Congratulations to the cast of Matilda Jr the Musical, what an incredible production! The double cast performed 4 performances over the last 3 days to sold out audiences who were blown away by their talent! The Wormwoods were hilarious, the Trunchbull’s terrifying and both Matilda’s demonstrating incredible skill and talent! The named children carried the show with their hard work on vocals and routines and brilliant lines responding to the events. The chorus got better and better every show building the atmosphere with their energy! In the last week we brought in our technical team and backstage crew who were so dependable and professional! A particular mention to Aston Williams in Year 12 on the sound desk multi-tasking like a pro! The audience have been blown away with the standard of this production and could see all the hard work that each member has committed to this since casting last Summer! A huge well done to everyone involved and thank you to all the staff, family and friends who came Along to support us!
We will print another article once we have Year 12 photographs in and all of this pictures will also later be on the website to view.
Miss Mack, Miss Sargent and Mrs Hardiman, Drama and Music
Year 7 have been studying the Illustrative Artwork of Alfred Basha. They have created research pages using the departments ‘ARTY’ outline which breaks the information into paragraphs; A -Analysis R-Research T -Techniques -Y Your opinions and thoughts.
The ‘ARTY’ template has been a great success and used across all key stages by the Art Department. Students have said it has helped them to plan and understand how to complete a research page.
Well done Year 7 *
The Art Department
Year 10 students set up still lifes of mixed colourful vegetables and photographed from various angles. They demonstrated beautiful colour pencil blending, layering of tones and a selection of compositions.
We are so pleased with their wonderful results.
Mrs Page and Mrs Harmer
We have run two very successful printing workshops this term. The Year 10 learnt the process of lino printing producing a vast amount of exciting prints for their sketchbooks. The Year 12 learnt about procion dye prints using a screen and squeegee, lino and drypoint etching. The results were beautiful and will now be developed using further media.
All students acted maturely and were inquisitive about learning more knowledge about the techniques.
Hertfordshire based artist Amy Pettingill is running an art competition for artists aged 11-16. The theme is COLOUR you need to create your own artwork that celebrates colour & brings joy, positive vibes!
Presdales had a runner up last year who won a workshop with Amy and 6 highly commended art students.
Please see the flyer below for more information.
We would love you to apply as we are confident we have lots of potential winners that Amy could choose from! We are lucky to teach such talented and creative students. We encourage you to enter.
The DEADLINE is Thursday 29th February 2024, photograph your work in good light and email to contact@amypettingill.co.uk
If you need any help please ask your art teacher
The Art Department
At Presdales, all Year 12 students are given the opportunity to take part in Bar Mock Trial, a competition in which schools compete head to head to enact a mock criminal case. There are several performance roles on offer, including barristers, witnesses, court clerks and ushers, which accurately portray the legal procedures of a Crown Court.
Beginning in September, those Year 12s who were interested in taking part in Bar Mock Trial, auditioned and our team was assembled. These consisted of 3 groups:
– Maja Pickering and Esmé Sabin (barristers), Emily Shaw and Olivia Whyley (witnesses), and Ava Leret (usher/court clerk) – Lilian Simmonds and Yasmin Lum (barristers), Poppy Friedner and Chloe Milson (witnesses) and Hannah Gaudio (usher) – Anna-Lilja Tholozan and Jess Grizenkova (barristers), Sophie Gibbons and Tara Ogunsola (witnesses) and Tinaye Dzapasi (court clerk)
After rehearsing weekly for several months, including two trips to the law court in the University of Hertfordshire at Hatfield, the day finally came and on the second of December we made our way to Snaresbrook Crown Court in London.
There were 18 participating schools in our regional heat, one of the biggest in the country. Despite the pressure, our hard work paid off. In each of the three rounds, our three groups competed against opposing schools, showcasing their legal proficiency and performance abilities. The results were even better than we could’ve hoped for – every group within our overall team emerged victorious against their respective rival school.
As the competition progressed, it became evident that our collective effort was making a significant impact. The tension reached its peak when the final scores were tallied, and we discovered that we had amassed the highest number of points our school has ever achieved in the regional heats. It was a testament to the dedication and resilience of each participant. Three members of our team even managed to attain full marks in elements of their respective roles: an achievement which, according to Mr Spurgeon, is, ‘unheard of’.
However, the journey had one more twist. Despite the remarkable tally, we secured a close runners-up spot, narrowly losing to London-based Brampton Manor Academy by a mere three points! While the disappointment of falling short of the top spot lingered, we were still incredibly proud of our achievement.
In the end, the Bar Mock Trial competition proved to be a day of triumph, showcasing our school’s commitment to excellence in extracurricular activities. The experience not only enhanced our understanding of courtroom procedures but also instilled a sense of camaraderie and achievement among our participants, with some students forming friendships with other competitors. As we reflect on this memorable journey, we celebrate the hard work, determination, and success that define our Bar Mock Trial teams. We would also like to take the time to thank the dedication of Mr Spurgeon, who runs Bar Mock Trial at Presdales, and who willingly gave up his free time in order to support us and ensure we were confident and secure in our roles.
Esme Sabin & Maja Pickering
Latest News
Coming Up
Monday 18th
Year 10 Drama Final exam
Thursday 21st
String Recital (Dining Room), 6pm
Contact Us
Presdales School
Hoe Lane
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 9NX
Tel: 01920 462210
admin@presdales.herts.sch.uk
Headteacher:
Mr Warren
