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ISSUE 1 – SEPTEMBER 2012

TTER OFTHE NEWSLET

ST TERESA’S EFFINGHAM

Development

Fresh LookThe maintenance team have been very busy during the holidays. The Art Department received a much deserved makeover, the fi rst phase of refurbishing the Science Building has begun, and the Main School corridor has been de-peached! In addition, two unused boarding areas have been brought back to life to house the extra new recruits for September.

The Bursar, Peter Large commented,

“St. Teresa’s has been a hive of activity over the summer and I am very grateful to all the maintenance team for all their hard work”.

There is more development in the pipeline and detailed plans will be sent out towards the end of the autumn term.

IT/BroadbandA huge IT development programme is underway at the school, guaranteeing that St Teresa’s provides all students with world class IT provision and Internet speeds for the future, equipping them for the modern technological world.

IT Manager Justin Burrough said “This is without question the most signifi cant IT development at the school, not only during my tenure within the IT Department, but throughout the school’s entire history. With the installation of around 5 miles of cabling to the Bookham area, our Internet connection speeds will be signifi cantly quicker at 100 Mbps, and with the use of VMware virtualisation and private cloud technology the school will offer new services and enhanced access to resources. The project begins immediately, and on completion the user experience will be fantastic.”

New HeadmasterMike Farmer joins St. Teresa’s after

nine years of successful Headship

at Kilgraston School in Perthshire.

Beginning his teaching career at

Godolphin School in Salisbury,

specialising in Economics, Business

and ICT, Mike took up the position

of Assistant Head of Headington

School in Oxford in 1997.

Continued on page 2

IT’S NEW!Have you received your Calendar?

All the information you’ll need for the Autumn Term is contained in this pocket-sized booklet.We hope you fi nd it useful!

ST TERESA’S EFFINGHAMCalendar

N 2012AUTUMN TERM 2012

A Level and GCSE Success!The girls at St Teresa’s yet again achieved outstanding results in their Public Examinations.

At A Level, 46% of results were A* and A grades, and 75% of results were grades A*-B. Not to be outdone, the Year 11 girls gained similarly impressive GCSE results with nearly half the grades achieved at grades A* and A.

Acting Headmistress, Jill Elburn, said “Once again we are extremely proud of the outstanding results of all of our girls at every level. It is a testament to all their hard work and that of the staff.”

OPEN MORNING: Saturday 6 October 10am–12.30pmHeadmaster speaks at 10.15am

Ironbridge:In mid-June Year 7 enjoyed an overnight trip to Ironbridge. The girls enjoyed seeing the Iron Bridge, visiting the Museum of Gorge, making mugs and a trip to the hands-on Science Museum. The poor weather failed to dampen their spirits and everyone had a great time.

FrankensteinAs an introduction to the A2 English Literature course the L6 girls visited Guildford to see the National Theatre’s production of ‘Frankenstein’.

Directed by Danny Boyle and starring acclaimed actors Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch, it was a fantastic production and a great introduction to the joys of A2 English.

Romeo and JulietThe end of June saw Year 10 visit the Rose Theatre, London to see Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Captivating performances from a cast of just 5 actors on a balcony above the original site gave students a real sense of involvement in the play. A theatrical treat that they will all remember.

New Headmaster continued

In 2003, he was appointed as the new Head of Kilgraston School in Perthshire, transforming the school to achieve the highest growth rate within its sector. In November 2011, Kilgraston gained national recognition by being named the UK Independent School of the Year. The distinguished panel of judges described the achievement in glowing terms, saying it was “an example to other schools”, with a recent inspection report highlighting the school as “sector-leading”.

During his tenure at Kilgraston, Mike was also the Chair of the Scottish Girls’ schools and a member of the Council for the Girls’ Schools Association. For the last six years he has been Scotland’s representative for the GSA boarding committee, and will continue as a non-regional member. He has also played an active role in the International Network of the Sacred Heart and represented Scotland and Ireland as a member of the European Core Team of Heads. The Network has kindly asked him to continue as an Honorary Member.

Mike joins St. Teresa's with his wife, Mary-Ann, who held the position of Head of Kilgraston’s Senior Boarding House, and they have two grown up children. Their daughter, Charlotte, read Theoretical Physics at St. Andrew's before going on to study Education at Oxford, and starts her fi rst teaching role at St. Mary's Ascot in September. In contrast, their son, William, is more of a thespian, and currently works as an Assistant Theatrical Agent in London, after recently graduating from Royal Holloway (Management with Marketing).

Commenting on his exciting new appointment, Mike said “It is an honour and a privilege to have been given the opportunity to lead St. Teresa’s. It is a wonderful school in a beautiful location. We have many exciting plans and I am really looking forward to the challenge”.

EAL Trip – Oxford:St Teresa’s overseas students enjoyed a summer visit to Oxford – the City of Dreaming Spires and famous the world over for its University.

Private tour guides led the exploring of the city; providing expert insight into Oxford’s origins, the scholastic life of the University, and visits to a number of the Harry Potter fi lm locations.

Mixing historical themes with modern times, the girls later explored the city’s bustling streets and shopped till they dropped!

Everyone enjoyed visiting such a vibrant, exciting city and some came home with dreams of returning one day as students.

Boarding Tea PartyBoarders celebrated Magdalen House’s 30th birthday in style by inviting staff for tea on the lawn outside the house.

In addition to the traditional cake and candles, staff were treated to specially organised entertainment.

Boarders delighted with a performance of the Diamond Jubilee Anthem “Sing”. The School House “Dancing Queens” put on a lively and energetic dance routine to the timeless Abba song, getting everyone into the party mood!

Year 11 PromYear 11 celebrated the end of their GCSEs in style, with a glamorous evening at Tyrells Wood Golf Club.

Girls and guests looked the epitome of sophistication enjoying the glitz and glamour that the end of year Prom provides. All enjoyed the wonderful setting and beautiful food whilst dancing the night away.

FOST Summer BallThe FOST Summer Ball - a new event in the FOST diary, took place at Tyrrells Wood Golf Club. A typical British summer evening of wet and windy weather did not deter guests from enjoying a champagne reception and delicious four course dinner. A lively game of Heads & Tails was followed by an auction, overseen by Andrew Grant. Andrew soon had competitive dads bidding against each other for a signed England Rugby Ball and a week at a golf resort in Spain amongst other items, raising a fantastic £4500. The dance fl oor was packed until midnight and it was agreed that this should become a regular event in the FOST calendar!

The ever-popular ‘Giving Day’ ushered in the last week of term. Girls throughout the Senior School raised over £1500 for charity through a variety of action packed events.

Pupils and staff enjoyed a Jubilee themed Street Party with creative outfi ts, dance routines, games and market stalls.

The alternative sports event saw the PE Department devise some remarkably innovative games with teachers and students combining competitive forces.

After a BBQ lunch, the Alternative Fashion Show saw each group given just 45 minutes to devise their outfi ts. With a “Best of British” theme, improvisation was in full fl ow.

The grand fi nale was the highly spirited and ever popular ‘T-Factor’. Compered by Annie Mitchell and Emma Robinson (a.k.a. “Ant and Dec”) it featured an array of creative talents, with audience voting heightening the atmosphere.

The girls certainly gave their all to the day.

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Prep Sports DayAt the end of June, the Prep School enjoyed a rare break in the weather to host their Sports Day.

From the excited fi rst-time participants in the Nursery, to the experienced Year 6 athletes, the event was a hive of energy, athletic activity, and good-natured, competitive spirit.

Parents and girls had a great time, with every student fi ghting hard for their House. There were an array of magnifi cent individual and collective performances, appreciated by spectators and competitors alike.

Fisher House came out on top, and the results were as follows:

1st Fisher 368 points

2nd More 333 points

3rd Ward 278 points

4th Clitherow 274 points

Once again The Prep has celebrated a year of vibrant and dynamic success. Our end of term Awards Ceremony highlighted the plethora of achievement from our Year 6 girls as they were commended for outstanding academic success and extra-curricular achievement. We also celebrated those who had made such an impressive mark in our local community starring in theatre, song and dance shows locally, as well as winning awards for national equestrian and gymnastics.

The girls are excited to join our Senior School and look forward to making new friends and excelling even further in their learning experience as they grow into adulthood at St Teresa’s.

SchoPrePrep SPrePrep ProductionDrama teacher Mrs Lulu Dale proudly congratulated the girls after what was an amazing Prep Summer production with a topical Olympic theme. The audience were delighted by Music and Drama (and humour!) as we took a trip down memory lane and looked at School games through the ages. Years 3-6 worked tirelessly together to bring the production to life on two nights. The renowned Writer was Andrew Oxspring. Mrs Dale tailored the production to refl ect the nuances of our new and cutting edge curriculum. Our girls reach for their gold stars on a daily basis and enjoy the experience. Parents, governors, friends, children and staff were all rocking in their seats as the girls left us in awe of their talents. ‘We loved every minute of rehearsals’ said the girls, along with ‘Mrs Dale is awesome’. She certainly brought a winning streak to the Mairlot Hall. Showcasing talent to a Full House both nights, Head Girl Megan Harrison said - ‘we needed the audience to support us and we couldn’t have wished for more’. What a great way to end our year!

Prep MusicThe Prep School Choir were invited to open the Effi ngham Village Jubilee Concert at King George VPlaying Fields on a summer’s evening at the end of June.

Under the guidance of Mrs Yalden, the girls sang a 20 minute program including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Any Dream Will Do’ and ‘No Matter What’, fi nishing with Si Coleman’s ‘Rhythm Of Life’.

The ever-popular end of year Art Preview Evening showcased an inspirational variety of high quality A Level and GCSE work.

The glamorous fashion show wowed the audience with our resident catwalk models gracing Mairlot Hall with style.

Despite the weather’s best attempts to dampen summer sport at St Teresa’s we have had an exciting fi nal term.

The dedication of the PE department and Estates team has ensured that all members of the school community have been out developing their sporting prowess and having fun.

BIATHLONIt has been a successful year for St Teresa’s Biathletes (running and swimming).

In the Surrey Schools Biathlon there were both individual and team successes:

Year 7 - Charlotte Summers fi nished 4th and Siana Dennis fi nished 14th overall. As a team Charlotte, Siana and Imogen Ganjou fi nished in 5th place.

Year 8 - The team of Bridget Bishop, Mille Bowles and Emily Button had a great success, fi nishing 1st overall. Bridget also fi nished in 3rd place individually.

Year 9 - The team of Georgina Summers, Sophie Grant and Francesca Wilkinson fi nished in 1st place. With Georgina coming 1st and Sophie coming 2nd in the individual category.

Year 11 - The team event saw Suzannah Monk, Anna Bainbridge and Sinead Nestor take 1st place. Individually Suzannah achieved 1st Anna in 2nd.

Sixth Form - The team also fi nished 1st, and individually Emily Dudman and Hannah Paul took 2nd and 3rd places.

A brilliant performance from all athletes!

In the National Championships the girls performed amongst the best in the country. Charlotte Summers fi nished in 38th place. The Year 9 team of Bridget Bishop, Sophie Grant and Georgina Summers fi nished 3rd in the country. Individually Georgina fi nished 5th, Sophie 40th and Bridget in the top 50.

The Year 11 team were simply extraordinary, fi nishing in 1st place as National Biathlon Champions!

Individually, Francesca Summers came in 2nd place, Suzannah Monk fi nished 12th and Anna Bainbridge fi nished 26th.

Poppy Disley-May was the last to compete for St Teresa’s, running and swimming magnifi cently, fi nishing with the 2nd best run on the day and being placed 6th nationally.

Congratulations go to all St Teresa’s Biathletes, for achieving a host of team and individual successes at local and national levels.

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Sixth Form Summer BallOne of the highlights of the summer calendar is the annual Sixth Form Ball.

Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Kaur-Jansari, and the Head Girl Team of Laura, Francesca and Portia put their heart and soul into making the Ball memorable for all. Choosing the stunning venue of Wotton House, selecting a delicious four-course meal and adding the fi nishing touches to a fantastic evening.

This was a wonderful way to mark the end of the year for the St Teresa’s hard working Sixth Formers. After enjoying the meal and the highly entertaining Sixth Form Awards they relished the chance to dance the night away.

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Royal Holloway University of London Open Day As part of Higher Education Week, Year 12 students were given the opportunity to visit Royal Holloway, giving them a glimpse of university life before the pressure and excitement of UCAS applications began.

The girls attended sample lectures and toured the grounds and buildings with student ambassadors giving them a fi rst-hand experience of university life.

SixFormSixSiWork Experience Week:Year 12 experienced the rigours of the working world during Work Experience Week. The girls enjoyed valuable placements with a wide variety of employers from the Royal Surrey Hospital to Nickelodeon.

Sixth Former Annie Butcher discusses her experience below:

Where did you work?

“I spent a week working for the First News Newspaper in London Bridge, a children’s publication that aims to deliver news in a way that is accessible to an audience aged seven to fourteen.”

What challenges did you face?

“Initially it was challenging to tailor my natural writing style in order to appeal to the demographic.”

Did you enjoy the experience?

“I enjoyed the experience thoroughly as I was able to explore many aspects of the newspaper which enabled me to improve my skills in ICT, design, research and writing.”

What stands out for you from the experience?

“The highlight of my week was publishing a review on One Direction’s exclusive DVD ‘Up All Night: The Live Tour’ on the First News website. If given the chance to do it all again, I certainly would!”

St Teresa’s is always on the look-out for valuable work experience for Year 12 girls. If you can help with any placements, please contact: m.collins@st-teresas.com

“Muck-up Day”On their last offi cial day of school, Year 13 had one fi nal chance to make sure that they would be remembered by playing a few pranks. They started the day by transforming Reception into the Dining Hall for breakfast. For the remainder of the day they dressed up as the FBI and enjoyed issuing fake announcements to staff.

The day concluded with a formal farewell assembly where students and staff were given the chance to refl ect on the girls’ time at St Teresa’s and say goodbye.

Ladies, St Teresa’s will miss you next year and we wish you the very best of luck!

Sleep Over… it was great fun!To celebrate the end of term the Sixth Form girls had a giant sleepover in Magdalen House. A chance to stay up late, watch movies, talk after lights out and indulge in a midnight feast resulted in everyone having a great night.

This year’s Summer Production was “My Big Fat Greek Olympiad”

ably presented by years 7-9.

The play was based on Greek myths about the 12 gods on Mount Olympus. Jessica Lange’s (Year 9) cheeky portrayal of the messenger god Hermes led the audience through their adventures

from the dawn of man to the battle of Troy. Music, dance and comedy merged

seamlessly, to treat the audience to a journey through classical mythology.

All girls worked hard to ensure the play was a success and a special mention must go to

Ella Scott and Francesca Tait (Year 9) who choreographed the dance routine for Dionysus’ maenads.

Congratulations to all involved on giving the audience a fun-fi lled evening with the Greek Gods!

Music

Summer Concert 2012The summer concert was a marvellous occasion involving over 120 girls and thrilling attending parents and staff.

The concert opened with a lively arrangement of La Bamba performed by the school orchestra accompanied by the Year 10 dancers.

Gemma Cathie danced a beautiful self-choreographed solo to accompany the Year 10 Chamber Choir’s rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. St Teresa’s two harpists, Eleanor Davis and Ilana Homan captivated the audience with their stirring solos and Rhiannon Meller delighted on the alto saxophone.

The Chamber Orchestra demonstrated their technical expertise with a precise rendition of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto. The three soloists from this piece also performed individually with Alex Zylstra playing a stylish Polish Dance by Severn on the violin; Victoria Morgan singing a beautifully phrased Caldara aria and Lara Caister dazzling the audience with her agile Tarantella by Wieniawsky.

The second half commenced with energetic African Drumming led by Hillary Keyamo followed by Portia Cantwell singing a soulful rendition of a Liszt aria and performing a Rachmaninov prelude on the piano.

The concert concluded with a moving rendition of the medley from Les Miserables performed by all the choirs before the audience were sent home with a smile having listened to the much loved “Bring Me Sunshine”. Youth Gather

Ray Mooney, Diocesan Youth Adviser for the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, visited St Teresa’s to present prizes for designing the Youth Gather promotional posters that have been distributed throughout the Diocese.

The event will take place at St Teresa’s on Sunday 30 September.

Ray commented, “For over 30 years the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton Youth Service has been proud to organise the annual Youth Gather. This major event in the diocesan calendar attracts hundreds of young people, youth workers, catechists, chaplains and teachers from across the diocese. This year we are delighted to present YouthGather 2012 in partnership with our host school St Teresa’s Effi ngham.”

Chair of Governors Rev Ian Wells added, “We are privileged to have been selected by the Diocese to host this signifi cant event when the Youth from all over Sussex and Surrey gather at St Teresa’s with our Bishop for a day of fun and spiritual refl ection.”

Year 10 Enrichment WeekAfter the intensity of exams Year 10 enjoyed their annual Enrichment Week.

After sampling life in the Sixth Form with ‘Year 10 to 12 Day’ the rest of the week included a host of fun activities such as Self-Defence, Team-working, First Aid, Cooking with a professional chef, Zumba, Selling For Success and a PGL trip to the Isle of Wight.

Chaplaincy News

Sharing Their Taize ExperienceAt Chapel Assembly six of the girls who attended the June Taize Weekend shared their personal experiences. Speaking from the heart they spoke about the initial challenges, making friends and the opportunities they had experienced for in-depth discussions, refl ection and prayer.

St Teresa’s, Effi ngham, Surrey RH5 6STTelephone 01372 452037 • Fax 01372 450311info@st-teresas.com • www.st-teresas.com

St Teresa’s School Effi ngham Trust • Registered Charity No. 1095103

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The FOST Christmas Fair is on Sunday 18th November 11.00am - 3.00pm. Mairlot Hall will be fi lled with a large number of stalls for Christmas shopping. The Dining Room will be turned into a lively coffee shop and there

will be a range of children's activities in the Prep School Hall. The Prep and Senior School choirs will sing during the fair. If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me. Sally Hayes(Chairman - FOST) fost@st-teresas.com