8th October 2020 — Portsmouth High School, GDST, are delighted to announce that Lowena Hull, 18, from the Class of 2020, has been shortlisted for The Women of the Future awards in the Young Star category.

The Women of the Future Awards celebrates women who are ‘moving the needles’ in their sectors with their leadership and challenging stereotypes. The shortlist features playwrights, an environment activist and a creator of hyper-realistic artificial voices.

Lowena, now at Cambridge University studying Physical Natural Sciences with modules in maths, chemistry, physics, and materials science, said:

‘I am absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for these prestigious awards, alongside some other amazing women role models. Combining my disciplines with experience in programming, I am hoping to work for an organisation such as the UK Space Agency. I believe that by partnering science with satellite data and technology, significant advances can be made in addressing the key issues facing humanity in the future, both globally and locally. I have completed several practical projects in the space-related field, including two ‘Astro Pi’ competitions, with ESA and the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and my winning entry for the UK Space Agency ‘SatelLife’ Competition. Alongside this, I will continue with my volunteering: mentoring girls in STEM through online workshops and presentations and promoting the importance of girls being able to experience technology from a young age.

‘Using media and by being an active role-model in the field, I hope to continue to inspire others. I am also looking forward to returning to volunteering in person at my local Raspberry Jam. I am always keen to attempt new things, often in areas with which I am unfamiliar, using the experiences both positive and negative to improve and learn. I am passionate about inspiring other girls to ‘have a go’, even if the outcome is not what you expect, it will always provide invaluable opportunities to discover and grow.’

Gareth Bethell, Senior Communications Officer, UK Space Agency said:

‘All of us at the UK Space Agency were blown away by Lowena when she was the overall winner of our SatelLife Competition in 2019, which asks young people to come up with ideas on how satellites can be used to improve life on Earth. Not only was her entry a fantastic idea and a worthy winner but she proved to be brilliant at communicating her idea with knowledge, enthusiasm and confidence. Since winning the competition Lowena has been a fantastic advocate, encouraging other young people to take part and we are confident she has an exciting career ahead of her in whatever she chooses to do.’

Headmistress of Portsmouth High School, Mrs Jane Prescott, added:

‘Lowena is passionate about promoting the profile of girls in STEM, not only on a local, but also a national scale. She is a volunteer with the Young Scientists Journal, teaches children at her local Raspberry Pi coding club and taught girls here at school. During the pandemic, she has given her time to help run online technology meetups for girls in STEAM across the south. Lowena inspired girls in the school and in the wider community by being an active and enthusiastic role model in STEM.’

The full shortlist can be viewed here https://awards.womenofthefuture.co.uk/our-alumni-category/2020/

All shortlisted candidates become part of the Women of the Future Network and will be invited to events. The judging takes place this week and winners announced in October.

20th August 2020 — Girls at Portsmouth High School GDST were celebrating this morning after receiving their GCSE results. These were based on teacher-assessed grades (CAGs); that is, the grade Portsmouth High School estimated was the grade they would most likely have achieved in their examination should they have sat it and an algorithm grade if it was higher.

‘It’s been a very challenging year for our GCSE students but they are a resilient and fearless cohort and we are sure they will go on to achieve great things in their Sixth Form years,’ said Headmistress, Jane Prescott.

‘Awarding students their teacher-assessed grades or algorithm if higher, though not without its challenges, is now the fairest solution and the only way out of the gridlock in which so many students and teachers found themselves.

‘Although examinations were cancelled the school continued with online learning throughout the COVID pandemic. Guided Home Learning, with a full time-table for the girls became the norm with registration at the normal time and lessons throughout the day. This means our students have been able, for the most part, to learn their usual subjects with familiar teachers, in the interests of their social and mental wellbeing as much as for academic progress. Continued teaching from those who know their students well has provided stability and structure.’

Annalee Macfarlane, 16, was awarded a string of 9 grades and two A*s. She opened her results live on BBC Radio Solent at 8.00am this morning alongside her father.

‘I am so happy after all the roller-coast ride of the last few weeks,’ she said. ‘I am absolutely delighted with my grades and am looking forward to studying A Levels at Portsmouth High School in mathematics, physics and chemistry. I’m off now for a picnic on the beach with my friends and will celebrate with family tonight.’

Her father, Mr Steve Macfarlane, added:

‘We are enormously proud of Annalee. We are so proud of the person that she has become and delighted with her results.’

Holly Love, 16, with all 8s, 9s and A*s, said:

‘It has been a pretty good day after a very shaky morning. It is looking like a bright afternoon though and am so looking forward to taking A Levels here in English Literature, History and Psychology.’

Chilli Hassanyeh, 16, with 9s, 8s a 7 and 2 A*s was off to Cambridge for the weekend.

‘I couldn’t quite believe my results when I opened them. I am so pleased and excited to be coming back for Sixth Form to take Latin, Spanish and English Literature A Levels. I’m off for a violin lesson now and then to Cambridge for the weekend.’

Anisa Rahman Choudhury, 16, added some counsel to the next year’s cohort:

‘My advice would be to start working and revising early on.’

Mrs Jane Prescott, added: We are delighted that our students have this clarity as they start their Sixth Form studies; our staff can now focus on the safe reopening of school next month.’

13th August 2020 — Despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding this year’s A Level results, it has been another tremendously successful year at Portsmouth High School GDST.

‘This year’s cohort are going to feel cheated as they didn’t have a chance to sit an exam,’ said Headmistress Mrs Jane Prescott. ‘However, they have all secured places at their choice of university including: Cambridge, Bristol, Exeter and Staffordshire.

Lowena Hull, 18, achieved 4 A*s and is heading for Cambridge to read Natural Sciences.

‘I am very excited about university and thrilled with my results,’ said Lowena. ‘It has been interesting working through a pandemic, trying to keep my brain working and remaining motivated. I started looking at university content and looking ahead to the work I will be doing in my first year.’

Head of Sixth Form, Mr Rob Smith, said:

‘The key to Portsmouth High School's A-level success was a programme of pre-university courses and seminars rolled out for pupils. It was devised in a bid to focus the energy pupils would have used for revision, in a proactive bid to prepare them for further education. The initiative brought more than 1,000 students together from across the Girls' Day School Trust.’

Olivia Cross, 17, is on her way to Staffordshire University to study games design.

'My family is full of engineers and I've always been fascinated by the mechanics of video games,’ said Olivia. 'This is a way of combining those two things and learning about how games are designed and what makes them fun.'

Olivia hopes to spearhead her own indie games company one day but said scoring experience at firms like Fortnite creators Epic Games and Rockstar - the makers of the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series - would be a dream come true.

Marcy Lea, 18, is off to Brighton and Sussex Medical School to read medicine.

'I'm glad it's over and I feel very relieved today,’ she said. ‘This year has brought a different kind of stress. I've done a lot of exercise to take my mind off it, I did paint by numbers and I've gone for walks - that's pretty much it!'

Mrs Prescott, Headmistress of Portsmouth High School added:

‘This has been an A Level results day like never before. Despite a challenging year we are delighted that the girls have got a place at their choice of university. This is just the beginning on an exciting journey for them.’

13th August 2020 — Lowena Hull, 18, a pupil from Portsmouth High School GDST, is celebrating today with a tremendous set of A level results. Lowena received four A*s and has proven why she has been earmarked as a ‘rising star’ in the area of girls in STEM. As one of the UK’s ‘inspiring juniors’, she was invited to speak on the impact of AI on the future of work to 6000 delegates at the World AI Summit in Amsterdam and is now Cambridge bound to read Natural Sciences.

At 13, Lowena won the National Astro Pi competition, programming a Raspberry Pi computer to operate as an MP3 player on the International Space Station. It was tested by Major Tim Peake whom she met after presenting her entry at the Principia Space Conference.

Last year Lowena won the individual prize of the UK Space Agency SatelLife competition with her device designed to track abandoned supermarket trollies. She has since been in talks with a major supermarket about how to implement the device.

‘I am very excited about university and thrilled with my results,’ said Lowena. ‘It has been interesting working through a pandemic, trying to keep my brain working and remaining motivated. I started looking at university content and looking ahead to the work I will be doing in my first year.’

‘We are extremely proud of Lowena, and all the other girls receiving their results today,’ said Headmistress, Mrs Jane Prescott. ‘It has been an extraordinary year for this cohort but Lowena continues to be passionate about promoting the profile of girls in STEM, not only on a local, but also a national scale. She is a volunteer with the Young Scientists Journal, teaches children at her local Raspberry Pi coding club and, during the pandemic, she has given her time to help run online technology meetups for girls in STEAM across the south.’

6th July 2020 — Portsmouth High School were delighted to welcome back the Year 11 girls before they make their transition into Sixth Form in September.

The girls returned for a ‘socially distanced’ assembly given by the Headmistress, Mrs Jane Prescott, before enjoying ice cream treats with their friends.

‘It is so wonderful to see you all,’ said Mrs Prescott. ‘Although circumstances are very strange we have spent the last months busy with guided home learning for you all, introducing you to Sixth Form teaching and submitting your grades which we will be excited to share with you on Results Day in August.’

Mrs Prescott ended her talk with the words to Bridge Over Troubled Water;

‘Sail on silver girl

Sail on by

Your time has come to shine

All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine

Oh, if you need a friend

I'm sailing right behind’

Thalia Burke, 16, was excited to be back in school even for a short time:

‘It was a big build up to GCSEs and we had already started lots of the revision so there was an element of disappointment, particularly not being able to do my final piece of art work. However, there is now no exam stress and I am really excited about returning to Sixth Form. We have been doing lots of pre-A Level lessons and I am taking music, geography and psychology with a plan to read psychology at university.’

Madeleine Oliver, 16, added:

‘It was at first a little disappointing not to be sitting our GCSEs but I am now happy that we will all get the grades we deserve and have spent the time really usefully doing pre-A level lessons in geography, biology and economics. I am also really looking forward to Sixth Form, Sixth Form House and taking the subjects that I really enjoy.’

Nabila Choudhury also 16, said:

‘It was frustrating not to be able to sit our exams as I was really hoping to improve my mock results. Now I am fine and excited to be focussing on mathematics, chemistry and physics at A Level. I have really missed the classroom so will eagerly look forward to coming back in September.’

6th July 2020 — Portsmouth High School were delighted that Amelie Van Gelder, a Year 8 pupil, was announced the secondary school winner of the Stem Clubs Week 2020 competition organised by Stem Learning.

Stem Learning is the largest provider of education and careers support in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). They work with schools, colleges and others working with young people across the UK.

The theme this year for Stem Clubs Week was sustainability. It was an ideal opportunity in science lessons to encourage girls to enter the competition as an extension to their outstanding Year 8 enrichment day projects they have completed on ‘Can we stop climate change?’

‘For the challenge we had to design a sustainable city which is one of the things that you must do as a surveyor, which is my dream job,’ said Amelie, 13. ‘I dreamt up VanAm; a flourishing city that is filled with rooftop farms and a canal that runs through. When I found out that I had won, I was over the moon. It was my Birthday so that was the icing on the cake. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and am excited to enter next year’s competition.’

Ms Jemima Gibson from Design Club, who announced Amelie as the winner, commended Amelie for her outstanding achievement.

‘She has put tremendous effort into her sustainable city using creativity, ingenuity, sustainability & following the brief to include clean air, clean water, sewage, energy and transport.’

Mrs Stockton-Chalk, physics teacher, added:

‘I couldn’t be more proud of Amelie. She has put tremendous effort into her sustainable city and we are delighted for her that she won this award.’