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BROMSGROVE SCHOOL
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
FLAIR • DISCIPLINE • ACADEMIC RIGOUR
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Contents Editorial...................................... Junior Bromsgrovian................... Pre-Preparatory and
ursery......
Preparatory School...................... 7 Music......................................... Trips and Tours........................... 2 Sport.......................................... House Reports............................ Staff Leavers............................... 2 Prize Winners and Valete............ Senior Bromsgrovian..................
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House Reports............................ 7 Commemoration ay..................
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estination of Leavers.................
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Staff Leavers............................... Year Group Reports.................... Music
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rama..........................
Trips
Activities.........................
CCF
of E..............................
Sport..........................................
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Obituaries................................... With thanks to The School Photography Company for supplying team photos.
Editorial Bromsgrove has also completed a major building programme of new boarding houses and Sports Facilities, the latter graciously opened by Martin Johnson OBE on Commemoration ay. Current pupils and Bromsgrovians of the future have a bright prospect with these innovative first class facilities.
Throughout the Bromsgrovian you will see some outstanding achievements and activities that have taken place this year, including the numerous School productions that have been put on from the Pre-Prep’s ursery production of Billy No Buzz to the challenging Odyssey in the Prep School and the magnificently colourful Shakespearean play A Midsummer Night’s Dream with our talented Senior pupils. Let’s not also forget the team effort across all three Schools winning the Malvern Spring Gardening Show.
There have been many happy and exciting times which have been celebrated this year and they come alive in glorious colour throughout the Bromsgrovian you will see the PrePrep enjoying their Jubilee celebrations, the Prep School holding the first of its kind, Whole-School Olympics event, and the Senior School ending their academic year with the much anticipated Commemoration ay, where we said goodbye to the departing pper Sixth. There has also been sadness as we have said our goodbyes to some Old Bromsgrovians in 2 2 and we have commemorated their life at the back of this book in the obituaries pages.
It goes without saying that it would not have been possible to put the Bromsgrovian together without the many articles from our staff members and pupils. It is now the fifth year that I have been involved with the Bromsgrovian magazine, although it is my first as Editor, and I thank everyone who has contributed and helped with this year’s edition in particular. I wish all of our pupils, staff, Old Bromsgrovians and Friends of Bromsgrove School a happy and successful year ahead and I hope that you enjoy reading about the achievements and activities from the academic year 2 2 2. Megan Griffiths Editor
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JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN PRE-PREPARATORY & NURSERY SCHOOL JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Headmistress’ Overview strong and where we foster the sense of a common identity. Working with children is the best job in the world and there is nothing as important as helping a child to grow as an individual, to develop skills that will steer them through life in an ever changing world, and to challenge them to make the very most of their unique talents.
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My first year as the Head of both the Preparatory and Pre-Preparatory and ursery Schools has been an exciting and challenging year for both the School and for me personally, as I have managed my new role across the two Schools. I am incredibly proud to be part of this wonderful School a School with traditions and with traditional values, where we are not afraid to talk about appearance, manners, about respect and courtesy, about the commitment to Bromsgrove School and about excellence in achievement but also a School which is, above all, a community where individuals are nurtured and understood as individuals with all the circumstances of an individual situation, but where relationships across the year groups are
The staff in both Schools work tirelessly to ensure that every child fulfils their potential that every child enjoys learning, and that every child is given the opportunity to do their best and to ourish within a safe and caring community. The Pre-Preparatory is the corner stone of Bromsgrove School it lays the foundations for all that is to come and we have high expectations for every child. My new role ensures that children in the Pre-Preparatory will move seamlessly into the Preparatory School, each known as an individual by me.
There have been a number of changes to School life this year and this process of change will continue. We are not complacent my vision for the future of the Preparatory and Pre-Preparatory Schools is based upon the key words of aspiration, respect, discipline and wonder. I believe that children should arrive at School each day with the joyful anticipation of something exciting about to happen that learning should be memorable. The Pre-Prep and Prep Schools are ourishing places, both with high aspirations for all and where we endeavour to maintain the highest standards academically, pastorally and through extra-curricular opportunities. A whistle-stop tour of the year in the following pages will leave you amazed at just how busy and successful our children have been. J eval-Reed
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JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
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Nursery The Nursery continues to thrive at Bromsgrove School, where every week is an opportunity for the youngest Bromsgrovians to discover more about themselves and the world around them. The children make full use of the fabulous outdoor facilities and our colleagues know that nothing is ever wasted, because the Nursery children can turn boxes, material, tubes and blocks into magical experiences!
Reception have built pirate ships and sailed off to find treasure; made models, maps and robots; dressed up to role play St George and the Dragon; made Olympic torches and discovered newts in our minibeast garden.
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Fun, Flair and Academic Rigour sums up another year of action, reflection and discovery. In the final week of term we held an Olympic-themed Sports Day and our Animal Antics end of year Fun Day, with own clothes, a picnic, party games and a visit from Zoolab with pets to handle. S Symonds
Our mantra is to “Learn by Doing” and by having a structured environment with free access to materials and support from knowledgeable staff, the children
Mrs Lau visited the Reception classes and spent the morning with the children explaining and sharing many of the traditions associated with Chinese New Year.
The Reception classes also had an exciting visit from Mrs Alma, who is a vet, bringing along Harry the hamster and Squeak the guinea pig. Romana and Cory assisted Mrs Alma during a pretend operation on a toy dog and made excellent veterinary nurses.
The Reception children also enjoyed a wonderful day at Hatton. They all went prepared for bad weather but amazingly it stayed dry and they were able to participate in all the activities. Highlights of the trip were stroking the guinea pigs, driving the JCBs and watching the sheep race. All of the children were polite and well mannered and were a pleasure to take out for the day.
Children in Reception enjoyed a surprise tea party with the Queen as part of their Diamond Jubilee celebrations. They had been busily preparing for the party all week, learning the National Anthem, writing invitations to a partner in the other year group and baking delicious cakes, which were iced red, white and blue and topped with a Jubilee design. The glorious afternoon was rounded off with the children entertaining ‘Her Majesty’ with some written compositions, entitled If I were Queen for the Day!
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JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Year Year children had a very successful day at the Safari Park where they managed to spot all of the animals that they have been learning about as part of their topic on Animal Kingdom. The white lions were very popular as was the talk about lemurs. Year opened the door to a prehistoric world at their very own inosaur Museum. On display were dinosaur fossils, sculptures and models and a dinosaur themed art gallery of paintings and collage work.
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LAND AHOY! The Pre-Prep School was filled with swashbuckling, cutlass waving brigands all searching for the rumoured Bromsgrove School hidden treasure. Blood curdling cries echoed through the School grounds as pirates emerged from Forest School searching for clues. Led by Captain Cattell, the other Pirate leaders looked a dangerous bunch of villains, as they enthusiastically rampaged through the School and gardens.
The youngsters acted as museum guides and served Stone Age snacks and dinosaur shaped biscuits in the dino caf . There was an informative slideshow, an archaeological dig and a mammoth amount of illustrative work done by the children. Each visitor went away with a dinosaur souvenir and some very interesting facts
At Hartlebury Museum the children were very fortunate to meet Samuel Pepys, who had travelled forward in time from the 7th Century to read them extracts from his famous diary. Their fact finding trip included a tour of a modern fire appliance, given by Hereford and Worcestershire’s Fire and Rescue Service, which was later compared with the horse-drawn fire engine in the museum.
Finishing off their topic on The Great Fire of London the pupils had a visit from a history group. The children dressed up in period costume and discovered how 7th Century people lived, through an array of activities with historically accurate props, from re-enacting a street market, to playing the parts of the baker, Thomas Farynor and his family.
Milo of Kroton, a famous ancient Greek athlete, visited Year to teach them how to become Olympic champions. The children engaged in discus, javelin, long jump with hand weights and running with a shield.
Olympic Fever set in at Pre-Prep with their very own Swimming Gala, featuring synchronised swimming, along with cycling, long jump, horse racing, sprint relays as well as an exciting Beat the Champion finale. All children made their own Olympic medals which were presented in a grand ceremony. The classroom was opened to welcome Year ’s grandparents, where the pupils presented an assembly showing paintings of their grandparents and spoke about the special times they spend together. Grandparents then had the opportunity to play computer games and create a keepsake handprint painting. This wonderful day was thoroughly enjoyed by all involved.
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Year 2 Year 2 children and staff had a very exciting afternoon on the film set for Nativity 2 - The Second Coming. Pupils were given a behind the scenes tour of the set including a look inside the hair and make-up and costume trailers. The children listened to the final scenes being shot in the Wagon Shed at Avoncroft Museum. The highlight of the afternoon was an impromptu appearance by Mr Poppy (Marc Wootton), closely followed by Mr Peterson ( avid Tennant). Both actors joked with the children about the scene they had been filming.
Year 2 had a wonderful trip to Frankie and Benny’s restaurant where they became chefs for the day and created their own pizzas which they had previously designed in School.
European Languages ay was celebrated with a whole range of French and German activities which were planned and enthusiastically delivered by IB students from the Senior School. They had obviously spent a great deal of time preparing their lessons which were thoroughly enjoyed by children and teachers alike. Pain au chocolat for break and lasagne and German sausages for lunch were enjoyed by all. Many thanks to Mr Falconer and his Sixth Form students for providing such wonderful enrichment for our children.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
The children were delighted to support Operation Christmas Child again this year, filling shoe boxes with gifts for underprivileged children around the world. shoeboxes were collected from School and went all the way to Romania and the Crimea.
Year 2 had a fantastic hands on history day to enhance their World War Two topic. The children learnt about and handled many artefacts, including an authentic air raid siren. Everyone took part in Home Guard rill and practised using a stirrup pump (to soak their teachers ). Pupils also arrived at School one day to find they were to be evacuated by steam train to rural Highley for their World War Two topic. The day began with a session in a s classroom before they all set off to catch the train. The pupils also presented an assembly to their parents during which they showed some examples of the activities and work they have covered this term. They sang songs including the Vera Lynn classic, The White Cliffs of Dover and a tribute to the American jazz musician Glen Miller. As a reward for their hard work, children enjoyed a VE ay street party.
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Year 2
Pupils enjoyed a falconry display to enhance their topic about Knights and Castles. They learned about the different types of birds used in Medieval times. They found out about the importance of falconry, not only as a sport but most importantly to provide food for the table.
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The pupils also undertook Squire training when they were visited by a Knight, Sir Teachalot. They had a most fantastic day by dressing up in Medieval clothes. Two squires even helped to dress Mr Etty-Leal in a full suit of armour. After that the children went outside for a jousting tournament which was not as easy as it looked there was great hilarity when Mrs eval-Reed participated The highlight of the day was the building, besieging and destroying of a castle using a trebuchet. The children had the chance to handle museum quality artefacts, taking a close look at armour, shields and weapons. The day ended with the enthusiastic acting out of a ragon Hunt story told by the Knight.
Year 2 Squires, Knights, Princes, Princesses and Kings attended a royal Banquet. They arrived at the Great Hall of the Pre-Prep in their Medieval garb and partook in a day of merriment which included Medieval music, dancing and a Royal feast. Jesters entertained the Royal Court with their juggling skills and in the afternoon there was a special Knighting Ceremony.
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OLIVER! Inspired by their Leavers trip to see Oliver! , Year 2 performed the popular musical to the School and their parents. They worked incredibly hard and loved learning all of the songs.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Year 2
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Prizegiving Photographs
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Staff Leavers
Marion Martin (2011-2012) Marion’s musical flair and expertise enhanced the children’s learning and her contributions to all School services, performances and assemblies have been fantastic. We all wish Marion, Tom and Florence all the very best for the future. K Western
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Congratulations to Marion and Tom Martin on the birth of baby Florence who made an early and unexpected arrival just before the Easter holidays. After completing her Graduate Teaching Programme at Bromsgrove School we were delighted to welcome Marion to teach a Year 1 Class at the Pre-Prep for two terms. Although she was only with us for a short period of time Marion became an important and valued member of the team who will be greatly missed.
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J
IOR BROMSGROVIA
PREPARATORY SCHOOL
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Year Indian Culture
Green Fingers
As part of their Geography topic Year had an Intoxicating, Incredible India Afternoon’. Two experts on Indian culture, Mrs Sunner and Mrs Sondhi, brought in an amazing array of artefacts, jewellery and clothing for the children to look at and try on. The children enacted an Indian wedding with drummers and celebrated with a feast of authentic samosas, curry, roti, breads and Indian sweets. The children awakened their taste buds and learnt so much, as well as thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Year enjoyed a fantastic afternoon getting green fingered for the Malvern Spring Gardening Show. They learned all about the importance of bees for pollination and for saving the world. Every child planted their own pansy or sweet pea so that bees could be encouraged to visit the garden and beeee happy . They also designed Save Our Bees posters.
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ueen’s Message Pupils were delighted to receive a letter of thanks from Her Majesty the ueen for the beautifully written messages and cards the children had sent to her on the occasion of Her Majesty’s iamond Jubilee.
Volcanoes Pupils enjoyed an explosive day learning about volcanoes. The pupils started off the day with a talk and video clips with an expert, followed by a Treasure Hunt around Maple. They then created chalk pictures of volcanoes in action, and the finale was a teamwork challenge of making salt dough volcanoes.
Budding entists
The Year classroom was transformed into a ental Surgery with visiting dentist Emily Purdy (Old Bromsgrovian) and Practice Manager Sue both from Webheath ental Practice. Pupils studied tools dentists used, were given toothpaste samples and stickers, and closed with a fantastic question and answer session. The children delighted in showing off just how much they had learnt and demonstrated how many budding young dentists we have in our midst.
Special Friends Tea Party
Year were introduced to their special friends in Year with an afternoon of party food and games on the Maple Fields.
Walk Like An Egyptian Year enjoyed a fantastic finish to their Ancient Egyptian history topic by kick-starting the day with Egyptian jewellery making, incorporating scarab beetles and hieroglyphics into their designs. The pupils also designed Egyptian wigs and put on makeup, performing a variety of Egyptian drama and decorated Egyptian plates using bronze and metallic paints. Our Pharaoh’s Feast was a delight of grapes, honey, breads and grape juice followed by crazy Egyptian dancing in Musical Statue Egyptian style Walk Like An Egyptian. What a wonderful way to end this golden topic.
Olympic Sing-along Year joined the children at the PrePrep for an Olympic Musical Event with musician, Ollie Heath. The children were enthralled with using their bodies and voices to create a sensational Olympic song. The Olympic values of friendship, excellence, respect, inspiration, courage and determination were all incorporated within their lyrics and movement. It was truly wonderful in the final part of the day to see all year groups involved with the singing and dancing.
Greece goes to Pieces Year performed their magnificent production Greece Goes to Pieces, a wonderful time travel back to Ancient Greece, full of the mythical characters Theseus the Minotaur, the Spartan and Athenian battle as well as solos from the ancient philosophers Socrates, Plato and Hippocrates and the origins of the Olympic Games. Well done Year for your fabulous acting, singing and dancing throughout this topic. G Butler
Greek Soldier
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Year met a Hoplite foot soldier from Ancient Greece, preparing the pupils for the Peloponnesian Battle against the Spartans. They learnt how to use their shields, armour and spears, and re-enacted family life within Ancient Grecian homes, as well as market scenes in the Agora. Many were turned into slaves and were taught the Greek alphabet. They had huge fun with Ancient Greek toys of wooden horses of Troy, spinning tops and hoops with sticks. The day culminated in a democratic society voting system displayed by the children, and chalk writing on broken Greek pots. Later in the term the pupils held a Greek-themed Going for Gold party. There was a buffet of feta cheese, olives, pitta bread, houmous, tzatziki, taramasalata, all rounded off with Greek music and shield designs.
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Year 4 Habitats Piñatas are most commonly associated with Mexico, but its origins are considered to be in China. The idea of breaking a container filled with treats came to Europe in the 14th Century, where the name, from the Italian “pignatta” was introduced. The Spanish brought the European tradition to Mexico …. and Miss McRandal brought it to Bromsgrove!
Year 4 invited their parents to a wonderful exhibition that they had created during their work on habitats. Maple Hall was a hive of industry as the children put up their own posters, downloaded their work for a visual presentation, exhibited their artefacts and work and helped to set up the refreshments.
Latin Dance Year 4 had great fun learning how to dance the Latin American way. The pupils made their own maracas in lessons and brought them to the dance class as part of their routine.
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Piñata Fun Bee Day Year 4 enjoyed a fantastic Bee Day in preparation for the Malvern Spring Gardening Show. They met real beekeepers, studied the hives and tasted freshly produced honey, made bee bodies out of real willow sculptures and enjoyed enthralling demonstrations by the experts as well as some IB students who came with prepared quizzes.
The Modern Languages experience has been fabulous for Year 4 this year. As part of the Spanish studies Miss McRandal has organised Spanish food, flamenco dancing and pupils have been enjoying creating piñata. This involved covering balloons with papier-mâché, decorating them and filling them with sweets.
Friday 6th January, the day of the Epiphany is traditionally the day that Spanish speaking countries open their Christmas presents. Children in these countries write to the Three Wise Men, not Father Christmas, and celebrate by having huge processions in their villages, towns and cities. Year 4 had their own Three Wise Men from Mrs Wingfield’s class, who re-enacted the procession, while others read and explained the meaning of the Parade.
Tudor Times In their Design Technology lessons, Year 4 have been busy designing and making Tudor buildings, ranging from the traditional half timbered Tudor houses, poor people’s dwellings, mansions, Tudor shops, a church and even the Globe Theatre.
The children worked independently and had to create a structure that would withstand being moved into the Tudor Village. It was great fun putting them all together.
Science in the Sunshine Year 4 enjoyed a glorious day learning science in the sunshine!
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Keep on Trucking!
Kids Go Wild at Bushcraft
During the summer term, pupils learnt about safety around trucks. The lorry that DHL brought was as heavy as seven elephants (44 tonnes), as tall as a giraffe and as long as a whale. They learnt where the driver’s blind spots were and also that if you can’t see the driver in his mirror, then he can’t see you.
Down in the forest where Bushcraft awaits
At the end of the talk, DHL gave the pupils gifts to remember the day by. A big thank you to John Brookes, the School’s Health and Safety officer, for organising this super event. Ariana Jones
The absolute torrential rain Really was an annoying pain. Never the less the super Year 4s Learnt all about survival laws. A brilliant time was had by all Can you make a fire with a cotton ball? Cooking trout over an open fire Wading in wellies through the sticky mire. Skinning a rabbit was a favourite for some Collecting firewood the size of your thumb. A life-changing experience and so much fun A huge adventure for everyone! By Olivia Burden, Sadie Gardner and Liberty Smith
Year 4: India Afternoon
The Peace Child Hot on the heels of the magnificent production at the Artrix Theatre by our Senior School pupils, Year 4 children performed The Peace Child at the Prep School. The story of two tribes at war reconciled by the giving of a baby was the perfect start to the Christmas season. The children put their hearts and voices into what was a beautiful production.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
The whole class tested the blind spots to see if the driver could see or hear them but on every attempt the driver couldn’t. As well as everything else they learnt, they were also told that the lorry always leaves a gap when it turns so it won’t crash into the kerb. The driver can’t see down the left side of the truck so he can’t see you if you’re on your bike. Don’t think this is a gap for bikes - if you do, the lorry can kill you. The children were shocked when the truck driver said that eleven children every day get very badly injured and eight of those eleven are killed.
Camping out with all of our mates.
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Year Harvington Hall
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Year enjoyed a lovely afternoon at Harvington Hall. We were shown round by Mrs Perry who was a very interesting lady. Harvington Hall was an amazing place. I loved the moat that went all the way around it. In Tudor times Humphrey Packington owned Harvington Hall. He lived there with his wife, two daughters Anne and Mary and many servants. They were all Catholics and had to keep this a secret. The Hall was full of priest holes which would have allowed Catholic priests to hide for days at a time if Protestant soldiers were nearby. The holes were very clever and were made by icholas Owen who was an amazing carpenter. We were lucky enough to go inside a priest hole. Mrs Perry told us that
while a priest was celebrating Mass a servant would watch out for the soldiers. If they saw soldiers they would warn the priest and he would hide all the religious things and then hide himself in a priest hole. It must have been scary as if he was caught he would have been tortured in the Tower of London.
Adventures in Blackwell
Talks
Year enjoyed their enrichment day at Blackwell Adventure, learning team building skills and having a lot of fun
Year pupils were invited to the Senior School to listen to talks about creepy crawlies and undertook some chemistry experiments with a bang
Black Country Museum
I will definitely look forward to returning to Harvington Hall in later years with my family. Kitty Luscombe
Coughton Court Year had a lovely visit to Coughton Court, an English Tudor house near Alcester.
Ali Sparkes visits Years and had the pleasure of welcoming popular children’s author Ali Sparkes to School. Ali did a wonderful interactive talk for the pupils explaining how she became an author and also how she comes up with the ideas for some of her characters. It was an inspirational morning filled with laughter, smiles and even a monster drawing by Mr Pover. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the chance to meet Ali and bought specially signed books as a way to remember the occasion.
We had an amazing experience of what the Victorians were like at the Black Country Museum. It was astonishing to see the poor children as young as six working in the mines. We looked at many things including chain making, sweet making and historical houses. We even had a lesson in the old school It was very hard not to laugh at the teacher because he was so strict. Overall it was a great experience and we would definitely go again but certainly would not like to live in the Black Country in 2 Pearce Childs and Thomas Reynolds
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Year 5
Year 4: India Afternoon
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
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Year Pirates of the Curry Bean Year performed their hysterical version of Pirates of the Curry Bean the piratical musical that’s sure to shake yer booty Eighty two pupils were involved in the production, with six very special guests from Year .
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Severn Valley Railway Year travelled to the Severn Valley Railway as World War II evacuees. We all enjoyed it very much. First we went to Bewdley Museum - we all had fun putting our imaginary gas masks on The guide also told us about things being painted white during the blackout, including cows. We also tried out an Anderson shelter, which was very cramped and cold. After this we were evacuated onto a steam train, where we were taught a World War II song 99 German Bombers which we sang the whole way there At the Engine House we had lunch and looked at some old fashioned toys, the favourite being the yo-yo. Afterwards we saw the steam trains, including the King’s bulletproof quarters We went to the shop and came back on the train to Kidderminster, then returned to School. Overall everyone enjoyed the trip very much Anya Butler and Elyssa Jones
The pupils’ singing was exceptional this year as they blasted out songs such as Pot of Gold and Piratical Style.
There was humour throughout, with some very silly (possibly corny) one liners. Every child in the performance had a spoken line, albeit a very small one, but each child was able to enjoy their moment of glory. It was an unforgettable performance and one that was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. All of the pupils involved should be very proud of their hard work and polished performances, as it truly was a magical night.
The backstage crew and technical team are also to be congratulated as it was their dedication and hard work that allowed the performers to enjoy their time on stage. S Cadwallader
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Year 7 Belmont Abbey Belmont Abbey was a great trip and a brilliant experience. We split into groups and had different tours of the Abbey and its grounds. After lunch we went into the Monks’ midday service to see how they pray and worship. Finally we went back to the Parish Church with Father James, where we had to work out what different jobs different monks do. There was also brass rubbing and calligraphy with Brother Bernard. It was a great trip and has really helped us with our topic at School to find out what life as a monk is really like. Abigail Saker
Young Writers
We visited many more oors and rooms after lunch, but the two that were the best in my opinion were the Planetarium and the science garden. The Planetarium was amazing because I enjoyed being taught the names of some of the stars and constellations.
To London we go...
All things Science
Two trips to London took place this year the Imperial War Museum and the Globe Theatre, where the pupils were treated to some Shakespeare.
We went to the ThinkTank Science Museum in Birmingham, where we saw many fascinating and interesting things. These included a room full of historical machinery, a classroom with computers in to control robots, and a Planetarium where you lie down’ in chairs and watch the stars whilst a man talked to us about our universe. It was one of the most exciting School trips I’d ever been on.
At the museum, the pupils took part in a World War II Workshop where they were able to handle real artefacts from the trenches, whilst wearing special gloves to protect the items, such as bombs, barbed wire and shrapnel. After a swift tour of other exhibits, they headed for The Globe. 7L saw Hamlet which was excellent and 7R saw Henry V which was equally exciting, especially when the cannons fired
First, we went to see the brilliant historical machinery in a large room. There were many types of machines, such as old steam-powered locomotives and a machine which is still used today to control water in canals.
It was also very interesting learning about the possibilities that could happen within our universe. The science garden also stood out because it had fantastic machines which did many things, from simply spinning around to redirecting balls. Overall, I think that it was one of the best trips I’d ever been on at Bromsgrove School, because it had lots of weird and wonderful contraptions and fascinating sights. I would definitely like to go on another trip like this again in the future. Ben Payne
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Award winning teen fiction writer Sophie McKenzie visited pupils in the Prep School. She successfully entered the publishing world with Girl, Missing, her first novel (published 2 ), which won many awards. Sophie talked to pupils about the importance of structuring ideas for a story and the need to have effective openings and endings which will engage the reader. These were very useful tips for creative writing which the pupils can put into practice. Sophie’s visit inspired everyone to read and write even more.
Later we went to the LEGO Lab, where we inserted some instructions into a computer, and downloaded it onto a robot to make them come alive. After that, we went to the IMA cinema, to watch a educational programme about fish. It was then time for lunch.
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Year Being Head Boy
Being Head Girl
Being Head Boy makes me feel as if I’m the luckiest person in the entire world, I’m so privileged to have been asked. When I was asked to be Head Boy I wasn’t sure whether I was actually awake or if I was dreaming. I wasn’t one of those Bromgrovians that started at the age of two and with a new Headmistress I didn’t know what to expect. But when I was told, I was delighted
Being Head Girl is an absolute honour and privilege it is a role I enjoy very much. Being told I was going to be Head Girl was a complete shock I had only been at Bromsgrove for a year, and it had never crossed my mind I could even be thought about for the role. But when I was told, I was thrilled
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The main thing I enjoy about being Head Boy is working with other amazing students who deserve their role through and through Olivia Bond (Head Girl), George Goodall ( eputy Head Boy) and Charlotte Bayliss ( eputy Head Girl). When we have a job to do we all take equal part in the task and take equal credit from the outcome.
My highlight has been the trip to London with Mrs eval-Reed, Mrs Ison, Olivia, Charlotte and George. uring our tour of Parliament, we met with some of our local MP’s, followed by a trip on the London Eye. We then went to St. Paul’s Cathedral where the Bromsgrove School Choral Society were singing, which was absolutely splendid. It was the most amazing day and one that I will never forget. uring the year I have also done Chapel readings at the Christmas and Easter services sometimes it seemed a bit intimidating however in the end it was just another fantastic experience.
As Head Boy, there are certain roles which I have to carry out. I am on the Pupil Council and Charities Committee which I thoroughly enjoy.
I have enjoyed being Head Boy and it has been a massive achievement. It is definitely a role that all young men should aspire to Beck Cutting, Head Boy
The main thing I enjoy about being Head Girl is working in a fantastic team with Beck, George and Charlotte. We all get along very well and enjoy it when we are all given a task to do together. As Head Girl, there are certain roles which I have to carry out. I am on the Pupil Council and Charities Committee. Pupil Council is helping give my opinions towards the School while the Charities Committee is helping with all the charity events we do. But for me, the main job as Head Girl is to be a good role model. This involves always looking my smartest and always trying my best. My highlight has definitely been the trip to London with Mrs eval-Reed, Mrs Ison Beck, Charlotte and George. We were fortunate enough to have a tour of Parliament and even go on the Parliament Terrace and down to the Crypt.
I also very much enjoyed going up the clock tower and listening to Big Ben for the 2 o’clock chimes. After our tour of Parliament, we went on the London Eye followed by a lovely ceremony in St. Paul’s Cathedral with the Senior Choir. It was a great day. uring the year we have been to PrePrep to do an assembly about coming up to the Prep School and that was very exciting as we had to make the talk interesting but at the same time exciting for them. For me, Head Girl has been a huge accomplishment and I have learnt so much from it. Head Girl is hopefully a position that all girls wish to be. Olivia Bond, Head Girl
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Acorn Adventures
Loudmouth Theatre Co.
Year
Year pupils experienced one of the most enjoyable moments of the year when they travelled to the Acorn Centre in Redditch, giving them the opportunity to take part in activities such as water rafting and rock climbing.
We spent the whole day in the Senior School and took part in some fun activities that really helped us learn much more about how we feel and why we feel like it as we grow up. We were escorted by some of the Lower Sixth and also by a number of the Senior School staff.
Kevin Mincher, a motivational speaker for teenagers ,delivered a fantastic workshop for Year just as they were about to take their final Prep School examinations. After a football career at Sheffield nited FC was cut short due to injury, Kevin formed nstoppable Teen in 7. The aim has been to show teenagers they can have more confidence, less stress and more energy.
The activities that we took part in were exhilarating, nerve-racking and adrenaline pumping and enabled pupils to fulfil their potential in an area which may not have previously been of interest to them. We all had a wonderful time and it definitely added that finishing touch to the end of Year . James Prince
Buddies
Prashanta Rai
MO TIV SPE ATIO TO AKER NAL BRO COM MS GRO ES VE
2 2
Megan Bufton
anci Burbidge and Sarah Firminger
IOR BROMSGROVIA
I love being a Buddy as well as my role as Form Captain and a Prefect. I would not swap being a buddy for a different role as I know how worthwhile the work we do is for the pupils at School.
The performance was very funny to watch and put us at ease. It was a privilege to watch because they taught us all about changes that take place as we grow and develop through performance not just in a class room telling us about it.
Kevin was easy to listen to and learn from. We think that the whole of Year benefitted from Kevin’s visit and we have all gained more confidence for the future
J
I am a Buddy at Bromsgrove School and I thoroughly enjoy it. We meet with Miss iar and discuss the issues that some of the pupils at School are experiencing. We have a lot of fun being buddies and get to do assemblies and all sorts of different things to help others.
After the introduction in the LRC we headed off in groups. Groups and 2 went to the new Hospitality suite to see a performance called My Mate Fancies You by the Loudmouth Theatre Company.
Get Motivated
2
Year Worcester Warriors
Activities Some Year pupils had the fantastic opportunity to go to pton Warren and try many different activities, on land and water. We split up into two sections and went off to different areas. Groups A, B and C went off to the lake, some kayaked and others went on canoes. Whatever they did, they came back soaking wet The water activities were a huge success and everyone enjoyed them.
The other groups went to land based activities, mainly involving climbing and teamwork. We got to climb on quite small walls but also giant walls, which reached metres above the ground We also did teamwork activities, sometimes ones that included climbing. Later in the day, the groups swapped to try the other activities. It was an enjoyable and interesting day, and a great way to finish off our time at the Preparatory School. Billy raper-Barr
uring our visit to Worcester Warriors, we had our first presentation by the Head of Communications. He told us how he promotes good media for the club by using social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The lady alongside him was Linda who designs the logos and posters to get the club noticed. We then created our own posters for the rugby club. After break, we met the Fitness Coach. He taught us about how the players have to train in every area to keep them in top shape to play rugby. The Head of Operations also came and spoke to us about how they have lots of events not only on match days but all year round. As the club hosts a number of banquets, he set us the challenge of setting a table for a three course meal and then Mrs Mullan had to judge the best table
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Our final presentation was by the physiotherapist who told us about the injuries that the players suffer from. We were then set a task to list the healing processes that a player would have to go through after having a dislocated shoulder. Before we left the club we had a question and answer session with Craig Gillies who plays second row in the team. We enjoyed learning about what happens not only on the pitch but behind the scenes as well, and what it takes to create such a great club Libby Ball and Lauren Brown
29
THE ODYSSEY This year a talented group of 54 Year 8 students presented two performances of The Odyssey by Hattie Naylor. This was a very difficult play: adult in its language and themes and yet our pupils tackled it with great poise, giving it vibrancy and meaning. On a split-level stage, Odysseus – aided by his men – battled monsters, braved storms and the anger of Gods and Goddesses to finally win through to his longed-for home. His ship, the sail filled with wind, took him past the dancing sirens and grasping Scylla; he descended to Hades to face threeheaded Cerberus and the Shades of the Dead; he fought Penelope’s suitors and reclaimed what was his.
Congratulations to all involved: it was a masterly production, superbly performed. All who saw it marvelled at the maturity and talent on show; many commented that this was the very best that education and Bromsgrove has to offer. J Marks
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
All the while, the sea rolled and thunder rumbled as a dedicated technical crew operated sound effects and video footage projected onto nebulous screens beside the stage. And through it all, Fates sat and knitted, pulling the play together as they wove the fates of men and women into the intricate web that is our earthly existence.
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Music Prep School Choir
Olympic Choirs
SATIPS Songfest
Twenty-six members of the Prep School Choir spent the day at the Artrix theatre, taking part in a day of workshops with ExCathedra.
In Lent Term we held an Olympic Choirs competition. Boys and girls in Years to were invited to take part in a boys versus girls battle.
This was a fabulous experience and the pupils enjoyed learning a variety of songs from around the world. The day was rounded off with a concert,The Big Spring Sing, for the public in the evening. Many thanks to the David Morgan Trust and ExCathedra for organising such an inspirational day.
The boys worked very hard performing Alan Simmons’ The Champion and We are the Champions whilst the girls performed You Raise Me Up and Alan Simmons’ We’re Going Out in Style. Mrs eval-Reed had the tricky job of adjudicating the competition with the girls winning due to their hard work in singing harmonies.
Bromsgrove School hosted the Midlands’ SATIPS Songfest. Led by Alexander L’Estrange and Lin Marsh, nine Preparatory Schools from across the Midlands enjoyed a day of singing and workshops culminating in a concert performed to parents. A fantastic day was had by all 2 Preparatory School pupils involved.
Then, before embarking on their Choir Tour to Paris in June, the Prep School Choir performed a fantastic concert in St John’s Church, Bromsgrove. There was a huge variety of music performed from Orlando Gibbons and Bach to Abba and beyond. It was fantastic to perform to such a large audience and prepared us well for performing in Paris.
Lunchtime Concerts This has been an outstanding year for Lunchtime Concerts. Pupils have been very enthusiastic in preparing for their performances and we have seen a huge range of talents both singing and playing instruments. This is a wonderful opportunity for pupils to play for an audience and for small groups to practise and perform together. Well done to so many who have given us such delightful renditions of both familiar and not so familiar pieces.
African Vibes
House Singing
There was great excitement amongst Year and pupils as of them prepared to perform at the Artrix Theatre in Bromsgrove.
In ovember, the Prep School Choir combined forces with The Avon Singers, Harvington Singers and Evesham based Kids Aloud to perform Zimbe! a large scale work for combined choirs and jazz quintet written by British composer Alexander L’Estrange.
Spirits were high as the whole School turned out in Routh Hall for the 3rd Annual House Singing Competition. First to perform was Telford with Lily the Pink. They told the story of the song very well and offered some beautiful part singing towards the end of the song. Boulton performed Blue Suede Shoes conducted very ably by Elvis himself (or Mr Harris dressed up as Elvis....) Their performance was full of energy, impressing the audience with their rhythmic vibe. Watt changed the mood with a performance of Mellow Yellow led ably by Billy raper-Barr. They sang very clearly, with the adjudicator particularly appreciating the change of lyrics to “I’m just mad about Bromsgrove!” arby rounded off the competition by singing Gold! Accompanied by Edward rayson on the piano, they managed incredibly well in a song with a huge range and many challenging rhythms.
Upstairs, Downstairs, a programme devised by Gabrielle Byams-Ground, saw professional musicians, English Serenata performing pieces from a variety of periods interspersed with readings and dialogue spoken by RSC actors Katie Stephens and Jeffery ench. Towards the end of the evening Bromsgrove Prep pupils, all ready to burst with excitement, squeaked their way onto the stage, dressed as rats and singing a song from Pied Piper written by Gabrielle .They followed this with another Pied Piper number showing their disgust at what their parents asked them to do, wear and eat The Birmingham Post declared them a charming choir and acknowledged the fantastic reception given to them by the audience. Well done to all.
rumming up some noise In preparation for their production, The Peace Child, all of Year were treated to a drumming and percussion workshop. This was taken by the dynamic Tim Scarborough of Rhythmicity. Tim involved every child in the afternoon session, encouraging good drumming techniques and ensuring careful listening and attention to rhythm patterns.
Rock Off The second Prep School Rock Off went off with a bang Four bands performed in their attempt to be crowned Rock Off the 2nd champions. After a very tough competition, Year band Armadillo narrowly edged to victory with their performance of Paradise City by Guns and Roses.
Each choir performed two numbers in the first half of the concert, leading into Zimbe! after the interval. We were particularly lucky to have the composer Alexander L’Estrange present at the concert. He gave a fantastic introduction to the work and had a great time signing C s at the end of the night. A packed Chapel was wowed by fantastic African rhythms, bold songs and absolutely stunning jazz improvisations by Tom Martin on saxophone and Tim Balnaves on Piano.
nfortunately there could only be one winner and our adjudicator Sue Phelan, Headmistress at St Luke’s CEVA Primary School in orthampton, decided that Telford had just edged into the lead. Congratulations to Telford on their second consecutive win in the House Singing Competition. K Edmonds
JJUNIOR IOR BROMSGROVIA BROMSGROVIAN 2 2012
Artrix Performance
2
Trips Ski Trip
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After running the ski trip in the Prep School for the last 2 years, this year’s trip turned out to be one of the most successful. Snow conditions were not ideal, but with a full covering we could not complain if it was a little slushy in the afternoon The snow at the top was excellent and we had a top up of fresh snow on the fourth night. It is amazing how much enjoyment can be had by the children, even in poor conditions, and from their perspective, this year was perhaps the best I can remember. One of the main highlights of the trip is to see the way everyone progresses and in that respect, this year was exceptional To be able to take everyone, beginners included, across to Bettmeralp on day , is a remarkable feat and is testimony to the quality of the instruction the children received as well as to their own ability. Some of the red runs that have to be skied in order to get to Bettmeralp and back are not the easiest, but the children all coped superbly.
There are always some children who struggle for a while, and there was a small group of who found the going very tough on day 2, but the look of pride on their faces and the smiles that were there by day is what makes running the trip so enjoyable. I have never ceased to be amazed by the way that supposed non sporty’ children can still take to skiing and find real success I am also very glad that parents still find the money to send their children on trips like this in a time of recession it is not easy, and yet the benefits gained, I believe are immeasurable and vital to children’s development. For many, this can be the first time they have been away from home on their own and are put into a situation outside their normal comfort zone. eveloping independence and learning to overcome adversity are vital lessons we all have to face.
o trip runs itself and I would like to say a huge thank you to the staff who give up their holiday time to help. Mr Sutherland, Mrs Ison, Mrs Bowett, Mr Evans, Mr George and Miss Williams have become a real team who work together to ensure the smooth running of the trip, often seeing things and stepping in without asking. From the moment we leave School, through the coach travel, the ferry crossing, the adventures on the mountain, swimming and the general supervision in the centre, it is a genuine source of relief to know that the children are in good hands. While risk can never be completely eliminated, the experience of the staff involved ensures that the children are as safe as possible. I would also like to say a particular thank you to my wife Mary for her help over the last 2 years. Apart from being one of the team, her medical expertise is invaluable when it come to dealing with the inevitable twists and knocks the children sometimes get. Far more than that though, is her patience and forbearing when dealing with the inevitable mistakes that I make and her support is a key part of the trip’s success
And so 2 years comes to an end - a total of something over 2 children, , miles travelled, goodness only knows how many swiss francs ( ), and hopefully, over 2 happy faces at the end of it all I would not have missed a moment Chris Harris
Ard che
Barcelona
uring the summer pupils from Years - went to Labeaume, France on an exciting adventurous activity week on the Ardeche River. The week included activities such as climbing, kayaking, river trekking, caving, archery, bush craft, cultural quizzes and last but not least, a descent of the Ard che river by double Canadian canoes.
At some unseasonal hour on the morning of Thursday 2 th March, only hours after School had finished, a group of intrepid travellers set out for the long journey to Luton by coach and then by plane to Barcelona...
Sadly our usual two day descent of the river was halted due to bad weather. We spent the evening back at the campsite whilst the thunderstorms passed directly overhead, giving us a brilliant light show.
A Evans Group Leader
J Marks
IOR BROMSGROVIA
On Saturday we went into Barcelona itself, starting off at Parc Guell, which was built and designed by the famous artist, Gaudi. Here the pupils were able to walk around freely while also sketching any aspects of the park that they found interesting. The weather was fantastic by this time the best so far and we had a real taste of a Mediterranean Spring.
I have no doubt that the pupils would like to thank the staff for taking them, particularly Ms. McRandal who organised the whole trip...but it is equally important that the staff thank the pupils for exemplary behaviour and for being such good company. It was a fantastic few days and there is no doubt that it will have enriched the pupils’ appreciation and understanding of Spanish history, culture and language for years to come.
J
As we resumed our descent the next day we were treated to the spectacular sight of Pont Arc as we canoed underneath this wonderful rock formation.
Over the week pupils bonded across all ages and worked well as a team. My thanks go to the pupils, staff and parents for such a great trip.
We arrived at our hotel some miles orth of Barcelona in the afternoon and, once everyone was settled into their rooms, we walked to the beach and enjoyed an hour or so of rest and relaxation. The next morning we began the tour proper and began in the ancient town of Girona, where we had a walking tour conducted by the very knowledgeable (and very witty) guide, Marcus. In the afternoon we visited the ali Museum and, again, ended the day back on the beach.
Whilst in Barcelona we also had the opportunity to wander around the outside of the Sagrada Familia, perhaps Gaudi’s most famous work and then highlight of the trip for many a walking tour through the shops and markets of Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s premier shopping district.The pupils were then given some free time (and so were the teachers ) and we all met up again a couple of hours later for our coach ride back to the airport and home to Bromsgrove.
2 2
Girls’ Athletics
Boys’ Athletics This has been a better than expected season for senior athletics at the Preparatory School our athletes have performed very well indeed. The ESAA ational Cup saw the boys win the country round and then progress to the Midland A Final. If we had had our strongest team out and had scored in every event, we would have come at least third, but we had to settle for fourth place overall in the end.
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We once more took a large team of boys from Years , 7 and to the Regional IAPS ualifier at Radley College. Five boys, James Edge, ick Papaioannou, arcis Badea, achary Jeacock and Harry Thompson qualified for the ational Final at the Alexander Stadium. umerous other boys recorded several personal best times and just missed out on qualification. Well done to all our athletes who worked hard during the term and achieved personal best times.
Awards - Seniors Colours Valentin Makarov (W), Connor McStay ( ), Callum Stirrat (T), icholas Martin (B), ick Papaioannou (B), arcis Badea ( ), Patrick olan (B), James Edge (T), Kieran Walker ( ), Alex ew (T). These boys scored points or more in an individual event for the ESAA. Half colours Oliver Fender (T), Patrick Waplington (T), Viacheslav Trofimov (W), Lawrence Hill (W). Most Outstanding Senior Athlete arcis Badea ( ) amassed the joint highest points total for two events in the ESAA and was the closest to breaking any Year record. Connor McStay was also in contention for this award. Most Improved Senior Athlete James Edge (T) made more progress than most in recent years and progressed from winning a B Final on Sports ay in 2 to winning three A Finals and received the coveted Victrix Ludorum Trophy. Valentin Makarov was also in contention for this award.
Awards - Juniors Colours achary Jeacock ( ), Harry Thompson (B), Charlie Sapwell (W), Ben Humphries (W). Half colours Isaac Jayaratnasingam ( ), Thomas Maidment (W), James Moody (B), Morgan Bennett (B), Thomas Borriello (W), Charlie McGarry (B). Most Outstanding Junior Athlete achary Jeacock ( ) broke the School 2 metres record which had stood since and is within a tenth of a second of breaking school metres record. Most Improved Junior Athlete Harry Thompson (B) qualified for ational IAPs Final and has consistently run within a tenth of a second of a 2 year School record in the hurdles. The other strong candidate was Sam Osborne. G Jones
Amongst the highlights of the athletics season, the Year 7 and girls reached the ESAA Regional Athletics Midland A’ Final at Tipton athletics ground. Our girls came sixth overall in the Midlands which is an excellent achievement. Our best individual performances came from Eleanor Childs who was third in the m and Abigail Saker, first in the m, Alianne Silk fourth in the javelin and Lauren Brown who came first in the Region at two events 7 m hurdles and long jump. In the IAPS Competition, five of our senior athletes reached the ational Final coming either first or second in the Region Elouise Brookes - first in the javelin, Abigail Saker - first in the m, Lydia Wright - second in the discus, Eleanor Childs - second in the m, Lauren Brown - first in the 7 m hurdles and second in the long jump.
IAPS Athletics Awards - Seniors Colours Lauren Brown (re-awarded), Poppie Westwood, Esme Weston, Abigail Saker, Eleanor Childs, Elouise Brookes. Half colours Alianne Silk, Jessica Jayaratnasingham, Liberty Ball and Isobelle Martin (all of the ESAA Team). Most Outstanding Senior Athlete Lauren Brown Most Improved Senior Athlete Isobelle Martin Our junior team competed in the IAPS and also the istrict Athletics Competition. Amongst our best performances in the IAPS were Scarlett Fender and Elyssa Jones who both qualified for the 2 m finals and came third and sixth respectively. Lydia Wright came Second in the discus and qualified for the ational Final.
Just after the end of the summer term, our leading athletes from Years 7 and took part in the ational Final of the IAPS Athletics Championships at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham. The standard is always very tough and this year was no exception.
Awards - Juniors Colours Elyssa Jones, Lydia Wright, Jessica Ward, Mollie Trow and Scarlett Fender.
Abi Saker ran next in the m and managed to keep on the shoulder of the winner for most of the race. She gave all her energies to remain in third place with a very respectable time of minutes 7 seconds. It should be noted that the two girls ahead of her managed to break the national record so well done Abi.
Half colours Ella Gardner, Emily Lyle, Emily Gieron and Ella Longden. Most Outstanding Junior Athlete Elyssa Jones Most Improved Junior Athlete Jessica Fullard J anks
Lauren Brown began her quest for a medal in the 7 m hurdles winning her heat easily in 2. 7 seconds. With thoughts of the bitter disappointment she felt last year clearly erased from her mind, Lauren topped her time in the final 2. seconds - and crossed the line in st place. One very pleased Lauren and a well deserved medal. Lauren also competed in the long jump. However, her best jump of m 2 cm only managed to place her eleventh.
Both Elouise Brookes and Ellie Childs competed towards the latter part of the afternoon with Elouise throwing m 7 cm, coming twelfth in the javelin and Ellie placed sixth running 2 minutes seconds in the m. The leading boy performers on the day were Year pupils achary Jeacock second in the metres with a time of . seconds (denied gold by only four hundredths of a second). achary capped off an amazing day and year for him (county champion over both and 2 metres in May) when he finished in fifth position in a time of 2 . seconds in the 2 metres. Harry Thompson came in sixth in the 7 metres hurdles in a time of 2.7 seconds (only five hundredths of a second off the School record). In Year , ikolaos Papaioannou came eleventh in the metres in a time of minutes seconds and James Edge was sixth in heats of metres in a time of . seconds. arcis Badea and Connor McStay had also qualified for the ational Finals but were unable to take part as they were on the Ard che trip. Well done to all of our athletes it is exciting to think about what they can go onto achieve next year. Good luck G Jones and E Mullan
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
In the istrict Athletics, every athlete who competed came home with a medal coming first, second or third place in the istrict. For Year , first in the istrict were Lauren Whensley in the m, Kitty Luscombe in the m, icol Green in the high jump. The Year girls were also first in the relay. Second placed athletes were Charlotte Harmer in the long jump and second in the m, icol Green in the m and Olivia Corcoran in the rounders ball throw.
Third placed athletes who also received medals were iamh Middleton in the 7 m, Gabriella Brown in the rounders ball throw, Kate Morrice in the long jump, and Katie Burke in the high jump. Gabriella Brown also came fourth in the 7 m. In Year , first placed athletes were Emily Gieron in the 7 m, Scarlett Fender in the m and first in the long jump, Jessica Ward in the m, Elyssa Jones in high jump, Mollie Trow in the 7 m hurdles, Lydia Wright in the discus and Emily Lyle in the shot put. The Year girls won the x m relay by approximately m. Second place athletes from Bromsgrove in Year were Emily Gieron in the high jump, Jessica Ward in the long jump, Ella Longden in the shot, Lydia Wright in the m, Mollie Trow in the discus, Elyssa Jones in the m and Ella Gardner in the 7 m.
Cricket 1ST XI and U13A
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espite the very poor weather this season, the top team in the Preparatory School still managed to play eleven games, winning ten and losing only one. The team had a very successful run in the national knock out, Bunbury Cup, reaching the Midlands Final for the very first time in its history, before being defeated by local rivals Warwick in a close game. (The only game of the season when all the team was bowled out.) The team was well led by the Captain Lawrence Hill, who used the team’s talents well, often spreading the bowling responsibilities when we had batted first and posted a high score. Tom Swift was very reliable as a batsman, scoring double figures on most occasions. Himmat Bhandhal was the leading wicket taker with but he was ably backed up by Fin Evans with . Connor McStay emerged as a fine all-rounder in the season, with some effective spin bowling, excellent fielding and some powerful batting at times, reaching over twice in the season.
In Tom Banton however, Bromsgrove has had a most prodigious talent on the cricket field, Scoring a highly impressive runs from just innings at an average of . If it wasn’t for five matches being lost due to rain, Tom would have scored well in excess of a , runs for the season - something that professional cricketers often aspire to. Scoring three centuries and a double century in the season has never been seen at the School before, and it is likely to be a very long time before they are seen again. In addition to his batting skills Tom has taken stumpings, catches and has removed the bails in run outs this season. R Widdop
Awards - Senior Full Colours Lawrence Hill (W), Tom Banton (B), Connor McStay ( ), Finlay Evans (B) and Tom Swift (B).
Awards - Junior Full Colours Ben Turner ( ), Thomas Maidment (W), Harry Thompson (W), achary Jeacock ( ), Ben Humphries (W).
Best Senior Batsman (Paul Greetham Cup) and a special award to mark his achievements this season. This goes to the top run scorer Tom Banton (B).
Half Colours Joe Harper (W), James Moody (B), Charlie McGarry (B), Morgan Bennett (B).
Best Senior Bowler Himmat Bhandal (T)
Best Batsman Ben Turner ( )
Best Senior Fielder Connor McStay ( )
Best Bowler Tom Maidment (W) Best Fielder Harry Thompson (B)
7
Cross Country Boys’ Cross Country The senior boys have had a very successful season, qualifying for the second year running for the ational ESAA Final at Princethorpe College. The highlight of the year though was coming runners up at the ational Preparatory School’s Championships at Malvern College. The Junior Boys in Years and finished in thirteenth position out of forty five schools at Malvern. As always a big thank you to Mr Skipp for his endless enthusiasm, coaching and supporting our athletes in all weather. G Jones
Girls’ Cross Country
Our Year girls went on to become gold medallists in the ational Schools’ Biathlon Championships this is a truly outstanding achievement as they beat all of the top London schools who focus highly on running and swimming. Our Year 7 girls won the Prep Schools’ Cross Country Championships one year early which bodes well for next year. The team shows hugh promise, but Abigail Saker is one to watch for the future, winning the County Schools’ Championships comfortably and this year, along with Ellie Childs, also competing in the Inter Counties Championships. The Year 7 girls also had great success in the ational Schools’ Biathlon Championships having a podium finish of third. Well done to the team of three Abigail Saker, Ellie Childs and iamh onovan for being the third best Biathlon school team in the country. J anks
At the twentieth ational K Preparatory School’s Cross Country Championships 2 2, the girls won the overall competition and the boys were runners up. Additionally, Bromsgrove was the only Prep School nationally to have both boys and girls teams qualify for the ESAA ational Cup Final. The girls’ team also competed against a record number of schools (forty-five in total with 27 runners). The boys finished in thirteenth position out of forty four schools that took part.
Golf For the first time in its history, Bromsgrove Preparatory School won the Stowe Putter, the Premier ational Prep Schools Golf Competition, which began in 7. The Stowe Putter is a Scratch Stableford tournament. Lawrence Hill scored twenty-five points on the first nine holes and then twenty-nine points on the next nine holes, culminating in a grand total of fifty-four. He played fantastically well and held his nerve in a very strong field. Lawrence won the overall competition and was presented with the Stowe Putter trophy by Peter McEvoy O.B.E. Tommy Robinson scored forty-six points and played some super golf. Together with Lawrences score, they amassed one hundred points to win the Prep School’s Team Event.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
This has truly been an Olympic year for girls cross country and biathlon teams. In particular, our Year and Year 7 girls’ teams were outstanding, re ected in our success at County, ational Prep and ational Schools level. The Year girls came in the top six runners in the istrict to go on to the County Competition, in which we had a County Champion in Kitty Luscombe. Jessica Ward and Mollie Trow also competed for Bromsgrove, where Mollie came third in the County.
Cross Country Championships
Boys’ Hockey st I In what is an extremely strong fixture list, the first I have had a tremendous season. Their role of honour includes being unbeaten in all their eleven-aside games, winning the tournament at Foremarke, winning the orth and Midlands IAPS Championships and then capping it off by coming runners-up at the ational Championships at Millfield.
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In Tom Banton we had a player of the highest quality. One of the most pleasing aspects of our play was to see several other boys in the side really improve during the season. Lawrence Hill was a rock in defence, Finley Evans a constant threat in attack and Beck Cutting, Morgan Berry and Billy raper-Barr raised their game tremendously as the season went on, contributing in no small way to our success at the ationals. There were several excellent performances, the win against Bilton Grange being one of the best, with excellent results against ean Close, Cheltenham College and The ragon are also notable. The ational Finals was obviously the highlight of the season, and a remarkable effort by the whole team.
IAPS The standard is incredibly high and it is to the boys’ credit that they managed to go as far as they did in what is a busy part of the season. They really have set their own standard very high, and if they continue to play for each other in the manner that they showed this year, they will do exceptionally well in the future. Colours Tom Banton, Lawrence Hill, Morgan Berry, Beck Cutting, Billy raper-Barr, Finley Evans, Himmat Bhandal. Half Colours Oliver Fender, Alex elaney-Hall, Callum Ross, Patrick Waplington. The Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Team goes to Tom Banton whose skill and reading of the game could never be faulted. The Award for Most Improved Player goes to Beck Cutting who has developed really well as a player, with the improvement shown by Morgan Berry and Alex elaney-Hall also deserving mention.
ational Final
Going down to the IAPS ational Final as reigning champions is not easy, as all the other schools are out to beat you and play especially well against you. For the boys to win their group and to go into the uarter Finals unbeaten was a major achievement. The group games were against Bishops Stortford (W -2), urlston Court (W 2- ), Cheltenham College (W 2- ) and St Andrews ( - ).That put Bromsgrove into the uarter Finals against Loretto from Scotland and this proved to be a very tough and physical encounter. They were a big, athletic side and it took a huge effort from the boys to emerge winners -2. The semi-final was against Bilton Grange, a side we know well. The boys dug really deep and clawed their way back from 2- down to equalise, eventually having to play a period of sudden death extra time and finally penalty icks. The tension and drama was almost unbearable at times, and losing on penalties is an awful way to go out. Bromsgrove eventually won - and were through to the Final.
p against Bishops Stortford in the final, a team that had raised their game considerably since playing them in the group stages. Inevitably, the bubble had to burst at some stage, and the boys were both physically and mentally drained after the semi-final. Although competing well the team could not match the levels reached earlier in the day and Bishops Stortford deservedly won 2- . The boys had exceeded all expectations however, and should feel extremely proud of their achievement on the day. To finish runners up in the ational Championships is no mean feat, and the boys can take pride in their performance. Tom Banton was exceptional and led the team well all day, but the whole squad all played their part, including two boys from Year 7 who will take the experience gained into next year. Really well done to all, and many thanks to Mr Harry Jones for his help on the day. Squad members Tom Banton, Finley Evans, Beck Cutting, Billy raper-Barr, Lawrence Hill, Morgan Berry, Oliver Fender, Himmat Bhandal, Gabriel Thornton, Sam Colebrook. G Jones
etball
Girls’ Hockey The Season uring the 2 season, seventy school fixtures have been played plus five invitational tournaments. Bromsgrove won forty-two of these matches, lost eighteen and drew just ten. Therefore in a whopping 7 of the matches played this season the girls were undefeated. This has however been a frustrating season for the A girls. The skills acquired in coaching sessions were rarely translated to the matches. The work rate was always high and several girls made considerable individual progress and it is hoped that they will be able to transfer their skills to their matches next year.
Similarly the 2s have had an exceptional season. The 2A and B team have not lost a match all term, playing nineteen matches, winning fifteen
and drawing four. The 2A team also won the Invitational tournament at enstone College. Highlights of the term, and their best performance was the match that they drew against Trent College and also beating Malvern St James . This was particularly impressive as all of the squad members were out of position and fifteen players contributed to this win - even though it was a seven-a-side match - displaying the strength and depth of the 2 year group. The 2Cs have played two matches this hockey season and the girls have progressed in leaps and bounds. The s have played throughout the season with enthusiasm, commitment and dedication showing steady progress. The girls have worked hard during every lesson and tried to incorporate the various skills taught. They enjoy learning how to play the game and certainly go out with the intention of working hard.
The nder A squad have had mixed fortunes this year, winning four and losing four games, but the highlights of the term were the matches against Trent and ragon. The B team have learnt a lot and have bonded really well going from strength to strength. Particularly notable was a strong match against Packwood Haugh. We have had a large squad playing in the C team this year and it has worked really well. The centre court attack has always been strong from the first whistle and the ball has moved uidly down the court to the shooting circle. The s have also shown real commitment throughout the season.
The s losses came early in the season. However, the attitude, commitment and competitiveness of all of the girls in the A team was clear right from the start. The B and C team has also had a very successful term in hockey.
The 2A team have been very successful this term winning out of their fixtures and getting to the finals at Regional IAPS. The B team have played consistently well and their efforts have been rewarded played ten and won ten The 2C team have improved their netball skills immensely, working hard during training and putting their new skills into practice. The 2 team have been an absolute pleasure to work with this season, they should be pleased with their progress in netball.
J anks
The
A team have had a fantastic
season, winning six out of their seven matches and finishing third in the Foremarke etball tournament. The B girls have really worked hard and have played some very attractive netball at times. The C team had an excellent season, despite being an inexperienced squad at the start, they quickly grew into a much stronger and more organised team with a real game plan. The s won a third of their matches this season and the girls have learnt a lot. We have had a lot of fun together and the girls’ tactical play has come on leaps and bounds. After a great start to the season for the As, our later results did not re ect the closeness of some of the games, sometimes only losing by one goal. The girls in the B team have had a very successful term in netball, finishing the season by winning the district competition. The C girls have improved significantly since the start of the season culminating in a win against The ragon. The netball team has clearly been saving its best till last. After much training, they finished their year on a real high. Finally after all their efforts, they came out with ying colours and beat The ragon with a fantastic score of to Bromsgrove.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
The B hockey team have, on the other hand, had a fantastic season. The girls have progressed well and have always been committed and enthusiastic at both training sessions and fixtures. Throughout the season, the girls have played six matches, one tournament and have also played in the House hockey competition. Out of these matches, four matches were comfortably won and only two were lost which shows how hard the team have worked.
The Season
Rounders
Rugby
The Season
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Three words RAI STOPPE PLAY The rounders season has been somewhat disadvantaged by the rain this year but we did manage to get some matches in when the sun did come out. espite all the rain, every single girl in Years to represented the School which is an excellent achievement by everybody. espite the disappointing weather, the Girls managed to play four matches losing the first two and winning the last two. In the final match Alianne Silk captained the team well from her position at backstop, making good decisions and helping the team to get opposition players out. The B team lost one match, drew one and won one. Well done in particular to the players of the matches Ellie Moss, Katie eales, Sarah Chapman and Olivia Bond. The 2s have enjoyed three matches over this very short summer term. It was great to see all girls in the year group representing School and a huge number coming along to squads each week. The girls improved over the season to produce some very slick fielding preventing many potential scores from other teams.
A The U12B team have also enjoyed three matches, where they have been victorious in all of them. The C team were also very successful winning two out of their four matches. All of the girls in the Year s group have been able to represent the School at rounders this term. Results of the games that we have played have been pleasing on the whole with all four teams winning their games when we hosted Abberley Prep School. The s managed to fit in three very exciting matches winning two and losing only one match all season. Each time getting off to slow starts, but then producing some great play in the 2nd innings. espite the horrendous weather conditions for most of the first half term and many matches being cancelled, the B team has never lost their determination and enjoyed the matches that they did manage to play. The C and teams have also played against Winterfold and Bablake School enjoying a victory over Bablake. All girls in both squads have shown commitment and dedication to improving their skills. Well done to all. J Danks
Out of a fixture list of fourteen games, only three were lost and in only one did we let ourselves down and lose a game we should have won. The ragon had a very strong team this year and we actually pushed them hard, and Solihull were too big and physical for us. Only in our last game against Colstons did we fail to do ourselves justice, losing a game that was there for the taking. Of the victories, the games against Packwood and Abberley were probably our best performances and we had very good wins against Cheltenham, Abingdon and Winchester House. The team were always competitive and their defence was at times outstanding. What we lacked in uency, we made up for in a never-say-die’ spirit. As the season went on, the linking between forwards and backs improved tremendously and we had powerful runners in both areas who could score tries, given space and the opportunity. What has been particularly pleasing, was their willingness to learn and to take on board the comments from coaches. They have been a pleasure to work with and should go on to do really well as they progress through the School. C Harris
Tournament Winners Bromsgrove hosted the Annual Rugby tournament between Blue Coat School, RGS The Grange and Winterfold House. The s played Blue Coat in the first match and won by - thanks to Thomas Borriello showing genuine pace on the wing to finish off an excellent passage of play from Bromsgrove’s back line. The rest of the match was very evenly contested and it proved crucial scoring the first try. The second match versus RGS The Grange was won ( ) and Winterfold House followed with Bromsgrove winning a third time ( - ). Bromsgrove were worthy winners and Ben Turner once more led the forwards really well and was awarded with the trophy on behalf of the team. The boys have had the best Rugby season of any team in the last nine years and there is genuine hope here that these boys can kick on next season as s come September. G Jones
AVIVA Sport Matters
Rugby Sevens
The Preparatory School’s first V and Rugby Sevens team were shortlisted at the seventh Annual Aviva aily Telegraph School Sport Matters Awards Ceremony, in the top three schools for this year’s School Team of the Year award, held at the home of English Rugby, Twickenham.
When the awards were announced in reverse order, Bromsgrove were awarded the Highly Commended’ award (runners up) in this most prestigious competition. Mr Harris, Mr Jones, Alex and Tom were all interviewed on stage by ex-Olympian and K metres record holder, Iwan Thomas.
The team coach and Master i c Rugby, Mr Chris Harris, and Head of boys PE Games, Mr Gareth Jones, took two representatives from the team captain Alex isbet and one of the leading forwards, Tom Ford - to the awards luncheon.
It was fitting that this extraordinary group of boys who had had an amazing school year in 2 2 , were rightly issued with a national award to rubber stamp what a truly remarkable year it had been for them and the school. G Jones
Bromsgrove were joined by the two other schools who were competing for the overall prize of School Team of the Year, so the teams had done exceptionally well to be shortlisted in the top three from an initial entry of six hundreds schools from across England and Wales.
Half the squad had just been involved in the IAPS orth and Midlands hockey final victory at Repton the day before. The group, which contained very strong Rugby Sevens schools such as Regis, The owns, Clifton College and ownsend, meant that the team had to dig deep and play their best rugby of the season. Having lost the first three matches of the four group matches, the boys went onto clinch the quarter final, defeated the owns in the semi final and Port Regis in the final to win the Edgarley Shield. The Squad comprised of Connor McStay, Himmat Bhandal, Sam Lee, Beck Cutting, Morgan Berry, Tom Banton, Alex elaney Hall, Paddy Waplington, Tom Swift, Jasper Merrick
The re-launched Preparatory School Rugby Sevens took place at Bromsgrove Senior School, entering both an A and a B team alongside three other schools, Blue Coat, Prestfelde and King Henry VII Prep. The A team drew the first match against King Henry VII but won the remaining games. The B Team followed suit by drawing their first match, winning the second but then losing the final two. In the main final, Bromsgrove’s A team won 2 - against King Henry VII. The A team squad comprised of Ben Turner, Richard Vaughan, Thomas Borriello, Thomas Maidment, Charlie Sapwell, achary Jeacock, Harry Thompson, Morgan Bennett, Lewis Maddox. The B team comprised of Mitchell Wise, achary Ralph, Ben Humphries, James Lord, James Moody, William Pearson, Jacob Mann, Isaac Jayaratnasingam. G Jones
G Jones
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Following a tour of the stadium, the boys were able to meet and have photos taken with some dignitaries from the world of sport who had represented their country in World Cups, Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
An incredible year for Preparatory School sport and in what turned out to be another memorable day for the School, the boys took part in the Millfield Rugby Sevens.
Rugby Sevents
2
Rugby
Swimming
Rosslyn Park
The Season
House Swimming
Once again swimming has had another successful year with many victories for boys and girls in all year groups.
Well done to all the pupils for taking part and supporting each other in what was a great House competition. Boulton scored the most points for the Year 7 and boys and arby for the Year 7 and girls. For Year and , W came first and Telford won in Year and . Overall it was arby that came first for House Swimming with all points combined.
The ational Schools Seven-a side Tournament takes place at Rosslyn Park every year and this year we were drawn in a tough group. With only the group winners going through, it is vital to start well and we were up against it in our first game.
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St Mary’s Hall had been doing well on the Sevens circuit already this year and we knew this game would probably decide the group winners. When we went 2up, scoring two good tries through Beck Cutting and Connor McStay, heads went up and we began to think we could win the group. nfortunately, we then stopped tackling, allowing them to score two very soft tries before half-time, making the score 2- . Having to chase the game, mistakes started to creep into our game and we ended up losing 2-2 . The boys were very down at the end, knowing that the game had been there for the taking. Although we won our two remaining games, we never reached the standard of play seen at the Packwood or Bromsgrove tournaments, and we finished runners up in our group.
The scores were 2 -2 against Winchester House and 22-2 against Gayhurst. These were both games that we should have won comfortably and yet made life very difficult for ourselves with some poor defence and decision making. The boys deserve credit for fighting to the end however, and their Sevens season in total has been good. They have been a great group to work with and I hope they will continue to improve in the Senior School. C Harris
More swimmers have joined more clubs from Year 2 upwards and with stronger links with swimming clubs (especially Redditch SC), this will certainly help for years to come. pper Sixth an Ruckwood competed in the Olympic trials at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, he has been a tremendous role-model for our younger swimmers especially on a Monday evening when he helps coach the junior squad session for children in Years , 2 and .
Swimming Team Many pupils from Year to Year have represented Bromsgrove School in weekly fixtures. From September to ecember fixtures have been every week. Pupils who have competed in swimming matches demonstrated true competitiveness, winning all matches. Victories have included The ragon, Holy Trinity, Warwick Prep, St Martins, ewcastle nder Lyme Bluecoat School.
Invitational Swimming Gala In total 2 schools took part in the Bromsgrove School Invitiational Swimming Gala, split into the and age groups. Out of the finals including the and boys and girls in the freestyle and medley relays, Bromsgrove managed to medal in five of them and win two of the events, the girls and boys freestyle relays. The teams consisted of Catrin Carter, Alice Oliver, Kitty Luscombe, Kate Morrice, Euan Vaughan-Hawkins, Pearce Childs, Samuel Osborne and William Pearson.
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Tennis IAPS Swimming
ESSA Primary School Relays
Senior Girls
Junior Girls
Seventeen of our leading swimmers took part in the IAPS National Finals. The competition was tougher than any previous year with many of our swimmers recognising other individuals who have national rankings in their chosen stroke. As a Prep School we couldn’t have asked for any more, with combining points from boys and girls Bromsgrove finished as the third top Prep School in the country and the top Prep School in the Midlands.
A squad of our ten best swimmers from Years 5 and 6 competed in the National Primary School Swimming Relays at the renowned international sports complex Ponds Forge in Sheffield. The squad consisted of Jacob Mann, Benjamin Turner, William Pearson, Samuel Osborne, Euan Vaughan-Hawkins, Alice Oliver, Nicol Green, Catrin Carter, Kitty Luscombe and Katy Morrice.
This has been an enjoyable term for the Senior girls’ tennis squads. They have improved both their individual skills and tactical awareness in the doubles game. The weather has not been very helpful with a few matches remaining unfinished because of the rain. However, it has been good to see some fighting spirit amongst the girls in their matches, notably beating The Dragon and Trent College. A special mention must go to the U12 girls who have made up the majority of the senior tennis squad but the main awards this year go to our Year 8 girls who were in the squad.
This has been a good season for the U11 tennis squad. They played a total of three matches, all of which were very closely contested and exciting to watch. Overall, they drew two and lost one. The standard of the tennis was extremely high throughout with outstanding technical ability displayed in both ground stroke play and volleying. Well done to the whole squad for their effort, commitment and excellent team spirit. The U10 Tennis squad had a fantastic season. Of the three matches they played, they won two and very narrowly lost one. The standard of play from our first pair was extremely high, with good solid ground strokes and volleys. Our second pair were not quite so strong in technical ability, but made up for this in effort and determination. The whole team shows great promise for the future. Well done to all.
In the boys events both the medley and freestyle teams achieved a place in the “B” final, achieving a time of 1.02.93 in the freestyle relay and finishing eleventh overall including the “A” final and achieving a time of 1.12.91 in the Medley Relay finishing tenth overall.
Most Improved Player(s): Megan Thompson and Esme Weston Tennis Colours: Charlotte Goodall, Megan Thompson and Esme Weston Half colours: Charlotte Campbell, Megan Walker, Claudia Moberley, Eleanor Childs, Laura Merritt, Elouise Brookes, Isabelle Dunlop, Megan Longden, Anna Ranger and Lisa Shaw
Most Valuable Player: Lydia Wright Most Improved Player: Elyssa Jones Tennis Colours: Lydia Wright, Ella Gardner, Mollie Trow, Elyssa Jones Half Colours: Ella Longden and Georgina Muscutt
(Photo Credit: Jeff Bagnall, ESSA)
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
The girls swam extremely well achieving a place in both B finals in the freestyle and medley relays. In the freestyle relay they achieved a time of 1.01.43 finishing seventh overall and in the medley relay they achieved a time of 1.11.96 finishing sixth overall. Once again Bromsgrove School finished as the top school in the Midlands for swimming.
Most Valuable Player: Charlotte Goodall
Charities It has been a busy year for Charities at the Prep School. We kicked off with a clothing and tinned food collection for Maggs ay Centre in Worcester. The Charities Committee confidently presented the idea during whole school assembly early in the Michaelmas term. The collection provided the centre with many important items, such as bedding, towels and even dog food for homeless people and their pets.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Own clothes day for Children in eed raised a huge 7 in ovember, and various collections at concerts and carol services were donated to Primrose Hospice and Waterloo Schools a charity which helps to improve the education service in Sierra Leone. Our annual poppy and daffodil appeals also collected another few hundred pounds for The Royal British Legion and Marie Curie Cancer Care respectively. The Charities Committee were busy again in the Lent term preparing for Charities Week. They shortlisted eight possible charities that the School could support during the week in March. The committee then spent time in Year Group assemblies explaining what each charity did. All pupils had the opportunity to vote for the charity of their choice during ICT lessons.
The charities with the most votes were UNICEF and Guide Dogs UK so all proceeds from Charities Week would be split equally between them. The week itself was full of fun activities and sponsored events amongst other things Years and held a cake and coffee afternoon for their parents, Year sold quiz sheets with embarrassing teacher photos, Year had a collection at their performance of Pirates of the Curry Bean, Year 7 participated in a sports tournament and Year sold various goodies at break times. The total amount raised for the week was just over 2 . This money has been gratefully received by both charities, and we should hear more from Guide ogs K in the very near future The Charities Committee members this year were Alex Ashworth, Charlotte Bayliss, Ellie Birch, Olivia Bond, Beck Cutting, Libby Edwards, Charlotte Goodall, George Goodall, Sasha Johnston, Rebika Rai, Rebecca Reeves, Kirsty Salmon, Callum Stirrat, Megan Thompson, Matt Townsend and Kate Ward. S Cartwright
At Prep School, we are enthusiastic about supporting charities therefore, over the years, a Charities Committee has been set up. As members of the Charities Committee, we know how much effort is put in to raising awareness for certain charities. The Prep School holds an annual Charities Week, which this year took place in March.
The Charities Week was great We sold bacon butties, ice creams, a boarders breakfast (pancakes) and an own clothes day. All of the Charities Committee members worked hard to pick your charities whilst hoping you enjoyed supporting us this year Elizabeth Edwards and Rebecca Reeves
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
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Cobham House
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
It is always very strange to sit down in the relative peace and quiet of Cobham after everyone has left, to write about the year just passed especially so this year as it my final Cobham Report and indeed, the last one ever as Prep School boarding moves to the new Page House in September. Where have the last 13 years gone? It only seems like yesterday when John Ormerod, sadly no longer with us, offered us the position of Cobham Houseparents. We were fully aware of the commitment that the post was going to require but little did we know how much fun we were going to have and how it would change our lives forever. We will always be very grateful to John for having the faith in us and allowing us to fulfil our lifetime ambition. It is safe to say that we have been very lucky and thoroughly enjoyed our teaching careers but our time in Cobham has without doubt proved to be the icing on the cake. This final year has been a very successful one and it is particularly pleasing to be able to finish on a high. Numbers have remained healthy throughout the year and it has been especially nice to be able to welcome not only new boarders but also exchange students from BIST in each of the three terms.
Boarding is the heartbeat of the School and, as always, the boys have played a significant part in all aspects of school life. We were delighted when Beck Cutting was appointed as Head Boy, the sixth boarder to be honoured with this role during our tenure as Houseparents, and he carried out his duties with great distinction. The vast majority of our Year 8 boys became either School Prefects or Monitors and all displayed great commitment and reliability as they undertook their various duties. Callum Stirrat proved to be an excellent Head of House and developed a taste for public speaking throughout the year. Academically, the boys generally worked well and many received very encouraging grades throughout the year. There were numerous Headteacher’s Commendations and several of the boys were promoted during the year. Highlight of the year was when Beck Cutting was awarded a Boarding Scholarship at the Senior School. It must be remembered that the work the boys produce is all their own work and it is to their great credit that they learn to be far more self-disciplined and develop greater levels of personal organization. They do not always get it right but they learn from their mistakes in a small and supportive environment thus preparing them for the Senior School.
On the sporting front, the boys made the most of the opportunities to represent the School. There were a considerable number of boarders in all teams throughout the year and their pride and enjoyment at representing the School, no matter at what level, was very evident as they came home to report, with equal enthusiasm, on their successes and failures. Several of the boys also undertook additional sporting commitments outside the School. We had boys representing both Bromsgrove Rugby Club and Bromsgrove Swimming Club with distinction. The pace of life rarely drops and the weekends are no different. The Saturday Morning Activity Programme has provided the opportunity for the boys to broaden their experiences. Dry slope skiing, clay pigeon shooting, golf and martial arts have proved to be particularly popular. Sundays have always been seen as an opportunity to ‘chill out’ but boys being boys they have also wanted to go on a variety of trips. The trips programme has again proved to be very popular. Regular visits to the cinema, go-karting, quadbiking, outdoor pursuits and various theme parks trips, to mention just a few, have all been enjoyed by the boys and provided the opportunity to get out and about.
It may be a cliché but we have enjoyed our final year as much as the first one and indeed the last thirteen years have, without doubt, been the most rewarding of our teaching careers. It has been an honour and privilege to work with all the boys over the years and we have never lost sight of the faith and trust placed in us by all parents to allow us to play such a large part in the development of the boys at such a formative time in their lives.
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through Cobham. Cobham could not have been so successful without a dedicated team who were all united in constantly striving to create a happy family atmosphere in which the boys felt, happy, safe and secure.
The methods may have changed slightly over the years as experience has replaced adrenalin but the energy and enthusiasm has remained and the underlying philosophy has been the same throughout our time in Cobham.
If the tutors are like the bricks, then Miss Davies and Mrs Prior have been the mortar that have held the whole thing together, providing the consistency which is so essential for boys of this age. Miss Davies, over the last 10 years, has always ensured that the House runs smoothly on a daily basis. Mrs Prior has always displayed a very caring and positive attitude towards all the boys and this has been very much appreciated. She will be sadly missed by staff and boys alike.
when the boys return as the vast majority of the tutor team will be made up of current staff which will provide valuable continuity in the early stages. We wish them all every success. If they get half as much fun out of boarding as we have then they are assured of a very happy and successful time.
Our biggest thanks, however, must go to the boys themselves. Over the past 13 years we have had the pleasure to work with and get to know really well so many great characters. It is the strength of the relationships developed within the House which are the true test of any successful boarding house. Like any family, there have been ups and downs but we feel very fortunate that over the years the relationships formed have been built on respect, trust and support and have been very much a two way thing. And so to the future. The new Page House will be a marvellous facility, providing top quality accommodation, whilst at the same time, offering many new opportunities for the boys. It will be an exciting time as the boys get used to their new surroundings but it will take time to settle in. The new team, under the leadership of Miss Williams and Mr George, ably assisted by Mr Sutherland, will also take time to come to terms with the demands of a new house. There will, however, be many familiar faces for
Of all the gifts received at the end of the year, I think the greatest of them all will be the wealth of happy memories we take with us. I think the best way to sum it up is to paraphrase the words of one of the Year 7s who wrote in our leaving book: “Only the best memories last forever and Cobham will be one of them.� We will watch from afar with great interest so boys, beware! Bob and Hilary Newton
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
It has always been our aim to try and help the boys develop into young adults who are confident without being cocky, courteous, considerate, cooperative and committed. We sow the seeds in the Prep School and may not always reap the rewards but it is very rewarding and perhaps fitting that next year, in the Senior School, the Senior Boarder, Head of Wendron-Gordon and Head of Elmshurst will all be boys who came
The tutors have all played their parts in this and are to be commended for their commitment, especially after a long day at School. They have been tutors because they enjoy being with the boys and enjoy spending time with them and this has always been very evident on a daily basis.
Mrs Newton has been the rock on which Cobham has been built. Her energy and commitment to the boys is limitless. The boys have always known that they can come to Mrs Newton if there has ever been a problem or when I have said no to something and they want another and probably more favourable outcome.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Honeysuckle and Page House It is only when you look back over a year that you realise how much the boarding community undertake There is no way that any girl at Bromsgrove can say she is bored whilst being a boarder We have had two births to celebrate Harry Whiting arrived in the ew Year and Joseph Read came early in March. The girls in Page House were busy knitting squares (under the very experienced eye of their new Houseparent Mrs Bourne) for both babies who were very grateful for the warmth of these blankets. We have had regular updates on their progress and the girls are all looking forward to meeting them on the return to School of both Mrs Whiting and Miss Read. We have also had a number of new girls coming into boarding from different parts of the world several from our sister school in Thailand, BIST who stay with us for a term and then we greet some more. Ella joined Honeysuckle in January from Italy and took to boarding so well you would not know she had only been her for such a short time. It has been a privilege sharing our lives with such diverse backgrounds and cultures. Honeysuckle also celebrated the appointment of Olivia as Head Girl a role she has relished and one where she has made a significant contribution to School life.
This year, all Honeysuckle girls were involved in the Year play The Odyssey in a variety of roles from major performances to back stage crew to selling photographs in the interval. Knitting also became a major part of the play too with Mrs Wheeler spending many an evening helping the girls knit as they were required to knit in various scenes very well done to Paige, Olivia, Libby, Ellie and Rebecca. The Year play Pirates of the Curry Bean - was, as usual, highly entertaining and Phoebe and Lauren were both heavily involved. Miss Cadwallader was remarkable in being able to write the script with casting a part for every pupil in Year . We love to support the plays and join in the fun. Well done to all We are always sad when pupils leave the boarding community and none more so when Abi left Page at the end of the Lent Term. Abi has boarded with us since she was in Year and although always seen affectionately as the baby of the House, at times put us to shame with her resilience, attitude and zest for School and boarding life and although we sent her off in style she will be sorely missed.
There is no doubt the girls have all worked extremely hard in lessons, in prep and in all extra curricular activities. They have passed LAM A exams, represented the School in sports teams, thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the major plays but have had even more pleasure going on the boarding Sunday trips. There is nothing more pleasing than seeing the girls relaxing and having fun throughout the whole of the boarding community. Highlights include the infamous rayton Manor day, go karting, Water World, laser tag, shop till you drop (this year the boys came with us to the Bullring and asked if we could go every week after that).
Of course, none of this can happen without a small army of staff who work tirelessly with the children all our magnificently loyal and committed tutors our cleaners iane and Jill, Housemother Mrs Wheeler, Allen Morgan the School caretaker who fixes everything we ask him to and Trevor the gardener who has recently left us to take on working in the Senior School so we will continue to see him. The girls, Mrs Bourne and I cannot speak highly enough of everyone who contributes to the smooth running of both Houses. It is now time for Mrs Bourne and I to hang up our boots, along with Mrs Whiting who will concentrate on raising baby Harry, and hand the reins over to Miss Williams. We wish all the girls success for their futures at Bromsgrove and wherever that takes them and, of course, we will both see many of them in their brand new boarding house next year. E Mullan
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Bob and Hilary Newton
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Activities
Competitions
Poetry The Poetry Competition for pupils in Years , and was a most entertaining and enjoyable event adjudicated this year by Miss Lancett, English teacher from the Senior School.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
The winners for each year group were Harry Richards, Harrison Meadows and Millie Courtney. The overall winner was Max Campbell. The standard of all performances was outstanding. The afternoon was enhanced by musical performances by the House Music Competition winners Years and . National Poetry Day was also celebrated in style at the Prep School during English and rama lessons. Many children learnt and performed a poem about Games (the ational theme) and Year had fun with The Pied Piper. The Year pupils enjoyed writting poems in the Japanese Haiku style of -7- syllables.
A few samples can be seen below Rugby by James Rugby is the Best. Releasing Anger. Control. In charge of the backs.
Maths Challenge
Hide and Seek by Chloe Hide and seek is fun. You have to find somebody. You can’t be too slow.
It was wonderful to listen to the children puzzling out the problems and the jubilance experienced when all the questions had been found and answered.
Hopscotch by Lucy I enjoy hopscotch. It is very fun to play. My friends like it too. Football by Finley Football is awesome. I played football and I scored. Football is the best.
Art and Craft
Working in pairs or small groups and clutching clipboards or notebooks, the challenge was on.
Following the hunt, the teachers had arranged Maths activities including constructing pyramids, problem solving activities, magical maths drawing and shadow measuring, I’m eight metres tall C Leather Computer Club
Friendship Bracelets Year Eight girls Libbie Ball, Ali Silk and Lauren Brown were inspired to raise money for Waterloo Schools Charity after a talk from Laurie Read, Chairman of the Organisation. The girls made friendship bracelets and sold them, raising the amazing amount of 2 . 2.
Textiles
Olympics ay Bob and Hilary
ewton
The entire Preparatory School participated in a very special and unique enrichment day, based upon the London 2012 Olympic Games. The morning started in the Sports Hall, welcoming the ag bearers from the country each form had adopted. Ellie Smallwood, an Olympic Torch Bearer and student at South Bromsgrove High School, handed over her torch to Beck Cutting, Head Boy, who paraded around the assembled gathering to rapturous applause.
The day was divided into a series of workshops and activities, devised by the extremely hardworking staff. Mr Widdop and the Year pupils rowed, ran and cycled the distance to the Olympic Park, there were roving reporters capturing images and compiling reports, science experiments and art based activities. A particular highlight was the visit by pupils from Chadsgrove School who participated with the pupils in activities such as wheelchair basketball. It was incredibly moving to see the respect and friendship emerge from the coming together of the two schools. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed this memorable day and I am indebted to the enthusiasm and commitment of all the staff who worked tirelessly to ensure that your children had a day to remember. My thanks also go to Mrs Richards for organising this extremely successful and enriching day. J eval-Reed
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Mrs Richards gave a moving speech, based upon the Olympic and Paralympic values of respect, friendship, excellence, courage, determination, inspiration and equality. Then it was the turn of each year group to perform as part of the opening ceremony for our Gamesthemed day. Year took us back to Ancient Greece and the first Olympics, Year sang On a Rainbow (the official Olympic Games Mascot song) complete with actions, Years and combined forces and performed Proud, Year 7 sang London 2012 and Year were represented by Oliver Hall reciting Invictus, supported by other Year pupils talking about the Olympic values.
The Olympic Girls’ Choir sang You Raise Me Up and the ceremony was finished by the brave Olympic Boys’ Choir singing Champion. The Headmistress then officially announced that the Bromsgrove Games had commenced.
2
Staff Leavers
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Chris Harris ( -2 2) Where does one begin to start a tribute for a Bromsgrovian who has given his life and soul to the School in a career spanning four decades Chris started teaching at Bromsgrove in September , initially appointed as Head of Boys’ Games and shortly after, as irector of Sport, a post he held until 2 . uring the past thirty-two years of teaching he has touched the lives and souls of thousands of children, parents and colleagues. One of Chris’s many endearing traits is that he genuinely has a great deal of passion, commitment and loyalty towards the children he has taught. I would go as far to say Chris is as close to an encyclopaedia of knowledge for Physical Education as you are going to get.
Chris has a big presence about him and children listen very carefully to everything he has to say. Teaching certainly has been the right profession for him and I for one have told him more than once that he should have progressed to a Headship as he would have made an excellent Head in any school. One of the reasons he may not have decided to do this is because he would have missed the day-to-day contact with the children too much. This is perfectly illustrated by the fact he instigated and set up the Pupil Council as he was very eager to give the pupils a voice. His favourite teaching has undoubtedly been his involvement over the years with coaching rugby at Bromsgrove. Chris has maintained an amazing amount of enthusiasm and energy towards his sport, and all the boys who played under him did their utmost to play the game in the right spirit and give their all at all times. We all know how competitive Chris can be, even when it came to a game of cards on Christmas ay, as Margaret Purdy would vouch for, and his teams certainly re ected this. ndoubtedly his highlight has to be last year’s st VII winning the ational Rosslyn Park Sevens, having the best ever unbeaten season, which did make us all feel very proud of Chris and the boys.
He has taught me many things, but one of the things that stand out the most is his honesty and how important it is to create the right relationship with visiting schools both on and off the field of play. I know that Chris is very proud of the fact he has coached six senior sides to an unbeaten season, which is something that is cherished very highly on the Prep School circuit. On top of this of course he has organised countless rugby tours to France, Holland and Ireland. Additionally he achieved remarkable success with the senior hockey teams with three being crowned ational champions and one runners-up this year. There was also his attention to detail with his athletics, where he managed to get several teams to reach Midland and ational Finals on a regular basis. He instigated the school entering the ational ESAA Track and Field Vup and the School held the national x metres relay record for nearly twenty years. Other areas of School life that Chris has been involved with include Head of Year , teacher representative on the Parents’ Association committee and running two boarding houses over a period of eighteen years. As with his devotion to teaching, Chris made an ideal Houseparent and had a very able assistant in his wife, Mary.
Hundreds of children have huge gratitude towards Chris and I have never heard a pupil say a bad word about him, well not publicly anyway, which is a true mark of a great teacher. In what was the School’s darkest hour during the Cobham fire in , Chris was instrumental in helping to keep order and ensuring the smooth running of the School during a very difficult time. One thing that Chris might say he has enjoyed even more than his coaching of rugby is the thirty-two consecutive ski trips he has organised. I have been privileged enough to accompany a handful of such trips to Switzerland over the past decade and Chris very much is as enthusiastic a ski teacher as you are ever likely to come across I say teacher, because he is more interested in the development of youngsters improving than he is about his own personal skiing, either that or he is now too old to blast the slopes His attention to detail, as with everything, is quite incredible. Every child and teacher returns from these trips feeling refreshed having had an amazing week of skiing. He has a wealth of knowledge and could quite easily set up his own ski travel company anywhere worldwide, so watch this space. G Jones
Bob and Hilary ( 2-2 2)
ewton
They moved and settled into a house in Stoke Heath and thus began the 2 year journey at Bromsgrove School that they have both navigated with such passion. It soon became known that amongst Bob’s many talents was a high order skill
When some thirteen years ago they moved into the Boarding house having been appointed Cobham Houseparents it became so eminently obvious that the dedication, care and enthusiasm that Bob and Hilary have would benefit the School. Bob relinquished his role as head of the junior department and joined the Maths department, whilst still maintaining his major involvement in the games department, with rugby, hockey and cricket teams under his tutelage. Bob and Hilary clearly make the boys feel secure and this helps the pupils who are a long way from home to be happy their expectations of the boys have never wavered. Aristotle said Good habits formed at youth make all the difference .
So generous have both Bob and Hilary been with their time that they used to run the annual Easter junior activities trips to places such as Hyde House in orset. Here children could run about in the countryside and develop skills such as sailing and raft building, all unavailable in the normal school working year. Bob brought his classroom skills from the primary years to great effect in taking on the role of teaching the lower Maths sets in each year. He fervently concentrated on ensuring that these children understand, can recall and are secure with the basics required at each age. He has often managed to produce a standard of Maths from children for whom it is a troubling subject taking them well beyond what they should be capable of. Hilary has been a truly loyal and dedicated member of the Maths epartment in all this time often fulfilling the role as second in the department (as of late) and I am personally indebted to her since she has always been the first to offer her time and assistance. She will be the first to admit that sometimes elements of I.T. application have eluded her and yet she will always strive to understand and consider a new application. I will always remember her enormous dedication to
so conscientiously marking a myriad of children’s books over the past twenty years, it has been truly exemplary. When Saturdays became restructured Bob was appointed Activities Coordinator, a huge new job which he threw himself into with his well known passion and dedication. A wide range of activities were developed from sailing to skiing, model making to badminton. I introduced Octopush and Mike Faulkner offered Bog Snorkelling children signed up for both having no idea what they were. The arrival of two grandchildren and a third on the way has significantly added another dimension to their lives, Bob frequently and willingly falls into the role of naughty grandad, winding the boys up and revelling in the consequences. Hilary acts as the peacemaker how valuable grandmas are This has been just an impoverished snap shot of their last twenty years and I could so easily continue, however Bob and Hilary are about to start a huge new adventure in Spain and we wish them both a happy retirement together. R Widdop
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Just occasionally we get the chance to acknowledge people who have to one degree or another affected our lives. Bob and Hilary moved from the South West to Bromsgrove. Bob, arriving fresh faced and beardless, soon made his bubbly and infectious personality a major factor in taking up his role as Head of Webber (the junior department of the School), housed in those days in the Music School and the huts beyond. Hilary brought a level of calm, good humour and enormous generosity of spirit in joining the School and the Maths epartment.
with golf clubs - he frequently played for the staff against the parents. Many may not appreciate that Hilary is an outstanding cook and has an artistic and creative ability I’m sure you’ve all seen the boarding house wall cartoon characters. Her natural temperament is one of tranquility, huge work output and beguiling innocence, at times she believes anything she is told on the assumption that others are as honest as she is. However she is no pushover as can be witnessed when dealing with pupils’ misdemeanours and conduct.
Staff Leavers
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Richard Evans (2 -2 2) Richard Evans joined us in 2 from St. Andrew’s School, Woking, as Head of the Preparatory School. His years at Bromsgrove saw him preside over a growing Prep School that excelled in numerous areas while undergoing significant changes.
Bromsgrove’s Outstanding was due in no small part to Richard’s input both at an administrative and organisational level. We thank Richard for his time with us and wish him every success with his new headship at Craigclowan Preparatory School in Perthshire.
From sport to academics, the School developed significantly, but as the roll was taken higher there was no sense of identity loss Richard’s own likeable manner and cheerful demeanour ensured that the School remained imbued with personality. With his wife Carole teaching in the Prep School and his two sons in the Senior School, Richard was involved at all levels of School life, and perhaps his greatest achievement was bringing his expertise to the inspection process.
C Edwards
Prize Winners 2
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Subject Prizes
Sport Prizes
Art - Hatt Cup Rebika Rai
Religious Education Oliver Hall
Classics - Talbot Cup icholas Martin
Mathematics Callum Ross
Creative Writing - Cockin Cup Megan Thompson
Mathematics, Science and Technology Lynch Cup Lidia Pozhidaeva
Design Technology - Haslam Cup Callum Stirrat Drama - Showell Cup Olivia Bond English Benedict Mann English as an Additional Language Evgeny Sterkhov English, Humanities and Languages Llanwrtyd Wells Cup Oliver Rogers French Paige Corcoran
German Sarah Firminger
Performing Arts - Holland Cup Luke Alcock Most Improved Musician - Hall-Mancey Cup Edward rayson Best Musical Performer Patrick olan Outstanding Progress - Hutchings Cup Jack Thornley Science - Lee-Smith Cup Sarah Chapman Spanish Elizabeth Edwards
History Bryony Ralph
Special Educational Achievement Sumner Cup Imogen Slater
ICT Prashanta Rai
Textiles - Warne Cup Isabelle Murphy
Latin Oliver Hall
Staff Cup Lauren Brown (Greatest Contribution to Girls’ Sports throughout the year) Pritchard Plate Beck Cutting (Commitment to Boys’ Sport) Pritchard Plate Alianne Silk (Commitment to Girls’ Sport)
School Prizes Walford Cup Kirsty Salmon (Social Awareness) Webber Bowl (Endeavour)
Charlotte Goodall and Kieran Walker
Laura Jones Cup Ellie Moore (Best All-Round Contribution) James Cup Billy raper Barr (Best All-Round Contribution) Donovan Plate Prashanta Rai (Boys’ Boarding) Donovan Plate Megan Bufton (Girls’ Boarding) Head Boy Prize Beck Cutting Head Girl Prize Olivia Bond Headmistress’ Prize George Goodall and Charlotte Bayliss
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Geography Himmat Bhandal
Music - Cuckson Cup Luke Alcock
Bentley Cup Tom Banton (Greatest Contribution to Boys’ Sports throughout the year)
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Year 8 Valete Last name, first name, Prep School form, Senior School House, Responsibilities, Highest teams played for, Performing arts, Music etc, Competitions/Prizes won, Other achievements Adamson, Benjamin, 8RW, Lupton, Monitor and Prefect, played in rugby, hockey and cricket teams, played in the winter and ensemble concerts, also performed in the Year 8 play, performed in House music, enjoyed induction days and winning Rock-Off.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Alleley, Kate, 8DP, Hazeldene, Monitor - the Llanwrtyd Centre, Year 3 Reader, represented the School in hockey, netball, rounders and swimming, horseriding at shows with my ponies and placing in most of them as a team and individually in the 2’ 9 and 3’ classes. In the Prep School I have enjoyed playing all of the different sports and making friends in Year 7. Alhail, Sulaiman, 8JM, School House, role model to younger years, mixing with friends and making new friends. Alcock, Luke, 8LC, School House, Monitor, Prefect, Form Captain, The Odyssey, School quiz challenge, House Singing, orchestra, string group, choir, Art Scholarship. I have enjoyed the fun
safe environment in School and having a laugh with friends and teachers. The lessons have been fun but informative to help us pass our exams. Ashworth, Alexander, 8RW, Walters, Charity Committee, Second rugby, Fifth hockey, Fifth cricket, 3 HMCs Rrgby and hockey merits and challenge 9, I enjoyed sports and challenges and learning new things. Badea, Narcis, 8RW, Wendron-Gordon, House Captain for Darby, rugby, athletics, hockey, County and Districts as well as IAPS athletics and country rugby, enjoyed sports day and Senior School with Loudmouth Theatre Co. Ball, Libby, 8LC, Thomas Cookes, Prefect, House Captain, PE Monitor, netball, Hockey, rounders, athletics, art colours, HMCS, Alphas. The best thing I’ve enjoyed was being Head of School and the responsibility. I will enjoy the freedom now that I am older. Banton, Tom, 8LC, Lyttelton, Challenge 9, 1st team for cricket, hockey and rugby and captain for rugby and hockey, runner up in IAPS hockey and plate rugby winners. I enjoyed sports and trying new lessons.
Bayliss, Charlotte, 8JM, Oakley, Prefect, Deputy Head Girl, Charities Committee, Monitor, Form Captain, netball captain, hockey captain, B Team hockey, C Team netball, A Team rounders, Represented the School at the House of Commons, Year 8 play, swimming galas, SeventyFive Alphas, Two HMCs, Three Pastoral Commendations. What I have enjoyed the most about Prep School is the friendships and all of the time spent with your friends. The School was like a second home to me. Beattie, Hugo, 8LC, Walters, Monitor and Prefect, hockey and rugby matches athletics and cross country, Grade 1 distinction on trumpet, County cross country. I enjoyed being with friends. Berry, Morgan, 8EL, Lupton, has been Form Captain and house Hockey captain, Packwood rugby sevens, Rosslyn Park rugby sevens, hockey Millfield, came second in hockey Nationals and in the cricket Nationals, second in hockey and won the plate in rugby sevens, second at Packwood rugby and won IAPS Midlands hockey. I have enjoyed the sport at Bromsgrove.
Bhandal, Himmat, 8DP, Lupton, Charities Committee did MFL as the Monitor duty with another student, rugby, hockey and cricket sports fixtures, runners up in National hockey, won Millfield Packwood Sevens Rugby, Eighth in the country in cricket as a team. Birch, Eleanor, 8DP, Oakley, Charities Committee, Prefect, Monitor, Bully Buddy, represented the School at St Johns Middle School for a Bully Buddy assembly, took part in charities week, open day guide, D team for sports, LAMDA exam, acting Solo Grade 1, The Odyssey, Jacques and the Three Musketeers, modelled in Fashion Show. My time at the Prep School has been exciting and thoroughly enjoyable. It has been like a ladder to the stars; a lot of ups and very few downs! Bond, Olivia, 8RW, Mary Windsor, Head Girl, Prefect, Pupil Council, Charities Committee and a Buddy, U13A hockey U13B rounders, cross country team, Year 8 play, junior school challenge, won the poetry competition overall in Year 7 and in Year 8 won section at the Artrix theatre, two academic colours, drama colour, academic and boarder scholarship. I enjoyed being Head Girl and going to London.
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Year 8 Valete Brookes, Harriet, 8EL, Thomas Cookes, Monitor of Year 3 and 4 and head of telford, B team for hockey and C team for netball, B team for rounders, cross country, 1st place in cross country race. I will cherish the memories from Prep School. Brookes, Richard, 8AP, Walters, Prefect and guiding, I also did reading in Chapel, rugby B team, hockey B Team, rugby sevens, cricket A team and reaching Nationals second round. I enjoyed Years 7 and 8 because there was more freedom and more rewards. Broomfield, Joe, 8DP, Lyttelton, Monitor and personal helper of some year 5 pupils, U13B rugby, U13B hockey U13A/B for cricket and Sanders Park running twenty-first our of eighty, won colours for drama.
Brown, Lauren, 8LC, Thomas Cookes, Monitor, Prefect, House Captain, Form Captain, netball captain, represented the School at hockey, netball, cross country, rounders, swimming and athletics, regional and county netball, county
Bruton-Gibney, James, 8RW, Walters, Monitor, prefect badge, monitoring the changing room and Llanwrytd Centre, first team rugby, first team cricket, fifth team hockey, won Rock-off with my band. I have enjoyed mostly all of my time in Prep School, mainly because of my friends and great teachers. Bufton, Megan, 8EL, Mary Windsor, Buddy, Monitor, Prefect, Form Captain, represented School in hockey, netball and rounders, open days. I enjoyed the amount of responsibilities and feeling what you are top of the Prep School. Burbidge, Nanci, 8DP, Thomas Cookes, Monitor, Prefect, Responsible for monitoring Class 4NW, represented B and C teams at sport, in Year 7 I won the best effort prize at Prizegiving. Out of School I won the 2’9 class three times on my pony Star. I have enjoyed moving from Pre-Prep to Prep and seeing everything change throughout each year; no year has ever been the same!
Chapman, Sarah, 8LC, Oakley, Cloakroom Monitor and mentoring a Year 5 pupil, most of the musical concerts, C team for rounders and Netball, B team for hockey, Year 8 play, representing Bromsgrove at the Worcestershire youth music gala concert, the Senior House Music Competition, Year 8 music scholarship. I enjoyed the support from the teachers. Collin, Eleanor, 8AP, Oakley, B team for netball. I enjoyed settling in and getting used to the new School and I also enjoyed the Netball season. Corcoran, Paige, 8EL, Mary-Windsor, Monitor, Prefect, monitoring Class 6AW, U13Cs hockey, U13Bs netball, U13B/C for rounders, Year 8 play, chosen for the junior schools’ quiz challenge, drama colours for performance in the play, won Year 8 poetry vompetition. I enjoyed the new things at Prep School. Cutting, Beck, 8JM, Wendron-Gordon, Head Boy, Prefect, Pupil Council, Charities Committee, Vice-House Captain for Watt, U13A rugby, U13A hockey, 2nd XI cricket, Year 8 play, sevens rugby, sevens hockey, rugby colours, hockey colours, most improved hockey player, second in national hockey, Packwood sevens, rugby JAC, boarding scholarship. I enjoyed being able to hold the Olympic
Torch at the Prep School Olympics Day. Delaney, Emma, 8AP, Oakley, Monitor, Prefect, netball, hockey, The Odyssey, drama colours, merit in LAMDA Level 1. I enjoyed being able to see my friends during break-times and I also liked being at the top of the School and having responsibilities. Delaney-Hall, Alexander, 8DP, Lyttleton, challenge 9 as it helped improve behaviour, hockey, rugby, cricket, swimming, rugby sevens, swimming nationals, cricket nationals, Second at Packwood, won play at Millfield at both rugby sevens. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the School – it’s warm and I was welcomed nicely. Dew, Alex, 8JM, Lupton, Monitor for the notice boards, rugby, hockey, swimming, cross country, athletics, rugby sevens, captain of hockey team, first in 800m for the regional round of the National final, HMCs, House sports captain for athletics and B cricket. I enjoyed Prep School because I was in a team for every sport.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Brown, Freddie, 8RW, Lyttelton, Prefect, Ski Trip, Ardeche Trip, most improved swimmer in Year 7. I have enjoyed the Prep School and I am looking forward to the Senior School.
hockey, county and national athletics, netball and awimming. I have enjoyed the general atmosphere and amazing people around me who have made my year one of the best so far. I love Year 8 and do not want to leave.
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Year 8 Valete Dobson, William, 8AP, Lupton, Fifth team hockey, Fifth team rugby, district athletics, choirs, British champion for speedskating, I have competed at international events for speedskating. I have particularly enjoyed being in the Prep School choir.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Dolan, Patrick, 8DP, Lyttelton, Monitor, music scholarship, sports matches, IAPS, represented at various tours, trips and concerts, won every House music competition for the piano, winner of the Parnell Cup, winner of the IAPS athletics discus. My journey through Prep School has been exciting but I have had a few ups and downs that I have learnt from. Doyle, Kara, 8EL, Hazeldene, Monitor, Prefect, Changing Room Monitor, represented the School at matches and on trips, The Odyssey, received HMCs and pastoral commendations, merit for netball and hockey. I joined Bromsgrove when I was three, I have really enjoyed the years I have been here and I have learnt a lot about me and my friends. Draper-Barr, William, 8JM, Lyttleton, Monitor, House Captain for Watt, Head Chorister, music scholar, monitor for a Year 3 form, choir, First XI hockey, First VII hockey, cross country, 13B rugby, 13B cricket, junior schools’ challenge, Paris choir trip, pre-tour St Johns concert, conducted Watt in
House Singing, junior drama colours, senior drama colours, senior hockey colours, senior music colours, second in National hockey VII, National cross country, JAC hockey, JRPC experience hockey, won Foremarke sevens, hockey second round, academic scholarship, music scholar, winner in biathlon overall. I enjoyed representing the School in music, sport and all round academically.
Edwards, Elizabeth, 8EL, Mary Windsor, Charities Committee and Monitor of changing rooms, lost property, Prefect, captain of team, taking part in sports matches, scholarship, taking part in the the general knowledge quiz with Mrs Finnegan, Year 8 play. I enjoyed the last week of the Prep School such as the Acorn Outdoor Centre and Drayton Manor.
Drayson, Edward, 8LC, School House, lost property duties, helping at open days, choir, rock group Diffusion, other music events, rugby, played the piano in House Singing, sailing, organ. I have enjoyed Year 8.
Edwards, Dominic, 8RW, Walters, Monitor, Prefect, fifth team hockey, fifth team rugby, choir, paris trip, Song Fest. I have enjoyed having responsibility in the Prep School and being the oldest - you get treated with respect.
Dzhandzhgava, Alexey, 8EL, WendronGordon, rugby matches, Two HMCs, most improved effort grades and also got One pastoral commendation. I enjoyed all the studying and facilities and knowledge that was given.
Evans, Finley, 8DP, Lupton, Monitor, House Captain, First team hockey, First team cricket, athletics, cross country, cricket, swimming, I was the first at Bromsgrove to do IAPS swimming four times in a row, national cross country at Malvern five times in a row, National sevens, hockey runners up, National swimming finalist, National cross country runner up. What I have enjoyed most about Year 8 is the fact that you work hard and then the results you get will be worth it.
Edge, James, 8DP, Walters, Monitor, helping Mrs Ison in her office, taking part in sports events and Fifth team rugby matches, drama (colours) for lighting, also set personal bests in 100m and 200m, cycling proficiency level two, sports day. I started the School in Year 1 but moving to the Prep School was exciting. I have enjoyed every minute of it! I can’t wait until the Senior School. Year 8 has been a brilliantly fun year.
Firminger, Sarah, 8DP, Thomas Cookes, mentor for Miss McRandal’s Year 5 class, Prefect, B team for hockey A team for netball and B team for rounders, two HMCs won best effort grades, attainment award for 3CL. I have enjoyed the lessons and the teachers. Fender, Oliver, 8EL, Lupton, Challenge 9, Form Captain, first rugby and rugby sevens, athletics, won the hockey sevens tournament, IAPS hockey Midlands tournament and came second at Nationals, came second in the Packwood rugby sevens, unbeaten for two seasons in hockey, came second in our group for Rosslyn Park rugby sevens. I have enjoyed all of the sports that we do at this School. Fieret, Jacob, 8LC, Elmshurst, rock group Diffusion, House music. I enjoyed Year 8 because we were given responsibilities such as walking up to the Senior School for lunch and using the Music School. Finlay, Matt, School, Form Captain, Chapel reading, reached the final of the poetry competition in Year 4. I have enjoyed many things in the Prep School like the London Trip Year 7 and the NIA trip in Year 5.
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Year 8 Valete Fussell, Eleanor, 8RU, Thomas Cookes, Year 5 Reading Monitor, choir tour, spanish trip, choir concerts, Year 8 play, Year 6 play Wizard of Oz, music colours. I enjoyed the opportunities we were given and that we could do something different. Gilbert, Joshua, 8EL, Walters, Monitor, Prefect, Form Captain, orchestra, second team rugby, second team cricket, second team hockey, second IAPS fencing and currently ranked fifteenth in the County. I thought my time in the Prep School was great. You need to take every chance you get otherwise you will regret it.
Goodall, George, 8DP, Lupton, Prefect, Deputy Head Boy, helping with sports days, Form Captain, Pupil Council, first rugby, B hockey, B cricket, Year 8 play, B sevens team, London trip to House of Commons and House of Lords. My time at Bromsgrove has been enjoyable and fun. I have enjoyed the rugby season
Goodwin, Oliver, 8RW, Lupton, Monitor, Prefect, Form Captain, guiding, various sports teams for the School, drama productions, drama colour, HMCs, certificate of merit. I have enjoyed all of the School trips and my lessons. Goz, Nikita, 8DP, Elmshurst, Monitor, First team rugby, fifth hockey, athletics, cloakroom duties, winner of the Claudia Award, six HMCs. I have enjoyed playing for teams in sports and I liked the lessons. Gurung, Prashant, 8RW, Elmshurst, Sixth team for rugby, One HMC. I have enjoyed making new friends and going on trips and playing games. Hall, Oliver, 8LC, School House, Prefect, choir, Bully Buddy, buddy assembly, Year 8 play, drama colours, music exhibition, passed two taekwondo gradings. I have enjoyed being given more freedom and opportunities. Hill, Lawrence, 8AP, Lupton, PE Monitor, Form Captain, Captain of first team cricket, Vice-Captain of first team rugby, Vice-Captain of first team hockey, athletics, House music final, sports day, County golf and cricket. Being in Year 8 has been the best of School so far.
You are treated with more respect and responsibility. The end of year activities were great fun! I’m going to miss being in the Prep School. Jayaratnasingam, Jessica, 8JM, Thomas Cookes, Bully Buddy, represented the School for A Team matches and athletics events, performed the peer-pressure play out of School, received HMCs, medals for sports and certificates for good effort and receiving so many alphas. I have enjoyed everything at Prep School. I’ve learnt a lot and made some amazing friends. Jeys, Thomas, 8RW, Lupton, Fifth team rugby, Ardeche trip. I have enjoyed lots of thing such as my music lessons, playing rugby for the fifth team and much more. My year has been great fun. Johnston, Sasha, 8LC, Hazeldene, Monitor, Prefect, charities committee, U13A/B hockey, U13A netball, U13A rounders, first round of ESSA, Year 8 play, most improved player in netball, athletics colours. The Prep School has been like a home and I have loved it. Kulebiakin, Daniyil, 8EL, Elmshurst, involved in open mornings and guided once. I have enjoyed boarding and the lessons.
Law, Hannah, 8EL, Hazeldene, Year 3 reader, Monitor for the Llanwrtyd Centre and the Year 7 and 8 Classrooms, PE Monitor, Form Captain, represented the School in hockey, netball and B team rounders, district cross country placing twenty-first out of 150 people, competed on my ponies where I have won shows and show jumping at 2’0 and 2’3. During my time at the Prep School I have enjoyed doing cross country, rounders and hockey. I have also enjoyed the trips and making new friends. Lee, Samuel, 8JM, Lyttelton, hockey and House captain, first Rugby and sevens rugby, first hockey and hockey sevens, fourth cricket, House quiz, pre-season Foremarke hockey tournament, Millfield plate winners for rugby sevens. I have enjoyed making new friends and taking part in all of the sports. Leslie, Chloe Rae, 8AP, Oakley, Monitor of the store cupboard, netball, hockey, rounders, The Odyssey, drama colours, LAMDA Level 1 with Merit. I have enjoyed making new friends and using all of the facilities at School. Makarov, Valentin, 8RW, Elmshurst, art graffiti for Cobham House and Miss Ziar’s room, athletics National ream, second rugby, four HMCs, high jump. I have enjoyed being in Prep boarding and improving in sport.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Goodall, Charlotte, 8DP, Hazeldene, Prefect, English Monitor, Art Monitor, Team Leader, charities committee, hockey A team, netball B team, rounders B team, tennis first Pair, played flute in choir and the Year 8 play The Odyssey, jazz group, orchestra, flute group, grade 5 flute, drama colours, two hockey colours, music colours, two credit colours, Year 8 play. Playing sport and music has been very good.
most of all. I have also made great friends.
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Year 8 Valete Mann, Benedict, 8LC, Lupton, House Captain of Telford, Year 8 play, played guitar in choir, pre-tour concert, won the string section of House music competition, band won the Rock-off competition. I have enjoyed playing in the music concerts and competitions with my band.
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Martin, Isobelle, 8DP, Thomas Cookes, Form Captain, Monitor, Art Monitor, hockey A/B, cross country district, netball B, rounders A/B, athletics team districts, ESSA, IAPS. I have enjoyed meeting new friends and getting involved with all the sports. I feel very privileged to go to this School and I love all of the facilities. Martin, Nicholas, 8LC, Lupton, Monitor, ICT classroom organiser, joint House Head for athletics, rugby, hockey, athletics, swimming, IAPS athletics team, Grade 2 and 3 guitar, most improved swimmer award. In short I have had an excellent time in the Prep School and I have enjoyed the range of activities which have helped me to develop. McStay, Connor, 8AP, Walters, challenge 9, helping the Year 3 and 4 Easter egg hunt, rugby first team, hockey second team, cricket first team, athletics, rugby colours, Form Captain, Vice-Captain for Darby, Captain for House rugby and cricket, seventy-five Alphas award, most
improved effort grades. I have enjoyed making new friends and getting well educated. I liked going to Millfield School for rugby sevens and winning a trophy. Merrick, Jasper, 8EL, Lupton, Monitor ICT rooms every two days, rugby, hockey, cricket, half colour in rugby. I enjoyed the time after the exams when we went on trips. Miners, Ellie, 8RW, Hazeldene, Monitor for 4CL, Prefect, Form Captain, C team rounders and netball, choir, jazz group, orchestra, choral society, drama colours, music colours. I have enjoyed all of the activities that I have been able to take part in. Moholkar, Pratik, 8EL, School, challenge 9, Public School fencing championships, winner of Rock-off, sixteen out of ninetyfour public schools and second in the country BYC teams 2012, music colours, athletics, cricket. Moore, Ellie, 8AP, Hazeldene, Prefect, Head Chorister, Classroom Monitor, choir tour, played in various sports matches, art and music colours, Grade 4 flute. I have enjoyed my time at the Prep School. It has made me cleverer and more confident in myself, and it has also improved my sporting ability.
Moss, Eleanor, 8JM, Oakley, Form Captain and mobile phone duty, Years 3 and 4 Reading Monitor, rounders U13B, netball U13C, hockey U13C, athletics, poetry competition, Year 8 play as a dancer, two HMCs in English and Geography, winner of a prize at prizegiving for attainment. I am excited to join the Senior School but also upset to leave the Prep School as it is like a second home. I love the prep school and I will always remember it for the rest of my life. Murphy, Isabelle, 8DP, Thomas Cookes, Monitor, PE monitor, Year 5 and 6 Changing Room Monitor, played in A and B team matches, dancer in The Odyssey. I have loved being a PE monitor and meeting new friends. Neales, Katie, 8AP, Thomas Cookes, Librarian, played in matches and swimming galas representing the School, Spanish trip, Birmingham Art Gallery, best results prize at prizegiving. I’ve loved having the opportunity to really get stuck into School for example at open days, sports matches, trips and saturday activities. Ngatchu, Jake, Elmshurst, Year 5 Reading Monitor, Year 4 Changing Room Monitor, rugby, hockey, cricket, rock school. I have enjoyed playing for the School rugby team.
Neuberg, Elliott, 8AP, School, challenge 9, rugby, fencing, poetry final, art trip, poetry competition final. I have enjoyed hanging out with new friends and I also enjoyed the Art Trip. Nicholas, Oliver, 8AP, Lupton, Monitor, Prefect, Bully Buddy, fifth team rugby, athletics, cross country. One of the things I have enjoyed most in Year 8 are the new responsibilities that we have been given. Nolan, Thomas, 8AP, Walters, Llanwrtyd Centre duty, first XV and sevens rugby, took five wickets for U13Bs. I have enjoyed that there is a lot to get involved with. Oliver, James, 8AP, Walters, Form Captain, rugby, fencing competitions, won the haiku contest, grade 2 drums. I have enjoyed being at the top of the School and having responsibility. I also enjoyed the art trip. Papaionannou, Nikolaos, 8DP, Lupton, Monitor, guiding, rugby, hockey, cricket, cross country, athletics, runner-up in the National cross country championships and rugby sevens, athletics first round of the ESSA. We were given a lot more freedom and more responsibility in Year 8.
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Year 8 Valete Petrakas, Peter, 8DP, Walters, Monitor for Year 3, winner of poetry competition (bullying), backstage helper, ski trip. I have enjoyed my time at Bromsgrove and can’t wait to be in Year 9. Petrakas, Michael, 8LC, Walters, Monitor, helping backstage for the drama production, ski trip, U13B rugby, fifth hockey, district cross country. I also won a tennis tournament. I have loved it here at Bromsgrove. Everyone is nice and I can’t wait until the Senior School. Pozhidaeva, Lidia, 8AP, Oakley, Monitor and Form Captain, hockey U13C, netball U13C, rounders U13A. I have enjoyed playing sports.
Rai, Asim, 8JM, Elmshurst, Monitor, fifth rugby, Bs for one match in rugby. I liked all of the kind staff that worked here.
Rai, Rebika, 8RW, Oakley, Monitor of Art Department, Form Captain, B team rounders, hockey, netball, head of backstage for The Odyssey, charities committee, art scholarship, art colours, Four HMCs, bronze Certificate for over seventy-five Alphas. What I have enjoyed the most in the Prep School in Year 8 is that we have had responsibilities and the feeling that we were in the highest position. Also having the chance to receive an art scholarship was a great achievement. Ralph, Bryony, 8EL, Thomas Cookes, Cloakroom Monitor, Prefect, hockey, netball, rounders, Year 8 play, art scholarship, art colours, HMCs, won best effort grades in Year 5, attainment prize. I have enjoyed the Prep School because of the opportunities and the School’s very good facilities. Reeves, Rebecca, 8RW, Mary Windsor, Monitor, Prefect, charities committee, Cloakroom Monitor, chapel duty, Lost Property Monitor, dancer in the Year 8 play, hockey, netball, rounders, received HMCs and pastoral commendations,
merit for netball. I joined the School in Year 7 and I have had an amazing time here. I love boarding and even though you are away from your family, the boarding house is very homely. Roberts, Theodore, 8AP, WendronGordon, Monitor, Year 3 Reading Monitor, Year 8 play backstage and sound. It has been great and I have enjoyed every moment. Robinson, Thomas, 8DP, Lyttelton, Form Captain, IAPS St Andrews golf tournament, A team cricket and hockey, B team rugby, winner of the Stowe Putter and winner of Royal Lytham and St Annes golf tournament, scoring first fifty in Cricket. I enjoyed winning the first golf tournament for the School and I also enjoyed the London Trip in Year 7. Rogers, Oliver, 8AP, Wendron-Gordon, Monitor, hockey fifth, rugby sixth, quiz team, Year 8 play, taekwondo grading in martial arts. I have enjoyed the opportunities provided and the way the teachers have encouraged you to exploit them. Ross, Callum, 8JM, Walters, Monitor, Year 5 Learning Mentor, hockey As, rugby and cricket Bs, backstage helper in the Year 8 play. I have enjoyed the range of academic and sporting choices on offer.
Salmon, Kirsty, 8LC, Oakley, Prefect, Monitor, charities committee, hockey B team, rounders C team, netball C team, taking on four roles in the Year 8 play, drama colours, Alphas, colours for Year 6 A team in rounders. I enjoyed becoming a Prefect. Schwartz, Tom, 8EL, School House, Athletics, back up drummer. Silk, Alianne, 8LC, Hazeldene, Monitor, Boulton House Captain, rounders Captain, A team hockey, A team netball, A team rounders, The Odyssey, County hockey. I have enjoyed Year 8 because you have so much fun at the end of the year. Because I have been at this School for so long, it is good knowing that I am moving up again. Slater, Imogen, 8JM, Oakley, 3GB Form Monitor, House Captain, Monitor, Prefect, hockey, netball, rounders, athletics, drama, Year 8 play, drama colours, art colours, Credit badges. I enjoyed the lessons and the trips. Smith, George, 8EL, Lyttelton, Monitor and Prefect, golf Competition. I enjoyed playing sports for teams and being a Prefect.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Prince, James, 8JM, Lupton, Challenge 9 and proud to be part of it, rugby, cricket, hockey, sthletics, also represented the School at football, has won and achieved HMCs, football trophy, best player of the year and man of the match awards, Alpha and Credit awards. I have enjoyed the sports facilities.
Rai, Prashanta, 8JM, Elmshurst, Prefect, Form Monitor of 4RI, rugby As, rugby sevens, hockey fifths, Packwood rugby sevens and coming second place, Year 8 play. I have learnt many things and cannot wait to learn more in the Senior School.
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Year 8 Valete Sterkhov, Eugeny, 8LC, WendronGordon, Monitor, Prefect, Monitor of Form, guided on open mornings, rugby fifth team and second team. I enjoyed the lessons and boarding. Swift, Thomas, 8EL, Lyttelton, Vicecaptain of Boulton House, rugby first team, hockey B team, cricket first team, Millfield sevens, getting through to the quarter finals in cricket Nationals. I have enjoyed all of the sporting activities and hope to carry them forward in Year 9.
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Syskov, Yakov, 8RW, Wendron-Gordon, School Librarian, guiding and a translator for a Russian family, four HMCs, personal commendation. I have made lots of friends and learnt many new things. Thompson, Megan, 8RW, Oakley, Prefect, Monitor, charities committee, hockey B team, netball B team, rounders A team, tennis team, Year 8 play, drama colours, tennis and swimming colours. I have enjoyed all of the opportunities and meeting new people. Thornley, Jack, 8LC, School House, Monitor, badminton, Grade 1 piano exam. I have mostly enjoyed meeting new friends.
Townsend, Matthew, 8RW, Lyttleton, Monitor, charity committee, rugby first and sevens tournament, 13B cricket, fifth cricket Captain, credits for rugby, hockey and cricket. I have improved in many sports and I was pleased with being made a monitor. Townsend, Michael, 8JM, Walters, Monitor, Form Captain, U13B rugby, U13B hockey, U13A cricket, guitar grade 2. I have really enjoyed myself at the Prep School. I have had some responsibility and I will miss it all. Trofimov, Viacheslav, 8LC, Elmshurst, Lost Property Monitor, second rugby, first athletics, guiding on open mornings, graffiti art for Miss Ziar and Cobham House, HMC. I have enjoyed the Prep School for the two years that I have been here. Turner, Edd, 8AP, Wendron-Gordon, Monitor, various Trips. There is always something to do which makes it fun.
Walker, Kieran, 8LC, Walters, Monitor, Prefect, House swimming, athletics Captain, open day guide, second XV rugby, second XV hockey, fourth XV cricket, first swimming, first cross country, first athletics, golf tournament, County cross country, National Army Cadet, district 1500m champion, Midland and County Army 1500m champion by one lap. I found Prep School great. It went very quickly but that’s what happens when you’re having fun. Waplington, Patrick, 8EL, Walters, Form Captain, Year 3 Reader, Librarian, first team hockey, first team rugby, second team cricket, athletics, National rugby sevens, won the rugby sevens Millfield shield, helping with open days. I have enjoyed being in the first team for rugby and hockey and having good effort grades. Ward, Katie, 8JM, Oakley, Monitor, Prefect, Vice-House Captain, charities committee, rounders Captain, C team hockey, B/C team netball, A team rounders, cross country District, The Odyssey, music colours, one HMC, Grade 3 flute. What I’ve enjoyed the most this year was the feeling that I could be trusted with big responsibilities.
Weston, Esme, 8JM, Hazeldene, Monitor, Prefect, House Captain, A Team swimming, hockey, tennis, netball, athletics, B Team rounders, guiding, IAPS swimming and athletics, Year 6 and 8 plays, Four distinctions in piano, County swimming. In the Prep School I have enjoyed the responsibilities that I have been given as Prefect and knowing that I can be trusted. Westwood, Poppie, 8DP, Thomas Cookes, Year 3 and 4 Cloakroom Monitor, Form Captain, U13B rounders, U13B netball, U13A hockey, ESSA athletics team, won prize at prizegiving for effort grades. I have enjoyed being at the Prep School very much and I am excited to transfer to the Senior School. Whittle, Emily, 8JM, Hazeldene, Monitor, played in various sports matches, taken part in every School play (Robin Hood, The Odyssey, Wizard of Oz), art scholarship, drama credit, art colours. I really enjoyed my time at the Prep School from Year 3 to 8. I believe that it made me confident and happy.
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Year 8 Valete Xuereb, Rachel, 8AP, Hazeldene, Class Monitor for 6AE, Prefect, B hockey, B netball, A rounders, Year 8 play, Christmas and Easter concert, House music competitions, athletics, music and drama Colours, 6S effort prize, grade 4 trumpet with distinction. The Prep School feels like a second home.
JUNIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
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Year 8 Leavers 2012
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SE IOR BROMSGROVIA
pper Sixth Leavers 2
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Elmshurst
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
This is my sixth and last Bromsgrovian write up as Housemaster of Elmshurst. The boys welcomed two new tutors to the House this year, Miss avenport and Mr Cleary. They have both added greatly to the fabric of the House, but Mr Cleary will be leaving to teach in a new School and Mr Stateczny, Miss Barton and Mr Williams are going to day Houses. Mr Webb is also leaving. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the above for all their hard work in helping to make Elmshurst an excellent House. I am sure Mr Fallows and his new tutor team will take the house on to even greater successes. At the beginning of the academic year we welcomed the new Lower Fourth. The cross-country competition saw the junior team win the event with Ben Walker as captain, and Andrey Ogarev finishing in the top three. chan Thapa managed the team. In the senior competition the boys came rd overall. Alex Walker was the highest placed finisher, coming 7th. Vincent Klitz managed the team. The first whole house event of the year is traditionally the nison Song competition, where Elmshurst have been praised in the past for their enthusiasm and House spirit. This year was no exception.
The boys sang The Bear ecessities from The Jungle Book with George Toft conducting the House with great gusto. nfortunately enthusiasm did not translate into success. The senior Inter-House Swimming Competition saw many brave performances. The x2 m relay team won their event. Aleks Babic, Brett Huxley, Sebastian Prinz von Croy and enys Cherkashyn made up this team. Overall, despite strong performances we were unfortunate not to win any silverware and came th. In the junior House swimming the team was captained by Henry Walker. The team gave everything but unfortunately no silverware again. In the House rugby the junior team won the competition. The boys won out of pool matches, only losing to Lyttelton. In the final the boys beat Lyttelton in a closely fought match.
The team was made up of Henry Walker, Ben Phillips, Ben Tibbetts, Chase Edwards, Samir Gurung, Blake Edwards, chan Thapa, Jack Burrows and Mikhail Semkin. The junior B team came fourth in the tournament. The senior team played well but did not progress out of the pool phase. In the House football our junior A team were semi-finalists. In the junior House football plate competition we did even better and were finalists. The team consisted of Billy Buttimore, Mikhail Semkin captain , Felix Chan, Oli Rowley, Ben Tibbetts, Brendan Ho, Henry Walker, Oscar Gurung and Osan Gurung. In the Senior House football we went out in the pool phase. We have only had one player in the School st team for football, Aleks Babic.
In School rugby, boys from the House have again been involved at all levels. Henry Walker, Ben Tibbetts and Ben Phillips all played in the Felsted Cup. Henry, Ben Tibbetts, Ben Phillips, Louis Preira and Elliot avies were all involved with orth Midlands rugby. Elliot avies, John Pudge, Chase Edwards and Ben Phillips played in the Rosslyn Park 7s. Ben Phillips, Ben Tibbetts, Chase Edwards, Samir Gurung, chan Thapa, Blake Edwards, Henry Walker and Jack Burrows all played in the Midlands final. In the junior House hockey we were unfortunately knocked out in the pool phase. In the senior hockey we got through to the finals but we were unfortunately knocked out on penalty icks. The team consisted of Benedikt Wagenitz, Anton Sieg, Veit Wasserfuhr, Vincent Klitz, Jakob Langen, Ferdia Murray, Constantin von Crailsheim, Moritz Krauel and Alex Hillier.
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Czech, Paul , School Monitor, Head of House, Senior Boarder, rd Football, Biodiesel Project.
The highlight of the hockey season was the ational Finals. Anton Sieg, Veit Wasserfuhr and Benedikt Wagenitz all played very well and got to the semifinal stage. These three boys and Jakob Langen have all been regulars in the School st team that won the Midlands final. In the junior Inter-House badminton competition Ben Walker, Oli Rowley, Calvin Fu, Asim Gurung and chan Thapa all reached the semi-finals. In junior squash ikita Kuzmin, Anurag Pun and Felix Chan (captain) also reached the semi-final stage. In the senior House squash competition Moritz Krauel, Paul Czech and Aaron Chan (captain) played well but unfortunately got knocked out in the first round. In the senior Inter-House badminton Aaron Chan, Gareth g, Alan Jiang, John g, Vincent Wang and Peter Li all enjoyed the competition.
On the cultural front Andrey Ogarev was awarded the Leon Salberg Shield for the most outstanding male performance in the play Shockheaded Peter. Andrei Badea and Ollie Rowley also acted well. George Toft and Andrey Ogarev performed excellently in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Jack Moseley and George Toft were in the Sixth Form musical. Carrying on with the cultural theme in the InterHouse solo instrumental competition, John g won the piano section. The House was well represented in the Chinese concert with Felix Chan, Vincent Wang, Gary u, Johnson hang and James Cheung all taking part. Brett Huxley and Elliot avies were both made School Monitors for next year. Brett was also awarded a prize for his batting and Chase Edwards was called up on stage for his efforts in pper Fourth PE. On Commemoration ay Paul Czech got an award for being Senior Boarder and Jack Moseley got the Amphlett Prize for Chemistry.
We thanked our departing monitor team as they left. Paul Czech, with his deputy Jack Moseley, led a team that created an extremely friendly atmosphere in the House. The other monitors were Jakob Langen, Hayk arbinyan, Johnson hang and Gareth g. The major House honours that are recorded on the House honours boards went to Head of House - Paul Czech, House Contribution - George Toft, Best ewcomer - John Pudge, House Spirit James Hanna, Endeavour- Jack Moseley. In our final House roll call the following people were announced as the monitor team for next year Head of House James Hanna, eputy Head of House - John Pudge, eputy Head of House - Benedikt Wagenitz, Monitors - Brett Huxley, Elliot avies, Alex Hillier, Louis Preira, George Toft, Moritz Krauel, Stoyko Mekushin, James Cheung and Yushi Takeushi. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the boys, staff and parents for their support over the years in making it an excellent end to the year and to my time in Elmshurst House. Particular thanks go to Mrs Pugh, whose enthusiasm and care for the boys is legendary, and much appreciated. Perry
Langen, Jakob , House Monitor, st Hockey, WH Otto Beisheim School of Management - International Business. Moseley, John 2, School Monitor, eputy Head of House, Sports Scholarship, School Productions, Imperial - Biochemistry. g, Gareth Ting Him , House Monitor, 2nd Football, Basketball, Essex Economics. hang, Johnson Mu Yun , House Monitor, st Basketball, Chinese Concert, Bristol - Economics.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
In cricket Brett Huxley and Chase Edwards have been playing for the st team with Brett as captain. The junior House team got to the finals captained by Chase. Brett got his name mentioned in Wisden for being in the Top of School Runs scored in a season, a great achievement. In basketball Yushi Takeushi, James Cheung, Ilia Ignatov and Phil Lam have all played this year, with Yushi scoring the most points. Sports ay was a perfect example of house spirit. The greatest achievements are outlined
here winners of the Open Boys’ x m relay, Victor Ludorum winner Blake Edwards, m and 2 m st Blake Edwards in 2.2 and 2 .2 seconds respectively, Javelin st Blake Edwards . metres, Interim results Hurdles st Ben Phillips . seconds, High jump st Ben Walker . metres, nder 2 m relay st . 2.
arbinyan, Hayk , House Monitor, City - Mathematical Science with Finance.
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Hazeldene
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
This gave the whole House the opportunity to relax amongst their peers in the drama studio, and watch a movie on the big screen a cinema-like experience, free. Hazeldene throughout the year has won many House sporting events. One of our main strengths has been in long distance running, winning not only the House cross country but also the 2. relays. At the start of the year Hazeldene took part in senior House swimming, I was most impressed with this event as so many of the girls were willing to take part and do their bit for the house. This contributed to the atmosphere on the day resulting in us coming first place. This House spirit has continued to grow and thrive throughout the year, leading us to victories in House Tennis and placed in Rounders.
This year has seen Hazeldene achieve success upon success in a number of areas. From academic to extracurricular, the girls have made a great impact and should be proud of all they have been involved in. Academically, Mr Ruben said Hazeldene girls rock when we achieved the best set of grades in the School, acknowledging their hard work and focus in lessons.
On the extra-curricular side, our outgoing Head of House, Gemma Sapstead sums up, This year I have witnessed Hazeldene grow more and more as a community succeeding and taking part in many House events throughout the year. In September the new Lower Fourths adjusted quickly to the House atmosphere during our first major event. House Song was led enthusiastically by
Olivia Morris and Yianna Theodorou. This highlighted Hazeldene’s team work and determination to work together, not only cementing friendships in their individual years, but forming new relationships across all year groups. With thanks to the PA, this year we introduced a new House event, Pizza Movie ight. This proved to be very popular amongst the girls, so much so, we did it twice.
Other celebrations include Sophie Luckman winning the prestigious Woolf Essay Prize, and becoming Head Girl. Ellen Lockhart is eputy Head Girl and Charlotte Collie, Robyn Howcroft and Lydia Trow will be excellent role models as School Monitors. We now need a new Honours Board Abigail avies will be Head of House 2 2-2 .
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Bales, Sophie: 01, Prep Survivor, Deputy Head of House, House Monitor, Swimming (Captain), Exeter - Geography.
The House give thanks to the PA for their hard work and fund raising throughout the year, which enables House events and charms for Leavers. This year, they have also provided a new set of House trophies which will grace mantelpieces, acknowledging Leavers’ achievements. Karen Flowerdew is retiring as Chair of PA, and I cannot thank her enough for her dedication to the House and the girls.
My thanks as ever go to the tutors of Hazeldene and the Housekeeper Jayne for keeping us all in check. We shall miss our Leavers dearly, and wish them well on their journey. September will bring new faces and challenges, but Hazeldene will encourage and look after them well. Happy and well deserved holidays to all! Z Leech
Cartwright, Laura: 10, House Monitor, Liverpool - Business Studies. Hartshorne, Emily: 04, House Monitor, Exhibition, Durham - History. Hotchin, Rachel: 02, School Monitor, House Monitor, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Chapel Choir, Grade 8 clarinet , Cambridge - Modern and Medieval Languages. Jones, Harriet: 05, House Monitor, Nottingham Trent - Economics. Lusty, Gemma: 02, DofE, Loughborough Retail, Marketing and Management. Meredith, Helena: 07, House Monitor, Bournemouth - Hospitality Management. Moors, Sarah: 97, House Monitor, Pre-Prep Survivor, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Nottingham Trent - Film and Television & History. Morris, Olivia: 07, House Monitor, Hockey, Lancaster - Geography. Morris, Philippa: 01, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, DofE, 2nd Netball, Leeds Geography. Prasertsri, Raphat Jessica: 08, House Monitor, Leeds Met - Events Management. Sapstead, Gemma: 01, Head of House, House Monitor, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, 1st Netball, Swimming, Loughborough International Business. Theodorou, Yianna: 01, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, KCL - English with Film.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Another goodbye goes to Mrs Bowen-Jones as she retires, and the Langlands, who started and ended their pastoral career in Hazeldene House, caring for and guiding a number of girls (now parents!) through their Bromsgrove career. We will miss them all greatly, and thank them enormously for their support and dedication to Hazeldene. Our outgoing PA Chair, Karen Flowerdew (Hazeldene 1988, and now parent) summed up the Langlands by saying “They are a bit like rock, in both its forms - solid and dependable, yet delightful, fun and sweet - Bromsgrove School runs through them and is engraved within”.
The final day of term was an incredibly proud day for the House, with a number of Hazeldenians collecting prizes and commendations from Routh Hall stage. This was topped on Saturday, with Rachel Hotchin receiving the ultimate accolade – the Cookes Prize, named after the School’s benefactor, for an outstanding School career.
Biggs, Shelley: 09, House Monitor, Nottingham Trent - Mandarin Chinese and English.
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Housman Hall Within the confines of a page how would it be possible to summarise all that this year has represented and all that it means This crop of Housman Hallians have been a truly vintage group. Their achievement will not be measured in trophies, in awards or mentions in Routh Hall assembly but in the spirit and togetherness that they have found over this year.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
This does not mean that this has been a year without the fruits of victory and its great successes. Both on an individual level and in team events, representing the House and the School Housman Hallians have played a proud part in what has been a fantastic year. The boys’ rugby team, in the new House kit, reached the final of the house competition and were unfortunate to lose in extra-time. In football they went one better to win the competition on a penalty shoot out, with Ryan Gordon swapping the first I strikers jersey for the Housman goalkeeping gloves. This year the House was able to put out a Hockey team for the boys competition and team which included the likes of Stefan Squire, ick Garvie and Jonathon Hunt who all had to blow the cobwebs from their hockey sticks but performed fantastically well.
We enjoyed similar levels of success in the House badminton competition where School captain Johnny Hui led the House team to the final where we were unlucky to lose to Wendron-Gordon. The girls did not quite match the level of success the boys had on the sports field but in spirit they were with them every step of the way. Housman put out the largest swimming team and filled the pool with their enthusiastic cheering, the hockey team allowed Julia Paschwitz, Hannah Pink and Felicia Staeding to demonstrate their first team credentials and the netball team was a true model of House spirit with the Lower Sixth girls, led by aisy ix, forming a team including a number of players who had not played the sport before. In tennis and rounders too the House showed true spirit and character with the girls taking part with joy and enthusiasm.
Sports day has special significance for a co-education House such as ours as it is a chance for boys and girls to compete at the same contest. The Boys x m relay was one of the most thrilling events in memory with Housman crossing the line victorious. Charlotte Ray’s performances saw her catapulted into the School athletics team for the following weeks where she has performed excellently ever since. It is perhaps in the performing arts that Housman has come to the fore this year. The School play included Jack Bruten, avid Able-Thomas and Becky Hall as leading roles and our House talent contest was once again brimming with incredible performances from Gloria u’s magnificent voice, Szymon Ligaj’s heartfelt rendition of You Look Wonderful Tonight to Margarita Marsheva’s majestic blindfolded piano performance.
There is hardly scope to mention all the individual successes this year that the pupils have achieved and to highlight Tom Knowles’ selection for the Independent School’s football I, ick Garvie being part of the winning team at the ational Business and Accountancy Competition, Charis Huang’s victory in a national gold badminton competition, Johannes Liessem and Max Bellinger being part of the hockey team to reach the national final would not even start to cover it. How could we complete all we had to say without mentioning Julia Paschwitz being voted player of the season for girls hockey again or not highlight Annie Bloomer’s role in Stash Your Cash, the very successful Young Enterprise team... the list could go on and on.
Able-Thomas, David: 10, School Monitor, House Monitor, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Chapel Choir, 1st Basketball, LSE Government and Politics. Andreeva, Irina: 10, Leeds - Management and Philosophy, currently in university but transferring to NY.
For me the memory of this year will not be just those successes, it will be the image of boys and girls filling the House garden with laughter and learning trick shots with the Frisbee, seeing the boys desperately learn to cartwheel properly to compete with the girls. it was seeing everyone come together on cold winter nights for another practice of Can You Feel The Love Tonight for House song. It was seeing the Upper Sixth take the Lower Sixth through the first few weeks of the term and show them the ropes and seeing the Lower Sixth grow into true Housman Hallians.
Hall, Rebecca: House Monitor, House Drama best performance 2011, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, 2nd Netball, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Manchester Management. Hossain, Nowrin: 10, House Monitor, Debating Society, EYP, York - PPE.
Muravina, Maria: Durham - Combined Honours in Social Sciences. Ngatchu, Martha: 10, Head of House, House Monitor, Charity Fashion Show, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Debating Society, Newcastle - Law.
Bell, Daniel: Cross Country, Portsmouth Property Development.
Hui, Johnny: 10, Badminton Captain, UCL Psychology and Language Sciences.
Paschwitz, Julia: 10, 1st Hockey, Hockey Nationals, Hockey Player of the Year, 2nd Tennis.
Bello, Munir: 10, 1st Basketball, 1st Football, University of the Creative Arts - Interior Architecture and Design.
Hunt, Jonathan: 10, Tae Kwon Do, Manchester - Physics.
Pink, Hannah: 10, 1st Hockey, Nottingham Trent - Economics.
Knowles, Thomas: Head of House, House Monitor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, 1st Football, 2nd Rugby, Loughborough - Sport Management.
Poghosyan, Mikayel: 10, City - Maths and Finance.
Bruten, Jack: 10, House Monitor, 1st/2nd Rugby, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Gap Year. Bykov, Maxim: 09, KCL - Business Management. Bystrov, Oleg: 10, Young Enterprise target 2.0, LSE - Economics. Chen, Junhong: 10, House Badminton, Imperial - Mathematics. Chou, Mon-Sen: Imperial - Materials Science and Engineering. Chow, Tony Wai Kit: 10, Young Enterprise, Bristol - Economics and Finance.
J Jones
Gazazyan, Marie: 09, QML - French with Business Management.
Dong, Kevin Junliang: 10. Feld, Dias: 10, Boston University. Fletcher, Jack: 10, 1st XV, Exeter - Law. Garvie, Nicholas: 07, Winner of the ICAEW Business Competition, Gap Year - BIST.
Gordishevskaya, Anastasia: 10, Manchester Architecture. Gordon, Ryan: 10, Deputy Head of School, School Monitor, House Monitor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, 1st Football, 2nd XI Cricket, 1st Rugby, Stubbings Cup winner, Salford - Sport Rehabilitation.
Kostomyasova, Veronika: Charity Fashion Show. Kwok, Simon Chi Long: 10, 2nd Football, KCL - English and Hong Kong Law. Lam, Benjamin Ho Tak: 10, House Monitor, Chinese Concert, 3rd Football, Kent - Politics and Law. Lam, Kenneth Yun Him: Nottingham Architecture.
Schüßler, Louisa: 10, House Monitor, 2nd Tennis, 2nd Hockey. Selezneva, Alisa: UCL - History. Solakov, Ivan: 10, Warwick - Politics and Sociology. Squire, Stefan: 10, 1st Rugby, Swimming, Gap Year. Städing, Felicia: 10, 2nd Hockey, Kappa Cup. Stepanov, Alexander: 08, UCL - Mechanical Engineering. Stepanova, Maria: 08, DofE, QML - Business Management. Tsoneva, Eva: 08, DofE.
Lauer, Theresa: 10, House Monitor, 2nd Hockey, Tennis, Germany.
Wong, Justin Chun Long: 10, Warwick Mathematics.
Lebedynskyy, Artur: 10, Essex - Marketing. Liao, Michael Chun-Hao: 10, Manchester Management.
Wong, Kevin Tung Wai: Chinese Concert, 3rd Football, UCL - Economics.
Liu, Ziyang Lui, Anthony Wing Nam: 10, LSE - Law. Malyshev, Artem: 1st Football, Exeter Economics. Martins, Myles: 10, 1st Rugby, 1st Athletics, Portsmouth - Politics and Sociology. McLeod, Mary: 10, House Monitor, 1st Hockey, Bath - Sport and Social Sciences.
Xie, Abby Biying: 10, Badminton, LSE Management.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Time is not something you can take with you and once it has gone you can never have it again, but you can make it very special and furnish your hearts with memories to cherish . . . September 2011 to July 2012 will ever live long in our memories and will always be very special.
Kolesnyk, Vladyslav: 10, House Monitor, Science and Engineering Society, 2nd Tennis, UCL - Computer Science.
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Lupton
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
As a character in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 2 states “We are time’s subjects, and time bids be gone”. So, another year seems to have own by, thirteen new Luptonians are now well established in the fold and we have said farewell to twelve loyal and long serving pper Sixth Formers. Lupton has maintained its reputation as a friendly community in which all year groups support each other and the common cause, centred around the hub that is the ay Room. All pupils, whether all-rounders or specialists, academic high- iers or grafters, exuberant or reserved, can gain something from the spirit of the Reds and the departing pper Sixth have been keen to push this theme of participation in every Bromsgrovian facet from House competitions to singing heartily in Chapel. A report such as this inevitably now turns into something of a list as one tries to cram as much as possible into the editorial word count, but this at least showcases the busy lives that many Luptonians lead and the opportunities that they continue to seize at individual, House or School level. Pleasingly, the majority remain entirely committed to their academic studies and within the exam year groups there continue to be those with aspirations for some of the most competitive university disciplines such as medicine and law.
Will Sarjant, Head of House, led by example in his offer of a place to read PPE at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, but many others are also making the most of their ability across the year groups, including juniors like Harrison Frost and Fraser Foster who picked up end of year prizes for their academic endeavour. On a weekly basis, School sport has been well served by Luptonians at all age and ability groups this year. Special mention to those who have played at first team level Jean-Claude Massey and James Widdop in rugby Harry Eastgate (gaining his School Cap), Stuart Clare, Max McLoughlin and Gareth Evans in hockey Harry Eastgate, Alex Wilkinson and Matthew Harker in cricket.
Equally, Hugo Evans and Alex Sapstead have been regular participants in swimming, Sam Bellamy has played for the golf team, likewise Charles Hill for tennis, and Jonty Thornton and Fraser Foster represented the School at the ESAA ationals in athletics. In terms of House competitions this year, what the trophy cabinet may lack in silverware was made up for by the sense of hearty yet determined involvement. Lupton can never be accused of not putting out a team or being committed to the cause, whatever the odds of success. Our teams made it to at least the semifinal stage in all but four of the annual competitions.
In both the Junior football and Junior B rugby we beat Walters, amongst others, in the pool stages only to lose to them narrowly in both finals. In the Junior squash final, James Middleton, George Stone and Christian Prince lost out to Lyttelton by one solitary point in the crucial game. The one team victory was the Intermediate Athletics with some fine individual performances, particularly from Josh French retaining his 7 victor ludorum award. However, at Sports ay just as in the Senior cross country the grit of those in the pack’, striving to gain every possible place point was well rewarded with overall second place in both competitions.
77
Barwell, Thomas 7, House Monitor, rd Rugby, ottingham - Law. Bolton, Samuel , Pre-Prep Survivor, Ski Trip, eMontfort - Business and Management.
who has embodied participation throughout his time in Lupton and in his last year as eputy Head of House. Such all round contributions won him the Brazier Cup at a House level and, to the delight of Lupton, the Tony Limbert Trophy at Commemoration.
It is not all mercenary as a House, through the Ball and pool table football competitions, we have also raised over for the ational Autistic Society this year. Lastly of course, my thanks to a super Tutor team and Angela, whose contributions are so valued by all the boys. Lupton moves on in fine fettle our best wishes go with the leavers who have played their part in steering this course. A G McClure
Brazier, Gregory Economics.
,
ottingham - Industrial
Clare, Stuart , House Monitor, st I Hockey, Hockey ational Finals, 2nd I Cricket, Oxford Brookes - Business Management. Cox, Michael History.
2, House Monitor, Cardiff -
Eastgate, Harry , eputy Head of House, School Monitor, Pre-Prep Survivor, st I Hockey, st I Cricket, urham - Archaeology and Anthropology. Heath, Harry , Pre-Prep Survivor, House Monitor, Scholarship, Rugby, Cross Country, ebating Society, Swimming, Exeter - History. Holles, aniel , Pre-Prep Survivor, rd Rugby, Edge Hill - English. Jones, Bradley
.
Sarjant, William 7, Head of House, School Monitor, ebating Society. Oxford - PPE. Shinner, Benedict Year.
7, House Monitor, Gap
Widdop, James , Pre-Prep Survivor, st Rugby, Manchester Met - Sport Management.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Other highlights of this collective spirit were the House Song, a version of Strangers Like Me from isney’s Tarzan soundtrack accompanied by George Skelly on guitar, and the House drama entry of The Jungle Book with aniel Holles (King Louie) and Michael Cox (Baloo) in particular enjoying their moment in the spotlight. Whilst victory may have gone to a House using a slicker four actor piece, there was definitely plenty of worthwhile camaraderie in having over a third of the Lupton boys involved on stage, whether as a main character or content to be Tree 2 or Temple Column Credit for rehearsing and producing both of these wholeHouse events must go to Harry Eastgate,
As if not to be outdone, Will Sarjant was asked to be the main speaker at the Prep School’s end of year Prizegiving a role which he performed with his usual aplomb and good humour in front of the assembled dignitaries, parents and pupils. Will’s long standing contribution to School debating was recognised with the Janet Cockin ebating Cup to cap an excellent final year which saw he and Harry Heath just miss out in the House debating final and also, more beneficial in terms of their own personal experience, spend a week in Croatia with the European Youth Parliament. Whilst on the spoken word, one should not forget Sam Adamson’s achievement in being one of the three finalists in the historic Staff Reading Prize with two years left at School, time is still on his side to impress the voters of the Common Room.
And so, a final paragraph to thank the Lupton PA, whose contributions to the programme of successful events each year ( uiz night, Lupton Ball, Open Mic evening and Summer Party) does much to foster a sense of Team Lupton’ as well as providing the funds for purchasing items such as House kit and our resplendent new House coloured table football table.
7
Lyttelton We have, this academic year, seen yet another successful trio of terms. espite it being his final year, Mr Coates has ensured the standards of the House have not slipped and as a result supported the boys in a year they can all be proud of. The new Lower Fourth settled in as quickly as always and Head of House, ominic Robinson, began to lead his monitor team strongly from the first moment in.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Lyttelton has excelled as a House throughout all areas of School in both House events and the exploits of individuals, proving it to be one of the most well-rounded of all. In the Michaelmas term ick Bull and iall Hegarty took to the stage to become winners of junior House ebating, a feat echoed later on in the year with Hamish ocherty and Adam Robertson’s retention of the senior title. The artistic streak of the House remains with boys taking part in the hugely successful School production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Fourth Form rama production too. Further to this, an enthusiastic pper Sixth led the house in a unique medley of Elvis classics in this year’s House unison competition despite not winning, the event proved to be a highlight as always and a pivotal moment in the integration of the new additions to the House.
House
A special mention should go to James Mayhew, representing the School in his performance at the Birmingham Town Hall with the Bromsgrove Choral Society and individual success in House Music. The House, despite their success elsewhere, has certainly not shied away from the sports field. The Lower Fourth have been particularly successful with Lyttelton boys making up the bulk of the School A teams. They found great role models in Sixth Formers Sam Waltier ( st V captain and Midlands rugby) and George Beale ( England rugby) who achieved their representative honours this year. This strength showed in House competitions the most notable performances were a close second in Junior House Rugby A, winning Junior
Rugby B, winning senior House Hockey, and losing out only on penalty icks in the Junior House Hockey final. We saw outstanding commitment to the house in cross country, swimming, and the .2 relays, again showing the wealth of talent in the house. Lyttelton also showed a peppering of excellence across both track and field in this year’s sports day despite not winning, the House put out a great effort in a day which was enjoyed by all. A wealth of individual achievements throughout the House have shown how Lyttelton, its tutors and its boys ensure the supportive environment necessary for a Bromsgrovian to make the most of their school days. With two School Monitors, three successful Ten Tors team members, a brace of national finalist EYP members,
both junior and senior Staff Reading winners, a Housman Verse Prize winner and more high achievers being proud to call Lyttelton their home. It is plain to see Lyttelton boys are a force to be reckoned with in the school community. In all, the House has kept its reputation for being one of the best boys’ Houses across the board and we welcome, with great expectation, the experienced Mr Wingfield as our new Housemaster to carry on the success of the House under Mr Coates.
7
Beale, George 7, eputy Head of House, House Monitor, st Rugby, 2nd I Cricket 2 , rd I Cricket 2 , Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, Exeter - Biochemistry.
aturally the utmost gratitude towards the tutors must be expressed, without whom the boys would be lost. In the same way we must say thank you to Jayne, our Housemother, who is indeed the much loved matriarch of the House and makes sure the time spent in Lyttelton is as comfortable and safe as possible. The boys would also like to thank the PA for their support and organisation, securing us privileges like the annual Pig Roast and the new changing rooms. To the deeply respected pper Sixth, we give our thanks for their leadership and support this year but also their service throughout their time at Bromsgrove. Alas, we must say our final farewell to Mr Coates for his service to the House and we wish him the best of luck for himself and his family and we hope he finds the greatest success as he moves on to pastures new.
, st I Cricket, Cardiff -
Calvert, ominic 7, House Monitor, Cross Country, ebating Society, Plymouth International Relations with Politics. Capewell, Harry , st Hockey, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, Manchester Architecture. ocherty, Hamish , School Monitor, 2nd Hockey, rd I Cricket 2 , ebating Society, St Andrew’s - Modern History. udley, Todd , School Monitor, Sports Scholarship, Pre-Prep Survivor, Hockey, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, st Hockey, 2nd I Cricket, Exeter - English. Robinson, ominic , Head of House, House Monitor, 2nd Hockey, Gap Year. Rolinson, Samuel 7, st Football, B WE Property and Investment Management. Turner, Jonathan , House Monitor, Scholarship, Ski Trip, st Hockey, st I Cricket, 2nd I Cricket 2 , urham Combined Honours in Arts. Waltier, Samuel 7, School Monitor, Sports Scholarship, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, st Rugby, 2nd I Cricket 2 , Gap Year.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Jake Perryman
Bowen, William Physics.
Mary Windsor
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
It has been a very busy sporting year with many House events and with small junior numbers I was very pleased that the girls always managed to field a team. As always the House spirit and determination was legendary. In athletics yree Williams won a special trophy, the coveted Victor Ludorum. She was willing to enter any race when asked and did well too She also gave an amazing performance in the Fourth Form play Shockheaded Peter and in the junior debating along with Swikriti Bhattachan and Hemlata Limbu and for her amazing efforts we have awarded her with the Langdale Cup for overall contribution to House life.
Well another year has own by and what an exciting year of change we have had. The move to the new Mary Windsor went extremely well and the girls have been quite fabulous in coping with any small glitches that occur in a new build and seemed to have settled in so quickly. We now reside in a modern, comfortable boarding house with excellent facilities. We welcome visitors at any time for a look around.
The highlight of our first term back in the old House was winning the nison Song competition. Anastasia Rick made an excellent job of producing the song, along with Tiffany Yeh as a superb conductor and the Sixth Form girls performing their own special dance Have a look on YouTube. Everyone put in a really good effort, the performance was perfect and I was so proud when we won.
We have many talented musicians in the House and on a bright sunny February afternoon it was a privilege to be in the audience of the Music Competition to listen to Madalina Ghiula and Sarah Chan’s accomplished play in the piano class and Emma Reeves’ exquisite voice in the vocal class. Followed by the fun of Pop and Jazz later in the term in which several girls took part.
ot only do the girls put in so much effort to the extra-curricular but they work extremely hard too. Our effort grades were always outstanding with many girls in the House being commended. Angelica Ching won the economics prize and Kimmy Chak a CCF prize at Commemoration.
81
Polly Heung as Head of House (and Senior Boarder) supported by Olivia Wilding led a very strong monitor team. All embraced the responsibility and were an excellent support to me and to Chris Fletcher our Housemother. Without this support the House would not run so smoothly and we are very grateful. They have also been excellent in assisting with the parties that we have – any opportunity to celebrate and we will! Halloween, Christmas - we all enjoyed a visit to the German Market followed by a party, House warming after the move, Pancake ay was a ip not a op and the girls bounced all day at the Summer BBQ on a large bouncy castle and a bungee run. We are also very fortunate to have two girls on the School Monitor team next year – Hannah Featherstone and Tiffany Yeh. They will also support Hannah Bufton in her role as Head of House.
I would like to thank all the girls and Mrs Peric-Crnko and Miss Hardy as, without exception, they have brought such fun and happiness into my life and to that of my family. T Tweddell
Ng, Catherine Ka-Yan: 06, Cambridge Modern and Medieval Languages.
Chen, Wendy Wai Tik: KCL - Biomedical Science.
Obigwe, Eleanor: 10, Warwick Management.
Cheng, Michelle Ho Yee: 10, UCL Economics and Statistics.
Pavlova, Anna - Economics.
Ching, Angelica Tai-I: 08, Scholarship, UCL - Economics.
Potchapornkul, Eve Nattanee: 08, LSE Management.
Demchenko, Kateryna: 10, Scholarship, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cross Country, Kozminski Warsaw.
Rave, Roberta: 10, 1st Hockey , Australia and Hong Kong Sports Tour, Gap Year.
Friend, Kirstie: 01, Pre-Prep Survivor, House Monitor, 2nd Hockey, DofE, Exeter Geography with European Study. Georgieva, Polina House Monitor, Sheffield - Enterprise Computing. Gu, Fiona Yi: 10, UCL - Mathematics. Heung, Polly Po Yu: 05, Head of House, Senior Boarder, School Monitor, Art Scholarship, Drum Major, Choir, Chinese Concert, The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Nursing.
, House Monitor, Sheffield
Rick, Anastasia: 10, House Monitor, 2nd Hockey, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, LMU Munich - Sociology and Philosophy. Wilding, Olivia: 10, Deputy Head of House, House Monitor, 2nd Hockey, Bath Chemistry. Yang, Maeve Kai Yiu: 10, House Badminton, Badminton, Warwick - Economics. Zheng, Karen Shiyu: 10, Gold DofE, UCL Philosophy and Economics.
Kan, Kelly Wing Ki: 10, Chinese Concert, Imperial - Chemical Engineering. Kim, Ah Reun: Manchester - History of Art. Kwok, Janet Chiu Yu: 10, House Cross Country, House Drama, House Rounders, Student Listener, University of York Psychology. Lam, Jessie Yu Hang: 10, Chinese Concert, UCL - Biological Sciences. Lui, Angelina Hiu Yan: 10, Chinese Concert, Inter-House Cross Country, District Cross Country, Choir, Model UN, Animal Sanctuary, School Garden, Bath Accounting and Finance. Lutz, Adelina: 10, House Monitor, EBS Law School - Law.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
It is with immense sadness that we say goodbye to half the House this year many of whom joined at the same time as myself and have been through the journey of ups and downs with me. Each and every one has been true to Mary Windsor, to the House spirit and to each other. All very hard working and successful young women with beautiful smiles – they will go far in their different ways. All will be sorely missed but I look forward to hearing all their exciting news.
We also lose four very loyal and hard working tutors all of whom I will miss very much too. Mr Phennah is defecting to a Day House! Mrs Adams is taking up a maths post much closer to home in Cheltenham, Mrs Davies is moving to another local school and Miss Williams has the very exciting new position of Boarding Houseparent of the new Prep School Boarding House, Page. We also lose Mrs Hands who despite already tutoring in Lupton has helped out for two years with duties. Each has brought their very own special view to life in the boarding House and I wish them well and thank them for all that they have done for myself and the girls. We welcome Miss Baker, Miss Johnston, Miss Lesniak, Mr Banwell and Miss Harper onto the tutor team in September.
Chen, Cecily Mei Hei: 08, Bath - Social Policy.
2
Oakley This year we welcomed Miss Lancett, Mr Phillips and Miss Law, and they have proved to be great assets to the House. The girls are very grateful to the whole tutor team for their unstinting support this year. In January, our new Housemother, Mrs Astill, was welcomed to Oakley from Mary Windsor and she has supported and worked alongside Mrs Smith.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
We started in the old Oakley’ before a move to the old Mary Windsor’ at the end of the Michaelmas term. We returned after the Easter break to take up residence in our brand new home which is now, without a doubt, the best House in the School When Mr Bowen came to visit the House at the beginning of the academic year, he commented that Oakley’s House spirit was very evident . This year the girls especially enjoyed visiting the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham and the pper Sixth Leavers’ meal took place in The Slug and Lettuce early in the Summer Term. We are very proud of the individual achievements of our girls too, which are far too numerous for us to mention them all here. However, Oakley was full of pride for both Montana Bent and Pippa Brock who have been appointed School Monitors for next year.
In rama, three of the leading roles in the fantastic production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream were taken by Oakley girls Polly Fletcher, Montana Bent and Emily Taylor with Katie Leather and Katie Thompson supporting in the Chorus. Behind the scenes atasha Evans and Carren Wong did a superb job in the make-up team. Helena Solomou, Olivia Berwick, Lois Beswick and atasha Osborn-Patel took part in the equally outstanding Fourth Form production Shockheaded Peter. At the end of the Summer Term, Simone Stiff and Sophia Leidinger took part in the hilarious musical Am-Dram, again directed by our very own Miss Lancett and Mrs McKee. In Music, numerous Oakley girls performed extremely well in the House Music Festival. Lizzie Leather came first
in the strings class, Cammy Tong won the woodwind class, Andrea Ellinas played the harp, Aleksandra Satikova played the violin, Anna Rogers the ute, Kate uffy sang and Emily Smith played in the brass class. Music Scholars Lizzie Leather and Anna Rogers performed exceptionally well in front of a large audience in the Birmingham Town Hall at the end of the Lent Term. Oakley girls have also been heavily involved in the Chapel Choir, Choral Society, Orchestra and various bands this year. The nison House Song Competition was as enjoyable as ever, and although we didn’t win, the sense of House spirit was extraordinary, and the hard work put in by Lizzie Leather and the House Monitor Team paid off. Our performance earned us joint third place.
In Sport, special mention must go to Pippa Brock who was selected for the Midland’s etball Squad, Georgie Boffey who was the hockey GK for the Indoor and Outdoor Hockey squads that reached the ational Finals and more recently this term, goalkeeper Hannah Taylor who was selected from eight counties for the Junior Regional Performance Centre. Lizzie Stone has represented the School at the West Midlands Fencing Competition and also in the Public School’s Fencing Championships. Faye Al- akeeb, st team hockey captain, was awarded her School Cap. Polly Fletcher was awarded etballer of the Year and Polly and Annabel Cox were awarded their School Caps for their commitment to etball. Katie Thompson was awarded Major School Colours for etball and Lauren
Al- akeeb, Faye , House Monitor, Sports Scholarship, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, st Hockey, Tennis, Bristol - oology. Attley, Hannah 7, 2nd Hockey, Young Enterprise, Gap Year. Boffey, Amelia 7, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, Oxford Brookes - Real Estate Management.
Townsend was awarded her Minor School Colours for cross-country. Oakley won Senior House netball and Junior House swimming. We came second in Senior House rounders, tennis and swimming and third in Inter-House cross-country and in the .2km relays. Montana Bent, atalie Yeung, Andrea Ellinas and Magi Medarova all took part in the Staff Reading Prize for the Seniors. atalie was Highly Commended and Montana reached the Final. In the Junior Competition Kate uffy was awarded joint third place. This year Headmaster’s Commendations were awarded to Ellie Saker, Sophia Leidinger, Aisling Brinn, Katie Leather, Magi Medarova, Laura Gieron, Edda Fleysher, Pippa Brock, Lauren Townsend, Clare Hill and Jess Thompson. At the final House Assembly, Ellie Saker was awarded the prize for Best Grades with an outstanding average score of .2.
At the end of the Summer Term we said goodbye to Miss Brereton who is leaving the School, Ms Ellis-Owen who will be going on maternity leave and Mr Phillips who is taking up a new post in WG in September. We also thank Miss elson, who is stepping down from her position as Assistant Houseparent, for her incredible support and encouragement of all the girls over the last few years. Mrs Smith and Mrs Astill have worked incredibly hard this year to ensure the girls were well settled in a different building each term and at the start and end of each term undertook the massive task of packing and unpacking a huge House. We wish them a well-earned rest over the summer. And to Mrs Helmore, on behalf of all of the girls, we just want to say a huge thank you for being a great Houseparent this year, and we wish you all the best for your maternity leave next academic year. Katie Thompson and Valentina Rusche Heads of House
Chandler, Georgia 2, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, Leeds Met - Events Management. Cheema, Kiran esign.
,
ottingham Trent - Textile
Cheng, Louisa Wing Yu
, KCL - Law.
Cox, Annabel , School Monitor, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, etball ationals, st etball, 2nd Tennis, Bath - Sport and Exercise. Cox, Amelia , 2nd Hockey, Reading Biological Science. ang, My Vu Huong Year.
, Scholarship, Gap
uong, hanna Huong Giang , House Monitor, Exeter - History and French. Fletcher, Polly , School Monitor, Sports Scholarship, A Midsummer ight’s ream, st etball, KCL - History. Frolova, Maria , House Monitor, KCL Biomedical Science. Harding, Eleanor , School Monitor, ew York Choir Tour, Choral Society and Concerto Concert at Birmingham Town Hall, Chapel Choir, Aberdeen - euroscience with Psychology. Haynes, Lucie
7.
Ho, Michelle Hoi Ying Biomedical Science.
, Imperial -
, German
Leather, Elizabeth 2, School Monitor, Music Scholarship, Scholarship, Choral Society and Concerto Concert at Birmingham Town Hall, Chapel Choir, Oxford - Music. Leung, Angel Hang Laam , ottingham Finance, Accounting and Management. Leung, Vanessa Hiu Ching Architecture. Liu, Ada Yi Marketing.
ottingham -
Mikhel, Veronika , House Monitor, Westminster - Business Management. oakes, Lydia 7, of E Silver, Art College. Prikhodko, Aleksandra Sasha , Sorbonne Languages. Rusche, J Valentina , Head of House, House Monitor, Bocconi niversity International Economics, Management and Finance. Sin, Kay , 2nd Hockey, Athletics Team, Young Enterprise, uke of Edinburgh Silver Award, Birmingham - Geography. Smith, Madeleine , Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, 2nd Hockey, Young Enterprise, Leicester - Criminology. Tan, Renee Huanrui , City - Investment and Financial Risk Management. Thompson, Katie Head of House, House Monitor, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, 2nd etball, A Midsummer ight’s ream, Manchester Met - Sport Management. Wang, Shenru , House Monitor, Exeter Maths with Finance. Wong, Ella inna Management.
,
ottingham - Business
Wong, Grace Ka Yan Wu, Haimi Yuxiao Computer Science.
Jin, Lang , Chapel Choir, Bath Architecture.
Yu, Clare Choi Seng
7, ofE.
,
, House Monitor, urham -
Ignatova, Inna , ML - Hispanic Studies with Business Management.
Kennedy, Patricia
niversity -
,
CL - Economics.
, Manchester -
Yuen, awn Shui Tuen Geography.
. , Exeter -
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
This year’s Junior House Cup was awarded to Klara Hunt and Kate uffy, who are both always cheerful, helpful and enthusiastic supporters of every House event. This year’s Senior House Cup was awarded to Andrea Ellinas, who contributes hugely to every part of School and House life. This year’s winner of The Kenward Award for House
Spirit, Pippa Brock, is an outstanding individual. She is friendly and supportive to all and sets a good example to us all.
Langer, Julia Engineering.
School
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
This has been another excellent year for School House. The new Lower Fourth and one Lower Sixth soon felt at home, although what they thought of the weeks of practice for the nison House Song Competition I can only guess at. Once again we chose well, despite some early scares linked to that much loved series of films High School Musical and the classic I Wanna Be Like You seemed destined for success. Alas despite the baton wielding genius that was Charlie Green and very realistic ape like behaviour from Conor Amphlett it was not to be, but I’ll gladly take second place amongst the boys’ Houses. Thereafter the long Michaelmas Term rolled on with walks, talks and some fine performances on the rugby field in both junior and senior competitions. In particular our senior A team played way above their perceived ability and gave their all a trait that has become synonymous with any School House team. Then there was the excellent victory of the senior swimming squad and brilliant performances from Charlie Green and James Gillick in major roles in Shakespeare’s classic tale A Midsummer Night’s Dream one of the best school productions I’ve ever seen.
Parents’ Association events that term proved enjoyable, and the karting trip will be repeated next year, although alas we will not be able to witness the Jenson Button of School House that is James ouglas-Osborn an absolute legend in a kart Popular too was the quiz with another win for the staff team (not that we are in any way competitive), although I am still convinced that Mr Munn only really turns up for the beer. Lent term started well for most but module examinations, IB and GCSE mocks and the dreary January days put a little dampener on spirits.
These were soon lifted by successes in junior swimming, senior cross country, junior hockey where we were brilliant and with the best representation from any boys’ House in the music competition, again well organised by James Lay. We were only just edged into second place in junior cross country and narrowly missed winning the .2km relays. Once again Ross Johnston won the cross-country and posted the fastest time for the .2km. As if that wasn’t enough the financial wizards Max Thorpe, Matt rane, Lewis Martins and Chris odd succeeded in making the regional final of the Student Investor
Challenge so boys if you need to know where to put your money you know who to ask It was also good to see that for the first time in several years the House put together a drama production in the House competition. Five individuals including Charlie Green (director script writer), Lewis Martins, James Gillick, eclan Amphlett and James Lynch produced one of the funniest takes on the isney classic Aladdin I have ever seen.
Amphlett, Conor 7, rd Football, Southampton - History. Bachem, J rn , st I Hockey, 2nd Hockey, Germany - Science.
Alas the Summer Term was a little damp and we only just managed to squeeze in junior cricket and house athletics and again trophies in these competitions eluded us despite some superb efforts, so no pressure on those of you returning next year
The School Thomas Cookes House Parents’ Association Ball was a Bollywood spectacular at the Grafton Manor Hotel and once again everyone enjoyed the evening and who can forget those white shoes worn by Harland White
, st Hockey, South Africa
odd, Christopher , Head of House, House Monitor, 2nd Hockey, Birmingham - History and History of Art. ouglas-Osborn, James 7, 2nd Hockey, 2nd I Cricket, 2nd Rugby, Oxford Brookes - Real Estate Management.
My thanks to all the boys for making the House a delight to manage, especially Chris odd and his monitor team and of course the brilliant tutor team of Miss Franks, Mr Langlands, r Woollhead, Mr Matthews, r Ogston, Mrs Bateman, Mrs Hibell (our fantastic Housemother) and finally Mr Howard, who will be missed as he returns to life in Hong Kong.
rane, Matthew , House Monitor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, 2nd Hockey, Oxford - Geography.
M A Stone
Martins, Lewis eputy Head of House, House Monitor, ebating Society, Chapel Choir, urham - Combined Honours in Arts.
unn, Oliver 7, House Monitor, rd Rugby, Aberystwyth - Business Finance. Green, Charles 7, A Midsummer ight’s ream, st Tennis, West London - Acting. Lau, Christian Koon Yun , House Monitor, rd Rugby, Leicester - Geography.
McGarry, Alexander 7, st Football, st I Cricket, Oxford Brookes - Real Estate Management. Thorpe, Max , House Monitor, Pre-Prep Survivor, 2nd Hockey, Lancaster - Business Studies.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Certainly after I had seen it at lunch time with a small select audience I insisted that the whole House see it during one tutor time James Gillick as the Genie was outstanding and we can all look forward to him in the next musical Cats.
Bachem, Lasse - Medicine.
Thomas Cookes Lizzy James, Georgia Meredith and Holly Alsop’s performances in the beautiful production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Olivia Wormald and Rebecca Salhan in Shock Headed Peter and Jess Cliff’s haunting WWI drama piece and her magnificent trampolining.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
The Indoor Hockey Midland Championships with aisy Perrey, Libby Thornton, Simone Thompson-Smith and Henrietta Horsley-Gubbins reaching the ationals. Lydia Evans, Stephanie Swatkins, Vanessa Hill, Henrietta and Fred Robbins reaching the outdoor ationals.
This has been an exceptional year for the TC girls. These are some of the highlights and memories Second place in the nison House Song Competition with Head of House Sarah Morris at the helm. Emma Westley and Olivia Wormald in the Scholars’ Concert all the girls particularly Hannah Michell and Charlotte Fraser in our special Christmas Mulled Wine and Carols event.
Fran Kingston, Georgia Meredith, Lizzy James, Simone Thompson-Smith, Grace Stringer and Emma Westley in Pop and Jazz as well as the music competition. Fran Kingston, Georgia Meredith and Jess Cliff in the hilarious Am Dram. Lydia Cotton and Emma Sellers in the winning Accounting and Business team, Alice Shinner winning the Who Do You Think You Are? history prize, Henrietta Horsley Gubbins competing at Horse of
the Year and her sister Georgina’s recent show jumping successes. All the charity work in the House the infamous Macmillan cake sales, the raf e for Children in eed, Charlotte Head and Lear Hill’s sales pitches for the Primrose Hospice. Eve Fleeming, Ellie Pagan and friends’ donut and sweet sales for Madagascar, the charity mixed netball. Miss afar’s wedding celebrations in the House.
School netball matches led by Captain Victoria Stokes Kaya Wilson being selected as Vice Captain of the West Midlands Warriors etball Talent League. Victoria Stokes, Emily Morrice and aisy Perrey winning School Caps and sports trophies. Victoria Stokes, Lydia Evans, Claudia Cardinali and Paige Maddox’s swimming successes All House Sports competitions and aisy Perrey’s superb team managing role in the House.
87
Alsop, Holly , House Monitor, A Midsummer ight’s ream, Exeter - English with orth American Study.
Winning the Senior House Hockey, Junior House etball cup and plate, Senior Rounders, and notably Sports ay overall winners with Libby Thornton winning m cup Victrix Ludorum trophy. Olivia Safe’s visit. Abigail Henderson’s county tennis, Emma Westley’s ational orchestra, Grace Parker’s textiles scholarship, the successful Final Cut Art event and fashion show, the trip to St Paul’s Cathedral, our two House chapel services. Alice Shinner and ominique Finlay winning the grades trophies twice in the year.
The fabulous PA, the sensational Bollywood Ball, the Leavers’ meal and the Champagne Strawberries pper Sixth Leavers’ event. Excellent caring tutors, the outstanding team of House Monitors led by the inimitable Sarah Morris, our loving Housekeeper Laraine Chance. The sadness of saying our final farewells to the pper Sixth on a moving and special Commemoration ay and bidding farewell to two exceptional tutors Mike Bowen-Jones and Loraine Hughes. Finally, the exceptional TC welcome that has been extended to me during my first year as Houseparent thank you. R Al- akeeb
Cotton, Lydia , Pre-Prep Survivor, ottingham Trent - Marketing, esign and Communication. Ekerol, Sara
.
McKee, Chloe , House Monitor, Pre-Prep Survivor, Bristol - Childhood Studies. Millns, Rosanna , House Monitor, 2nd Tennis, ottingham Trent - Health and Social Care. Morrice, Emily , eputy Head Girl, School Monitor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, st etball, Swimming, Leeds - Graphic and Communication esign. Morris, Sarah , Head of House, House Monitor, Charity etball, 2nd Hockey, Bristol - English. oon, Rebecca , Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, House Monitor, Charity etball, 2nd etball, ottingham - Hispanic Studies. Perrey, aisy , eputy Head of House, House Monitor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, Hockey, 2nd etball, st Hockey and Vice Hockey Captain, Athletics Captain, B WE - Biomedical Sciences. Sellers, Emma , House Monitor, Oxford Brookes - Psychology. Stokes, Victoria , Head of School, School Monitor, Sports Scholarship, Scholarship, PrePrep Survivor, Prep Survivor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, st etball and etball Captain, Swimming, Manchester - Medicine.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Challenges included the of E exhibitions, L Malvern walk, CCF expeditions and activity days and parades, Alice and Holly’s CCF adventure in the Pyrenees, Ellis Goodwin and Phoebe Martyn-Smith winning the ational CCF Orienteering Championships Alice Smith winning the istrict -Country Championships and Alice Batham’s half-marathon charity run, the Madagascar expedition, the tough L camp, Olivia Wormald and Mollie Mayneord’s winning garden at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show.
Batham, Alice , House Monitor, Art Scholarship, Ski Trip, CCF Staff Sergeant, Leeds - English Language and Literature.
Walters
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
The young men of Walters enjoyed another successful year, with a trophy haul from Inter-House competitions including both Senior rugby trophies, the Overall and Junior trophies for athletics at sports day, Junior squash, Junior badminton, Junior football (Cup and Plate competitions) and the historic .2 relay competition. The lads were also delighted with second place overall (and top boys’ House) in the nison House Song Competition, with a rousing rendition of the Seven warves’ HeighHo (complete with bobbing up and down) from isney’s Snow White, a real highlight of the year. The end of the Summer Term saw a number of awards received by Walters boys, notably Oliver Thomas’s award of the Kelly Bicknell Memorial Prize for his contribution to the School and wider community, and an Ruckwood picking up the Sportsman of the Year trophy. Ollie and an led a hugely talented pper Sixth group who will be much missed next year. They have contributed greatly to the House and School over the past five years and between them boast the Head Boy, two England Schoolboy Rugby Internationals, a semi-finalist in the Olympic trials for Team GB, the School football team’s Player of the Year and no fewer than eight members of the School’s first V squad.
They will be sorely missed, not because of their achievements but because of the spirit and camaraderie they have brought to Walters. We wish them all the best in their endeavours in the future. The House bade farewell to two tutors who both enjoyed a short but sweet stay in Walters. Mrs Ebrahim is moving across to Hazeldene, whilst Mrs Sherratt leaves us for another school. Both quickly made an impact in Walters and they will be much missed by their tutees next year. We look forward to welcoming Mr Watkins into the House in September.
The House was honoured to have an Young as the Head Boy this year he fulfilled his commitments with typical dedication, good humour and style, even when posing for photos by grazing a goat on Gordon Green, to remember the long-standing privilege of Bromsgrove’s Head of School. Similarly, Ollie Thomas must be singled out for his outstanding work as Head of House this year he was a fantastic role model and worked incredibly hard to encourage and set the standards for those around him. The speech an gave in the final House Assembly of the term will long be remembered by all who heard it.
Many thanks to an, Ollie and the rest of the Monitor team from this year. ext year’s Head of House, Will Hunt, and eputy Head of House, Alex Black, have been taught well this year We wish them, the rest of the House Monitor team and School Monitors William Cusack, Thomas Gretton and James Young, all the best in their roles from September. Many thanks must go to all House tutors and to Lesley, our Housekeeper, for their continued sterling support for the boys over the last year. G Wilkins
89
Attwell, Ben: 07, Rugby, Nottingham Geography. Bowett, Ryan: 99, Pre-Prep Survivor, Prep Survivor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, 1st Rugby, 1st Rugby VII (Cap), Athletics Captain (Cap), Sports Leadership, First Aid, Schools Games Worcestershire, Swimming team, U16 Hockey, Indoor Hockey, U15 Rugby Tour Portugal, Gold DofE, Cardiff Met - Sport and Physical Education. Byrne, Jacob: 05, 1st Rugby, House Rugby, Athletics team, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, Cardiff Met - Marketing Management. Caswell, Thomas: 07, House Monitor, Rugby, Football, KPMG. Grogan, Conor: 10, 1st Rugby, 1st Football, Manchester Met - International Business. Hutchings, Joshua: 07, Squash team, BASE Competition Winner. Inufusa, Masahiko: 03, House Monitor, 1st Hockey, Hockey Nationals, Conductor for House Song, Grade 8 Piano, Nottingham Geography.
Ruckwood, Dan: 06, Deputy Head of House, House Monitor, Sports Scholarship, Swimming (Captain), National Champion, Olympic Triallist for Swimming, Manchester Met - Physiotherapy. Sims, Benjamin: 03, London Met Business Management. Stone, Samuel: 03, House Monitor, Scholarship, Football, Rugby, Durham General Engineering. Thomas, Oliver: 07, Head of House, House Monitor, IB, Debating Society, DofE, School Guide, Football, German Exchange, Kielder Challenge, Chadsgrove, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry - Medicine. Watkins, Joshua: 1st Rugby, Rugby 7s, England U18 and U19 Rugby, Worcester Physical Enducation and Coaching. Young, Daniel: 07, Head of School, School Monitor, Sports Scholarship, 2nd XI Cricket, 1st Rugby, 3rd XI Cricket 2011, Leeds Business Economics.
Loughlin, Ryan: 10, House Monitor, 1st Football, Football Player of Year Cardiff Met - Sport Management.
Philp, Jack: 98, 1st XV Rugby, Athletics team, Rugby 7s, Ireland Rugby Tour, 2nd XI Cricket 2011, Exeter - Exercise and Sport Sciences. Poole, Damon: 07, 1st Rugby, England U16 Rugby Debating, Durham - Politics and Philosophy.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
McGeever, Dominic: 04, House Monitor, 2nd Cricket, 3rd Football Captain, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, 1st Rugby, Cardiff Met - Sport Management.
Wendron-Gordon
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Even after two months of holiday by now, I still cannot believe that these great past three years are suddenly over. In my opinion the superb atmosphere, created by the optimism and enthusiasm of the people in the Wendron-Gordon House, combined with a pragmatic and supportive tutor team, allowed WG to become such an admirable House of Bromsgrovians. Therefore it was the greatest honour to be made Head of House for my last year at Bromsgrove School. Throughout the year WG went through ups and downs, mostly triggered by Inter-House competitions. It was great to see how these challenges brought the House closer together and allowed the large number of new boys to be fully integrated into WG in no time. Like every year, one of the most memorable events of the year was the nison House Song Competition in the first half term. Conducted by Ivan Aganin, we practiced intensely many evenings for the event. We decided to do a medley, combining Hoist the Colours (from Pirates of the Caribbean), George of the Jungle and Hakuna Matata (from The Lion King). Even though we did not win the competition, we fulfilled our traditional duty to entertain the whole School like nobody else does. This year we hit the jackpot with Chandler’s enthusiastic solo screaming’.
The football Inter-House competition was very intense for everyone in WG. Our team, containing several st team players fought their way through to the final. As Housman Hall and our team were almost equally strong, the winner had to be determined with a penalty shoot-out, which unfortunately lead to us losing - . Worth a mention are Chris Johnson (Capt) and Minik Pun, who both contributed greatly to the team throughout the whole event. We also had to face other challenges throughout the School year, for example during the .2 relay and cross country, where we did not have as many st team players as in the badminton competition.
evertheless the boys gave during their runs which resulted in the rd place for the .2 relay race. ue to the great support of the other WG boys everyone ran well and Armand Lambert really worked hard to gain 2nd place in the whole Cross Country Competition. At Bromsgrove’s Got Talent, Philip Rowsell’s performance, singing and dancing Saturday Night Fever brought back memories of Adam Robertson, a former member of WG, who used to be the star of the show with his extraordinary performances such as singing Lady Gaga’s Born This Way .
The whole audience was laughing all the way through the song, which was Philip’s main goal from the beginning. In addition we had the honour that one of the two moderators of the show was chosen to be Bendix Perschk, a fellow member of WG. Although some comments were a bit unusual from the audience, he did not fail to entertain everyone throughout the whole evening. Finally, I would like to thank Mr Bell for his efforts as Wendron-Gordon Housemaster. It has not always been easy, especially at the beginning of the year and the stressful time before his marriage, however he has managed everything well and mastered his duty.
Capper, Benjamin House Monitor, st Football, Badminton, Sports ay Captain, House rama, Kingston - Sport Science.
Apart from Mr Bell, I would also like to thank Mrs Batchelor, Mrs Hibell, the tutor team and the housekeeping team for their tireless efforts and constant enthusiasm to keep the Wendron-Gordon House running so smoothly. Your friendly and welcoming engagement, especially in the mornings gives the WG boys the necessary positive attitude to get them through the day and make the House as positive and cheerful as it is. Leonard Wittek Head of House 2
-2
2
ubal, Richard , School Monitor, st Basketball, Swimming, Charles niversity Prague - Medicine.
Cho, Bernard Pok Him , House Monitor, Badminton, Edinburgh - Medical Sciences. Chow, Eric Chun Yin , Badminton, House Badminton Captain, Bath - Pharmacy. eng, Terry e-Tian , House Basketball, Southampton - Mechanical Engineering. Johnson, Christopher , House Monitor, Hong Kong and Australia Sports Tour, st Football (Captain), st I Cricket, st Rugby, Manchester Met - Sport Management. Kazemekaitis, Paulius st Basketball.
, House Monitor,
Kirk-Patrick, Alex (Freddie) House Monitor, ofE, rd Rugby, Athletics Captain, Bristol Medicine. Lindenmeyer, Alexander , 2nd Football, House Football, ortheastern SA Business. Milicevic, Marko , House Monitor, st Basketball, st Football, ortheastern SA Business Management. g, Charles Ting Chau eputy Head of House, House Monitor, CCF lead (RAF), st Basketball, Cambridge - atural Sciences.
Tu, Pei , Badminton, Imperial - Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Walther, Yannick Year.
, House Monitor, Gap
Wittek, Leonard , Head of House, House Monitor, CER Trip, Pratt SA - Business. Yau, Keith Chun-Hin 7, st Basketball, Cricket, urham - Computer Science.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Perschk, Bendix , st Squash, Bromsgrove’s Got Talent, Gap Year.
2
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Commemoration ay 2
2
Thomas Cookes Sermon
Headmaster’s Speech
Commemoration ay began with the traditional ceremony in the Cookes Room (the original School Room opened in ) the Head Boy and Head Girl laid the wreath beneath the portrait of Sir Thomas Cookes and in the presence of a descendant and our Patron, Mr Andrew enham-Cookes.
This year the Headmaster neither rapped nor delivered the speech as Steven Gerrard. Instead, he turned Bromsgrove into Hogwarts, talked about kicking our Head of Music, Jonathan Kingston, down a hill (which gave him J K Rolling), and proceeded to recount the year in terms of characters and events based loosely on Harry Potter.
We were delighted to welcome this year’s Preacher of the Sir Thomas Cookes Sermon, Revd. Chris Wingfield, Vicar of St John’s Parish Church and Team Rector of Bromsgrove Parish. He delivered a memorable sermon. It was beautifully delivered, witty, profound and wise but also very practical too in its application, especially for our Leavers. He spoke about standing on the shoulders of giants and took as his theme his three heroes Jesus, St. Benedict and ale Carnegie and spoke powerfully about not wasting time judging or criticising others, the importance of community, of service, and also of values in business. A memorable line was Respect is gained by example to others . P Bowen
Harry Head and Hermione Bursar battled with various foes (including the ementers of car park gossip), and with the help of a stiletto wearing dragon, umblebowen and other senior staff, managed to erect million pounds worth of buildings on time and to budget while delivering stunning academic results. Pupils were frequently encountered on the journey, sometimes wearing Pantone 2 make up, at other times being turned into hymn books or corporate water bottles. The Shining Ones (aka the governors) appeared in the clouds and celebrated the work of the Foundation while the Head of IB and irector of Studies ended up on Broad Street in Birmingham having been changed into obby the Elf and avid Hasselhoff respectively. Another standard Commemoration ay speech.
Guest Speaker This year’s guest speaker was Martin Johnson CBE - Former Captain of England’s winning 2 World Cup Rugby team. Before prizegiving began, he kindly opened our new Sports Centre in the presence of the Headmaster, Governors, Staff, Parents, Pupils and Old Bromsgrovians.
Whilst speaking about his career and leading a winning side in the World Cup, his key messages applied to many aspects of everyday life. There was emphasis on teamwork, on doing your best and how hard work and determination are most often the determining factors for success.
The pper Sixth students graciously received their academic prizes from Mr Johnson and at the start of his speech he admitted how daunting it was to speak after the Headmaster. However, there was no need to worry as he delivered a very enjoyable speech with modest words of wisdom for all.
M Griffiths
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Salvete Elmshurst aujotas, Kipras Glaser, Christoph Khashiev, Rashid Khatin, ikita Klapatyj, Conor Lee. Tommy Fong Chun Leung, Michael Siu Kong Lou, Matthew Cheng Fong Seyranyan, Arayat Sirimongkolkasem, Thachphon Steppan, Tim Volk, Tom hang, Fentao Hazeldene Barnes, Alice Coleman, Emily Lockett, Candise Rolinson, Grace Staniland, Amy Housman Hall Barron, Andrew Bates, Alice Bolshakov, mitry Bruce, Sophie Cabarkapa, Sara Chan, Caleb Cheuk Him Cheng, Kelvin San Tung Chiu, Yu Hei Chow, Justin Lap Yan avies, Charlie erriey, Leon iekgr f, Ferdinand imanski, arian Ellerich, Thilo Ellis, Max Fraine, William Garaev, Bulat Hillmann, icolas Jones, Rupert
Kirpichnikov, Konstantin Lai, Leo Pok Yin Lam, icolas King Huen Macys, Marius Maltcev, ikolai Meliksetyan, Emil Merriman, William Mukhachev, Vladislav Pawakranond, Garnjana Samoylenko, Ivan Sparrow, Connor Stanley, Cherise Swords, Aoife Tang, Yihan Ting, Joyce Tung Sum Williams, arrel Wright, Joseph Wu, Michael Hiu am Yang, John Yerkozhanov, Omar Lupton Bellamy, Joseph Matthews, Michael Lyttelton ay, Jack Hale, Fraser Marshall, Charlie McGeough, Bradley Price, Oliver Smith, Fraser Symonds, Joseph Tibbetts, William Mary Windsor Bibikova, Svetlana Chen, Yumin rill, Victoria Feenan, Emanuelle Feng, Sisi Gazazyan, Hasmik Guo, i Jin Han, Wanfu Hiller, Leoni Ho, Rianne
Ho Stephanie Sut I Huang, Cherry Jiaying Lee, Grace See Hang Li, Ira Hoi Ching Musteikyte, Austeja ovichikhina, Anastasia Padolskyte, Liucija Sham, Elizabeth Sheveleva, Yulia So, oris Wing Lam Sun, i To, Emily Chau Yee Wong, Penny ga Sze Yau, Chloe Man Ying Oakley Aynetdinova, Aliya Baraboshkina, Alisa Chai, Aryssa Chan, Cherry Oi Kiu aujotaite, Ieva imitrova, Viktoriya o, Trang Ly zhevala, Valeriya Gibson, Ellie Gr n, Vera Ha, Tiffany Yik Wai Heine, adescha Heller, Marie-Christine Ho, Anna Cheuk Sze Juraityte, Gabija Kriegler, Marie Li, Youjia Liao, Sydney Chih- ing Lo, Kerry Wing Yu Lu, han Luo, Shengtian Olagbaju, Ifenwonuola Pitskhelauri, Anna Ritzl, Helga Rungwattanasophol, Petra Tanisorn Savchenko, Sofya Seduikyte, ovile So, Hiu Ching Sutherland, Olivia
Wong, atasha Hei Ting Wu, Yunni hang, Yvonne Yue hong, Wenna School Amphlett, Myles Bills, Samuel Lamb, Matthew Muir, Thomas Osborne, Matthew Roche, Sebastian Rose, athaniel San, Alex Simmons, iall Thomas Cookes Burrell, Robyn Collins, Sophie Glass, Eleanor Heine, Catalina Jackson, Milly James, Isabel James, athalie utt, Carly Prust, Jordan Rudd, Hayley Walters Collins, Matthew Harding, Jack Johnson, aniel Romyn, Adam Wootten, George Young, Callum Wendron-Gordon Eller-Hughes, Justin Horner, Matthew Kinder, James Rosbrook, Miles Smith, Jordan Stanev, Branimir Tse, Chun Hin Tse, Long Hin Wang, aniel Chueh-Kai
Mark Reading
Prize Winners 2
2
Christmas 2
Wattell Prizes
Other Academic Prizes
Special Prizes
English
Holly Alsop
Amphlett Prize for Chemistry Jack Moseley
Senior Boarders Paul Czech and Polly Heung
History
Polly Fletcher John Hedley Memorial Prize (CCF) Kimmy Chak
eputy Head Boy and eputy Head Girl Ryan Gordon and Emily Morrice
Turner Memorial Prize for Music Elizabeth Leather
Head Boy and Head Girl aniel Young and Victoria Stokes
Evana Fleeming
English Literature
Andrea Lloyd
Mathematics
Freddie Alford
French
Evana Fleeming
Religious Studies Ivan Solakov
Art
Connor McBride
French
Jonathan Turner
Textiles
Annie Bloomer
Biology
Felix
Spanish
Catherine
Business Studies
James Hey
Chemistry
Evana Fleeming
Classical Civilisation
Lydia Trow
Latin
James Lay
Geography
Matthew rane
T Graphic Products
Andy Yip
Economics
Angelica Ching
T Resistant Materials
Emily White
rama
Sophie Griesbach
Mathematics
Pei Tu
Geography
William Cusack
Art
Sarah Morris
German
Jonathan Fleury
History
Sophie Luckman
Art (Textiles)
Lydia
Music
Emma Westley
PE
George Beale
Physics
Andrew Ho
RS (Full Course)
Wang
RS (Short Course)
Andy Yip
German
Rachel Hotchin
Spanish
Maxime Cox
Physics
Charles
PE
Lydia Trow
EAL
Andrew Ho
g
g
g
Business Studies Julia Paschwitz Politics
amon Poole
oakes
Graphic Products Emily Morrice
rama
g
Rosanna Millns
Media Studies Laura Cartwright
Tony Limbert Memorial Trophy Harry Eastgate
The Peat Prize for Information Technology Laura Cartwright
Paul Sawtell Memorial Trophy Polly Fletcher
Chaytor Pepper Prize for Classics (Classical Civilisation) Olivia Morris
Ben Showell Memorial Rose Bowl Elizabeth Leather
William Lewins Prize for Biology Louisa Schussler Alison Bramley Memorial Prize for Mathematics Harriet Jones Jeffrey Lewins Prize for Technology (Resistant Materials) aniel Bell Housman Verse Prize Jake Perryman Staff Reading Prize Jake Perryman
Kelly Bicknell Memorial Award Ollie Thomas Cookes Prize Rachel Hotchin SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
English Language
estination of Leavers 2
2 ( ) (7 ) ( )
umber of students achieving Russell Group niversity places umber of students achieving Group niversity places
7( 7(
Name
E
University
Subject
Bowen, William
C
Cardiff RG
Physics
Bowett, Ryan
1
Cardiff Met
Sport
Brazier, Gregory
2
2.
) )
ottingham RG
Physical Education
Industrial Economics
Gap Year
Gap Year
Bykov, Maxim
1
KCL RG
Business Management
Byrne, Jacob
1
Cardiff Met
Marketing Management
Bystrov, Oleg
1
LSE RG
Economics
Calvert, ominic
2
Plymouth
International Relations with Politics
Capewell, Harry
1
Manchester RG
Architecture
Capper, Benjamin
2
Kingston
Sport Science
Cartwright, Laura
1
Liverpool RG
Business Studies
University
Subject
Caswell, Thomas
KPMG
Government and Economics
Chandler, Georgia
1
Cheema, Kiran
1
Chen, Cecily Mei Hei
1
Bath
Social Policy
Leeds Met
Events Management
Able-Thomas, avid
1
LSE RG
Al- akeeb, Faye
C
Bristol RG
Alsop, Holly
1
Exeter RG
Amphlett, Conor
2
Southampton RG History
Chen, Junhong
1
Imperial RG
Mathematics
Andreeva, Irina
1
Leeds RG
Management and Philosophy
Chen, Wendy Wai Tik
1
KCL RG
Biomedical Science
Gap Year
Gap Year
Cheng, Louisa Wing Yu
Geography with Business
Cheng, Michelle Ho Yee
1
CL RG
Economics and Statistics
CL RG
Economics
Attley, Hannah Attwell, Benjaimin
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
2
E
Bruten, Jack
umbers of students achieving First Choice place umbers of students achieving Insurance Choice place umbers of students achieving Clearing place
(Please note the data in this list re ects information available on We apologise for any inaccuracies).
Name
1
ottingham RG
oology English with
orth American Study
ottingham Trent
A1 KCL RG
Textile esign
Law
Bachem, Jorn
Germany
Science
Ching, Angelica
1
Bachem, Lasse
South Africa
Medicine
Cho, Bernard Pok Him
1
Edinburgh RG
Medical Sciences
Exeter RG
Geography
Chou, Mon-Sen
1
Imperial RG
Materials Science
Law
Chow, Eric Chun Yin
1
Bath
Pharmacy
Chow, Tony Wai Kit
1
Bristol RG
Economics and Finance
Clare, Stuart
1
Oxford Brookes
Business Management
Cotton, Lydia
1
Cox, Amelia
1
Reading
Biological Science
Cox, Annabel
1
Bath
Sport
Real Estate Management
Cox, Michael
1
Cardiff RG
History
Business and Management
Czech, Paul
Bales, Sophie
1
Barwell, Thomas
1
Batham, Alice
1
Leeds RG
English Language
Beale, George
1
Exeter RG
Biochemistry
Bell, aniel
1
Portsmouth
Property evelopment
Bello, Munir
1
niversity of the Creative Arts
Interior Architecture
Biggs, Shelley
1
Boffey, Amelia
1
Bolton, Samuel
1
ottingham RG
ottingham Trent Mandarin Chinese Oxford Brookes e Montfort
Literature
esign English
ottingham Trent
Engineering
Marketing, esign Communication
Exercise Science
Name
E
ang, My Vu Huong
University
Subject
Name
E
University
Gap Year
Gap Year
Harding, Eleanor
C
Aberdeen
Mathematical Science with Finance Economics
Hartshorne, Emily
1
arbinyan, Hayk
C
City
emchenko, Kateryna
1
Kozminski, Warsaw
eng, Terry e-Tian
1
Southampton RG
Mechanical Engineering
ocherty, Hamish
1
St Andrew’s
Modern History
odd, Christopher
C
Birmingham RG
History and History of Art
ouglas-Osborn, James
1
Oxford Brookes
Real Estate Management
rane, Matthew
1
Oxford RG
udley, Todd
1
unn, Oliver
urham RG
7
Subject euroscience with Psychology History
Haynes, Lucie Heath, Harry
1
Exeter RG
Heung, Polly Po Yu
C
China Hong Kong
Ho, Michelle Hoi Ying
1
Imperial RG
Biomedical Science
Holles, aniel
1
Edge Hill
English Literature
Hossain,
owrin
1
York RG
PPE
Hotchin, Rachel
1
Cambridge RG
Modern
Geography
Hui, Johnny Tsun Yen
1
Exeter RG
English
Hunt, Jonathan
1
1
Aberystwyth
Business Finance
Hutchings, Joshua
uong, hanna Huong Giang
C
Exexter RG
History and French
Eastgate, Harry
1
ong, Kevin Junliang
urham RG
Archaeology and Anthropology
Ekerol, Sara Feld, ias
1
Boston
niversity
Fletcher, Jack
1
Exeter RG
Law
Fletcher, Polly
1
KCL RG
History
CL RG Manchester RG
History ursing
Medieval Languages
Psychology
Language Sciences
Physics
Ignatova, Inna
C
ML RG
Hispanic Studies w Bus. Mgt
Inufusa, Masahiko
1
ottingham RG
Geography
Jin, Lang
1
Bath
Architecture
Johnson, Christopher
1
Manchester Met
Sport Management
Jones, Bradley Jones, Harriet
2
Kan, Kelly Wing Ki
2
ottingham Trent Imperial RG
Economics Chemical Engineering
Friend, Kirstie
1
Exeter RG
Geography with European Study
Frolova, Maria
1
KCL RG
Biomedical Science
Kennedy, Patricia
2
Oxford Brookes
Business Management and French Studies
Kim, Ah Reum
Garvie,
Kirk-Patrick, Alexander
1
Bristol RG
Medicine
French with Business Management
Knowles, Thomas
1
Loughborough
Sport Management
Kolesnyk, Vladyslav
1
CL RG
Kwok, Janet Chiu Yu
1
York RG
Psychology
Kwok, Simon Chi Long
1
KCL RG
English
Hong Kong Law
Kent
Politics
Law
icholas
A1 Manchester RG
History of Art
Gazazyan, Marie
C
Georgieva, Polina
C
Sheffield RG
Enterprise Computing
Gordishevskaya, Anastasia
1
Manchester RG
Architecture
Gordon, Ryan
1
Salford
Sport Rehabilitation
Green, Charles
1
West London
Acting
Grogan, Conor
2
Manchester Met
International Business
Law, Benjamin Ho Tak
1
Gu, Fiona Yi
2
Mathematics
Lam, Jessie Yu Hang
1
CL RG
Biological Sciences
Hall, Rebecca
1
Management (Marketing)
Lam, Kenneth Yun Him
1
ottingham RG
Architecture
CL RG Manchester RG
Computer Science
Kostomyasova, Veronika
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
ML RG
Kazemekaitis, Paulius
Name
Langen, Jakob
E
University
1
WH Otto Beisheim Sch of Management
Subject
1
Lauer, Theresa
Leicester
Geography
Germany
University
Subject
Millns, Rosanna
1
ottingham Trent
Health
Moors, Sarah
2
ottingham Trent
Film and Television
Morrice, Emily
1
Leeds RG
Graphic
Morris , Olivia
1
Lancaster
Geography
Social Care
orth America
1
Oxford RG
Music
Morris, Philippa
1
Leeds RG
Geography
Lebedynskyy, Artur
1
Essex
Marketing
Morris, Sarah
1
Bristol RG
English
Moseley, John
1
Imperial RG
Biochemistry
Muravina, Maria
1
urham RG
Management
g, Catherine KaYan
1
Cambridge RG
g, Charles Ting Chau
1
Cambridge RG
g, Gareth, Ting Him
1
Essex
gatchu, Martha
1
ewcastle RG
Law
ottingham RG
Hispanic Studies
Leung, Angel Hang Laam A1
ottingham RG
Finance, Accounting
Leung, Vanessa Hiu Ching
1
ottingham RG
Architecture
Liao, Michael Chun-Hao
1
Manchester RG
Lindenmeyer, Alexander
1
ortheastern SA
Business
Liu, Ada Yi
1
urham RG
Marketing
Management
Combined Honours in Social Sciences Modern
Medieval Languages
atural Sciences Economics
Loughlin, Ryan
1
Cardiff Met
Sport Management
oakes, Lydia
Lui, Angelina Hiu Yan
1
Bath
Accounting and Finance
oon, Rebecca
1
Lui, Anthony Wing
1
LSE RG
Law
Obigwe, Eleanor
1
Warwick RG
Management
Pavlova, Anna
1
Sheffield RG
Economics
Perrey, aisy
1
B WE
Biomedical Sciences
Gap Year
Gap Year
am
Loughborough
Paschwitz, Julia
Lusty, Gemma
1
Lutz, Adelina
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Staff Leavers But then more responsibility together. In September 1987 the old Headmaster’s House was vacated and Duncan and Liz created, and were the first Houseparents of Hazeldene. A very happy House it was too and girls under their gentle tutelage recall them with fond affection.
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Duncan and Liz Langlands 1984-2012 Samuel Johnson – he would, he was English - said “The greatest sight that a Scotsman sees is the high road to England”. It was a great day for us when the Langlands – and Andrew and Fiona - took that road from Strathallan in beautiful Perthshire to join us in 1984. Duncan joined us as second in the Mathematics Department, a very fine teacher, temporarily replacing the Head of Department who was on a sabbatical term, the last one ever granted.
In 1985 he quickly appointed Liz to some Maths teaching (no nepotism there for she became one of the most formidable Maths teachers ever known here). She was part-time (but few noticed; nor did she) until 2005. Duncan threw himself into the sporting life of the School. He coached U14A rugby, was a North Midlands referee, taking charge of five games in as many days on our Dutch tour. He coached the 1st XI cricket for a lengthy eight years and led our Caribbean tour to the Gary Sobers Tournament, our first long-haul tour.
In 1991 Duncan was appointed to the Housemastership of Wendron-Gordon. There is something mighty about its mere appearance – the only House purpose built here (in 1898) until old Mary Windsor and at night like an ocean liner lit up. Duncan was thus very proud to lead it and maintained the best traditions of the House. Steeped in boarding tradition, his pastoral care and guidance was very thorough and his time and dedication – that of Liz too – was selflessly unstinting. Between Commemoration and University his Head of House – Tony Limbert - was killed and Duncan’s support of the family, grieving OBs and House cannot be put into words. One revolution was the introduction of the first House strip; now look at us at House competitions! There was style and panache – flags always flying for different days, especially on St Andrew’s Day, and a different bow tie every day. In 2001 Duncan stepped down from Housemastering but talents surfaced elsewhere.
He resurrected photography as an activity, a popular pastime for an enthusiastic band of pupils. He had already run House and Sports team photos and framing of them too. He became President of the Common Room and was a genial, dignified President who cared well and strongly for staff interests. Meanwhile back in the classroom Liz was fast becoming a legend. Few teachers inspired as much confidence in her students. She set the highest of standards and maintained them; was very willing to do all she could for the department and never knew when to say ‘no’. Liz was one of the greatest morale builders in class one has ever known, A Fifth Former said “It is as good a class learning environment – happy, busy, achieving – as one could get.” We recall also that her set three all got As at GCSE. Those skills also benefitted new staff. For those long in the profession, we can easily underestimate the pressures on those new to teaching, so too getting used to the idiosyncrasies of schools like ours. From 2008 Liz created and founded today’s excellent induction support of new staff.
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Both still played important roles in House life and returned to Hazeldene where – again uniquely – husband and wife shared the Lower Sixth tutor group and their tributes this year were effusive. “Having both Mr and Mrs Langlands as tutors for the Lower Sixth in Hazeldene has created a ‘family’ feel and so we see them as parents, people we can confide in and they are always willing to listen to our problems and provide the best advice. The Lower Sixth in Hazeldene and the Langlands are truly like a little family. The School needs a bedrock of continuity, of people who have seen it all before. Tuesday tutor time is looked forward to by all” Ellen and co.
expedition, with customary efficiency, always above and beyond what might be expected. Pupil appreciation has been heartfelt: Olivia Morris “I have nothing but praise for the Langlands for all their commitment to D of E; without their support and encouragement I would never have got to gold D of E”; Jonathan Turner “Their charisma, focus and passion brought Bromsgrove’s D of E to life. Their departure is the end of an era”. Gemma Sapstead “Mr and Mrs Langlands are lovely people, a great sense of humour and always lightening the mood when walking across bogs in rain; it is something I have missed this year due to the friendly and warm atmosphere”.
But there is a final joint task to mention and no ordinary swansong either. No quiet life at the start of the holidays. In 2009 Duncan (assisted by Liz) took on D of E. One of the great joys has been – whether at Threkeld in the Lakes or Ribblehead in Yorkshire - to see them with an ever burgeoning number of participants, especially Gold Sixth Formers. These have indeed been huge, formidable expeditions, a great burden of responsibility. David Tamplin says “Duncan gave D of E a strong structure and numbers have grown because they offered a warm and welcoming environment for our children”. Liz helped to organise and implement each
Head Girl “They knew how to lift spirits after a long day of walking. Smashing teachers too who will be greatly missed”. Mrs Flowerdew, a parent and Old Bromsgrovian wrote “I have had the great pleasure of knowing the “Langlands” for over 25 years, and I can say they are simply two of the most kind-hearted, helpful and understanding staff the School has been fortunate enough to have. They are two parts of a one whole they have endlessly encouraged, guided and laughed with our children and no doubt wiped some tears away, as well as maintaining honesty and fairness in their actions and advice to our daughters as teachers, tutors and friends. They are a
bit like rock, in both its forms - solid and dependable, yet delightful, fun and sweet. Bromsgrove School runs through them and is engraved within. Thank you both.” This sweeping glimpse of their work in 27 years of service, of the warmth of feeling of pupils and colleagues, reminds us that they were individuals but often a team on a journey together– four times, in Hazeldene, Wendron-Gordon, back in Hazeldene and magnificently at the close in D of E. The same department too and there is in representation theory, a branch of Mathematics, the Langlands dual and it is an appropriate concept for in their partnership they displayed an unswerving, unstinting dedication to the pupils of Bromsgrove School. Theirs were two remarkable careers. They made history for they are the longest serving married couple on the teaching staff. By Commemoration they had amassed 83 terms. On behalf of pupils, parents and staff we thank them for their contribution. We wish them both a very long, happy retirement of great fulfilment. May God bless them both in their life together after Bromsgrove. P Bowen
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
From something very informally hit and miss, but with a revolution in teacher training, this became nationally a crucial task for Schools. What new colleague could have asked for a more friendly, experienced, warm-hearted, helpful guide? New teachers spoke of her as “like a mum”; “always there for one”; “like a professional cushion”; “it is amazing to think Liz has enough hours in the day to manage us all. It made all the difference to our performance. I valued most the little tips she gave us along our individual journeys. No matter what our dilemma, Liz would have either experienced it or known someone who had, and as such could provide the advice and reassurance needed to send us on our way again”. Liz made a vital contribution to UCAS and Careers. She meticulously organised the annual Lower Sixth visit (240 pupils this year) to the Worcester Higher Education Fair, of invaluable assistance to those beginning to think about University. She dedicated time, understanding and support to pupils on results days in late August. She organised Parent Interview Evenings. In mid-August Liz was a tower of strength in the administration of examination results; her calmness and positivity when advising students and their parents what they should do if the grades or points required by chosen universities had not materialised will be greatly missed.
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Staff Leavers this role, Mike was responsible for all aspects of delivering the IB both from the perspective of pupils and teachers alike. With the second cohort of students all having successfully completed their Diploma and having achieved positive value added in virtually all subjects and at all levels sat, Mike can be proud of how he has led the School through the early stage of its delivery of the IB programme.
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Mike and Adele Bowen-Jones 1988-2012 Mike joined Bromsgrove as Head of Physics in 1988. For the following twentyfour years, whatever other roles he fulfilled - and he took on many - he remained a hugely respected classroom teacher, his warm and supportive approach combining with his expert knowledge ensuring that cohort after cohort of his pupils achieved superb results. He became a Senior Examiner with AEB and then AQA and his experience teaching international students and his flair as a physicist were soon evident in the original papers he was setting all Sixth Formers nationally. In 1990 with the arrival of the National Curriculum there was a need for a Head of Science and Mike with his inclusive and measured management
style was the obvious choice for this role. Whilst playing a full role in physics and science education within Bromsgrove and beyond, Mike was not a narrow academic. With Adele he was joint Houseparent of Mary Windsor and for thirteen years ran a thoroughly well-organised House, within which the girls were both happy and well looked-after. Mike was also Head of Boarding (another role he performed well) and provided a sense of calm wisdom at Senior Management Team meetings. Mike’s unique leadership experience on both the academic and pastoral sides of School life, his composed management style and his rapport with pupils saw him become Bromsgrove’s first IB Co-ordinator. The IB represents a radically different approach to Sixth Form education compared to A Levels, and in
With Mike’s retirement, Bromsgrove is losing a renaissance Schoolmaster whose decency and concern for his subject and for his pupils both inside and outside of the classroom did much to contribute to the tone of the School over the last quarter of a century. P Ruben Adele has given Bromsgrove School twenty-four years outstanding service in a number of roles including Houseparent, girls’ games, PSHE, ski trips organiser, Lower Fourth Camp organiser, i/c CAS and latterly Head of the Extra-Curricular programme in the Senior School. Adele and Mike led the smooth running of Mary Windsor House so much so that other Houseparents would be drawn to them for advice that was always forthcoming from such a family orientated House.
Their three girls – Lisa, Clare and Emily - shared in their input to develop such a caring environment for other pupils to grow and develop. Their interest in skiing was also evident as they religiously ran not only ski holidays for pupils but very popular holidays began emerging to include families as well. As a qualified PE teacher, Adele enjoyed working in the Prep School immensely, preparing girls for the Senior School and the rigours that entailed. She was very keen to help those who struggled and who found PE more of a chore than an enjoyment and, particularly for those, she was a source of encouragement. Adele came into her own when school embarked on the new timetable moving activities to a Saturday where her vision and exemplary organisation (and understanding of both the pupil and School requirements enabled 900 pupils plus over 100 members of staff to commence both a varied and worthwhile programme that continued to strengthen under her guidance and commitment. This also dovetailed in with the introduction of the IB and her role to make sure that pupils managed their CAS expectations. We all know how much family means to both Adele and Mike and we wish them the happiest retirement with the family. P Mullan
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At one point when she did a lot of support lessons in maths, she was actually teaching 37 lessons a week as a parttimer. Enough was enough so she cut her hours by becoming full-time when the present Headmaster started.
Helen Barnett 1994-2012 Helen answered an advert in the local paper and was interviewed by Keith Hamflett in Lupton during the summer holidays two decades ago.
Helen remained part-time for her first decade here but this is a bit of a misnomer.
So many of her close colleagues, past and present, talk about her with great warmth and affection and she will be a loss to the Department and the School. We wish her and Bill a long and happy retirement. N Riley
Richard Stephens 1995-2012 Richard Stephens joined us from Wellington School, Somerset in 1995 as Assistant Director of Music, a position he held with great distinction. From the outset we knew we had appointed an immensely hard-working, passionately dedicated, loyal colleague. A sense of duty in every task undertaken for the School was a hallmark of the man. He was a Bromsgrovian through and through and one of his ancestors was a boy here in the 1880s. Musically an accomplished organist and piano accompanist, he ran brass groups, a Barber Shop choir, he was a member of Chapel Choir and the Orchestra. Richard played a vital role on music tours, an organist at Durham and Salzburg Cathedrals, and his crowning joy, in Bach’s church in Eisenach for Luther Day.
So to the Corps which he led with remarkable success for fifteen years. Weekly routines, Recruits Passing Out Parades, Biennial Inspections (with a host of distinguished visitors), Field Days, Ten Tors, Summer Camps, National Orienteering and First Aid Competitions (victorious at both), Nijmegan Marches, Iceland, Norway, Pyrenees – the opportunities for cadets were legion. Cadets attended a Buckingham Palace Garden Party; Kimmy Chak paraded before Her Majesty in the Royal Albert Hall last November representing thousands.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
She did a first term covering maths for Liz Langlands in 1992, then a second and third term covering for other staff. The following year, Helen was ideal to cover for another member of staff who travelled to Australia. She happened to mention in passing that her subsidiary subject while doing PGCE was science and so she ended up covering physics and chemistry for an absent Deputy Head. David Wilson asked her to carry on teaching some physics so Helen did that for two years alongside her part-time maths teaching.
Helen has given many fine years of service and enabled endless numbers of students to achieve their potential. Her results are consistently one of the best in the Mathematics Department and she has taught the full range of abilities from bottom set Lower Fourth to Sixth Form Further Maths. She has taught in four different departments and has been a long serving tutor in Thomas Cookes House.
Even after moving to lead CCF, his contribution to music continued, often playing in Chapel and for Jonathan Kingston a very reliable, invaluable helper. In Mathematics Mr Riley said “Really passionate about the subject”. A talented teacher, Further Maths teaching was inspirational and in Lecture Week there were erudite talks on Maths and Music, Countability and the size of Infinity. Richard dutifully served Wendron-Gordon throughout and as Assistant House Parent for seven years. Tony Johns and Duncan Langlands appreciated his great sense of loyalty and duty. His unfailing contribution to the pastoral care of the boys was outstanding.
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Staff Leavers (R Stephens continued)
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There was the quite remarkable revival of the Corps of Drums, performing before the Duke of Westminster at the opening of Humanities and at the Court Leet Parade each June, our most public presence in the town and certainly our loudest. One memory of Inspection must be told. The reviewing party was in Reception, ready to process but we awaited a message. It came – “Just over Hereford”. We marched out and the very moment we had taken position above Masters’ Walk, over the flagpole flew a Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth piloted by one of our parents. Only Richard – only he, and the RAF – could have organised that and with such precision. But what do cadets recall about Richard? Amelia Boffey remembers “Being woken up with Mr Stephens’ loud enthusiastic trumpet; his love for giving out copious Mars bars; continuous praise for loyalty; when I was injured and he helped me walk over the moors with motivational speeches; his lengthy strides when running. His constant passion for what he loves to do and that I will never forget and hope to take it with me when I leave Bromsgrove”. Tom Caswell said “Mr Stephens is one of the most enthusiastic and devoted teachers I have ever met. The amount of time he gives up to the pupil body to produce outstanding trips and events is incredible. He is a truly selfless, great man, who I will never forget.”
From those comments, one realises that CCF brings out very special qualities in pupils; they find a unique niche within it. We can easily under-estimate its importance but by its very nature, because of the history of the School, our Memorial Chapel, the crucial importance of Her Majesty’s Forces to our School and its boarding life too, the Corps must remain central to life here. It celebrated its centenary under Richard and he has upheld it to the very best of his ability and leaves a strong inheritance. Then there was that memorable letter, a tribute sent to be read at a recent farewell from an Old Bromsgrovian in Canada with a battle group prior to deployment in Afghanistan: Dear Colonel, You have committed so much of your time to the constant improvement of student education and, what turns out to be, life-changing experiences that it is about time you took a well-earned rest. I am in the position that I am in today because of the CCF and your near-fatherly support and guidance. You have affected so many peoples’ lives in such a positive way through your relentless commitment and ability to provide such fun and interesting training to keep those under your command enthused. You are a true inspiration to those that want to work hard and achieve something in life.
Thank you for all your help, kindness and unreserved guidance over the years. I am a better man because of it. Richard indeed left a profound legacy in the memories and lives of many children. He now takes up the post of organist – on a famed 3-manual Harrison and Harrison instrument, at one of the most historic parish churches - the magnificent Perpendicular Gothic Holy Cross – in Crediton, Devon’s Episcopal See before Exeter’s was founded, home of St Boniface, famous in England, German and the Netherlands. Ten Tors is even nearer. We say farewell to a gentleman, of great humility and of a generous heart and mind. At his final CCF dinner in May he was far more preoccupied with thanking cadets and colleagues. A colleague said “Richard is cut from a different cloth to most people and I only hope that as I pass through my years at Bromsgrove School I can give as much as he has”. A pupil said “It will be a pity for the school to lose a very loyal member like him and it will be a shame to see Bromsgrove in September without Mr. Stephens rapidly striding around School”. A parent wrote “He embodies the all-encompassing spirit of traditional School Mastering that schools like Bromsgrove must preserve”.
This tribute must end with Shakespeare because Richard ‘with general honest thought and common good to all’, has given his life to this place and its children. ‘He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again’. P Bowen
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Spencer Coates 2001-2012
And what of the boys? Sam Waltier said “A caring, committed, conscientious man, pivotal in the development of so many of us”; Hamish Docherty “A great Housemaster and I would not have done half the things without him. He will be greatly missed by House and School”; Todd Dudley “A fantastic Houseparent who has always encouraged me to take every opportunity available to broaden, develop and challenge myself.”
Spencer took over Lyttelton House in 2006. His own experience as a day boy gave him invaluable insight into the boys, a clear vision and empathy too. The pioneering of mixed age-range studies – as practised long ago – was a triumphant model of integration with juniors looking up to the older boys with both appreciation and respect. He ably managed a loyal tutor team who felt very much supported. The boys did well in sport, music, debating and drama and three Head Boys in recent years hailed from his House. Morale was very high, so too pride. Spencer’s ethos was simple – expecting boys to be Bromsgrovians. He strongly upheld our values but then he was brought up on them. He cared deeply about those in his care – their welfare, their progress, above all personal growth, character. He was always strong on developing the whole child.
One of our most distinguished recent Head Boys Alexander Harding, writing from Oxford, said “Mr Coates was a wonderfully generous Housemaster, never too busy to genuinely engage with boys’ concerns and triumphs, no matter how small or great. He instilled a real belief in the merits of being proud of the House and proud of the community we created, and boys responded with renewed desire to work hard, perform well and respect each other. He is one I will always remember.” In Spencer we lose a consummate professional whose dedication to his boys has been outstanding. He leaves for Oundle and he will find many similarities but enough differences to create new challenges as he begins another chapter in his career.
We wish Spencer every success and fulfilment in that delightful little Northamptonshire town with its honeycoloured stone cottages and at another great school and he, Harriet and Rory every happiness. Spencer is one of us and will always find the warmest of welcomes ‘back home’. P Bowen
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
A Bromsgrovian through and through; a Luptonian who ran Lyttelton. Spencer enjoyed a distinguished career here as a boy – a strong academic, sports scholar too. A reliable opening bat recalls coach Duncan Langlands. A very fine tennis player who played a National Schools’ Final and lost – narrowly – to a then relatively unknown Tim Henman. After a first teaching post at Greshams, he returned to the fold in 2001. Firstly, as an excellent Mathematics teacher, second in department and co-ordinating GCSE Maths. He always inspired confidence amongst his pupils, enabled them to fulfil their potential and was a very strong, dependable member of the Department. Spencer made a notable and exceptional contribution to School Sport, running hockey, cricket and rugby teams, tennis
(Glanville Cup finals) and golf (HMC national finals). Boys benefitted greatly from his expert knowledge, especially in golf. He revitalised the sport here and resurrected fixtures at the delightful Blackwell Club with the unique excellent annual match and feast at the 19th hole with the Old Bromsgrovians – players in their 70s playing Lower Fourths and sitting side by side at dinner with speeches too.
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Staff Leavers He richly deserved his appointment as Head of Boarding at Battle School – in a beautiful county, a gorgeous town and only there because of William the Conquerer. As for his new school? It was the House of the Abbot and he is yards from one of the great ruined abbeys and the spot where Harold fell. A perfect setting for an historian.
David Perry 2001-2012
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David joined us from Droitwich High School and served our School with distinction for over a decade. A very fine teacher, he will be missed for his dry wit, compassion, his exceptional hard work and legendary attention to detail. He brought out the best in pupils, examination results were outstanding and in his final term he fulfilled an ambition – to take pupils to his home town of Pontypool to see the National Pit Museum. His contribution to sport - running football and rugby B and C teams - was invaluable. With his passionate, neverflagging encouragement on the touchline, here was a true coach. In an age of exam pressures where the tendency is more for teachers to just be in a classroom, schools like ours thrive on schoolmasters and mistresses of breadth who work alongside pupils in other situations, where often the real lessons and relationships are forged. With him it has truly been sport for all and he introduced a lot of our international pupils to rugby. But it was in pastoral care that David found deepest fulfilment and, after ably leading Lupton, a new chapter in his professional and family life opened when he took over Elmshurst.
He was a tireless leader who always wanted the best for his boys; a perfectionist, he always insisted on the highest of standards and his persistence and dedication knew no bounds. That was the man. He considered the necessities of all alike and knew no distinction of creed or colour. He worked immensely hard but found great reward and as that famous poet of his homeland said ‘He who seeks rest finds boredom. He who seeks work finds rest’. David was one of the most self-effacing of colleagues. Some people can be larger than life and may leave a more brilliant outward fame though underneath with fewer abilities and sympathies and far less fundamental impact on people’s lives. So with David, so understated but in class, sport, above all sharing his life and home with seventy boys he made a big difference to many. The care, humanity and sympathy of this good man knew no bounds.
A great colleague, a gentleman, an outstanding professional, another who departed who knew the meaning of honour, duty, service, reliability and a friend to many in our Common Room. We shall miss that Gwent presence in our midst, that in all the seriousness of work he made us smile and often. We wish David every fulfilment and success in his new post and along with Prito and Rhian every happiness in deepest Sussex. P Bowen
Martin Webb 2001-2012 Martin joined Bromsgrove in 2001, an age ago in the world of technology, as Information Communication Technologies Manager. When he joined the School there was no Facebook or Twitter, and social networking sites were more often called Public Houses. It was still nine years until the launch of the first Apple iPad. The role of ICT Development Manager was created to support the effective use of ICT by teachers and managers, and the way that computers are now used throughout all aspects of School life reflects in part Martin’s successfulness in fulfilling his role, helping people adapt to the changing ICT environment.
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The school’s reporting system, the organisation of activities and the teacher appraisal system have all been underpinned by his ICT skills, improving communication with parents and allowing pupils to raise concerns they may have about issues both inside and outside of the classroom in ways that would not otherwise have been possible. He has encouraged pupils to use the web safely and protected users when necessary. And Martin has taught Year 9, GCSE and A Level ICT, manned the pupils’ computer suite for long hours in the evening and this year acted as the Head of Department. In Elmshurst he will be remembered by many cohorts of pupils as being a kind and caring tutor who knew his charges well. We wish him the very best for his future career.
He has carried out the role of Guardianship Co-ordinator for the last four years, created detailed records by talking to every international pupil in the School and communicated with parents and guardians.
Darryl Howard 2002-2012 Darryl has been an important member of the International Department for ten years. His in-depth knowledge of the English language and how it is acquired by non-native speakers and his empathy and understanding of the needs of international pupils have been a cornerstone for the department throughout that time. He embodies traditional values in teaching without being a stick-in-the-mud and can always be relied upon to find ways forward when new challenges present themselves. He has provided strong support to me and other members of the department and is always calm and focused. Darryl knows his pupils well, his teaching style is measured and it is often accompanied by quiet humour. He is the
For many years Darryl was a tutor and assistant Houseparent in WendronGordon House. Tony Johns expresses his appreciation for Darryl’s hard work, support and loyalty however ,Tony has never recovered from the consequences of spelling Darryl’s name wrong when he joined WG. Darryl being a bit of a stickler for the written word, combined with his dry sense of humour took it upon himself to email Tony regularly correcting the spelling, English and grammar in his emails, reports, house policies and anything else he could get his hands on; Tony says he still receives these and will miss them! Darryl was an outstanding boarding house tutor, always there to support and encourage but never afraid to tackle difficult issues with his tutees and resolve
them positively. However, despite Darryl’s quiet, professional and respectable demeanour he has several secrets firstly he is a petrol-head and Autotrader addict. Darryl thinks nothing of travelling hundreds of miles to see an old wreck and dream of its restoration. Darryl’s enthusiasm in this regard has also cost many WG tutors dear encouraging them to spend their hard -arned cash pursuing the ownership of their dream cars and bikes. Darryl is also a rocker and in his time both played at and went to many gigs. One of Darryl’s most successful extra curricula activities has been teaching Japanese. His ability to speak this language has always intrigued and enthused our pupils and he will be much missed on Saturdays. Japan and Hong Kong are where his heart lies and in August he joins his wife Nancy (who left here last year) in Hong Kong. He will take up the post of Co-ordinator for the HK Diploma in English at the Creative Secondary School. We wish him every happiness in the next stage of his career and in his life in a country and part of the world he loves. C Bentham and T Johns
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
P Ruben
department’s IELTS Co-ordinator and is an expert in the requirements of this preuniversity test of English language.
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Staff Leavers
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
George Browning 2008-2012 George started here in 2008 as a tutor in WG and also as a sports coach. He then went travelling around the world for a year and came back into Knarsboro which is now Hayward. George came to work here to be with (now wife) Lindsay. In WG, George enjoyed his time in ‘the Gordons’, the makeshift band who practised in the WG cellar. They performed at a staff event with a range of songs from around the world. George has recently completed the longest canoe race in the World in about thirty hours with Owen Matthews, ridden from London to Paris, done the Three Peaks in under nineteen hours (self driven)and lived with a tribe in the Amazon jungle for nine days to name a few.After George got back from travelling with Lindsay he settled back into school life with ease.
He threw himself into everything, coaching most nights a week throughout the year well beyond the school day. Although George would say his main strength is in Rugby, his hockey has improved vastly, so much so that recently he coached the U14a side to the National Finals for only the second time in the school’s history. The boys have enjoyed his insight in all sports, and have learned massively from his vast knowledge. Lately he has coached the U15a cricket team who have reached the Regional 20/20 quarter-final, and he has proved an invaluable resource. On a serious note George has been an appreciated member of the PE and games department and a valued member of the Housman tutor team. George’s will be remembered for his wonderful statistics, good humour and superb ability to analyse people so very well. More than anything he is so positive in everything he does and although he will be missed by all, he will relish working with Lindsay as they start their new life in Bath. George, good luck and we wish you every success in the future. A Langlands
Away from the department, Alice is a caring and supportive tutor in Oakley, Tara describes her as dedicated and enthusiastic, again always there for her tutees who I am sure will miss her dearly next year, and an enthusiastic and skilled netball coach and indeed player, when she’s not falling over and shattering her arm.
Alice Brereton 2010-2012 Alice may have only been at the school for a couple of years but somehow she has managed to pack five years worth of work into that time. To say that she threw herself wholeheartedly into the life of the school would be to significantly understate it. The dedication she has shown to the pupils of the School, both those directly in her care and those she may just occasionally come across, has been simply inspiring. From each lesson meticulously planned, full of invention and packed with activities, to the lunchtime and free lessons that she has given up to support those who may be struggling, Alice has never hesitated to give more of herself to help her pupils. Alice reintroduced trips to the Business Studies department, and the annual trip to the Bank of England and Chelsea Football Club, entirely organised by her, I am sure will now be a regular feature of the department for years to come.
Fran I know has valued her support as Assistant Head of Year as I know many more staff have as Alice has stepped up to help with camps and other activities. She has pioneered the excellent Business Studies and Economics Magazine and Blog and despite contributing hugely to the success of the department in a range of different ways, she has gone about her work quietly, without fuss and with great humility. In short Alice , is a dedicated, caring, consummate professional and one should also not forget, a genuinely nice person. On behalf of the pupils, parents and staff of Bromsgrove School we thank her wholeheartedly for what she has done and wish her every success and happiness in Bristol. J Wingfield
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Rachel Davies 2010-2012
K C Linehan
Robert Flynn 2010-2012 Robert has been with us for two years as a part-time French teacher. Before this he had an extremely full and distinguished career at King’s Norton Boys’ School where he taught for thirtyone years and was latterly head of department. If you thought Mr Williams from the English department was old, just remember he was taught GCSE German by Mr Flynn! For me, such an experienced teacher with so many years as a head of department behind him has proved an extremely useful source of wisdom and advice. He has been unfailingly helpful and supportive, but what particularly impressed me about Rob was his willingness to keep abreast of new developments and his commitment to languages.
M Beet
Abigail Adams 2011-2012 Abi joined the Maths department in September 2011 from The Forest School in Berkshire. She taught the full range of pupils from L4th through to U6th including her first venture into the International Baccalaureate. She readily held lunchtime clinics to support her pupils and also proved to be a valuable and reliable tutor within Mary Windsor House. Her contribution to the school CCF was positive and much appreciated by Lt Col Stephens and the cadets. We wish her well as she moves on to teach nearer home in Gloucestershire. L Langlands
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Rachel is leaving to take up a part-time post which will allow her more time to fulfil a long-held desire to write. She has enriched the English Department and the school with her characteristic drive and dedication, and those who have had the privilege of being taught or tutored by her have recognised her care and determination that they should achieve their fullest potential. Rachel has taught throughout the department, from Lower Fourth to Sixth Form, engaging on a variety of levels with a range of interests and abilities, bringing her own particular passions to the classroom. Methodical and meticulous in everything, she has brought a disciplined order to her reorganisation of the department’s online resources, and her attention to detail will be missed. It’s often said of good teachers that they go the extra mile for their charges; if this is the case, then Rachel goes the extra marathon. It’s rare to find someone who is so completely committed to those in her care and as she moves to St. Benedict’s School in Alcester, their gain is our loss.
His belief in the educational case for languages and their importance in a pupil’s overall learning has not diminished with time. Rob certainly did not come here to put his feet up for the last two years of his career but continued to try out new ideas and to adapt to the needs of his pupils. Rob says that he cannot imagine that he will not teach again, but he is now ready for a well-deserved break and looking forward to spending more time with his family. We wish him well in this.
Staff Leavers
Loraine Hughes 2 -2 2
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Sam Cleary 2 -2 2 Having spent just a short time with us Sam has made a significant contribution to both the department and the wider school community and will be missed as he moves down south to ulwich College. As an experienced professional and astute economist, Sam’s pupils have benefitted from informed and enjoyable lessons liberally seasoned with examples from around the world, topped off with a spirited political debate invariably with Sam sitting on the fence and reluctant to express an opinion, a trait sure to be missed by his fellow political moderates in the department The economics lynchpin’ in the staff debating team Sam has brought a great deal to the department in terms of innovation, inspiration and indeed friendship.
Away from the department, Sam has coached rugby and football teams and run a Model nited ations activity that has enabled pupils who perhaps otherwise would not have, to experience debating, public speaking and the political process. Sam’s big passion is obviously football and he has given a great lecture on the Business of Football. an Wilkins speaks highly of his contribution to school football, how much the boys have enjoyed training sessions even if they didn’t win that often I guess much like his beloved Villa. We wish Sam every success in the future and thank him for all he has done for Bromsgrove School. J Wingfield
We are really sorry to be losing Loraine. She is one of those teachers who goes that extra mile for her pupils and has their progress and success at the heart of her teaching. Although she has been at Bromsgrove a relatively short time she has been very much part of the biology team and we will miss her wisdom and experience. We wish her well in her new post teaching biology at King Henry VIII School in Coventry where she will be joining another former Bromsgrove biology teacher and have a lot less travelling to do as well. Loraine, thank you for all that you have done here, and best wishes for the future. r A Woollhead
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SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
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Year Group Reports Lower Fourth
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
The first few weeks involved pupils being introduced to the Senior School these included talks on musical opportunities by the Director of Music, ICT facilities, the Health Centre and counselling services. In addition, pupils were given a presentation by Sue Hodgson-Jones the education officer from the Malvern Three Counties Agricultural Society. The session gave the pupils an insight into the skills that are required for garden design and the conservation issues that must be considered. This linked into L4th Geography lessons where pupils studied the concept of sustainability and sustainable development and then designed a show garden for the Malvern Show. Inter-House competitions were held during Head of Year time. In Junior Inter-House debating members of the year group put forward some excellent questions to the opposition and proposition teams. On the sporting side pupils participated in the Cross Country event and pupils cheered their Houses in the inter-house 1.2km relay. The standard in the music competitions was very high with some strong performances from the Lower Fourth year group.
L4 Subject Prizes Throughout the year, PSHCE has been delivered through Head of Year. Issues discussed in these sessions have included drugs, alcohol, bullying, relationships and personal safety. Smaller group discussions have also taken place which has enabled pupils to discuss points raised in the presentations. It is an important part of the Lower Fourth programme for pupils to meet and listen to senior members of the Common Room. Mr Bowen gave a very informative presentation on the history of the school, Mrs Maund on bullying and Mr Ruben on the history of pop music within the overall context of “What is the best song”? One of the most exciting sessions this year, where pupils really seemed to enjoy themselves was the Falconry display. Again the weather was kind to us and we enjoyed an entertaining afternoon on Gordon Green watching a variety of birds of prey dive and swoop around the pupils’ heads. Finally, I would like to thank Miss McCutcheon, my Assistant Head of Year for all her hard work over the past year. F E Diver
Upper Fourth
English Alice Vaughan The Upper Fourth thoroughly enjoyed Mathematics Ben Bridgman the presentation by Scott Lee about his French Alice Vaughan Reptile rescue mission. Matt Dickinson, German Alice Vaughan author and explorer, visited us to share Spanish Charlie Kendrick his Everest adventures. In the Lent term, Chemistry Jack Weston there was a fascinating lecture on The Biology Joseph Morrice Science of Magic where pupils discovered Physics Emily Smith the techniques behind certain tricks. We History William Lockhart also welcomed the Wildlife Detectives and Geography Joseph Morrice Neil Holmes came in to give a thought Design & Technology provoking lecture on Global Warming. Graphics Swikriti Bhattachan The pupils have continued with their Life Design & Technology Skills programme. The group completed Res. Materials Alexandra Evans a study skills course spread over the Art Hannah Mitchell three terms which culminated with a Classical Civ. Daniel Stokes talk on ‘Your Academic Future’ by Mr Latin Hemlata Limbu Barr. Once again, the Headmaster held Drama Archie Parker ‘question time’ with the Fourth Form Music Anna Rogers where they were welcome to ask him any RS Charlie Kendrick burning questions they had about the EAL Brendon Ho School. Prizes for endeavour and progress: The various Inter-House competitions Fraser Foster, Karan Gour, Oscar Gurung, were held during the Michaelmas and Clare Hill, Jemma Salmon, Ariel Zhang Summer terms; it was pleasing to see so many pupils represent their Houses. I Prize for the year’s best work: was also impressed by the range of pupils Alice Vaughan being awarded subject and endeavour prizes at Mark Reading. I would like to thank Mrs Barnett for all her hard work and support over the last few years. Finally, I wish all the pupils well in the Fifth Form. S Dick
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U4 Subject Prizes Hannah Coulson Gary Qu Lucy Sapwell Milicent Doherty Ellie Saker Ellie Saker Aisling Brinn David Zhang William Miners Klara Hunt Phoebe Schofield
At the start of the year, OB Simon Bucknall returned to School to deliver a session on public speaking and confidence. Another memorable session was organised by Dr Thompson, who invited fellow Physicist Dr Colin Wright to speak on the science of juggling. Pupils also enjoyed a very engaging session on finance by Miss Keys and were impressed by Mr Bowen’s broad knowledge of current affairs. They were thoroughly engaged during question time Hannah Coulson with the Head and throughout the year, Rebecca Woodward-Smith Miss Leech led several PSHCE-related Laura Gieron sessions, Mrs Maund held a session on Aisling Brinn internet safety. As exams loomed, time Emily Collie was spent on revision sessions and a Milicent Doherty very well-received relaxation techniques Eleanor Ball session delivered by Mrs Moore. Benjamin Featherstone Alice Shinner In their extra-curricular activities, Sarah Chan probably the greatest group achievement Chase Edwards is that of the U16 girls’ hockey team, which reached both indoor and outdoor Prizes for endeavour and progress: national finals, but there are many other Karen Cheung, Harrison Frost, Chloe achievements, both individual and Hannafin, Emma Reeves, Mikhail collective, of which the pupils can be very Semkin, KC Yu proud. I wish them all the best as they continue their studies at Bromsgrove or Prize for the year’s best work: move onto pastures new. Good luck to Ellie Saker Mrs Ascough as she takes on the role of Head of Fifth Form next year. A Williams
Lower Sixth The Lower Sixth this year have formed a cohesive and impressive year group. Both returning Bromsgrovians and new students were quick to settle to the very high expectations we have in the Sixth Form and the majority took to the more independent study approach with real enthusiasm. They have embraced the opportunities available to them with open minds and have been encouraged to stretch themselves by the many additional academic and extracurricular enrichment opportunities to do far more than the minimum, which will make them stand out far more in an ever-competitive world. The Head of Year presentations included appropriate and timely presentations on Careers and University by Mr Barr and Miss Leech, as well as entertaining and always thought provoking talks by Mr Ruben and Mr Bowen. Students always enjoy the open and frank question time with the Headmaster, where there are quite challenging questions posed and skilled answers given. External speakers this year gave illuminating talks including: What you really require to succeed in Business by Mr Nigel Petrie, Chairman of Neptune Renewable Energy Ltd, Why go to University by James Seymour of Aston University and the many exciting opportunities for study in both Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia/ NZ from A Star Future.
Old Bromsgrovians gave talks on alternative opportunities; Lee Hutchings inspired students to look at programmes such as the Siemens commercial academy where you study for a degree whilst also gaining valuable work experience within a highly respectable company; Friedrich Conrad talked about his challenging but very rewarding Gap Year experience with Project Trust; Stephen Venables gave our potential explorers even more food for thought with his Christmas Lecture on climbing Everest. In lecture week James Hutchinson, a communication consultant really challenged students to think, prepare and promote themselves more effectively both orally and in their written applications and made students aware of the benefits of attending the many interesting lectures on offer. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their contribution and wish Miss Brereton all the best in her new appointment. She has been outstanding in her support of the programme, new speakers and the student experience. I look forward to welcoming the students back to the Upper Sixth year. F Bateman
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
English Mathematics French Spanish German Biology Physics Chemistry Bus. Studies Geography DT:Graphics DT: Res. Materials Art Textiles History Music Classical Civ. Latin Drama RS EAL PE
Fifth Form
Year Group Reports pper Sixth This Year’s pper Sixth Form Leavers are a stimulating, motivated, lively, intelligent and diverse mix of young people who will surely go onto greater things at university and beyond in their careers. It has been a privilege to work with them.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Much of the Head of Year time on Monday afternoons during the Michaelmas term was spent with tutors preparing university applications and polishing that all-important personal statement. Many excellent university offers followed. We did, however, pause for some interesting lectures from, amongst others, our eputy Headmaster on Current affairs, Mr Ruben (Academic eputy Head) on the rules in Business and Stephen Venables the first Briton to climb Everest without oxygen. In the Lent term after AS and A2 module examinations finished in late January, many House competitions took place including the Senior House debating competition and a preview of the Pop and Jazz concert also provided alternative stimulation.
Throughout the Summer term our sessions focused on preparation for niversity including talks on managing student budgets, alcohol and inspiring presentation by two Old Bromsgrovians Simon Grimshaw and Jonathan Finn about their experiences after leaving School and niversity in the Legal profession. I must thank my terrific colleague Miss Tansley for her terrific support and contribution through the year as Assistant L th Head of Year. And finally to our th leavers good luck, we wish you well. o stay in touch, especially through the Old Bromsgrovians network. T Johns
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Pre-Prep Survivors
Music
rama
St Paul’s Cathedral
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
From a Cathedral in Central Park and a Church on Fifth Avenue in 2 , to Lincoln Cathedral in 2 , it was now the Chapel Choir’s turn to sing in the heart of our capital city at St Paul’s Cathedral. It was one of the most thrilling events in our recent history, above all for our over fifty strong Choir but also for over 2 supporters parents, Old Bromsgrovians of all ages, governors and staff. All of us gathered together united by Bromsgrove School and its Choir. It was a proud moment to see the traditional weekly service sheet published outside the Cathedral with our School’s name on it. Our pupils knew they were surrounded by momentous events and great architecture a product of the first great fire of London, it stood defiantly as a beacon of hope in the second, elson and Wellington rest in the crypt, Churchill’s funeral took place here and it still dominates the London skyline despite the modern buildings that now surround it. It was moving to see the children’s faces as they looked up at the great ome from outside and then from within.
The Chapel Choir sang beautifully throughout as their young voices echoed throughout the immense building. They sang Psalm 17 with great precision (Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry). In oble’s carefully crafted canticles they powerfully rose to the great crescendos but captured perfectly the unusually peaceful Amens at the end of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. In the all-important unaccompanied Responses and Lord’s Prayer they reached excellence. In their major work the Anthem the Choir sang Brahms’ How lovely are thy dwellings from his Requiem (the ueen Mother chose it for her funeral). Words fail me on the heavenly music, the place, to hear our pupils singing it. It was a mighty accomplishment.
At the start we had been moved to see the Chapel Choir in lengthy procession, ahead of the Clergy at the end it was even more moving, especially when they turned immediately and immaculately below the centre of the ome. It was a very proud moment for all of us there associated with the School, especially parents. They had triumphed. espite their tender years, the vast spaces, a foot long building and a six or seven second echo, it was a gorgeously rich choral sound never too dominant, never too subdued. It was obvious what it had all meant to our Choir. They were thrilled and fulfilled by the experience and delighted by the well-nigh awless performance and the kind words of so many adults afterwards.
That included the warm welcome from the clergy and a prayer for the Choir and School. We congratulate them on an outstanding achievement not just their musical accomplishment but their courage too. And as always it happens after many months of patient, painstaking and dedicated practice. I pay tribute also to Mr Kingston who inspired them to such heights and to Mr Knight who played the mighty Willis organ. To all, thank you. But the last word goes to Wren for we saw his tomb and on it the lines Reader, if you seek his monument, look about you’. We certainly did and how. P Bowen
7
Inter-House
nison Song Competition
This year’s Inter-House nison Song Competition theme was isney. All of the Houses seemed to get into the spirit of the competition. Adjudicating was Mr Alex Tester, irector of Music at St Edward’s, Oxford. After much deliberating Mr Tester chose Mary Windsor House as the overall winners for 2 . Housman Hall Can You Feel The Love Tonight (The Lion King) Conducted by ick Garvie Lyttelton A Little Less Conversation Elvis medley (Lilo and Stitch 2) Conducted by Hamish ocherty
Lupton Strangers Like Me (Tarzan) Conducted by Harry Eastgate Elmshurst Bare ecessities (Jungle Book) Conducted by George Toft
School I Wanna Be Like You (The Jungle Book) Conducted by Charlie Green Walters Heigh Ho (Snow White) Conducted by Masa Inufusa Hazeldene You Are The Music In Me (High School Musical) Conducted by Olivia Morris Wendron Gordon Medley Hoist The Colours , George Of The Jungle , Hakuna Matata Conducted by Ivan Aganin Oakley I Just Can’t Wait To Be King (The Lion King) Conducted by Elizabeth Leather
2
Pop and Jazz remains one of the most popular and creative events of the year, with a dazzling display of talented young people singing solo, performing duets, in groups and bands. A packed Routh Hall enjoyed the non-stop two and a half hours of Cabaret. Well done to solo singers Emma Reeves, Kate uffy, Lizzy James, Georgia Meredith, Anna Phillips, Fran Kingston, Lucy Sapwell, Alex Brantingham, Yianna Theodoru, Emily Collie, Emily Taylor, Szymon Ligaj and the Headmaster. There were fine duets from Emily Collie and James Mayhew, Simone ThompsonSmith and George Toft, Sam and Ben Adamson, Grace Stringer and Lewis Martins, yree Williams and Swikriti Bhattachan and Emily Smith and athasha Osborn-Patel.
We were also well entertained by Anastasia Rick and the Jazz Combo, the excellent Indigo, the whimsical Barbershop, the Latin American Tango Band, Olivia Morris and band in one of her delightful numbers and George Skelly on guitar. The Big Band opened and closed the show in customary style. P Bowen
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Mary Windsor WINNERS 2011 Breaking Free (High School Musical) Conducted by Tiffany Yeh
Thomas Cookes A Whole ew World (Aladdin) Conducted by Sarah Morris
Pop and Jazz 2
Music A Midsummer
rama in her dramatic prime.
ight’s ream
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
uring the Michaelmas Term pupils and staff produced a memorable production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The final night was a triumphant success but every audience was enthralled by the impact of this production. Behind the scenes well done to India Morris one of many new pupils making her debut - who was the outstanding stage manager. Thank you to Ms ensem and Miss Barton and pupils too for such complex and wonderful make up. Lita Bennett took twenty-five minutes each evening to create just one face, Kingfisher’. Magnificent r Ruben’s enchanting choreography again graced one of our shows. That first mesmeric meeting of Oberon and Titania - the stunning ebb and ow symbolising con ict electrified the audience. Last year Mrs Bent made a memorable scarecrow of Polly Fletcher and the ream gave even more scope for her tremendous skills with a wondrous array of hairstyles. It moves us to have a parent as part of the crew and we thank her for such dedication, commitment and devotion. Twenty girls worked with her. So to the Company, too many to name individually. In the host of fairies there
was perfection in their character portrayal every moment they were on stage - it was another world for us. Wherever one looked one saw faces, bodies, hands and arms especially, working all the time. The principals took huge strength from them and indeed that great chorus was one immense character in its own right. There were wonderful cameos the irrepressible Simon Hotchin as Peaseblossom, Ben Hesketh such a confident, powerful Egeus, Alice Ruben a stylish Philostrate with lines impeccably delivered. iall Hegarty sounded like a uke and looked like one too a commanding performance from an pper Fourth paired with an pper Sixth
Polly Fletcher wrote whimsically that she had had a good run playing three very different roles she has been a class act in all. The four lovers can make or break this play but no problems of the latter with this quartet. Whether so formal at the outset or relaxed at the end with their witty asides but especially in the nightmarish forest confusion they complemented each other perfectly. Jack Bruten in his final year made his debut on stage and who would have imagined it with a broken collarbone too, post operation, wrestling rather vigorously with his rival in love
Here was a marvellous emetrius, with a natural, gentle demeanour most of the time - beautifully spoken verse all of the time. An accomplished actor emerged. Charlie Green has graced three shows and those who love their theatre at School already knew his merits as an actor. This was masterly in speech, timing, and movement and no more so than in uttering ecstatically transparent Helena’. Here was a Lysander. Emily Taylor triumphed last year and now another splendid performance even when she came on looking as if she had been dragged through a hedge backwards. Yet another big debut came from Monty Bent and what a whiner She never faltered
her natural gestures, expressions, whining, pining, alone at that table was one of the scenes of the play, that spaniel’ moment. A magnificent Helena.
What of Bottom - one of the great comic roles in Shakespeare This was an extraordinary performance.
Rebecca Hall as Titania a shimmering golden performance mirrored her shimmering golden dress. In that great speech about ature in dissension -
the longest and finest in the play - she was magnificent, a master of meaning and beautiful deliverer of verse. Here was a spirit of no common race’ and her professionalism was perfectly matched by Oberon. Yet another debut - avid Able-Thomas was a sensation. A towering presence and performance. Here was an imperious Theseus here was a majestic Titania. They were like meteors passing across the stage. But what of tiny Puck the spirit It is a lynchpin part, with some of the best moments and the best lines. Lizzy James was lithe. Impish. A spirit. Beautifully, brilliantly done, such gracious movement, and she delivered perhaps Shakespeare’s best ending to any of his plays to perfection. Here indeed was ‘a merry wanderer of the night’. Our pupils moved us, entertained us, did full justice to this play and its messages. They gave us the joy and challenge that vibrant theatre at its best alone brings.They are so modest in what they do (typical of the School) but this was artistic excellence. This was Shakespeare achieved by a remarkable mix of old stagers and those making big debuts.
Two final tributes remain. Ms Morgans’ extraordinary work - the stunning set, painted faces, most of the gorgeous costumes hand-made by her, the lion hand-knitted it was a labour of love and her reward to see our children transformed, to shimmer forever in records of this show in resplendent glory. Forbidding Oberon, golden Titania, Rochelle Mills’ Kingfisher a work of art, so too Andrey Ogarev’s Starling. Lastly a tribute to Mrs James for this was her dream. This innovative production, dazzling marshalling of forces at big moments, the quality of acting, brilliant lighting and set, the movement, perfect pace, admirable choice of music just glorious. The Cast worked with a master craftsman who took all these young people on a special journey old timers, debutants - what personal growth they have known, what they have done that they never imagined they could do. She believed in them and they in her. So this memorable spectacle became one of the finest shows in our history. On behalf of all who saw it thank you from the bottom of our hearts. P Bowen
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
But what of those hilarious mechanicals as gormless a crew as one would wish for. Those who had never seen this play before delighted in one of theatre’s funniest moments. It was so good to see Asher Hardy who acts in professional theatre outside School - on our stage as a perfect if much assailed Wall a superb Moonshine and very funny expressions while Pyramus was in his death throes Georgia Meredith from Cabaret at Pop and Jazz to such Marx Brothers Slapstick comedy a snug’ Snug and gently delightful Lion. As for George my dream has finally come true I get to be a woman the audience loved him (or should it be her). An unforgettable Thisbe. How good at last to see James Gillick emerge from the shadows back stage to act and deliver a well-nigh perfect performance of that wonderful impresario Peter uince. Measured, witty, brilliant.
His wit, contorted facial expressions, Olivier moments, such contrast whether in raging rocks’ or the beautifully subdued morning after speech and no better than when he left the play to lecture’ (with sword in hand) the Court. He took on a huge part, so famous everyone watches him especially, and humour is often much harder to play than the serious. Will owned the stage and in gangling his way over it was a tour de force’. He needed to be larger than life. This was a Bottom a irector could thank Heaven for. He made it look easy and that says it all.
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www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Music
rama
Shockheaded Peter
Am- ram
RA A and the Spoken Word
Following the feathers and puppets of Northern Lights and joined by Miss Lancett as co-director, we decided to delve into the darkness for this year’s Fourth Form production, Shockheaded Peter. The play is a stylised adaptation of Hoffmann’s Der Struwwelpeter, a series of morality tales where naughty children are punished for such sins as sucking their thumbs This was a creative and physically demanding play to rehearse. espite the surreal and macabre elements, our fearless cast of forty students easily rose to the challenge. Our cast created a rich atmosphere led confidently by our three wonderfully eccentric MCs, iall Hegarty, Taome Jennings and yree Williams.
With Shakespeare dominating the Main Production, we decided to take a frivolous plunge into the world of musical theatre for the Senior Production. And so Am-Dram: The Musical was born With excessive razzle-dazzle, Am- ram follows the hilarious journey of a struggling American drama company who, whilst trying to make it big, stumble upon love, friendship - and a little bit of loathing.
The Saturday RA A activity allows our older students to explore Shakespeare’s amazing language in a practical way, working towards the Shakespeare Certificate. For Bronze and Silver certificates, candidates must recite from memory any of Shakespeare’s sonnets and perform a Shakespearian monologue from any of the plays (two monologues for silver) the Gold requirements are three monologues (two by Shakespeare and one by one of his contemporaries) in a devised programme based around a theme chosen by the candidate. At all three levels, candidates are also asked to do sight-reading as part of their exam.
Shockheaded Peter was entered into the BFAME Festival at the ovehouse Theatre in Solihull. We enjoyed a tremendous night winning four of the five categories available in the One-Act Youth Play groups. The Adjudicator was exceptionally complimentary, finding the play awless , very creative and outrageous fun.’ The whole cast won awards for Outstanding Achievement, for Ensemble work, and for Best Original Script Taome Jennings and Andrey Ogarev won individual awards for their hypnotic and polished performances.
The script was devised and written by our fifteen cast members through a process of improvisation and workshops. Amram was performed across two sold-out nights in the rama Studio. Audiences loved it. Featuring hit musical numbers and adventurous choreography, the cast astounded Miss Lancett and me. Well done to James Gillick, our brilliantly eccentric Broadway director, Simone Stiff, Fran Kingston, Will Bedford Russell and Rochelle Mills, whose solos were all fantastic. George Toft and Chandler Cheng-Chun Yang were hilarious as our comedy-duo, whilst Georgia Meredith, Gloria iran u, Jessica Cliff and Sophie Griesbach excelled as the geeky’ and mean’ girls respectively. Jack Moseley, Sophia Leidinger and Hannah Featherstone shone as the fabulouslyfeathered and sequinned dance troupe. L McKee
In March this year, the group travelled down to Gower Street, the London H of the Royal Academy of ramatic Arts. Two students successfully took Gold certificate. Rachel Hotchin’s theme was ivided Loyalties she performed monologues from Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer ight’s ream and the anonymous Arden of Faversham, a littleknown domestic tragedy of the era based on a true-life murder. Polly Fletcher’s characters, all different takes on the idea of Manipulative Women, included Lady Macbeth, Phoebe from As You Like It
and Vittoria from Fletcher’s revenge play The White evil. In addition, Monty Bent gained her Silver Certificate including a reprise of her highly-acclaimed role as Helena in the school production of A Midsummer ight’s ream whilst Simon Hotchin, Margarita Marsheva, India Morris, aria Solomatina, Adelina Tugusheva and Ada Yang all gained the Bronze award, Simon with Merit. Sophie Haycock-Jones took her Silver during the summer term and, at the time of writing, we await her result. As ever, it is great to see students from widely differing linguistic and cultural backgrounds embracing Shakespeare, joining with enthusiasm in all kinds of warm-up activities from the absurd (especially rubber chicken ... don’t ask ) to the technically demanding, engaging with Shakespeare’s language and characters, and gaining acknowledgement of their skills in the award of certificates. P Kenward
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Housman Society Housman Verse 2012, A Great Year for Britain
The Housman Society’s well-established annual verse recital competition for local Schools took place at the Artrix Theatre on November 10th 2011. Bromsgrove School was represented in all three age categories, with Olivia Bond winning the Prep/Middle Schools section, reading Housman’s “See how thick the goldcup flowers” followed by a hilarious rendition of Roald Dahl’s Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. At the Intermediate/Senior level Emily Collie recited Housman’s “Is my team ploughing?” and particularly moved the audience with Carol Ann Duffy’s “Last Post” to become runner-up. Alex Brantingham represented us in the Sixth Form age group and, although he did not win, his clear and intelligent delivery of both Housman’s There pass the careless people and Emily Dickinson’s “I felt a funeral in my brain” was rightly praised by the judges, who stated that the standard was the highest it has ever been. Many congratulations and thanks to those who participated.
I
P Kenward
Any events that do come to mind, Seem to be more for infamy than joy, How much scandal can a few island months bring? Perhaps our glorious summer can claw it back.
Two thousand and twelve, I have been thinking, What has the year brought, And what might it bring? A time to die, for time to fly? If Mayans were right, I hope not- I have things to do And apparently Great Britain does too. She has The Olympics and the jubilee, And so much more in betweensupposedly. I hope the inescapable buzz, Of what’s to come rings true, I could do with some positive excitement, I haven’t really seen much-Have you? The odd newspaper splash, CRISIS, DISASTER, inherently brash, The year so far has been, as any, Really quite ordinary;
Of course we have that Jubilee, The games of old in London, We’ll see gladiators clash for gold, The world’s eyes on Britain bold. II Thousands of miles of ocean and land, Have been crossed to witness athletes, Their next two hundred metres more epic, Than those metres of ours, We crossed to see them. Children watch on, inspired to achieve, Adults- now they are children excited, They believe in their countrymen They believe in the games- Veins Swell, hearts throb-And that’s just the crowd, The roaring beast in the stands, Is thousands cheering, But to the same tune of joy;
III So flair and achievement will inspire, Our Isle will come alive once more, But does anyone really remember, Or care much about Athens ‘04? Please do not mistake my apathy, For pessimism, do not slap me, For playing down the royal family, Or not being excited for Titanic in 3D. For me the year will be fantastic! I declare-at the risk of s ounding sarcastic, Another two million and ninety fourThousand steps under the sky- should fly by. Jake Perryman
They sing every jump, every step, Every turn, pulls their strings, Guides their gaze aghast. For Effort, courage and valour, They know no bounds here, Gold: the same in every language.
The Housman Verse is named after Old Bromsgrovian and Poet A.E. Housman
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Housman Society Competition
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Science The academic year 2 2 2 has been another successful year for Bromsgrove School Science epartment. Pupils have excelled throughout the School within and beyond the classroom. Many of our pper Sixth pupils are leaving us to study degrees in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, medicine and dentistry. Particular congratulations go to Charles g who has been given an offer to study engineering at Cambridge niversity.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Enrichment The Lent term saw pupils from the Fifth Form visiting ew Theatre in Oxford to hear, amongst others, the famous scientist Richard awkins, author of bestselling books The Selfish Gene and The God elusion, as part of the BBC Science Live event. The Physics epartment took the pper Sixth to Jodrell Bank to see the world famous Lovell telescope and at the end of the Lent term were also the host of the A A GCSE Physics conference funded by the Ogden Trust pupils from six local schools met for a day of activities at Bromsgrove including a key note lecture by Professor Green, revision workshops, and speed meetings where pupils had the opportunities to talk to leaders in industry and academia.
In the Summer term the Chemistry department took Fourth Formers to the event Pretty, Pretty, Bang, Bang at Aston niversity and hosted the Hands Free, Hands On Sixth Form event, which saw pupils from different schools visit our laboratories to get involved in chemistry workshops, experiments and demonstrations. Congratulations go to Jagraj Bhandal, Lewis Turner, Ellie Saker and Matthew Lynch who represented the School and came third in the ational Chemistry Competition.
Links with Our Local niversities The department continues to link with Birmingham and Warwick niversities. Our pupils were able to regularly attend the evening lecture programme put on by the two universities which included a range of subjects from the Physics of Fusion, the Chemistry of Creme Eggs, to the world of uantum Mechanics. Our Lower Sixth International Baccalaureate students spent a day at the Physics epartment at Warwick niversity. In the morning they worked with postgraduate students in the laboratories, gaining valuable practical
experience with their equipment. After lunch and a tour of the campus, pupils were involved in a discussion group with one of the senior lecturers at the niversity where ideas were explored between the physics of diffusion, quantum mechanics and economics. Following the discussion pupils were shown Warwick’s new multimillion pound electron microscope. They were treated to live images of gold nano-particles and graphene layers where the resolution was so high individual atoms could actually be seen moving.
We are very grateful to Lynne Long and Ally Caldecote for strengthening the relations between Bromsgrove School and Birmingham and Warwick niversities respectively.
CER The Physics department took eighteen Sixth Form students to Geneva to the particle accelerator CER . Pupils spent the day touring the particle accelerator and were fortunate to meet and hear from scientists working on the world famous Large Hadron Collider. Pupils also got time to visit the in Geneva and tour the city.
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Visiting Speakers
Physics and Engineering Society
The department continued to develop its own evening lecture program which saw many high profile scientists visit the School to talk to our pupils. Topics ranged from Explosions, Frozen Fruit and Morality The Wonderful and Varied World of Chemistry to The Ethics of Medical Trials and Juggling Theory and Practice a particular highlight included a talk from Lewis artnell who delivered a Christmas Lecture on Astrobiology. Lewis has appeared with Brian Cox on the BBC show Sky at Night and stayed behind following his lecture to sign copies of his recently published book Life in the Universe for pupils.
The Physics and Engineering Society continues to extend our gifted Physicists in the Sixth Form. As well as studying undergraduate Physics pupils also developed their own projects which they worked on throughout the academic year. Vladislav Kolesnyk and Alex Stepanov developed a very elegant way of measuring the density of air using a damped rotor and are writing it up in the physics journal Physics Education.
Prep School Science Morning
The department continues to promote and encourage Science to younger pupils with the Pre-Prep Science Club. Our Senior pupils have collectively designed and delivered a curriculum for Year Two pupils involving the design and construction of hovering octopi, bridges, elastic cars and much more. For their promotion of Science to youngsters Fran Kingston, Katherine Keates, Tiffany Yeh, Cecily Chen and Angelica Ching all received CREST awards from the British Science Association.
r M Thompson
SE IOR BROMSGROVIA
Preparatory pupils from Year spent a morning at the Senior School to attend lectures and workshops on sciences. They were treated to a ash and bang show by Warwick’s ick Barker. Paul Carpenter also brought in a variety of mini-beasts into School for the pupils to observe and hold including tarantulas and snakes.
Pre-Prep Science Club
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Trips
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Boarders’ Outings The boarders have enjoyed a widely varied social calendar this year. We began and ended the year with boarders’ barbecues and the Christmas inner was a highlight enjoyed by all, with House tutors waiting (with different degrees of expertise ) on the pupils. We have also taken 7 pupils on twenty-two trips out of School. Among the most popular of these was Alton Towers, and our boarders have also enjoyed activities including paint-balling, quad-biking, go-karting and ice-skating. We have run theatre trips (to the Globe in London and more locally to the School production of A Midsummer ight’s ream at the Artrix). Such diverse locations as the Aston Villa ground for a premiership fixture (against PR) and the EC for The Clothes Show have received a visit, but sadly, the trip to West Midlands Safari Park fell victim to appalling weather. Cultural trips have included the impressive Blenheim Palace and Coughton Court. We have run buses to Birmingham, London, Stratford and Bicester Shopping Village primarily for shopping, but some pupils have visited galleries and museums on these visits. Cinema visits (one per half term) have proved as popular as ever.
French Exchange
German Exchange
A group of seventeen pper Fourth pupils accompanied by Mr Watkins and Mrs Golightly spent a week in Rennes with their French exchange partners at the start of the Easter holiday. After a weekend spent en famille they attended lessons at Lyc e Coll ge St Vincent, learned Breton songs and dances at a cultural centre, went bowling, walked the ramparts in St.Malo and saw Chateaubriand’s tomb, ate at a cr perie and finally visited the Ch teau des ucs de Bretagne in antes.
Our exchange school, Hermannswerder Gymnasium, was in the city of Potsdam. We spent the first five days at the School and visited various sites such as the Schloss Cecilienhof and the world-famous Jewish Museum with its striking architecture. We also had a tour exploring the former Berlin wall. We saw what life was like for the East and West Berliners and were told about some of the devastating escape attempts. As our Exchange School also had visiting School pupils from France, Poland and Holland there at the same time, another highlight of the trip was the international football tournament. We represented England and came second overall.
I thank the staff who have given up their evenings and weekends to accompany these trips, the Transport Manager and Catering Staff for being so patient and exible, members of the pupil Boarders’ Activities Committee for excellent feedback and suggestions and above all, those of you who have participated in the trips for being unfailingly well-behaved, polite, punctual, and appreciative. P Kenward
The French party came to Bromsgrove early in the summer term, and enjoyed a similarly busy programme with trips to Warwick Castle, the Black Country Living Museum, a theatre workshop in Stratford and finally shopping in Birmingham. R Watkins
The German Exchange was a fantastic experience. I would really recommend it to any pupil learning German. Laura Gieron
Oakley
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Lower Sixth Trip to London
Geography Field Days
This year the Spanish trip was another success and was blessed with sunshine and warmth. We stayed in a rather luxurious hotel in Tossa de Mar with many facilities enjoyed by all, spa treatments for the Sixth Form girls and games rooms and jacuzzis for everyone! We went on some excellent trips including Barcelona boasting its Ramblas and Boquería market, noted for being the largest in Europe. We enjoyed Gaudí’s architecture and finished the day at Park G ell. We also visited Girona with its gothic quarters, the beautiful coastal resort of L’Escala, Salvador Dalí’s home territory of Cadaqués (where the rocks at sea inspired many of his paintings) and his fascinating home at Port Lligat. We also visited seaside towns of Callella and Lloret de mar where pupils enjoyed some well served R and R The unfortunate ight cancellation on the way home at Girona Airport (due to French air traffic control strikes) gave our pupils a real opportunity to shine since their patience and good nature made us very proud indeed to be part of such a fantastic School. My thanks to pupils and to Mrs Hands who accompanied the trip.
The Lower Sixth trip to London incorporated a mix of entertainment and education. Forty pupils started their day with a visit to Chelsea Football Club. They discovered the financial details of the club and some of our economists made the links to the price/wages of the players and game theory principles. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed holding their own press conference followed by a visit to the changing rooms to learn about the multimillion pounds worth of talent at the club.
Lower Fourth geographers travelled to the Carding Mill Valley near Church Stretton in the Long Mynd, for a field day. espite a weather forecast of heavy showers, these did not occur until the last 15 minutes when pupils’ waterproofs were well tested Pupils undertook a river study at two sites. They investigated the cross sectional area, bedload characteristics and the velocity of the river. In addition, they completed a decision making exercise to determine whether a reservoir should be built in Carding Mill Valley and discussed the issues that the National Trust faces managing the area. It was a very enjoyable trip and it enabled pupils to see that Geography is all around them!
REGI
M Smith
Next on the agenda was to visit the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street, the Bank of England. Standing at the centre of the K’s financial system, the pupils advanced their understanding of the Bank’s history and its commitment to promoting monetary stability. Audrey Wong and Natalie Yeung used their investigative skills to win first prize in our Bank of England Quiz.
Bromsgrove School in London
IB and A Level pupils also got their own Field Days, during trips to Birmingham and North Wales. In Birmingham, the Geographers were set to work straight away as they completed a study of decline and redevelopment along the A38 corridor. They were given a presentation and walking tour of the Lee Bank area by a representative from Optima Community Association. In the afternoon, pupils looked at urban conservation in the Jewellery Quarter before completing a walking tour of central Birmingham covering sites such as Millennium Point, the Bullring, Symphony Hall and
Brindley Place. The trip allowed pupils to put the theory from lessons, into reality and develop case studies which hopefully will be useful in the final A2 IB P examination.
The students also travelled to BetwsY-Coed in orth Wales to study ood management strategies in the Conwy valley. The AS pupils spent Saturday in the Upper Conwy Valley where they completed an investigation into river characteristics. The IB P students travelled to the ant Peris Valley where they carried out data collection. The pupils were a pleasure to be with and were true ambassadors for Bromsgrove School. F Diver
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Spanish Trip
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Trips
Olympic Starter
Madagascar
London 2012
Our pupils excelled themselves on the Madagascar expedition undertaking charity work for a local school, completing a challenging rainforest trek, experiencing the country’s unique ora and fauna and finally enjoying a well-deserved break on the beach in their final week.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
They made a tremendous impression on the staff and students of St Joseph College in Antananarivo, being one of the first Western schools to forge links there. They bought building materials to construct a new classroom for the college’s sister primary school, broke the ground and did much of the brick-laying and painting themselves. Following this, they trekked from the central highlands down to the eastern coast - it would have given the toughest DofE Gold expedition a run for its money, but they accomplished it with good humour and helped each other all the way. A week’s camping in Isalo ational Park then saw them hiking through spectacular limestone and sandstone canyons, encountering brown-fronted red lemurs and ring-tail lemurs, and enjoying the swimming in an idyllic waterfall pool at La Piscine aturelle.
By the end of all this they had thoroughly deserved their rest and relaxation phase. It wasn’t exactly relaxing getting to the resort at Anakao - an hour’s bumpy ride across the bay in two speedboats - but they made the most of it when they got there: snorkling, sunbathing, and fishing. Kirstie Friend celebrated her th birthday in style J Brogden
r Margaret Werrett had a fascinating and personal insight into the London 2012 Games, as Athletics Starter at the Olympics and Chief Athletics Starter at the Paralympics. uring both events r Werrett wrote a blog of her experiences. DAY 1 - ATHLETICS Today is day one of the athletics and the first event on track was the m hurdles in the heptathlon. We realised the stadium would be quite full but never in our wildest dreams did we think that it would be full to the rafters. It was such an awe-inspiring and spine-tingly chilly feeling to walk out onto the track to officiate. My first start of the Olympics was the women’s m and in the first heat was Christine Ohuruogu - no pressure, but this one and the other six heats which followed went off without any hitches. SUPER SATURDAY Saturday evening saw the culmination of the women’s heptathlon with Jessica Ennis winning the m to obtain the gold medal. Whilst all of the heptathletes were on their victory lap all eyes were on the long jump on the far side of the
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for the British athletes knowing the Prime Minister and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were there in the stadium. As Mo came round to the bell for the final lap, the chief starter said that it was Bekele’s race; he, for once, was to eat his words just seconds later as Mo crossed the line in first place and the crowd were just ecstatic and the officials too. Never in this country have we experienced an evening of athletics as we did on Super Saturday. It was a pleasure and a privilege to be part of the team in the stadium.
PARALYMPIC GAMES The opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games was a demonstration of what people with a disability can do rather than what they cannot do. But for the foresight of Dr Ludwig Guttman and his radical treatment of the spinal injuries patients at Stoke Mandeville hospital we would not have the Paralympic games. The teams had fun coming in and the traditional Olympic Stadium roar greeted Paralympic GB at the end of the parade. The flame was lit by the first Paralympic gold medal winner – which was a really nice touch – she had been inspired by Dr Ludwig Guttman and hopefully the current Paralympians will inspire the next generation of athletes. The highlights for those of us in GB have been David Weir winning the T54 wheelchair 5000m race – the noise in the stadium almost as loud as
when Mo Farah won the 5000m in the Olympic Games. Micky Bushell, from the Midlands, won the T53 100m and received a very warm welcome. Possibly the most well known Paralympian of this era is Oscar Pistorius and he broke the world record in the heats of the T44 200m. He then spent a great deal of time signing autographs for the spectators. The following evening he returned to the track for the final and the rest they say is history. He did not win the race and was not very happy regarding some of his competitors and their blades. The night before last it was lovely to see the GB discus thrower receive his medal from the Duchess of Cambridge, although most of the cameras seemed to be focussed on her rather than him. Tonight the final event is the T54 1500m in which David Weir is aiming to win his second gold of the games. I hope he does. Before this is the first of the relay races, the 4 x 100m women’s cerebral palsy relay. This should be exciting as there are several very good athletes in this class and a very young Team GB compete. (Editor’s Note: The full version of the blog can be seen on the School website)
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track, which culminated in Greg Rutherford taking the second gold medal of the evening for Team GB. Trying to start the women’s 400m semi finals with the cacophony of noise from various parts of the stadium was testing yet exciting at the same time. Then onto the track came the 10,000m boys including Mo Farah. At the half-way point it looked as if Mo was going to secure the win. The crowd were literally cheering him in waves as he passed each stand on the arena, it was an electric atmosphere and all the better
FRIDAY 10TH AUGUST Friday evening I had two starts - the first was the women’s 5000m final which was a good race the second was the womens’ 4 x 100m relay. This was my one opportunity to claim an able-bodied world record to add to the numerous disability world records I have started. Standing on the starter’s podium I glanced at the huge screen to see Team USA and Team Jamaica. This would be a good race between the old enemies. I could not let myself think that my dream might come true. The start was good and off the eight athletes went. I returned to the starters’ dug-out in time to glance down the home straight as the final changeover was completed, I then turned to glance at the big red Omega clock just beyond the finish line, I held my breath for a few seconds until the clock flashed
up new world record 40.81s. Team USA had beaten a 17-year-old record set by GDR, East Germany. One ecstatic starter was brought back to earth as the chief starter teased me by saying that the USA team had been disqualified, such is his sense of humour. The result stood and I can now say that I have started both an Olympic and world record. This was a dream come true and the Cheshire cat’s grin was not a patch on mine!
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Activities
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Bromsgrove Badge All of our Lower Fourth pupils have been given an introduction to the School’s outdoor pursuits programme through their participation in the Bromsgrove Badge. Pupils have been involved in a range of different activities which have encompassed many aspects of outdoor education and helped to prepare them for D of E and CCF in the future. This year pupils have undertaken activities such as rock climbing, camp craft, food technology, townscape, orienteering, photography and court-room drama. Pupils also completed the Malvern Field Day in October. The annual Field Day constitutes a series of challenges to the pupils and encourages team work, communication, leadership and initiative. Pupils undertook a series of map and navigation activities in Eastnor Deer Park and then all groups completed a twelve mile hike across the Malvern Ridge, a superb achievement. S Nelson
Conservation
Time Capsule
Young Enterprise
Bromsgrove School have continued to support the local environment through the work completed at the Lickey End nature reserve and in Sanders Park.
During the Summer Term, a group of pupils and staff gathered in front of Oakley to witness the burial of the Time Capsule at the conclusion of the building projects. A USB, a DVD, House pictures and ties, a School Shop price list, a lipstick, two School ties, the winning Housman Prize entry, The Bromsgrovian 2011, a School Calendar, a Maroon Book, a letter to the future and a packet of fake tan were some of the eclectic objects that our pupils decided would best represent what it was to be like at Bromsgrove School in 2012. Well done especially to Tom Stokes who designed and built the capsule which rests on a commemorative Jubilee coin, to the Houses who all contributed ideas and items and Mr Williams who devised the project. We wonder who will next see the contents and when?
The Schools’ Young Enterprise team Stash Your Cash had a very successful year. Selling their papier-mâché piggy bags and recycled canvas bags the team was awarded the title of best company at their first trade fair at the Bewdley Christmas Lights Festival, this was followed by two other similarly prosperous days in Worcester as well as beating the School’s record for the sale of roses during Valentine’s Day. By far the greatest achievement was the team’s progression through the district and regional heats of the young enterprise competition at the end of the year that pitches companies against each other in front of a panel of judges. Against tough competition the team secured a well-earned second place during the heats in Worcester County Hall.
Pupils have visited the site on a number of occasions this academic year and undertaken a range of activities to support the water vole population. The students have developed their skills in woodland management and also planted a wide range of plants that water voles eat. This project has also been incorporated in to the Senior School AS Geography course as a local example of the river restoration and biodiversity management. J Holden
R Keys
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Gifted and Talented Society Alice: I say Niall; I hear that the Gifted and Talented Society has accomplished some rather smashing and indeed compelling intellectual feats this year. Niall: Quite so Alice. This elite society positively fills the gaps - nay absences - nay lacunae in the academic requirements of our most superior, highminded pupils.
Niall: Well Pizza Night was exquisite, especially the philosophical debate we held on the merits and demerits of cheddar vs. mozzarella. The question of whether or not God exists was an interesting diversion from the Pepperoni issue.
Niall: Well as you know I’m a modest chap so I won’t dwell on my own innumerable accolades. I felt an award for ‘Ineptitude’ should have been extended to the person who allowed the Jaffa cakes to run out. Tell me Alice old thing what was your personal highlight of the year? Alice: Through all the classic texts such as Wilde, all the contemporary texts such as Bowie, and even through all of Dr Ruben’s cakes which nobly fuelled the minds of the intelligent youths throughout their school year, I would say the best elements of the Marmite sessions were when intelligent opinions led to arguments which were full of conviction. Most of those were either focused on the government and all its ‘issues’ or whether or not Harry Potter deserved its credit. Niall: Well you are entitled to an opinion. I believe the society should have its own
Gifted and Talented Awards Marmite and Marmite O Awards 2
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Individual Awards
nuclear bunker in case our ineptocracy of a government accidently presses the red button. Tell me Alice what would you stock it with, apart from biscuits of course? Alice: It goes without saying that it would only be wise to stock it with DVDs of the intellectual masterpiece that is Moffat, Gatiss and Vertue’s ‘Sherlock’, purely to allow the Head of Marmite and her dear students to keep their sanities throughout the inevitable struggle. Meanwhile discussing our plans for intellectual/world domination, it seems only necessary to have a large supply of earplugs in case the student who won the award for greatest contribution when measured in decibels enjoys the whole scenario a little too much. Niall: On that note it’s time I retired to consider how rare planetary alignments and Scarlett Johansson’s considerable assets may be part the Mayan End of Days prophecy. Such quandaries beset the minds of we favoured ones.
The Award for the student making the most significant contribution to Marmite when measured in decibels eclan Amphlett The Award for the student most subject to attack by octor Ruben’s cats Sam Adamson The Award for the student most suspected of being responsible for the School-wide shortage of Jaffa Cakes iall Hegarty The Award for the student most tolerant of an embarrassing parent Alice Ruben The award for the student most likely to be metaphorical, metaphysical and meta-fictional goes to Chandler Yang Original Voice Awards LIVth Katie Moore IVth Aisling Brinn Vth William Parkinson LVIth India Morris VIth Jack Moseley Essay of the Year The Award for his essay on social conformity and subversion in children’s literature goes to Thomas Lynch
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Alice: Indeed it does. I note it has adopted some charming nicknames along the way. I believe the non-cognoscenti members of the School use the somewhat quaint ‘Nerd Club’ while the fully initiated prefer ‘The Grey-cellular society’’ and – most popularly – ‘Marmite’, as it is the club where gifted individuals go to discuss and debate what they love and what they hate. Meanwhile the sibling of the grand Head of Gifted and Talented refers to us simply as ‘Marvellous and Fabulous’. Tell me Niall, besides sandwiches and cake, which elements of Marmite have you most loved this year?
Alice: I see. There have also been some interesting awards given to certain members; such as your award for largest school shortage in terms of Jaffa Cakes, and my award for student who best coped with an embarrassing parent (not that I thought it was really necessary). Plus of course, award for best essay of the year given to Tom Lynch (possibly with some additional credit going to Matthew Lynch). What to you was the most amusing or most deserving award?
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The Debating Society
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
A record number of School Colours are awarded this year, marking the departure of an outstanding year group. As recognition of their commitment and achievements over the past years, major colours go to Hamish Docherty, Polly Fletcher, Harry Heath, Nowrin Hossain, Lewis Martins, Adam Robertson, Oliver Thomas and William Sarjant, who also receives the Janet Cockin Debating cup. The T E Godwin Trophy goes to Declan Amphlett, and Minor Colours are awarded to Andrew Ho in recognition of his excellent support for debating over the years. With the calibre of the current Upper Sixth, the Senior Inter-House competition this year was always going to be hotly contested. Lupton, Lyttelton, School and Walters provided a superb afternoon’s argument with Adam Robertson and Hamish Docherty the eventual winners for Lyttelton, emulated by their junior pairing of Nick Bull and Niall Hegarty. The Upper Sixth European Youth Parliament team began the debating season in fine style, attending the International Sessions of the Youth parliament in Croatia where they enjoyed debating current European issues with young people from thirty-two European countries. The team enthusiastically embraced ten days of cultural activities, team-building and debating and have formed friendships as a result of their
experiences that will last a lifetime; congratulations to Dominic Calvert, Hamish Docherty, Polly Fletcher, Harry Heath, Nowrin Hossain, Lizzie Leather, Lewis Martins, Adam Robertson, Will Sarjant and Jonathan Turner. Success was found in abundance at the annual Three Counties Debating Competition, held at Malvern College where Nowrin and Will Sarjant performed to a consistently superb standard, moving on to win the whole competition in the final round. Will was also announced as Best Speaker on the day for his articulate and persuasive debating style, impressing judges in all four rounds with his precision and poise; he retains this title for a second year. Will paired up with Ollie Thomas for the English-Speaking Union Mace and as a result of their performance in the quarter-finals at Mander Portman Woodward, one of the adjudicators wrote to the Headmaster “I was impressed by the conduct and intelligence of your pupils, Ollie and Will. They showed themselves to be articulate and confident young individuals, and are a credit to your institution.” Ollie, Will and Nowrin hosted and chaired Sajid Javid’s Bromsgrove Schools’ debate held here at Bromsgrove, and all three impressed visitors with their professional conduct throughout.
We also competed in the prestigious Oxford Union Schools’ Debating Competition held at Solihull School; six students took part debating in British Parliamentary style. They impressed with their knowledge and energy in debating. Congratulations to Upper Sixth speakers Ollie, Will and Hamish, and Lower Sixth Jake Perryman, Alex Brantingham and Maxime Cox, and in the Cambridge Union Society Schools’ Debate to Lewis and Nowrin, who both spoke extremely well to reach this prestigious competition’s second round. Hamish, Will and Jake represented the school in the annual Michael Holt Rotary Debating Competition against North Bromsgrove High School. Dynamic in their delivery, the three speakers all made excellent arguments against their motion concerning the relaxation of planning laws on Britain’s countryside. A Lower Sixth European Youth Parliament team built on the success of last year’s squad by reaching the National Finals which will take place in Liverpool in the week following Commemoration; Jake, Maxime, India Morris, Daria Solomatina, Jamie Hey, James Gillick, Tim Buckley, Gareth Evans, Will Bedford Russell and Farah AsgharSandys together make up the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs in competition with fourteen other regional winners from across the United Kingdom.
Our Junior debaters put their skills in oratory to the test against sixteen Schools from across the country in the International Competition for Young Debaters, held at the University of Birmingham. Entering as two teams, our debaters spoke confidently on a variety of issues such as banning parliamentary whips; well done to Niall Hegarty, Nicholas Bull, Clement Harris and Joshua Gupta. Niall, Nick, James Whitehead, Simon Hotchin, Alice Ruben and Declan Amphlett participated in the Taylor Trophy, with Alice and Declan only narrowly losing out in the final. iall, Declan and Will Parkinson reached the Branch Final of the ESU Public Speaking with some fine performances in all three areas. The fourth Staff v. Sixth Form debate played to a packed Lecture Theatre, with Ollie, Will and Hamish taking on the collective might of the Headmaster, Mr. Bowen and Mr. Cleary who were united in proposing “This House Believes that Europe is in Terminal Decline”. Fortunately for most of us, the Sixth Form were able to prove that Europe is by no means finished and for the first time ever, the oor returned a Sixth Form victory a good note on which to end. K Linehan and L McKee
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Community Action
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
The work performed by our budding ecologists in Sanders Park and the Lickey Hills ature Reserve has been equally impressive, as has the commitment shown by our Sixth Formers who have volunteered their time to local charity shops. ext time you are on the High Street, take a look at our pupils’ creative talent by peering through a charity shop window.
It has been another energetic year for the 2 pupils involved with Community Action at Bromsgrove School. Pupils have worked hard, often outside their comfort zones, and enriched the lives of many within our school, local and global communities. Locally, pupils have visited three residential homes on a weekly basis and great friendships have been formed songs have been sung, games played and even ladies’ nails have been painted. Shortly before Christmas, a Tea and Carols event was held in Routh Hall, to which residents from all three homes
were invited Prep and Senior School musicians entertained our guests and much festive fun was had by all. Several Fifth Formers have also been involved with a fundraising initiative from Primrose Hospice. Pupils were each given a Flourishing Fiver’, which could be invested in materials for cake bake sales, sweet raf es, Christmas gifts and much more pupils have successfully turned less than into well over Bromsgrove pupils would clearly be good competition for Lord Sugar’s apprentices
Several hundred unwanted textbooks also avoided the landfill and were sent to schools in Tanzania. Community Action has also brought PrePrep, Prep and Senior sections of the School closer together Sixth Formers delivered a European Languages ay event to our linguists en herbe at the PrePrep international students have helped their younger compatriots in the Prep School boarding houses green-fingered gardeners aged - have worked sideby-side Sixth Form scientists have taught the next generation of Einsteins at PrePrep Years Three and Four have read to Fifth Formers and Sixth Formers have taught enrichment lessons to Years Seven and Eight. It is fair to say that 2 - 2 has been a busy year in which our pupils have given a lot, but probably gained a whole lot more. L Falconer
Beyond Bromsgrove and even the K, our pupils have made a valid contribution nearly Christmas parcels were collected, packed and sent to Romanian orphanages by our pupils.
Chapel Matters Chapel matters at Bromsgrove. It’s the place the School meets regularly in the mornings (albeit not everyone in the Senior School at one time because we are unable to fit everyone in) and at special times and special occasions throughout the year. Together with the Headmaster’s weekly Routh assembly (involving a video link into the Chapel for the over ow) it’s when the School is assembled as near to one as it can be. The special times’ we meet include those times that we celebrate some of the highlights of the Christian Year, such as at Harvest, Remembrance and Christmas, and in recent years we have introduced optional services on a Sunday at Advent and at Mothering Sunday.
Chapel matters plays a very important part in the lives of many pupils and staff in School and also when they have left. Old Bromsgrovians are found in Chapel at Commemoration some return to be married or have their children baptised and some become ordained, remembering their time in chapel as a determining factor. Chapel matters because of our Anglican foundation - but more than that, because it is a place where we can meet together to re ect upon, amongst other things, just how much we have to thank God for. Rev. P Hedworth School Chaplain
Bromsgrove has been buzzing with excitement since the launch of the Malvern Spring Gardening Show project in May 2 . Every section of the School from ursery to the Sixth form has been engaged in the project. The theme of sustainability was embraced across the curriculum and year groups utilising some imaginative teaching ideas to engage our pupils. The garden design project, led by the Geography department in the Senior school, produced a stunning array of designs. The winning design by Charlie Kendrick was selected by Olivia Kirk, a Chelsea Gold medal winning designer who also advised us through the project. The idea for the garden was to use a specific example of sustainability. The dramatic decline in bee populations was investigated in lessons and pupils had been taught throughout the school about importance of biodiversity and what people can do to promote habitats for bees.
J Holden and L Finlay
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This ranged from the Billy no Buzz play in ursery, Bee Happy day in the Prep School to analysing spatial trends in
Our garden was entitled Bee Happy and the purpose of the garden, was to raise awareness of the vital part that bees play through pollination in promoting a sustainable future for the planet. We were very proud of our garden and the journey that we took to produce it. Significant contributions to the garden were made by Olivia Wormald, Claire Hill and Mollie Maynord and especially the IB team of Merlin Kammerer, Johannes Liessem, Marie Marsten, aria Solomatina and Sarah Mogg who took on the show as their CAS project. Winning first prize in the competition run by the CPRE and the Outdoor learning initiative was fantastic, the students were awarded the prize by Chris Beardshaw in the main marquee at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show. The show days were delightful, the sun shone and all the pupils from Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior School enjoyed talking to the thousands of people that came to see the garden. This was a fantastic experience for all of the pupils involved. All of our pupils spoke to the public with confidence and enthusiasm about the garden and the work that had gone in to producing it. We are already planning our next entry to the show in 2
2
One confirmand said at their confirmation, “If you had asked the Reverend if I would ever be standing here awaiting my confirmation, I do not believe you would have received a positive answer. Having tortured him for two years, questioning absolutely everything
Colony Collapse isorder in Lower Fourth Geography.
about Christianity humanly possible and St John’s Gospel in particular, he successfully got me questioning everything I ever thought about faith.”
SE IOR BROMSGROVIA
The special occasions’ we meet include Holy Communion, baptisms and weddings, as well as our annual Confirmation Service (this year’s candidates are pictured with the Lord Bishop of Worcester, the Right Reverend r John Inge).
Malvern Spring Gardening Show
CCF
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
The two top - a well-kept secret proudly fulfilled a disappointment over a Chinook helicopter eventually fulfilled expectations of Adventurous Training in the beautiful Pyrenees abundantly fulfilled, and the outstanding success of both CCF Junior orienteering teams in the ational event these set the scene in the Michaelmas Term for a year vibrant over and above the usual busy activities, and now after a superb season of camps new directions beckon with a change in the CCF management. Ranking cadets this year, CSM Amelia Boffey and Acting Sgt Kimmy Chak, led the Contingent with distinction and great loyalty. Remembrance has always been important in Bromsgrove’s calendar but it was a special moment in our history when Acting Sgt Kimmy Chak marched smartly down the centre of the Royal Albert Hall at the annual Festival of Remembrance. On television and within a few feet of Her Majesty the ueen, Kimmy was the RAF Escort to the CCF Banner in this extraordinarily moving and colourful national tribute to those who have given sacrifice and service for their country. This was a great honour for Bromsgrove and the CCF was very proud of Kimmy’s smart turnout in RAF o. ress uniform and her dignified bearing.
Kimmy’s personal memories were enhanced by a lasting memento of her meetings with famous performers on that day when her white ceremonial gloves were autographed by the singers Sir Cliff Richard and Catherine Jenkins Here at School the following morning the CCF was represented by the recruits who marched to the first Chapel Service led by the Corps of rums under rum Major Polly Heung. Wreaths were laid by Chairman of the Governors Mr Stewart Towe CBE on behalf of the Old Bromsgrovians and by Acting Sgt Kimmy Chak on behalf of the School. Members of the Escort Party were CSM Amelia Boffey, S Sgts Holly Alsop, Alice Batham, Thomas Caswell and Cpl Kirstie Friend. Once again there were immense contributions by the two trumpeters, James Mayhew (in Chapel) and Senior Trumpeter William Parkinson (at St John’s Church and the Burma Star Memorial). The highlight of the Lent Term also gave prominence to the slate blue uniforms when for the occasion of the CCF Biennial Review on 2 th March 2 2 we were honoured to welcome as Reviewing Officer one of our parents, Air Marshal S J Hillier CBE FC, eputy Chief of the efence Staff (Military Capability), the most senior RAF officer ever to inspect the Contingent.
Helped by a break in the dismal weather, the enthusiasm of all cadets, the presentational skills of the cadet COs leading their’ Contingent and the smart professionalism and musicality of the Corps of rums were noted by all of the inspecting officers in a glowing report.
At the core of the CCF are those activities which involve all of the 2 cadets the routine syllabus training on Tuesday afternoons, Remembrance, the Recruits Passing Out, the Biennial Review and the major field days.
The enthusiasm and loyalty of all cadets this year and as ever has been outstanding and for that I have been extremely grateful and much sustained whilst approaching my retirement as Contingent Commander. The Officers and COs inner ight at the end of May traditionally expresses thanks to CCF colleagues and to those senior cadet
COs who have loyally served for four or even five years. It was a pleasure to present engraved glassware to CSM Amelia Boffey and Acting Sgt Kimmy Chak (who will return in the th). Both have been outstandingly loyal and superb in their leadership of the whole Contingent on the major occasions. The other COs were rum Major Polly Heung, S Sgts Holly Alsop, Alice Batham and Tom Caswell, Sgts Charles g and Sam Stone and Cpl Kirsty Friend. Their achievements and contributions should not be eclipsed by the kindly and touching surprises which greeted me as the retiring Officer Commanding at that event, but I take this opportunity to pay tribute to and thank all my CCF colleagues for their support over so many years, and to the unfailingly inspirational cadets who have placed their faith in every enterprise. I express my warmest gratitude to all of them and in particular to the Contingent 2 i c Captain Catherine Maund and to School Staff Instructor WOI(RSM) Tony uinn, and immeasurably to Major Tim Hayward and Captain Gail Hayward for their indefatigable support throughout my tenure. I wish the Contingent every success in the future under the new Officer Commanding, Major Mark Banwell MBE. R Stephens
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
A darker shade of blue was evident at the Recruits Passing Out Parade in early ecember. The Reviewing Officer was Commodore Paul Chivers OBE R , Commanding Officer Royal aval Air Station Yeovilton, a veteran of the Falklands con ict as a sea-time officer who later became a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm. As a cadet he was himself inspected by the late Rear-Admiral Sir avid Haslam so it was appropriate that he should present the trophy bearing that name to the winners of the competition for the Best Platoon, RAF Trenchard led by Sgt Charles g. The prizes for the Best Army Recruit, Best RAF Recruit and Best P’ Platoon Recruit were awarded to Cadets Oliver Strong, Ben Featherstone and aniel Varoli respectively.
Some 2 adult instructors and cadets deployed to Swynnerton Army Field Training Centre in Staffordshire on Sunday rd October 2 , and the enthusiasm of the newly- edged Sixth Form COs leading the training stands was well-rewarded by the keenness of the new recruits who had already completed their of E Bronze Final expedition over the weekend. early sixty of these elected to continue in the CCF when the choice was made in March, and these undertook an even more vibrant programme over three days on Exercise Welsh Invader’ in May. After completing a Silver practice expedition in the beautiful Long Mynd they camped on the military training area at esscliff. After an open air Communion Service conducted by the School Chaplain they successfully navigated at night on Exercise ark Chocolate’, and during the ensuing Field ay on Monday they enjoyed a circuit consisting of Battlecraft (blank firing), climbing tower, obstacle course, First Aid and two ranges.
CCF Meanwhile the remainder ascended the arduous but amazing Chemin de la M ture and then travelled to the Ordesa Ca on in Spain to climb to the R fuge Goritz where they spent the night at 22 m. The final day with the support of two additional French guides proved tough in deep and soft snow as they passed back over into France via the spectacular Br che de Roland, regrettably shrouded in cloud. A celebratory meal and overnight stay in Pau enabled renewal of cultural links before the return voyage from Santander to Portsmouth. As noteworthy as the adventure itself was the impeccable and charming conduct of Bromsgrove’s cadets this was specifically mentioned by the of E Assessor who joined the party for the entire trip.
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ational Orienteering L C Elizabeth Stone set the scene by becoming the second fastest female runner in the (West Midlands) Brigade Orienteering competition in early October, and the fulfilment came in late ovember when after after a full afternoon of school matches three teams travelled to Warcop in Cumbria for the ational (Land) Orienteering Championships. The Senior Boys team did very well to successfully find all the controls on a very technical course, and then both Junior ( nder ) teams succeeded in becoming ational Orienteering Champions. Members of the winning Junior Boys team were Jason Birtle (Capt), Joe Bridgman, George raper-Barr, George Ledingham and Ben Bridgman. Only three runners represented the Junior Girls so they all had to finish they did. Elizabeth Stone again triumphed becoming the fastest junior female across all classes including the Army Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps as well as the CCF, and she was well supported by Ellis Goodwin and Phoebe Martyn-Smith to win the team cup too.
Pyrenees Two days after the School broke for halfterm twenty-three members of the CCF embarked at Plymouth for a voyage in a Force gale across the Bay of Biscay to Santander. Land-legs were recovered the next day in time to pitch Base Camp efficiently in the Col de Marie Blanque, and the Pyreneean weather recovered its usual October charm for two superbly balmy days of trekking. The first of these led from Arette Pierre St Martin to magical Lescun, and on the second a new variant on the Haute Randonn e Pyr n enne took in the R fuge d’Arlet.
Concurrently four senior cadets were undertaking their Gold of E Final Expedition, and the weather turned uncharacteristically adverse on their second day, this coinciding with a twisted ankle suffered by one member. J Cpl Sam Coope and L Cpl Jake Perryman are highly commended for sel essly volunteering to join the Golds for the two days remaining thereby enabling S Sgts Holly Alsop, Alice Batham and Tom Caswell to complete their qualifying expedition they did so in fine style.
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CCF
of E
Making a virtue out of a necessity brought by awkwardly timetabled GCSE exams, twenty-two Fifth Form cadets in four walking groups used the Easter Adventurous Training Camp in
Ten Tors Ten Tors sets the gold standard in terms of expeditionary skill and tenacity, and this year’s team faithfully continued our participation. The commitment is so much more than the event itself. The first practice during the February half-term offered less challenging weather than was endured during the final two-day preparatory trek at the end of the Easter holiday when frequent heavy showers produced a tremendous amount of standing water on surfaces hard from the dry Spring, and sleet and hail falling from the back edge of the black clouds made a stinging impact even through the hoods of well-fastened cagoules. Overnight the rain intensified and was driven by strong winds all fantastic training weather By dint of very precise navigation and cohesive teamwork the cadets emerged strongly, cheerfully and ahead of schedule at Okehampton Camp
and felt deservedly confident that they are well prepared for the real thing. On Friday th May the six-man team travelled to Okehampton for the great challenge and at 7am on Saturday they assembled with 2 other young walkers, and after a brief prayer the gun sounded and they were off. Aided by the good conditions they made rapid progress and reached the vicinity of Princetown by lunchtime, and before the close-down at pm they had also ticked off all of the tors in the South part of the Moor, although sadly by this time one member had become a little unwell and had had to retire. The remaining five did extremely well to pass the critical point of Combestone Tor ( o. ) on the first day, but the particular route allocated presented them with the toughest terrain on the Sunday. A wearisome dogleg over very spongy ground to Shilstone Tor on the East side led to a re-ascent of the tenth tor (Hound Tor), and then a further steep section back to the huge welcoming crowds at the finish at Okehampton Camp. The team members were Sam Coope (Capt), Freddie Alford, James Lay, Sam Leather, Scott Mc uaid and Jake Perryman. These fine young gentlemen much appreciated the diligent management of Mr Mrs Hayward who supported them at the event and in training, as they have done for so many teams over the years.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
On top of the other opportunities available through the CCF, all members are offered the opportunity to qualify for the uke of Edinburgh’s Award via the Combined Cadet Force Association Operating Authority. In addition to the steady number who continue to receive their awards after leaving school, this year three current members of the contingent completed Gold Final expeditions in the Pyrenees, twenty-nine successfully finished their Silver expeditions and one hundred and fifty-eight new recruits in twenty-eight separate groups completed their Bronze expeditions in Staffordshire in October.
the Lake istrict for their Silver Final expeditions. Base Camp was pitched on our traditional site at Wythop Hall Farm near the Bassenthwaite Lake, and the superb weather afforded the opportunity to savour the beautiful views from the heights of Blencathra (The Saddleback) on an exciting acclimatisation walk. uring the three days of the expeditions which followed the cadets showed tremendous tenacity, team spirit and adult independence to earn success, and they were pleased to celebrate that with Mr Bowen and our farm hosts Mr Mrs Emmott and family in the Mess inner in the marquee afterwards. A further fourteen cadets with equal pluck also attempted Silver on artmoor after their GCSE exams had finished in June. nfortunately one of these groups succumbed to the deceitful navigational challenges of this wonderful but confusing landscape, but a further seven cadets did qualify and great credit must go to the unlucky group who still persisted with their expedition to the end even after their disastrous error that was courage indeed and truly in the spirit of taking part’.
CCF ubiquitous C (Hercules) transport appeared in many guises including that of the Colombian Air Force which had a colourful eagle painted along the length of its fuselage.
RAF espite a second year of interregnum for the post of Officer Commanding, the RAF Section of the CCF has had a very strong year with a record number of some ying slots being taken up by cadets. Preparations for the Air Squadron Trophy competition were shaping a very promising team before it became impossible to enter due to a calendar clash, and a momentum was created in the study for and successes in the vital Part and Part 2 syllabus examinations. Strong leadership from the COs and from a very committed Fifth Form corpus which has already shown an appetite for teaching promises extremely well for the future and these cadets are commended for their loyalty and sense of military values.
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RAF Summer Camp For the first time in seven years we were able to take a party to RAF Camp. L Cpls Adam Foster, Chris Foster and Cdt athan Bellamy elected to go for a week at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire. Each day began with rigorous inspections of turnout and rooms’ and the pace of the week was set immediately by an exciting visit to the famous Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford,
Just as we arrived the characteristic howl’ of the Vulcan was heard and we were treated to a short display by this iconic veteran bomber. Eyes cast skywards saw world-class displays of agility by aerobatic teams painting multi-coloured trails in the sky and the contrasted aerial capabilities of aircraft ranging from the veteran Sea Fury of , through helicopters such as the Apache gunship to modern powerful jets such as the F s. On the ground endless ranks of aircraft on display were too long to walk past in a single day. To walk up the tail-ramp of an American Globemaster transport plane was like entering a Routh Hall with wings, and the wingspan of the B 2 bomber matched the width of Gordon Green, whilst the
Back at RAF Benson, Monday’s training began with the ights undertaking a series of command tasks and the first practice session for the end of Camp rill competition. RAF Benson is a major helicopter base and in the afternoon there was an interesting visit to a Puma squadron. Tuesday began with a very educational series of visits to a Merlin squadron, Air Traffic Control, Transport and logistics. Wednesday was devoted to field tactics on the Bramley Training Area near Basingstoke with preparatory stands on camou age, navigation and patrolling culminating in an exciting evening patrol. Meanwhile, athan Bellamy was one of a lucky group selected to ride in a Merlin helicopter which did a lap of The Shard in London Thursday brought live firing on the superb six-lane 2 m barrack range and an opportunity for Air Experience Flying with two top instructors, one an Air Commodore and the other the first ever female Typhoon pilot, and we were grateful for a visit by Mr Bowen during the midst of all this.
In the afternoon, squadron visits continued with fascinating demonstrations of counter IE (Improvised Explosive evices) techniques by the RAF Regt and an enlightening presentation by the Station Chaplain in the RAF Benson Church. On Friday L Cpl Adam Foster and Lt Col Stephens were fortunate to draw places for a ride in a Chinook helicopter at RAF Odiham in Hampshire before the concluding competitions and prizegiving drew this dynamic camp to a close.
Army Summer Camp It seems a little crazy to volunteer for Summer Camp, and especially when July turns out to be one of the wettest on record. With the last echoes of the bell at Call Over and the final farewells at Commemoration still in your ears, you are whisked away to the lush green of the Cumbrian fells and the discipline of the military training camp at Warcop. You arrive after everyone else has gone to bed, and the next morning you find yourself dressed in combats and lining up for breakfast at hrs with the other 7 cadets from some dozen schools who have similar doubts as to their rational powers.
Wednesday brought a cheering visit from Mr Bowen which was much appreciated by all, and exercises in navigation, the challenging uphill obstacle course, a fascinating observation exercise and tactical evacuation skills. Thursday brought another exciting opportunity to blast off hundreds of blank rounds in a series of ambushes and anti-ambush drills. espite a very wet and windy start to the final day’s training, the cadets thoroughly enjoyed the paintballing exercise. The Royal Engineers presented a superb package of activities for the afternoon with Watermanship as the central theme. Taking the helm of a fast
assault boat is a thrill at any age, but it is just as much fun getting wet and getting others wet in the traditional raft race too. There was also a fascinating presentation on mines and Improvised Explosive evices (IE s). The sense of belonging to a large and unified Camp party was reinforced by the concluding Parade with the jaunty tam-o-shanters, tartans and wailing bagpipes underlining the strong presence of Scottish schools on this busy week of military activity. Later in our own allocated Stores we celebrated a week of keen endeavour in which all our cadets had shown the inimitable Bromsgrovian combination of impeccable behaviour and lively spirit, and in which those who took the bold step to come were rewarded by fun and life-changing development.
CCF Corps of rums The CCF Band represents the regimental heart-beat, literally in terms of its pulsating beat, but also in terms of the strength and loyalty of its members and their ability to use music to move the spirit. This year has seen unshakeable commitment from all band members under the inspiration of rum Major Polly Heung, Bass rummer Charles g, Senior rummer Sam Adamson and Senior Trumpeter William Parkinson.
A superb relationship has been established with St Andrew’s First School Barnt Green and in October the Band paid a second visit there to give a workshop to one of the classes and then a full display in front of the whole school. Then at the end of the Summer Term the Band featured with their display in the Redditch Arena for the opening of St Andrew’s Olympic’ Sports ay. The young children were enthralled by the Band and clearly enjoyed joining in the medley of nursery rhymes which had been added to the normal marching repertoire. This early morning performance finished just in time before the biblical’ rainstorm struck by the time the Band returned to Bromsgrove several centimetres of rain had turned the Parade ground into a lake. In addition to the superb performances of Last Post and Reveiller by William Parkinson at Remembrance, the shining occasions of the season were the full Beating of the Retreat at the end of the Biennial Review in March, and the Court Leet Procession through the streets of Bromsgrove on 2 rd June. R Stephens
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Two hours later there are no doubts you have taken the step, you have brushed away the cobwebs of term, you are in a disciplined team, you are confident and enjoying positive experiences with new companions too. By lunchtime all eleven of our cadets on Camp had earned their Save a Life certificate in emergency procedures in First Aid. In the afternoon a Signals exercise turned out to be a game of blindfold football under the commands via radio from a touchline captain. On Monday we drove to erwentwater in the Lake istrict for Adventurous Training, with two of our cadets opting for climbing on Shepherd’s Crag but the majority choosing to go on a walking expedition in the beautiful valleys. Tuesday brought Exercise Warcop Wanderer’, the climactic exercise of the
week. In the morning a series of dry’ rehearsals of tactical movement, Section in Attack routines and then manoeuvres as a complete Platoon led up to the full excitement of battle in the afternoon in collaboration with two other schools. L Cpl Becky Gordon found herself in the hot-spot as Platoon Commander and she and L Cpl Amy Foster in the other vital role of Platoon Sergeant were commended by the irecting Staff for their leadership. Cdt James Whitehead was also impressing as Section 2i c and then earned deeper respect for his plucky response to an unlucky trip which left him with a dislocated and fractured little finger. espite three hospital visits he enthusiastically saw the Camp through to the end.
uke of Edinburgh Award The uke of Edinburgh Award challenges pupils to develop new interests and push themselves to achieve, beyond what they believe possible. It is a hugely popular activity at Bromsgrove, with over 2 pupils involved in the award at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. This year has seen expeditions to the Long Mynd, Exmoor, the Peak istrict, Brecon Beacons and the Yorkshire ales. For many, the expedition section sees the culmination of their award and is often the section which many find most challenging, but most rewarding and the stories that they bring away are certainly the most entertaining
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
This year, we congratulate the following on achieving their awards Gold Awards: Faye Al- akeeb, Eleanor Harding, Yi Liu, Gemma Lusty, Alexander Kirk-Patrick, Sarah Morris, Rebecca oon, Rosie Millns, Anna Phillips, Jamie Rymer, Tom Silk, Victoria Stokes, Oliver Strong, Shenru Wang, Shui Yuen, Wai Ho Yuen. Silver Awards: Frederick Alford, Lily Alsop, Charlotte Collie, Calum Cooper, Maxime Cox, William Cusack, Abbie avies, Jamie omachi, Evana Fleeming, Jonathan Fleury, Sophie Haycock-Jones, Madeleine Heggett, Charles Hill, Andrea Lloyd, James Lynch, Ellie Pagan, Alice Smith, Grace Stringer, Liberty Thornton.
Bronze Awards: atasha Bateman, Phoebe Lydon, James Simpson-Stern, Calum Slater, Thomas Stokes, Ben Thornley, Lauren Townsend, Lydia Trow. It is also the end of an era for the of E team at Bromsgrove, with the retirement of Mr and Mrs Langlands. They have given so much time to enabling pupils to complete their award and we are very grateful to all that they have done and also to the many staff, who assist with our many trips. S Ascough
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Boys’ Athletics The boys have had another successful season on the track and field despite the poor weather conditions for the majority of the season. The most pleasing part was the number of boys representing the School Athletics team, with most achieving new personal bests.
The following boys represented Worcestershire at the Mason Trophy at the end of term avid Elphinston (junior boys high jump), Joe Morrice (junior boys triple jump and hurdles), Jonty Thornton (junior boys hurdles), Harry Lloyd Jones (junior boys m pole volt), Josh French (junior boys hurdles) and Alex Moore (intermediate boys m). The following boys have all been selected to compete at the English Schools Championships in the summer holiday, a fantastic achievement Freddie Kirk-Patrick (senior hurdles), Josh French (intermediate hurdles), Joe Morrice (junior triple jump), Blake Edwards (junior boys javelin), and avid Elphinston (junior high jump). The Intermediate boys ESSA produced the performance of the season winning the Midlands round and qualifying for the English Schools Track and Field Cup competition. I would like to thank all the boys and staff involved for their efforts throughout the term and look forward to next summer with great anticipation. G George Head of Boys PE and Games
The girls’ athletics season has gone very well with consistent wins each week. The season started off with a home match at the Ryland Centre this was the time for individuals to show off their talent. At the end of the day it was clear that this season was going to go well for the Bromsgrove girls, with successful wins across all ages. This was a good start for the following week’s fixture at Rugby, which had some strong schools attending. Although there was big competition the team still managed to bring in some excellent performances. In the third fixture of the season we were home again this gave us plenty of opportunity to showcase how we had improved from the first week. The 2 girls managed to win their group, and overall we were placed second narrowly behind an extremely well trained Oakham side. In May we travelled to Oundle where we were faced with very unfavourable conditions however this didn’t stop the most determined. There were big performances including Libby Thornton winning the 2 girls hurdles. Poppy Jones won the 7 girls m and high jump. Olivia Robbins showed what a brilliant athlete she was by winning both the m and long jump.
We were invited to attend the Oakham relays there were many different events that we had not taken part in before, although we were not as successful as the home team, we still managed to perform well. This was a brilliant event to take part in showing how well the girls worked together. The final match hosted by RGSAO proved that all three age groups had put a lot of effort in during the training sessions. Even though there were only a handful of girls in each age group we still managed to dominate the majority of events, ending the season on a high. Overall this has been a brilliant season for the team, I feel very proud to have been Captain of such a talented group. Special mentions must go to Mrs Buckingham and Miss avenport who have been extremely supportive throughout the season. With many new and talented athletes joining the Senior School, athletics at Bromsgrove is bound to go from strength to strength. aisy Perrey (Captain)
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
The junior boys’ team had a very successful season, winning six meets overall. Joseph Morrice performed exceptionally well throughout the season breaking the School record in triple jump ( 2.2 metres) and long jump ( .7 metres). avid Elphinston also broke the School record in the high jump clearing . metres. Blake Edwards performed exceptionally well in the javelin, narrowly missing out on breaking the School record. The Intermediate side also had a successful season, the highlight being the Oakham relays winning the medley event. Mathew Budge, Joshua French, Alex Moore, Patrick Prasertsri and Yun Jin Lee all performed outstandingly well and achieved their minor colours. Joshua French was selected to attend the ational trials for 7 hurdles. The senior boys performed well and improved throughout the season Ryan Bowett, Freddie Kirk-Patrick, Chris odd and Josh Watkins all achieved their major colours.
Girls’ Athletics
Badminton The Badminton team have mostly had success this season in their friendly fixtures against local schools. Most matches have been either boys or girls fixtures but for a few fixtures we took a mixed doubles team and came away with very pleasing wins. Along with wins against Bloxham School, Rugby School, Repton School and Cheltenham College there have also been defeats against a very strong Abingdon School. There were Major School Colours for Johnny Hui and Maeve Yang, the boys and girls team captains, as well as for Pei Tu and Eric Chan. Minor School Colours went to Jamie Cooper and there were commendations for great progress for Catherine Tse and Vincent Yau. ext year we intend to reintroduce the matches against Solihull School and Malvern College to round out our fixtures list. F A uinn
Yin
Basketball
Squad List
This year the boys’ basketball team stepped up to England Basketball’s nder ’s School Competition, competing in West Midlands Pool three. The boys finished with a respectable two wins, two losses record finishing third and narrowly missing out on advancing to the ational rounds of the competition.
Solihull Sixth Form 2 7 , Loss
Warwickshire College, 7 , Win
This match was a tough start to the season, however the boys were able to compete with the most organised and experienced team during the first half before fatigue and experience played to the favour of Lordswood’s high intensity, fast pace style of play.
On paper we were outmatched by a strong Solihull team. Their entire starting five and the majority of the bench consisted of ational League players as well as an England international. The boys suffered from a slow start to the game but strong inside play from Ilia Ignatov and a spark off the bench from Jonas Barakauskas gave the team hope and confidence. Allowing their international player to score twenty-six points and poor end to end the first half saw Bromsgrove trail by over twenty points. Following the half-time break Bromsgrove were determined to get back in the game. Tough defence from Yushi Takeuchi on Solihull’s leading scorer rattled their team, forcing turnovers and allowing Paulius Kazemekatis to get going offensively. However despite a huge momentum shift in the second the deficit was just too much for the team to overcome, which was bitterly disappointing for the entire team to swallow. On a positive note the boys put together by far and away their best half of basketball, out-classing and outscoring the opposition. Yushi gave the best individual defensive effort of the year holding their International Player to just four points in the second half.
Playing against another tough opposition and the prospect of qualifying for the national rounds (dependant on other results) of the competition the team were fired up for this must-win game. Paulius set the tone for the game early with his long-range shooting which allowed us to pull away for a double-digit lead in the first quarter of play. However a mental lapse and some timely baskets by Warwickshire’s national league player saw them scrap their way back into the game over the second and third quarters. A strong end to the third quarter through full court pressure defence resulted in some easy baskets which put the game out of reach for Warwickshire.
King Edwards 7, Win Coming off a tough loss two days earlier the boys responded with a huge win over their rivals King Edward’s. From the opening tip Bromsgrove sti ed their opponents with their pressuring team defence. Harassing perimeter defence from Johnson hang and Charles g forced several turnovers from the King Edwards guards and our inside presence of avid Able-Thomas, Ilia Ignatov and Munir Bello was too much for the smaller King Edwards line up to handle. A dominating performance at the defensive end combined with accurate three point shooting from Paulius Kazemekatis (seven three-pointers) and Marco Milicevic providing two more threes off the bench, resulted in an impressive win for the School.
This year also saw the introduction of an Basketball team. This was very popular amongst the boys and they competed in two matches, winning one and losing one in over-time. I hope these boys will continue to play Basketball next year and beyond throughout their School career. L Sheridan Basketball Coach
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Johnson hang Charles g Philip Lam Richard ubal Jonas Barakauskas avid Able-Thomas James Cheung Marko Milicevic Kostadin Kotevski Yushi Takeuchi Paulius Kazemekatis Illia Ignatov Munir Bello Richard ubal Felix g
Lordswood Loss
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Cricket st I
Missing out in a close game to Trent College and then against KES Birmingham, however Oli Strong’s -wicket haul cannot be forgotten as he had done exactly the same the day before
in the age group. Marlborough also proved too strong for us later in the season. However, playing Solihull was the match to change the poor run of form, and so we batted first conjuring up a great score of 2 , we came out after lunch to bowl with great effect and banked a considerable run victory. This allowed us to play our next game with confidence against arguably the strongest team we play all year, Sedbergh, firstly in a T2 game, in which we ended up needing 2 off the last over due to a great batting performance from Lower Fourth Henry Walker, unfortunately we were outdone by their tight bowling and fielding not being able to bring it home. The next day we played a full day game, which we thought was the chance to get even from the night before to which we could easily have won.
The rest of the batting line up failed to produce the goods, but even so showed great aptitude and appliance to the task in hand.
With a below-par bowling and fielding display in the first 2 overs we managed to fight back with tight bowling and fielding to restrict them to a more than gettable 2 on a batters’ deck. To come was an almighty fine knock from Will Bowen who scored a fifty off just 2 overs, unfortunately not being able to hang in and see us home.
Mention must also be made of our Junior teams this summer who all performed extremely well, the A lost by one run against Malvern in the county final which at the time was a huge disappointment but over the season played some great cricket with Alex isbet and James Taylor both hitting hundreds along with many great performances by most of the squad. The A had a fantastic win vs. Malvern in their county final playing a near perfect
We hoped that the momentum from the last two games could take us to victory against Worcester Gents, again with a quick start from Will Bowen we managed to race to a team total of fifty before the first wicket. There was a truly special performance from not just a talented cricketer but a Lower Fourth, Henry Moberly, who not only opened but scored fifty-six against men double his age, but some of who had played extremely high standards of cricket. This took the team to a below-par score of 22 . Loose bowling and some more experienced batting enabled them to chase our total down with four wickets in hand.
game of T2 cricket batting, first posting a total of with Alex isbet scoring thirty-five off twenty-one balls and Will Hands scoring thirty-one off twnety balls, In reply a strong Malvern side was bowled out for sixty-two, with Alex Wilkinson claiming three wickets for fourteen runs off his four overs. This side then ventured forward into the national rounds against Shrewsbury and were unlucky not to complete a game when we looked favourites and then lost in the re-match. Both the B and B were thwarted by the weather, playing only a small amount of games. Although the season’s results haven’t gone our way at times, no one can take away the intensity in which training has taken place and the spirit in which games have been played. A massive thank you has to be shown to the coaching ability of Mr Fallows and Mr Riley as well as the team of cricket coaches who have spent endless time on improving all aspects of our game and supporting the team. Brett Huxley
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
After a successful February pre-season trip to ICC Global Cricket Academy in ubai, the season got under way with the weather straight away claiming two games. A game against local rivals RGS was looking to go in the favour of Bromsgrove, chasing we were 22 until a monumental collapse, being bowled out without victory. Even though we lost, a memorable catch which was said to be the best catch I have ever seen at school boy cricket by Mr Fallows was taken by Alex McGarry to dismiss their in form batsmen. The next three full day formats were cancelled, which arguably knocked momentum out of the positives we could take from the previous game. King’s Worcester, much like most of our games, showed us losing rather than being beaten, a fine batting display from Alex McGarry ( ) gave us a total of 2 from overs. This was a great score on a soft track until a poor bowling display with the exception of Will Bowen ( - ), gave their batsmen the chance to accumulate runs quickly and effectively taking the game away.
Cross Country
Football st I in the season were sorely missed when illness deprived the team of his talents for most of the second half of term. Promising seasons from George Blaxall, Ben Tully, Alex Babic, an Yeo and Will Casasola give hope that next year’s team can produce another good season.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
This year saw the addition of a sixth fixture to the East Midlands Independent School Cross-Country league, involving ten schools. Bromsgrove hosted the final event in bright, dry conditions, the results of which gave Ross Johnston the overall gold medal for the Senior Boys, while Lydia Trow won the silver medal in the girls competition. Bromsgrove girls also picked up Team Silver.
Other events included the King Henry VIII Relays in Coventry, istrict and County trials. In this year’s Inter-House crosscountry match School, Elmshurst and Hazledene won the Senior Boys, Junior Boys and Girls events, while Walters and Hazeldene triumphed in the .2 relays. R Watkins
Results overview Mercian League Bromsgrove 2.2 ppingham enstone 2. Bromsgrove Loughborough . Bromsgrove Bromsgrove . RGS Worcester Bromsgrove 2. Wellingborough Welbeck . Bromsgrove
The st I enjoyed a season filled with good football, strong performances and excellent team spirit. A final position of third in the Mercian League and an exit in the quarter finals of the LB cup confirmed that a squad full of promise was a little unfortunate not to have made more of the term there was certainly a sense of what might have been’ from a very talented group of players. Perhaps the highlight of the season was the . drubbing of Stowe, a game which saw the team really click into gear. Ryan Loughlin was awarded the honour of Player of the Year, also picking up the Players’ Player of the Year for the second year running. In every game Ryan was in contention for man of the match, leading
by example with courage, energy and skill. Tom Knowles can also be singled out for a number of superb performances in midfield. Top scorer Ryan Gordon, whose non-stop running, commitment and bravery will not be replicated in a first eleven jersey for many years, will also be difficult to replace. The squad loses its core this summer, with the loss of an outstanding goalkeeper in captain Chris Johnson, who led the team superbly in his third full season in the Firsts. Also leaving School are talented midfielders Alex McGarry and Knowles, Loughlin, committed full backs Ben Capper and Conor Grogan and exciting attacking midfielder Westleigh Rush, whose fantastic performances early
LB Cup Radley 2. Bromsgrove Bromsgrove . St Edward’s Oxford Bromsgrove 2. Rugby Loughborough . Bromsgrove Friendly matches Marlborough 2. Bromsgrove Bromsgrove . Malvern Stowe . Bromsgrove Kings Worcester 2. Bromsgrove Squad overview C Johnson, B Capper, C Grogan, B Tully, R Loughlin, G Blaxall, A Babic, Yeo, A McGarry, T Knowles, W Rush, S Rolinson, W Casasola, M Milicevic, M Bello, A Malyshev, R Gordon Wilkins
Golf
Boys’ Hockey
With a number of the senior golfers in the School having left in recent years this has provided an opportunity for younger players to step up and to represent Bromsgrove.
This year was the inaugural inception of the Midland’s Schools’ Hockey League. The league involved some very strong opposition from the likes of Repton, Trent, Oakham, ppingham, Rugby, Oundle and Bedford. It was an exciting prospect with every team playing for three points in every game. The first team finished second in their league with the best defensive record and this was largely due to the brilliance of their Captain Todd udley, whom must get a special mention for being picked to train with England this year.
With home matches continuing to be played at the excellent Blackwell Golf Club, the School have enjoyed competitive fixtures this year against the Old Bromsgrovians, Malvern and ean Close. Sam Bellamy and Matt Osborn in particular have impressed as golfers with some potential and with more promising junior golfers due to join us in September, hopefully the fixture list can be developed further including entering some of the excellent Independent School competitions which are put on by various organising bodies. S Coates
st Team
Squad Todd udley (Capt), Harry Capewell, Harry Eastgate, Masahiko Inufusa, Lasse Bachem, Jakob Langen, Jon Turner, Stuart Clare, Jakob Lingg, Max McLoughlin, Max Bellinger, Veit Wassserfuhr, Bendikt Wagenitz, Fraser Mack, Anton Sieg. st
A team The A side made a reasonable start but failed to keep the momentum and fell short on several occasions by the odd goal. The progress was very evident and although the team did not progress to the Regional finals they played some attractive hockey throughout the year. Tom Stokes and Ben Harmer have progressed to the junior regional performance centres for the summer. Squad Kit Thornton, Tom Stokes, Jack Robinson, ach Morris, James Hubscher, James Cooper, Westleigh Rush, James Simpson-Stern, James Goodall, Jason Birtle, Ferdia Murray, Alex Thorpe, Joshua French, Ben Harmer, Felix Fastrich. A Langlands
A
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
In retaining eight of the previous year’s first team and with an in ux of talented new players there was always a reasonable chance of success. This was the first year that a boys’ side has been entered into the Men’s Regional leagues, and it proved to be very successful. Although the side entered into the unknown, the team settled quickly into a winning sequence except for an early draw against Whitchurch, and the game before Christmas against Pershore. The form continued after the break with wins in all except one game. This meant that the team won the West Midlands ivision 2 league with the best defensive and second best attacking record in the
league. A superb achievement. Indoors the team were exceptional, winning the Midlands Finals easily beating Trent - in the final. Again the team had the best defensive record, and Anton Sieg scored sixteen goals in six games, an incredible feat for a fifteen year old. At the ational Indoor finals the team continued their success with wins against Taunton, Coopers Colburn and ean Close. The last group game against Cranleigh was close but alas we lost 2and played a very strong Whitgift school in the semi-final. A heavy defeat saw us exit the competition but being in the top four in the country is a magnificent achievement with a young team.
Boys’ Hockey Juniors
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Overall we finished a long way down the league but there were notable efforts by the team, who were the only team to win their league. However, most teams were still playing to win the league in the last league game of the season. Although the excelled, it was the cup run of the A side that gets a special mention. The side beat the following teams en-route KES Birmingham ( - ), Ratcliffe (2- ), Worksop College (2- ), Repton, ( - , 2- after penalties), Rugby (2-2, ( - again on penalties). Therefore the side were crowned Midlands Champions for only the second time in the School’s history. The team trained well but had little luck at the ational Outdoor Finals, winning the final game but losing twice to get knocked out at the group stage. A superb achievement to all involved. A Langlands Representative Honours: England Training squad Todd udley Junior Regional Performance Centre Tom Stokes, ach Morris, Jack Robinson, Kit Thornton, Ben Harmer, James Taylor, Jeremy Turner, Ben Bridgman, ylan Longden, an Stokes
Girls’ Hockey st Team The firsts once again produced another successful season for Bromsgrove School. It started with an outstanding performance against a strong Trent side resulting in a win. Following this was a closely fought match against Oundle. Although defeated, the team played with great intensity. A well deserved victory over Rugby School followed, leaving the side with two wins from our first three games. The team welcomed a familiarly strong Millfield side to School, unfortunately losing 2- . aisy Perrey, led by example in jumping back to support the defence and taking every possible opportunity to attack. The team fought hard in the County Outdoor Tournament showing determination to defeat The Chase and gaining a well earned place in the Midlands Outdoor Finals, although narrowly missing out on a place at ationals. Roberta Rave has been a solid defensive player who will be missed next year. One of our most fearless games at the Midlands Finals was against a very strong and composed Repton side.
The season’s experiences were a learning opportunity enabling us to focus on improving our attacking cohesion and defensive support by the midfield. This resulted in victories against Kings Worcester and a strong ppingham team. The final two games of the outdoor season saw losses against strong Repton and Oakham sides however, our consistency to play good hockey was not lost even in these final matches. I would like to mention the most consistent and skilful player this season who showed outstanding are Julia Paschwitz, who thoroughly deserved her player of the year award it has been a pleasure to play hockey with her The indoor rounds saw the squad set high standards once more, winning the County Indoor Championships comfortably. The tournament victory meant another appearance for the first team at the Midlands’ Indoor Championships. This resulted in tense penalty icks which were taken by Sarah Hawkley, Ellen Lockhart and Julia Paschwitz allowing the firsts to progress to the ational Indoor Championships.
At the ational tournament, many of the teams had faced years of intensive training in preparation for the competition and gave polished performances. However, the Bromsgrove team showed commitment and displayed exhilarating and very fast-paced hockey leading to the team becoming eighth nationally, a feat well worthy of remembering. I feel that throughout the season every member of this team has showed outstanding spirit. We never let our heads drop after a defeat instead it just encouraged us to work even harder in the following games. I feel that our team this year has been a great example of respect, good communication and great enthusiasm, qualities that have not only enabled this season to be successful but also enjoyable for every member of our team. The Lower Sixth members of the team have all been outstanding and highly motivated, proving they will be a very threatening side next year I hope the team spirit will continue. Faye Al- akeeb
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2nd Team
U16 A
The 2nds have had the best team spirit this season; it is fair to say that despite a few losses, they have never failed to play hard and come off the pitch still enthusiastic about hockey. This team are a real inspiration and the Upper Sixth members who have played School hockey for many years will be missed.
This year was a year to remember with both indoor and outdoor teams playing outstandingly well and progressing to Nationals. The team began the season with a strong match against The Chase, RGS Worcester and King’s Worcester, picking up victories to ensure their place in the next round of the competition.
Led by Sarah Morris who has been an outstanding Captain, Maddie Smith, Hannah Attley, Kay Sin, Mimi Cox, Liv Wilding, Kirstie Friend, Felicia Perez, Theresa Lauer, Louisa Schuessler, and Farah Asghar-Sandys and Livi Morris have all contributed massively to School hockey.
The regional triumph took the girls to another National appearance, where fantastic play saw them finish in fourth place nationally, an honourable achievement. The indoor season was equally rewarding as the squad played consistently, proceeding comfortably through the County phase and into the Midland tournament. The squad saw off challenges from Wellingborough, Rugby and Oundle to compete on the national stage again.
This is such a great achievement and the team should feel rewarded finishing second place in the country after a clearly inspirational season. Combined with the current Lower Sixth, the 1st XI will potentially be a very dangerous side. The former U16s should go forward with a positive attitude, showing respect to the experienced U18 players; hockey is a dynamic sport where changing combinations of players and integration is key to success.
The U15As have had a very successful season winning the majority of their matches. This year group are a very exciting prospect for the future and show a lot of natural talent. Some of the team, including Fred Robbins, Poppy Jones and Phoebe Schofield, even played above their age group with the U16As this season.
U14 A This team have showed such prospect with outstanding hockey that brings the potential of a very strong Bromsgrove 1st XI in the future. With some strong performances all year round, the team saw off opposition close to home to make it through to the Midlands knockout stages of the National outdoors competition. Here they showed some quality hockey, only to find themselves falling just short of progressing onto the final National stage. We look forward to things to come from this determined group of players.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
The Indoor Nationals was a brilliant spectacle with such a competitive and driven opposition which Bromsgrove dealt with comfortably, keeping composure at crucial stages. The U18s were able to watch the quarter-final game and Bromsgrove’s spirit was very apparent; the girls fought hard and outstanding displays of skill and cooperation led to the girls winning 1-0 against Millfield and gaining a place in the National Finals.
U15 A
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etball st Team What a remarkable year for the st team we have played twenty games and remained undefeated in the regular season.
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We started the season off strong and confident as we were training earlier and harder than ever, with extra fitness sessions, strengthening us as a team and getting us ready for the long season ahead of us this year, matches started in September to give the firsts an extended season. One highlight of the year was our three way tournament hosting local rivals RGS and King’s. The day ended with two magnificent victories, first beating RGS -2 and then an even closer game against King’s. King’s had blocked our path to the national finals, as similarly to the we were knocked out in the semi-finals of the West Midlands, however on this day we turned the tables and won a great match by one goal 2 27. Just to highlight what might have been we beat them again later in the season - .
To test our strength this year, in addition to our inter-school fixtures, we have played older teams including universities against a combined Birmingham niversity side we won -2 . However our strongest challenge was a prestigious fixture against Oxford niversity and in fact we played them twice in the season. The first match was the toughest with Oxford playing girls from local teams and those with international experience. We worked hard as a team and managed to win - . This was a great win for the team and boosted our confidence enormously. The season has presented us with substantial wins including Clifton College 7 - 7, Tudor Hall 7- , Old Swinford Hospital -7 and Solihull Sixth Form 7- . uring the year we scored a total of 7 goals, at an average of per game whilst conceding only , demonstrating the combined strength of the first team squad. Throughout the season Emily Morrice, Pippa Brock and Gemma Sapstead have played with great defensive skills. They have provided the team with the vital interceptions down court, which has helped the attackers to score so freely.
The combination of Annabel Cox, Polly Fletcher and Kaya Wilson has proved unbeatable against the best defences, with Polly finishing top scorer for the year. Claudia Cardinali and Sophie Luckman have dominated the centre court and have provided the essential link between defence and attack. A special mention also to key squad members Katie Thompson, Montana Bent, Rebecca Hall, Robyn Howcroft and Katherine Keates who stepped up when needed and demonstrated their value and commitment to the team. Overall teams of all ages have demonstrated great success with the school netball teams winning a total of 7 of all the games played this season. The success of this netball season would not have been what it has, without the support and coaching of Mrs Buckingham, Miss Franks and Steve. Together they have led the team to their undefeated season and made this season one full of enjoyment.
This season the team has improved consistently from each game and it has been sad for the pper Sixth players to see it come to the end, however they all send their luck and wishes to the Lower Sixth next year and hope they can maintain their winning streak, there is no doubt in my mind that they will. Victoria Stokes Captain
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Rugby st Team
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After a run of losses, an improved performance against Ellesmere College in a oodlit Sixways Stadium saw some fantastic attacking rugby and strong defence at the death to win 22- . The low point of the season followed with a bitterly disappointing and uninterested performance resulting in a loss to enstone College. Keen to make up for this display a Conor Grogan try secured a close victory 7- against Kirkham in a much more gritty effort. This set us up for a dominant match against Stowe School where we controlled the game a consistent kicking display from James Widdop rewarded the forwards for their rampaging efforts. After a tough but constructive preseason there was enthusiasm and promise for the season ahead due to a uent of oading performance against Haileybury College in the pre-season friendly. Followed brightly with a 2 home victory against ppingham though we were unable to convert dominant possession and territory into maximum points. A ground-out game against Warwick saw us win 22- but again saw us ruing missed opportunities given our control of the match.
A close match against Clifton College losing 22- 7, this after building a decent lead in the first half, poor discipline and missed chances meant we lost narrowly. emanding games followed against Millfield School and Llandovery College both resulting in losses 2 - and 2 a special mention to Justin Holliday who replaced the injured aniel Young and gave a sterling performance in a defensive effort.
The best attacking display of the season occurred in the first half against Abingdon allowing us to run in a few tries- resulting in a comfortable victory 2 - . Inconsistency thwarted the team again with a poor performance and result against Monmouth 27- . A close encounter with Colstons saw Bromsgrove leading - in the last fifteen minutes unfortunately the game had to be abandoned for player safety but saw a superb running effort from Joshua Watkins.
The final game of the season resulted in a pleasing home victory over KES Birmingham with dominance shown throughout. Congratulations must go to Josh Watkins and George Beale for gaining selection for England s schools respectively. Mr Windo and Mr Mullan must be thanked for their coaching throughout the season. Sam Waltier
Rugby Sevens The first Sevens tournament of the season was the orth of England. On a bitterly cold day we progressed into the knockout stages of the competition after winning our group undefeated. In the quarter final we played a very strong Sedbergh team, with some nice tries by Josh Watkins and James Young, but eventually lost the game as Sedbergh went on to win the tournament.
Our next opponents were Manchester Grammar, the game started fairly evenly but we eventually outclassed them to secure a place in the final.
The final was a very one sided affair where we went on to win - . We also played in the King’s Worcester Sevens, where we were undefeated in our group and progressed to the semi-final against Ellesmere. Trailing 2-7 with seconds to go, substitute Ben Sayce broke through to score metres from the touch line. Leaving the scores level with the conversion to come, Captain Sam Waltier stepped up and converted the try with the very last kick of the match to send Bromsgrove into their second final. With only a very short break until the final, fatigue started to set in and eventually lost the match to Colstons. The final Sevens tournament was Rosslyn Park and having reached consecutive finals confidence in the team was high. In our first match against enstone College we took an early - lead only to allow them back into the game and eventually lost the match 7- . In our second match against RGS Guildford we got off to a poor start conceding three converted tries. The boys worked hard to get themselves back into the match and pull level at 2 -2 only to concede a try with the last play of the match. We finished the tournament well with good wins against Monkton College and St Peter’ s York.
Our s started the aily Mail Cup with a convincing win against Lacon Childe School in the first round. In the next round they played a tough match against local rivals Malvern College in a game Bromsgrove won 22- 2. In round three the team were again drawn against another local team RGS Worcester, winning this match 27- . Bromsgrove had a bye in the fourth round meaning a fifth round tie against Warwick School. Having lost to Warwick already in the regular season this was always going to be a close match. The game lived up to expectations and Bromsgrove finally won 7- . Round six saw the team play Ellesmere in what proved to be another even match with Bromsgrove hanging on at the end to secure a 7- victory. In round seven there was a very physical Bedford Modern side. Bromsgrove created chances but failed to convert them leaving the final score 2-7 to Bedford. This was a very disappointing defeat but several of our boys gained the valuable experience of playing in the cup which will hold them in good stead for next year’s competition.
Rosslyn Park Our team went to the Rosslyn Park Sevens Tournament on the back of a difficult regular season but performed exceptionally well to win their group undefeated beating Barry, Magdalen College, Rossall and Trinity School Croydon with the boys playing some very good sevens.
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
ext was the Fylde Tournament, where we played some of the best sevens rugby in the group stages, winning all of the matches against Ampleforth, Silcoates and Cardinal ewman. In the first knock out match we played Kirkham Grammar and after taking an early 2- lead, it was disappointing to lose the match - 2. We then dropped into the bowl competition in our opening match we played Ampleforth again and continued our good form to beat them for the second time. In the quarter-final we played a very physical Welbeck College however beating them to earn a place in the semi-final.
MC
Squash
Swimming
The Squash team have had some interesting fixtures this season against schools in the locality. There have been good results on the whole and we have been able to give some of our younger players match play experience.
It has been yet another very successful year for the Bromsgrove School Swimming team. We started strongly beating Shrewsbury - 2, and Repton . Both teams also had a strong win against King Edwards VI Camp Hill before winning against Warwick and Stowe. The girls’ team came a respectable second place against Warwick and Stowe in a close fought competition.
There were good wins against Wrekin School and Shrewsbury School both home and away but we were never able to get the better of Cheltenham College. The team captain Josh Hutchings was awarded his Major School Colours. There will be an boys team in the ational Schools Competition next season due to the fine form of two of our youngest players, James Middleton and Felix Chan.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
F A uinn
The annual Invitational Relays Competition took place in our newly refurbished pool. The standard of competition was very high with schools competing for the trophies. Bromsgrove’s best performances of the day came from the boys’ squad who attained gold medals in both the medley and freestyle relays beating Marlborough College, Abingdon, Warwick and Repton in the finals. The girls’ team attained silver in both disciplines, the boys achieved two bronze medals and the girls a bronze in the freestyle. The Warwick s were next with strong opposition including Whitgift, Harrow, Loughborough Grammar, Abingdon, Solihull, St. Martins, KES, South Hampstead High, Bedford, Oundle, Kings High, Cheltenham College, orthampton High and the hosts competing.
Impressive performances were put in by Sophie Haycock-Jones in the 2 m IM, an Ruckwood, m backstroke, Jack Weston, m backstroke and the boys medley relay team all securing gold medals. In addition to this we attained six silver and ten bronze medals. Sophie, an and the relay team all achieved School records in the process. The Otter and Bath relays took place in March down at Crystal Palace in London. There were seventy-two schools from all over Britain contesting for the title including Eton, Harrow, Charterhouse, Marlborough and Stowe. Our boys’ squad was placed a very credible ninth and an Ruckwood, Richard ubal, Jack Weston and Jack Slattery broke the School x m freestyle relay record in the process. The girls’ squad finished th overall which was also a noteworthy achievement. We had a very successful afternoon attending the Stowe Invitational Relays attaining eight gold medals in total. We were victorious in the senior boys’ medley and freestyle relays, senior girls’ medley relay, inter boys’ freestyle relay, junior boys’ freestyle and medley relays and junior girls’ freestyle and medley relays. Bromsgrove also attained a silver in the inter boys’ medley relay and a bronze in the senior girls’ freestyle relay.
Yet another successful gala was the ewcastle-under-Lyme Invitational Relays. After very competitive finals, silver medals were won by the medley relay and freestyle teams and a bronze for the freestyle squad. Boys’ swimming captain an Ruckwood competed in the London 2 2 Olympic Trials hoping to gain a place in the Great Britain Team for the 2 m Backstroke. Setting a solid time in the heats, an qualified for the semi-final which was televised on the BBC. espite being placed fifteenth overall this was valuable experience which puts him in good stead for future competitions. In Feburary Bethan Luckman travelled to Geneva with her swimming club Camp Hill Edwardians. She swam in the Internationaux de Geneve. She competed in the m freestyle and butter y as well as m freestyle and butter y. Beth performed well in all her heats against strong opposition. This was an excellent experience for Beth who was swimming against swimmers from all over Europe.
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Outside the School team, a number of Inter-House swimming competitions have taken place. The junior House competitions were won by Oakley for the girls and School House in the boys’ competition. The senior House competition was won by Hazeldene for the girls and School House again in the boys’ competition. The Hong Kong Salver for m backstroke was won by Fraser Bales. Sophie Bales and an Ruckwood Captains
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
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Boys’ Tennis
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Both the first VI and the second VI have had a successful season and offer boys tennis at Bromsgrove School a very promising future with new players such as Vincent Yau, Jonas Barakauskas, James Skinner, Lorenz Schuwerack, Gregory Kozhinov, Alex Griffiths and Harrison Hill joining the squad. Our first match was against KES, despite not being able to make the match I was given very positive and hopeful feedback from both the team and Mr Bell. It was a difficult match for the first VI with a narrow defeat of only one set but special mention goes to Charles Hill and Vincent Yau who managed as the first pair to win all of their matches. The second VI won their match with great performances from Lorenz and Greg. Our next match was at Repton, but only when we arrived at the School were we told it was called off, and so a disappointed team started heading back to the coach. The trip was not a total disaster however, as a charming Mr Bell managed to sweet talk some of the dinner ladies at Repton and got the team some cake which put a smile back on all of our faces. The sun always shines when the Bromsgrove School boys go to Trent and nothing changed this year, with an outstanding victory for the first VI and second VI of 7-2.
Thanks to Ivan Popov (Wendron-Gordon) in the Lower Fourth for stepping in last minute and still managing to win all of his matches. Our final match against Warwick was called off due to rain but our season did not end on a low thanks to Mr Coates’ training sessions, which proved to be successful all season and kept the team’s spirits high. The team will miss Mr Coates’ unorthodox training sessions next year, which included playing triples rather than doubles. It somehow worked and helped the team bring back the wins while keeping a smile on our faces and we all wish him every success in the future at Oundle. Mr Bell is on the lookout for a new coach, so those willing to take on the challenge.....apply now. Charles Green Captain
Girls’ Tennis First team matches have been closely fought and sometimes narrowly lost against schools such as Clifton College. In the matches against Bloxham and Tudor Hall, the team showed some of their best tennis, and the overall wins of 7-2 and respectively were well deserved.
The 2nd girls’ tennis team have fought hard this season and have won matches against Tudor Hall, Clifton College, Malvern St James and Oundle.
The junior teams have had mixed success this season, winning approximately half of their matches. The team was been led superbly by Millie oherty, ably supported by Katie Walker, Katherine Hill, Ellie Saker, Phoebe Schofield and Phoebe Martyn-Smith. They had victories against Bloxham, Malvern St James and Oundle. The team won matches against Bloxham, Rendcombe College, Malvern St James and King’s Worcester and a special mention should go to Abigail Henderson who has played superbly well for the AEGO Cup team. The cup team, captained by Millie played extremely well beating RGS Worcester, The Chantry School, and Malvern St James A’ and B’ to progress onto the Regional round in September. This is the first time in recent history that the Cup team has achieved this much success in a ational tournament. S Franks
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
After the Clifton match we sadly lost our captain, Theresa, as well as Louisa Schuessler as they were IB students. This meant that the rest of the team had to rally together and play well for each other. The weather was not always kind to us, resulting in two of the matches being called off. Whilst the final score has not always re ected the game itself, their spirit and effort remained consistently outstanding. Many of the first team players trained on a weekly basis with the tennis coach, Richard Lawton, over the winter months and it was clear that the overall standard of play had benefitted from this. We were match fit and tactically more aware as soon as the matches started after Easter. Alongside Theresa and Lizzie, Lydia Trow, Ellen Lockhart, Pippa Brock, Amy Foster and Marie Masten all stood out as excellent first team players.
It shows that the team had good strength in depth and on many occasions some of these girls stepped up to hold their own within the first team when required. Abigail Griffiths and Hannah Trow certainly wouldn’t look out of place as first team players and hopefully can fight their way into the top team for next season. The highlight of the term was most definitely a - victory away against Malvern St. James School.
OBIT ARIES
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Obituaries John Hegan (Lu d. 2 2
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)
John Hegan died on th June 2 2 having lived for senventy-seven years with Type diabetes. His brother avid sends his best wishes to all his old colleagues who are still alive.
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Provided by Sue Bones ( aughter of John Hegan)
Robert Hurst (E d. 2 2
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After leaving West House School Robert went on to Bromsgrove where he enjoyed the academic life and in addition excelled at sporting activities especially rugby, hockey, swimming and shooting at Bisley. He also furthered his love of classical music at Bromsgrove and spent many hours playing the chapel organ there his passion for organ music continued to be his main hobby throughout his life. His other great fascination was in Radio Communications with many stories being told of wires being hung up in the dormitory Robert soon passed the exams to be a licensed Radio Ham’. Hence when joining the army he went into the Royal Signals with most of that very happy time spent in Paris at SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) under the watchful eye of Monty’ After this Robert started a career following in his father’s footsteps with F. W. Woolworth. He worked very hard and was quickly promoted to become their youngest Store Manager. He married Ruth in 2 and subsequently they enjoyed fifty very happy, fulfilled years together.
Amanda their daughter arrived in and Robert wanted to enjoy a settled family life with more home time so he joined the financial world with Save Prosper. Here he was very successful and later went on to become an Independent Financial Adviser which he continued with until 2 when he retired. These years gave Robert time to be with his family, when he was always at his happiest - especially being with his beloved grand-daughter Rosie-May who kept him young at heart and always active He also continued enthusiastically with his other various interests piano and organ playing, amateur radio, reading and adventurous foreign travel including Egypt, India and China to name just a few of the countries visited. Robert was always a very charismatic, sociable, extremely popular and greatly respected man with a sharp mind. Family and friends all loved his excellent sense of humour and witty retorts coupled with the broad smile and twinkle in his eye that greeted them.
After a very brave fight with cancer over a four-year period during which he remained dignified throughout, Robert very sadly died on ovember 2 th 2 aged 7 . He led a full and joyful life and is hugely missed by everyone who was fortunate enough to have known and spent time with him. He was and will always remain a unique and very special person - the loss of whom leaves a gap that can never be filled. Provided by Mrs Amanda Kennedy
Guy Jarrett (Former Staff) d. April 2 2
Christopher Jordan (S d. 2 2
Guy Jarrett, Former Head of Classics and Housemaster of Elmshurst, sadly passed away in April 2 2 he was ninety-seven. Guy was a member of the teaching staff at Bromsgrove from until his retirement in 7 .
Christopher attended the Senior School from September to July and was a member of School House. He was a very sociable, friendly and witty member of our community and served it with distinction, not least our Memorial Chapel where he sang in the Choir and was Chapel Warden. He was very involved in our Conservation Corps too.
uring his time at Bromsgrove he was amongst other things, Head of Classics, Housemaster of Elmshurst and was very involved with hockey both at the School and after retiring. A family cremation followed by a Thanksgiving Service was held on Thursday th May 2 2 at at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Tardebigge.
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Christopher was articulate in argument and enjoyed debating for House and School. His real love at School was the Arts and he appeared in the major School production in each of his five years including Iolanthe, The Crucible, Pilgrim’s Progress and Orpheus in the Underworld. He loved acting, singing and performing. He was a showman.
Chris taught History and Religious Studies at Golden Hillock School in Birmingham and led many extra-curricular trips. The School closed in his honour and tributes by their Head Teacher and two pupils revealed the great affection in which Chris was held. A House is being renamed Jordan House. He clearly made a difference to, and touched, many young lives at that school. We offer our sincere condolences to Chris’ family and to his mother Helen. Provided by Philip Bowen, eputy Headmaster SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
If we partly judge people by how we feel after we have met with them then Chris always brightened the day with his cheerfulness. He was a very special person to School friends and this sudden loss was a grievous blow to many. James Meredith paid eloquent tribute at the funeral, Ian Adams (Head of House) returned from Australia to read the lesson. ick Wells of Lupton also read.
Philip Bowen delivered a tribute on behalf of the School.
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Obituaries Sally Mansfield (nee Maycock, Oa 85-89) d. 10/08/2012
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
At School, Sally was a fun-loving, mischievous, active member of Oakley House and very attached to WendronGordon. She became a School Monitor and Head of House. Sally enjoyed all aspects of School life, especially the sport (captaining the 2nd XI tennis) – she was fiercely competitive and always encouraged others to achieve their best. She is remembered by her contemporaries as someone who would ask a hundred questions but never wait for the answer to the first before asking the next. As a School Monitor and Head of House, she could be heard calling the juniors to “pull their socks up” – never forgetting that she knew all their tricks better than they themselves did. She was often known to take the LIV Form out on an early morning run – but she would be there joining them rather than disciplining from the sidelines. Sally loved life and she loved people –she always wanted to be the centre of whatever was going on. Sally had a zest for life, and that didn’t change when she was faced with a diagnosis of terminal stomach cancer. She would arrange her chemo sessions
Major Tom Prentice (S 35-40) d. 17/10/2011 late in the day so she could fit in a run or a bike ride first. Her hospital room then became the social centre for the rest of the day and nurses could be heard to say, “It’s standing room only in there”. What amazed so many was Sally’s courage - she never complained about her diagnosis and she wasn’t afraid to die. Her ability to enjoy all life had to offer her, but also to face death without fear was all due to her trust in the Lord Jesus. She knew that each day was a gift from God and she trusted and accepted His perfect plan for her. For the last twenty years of her life, Sally was married to Christopher and lived in Guildford with their four children – Daisy, Archie, Noah and Freddie. Her funeral took place in St Saviours’ Church, Guildford where she was very much part of the church family. Old Bromsgrovians present at the service included her sister Katie Wadsworth (nee Maycock), as well as Sacha Hunter (nee Reynolds), Andy Richards and Sophie Mutimer (nee Bromwich). Provided by Katie Wadsworth (nee Maycock), sister of Sally Mansfield
The death of Tom Prentice on 17th October 2011 at the age of 88, peaceful and in his sleep, after a quiet, enjoyable evening at home, brings to an end a good and generous life. It also all but closes an important chapter in British and Indian History. Tom Prentice was one of the last survivors of those who joined up in the Second World War and proceeded to a commission and service in the Indian Army. In Tom’s case, his service was in the Kumaon Regiment (in 1942, known as the 19th Hyderabad). Now established as the Kumaon and Naga Regiment, it remains a distinguished formation of the Indian Army. A touching sign of the strong, affectionate links that persist to this day with the Indian Regiments which trace their life back before 1947 is that, on the day of Tom’s death, a small group of members of the Kumaon Regiment Association, including another 88 year old officer who also served in India, was setting off as honoured guests to the Regiment’s reunion at its centre at Ranikhet, Kumaon.
For fifteen years Tom was the treasurer, then secretary, of the KRA, becoming a father figure to those who had served in India and their families. He generously passed on his deep knowledge of the Indian Army, India and the North-West Frontier to the children of his fellow officers as they became family members of the KRA. Thomas Anthony Elliot Prentice was born on 15th December 1922 in Leicester, along with his twin brother Robert, who died some twenty years ago. He was educated at Bromsgrove School. His father, Douglas, captained the England Rugby team and the British Lions. He became secretary of the Rugby Football Union at Twickenham. To the end of his days Tom lived in a flat rented from the RFU. Tom, and Bob joined up in the Warwickshire Regiment in May 1941. After initial training in England and a year at the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun, Tom was commissioned in September 1942 in the 19th Hyderabad, renamed Kumaon Regiment in 1945 at the suggestion of General Auchinleck.
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He was a devoted Christian, who supported and encouraged those of all faiths to follow their lights and moral conscience. He was inspiring in an unaffected way.
After Indian Independence in 1947, Tom worked as a tea planter in North East India. He hankered after army life. For three years he served in the British Army in the Royal Army Service Corps, including two years in Egypt. Returning to Britain, he was in Parliament Square for the Queen’s Coronation on 2nd June 1953. Soon afterwards, he became assistant secretary of the Football Association, where he spent the rest of his working life.
‘That time of year thou mayst in me behold, When yellow leaves, or non, or few do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.’
Tom’s nature was exceptionally gentle, kind and thoughtful. He had an invincible sense of what was true or false, good or bad, right or wrong.
A few years ago, on a cold day in October, Tom looked at a clump of aspen trees. A few withered leaves, softened by the sunlight, were rattling in the breeze. He quoted:
Tom said that, like many of his fellow officers, he had taken Palgrave’s Golden Treasury to India. From that little book, in a hill fort between India and Afghanistan, he had learned Shakespeare’s 73rd sonnet, which enabled him to express so eloquently his feelings about his advancing years. On the same day he spoke openly of his faith in Jesus Christ.
As his faculties failed, his kindly nature remaining unchanged, Tom was cared for devotedly by his friends from the RFU, Eileen and Richard Churchill and their sons, Harry and George. For years their dog, Taffy, became Tom’s constant, beloved companion. On the day of Tom’s death Mrs Churchill said, “The world is a sadder place without him.” Tom had no near family. He will be missed by a wide circle of friends here and in India, and by all associated with his Regiment, including the few who served with him. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. Provided by John Symons, Friend of Tom Prentice John Symons is the author of ‘Stranger on the Shore’ which Tom helped to compile. It tells the story of his father’s life in India between 1922 and 1947.
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He served at Agra, and at Razmak and Kohat on the North West Frontier. In the course of those years he visited cantonments and forts which are a roll call of action in the history of the Indian Army. Until late in his life, Tom was able to give instructive and thoughtful commentary on battles as they were being fought in the 21st century by the British and Coalition forces on the borders of Afghanistan.
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Obituaries Prof Merrick Taylor OBE (E 50-54) d. 14/02/2012
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
The motor manufacturing industry is in shock, mourning the passing of one of its brightest Captains of Industry in a tragic road accident whilst airing one of his favoured classic sports cars. Birmingham-born pre-World War II, his origins encompassed Irish academics and a family bloodline to the renowned explorer Ernest Shackleton. His Irish parents had established a home with consulting rooms in the leafy Georgian suburbs of Edgbaston, with his father plying his medical talents as an eminent obstetrician creating a lifestyle to underwrite the education of their three daughters at Edgbaston High School and their two sons at Hallfield School, followed by Bromsgrove Public School in Worcestershire. His early years found him considering a career as an actor and with his near six-foot stature and distinctive wavy hair coupled to steely determination we may have seen a contender for Lesley Howard or Ronald Coleman screen roles. Parental guidance forced a re-think and with an acknowledged academic streak confirmed by attaining eight ‘O’ levels at Bromsgrove, fatherly pressure began pointing to the law and the economic advantages of supporting an expected marriage and family life.
Demonstrating his ‘streak of steel’ personality he eventually stood his ground informing his aghast parents and disbelieving siblings of his intention to be a motor engineer. He obtained entrance to Birmingham Technical College, graduating with his O.N.C. mech.eng. the first of a string of honours and doctorates achieved throughout his lifetime culminating in the national honour of the OBE for services to Industry & Design. Whether prompted by the adventurous DNA of his Shackleton bloodline he was drawn to the glamour and technical challenges of the world of motor sport which became a lifelong passion and following a three year student apprenticeship with the ROVER Company, Solihull, he joined the entrepreneurial race car builder Cyril Kieft as a hands-on mechanical engineer plying his creative talents into the creation of the early post war 500cc single-seat racing cars. The Kieft 500 was a revolution in the hands of the legendary Stirling Moss and by a long and tortuous coincidence it eventually returned to Merrick Taylor’s ownership years later, where he lovingly rebuilt it and re-united it with Stirling at a memorable This is Your Life evening at the Coventry Motor Museum.
Having achieved the role of General Manager at Kieft his talents were courted by Orton & Smith of Willenhall where he was installed as Works Director developing his ‘hands-on’ talents of both engineering and people management before joining Kenham Tools & Pressings in Aston, Birmingham as Production Manager, absorbing more skills and providing the foundation for his later career growth and ultimate success. Responsibilities towards his marriage, two daughters and lifetime companion Gisela, prompted the step to take the role of P.A. to the Managing Director of Motor Panels (Coventry) Limited, quickly becoming the Technical Director committed to develop strategies to market the technical and engineering capabilities of the company, whilst building up the strengths complementing its manufacturing ability. He established a design and engineering function that was eventually sold within the international market, demonstrating a world class standard and at the same time developing a design for a new motor panels standard cab for truck manufacturers which was eagerly bought by famed companies DENNIS, ERF, FODEN, FORD, Guy and many others.
Buoyed by business success his achievement was recognised by elevation to Managing Director, where he continued to steer the company into a continuous stream of successes, expanding sales ten-fold and becoming the largest independent cab designers and manufacturers in Europe. Under his leadership they began winning Design Council and IBCAM design awards. Over a period of fifteen years every product produced by Motor Panels won a major International Design Award. The company became automotive class leaders for short lead times in Europe, nailing the Land Rover Discovery project in two years from design to manufacture. During this time as a major Coventry employer he donned his community hat and joined forces with Coventry City Council to underwrite the World Motoring Centenary Celebrations on the streets of the City and undertook the annual sponsorship of the successful Motor Panels Coventry Shakespeare Run, inviting employees, their families and industry leaders as guests to the historical spectacle, promoting the history of Coventry Car Manufacturing.
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A valuable PR Tool for the company, the funding remained constant under his enthusiastic support of the event, which he personally entered and drove one of his road registered sports racing cars with much gusto and unconcealed joy. He became Chairman & C.E.O. of the Motor Panels Group handling the transfer from the Rubery Owen Group, who had been responsible for the building of the BLUEBIRD, the Land Speed record contender driven by Donald Campbell CBE, providing a notch of historical pride for the Motor Panels Group.
His charm and unique dynamism found his expertise and forthrightness well received as he served on the Council of the S.M.M.T, The Design Council, The West Midlands Industrial Development Board, Governor of Coventry University and De Montfort University, Royal College of Art and The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers & Coach Harness Makers and many other committees, whilst his numerous Professorships give major credence to his intellectual abilities. Since his retirement he had inevitably been as busy as ever, through his consultancy work he drew on a lifetime of successful achievements, helping to rescue East European Car Manufacturing and in recent years as an advisor to a Middle East Gulf State. His passion for all things motoring and his business success allowed him to indulge his interest in racing cars.
Merrick also had an enviable collection of classic vehicles garaged, which he worked upon with the fastidiousness that was typical of his nature. Frustrated not to have been a regular racing driver, he built friendships to allow his pleasure to be shared by entering in the Retro Mille Miglia around Italy in his favoured Jaguar ‘C’ Type and revelled in entering the charity fund raising rallies The Irish Jaunt, The Highland Fling and The Swiss Roll driving with great gusto, accompanied by his beloved Gisela as codriver / navigator. His 500cc Kieft and rare Formula Junior Taraschi have regularly been invited to appear at Goodwood in trusted hands and just to hear his glee at achieving a Class result was a joy, revealing his continuing childlike enthusiasm for the sport that had spanned his lifetime. Ironically, he was to lose his life in the cockpit of one of his favourite cars, prompting his wife’s observation tempering sadness with the words, “He left home to go for a drive and has driven direct to Heaven” – a remarkable woman, wife of a remarkable man.He leaves Gisela, his daughters Annette and Julia, sons-in-law Mark and John, his grandson Thomas and a galaxy of friends and admirers. Provided by Martin Hone
SENIOR BROMSGROVIAN 2012
Under his control The Motor Panels Group was featured as one of the best 100 companies to work for in the UK in the book of that name and subsequently joined up with the IAD Group, absorbing their International Design Division, with operations around the globe. The combination traded successfully securing substantial new business with major manufacturers including Aston Martin, BMW, Chrysler Ford and GM USA, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce and Rover with a turnover of £350m.
The Group became an acquisition target for Mayflower PLC and subsequently Merrick Taylor OBE became Chairman of Mayflower Automotive Products PLC from 1991 to his retirement in 1994, having set up major manufacturing units in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa and the USA.
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Obituaries Old Bromsgrovians who also passed away in 2011 & 2012: Peter Belcher (1948-1951, d. 5th September 2012) John Bird (Elmshurst 1930-1935, d. 25 July 2011) Peter Boffey (School 1944-1949, d. 22nd January 2012) Martin Byrd (School 1944-1949) Charles Cavill (Elmshurst 1971-1975, d.November 2012) Rex Clements (Lupton 1942-1947, d. 10th August 2012) Dr Donald Dabbs (Former Staff 19711976, d. December 2011)
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Nigel Dyer (Gordon 1944-1949, d. 11th November 2011) Tim Elliot (Lupton 1953-1958, d. 8th May 2012) Desmond Harrison (Elmshurst 19361941, d. 28th November 2010)
John Holgate (School 1936-1941) Dr Gerald Shirley Jones (Lupton 19381943, d. 27th April 2012) George Kneale (School 1955-1960, d. 19th December 2007)
Editor’s Note: With apologies, we were only recently notified about Mr Kneale’s death
Richard Legg (Elmshurst 1949-1952, d. 4th October 2011) Peter Lodge (d. 3rd December 2011) Ronald Miers (Lupton 1955-1959, d. 12th September 2011) Donald Mosses (Staff 1983-1988, d. 29th November 2012) Roger Trigg (Gordon 1955-1964) Dr John Trotter (School 1936-1941, d. 24th February 2011) Digby Trout (d. 29th January 2012)
Editor’s Note: With apologies, we were only recently notified about Mr Harrison’s death
Matthew Vickers (Walters 1982-1987, d. December 2011)
Norman Hickman (Elmshurst 19451953, d. 21st January 2012)
Grieg Woodward (Gordon 1942-1947, d. 13th April 2012)