Girls’ Boarding Blog 18/1/21

This week, the first full week of online learning, has been met with determination and a positive mindset by all here in Malvern House and I have once again been reminded of just how resilient our boarders are. Hattie and Jess set themselves up in the house computer room for a change of scenery and Angie and Leora have continued to make great strides, engaging with their teachers brilliantly and getting on with the tasks set maturely and with conviction. Hearing the voices of my colleagues, through the girls’ computer speakers, resonating through the corridors has given me a great sense of connection and togetherness and I know that the girls are enjoying the interactions and sense of purpose that following their timetables and the live lessons is providing.

Free periods, lunchbreaks and the period of time afterschool and before supper has seen the girls take breaks and get out into the fresh air. Walking, running, completing zoom workouts, popping to Tesco for essentials and jumping on the trampoline in the Malvern/Pentreve garden have all featured highly; little encouragement has been needed to coax the girls out and away from their screens.

Evenings have been spent coming together for board games, baking, card games and jigsaw puzzle challenges with the girls, and staff alike, enjoying spending time together. The Quirkle championships are very much in operation and with Mrs Wood having introduced the idea of jigsaw puzzles last weekend I felt it time I raised the bar with a delivery of Wasgij’s on Friday evening. Wasgij’s (jigsaw spelt backwards) provides the ultimate in jigsaw puzzle challenge, where you use the clues provided to piece together a completely different picture than the ‘before’ picture on the puzzle box.

Well, Hattie and Jess did not move on Friday evening, Wasjig puzzle #1 dominated their evening! It was great to see them chilling out, snacking and listening to music as they ‘worked’. Having started at 6.30pm they were still going at 10.30pm and they were only a third of the way through when they finally succumbed and headed off to bed. Fresh eyes in the morning would help, it was decided.

On Saturday morning the girls were up and at it early with Leora and Angie keen to go for a run around the fields and school site. Hattie and Jess made the most of the quiet common room and completed a workout too…and all before 10am! Wow girls; I need some of that energy!

Further jigsaw puzzling was completed on Saturday afternoon and the girls generally busied themselves for the day. Jess and Hattie went for a long walk whilst the younger girls opted for pizza cooking.

After a hearty lasagne supper, we came together for a tie dying extravanganza. Having enjoyed tie dying last term and with t-shirts already featuring in their wardrobes, the girls opted for face masks and socks this time.

With the items needing to be left to soak overnight, it was back to games, with cards for Leroa, Angie and I and more jigsaw puzzling for Jess and Hattie.

On Sunday morning, the house was quiet with the girls making the most of the opportunity for a lie in. A traditional English breakfast brunch was then enjoyed before the girls pottered back to the house. It has been a quiet day for all but the girls have kept themselves occupied. The highlight was definitely seeing how the tie dye turned out and I think it is safe to say that we are kitted out in as much colour glory as we could be.

This evening after a scrumptious Indian themed supper, washed down with cheesecake made by the Trennick boys (thank you Mr H and Trennick!), it was time for another game and so we settled down to a few games of Rummikub. It is fair to say that the pile of games and jigsaws is growing by the minute! I think we will need a higher ceilinged room come the end of this lockdown!

Mrs Sarah Mulready (Housemistress, Girls’ Boarding)