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Friday 13 December 2019 |
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One of the many benefits of being in an all-through school is the opportunity to attend productions and performances from students of all ages, and the end of this term has been no exception: ‘Little Donkey’, performed by over forty of our Nursery girls, was a highly entertaining retelling of the Christmas story with a significant amount or poetic and artistic licence, including the unceremonious yet hilarious dropping of the ‘gifts’ on the baby’s head; Reception girls were stars, Year 1 cowgirls and Year 2 actors in ‘Prickly Hay: A Nativity Hoedown’ and Years 3 and 4 entertained us with the story of the writing of ‘Silent Night’, ably supported by Years 5 and 6 and participatory singing from the audience. Thursday evening’s Carol Concert at All Saints’ Church was a rather more formal affair, as we were treated to a spectacular evening of music and words from girls in Years 5-13, staff, ex-students, parents and friends. Although different in every way from the Junior School productions, this was – as they all were – age-appropriate and a perfect platform from which to demonstrate the talents and intellectual understanding of the girls involved.
Regardless of belief, this is a time of reflection, expectation and excitement for all: reflection on the term just passed, the literal and metaphorical journeys that we have been on and our personal and combined achievements; expectation and excitement for Hanukkah or Christmas, the arrival of Santa Clause, a family gathering or holiday, exam preparation, an interview, the time to ‘chill’, several of the above, none of the above, or other… It is a time for collective fun, too, be it a themed mufti day, fun run, disco or the opportunity to share food and gifts. And it’s a time to think about relationships, benevolence and participation, which is why the term will come to a fitting end on Tuesday afternoon with the Junior School’s Celebratory Sing-Along and the Senior School’s Celebration of Giving. Whatever your plans for the holiday, I wish you peace, rest and joy. Mrs Petryszak |
Week Ahead |
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Monday 16 December |
Tuesday 17 December |
Students shine in spectacular School Carol Concert at All Saints' Church |
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Students from both Junior and Senior School wowed audiences at our annual Christmas Concert on Thursday evening, with a string of unforgettable Christmas performances. The event, hosted at All Saints’ Church in the town centre, featured students ranging from the age of 9 to 18, with accompaniment provided by staff members, the Ladies’ Chamber Choir and the Church’s Director of Music, Jem Lowther. Father Oliver Coss was on hand to welcome guests to the Church and open proceedings, ahead of a plethora of entertaining displays from our student body. |
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Passionate biblical readings, heart-warming carols and mesmerizing orchestra performances left a packed audience enthralled, with individual performances by some of the school’s Senior musicians, Ffion (Vocal), Zara (Harp), Avani (Piano), Polly (Flute), Helena (Violin) and Emma & Rebecca (Vocal Duet), met with rapturous applause. Students in Years 5 and 6 delivered a beautiful performance of Silent Night, singing the first verse in German, with the This breath-taking concert was the school’s last major event of the decade, and students and staff delivered a huge dose of Christmas cheer. The Arts at Northampton High continue to strive, evident in the quality and diversity of performance on display at this special event. Professional photography from this event will follow in the coming days. Mr Nash |
Sixth Form students entertain Garden Centre visitors with Christmas Carols |
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Visitors to the Dobbies Garden Centre in Hardingstone were treated to a special surprise on Wednesday afternoon, as a group of our Sixth Form students helped to spread Christmas cheer with a special pop up carol singing performance. With festive renditions of Silent Night, Last Christmas, Deck the Halls and more, the girls delighted passers-by with their cheerful music, all in aid of the Charity CALM. CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably, is leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day. Please click here if you would like to read more about the charity and what they do. |
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An enjoyable afternoon of Christmas fun, all in aid of a fantastic cause. Please follow the below link to view photos and videos from the event. Mr Nash |
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6.1 Students travel to London for The Great Gatsby Experience |
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Last Thursday evening, 6.1 English students travelled to London for ‘The Great Gatsby Immersive Experience’.
After being transported back to the 1920s, we arrived in London, feeling rather at home at Claridge’s in our flapper dresses (for a very brief stay only)! We were quickly engrossed in the parallel universe of Gatsby’s lavish mansion, following a story of wealth, love and deceit. Meeting key characters from the novella during the play and the interval, we gained an insight into their personal thoughts and feelings, with some of us even being invited into the mysterious Gatsby’s private quarters. After an evening of excitement and with sore feet from learning ‘The Charleston’, we headed home. Arriving back in the early hours of Friday morning, we were still buzzing, but very much ready for bed! Katie |
Drama Prefect Trip to the Age UK in Northampton |
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This Wednesday, the Drama and Music prefects took a trip to the Age UK home in Northampton. We performed a myriad of poems including ‘Love and Friendship’ by Emily Bronte and ‘Winter Time’ by Robert Louis Stevenson, with Avani playing the piece ‘Etude in A minor’ by Farrenc. We then sang the carols ‘Silent Night’, ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ and ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. These were especially wonderful as the residents joined in with us. Finally, we wished a Merry Christmas, talked to the residents and distributed presents. We really hope that they enjoyed it and that we brought a little bit of Christmas into the home; we truly loved it. Florence & Mishka |
GCSE Food students visit Borough Market |
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On Tuesday 10 December, GCSE Food students visited Borough Market to help aid our studies. For the first half of our day, we looked around the exciting market and tried a lot of food. We then went to a sourdough workshop at Bread Ahead where we made our own starter, and learnt how to make the sourdough we were able to bring home with us. We all had a really good time and can’t wait to come back next year! Aneesa |
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High School Sport |
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Tennis: We enjoyed a fantastic week of Tennis at the National Finals in Bolton last weekend. The first game on Saturday saw the girls face off against the second seeds, Prior Park College from Bath, who ran out 10-2 winners. In the next match, we this time were drawn against the number one seeds and eventual tournament winners Putney, unfortunately falling to defeat against a very strong team. After an entertaining evening of Bowling and a restful nights sleep, we returned to the court to face Sheffield High in out final fixture on the Sunday. Sheffield just edged the tie 8-4 in what was a close fought match. |
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In what is a nationally run event with over 600 team entries, the final placings meant that Northampton High School Tennis Team are ranked 4th in the country for their age group. An unbelievable achievement, well done to the team consisting of Charlotte (Captain) Ella, Isabelle, Eliza and Emma! Mrs Littlewood
Fencing: On Wednesday 11 December, 12 U3 and L4 girls had the opportunity to take part in a Fencing taster session after school. The girls were shown the basic principles of the ‘Epee’, covering skills such as: En Garde (The position taken before fencing commences) All the girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves and let’s hope they are careful when they demonstrate what they learnt at home! Mrs Littlewood |
Creative Arts Spotlight |
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The Creative Arts Spotlight this week as quite rightly found the Music Department. Our vocalists and musicians really shone in All Saints’ Church yesterday evening during our Christmas Concert. It was also wonderful that Year 5 and 6 were able to participate with their excellent first verse of Silent Night, sung in German. The girls have worked hard during rehearsals this term and we would like to congratulate all performers on their stunning performances. Thank you to you all, Mrs Beacroft |
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Book Review |
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Last Christmas: Memories of Christmases past and hopes for future ones, curated and introduced by Greg Wise and Emma Thompson Recommended for U4 and above When you think back to Christmases past, what (if anything) made it magical? Looking towards the future, what would your perfect Christmas be? What would you change? What should we all change? This is a beautiful, funny and soulful collection of personal essays about the meaning of Christmas, written by a unique plethora of voices from the boulevards of Hollywood to the soup kitchens of Covent Garden. |
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Away from the John Lewis advert, the high street decorations and the candied orange in Heston Blumenthal’s Christmas pudding, this gem of a book introduced and curated by Emma Thompson and Greg Wise celebrates the importance of kindness and generosity, acceptance and tolerance – and shows us that these values are not just for Christmas. Featuring the writing of Meryl Streep, Bill Bailey, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Caitlin Moran, Richard Ayoade, Emily Watson and others. Miss Buxton |
Give A Gift To The Planet This Christmas |
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With growing environmental awareness a key theme from 2019, the Eco Team here at Northampton High School would like to wish you a very merry and very sustainable Christmas this year. We would like to share with you some top tips from waste management specialists Veolia for achieving this, for which we thank Mr Johnson for bringing this to our attention:- ‘Five Tips for a Sustainable Christmas’ Merry Christmas! The NHS Eco Team |
Christmas Dinner Menu - Tuesday 17 December |
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Sports Centre Christmas Opening Times |
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Term Dates |
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Northampton High School |
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