Principal's message:
This half term is passing by very quickly, with a number of events going on. The Year 9/10 Windsor trip was very successful. The students returned quite amazed by what they saw. They were able to participate in a workshop regarding the Norman Conquest, as well as having a tour of the Castle. I know how much our students appreciate such experiences, and we are keen to provide every child with these types of opportunities. I wish to thank Ms Troy (History) for organising this great opportunity and the members of staff who supported her on the trip.
On a different matter, may I remind all students that they should come to school wearing the correct uniform. Our uniform policy states clearly what children should be wearing and bringing to school. While we understand that students might bring their mobile phone to school, we do not wish to see or hear them at any point during the school day. You are probably aware of the new guidance that the government has provided schools regarding having a clear policy on the usage of mobile phones in school.
In addition, students are not allowed to wear any jewellery to school except one pair of stud earrings. No other piercings are allowed. Please can you support the smooth running of the school by making sure that your child is complying with this policy. It means that they are not challenged by members of staff on these matters and are able to go about their day focusing on their learning and engaging with staff and their peers positively.
I wish you all a restful weekend.
Marika Farrugia, Principal
Principal's Surgery is held every Friday 8.15 – 9.00am.
Careers Fair at The Abbey School
The Abbey School warmly invites students in Year 9 upwards and their parents to attend their Careers Fair. It is being held at The Abbey on Wednesday 20 March from 18.00 to 20.30. There will be multiple stalls and representation from a wide spectrum of careers, from STEM to Creative Arts to Business & Entrepreneurship.
For this year's Jo Trott Memorial Lecture, The Abbey is delighted to welcome Professor Russell Foster, Head of Oxford’s Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology and founder and Director of the Sleep and Circadian Research Institute. The lecture will focus on the science of sleep and will take place on Wednesday 6 March at 17.00.
Professor Foster's research addresses how circadian rhythms and sleep are generated and regulated, and what happens when these systems fail as a result of societal pressures, ageing and disease. Professor Foster was awarded a CBE in 2015 for services to science, and has published over 300 scientific papers, receiving multiple national and international awards. He has co-written four popular science books and his fifth with Penguin, entitled LIFE TIME, was published in May 2022 and is a best-seller in both hard-and paperback.
This is an ARCH 'sign up and show up' event and places can be booked via this link. Please note that students under the age of 14 must be chaperoned.
We hope to see you there!
Aspire2 Public Speaking Competition 2024
Once again, pupils from Reading Girls’ School took part in this competition which was held at the University of Reading on Tuesday 27th February.
This year the theme for the speakers was ‘If I were Prime Minister…’. As expected, this led to a rich vein of discussion about a wide variety of topics and visions for the future.
On the night, pupils, parents, friends and teachers gathered in the Palmer building with a rising sense of anticipation (and, it has to be said, nervousness!). Charlie Clare from Aspire2 greeted us and described the ethos of the charity. He explained that the competition was intended to give children their voice about something meaningful and the opportunity to speak about their ideas with passion and conviction. He acknowledged the courage and confidence required to do this in front of peers, families and strangers but he urged the competitors to enjoy their moment to shine.
After introducing the judging panel, (Ben Worsfold, University of Reading, Martin Salter, Aspire2 Trustee and former MP for Reading West, Jackie Willcocks, English Adviser Brighter Futures for Children and Miranda White, English Adviser Brighter Futures for Children) the competition began and was between our school and JMA.
The Key Stage 3 speakers started the evening off. Ore spoke about robots and AI, Sejal discussed digital education and Vedika concentrated on children's health care and the environment. After a break for the judges’ deliberation, Vedika was announced as the Key Stage 3 winner and was presented with a certificate and trophy.
The Key Stage 4 speakers were next, and they continued the high standards we had already seen and heard. Maimuna spoke about poverty, education, mental health and racism, Nicole discussed racism and Ayesha tackled immigration issues. The judges presented Maimuna with first prize which was a certificate and a trophy.
The girls conducted themselves with fantastic maturity and confidence, and we are all so proud of how they showed the talents of the pupils of Reading Girls’ School.
Mr Fazio / Mrs Thomson / Mrs Smith
Windsor Castle
GCSE History Students in Years 9 and 10 had the exciting opportunity to visit Windsor Castle on Monday this week. They began with a workshop on the Norman Conquest and the history of Windsor Castle followed by a tour around the castle and St George's Chapel. The students particularly enjoyed viewing Queen Mary's Dolls House and the resting place of Elizabeth II.
Before Anyone Else
The Year 9s had a performance of a PSHE play by the UpFront Theatre Company. It used the story of three friends to explore friendship, positive and negative relationships, different experiences and support available. It also looked at what constitutes consent, taking responsibility for safe sexual health and how to identify and end negative relationships. The play was engaging and dynamic with three actors who brilliantly took on a variety of roles and then lead discussion about the issues raised.
The students' behaviour and engagement with this was superb. After the event the actors said: “The students were absolutely amazing and shared so much important advice and insight. They took the content seriously and were supportive to their peers, especially as several students were affected".
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FROM 1ST NOVEMBER 2023
All meals are provided by Chartwells - a school meal consists of a main meal and a dessert for £2.78 a variety of snacks and drinks are also available.
Chartwells operate a cashless till system, operated by biometrics. The accounts are topped up online using a secure website called ParentPay, if your daughter is eligible for free meals, £2.78 is credited to her account each day. Your daughter will be provided with her ParentPay login details on her first day at Reading Girls' School. You can find more information about ParentPay on their website http://www.parentpay.com. The school office is also happy to help with any enquiries.
Follow the link for details of the school menu.