Presdales Dance Evening 2019

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What another brilliant show! As always, we are very fortunate to have such enthusiastic and talented dancers who work extremely hard to get their performances ready on time! This year the Dance Club Leaders have been amazing! They have worked so hard to choreograph such fantastic dances in and around their GCSE and A Level studies. They have been so committed to run numerous practices and I am very appreciative of the hard work involved, and I know the girls are as well, so, well done and a huge thank you to Freya Campbell, Nicole Fenman, Maddi Drake, Olivia Sanders, Millie Walford, Lucy Dell, Sienna White, Emma-Jane Thompson and Emily Patrick.

Also, a massive thank you to Miss Fentiman for putting a show-stopping Gymnastics piece together with the 34 gymnasts!! It is not an easy job but the girls have been dedicating their time before school and at lunchtime on a weekly basis to get their performance ready.

The show doesn’t happen without the people behind the scenes! Thank you to Scarlett Kendrick, Ellis Miller and Sarah McCarthy, who are all A Level PE prefects, doing the sound and lighting for both performances. They did an amazing job. I really am so grateful for your time and preparation for quite a stressful job!! Thank you to Miss Seaman who took the brilliant photos during the dress rehearsal; the PTA for the interval refreshments; Mrs White, Miss Johnston and Miss Baldo for getting the girls ready backstage and on time, and Mrs Miller for being front of house.

This year, Impress Theatre Show team came to perform their medley of ‘Born Ready’ and ‘Greatest Showman’, which was a great opening to the show! With a theme of music from any movie, Presdales Dance Evening was a winner for parents and staff! Students from Year 7 to Year 13 performed in routines from tap to ballet to an amazing gymnastic display, creating an evening which was entertainment all the way. During the first half, Year 8 Dance club looked very stylish in their ‘Men in Black’ costumes and Millie Walford performed on an incredibly emotive piece to ‘Shallow’ from a ‘Star is Born’.

The second half of the evening led off with the Gym club, choreographed by Miss Fentiman to ‘Lets hear it for the boy’. The girls’ agility and timing left the audience breathless and applauding enthusiastically. Following this, the girls performed solos beautifully: Seren Miller, Jessica Downing, Olivia Sanders, Elizabeth Green and Sienna White. The Senior dance club put on a well-choreographed glitzy number to ‘One Night Only’ and Nicole Fenman and Lucy Kennard finished with a tap-dancing re-creation of the bar scene in the Greatest Showman of ‘The other side’. The show finished with everyone on stage dancing to ‘Holding out for a hero’ and the audience clapping in time with the music.

Finally, the Dale Dance Trophy Award this year was awarded to Freya Campbell, Maddi Drake and Nicole Fenman for their commitment to Dance during their time at Presdales. You have all been truly outstanding and have been fantastic role models to many younger students. Thank you to those who came to watch, I hope you had an enjoyable evening!

Mrs Dann Head of PE

School Charity

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News from Careers

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InvestIN is an organisation that provides career-experience programmes to school students who aspire to break into some of the world’s most-desirable professions. On their programmes, they aim to create the ‘ultimate work experience’ through interactive simulations, seminars, networking sessions, and career coaching guidance.

They offer experiences in investment banking, law, medicine, business leadership, architecture, psychology, computer science, engineering, politics and journalism in London, New York and Hong Kong.

Their career programmes are predominantly aimed at 15-18-year olds with a passion, ambition or curiosity about a particular career; the programmes are designed to both offer insight and give attendees a competitive advantage within that career field.

InvestIN has relationships with more than 2,000 schools across 72 countries. Presdales has qualified to become an InvestIN ‘Partner School’. These are institutions which have demonstrated a true commitment to their mission of bridging the gap between school and industry. There are many benefits to becoming an InvestIN Partner School, including entitlement to receive discounted places, bursaries, and in-school presentations.

To take advantage of these programmes please visit their website www.investin.org and use code PRESDALES19 to receive a 10% discount.

Any questions please email me on stephensonj@presdales.herts.sch.uk.

Julie Stephenson (careers lead)

Year 7 STEM Army Activity Days

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STEM Army days

On 3rd and 4th October, Year 7 students spent a day with the Army, Capt. Charlotte Wilson, Sgt Noel Brooksbank, Cpl Lucy Moiwo and LCpl La-Toya Vernon from Sandhurst spent a day with the girls developing their STEM skills.

Friday 4th October 2019

On the 4th October, some soldiers from the army came to Presdales to do some activities with Year 7.

First, we had an assembly, in the lecture theatre, where they told us what it was like in the army. Some of the jobs that you can do in the army, include: being a scientist, an engineer, a teacher, a doctor, a dental nurse, a vet and many more. They also told us more about themselves. Noel is a sergeant and his job is to skydive out of planes. He enjoys cycling and was inspired by his dad and uncle to join the army. Lucy is an artillery officer; she hands out and organizes the weapons for everyone else. She went horse riding in the Rockies, in Canada, and, even though she is scared of heights, she enjoys rock climbing. La Toya is a dental nurse. She lived in Germany for 3 years; her sport is netball and she did the test to get a job in the army on her 17th birthday. Charlotte is a captain and is the pilot of planes that the other soldiers fly in. She is also a cross-country skiing instructor and she has a dog called Lola.

The first main activity was to design an army vest for soldiers working in the harsh environments, needing to keep cool, yet protected. They had to be light but strong so the soldiers could still carry all the other equipment they need as well as staying safe. This activity was quite challenging, although very fun to do as a team and to put all of our ideas together.

The next activity was to build a car with a working engine. We had to cooperate as a team to construct the car- without being given any instructions, apart from when we were given a clue on how to power the car. To make it move, we had to attach a rubber band to the bar connecting the wheels and twist it around to create energy so the wheels would spin, making it travel a short distance. Then, the other half of our team (on the other side of the room) had to swap the wheels onto their frame for the car and send it back.

After lunch, we were given some giant top trumps cards to put together of vehicles used in the army. We were told what they did, where they were used and who might use them. In the same lesson, we had a puzzle that we had to piece together. We worked as a class to follow the instructions to complete the task and found it quite hard but managed to do it in the end.

The next activity was to design a helmet suitable for all environments. We had to camouflage it and make it light but it also had to keep the soldiers safe and be easy to carry around. We were shown lots of different types of hats used in the army and how important they are as they keep lots of people safe; some people got to try them on.

The last activity of the day was outside. We played lots of games with the soldiers, took part in races with them and had a game of “tug of war”. We then worked in teams of three to try and build the image we had been given on the iPad. One person had to describe the picture to their teammates while the others were trying to build it. It definitely was a challenge as some of the images were quite hard, but it was really fun at the same time.

It was amazing having the army come to Presdales as they were really inspiring and interesting and we definitely learnt a lot. Overall, the day was really fun and informative and we would definitely love to have the army come visit us again soon.

Clara and Hattie

European Week of Languages

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During the week of 23rd-27th September 2019, we celebrated the European Languages we teach in school with coloured bunting, a lunch menu with a European flavour and lunchtime activities including face painting, fan making and edible Russian bracelets. The bunting created by all students in Year 7-9, in both of their languages, became a House competition. The winners were

In tutor groups, we looked at languages which are not spoken such as sign language and ‘silbo gomero’ (made entirely of whistles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0CIRCjoICA). We thought about why learning a language is important (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txABk3q4aHk) and watched clips of Pep Guardiola. He speaks 5 languages and often forgets which one he is meant to be speaking! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtWDBEXVUts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJprf_72CXg

Russian

Monday lunchtime at the start of the European Week of languages at Presdales, Year 12 Russianists helped students make sushki bracelets.

Sushki are traditional Russian small, crunchy, mildly sweet, bread rings eaten for dessert, usually with tea or coffee. The word sushka has a common root with the Russian verb sushit “to dry”. Traditionally, sushki were strung on a string for selling on the street or at regional markets, so we made mini versions.

Congratulations to the Russian general knowledge quiz winners: Saffi Adams (Year 12) Daisy Reid (Year 8) and Zoe Puncher (Year 9).

Italian

Tuesday was Italian day. Pasta alla carbonara was laid on in the school canteen and some of our lovely Year 8 and Year 12 students tested their make-up artistry skills to decorate Presdalian faces and hands in the red, green and white of the Italian flag. The colours of the tricolore are said to represent the green of the Italian countryside, the white of the snow-capped mountains and the red of the blood shed during the unification of Italy in the 19th century.

French

The French Department has been very busy during the European Week of Languages considering various aspects of French culture. Year 7 focused on food and drinks in French speaking countries. In Year 8, pupils researched beautiful natural sites and monuments in France, trying to look beyond Paris and the Eiffel Tower. Finally, Year 9 were very keen to present French inventions and creations. Pupils created some stunning bunting on those topics which will be displayed in the Language rooms in preparation for Secondary Transfer Evening. On Wednesday 25th September, our Year 12 students organised a lunchtime activity and were very busy helping Year 7 creating Blue, White, Red jewellery with Hama beads.

German

In German, Year 7 researched facts about Germany. Year 8 researched facts about the 2 other German speaking countries, Switzerland and Austria, and Year 9 looked into fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, discovering that many of our well-known fairy tales originate in the German version and are translated. At lunchtime, the girls played on the Haribo ‘Gummi Bär’ slot machine and tried to guess how many were in a pack of Gummi Bär. The winner was Abbie Oldham of 7RM who guessed the closest with 150. There were 146!!

Spanish

The Spanish Department celebrated European Week of Languages by making cardboard fans in red and yellow (the colours of the Spanish flag). Fans have long been a symbol of Spanish culture, as a way to cool down in the heat of the summer and as a prop used in flamenco, the traditional dance of the southern region of Andalucía. In addition, the school canteen was kind enough to lay on some delicious paella as part of that day’s lunch.

 

Vietnam World Challenge 2019

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World Challenge

Over the summer, I had the amazing opportunity to take part in the World Challenge expedition to Vietnam and Laos. My team was a mix of year 11 and 12 students, with 13 girls and one very lucky boy. Prior to the trip, none of us knew each other very well; however this swiftly changed as soon as we departed on a tedious 8 hour flight, with only each other for company.

Once we had finally arrived in Bangkok, we quickly got to the hostel, dumped our bags, and began to explore the lively city. It only took a five minute walk down the street to see things ranging from barbecued spiders to beautiful hand-stitched clothing. We decided to settle in a busy restaurant with upbeat, local music and an incredible view of the city at night. We took this opportunity to try some local food whilst admiring the string of neon lights that were suspended above the whole street. Here, we had the chance to chat about the trip ahead of us and assign people to different teams: accommodation, finance, food, travel and extra activities. Although our travel and accommodation had been pre-booked for our first few nights, it wasn’t always going to be like that… The next morning we took another flight from Thailand to Vietnam, to eventually arrive in the city of Hoi An, where we would spend the next three nights. In my opinion, this was the best city of the whole trip. It was an area brimming with culture but maintaining a relaxed energy. We were amazed by its stunning markets and quaint temples, whilst also having the chance to take a night boat ride along the river, surrounded by glowing lanterns.

Our next destination was Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. To get there, we took the overnight train, which was something I had never experienced before. As you walked down the train there were cabins with six beds in each compartment, three stacked up on each other. The next 24 hours went surprisingly quickly while we admired the Vietnamese countryside and talked to locals in the cabins next to us.

Our first day in Hanoi was exciting but hectic. This was the first day where we had to find our own accommodation and travel, which was a lot harder than expected. Despite this, we managed to find an amazing hotel to stay in, within budget, and began exploring the city. After walking, for what felt like miles, we finally found the perfect place to eat: a little restaurant right at the top of a high rise building, which had a stunning view of the whole of Hanoi. This was a lovely way to spend our last night before the trek.

The next morning, thankfully, the coach we had booked turned up and we started our journey to Quynh Son. The next three nights were a shock, but in a good way. The trek was very challenging, especially in 38 degree heat, whilst carrying a rucksack containing a lot of unnecessary kit. Despite this physical challenge, our team managed to keep up morale as we enjoyed many breath-taking views of mountainous peaks, sprawling rice fields and sweeping valleys. One of the best bits of the trek was the home stays. This was where we stayed in houses in small villages with local families. It was amazing to talk to the villagers about their daily lives and to bond with the families. By living like the locals in these villages, it allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in their culture. After a very tiring few nights, we finally got back to Hanoi to relax and discover more of the city. Additionally we booked a trip to Halong Bay, a beautiful natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we spent the day on our own boat, admiring the amazing caves and beaches.

Our next stage was a three day journey to Luang Prabang, Laos. On the second day of the journey, we celebrated one of our team member’s birthday with a karaoke night. The whole team, including the leaders, came together and performed songs for the whole evening.

Once arriving in Luang Prabang, we didn’t waste any time before we were out exploring their renowned night market. It definitely lived up to our expectations and possibly exceeded them. The food was incredible, with barbeques to buffets to smoothies to waffles; everything you could imagine. The markets are where we spent most of our evenings, after working at the bear sanctuary. Our community phase in Luang Prabang, was based at a bear sanctuary with the charity Free the Bears. In Laos there is a huge problem with people capturing bears and using them to extract their bile, which is used as a medical remedy. The charity takes in these bears and looks after them until they are ready to go back into the wild. We helped by cleaning out the cages, feeding the bears and even building a wall for a new enclosure. It was amazing to see the work they had done for the bears and that they were expanding their sanctuary to take in other animals, like monkeys or red pandas, which are also in danger. Additionally we visited another bear sanctuary at Kuang Si Waterfalls, and had the chance to swim in the beautiful waterfalls.

As we were coming towards the end of our trip, we went on trek in Luang Namtha. Using our previous experience, we packed at lot more lightly and were much more prepared. This trek was a lot cooler, as it was mainly based in the jungle and rice fields. We visited another village called Nam Ha Village and stayed with members of the Khmu tribe. We spent most of the second day with all the families and played games with the children. In the evening we were treated to a dance show put on by the locals and we even joined in towards the end!

To end our trip, we went to the Manda Lao Elephant Sanctuary, which also focused on taking care of animals. This was an insane experience to get so close to the elephants, stroking and feeding them all together, whilst knowing they were being taken care of.

Despite the challenges I faced whilst being there, I definitely would do it again and it has given me the confidence to go travelling in the future. I have also come out with a whole group of new friends and acquired skills that I would never have gained without going on this trip. I would definitely urge you to sign up to next trip to Nepal, you won’t regret it!

Alicia Fautrero-Sayer (Year 13)

 

Dance Production

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With a theme of music from the 80s and 90s, Presdales Dance Evening was a winner for parents and staff! Students from Year 7 to Year 13 performed in routines from tap to ballet to an amazing gymnastic display, creating an evening which was entertainment all the way.

The evening started with Freya Campbell, Nicole Fenman, Emily Farrington, Lucy Kennard and Natassja Smith (from Years 10-13) tap dancing a routine to Footloose while Year 8 Tewo Bishi and Betsy Sutton seemed to fly through the air, dancing to When You Believe.

The second half of the evening led off with the Gym club, choreographed by Miss Fentiman to How Will I Know? The girls’ agility and timing left the audience breathless and applauding enthusiastically. Maddi Drake swayed her way through a Spanish-inspired number, Maria Maria, and – in contrast – Sixth Formers Maisie Bentley and Eva Terziyski danced a lively routine to Miami. The evening finished with everyone on stage dancing to I Wanna Dance with Somebody – and the audience clapping in time with the music.

Miss Corbett

What another brilliant show! As always, we are very fortunate to have such enthusiastic and talented dancers who work extremely hard to get their performances ready on time! This year the Dance Club Leaders have been amazing! They have worked so hard to choreograph such fantastic dances in and around their GCSE and A Level studies. They have been so committed to run numerous practices and I am very appreciative of the hard work involved and I know the girls are as well; so well done and a huge thank you to Maisie Bentley, Eva Terziyski, Darcy Wood-Walsh and Georgie Gaudencio.

Also, a massive thank you to Miss Fentiman for putting a show-stopping Gymnastics piece together with the largest number of gymnasts we have had in years. It is not an easy job but the girls and Miss Fentiman have been dedicating their time before school on a weekly basis to get their performance ready.

The show doesn’t happen without the people behind the scenes! Thank you to Chloe and Scarlett, who are both A Level PE students, doing the sound and lighting for both performances. They both did an amazing job, I really am so grateful for your time and preparation. Thank you to Darcy Wood-Walsh who took the brilliant photos and to the PTA for interval refreshments.

Finally, the Dale Dance Trophy Award this year is awarded to Maisie Bentley, Eva Terziyski and Darcy Wood-Walsh for their commitment to Dance during their time at Presdales. You have all been truly outstanding and have been fantastic role models to many younger students. Thank you to those who came to watch – I hope you had an enjoyable evening!

Mrs Dann

 

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Coming Up

w/c Monday 28th
Global Week of Languages and Cultures
HOUSE : Charity Week – Curie

Wednesday 30th
Year 10 Theatre Trip to Romeo & Juliet, BEAM, 7pm

Thursday 1st
Year 10 L4L (pm)
GCSE (Year 10) English Parent/Carer Information Evening, 6.30pm

Tuesday 6th
Year 11 L4L (am)

Thursday 8th
GCSE (Year 11) English Parent/Carer Information Evening, 6.30pm

Friday 9th
Flu Vaccinations (Years 7 to 11)
Year 12 & Year 13 English A Level Poetry workshop with Daljit Nagra, Ware (pm)

Contact Us

Presdales School
Hoe Lane
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 9NX

Tel: 01920 462210
admin@presdales.herts.sch.uk

Headteacher:
Mr Warren