Page 62 - Bloxhamist 2017-2018

NEWS

Alison Garcia Sophie Herrmann facilitated the launch of a new parents’
association and established an outreach
programme which has allowed around
1,000 children to visit Bloxham each year
to engage in activities ranging from art
to forensic science. Kate and her team
have also been instrumental in developing
the Old Bloxhamist network, creating a
programme of social and careers events to
appeal to all ages. Away from her core job,
she volunteered to co-ordinate the Peer
Listeners, a role she enjoyed immensely.
Kate has provided students, her close-
knit team and those around her in the
workplace, with superb support, guidance
and understanding throughout her time
with us, and she will be greatly missed.
Kate has done an enormous amount for
Bloxham School and leaves with our
It has been a privilege to have worked Sophie joined Bloxham in January 2016, gratitude and best wishes in her new role
with Alison and been her next-door having run her own successful dance and at Ofqual. PWS
neighbour in Wilberforce too. Alison theatre company in Wales. She brought
arrived at Bloxham four years ago her enthusiasm for musical theatre
as a new English teacher, fresh from to Bloxham School, staging School’s rebecca Odlin
completing a Masters in Comparative Will Rock You the following autumn,
Literature at Oxford University. With a encouraging an initially cautious student
first degree in German and French, she body to throw themselves into performing
has been able to practice her skills on Queen’s greatest hits with gusto. Under
numerous trips to France, Belgium, the her tenure Bloxham made its first trip to
Netherlands, Germany and Austria during the Edinburgh Fringe, meeting with rave
her time at Bloxham. In Wilberforce, reviews for its HG Wells inspired piece
Alison has tutored several overseas The Invisible Man. We wish Sophie well
pupils, who have greatly appreciated with her new ventures. MAB
her warm welcome and inclusiveness.
Wilberforce girls fondly remember many
house assemblies on cultural themes Kate Keating
with introductions to customs and
festivities from around the world. Taffy
making from Alison’s native Canada
has also been a regular feature on house
nights in. The sight of girls buttering
their hands to better twist and turn long Becky joined the PE Department in 2013
strings of taffy, before cutting them up and immediately made a huge impact.
into sweet-sized bites, will live long Whilst Head of Girl’s Hockey, her 1st XI
in the memory. Alison introduced and teams achieved back-to-back county
developed Wilberforce’s book corner; and cup wins in her first two years and she
a favourite house night in activity has certainly became a role model for the
been her bedtime story telling with hot girls, helped by her outstanding hockey
chocolate. Most recently, the girls have ability and coaching expertise.
enjoyed the huge new screen for movie
nights. All the Wilberforce girls, tutors
and adults speak warmly of Alison’s wit, Becky then became Director of Sport, and
sense of humour and intelligence. Alison again, made a real difference. Under her
has always exuded great calm and this Appointed four years ago to develop the leadership, participation and fixtures
have grown. Recently, huge progress
has diffused many situations among the school’s profile in the wider community, has been made in the development of
girls. Sitting with Alison at lunchtime has Kate has been an excellent senior leader
been one of my daily pleasures – there is and has forged a coherent department swimming and athletics.
no small talk with plenty of stimulating with purpose. Her strategic and insightful
discussion instead. Outside of English, approach has been successful in building Becky has been an extremely enthusiastic
Alison’s enthusiasm for the intellectual Bloxham’s reputation and, as a direct and able member of the PE Department. She
culture of the school has been evident in result of her actions, awareness of has coped fantastically well with syllabus
her involvement in Eunoia Society events the school’s merits, and admissions, changes and challenges to the coursework. I
and in her distinctive contributions have increased. Kate’s background am indebted to her technological talent with
to academic enrichment activities. is in communications and she has all the filming required.
Alison, we will all miss your presence used this knowledge to good effect by
– everything you say is worth hearing. revolutionising the way the school’s Away from PE and sport, Becky has been
CMM message is delivered externally, using a an important pastoral figure for the girls
wide range of channels and social media in Raymond House and more recently, for
to communicate Bloxham’s successes. She the boys in Egerton.
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