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DGGS Times ISSUE NUMBER 37 OCTOBER 2015

Dear Parents/Carers I am very pleased to write the

introduction to our first newsletter of the school year. Although we have the weekly Parents’ Update emailed home each Friday and our new Students’ Update, we will continue to produce the newsletter at the end of each term to provide more detailed information and updates about students’ achievements, trips, visits, enrichment opportunities and other news. Our website is also being updated more frequently this year, including the news section; please check it regularly for updated information as well as copies of letters, forms and other documentation. As with all aspects of school life, we are always keen to hear parents’ feedback; if you have any comments or suggestions, please email school@dartfordgrammargirls.kent.sch.uk

As parents will be aware from my start of year letter, we were delighted to begin this academic year by celebrating another set of superb examination results. Whilst this is excellent for the school community as a whole, most importantly they provide students individually with choices to open doors for their future and enable them to continue their education or pursue their chosen career. It was a pleasure to welcome so many students and parents to our Prize Giving Evening in September to recognise these outstanding results as well as the superb attainment, progress and effort of individual students in Years 8-13. This term has continued very positively; attendance and punctuality in all year

groups is excellent, students are looking smart and we have been impressed with students’ focus and attitude to their learning.

This academic year we have also started our new aspirational 5 year development plan for the school; information about this was included in my start of the year letter and in a recent Parents’ Update. Further details can also

be found on our website. If parents have any feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me. This last week of Term 1 has been particularly busy. On Tuesday we welcomed an exceptionally high

number of prospective Year 7 students and their parents to our Open Evening (over 1800), followed by our Open Morning on Wednesday. Comments from visitors were very positive, particularly praising the students’ enthusiasm, confidence, excellent communication skills and their pride in our school. On Thursday and Friday, we have had our first Curriculum Enhancement Days of the year, with numerous activities from building thrones out of newspaper, to a trip to Wildwood Woodland Discovery Park, a performance by the Globe players, careers and interview preparation and “brain training”. As always I am very proud to be the Headteacher of such special school.

I hope that all our families have a restful break. We look forward to welcoming back all students at the usual time on Monday 2nd November.

Sharon Pritchard Headteacher

From the Headteacher I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Governor News 2

Our first few

weeks at DGGS

3

PGL Trip 2015 4

Year 7 House

visits

5-8

Dyslexia

Awareness Week

9

New to DGGS -

Sixth Form

10

Learn a Musical

Instrument at

DGGS

11

Year 8 Loire Valley - July 2015

12

Normandy 2015 13

News from your School Library

14

Bharata natyam dancers at DGGS

18

Year 9 Graphics Team - Design Museum visit

19

Textiles visit to the V&A Museum

20

Diary of the trip to India - July 2015

24

Philanthropic Update

27

Sporting Highlights

29

Academic Dates 2015-2016

29

Year 7H visit Hever Castle

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Governor News

On behalf of Governors I would like to congratulate the students and staff on the excellent results achieved last year in GCSE, AS and A Level examinations. Our students achieved some notable successes and the results in these public examinations continue to improve and are testament to the hard work and dedication of students and staff alike. We wish all students continued success in the future. In September, Governors were pleased to attend Prize Giving Evening which not only recognised the achievements of our students in public examinations but also celebrated the successes and achievements of students across all Year Groups in the school; it was a wonderful evening and a pleasure to see so many prize winners and proud parents on the evening.

In September Governors approved the School Development Plan for 2015-2020 and a one year plan for this academic year with a focus on key areas with clearly identified priorities that have been identified by Mrs Pritchard and the Senior Leadership Team.

We have recently welcomed three new Governors to the Governing Body and we will continue to meet in various sub-committees with specific areas of responsibility throughout the year as well as meeting as a Full Board six times a year.

Open Evening and Open Morning events for prospective Year 7 students for September 2016 entry to the school were held this week, many parents came with their daughters to view the school, and were shown round by current students who are always superb ambassadors for the school. I would like to congratulate and thank all students involved in the events this week, many visiting parents made very positive and complimentary comments about their wonderful guides and about the school, students and staff as they were leaving the premises. We believe that DGGS is a very special place and that the opportunities and quality of education afforded to all students, who are fortunate to have a place at this school, are second to none.

If you wish to contact the Governing Body on any matter, please contact me via the school email address or in writing marked for my attention.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a restful holiday.

Janice Brooke Chair of Governors

The Head Student Team have worked hard this term thinking about criteria for the new House Star badges. They have decided that they wish to align the criteria for these badges to the School Values,

starting this term with ‘Respect’. In each House, form groups will nominate someone, with reasons, who they think demonstrates this value. The Head Students have explained during assemblies which areas to

consider. The Sixth Form Prefect, with the Form Tutor, will look at these nominations and make a decision. Awarded students will be presented with their badge in House Assemblies.

The Head Students also have golden badges, and they will select from the nominations two members of the school community that they wish to award. We very much look forward to giving thought to this extremely important value, and considering which students embody it most.

Fiona Kellett Assistant Headteacher

Head Student Team Update

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Our first few weeks at DGGS

So, my first day at secondary school. Saying that I was nervous would be an understatement; the night before I could not sleep and I had a jittery tummy. I remember that on the morning of the first day I felt so incredibly proud; it had taken a lot of hard work to get to where I was and I was now here wearing the DGGS uniform. (Blazer was so big!). As I walked to school, I soon realised that DGGS is the school I will be attending for the next five years or more. My first day was great, and everybody was friendly and supportive around school.

After spending a great couple of weeks settling in and getting used to the classes and work, I love it. The lessons are enjoyable and when I need support, it is always there. I have made friends and although I now, to my surprise, know my way around, I do admit getting lost on the way to some lessons. In my opinion, I have made a great start to the year and I cannot wait to see what the future at DGGS holds for me.

Ola Nguyen, 7P

I have been at DGGS for over a month now, but it seems as though I have been part of the school community for much longer.

Moving from Primary school to Secondary school was a big change, but teachers, support staff and the older students have made me feel so welcome and have been there to help us Year 7s settle in.

I have enjoyed my lessons and made lots of friends in my form. 7P have already enjoyed a visit to Penshurst Place which was great fun and spent lots of time getting to know each other. I am excited for the future ahead.

Tania Malhotra, 7P

Data collection is well under way in the

Geography Department!

On the 28th and 29th October, Geography students in year 11 and Accelerated Geography students in year 10 visited the rural village of Alfriston in East Sussex to investigate the economic impacts of tourism in the area for their GCSE controlled assessment. Students worked in groups to collect various primary data including questionnaires and land use maps to support their studies back at school. They also visited the Seven Sisters Country Park to collect further information. The weather combined with the hard work of the students made these two very successful days and we wish students every success with their upcoming coursework.

On the 1st October, 24 students in the AS Geography group visited Reculver as part of their physical geography data collection. All students were able to collect a range of data on the managed and unmanaged sections of the coast and got to practise with the equipment. This is in preparation for their unit 2 exam in the summer, in which I am sure they will do very well.

As a department we would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents for their support with these fieldtrips. They are of major importance within GCSE and A Level Geography and prepare the students for the upcoming topics and examinations.

Gillian Day Curriculum Area Leader: Geography

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Enrichment Week in School

In Enrichment Week we had a great time doing a wide variety of activities; including learning about amazing animals from an expert, salsa dancing ( who knew the teachers could dance so well?) and pond dipping, where we tried desperately not to fall into the water! On Wednesday we had a brilliant picnic outside thanks to the teachers who provided the delicious food. However, no sooner had we sat down when it started to rain so we had to rush everything inside. We then competed in a giant bench ball game where we discovered just how competitive our teachers really are! The next day we were taken to Danson Park for a glorious day in the sun and on the water, learning to sail which was very hard to do when the wind stopped, leaving us stranded in the middle of the lake. Finally on Friday we went to Chessington World of Adventures where we had the best day possible screaming on all the rides and were all very sad when we had to go home. Overall it was an incredible week of learning new things in a fun way which we all enjoyed and are so grateful to the teachers for organising it for us.

Jennifer Hamblyn, 9P

At PGL, Barton Hall 2015 Year 7 had so much fun! We stayed Monday- Friday and each day was filled with five interesting activities to conquer; these included the vertical challenge, the Zipwire, Abseiling, Quad- biking, Jacobs Ladder, Aeroball, and lots more. Each night we played challenging games with our PGL trip leaders such as “Where’s Wally and Capture the flag”. We had a variety of three deliciously filling meals each day. Our favourite was lunch! No matter what your strength or fitness, everyone is guaranteed to have lots of fun and an enjoyable time.

Megan Groombridge and Daisy Mitchell, 8H

PGL Trip 2015

In July I had the pleasure of leading the Year 7 Residential PGL trip to Barton Hall Devon. During this Enrichment Week students took part in challenging activities and team building games; with students and staff encouraging each other to conquer fears and surprising ourselves by achieving personal goals. Students from different tutor groups teamed up in activity groups developing problem solving skills and

building new friendships along the way. The girls had immense fun taking part in evening activities, free time and a Disco at the end of the week. PGL staff gave positive feedback and students confirmed they had lots of fun and thoroughly enjoyed a great trip. Year 7 students were a credit to DGGS with excellent participation and impeccable behaviour. A sincere thank you goes to all staff who took part for making the trip a success.

Cathy Fitzgerald Year 7 Support and Transition Manager

On the week beginning 6th July the whole of Year 7 were given the opportunity to go on a PGL residential trip to Devon for 4 nights/5days. The trip involved abseiling, raft-building (which involved jumping into the lake afterwards!) , several different climbing activities and teamwork building activities. Throughout the trip, the weather was on and off, with some activities slightly wetter than expected; however the trip was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. The food was of excellent standard, exciting activities, sing-a-longs and challenging teamwork with evening activities every night. Overall, the trip was highly enjoyable and given the chance, I think I speak for everyone when I say that I would do it all over again!

May Bui , 8P

PGL was a great experience for me because I had never been to an adventure centre before and I would definitely recommend it to the New Year 7s. My favourite activity was the zipwire as I was the first to jump from the window feeling scared and excited. It was amazing and even the teachers all took part.

Matilda Law, 8K

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We loved the house, grounds and garden; they were truly amazing. The castle was exciting, the gardens were pretty and we enjoyed running through the tower maze. For some of us we remember being in the water maze and jets of water kept squirting up at us. We all really liked exploring the gardens and seeing the different hedges cut into a range of animals and shapes. We enjoyed going into the castle and learning about who lived there, looking at the many rooms and seeing the different torture instruments which were horrifying. Hever Castle had several fun and exciting activities and was an incredible experience which made us all become closer friends. It was exciting because we met Alan Titchmarsh who was there filming for a new antiques show. 7H enjoyed exploring the castle and the rooms and were able to imagine they were Anne Boleyn. Hever Castle was both an educational trip and an entertaining one learning about the Tudor period as well as time to have fun and develop and make new friendships.

7H House Visit to Hever Castle

7C House Visit to Chartwell House

On Wednesday 23rd September, 7C had a fun packed trip to Chartwell house. This was Sir Winston Churchill’s last home, which is now owned by the National Trust. It was really interesting and informative; we were given a tour of his family home and a viewing of his private study, we were

certainly captivated and engrossed in our excursion. We relaxed and sketched the views of the house and the nature surrounding us. This

gave us more than enough time to bond, get to know each other and develop our friendships.

After this, we entered the house and had a very enlightening tour; we learnt about Mr Churchill, his wife and his childrens’ lives, had a glimpse into Churchill’s life and saw what meant most to him. When we were finished, we enjoyed our lunch and raided the charity shop! To wrap up our expedition we rolled down the hills and played some exciting games with our house captains, Jessica and Emily. On the way back, we sang our hearts out and had a great laugh with each other. We had a fantastic Chartwell trip.

Tia Knight and Farrah Adegunle, 7C

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On the 24th September 7I went to Ightham Mote to explore and learn more about their house name. We all had an amazing time and would like to share what we did on our trip! When we arrived at Ightham Mote, we had a tour of the house and had a member of staff tell us about its history. After that, we wrote down important facts about Ightham Mote which were all very interesting and fascinating. Later, we were able to explore the house freely in groups and find out more facts about Ightham, finding the different people who owned the house and what it was like to live in

the medieval house. Finding small secrets about the house seemed to be the most interesting facts and learning about the house’s history was exciting.

Overall, our trip was an incredible learning experience and taught our form a lot about their form name. The staff at Ightham Mote had lots of information about the house and Ightham Mote is an interesting landmark to visit .

Kyoko Kanai and Rosin Horne, 7I

7I House Visit to Ightham Mote

7K House Visit to Knole House

Excitement is the key emotion that engulfs you once the familiar landscapes change and transport you into ancient times. The deer were gracefully galloping through the trees. Upon approaching the House, the picturesque views flashed before our eyes. The hosts were kind and informative about the history of

Knole. We were split into two groups “Rich

and Poor” and looked at different artefacts used.

We visited the Grand Hall used for bountiful banquets, elegant dances and tough cases in Court. We were then shown the process of how enduring and tiring it was for a Tudor lady to dress with so many layers of clothing.

7K were then able to wear an exquisite gown, accessories and take the tour of the house.

Benita Adegbusi and Iman Zomah , 7K

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7L House Visit to Leeds

On Friday 25th September, our form (7L) went on our first school trip to Leeds Castle. We were excited to learn about our House and were really impatient!

When we arrived we headed over to the Castle and luckily for us it was the ‘Festival of Flowers’ and the Castle was adorned with beautifully-styled flowers. There were many different designs, including multi-coloured peacocks and bunches of Ornament Lilies. We explored most of the rooms and then made a short stop to the gift shop. After purchasing our souvenirs, we ran to the maze. There was a competition for who would reach the middle first. Our group conquered the maze and was awarded 2nd place. We had to give each other directions and everyone made their way out of the maze, through the creepy grotto.

After we had lunch, we watched a short movie about the Battle of Agincourt. The screen was on the floor and we had to lean over the rails to see.

As the day nearly came to an end, we trekked up a hill and drew Leeds Castle from a really nice view. Our first school trip was really fun and we enjoyed finding out about our House. I’m so proud to be in Leeds House.

Thirushiha Thirubavananthan, 7L

On the 25th September 2015 we went to Leeds. I couldn't wait to go to Leeds, when I finally arrived I was so thrilled. Firstly, we went into the castle - I was struck with awe from the beauty of the castle, and that I was walking on historic ground where many nobles lived. When I went on,

I saw many of the furniture used by nobles, including: beds, bathtub, chairs and many more. A lot of the rooms and corridor were filled with beautiful flowers (and the designs were never repeated) on the ledges or any available space. It had a large moat around the castle filled with a large flock of ducks. After, we went to a gift shop with a peacock theme, but they also had different items to buy, due to the nobility keeping peacocks.

Then we ran into a maze, there was a competition to see who could get to the middle first. After finding the middle ( by luck), many of us decided to go back for a second attempt and got lost again. Thankfully we managed to find the exit, through the gloomy dark grotto, via the aid of others.

After the maze, we found a place to eat and then went to a show about the Battle of the Agincourt (when England struck France.)It was a great story about how England traveled to France, and strived to win an amazing battle with very few men. We looked over railings, to view the show, below us.

Then, we went up high to sketch a drawing of Leeds castle. It has a breath-taking view, including: a clear view of the castle and a lovely view of the scenery around it. The visit came to an end, when we went into a second gift shop. We left exhausted, with memories of a good day. Our first school trip in DGGS was a fantastic start to the year and I really enjoyed it. I know many others would say the same and I hope that the other trips and events in the future will be as great an experience as it was on Friday.

Yasmin Soares Parke, 7L

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We all started our House trip to Penshurst Place with high expectations and excitement. The coach was comfortable with lots of singing from 7P.

As we arrived we caught our first glimpse of Penshurst Place; it was beautiful . We started with a tour of the House where we learnt a lot of cool facts and history about our house; we learnt about the people who lived there

including Henry VIII and Sir William Sidney. We found out that Penshurst Place was built 1341, and the symbol of Penshurst Place is a Porcupine. After the tour we were able to roam the gorgeous gardens with trees, pretty flowers and in the heart of the garden there was a fountain. Finally, we had fun in the adventure playgroup and a visit to the gift shop. 7P had a brilliant visit to Penshurst Place.

Harriet Maclean and Ola Nguyen ,7P

7P House Visit to Penshurst Place

Year 11 into Year 12

At first, the thought of starting Year 12 was scary because I was nervous about meeting new people as well as studying a subject that I have never encountered before, alongside three others that I studied at GCSE. Even though the gap between GCSE and A-Level has been difficult to adjust to, I have adapted well with the help of the staff and support staff. I look forward to facing new challenges as the year progresses.

Patsy Dodd, 12F

Mocks Mock examinations for GCSEs start on Wednesday 6th January until Friday

15th January 2016. There will be exams in most subjects for Year 11 students, and for Year 10 students taking Accelerated Geography and Accelerated History.

Mock examinations for GCEs will be on Monday 18th January to Friday 22nd January 2016.

Individual student timetables will be given out by the end of November and there will be full timetables displayed in SS2, Sixth Form Centre and on the school website. Certificates

Certificates for exams taken during the summer 2015 will be available from the Sixth Form Centre on Monday 9th November.

Suzanne Crawley Examination Officer

Examination News

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As part of Irlen Awareness Week and to support students with visual perception difficulties (Irlen Syndrome) classes were invited to turn out their fluorescent lights in their classroom for one minute on Tuesday, October 20th at 10am. Obviously in certain lessons this was not be possible as they do not want it to disrupt their teaching and learning. Fluorescent lighting found in most schools, work, and community environments can create sensory overload and trigger disabling symptoms, learning disabilities, and migraines. What is visual perception difficulties or Irlen Syndrome? It is basically light sensitivity; a visual processing problem where the brain has difficulty processing certain wavelengths of the light spectrum. The brain is overworked but can be calmed down by using coloured overlays or paper when reading and by wearing specially tinted glasses. It is not an optical problem.

Suzanne Crawley AEN Support Manager

Dyslexia Awareness Week -October 2015

Dyslexia Awareness Week, organised every year by the British Dyslexia Association, aims to help raise awareness and understanding of the different aspects of dyslexia.

This year the theme was Making Sense of Dyslexia. One in ten of the UK population is estimated to be dyslexic which means that in a class of 30, there may be 3 students with dyslexia. But what is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difference, a combination of strengths and weaknesses which affect the learning process in reading, spelling, writing and sometimes numeracy. People with dyslexia may also have weaknesses in short term memory, sequencing and the speed at which they process information.

Students in Year 8 and 9 were invited to enter a competition to research a dyslexic celebrity, produce a Powerpoint and present their findings. The 3 winners of the competition were Hannah Bartlett 8C, Darcy Hall 9C, and Lois James 8I.

Suzanne Crawley AEN Support Manager

“Turn out the Lights” Irlen Awareness Week -

October 2015

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As an external student, the prospect of starting a new Sixth Form was both exciting and frightening. In Year 11 I was uncertain about many things, including my upcoming exams, my A Level choices and the jump between GCSE and AS. My secondary school was not the right fit for me and the next natural progression was to transfer. Having looked around DGGS at the open evening, I knew that it was the exact place for me. Everyone was enormously welcoming and made me feel immediately at ease. Induction day was the first chance I got to meet my future classmates and really get a feel for what the school was like on a day to day basis. Induction day posed some nerve-wracking challenges, especially when I knew nobody attending. Taster lessons and form activities allowed me to make connections with people and I soon found those who had similar interests to myself. If I looked lost or nervous at any point, soon enough, someone would be offering me help and starting a general chat. For me, my major concern was settling in and making friends, however the kind nature of everyone at the induction day, allowed me to see that this would not be an issue. People would ensure I was never eating alone and that I was always included regardless of the activity. Soon enough it was the 19th August and the next day would seal my fate. A million questions whizzed through my mind! Would I have got the grades to secure my place? What if I messed up one of my A Level subjects? What if it all goes badly? After an anxious night's sleep (if you

can call it that) it was results day. For me, one of the best days of my life. Seeing how all my hard work paid off and realising that if I wanted to do something, nothing could stand in my way. I exceeded the entry requirements and headed straight to DGGS to enrol and confirm my attendance in September. I was greeted by Mr Hardwick and Mrs Quinn who seemed to genuinely share my enthusiasm at starting the school. A sense of relief was apparent after waiting 2 months for my results, I was now certain what school I would be going to. After buying all the relevant items, I was eager to start, however there was still a sense of nervousness regarding trying something completely new. On my first day, I really connected with people both in my form, and lessons, meaning I made friends quickly and easily. Another common concern is the severity of the jump from GCSE's to A Levels, but all the teaching and support staff soon put your mind at ease. Trust me, it isn't easy, but it will be worth it. Follow the guidance of the staff and truly take onboard advice from those with experience. There are always people to support and guide you through your school life. The standard of teaching is outstanding and I love every one of my options. I have absolutely no regrets in swapping schools to come to DGGS and genuinely believe that if you come to the school, you will be as passionate about the Sixth Form as I am. It truly is an opportunity to develop both academically and socially.

Emily Whelan 12C

New to DGGS - Sixth Form

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AS Results and into Year 13...

So after months of waiting and many sleepless nights (including waking my sister up at about 4 in the morning in a panic) we finally got our results. I decided to go in by myself because I knew that my family would stress me out looking over my shoulder (and I could escape if the results weren’t great). But honestly, there was no need to worry at all. I’d done so much better than I ever could have imagined, including some shockers in certain subjects (economics I’m looking at you) and I was on the right path to get the grades I want next year. In light of these results if I could give advice to the Year 12’s it would be to work as hard as you possibly can. Trust me, I know it’s the most cliché thing you’ve ever heard but it’s so true. Without all those free periods spent in the silent study area I know that I would have been so disappointed. Now I understand that the BBQ

chicken paninis in the Sixth Form Café are basically sent from Heaven but they don’t need a whole hour’s worth of chatting to go with them! Even if it’s only half an hour of work, it’s still half an hour towards the future that you want (a few houses in Barbados? Maybe a nice car to go with it?) Most importantly don’t get stressed, the work isn’t there to make you cry and everyone only wants you to do your best! Have a break, go get that cup of tea and cake you know you secretly want (and the whole bag of magic stars and tube of Pringles, no one’s judging you, trust me, we’ve all done it) and then look at it with fresh eyes, even if that involves having a sleep, because no one can survive staying up until 3 in the morning. Alright so now that I’m done being Mr Motivator… roll on year 13!

Genevieve Redgrave, Year 13

Did you know that your son / daughter is able to receive lessons in the following instruments courtesy of our experienced team of Kent Music and private tutors? It doesn’t matter whether your child has any previous experience. Just a passion for learning an instrument and enjoying music making with others. Instruments currently offered: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass. Guitar, Piano, Drum Kit and vocal tuition is also offered. Students are able to borrow instruments from the music department subject to availability and the completion of an Instrument Agreement Form. The music department can also advise upon obtaining affordable musical instruments from a variety of local / international sources. There are many advantages of learning a musical instrument including membership of the following weekly activities that take place in school during lunch times and after school such as: Guitar Group Ukulele Orchestra Vox Omnes (Choir for all!) Motet Cantoribus ( Choir for experienced singers ) Symphony Orchestra Advanced Jazz Band Gospel Choir These activities have been advertised to all students and there are detailed timetables of when these events take place in Tutor Bases and within the Music Department. Please contact the music department for further details with regards to the cost / timings of instrumental lessons and for any further details about the clubs which we run.

James Dowsett

Curriculum Area Leader : Music

Learn a Musical Instrument at DGGS

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Year 8 Loire Valley - July 2015

I would like to say a very big thank you to all the teachers who joined us on yet again another memorable trip to France, including a visit to Amboise and its chocolate factory and Leonardo Da Vinci’s castle - Clos Lucé; a visit to La

Rochelle and its aquarium and beach; a visit to Chenonceau Castle and to conclude the trip, a visit to the Futuroscope theme park.

Karine Kleywegt Curriculum Team Leader

“I went to the Loire with some of my Year group members last summer. It was a trip that lasted a week, packed with so many activities and opportunities to explore the country. It not only enhanced my learning of French but it also gave me an opportunity to meet new people from my Year and make new

friends. Despite the many highs, there were some lows as the journey was long and tiring. However, Mr McGinty highlighted our journey, with his

fluent French and historical insight. He definitely made our journey more interactive! After visiting some incredible castle and markets where we had to use our French, we were able to relax at our hotel after our long and tiring days. We had rooms of 4-5 and the rooms were spacious and comfortable. We had to go to our rooms to relax after activities and refuel ourselves for dinner. We ate in a large dining room sometimes with other residents. The food had a variety of French delicacies which appealed to some but not all!

Despite this, we all tried the food and adapted to the French etiquette while eating. The highlight of the trip was most definitely the theme park. With a variety of wet rides, fast rides, hilarious rides and musical rides, we thoroughly enjoyed the range at the Futuroscope Park as it was filled with enjoyment and excitement. The night show was spectacular with great animations and techniques with the waterfall. I definitely recommend going to France in Year 8 as it gives you a great insight into the beautiful country.”

Afope Ogunremi , 9C

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Normandy 2015

In July, a group of Year 9s, now current year 10s went on a History and Geography trip to Normandy. On the first day, we travelled by coach from school to Dover to catch the ferry across to Calais. From there we then had the long journey down to Normandy that included a lot of

refreshment stops so we could stock up on food. After finally arriving in Normandy we went and found our hotel to have dinner. It turns out that our hotel was on ‘Juno’ beach so after dinner we went down to the beach to see where the boats would have come in during the Landings. Throughout the full three days in Normandy we visited lots of interesting places and experienced as much French culture as possible. We learnt a lot about the Normandy landings visiting the ‘Gold’ and ‘Omaha’ landing sites as

well as the Omaha war cemetery and museum which gave us a real insight into just how many people had died and what they went through during the landings. On our last full day we visited a

small French Boulangerie where we had a go at making our own baguettes for lunch – it turns out that not all of us are destined for the Great British Bake Off!! On our final evening, we took part in our own ‘primary school style’ sports day which included sack races, wheelbarrow races, an egg and spoon race and lots of relays – Miss Haydon and Mr Freeman got involved too! However, Mr

Freeman did manage to break the sack! Although the trip was full of emotions, from the excitement of being away with friends to the sad realisation of what we were visiting, overall it was an interesting and very fun experience which we all thoroughly enjoyed. A big thank you to Miss Haydon and Mr Freeman for organising such a memorable trip!

Sabiha Ali, Erin Slater and Grace Wickham, 10P

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Working together to achieve academic excellence and personal potential

News from your School Library

Welcome back to your school library. We have had an extremely busy first term in the library, with so much to share with you. I would like to start by introducing my new volunteer librarians who have already been working hard in the library. Farrah Adegunle - 7C, Maya Matharu - 7C, Emily Cheeseman - 7C, Vaibhavi Rajesh - 7I, Warsane Abdi - 7I, Alexsandra Targos - 7I, Oreoluwa Fagbohun - 7K, Katelyn Luck - 7K, Kiran Narwan - 7K, Precious Duru - 7K, Ewaoluwa Adesan - 7K, Katherine Kosigin - 7K, Apurba Rimal - 7P, Sasha Try - 7P, Maya Wegstapel - 7P, Harriet Maclean - 7P, Dalia Al-Temimi - 8K, Hana Salim - 8K, Azra Mukadam - 8K, Jess Goodwin - 9P, Temi Olusanya - 9P and Devina Phull - 10K. My existing volunteer librarians and I are really looking forward to working with our

new volunteers sharing thoughts and ideas to make the library even more inviting.

The junior librarian to share their thoughts about their role this term is: Vaibhavi Rajesh 7I Being a librarian presents you with so many valuable opportunities. It is only three weeks

since I joined the librarian team. I already feel like a proper member. We do a lot of fun assistance work, such as, shelving, changing displays etc. The librarian Mrs Buckingham and other student librarians form a very warm and welcoming community where people of all ages and interests can meet. Also we get lots of special opportunities such as writing articles and going on trips. Also, you get a librarian badge, after six weeks of being a librarian, which we all wear with pride. Apart from the fun part of it, we also learn skills like co-ordination, patience, time management without even realising it. Thus, I would suggest this chance to all who want to spend their break and lunch productively.

On to our exciting events. The first was our volunteer librarian trip into

London at the end of the summer term. Mrs MacKenzie and I took 12 of our junior librarians to visit the Alice Underground experience. An event to recognise and celebrate the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. We all had an amazing time, definitely, an experience to recommend for the whole family to enjoy. Phoebe Strachan and Megan White - 8L share their thoughts on the visit.

I had an exciting and enjoyable time going to see Alice’s Adventures Underground. My favourite part was when we could decide to drink or eat. I chose to drink and guess what happened…. I shrunk! It was extremely funny when we got shouted at by the Queen of Hearts, it may have been because we ate all the tarts….?

Thankfully I still have my head and I am able to tell you how much I loved my experience at Alice’s Adventures Underground.

Phoebe Strachan, 8L

I really enjoyed the Alice Underground trip because it was as if you were actually Alice on her journey through Wonderland. The trip was a lot better than I expected it to be because everyone was involved and it was fun.

Megan White, 8L

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News from your School Library (continued)

Welcome back to volunteering and achievement award librarian lunch. The second week of this term brought much excitement to the library. I was very lucky to host a lunch

for the volunteer librarians. We were privileged to welcome The Worshipful Mayor and Mayoress of Dartford along to the lunch as our guests of honour. The librarians felt very important indeed, receiving their achievement award certificates from the Mayor. They also enjoyed chatting to the Mayor and Mayoress during their lunch.

Polina Sinderson - 8L and Ashley Tweneboa-Koduah - 8L share their thoughts on the lunch.

I think it was a very good idea to let the Mayor and Mayoress know how we help out in the library. Personally, I think it was fun meeting the Mayor and Mayoress and then seeing all 42 librarians all in one day.

Polina Sinderson, 8L

It was a wonderful afternoon seeing the Mayor of Dartford in our very own library. It was a great experience having lunch with him and asking him questions whilst taking photos. We were presented with certificates depending on how many hours we spent volunteering in the library. It was an amazing day!.

Ashley Tweneboa-Koduah, 8L

Launching the new Careers Club Following the launch of the new “Careers Club” at the

beginning of September, Tracey Carver, Careers/UCAS Manager and I have been overwhelmed by the excellent support we have received to date. Thank you.

In September the first career we addressed was Medicine. Ex-student, Megan Szekely, who is studying Medicine at King’s College London, was available throughout the school day to talk to students about her time at DGGS, her preparation to study Medicine and her experience at university so far. Her presentation drew gasps from students as she detailed her pathway through school and the dedication and determination she applied to achieving her goal. At lunchtime Dr Pandya, a parent of a student at the school, kindly volunteered to come along to talk to students about his career to date. His interesting talk provided an informative session, with lots of time for questions and answers – hands were shooting up all over the Library - which he shared with Megan to present a varied perspective. We were impressed at the number of students who came along to the sessions – in excess of 70 eager students, full of questions and enthusiasm.

We plan to dedicate a calendar month to a specific career. We will create displays with relevant information, resources and university prospectuses in the Main Library; accessible to students in every year group at DGGS. We will be inviting a guest speaker to come along during a lunch hour to talk to students in all year groups about the “Career of the Month” and the pathways leading to it.

If you would like to volunteer to join our list of professional speakers we would love to hear from you. In the first instance please email either me, Rose Buckingham, at ROB@dartfordgrammargirls.kent.sch.uk or Tracey Carver, at TCA@dartfordgrammargirls.kent.sch.uk

As parents/carers of our students you know the school ethic: ‘Working together to achieve academic excellence and personal potential’ and we are grateful to those of you who wish to participate for your support.

Future focus includes: October: Languages, November: Finance. We look forward to hearing from you.

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News from your School Library

(continued)

Vaibhavi Rajesh 7I shares her thoughts on the new Careers Club The careers club, which took place on the 25th September, was a very

useful one. I attended both during break and lunchtime. I received lots of insights on life as a medical student and also as a GP. The talk included points and necessities of being a doctor, such as: good education, relevant skills, positive attitude, confidence, patience and perseverance.

We also talked about job experience and the advantages and importance of that. Few points that were reinforced were: Don’t compromise on studies, variety of job experience, exams and tests, work hard, play to your strengths and job satisfaction.

We received valuable information on the different forms of study which takes place in medical schools, such as: dissections, lectures, tutorials and placements.

There were students from Year 7 to Sixth Form which was really motivating. To remind us of the talk whenever needed, we all received a printed sheet with short notes and little reminders. I thoroughly enjoyed the talk and learnt lots of valuable points to consider. I would whole heartedly recommend this club to all, irrespective of the age or interest to give them a chance to have an insight about that career and learn something new.

Dyslexia awareness week: 5th-11th October 2015 Some of my librarians worked very hard to create a great

and informative display to support dyslexia awareness week. We had dyslexia friendly books off the shelves and out on display together with audio books for the students to familiarise themselves with. We are also in the process of cataloguing some new dyslexia friendly reads recently purchased to increase library stock.

Guardian Young Critics Competition. I am really pleased and excited to be working with a group of

students who are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winning school for the above competition. 15 of our students formed a book review group. They went on to read Apple & Rain by Sarah Crossan, each submitting a 500 word review to the Guardian Competition. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for the result. Now for our regular sections.

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Finally, we have an excellent book club meeting in the library during lunch time for Year 7 students Thursday Week B and Year 8 students Thursday week A. It would be lovely to welcome some new members along to the group and hear their thoughts and recommendations.

I hope you have enjoyed reading all about what is happening in the library. Happy half term to you all. Rose Buckingham

Librarian

News from your School Library (continued)

A Collage Poem by Bhavleen Bains 9H

Urban smoke Smoke of fumes Mystical footsteps Bustle’s dread Daylight petrol People’s alert

The Journey – Time Limit By Louisa Jacobs 11I

Timing dread Competitive determination Fear, Pain…. Impatience Hilarious Gossip Encouragement and Responsibility Leadership Navigation….Boiling frustration And Relief

Poetry Corner

Blood tastes bitter (In memory of Aylan and Galip Kurdi) By Thirushiha Thirubavananthan, 7L When your baby tears Mixed with the saddened sea It hit the deafened world like a tsunami! My dear young man! I wish your dreams were bigger Than the wounds you suffered. From the blood-thirsty wolves You slipped narrowly alive But it didn’t mean this rich world Would welcome you, my baby, There are no hands to embrace you Even the sea didn’t want To swallow you. (And left you on the shore)

You just laboured from the Dark, loved womb of your mother. Before, you see the beauty of the life You rushed to get out of. The blood river and crawled Through your lifeless loved ones How could we understand you? When We have everything served on our plates? We couldn’t figure what you Went through with fear. Oh! My boy! I know I know That you starved for a taste of peace And you loved to wake up With a heart still pumping In your rib cage!

(This poem is dedicated to all the refugee children from Syria)

My junior librarians recommend. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare Tape by Steve Camden Awful Auntie by David Walliams Stella Etc Frankie, Peaches and Me by Karen McCombie A Beautiful Lie by Irfan Master Wings by Aprilynne Pike In Real Life by Joey Graceffa Where she went by Gayle Forman

The selection by Kiera Cass The Ingo Chronicles by Helen Dunmore Katy by Jacqueline Wilson The Crazy things Girls do for Love by Dyan Sheldon Lottie Biggs is not mad by Hayley Long Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy Dead Jealous by Sharon Jones The Midnight Library Series by Nick Shadow The Young Sherlock Holmes Series by Andrew Lane Twist Cottage by Anthony Horowitz Amber by Julie Sykes

Recommended reads for this term. I recommend Apple & Rain by Sarah Crossan

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Hello! My name is Rasihha Lalithasan. I am a Year 13 student studying A-level Biology, Chemistry and Maths and I am applying to university to study Optometry. I have been learning Bharata natyam classical Indian dance since I was eight years old. I have completed grades 1-8 (diploma) in ten years. Bharata natyam is the oldest and most popular of all the Indian dance forms. It requires strength, patience and agility and is very good for developing stamina. In class, we prepare for our practical and theory exams and always begin by performing namaskar. During the summer holidays, from 25th to 31st August, I took part in a dance workshop with the well-renowned dance teacher Smt Sheela

Unnikrishnan who came from India. She taught us basic steps and how to improve the foundation of our dance. We had to practise the dance every day at home and come fully prepared the next day. Indian dance teachers are very strict!

She also taught us a dance piece called Ranjini Mala. We did a half hour warm up which was tough and on the last day we performed the dance to our parents. There were 17 of us in my group from a range of grades. * * * * *

Ramya Udhiyakumar - 11C has also studied Bharata natyam from a very young age and has just taken her Diploma exam. She passed grades 1-3 with Distinction, grades 4-7 with Merit and was awarded a Distinction in the theory exam for grade 7. She will be moving on to the Post Diploma level next which will qualify her to teach younger students.

Congratulations to both girls and good luck in your future

exams from everyone at DGGS! Wendy Mackenzie

EAL Coordinator

Bharata natyam dancers at DGGS

IT Support

A VERY WARM welcome to Reece Kidman who joined our IT support team on Monday 12th October. Previously a postman for the Bank of America in London, Reece has spent his first week at DGGS shadowing Network Manager Rob Sheehy to familiarise himself with the layout of the school, the many faces he has to put names to and the different demands of the job! His hobbies include IT and photography.

Wendy Mackenzie EAL Coordinator

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Once again, our Sixth Formers studying French were invited to go to the Lumière cinema attached to the Lyçée français, in the heart of South Kensington: the French district of London. On the 22nd September, they watched “La famille Bélier”, one of the biggest hits in French cinemas last year. Whereas last year’s first adaptation of a surrealist novel by a very famous French writer Boris Vian had left many perplexed, this comedy-drama was more accessible and very well received. The film received six nominations at the 40th César Awards ceremony (the French Oscars) and Louane Emera won the most promising actress award for her interpretation in the part of Paula: an indispensable interpreter for her deaf parents and brother on a daily basis. “Being deaf isn’t a handicap, it’s an identity,” says Paula’s father

Rodolphe (François Damiens), a farmer who decides to run for mayor under the campaign slogan “I hear you”. Many comical moments contribute to what the Guardian newspaper described as a “feel good” film. Our students generally found it indeed very funny and saw it as a pertinent insight into the life of a French teenager: torn between her family, friends, school, future career in singing and romance. “La famille Belier” gives a whole new meaning to using language as a communication tool and film director Eric Lartigau succeeds totally in painting a moving yet also unusually light hearted treatment of an otherwise serious disability.

“Thank you” to Mrs Kleywegt who came with us. Isabelle Saunders

Teacher: French

Au cinéma Lumière à Londres

On the 22nd of September 2015 we travelled by the school minibus to The Design Museum London on the South Bank. Upon our arrival we immediately went to the workshop

on the top floor, where we got to understand the theme ‘Move’ better, by using simple materials to create something new. We had guidance from a designer and a member of Deutsche Bank; they showed us what made a good product, and how we can achieve the same through very simple ideas. We learnt how to sell vast numbers of products by adapting existing products. Furthermore, we learnt that you only need a piece of paper to create a masterpiece of ideas.

We took a tour around the museum and explored the interesting items. Some of which are basic objects we use in our everyday lives. However, they had a unique way of designing it so it is different from normal and catches people’s attention. The exhibition was very informative and helpful in understanding ways to adapt our

ideas. When we were looking for inspiration to make our amazing product we came across an online debate on portable phones that allowed us, the visitors, to interact and learn new things in a fun and interesting way.

The second exhibition was also quite extraordinary displaying how logos have changed over the world. We were fortunate enough to be able to talk to the manager of the gift shop who advised us that the most commonly sold products were those that were small enough to carry around. We found out that the most sold product was a pill box in the shape of a pill and the majority of customers are middle aged men. This helped us to continue to make our product come to life.

To conclude, the trip was inspirational and educational because there were unbelievable and stunning exhibitions that motivated us to widen our knowledge about new ways to develop our design ideas.

Collaborative review-Year 9 Graphics Team

Year 9 Graphics Team - Design Museum visit

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Textiles visit to the V&A Museum

On the 5th October, Year 9 and Year 11 Art and Design Textiles students enjoyed a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The focus for the Year 9 girls was to look at and draw stage costumes in preparation for their second project, whilst the Year 11 students were able to choose items from the fashion and other galleries to study for their GCSE coursework portfolios. Both groups also visited an eclectic and eye-catching exhibition of footwear. It was a very productive and inspirational day for both students and staff. I do hope that you will enjoy reading the girls’ accounts.

Julie Evans-Wild Curriculum Team Leader: Arts and Technology Faculty

Drawn by Aiswarya Muthal Puredath, 9P

Drawn by Thalia Sampayo, 9L

Drawn by Amelia Ahmed, 9C Drawn by Naomi Santhiago, 9H

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The Theatre and Performance Gallery One hat we saw was made up of lots of different objects; the base of the hat was a yellow builders hat, and on top of that were many things like a traffic cone, a feather duster, half a football and a big wheel with plastic bottles on sticks. I think it represented lots of different jobs: the hat for builders; feather duster for cleaners; cone for traffic wardens and maybe the ball for football players.

Neve Christie, 9L

The Shoe Exhibition One of the most interesting pairs were the Indian wedding shoes,

which looked incredibly uncomfortable. They were worn by a bride on her wedding day, and they were so high so that the bride who wore them would be taller than everyone else and stand out. They were a coveted item to own, and often passed down through generations as heirlooms. They were made of silver and gold over wood, and must have been very hard to get around in, because the only support your

feet had would have been the toe knob that would hardly have helped anyway.

Thalia Sampayo, 9L

One of the pieces that inspired me the most was from the famous stage production ‘War Horse’, which is a theatrical adaption of the book by Michael Morpurgo. The particular costume that we saw in the museum had been used in over 1,640 West End shows. At first glance, it just looked like a wooden horse, so I just assumed that it was merely a stage prop. However, it was actually a costume worn by three puppeteers. The people wearing the costume worked together to create the emotions and character of a horse through breath, noise and movement, despite the fact that they were actually humans, not a horse. This uses the Japanese Bunraku ‘exposed’ style of puppetry, where they are costumed and still visible to the audience, but make the horse the main focus of attention. The costume was very intriguing to look at, and I really enjoyed my trip.

Lucie Slater ,9L

In the Shoes: Pleasure and Pain gallery there were lots of different types of shoes. There were shoes in the exhibitions that I have never seen before and it really fascinated me. I was really intrigued by the shoes that were made for the Chinese foot bounded feet. They really intrigued me because the sizes of the shoes were really small and it showed just how the Chinese women dealt with life just to have small feet. These particular shoes reminded me of the novel

‘Chinese Cinderella’. In ‘Chinese Cinderella’ the little girl’s grandmother talks about having her feet bound and then the pain of having them bound. In the 19th century foot binding was popular and men wouldn’t marry women that didn’t have their feet bound.

Nabiha Chowdhury, 9H

Textiles visit to the V&A Museum (continued)

One of the costumes that fascinated me most was the costume for Scar in the Lion King. The mask and costume show how he has a split personality and as the mask always has the same

expression; it allows the actor to build on this. The sharp edges in the costume might show how the character of Scar is quite menacing. The mask has been inspired by Asian mask making traditions. Various pieces of wood give the effect of the lion’s mane and claws have been made as well to place over the actor’s hands. Instead of the soft fabrics used in the lioness’s costume, a lot of this is made from rougher materials.

Ione Bridge, 9P

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Throughout our time in India there were several breath taking views; the snow covered summits of the Himalaya mountains, the bus ride through to Shimla and the most exciting bus ride of all - from Shimla to Hatu Peak – surely the narrowest and most scary road any of us have been on, and most surprisingly, the view from our project school. We volunteered at a primary and a secondary school near Shimla which were located on a cliff on a mountain. We were so high up we were in fact in the clouds and frequently above them. At the schools we taught and played with the children, learning to communicate with those who spoke a little English and those who did not – of course our Hindi left a lot to be desired. From the children we learnt the national sport of India is hockey, who would have thought it? We also participated in their daily assemblies – totally different to ours involving, a band, marching, parade drill, lotus position contemplation, prayers and singing. The day before we arrived at the school we had purchased various DIY tools to paint the school, and these were put to good use over the next few days of hard work. The junior school put on a farewell show of traditional dancing, we presented a scrap book of memories and a nice picture of DGGS and then much to everybody’s amusement performed a rendition of YMCA – probably still being discussed in villages across the Shimla District!

With the good times, there come the character building times. New Delhi Station was unforgettable in its own unique way. Made worse by lack of sleep and an intense culture shock, the train station is widely accepted as one of the hottest and worst places to wait five minutes for a train – let alone five hours. There were stray dogs, rats running along the train tracks by bare wires, together with other sights and

smells best not described. We rapidly felt like seasoned travellers as we rose to the occasion, and after much delay (which is normal for Indian trains) sensibly returned to our hotel to travel the next morning by bus to Shimla. Our leaders were very impressed by our resilience, patience, stamina and our ability to keep cheerful and (mostly) smiling .

The shock of India, other than the train station, was that people frequently stop and look at you and they are not afraid to take photos of strangers as it is

Year 12 India Trip - July 2015

In July 29 students and four staff travelled to India to take part in an extraordinary adventure. We spent 12 eventful days between Delhi, Shimla and Agra, we volunteered at a school, became notable tourists and trekked in all weathers – ‘ We boldly went where none of us had been before!’

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not considered rude. The correct response to this is probably to ignore it, but we found that when asked not to, the people would stop with good grace. We also found that people in shops and walking along the streets were friendly and polite and were very happy to talk to us about a variety of topics. Many of us were asked on several occasions to pose with families, often holding the baby!

If you ever visit India there is one place you should go - Agra. In Agra we went to an elephant sanctuary where we were ‘walking with elephants’ - in a field with the keepers and the elephants. We were able to stroke and feed the elephants and found that the hoses used to wash the elephants could be used on teenagers and staff to good effect on a hot day. We ploughed on through the baking heat, ending the day with the Taj Mahal at dusk. This was a surreal experience, making us all feel as if we had been sucked into a photograph. It was honestly the highlight of the trip as we saw the sun setting behind the historic mausoleum. Outside the Taj Mahal we were able to buy small souvenirs, many made from a substance claimed to be marble - many students also succumbed to buying Taj snow domes and other tasteful antiquities and treasures.

During our time in India we used a variety of different modes of transport – all with loud and very, very frequent use of the horn. We took exciting taxis in Delhi as well as rickshaws, tut-tuts, horse drawn carriages, person drawn carriages, buses, railway trains and even the new metro. Each mode of transport had its own bizarre thrill - even if it was almost forty degrees and we were squished in tightly. Roads in India seem to lack rules and are often ruled by cows, monkeys, camels, pedestrians, cars on the wrong side of the road and the occasional goat; she who beeps loudest and longest generally seemed to have right of way.

Food in India is amazing, and most specifically the vegetarian spring rolls and spiced potatoes. Though Indian food in India is not too far off what we have here in England. Although there is too much rice, actual Indian food still excels for obvious reasons. The cooks in Shimla were used to catering for western climbing teams, and were especially good, cooking us five large spectacular meals a day. One surprise about the food in India was that the Chinese food, particularly the chicken chow mein, was wonderful. Indian food is truly the best.

India, from my perspective, was a once in a lifetime thing and something I will never forget. Some of my best times were spent there, with some of the best people. My team, led by Mr Barton, were amazing and made the trip what it was. I encourage you to go to India, eat the food, meet new people, see the sights and make the most of your opportunities in life.

Kezzie Hills, 13B

Year 12 India Trip - July 2015 (continued)

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Diary of the India Trip - July 2015

DGGS - Team 1 Friday 3rd July – Journey - London Heathrow to Delhi The first day of the expedition started at Dartford Grammar School for Girls at ten o’clock. This was to ensure that

we all had the correct equipment for the trek and didn’t have any unwanted items to carry around. Everyone was very excited, and a little bit worried/nervous. We left the school to get the coach for Heathrow airport at three o’clock, our flight to Delhi leaving at 8:45. There was a lot of on flight entertainment and you were also able to call other seats and play multiplayer games which were a common pastime for us students. When we arrived in Delhi airport, early the next morning, the air instantly seemed more polluted, hotter and more humid than at home. After a struggle with the luggage we climbed onto a fortunately air conditioned coach to drive to our Delhi hotel. The further away from the airport you got, the worse the conditions became. You instantly see people who live on the streets and this was a large shock for many of the students. Delhi seemed very busy and the driving was crazy compared to at home, and all the cars just swerved around the others with no indication and no order. Surprisingly though, the traffic

flowed better than in England and with far less road rage.

Kelsey

Saturday 4th July – Journey – Delhi to Kalka We were told that the airport would be the most clean and organised part of the city that we would see, but we did not realise the full meaning of this until later on in the day. The hot weather took many of us by surprise, so it was difficult to understand how most of the locals could wear long dresses, or jeans and long sleeve shirts. After depositing our bags at a hotel, changing money and freshening up, we were encouraged to explore a part of the city; an opportunity for us to adjust to our new surroundings, so we headed to

Connaught Place. We travelled there by tuk-tuks, giving us a first-hand experience of the hectic street life. Pedestrians did not seem fazed by the cars which drove through any space they could find. We found a great restaurant to have our first Indian meal in and walked around a local market near the hotel. It was here where we were more exposed to the sheer amount of poverty in Delhi, and it was difficult not to feel overwhelmed. In the evening, we packed our bags again and went to Delhi train station, where we waited to take the sleeper train to Kalka. The train was delayed for many hours, so we had to wait on the platform in the heat for a very long time. Looking around it was clear that this was a common occurrence. Some of the other people waiting for the train seemed interested in us, some trying to take pictures. Finally, the train arrived. We boarded, and got into bunks for the night. The reactions to the conditions on the train were very mixed – many of us were well out of our comfort zone – but with the teachers watching over us, we managed to get to sleep. Some of us, at least.

Georgia

Sunday 5th July – Journey – Kalka to Shimla At 9am we arrived in Kalka after 61/

2 hours on the Shatabdi Express from Delhi. From the train station we went to the minibuses which would take us from Kalka to Shimla. The journey would take about 3 hours to complete. Around 1 hour into the journey we stopped off in a small roadside café, where the majority of people ate parathas. After another 2 hours we found ourselves at Shimla where heavy rain was falling and the Hotel Sangeet could be found up many steps.

Here we left our bags in our rooms and met our guide Surendar. He suggested that we go to the monkey temple at the top of Shimla. It was around a 1.5km trek uphill and we were already at 2,500m in altitude so many of us took it slowly as we were tried to acclimatise, taking breaks every 5 minutes. In the end, everybody managed to reach the summit and visit the temple. A few people even chose to get blessed in the temple and felt that they had started to embrace Indian culture. Whilst the others were being blessed a pack of temple monkeys took a strong interest in our cameras and sunglasses and the shoes we were watching for the others. Thankfully we sufficiently protected ourselves and nothing was lost. After the trek we arrived back at the hotel and we discussed the dietary arrangements for the days we were to trek to Hatu Peak. The group was split into teams and each were given a shopping list of food to help us be prepared for the much needed packed breakfast and lunch. Peanut butter jam and spreads were sought out, lots of bread and we haggled with the fruit sellers for a range of items that could be washed for our use. Everyone enjoyed the experience of an Indian market, and became professionals at haggling (Imogen) which was no easy task.

Lewes

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Monday 6th July – Journey – Shimla to Narkanda and Hatu Peak Today we left at about 9o’clock to travel by minibus up to Narkanda where we would climb Hatu Peak (3350m). We had our breakfast on the bus which consisted of fruit. After a two and a half hour drive we arrived at Narkanda where we started our trek up Hatu Peak. We stopped for lunch at about half way where had a look around a local shepherd’s home, meeting the resident’s along the way and learning about their culture. We also took many photos with the children which will remind us of their lifestyle and the experience we had with them. Even though our trek was a challenging experience for some, it was an enjoyable experience which I will never forget. When we eventually arrived at Hotel Aagyatwaas, we were pleasantly greeted by the owners with some tea and biscuits and a roaring fire whilst the rain down poured outside. After dinner we had a group discussion and review of the day. We talked about the things which had surprised us on this trip so far and how friendly and

happy the people are, even though they have nothing. We discussed how they are not envious of us, just curious and how it is important we should respect their lifestyle and not be so quick to judge them just because things are so different. Although we were only a few days into our trip we had already learnt so much and come to appreciate how privileged we were compared to the people living here.

Tuesday 7th July – Journey –Narkanda and Hatu Peak to Shimla 6.15 am an early wakeup call from the one and only Ceedy (Ceder Murphy). After a night in the Himalaya clouds we ventured up to a Mongolian style hut with fire pit central, for chai tea and toast with peanut butter jelly. The majority of us trekked through the jungle of temple monkeys where we came

across a good 78 (not) degree gradient hill. I’m telling you if you saw it, you would not believe that us DGGS girls climbed it! Many steps later, we reached HATU PEAK – 3400 metres in the clouds. The view was picture perfect and after a few titanic poses on the rocks we walked back to the specular temple situated on Hatu Peak. Some of us took off our walking boots and socks and went up the stairs of the tremendous temple where we were blessed before taking the stroll back all the way down the 7.75 km hills. 3 hours later we made it back to Sangeet Hotel where we reunited with the threatening monkeys, but the blissful market of Shimla where we stocked up on the most wonderful gorgeous choc chip cookies and Indian clothing. After

munching, we enjoyed our last meal in Shimla, a bit of Chinese and Indian, which WAS FAB!!

Lily

Wednesday 8th July – Journey – Shimla School Project Day 1 Breakfast at 8:00am in the Sangeet Hotel meant we had the first decent lie in since being in India. 9am saw the crew plus Surendar dragged our ten ton bags out of our luxury hotel (where we had cold shower and jam on toast) and ship these off to the coach. Next we had yet another trek up to the Shimla markets to buy resources in order to live at the school we were helping for four days. 10 mins down the road we pitched up for some veggie Indian food. Although some of us could not help but order the French fries, on the menu. Another hour in the bus and we saw crew #2 for a 5 minute catch up. After a short trip down some life threatening road, we pulled up at our destination where we then took the opportunity to set up our tents instantly in order to miss the downpour from the gods. And weren’t we right, never have you seen rain like this; the ground was flooded within seconds but Tim, Mr Baker and Mrs Kidd took

one for the team and went out to dig some trenches to channel the rain away from our tents. Fortunately these channels held out superbly against the monsoon downpour. Then Surendar and his mates cooked us up a three course feast, veggie for starter, cauliflower and potato curry for main and coconut semolina for dessert mm. After some chai to finish us off we all hit the tents as we were exhausted.

Lauren F

Diary of the India Trip - (continued)

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Tuesday 14th July – Journey – Delhi to London Heathrow

Thursday 9th July – Journey –School Project Day 2

Friday 10th July – Journey –School Project Day 3 We woke up after our second night sleeping on the mountainside, during which Katie and I found ourselves having to share our small tent with many tiny unwanted visitors (to the amusement of Tim, Mrs Kidd and Mr Baker). From the moment we opened our eyes there was rain that just wouldn’t quit all day; making our project harder than it already was. Our first task was to carry a mountain of sand up what we considered to be a small cliff face, so it was available for the rook work. The locals helped too but in flip flops). As the school children arrived we played ball games and with bubbles and as the school day started we organised ourselves into groups

to teach the little ones, the older ones and decorate the classrooms. We organised treasure hunts, ‘shopping trips’ and even created mini rockets which the kids had never seen before and loved. Over the course of the day, as everyone worked harder and harder and grew more and more tired, tensions grew between the group as everyone was cold, wet and just wanted to relax. But a cup of tea and a talk about our favourite food heightened our spirits just enough to finish the base coat of paint inside and out, ready for the next day. A few hours later, dinner was served and we were greeted with some much missed pasta and tomato soup, meaning for once absolutely everyone went to their tent with a completely full stomach, ready for the next day.

Lauren P

Tuesday 14th July – Journey Agra to Delhi My day was the best; we woke up early to see the Taj at sunrise. It was great, deep and pretty. Then we went back to Delhi where we visited the Mahatma Gandhi Museum where I saw Gandhi’s specs and stick and the bullet that killed him. We then visited the red fort which was very hot and a bit dull in comparison so we made a hasty retreat. And then headed for the travellers markets to purchase spices, clothes and incense sticks.

Cedar & Imogen

Saturday 11th July – Journey –School Project Day 4 Sunday 12th July – Journey –School Project Day 4 to Delhi

Monday 13th July – Journey –Delhi to Agra First order of the day was a visit to the Elephant conservation and care centre in which we could feed and play with the elephants that had been rescued by the team and rehabilitated. It was a once in a lifetime experience that none of us will forget. Due to unforeseen circumstances (drivers getting lost and the longest meal of all time) we were unable to visit the Taj Mahal at sunset so we settled for sunrise the next morning and all of the team looked forward to seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World in the pink morning light.

Imogen & Cedar

**For more photos of this trip - please see our school website : Picture Galleries**

Diary of the India Trip - (continued)

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FPTA QUIZ Night – Thursday 19th November 2015 Save the date! The FPTA are hosting a Quiz Night on Thursday, 19th November in the school canteen. Tickets will be on sale at the beginning of next term from the Finance Office. Come as a team or join a team – student teams, staff teams, and family teams all welcome. Invite your

friends, neighbours and family. Tickets are £3.00 per student and £5.00 for adults.

Friends, Parents & Teachers Association

We are very pleased to report that this year, with the funds we have raised, we will be purchasing a defibrillator for our school. Hopefully this piece of equipment will never have to be used but having it on site will make our school a safer place. Thank you to all of you for supporting the FPTA through donations and coming to our events to enable us to make this important purchase.

We will be having our AGM on Monday 9th November in the school canteen. Please come along to find out more on how you can support the FPTA. We are in need of more active members. For more information, contact

dggspta@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you The FPTA Committee

Philanthropic Update

Much of this term is spent planning the year but last week, DGGS held its first philanthropic event, the annual Harvest assembly. This is linked to the first house competition of the year whilst working together for a charitable cause.

Each student in each form donated a range of non-perishable food items and the competition involved presenting it in a creative box, themed on harvest. By the end of the two days of assemblies, the stage was

littered with a wonderful array of boxes. The contributions, as always, were very generous but it was great to see the thought and enthusiasm that went into the boxes. All of the harvest boxes will be taken to both Age UK and a food bank in Dartford where the items will be put to good use for those in need. The Philanthropic Society greatly appreciated every student’s enthusiasm and input for this important event. In addition, on 21st October, the school held a cake

sale in aid of the Jeans for Genes. Total money raised £73.45. The girls worked hard all lunch, selling goods to many students from all year groups. Thank you to anyone who donated and brought cakes.

Georgia Quarry on behalf of the Philanthropic Society

It is exciting to be writing the first philanthropic item for this year’s DGGS times. I am delighted to be working with a new Year 13 philanthropic team and lots of exciting events, traditional and new are planned this year. The philanthropic Society is led by Megan Davies and her prefects are Priscilla Ehikioya, Cedar

Murphy, Georgia Quarry and Jenny Sawings. Rebekah Kidd

Assistant Headteacher

Jeans for Genes: With the fact that an estimated one in twenty five children is affected by a genetic disorder, this is a worthwhile charity that raises money for supporting groups and charities that care for children with genetic disorders.

Age UK: this charity does vital work in supporting people who face later life alone. All donations help them to run events with the elderly to help end loneliness and ensure that basic needs are met. Food is distributed to those in need in their homes, as well as used at the centre for community lunches.

Joint Winning Harvest Box - 10H

Joint Winning Harvest Box - 11H

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Sporting Highlights

Sporting Successes Please inform the PE department of any sports success from outside of school. We want to hear from you! Email: PE@dartfordgrammargirls.kent.sch.uk

Sarah Bluett Curriculum Area Leader: Physical Education

DGGS U13 NETFEST On Wednesday 7th October Dartford Girls hosted their first ‘NetFest’

competition. This was an U13 event where several schools were invited to take part in a friendly and fun tournament. The standard of Netball from the girls was fantastic and they played with great enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Their attitude throughout the afternoon enabled the tournament to run very smoothly so well done to all players involved. As well as participating in matches, a shooting competition also took place where prizes were awarded for the highest numbers of goals a team could score in a total of 8 minutes. A big thank you goes to Brooke Heywood and Olivia Willard in Year 12 for managing and coaching the Dartford Girls team for the afternoon. The tournament was a great success; we will be looking to run the next ‘NetFest’ competition very soon. Please see the results from the U13 event below.

Nanette Jerbi Teacher: PE

Shooting Competition: 1st Walthamstow Hall - 72 goals 2nd Colfes School - 71 goals 3rd Dartford Grammar School for Girls - 56 goals 4th Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School - 51 goals 5th Weald of Kent Grammar School - 49 goals 6th Trinity Church of England School - 42 goals 7th St Catherines Catholic School - 28 goals 8th Townley Grammar School - 26 goals 9th Mayfield Grammar School - 14 goals

Tournament Results: 1st Walthamstow Hall 2nd Trinity Church of England School 3rd Dartford Grammar School for Girls 4th Weald of Kent Grammar School 5th Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School 6th Colfes School 7th Townley Grammar School 8th St Catherines Catholic School 9th Mayfield Grammar School

Dartford Girls U13 Squad – Eleanor Fryatt, Nancy Housego, Emelia Carr, Amy Willard, Megan Groombridge, Emily Geear, Daisy Chapman, Lottie Wilkinson, Charlotte Coppin Team Managers – Brooke Heywood, Olivia Willard Shooting Competition Organisers – Philippa Whewell, Rebecca Clayton, Eve Moseby

Working together to achieve academic excellence and personal potential

STAFF TRAINING

DAY 1 Wednesday 2

nd September 2015

STAFF TRAINING

DAY 2 Thursday 3

rd September 2015

TERM 1 Friday 4th September 2015 to Friday 23

rd October 2015

STAFF TRAINING

DAY 3 Friday 2

nd October 2015

HOLIDAY Monday 26th October 2015 to Friday 30

th October 2015

TERM 2 Monday 2nd

November 2015 to Friday 18th December 2015

OCCASIONAL DAY

Friday 27th November 2015

HOLIDAY Monday 21st December 2015 to Friday 1

st January 2016

TERM 3 Monday 4th January 2016 to Friday 12

th February 2016

HOLIDAY Monday 15th February 2016 to Friday 19

th February 2016

TERM 4 Monday 22nd

February 2016 to Thursday 24th March 2016

HOLIDAY Friday 25th March 2016 to Friday 8

th April 2016

HOLIDAY Monday 2nd

May 2016 Bank Holiday

TERM 5 Monday 11th April 2016 to Friday 27

th May 2016

HOLIDAY Monday 30th May 2016 to Friday 3

rd June 2016

TERM 6 Monday 6th June 2016 to Wednesday 20

th July 2016

STAFF TRAINING

DAY 4 Thursday 21

st July 2016

STAFF TRAINING

DAY 5 Friday 22

nd July 2016

Academic Term Dates 2015-2016