The Record - Gordonstoun

Around The Boarding HousesWindmill LodgeBy Mrs Amy Chapman, Housemistresshouse expedsenior athletics teamAs I look back on the termI can’t quite believe how much theWindmill girls have fitted in. Therehas been lots of laughter and funmixed with a few tears as we saygoodbye to our wonderful Year13s and some exchange students.There have been many highlights.The House exped was fun andchallenging in equal measure.Watching the girls work togetherto put up tents, something someof them had never done before,demonstrated how well these twoyear groups get on with each other.On the Saturday we took the groupover to Treezone, an adventurecourse with a twist - it’s about 15feet up in the tree tops. JessicaLeete, Year 9 said “It was so, soterrifying! We were harnessed to acord, and then had to go on lots ofdifferent obstacles, it was so hard,until you realised that you couldn’tfall! At the end was a long zipline down to the ground - you feltlike you were flying! I particularlyenjoyed that.” It was a greatweekend and the girls came backfeeling even closer than before.Tears flowed at the WindmillLeavers’ Tea Party where the girlstook the opportunity to thank theYear 13 for all they had done andwish them well for the future. Asis tradition in Windmill, each Year12 writes a poem about a Year 13and their time at Gordonstoun andreads it to the House; there wasn’ta dry eye in the room at the end.Another great highlight for theHouse was the inter-House athleticscompetition on Open Day. Thegirls were able to send out strongteams in both the Junior and Seniorcompetitions. The Juniors narrowlymissed out on the title but, in theSenior competition, Windmill won,which was a lovely way for our Year13s to finish their time here, loyalto their House to the end.On an academic front the girlshave been working hard andgaining many credit slips. In themost recent contract period 50of the 67 girls in the House werecommended at either Gold,Silver or Bronze level. A fantasticachievement and one of which weare very proud. The Windmill girlshave certainly excelled in all areasof Gordonstoun life.Not to be content with takingopportunities during the term, anumber of girls will be taking ona variety of challenges over thesummer holiday, from sailing tothe Arctic on board Ocean Spiritof Moray, taking part in ServiceProjects to Romania and Thailandand accompanying the SamworthSail Training Voyage.8Inter-House CompetitionsThere are an incredible numberof inter-House competitions,many - but not all - of which areof a sporting nature. They are anopportunity for students who likeparticipating in sports, but whoare not at a level to represent theSchool, to enter a competitiveevent during which they will comeup against keen sportsmen of allabilities.Seniors and Juniors have separateteam events in the mainstreamsports as well as in squash,badminton, table-tennis, swimming,golf, basketball, volleyball and tugof-war.Some competitions presentopportunities for individuals tocompete as well, and there arealways a hardy few every year whotake on the triathlon event.Of course, not all inter-Houseevents are sporting ones; this yearsaw the introduction of a keenlycontested Bake-off and Househymn-singing in Chapel to go withthe more cerebral debating andchess competitions.Whatever the event, theparticipants are very competitiveand keen to do the best for theirHouse and the support fromnon-participating House membersis always extremely vocal, goodnaturedand enthusiastic.