To celebrate Physics Week, Year 10 students dive into the physics behind music festivals.

Just before the Easter break, 60 Year 10 students engaged in a unique off-timetable activity, dissecting the physics that underpins the dynamic environment of music festivals. This exploration provided insights into the practical applications science and illuminated exciting potential career pathways for those with a physics background.

Students explored the captivating optical physics behind festival visuals, dissecting the science of light manipulation that creates stunning laser shows and projections. The intricacies of sound system design were also under the spotlight. Students investigated the physics of sound waves, including a peak into some physics A-level content like superposition and interference, to grasp how sound engineers strategically deploy speakers and employ techniques to minimize unwanted sound clashes across festival grounds.

In a practical application of materials science, students created and tested composite materials made of pasta, glue, paper, and string. Inspired by the innovative designs of modern stage structures, they combined different materials to engineer samples with enhanced strength.This hands-on activity mirrored the advanced material science crucial for constructing safe and efficient festival infrastructure. They also experimented with the structure of stages – creating models from newspapers which were able to withstand large forces (some even the weight of a person!)

The sheer scale of music festivals also provided a compelling context for understanding the vital role of project management. Students considered the multifaceted aspects of planning and executing such large events, including resource allocation, logistical coordination, and risk mitigation. They guided their teams through the activities and supported them with their strong physics knowledge and problem solving skills. This highlighted the essential role of structured management in bringing complex scientific and engineering endeavours to life.

We were delighted to welcome back Dr Lota (former BHGS chemistry teacher) who kindly contributed his time to enrich students’ knowledge as a materials science expert, and Mrs Keay (former BHGS Science Technician) who shed light on the exciting world of health and safety and the high stakes problem solving that comes with it.

Through these interconnected explorations, students gained a comprehensive insight into the fundamental physics that underpins the magic of music festivals. From the dazzling light displays to the powerful sound systems and the robust infrastructure, the day revealed the profound impact of scientific principles in creating these large-scale cultural events. This interdisciplinary approach not only reinforced their physics knowledge but also illuminated the diverse and exciting ways science and technology intersect with the world around them. A huge congratulations to all involved!

Miss Blanchard

This year’s Sustainability Week at Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School marks a step towards a greener future

This year’s Sustainability Week at Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School was a resounding success, filled with fun and educational activities designed to inspire students to think more about the environment and how small changes can lead to a big impact. One of the highlights of the week was the “Guess How Much Water You Waste?” challenge, where students were invited to estimate how much water is wasted when you leave the tap running for just two minutes while brushing your teeth. Many were shocked to learn that it’s between 10 and 12l! All students who guessed the correct answer won a limited edition BHGS reusable water bottle, encouraging everyone to reduce single-use plastics and make more sustainable choices.

For those looking to get creative, there was an exciting upcycling challenge – students were tasked with transforming an old t-shirt into a stylish tote bag in just 10 minutes, with no sewing required. This hands-on activity demonstrated how easy it can be to repurpose items and reduce waste, all while adding a personal touch to their creations.

The Library also played a key role in the week, showcasing a selection of green-themed books, allowing students to browse and explore sustainability topics in greater depth. These resources sparked important conversations about how we can all do our part to protect the planet.

Students took part in a range of form time activities including sustainability quizzes created by our sixth form Sustainability Ambassadors; a SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) Bingo learning more about global goals and how these can be applied in daily life; and writing a sustainability poem. These activities were a fun and interactive way to raise awareness and engage students in the global conversation on sustainability.

The House Recycling campaign has been extremely successful this term, resulting to reduce the school landfill by half. Students are recycling brilliantly, filling 31 wheelie bins in 5 weeks, an increase of 12 more bins compared to the previous 5 week period. Amazing!

Sustainability is a crucial focus for schools like Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’, as it teaches students the importance of making environmentally conscious decisions that will benefit not only their school community but the wider world. By incorporating sustainability into everyday activities, the school is preparing students to be responsible, eco-aware citizens who will continue to advocate for a greener future. Let’s keep up the momentum and continue to make sustainable choices every day!

Mrs Ruffhead

Students rise to this year’s World Book Day challenge

This year, for World Book Day, the Library launched a competition to make a book or film character out of the humble potato! Many students worked on their potato characters at home and we also held some lunchtime sessions with craft materials and potatoes provided for students. We had some fantastic entries that showcased the students imagination and creativity – who knew what you could create with a potato, some plasticine and some pipe cleaners!

It was hard to choose the winners but first place was awarded to Krishi with a fantastic potato Belle (from Beauty and the Beast). Runners up included Bella with Percy Jackson; Brooke with Little Miss Sunshine; Florence with the Gruffalo; Sophie with the Minions; Beatriz, Peniel, Benedicta with Frankenstein; and Lauren, Emilia, Aila, Izzie with the Tin man. We even made the World Book Day special edition of the Welwyn Hatfield Times!

Well done to everyone who took part – your potato heads were all fantastic!

Mrs McHale

As part of Safer Internet Week, Year 7 students explored how robots can enhance interaction and support human beings.

As part of Safer Internet Week, Year 7 students had an exciting visit from the University of Hertfordshire, who brought along two impressive robots: Miro, a dog robot, and Kasper, a social robot. The session highlighted how technology is shaping the future and promoting safe internet use. Miro demonstrated interactive and fun ways robots can engage with humans, while Kasper showed how robots can support people with autism by encouraging communication. The visit emphasized the importance of digital responsibility and sparked curiosity about the positive impact of robotics in everyday life.

Mr Goodall

Choir gives stunning performance at St Albans Cathedral

Bishop’s Choir have spent all term busily preparing for the Willow Carol Concert which was held on 2nd December in the beautiful St Albans Cathedral. We all felt very proud to be continuing on what has been a very long-standing relationship between BHGS and the local charity The Willow Foundation.

This particular charity is the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days. These Special Days enable them and their families to reconnect and refocus on each other while enjoying an activity of their choosing. Willow was founded by former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV presenter, Bob Wilson and his wife Megs, as a lasting memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died of cancer aged 31. Anna’s love of life and the enriching experiences of her own Special Days were the charity’s inspiration. Our school has a special connection to the Willow Foundation as Anna Wilson was a former pupil of Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School.

On the day of the concert, after a series of rehearsals at school, our sixty-strong Choir travelled to the cathedral for our dress rehearsal in the venue, getting used to its gorgeous acoustics, and then awaited the performance with excitement. The students performed three songs, All on a Silent Night by Becki Slagle Mayo, May it Be by Eithne Ni Bhraonain, Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan and a fast energetic medley of Christmas carols: Christmas Songs of Joy, by Joseph M. Martin. We were also particularly excited to, this year, be performing a joint item with Hertfordshire Chorus, under the direction of David Temple. We performed the traditional carol, Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day. It was extremely inspiring to perform with such an accomplished and well respected ensemble, and we felt very lucky to be part of such a collaboration. The students sang their hearts out and gave a stunning performance of which they should be rightly proud. All of their hard work really paid off in the performance, and it has been fabulous to hear so much wonderful feedback about how impressed the audience were with the choir’s beautiful singing.

The amazing Herts Chorus also sung other multiple carols throughout the service. This was a real privilege for us all to hear, and we look forward with anticipation to working again with them next year and taking part in this wonderful annual event which helps to raise lots of money to help such a worthy cause.