Mitre In-House Activities Lent 2016
The Michaelmas Term 2015 saw our In-House activity programme as busy as ever with the girls enjoying a whole range of different events and activities. Highlights included two whole-House cinema trips - the first to see the brilliantly acclaimed film "Suffragette" and the other to see one of the girls' favourites - the final film in the Hunger Games series. In addition, the O Block enjoyed a Bulls Head trip out and the U6th a snowy adventure at the Snowdome in Tamworth
There was plenty to do in-House too. We hosted a Saturday night "Sixth Form" Dining night - giving it a Halloween twist and were very grateful on this occasion for the support of the O Block who waitressed for us. We also had a number of themed lunches - with a firmly established House favourite, Thanksgiving lunch, making an appearance once again.
The idea behind our In-House activities programme is to continue to make the Mitre a "Home from Home" for the girls in our care. We try to offer a variety of different activities - both in the evenings and at the weekends. These all run alongside the School calendar and offer a unique experience to the girls in Mitre.
What does the Lent Term hold?
The Lent Term is a packed 11 weeks this year and already in full swing. There is an extensive programme of Lent Term activities already in place. Some of these happen on a week by week basis and have become firm favourites of the girls in the House.
Others are part of the extensive programme of activities run on a School-wide basis which allow the Mitre girls to compete for the House.
There are a number of other activities which will run in Mitre this term which have become defining favourites in the Mitre Lent term. The much anticipated annual Easter egg hunt in the garden is already being discussed and the Mitre harmony group are in full swing as they practice for the Harmony competition in the first half of term.
The below gives a small flavour of what we will be doing this term in House and of the variety of what the House team will be offering to our Mitre girls.
Week to Week Activities
A number of activities take part in House on a week to week basis and are embedded in the routines of the House.
Cereal Night - Tuesday 9pm
Tuesday evenings sees the House enjoying Cereal night after Prep.
Gym Night - Thursday 9pm
Thursday evenings are "Gym Nights" when those boarders who want to go down and use the School gym facilities can do so at 9pm.
Flashback Friday - Friday lunchtime
Friday lunchtimes see "Flashback Friday". This is an opportunity for the girls to discuss a variety of topics from the week's news around the lunch tables.
Snacker - daily 9pm
"Snacker" opens every night at 9pm and is run by girls in the O Block. It makes a small profit - which in turn buys new stock and raises money for charity. Our focus this year is to support the incredibly valuable work of the charity: http://www.toilettwinning.org/
Post JCr Hot chocolate - Saturday, 10.30pm
Post-JCR hot chocolate on private side every Saturday night at 10.30pm gives us an opportunity to catch-up with the Sixth Form girls when they return from JCR.
Prefects' meeting - Monday 6:15pm
Weekly prefects' meeting on a Monday night at 6.15pm to discuss the direction of the House for the coming week. Suggestions are also made in these meetings for improvements to House life. There is also a chance to discuss any pastoral concerns that have arisen during the week with the Senior group of girls in the House.
Room inspection competition - announced weekly on a Friday lunchtime
Our Room inspection league announcement is made on Friday lunchtime. The 3 rooms judged to be the most impressive that week receive a chocolate reward. At the end of the term the three best rooms will receive a take-away of their choice.
Christian Forum Meeting - Friday, 9pm
Christian Forum meets in the Mitre on a weekly basis at 9pm. All are very welcome to attend from across all 10 Houses.
Birthdays in House this term
Every girl who has a birthday in House this term will be mentioned in lunch. They will also receive a "caterpillar cake" in tea.
In addition to this the House will mark the occasion by writing on the birthday boards outside the dining room. The girls who have a term-time birthday will also get a mention on the Mitre twitter feed.
There are also opportunities for the girls to celebrate their birthdays on private side with pizza or Indian takeaways requested by parents and organised by Mr and Mrs Parish.
In-House Cooking
There are lots of opportunities for the girls to do cooking based activities in House.
Often these take place on private side on a Sunday afternoon and allow the girls to hone their baking skills.
This term Mrs Nield will be offering the Sixth Form a cooking activity after prep in the top-common room.
There will also be a home-made pizza night on Saturday 23rd February when the girls can try their hand at creating their very own "Dominoes"
Year Group Outings
Planned outings for this term:
B Block trip to the Bulls Head for ice-cream
O Block post mock celebration
A Block outing to the Jaipur
Sunday afternoon trip to Calke Abbey
Lent term Inter-House Competitions
Lent term is one of the busiest for Inter-House competitions. There are lots of opportunities for the girls to be involved in a huge range of different activities. Participation in any of these counts towards their House colours. Once a girl has achieved 10 caps for the House, they will be awarded their House colours and their name will be added to the House colours board in the Dining Room.
House singing competitions and House instrumental competitions - Sunday 10th January
The House Harmony competition - Saturday 30th January
House badminton - Sunday 10th January
Steeplechase- Thursday 11th February
House Debating Final - Wednesday 20th January, 6.30pm
House netball- Saturday 6th February, 1.30pm
House Sudoku-Tuesday 30th February
House General Knowledge-Sunday6th march
CCF competitions -
Russell Cup - Thursday 17th March
Barnes Squad - Tuesday 22nd March
On-going Developments in House
We will continue to work this term on improving the facilities for the girls in the House.
Already on the agenda has been the addition of New House Colours boards. These record the names of all the girls in the House who have been awarded House colours since the new system was started in 2012-3.
Last term we continued to build on ways to inspire the girls around the House. This included adding inspirational quotes around the House and also building on our gallery of Inspirational Women. This will continue over the course of term as we work to keep building on this aspect of House life.
We are currently working, too, on improving ICT facilities in House. The term will see the arrival of a new printer for the girls in the Quiet Room and some further development, too, of the Wi-Fi network in House.
Inspirational Gallery
A project we started for our 10th anniversary as a girls' House has continued over the course of the last 12 months and we now have 60 women on the Mitre Inspirational Gallery in the House dining room.
These are all signed photographs which have been returned by women from all walks of life across the UK. Some have very personalised messages and it has been lovely to receive a number of encouragements from women as they have returned these photographs.
As with last term, the plan this term remains to keep updating the gallery so that each of the girls has someone they can aspire to emulate.
"Inspire to Aspire"
Upcoming Themed Lunches this term
Our In-House dining system provides us with the perfect opportunity to have themed days in House. This term will be no exception and we already have four themed days planned into the House calendar for the term.
For each of these the dining room will be fully decorated and their will be activities connected with the theme for the girls to enjoy during the mealtimes. Our amazing chef, Trish, provides us with a delicious meal that follows the day's theme.
Burns Night - Monday 25th January
Chinese New Year - Monday 8th February
Valentines Day (a little late!!) - Monday 22nd February
St Patrick's Day - Thursday 17th march
Sunday Lunch in House
Sunday lunch in House is a great favourite with the girls.
This term we look forward to going to School House for paired lunch on Sunday 17th January and to their return visit to us on Sunday 28th February.
Our Sunday chef Mel is a superb cook and we are always blessed with a delicious meal. We have a Carvery style lunch on these days - consisting of a choice of at least 3 different types of meat and a plethora of accompaniments - from roasties, parsnips, carrots and broccoli to Mel's delicious cauliflower cheese and stuffing balls.
We also have a large range of puddings to choose from - with a hot and cold choice as well a fruit platter to.
Home cooked comfort food is perfect on a Sunday and this remains one of the weekly meals that the girls most look forward to with many staying in School to enjoy their delicious roast lunch.
Sixth Form 'Come Dine with Me' Nights
These provide the Sixth Form girls with the opportunity to host a dinner party for invited members of staff and have proven hugely popular over the last few years.
We have three "Come Dine with Me" evenings booked in for this term with members of the U6th competing in House to host the best dinner party!
The Annual Easter Egg Hunt!
A much anticipated event the Annual Easter egg Hunt will take place on Wednesday 23rd March.
This has become a much-loved House event and consists of the House team "hiding" nearly 250 eggs in the Mitre orchard for the girls to find them.
We do this on Tutor lunch day so that the tutors have the opportunity to be part of the event too!
The Annual Pancake Races
Shrove Tuesday is always a popular day in House.
Pancakes are served at lunchtime and the girls enjoy covering them in a huge variety of toppings - from sugar and lemon juice to chocolate spread and squirty cream.
A few years ago we introduced a trophy (in the form of a frying pan!) for the winners of the Annual pancake races.
These are set up in the Mitre garden and consist of an obstacle race complete with frying pan and pancake. After several rounds, we come to the final and the winner receives the much-coveted frying-pan trophy!
In House Movie Nights
Saturday nights present a perfect opportunity in House to have our Movie Nights.
Mrs Parish will normally get the latest release on the Friday afternoon and we then build a "Movie Night" around this.
Plenty of popcorn and sweets will accompany this and the evening is open to all years.
These take place on a regular basis at 9.15pm on a Saturday night.
Raising Money and Awareness for Charity
The School Charity this term will be in support of the Derbyshire Air Ambulance.
Mitre has decided to make a donation to the Charity "Smalls for all" to support the invaluable work they are doing.
This term we will also continue to raise funds towards our on-going support for the "Toilet twinning campaign".
You can expect to see us selling cakes in the Grubber and on the side-lines too. We will also be coming up with some innovations to allow us to raise money for the work of this invaluable Lent Term Charity.
The Parker 100
A number of girls will take on the challenge of running the Parker 100 this term.
The challenge is to run 100 cross-country miles in the 11 weeks of the Lent term in memory of a former member of Repton staff - Chris Parker.
There is even more incentive to do so as the new badge was designed by Imogen Hacking 5M and can only be purchased from the School Shop on completion of the Parker 100 miles.
Other things to look forward to!
Brunch and a Chapel Lie-in - Sunday 13th march
Ice-Cream Factory and chocolate Fountain at tea- Thursday 11th february
The In-House table tennis competition- weeks 10 and 11
House Angels
An initiative introduced in the House last term was the introduction of House Angels.
This involved holders of a "House Angel" card doing a good deed for another member of the House community and then passing on their "Angel card".
It was wonderful to see the cards going round the House so quickly and the range of different deeds being done by the Angels.
At some stage this term - they will return and the girls who are chosen will have 24 hours to become an Angel!
Welcoming Parents to the House
Parents are always very welcome to visit the House. We have two planned meetings for parents for this term for