STEM SUCCESS KINGSWOOD FUN! GIFTED, TALENTED · Embracing the very best in technology to provide a...

KINGSWOOD FUN!Our Year 7 girls enjoy their first

Senior School residential

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GIFTED, TALENTED & INTERESTED

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STEM SUCCESSAlderley Girls head to Parliament

not to have more, but to be more

AUTUMN TERM 2017 SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM

Contents

Welcome from Helen Jeys 3Girls are doing it for themselves 4STEM Success 6Kingswood Fun! 7Gifted, Talented & Interested 8 Leap of Faith 10Alumnae 12Sport 14

AUTUMN TERM 2017

#1. DREAM To be loved and trusted as an academic school that nurtures girls to be happy, confident and resilient and who reach their potential in whichever field they choose.

#2. CHARACTERHappy Dynamic Academic United Nurturing Ambitious Fun Committed Inclusive Friendly Aspirational

#3. BELIEFSProviding an outstanding, educational journey to girls from the age of two to eighteen

Inspiring girls to achieve and to be the very best they can be

Giving every individual girl a truly holistic educational experience

Embracing the very best in technology to provide a personalised approach to learning

Welcoming girls of all faiths in a school with a strong Christian ethos

Producing successful citizens for the future with global awareness, empathy and a strong moral compass

Supporting girls with superb pastoral care; one which develops girls’ resilience, self-confidence and self-belief

Working in partnership with parents to guide girls throughout their school life

#4. SPIRIT“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

#5. FOCUSConfidence and self-belief

School Vision

SENIOR SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM

Cover image:Ski trip to Madonna di Campiglio last Easter.

AUTUMN TERM 2017

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 03

Welcome

It has been such a busy term and this winter’s edition of Aspire just gives a hint of the range of activities in which the girls have taken part this term. I am always impressed with our girls’ willingness to embrace new opportunities as well as their enthusiasm. From their participation during our Leap of Faith Week to their willingness to take an active role in our Gifted, Talented and Interested initiatives, they continue to inspire the staff at AESG.

I am incredibly proud of the fantastic work that is being done in School on STEM related activities. As you will read in my article on page 4, there is a huge shortage of graduates trained in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and I know that our students are – quite literally – trailblazing in this area. We were also very proud to be involved as a case study for the Royal Society’s recent government report on computing in schools; another area that is so important for students to consider when contemplating future careers. However, none of these activities could happen without the dedication of the staff who lead them. I do think that we are well placed, in a girls’ school, to encourage our students to know that there is no barrier to success; AESG girls have the confidence and knowledge that they can fulfil their potential in whichever area they choose and I enjoy watching their progress so much – from the smallest in nursery to those excited about receiving university offers. This term has also been packed with teaching; new courses at GCSE and A level, preparation for mocks and so forth, keep everyone on their toes and I have talked to the older girls in school about ensuring that they empty their ‘stress buckets’ through creativity, exercise and keeping up their hobbies – even when life seems too busy! The support of the pastoral team and our chaplain continues to be a hugely important aspect of our school and the compassion and support girls show each other is a really unique aspect of school life at AESG.

As always, I would like to thank everyone for their support for our students; not only in school but also at home too. I wish you all a wonderful break and I look forward to seeing everyone in January, refreshed and ready for a new term.

Best Wishes

Helen JeysHeadmistress

Welcome to the winter issue of our Senior School termly publication, Aspire.

Mrs Helen JeysHeadmistress


Interestingly, given the current news stories circulating about sexual harassment in so many areas of public life, the importance of women being willing and having the confidence to speak out has never been more important. And, as a Head of a girls’ school, the current media interest in harassment has made me think about the message that I want to give to the girls in my own school; I want them to leave school with self-esteem and self-confidence; two characteristics that are so important if they are to succeed and flourish in the professional workplace. Indeed, instead of responding to questions

about their future with such sentiments as ‘do you think I can do that?’, I want them to hold the view ‘well why not?’ And, I feel that this message is really getting through. I spoke to one of my Year 12 girls after her Year 11 parents’ evening last year. The answer to my question, ‘so what are you aiming for after A levels?’ was quite simply, and without hesitation, ‘I want to be a quantum cosmologist’. And indeed – why not? As schools, we have a responsibility to encourage girls to know that there is nothing that need stand in their way of success. But is it always this easy?

The issue of gender balance is something about which all educators should be concerned. For instance, there has been very little change in the proportion of girls studying physics post-16. Only around 20% of students progressing onto A level are girls and only around 15-25% of the current STEM workforce is made up of women. Indeed, the UK needs 100,000 new graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects every year until 2020 just to maintain the current employment numbers. However, the percentage of females who make up the current registered engineering

ASPIREALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS04


Girls are doingit for themselves

I have always been passionate about girls’ education and encouraging girlsto know that they can achieve their goals in whichever area they choose.



workforce in the UK is only around 6%. Most shocking of all is that research in 2014 showed that just 1% of parents would pick Engineering as a career option for their daughter.

The girls in my school are definitely taking up the challenge, though. As in many schools, they are part of the Engineering Education Scheme and – in partnership with Siemens – are having the most amazing time creating and designing projects that are having real life impact on both Siemens factories and on the lives of children in our local community. Just this year, the sixth form engineering girls have won the Steve Nash Award for Innovation, the Amaze Award for Digital Excellence, they are The Big Bang Competition North West ‘Young Engineers of the Year 2017’ and have got to the national finals of The Big Bang Competition. We were also shortlisted for the ISA’s national award for Innovation in STEM. Just last Tuesday, the girls were invited to Parliament to speak to industry leaders and Members of Parliament about their work and it was a sheer joy to see the girls speak with confidence and professionalism about their work in this incredibly important area.

When I spoke to the girls themselves about what they felt that their work in STEM had given them, they talked about learning skills for life; problem solving, team-work and also developing a sense of real personal determination. Interested, particularly in the latter, I asked them why they felt that their engineering work had helped them in this way. The girls talked about feeling that they had to work even harder than their male counterparts because they felt that they were not taken seriously, that others perceived them as not being able to stand a chance in a competition full of boys. These experiences had given them an inner steel, an understanding of the importance of preparation, determination and individuality; they talked about not being shy about what they know they are good at. They talked about wanting to be judged by their skills and not their gender; what inspirational young women they are.

However, I do fear that the work we are doing with girls in engineering in the sixth form and in Year 9 is far too late. Indeed, Anne-Marie Imafidon, the co-founder of ‘Stemettes’, a social enterprise working across the UK and Ireland to inspire and support young girls into STEM, has said

that girls as young as five need to know that careers in STEM are a viable career option for them. She talks about challenging perceptions from a very young age, avoiding the stereotype that science is ‘only for boys’ and encouraging girls to feel confident and safe in a STEM environment. I agree; encouraging young girls to speak to role models who already work in this area, providing them with enjoyable activities and workshops to get involved in when young are vital but, there needs to be a sizeable shift in society’s perceptions too. As parents, we need to encourage children to enjoy spending time outdoors, to observe the natural world, to play with construction toys, bricks, Lego and such like.

Most importantly, I agree with the findings of the WISE campaign that girls need to be able to self-identify that ‘science is for people like me’. Girls do not lack ambition but we have to accept that there are “more female undergraduates studying languages than are studying engineering, computing, physical sciences and mathematics combined.” However, as hinted at above, most children who enter secondary school have already made up their mind that a science career is not suited for them. Even worse, a report by Ofsted in 2013 noted that from Year 3, girls’ views regarding future careers tend to conform to traditional notions of ‘girls’ jobs’ and ‘boys’ jobs’ and these notions are reinforced by parents’ views.

So, despite the specific success in my own school, I and others across the country still have a long way to go. However, this is not only an issue for us in the secondary school system. This is an issue for girls, for reconciling self-identity with careers in science and for families as important influencers of girls to achieve success in such science based careers. As Professor Louise Archer, Director of ASPIRES said:

“Our research shows that it is harder for girls to balance, or reconcile their interest in science with femininity. The solution won’t lie in trying to change girls. The causes are rooted in, and perpetuated by wider societal attitudes and social structures.”

I have no doubt that the girls in my school will continue to fight their corner and to work with others to change these attitudes and structures. And, we all have a duty to support them.

This article was written by H F Jeys for National publication, Conference and Common Room, January Edition



STEM SuccessAt the end of the Summer Term the School submitted their first ever entry into the Independent Schools Association (ISA) awards. The chosen category was for innovation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). Given the amount of events the School has been involved in and the success achieved, the feeling was it would be a strong application. This was proved when the School was one of three to be short-listed and invited to the awards ceremony in Coventry on Friday 10 November. The event showcased a wide range of schools. It was pleasing that we were the only all-girls’ School short-listed for the STEM award. Whilst the school was beaten to the award by Trinity School Teignmouth, there is no denying the huge success AESG has achieved in STEM activities in recent years.

Engineering opportunities and success continues to flourish at AESG. In the final week of the academic year the 2016–17 Engineering team – consisting of Jess Allwright, Bianca Boren and Nina Fraser – took their project to The Big Bang North West Competition at Liverpool Exhibition Centre. They competed with their playground clock and traffic light system in the Senior Engineering category, impressing the judges with their enthusiasm and knowledge of the project. As a result, they were awarded the ‘Amaze’ trophy for Digital Excellence and were announced as the overall winner of the Young Engineers North West competition, qualifying for the National finals of The Big Bang Competition in Birmingham next March.

As a result of their success they were invited to Parliament by Stephen Metcalfe MP to display and explain their project to other MPs and people who work in the engineering industry as part of Tomorrow’s Engineers week. This was an opportunity too good to refuse and on Tuesday 7 November, Siemba the Lion entered Parliament (through very tight security!) and the team wowed all visitors to their stand, including Esther McVey MP for Tatton. She listened to the girls with great interest and was incredibly impressed by their ideas. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the team and they had a fantastic time with all the visitors commenting on their enthusiasm.

Engineering Achievements 2017

The Big Bang National Finals 2017Runners Up Senior Engineering

Team: Holly Bennett, Hala Kawa, Emily Moylan, Gwyn Spence

The Big Bang North West 2017– North West Young Engineer of

the Year – Amaze award for Digital Excellence– National Finals Qualification

Team: Jessica Allwright, Bianca Borén, Nina Fraser

The Engineering Education SchemeThe Steve Nash Memorial Award for Innovation

Team: Jessica Allwright, Bianca Borén, Nina Fraser

National ISA Award for Innovation in STEMRunner Up

Alderley to Colomendy Year 7 Kingswood Trip 2017

The annual Kingswood trip was a real treat, as usual. Sixty-nine girls and their four Form Tutors, along with Mrs Barker and Mrs Jeys, headed off to Colomendy North Wales, for three days and two nights of fun activities. These included Nightline, Caving, Archery, Laser Zone, Leap of Faith, Problem Solving, Jacob’s Ladder, Scrapheap Challenge, Team Tech, Giant Zip-Wire and a Campfire with songs and marshmallows! It’s no wonder most of us slept well after such action-packed days!

The objective of the trip is to help our new Year 7 intake get to know each other and make new friends – and that is exactly what happened.

“ The campfire was great – it brought everyone together.”

“ Kingswood was great fun! I would really recommend this trip.”

“ I was surprised how much I enjoyed the zipwire.”

“ The view from the zipwire was so beautiful and I loved it.”

“ I had fun on the zipwire – it was so fast!”

“ I was surprised how jam-packed the days were with lots of activities.”

“ It was an amazing trip!”

“ I was surprised that I loved the food – it was amazing.

“ Kingswood was brilliant!”

“ Everyone in our group looked after everyone else.”



Gifted,Talented & Interested

Lots of new initiatives have been introducedthis year to ensure that all of our students,

Gifted, Talented and Interested, arechallenged by opportunities outside of

the classroom.



Activities in school this term:

SymposiumEquality is the current theme of Symposium this term. Mrs Millar delivered a presentation on ‘Do we still need Feminism?’ With the gender pay gap in the UK meaning women earn 18% less than men, Twitter Trolls, Clark’s “Dolly Babe” shoes and the Daily Mail’s “Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it” headline to name a few points of illustration; the mood of the Symposium was very much that we do still need Feminism.

There was much more debate about what form Feminism should take. Some girls were in favour of the UN campaign “He For She” which is being fronted by Emma Watson. There is a growing swell of opinion, however, that more radical action is needed to bring about equality. Some girls agreed with Sheryl Sandberg’s call that it is the responsibility of women themselves to “Lean In”. Others felt that this too was inadequate and Jessa Crispin’s call, in her book “Why I am not a Feminist”, to scrap our capitalist/paternalistic society and replace it with an egalitarian utopia, would be the only way to achieve equality.



Oxford Pembroke College and Ashmolean Museum TripWe were delighted to award thirty Year 9– UVI students the opportunity to have a tour of Pembroke College and to visit the amazing Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. At the Ashmolean, the girls undertook a workshop to deepen their understanding of what one can learn from artefacts. At Pembroke College, girls gained an insight into life at University and what a place at Oxford University has to offer to the most able students. It is very encouraging that we had so much interest in the trip and we are sure that an Oxbridge trip will be part of our annual programme of events.

#bemore bookletsNext term sees the launch of two new PDF booklets, aimed at Lower School Years 7–9 and Upper School Years 10–UVI. The aim of the booklets is to broaden perspectives, to encourage the girls to be lifelong learners and to engage in learning beyond the curriculum. We want them to engage actively in extending their knowledge both in subjects which they study and also in subjects in which they have a personal interest, for their own enjoyment. Hopefully the booklet will spark an interest, lead to some cross-curricular discoveries and may open eyes to new academic and employment opportunities or allow pupils to discover a new absorbing hobby.

EPQ and HPQThe Extended Project Qualification (aimed at Sixth Form pupils) and the Higher Education Project (aimed at GCSE pupils), is a fantastic way for Gifted, Talented and Interested pupils to immerse themselves in a subject of their choice. All projects are now well underway and girls are starting to prepare for their presentations next term. Girls have chosen topics as diverse as Jackson Pollack, the difference between a religion and a cult, the impact of sleep deprivation and the development of hip-hop.

Subject Ultra-Curricular Events this term:Ultra-Curricular events are activities that aim to stretch and challenge our Gifted, Talented & Interested girls. These are activities that are over and above the core curriculum and weekly extra-curricular provision. They may include entering regional and national competitions, listening to guest speakers, going on trips or attending conferences. This term, the following ultra-curricular events have taken place:

• Individual Senior Maths Challenge (Year 11–LVI)

• Ian Murphy Art Workshop (Years 10–UVI)

• Morris Dancing Workshop (Years 8–10)• Manchester Airport Dragons Den

(Year 10)• Sports Tour, Spain (Years 8–10)

Coming Soon…A Massive Online Open Course is an interactive step-by-step course aimed at reaching an unlimited number of participants worldwide to create a community of lifelong learners.

MOOCs:• Help you learn online for free.• Are flexible so fit around your life.• Are open to anyone with internet

access across the world.• Are all taught by academic experts

in their field.• Allow you to opt in to accessing online

forums and discussion boards, where you can actively engage with other like-minded learners.

As a MOOC learner, girls will build upon their knowledge of a special interest subject. MOOCs are a fantastic way of exploring a niche topic pupils have always been interested in, but never had an opportunity to explore. Their commitment to extra-curricular learning will be noted by colleges and employers.

Pupils can either register interest on a course before it starts, jump in half way through and catch up, or can organise weekly lessons around their routine. However it is perfectly acceptable to dip in and out and girls do not always have to finish a full course.

There are many different providers of MOOCs. Three recommended providers are:

Future Learn – www.futurelearn.com Coursera – www.coursera.org Edex – www.edx.org (best suited to Sixth Form)

We are excited to be launching a new MOOCs page in the Spring Term where we will put links to a range of recommended courses.

Blue-Sky Thinking for Bright Minds 12 January Year 10–UVI A group of fifteen of our girls will have the opportunity to attend a Gifted & Talented Conference hosted by Academy Conferences held at Liverpool Hope University in January 2018. In an era of ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’, it is ever more important to equip our students with critical thinking skills for life. Experienced Gifted educator Julie Arliss and lecturers from the Universities of Oxford, Aberdeen and London will stretch and challenge our girls in a series of four lectures: Matters of Life and Death, ‘Finding Truth and Logic in a “Post-truth’’ Post-modern world’, Just how free am I? and AGONY, Ecstasy, Mystics and Miracles. The day will culminate in a BIG Debate: This house believes that love is a commodity to be traded.

‘Education Matters’ Dr Peter Vardy Years 9–11On 6 March we are delighted to be hosting ‘Education Matters’: an event by Dr Peter Vardy. This will be held at School for Gifted, Talented and Interested pupils from AESG and local schools. In the four sessions the girls will look at:

• Education Matters The purpose of education and introduce some basic skills in critical thinking

• What is Truth? A lecture exploring the nature of truth and its significance to education and the modern world using examples drawn from Art, Science, History and Mathematics

• It’s the economy stupid! Exploring events and the root causes of the economic crisis which began in 2008. This session gets young people thinking about the sort of society they live in, the opportunities and challenges it will present as they take their place as tomorrow’s leaders

• “This house believes that education should only aim to fit young people for the workplace!” Following a presentation of different perspectives on the motion, students will be invited to contribute their own ideas, questions and arguments.

This is the first Theme Week we have undertaken at AESG. The pastoral team decided that they would like a theme week to reflect the challenges

we should allow all our girls to access and thus, ‘Leap of Faith’ week was born.



Leap of Faith


We encourage all students to learn the importance of resilience and academic risk-taking. To give the girls the opportunity to reflect on this more deeply, we organised a week of activities which encouraged them to take their own ‘Leap of Faith’.

To help start off the week, Mrs Jeys shared quotes from parents about how their daughters have shown resilience in their lives. These included…

• I have a fear of heights and went gliding – I caught air thermals and ended up having an amazing and memorable time!

• I performed a dance routine in front of the whole school.

These were combined with messages from the staff about how they have pushed themselves out of their comfort zones too!

In preparation for the activity day, we arranged for the Army, Zoo2U, PhysioFit and Mrs Moore from Snapp Happy to come in and support the various activities that staff were also running. Each year group received a tailored day of activities to suit their needs. We decided to randomly put girls in groups which enabled them to work with girls across the whole year group. This provided opportunities for friendships to be built whilst experiencing new challenges. They certainly had a lot of exciting experiences as noted by several girls after the activity day:

• I handled a snake despite disliking them• I spoke in assembly in front of the

whole school

• My leap of faith was walking across the plank to get the helmet with the army – Thank you for a great day

Following on from the activity day, we invited Mina Leslie-Wujastyk into school. She is a climber who gave us all an inspirational talk. She explained to the girls why they should use their determination and resilience to overcome new challenges in their lives. She engaged them by explaining how she is trying to overcome a rock climb at Malham Tarn that a woman has yet to complete from start to finish. Only six weeks ago, she suffered a fall and this has enabled her to take control of a difficult situation and overcome fear. Her final comment to the girls was “Don’t fear failure… look at what drives you… you are capable of more than you know”. This was a fitting end to the presentation and brought together our key themes of the week.

Since then the girls have written their own comments about their leaps of faith and these are displayed in the PA Hall for the whole community to read. We are immensely proud of what all our girls (and staff!) have challenged themselves with this week. It has been wonderful to receive comments from pupils and parents alike about how much this week has meant to them. I will leave the last words to a parent:

“My daughter had a fab day and loved everything she did. For her, the highlights were the climbing wall and the squid dissection. The thing that impressed me was that having had no experience in hockey, at the end of the day she decided to take a leap of faith and join in with hockey training. She gave it her best and thoroughly enjoyed herself. I would like to thank all the staff and guests who gave up their precious time to work with our youngsters”.


AlumnaeAs our alumnae network grows, we are delighted to introduce you to two of AlderleyAlumnae’s newest members! Whether you are an old girl of Alderley Edge School for

Girls, St. Hilary’s or Mount Carmel, we would like to speak to you!



Class of 1967Catharine KiddStudiesIn 1967 I went to Sedgley Park Teacher Training College in Prestwich, Manchester. Initially I was on a 4 year BEd course, but transferred to the 3 year teacher training course, because I preferred the 20th Century History course which was not offered if I did the degree. Sometimes you just have to follow your heart! I did a Youth Leader course alongside this. I left with a Commendation in the Practice of Education and the offer of a job straight away. When I started teaching I attended a French course for Primary teachers. Part of this course involved studying in at L’ADIF in Lyon.

PositionRetired Standards Officer at Buxton Junior School

“I started at Mount Carmel in 1954, which makes me feel ancient now! My sister, Margaret Mary, was already at the school so she helped me to settle in. Two older girls, Monica and Kathleen used to meet us at home and then we would catch the bus to Alderley. I can still remember the huge wooden rocking horse in my first class and the ‘nature walks’ collecting wild flowers and seeds for our ‘nature table’ in Sr Nora’s class at Ryleys Lane.

I had some lovely teachers, each contributing to making me the person I am today. I remember my father and other PTA members used to make and renovate toys to sell at the fundraising events… it was quite a production line sited in the cellars under the convent. A far cry from fundraising events today!

One memorable time from senior school wasduring an inter-house drama competition. Our entry was a scene from Macbeth. The other witches and I felt confident that our production was well placed to win…

we had ‘special effects’ provided by the Science teacher. As we sat round our cauldron on the misty heath, smoke was meant to create a mysterious atmosphere. All was going so well until the smoke got out of control… resulting in the speedy evacuation of the school hall audience to stand outside! I think a fire engine was also involved. We did not win.

In the Upper Sixth I was delighted to become Head Girl. There was a downside though...I was always shy although I tried to hide it, so I hated the idea of speaking or reading anything out in public. (It was ok being a witch in Macbeth because I was hidden behind make-up and costume!) You can imagine my fears about the challenges ahead for me as Head Girl. However, with the help of the staff and the other girls I really enjoyed it. That year made me face up to nerves and shyness and it prepared me for my chosen career as a teacher.

On one occasion in my role as Head Girl I had to welcome a school inspector and show her round the school prior to the more formal proceedings. A few years later I was to meet her again...this time she was assessing me in my first year of teaching. As she entered my classroom she looked at me and said, ‘ I know you...Head Girl at Mount Carmel!’ On that occasion things went very well!

What advice would I give to the girls at school today? School provides the opportunities to acquire knowledge, but it’s not just about ‘subjects’. Make friends and be a friend; be inclusive and mindful of diversity; if you are a leader, listen.

‘Aspire not to have more, but to be more!’”

Above: Catharine in the Sixth Form, kneeling on the left.Right: Catharine aged five in full Mount Carmel uniform.

AUTUMN TERM 2017


Class of 1993Jenny Brierley

StudiesSince leaving St Hilary’s I have obtained an NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration, a Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Level 2 Diploma in Carpentry and Joinery (pretty varied!!)

PositionCurrently I’m Director of my own companies which deal with female only DIY and Recruitment/Project Management Consultancy

“I always found school a struggle as I wasn’t very academic, but it has to be said that I quite enjoyed the challenge. Whilst I was never destined for spectacular results, I did well at GCSE, for me! I was proud of the fact that I made it through school with everything that I needed for my future in the working world, and to this day there is still a small celebration when I talk about my GCSE B in English!

All the teachers managed my expectations and never put me down, never stopped working with me, nor was there ever a hint of them giving up on me. However, where I did excel was in sport, and I was pushed because the staff knew I could achieve, and I did. Winning the Okell cup during my time at St Hilary’s was a real moment not only for me, but for the teachers and the School. That was my first taste of success and I liked it!

St Hilary’s taught me that as long as I was committed and had a good support network, I could achieve anything. Literally anything. And here I am now with two of my own successful businesses. St Hilary’s gave me the best foundation from which to achieve, and also instilled in me to always remember the small things, because they will help to build the bigger things”.

Alderley Alumnae launches! We are extremely excited to announce that our very own alumnae network, ‘Alderley Alumnae’ has now launched. Many former pupils, staff and former staff from Alderley Edge School for Girls, Mount Carmel and St Hilary’s have already signed up and we are delighted to have received such positive feedback.

Alderley Alumnae provides a number of opportunities to find and reminisce with old girls and offers the chance for members to provide mentoring and advice to pupils who may well be following the same career path.

Please help us to spread the word amongst former pupils and staff. Sign up at www.alderleyalumnae.co.uk

Members are also welcome to arrange a visit to the school, speak to our girls, support with the organisation of reunions and of course, attend school events such as concerts and services.

For further details on all alumnae related activities, please speak toDebbie DawsonDirector of [email protected] 01625 583028 ext. 252

Thank you

Thank you to former pupil Dr Caroline Copeland for being a guest speaker at our annual Prize Giving event at the Bridgewater Hall this term. Caroline is a Lecturer in Neuropharmacology and really inspired our girls. There are plenty of opportunities available for former pupils to come and speak to girls about their skills and experiences so please contact Debbie Dawson if you are interested – [email protected]

Congratulations Huge congratulations to former pupil Alex Barrie who was the winner of our Alderley Alumnae launch competition and now the proud owner of an Apple iWatch. The raffle was open to all members that joined the network before the October half term.

Keep your eyes peeled for our next competition in the New Year!

Bursary Ball – Save the Date Many of you will be aware that we held our inaugural Bursary Ball in May this year. The date for our next ball is Saturday 23 June 2018. If you would like to attend or arrange an Alumnae table with your friends (tables of 8 or 10), please do get in touch!



Spanish Sun, Seaand Sport

On 15 October 2017, Alderley Edge School for Girls had their first international tour to Gibraltar and Spain to play hockey and netball for five

days with thirty-one very excited girls and four staff.


The girls arrived into Malaga airport at 11am and travelled by coach to Gibraltar. After settling into their rooms and discovering what wonderful facilities they had, it was time for the first netball training session. The girls arrived in their brand new Kukri Kit and looked very smart. We boarded the local bus and arrived at King Bastion for ball handling skills, game play and attacking play. After training the girls headed back to the hotel and enjoyed an hour of free time in their rooms. Tonight’s dinner was at the Caleta Hotel and was delicious! After a long day of travelling and training the girls were very happy to have an early night, ready for the day ahead.

An early wake up and the girls headed to Kings Bastion again for netball training. The teams worked on defending and really enjoyed training in the sun. After training, the girls headed into Gibraltar to shop and discover the local town and soak up the atmosphere. This was followed by bowling and lunch. The staff had a very competitive game and it was a draw between Miss McConville and Mrs Pattrick!

After lunch the girls made their way to the netball stadium in Gibraltar for the first of their fixtures. The U15 team beat Yarm School (Durham) 31–4, the U14 team beat Yohanas (Gibraltar) 26–3, the U13 A team beat Lollipops (Durham) 4–3 and the U13 B lost 16–4 to Power angels (Gibraltar). Tonight the girls ate in the Sea View restaurant on the beach.

Day three was packed full of activities and the girls experienced the famous Barbary Monkeys. The monkeys seemed to enjoy the snapchats with customary selfies with the monkeys in the background. Lucy Collis got a little too close and nearly lost a handful of hair! The U15 team played Yarm 1st team and played a fiercely competitive game; both teams were well matched with a 23–17 win to AESG! The U14 girls played ‘MCS’ who were the Gibraltar Junior League winners. The U14 finished with a convincing 29–13 win. The other two AESG mixed ‘B’ teams lost both of their games to Ohanas, another Junior League team.



All the girls improved throughout the netball tour and as a School we were very proud of their continued effort and enthusiasm for every challenge. Tonight was the girls’ last meal at Michealangelos and they really enjoyed a buffet of pizza, burgers, chicken wings and fries.

Day four started with an early check out and a trip to see a Dolphin Safari. The girls had a fantastic tour and managed to get some incredible shots of the dolphins at close range. After we all safely disembarked the boat the girls headed straight to Benalmadena for two days of hockey. The U15 AESG team travelled to play Benalmadena Hockey Club, U15 A team. The girls played end to end with both teams being a similar ability! AESG managed to pull ahead with a 2-0 win, with goals from Immy Merry. The U13 team

The last evening was spent with a Sports Presentation Evening and all girls received medals. Some girls showed significant improvement and ability throughout the trip and were awarded trophies.

Hockey

U13 Most improved Neve Moody U13 Player Georgia Wilman U15 Most improved Immi MorrisU15 Player Libby Grant

Netball

U13 Most improved Phoebe KeeU13 Player Tilly Greenbank U15 Most improved Lauren Boyle & Thea RankinU15 Player Olivia Merry

travelled to Malaga to play an indoor Junior National team. Unfortunately this opposition were extremely talented. The girls battled throughout and managed to play a full hour of intense hockey. However, they lost 7-0.

Day five was spent on the beach for swimming, volleyball and rounders. The final matches of hockey saw the U15 girls playing Malaga U14 boys’ team and they managed to win by an impressive four goals to nil! The U13 team travelled to Benalmadena to play their U15 league team. The U13s found the age gap and skill level hard to compete against but battled with resilience throughout. The girls lost, however. Everyone showed determination and enjoyed competing against players of a higher level.

Thank you to all girls who attended the trip and were an asset to the school in terms of attitude, manners and behaviour. I look forward to planning the next!

Miss McConvilleDirector of Sport

Alderley Edge School for Girls, Wilmslow Road, Cheshire, SK9 7QET. 01625 583028 E. [email protected]

www.aesg.co.uk @schoolforgirls /Alderley-Edge-School-For-Girls

Registered Company No. 2659703 Registered Charity No. 1006726

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