york reflections · the junior school,” smiles hetty (year 4). over the years, the council has...

ISSUE 2 | SPRING 2019Reflections

TheMount School

York

www.mountschoolyork.co.uk

JUNIOR SCHOOL VOICES We meet the girls having their say on life in The Mount Junior School.

GLOBAL THINKINGWe find out more about The Mount’s Global Thinking curriculum and how girls of all ages learn to think beyond The Mount.

MINDFUL MOUNT

We ask is there a place for mindfulness in a Mount Education?

A NIGHT AT THE

MUSICALSHIGHLIGHTS FROM

Adrienne Richmond Principal

Girls at The Mount are confident and compassionate. . . .

T H E M O U N T S C H O O L Y O R K

Within the School, we see the evidence of it all around us, every day. Not just in performances or through the work of the charities committee, or the teachings of the PeaceJam curriculum, but in the friendly smiles they exchange or the thoughtfulness the girls show towards each other. The report by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) released in January gave testament to the uniqueness of the school. The report noted, “pupils identify an atmosphere of inclusivity and of excellent behaviour based on mutual respect which exists in the school.”

For a small school, The Mount has an incredibly far reach. As College Leader Isobel told visitors and families gathered for the March Open Evening, “What has really

made a difference to me personally is the opportunities the School has given me to engage with the outside world.” We take a glimpse at some of the term’s events where pupils from have been able to test their mettle beyond the School gates, such as the Pre-School children visiting the Nature reserve at Askham Bryan, College girls taking part in the Model United Nations and Senior girls travelling on sports tours.

Of course, our girls are also extremely talented in many ways. In this edition of Reflections, we revisit A Night At The Musicals (p 4), an opportunity for the girls to show what an extraordinary wealth of performing arts talent we harbour from Year 3 through to College II. We also meet old scholar Naomi Sheldon (2000-2003), a critically acclaimed actor and

writer who has most recently enjoyed a successful run of her one-woman show, Good Girl.

Finally, we talk to new Head of Modern Languages, Lisa Gibbs, who talks to us about languages unlocking the world.

SPRING 2019 Reflections

R E F L E C T I O N S S P R I N G 2 0 1 9 0 3

WE KNOW GIRLS CAN

When asked to draw a firefighter, 80% of our Key Stage 1 pupils drew a female. Gender stereotypes are defined between 5 and 7 years of age, this is a perfect illustration of the power of our all-girls education.

Over 90% of all Junior School girls from Year 2 upwards are learning to play at least one musical instrument. Research shows that there are numerous ways in which playing a musical instrument can boost children’s self esteem, including confidence and concentration.

“What meal would you like to see served at lunchtime?” A sea of hands immediately appears, as the enthusiastic Junior School girls respond to Miss Capper’s question.

The Junior School Council meet on a regular basis to discuss school life. This opportunity for discussion is important to Junior School Head Rachel Capper, “It gives the girls a chance to be heard, it’s important that from a young age they know the power of their voice. They often come up with brilliant ideas that I wish I had thought of first!”

As well as the School Council, there are a number of pupil Committees that take charge of their own activities. “The Committees have all been initiated by the pupils. They choose to focus on topics and issues that are important to their lives. It’s so rewarding for the girls to see an idea come to life, particularly when it impacts on the whole school community.” The impact from their voices is vast: feedback from the Council and Committees is fed to the School’s Senior Leadership Team. This term the Eco Committee have been planning how they can help cut down on single use plastic. “We are proposing to have an entire week where everyone in the school cuts down on their use of plastic,” explains Abigail (Year 4), “We plan to make posters and flyers to raise awareness about the environment.”

It is not just the chance to be heard, but the chance to help others that inspires girls to become Committee members. “We’ve talked about how we can help others who are less confident with digital media,” describes Alexia (Year 3) who is a member of the Digital Leader Committee. “We help the teachers for instance when they are explaining something to another pupil, if they don’t understand it we might be able explain it in another way.”

Chatting to the girls it is clear that they have a genuine desire to make a difference to school life and beyond. “We plan lots of races and try to raise money for poorly children. We are also fundraising for new equipment for the Junior School,” smiles Hetty (Year 4). Over the years, the Council has clocked up some impressive results: they’ve successfully bid to the MSA for swimming pool inflatables, last year older girls took a turn at being class teacher to the younger years, and after the meeting we attended the Council are launching a competition to design a school meal. The winning entry will be created by the catering staff and served to pupils and staff.

The success of the School Council and Committees is testament to the dedication of its members as Molly (Year 6) so eloquently sums up: “I do it because I enjoy helping others. If we didn’t have the School Council we wouldn’t have our ideas considered. It’s our chance to speak up and change things for the better.”

THE VOICES OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

C H A R I T Y E V E N T S



A NIGHT AT THE

MUSICALS

“A Night At The Musicals made nice a change from the Senior School play, it gave everyone from Junior School to College II an equal chance to show what they can do. There was a nice mix of different musicals and different musical styles. We as performers were all watching from the wings whenever we could, and we supported each other’s performances. I thought the Junior School were really good. They were so enthusiastic and had a lot of fun with it.” Ellie, College II

“We loved watching Ellie in ‘Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat’ and ‘Suddenly Seymour.’ She was amazing!” Isabelle, Year 3

SPRING REFLECTIONSWhether it be singing, dancing, or acting, Mount girls have a strong tradition of wowing audiencesand this term has been no different.

This year’s annual production, A Night At The Musicals, was a change from gripping epic dramas of recent years like Hetty Feather and Animal Farm. A packed house was kept enthralled by a cast of girls from Year 3 to College II taking us on a history tour of the musical genre through song and dance. Performances included toe-tappers to melodies from Oliver, Les Miserables, Guys and Dolls, Annie, My Fair Lady, Blood Brothers, The Sound of Music, Fame, The Lion King,

Wicked, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Hairspray.

It’s been a busy term for the Drama Department as 55 girls from Junior and Senior School prepared and rehearsed dramatic performances for their LAMDA exams. The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) is the UK’s oldest drama school and The Mount offers speech and drama lessons from LAMDA’s syllabus (Grades 1 – 8). I See A Voice, our annual showcase, followed with

energetic performances from the Senior School girls. View more photos at mountschoolyork.co.uk

“I really liked the opportunity to

perform with the Senior School girls

and express our talents together.”

Isabelle, Year 3

At The Mount, the arts is about so much more than performing, we know young girls benefit enormously beyond the stage.

The importance of drama and performing arts in education is significant. When portraying a character, girls practice empathy which in turn helps them develop compassion and social awareness. Effective and active listening can change the course of a scene but also encourages children to be receptive to others when working as a team. When “something goes wrong” during a performance, it can be a blessing in disguise, bolstering a child’s resilience, non-linear problem-solving skills and providing a unique chance to experience how “the show must go on.”

The most visible boost the performing arts gives to children is their confidence. It takes courage for a child to stand, with all eyes on them, and perform a piece whether it’s theatrical, musical, a speech or a form of dance. That confidence transfers into other areas of a child’s life, both in and out of the classroom. It is no coincidence that Bethanie (College I), who was named Best Delegate at the University of York’s Model United Nations (MUN) is a regular performer at school and with We Are Theatre in York, nor that Amy (College II), who represented Yorkshire in the Historical Association’s national Great Debate, played several different characters in the School’s production of Animal Farm.

The new Dance and Drama Studio, due to break ground over the summer, will allow performing arts to develop further throughout the curriculum. Mount girls will have their own dedicated, purpose-built space for dance and drama and emerging performing arts disciplines. Fundraising was officially launched in 2017 and continues as the plans are finalised. Already a leading light in STEM (sciences, technology, engineering, maths), and with pedigrees in the humanities and languages, the new performing arts complex will complement The Mount’s curriculum on all fronts. The performing arts will continue to be a strong vision of the future at The Mount, and with the new facilities girls at The Mount will continue to grow in confidence, explore creativity and develop compassion.

From the

STAGEto the classroom

Boosts comprehension

and retention

Enhances critical

thinking

Promotes collaboration

Develops cognitive

abilities that complement

study in other disciplines

Develops creative

expression and builds self-confidence

Enables learning the

importance of feedback, both

positive and constructive

THE BENEFITS OF PERFORMING ARTS IN EDUCATION

National Foundation for Educational Research


The spirit of Mount girls is often recognised by those who know York. They are impressed by their courage to stand up for what they believe in and the compassion they show for others. Our Global Thinking programme encourages girls to think beyond the comforts of their world by exposing them to new perspectives and experiences. Thinking beyond the boundaries of school allows girls to consider the difference they can make to the world.

This term girls in Years 5 and 6 enjoyed a fantastic, if somewhat snow-bound, residential trip to Marrick Priory in Swaledale. Despite the cold conditions, the girls were able to enjoy hiking, climbing, caving, abseiling and, naturally, a huge snowball fight. These team building exercises helped pupils to think of and support others. For their JASS (Junior Award Scheme for Schools) award, the girls set goals for themselves and reflected on how they achieved, or modified, those goals.

College I girls took part in the Model United Nations (MUN) Conference at the University of York, where they learned first-hand how legislative and political processes operate in the international arena. The girls were each given a nation state to represent and research, joining one of six committees. Their fellow delegates were undergraduate and post-graduate students. By the end of the weekend, each girl came away more confident about speaking out publicly to a room of strangers. Bethanie in College I was awarded Best Delegate on the UN Habitat Committee for her work representing Somalia. “This was my first-ever MUN and I was able to get everything I wanted,”

enthuses Bethanie. “I got to speak, I got to debate, I had my motion passed, I got my amendment passed, I got my draft resolution passed and I was named Best Delegate.” Isla (College I) was honourably mentioned for her work for Finland.

Senior girls who attended the University of Winchester’s PeaceJam Slam met Nobel Peace Laureate Betty Williams (1976). Inspired by Williams’ spirit and wisdom, the girls gave impassioned presentations to the assembled delegates. Their PeaceJam projects include a mobile app to bolster mental health, care kits to help alleviate extreme poverty among York’s homeless community and a programme to reduce food waste among the School community. Partaking in the PeaceJam projects enables girls with the opportunity to learn about global affairs and understand how they can help in the world.

College Geographers had a great trip to the North Wales coast where they faced all weathers: quite appropriate for measuring glacial deposits and connecting land formations with climatic effects and social geography. Girls in Year 9 watched So eine Nervensaege a play in German. Year 10 girls enjoyed several theatrical experiences with visits to see Wise Children at the York Theatre Royal and a Live streaming of a performance of Romeo & Juliet by the RSC. Senior girls took part in a workshop with Carnegie Medal-shortlisted author Sally Nicholls. In each of these pursuits, the girls were able to apply their skills in Global Thinking to not only deepen their learning but also to enrich their outlook for “real world” situations.


“My daughter returned full of confidence and commented on how much she feels part of “a family!” No parent could ask for more. A huge

thanks to all those who gave their time to support.” Year 6 Parent

In March, 26 girls from Year 7-Year 9 went on a Netball Tour to Shropshire. As well as meeting Commonwealth Games champion and England Netball player Eboni Chambers (pictured above), the girls were able to hone their on-court skills and off-court general fitness training. Year 7 girls played two excellent games, narrowly missing out on a semi-final place on goal-difference. Year 8s played ten teams, making it to the semi-finals. Year 9s won three games and came fifth overall. Netball aside, the girls enjoyed an amazing trip which included climbing, aerial walk, trapeze, tunnelling, laser maze, silent disco and loud disco. The next Netball Tour, to Belfast, takes place during the Easter Break.

S H R O P S H I R E N E T B A L L T O U R

THINKING


“In Year 4, we’ve been looking at fractions in Maths, reading Horrid Henry in English, and also looking at pronouns. In Science, we are looking at endangered animals and human bodies. For Geography, we looked at volcanoes. We also created some really cool animal habitats out of shoe-boxes.” Hetty, Olivia and Abigail, Year 4

SPRING REFLECTIONS“In global thinking, we have been looking at relationships, and we did worksheets on South Africa, which is known as the Rainbow Nation, because it is made up of many cultures. Kyra, Year 5

Places. At the very start of term, the Early Years boys and girls had a special treat when Mr Knill and Ms Kalogirou visited from the Senior School Science Department to help the children launch a rocket!

Materials. Children in Years 1 and 2 enjoyed a visit to the Castle Museum to look at ‘Toys Through Time’. Inspired by their visit they created their own Toy Museum and, during MSA Coffee & Croissants, they took parents for guided tours of their displays.

Earth and Space. Girls in Years 5 and 6 have been looking at our solar system’s planets and their moons. This tied in with their History studies on memories of the 1950s, 60s and 70s when they looked at space exploration and the first lunar landing. They also visited the Museum of Science and Media in Bradford.

Living Things. Looking at the needs of living things, the children in Years 3 and 4 used shoe boxes to create habitats for endangered creatures.

HOT TOPICS

The Mount Junior School and Pre-School deliver an integrated learning curriculum that gives equal importance to learning skills and content. By choosing a cross-curricular topic to focus on each term, their work can encompass a variety of subjects including Sciences, Geography, History, Technology, Languages and the Arts.


SPRING TIME FUN

“I liked doing the workshop. We got to dress up and then they brought out different animals. I held a snake!” Alexa, Pre-School

“We saw snakes. There was a big one and a little one, and I liked the big one. We also saw a lizard and a frog!” Jasper, Pre-School

While reading the story of The Gruffalo, the Early Years children visited the Nature reserve at Askham Bryan. They looked at the different animals in the story and their habitats.



MINDFUL MOUNTIn recent years mindfulness has become a trend adapted by the western world linked to promoting improved health and well-being. Studies show that mindfulness can help with a myriad of things, including stress and anxiety. As experts in educating girls and supporting their mental health, at The Mount we continually look to new ways to help boost girls’ well-being. With a steady increase in profile, mindfulness is obviously making a lasting impression in today’s tech-fuelled society. But what practical applications could mindfulness education have in our School?

The Mount’s approach to well-being begins with the Quaker values; simplicity, truth, equality, peace and social justice. These core values help instil the girls with a sense of calmness and community. The Quaker practice of Silent Meetings, or rather ‘gathered stillness’, has been part of The Mount’s ethos since the School’s inception in 1785. Today we continue to take time to come together as a community to be still, to think and to reflect. At its most basic concept, mindfulness is the quality of being conscious or aware. It is associated heavily with quiet, breathing techniques and meditation; therefore, silent meetings can undoubtedly be associated with mindfulness. When reflecting on their time at The Mount, many old scholars report that the Silent Meetings have contributed to their ability to be self-disciplined, or as old scholar Naomi Sheldon says, they were an introduction to meditation (p10).

The Mount was recently praised for our approach to girls’ mental health, in the ISI report, noting, “Pupils know when to seek help; they described with great warmth the mental health support they receive from medical staff.” Cindy Magyar, the School Nurse, is herself an avid supporter of mindfulness and the positive effects it has on mental health. “Meditation and mindfulness is becoming

widely acknowledged and scientifically validated as a powerful tool in supporting mental health*,” she states. Nurse Cindy teaches Health & Well-being within the PSHE curriculum and is now incorporating mindfulness and meditation into these sessions. College girls were so inspired by their lessons they chose to hold a Morning Meeting about Mindfulness for the Senior School and have begun using a recommended meditation app.

Last term, Year 7 girls enjoyed a residential visit to Carlton Lodge, during their stay Nurse Cindy took them through a simple meditation exercise. The girls then took the reins themselves as Ava led a yoga session for the girls and their teddies. On returning to School, the girls have used their initiative to create a quiet space to be used for yoga, meditation or to simply have time out. “I am so impressed that the girls have used their enthusiasm in creating this quiet space in School. During the meditation and yoga sessions at Carlton Lodge they demonstrated so much maturity. It is such a positive sign that they have taken on board the learning and the importance of looking after their well-being. And of course it is great for their teddies too!” says Cindy.

Mindfulness also promotes compassion, another concept that is not new to The Mount. Working groups of staff in the Junior and Senior School have received training in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), which promotes

mental and emotional healing by encouraging people to be compassionate toward themselves and others. In the Senior School, this learning is passed on to the students in form time and through teaching strategies in lessons.

Naturally, mental and physical health go hand in hand. During Mental Health Awareness Week, Reception children learned that keeping a healthy body helps a healthy mind. In PE, girls have appreciated the increased activity in not only formal sports but also fun games such as ‘Just Dance’ giving them time to relax and enjoy exercise. Next term also sees the introduction of ‘Mindfulness Walks’ to the activities programme, allowing girls the time to enjoy the school grounds and the pleasure of walking to release worries and help to cultivate a sense of peace.

At the core of our education we endeavour to teach our young learners with character traits that will help them become more resilient in the world. Traits such as: perseverance and grit, confidence and optimism, drive and ambition, community spirit and tolerance. These characteristics closely resemble those that studies suggest mindfulness can help deliver. While there is a place for mindfulness in our School, it is more accurate to say that, through our all-girl Quaker ethos mindfulness is not simply a trend but has always been at the heart of a Mount Education.

“We’re getting close to our GCSE exams and I’m feeling okay. In most subjects we’ve come to the end of the curriculum, so we’re revising some of the areas where we might not be so confident.” Hollie, Year 11

SPRING REFLECTIONS

STUDIES SUGGEST THAT MINDFULNESS CAN BOOST MANY DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS

CALMNESS CREATIVITYHAPPINESS

TENACITYMEMORY

SELF-CONTROL

MENTAL CLARITY

HEIGHTENED AWARENESSPROBLEM SOLVING

COMPASSION

“For our GCSE Drama piece, we worked hard on getting to know the script. We tried to get to know our characters as best we could, and figure out together how best to put the words into their mouths so that it came out as naturally as possible. The actual assessment performance was the best we’d ever done. It was great preparation to perform the piece in front of an audience for I See A Voice because it made us work harder to get it right” Elise, Year 11

*www.mindfulnessinschools.org

G C S E P R E P A R AT I O N S

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think back to your years at The Mount?I was at The Mount for three years, but those years were hugely impactful. What I remember most vividly was the focussed atmosphere: the peaceful corridors, those fresh green lawns, the laughter. The wood-panelled Library was my first experience of the joys of a quiet library. Morning Meetings felt like a very foreign experience! It forced me to sit with my own thoughts for the first time. Learning this skill proved very useful to ground myself at the beginning of the day. Looking back, it was my introduction to meditation.

What is your fondest memory of The Mount?That’s really tough, because there are so many. There is one really important memory for me. When I first moved to The Mount I found the transition quite tough. I was in a period of doubting myself. My teacher Sally Hebron spoke to me over a cuppa in her cosy office. She talked to me about what I wanted from life. She re-instilled my faith in myself and that changed things forever. For the first time I felt like a person in authority believed in me. That was hugely influential. Having a teacher see something in me and have the time, energy and the will to allow me to see my own potential was a really powerful moment.

Another memory which sums up some of the magic of The Mount is of me and my girlfriends in the art rooms, painting and listening to music. All of us working on our different projects, someone developing photos, someone working on oils, or on sculpture, but all of us totally engrossed in our work. The playful, inspiring presence of Mrs G (Head of Art, Sian Gabraitis) as she glided around and guided us with maybe a single brush-stroke that would transform the piece, but never judging our work as ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’- just supporting us on our journey, on each girl’s individual strengths.

Where are they now? We catch up with Mount Old Scholar, Naomi.After leaving The Mount in 2004, Naomi Sheldon attended Royal Holloway University of London, gaining a first class degree in English & Drama. She went on to study for an MA in Writing Directing & Performance, before training to become a Professional Actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). She now works as an actor and freelance writer. Naomi’s critically acclaimed one-woman show, Good Girl, debuted at the Edinburgh Festival and enjoyed a successful run in the West End.


How important an influence has the Quaker ethos been to you?Before going to The Mount, I didn’t know much about Quakerism, but I was thrilled to understand their ethos of equality. It is one of the first faiths to champion feminism and I loved learning about it. My writing today holds feminism and equality as core themes. The equal relationship with teachers was also important; they were never just a ‘sir’ or a ‘miss’, they could be negotiated with, and allowed us to feel like we had agency. It was an important shift.

Have any influences from your time at The Mount helped you through life?Confidence. I wonder whether it was The Mount’s all-female environment, (as well just astounding teaching) but I was able to put up my hand and speak out without the fear that being wrong could make me look foolish. That spirit of open-minded debate with the ability to say, “You’re right; I’ll reconsider my perspective,” was definitely essential to my learning.

How do you keep in touch with girls from your cohort?Two of the girls from my year were actually at LAMDA with me, which was wonderful. There are a few with whom I still keep in touch with and who hold a very special place in my heart. We’re working in similar circles and supporting each other.

Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future?I’m going to continue writing and acting for stage and screen. I have a few things in development for TV and a theatre commission. I hope to write a novel one day, but for now the plan is to continue acting and writing and to balance the two.

“The Mount is such a special place; it’s such a special school.”


SPRING IN MOTION


When concluding her Institute of Physics President’s Medal lecture, Mount old scholar Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell quoted the American historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich - “Well behaved women seldom make history.” Perhaps one of the reasons that Mount girls do so well in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) studies is that they are encouraged to be inquisitive, and to look beyond the obvious. They have the confidence to explore, question and take risks. This term pupils from across the School have taken part in a variety of STEM related activities.

In Year1, budding computer programmers had fun coding their Beebots to move around in a square. Future astronauts in Year 5 looked at the composition of rocket fuel whilst visiting the Museum of Science and Media. In February, The Mount hosted the annual SES Hovercraft Day for Year 6 girls from across Yorkshire. Girls were tasked to work in teams to design, build, decorate and race their own hovercraft.

In March, Senior School girls celebrated British Science Week with a visit from old scholar Rebecca Johnson, an internationally successful geotechnical engineer, and Natasha Zelem-Sayce, who is Head of Technology at Sky. They talked to the girls about career opportunities in coding and software engineering, describing the multiple ways that technology effects our everyday lives. Year 9 girls were delighted to hear there are careers for technicians to find the vulnerabilities in designs: “They basically pay you to break things!”

The Institute of Engineering and Technology’s annual Faraday Challenge, hosted at The Mount saw Year 8 girls compete against five teams from other local schools. The challenge relies on excellent teamwork as the participants attempt to acquire technology and materials to design and build a product. The UK Maths Trust Team Challenge, also hosted at The Mount, pitted girls in Years 8 and 9 wits’ against 22 other teams in a competition involving skill, speed and a lot of thinking on their feet.

In January, Eleanor (Y11), Blake (Y10), Rosie (Y9) and Rawya (Y9) represented The Mount in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Top Of The Bench competition. The girls answered a range of questions on element anagrams, scientific articles and complex chemical reactions. They took first place in the practical section, having estimated that 44 drops of water can rest on top of a two pence coin without spilling over the edge. The annual York Rotary Technology Challenge once again saw Mount girls claim victory. Year 9 achieved the Best Portfolio and were awarded medals by the Lord Major and the College I girls achieved Bronze medals for third place.

Incorporating art and creative innovation into the heart of design is, these days, called “turning STEM into STEAM” and is deeply ingrained at The Mount. The Year 10 Organic forms sketches (above) celebrate biological symmetry, as do the Year 8 girls’ cardboard sunflowers inspired by Vincent Van Gogh. College Artists’ visited the London Art Galleries giving them the opportunity to research the Science of the Art forms.

“Hovercraft day was really fun. There was a bit of everything that we’d learned in Science, and we also got to learn more about Physics.” Zara, Year 6 “I thought it was going to be difficult to make a hovercraft but actually it was a lot easier than it looked.” Lucy, Year 6

“The Mount taught me about having courage and faith in myself and my abilities, even when people question my intellect or competency. Acting in School plays gave me the courage to stand up in front of a room full of people and hold your nerve.” Rebecca Johnson, Mount old scholar and geotechnical engineer

“The Rotary Challenge was great. You really have to work together as a team. Everyone has different strengths. I was in charge of the design, so I was the person putting pen to paper, but everyone gave their input for the ideas and how to develop the project, it was a real team effort.” Sophie, Year 9

STEAM T H E M O U N T S C H O O L Y O R K

POWER

TheMount School

York


The Mount School York, Dalton Terrace, York, YO24 4DDTel: 01904 667500 | [email protected] www.mountschoolyork.co.uk

Meet Lisa GibbsHead of Languages

For morenews and photos

please visitwww.mountschoolyork.co.uk

MYSTERYMAGPI EMANOR

at

Key Stage 2 Production

23MAY

6:30pmThe Mount School Hall

All welcome

Junior SchoolCelebration Meeting

25 June, 2pmThe Mount School Hall

Foundation Meeting5 July, 10:30am

English Martyrs RC Church

MSA Coffee & Croissants

The last Friday of the month (term time), 8:45am

The Terrace Dining Room

Head of Languages, Lisa Gibbs, joined The Mount from Fulford School where she had been a senior member of the Languages Department teaching French, German and Spanish. She studied her undergraduate degree (Modern Languages and European Studies) at Bath and took her PGCE at Exeter.

“I love the teaching and learning side of teaching,” she says, “and my approach is to try and keep the learning of languages as real as we can in the classroom.” This involves encouraging the girls to dip into foreign language magazines and podcasts, or hosting foreign schools such as the Lycee Andre Maurois School which visited in mid-March. Girls in Year 9 performed a short play with them in French, and took them for tours of the School, while girls in College I and II shared lots of speaking activities with them, asking about the gilets jaunes, popular films and school life in France.

“Every pupil should have the chance to experience a foreign language. Taking another language to a higher level brings so many benefits: it builds self-confidence but also fosters inter-cultural understanding. Studying another language shouldn’t be just about rote learning of words, but realising the nuances that come with another language. For example, if you have a croaky voice, the French say you have ‘a cat in the throat’. Young people find it interesting, to see that there are so many other ways of expressing ideas,” she says.

“It’s really lovely to be able to offer languages in the Junior School. The younger the girls are when they learn, the better it is for their confidence, acquisition and sheer enjoyment of the language. The Junior girls are always very excited to come up to the department, and that in itself is a good foundation for the transition to Year 7,” adds Lisa Gibbs.

She is keen to bolster the offer in younger years. “The exam boards prescribe what can be taught at GCSE and A-Level, but it’s exciting to find the best way to deliver that learning to the girls. In Key Stage 3, we have opportunities to build in more competitions, visits or inspire the girls to look at magazines and films.” There are periodic trips for Senior girls to visit France and Germany, trips which bring to life what they have learned in the classroom.

“Since joining The Mount, I’ve been very impressed by the positivity and warm welcome from the whole community: parents, pupils, staff – everyone has been really genuinely lovely.”

Favourite Author: Annie Ernaux Favourite Film: Les Choristes (2004, Christophe Barratier) Favourite Quote: “There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.” – Marshall McLuhan

york reflections · the junior school,” smiles hetty (year 4). over the years, the council has...

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