Senior Girls’ Boarding Blog

Welcome to another Malvern blog…the weeks seem to be flying by and the summer break a long time ago! It has only been three weeks but the girls have settled so well and formed such great friendships already that I cannot remember a time that they weren’t all here together!

We have been blessed with some lovely weather again this week and the girls have been busy with academic lessons, evening prep, afterschool clubs, fencing training and chorister rehearsals. Carlotta joined Truro Hockey club who train here on site on a Tuesday evening and the girls experienced their first Wednesday Activities afternoon. This saw Evie sail, Emily surf, Carlotta play netball and Uliana had her first Psychology Film club session. Phoebe and Jess, who are in the U6th and can opt in/out of WAA, grabbed the opportunity to further hone their cookery prowess too! With the COVID restrictions meaning the whole boarding community cannot come together for our usual boarders’ Chapel Services, the school Chaplin, the Rev, popped down for a pastoral visit on Wednesday evening. He enjoyed hot chocolates and chatting with the girls and has promised them doughnuts next time…a promise, that I have warned him, they WILL remember! The girls have made the most of the boarder’s SBA sessions in the evenings and have very much enjoyed the introduction of a gym rotation this weekend.

By the time the Friday 3.50pm, end of the school week bell rang, the girls were ready to down tools and catch their breath. That said, some of the U6th were a little later in returning from school as they were making the most of their year group’s allocated session in the fitness suite…and if that wasn’t enough the Malvern courtyard played host to Hattie and Amy’s zoom, strength and conditioning, fencing session. Wow….I was exhausted just thinking about it all on the walk up to the dining hall for an Indian themed supper!

After prep the girls, and I do not know where they get their energy from, instigating their own disco and were seen and heard dancing the night away in the common room/courtyard! All good fun!

On Saturday some of the girls were up early with the gym visited and Jess went running! Others enjoyed a slower paced start to the day, opting for a lie in before brunch.

At 11am we boarded the school minibus and headed towards the blue sky and Perranporth beach for a surfing lesson. After a brief health and safety chat, the wetsuit clad girls made their way towards the sea, initially learning how to ‘pop up’ on the sand before then venturing deeper. The conditions were not all that favourable for beginners but the girls got stuck in and were soon experimenting with standing up and catching waves. There was much giggling and hilarity as the girl’s nose dived one by one, cut each other up, and swallowed plenty of water! I enjoyed snapping away on the camera and then watched from a less wet, and safer, position a little further up the beach with a take away coffee.

After two hours the girls remerged and were of course desperate for ice cream – so we headed back to the ‘pink’ shop and the girls selected their flavours of choice before popping into one or two shops for supplies.

With prefect Jess at the helm this weekend, the girls spent the evening planning and starting this year’s house canvas. Definite progress has been made with this year’s addition and I look forward to the girls continuing to work collaboratively to get it finished over the coming weeks. Of course, no Saturday evening passes without a feast of snacks and this week was not different. Nachos, chicken, fresh fruit, crudities with humous, ice cream and yoghurt lollies were their choice and again the girls enjoyed prepping, cooking and then sharing the food with each other. The game ‘Boppit’ even made an appearance!

Sunday morning didn’t quite pan out as we had hoped for and the free-day, with gym sessions and supply shopping in town, was off the cards. That said the girls have been superb and kept their spirits up, displaying both maturity and sensitivity. They enjoyed brunch together in the courtyard and have put the new portable kitchen stove and pans into good use too; the house was filled with lovely, home baking scents this afternoon with the girls making the most of with this week’s kit club recipe and ingredients for Butterscotch Cookies. Yum!

The girls have readied themselves for the week ahead, worked on prep assignments, sorted their bedrooms and laundry and chilled out in the house. I feel confident they will take the next couple of days in their stride, and know that the team of tutors that I am so lucky to work alongside here in Malvern, will go above and beyond to ensure they are well looked after.

Next weekend, all being well, Miss Wood is planning on taking the girls quad biking! Watch this space for more photos…this time out of the sea and off the beach but haring around a track in fast cars!

Mrs Sarah Mulready, Housemistress, Girls’ Boarding