I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. Douglas Adams EVERY PROJECT HAS ITS HORROR story, however, in such a case, it is customary that the storm should come after the calm; I am afraid we had no such luck.

To be thrown into the storm that was a delayed start is probably not one of the first things you want to find out when embarking on editing a magazine – especially one which is due to be finished within a couple of months. At the time we had no idea how we would achieve so much in such a short amount of time. Discussions were made about various time saving mechanisms; cutting down the number of pages; more pictures and less writing; anything which might stop this project from falling through our fingers and landing with the clunk of a lead balloon.

However, a JAGS girl is not to be underestimated and therefore, a whole troop of JAGS girls could surely exceed any estimation that would be made. In the end, not only did our horror story run away whimpering with its tail between its legs, but we actually surpassed what we had intended to accomplish. It just goes to show you can’t put a limit on what JAGS girls can do; and as editors of the magazine we encountered this every time we read an article. The sheer amount achieved in a year by girls throughout the school is demonstrated by the fact we couldn’t even fit everything in without making it a veritable health hazard.

Inspired by this, we decided that the theme of this magazine had to be ‘Beyond’; a concept which resonates with so much at this present time. Not only is this in celebration of the JAGS attitude but also reflects the changes made to the magazine this year. What really made the magazine such a joy to work on this year was the fact we had so much freedom to change it. This new found liberty and a chance to break into ‘Technicolour’ was exhilarating and a real chance to exercise our creativity with the design of the layout. However, we know this is just the beginning of change and therefore, looking Beyond and into the future, I hope the ideas continue to evolve with the magazine and every year there is progress as progress is the closest we can ever get to perfection.

Francesca Chen – Editor 

Omnia mutantur, nihil interit  - All things change, nothing perishes - Ovid, Metamorphoses

NEARING THE END OF HIS LIFE, Harold Macmillan gave a short speech at a private dinner party. He began, seated and in a faltering voice punctuated by long pauses he said, ‘Adam,... when leaving the Garden of Eden in circumstances... not entirely propitious,... turned to Eve and said,...“Don’t worry my dear,... we are living in a time of transition.”’ Then, standing and speaking in a full, firm and resolute tone, Macmillan thundered, ‘And gentlemen, we have been ever since.’

Some of us will soon be leaving the Eden of JAGS, some of us will have recently entered it, others will be embarking on GCSEs or A levels; all of us and the world about us are in ‘transition’. It is good to know that this has always been and will always be the case, for to change is to be alive. It has been a great honour to edit the school magazine this year and I’m extremely grateful for the team effort that has made it possible.

 Louise Gammon – Editor