home > about > headmistress > letters to parents and guardians > letter october 2006

About St Mary’s

Headmistress’s Letter: October 2006

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope that our new girls have settled down happily into life at St Mary’s and everyone will benefit from a well–deserved break in half term.

Events

We have enjoyed several very successful occasions in the last three weeks. The first was the Fun Morning when about 90 girls in years 5 and 6 came to take part in a multitude of activities on Saturday 30th September. The second was our Open Morning last Saturday which was attended by more than 540 people — this was a record. I am very grateful to all the girls who attended to help in any way and were such a credit to the school and to their parents. The tour guides from years 8, 9 and 10 were particularly impressive. It was good to see so many current parents who came to support their daughters and look round the school. We even had some old girls who came back from university to see their School and their friends.

On Sunday 15th October, Mr Paul Mitchell, our Curriculum deputy head, organised the first ever St Marys Inter–Schools Dressage competition at Meldreth Manor near Royston. This was very successful and lots of schools took part. A big thank you to Mrs Horrell (Sara’s Mum) who ably assisted Mr Mitchell with the organisation. Katharine Valori from Yr 9 won two classes and Sara Horrell was second in one class. The Junior Team came second overall and several of the girls won rosettes for finishing in the top six of their class. The Senior Team finished fourth.

We are looking forward to the School Production Monkey which has three performances this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm. The cast and crew have worked extremely hard under Mr Peachey’s direction and we wish them every success.

Change of Biology teacher

We are sad to be losing Mrs Merrilyn Coates at the end of this term. Mrs Coates will be leaving us to travel around the world with her husband for a year. She has been a very popular Biology teacher and colleague for the last three and a half years. We wish her all the best for the future. We have appointed Mrs Anita Chatterjee who has been a tutor at Abbey College for some years.

Half Term Trips

28 girls and 4 staff are going to Holland this half term for a hockey tour. We wish them every success in their matches and hope they have a good time. Also we wish all 19 families involved in the French Exchange well this half term. Having hosted a French Exchange student for the first time last summer, I now know how much effort is made by the host families!

Fun Run

We are looking forward to our annual Fun Run on Friday 20th October at Coe Fen from 1.15pm. This year we will dressing up as ‘Famous Faces’. This event is a very happy way to end this busy half term — please come to support us all if you have the opportunity. The proceeds this year will go to the work of the CJ community in Zimbabwe, including paying school fees for needy students and to the CJ Children’s Home. We will also be supporting Educaid in Sierra Leone, Teenage Cancer Trust, Khandel Light and Raleigh International.

6th Form Information Evenings

We are holding two 6th form Information Evenings on Wednesday 1st November and Thursday 2nd November from 6–9pm. Girls from years 10 and 11 are welcome. Parents and daughters will be given a selected time to take part in a ‘round–the–table discussion’, so please let us know when you will be coming.

School Concert and PTA Christmas Fair

The School Concert will be taking place on Tuesday 5 December at 7.30pm. Please note that the time printed in the calendar was wrong — the concert will not take place at 5.30pm. We look forward to seeing some of the new ensembles performing (including Mary’s Big Band) under the direction of Mrs Gears and Miss Levy. The PTA Christmas Fair will be taking place on Wednesday 6th December. The doors will be open from 2pm for the girls and parents from St Mary’s Junior School and our girls will be joining them at 2.45pm. Please feel free to come in and join the fun at any stage of the afternoon.

Yours sincerely,

Jayne Triffitt
Headmistress