The Hallifordian - 2016-2017

43 What Halliford means to me The prospect of being a girl at an all-boys school was initially quite daunting to me. In truth, I think all the new female students felt the same. However, being privately introduced to the other girls beforehand proved to be a real benefit and it was very comforting to know that within the first few weeks during the ‘set- tling’ period that even though you were still in the process of making new friends, you’d still be a part of a group. There were plenty of teachers who invested a lot of time in making sure we felt comfortable and were socialising with the boys. The initial dynamic was quite unsettling. I had come from a mixed school and so being part of a minority was a shock. However, in those first few weeks you definitely have to be quite reliant on your fellow girl-friends. The boys, on the other hand, didn’t seem abashed by anything at all! While all the boys were lovely and very polite, there was something of a barrier there initially. And it soon became clear that we ladies had to break down their defences! After a while though, you just become another member of the Sixth Form and everything settles down nicely. Halliford is a small school, and although it’s very sweet to be a part of such a close community you soon discover that nothing stays se- cret for long! At this point in time I’m incredibly happy here and it almost feels as if I’ve been in the Sixth Form for years! I’ve made good friends and am a part of the community. The teach- ers are always more than willing to help in any way they can whether it be on personal subjects or difficulty with tasks, and I’m looking forward to whatever Year 13 may bring! Isabelle Hardy, Year 12 Halliford School local support in the community: Manor Mead Manor Mead is a primary school for children with severe and complex learning difficulties or an autistic spectrum disorder. At Halliford Sixth Form we have the opportunity to volunteer at the school and help out the busy tutors and mentors that take care of the children there. The experience is arranged by the school Pre- fect in charge of the community relationships. This year Alex Waddell was tasked with arranging all the visits to Manor Mead and ensuring that there were always 6 - 8 Sixth Formers to attend the weekly vis- its. This can be a nightmare to arrange with all of the many events that are on at Halliford School. In addi- tion to this, Alex needed to organise transport to en- sure that the students could get to Manor Mead. It is exceptionally important that we do not let the school down as it disrupts the pupils patterns at Manor Mead and can be very disconcerting for them. At the school, we were able to see the amaz- ing, specialised learning systems in place, and we were also able to interact one on one with the pu- pils by playing games and reading them stories. It was a fulfilling and joyful experience and the chil- dren were very welcoming and pleased to see new faces. We were assigned several responsibilities like watching and joining in with outdoor play, keep- ing the lunch room clean and reading stories, which gave us just a glimpse into the tutors’ and children’s everyday routine, which although remains much the same, is still highly interactive and fun. Did I enjoy it? At first it was daunting but the children win you over very quickly. Is it worthwhile? Absolutely. Charlotte Worrell, Year 12