charities:
£20,000
“The best chips & beans we’ve ever
had”
On Wednesday 3rd July, four girls from 9V ventured into the mathematical unknown, in a bid to win the
prestigious Edge Hill Maths Challenge. Martha Connell, Libby Randall, Sally Karandikar and Isabella
Copplestone (Also known as ‘The Nerd Herd’) had all previously worked together to create a comedic video and
presentation, that represented a mathematical question, set by Edge Hill university. After winning over their
classmates and the university, the girls were invited to Lancashire to present their final answer.
It took a two and a half hour drive until we arrived, along with the intellectual presence of Mr Simpson. Astounded
by the picturesque campus and the luck of finding a ten pound note on the floor, we were certain that the
afternoon would be one of prosperity and triumph. Following some brief preparation and minor havoc with the
laptops, our empty stomachs guided us to the cafeteria, where we were to devour some of the finest chips and
beans of the culinary world.
After a satisfying lunch and extensive rehearsals, we presented our slapstick video to a selection of shrewd
judges, who seemed greatly entertained by ‘The Nerd Herds’ efforts. Tensions were running high following the
presentation, as the challenge had spurred a passion for entertainment in all of us. Consequently, the whole
group were elated to learn that despite not placing in the top three groups, ‘The Nerd Herd’ had achieved a place
between 4th and 25th out of 3,500 entries. Smiles appeared all round as we were awarded a certificate and a
humorous, mathematical book. All four of us very much appreciated the gift, in spite of the absence of the
advanced mathematical knowledge required for a basic understanding of the jokes.
The highlights of the day were undoubtedly the fish and chips, the 10 pound note, and of course, the chance to
demonstrate our mathematical knowledge, whilst gaining an additional sentence for the our CV’s and job
applications…nothing like looking to the future! We would all like to thank the school for this opportunity,
especially Mrs Pockson, for being our beloved Maths teacher and Mr Simpson, for chaperoning a nervous group
of girls.
By Isabella Copplestone 9V
Year 7 Entry in September 2014
Reminder to Parents: If you have a daughter who will be going to secondary school in September 2014, or you
know someone who has, there will be opportunities to visit the school at the following times:
Wednesday 18th September - 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Thursday 19th September
- 11.00am - 12.15pm
More details can be found on the final page of this newsletter.
Y9 CREST Regional Finals
On 25th of June 2013, two teams from Sutton Girls set off
to the Ricoh Arena early in the morning in order to present
our CREST projects. We had chosen the option CREST
during our Cloud 9 enrichment year as it seemed like a
great opportunity and a creative way to portray our
passion for science. The task we were set was to select
the best soap on the market through a series of scientific
experiments and re-brand it as a unique and inspirational
product. The team that I was on designed a soap called
'Fresh' and through a series of questionnaires,
experiments and market research, came up with a high
quality, well designed, effective soap.
On the day of the trip, we arrived at the arena and had to cover a display board with our research and findings,
hoping to catch the judges’ attention. Between the hours of 10:00 and 12:00, every team had to stay with their
board and PowerPoint and wait for a series of judges to come round, questioning and inspecting the
investigations. This part of the day built many skills and attributes relating to leadership as we as a group had to
think on our feet, resolve any problems that became apparent during the judging and speak without getting
nervous to a panel of judges, even if we were asked some challenging questions!
When the judging had finished, there were a great number of opportunities
for the contestants to participate in including science stalls, experiments,
information tables on careers and university, job experts and activities
based on the themes of science, maths, technology and engineering. As a
school, we all went to a talk called 'life through a lens' which was an
educational yet inspiring presentation on microscopy linking with all sections
of science. After lunch, every competitor went to the results presentation
were we had a talk about where STEM had taken Kate Bellingham and how
engineering had influenced her life. When the results were
announced,unfortunately neither of our teams had won the competition but
the overall day had been a great experience.
Throughout the day, each individual showed great business
techniques and flair for science, in addition to working as a
team to achieve a high standard project and presentation. I
thoroughly enjoyed the day and it has inspired me to take
STEM as far as possible in my life and to never give up on
my dreams.
By Georgia Curry 9N
The Great Year 9 Bake Off
Congratulations and a huge thank you to
Shifa Puri (9W) who did a fantastic job in
organising a ‘Bake Off’ for Y9. Two
contestants from each Y9 form baked their
showstopper cupcakes and presented them
to the hungry judges who marked them on
aesthetics, flavour and texture. All the
fabulous cakes baked during the competition
were then sold in the School Hall at
lunchtime. The girls raised £185.25 with all
proceeds going towards equipment for our
new sports hall.
The contestants for each registration group were:
9A
9N
9T
Erin Neville and Elinor Lester
Jessica Baker and Jenny Morris
Morgan Westwood-Cook and Hanifa Ali
and Hanifa Ahmed
9V
9W
Rosie Caulkin-Mottram and Simeran
Pattni
Ellie Silverwood and Niamh Dillon
and Simeran Pattni
The judges were; Mrs Dimmock, Mrs Ambrose, Mrs Muman, Mr Wilkins and Mrs Batchelor. The girls then sold
the remainder of their cakes in the Hall.
There were Second Mile Cup points at stake for the best cakes AND the House that raised the most money for
the school/sports hall equipment.
The results were as follows;
Cake competition:
First 9N; Second 9W; Third 9A; Fourth 9V; Fifth 9T.
Second Mile Cup:
Thank you to everyone who bought cakes. Warwick House raised the magnificent
sum of £70.80 towards our final total and so scooped the Second Mile Cup points on offer.
The Year 10 Art Trip
On the 28th of June 2013, the Art Department took us, the Year 10 GCSE Art students, on a trip to the
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) and IKON. The trip was a reward for all of our hard work
throughout the year and also served to inspire our own ‘Portrait’ project.
Our day started by taking the train, which was a
more interesting alternative to the coach, giving
us a sense of independence. The beautiful day
and scenery helped us begin the trip with a good
mood. When we arrived at our destination, we
walked down to BMAG and were let loose upon
the museum. For many of us, this was our first
time exploring the museum. However, even for
those who had visited before, BMAG boasted an
impressive selection of classical art, in time
periods spanning from the Greeks to the
Renaissance. After wandering around, we were
given the privilege to sit down and draw
observationally from our favourite pieces in the
sketchbooks that we had brought along with us.
We had a well-deserved lunch at BMAG before
walking through Brindley Place to IKON, which
was very different. In contrast to BMAG, IKON is
a very contemporary gallery that showcased the
work of living artists. The displays of the Tapa
bark-cloth and François Morellet showed us that
art doesn’t have to have a meaning – it can
simply be aesthetically pleasing. After having a
quick guided tour and a lot of fun in the IKON lift,
we finished the day by exploring the gift shops
before returning back home.
The trip was a fantastic success and a fun
addition to our weekend. It was an enjoyable
day and we greatly appreciate the kindness of
the Art Department to take us to see some
amazing pieces of art. We have definitely been
inspired and would love to visit again.
Kirun Sehra and Nusrat Sultana 10A
Year 10 – Fair’s Fair
Well done to all Year 10 girls involved in the planning of the Fair’s Fair on Thursday 18 th July. It was a fantastic
event with an amazing range of stalls with a ‘Fairtrade’ theme. Thank you to the R.E. Department for supporting
the girls in this project.
Day Out for Westminster Debate Duo
After winning the Sutton Coldfield Schools’ Big Debate competition in February, Beth McHugh and I, along with
the competitors from the other schools, were invited for a tour of the Houses of Parliament and lunch with the Rt
Hon Andrew Mitchell MP on 8th July.
Arriving in London just after 11 o’clock, we went through security before embarking on the tour, led by a guide
who told us numerous fun facts; for example, a recent refurbishment of part of the Westminster Hall ceiling had
revealed tennis balls dating back to the days when King Henry VIII had used the prestigious building for tennis
matches. After the tour, we met Andrew Mitchell for lunch and a Q&A session, where he gracefully answered
questions on topics ranging from his resignation as government chief whip to his stance on Britain’s membership
in the EU. He then made sure we had seats in the galleries of the Houses of Commons before bidding farewell
while we waited to watch a debate.
Being in the public viewing gallery watching Theresa May give a statement on the deportation of Abu Qatada was
not only an interesting experience but proved just how accessible the world of politics is. I was surprised to learn
that anyone can go to watch Parliamentary debates if they are prepared to queue, and the free tickets needed to
gain access to Prime Minister’s Question Time can be obtained by contacting your MP. Being in a setting I have
only ever seen on TV was a surreal feeling and when David Cameron suddenly walked in Beth and I could only
look at each other amazed; the strict no-talking rules prevented us from voicing our surprise!
Leaving London in the middle of rush hour unsurprisingly proved to be a bad move but the many friendly,
animated arguments helped pass the time; it was a coach full of budding debaters after all! We all agreed
however that thanks to the sun and seeing the Prime Minister, the day had been a great success.
By Joy Dempsey 12Y
Making a difference through Envision
When we came into Sixth Form we were constantly
told about the different opportunities we would have
outside academia, one of these being Envision.
Most of us didn’t really know what it was or what
was involved, but we still went along to the
introduction session and signed up. This was when
we were introduced to the programme and we can
now honestly say how glad we are that we turned
up.
Envision gave us the opportunity to work with other
charities and to develop skills we otherwise would
not have gained. Many of the Sixth Form students
from Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
who took part in the enrichment programme, raised
money for their chosen charities and individual
campaigns as well as raising awareness in the local
and wider communities through their projects on
body image, child abuse and domestic violence.
Events such as bake sales were used to raise
money to help with funding our projects which
happened at various points through the year.
Stella Wan won ‘Student of the Year’
at the Best of Brum Awards.
Our campaigns, presentations and videos were created using techniques to make our projects successful. Stella
Wan, a member of the ‘Behind the Smile’ group, campaigning against child abuse was the first ever student to
make and release a song named after her group. The group was nominated for the creative award and reached
the top five. Stella was nominated as student of the year at the Best of Brum Awards at Edgbaston Cricket
Ground and won. Envision gave us the courage to and acknowledgement we needed to voice our opinions and
make a change in society as well as gaining more knowledge into issues which affect people’s lives every day.
By Bethany O’Keeffe 12G
Sports Day 2013
This was the first Sports Day for Years 7 and 8 as last year’s was cancelled due to poor weather. No such
problem this year! Well done to all who participated. The points are being totalled up and will contribute to the
final score for the year. The winning House will be awarded the Second Mile Cup on the afternoon of Friday 19th
July.
Year 8 Residential Trip to Condover
Hall in Shropshire
On 10th July Year 8 went on a residential trip to Condover Hall
Shrewsbury, Shropshire. As we all gathered into the dining room
with our suitcases, although it was early we were all full of
excitement. Upon arrival we were split into our activity groups which
were full of new people we then went to our first activities. A few
groups were sent to play dodge ball whilst others began the
activities such as water sports and survival skills. The dorms varied
in size and shape but most of them were spacious. On the second
day, the activities we were asked to do progressed. Some examples
of this are Jacob’s Ladder, Rock Climbing and Fencing. These are
all thrilling to take part in, and almost everyone enjoyed the
experience. The dining also improved, as we were being served
larger portions, and higher quality food. All the activities encouraged
team building.
Now onto the water
sports! We learnt how
to kayak, and raft
build, as well as
messing around in the
water and fun with our
group leaders. The
journey to the lake
was only about 7
minutes, and on the
way back, it seemed even shorter. When we kayaked, we played
different games, such as steering our way to a ball, and wrestling on
an over turned kayak. Then, the raft building was a good lesson in
knot-tying and log sitting. A few people decided to not do it and
some regretted that decision as it looked so fun and the feedback
agreed.
Overall the experience was interesting, amazing and was enjoyed
by all. During the trip new friendships were formed, new memories
created and new activities tried. The teachers, group leaders and
fellow students contributed in making the trip enjoyable for all.
Thank you.
By Jasmine Kaypee and Georgie Bateman 8V
Condover Hall, Shropshire
In the final weeks leading up to the end of the year, I believe I can safely say that Condover Hall has been one of
the most eagerly awaiting trips! My form had been abuzz for weeks over the dorms we would be sleeping in, and
what groups we would be put into.
Last Wednesday, having dragged ourselves out of bed to be at school for 7:30, we set off on the coaches on the
way to Condover Hall.
We arrived at around 10:00, eager to start our activities. We met our instructors and took part in Initiative
exercises and Wild Games, however, as our usual clumsy selves, we’d already sustained some cuts and bruises.
And one of my more unfortunate friends had earned the nickname ‘Gravel-face.’
The rest of the day passed in a blur, and in a way, so did the whole trip. I loved spending time with my friends, as
well as meeting new people and having a go at new activities.
I think my favourite activities overall, had to be the Water Sports and Jacob’s Ladder. Both were very challenging
and I had a lot of fun completing them –especially on the Jacob’s ladder, where we had to work in pairs to reach
the top!
All in all, the trip was amazing; I enjoyed the activities and spending time with my friends, the only improvements
would be better food, and to stay for longer!
By Sophie Lloyd 8A
Condover Hall, Shropshire
Successful and Sustainable fashion
show for Year 9
On Friday 12th July, Year 9 participated in a ‘sustainable fashion show’, where outfits had to be created by using
recycled materials and showcased in a professional-style fashion show. Each form chose their own theme, with
creative ideas such as ‘Carnival’, ‘City’ and ‘Hippy vs Punk’. Each form needed to incorporate a PowerPoint
video, catwalk and commentary, in both English and French. French was chosen as Paris is home to most major
fashion houses, and also allowed students who were less interested with the fashion to take part.
In the morning of the fashion show everyone was buzzing with excitement; however there was still a lot of work to
be done. Forms needed to paint nails and do hair and makeup. Although, this does not seem a lot of work
everyone was pushed for time. Final checks were done to ensure that the whole show was going to run smoothly.
The fashion shows were held in the hall, in the afternoon. Each of the five forms had 15 minutes to showcase
what they had organised and created. It was interesting to see how the forms had all approached the task
differently, and to see their final work. The shows were judged on 4 different criteria: creative clothing,
PowerPoint/video, Presentation and overall show. All five forms were serious competitors for all four categories,
but eventually the judges decided that Warwick was victorious overall. Miss Stringer explained: “Overall, the
judges thought that Warwick had a very intellectual and sophisticated approach towards the fashion show with
their theme; it was obvious a lot of effort had gone into the preparation and it appeared that everyone had played
an equal part.” We also spoke to winning project manager Ellie Silverwood: “I’m very proud of the form for how
we pulled together as a team for the fashion show. We had our differences to begin with, but this event brought
us together going into our separate GCSE paths. I would just like to say thank you to the Geography, French, Art,
DT and Music Departments, particularly Mrs Dimmock, for their support throughout the preparation.”
A big congratulations to everyone in Year 9 who took part in this year’s Fashion Show, and we are sure it is going
to be success at Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls for many years to come.
Lauren Hewlett and Niamh Dillon 9W
Sixth Form Physics Trip to Switzerland.
11th – 13th July 2013
Year 12 and 13 visited the CERN facility near Geneva in Switzerland to see the Large Hadron Collider and its
detectors.
The trip began with an early morning coach journey to Luton Airport to board a plane at 7:15 am! The excitement
of visiting a foreign country kept us awake through the night! When we arrived in Geneva we walked in the
sunlight to the youth hostel and were refuelled with lunch before being delightfully entertained by Mr Broadbent’s
quiz. The quiz helped to liven our spirits about CERN with rounds such as Guess who and a picture puzzle
round, all science related of course.
We then began our venture in to the beautiful town of Geneva, walking alongside the lake. The views were
absolutely breath- taking and the people quite rightly added to the awe of the place; they were very friendly and
very appreciative at the ‘difficulties’ we all experienced with the language barrier. Yet, this resulted in a lot of
laughter, and embarrassment… Well that flew right out the window right as we stepped out the plane with one
student unintentionally decided to greet the flight attendant in French and then end in Spanish!
Wandering the streets of Geneva really helped us to absorb the culture, at first it took a while to settle in and get
to grips with the surroundings, primarily due to the fast paced lifestyle of the city. Yet, it was very refreshing to
see a vast majority of the people using public transport and bikes to commute around the city – with the addition
of free travel cards that were also offered, these should definitely be adopted in Birmingham!
The next day, we set off to CERN in great eagerness, yet we were warned that we should not get our hopes up
for a gigantic Hadron Collider to be on show as we stepped off the coach. Instead, we were greeted with science
buildings. This was definitely not a let-down as a large wooden spherical building named: “The Globe of Science
and innovation”. Inside we were left to explore the vast array of innovation that had been the result of CERN. For
instance, on display was the proposal by Tim Berners-Lee for a form of information management, a proposal for
what is now the internet. This really set us back as at that moment we really felt we were in one of the world’s
most largest and respected centres of scientific research.
Anticipation came for lunch time, eating beside scientists within the CERN lunch room. Paella, tarts, cakes and
such a large selection of pasta and salad, it really felt as though the lunch room did not fall short.
Last but certainly not least, the most exciting part of the trip was journeying underground to see the large Hadron
Collider, the worker at CERN did well to fuel our excitement but nothing could have been more thrilling then
wearing the CERN helmet and stepping out of the elevator with our heads held up high just fit the Collider in our
field of vision.
The large Hadron Collider, CERN, Geneva – One large step for man, one gigantic leap for mankind!
By Harveen Matharu and Alice Porter