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Northanger House are Champions!

Posted on: July 20th 2022

House champions 2022 news headerOne year ago, we launched the House Championship with great excitement and some trepidation on how the House system and accompanying House Championship would unfold. It is with great delight that I reflect back on the events of the year, and share how each House has started to form its own identity, and carved out success in its own way through the year. In addition, I would like to share with you (if you haven’t heard already) the details of the incredibly close battle to claim the title of first
winners of the Amery Hill House Championship.
 
Our student leaders of House Captains, Vice House Captains and House Representatives, have been instrumental in fostering the pastoral side of our House system, in the creation of content for the virtual common rooms on Google Classrooms, as well as helping lead their House in competitions and big events like Sports Day. We are always proud of our students at Amery Hill School, and these young leaders have been exceptional pioneers in the House system.
 
Last year, with our four great Houses set out in front of us, we pondered what would be inside - and I am delighted to report each House is bursting to the rafters with talent and success.
 
Hartfield and Pemberley hold the record for the most ICARE points, with Hartfield just taking the lead at the end of the year by just seven House points. The friendly rivalry between Hartfield and Pemberley continued on Sports Day with Hartfield taking the top position.
 
Pemberley holds the inter house sports record for autumn and spring, only to be beaten by Northanger in the summer rounders series, and Pemberley were second in Sports Day - an all round great sporting achievement from this House.
 
Mansfield has the greatest musician representation with many members contributing to the amazing music concerts and performances throughout the year. They won the House noticeboard competition, and the Year 7 bake off technical challenge - an innovative house certainly! This creativity was put to good use, as Mansfield won the second gold event for the parade on Sports Day. Northanger have proved to be quiz whizzes, winning every inter house Blooket battle, raising the most for charity - be it
cash for Hello Yellow or donations for the Alton Food Bank, and performed particularly well in the science challenges set in class through the year.
 
The final standings were incredibly close. Northanger entered the final few weeks of term with an imposing lead, but the other Houses were not deterred, and the difference between first and second place was just 193 points, and between second and third, 304 points. Ultimately Northanger prevailed, despite Hartfield giving them a run for their money!
 
A huge congratulations to Northanger House with a very well-deserved victory - they certainly found the key to success, just like their House motto. After a special assembly where Northanger were able to raise the House Cup, hear congratulatory messages from their Head of House, Mr J Eacott, and the House Captains, all the Northanger students enjoyed Period 6 off timetable with some treats and time to relax and enjoy each other’s company as a House team.
 
The whole student body has been a great sport this year, and whilst there inevitably is some disappointment when success is not as forthcoming as hoped, September brings us a reset of the points, we welcome new Year 7 students into the fold and the adventure begins all over again.

Dr Rigg, House Championship Co-ordinator

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Sicily 2023
Posted on: 26/04/2023

Sicily 2023

Amery Hill School Year 10 students returned to Sicily this year for an action packed five days of tectonics, rivers, food and culture. Setting off in darkness, 48 students and five staff flew direct to Catania Airport passing over one of the main attractions of the trip – Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. It was clear from the steam  clouds being generated by “Mamma Etna” (as Sicilians call her) that she was ready to greet us! The next day, after a coach ride up the mountain, cable car and four-wheel drive vehicle we were close to the summit of Mount Etna with a special guide to inform us. Conditions were perfect as we listened to information about past eruptions and took pictures off the huge caldera. Friday was a highlight for many students. The morning was a thrilling River Trekking activity session. Students got suited and booted in wetsuits, buoyancy aids, helmets and waterproof boots and entered the chilly waters of the Alcantara River, created from snowmelt on Mount Etna itself. Scrambling over rocks, students were presented with an increasingly challenging series of waterfalls to jump off in this two-hour activity. The final water fall was estimated at seven metres high! The afternoon was more sedate with an opportunity for some retail therapy and the chance to visit an Italian pizza restaurant. The twist here was that all the students were shown how to make their own pizza, from kneading the dough through to choosing toppings, all under the watchful eye of the restaurant staff. After a late night, the final full day involved a short ferry ride to the island of Vulcano, after which all volcanoes are named. There were a few green faces, after the slightly choppy crossing, as the challenge of climbing to the volcano summit was contemplated. No cable cars here! Fortunately, due to the volcano currently being seismically too active and consequently too dangerous, a smaller summit was scaled instead with a local guide. This was challenge enough for some students and still provided some spectacular views. On our final day, we revisited the beautiful town of Taormina. Students had a last chance to enjoy some Italian food and buy souvenirs before we headed to the airport for the flight home and the chilly reception from the UK, not from the parents waiting to greet the students, but from the weather, after we had been spoiled by 20 0 C temperatures! We are hoping to return again in 2024 with next year’s Year 10 students.View Article