SEPTEMBER 2015 - FEBRUARY 2016
College Connection
2015 CAP Award for the College Catering Team The College have won a major national catering award for a record fifth consecutive year, making it the first school in the UK to claim the top prize five times. The CAP (Continuous Advancement Programme) Awards recognise excellence in catering andare regarded as the highest measure of quality, safe best practices and service.
won this prestigious award again, to be the only school in the UK to have won five on the trot is an incredible achievement. “Preparing and cooking delicious, nutritious food is very important to us at the College. There’s a definite link between an excellent diet, learning success and wellbeing and those results are clear to see in our thriving community. “A big thank you to everyone in the Catering Team, and well done on your record win!”
Award inspectors were so impressed by what they saw, and tasted, that two dishes were crowned the best ever on a school menu. Ian Jackson, Managing Director of the CAP Awards, said the catering service and staff were standout winners: “I can honestly say the lasagne and cauliflower cheese were probably the best dishes I have tasted in a school, absolutely superb. “To win a Gold Award five years on the bounce is an incredible achievement and great news for all the staff and pupils who get to eat there everyday!” More than 30 pupils and teachers gave verbal feedback during the inspection giving the food a resounding thumbs up. Inspectors were also impressed by recent investments the College has made in the kitchen and dining room facilities and the ambition the Catering Team demonstrates in trying new styles of cooking and presentation. Headmaster Jeremy Gladwin praised the Catering Team, led by Gary Law: “I’m absolutely delighted that Gary and his team have
Alliott House Alliott Parents were invited in to see the marvellous transformation that is now Alliott House following the Carol Service in December. There will be an Official Opening in the Spring Term, but here is a glimpse of the inside.
Meet Mrs Daly In September Mrs Jane Daly was welcomed as the new Assistant Head, Pastoral.
Robert Pearce House In September we suffered a devastating fire in Robert Pearce House. Thankfully the well-drilled House managed a remarkable 3 minute evacuation and staff and pupils were safe, however the House suffered greatly. The College was overwhelmed by the strength and support offered by the community. As one of our parents posted on our Facebook
page....”just picking my son up and glimpsed the remains of RPH... just bricks and mortar, but the heart of that building still beats as everyone is safe.” During the restoration and rebuild of Robert Pearce House, the RPH community have been temporarily housed. The prefabricated Portakabin structure was craned into place over the Christmas holidays and will be ready for the boys to move into by the end of February.
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Inspire Malawi In September, the whole College charity day was in support of Inspire Malawi. 11 Sixth Formers will be travelling to Malawi in March where they will help to refurbish a primary school in Mlanda, including providing new equipment and resources. The aim is to create a more inspiring learning and teaching environment for the local children. The College community spent the day showing their love and support for another community many miles away in another continent and spreading the Inspire Malawi message. Pupils and staff were invited to “dress down” in the charity’s colours which included lots of white and some varying shades of green. Morning assemblies included pupil presentations to different parts of the College: 14 Year 2 children from Pre-Prep read, sang and lead nearly
600 Senior School pupils and staff in prayer in the Memorial Hall; the Sixth Formers flying to Malawi shared their plans with an enthralled Prep School, and members of the Prep School Fairtrade committee spoke to Pre-Prep about the work Inspire Malawi do. Mr Morris, the College Chaplain commented, ‘the confidence exhibited by all the presenters was exceptional and greatly appreciated by each audience.’ The biggest challenge was the whole College photo mission: during lunchtime nearly 1300 children and adults crouched in a designated spot as the drone (operated by Overshoot-photos) rose into the sky and captured the College recreating the Inspire Malawi logo. This aerial photo was for sale, however fundraising continued with sponsored litter picks, selling strawberries and cream at the College’s picnic concert and jars of honey produced by the College bees.
Prep School Charity Day This year Prefects have chosen Herts Air Ambulance as the Prep School charity. Of course a fundraising cake sale is always popular, however it was the Prep School’s Super Hero fancy dress that filled the campus with a new, super energy. Herts Air Ambulance is a charity providing a free life-saving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. The speed with which the Air Ambulance Doctors & Paramedics can reach a patient, identify and administer processes to slow, halt or even reverse the effects of a life threatening injury, is crucial in helping to save the patient and return them to full health. The Herts Air Ambulance staff and crew are considered heroes in their own right and were the inspiration for Prep School (and some of their teachers) to assume a new, super-charged identity for the day.
Sport Relief Charity Pre-Prep have chosen Sport Relief as their charity. In February, pupils were asked to come to College as a sporting person from a book, combining their chosen charity with a celebration of the College’s Festival of Literature. Pre-Prep staff are also getting involved they are preparing for Sainsbury’s Sport Relief 3 mile race on 20th March at Grange Paddocks.
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The History of Television Sit-Com In September the first Ferguson Lecture of the year was given by Dick Fiddy. Dick is a Television Consultant at the British Film Institute who also used to be a TV comedy writer. As Co-ordinator of the ‘Missing Believed Wiped’ programme, he has been responsible for the recovery of crucial episodes of well-loved programmes including Steptoe and Son, Doctor Who and Dad’s Army. He took the audience on a thoroughly entertaining and informative journey through part of the ‘British way of life’. He considered the situation comedy from Hancock to the present day, and talked about live television through to the age of blue screens and tricks.
Raptor Foundation In November, Lower Shell visited the Raptor Foundation to get up close and personal with some wonderful birds – they learnt about eagles, hawks, owls and falcons. The pupils loved getting a kookaburra to mimic their giggles, stroking a tawny owl’s
Inspired Geography
tummy and finding bones and skulls when dissecting owl pellets. The day ended with a flying display and pupils were in awe of the graceful birds in flight; Mrs Brooks commented, ‘the pupils were highly engaged in the day and very well behaved, well done Lower Shell! Thank you to the parents who gave up their time to help us.’
Pre-Prep ICT
In November, Mr Drury gave an Inspired Horizons Lecture on the Iconographies of Urban Landscapes. He spoke about Paris, Berlin and Cairo, offering new insights into the cities we wander as tourists. He also challenged our knowledge of a cityscape like Paris, somewhere which is so familiar as it’s often depicted on stage and screen such as in Les Miserables. The lecture was insightful and touched on topics from geography to politics.
Pre-Prep’s ICT classes are going really well, under the supervision of Mrs Windley. Here is Year 1 and Year 2 working hard…
Iconography on the grand scale…Paris
St Basil’s Cathedral beside the Kremlin
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Library House Challenge In November, each Prep School House was allocated a continent: Newbury had Africa, Monk-Jones were looking at Asia, South America was Grimwade’s and Westfield focused on Europe. The pupils made some fantastic posters, and the display cabinets were overflowing with relevant books and artefacts.
The challenge enabled collaboration with other subjects; the Maths department collaboration led to a topical Top Trumps competition and pupils played the anthems they had composed to represent their continent in a lunchtime recital. In particular, some stunning works were crafted in Design & Technology to represent their continents which were proudly displayed in the library.
Senior School Youth Speaks In November, the Bishop’s Stortford Rotary Club’s annual Senior Youth Speaks Competition was held in the Ferguson Lecture Theatre. The College’s two teams competed against two teams from the High School, one team from Hockerill Anglo-European School and one team from St. Nicholas School. Each team made a presentation on a topic of their choice. The chairperson had two minutes to introduce it, then the main speaker had 6 minutes to speak on the topic before being asked a question by a member of the audience. This was followed by a two minute ‘vote of thanks’ from the third member of the team. The College teams consisted of Caitlin Mahoney (chair) Ryan Slowe (main speaker) and Elizabeth Francis (vote of thanks) who spoke on the topic of ‘Drugs, Anatomy and Rock and Roll’, and Heather Collier (chair), Ella Stephens (main speaker) and Ben Russell (vote of thanks) who made a presentation on the problems of social media entitled ‘Alone Together’.
The Jam Doughnut that Ruined My Life! In October, the Prep School discovered how a doughnut can ruin your life thanks to author Mark Lowery. He spoke about the importance of ‘the hook’, creating tension, portraying characters with empathy, and creating a fast-paced plot line. Mrs Pike, Prep School Librarian, said ‘Mark was impressed by observations from the book club readers and the imagination demonstrated in the two masterclass writing sessions he gave as pupils penned their own deadly doughnuts stories. A fabulous morning full of fun and energy was rounded off perfectly - with jam doughnuts!’
Mr Woodhouse commented, ‘both teams made brilliant presentations. The chairpersons’ introductions were both informative and good humoured. The main speeches were outstanding, Ryan speaking without notes, and Ella captivating her audience with real personality. The votes of thanks rounded off the presentations in a thoroughly efficient manner.’ Our Sixth Form team won the competition, and the Lower Fifth Formers came second (only one point behind).
In the Kitchen Pre-Prep have been doing lots of cooking during the Autumn Term including crumble, cookies and sausage rolls!
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The College’s Festival of Literature returned in February for its seventh year with another exciting line up. Performance poet Sara Hirsch received rave reviews – Herts & Essex Observer Editor, Paul Winspear, described her as a ‘supreme talent’. Then Germaine Greer was characteristically thoughtprovoking, challenging her audience as anticipated. Saira Hamilton, MasterChef Semi-Finalist in 2013, launched her new cookery books, Chilli, Ginger and Garlic during the Festival. Audiences watched as Saira demonstrated the preparation of samosas, chicken biryani and a tarka dahl whilst feasting on them. Arthur Smith followed; singing, jokes and reading from his memoir My Name is Daphne Fairfax. Alastair Humphreys wowed his audience, including a troop of Cub Scouts, with some remarkable images and anecdotes from his epic four-year adventure cycling around the world. He championed the microadventure from jumping into a river to sleeping on a hill under the stars. Former College Headmaster, John Trotman, collaborated with the College’s Orchestra in an atmospheric evening of poetry and music in the College’s Memorial Hall. Author and Historian Julie Summers offered her audience a glimpse of WWII as she and her models showed off Fashion on The Ration. Then Sophie Hannah spoke with New Statesman Editor, Jason Cowley, about her standalone thriller, A Game for All the Family, and touched on her latest book… There was also plenty for College pupils to enjoy; an art class with Emily MacKenzie, Frank Cotterell Boyce and his Astounding Broccoli Boy as well as Charlie & Lola author Lauren Child. Local schools were also enthralled by the oratory talent of storyteller Ben Haggarty, and laughed hard with The 2 Steves and Kes Gray. The Festival would not have been possible without the support of our Festival Partners: Handlesbanken, Hutton Construction, Kinetics, London City Airport, Purbrooks and Savills. Thanks to the Friends for helping during the week, and to the Herts & Essex Observer for their extensive and continued coverage of all the events before, during and after the Festival.
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Harry Potter Night Coinciding with Harry Potter Book Nights across the globe, Prep School pupils dressed the part for a night of wizarding. The Prep School Hall had been transformed into Hogwarts. In the Potions Shop pupils created spellbinding bubbling, purple liquids they stirred in a cauldron under the instruction of the Potions Mistress. There was Diagon Alley and even a Dementor was lurking. Everyone enjoyed a game of Quidditch too. After the pupils had been put into Houses by the sorting hat, they competed in challenges including a wizarding worksheet and a potions quiz – Ravenclaw won by a narrow margin.
Literature Live 2016 Pupils at the College are fiercely proud of their Houses, and Literature Live is no exception. Prior to the final representatives from each House took part in the semi-finals; it was a wonderful evening where a variety of performances ignited the stage in all categories. The finalists then took to the stage during the Festival of Literature. In the Junior category, Harry Belton, Inez Parsell, Alex Francis and Lizzy Brace all read with confidence, connecting with their chosen text and bringing the words to life. In the intermediate round, a medley of voices sounded as students reading both comic and poetic pieces completely engaged their audience. The senior category was of an incredibly high standard and Becky Barribal, Poppy Brooks, Christina Radukic and Ryan
2016 Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award Lauren Child, author of the Charlie & Lola series, presented the award to illustrator Al Murphy for Kitchen Disco, written by Clare Foges. From a shortlist of 9 titles, 13 local primary and secondary schools took part this year and cast nearly 1500 votes in total Kitchen Disco was the clear winner receiving 41% of the votes. In second place was Richard Byrne’s This book just ate my dog and Emily MacKenzie came third with Wanted! Ralfy Rabbit, Book Burgler. Both authors were also present at the award ceremony. The College was delighted to welcome most of the shortlisted authors to the Award event including Julia Jarman (author of Lovely Old Lion), Helen and Thomas Docherty (author and illustrator of Abracazebra), Gemma Merino (author of The Cow who Climbed a Tree) and Rob Biddulph (author of Grrrrr!). Representatives from 10 of the voting schools came to see the results and thoroughly enjoyed readings from each of the
Land read their various different pieces with such conviction they rendered the audience speechless. Following a performance of his own, poet Daljit Nagra judged the final and announced the winners as: Junior: Lizzy Brace (Alliott House) with ‘A Case of Murder’ by Vernon Scannel Intermediate: Sophie Pickup, Emma Povey, Charlotte Neal, Katie Champion, Megan Thomas (Alliott House) with Saturday Night by Victoria Wood Senior: Ryan Land (Collett House) with Storm by Tim Minchin In assembly, the students performed their readings again and were awarded the various trophies by the Headmaster. Those who were left disappointed will have the chance to compete again next year and claim a victory for their House.
authors – it was a true celebration of picture books and was kindly sponsored by Handlesbanken. Cartoonist, and former teacher at the College, Simon Bailey created an unique Bishop’s Stortford College take on Clare’s Kitchen Disco. Librarian Maggie Garrett, who organised the Picture Book Award, said ‘I would like to thank the authors and illustrators who came along today and made it such a special occasion. Thanks too to all the children who voted and then came to see our award presentation.’
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Pre-Prep Caves… EPQ SHOWCASE Year 2 were making good use of their in-class-cave during the Autumn Term to display their caveman drawings as part of their history topic.
In January, nine Sixth Formers presented their Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) work to an audience of their peers, staff, parents and governors. In this exhibition style event guests were able to wander freely while the students introduced and discussed their work. The EPQ is an AS qualification that allows complete free rein to follow a particular passion, this year subjects ranged from Women in Mathematics to the Evolution of Language to the History of Swimwear. Students have had to demonstrate independence, as well as developing skills of research, IT competence, presentation and evaluation. All of these skills are not only vital for success at university but also will equip these young men and women for life beyond the classroom. Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Dickinson, commented that ‘enthusiasm for their chosen topics was abundantly evident and it was quite remarkable to see both the knowledge and confidence with which the students handled the evening.’
Prep School Ski Trip At the beginning of January, 53 Prep School pupils from Form One to Upper Third left Stansted Airport for the French Alps. Despite a few weeks of dismal skiing conditions in the region, the group arrived in a blizzard and set out on the first morning to ski on excellent powder. Everyone enjoyed some wonderful skiing and some great evening activities.
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Senior Debating Final
Prep School Travel to Madrid During the Autumn half term the Upper Third headed to Madrid for their first Spanish Trip. Pupils spent four days soaking up the atmosphere in the vibrant and historic capital. Based in the pedestrian heart of the city, pupils discovered their surroundings with a walking tour giving them glimpses into Madrid’s history. Taking their evening meals in a different restaurant every night the group sampled a wide range of Spanish cuisine including paella, tortilla and the famous jamón. The trip had a busy itinerary with iconic cultural highlights including a tour of Las Ventas – the most important bullfighting arena in Spain - and a visit to the Reina Sofia gallery to see Picasso’s “Guernica”, which Mrs Jones said ‘they found both moving and impressive’ the tour of Santiago Bernabeu stadium, home of Real Madrid football club gave pupils the opportunity to stand next to the pitch and walk through the players’ tunnel; something many will never forget!
In November the last Senior Debate took place with the Motion: “This House believes that the prison population of the UK must rise if crime is to be reduced”. Elizabeth Francis and Caitlin Mahoney of Young House proposed the Motion, with James Gregory and Ryan Slowe of Collett opposing. The debate was characterised by intelligent and well-researched comments which were warmly received by a packed library. Logical statements from the correlation between expanding population and the increased potential of crime, to consideration of rehabilitation and education resulted in a tough decision. The adjudicators, Mr Boulden, Mr Fulton and Mrs Dickinson, were bowled over by the confident approach of the speakers; they were completely engaged with their audience, and were well prepared to counter their opponents’ arguments. Congratulations to Young House on winning a tough debate.
Barleylands In October, Year 2 visited Barleylands Farm. They spent the morning making bread and butter then enjoyed tractor rides and feeding the animals in the afternoon.
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International Day of the Girl In October, a group of Prep School girls travelled to London to celebrate International Day of The Girl 2015. The Speed Mentoring on the London Eye was a great start to the day. The College girls had a dedicated pod along with seven mentors; the girls were prepared with questions based on a problem or challenge relating to education or career choices they personally felt important to discuss with their mentors. The aim was to ask the same questions of each mentor and gain a different perspective from each.
Mrs Sharman commented the girls ‘were engaging and all very well prepared for the meetings. Feedback from the mentors was amazingly positive and complimentary.” After their Speed Mentoring they went to the Royal Festival Hall for a welcome speech by Jude Kelly OBE and Gemma Cairney, BBC Radio 1 presenter. The girls were challenged by workshops and debates exploring issues effecting girls globally. Pupils were asked to stand up, be heard and to share their own views on positivity with others. Their comments speak for themselves: “This was an amazing day and I have come back inspired and motivated to achieve my dreams and not let anyone or anything stand in my way.”
Commemoration In recognition of Queen Elizabeth II as the longest reigning monarch, the children in Pre-Prep were all given a commemorative coin. Miss Callow commented ‘the children were delighted’.
Target 2.0: Students in the driving seat of the economy In November, the sixteenth annual Bank of England and The Times Interest Rate Challenge began. Like the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee, they were asked to consider many conflicting indicators in order to set monetary policy to meet the inflation target. Prospects for the UK economy remain at the centre of public debate with enormous interest shown in the Committee and its monthly decisions. Some 297 teams competed in one of 42 regional heats. The College team’s heat was on 18th November. They were tasked with analysing UK and global economic data and the possible impact on inflation and the economic outlook for the UK - just as the Monetary Policy Committee does each month. The team then had to decide if current monetary policy is appropriate or needs
to be adjusted to meet the 2.0 per cent inflation target set by the Government. In a presentation to a panel of Bank of England judges the team then explained their decision and justified it through their answers to questions from the panel - a process that also helped pupils to develop their teamwork and presentational skills. The College team received a commendation for their presentation – it was a very insightful and rewarding experience for Inka Pearson, Anton Bashkirov, Alex Pilcher and Krisite Overton.
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Lily’s Action! Against Bullying ITV’s This Morning announced a video competition as part of their Action! Against Bullying campaign in September when they revealed some shocking statistics on bullying among young people. Lower Sixth pupil Lily Lewin, who is studying Media as part of her A Level Course and wants to be a Film Producer, jumped at the chance to create a 60 second film on the subject.
Lily has not suffered from bullying herself but said, ‘It must be a terrible feeling, not to feel able to say anything, to speak out. Action! Against Bullying has given me a great opportunity to raise awareness and to help young people be heard.’ Lily was thrilled ITV shared her film, featuring her amazing entry on their homepage. ‘This is the first public competition I’ve entered and it’s incredibly exciting.’ The video can be viewed on the College website.
Harvest Festival at the College The College welcomed Tony Miller from the Whitechapel Mission for the Harvest Festival Service. The College community collected a huge assortment of tinned foods, toiletries, trousers and winter woollies for the homeless who are served by the Whitechapel Mission. Throughout the week, each of the three schools celebrated Harvest Festival in its own particular way. Tony spoke to Senior and Prep School pupils during their Services explaining how every year there are over 2000 new children who move through the care system, often experiencing 34 different foster families and usually leave school with no qualifications, little education and thus end up on the streets homeless. The needs of the homeless are great and the work of the Mission is never ending. Tony expressed his sincere gratitude for the produce the College community provides every year, but also for the Sixth Form pupils who go to the Mission to cook and serve breakfast once a term. Ian Morris, College Chaplain
Books donated to Edlumino Educational Aid In January the College donated around 200 text books to Edlumino Educational Aid. Jo Burch, from the soon-to-be registered charity, filled her Landrover with the text books which no longer meet the needs of the College’s current curriculum.
Understanding Flooding Pre-Prep created a model village to learn about flooding – the pupils were so engaged with the lesson.
Jo explained ‘the refugee children in the camps in Calais and Dunkirk are desperate for an education as some of them have missed school for the last two years due to all the turmoil. We’re trying to provide lessons for them in Maths and English as two standard subjects which will help them wherever they are finally settled. Often the children ask to take the textbooks back to their tents to carry on studying after the lessons - the books are precious to them, they have almost nothing else to call their own. ‘A huge thank you to you all at Bishop’s Stortford College for the enormous pile of textbooks you provided - overwhelming support for which we’re truly grateful. They will be taken to France by our volunteer teachers.’ 11 Bishop’s Stortford College | COLLEGE CONNECTION
Fairy Dust During the night in December, Pre-Prep was visited by some fairies who left messages to remind each class to write their letters to Father Christmas. They left their fairy dust everywhere!
Christmas Party In December, the College welcomed 75 guests from local Senior Citizen day centres and sheltered accommodation to enjoy an afternoon of quizzical and musical entertainment, conversation and a fine festive tea. Senior School pupils lined up to “meet, greet and seat” visitors and Mr Morris, the College Chaplain, commented ‘it was lovely to see laughter and smiles bridge the generation gap. What was particularly touching was that many of the pupils who were scheduled to be a ‘table buddy’ for an hour ended up staying all afternoon as strangers became friends.’
Santa visited with two elves to give a surprise gift to everyone and after a final sing-a-long, volunteer drivers took guests home. Mr Morris would like to extend a ‘huge thank you to the pupils and all those staff who helped not only on the day but also in the run up; organising transport, presents and facilities. Giving up several hours to others was a wonderful gift.’
In between quiz rounds there were musical items arranged by Mrs Perez, from Shell and chamber choirs to quartets and solo pieces as well as a performance by Mrs Muir’s dance troop. Mr Bruce was, as Mr Morris says, ‘beyond compere’ in helping the afternoon flow and Mrs Davies ensured the waiters and waitresses kept cups of tea topped up and everyone had plenty of sandwiches, cakes and mince pies.
The 12 Days of Christmas were enjoyed by the College community on Twitter and Facebook again this year…
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Year 2’s Nativity
Prep School Panto
Reception’s Nativity
The Upper Third entertained brilliantly with their pantomime sketches in their annual production in December. There were so many well-rehearsed and thought-out pieces!
Year 1’s Victorian Christmas Choral Show
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Macbeth This year’s Senior School production of Macbeth, directed by Kate Buffery, received some fantastic reviews!
Drama for All In October, Drama4All Workshop paid Pre-Prep a visit. The theme was Witches and Dragons and the pupils enjoyed making spells and searching for dragons in the Pre-Prep Hall!
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GCSE Drama GCSE Drama pupils performed physical theatre they had devised for an exam which their families and friends came to see in October. As part of the course, pupils created work based on a stimulus and had been working since the summer to develop and shape their ideas into short plays. They were extremely well received.
Prep School Art Department A fantastic array of work is housed in the Prep School art room!
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House Music As usual, House Music was a wonderful College community event. Congratulations to the the winners, Robert Pearce House.
Alys Harvey Upper Sixth Young House pupil, Alys Harvey, was offered a place in the main National Youth Choir in December following extremely memorable but rigorous and demanding auditions in the Royal Albert Hall. Alys, Head Chorister in the Chelmsford Cathedral Choir, is naturally delighted to be joining this prestigious Choir, not least because she will now join the Choir’s tour of China in August. Congratulations to Alys.
Old Stortfordian Carol Service Old Stortfordian, Gemma Terry (BH 04-06), had the idea for an OS Family Carol Service to be held in the Memorial Hall. With lots of preparation, finally in December the candles were lit, wreaths hung, and the Christmas tree decorated to realise the event, much to Gemma’s delight: ‘As I sang the carols, I was hit with enormous deja vu, as I found myself picturing myself back in my Benson uniform in the Memorial
Hall singing hymns in Assembly. Fond memories of friends, traditions, teachers, and my ‘school family’ came flooding back to me. I owe the College so much for what I have become today, and as I soaked up the event and spent time with fellow OS, I beamed with pride.’ After the Service, mulled wine and mince pies were served in the Ferguson Lecture Theatre. A collection was also taken for Save the Children’s Syria Crisis Appeal, helping children who have been displaced by the Syria conflict this Christmas which raised £150.
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Music at Saint Michael’s
BSCollegeMusic
See more performances on our YouTube music channel.
The College’s lunchtime Recital series at Saint Michael’s Church began in January with performances from the College Chamber Choir, solo and duet singers. Despite the freezing temperatures, a very appreciative audience turned out to hear the singers perform. Once again, the College is grateful to Saint Michael’s Church for their support. It is a lovely venue in the heart of Bishop’s Stortford, perfect for anyone to pop in and enjoy some music in their lunch hour.
Prep School Concerts
St Cecilia’s Concert
In November, the musicians from Form Two, Upper and Lower Third put on a wonderful series of Concerts in the Prep School Hall.
In November, the St Cecilia’s Concert showcased some of the Senior School singers in the Memorial Hall. Mr Bruce, Director of Music, remarked on the ‘impressive quality’ of the solo and duet performances.
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GB Indoor Hockey Coaching Session In January, before the beginning of the Spring Term, twelve boys in the U16 indoor hockey squad were treated to the specialist knowledge and skills of Andy Halliday. Andy is the current England Men’s and Women’s Indoor Hockey Coach and was delighted to be asked to help coach the boys. The team has a mix of experience, skill and youth including five Upper Fifth pupils, five Lower Fifth pupils and two from the Fourth Form, three of whom are East outdoor players. Andy started with a classroom session using a variety of video clips to illustrate the fundamental principles of indoor hockey. To put these principals into practice, the team then moved to the Sports Hall where Andy set up a number of exercises. Mr Brooks, the team’s coach, commented that ‘after an
hour and forty five minutes the boys’ body positions, team structure and ball speed were much improved, and their attacking play in general had become more fluent and accurate.’ The training was ahead of the National Indoor Finals. Sadly, the team did not make the semi-finals this year but Andy’s training will stand them in good stead for next year. Mr Brooks comments ‘they did superbly well to reach the Finals and as always were super company throughout. These three age groups are blessed with plenty of sporting talent and best of all they all seem to get on so well, which is lovely to observe.’ Mr Brooks would like to extend his thanks to Andy for passing on his knowledge and passion for the sport.
GB Hockey Goalkeeper Coaching
which they really took on board. Mr Prowse, Head of Prep School Hockey, commented ‘I hope they implement them in their future matches.’
Maddie Hinch, hockey goalkeeper for Great Britain, visited the College in October and coached the Senior and Prep School hockey goalkeepers.
Maddie also gave an assembly in Pre-Prep who were thrilled to meet her.
Maddie began her professional career at Exmouth HC, working her way up she made her senior international debut against Germany in 2008. This experience allowed her to bring new techniques to the College goalkeepers
Annual rugby match V OS
Italian Rugby Tour
The College’s 1st XV played their older counterparts in the annual match against the Old Stortfordians in December. The 1st XV were victorious, winning 24-10. Mr Reyburn, Head of Rugby, commented it was ‘a fitting way to end a fantastic season, particularly for the Upper Sixth who will be leaving us next summer’.
During the Autumn half term, the U18, U16 and U15 squads travelled to Italy on tour. The boys were based in Getur Sports Village in Lignano Sabbiadoro, northern Italy. Throughout the week they were able to use the excellent facilities alongside the picturesque beach which was part of the complex. The teams played some very competitive fixtures against Petrarca Padova, Roccia Rubano, Valsugana Padova and Grifoni Oderzo. They enjoyed on state-of-the-art 4G pitches and played some excellent, skilful rugby. The final day was spent in Venice taking in the sights such as St Mark’s Square, Piazza San Marco and the striking Grand Canal during a guided tour. Mr Reyburn commented it “was an exceptional tour both on and off the pitch. Congratulations to all boys on being a credit to the College during the tour.”
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U13 Champions In November, the U13 girl’s hockey team were runners up in the IAPS National Finals at Repton. Beating Winchester House 4-1, Wycliffe 4-0, Fettes 3-0 in group, they went on to win the Quarter Final with sudden death shuffles against Danes Hill. Finally, they beat Elms 2-1 in the Semi Final. The girls lost 1-0 in the final to Foremarke Hall. Then, later in November the U13 girls played another skilful performance to be crowned the U13 County Champions. In group games they won Hitchin 5-0, John Warner 8-0, Haileybury 1-0, Hockerill 5-0 and Aldenham 3-0. In the semi-final they won against Heath Mount 4-0. Then took the title against Queenswood 3-0. Mr Prowse commented it was ‘a dominant performance from the girls scoring 29 goals and conceding none. In fact we only conceded 1 short corner in the whole competition!’ The College congratulates to the squad for their hard work.
Hockey in Holland During the Autumn half term the 1st XI and an U14/13 enjoyed a five day tour to Holland playing four matches each. The 1st XI had a very successful tour playing against quality opposition, winning two matches, drawing one and sadly losing their last game. The team enjoyed some Go Karting and Efteling Theme Park!
Tour Aid In September, the College worked in conjunction with the charity TourAid by hosting a group of children from Botswana; the Thamelo Project, as part of the Festival of Rugby 2015. UK charity TourAid has facilitated over 70 groups of disadvantaged boys and girls to come to the UK from 34 different nations. Children from nine countries took part in this year’s Festival including Loa, Keyna, India, Hong Kong, Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland and Colombia. The tour has a huge impact on those taking part; changes in attitudes, perceptions, aspirations, confidence and self-esteem are revealed and the children return determined to make their lives and the lives of those around them better. They become the coaches, mentors and role models in their home communities. It also gives College pupils a new perspective.
benefited from meeting the visitors, not just those directly involved in rugby, but in everyday classes too. On the Monday, the Prep School U13 rugby team and the boys from Botswana travelled to Henley RFC for their first tournament while in the UK. They played five games throughout the day which included teams from South Africa and two from Kenya. The College was able to present a remarkable £9,000.00 to TourAid at Henley. The College had been raising money since July. The Arena Group, the Design & Build Delivery Partner for the Rugby World Cup, were instrumental in raising the majority of this money by asking their suppliers to help TourAid as well.
The boys also enjoyed a moment in the spotlight when filmed for BBC Sport. The College would like to extend enormous thanks to Arena Group and their community for their fundraising. Mr Muir of Arena Group is pictured here with John Inverdale (Patron of TourAid) and Chester Williams.
The team arrived from Botswana on Wednesday 30th September at Heathrow and were collected by Mr Barnard, Head of Rugby in the Prep School. The Botswanan team and their coaches joined the College community and stayed with five host families. The entire Prep School community 19 Bishop’s Stortford College | COLLEGE CONNECTION
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AHEAD About the Ferguson Lectures
Frederick Naftal Wednesday 27th April 5.00pm “Judaism, Anti-Semitism and The Legacy of The Holocaust” Mr Naftal’s lecture isn’t a history lesson, rather a very personal story with observations; his aim is to encourage questions and answer them where possible. He wants to make people think about what is right and wrong and to question how we view things from a racial perspective.
College Open Morning Saturday 24th September 2016 9.30am-1.00pm For all stages of entry from September 2017 There will be guided tours, talks by the Headmaster, Heads of the Prep School and Pre-Prep, plus the opportunity to chat to staff, pupils and current parents. Whether visiting for the first time, or returning to see more, this is an ideal opportunity to have a look around all areas of the College and soak up the atmosphere from Pre-Prep through to the Senior School.
Sixth Form Open Morning Saturday 15th October 2016 For Sixth Form entry in September 2017
10.15am arrival
In addition to the introductory talks, there will be the opportunity to tour the College on a normal working day, meet informally with staff and pupils and discuss subject choices with the Sixth Form Management Team and Heads of Department.
Prep School Open Morning Saturday 12th November 2016 9.45am For 7+ to 11+ entry (Year 3-7) from September 2017 An opportunity to visit the Prep School on a normal working day, with guided tours, an introductory talk and the opportunity to chat to current parents and staff. To get the most out of the morning, please arrive for 9.45am as we have a structured programme.
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Pre-Prep: 01279 838626 Prep School: 01279 838607 Senior School: 01279 838575 www.bishopsstortfordcollege.org
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The Ferguson Lectures are a programme of public lectures to provide opportunities for people to meet, discuss and ponder a wide range of contemporary topics. All events take place in the Ferguson Building, an impressive facility named after an eminent former pupil Professor John Ferguson to commemorate his outstanding contribution to education.