Harpur

Houses

The great American industrialist, Henry Ford, once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” This quote is particularly true for any House, a new cohort of which comes together in September for a new academic year, and has to stay together and work in collaboration throughout the year in order to achieve results. I am delighted to say that Harpur did just that, and this review will outline what fantastic successes we had.

The covid restrictions, which had blighted us for the previous two years, ravaged on, and, sadly, we could not meet as a House for assemblies for significant periods of the school year. Yet, the boys maintained a wonderful collective community spirit throughout the year, which was a credit to all Harpur boys.

In the Autumn Term, we recorded great results in House Table Tennis, coming first in Years 7 and 8, and second in Year 6. This was followed by a victory for the Year 7 team in the Swimming Relays, and on the rugby field, our Year 5 team came out victorious, and our Year 6 and 8 teams were a gallant second place. The end of term results also showed that our Year 8 book readers had come out on top, as had our Year 3, Year 7 and Year 8 boys for Future Skills Merits.

More successes were to come in the Spring Term, beginning with a victory for our Year 5 Badminton team. We then really ‘hit our stride’ with the School Runs, where we recorded first place in Years 3, 4 and 6, as well as second place in Years 5 and 8. This was a tremendous collective effort, and it boded well for Sports Day (more of which to follow later). Away from the sporting arena, our Year 3 boys won their General Knowledge competition, and our Year 5 and 6s achieved commendable second places. Our Year 4 and 5 book readers came top this term, as did our Year 3 boys for Future Skills Merits. Sadly, covid, once again, robbed us of the spectacle of the House Singing competition in the Great Hall, but the prospect of holding this event again next year is something to whet the appetite. However, the highlight of our term, and a wonderful consolation to behold, was the whole School surrounding the astro to witness and loudly cheer on the House Pancake Race, which the Harpur team, consisting of boys from all year groups, won for the second consecutive year. It was a ‘flipping marvellous’ occasion, indeed!

The Summer Term welcomed further Harpur successes, with first and second place for our Year 6 and 8 Squash teams respectively, and we also achieved wonderful second place in both the House Music and

HARPUR HOUSE REPORT

WORDS BY

Mr Andrew Whitbread,

Harpur Housemaster

House Art competitions. This was followed by first places for our Year 4 boys in Poetry Recitation, and our Year 3 boys in the Poetry Writing competition. Many congratulations to all those boys who took part in these contests, and also achieved individual victories. In fact, our Year 3 boys also won the Handwriting competition, and they followed this up at the end of term by claiming a hat trick of Future Skills Merits total wins. It is safe to say that the future of the House is in good

Wicket fun at the Big Harpur Bowling Bonanaza!

hands in the years to come. Our cricketers across the House also did us proud, winning in Year 6, and coming second in Year 3 and in both the Year 7 and 8 A and B teams. We also carded a solid second place in the House Golf competition. The end of the term also saw us claim firsts in the Year 8 book reading, and in the Year 6 Future Skills Merits totals.

Fittingly, I have left the best highlights of the term, and of the whole year, to the end. Firstly, the House Drama day was a new venture, with every member of the House throwing themselves wholeheartedly into a wide variety of tasks in preparation for the performance in the evening. The whole day was a brilliant event, and the boys showed fantastic enthusiasm and support for each other in all they tackled. Our Marketing and Music teams gained a commendable second place for their efforts, and our Acting team were rightly awarded first place for their superb ensemble performance in ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’. Advik Mishra was also the recipient of the ‘Most Promising Actor’ prize. Being with them from the first read-through of their scripts in the morning until their evening performance, I witnessed at close hand the wonderful joy and commitment the actors displayed for the whole process. I was particularly delighted for our director, Mrs Loader, who led the boys with amazing skill and energy; a huge thanks to her for all her efforts on the day. Captains Harry Howlett and Alex Turner, Music and Drama Captains Ollie Quince and Aryan Sohanpal, Charity Captains Emir Kendrick and Noah Southwell. They have been magnificent role models for all boys in the House to look up to. I also remain the luckiest Housemaster for having the best team of tutors in the Prep School, and I have been most grateful for everything they have done to help and support me and the boys this year.

Sadly, we must say goodbye to two of our tutors, who move on to take up new roles in the school. Firstly, we say goodbye to Madame Chaillou-Kindred, who becomes Bunyan Housemaster. She has been a tremendous tutor, with such wonderful fundraising and charitable ideas, and this year she organised a foodbank collection for the Prebend Day Centre for the homeless members of our community, as well as a plant swap raising funds for Men in Sheds Bedford. We wish her well (but not too much success!) in her new role. We also say goodbye to Miss Goodman, who takes up a Senior Leadership role, including Senior Housemaster. She has also been a superb tutor, who has always gone out of her way to offer her help and support, most notably earlier this year when I was absent from school. I know she will lead the House System in the Prep School with great assuredness and enthusiasm.

My second Summer Term highlight was the fabulous ‘Big Harpur Bowling Bonanza’, our main Harpur Charity fundraiser, which took place on the penultimate Friday of term. Run by our wonderful team of House Officers and Prefects, boys from across the school came to bowl at wickets on the astro to win individual prizes but, more importantly, raise funds for our chosen charity, ‘Men in Sheds Bedford’. In just over an hour, we had raised £325, which was a fantastic amount in such a short time. Added to this, we have also so far raised £220 on our JustGiving page, and a huge thanks to all who have contributed to this very worthy local cause.

The third Summer Term highlight was, as always, the School Sports Day at Bedford Track, and the boys of Harpur brought home a famous victory! Every single boy contributed to this stellar performance, and, as we are every year, our boys supported each other with the most vocal cheering and chanting from the stands; I am convinced this gives our competing boys that extra 10% which helps swing things our way. Long may that continue!

And so, another action-packed and successful year comes to an end. I want to thank my excellent team of House Officers for all their hard work and dedication throughout the year: House Captain Leo Mathew, Vice Captain Lewis Noble, Sports

Harpur House with their flag flying in the background