Onwards - July 2012 - South Wilts Grammar School for Girls

ONWARDS
GCSE Computing
We will be piloting GCSE Computing from September with 2 of the 6 ICT sets.
The remaining four groups in Year 9 will commence ICT GCCSE. We will review the success
of the pilot with a view to extending this opportunity for more students in the following year
Year 7 Mosaic
7N have been very busy designing and making the large outdoor mosaic which is going to
brighten up one of the quads next year. This has been paid for through the very generous
prize money given by Innocent Smoothies as a prize to Emily Avant for winning a competition
earlier in the year.
The girls have worked with local artist, Joanna Dewfall and created a design based on the tree
of life and incorporating a vast array of different animals and the roots cleverly coming out of
the Onwards symbol. I have seen the individual animals
developing over the course of the 2 day workshop and cannot
wait until the final piece is in place and the mosaic can be
installed in the school.
The message has got
to be, please enter as
many competitions as
possible because the
prizes can open up
some fantastic
experiences both for
individuals and their
fellow classmates. (Mrs
Stammers)
Tea Dance
South Wilts hosted its first ever Tea Dance and Sing-a-long in conjunction with Age UK on
18th July in the Main Hall.
Volunteers brought the elderly residents of Salisbury who attend one of the local day centres
and they were treated to singing, dancing, tea and cakes. Many students from all years
volunteered to help, making welcome cards, greeting the visitors, providing and serving
refreshments as well as adding their youth and enthusiasm to the singing and dancing. A
good time was certainly had by all.
Ginny Cooper from Age UK also came in to speak to an assembly about the research she has
been doing regarding the physical and mental benefits of fun and laughter for the elderly
population and this put the afternoon into a proper
context. The girls also had the chance to listen to the
student who led the singing explain that her
university dissertation had been based on research
into the benefits of singing for patients with
Alzheimer’s, particularly those who were struggling
to communicate.
This made the afternoon into an educational
experience as well as one which left the visitors with
a fantastic impression of the South Wilts students as
welcoming, helpful and interested in their guests.
(Mrs Stammers)
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