Happy New Year from Airlie
14 February 2025 - Airlie
As the first Half Term of 2025 is coming to an end, we take a moment to look back on the exciting and memorable activities that have brought joy to Airlie. From creative crafts to delicious meals and new traditions, it’s been a whirlwind of joy and laughter. We’re thrilled to share a few of the highlights from our recent weeks.
Puzzle Night and Puzzle Making
What better way to unwind after a busy week than with fun and relaxing puzzle nights? Our pupils gather in the Drawing Room to collaborate on intricate puzzles. It’s always a wonderful opportunity to unwind, engage in great conversation, and challenge themselves. Seeing the impressive creations come together is truly rewarding—a perfect blend of focus, teamwork, and relaxation that brings our community closer.
Hot Pot and Chinese New Year Crafts
This Half Term, we celebrated the arrival of Chinese New Year with a delicious hot pot meal that brought warmth and excitement to the House. It was a chance to enjoy traditional dishes while learning about the significance of the holiday. The creativity continued with Chinese New Year crafts, where our students crafted lanterns, dragons, and beautiful paper decorations, transforming Airlie into a vibrant celebration space.
Greek Salad & Toasties
Food always brings us together in Airlie, and this Half Term we continue with our beloved Greek Salad and Toastie nights! Preparing the Greek salad is almost as much fun as eating it! The girls love chopping the fresh ingredients—though there’s always a friendly debate over who gets to slice the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. A special touch comes from the high-quality olive oil we use, kindly provided by one of our pupils from Italy, and the oregano that Dr Tsaknaki brings from Greece, making our salads even more authentic and delicious.
Toastie nights are just as popular, with everyone getting creative with their combinations. A highlight is always the variety of sauces our wonderful Matron provides. Whether it’s a fresh, vibrant salad or a warm, melty toastie, these meals continue to be a cherished part of House life!
Waffle Wednesday – A Sweet New Tradition!
We were excited to introduce a brand-new tradition to our weekly activities this Half Term – Waffle Wednesday! Every Wednesday, our pupils have the chance to indulge in freshly made waffles, topped with a variety of delicious toppings, from whipped cream and fresh fruit to chocolate sauce and syrup. It’s been a sweet success so far, and we can’t wait to see this new tradition continue.
Weekend Activities
Weekends at Airlie are filled with excitement and plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. Every Saturday, we look forward to receiving our hamper, packed with snacks and fun activities. One of our favourites recently was the Chinese New Year hamper, which came full of delicious mochi balls, Chinese crackers, fortune cookies, and other delightful treats. It was a perfect way to celebrate the occasion together.
Last weekend, we had a blast when Airlie and Campbell came together for an unforgettable karaoke night! The energy was high, and the laughs were endless as we sang our hearts out. Another weekend highlight has been our baking sessions, where we’ve whipped up everything from gooey blondies to indulgent millionaire’s shortbread.
Outside of the House, many of our girls have been on exciting trips—some attended Percy Jackson the Musical, others had a thrilling time at Flip Out, and a few went to the Ballet Shoes theatre trip. With so much going on, weekends at Airlie are always filled with laughter and fun.
House Games
This term, the Airlie team have been playing various sports in the Monday afternoon co-curricular activities. Our Volleyball team had a strong start to this term with quite a few wins, and the Netball team has fought bravely against some tough opposition all in preparation for House Funals just before Long Leave. Some girls have also had the opportunity to try Climbing and Squash which has been enjoyable. Overall, this Half Term has been filled with lots of Sport, and we are all looking forward to Sports Day in the Summer Term.
Katie – House Captain
A message from our House Tutor
Our lovely LIVs have settled into Senior House life brilliantly and are embracing all the opportunities on offer in Airlie. This term began with a highly anticipated Tutor Outing, where they braced the freezing cold weather to grab an indulgent Starbucks breakfast before Saturday lessons. Drink choices ranged from Strawberry Açai Refreshers to Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino!
Another highlight was our LIV Airlie Friday Night Takeover. Most year groups were out of House at School events or on trips, so we decided to raid the kitchen cupboards for popcorn and have a Mario Kart Tournament! Nobody believed me when I said I was “pretty good”. Iselda was declared “the one to beat”, and Raji gave me a real run for my money, but I am relieved to announce that I’ve still got it.
Miss Pemberton – House Tutor and LIV Tutor
As we look ahead to next Half Term, there’s so much to be excited about! With the days growing longer and with (hopefully) brighter weather on the way, we can’t wait to make the most of the changing season. A particular highlight on the horizon is our much-anticipated House Outing to Benihana in London—a chance to enjoy delicious food, experience the fun of teppanyaki dining, and create even more unforgettable memories together. We’re looking forward to all the adventures yet to come!
We look forward to many more shared moments of laughter, creativity, and friendship in the months to come.
Warm regards,
The Airlie House Team