I am writing to you only hours after the curtain has come down on another favourite event in the school calendar, our annual pantomime, this year Jack and the Beanstalk written by Mr Hoyes and starring Mr Hawkins and a late and brave replacement heroine Mrs Ash. The noise generated by our excited boys and girls on this occasion was enough to raise the Marian Hall roof and provided a fi tting expression of the joy of being part of the Alton Convent School family.

December is in many ways the best of months with the Journey of the Magi and The Little Robin encouraging young and old to share again in the discovery of the meaning of Christmas. This year’s nursery nativity could be described as a ‘block buster’ with the cockerel orchestrating his fellow animals in lively fashion to worship in a magnifi cent stable set.

On this day the U 13s went to the Aldershot and District Netball Tournament. Last year when we competed as Year 7s we did really well getting through to the fi nal and just losing 2-4 to Farnborough Hill. As a result this year we were considered a real threat! We won all our matches in our pool and went through to the quarter finals where we remained undefeated against a strong team. This put us through to the Semi Finals where we met Tomlinscote. Once again they were a tough side but our solid play and good scoring meant we ended up with another vicory. This put us into the Finals against Farnborough Hill. In the fi rst half we were off to a great start and went into the lead at half time, 4-2. After half time we stumbled a bit with our passing and they got a goal back. We then scored again making it 5-3. They then made some good interceptions so getting the score back to 6-6. Our passes into the attacking third then let us down at the crucial time meaning they scored one more. As a last hope we then did well getting the ball into our shooters. As the fi nal whistle went our shooter released the ball and we all waited! If it went in extra time would be played. If not, a runners up place again - it rolled round the ring and missed! Runners up again.

The day had fi nally arrived, Staff vs. Fifth Year netball challenge. After a week of uncertainty and a lot of bragging from both sides the tension was high as seven students and seven members of staff assembled on the netball courts. For most of the students the outcome of this match seemed pretty certain, after all our team are known to be a tough challenge. The A game started with both teams scoring freely and by half time the students were only two points ahead. The staff were playing well, but that did not stop the students from maintining their lead into the second half, and the fi nal score was 12- 10 in favour of the girls. Some might fi nd this score surprising given the relaxed attitude to rules at certain times (ahem...staff) but their teamwork did prove diffi cult to beat. The B game was played in an excellent spirit and both defences proved very hard to break down resulting in a fi nal scoreline of 0-0. Well done to the staff and remember, as long as you played the best you could play, that is all that matters.

This year's Upper Prep Play was a wonderful adaptation for the stage of T S Eliot's moving and subtle poem 'Journey of the Magi', the script skilfully put together by our own Prep English Coordinator, Anne Bothwell. The roles of the thee Magi were played by children form year 3 to year 6, as the journey progressed from summer palaces to a temperate valley below the snowline, with many of the scenes stolen by the grumbling assistants, their roles again taken by pupils from each of the classes in turn as the journey proceeded.

Year Seven celebrated the end of their first term in Senior School with an evening of ice skating and pizza.

The girls travelled by coach to Winchester Cathedral and walked through the historic courtyard to get to the open air ice rink. Set around with the twinkling lights of the Christmas market, the girls took to the ice. At the end of an hour everyone was getting around, but it was easy to spot those who had had practise. We were relieved that as boots were handed back, that there were no injuries apart from bumps and bruises.

Alton Convent's lower sixth form have recently returned from their annual team-building and leadership trip to Tregoyd House in the Brecon Beacons. Activities such as kayaking, raft-building, archery and hide and seek in the dark, helped the students and their counterparts from Salesian College to overcome fears, learn skills and most importantly how to work effectively within a team. Exhausted but happy the girls returned from Wales with new skills, new confidence and new friendships.

The weekend signalled the start of a close relationship with Salesian College as the students continue to prepare for their joint pilgrimage to Lourdes next Easter with the Handicapped Children’s Pilgrimage Trust.

Alton Convent School had much to celebrate in its seventieth anniversary year as was very evident at the Presentation Evening when the achievements of pupils were recognised.

Mrs Sue Kirkham, the headmistress, began by mentioning successes in examinations - 84% of A level grades were at A or B, and at GCSE 30% of pupils achieved A* or A grades. She was however eager to point out that examination success was not the only measure of  achievement.  It was particularly fitting that the splendid new Creative and Performing Arts Centre had been completed and opened in the school's special anniversary year.

Year 10 went on an enjoyable excursion to The Clothes Show Live in Birmingham at the end of term. On arrival at the NEC the girls had the opportunity to look at hundreds of stalls with goods ranging from shoes, cosmetics, clothing and accessories to hair extensions!

Hilary Alexander, the Daily Telegraph's fashion editor, compèred a fabulous catwalk show, highlighting work from current top designers, including John Galliano.

The main event was the show-casing of designs in the Fashion Theatre introduced by Clothes Show veteran presenter Caryn Franklin. At the start of the show the audience was treated to a performance by current chart topping group "The Saturdays". The girls were then wowed by the lighting, graphics, music and performance of the dancers and models as each section of the show was set against and linked by the magical background theme of "Cinderella". This will, no doubt, provide excellent inspiration for the Art Department's own annual catwalk show with a chance to link music, photography, dance and design. All in all this was an event to remember.

Sixth Form Art and Photography Students had a very inspiring experience in London this November. They were given the opportunity to visit both the ‘Renaissance Faces’ exhibition at the National Gallery and the ‘Annie Leibovitz’ exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Additionally photography students visited the Photographer’s Gallery on Great Newport Street. It was a great opportunity for all students to collect research, take photographs, make sketches and develop their own ideas.