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not to have more, but to be more AUTUMN TERM 2018 SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM Page 8 REMEMBRANCE 2018 Brookdale Military Hospital Page 10 HALF TERM TRIP TO NAPLES Fino alla prossima volta Page 4 DIVERSITY WEEK Variety is the spice of life

DIVERSITY REMEMBRANCE HALF TERM TRIP WEEK ......in the 21st Century ’. Philosocoffee is a new club in school that encourages debate and discussion of philosophical, religious and

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Page 1: DIVERSITY REMEMBRANCE HALF TERM TRIP WEEK ......in the 21st Century ’. Philosocoffee is a new club in school that encourages debate and discussion of philosophical, religious and

not to have more, but to be more

AUTUMN TERM 2018 SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM

Page 8

REMEMBRANCE2018

Brookdale Military Hospital

Page 10

HALF TERM TRIPTO NAPLES

Fino alla prossima volta

Page 4

DIVERSITY WEEK

Variety is the spice of life

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AUTUMN TERM 2018

#1. DREAM To be loved and trusted as an academic school that nurtures girls to be happy, confident and resilient and who reach their potential in whichever field they choose.

#2. CHARACTERHappy Dynamic Academic United Nurturing Ambitious Fun Committed Inclusive Friendly Aspirational

#3. BELIEFSProviding an outstanding, educational journey to girls from the age of two to eighteen

Inspiring girls to achieve and to be the very best they can be

Giving every individual girl a truly holistic educational experience

Embracing the very best in technology to provide a personalised approach to learning

Welcoming girls of all faiths in a school with a strong Christian ethos

Producing successful citizens for the future with global awareness, empathy and a strong moral compass

Supporting girls with superb pastoral care; one which develops girls’ resilience, self-confidence and self-belief

Working in partnership with parents to guide girls throughout their school life

#4. SPIRIT“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

#5. FOCUSConfidence and self-belief

School Vision

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM

Contents

Welcome from Helen Jeys 3Diversity Week 4Prize Giving 6Year 7 Kingswood Trip 7Remembrance 2018 8Erasmus+ European Project 9Half Term Trip to Naples 10Alumnae 12Drama Trip to London 14Model United Nations 15

Cover image:Year 7 Students: Ashleigh Shumba and Grace Tarazi.

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AUTUMN TERM 2018

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 03

Welcome

It has been a really busy term in school. As you would expect, the focus on outstanding teaching and learning continues; we all want the girls to achieve their academic potential and it is fantastic to see where their learning takes them. Sixth form girls have been applying to university this term and it is really gratifying to see how their passion for subjects are taking them to the next stage in their academic careers. However, one very special feature of Alderley Edge School for Girls is the amount of activities outside of the classroom. You will read inside this edition about foreign trips and clubs, but you will also read about activities closer to home. Our Remembrance Service, for instance, was a real highlight of the term for us. The realisation that one of our buildings was used as a military hospital in the First World War, framed the School’s commemoration of the event and the display of poppies on the front gate was a stunning way for the girls, themselves, to show their appreciation of what so many people went through to enable us to have the freedoms we enjoy today. One area of development within the School has been the increased focus on our alumnae community and how our ‘old girls’ can benefit the girls in school. I have received fantastic feedback about Leisha Beardmore, for instance, our speaker at this year’s Prize Giving and her message of ambition and ethical living was an inspiration to us all. I feel strongly that it is hugely beneficial for girls to hear from our alumnae community and our new ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions in school this term – delivered by our alumnae - reinforce our message to girls that they can achieve in such a wide variety of careers. I was fortunate to hear the session by Geraldine McCool, who spoke about her career in aviation and military law. Such sessions will continue and I really hope that they encourage the girls, themselves, to be ambitious for their own future. Our Diversity Week earlier in the term was another great highlight of the term and reflected not only our aim to be proactive, pastorally, but also to be compassionate, tolerant and understanding of those around us; themes that are so crucial to our Christian ethos. The Chaplain has continued his emphasis on Christian values this term and his focus on generosity and compassion so far this academic year are reflected in the girls’ support of charity but also their support of each other within school. A new ‘Philosocoffee’ club also provides the girls with the opportunity to talk to those of faith about the challenges of their beliefs in action and it has been wonderful to observe the girls’ interest in such sessions and their confidence in asking some really challenging and thought provoking questions. As you will know, the School has achieved some brilliant awards this term. From our Under 13 girls being crowned ISA National Hockey champions, the School being awarded Apple Distinguished Status, to winning the ISA National Award for Academic Excellence and Achievement and being shortlisted for the ISA National Award for Mental Health and Wellbeing Provision, we do not stand still as a school. Always working on ways that we can ensure that our students receive the most innovative teaching alongside outstanding pastoral care, AESG is a very special place to work. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a peaceful and joyful Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.

Best Wishes

Helen JeysHeadmistress

Welcome to the autumn issue of our Senior School termly publication, Aspire.

Mrs Helen JeysHeadmistress

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM

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As a School, we are required to cover the themes under the umbrella of Fundamental British Values and the Equality Act of 2010. With so many of our values relating to mutual respect and tolerance, we knew that we could deliver these key messages effectively.

The girls were keen to meet the various speakers that came into school during the week. The Self-Esteem Team met girls in both the Junior and Senior School and discussed ideas and strategies to cope with life in current times; coping with the influences of social media, friends and expectations as well as encouraging the girls to take ownership over their own thinking.

Miss Telford, Head of Upper School said: “This session has been great for Year 11’s – they really enjoyed it. The speaker covered a lot of issues such as anxiety, depression and body image. However, she was a really engaging speaker and the girls responded really positively.”

The Proud Trust delivered a session to Year 8 and 9 girls based on the topic of Sexuality and Gender; Ms Thompson said:

“I was so proud of our Year 9 girls in their session with the Proud Trust. The speaker tackled the topic with a high degree of understanding, both in terms of the subject matter and also with what the girls needed to know and understand.”

Mid-week was a highlight with Reverend Pye involving Year 4 girls in our assembly on religious diversity and, at the end of the day, Miss Stokwisz held her first Philosocoffee talk on ‘Being a Muslim in the 21st Century’.

Philosocoffee is a new club in school that encourages debate and discussion of philosophical, religious and ethical issues. This first event featured Dr. Saigol and Mrs Chaudhry who spoke to our girls about being Muslim women in the 21st Century. What ensued was an engaging and, ultimately, inspirational question and answer session, covering topics ranging from terrorism and stereotyping of Muslims, to the importance of the female voice in shaping and directing the future. AESG girls asked challenging and insightful questions that secured this as a thought-provoking evening and a perfect addition to the School’s theme for the week.

On Thursday, Tim Prendergast, two times Paralympian, visited AESG to talk about his success and coping with setback. Tim has only 5% vision, having seen perfectly until the age of 8. His talk was welcomed by academic scholars, sports specialists, members of the local community, staff and Junior pupils alike. His ability to share his setbacks as well as successes highlighted

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS04

Variety is the spice of life

Diversity Week, our first theme week of the academic year took placein October. The Pastoral Team decided to launch this week as a

way to celebrate diversity across our school community and beyond.

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

the importance of a positive mindset, as well as that of taking advantage of all of our individual talents.

In addition to the main speakers, many departments got involved, sharing ideas and discussion topics during lessons. Year 7 immersed themselves in their World projects; presenting their country research followed by foods from around the world. Ms Thompson arranged a library book challenge for both the Junior and Senior girls and in Food, ‘genderbread’ decorating took place. In many Form Rooms there were few dry eyes when the teachers showed the girls a video clip about love and its diversity.

The celebration of diversity has really engaged the whole school community and it has certainty become a catalyst for future assemblies and activities that the School will be able to further develop during the rest of the academic year and beyond.

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SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

The British (serves 60 million)

Take some Picts, Celts and SiluresAnd let them settle,Then overrun them with Roman conquerors.Remove the Romans after approximately 400 yearsAdd lots of Norman French to someAngles, Saxons, Jutes and Vikings, then stir vigorously.

Mix some hot Chileans, cool Jamaicans, Dominicans,Trinidadians and Bajans with some Ethiopians, Chinese,Vietnamese and Sudanese.Then take a blend of Somalians, Sri Lankans, NigeriansAnd Pakistanis,Combine with some GuyaneseAnd turn up the heat.Sprinkle some fresh Indians, Malaysians, Bosnians,Iraqis and Bangladeshis together with someAfghans, Spanish, Turkish, Kurdish, JapaneseAnd PalestiniansThen add to the melting pot.Leave the ingredients to simmer.As they mix and blend allow their languages to flourishBinding them together with English.Allow time to be cool.Add some unity, understanding, and respect for the future,Serve with justiceAnd enjoy.

Note: All the ingredients are equally important. Treating one ingredient better than another will leave a bitter unpleasant taste.

Warning: An unequal spread of justice will damage the people and cause pain. Give justice and equality to all.

By Benjamin Zephaniah

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The evening included many fantastic performances from girls of all ages and they were a true reflection of the array of talent here at AESG. We always enjoy, as a school, looking back and reflecting on all of the incredible things our girls accomplish. The Junior and Senior Head Girl teams did a fantastic job of ensuring the evening ran smoothly and certainly brought some humour to the occasion! Their theme was #BeMore, and this theme underpinned the event.

We enjoyed speeches from our Headmistress, Helen Jeys, Chair of Governors, Shirley Herring and our guest speaker and alumna, Leisha Beardmore.

Leisha, who is Head of Integrated Protection for the International Rescue Committee in Syria, inspired us all with her incredible stories of how AESG helped to shape her career to date. The evening was a huge success and we would like to thank all parents, friends and families for joining us. We would also like to thank all staff involved in ensuring a brilliant evening was had by all.

We are already looking forward to reflecting on this year’s success at next year’s Prize Giving event.

Guest Speaker Alumna, Leisha Beardmore

After leaving AESG ten years ago, Leisha went on to study at the University of Warwick, the London School of Economics, Central Saint Martins and Harvard Kennedy School. While there, she studied a range of subjects from Human Rights and International Affairs to Creative Writing and Fine Art! She has worked in the fields of human rights and humanitarian protection and has worked with communities in South Africa, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Greece, Russia and Syria.

She has also worked with organisations such as the UK Department for International Development, UNICEF, UN as a Lead Negotiator and the International Rescue Committee. Currently, Leisha is the Head of Integrated Protection for the

International Rescue Committee for their cross-border work in northeast Syria, leading a team of over 200 staff on issues of child protection, women’s protection and empowerment, protection and the rule of law and psychosocial support.

She also runs a small art production company in Greece and works as an advocate for ethical fashion across Europe, the United States and southeast Asia. Building on her experience as the editor of the AESG journal back in 2007, Leisha is a published poet and has written on issues connected with political activism, human rights and global affairs. She has recently begun working on her first book of fiction.

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS06

Prize GivingEarly September saw the School’s annual Prize Givingevent, where we celebrate the successes of the students

at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

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In all the years that Mrs Barker and her band of trusty tutors have visited Kingswood, never have they experienced so much rain and gale-force winds! The weather was, shall we say, challenging. But, despite quickly running out of dry clean clothes and being buffeted about by the winds, the girls had an amazing time. They kept their spirits high by keeping active, singing and having lots of fun. The mug of hot chocolate and delicious cookies on the first night were definitely a bonus. The girls climbed up ladders, flung themselves off poles, waded through muddy puddles whilst blindfolded, squeezed through tunnels in caves and had lots of adventures.

All these team building experiences certainly helped the girls make lots of new friends and bonded them as a year group.

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 07

Year 7 Kingswood TripSENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

“ I loved the activities and being with my new friends - I would do it again!”

“ The most fun thing was when we were all working as a team to get from one side of the forest to the other without touching the ground by using tyres.”

“ I loved looking down below at the river and trees as I went down the giant zip wire really fast.”

“ I got to know everyone in Year 7 a lot more and we all had a lot of laughter and fun.”

“ I had so much fun making new friends. I laughed lots and had a good time.”

“ My biggest challenge was persevering in the caving activity. I found it really hard to stay in the confined spaces but I persevered and am really proud of myself.”

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SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

Remembrance 2018

Left: Staff and patients outside Brookdale Hospital. Right: Christmas Card given by Brookdale Hospital during World War I.

Brookdale Military hospital was able to accommodate over 70 patients at a time and was the largest Red Cross Hospital in the local area. The Commandant, person in charge, of the hospital was Mrs Emily Hutton. She was awarded the OBE in 1919 for her work at the hospital. The matron was Miss Wild and she worked with three other fully trained nurses. The rest of the staff were Red Cross Volunteers and include Sarah Dawes, a laundress. She volunteered 3884 hours from November 1914 to November 1918, usually working, unpaid, two days a week.

A key feature of Brookdale was its two open air wards for patients with sceptic wounds or victims of gas attacks. Both wards were in the garden behind the main house (presently the Junior Play Area). They were open to one side to allow maximum air and sunshine for the patients.

The focus of our Remembrance Commemorations this year was BrookdaleMilitary hospital which was opened on 14 November 1914 in the house of

the Watts Family and which, today, is the Uniform Shop and Music Department.

The hospital treated patients suffering from shell shock which today we would call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. One such patient was Private C Punter, from one of the Somerset Regiments. While on duty near Delville Wood in France in September 1916, an enemy shell burst about two yards from him. He remembered nothing further until he found himself in hospital suffering from shell-shock and other injuries. After three weeks he was sufficiently recovered to be sent back to England, nerves shattered, and his ability to speak gone. Good nursing improved his health but he was still unable to speak, when it occurred to the nurses to try an experiment. He had not seen his wife for two years, so they generously paid her expenses to come and see him. They kept the visit from his wife a surprise and his cry and surprise on seeing his wife caused a shock of quite another kind and in a short time he found himself talking nearly as usual.

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The Way of St. James

Six Year 8 pupils will take part in a unique Spanish outdoor adventure in March 2020! They will be walking the last 100 km of the well-known pilgrimage: El Camino de Santiago. As part of the project, the girls taking part will have the opportunity to train for outdoor expeditions in the Netherlands in March 2019.

During the next two years, our pupils will develop their emotional resilience and fitness levels along with their MFL and digital skills. They will also be working with other students at our school and European students from France, Netherlands and Spain to raise money for a European charity while they develop their skills of entrepreneurship, employability, communication and team building.

European Media Coaches in action!

Year 9 pupils will volunteer to be trained to become European Media Coaches leading e-safety workshops and conferences for younger pupils in our school and other primary schools in the area using a peer- to-peer method.

Parents and the wider community will also benefit by taking part in open days, workshops and conferences run by our own AESG Media coaches.

Our Media coaches will be travelling to Alicante, Spain in 2019 to attend workshops led by specialists in the field, and to Dax, France in 2020 for a big European e-safety event. These Media coaches will also train the next generation of Media coaches who will continue this great work for future generations of AESG students.

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

Erasmus+European Projects

After concluding, in 2017, a successful 3-year project called “European Classroom”,AESG submitted to the British Council two new applications. Both projects were

successfully approved and for the next two years we will be working with students fromFrance, Spain, Netherlands, Romania, Poland and Germany.

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 09

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Fino allaprossima volta

During October half term, twenty-four pupils fromYears 8, 9 and 10, as well as Mrs Hibbert Mrs North

and Mr Tandler, spent five days in the Bay of Naples.

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

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Naples 24–28 October 2018

We visited many different historical sites as well as sampling the local food, shopping and culture. The weather was fantastic, meaning we also managed two trips to the beach.

On the Wednesday we all got up very early and met at Manchester airport. It took what seemed like an age to get through security, but despite this we took off five minutes ahead of schedule and enjoyed a pleasant flight. Occasional gaps in the clouds revealed glimpses of the English Channel, the Alps, the Apennines and finally the Bay of Naples. A favourable wind meant we were able to make a gentle approach over the sea and the island of Ischia rather than the usual sudden plummet over IKEA, made necessary by the whopping great volcano in the way.

We were met by glorious sunshine and our long-serving guide, Christine, who would be looking after us for the next four days. A short bus ride into the centre of Naples brought us to a restaurant where we dined on enormous pizzas before heading for the archaeological museum. This contained a treasure trove of statues, mosaics and wall paintings, many of them from sites we would visit in the coming days. This gave the pupils a good introduction to local history and helped put everything in context. We returned to the coach for the long drive to the hotel, which was made even longer by a road closure on the main road to Sorrento while the authorities checked the flyover in the wake of the Genoa bridge disaster. Everyone settled into their rooms very quickly before the standard three-course dinner, which many of the girls couldn’t finish due to the aforementioned enormous pizzas at lunch. A very long day meant early lights out and much sleeping ready for the next adventure.

Thursday was by far the best weather, with temperatures in the mid-20s and not a cloud in the sky. A special short coach took us up the tortuous hairpins to near the top of Mount Vesuvius, which had only re-opened a couple of days before after heavy rain had washed away the footpath. We had no such problems and soon reached the lip of the crater in a record time of 11 minutes. After hauling the girls out of the gift shop we were treated to a very informative talk by a local expert before continuing around the volcano. The views across the bay were stunning. After a

while we started down, having been delayed by the other three gift shops on the mountain. Some pupils opted to save money by collecting volcanic rocks as souvenirs, which caused some concern about weight limits on the flight back.

We descended a little way on the coach to our lunch stop, a very nice restaurant close by to the summit cone. Suitably refreshed, we continued down to sea level for a visit to Herculaneum, one of the towns buried by the eruption of 79 AD. We were able to visit Roman snack bars, richly decorated houses and the small forum with its celebratory arch. Unfortunately, further delays on the roads meant that by the time we returned to the hotel the sun was beginning to set, so there was no time for a trip to the beach on this day!

Friday was a little fresher, with a few clouds in the sky and a stiff breeze. A short coach ride took us to the pretty town of Sorrento, where the party spent a pleasant couple of hours shopping and eating ice cream. The weather improved by the afternoon, meaning the visit to Pompeii, the centrepiece of the whole trip, was a very enjoyable experience. We saw one of the four sets of baths, several of the thirty or so bakeries and many other delights, including the famous ‘Beware of the Dog’ mosaic. Some sterling work by our bus driver meant there was still an hour of daylight left when we got back to the hotel, meaning a trip to the beach was definitely on the cards. Unfortunately, during the last few kilometers of the return journey it started to rain! Being British, we decided to go to the beach anyway and were

rewarded when the rain stopped as soon as we got there. A relaxing time was spent splashing about in the sea and playing beachball. The locals, already in their winter coats and hats, were bemused to see us all in our hot weather gear.

Saturday was not the year of four emperors but the day of three villas. But before that, we made a long trip to the far end of the bay to see the third largest amphitheatre in Italy at Puteoli. We were able to see the underground chambers where the wild beasts were kept and the warm-up areas for the gladiators, before ascending into the arena itself. After a lunch halt at a much-loved food outlet near Solfatara, we continued to the first of the villas in Stabia, the Villa San Marco. The pupils were amazed at the scale of the place and wondered how anyone would need so many rooms in their house! The Villa Ariana was much the same but neither could compare with the stunning Villa Poppaea at Oplontis. An improvement in the road situation meant we had plenty of time for another beach visit before returning to the hotel for dinner and packing.

On Sunday there was much amazement when everyone got through check-in, despite the aforementioned rock collections and a last-minute present of some sizeable lemons from Christine’s garden. Security was also a breeze so there was plenty of time for eating in departures. We finally made it back after another swift and pleasant flight to find that the weather was much sunnier than when we took off from Naples, but much colder. Parents and children were swiftly reunited after a very enjoyable trip.

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SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

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St. Hilary’s ReunionThis year, we are inviting all St. Hilary’s ‘old girls’ to an Afternoon Tea Reunion on Saturday 30 March. Please keep your eyes peeled on the Alderley Alumnae platform for further details and do help us to spread the word.

AlumnaeAs our alumnae network grows, we are delighted to introduce you to more of

Alderley Alumnae’s newest members! Whether you are an old girl of Alderley EdgeSchool for Girls, St. Hilary’s or Mount Carmel, we would like to speak to you!

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Lunch & Learn

Following on from former pupil Leisha Beardmore presenting at Prize Giving back in September, we have also been lucky enough to welcome two additional alumnae back into School in to join our ‘Lunch & Learn’ events this term.

Gemma Thompson November

Gemma joined us last month and told us all about her role working with one of the most recognisable sports brands in the world, Manchester United. Gemma is a senior member of the media team and told us all about her travels around the world, how it feels to cover cup finals and work with sporting legends. She has also been the co-author of ten books and is a member of the Football Writers’ Association and an advocate of Women in Football.

Geraldine McCool October

Girls and staff heard all about Geraldine’s career and her role as one of the country’s leading professionals acting on behalf of victims of personal injury specialising in product liability, aviation and military claims. Currently a partner at Irwin Mitchell LLP, Geraldine was voted as one of the top 20 lawyers of the last 20 years by the Lawyer Magazine so the girls were in for a real treat as she spoke about the following points in her career to name a few. – Vice Chair of the Royal British Legion

Solicitors Group– Former Chair of the National Young

Solicitors Group – Former Cheshire Woman of the Year– Former President of the Manchester Law

Society– High profile cases such as the Lockerbie

Bombing– Co-Author of several publications

It was also great to see Geraldine spot her name on the Mount Carmel honours boards. Here she is, pictured with our Alumnae Ambassador, Jewel Bennett.

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Class of 2015Class of 2009Aquiel Brittain-Dissont

StudiesAfter leaving AESG in 2015, I went to the University of York and studied law. I graduated earlier this year and I am currently enrolled at BPP University in Manchester studying my Legal Practice Course so that I can qualify to practise as a solicitor.

Favourite memoriesIt is so difficult to name just a few of my much-loved memories from AESG. Some of my favourites span from perhaps giving a worryingly convincing performance as the spiteful antagonist in the school production of Hairspray, hosting Prize Night at the Bridgewater Hall, to realising it was Chicken Joe for lunch! I could go on and on about all the amazing, happy and funny memories I had at school, but I would easily fill all the pages of this magazine if I did!

What I learned from my time at AESG was to never settle for the easier, simpler option just because you can, but to aspire to achieve the things that you truly want. I was concerned I would not be able to meet the requirements to study law at a Russell Group University, such as York, and so I was contemplating applying for a course or a university with lower entry requirements. AESG taught me to go for what I actually want and not to settle for second best. Without this approach to life, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Life SkillsOne thing I picked up on my time at university, studying with people from all around the country and the world, was that my schooling experience at AESG was vastly more enjoyable and supportive than the majority of my peers. It made me appreciate my time at AESG even more and realise how lucky I was to go to a school with such incredible pastoral support in such an encouraging learning environment.

I adored my time at AESG. I joined the School in 2008 as a naïve, scared Year 7 girl who didn’t know anybody in the School or in the local area. When I left 3 years ago I was Head Girl, I had made the most amazing circle of friends – who I still regularly see and keep in touch with today - and I had developed a confidence that the School was able to bring out in me over my time there. My younger sister has been at the school for 5 years now and it pleases me greatly to think that she will have the same incredible experience that I did at AESG that will set her up with incredible memories, skills and friends for life.

Emma HillStudiesI finished my A levels in 2009 and went to Newcastle University to study History, graduating in 2012. After my time in Newcastle, I went to the University of Law in London to complete my conversion and Legal Practice Course, specialising in Insolvency and

Restructuring. Following this I applied to KPMG in Manchester to work in Insolvency. I have now worked at KPMG for 4 years and although it’s a large accountancy practice, if I see accounts, it’s normally because they have gone wrong! In December last year I also completed my Chartered Accountant Qualification, ACA.

Current PositionI work at KPMG Manchester within the Restructuring and Insolvency department. Working within this area means that I work with distressed businesses in different sectors to help them recover or assist in their closure. I work at One St. Peters Square overlooking the library (and currently the Christmas markets!) but I get sent to client sites frequently. The most interesting office I have worked in was a parcel delivery company in 2017 on Black Friday; it was absolutely chaotic!

Restructuring allows me to go into various different businesses (typically on 3–6 month projects) and learn about how they operate, what makes them successful and the struggles they face day-to-day. We work closely with other professions such as lawyers, bankers and property agents.

A typical day for me can range from either visiting companies to finding out how they operate, to going to court or sitting in board meetings.

AdviceMy advice to current pupils would be to ‘keep going – you’re doing really well’. I say this because I understand that it is so difficult going through school with so many GCSEs to study for or working hard at your A Level studies whilst trying to keep up with friends, homework, family and extra-curricular activities.

I wish someone had told me that it is OK to feel slightly over-whelmed at times because everyone is in the same boat - just keep going because it’s all worth it in the end. You will leave the School with some amazing friends, off to the University that you want to go to - or whatever route you choose to take and you will have great memories of your school days, so just keep going!

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I am lucky enough for this to have been my third London trip with the department, so as usual I was very excited as I knew what was in store for me. When we arrived, we went to drop our bags at the hotel before walking to Covent Garden, where we were allocated some free time to explore the shops and grab some lunch. Later that evening we had dinner altogether and went to see the musical production of ‘Company’, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The next day we had a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. I found this very interesting and even better than I anticipated. Later on, we watched the matinee showing of ‘Jungle’ which was an eye opening performance about the refugee camp in Calais. I think I speak for everyone on the trip when I say ‘Jungle’ truly moved us all, some of us even to tears. Personally, it was one of the most truthful, raw and

emotional performances I’ve ever seen. After this we walked to Garfunkel’s in Leicester Square where we had a lovely meal as a group with lots of laughter and fun. We then proceeded to The Royal Court Theatre to watch our final performance of the trip, ‘The Woods’. It was a fantastic show with amazing actors and actresses in it; watching them perform was inspiring and as a result of this, along with the unique set design and interesting storyline, all the drama classes have chosen this performance as the one to analyse for our live theatre evaluations. The last day of London came around too quickly as always and the train journey home was full of all our girls, with sleepy eyes and amazing memories that had once again been lovingly made on the ever successful drama trip!

Lydia Connolly and Roisin KellySixth Form Drama Scholars

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS14

Drama Capital

On Friday 12 October the Drama department took a trip down to London.This involved the GCSE students of Year 10, Year 11 and Sixth Form.

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORMAUTUMN TERM 2018

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Model United Nations is an extra-curricular activity in which students typically role-play delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. At the end of most conferences, outstanding delegates in each committee are recognised and given an award certificate; the Best Delegate in each committee, however, receives a gavel.

It was an excellent conference this time; for many of the pupils it was their first time attending, so they were very excited!

We had some excellent success stories over the weekend. Amelie Taylor-Carruthers won ‘Best Young Delegate’ for her work on the Human Rights Council (representing Saudi Arabia). Amelie was the youngest in the room by around two years. She also designed the notepaper for both of the countries AESG represented; Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia.

Orla Walshe sat on the Security Council for the Ivory Coast and was also the ambassador for this country. She was evicted on a narrow one point for defending another delegate’s position. Orla wasn’t disappointed, as in the joke awards, she walked away with best hair and best shoes!

Bertie Dudley, who has attended many of the Model United Nations events, chaired the Human Rights Committee very confidently and did a fantastic job. Darcy Davies participated in the Human Rights Committee for Ivory Coast and although nervous at first, made friends very quickly and had a brilliant time.

Next up was the Special Commission for Refugees, where Hattie Rigby represented Ivory Coast and Dalia Halwani represented Saudi Arabia. Both pupils participated excellently and said that they would love to attend another conference in the future.

The Environment Committee saw Ella McGuinness (Saudi Arabia) and Clarissa Rigby (Ivory Coast) take to the stand to discuss some very interesting topics and issues. This was Clarissa’s first conference; she did extremely well. Ella walked away with the joke award for ‘best shoes’ which she was happy with!

Amna Hussain sat in on the Health Committee for Saudi Arabia and also stood in as ambassador for that country when another pupil was absent.

Finally, it was the Youth Committee, which saw some of the youngest participants in the room debate and discuss various topics.

It was fantastic to see the youth of today participating and showing a genuine interest in all of the topics. Lauren Sarna represented the Ivory Coast alongside Ada Malik, who represented Saudi Arabia. Both girls did tremendously well – Ada even coordinating her outfit on both days to match Saudi Arabia’s flag.

All pupils contributed to their committees and councils excellently and said that they would definitely attend another conference.

Mrs Baxter, Biology Teacher and organiser of the event said: “I am so proud of the girls; they had researched each topic thoroughly and participated in all debates with confidence. They showed fantastic teamwork and represented their countries superbly”.

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Model UnitedNations

The start of the academic year saw a Model United Nations conference takeplace at Cheadle Hulme School. The pupils travelled there with Mrs Baxter,

Chaplain Lenny and Dr Broady ready for an eventful day of debates and talks.

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM

“ I am so proud of the girls; they had researched each topic thoroughly and participated in all debates with confidence. They showed fantastic teamwork and represented their countries superbly.”

AUTUMN TERM 2018

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Alderley Edge School for Girls, Wilmslow Road, Cheshire, SK9 7QET. 01625 583028 E. [email protected]

www.aesg.co.uk @schoolforgirls /Alderley-Edge-School-For-Girls

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