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Dates for the diary:

Monday 5th January

Boarders return from 12pm

Tuesday 6th January

School opens/Start of term

Friday 23rd January- 25th

EXEAT

Inside this issue:

Page 2

Middle House Antics and

weekend trips!

Page 3

The 12 Days of Leweston

Boarding

Spiritual Life for boarders

Page 4

Goodbyes and Hellos

Junior boarders are excitedly crossing off the days to their Christmas holidays and

the final days of an action packed term. Before they completely get immersed in the

festive season, we have taken the time to look back over our Autumn together. Our

picture board tells a very happy story, ‘girls just want to have fun!’ and we have!

From high ropes and a zoo visit, to exploring Dorset’s Jurassic coast. We had a

boarding taster weekend where Junior House doubled in size and everyone had fun

monkeying around. We had a Harry Potter season and watched every film in the

series, before our epic trip to the Harry Potter Studios. Fireworks and bonfires

featured highly during November and we all enjoyed the family feel of our own

Leweston event and then the drama of the explosions and spectacle of the

Sherborne Castle display.

As the term comes to an end we are all looking forward to our school and

boarding house Christmas celebrations; carol services, parties, secret santa,

Christmas crafts, ice-skating and the obligatory Christmas shopping. But in

reflecting again we need to remember that together, this term, the girls have

made new friends, learnt to live alongside each other, care for and support

each other. Maybe this is the best gift they can give each other?

Wishing you all a happy and joyful Christmas and New Year.

Lorraine Roberts—Housemistress of Junior House

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas... VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1 Autumn Term 2014

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It doesn’t seem like two minutes since we started this term in the sunshine of early September! So many new faces to welcome,

including staff. Girls were appointed to be ‘Guardian Angels’ to look after everyone and show them the ropes. It wasn’t long

before everyone was laughing at joking at the team building quiz – who could do the splits or which was the highest mountain?

Great fun was had by all. Our resident Mexicans celebrated Mexican independence with a piñata cake, telling us stories about

their celebrations at home.

During the evenings Miss Higgins has kept everyone entertained with different activities, from movies to homemade face masks.

Building up to Christmas we have been making Christmas bunting to decorate dormitory doors – lots of glue and glitter every-

where! Each year group had a winning door, the year 9 prize went to Room 10! Congratulations!

Sadly we must say goodbye to Miss Higgins as she returns home to Australia, a BIG thank you from us all, we will miss you!

Everyone is getting into the Christmas spirit after our trip Christmas shopping and ice-skating, we are all looking forward to Secret

Santa night around the big tree in Black Hall, and of course St Nicholas visiting to leave sweets for ‘well behaved’ children!

Middle House Antics by Miss Phipps

Paintballing

Senior House vs. Middle House We all had a lot of fun on this trip. We were separated into two groups, a black team and an orange team. Senior House chose the black guns leaving those of us in Middle House armed and ready with the orange ones.

In the first round we played ‘capture the flag’, which was in the middle of the field, with each team either end of it. Once the instructor called “go” all of us ran as quickly as we could, it all happened so fast. The only thing I could remember was being shot right in the head, and the black team won that round!

They continued their winning streak in the second round, and I was shot in the thigh twice. There’s still a small bruise from where I was shot!

By the final round, we were on our last ‘battlefield’. We finally got the chance to shoot each other in the trees. To be honest nobody really cared about winning anymore. We just shot everywhere and used up all our paintballs. Most of us came back with orange paint in our hair and on our clothes. Nobody complained because we all had fun.

By Nessie Luk —Year 10

Quad BikingQuad BikingQuad Biking

We went to quad biking world and had lots of fun. We were so excited in

the coach because we were sure that it was going to be a really good

experience. We travelled about 40 minutes in the coach, and when we got

there they divided us into groups and then explained to us all the rules.

After all the explanations, they gave us all the clothes we needed and we

started the circuit. It was so funny, we would like to go there again!

Tamara Mansur

Year 9

Middle House celebrated Mexican Independence

Bristol Shopping and Ice Skating

We went on an amazing trip to Bristol, we went

shopping for 2 hours in a mall, it was really big and

there were lots of stores for us to buy our Christmas

presents. We then went ice skating, it was really fun

and everyone had a really good time. Afterwards we

went for a hot chocolate to warm up before the

journey back to school. Andrea Tello Reyna –Year 9

Here’s wishing you all a safe journey home and a

happy Christmas with your families.

Gina Phipps - Middle House Housemistress

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Pyjama Prayers, and Holy

Hot Chocolates

Pyjama prayers have been a great success this

term. The girls have enjoyed time together to

sing our favourite hymns, light candles and pray

for our families, friends and those in need. The

girls loved going across to Trinity Chapel or St

Antony’s Chapel at night time all bundled up in

dressing gowns to keep warm. Our sessions

have also included different activities to help us

express our faith such as making prayer

bracelets, writing leaf prayers or saying thank

you prayers using the ‘string net’ game.

Holy Hot Chocolates started this term to

provide Middle and Senior House with

opportunities for spiritual reflection in a less

formal setting. The girls from Middle House

have been a joyful group with a Mexican and

Spanish flavour. In our time together, we have

used the Gospels and the YouCat prayer book

as a basis for our reflections. We have also tried

to teach each other the Hail Mary in our mother

tongues.

On the first day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

a Great Boarding family!

On the second day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the third day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the fifth day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

5 Boarding Assistants

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the sixth day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

6 Sleepy Sundays

5 Boarding Assistants

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the seventh day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

7 Lights out Early

6 Sleepy Sundays

5 Boarding Assistants

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the ninth day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

9 Senior House Privileges

8 Junior House Teddies

7 Lights out Early

6 Sleepy Sundays

5 Boarding Assistants

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the tenth day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

10 Roast Dinners

9 Senior House Privileges

8 Junior House Teddies

7 Lights out Early

6 Sleepy Sundays

5 Boarding Assistants

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the eleventh day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

11 Middle House phones collected

10 Roast Dinners

9 Senior House Privileges

8 Junior House Teddies

7 Lights out Early

6 Sleepy Sundays

5 Boarding Assistants

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

On the twelfth day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

12 Weekend Trips

11 Middle House Phones Collected

10 Roast Dinners

9 Senior House Privileges

8 Junior House Teddies

7 Lights out Early

6 Sleepy Sundays

5 Boarding Assistants

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

The Twelve Days of Leweston Boarding!

Harry Potter Studio

Tour!

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 8 Junior House Teddies 7 Lights out Early 6 Sleepy Sundays 5 Boarding Assistants 4 Heads of Houses 3 Housemistresses 2 Boarding Prefects and a Great Boarding family!

Miss Lyndsay Fielding

Director of Boarding

Senior House Housemistress

On the fourth day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:

4 Heads of Houses

3 Housemistresses

2 Boarding Prefects

and a Great Boarding family!

We were about to depart for our trip to Harry

Potter but none of the teachers were on

board the Night Bus. Suddenly six teachers

ran out of the school towards us dressed in

their ‘Hogwarts uniform’. We set off knowing

that our journey would be far from peaceful

with our hyper and excited teachers present.

As soon as we arrived we all turned into

chidren again. I will never forget that day; the

taste of Butterbeer, the Quidditch ride,

Ollivander’s Wand shop, Diagon Alley and of

course the school. Thank you for this

incredible day !

Lisa Colombo– Year 11

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Hello Grads :) and goodbye Gappies :( Hello! Hopefully I have managed to meet you all over the past term, but for those who haven’t, my name is Miss Hulls

and I am the Assistant Housemistress in Junior House. I have just graduated from Oxford Brookes University after 3

years studying Nutrition, and am teaching Home Economics for the next year at Leweston. I cannot believe that it’s

nearly Christmas; I’ve had so much fun and loved getting to know everyone. Although this term

has been really busy and full-on, I’ve had a great experience so far…looking forward to next term!

Hello I am Miss Leigh, I am the Assistant Housemistress for Middle House. I

have just graduated from the University of Sussex where I read Molecular

Medicine. As well as working in Middle House, I teach Biology. This first

term at Leweston has flown by, yet it feels as if I have been here for years.

The girls and staff have been incredibly welcoming and have kept me very

busy. It has been a great action packed term full of many amusing

moments. I look forward to what next term has to bring! Wishing you all a

Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!

The famous phrase ‘Time flies whilst you’re having fun’ is definitely true! It feels like it was just yesterday that I drove up

the long drive for the first time. Working at Leweston for the past year has been the most amazing experience of my life

so far. The experiences I have had whilst working here have shaped the person I have become and I am so grateful for

that. The boarding staff have made this year that much better; always being there to help you when you are in need or

just to have a good old chat. Working closely with Miss Roberts and Miss Hulls in Junior House has been the best. It is

going to be extremely hard to say goodbye to everyone here at Leweston. The girls have definitely made my year

awesome - being able to help a girl with her prep, do her hair in the morning before school or to just making her laugh is

such a reward in itself. Thank you to every single girl and member of staff that has made my year incredible! I am without

doubt going to miss everyone! Merry Christmas and have a lovely New year! Miss Banks x

Hello, I’m Miss Russell and I’m the Graduate Assistant in Senior House as well as helping in the English Department. I’ve just finished studying at Goldsmiths in London and before that earned my degree in English Literature at the University of York. I’m from Newcastle so Dorset is a long way from home for me! Luckily though, everyone has been very welcoming and I have enjoyed my first term here at Leweston. I’ve especially enjoyed the adventurous trips we’ve got to go on this term – I couldn’t say I’d ever been quad-biking or paintballing before, but I have now! I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all

Hello from our Chaplaincy Co-ordinator

I have really enjoyed helping with the pastoral and spiritual aspect of the

boarding life of Leweston. The community is both fun and caring. I have really

enjoyed spending time with you and I look forward to the trips, services and

conversations next term.

Wishing you and your families a very merry Christmas!

I can’t believe the end of this year has come so quickly! It has been an absolute whirlwind

of new countries, friendships, and experiences. I’m so glad to have spent this year working

at Leweston and getting to know you all so well. All the amazing girls and staff I’ve had the

chance to work with have made my year so special. A huge thank you especially to Miss

Phipps, Miss Leigh, and all the girls in Middle House that have made me feel so welcome

here. All the support you have given me has made the school really feel like a home away

from home. I have loved being able to go on so many trips to see this beautiful local area,

as well as amazing travels across the rest of the UK and Europe! Although I am very

excited to get back the sunshine, I know I will miss all of you at Leweston so much! I have

had such an incredible time here, so thanks for putting up with my Aussie antics for so

long. All the best and I hope to see you soon! Love, Miss Higgins