Canfordian 2017-18 by Canford School

Canfordian The

2017/18

canfordian Contents Speech Day 2018 Salvete and Valete Academic Chaplaincy Pastoral Enrichment The Arts Activities and Societies The Bourne Academy Community and Partnerships Outdoor Enterprises The Canford Community Support Matters Sport The Summer Ball

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The Headmaster speaks This is an abridged version of the speech delivered by the Headmaster on Speech Day in June 2018. The sections omitted dealt largely with matters and events that are reported elsewhere in this issue of The Canfordian. There have been many fives in my life this year. I celebrated my fiftieth birthday. It is five years since I came to Canford as Headmaster. And it is 95 years since the foundation of Canford. Richard Knott, the school archivist, has shown me the first prospectus for the school, from 1923. Back then, there were 148 boys, almost all of them boarders. Only eight of them were in the Sixth Form, and eleven of them were under twelve years of age. There were 95 in the Shells and Fourth Form, and there were only nine teachers. The aim of our founder, Percy Warrington, was that Canford, then a dusty, rural boarding school, should take its place amongst the country’s leading schools. He recognised that it would take time but that great oaks – like Canford’s – from little acorns grow. The prospectus listed the school’s vision and ethos: all boys to receive individual attention and every effort made to encourage and develop the interest of boys in all directions; suitable instruction to be given whether they choose a university, professional or business career; the aim of the school is to fit boys to take their place in the battle of life and develop their character in every way. The practical offerings of Canford in 1923 were rather limited compared with 2018. It provided ‘a general education embracing both classic and scientific subjects’ – all of eight subjects. The arts were largely ignored, although a pupil could have music lessons at three guineas a term. There were Army and Navy classes as well as ‘traditional and recreational sports’, from which a pupil would be spared only by a formal note from the school doctor – a document that was notoriously difficult to obtain. Other extra-curricular activities included lectures on missionary work, travel and exploration. The facilities were basic and functional, but the prospectus proudly proclaims: ‘The sanitation has been carefully examined and is as perfect as the most recent knowledge and skill can make it.’ Much has changed since 1923, although there are elements of continuity as well: I can assure you, for example, that the sanitation is still top-notch. Such changes as I have introduced since I joined five years ago have sought to build on and enhance the strength and the quality of the education already in place. It has involved a big team effort and I have been fortunate to work with great colleagues, fantastic pupils and a wonderful school community. Today Canford is a school of over 650, 30% of whom are day pupils and 45% of whom are girls. Next year we will reflect on and celebrate fifty years of girls at Canford – we are a much better school for that co-educational approach! We have strong admissions lists and little space to accommodate more pupils. It is a nice problem to have but one we need to address, albeit in a limited way as we

have no desire to get much bigger. In terms of staff, the school has 475 employees, of whom 99 are teachers. Our vision and ethos are as clear and as strong as Percy Warrington’s were, if expressed differently: to inspire young people to embrace learning in all its forms and to use their educational experience to make a real and positive difference to their own lives and the lives of others. These are more than just words; they are the principles that inform and drive our energies and actions, and they represent the reality of the outcomes that we want for all our pupils. A recent entry in The Good School Guide read: ‘The whole place fizzes with activity from dawn to dusk… with its first-rate teaching, stunning setting and innovative ideas, Canford is definitely at the top of its game.’ However, we are not complacent about the need to reflect on, to review and to improve the education we deliver. The Independent Schools Inspectorate report on Canford published this year underlined our commitment to and fulfilment of the ongoing provision of excellent outcomes for Canfordians in academic and wider personal development experience. This is indeed central to everything that we do, and we do everything that we can to achieve it. We live in a changing and challenging world but, as in 1923, the key is to equip Canfordians with a wide range of skills and knowledge, with a strong work ethic and with a lifelong learning ethos. The traditional pathways through professional and, in some ways, personal life are changing, even breaking down. Canfordians need the confidence to adjust and adapt in different ways at different stages of life, and the education we offer needs to establish those foundations. On the academic front, we are constrained, whether we like it or not, by an exam-based system, but we always seek to challenge and stretch pupils beyond that. In the last few years we have been grappling with new GCSE and linear A Level courses, not to mention new grading systems at GCSE (which many people still don’t understand). All of this has provided challenges which staff and pupils have worked hard on together to overcome. We seek to instil an inspiring learning culture from day 1. This year we have introduced cross-curricular projects for the Shells, demanding both team-based and independent learning, and these have been very successful; pupils finishing their first year here have a better awareness and understanding of global issues. We have also introduced a literacy programme for the Shells because the more literate you are, the more you benefit in all areas. Outside the academic curriculum box, we offer across the year groups a plethora of intellectual opportunities, in which many pupils are engaged. Just a couple of weeks ago, we hosted a joint study day with Lower Sixth pupils from Canford, the Bourne Academy, the Ark Globe Academy in Elephant and Castle and Queen Anne’s, Caversham, focused on neuroscience and metacognition: how they learn and how they make their decisions. The afternoon explored newly emerging careers. Other opportunities

“He recognised that it would take time but that great oaks – like Canford’s – from little acorns grow.”

ACADEMIC

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“Embracing change is essential – you cannot stand still but must look ahead, look around and respond to what you see. At the same time, no community should lose those aspects that are vital for its heart and soul.”

have included the UK Maths Challenge, the Royal Society of Biology Olympiad, the Peterhouse Cambridge Essay Competition, the Junior History Essay competition, Physics CSI, the Baynham Essay Competition, the Year 10 Geography Photography Competition – the list goes on, as we challenge them to step outside the box and think differently. In terms of personal development, we have introduced this year a pupil leadership programme, which includes a new approach to pupil leadership and responsibility among senior pupils and aims to build a stronger formal but also informal leadership culture for all pupils. Our community partnership programme is thriving, with 245 pupils in 35 separate community placements. Internationally, Canfordians go every year to help in schools in India, Argentina and Ghana, and we hope to establish a link with a school in Cambodia. In educational terms, we are building links with the Hun School in Princeton, USA, and the Sagar School in Bhopal, India; we are exploring using technology to carry out joint study projects and are looking at physical exchanges in due course. Teachers have already connected remotely. This year saw the school play 819 fixtures across 22 sports, and almost every pupil represented the school at some level. The U16 girls deserve a special mention for reaching the national finals in both netball and hockey and winning bronze in the latter: third in the country is pretty good. In music there were 57 separate concerts. We had an amazing House Music competition, which is led by the pupils. The Soundwaves concerts of contemporary music, indoor and outdoor, were wonderful. Over 100 grade exams were passed, the majority with merit or distinction. In the theatre, there were many productions, big and small, including the Canford Drama Festival, which, like House Music, is driven and managed by the pupils and involves more than 200 of them. On stage, behind the scenes or in the band, 70 played a part in Cabaret at Christmas, while this term, a memorable junior production of The Wardrobe was staged by 50 Shells and fourthformers. The impressive set was the creation of a girl in the Shells, who won a competition to design it. The CCF, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and a successful Ten Tors, in which we entered three teams, have helped to build leadership, teamwork, confidence and resilience. There have been more than 50 academic, cultural, sporting and Outward Bound trips, in the UK and overseas. Where does all this lead? It is strong preparation for the next immediate stage after school, but well beyond that as well. The Upper Sixth group who leave us today have been aspirational and ambitious and have worked hard for each other; we have been excited about their achievements. Most have chosen to go on to university, and they have been extremely successful in securing offers from UK and overseas universities. Others are

looking at art colleges, music conservatoires, degree apprenticeships with global companies and other workbased opportunities. It is very important to find the right pathway for each individual and to give full support in whatever his or her ambition may be. A staff development programme is essential to ensure that the pupils’ learning experience is rich, relevant and up to date. We have a strong programme, with all teaching staff engaged in ongoing research or collaborative review of teaching and learning theory and practice. I have already mentioned the links with schools in the US and India, with whom we have shared videoconferencing to exchange ideas about how we can learn from each other to improve our craft. It is crucial to ensure a balance between change and continuity. Embracing change is essential – you cannot stand still but must look ahead, look around and respond to what you see. At the same time, no community should lose those aspects that are vital for its heart and soul; in terms of Canford, it is important that there are connections across the years between 1923 and 2018. The Old Canfordian Society drinks party at the Palace of Westminster earlier this term was a wonderful occasion as more than 200 OCs connected and reconnected, sharing memories of what has changed and what has not. Perhaps not surprisingly, attendance from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s was thin, but 53 of the 68 years from 1950 to 2017 were represented. I have also been privileged to meet many OCs, including Michael Toosey who attended Canford in the war years. His wonderful stories have been fascinating to hear and his generous support for bursaries has been greatly appreciated. [Less than a month after Speech Day came the sad news that Dr Toosey had died peacefully at home.] In the OC Society itself, there are exciting plans for the development of an extensive and integrated careers and networking service for all OCs. The OC Society is part of the Canford Community, and I should like to thank the President, Robin Wright, for his tremendous support. I would like to thank also the various parents’ groups who make up that Community for the hard work that they do in organising events where people can connect. One hundred years is looming – just five years away. As you know, we have plans afoot to enhance our dining facilities, for a new library/learning resource centre, to develop global links, to build up leadership and to use technology more effectively, and other plans are forming further back in the pipeline. Our Governing Body are very much on the ball and I thank them for their excellent support. We live in a challenging environment globally, in a time of political, economic and social turbulence and uncertainty. All the more reason for us to work together as a community to ensure that Canford thrives as a top independent school, as Percy Warrington’s vision wanted it to be. And that, I am sure, we will do.

Upper Sixth Latin Classical Civilisation History RS Geography English Creative Writing Hardie Prize for Humanities Hardie Prize for Academic Performance French Spanish German Chemistry Hankinson Prize for Biology Halahan Prize for Natural History Hardie Prize for Natural Sciences Hardie Prize for Medicine Physics Mathematics John Gilhooly Quaich for Computing Further Maths Hardie Prize for Engineering Business Studies Hardie Prize for Maths and Economics Economics Jones Prize for Politics Edna Adams Trophy for Debating Acting Drama Theatre Studies Fine Art Painting Tom Webster Art Prize FCS Prize for Design Technology Michael James Prize for Singing Eddy Prize for Music School Prize for Music Hardie Prize for Academic Performance Sports Science Sports Awards FCS Prize for Journalism Peter Dugdale Cup for Service to the Local Community Peter Dugdale Cup for Community Partnership Overseas Environment The CCF Benner Award Clive Mayer Memorial Trophy Tom Nash Memorial (Gap Year) Sophie Johnson Prizes Holford Prizes Heads of School

Kacper Kazaniecki Anna van Wingerden Madeleine Kearns Ned Vessey Luke Johnson Emily Balls, Jessica Crossman, Anya Kendall, Zoe Ko and Rosie Southgate Toby Brooks, David Bourne, Luka Corsovic, Thomas Davis, Brennan Dyball, Josh Effick, Dominic Hammond, Fergus Longbottom, Max Mallinson, Tom Mallinson-King, Javier Monroy Yepez and Yernur Niyetkaliyev Daisy Morse, Cosmo Hamilton-Davies

Lower Sixth Louis Ross Prize CP Snow Baynham Essay Prize

Robert Way, Matthew Ambrose-Hunt Fruin Mackillop-Hall Michael Bryan

Fifth Form Creative Writing Design History Coursework

Jessye Phillips Jack Salmon Finn Baker

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Prizewinners 2018 Ellie Dugdale Ned Vessey Ned Vessey Imogen Edwards Imogen Edwards Anna van Wingerden, Georgia Charlwood Georgia Charlwood Rowan Greenwood, Iona Sheerin Tasia Soskin Max Taylor Jack Taylor Thomas Alcock Thomas Alcock Natasha Treagust Harry Dodd Lucy Chapple Imogen Young Kacper Kazaniecki James Alner James Alner Tomos Williams Alby Stevens Jenny Hancock Poppy Pinner Oscar McLean Hannah Lynch Hannah Lynch, Ned Vessey Ned Vessey Madeleine Kearns Annabelle Budd Annabelle Woodman Chris Rutland Lily Lloyd Sam Simmons Chloe Gadd, Alexandria Eyre Alby Stevens Samuel Hopkins Samuel Hopkins Bethan Burley Bethan Burley, James Elwood Oscar McLean, Tomos Williams Georgia Hutcheon

Fourth Form Toby Bishop, Freddie Hurd-Wood, Georgina Litchfield, Emily Walster, Sasha Witter Shells India Herrington, Emma Jeffries, Milind Khashu, Jake McMillan, Rupert Peach

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Left to right: Ben Coward Patricia Gibbons James Ings Rachael Smith Laura Standley

Members of the academic staff who joined the Common Room in 2017/18 Ben Coward, BArch

Ben joined the Design Technology Department in 2018, after a twelve-year career in the British Army. As well as his teaching role, Ben is a House Tutor in School House, runs the Army Section of the CCF, takes an active part in school expeditions and coaches hockey. He currently lives on site with his wife, Laura (a GP), son Harry (4) and daughter Poppy (2). He happens to be an Old Canfordian, having left in 2001, and so is finding things interesting on the other side of the fence!

Patricia Gibbons MA, DPhil

Before joining the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department, Patricia was Head of Department at the Lady Eleanor Holles School, West London. She loves the outdoors – running, walking, nature-spotting – and enjoys writing. Since joining, she has contributed a number of articles to school publications and also to the Canford blog.

James Ings BA, PGCE

Jamie joined Canford after working for two years in Kent and completing the HMC teacher training programme. Studying an even split of human and physical Geography at university, he has a passion spanning the broad spectrum of the subject and teaches all year groups at Canford. Jamie loves to deliver field work, carrying out innovative

geographical research both in the UK and abroad. Jamie also coaches hockey at Canford and enjoys any opportunity to take pupils out running across the school site and beyond. He is currently the resident tutor of Court House.

Rachael Smith BSc, PGCE

Rachael has joined Canford as Head of Maths. Before this she was second head in Maths at a school in Bermuda, where she lived and worked for three years. While in Bermuda she developed a love of rowing and has continued this at the Canford Boat Club. Rachael is passionate about her subject and aims to share this love of Maths for Maths’ sake with all pupils.

Laura Standley BA , PGCE

Laura joined Canford fresh from completing her PGCE at the University of Oxford. She studied for her undergraduate degree in History at Oxford Brookes, where she specialised in studying the history of ideas, with particular interest in the history of the occult alongside a wide range of other topics. At Canford, she teaches both the Russian and the British sides of the A Level course as well as GCSE and Shell classes. Laura is a keen sportswoman and outside of the classroom, she coaches rowing.

ANDREW KIRKBY

KATE ORPWOOD

Andrew Kirkby retired from the Art Department after eleven years teaching at Canford. He worked with the team, integrating his interest in public art and sculpture into the curriculum, alongside teaching sailing and supporting co-curricular activities and residential trips. Andy has introduced the pupils to a range of materials and ways of interpreting and expressing their imagination, and has made the subject fun and accessible at every level. Pupils have had the opportunity to experiment with ceramics, metalwork and glass under his guidance. As a colleague he has been kind, supportive and creative and he will be missed. He has been responsible for the direction of House Art numerous times and in 2014 introduced pupils to the performance art of Tim Spooner. Since 2010 Tim has presented a series of ‘performed sculptures’ which fuse scientific experimentation together with puppetry. The reaction to his work manifested itself in a series of weird and wonderful house performances, and was arguably the strangest House Art competition. While teaching at Canford, Andy has maintained a professional career as a sculptor and artist. The sculptures produced from his projects often incorporate a surreal combination of found objects and made components, sometimes static but also with mechanisms to create movement. Amongst other commissions, he worked on the Boscombe Art Trail in 2010, designing and making seven distinct art installations, ranging from a three-metre-high helmeted octopus to a large marble captured by a park bench. The pieces reflect the ideas put forward by local residents of Sea Road and Undercliff Road, and Andy’s own distinctive approach to public art. His legacy remains in the sculptures and artworks that he produced with pupils, including an impressive mosaic now in the Classics Department and the latest creation, a ceramic tower of cakes, delicacies and little mice situated in the tower entrance. In the New Year he will be based near Limoges in France. As a professional public artist he continues to practise and is currently completing a commission for Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester: a monumental old oak tree inlaid with gold and mounted on a wheeled base will be installed in December 2018. Nicola Will

Anyone who doesn’t know Kate very well could be forgiven for thinking her to be a bright-blond butterfly, fluttering gracefully between the English and the Spanish departments, pausing briefly to expound on any one of her many enthusiasms with a brilliant smile before running off, bronzed legs flashing (I know butterflies don’t run – I’ve exhausted the possibilities of that metaphor), to complete, effortlessly, a fifteen-mile canter around the Dorset countryside. This image contains some truth, but as those who have known Kate well over the twelve years of her time at Canford can testify, there is a great deal of gravitas under the beautiful butterfly exterior. No pupil taught by Kate can have doubted for a minute her absolute mastery of her subject as well as her intense enthusiasm for it; nor, if they were unwise enough to test the boundaries of acceptable classroom behaviour, can they have doubted her steely ability to enforce a respectful working atmosphere. Kate’s teaching career before Canford took her all over the globe – one of her most important contributions to the department has been her insistence that we mustn’t lapse into the default setting of teaching only texts written in the English language by white male authors. Her international teaching career meant that she arrived here without a formal teaching qualification, but her determination to be the best possible teacher that she could led her to remedy this omission: a tough challenge when you’re working and bringing up two young children at the same time. Kate passed all the tests of her teaching ability with flying colours – which every pupil she’s ever taught and every member of the English and Spanish Departments could have told her she would. Kate has also been a keen supporter of the English Department’s philosophy of taking the subject beyond the classroom and an indefatigable participant in the many trips and evening events we’ve dreamed up. She is a true believer in the power of literature and the imagination to transform lives, and as a teacher she has spent her time here at Canford in passing that passion on to the pupils in her charge. Her years as an English and Spanish teacher here have also been years spent as a very popular and highly committed de Lacy tutor – as the resident tutor until the arrival of Millie and Ted meant a move to larger premises became necessary! I’ve seen generations of de Lacy girls going into Kate’s classroom for their tutorials, eager to seek

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Members of Common Room who left in June 2018

MARK REIDERMAN

Mark came to Canford fresh out of university to cover Mrs Naish’s maternity leave. After six weeks of observing lessons, he launched himself into a full timetable of every year group, from Shells to Upper Sixth. Luckily, this ‘sink or swim’ approach worked, and Mark’s combination of winning charm and deep knowledge of his subject ensured that the pupils quickly grew to love him – much to the chagrin, I should add, of those, like myself, who had also started at the same time but with less obvious success. In his second year, he added French conversation classes to his timetable, and also took on the position in Monteacute of Assistant Resident Tutor. Mark was as popular with fellow staff as he was with the pupils.This I put down to his winning combination of warmth, good humour, joie de vivre and compassion. A night in the Common Room with Mark – and there were many of those during his time here – was sure to be one filled with thought-provoking discussion, eager enquiry, and laughter. Mark has now moved to the sophisticated world of the North London élite, as he takes up a post at University College School in Hampstead. We are confident that his skills in powerlifting will be as valuable there as they were here, and send him on his new adventure with our warmest wishes. John Dant

CORINNE STONE

After well over 35 years in education, Corinne decided to retire from teaching and open another chapter in her life. Since her arrival at Canford she made an extraordinary impression, and her dynamic and pragmatic approach to teaching was appreciated by both pupils and colleagues. She brought enthusiasm, professionalism and a vast amount of experience that she shared amongst her colleagues, demonstrating that traditional teaching methods are just as effective now as they ever were. Throughout the years she has been an excellent colleague and friend, becoming one of the key pillars of the MFL Department.Very perceptive, Corinne demonstrated time and again a rare ability to read people’s personalities and characters. We will greatly miss her subtle sense of humour and her ability to cheer us all up towards the end of a long term. We wish Corinne all the best with her future projects in southern France, where she is renovating a property surrounded by vineyards. Perhaps in the not too distant future we will have the chance to taste the first vintage of a Château Stone? Fran Compan

STEPHEN WILKINSON

Before Stephen’s arrival in 1996, we were still hamstrung by caution and in need of his bold interventions from Down Under. Consider these fulsome statements of praise: ‘This man was going to take the school by storm’; ‘He brought with him many of the European ideas of intellectualism and sophistication’; ‘He made it manly to look at art’. These could have been comments gathered from Canford colleagues but, with minor adjustments, they are all

statements from Howard Jacobson’s Brilliant Creatures: Rebels of Oz about a group of illustrious Aussie imports, including Barry Humphries, Germaine Greer, Clive James and Robert Hughes. Stephen can match the best of them and he’s extraordinarily modest and self-effacing with it. He first came to Britain in 1982 as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and then went on to work at the famous European Energy Programme at Cern. He could easily have stayed in the rarefied scientific world, but Stephen thrived on company and wanted to pass on some of his expertise and learning through the British independent school network, an arcane system which had fascinated him from childhood days. He was a formidable schoolmaster at Cranleigh and Sherborne before he walked into Canford in his unique style in the autumn of 1996. I first recall his relaxed and informal manner when off-duty as he was the first to arrive for the Progressive Meal starter at our house. He simply drifted into the room in his baggy linen trousers and shirt, wandered around the house until he found the piano and started to play Bach from memory. I knew that someone special had arrived. That was the informal Stephen that has been a part of Canford’s social life since that day but there is also the more formal Stephen with his unsurpassed sartorial elegance: rumour had it that his brogues were hand-made by one of London’s top cobblers, and his suits were always impeccably tailored. It was very clear after Stephen’s arrival that he was not just Head of Maths but Head of Polymaths, too, as he became a regular pianist in concerts, speaker in Heretics discussions and director of theme weeks and days, as well as a boarding tutor in School House.Very soon, pupils picked up and spread a rumour that Stephen possesses a certificate to prove that he is officially a genius and that he has a reserved place in a bunker should there be a nuclear war. He of course would be far too modest, or perhaps too subtle, to spread such an idea, but he has created no reason since then for the myth to be disbelieved. Stephen’s style was not that of the tyrant and he was very trusting of new members of his department: a liberating mentor rather than a micro-manager. However he could be tough if required – remember that, like Clive James and other intellectuals, he had survived Australia – and pupils who were rude, bullish or sloppy were not spared the occasional sharpness of his invective. John Lever’s appointment of Stephen to replace Frank Ahern as Director of Studies in 2006 was a natural choice and Stephen proved more than capable of responding to the contrasting rigours of the job. As DoS, Stephen led us in his vision of true education while astutely tackling the everyday potholes and diplomatic challenges. The extraordinary hours he spent in his little office at the control desk are more than proof of his incredible powers of concentration. In fact, many colleagues who remembered some wonderfully zany evenings in his presence bemoaned the way a slightly more anarchic Stephen had gone temporarily underground. Some of those who don’t know Stephen so well may have been a bit terrified at those start of term meetings when the results were not quite at their brilliant best, but few would know the hours of thought and agonising that Stephen devoted to trying to solve these issues.The pressure that he put others under represented only a fraction of the lonely time spent analysing and castigating himself. All of us who have directed plays will miss Stephen badly in the Layard Theatre, not only for the plays he directed but also for his presence in the audience. Many

young actors have valued the little notes that Stephen used to send out the morning after the play. And the same would apply to musicians: here was somebody they respected for really knowing what he was talking about. And then of course there was sport – how could there not be for a proud Australian? Richard Knott complained at the times when Stephen came back to his office red and sweaty, but he was a seriously committed basketball coach and under his coaching, Canford sailing teams enjoyed enormous success. Of course he coached them, the sailors often to great achievements, but above all they had a lot of fun in the process of coming to understand each other. When colleagues faced illness and other problems, Stephen gave his support in his quiet but profoundly humane way and there are many in the school community who feel enormous gratitude for his often unnoted acts of kindness and compassion.This was the un-techy Stephen, who created events like Spirituality Week, and many former pupils and staff will remember the Green Chapel, the Buddhist monks, the meditation sessions. One evening in his last week at Canford, I saw Stephen in a situation where he was fully himself and I understood what he has meant to this place and how much we will miss him. At the Heretics meeting he spoke off the cuff about how we are members of both a physical and a spiritual world, the one following irreversible and finally provable laws, the other controlled by the human imagination and love. Which do we believe in? Can the two co-exist? It has been Stephen’s greatest achievement at Canford to prove that these apparently irreconcilable worlds can indeed co-exist. He has a unique place in the history of the school. John James

Left: Stephen Wilkinson

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her advice and tell her their tales of woe or success; they love her for her warmth, her interest in their lives and her determination that every female pupil should take seriously their mission to make the world a more egalitarian and compassionate place. No farewell to Kate could be without its reference to her inspirational role as a cross-country runner. Her sheer stamina has amazed us all and her enjoyment of the activity has been infectious – it’s no coincidence that the number of girls taking up the sport has increased significantly during Kate’s time here. Her faith in the power of running is almost equal to her to faith in the power of reading. William Blake said ‘Energy is eternal delight’ and these words by a poet she loves seem a fitting description of Kate, for everything that she has done here has been done with an intensity and conviction that generate their own momentum.There is no doubt that these qualities will shine on in Cordoba, where she goes to join her family and to teach: a dream fulfilled of raising her children to be bi-lingual and multi-cultural – and a dream fulfilled of running through sun-kissed landscapes…. Caroline Barrett

OTHER STAFF LEAVERS Alvaro Argüelles made a terrific impression from his first day at Canford. He was an exceptionally professional and an inspiring colleague in the Spanish Department as Language Assistant and Shell teacher. Charlie Bizley, a talented hockey coach, was in charge of the mighty girls’ U14B team and boys’ 2nd XI and accompanied the annual U14 Tour to Holland with aplomb. Penny Carpenter took on a number of roles within the Music Department this year: music theory classes, ABRSM aural training, music practice, as well as running the Concert Band. Amelia Johnson proved a natural in the classroom and made a huge impact in the Geography Department, teaching GCSE and Shell classes and joining the Sixth Form on their trip to Iceland. John Keen Tomlinson and Rosie Morgan provided invaluable help with rowing coaching, looking after Canford’s vibrant and dynamic boys’ and girls’ J15s. Sara-Jane Newenham came out of semi-retirement to join the Drama Department for a year. Her consistent support, level approach and experience has had a profound impact upon pupils. Jack Newton made the most of his year as ‘gaplain’ (grad assistant chaplain), throwing himself with energy and enthusiasm to all that he did, whether that was coaching rugby, tutoring in Franklin, speaking in chapel and Ichthyans or leading a bible study group.

Name Previous school Scholarship(s)

At 16+ Jessica Allen Tom Alner Michael Bryan Ruth Colvile Jorge De La Cruz Izzy Gamble Ellie Howd Helena Jackson Filipp Kapinos Finn Manley Lucy Prest Loveday Pride Izzy Pryce George Robson Luca Schiessl Deya Shergill Richie Steavenson Morgan Taylor Georgie Tovey George Vaughan Matt Wilkinson Giovanno Yan

Parkstone Grammar Poole Grammar Leaf Academy Devonport High School for Girls British School, Tokyo Ladies College, Guernsey Wycombe Abbey School Parkstone Grammar British International School, Moscow 8 Bournemouth School Queen Elizabeth’s School Parkstone Grammar Parkstone Grammar Poole Grammar de la Salle College, Jersey Godolphin Bournemouth School Bournemouth School Talbot Heath Millfield School St George’s International, Switzerland British School of Beijing

At 14+ Lucas Au Inés De La Cruz Rory Jones Michael Ma Anna Preston Hattie Tovey

South Island School, Hong Kong British School, Tokyo Marlborough College Shanghai United International School St Mary’s, Shaftesbury Talbot Heath

At 13+ Charles Allen Tom Amy Lloyd Armstrong Ben Ashton James Ashurst Oli Banyard Henry Barham James Barker Jamie Barrington Grace Betts Joel Bibby Bliss Billson Joseph Bland Eddie Bloxam Buzz Borneman Louisa Borneman Charlotte Brook Max Chapman Conor Charlwood Evie Chippendale Jenna Clews Eloise Cooper Amanda Cross Court Peter Croxford Alex Daniel Alex Daubeney Nathaniel Davey Tommy Davies Emily de Veulle Clara Doubleday Tim Downing Imogen Dunn Mimi Edsall Jessy Fairweather Angus Fenton Ines Ferard Sam Ford Jessica Fry Tabitha Fuery Josh Fulford Sebastian Gallego Archie Gardiner Beau Gater Roman Gill Lucy Hancock Richard Hare

Durlston Court St Michael’s, Jersey Castle Court Pilgrims’ Northcote Lodge St Neot’s Poole Grammar School Westbourne House Sunninghill Walhampton Bournemouth Collegiate School Dragon School Twyford Highfield Knighton House Knighton House Castle Court Durlston Court Castle Court Castle Court St Michael’s, Jersey Highfield Exeter Cathedral School Walhampton Perrott Hill Newland House Castle Court Monkton Prep St Michael’s, Jersey Dumpton Portsmouth Grammar School Perrott Hill Dulwich College, Singapore Queen’s College, Taunton Kellett School, Hong Kong Durlston Court Forres Sandle Manor Stroud Bullis School, Maryland King’s House Dorchester Middle School Castle Court Castle Court Durlston Court Castle Court St Michael’s, Jersey

Academic Academic Academic

Academic

Academic Assyrian Academic Assyrian

Academic

Design Sport Sport

Art Sport

Music Academic Academic Academic Sport Academic Art

Art Drama, Sport

Music

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Pupils who joined Canford during 2017-18

Name Previous school Scholarship(s) Alice Hazell Alice Herbert Amber Herrington India Herrington Harrison Hill Jake Holtby Lucy Hopwood Amber Howard Alicia Hudson Ollie Hughes Bella Hunter Aman Iftikhar Rosie Ireland Tommy Jack Sam Jefferson Emma Jeffries Llewellyn Johnson Millie Keen Jackson Kennett Hattie Kent Annabel Kersey Milind Khashu Sophie Knospe Matthew Kosgei Archie Liddle Flora Lingafelter Zara Macfarlane Lucie Marns Edward Martch Charlie Mason Louis McHamish Jake McMillan Charlotte Mendelson Raffi Mills Henry Moore Rebecca Morris Billy Noel Orlagh O’Donnell David Offer William Oliver Jude Organ Max Paget Rupert Peach George Peacock Finn Pearson Matilda Perei Giovanni Perin Sky Pilkington Jack Pocock Tommy Qian Juliette Quick Scarlet Raymond Darci Reeve Max Richards Finn Rogers India Rose Hamish Ryan Joanna Salmon Ben Shaw Jessie Shuttleworth Rory Smith Mary Sorokina Lottie Speers Bella Stanley Ellie Stocker Serene Tan Molly Taylor James Tazzyman Imogen Thomas Sam Thomson Lucy Thorne Jamie Tian William Timberlake Felix Tuck Fergus van der Flier Joanna Way Joe Webb Honor Williams Freddie Young Harry Young Luke Zamoyski-Freitag

Godstowe King’s Hall Centre Scolaire, Val d’Anniviers Centre Scolaire, Val d’Anniviers Twyford Dumpton Dumpton Port Regis Dumpton Willington Dumpton Sunninghill Dumpton Castle Court Daneshill Castle Court Edgeborough Chafyn Grove Windlesham Westbourne House Dumpton Castle Court Perrott Hill St Michaels Catholic College Castle Court Durlston Court Cheam Castle Court Bournemouth School Sherborne Prep Forres Sandle Manor King’s Hall Dumpton Walhampton Cheam Dumpton St Osmund’s Middle School Sunninghill Castle Court Poole Grammar Twyford Durlston Court King’s House Castle Court St John’s Beaumont Amesbury Giovanni Pascoli School, Italy Monkton Prep Daneshill Shanghai United International School Perrott Hill Walhampton Pinewood School Poole Grammar St Michael’s, Jersey Westbourne House Cranborne Middle School Castle Court Castle Court St Michael’s, Jersey Northcote Lodge Bournemouth School for Girls Walhampton Castle Court Windlesham Walhampton Dumpton Dumpton Windlesham Fulham Prep School Broadstone Middle School Shanghai World Foreign Language Middle School Westbourne House Elstree St Neot’s St Michael’s Middle School Dumpton Amesbury Castle Court Sunninghill Daneshill

Sport Sport Academic Academic, Sport Academic

Academic Academic

Academic

Drama Academic Sport Academic

Art

Music Academic

Salvete & Valete

Destinations of 2018 leavers

ACADEMIC

(This is the best information available at the time of going to press.)

Bath William Butt, Jennifer Hancock, Edward Wilkinson Birmingham Brennan Dyball, Louisa Fleming,Yernur Niyetkaliyev, Christopher Rutland Bournemouth Luke Wolferstan-Bannister Bristol Henry Bourne, Bennet Doxat, Imogen Edwards, Benjamin Krips, Nicholas Milton, Harry Minall, Josephine Smailes, Tomos Williams Cambridge James Alner, Natasha Treagust Cardiff Emily Balls, Daniel Beard, Olivia Ellis, George Hosking, Thomas Jack, Max Mallinson, Ned Mitchell, Benjamin Powell, Imogen Young Durham Thomas Alcock, Beatrice Fairbairn, Edward Vessey, Anna van Wingerden Edinburgh David Bourne, Anna Doyle, Jacob Hill, Hope Hollingbery, Claudia Jacobs, Sophie Rowlands, Wilfred Saunders, Hector Sonley Exeter Joshua Bale, Toby Brooks, Georgia Charlwood, Jennifer Jackson, Mark Juchniewicz, Christopher McIntosh, Luke Mehson, Javier Monroy Yepez, Samuel Simmons, Tasia Soskin, Jack Taylor, Robert Tolcher, Laura Younger Falmouth Lily Lloyd Harper Adams Joseph Kinnear Imperial Kacper Kazaniecki Kent Zoe Ko King’s College London Isobel Toovey Leeds Alice Ashurst, Jessica Crossman, Alice Marns, Sophie Nichol, Charles Pilato London School of Economics Xiaocao Cao, Oscar McLean Liverpool Thomas Mallinson-King, Oliver Rankin, Nina Rowley Manchester William Hurd-Wood, Tom Patrick, Rees Powell Newcastle Isabel Dixon, Eleanor Dugdale, Edward Kendall Nottingham Charles Dixon Nottingham Trent Freddie Martin Oxford Lucy Chapple, Samuel Hopkins Oxford Brookes Thomas Armstrong, Maximillian Bingham, James Elwood, Dominic Hammond, Maximillian Mourgue, Benedict Read-Ward, Lewis Wyatt Plymouth Fergus Longbotttom Queen Mary Shreerang Khambekar Reading Sophia Francis, Charles Martin, Iona Sheerin, Anouska Tucker Royal Holloway Louise Moakes, Alexander von Gemmingen School of Oriental and African Studies Georgia Hutcheon Southampton Thomas Davis, Benedict Longrigg Surrey Alexandria Eyre Swansea Isabelle Breakwell Warwick Hamed Abdulla Westminster Carolyn Hmicho York Daisy Morse Degree apprenticeship Poppy Pinner (Goldman Sachs) Overseas Hamburg University Luka Corsovic North Eastern University, USA Sam Richards Southern Methodist University, USA Bethan Burley Trinity University, USA Hannah Lynch Foundation/college courses Architects Association Art Foundation Built Environment Foundation Musical Theatre Foundation Royal Marines Officer Programme Vocal Performance

William Hedley Anya Kendall (Bath Spa), Rosie Southgate (Bournemouth), Rosie Spencer (Bournemouth), Annabelle Woodman (Leeds) William Evans (Oxford Brookes) Annabelle Budd (Reading) Cosmo Hamilton-Davies Chloe Gadd (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)

Applying or re-applying next year Freddie Axford, Olivia Barker, Archie Bateman, Harry Dodd, Thomas Doyle, Joshua Effick, Angus Hollywood, Iqra Iftikar, Luke Johnson, Madeleine Kearns, James Priaulx, Alexander Robertson, Liam Saw, Alby Stevens, Lauren Taylor

It was a busy year in the academic life of Canford. A Level reforms are now complete (although the Upper Sixth who left in June 2018 still had modular exams in Maths, Classical Civilisation, Politics and Design Technology), and the Sixth Form is beginning to change its rhythm. For the Lower Sixth, there is a little more space to continue those other activities that form such a precious part of our lives and memories at school, such as music, drama, games and community service. There is also the possibility of committing more heavily to academic research in the form of an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which can be life-changing for those pupils who discover the beguiling excitement of learning something new, by yourself, for yourself. The Summer Term is less packed, and although the need to prepare for the Lower Sixth exams is all the more vital, with fewer opportunities to practise exam technique than in the past, the end result has been a year that offered more stretch and challenge, in a wider variety of areas, than in the past. For the Upper Sixth, it has become more pressing that exam revision is begun early and continued fiercely until the bitter end. We are very pleased with the willingness with which the 2018 Upper Sixth took up this challenge, and their final results in A Level and Pre-U exams certainly showed that it was all worth it, with nearly 20% of all examinations graded A*, 53% graded A*/A and 78% A*/B. The significant increase at A*/A is very pleasing indeed and demonstrates a real difference in outcome, particularly as the difficulty in achieving the highest grades has increased further as a result of the continuing programme of A Level reforms and the elimination of modular examinations. There were many successes, at individual or subject level. Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Maths and Physics all recorded at least a quarter of all grades at A*, while Further Maths saw 100% and Chemistry, Computing and Maths at least 60% of all grades A*/A. Among the arts and humanities, 100% of Music candidates were awarded A*/A grades and Economics also had three in five of all grades at this level. GCSE reforms continue, prompting a general review of which qualifications we offer. Our aim is to use the specification that gives the best preparation for A Level, while also offering a stimulating course that stretches the most able and supports all as far as possible. Regardless of the qualification used, the fact is that taking exams in nine or ten subjects over a period of about a month is a very challenging prospect, and those who have been parents of fifth-formers will know how much stress it can generate. It is always with a sense of wonder that we see how positively our pupils react to these trying circumstances, and it is a real pleasure to see their outcomes – often beyond a pupil’s wildest dreams – after so much very hard work. The results this year are a combination of different grading systems with over 70% of all the examinations taken using the reformed grading measurements 9-1 (943 entries) whilst 30% were still on the A*- E grading system (396 entries). Direct combined comparisons across both grading systems are possible for A*/A and levels 9-7 and A*-C and levels 9-4. Gratifyingly, 70.3% of all grades were

A*/A or levels 9-7 and 98.7% of all grades were A*-C or levels 9-4. This shows that not only are we maintaining a strong performance across the board but also seeing a marked improvement at the top end. Notable were Chemistry with 52% of all grades at A*, Computing with 86% of all grades at A*/A, Geography with 87% of all grades at levels 9-7, Maths with 41 pupils achieving a level 9 grade and 41 pupils achieving a level 8 grade (62% of all entries at 9/8 from a cohort of 133), Latin with 70% of all entries (27 pupils) at levels 9-8 (this is a much improved performance from last year), Music with 46% of all entries at level 9 and Religious Studies where 24 pupils (57% of all entries) gained a level 9 grade and 98% of all entries got levels 9-7. Academic life is not all about exams, however. To many, the inner world of scholarship – the challenge of understanding a difficult idea, or of communicating one’s thoughts clearly and succinctly – provides a real source of joy and sense of achievement. We have been particularly pleased this year with the approach and gritty attitude shown by the Shells, who have been tackling a number of cross-curricular projects as part of our new Shell curriculum. Who would have thought that the President of the United States could be so effectively represented by an orange? But the ingenuity, tenacity and inner reflection demonstrated by so many of the projects produced – including the propaganda video just mentioned – have been a real source of pleasure to pupils and teachers alike. Alongside this, our new Reading programme has got off to a cracking start, so much so that we will be widening the programme to include the Fourth Form, too. Teachers and pupils read together in silence three times a week, and the competitions based around quizzes taken on the books read show just how much reading is going on in our Shells. The ‘Six Nations’ competition between the six Shell forms was won (unlike the better-known televised version) by England, represented by Shell O, in which the top scorer had read over 2½ million words since the start of the year! Whilst we are, quite rightly, proud of our pupils’ strong examination performance, it is just as important that they keep developing the character traits and qualities that enable them to be life-long learners and habitually develop a love of intellectual curiosity. Stephen Wilkinson, Director of Studies to 2017/18, and Ieuan Weir, Deputy Head (Academic) from 2018/19

“To many, the inner world of scholarship – the challenge of understanding a difficult idea, or of communicating one’s thoughts clearly and succinctly – provides a real source of joy and sense of achievement.”

Chemistry

Sadly (in some ways), examination results are always going to be the defining way of measuring the success of a department and I am pleased to report that these continue to be as buoyant as ever. At A Level we once again celebrated almost a third of the candidates getting an A* and well over half getting an A or A*. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a great many pupils go on to study Biology or something related to it at university: this year 27. The GCSE results were also excellent despite the increased demands of a new course: we were delighted in particular for our 26 grade 9 candidates (something well above the old A*) and to get 88% grades 6-9. I am so pleased with all the hard work put in by both staff and pupils to achieve these fantastic results. Outside the classroom, we have continued to make as much of the school site as possible with regular excursions to investigate the biodiversity of the river, look at the bluebell woods and, as part of Spirit of Place, to drift-net the grass, sample the moth population and set pitfall traps. We took all the Fourth Form to look at sampling techniques at Studland and had our regular Sixth Form visits to Badbury Rings and a local farm. We were planning on going to QE with the Upper Sixth to do some advanced biotechnology, but sadly, the heavy snow in February meant this had to be cancelled. Through the kind donation of a current parent, we now have the equipment needed to run these experiments for ourselves in future. Despite all this activity in Dorset, the highlight of the year was without doubt the expedition to Malaysia. Three staff and sixteen fifth-formers and Lower Sixths flew out to Singapore on the morning after Speech Day. From there we headed into Malaysia, visiting mangrove forests, rocky shores and an amazing school for Rohingya refugees. We then spent several nights on the remote island of Tioman, trekking through the rainforest, snorkelling through mangrove forests and over coral reefs, trying out local food, crafts and games and doing a beach clean and some reef reconstruction. The variety

On consecutive Thursdays in August every year, I wake up in a panic at 5:59am (one minute before my alarm goes off) after a dreadful night’s sleep, believing that this year is the one that the Chemistry results have fallen off a cliff. I know that I shouldn’t worry, mainly because, by then, there’s absolutely nothing that I can do about it. Yet, no matter how much the Headmaster protests that it is not the case, the results are important – but not, primarily, to the school and the department. They are far more important to each individual pupil who has striven to reach his or her target grade and been helped in the process to get perhaps a B at IGCSE or the A* at A Level needed to achieve a place to read Medicine at university. This year’s A Level results were exceptional, with twelve pupils (almost 30%) achieving an A* and 68% an A* or A. These results were the department’s second best in the last ten years, which is even more remarkable given the fact that, until last year, the exams were modular and now they are linear, so require much greater long-term learning, and have a much greater mathematical demand. The IGCSE results were also incredible and maintained the high % of A*s (over 50%) and A*/As (80%). Most pleasing of all was that 96% of pupils got a B grade or higher, which is phenomenal. As usual, pupils entered a few national competitions, including the Chemistry Olympiad and the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge. Tom Alcock achieved a gold and Natasha Treagust and Sam Hopkins a silver in the former, while Max Glowacki was awarded a gold and Helena Jackson, Fruin MacKillop-Hall and George Robson a silver in the latter. As ever, the department helped prepare a few pupils for Oxbridge, but without success this year.

of fauna and flora was nothing short of stunning and it was incredible to see it all in its natural habitat. Our pupils got an excellent insight into the fragility of these ecosystems and loved getting close to incredible animals, particularly the sea turtles and black-tipped reef sharks. We also went to a turtle conservation centre and visited the mangroves on foot. From there we spent two nights in Singapore, visiting the botanic gardens and ‘Gardens by the Bay’: part of the famous Marina Bay Sands development. We finished with a fantastic meal at the historic Singapore Cricket Club, hosted by some very kind parents. This was quite literally the trip of a lifetime and our pupils left with some unforgettable memories. In 2018/19, Rob Hooker is taking an expedition to dive in the Red Sea, which should be equally impressive! As regards staffing, we are lucky to have an embarrassment of riches in terms of vastly experienced and expert staff. Rory Christopher joined us as a graduate assistant and has expanded his teaching role as well as becoming the resident tutor in Monteacute. We look forward to further great success! Ed Johnson, Head of Biology

ACADEMIC

ACADEMIC “The variety of fauna and flora was nothing short of stunning and it was incredible to see it all in its natural habitat.”

Biology

The department also continued its link with Southampton University with some twenty Lower Sixth pupils spending an afternoon extracting a chemical from nutmeg and using many modern techniques that will have improved their practical skills. At the end of the Summer Term, some pupils spent a few days investigating plastic waste on beaches around Poole Harbour. Tourists not using the bins caused the rubbish we collected at Sandbanks, but the beach clean in the harbour revealed much more sinister objects. I think the pupils’ eyes were opened to how much plastic there is in the seas, even around us, and that this is only the visible macro plastic waste. Woe betide anyone caught chewing gum in the Chemistry department this year! The reason that I am passionate about Chemistry is that I believe that it has such an important role in the future of all Canfordians. An OC, who didn’t study it at GCSE, contacted me the other day as he wished to have a major career change, aged 25. He now wanted to do Medicine but needed some Chemistry and so regretted his choice at the end of the Shells. I would hope that even those who do not engage with the subject at school might realise the importance of some of the global issues we touch on in lessons, sadly most of which are non-examined but are often the most interesting or, at least, challenge some of the pseudoscience so prevalent now on social media. Perhaps I might sleep better if that is the case – except of course for those two nights in August every year! Gary Shaw, Head of Chemistry

“The pupils’ eyes were opened to how much plastic there is in the seas, even around us, and that this is only the visible macro plastic waste.”

ACADEMIC

“Who knew chickens desired more aesthetically designed feeders?”

Design Technology Classical Languages and Civilisation

“The delicious feast supplied by the catering team ensured that the evening was filled with warmth, laughter and joy.”

It has, once again, been a busy year for Canford Classics. We have introduced a number of new initiatives, with the aim of increasing both the range of what we have to offer and the number of pupils engaging with the ancient world. In addition, of course, we aim to maintain and, where possible, improve what we already do. The Roman philosopher Seneca comments, truly, that principia totius operis dimidium: ‘half the entire task is the beginning’. But the flipside of that advice is often overlooked, that the unglamorous endeavour of maintaining what has already been begun is also work, and needs doing – and, above all, needs doing well. This year saw the introduction of ‘reformed’ examinations at both A Level and GCSE in Latin and Greek. We were lucky to have a range of hard-working sets this year, who engaged with the material and were not afraid to take on the new challenge without the familiar reassurance of banks of past papers. Very gratifyingly, the results in the GCSE Latin were exceptionally good, with over a third of pupils scoring the top grade of 9. It is the turn of Classical Civilisation to move over to the new system next year, so we shall await those results in anxious, but hopeful, anticipation. We continued our weekly Classics Outreach programme with local primary schools. As ever, our Sixth Form volunteers were great ambassadors both

for Canford and for Classics. We also maintained our regular programme of day and evening trips, visiting the British Museum and Oxford, and seeing performances of Euripides’ Bacchae, Aristophanes’ Lysistrata and Sophocles’ Antigone. We also, for the first time in several years, took a trip abroad, to Rome. The fifth- and sixth-formers who accompanied us on this trip were worked hard, but rose to the challenge magnificently and returned exhausted but fulfilled. One delightful innovation this year came on a dark night in early March, when the gloom and murk of that month were swept briefly away by the inaugural Canford Classics Dinner. All sixth-formers studying a classical subject were invited to this event, and we also had a full turnout from departmental staff. The theme of ‘gods and goddesses’ was reflected magnificently in the splendid costumes that everyone had made, the two best of which (Daisy Morse and Ellie Dugdale) were rewarded at the end of the evening with the prize traditionally awarded in the ancient Olympic Games: a flask of olive oil. In addition to the visual spectacle, we were treated to a very entertaining Cicero-themed Classics quiz by Freddie Axford and Ned Vessey, and the delicious feast supplied by the catering team ensured that the evening was filled with warmth, laughter and joy. Finally, we must record the small but significant staffing changes that have taken place in the department this year. All remains stable at the upper end of the school, but all Canfordians are treated in the Shells to a combined course of Classics, which involves tuition in either Latin or Greek alongside a bespoke course in Classical Civilisation. On the departure of Chris Thomas and Tilda Emlyn-Williams, both stalwarts of the team delivering this course, we needed to find some fresh blood: and what better blood could we find than former Head of Department Colin Wilson, who returned, like Cincinnatus, from retirement to save the republic? We also managed to persuade Katie Salmon to take on a class, so she has now added Classics to her bursting portfolio of Music, Maths and Philosophy. The department is richer for their arrival. John Dant, Head of Classical Languages Anna Berry, Head of Classical Civilisation

A new member of staff (Ben Coward), new technician (Will Powell), new GCSE and A Level syllabuses and a new head of department – it has certainly been a year of change. Many challenges but, more importantly, an opportunity to look at what we deliver and how. Good design is not only about solving practical problems and generating solutions, it is about trying to improve on what has gone before. Design Technology is unique in the school curriculum in that it poses pupils with practical challenges to which there is no single ‘right answer’ and which require both creativity and technical competence. September 2017 saw both a new GCSE and A Level syllabus being taught for the first time while our Fifth Form and Upper Sixth completed their final examination year in the outgoing syllabus. The A Level results were good with three As, three Bs and a C from a dedicated year group. Any Design Department wants to have an Upper Sixth year that the lower school can look up to as role models, and this year was no exception. They were visible out in the workshop and the way they approached work set the tone. Who knew chickens desired more aesthetically designed feeders? Jess Crossman took inspiration from the modern ‘Eglo’ designs for coops and extended the range into feeders. Sam Simmons’s time working with his local windsurfing club encouraged him to look at a wetsuit drier. His use of the 3D printer to produce his prototype certainly grabbed the attention of the lower school, who were often found gathered around the printer, watching his parts grow from the machine bed. The Fifth Form spent the majority of the year working on coursework, putting into practice all the techniques and knowledge gained in the lower years. Enthusiasm is key to getting the most out of the subject and pupils like Jack Salmon, with a clear goal and a dedicated approach, often have the biggest impact on a year group. His desire to make his own surfboard and ‘rip up the waves’ was a source of interest for pupils and staff alike. ‘EXR: Extreme Environment Robot’, our crosscurricular project with Computing and Business Studies, encouraged teams in the Shells to explore options with technology and mechanical design. Some outstanding successes and also some less so – all good learning experiences going forward. Our Fourth Form have been acquiring key skills and

knowledge in a range of mini-projects, allowing them to then apply this to their own coursework with informed decision-making. Our biggest change was in the Lower Sixth. The new A Level, with its final assessment at the end of the course and only requiring a single coursework project, allowed pupils to explore the subject in greater depth. Key to this was the introduction of the Land Rover 4x4 challenge into the first term’s work. Our professional team performed very well in the regional heats, being particularly praised for their presentation. They won through to the national finals, where although the performance of the vehicle was not as desired, valuable lessons were learnt about resilience and perseverance. Our junior team won the regional entry class and aim to compete in the development class in 2019. The relevance of design to society has never been more important: development of electric cars, increased awareness of environmental issues, the ever-increasing technology in every aspect of our lives, the importance of design and manufacture to the economy. We have an interesting year ahead with a diverse selection of projects of their own selection in the Fifth Form and a large cohort of enthusiastic Lower Sixths embarking on the A Level course. Jonathan Martin, Head of Design Technology

ACADEMIC

“An enduring memory will be of the almost balletic gavotte of scores of computercontrolled robots assembling and spot-welding the basic parts of each vehicle.”

Economics and Business John Maynard Keynes famously wished for his trade to be less spectacular, less sensational, less traumatic: ‘If economists could manage to get themselves thought of as humble, competent people on a level with dentists; that would be splendid.’ If he were alive today, he would be more than a little disappointed – but never traumatised, for Keynes was the ultimate pragmatist. However, the discontinuities that beset the world today, both at an international level and even in the microcosm that is Canford, would have caused him no little sadness. At a macro level, the ructions of Brexit roll on inexorably and (seemingly) without any real end in sight; the UK’s citizenry face their very own Groundhog Day. And more globally, the spat between Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jin Ping, over ‘unfair practices’, and the resulting imminent sanctions, threaten the very real possibility of a trade war that could engulf the entire world economic order. Even a Lower Sixth ‘newbie’ will tell you that these tit-for-tat escalations very rarely end well for anyone. Meanwhile, in South Dorset, this butter-fingered author has managed to let slip yet another valued team member, with Andy Kerr heading off for pastures new last Christmas. Thankfully, we had our very own whippersnapper waiting in the wings, and as of September he is our new full-time colleague, so welcome aboard, Mr James Ladd Gibbon. The year also saw another new-for-old venture, as

our Lower Sixth business pupils traded the smoke stacks of Castle Bromwich for the leafier pastures of South Oxford. The previous annual trip to Jaguar has now become an equally eye-opening visit to BMW’s Mini plant in Cowley. This state-of-the-art factory allowed them many insights into how modern UK manufacturing is coping with the onslaught from global competition and taking overseas firms on in their own backyards with enviable levels of exports. An enduring memory will be of the almost balletic gavotte of scores of computer-controlled robots assembling and spotwelding the basic parts of each vehicle. Then off to final assembly, where humans finally had their moment in assisting in the birth of everyone’s favourite baby car. Finally, just time enough to visit the museum to see the Mini ‘through the ages’ – including, of course, one of the ‘wheels’ used in the filming of that iconic 1969 movie, The Italian Job. As we reached the business end of the year, colleagues were quietly confident that this year’s crop had come good and would deliver on the dreaded results day, and so it turned out. In Economics, many congratulations go to Rowan Greenwood, Ben Krips, Hannah Lynch, Oscar McLean and Poppy Pinner, who scored the coveted ‘starred’ grade. Further, the whole cohort impressed with two-thirds achieving A* or A grades, and 97% is the figure when B grades are included. Meanwhile, in Business, Iona Sheerin excelled, receiving her A*. And again the whole year are to be congratulated for their consistency with 73% scoring from A* to B; 93% with C grades included. The Fifth Form also contributed to the departmental satisfaction with over half scoring either A*or A at IGCSE, and over 90% was achieved when B grades are included. One outcome of these very satisfying results is that nearly seventy pupils will be joining us for the IGCSE course in the Fourth Form, and our Lower Sixth Economics classes are bigger than they have ever been. So it is back to the chalkface (or whiteboard) with enlarged numbers of seekers after knowledge to be regaled with profound wisdom, old stories, recycled jokes (from this author), and perhaps a few alternative routes to learning such as seeking to understand the damaging impact of inflation – through song (pictured). Jo Toy, Head of Economics and Business

English After fifteen years of teaching Hardy’s Poems of 1912-13, we have decided it is time for a change and will be visiting Exmoor to follow in the footsteps of Coleridge and Wordsworth with the Upper Sixth in September 2018. However, 2017/18 began with a valedictory visit to the north Cornish coast in pursuit of Thomas Hardy’s ghost. The sun shone on the twelve pupils who strode along Beeny Cliffs near Boscastle, illuminating their understanding of Hardy’s poems and setting them on the road to producing some excellent coursework essays. Starting in the Christmas Term, a small group of Year 9 and 10 pupils from the Bourne Academy met once every half term with Canford Shell pupils to discuss a range of novels across the year (funded by the Friends of Canford), culminating in a discussion of the short list for the Carnegie Medal. The group once again proved a friendly collaboration of pupils from each school who enjoyed engaging in discussion with others who didn’t always share their perspective! In October, thanks to the wonders of the Screened Live Shakespeare productions, we were able to take our Sixth Form pupils to see Benedict Cumberbatch playing the Dane – an excellent start to their study of the play. The Shell cross-curricular project was launched after half term, and the Propaganda theme inspired pupils to some excellent writing and performance in the English, History, Music and Drama collaboration. The term closed with the Fourth Form short story competition, based on the title: ‘The Very Dead of Winter’ – just one of many events we do in collaboration with the wonderful Canford librarians! The Easter Term was enlivened by all the usual English Department events: the Shell Poetry and Music evening, very well attended as usual by parents, performing pupils and their supporters. The Fourth Form took part in the ‘Pitch Perfect’ competition; after reading a range of non-fiction books over the Christmas holiday, pupils had to present a ‘pitch’ to the audience, persuading them that the book they had read was the best non-fiction read of them all. Many thanks to the judges, Richard Baldwin and Mike Doherty, and to all the pupils for their lively and inventive presentations. In April the Fourth Form’s introduction to Macbeth, their GCSE Literature set text, was much helped by

the RSC’s decision to do a Screened Live production of the play, with an opportunity for schools to participate in a Q&A session with the assistant director and various actors. The production was a lively and provocative one, and proved to be just the thing to get pupils engaged with the play. What would we do without Screened Live? It really has revolutionised the teaching of Shakespeare for those of us who live too far from London to be able to attend live performances with any regularity.

A final dose of Shakespeare for this academic year came with the now-traditional visit of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men in June to perform The Tempest. After the howling winds and driving rain that bedevilled last year’s production of Comedy of Errors, this year we were rewarded with clear blue skies and a sun so hot we had to provide pupils with sun cream. Once again, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men did the pupils proud, providing an energetic and colourful performance and excellent workshop activities. The annual Creative Writing trip to Lulworth brought the academic year to a wonderful conclusion. The sun continued to beat down on the twenty Shell and Fourth Form pupils as they walked the Purbecks and wrote poetry and prose inspired by the scenery and the excellent tuition of Jo Rossiter, who has proved so successful as a tutor to our aspiring pupil writers that she has been asked by the Friends of Canford to run a creative writing course for the grown-ups. Caroline Barrett, Head of English

“The sun shone on the twelve pupils who strode along Beeny Cliffs near Boscastle, illuminating their understanding of Hardy’s poems and setting them on the road to producing some excellent coursework essays.” 19

ACADEMIC

“Perhaps most hearteningly, nine pupils secured places to read History at their first-choice universities.”

History

Geography “They spent a morning experiencing what life might be like in the shanty town and it was an eye-opening experience for them all.”

As I sat sipping a coffee in the main square of Amalfi, enjoying the late summer sunshine, it felt like a world away from school and yet there we were in Italy with 45 of our Shell pupils, running our inaugural field trip to the Bay of Naples. It was a wonderful trip, from the stunning views and picturesque towns of the Amalfi Coast to the (admittedly very cloudy) trip up Vesuvius. The Shell boys and girls were delightful company and we hope that the trip will have stirred the inner geographer for some! This trip will now run annually and we look forward to new experiences. February half term found us in a rather contrasting snow- and blizzard-covered landscape in Iceland: a second new trip within the department this year, which gave the A Level Geography pupils a chance to visit this most incredible of places. It is our intention to run an overseas A Level trip which enriches and enhances our classroom studies every other year. Once again everyone had the opportunity for more local trips, with Swanage, Southampton, Poole Harbour and the River Piddle all providing great experiences. While hopefully inspiring our younger pupils, we are

delighted to be sending ten of the Upper Sixth off to study Geography and related degrees this year. With the themes of sustainability, degradation and development so pertinent in answering some of the biggest challenges facing mankind, we hope that they will leave their universities well placed to use their considerable talents to make an impact. Our annual calendar still contains many old faces such as the local GA lectures, Worldwise quiz and the RGS lecture. The reason they continue to feature is that they continue to enhance the geographical experiences of our pupils. We are lucky to be in an area where these events are constantly evolving and thus retain their currency. We hope that the new additions like the Prep School Quiz, the lecture visits to the Lighthouse and Turner Sims theatres and the Empathy Action simulation will join these other events as permanent fixtures in our calendar. We continue to look for new speakers and new opportunities for our pupils and would be delighted to hear from any parents or OCs who would be able to offer help. August was particularly tense this year with the first set of results from new A Level and GCSE courses. However, we needn’t have worried as the pupils rose to the occasion, posting some fabulous results. At A Level we saw 48% achieving an A*/A grade, with 84% of the Upper Sixth achieving a B grade or above. The GCSE grades were outstanding with 87% achieving grades 9-7 (A* or A grade in old money!). We are all immensely proud of the pupils and I am personally very grateful to my team in Geography who worked tirelessly to support them. I am privileged to work with a great team in Geography and beyond. Our new trips and events don’t come without added burdens and we depend on the support staff at Canford more than many other departments. Without their help and advice, we would not be in the thriving position we are in at the close of this academic year. My thanks go out to my colleagues as we look forward to another busy year. Alex Boulton, Head of Geography

At the start of the year we welcomed Laura Standley, who joined us as a new teacher to the department, fresh from completing her PGCE at Oxford. With our largest Lower Sixth for some time, we busied ourselves with getting stuck into the meat of the A Level courses. The first term is also the season for university applications and we were fortunate enough this year to have nine Canfordians applying to study History at university. As personal statement drafts flew left, right and centre, a small group of these applicants took the journey up to Winchester for the BBC History Festival. Here they were able to take in lectures on a variety of topics ranging from Ian Mortimer leading the audience on a tour of Restoration Britain, through Anita Anand discussing the Curse of the Koh-i-Nor Diamond, to OC Tom Holland waxing lyrical on the Father of History, Herodotus. At half term, the majority of the Fifth Form departed for the Battlefields trip to Northern France and Belgium. The itinerary of the trip was, as ever, expertly choreographed by Mr Fearnley and Mrs Barrett and was carefully tailored to help prepare pupils for the iGCSE coursework they were about to undertake. Highlights of the trip included visiting the Menin Gate ceremony in Ypres, a fascinating trip to Zonnebeke museum and, for the first time this year, a night-time sortie to Vimy Ridge. As we moved into the Easter Term, we were delighted to receive the news that Gemma Daubeney had been accepted to study History at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. This was thoroughly deserved after an enormous amount of hard work and determination. The Lower Sixth started to turn their minds to stretching themselves outside the syllabus. A number chose to enter external essay competitions; Michael Galley deserves special mention for his entry to the Vellacott Essay Competition on secularisation in society, which received a special commendation. Later in the term, under the expert by eye of the Upper Sixth organising committee (Jen Jackson, Ned Vessey, Tasia Soskin, James Priaulx, Anna Doyle and Javier Monroy-Jepez) we were treated to the black tie spectacle of the Keith Hay Dinner. Javier had adjusted the dress code to ‘regal black tie’ and it is fair to say that

everybody looked resplendent. In the Great Historical Debate that preceded dinner, Michael Bryan delivered a rhyming argument, Scott Montague entertained with an off-the-cuff appraisal, Ellen Harvey Hills delivered a fascinating evaluation of the monarchy through the lens of music and Jess Allen, the eventual winner, made a convincing defence of the monarchy. Dinner was accompanied by a quiz and a competition of ‘pin the battle on the map’, this year expanded to include three battle sites in England. We were thrilled to welcome back the great man himself and hope to see Mr Hay at next year’s event as well. As the year came to an end, the History Department returned to the Chalke Valley History Festival. On the Wednesday of the final week, a core of interested Fourth Form pupils attended the festival and listened to a range of lectures on GCSE topics. For the first time this year, a number of Lower Sixth who are interested in studying History at university were able to volunteer at the festival, listening to lectures and absorbing the atmosphere. The year was rounded off with a strong set of A Level results as 88% of pupils secured grades at A*-B and 100% A*-C. At GCSE nearly 50% of pupils achieved the top 8/9 grades. Perhaps most hearteningly, all nine pupils secured places to read History at their first-choice universities. Tom Marriott, Head of History

“He had a wonderful time, learnt a lot, met some excellent mathematicians, made longlasting friends and has brought back many tricky problems to share with the new cohort of A Level mathematicians.”

September 2017 saw the arrival of the new Head of Department, Rachael Smith, with Stuart Gordon resuming his role as second in department, as Dyf Coles took off for pastures new. The rest of the department remained set in stone: twelve maths teachers, including two housemasters and two members of the senior team. The biggest change for the year was the new linear A Level specification, and many of the team felt some trepidation about the biggest shake-up in the Maths A Level in over twenty years. However, we need not have worried. Throughout the year the Lower Sixth pupils have stepped up, higher and higher, and are proving they have taken on the mantra of ‘academic priority’ that we have been promoting both in the department and across the school. Hopefully this will stand them in good stead for next year when they complete their public examinations. We enjoyed success in the UKMT Maths Challenges; in the senior, James Alner, Lucy Chapple, Bea Fairbairn and Tom Alner all achieved gold certificates. In the junior challenge, a strong cohort were stalwarts for us: golds were achieved by Sean Herrington, Mihhail Sorokin, Yerlan Jakupov, Jia Zhang, Rachel Ko, Nicola Stonham, Jonathan Fung, Tamara Read-Ward, Tommy Qian, Jamie Tian and Nathaniel Davey. A number of this cohort were invited to take part in the Kangaroo challenge; Tommy, Mihhail and Sean all achieved a merit in this. Sean scored so highly that he was invited to attend one of this year’s UKMT National Mathematics Summer Schools. He had a wonderful time, learnt a lot, met some excellent mathematicians, made long-lasting friends and has brought back many tricky problems to share with the new cohort of A Level mathematicians. The summer’s results have been excellent. Most pleasing of all, 83.5% of our GCSE pupils achieved a grade 7-9, equivalent to A-A*; further, 100% achieved a grade 4-9, equivalent to A*-C. This is all as a result of the massive efforts put in by the pupils, and they should feel exceedingly proud. In the last ever set of modular A Level results, our pupils did us proud. A*-A grades were achieved by 61% of our pupils, and A*-C grades were achieved by 96% of our pupils. Again, this is all down to their dogged approach to revision and preparation; they did a fine job of setting an example to the pupils who remain

at Canford after they leave. Special mention should certainly go to James Alner, who achieved a double A* in his Maths and Further Maths A Level. All the other A Level Further Mathematicians achieved A grades in their second Maths A Level, as well as A*s in their first Maths A Level: an incredible achievement. In the Christmas Term we launched the Maths photography competition with an assembly discussing data, the presence of it everywhere and the importance of it in everyone’s lives (present and future). We had some superb entries (two are pictured) and prizes were awarded to Jamie Barrington, Matt Wilkinson and Joanna Salmon, with special mention going to Kacper Kazniekci for his digital replication of the Canford logo. During the year we investigated ‘Harkness’ teaching and have equipped two of our seven classrooms with numerous fixed wall whiteboards that will be used in the new academic year with all classes. The whiteboards and Harkness method will encourage problem-solving and independent study as well as much class discussion, we hope. At the start of the new academic year, we say goodbye and thank you to Dr Wilkinson, one of the key figures in the Maths Department for many years. As we say farewell to one member of the team, we welcome another, Jess Craig. Rachael Smith, Head of Mathematics

Another exciting academic year left us with many good memories. The new cohort of enthusiastic Shells embraced both the French language and the cultural aspect of the curriculum from the start of the academic year. Amber and India Herrington and Ines Ferard took their French IGCSE exam at the end of the year to achieve the A* grade that outstanding linguists like them deserve. As October arrived, 21 pupils from the Fourth and Fifth Forms, accompanied by two staff, spent six days in Provence. They stayed with French hosts and had plenty of opportunity to improve their language skills alongside experiencing first-hand the French way of day-to-day life. A mixture of educational crosscurricular visits and guided tours of the area offered a local flavour of the region, in the literal sense when sampling a Provence Rose cru classe wine-tasting but also when visiting the market in Aix-en-Provence. Pupils learned more about the World War 2 landing on the Mediterranean in Toulon, taking a boat ride in Toulon Bay to see the French arsenal including the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. They explored art and geology with a hike around Cézanne’s Montagne Sainte Victoire, looking for dinosaur eggs, and visited the ‘Fragonard’ perfume factory in Grasse, while a trip to the Oceanarium in Monaco interested those taking Biology at GCSE in particular. Each evening the group returned to their host families to discuss the day’s adventures – en francais naturellement! In January, ten pupils from the Lower Sixth went to Southampton University for a conference on ‘Why Modern Languages Matter’. All the talks were thoughtprovoking and interesting and encouraged our Sixth Formers to pursue language learning as a life-long skill. A few of the current undergraduate pupils spoke about the exciting opportunities that come with taking a year abroad, which really appealed to our Canfordians as a chance to develop their language skills, learn about new cultures and become independent. This year, Tasie Milne, Giovanno Yan, Barney Scudds and Matilda Hubble embarked on the Language Leaders Award, which involved delivering French lessons to primary school pupils from years 2, 3 and 4 at Colehill First School. Their enthusiasm was apparent from the outset as they invested a substantial amount

of time to plan their lessons carefully and develop highstandard resources. Well done to them all for having completed the award. The Juvenes translatores event took place in November and it provided some of our francophile sixth-formers with the opportunity to participate, perhaps for the last time following Brexit, in a European translation contest. Ruth Colvile and Alice Marns represented the French Department this year and they tackled the translation of a text entitled Une envie d’ailleurs ou un retour aux sources? about multiculturalism. Both Ruth and Alice produced highquality translations into English, showing that they had grasped the idiomatic subtleties of the original text. As the public exam results were published in August, we celebrated an increase in the A*/A percentage at IGCSE level and 100% Distinctions and Merits at Pre-U level. We were particularly impressed by Max Taylor’s performance since he achieved a D2 despite taking the exam one year early. We wish the Upper Sixth cohort all the best for the future with the hope that their interest in the French language will continue at university and beyond. But our Upper Sixths are not the only francophiles we say goodbye to this year: after many years of service to the school, Stephen Wilkinson retired and we can only thank him for having been so supportive of the French Department. Fran Compan, Head of French

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Modern Languages – French

Mathematics

“Their enthusiasm was apparent from the outset as they invested a substantial amount of time to plan their lessons carefully and develop high-standard resources.”

“The resulting discussions about Deutsche Bank’s ongoing financial crisis and how immigration is seen as a potential solution to Germany’s decreasing overall population proved to be very insightful and thoughtprovoking”

The political and social events in Germany created strong interest again in the Sixth Form German classes this year and once again influenced the choice of pupils’ topics for the Pre-U oral examination. The resulting discussions about Deutsche Bank’s ongoing financial crisis and how immigration is seen as a potential solution to Germany’s decreasing overall population proved to be very insightful and thought-provoking. The overall Pre-U results themselves were outstanding, with both Thomas Alcock and Luka Corsovic obtaining a D2 grade (equivalent to an A*) to go with the D2 which Alex von Gemmingen had obtained in the Lower Sixth the previous year. Thomas will be now studying Chemistry with German at Durham University, while Luka will start an Economics degree (taught entirely in German) at Hamburg University in March 2019. Thomas Alcock was also the school’s German representative in the annual EU Juvenes translatores competition and acquitted himself extremely well. IGCSE results were also very strong, with Eve James achieving the top score in the year of 97%, one of the best-ever scores by a Canford pupil, including full marks in the speaking and writing papers. Our yearly focus on cultural events, ie. Munich’s annual Oktoberfest, German reunification day, St Nicholas’s Day and Carnival, were again popular with all pupils. The Upper Sixth class also enjoyed the literature masterclass with Mr Brown, our visiting specialist from Haileybury College, and enhanced their understanding and appreciation of Dürrenmatt’s play, Die Physiker. They were also visited by Herr and Frau Schmidt (Frau Ackroyd’s parents), who talked about their experiences of living in East Germany during its 40-year existence, the fall of the communism and the effects that reunification with West Germany has had on the region since 1990. As always, it was a rare opportunity for them to hear first-hand accounts about the realities of day-to-day life in the former GDR. Current Upper Sixth pupils, Grace Hewett and Max Kibble, spent two weeks in Berlin in the summer holidays at Eurocentres, our partnership language school, doing an intensive language course there. They provide this joint account of their experience: ‘Our time at Eurocentres in Berlin was a mind-opening experience which broadened our horizons and was an excellent contrast to day-to-day life at Canford. It was also a really good challenge, as it forced you (in a good way!) to speak 100% German at the school and in the host-

family. We met people from all over the world and it was a great way to get to know a major European city. Berlin is an amazing city and is so easy and comfortable to travel around in. ‘Doing the course also helps you to gain a stronger sense of independence, self-reliance and confidence and we were also able to delve deeper into our own personal interests (Max, history and politics; Grace, music and architecture). Everyone at the language school, in the host-family and in Berlin itself was very friendly and the linguistic and cultural immersion and authenticity achieved by being there is something that simply can’t be replicated in a classroom in the UK. We particularly enjoyed the Stammtisch evenings, where we would get together and discuss a variety of topics with other students. This also developed our people and communication skills and we were happy to discover that our English accents and pronunciation were in fact quite easy on the ear to German native-speakers! All in all, it was a superb experience and one we recommend to anyone doing languages in the Sixth Form.’ Former pupil Daniel Schiller (Salisbury 2014), who completed the third year of his degree abroad at the University of Heidelberg in south-west Germany, also sent us a very interesting account: ‘Heidelberg is the oldest university in Germany and one of the most prestigious in Europe. Despite being relatively small, the city is still vibrant, with a high proportion of students and young people from all around the world. My studies there mainly consisted of taking German language courses alongside other Erasmus students and I also took some politics and history classes meant for native speakers. My German language and my knowledge of European politics and history and German culture and society in general improved immeasurably as a result. I really enjoyed my year in Heidelberg, both academically and socially.’ Finally, our Spirit of Place activity at the end of the year coincided with the 2018 Football World Cup and focussed on celebrating German football and in particular, its tremendous record in World Cups and the Euros since 1954 (pictured). Much fun was had by all involved in researching, debating and presenting some of the great players, clubs and teams over the past 60 years. Unfortunately, Germany’s actual results on the field in the group stages inevitably took some of the shine off it all! Richard Wilson, Head of German and Other Languages

Modern Languages – Spanish The past academic year gave us many opportunities to celebrate the Spanish language and its cultural heritage. The language’s global success is also having a local impact and from Canford we have celebrated the launch of El Ibérico, a London paper published in Spanish, as well as the recently created Teatro Cervantes, which we will be visiting next Christmas Term. Pupils at Canford have embraced the trend as we celebrate the Mexican Día de los muertos and the Día de la Hispanidad in the Christmas Term. The Fourth Form hispanists enjoyed the tapas outing in La Tasca Restaurant in Bournemouth, where they had a large selection of Spanish and Latin American dishes, the paella being the highlight of the evening, closely followed by chocolate con churros. In January, ten pupils from the Lower Sixth went to Southampton University for a conference on ‘Why Modern Languages Matter’. Two of the best talks were from hispanists who had graduated from Southampton and are now doing amazing things with their language skills. The first one, Florence Broderick, started working for Telefónica in Madrid and is now working for a Spanish start-up company with offices in New York, Washington, Madrid and Paris. The other, Amanda Cole, was the co-founder of a charity called Youth Empowerment El Salvador. In February, the Fifth Form had a lovely, culturally enriching supper at Las Iguanas in Bournemouth, followed by a salsa dancing lesson delivered by Enrique from Salsaexplosion. Las Iguanas served some delicious typical Mexican/Spanish dishes, such as nachos and quesadillas de pollo y champiñón. Enrique’s salsa lesson taught pupils some salsa moves, like the cucaracha, culminating in a routine where all moves were put together. It’s fair to say some pupils had better dancing skills than their teachers, but it was a wonderful evening,

learning about Spanish customs and speaking Spanish in a real-life situation. The end of the Easter Term came with the now traditional visit of Stephen M Hart, Professor of Latin American Literature, Film and Culture at UCL, who delighted us with his insights into Gabriel García Márquez’s El coronel no tiene quien le escriba and his anecdotes from his trips to Colombia, where he interviewed the acclaimed Nobel Prizewinner. As every year, exam preparation and revision dominated the Summer Term from start to end and we were really pleased to see another cohort of excellent results at both IGCSE and Pre-U level. As ever, most Pre-U hispanists obtained Distinctions and many of them have gone on to read Spanish at top UK universities. Fran Compan, Head of Spanish

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Modern Languages – German

“It’s fair to say some pupils had better dancing skills than their teachers, but it was a wonderful evening, learning about Spanish customs and speaking Spanish in a real-life situation.”

Other Modern Foreign Languages It was another big year for the ‘Other Languages’ Department with over 40 pupils learning six different world languages (Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese). As in the previous year, there were 27 GCSE and A Level examination candidates (approximately half and half non-native learners and bilinguals or native-speakers) and their results were excellent again, with virtually all grades at A*/A, and some superb individual and group performances. A record number of ten pupils took the GCSE Italian exam, nine from the ‘ab initio’ Sixth Form course and one native-speaker, achieving an impressive haul of seven A*s, two As and a B. Carolyn Hmicho completed her own remarkable bag of 4 GCSE languages to go with her AS Arabic. Ned Mitchell, having obtained a B in A Level Italian, will now study Italian and Japanese at University. There were also record numbers taking A Level and GCSE Russian: three and five respectively. All the GCSE candidates, none of them native-speakers, gained an A* at GCSE, and Lisa and Maria Price scored a terrific 100% and 99% respectively; both are now halfway towards their own ‘four GCSE languages’

haul. All grades at A Level Russian were at A*/A, and Beatriz Mowat achieved an outstanding 99% in her AS exams, a fantastic feat normally only seen by nativespeakers. Results in IGCSE Chinese were also very strong, with all pupils obtaining A*/A grades, while other pupils learning Chinese worked towards their HSK qualifications. The number of pupils learning Japanese increased to five, with Jorge de la Cruz working towards his post-GCSE Language Proficiency test and Beatriz Mowat preparing to study Japanese at University. Hamed and Aous Abdulla achieved A grades in A2 and AS Arabic respectively and Kitty Arnold added Portuguese to the GCSEs she had already obtained in French and German. I greatly admire the tremendous efforts all the pupils involved in our Other Languages programme make in their day-to-day learning and in preparing for all their various exams. My sincere thanks go also of course to all our specialist language teachers for their support, guidance and expertise. Richard Wilson, Head of German and Other Languages

“The aim of the project was to analyse the concept of happiness while trying to improve individual happiness.”

Philosophy and Theology Religious Studies, unfortunately, has a poor reputation. As Saema Jaffer stated, ‘It is undervalued and unappreciated…But it can teach pupils valuable ways of thinking that help at university and later on in life too.’The Philosophy and Religious Studies Department has changed its name to Philosophy and Theology, which best reflects the content our pupils interact with, from Shells to Upper Sixth. As a department, we care about teaching Canfordians the value and importance of Philosophy and Theology in society today. Our pupils have responded well and our subject is popular; we are very pleased with our intake at A Level, a total of five sets. In September 2017, we welcomed Dr Patricia Gibbons to the department from Lady Eleanor Holles School, Hampton. In the Easter Term, Philosophy and Theology joined forces with Maths, Biology and Support for Learning departments for our first Shell cross-curricular project. Shell pupils explored the question, ‘What is Happiness?’ within the nature of animals and humans.The project was not only theoretical but practical, too.The aim of the project was to analyse the concept of happiness while trying to improve individual happiness.Topics included: Introduction to Eudaimonia, Animal Behaviour, Evolution, Can We Quantify Happiness? and Meditation and Well-Being. We look forward to continuing this project in the 2018/19 academic year. Throughout the year, Philosophy and Theology welcomed various speakers to Canford. In November, we

hosted our first formal Philosophy and Theology Supper. Dr John Frye, Senior AQA Moderator and author of the AQA A Level textbook, lectured the Sixth Form on ‘The Evolution of the Cosmological Argument or the Evolution of God.’ In January, Scott Darlow spoke to our Shells about his Australian Aboriginal history and the importance of following the acronym F.L.U.T.E (Forgiveness, Love, Understanding,Tolerance and Empathy) alongside playing his guitar and digeridoo. In November, Fifth Form pupils visited London on a GCSE experience.The pupils explored St Paul’s Cathedral and London Central Mosque.The trip focussed on the study of Christian and Islamic ‘Beliefs and Teachings’, which is relevant to the GCSE syllabus. In December, Sixth Form pupils attended a conference at the Mathematical Institute, Oxford University.The conference consisted of relevant lectures, seminars and debates applicable to the A Level syllabus.Topics included: Religious Language – Is it true that only God speaks well of God? Ethical Frameworks: A Dialogue with Bentham and Kant, Sexual Ethics, Without God, Is Everything Permitted? Talks were delivered by influential scholars in their academic fields, such as Professor Keith Ward, Dr John Frye and Dr Timothy Mawson. Our current Sixth Form will be visiting Oxford in December 2018. In March, Philosophy and Theology teamed up with the Classics Department on a trip to Rome.The trip was open to pupils currently studying Latin or Classical Civilisation in the Fourth Form or above, and to those studying or intending to study Philosophy and Theology in the Sixth Form. Our itinerary included the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum,Vatican City, Castel Sant’Angelo, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Museo Nationale, Catacombs of San Callisto and Ostia Antica.The trip was valuable and enriching; we look forward to teaming up with the Classics Department again on our trip to Sicily in 2019. Our GCSE results were the best they have ever been, with 98% of Canford pupils achieving 7-9 grade and 24 pupils receiving a 9 grade.The following Old Canfordians are now studying our subject(s) at university: Joshua Bale, Theology and Religion (Exeter), Louis James, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Durham), Louise Moakes, Philosophy (Royal Holloway) and Sophie Rowlands, Philosophy and Theology (Edinburgh). Sam Leiper, Head of Philosophy and Theology

It’s finished! After four years of pontificating, planning and perseverance, the Physics Stargate is complete. The Stargate was designed to go round the doorway that links lab 5, the Physics fiddle table and the fantastic Physics store and workshop to the rest of the department. It contains all of the possible symbols one could think of that are involved in school Physics. The blue light circles use total internal reflection in Perspex sheets until the light emerges from the etched symbol. Inquisitive pupils can stop the light by using switches on the control board to the left of the Stargate – press the switch, the light stops on your choice and a definition glows to illuminate the user about the physics. Mr Excell and I had been working on this for ages, but it took our dynamic lab technician, Phillip Allen, to finally put the spaghetti of wires together in the right order and get it working. Phil has had an electric effect on the department. He has used his excellent organisational and practical skills to make equipment and keep us all in order and safe. As he is an ex-fire chief, there was no chance of the department burning down, but he fanned the flames of interest for the pupils with innovations such as the scrolling physics news board and was a great support for any pupil who needed practical help with an EPQ or Formula 24. Many of the parents and children visiting on open days will have enjoyed his kind manner and had a Physics key ring cut for them to remember their day. Much to our dismay, he has decided to retire after only three years working with us; he is a caring, thoughtful and talented man who we hope will keep in touch with us all. We will even keep his beloved label-maker ready for him to use in case of a labelling emergency. The Formula 24 production line has been hard at work, but as with all projects, has taken time to get rolling round the track. Three consecutive Sixth Form year groups have designed and built the Formula 24+ car. A very promising and successful first race saw the signatures of all the boys and girls who have worked on the car lap Goodwood to come in the top 20. The new junior car (made from an old kayak) made it round for

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Physics

several laps – a much better result than our first-ever effort. It is hoped to run three cars at every event in the future. To reward those pupils that have put the most into applying Physics in an engineering context, we have introduced a prize to be presented on Speech Day. We have been very pleased with the effort pupils have made in the practical EPQ projects and their contributions to the development of the Formula 24 team. On 19 July 2019, it will be 50 years since the first moon landing. This achievement (along with Star Trek!) inspired many of my generation to study Physics. The Physics Department will be running a theme week at the end of the year intended to celebrate man on the moon. Canford pupils will be given the opportunity to get involved in all areas of art, science and literature associated with the moon. The national moonrock samples and a talk by Helen Sharman (the first-ever British astronaut) have already been booked. The pupils and teachers at Canford are developing inspiring activities for the week. If any parents or OCs have any ideas or contacts we can use for lectures or activities, then please contact me in the Physics Department and we will boldly go and get on with it. Chris Fenwick, Head of Physics

“As he is an exfire chief, there was no chance of the department burning down, but he fanned the flames of interest for the pupils.”

Physical Education

It has been another successful year with good A Level results, but this time I want to write about two individual pupils. Of the nine who took A Level Politics in 2018, one, Hannah Lynch, secured a generous scholarship to study at Trinity College, Connecticut, where she will major in Government and Politics. A ‘freshman’, she has already thrown herself into an election campaign in her district (Connecticut 5th for the House of Representatives) where Jahana Hayes defeated the sitting Democrat incumbent in the primaries last August. Hannah is on the campaign trail as part of a strong team to help Jahana Hayes win against her Republican challenger in the forthcoming November mid-term elections. Similarly, a current Upper Sixth pupil spent the summer pursing his intellectual curiosities in America. Michael Bryan secured a summer internship with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, where he worked on education, national security, and foreign policy. The scope of Michael’s work included researching US naval operations between the Gulf of Aden and the Straits of Hormuz, assessing the vote count for the Defense Appropriations Act, and meeting senior Senators (such as John Cornyn, Republican, Texas), Cabinet Secretaries, and the Vice-President. For Michael, the opportunity to work under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos (pictured) and House Speaker Paul Ryan, as well as the recognition of an award from the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, Boyd Rutherford, were undoubted highlights. Michael’s travels then took him to Stanford University in California. Along with other young people his age, he studied at their month-long summer school alongside Professor Caroline Winterer. In particular, Michael studied the intellectual political foundations of America (and essentially who the American Founding Father’s plagiarised in the construction of the constitution). This led to the publication of a research paper considering the impression left by the French revolutionaries on Jefferson. The department has seen a boost in numbers: for the first time there are over 40 pupils in both year groups studying Politics, there being two sets in both the Lower and the Upper Sixth. No doubt the uncertainty and the volatility of unfolding current events has some role to play in this. The department has welcomed the addition

Mid-August brings to an end six weeks of relaxation and escape from school and heralds the impending arrival of a new academic year along with our exam results, which allow us to see the fruits of the last two years’ academic labour. This year has been particularly exciting as our first group to sit GCSE received their results. We were delighted with what they achieved, 16 out of 24 pupils scoring in the 7-9 range. In old money that is equivalent to 67% of our candidates scoring an A* or A grade. We were also somewhat relieved that the material we had been delivering was at the right level to allow individuals to achieve the top grades. Our target now is to raise that bar even higher and ensure that we can help even more candidates to access those high grades. At A Level the news was not quite so good. Having had some excellent results last year, this year’s were disappointing. Much soul-searching has gone on as we have tried to identify the reasons for this. Plans for improvement and updating in the delivery of the written coursework component, and further encouragement of an enhanced attitude to pupil-led independent learning, are two areas that have been identified as worthy of focus. Two external speakers came to Canford to deliver lectures to our sports scholars and examination-based PE pupils. Professor Tim Rees is a leading authority on human performance and talent development, with a special interest on the psychology of performance and leadership.

of Mrs Lenka Collison to the staff to assist in the teaching of such improved numbers. She brings considerable flair and expertise, and in particular an excellent and thorough grasp of political ideas. The new Government and Politics syllabus differs from the old format by featuring a compulsory component, where pupils must study Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism and an additional political idea from a choice of five. The department has chosen Nationalism, so Mrs Collison’s expertise and the new syllabus component of political ideas are an excellent match. On the lighter side, the department joins forces with the History Department as occasions present themselves: Mr Rathbone has started showing a series of politically important films and the first presentation this term was a showing of The Post. This is a film of political and historical importance as it features attempts by journalists at The Washington Post to publish the Pentagon Papers, classified documents regarding the 30-year involvement of the United States government in the Vietnam War. We plan to show other politically important films over the academic year. Finally, pupils studying politics are happily engaged by extending their subject knowledge by involvement in wider school activities where political discourse is a major ingredient: Model UN delegations (Lilia Mikova is pictured taking part in one), school-wide and inter-house debates and the Heretics Society are examples of this. Andrew Fearnley, Head of Politics

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ACADEMIC “Michael Bryan secured a summer internship with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, where he worked on education, national security, and foreign policy.”

Politics

The other speaker was Dr Liz Bryant, who is a lecturer at Middlesex University. Her interests include physical activity, obesity, children, physical literacy and health. Both were inspirational speakers who hopefully stimulated our pupils’ love of studying sports-related material as well as inspiring them on to greater personal sporting achievement. Nick Baugniet, Head of Academic Physical Education

Computer Science This year the Computer Science department has continued to grow. In terms of numbers, from six in 2015 we have now got 70 taking external examinations in 2018/19. This includes two classes at Fourth Form, 25% of whom are girls, an increase that is very much welcome. In 2018, our second year of iGCSE computer scientists gained 36% A*, and 86% A*-A. However, the A Level pupils really shone with 3A*s and 75% A*-A. This includes James Alner, who achieved a total A Level mark that was in the top 50 in the UK. Overall, the department yielded significantly positive value added for the pupils: at least a grade on average. Destinations for our computer scientists include Cambridge, Imperial, North Eastern (Boston, USA), and a Goldman Sachs (Queen Mary, London) degree apprenticeship. The introduction of C# in the Sixth Form is now firmly embedded, and we are seeing some truly remarkable projects: from procedurally generated 3D games to genetic learning algorithms, which led to impressive A Level project scores, including one perfect 75/75. For the Fourth Form, the introduction of Python has been very warmly received. Its brevity and power are clear to see and we look forward to exciting innovations in this space. Initially the online Snakify.org course has allowed pupils to progress rapidly – try it! In the BEBRAS competition, India Herrington and Jake Jeffries were invited to the Department of Computer Science at Oxford as finalists. India was one of the top 60 from 71,146 entries in her age-group, and Jake one of the top 60 from 14,402 entries in his. For the younger years, 2018 has been the rise of

the robots with the excellent cross-curricular Extreme Environment Robot competition, where pupils use a multidisciplinary approach to beat a demanding course in a live demo. Virtual Reality is happening now in Computer Science. See our HTC Vive setup on an open day for a virtual tour of Canford and the world. Pupils have also written a Fruit Ninja clone in Unity for this amazing technology. Simon Rood, Head of Computer Science

“For the younger years, 2018 has been the rise of the robots with the excellent crosscurricular Extreme Environment Robot competition.” 29

Chaplaincy

“There was a big uptake in the new Lower Sixth, alongside some additions from the incoming Upper Sixth, leaving the Jacks’ living room packed each week once again.”

‘I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?’ This is the question that the psalmist asks in our school psalm, 121. It is a brilliant question, as it recognises that fundamentally we are those who need help in many ways. Personally, I am very grateful for all the help that I receive in the work of the chaplaincy within the school. Jack Newton has been a great help as Bea Bennett’s successor as our ‘gaplain’, throwing himself into his year with us with energy, enthusiasm and a huge smile. He, along with a good number of other staff members, have helped many Canfordians reflect on the psalmist’s answer to his own question: ‘My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.’ Much of the chaplaincy programme is geared to considering this claim, central to the Christian faith, and assessing its relevance for 21st-century Britain. In our midweek chapels this year we have considered ‘Canford’s questions’, where Canfordians have volunteered tricky topics to be tackled, and we have grappled with the timeless wisdom of the Proverbs (very helpful in a practical way), having earlier studied the hugely influential Ten Commandments. In our weekend gatherings we have had some memorable visiting speakers, amongst whom were James Shone, who will be remembered for his humble testimony of God’s help to him when

Pastoral

he lost his sight, and Scott Darlow, who is perhaps the first preacher to play the didgeridoo and guitar as part of his sermon. Scott made such an impact with his stories of forgiveness and tolerance in his native Australia (along with his 30-day challenge), that we look forward to welcoming him back next year. As ever, the musical support of the Chapel, Cantabile and Chamber Choirs, with Mr Sparkhall, Mr Aiken or Mrs Salmon accompanying, have been instrumental in making every chapel service a special occasion. Alongside the chapel programme, there has been the usual busy schedule of voluntary meetings to provide spiritual input for Canfordians. The Easter Term was dominated by the Lent Addresses and Confirmation preparation. We welcomed another Australian, James ‘Riggas’ Righetti, to lead the Lent Address team from Iwerne Holidays. They had a great time looking at Life’s Big Questions, considering the issues of ‘significance’, ‘truth’ and ‘happiness’ alongside ex-pro footballer Linvoy Primus, comedy writer James Cary and performance coach Marie El-Khazen. Meanwhile, the following pupils participated enthusiastically in Confirmation classes, enjoying Mrs Jack’s legendary brownies and asking many questions, before being confirmed by Rt Rev. Nicholas Holtam on the Saturday of the May Day exeat: Kitty Arnold, Charlie Bird, Fizzie Boyle, Imogen Gellego, Amelia Green, Chessie Hellier, Ben Holland, Ollie Hughes, Tommy Jack, Luke Johnson, Gemma Kendall, Matthew Kosgei, Hannah Lynch, Louisa Matthews, Henry Moore, David Offer, Tatti Reed, Freddie Rees, Rory Smith, Will Timberlake and Izzy Woodward. Ichthyans has remained well supported by boarders across the school, with Mr Jeffery providing a visiting speaker each week, alongside a vast quantity of doughnuts, sausage rolls and slices of pizza. Its day pupil counterpart, Crossfire, on a Thursday lunchtime, has become well established this year, with a smaller but consistent group of junior boys attending. Last year we said goodbye to a big group of Upper Sixth, raising questions about the future of the Sixth Form Bible Study at Merryvale on Friday nights, but there was a big uptake in the new Lower Sixth, alongside some additions from the incoming Upper Sixth, leaving the Jacks’ living room packed each week once again. Happy times and, I hope, indicative of another fruitful year for the chaplaincy team. Rev. Philip Jack

“There will be an increase in the number of leadership roles available and pupil leaders will have a much clearer idea of what is expected from them.” It has been another busy year at Canford, with a wide array of pastoral activities taking place alongside the academic life of the school. Weekend activities, both on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons, provide an opportunity for pupils to learn new skills as well as to relax and socialise together. Food-based activities have unsurprisingly been the most popular, with pizza-making and the Canford ‘bake-off ’ attracting plenty of interest. The houses – and above all the tutor system – remain fundamental to Canford’s pastoral care Our programme of pastoral education continued with the addition of a speaker who powerfully addressed all year groups and parents over the course of the year. Lorin LaFave set up the Breck Foundation in memory of her 14-year-old son, Breck Bednar, who loved technology and online gaming. He was groomed via the internet and murdered in 2014 by someone he met online.The foundation has been set up in his memory to help other young people enjoy playing online but, crucially, to be aware of some of the simple rules to stay safe. Another well-received presentation was given by Alicia Drummond, a psychotherapist, a parent coach, mother of two teenagers, lecturer and blogger. Alicia spoke to the Sixth Form and then had lunch with housemasters and housemistresses to discuss tips for parenting and working together to raise happy, confident and emotionally intelligent 21st-century teenagers. Alicia provided really helpful tips and ideas for navigating the teenage years in a resourceful and light-hearted way. Her book, Why Every Teenager Needs A Parrot, is a useful addition to our library of resources. For some time, we have been keen to expand opportunities for every Canford pupil to develop an understanding of leadership in its different forms and to be provided with the opportunity to improve and demonstrate leadership behaviours in practice. Part of this process has been a change to the formal leadership opportunities in the Sixth Form. As pupils take on some of the formal leadership roles in the school, they will become ‘pupil leaders’, helping to lead and influence the life of the school. Pupil leaders should be ambassadors for the values and ethos of the school, as prefects were.To this extent, they

should be role models, but the expectation if they accept a leadership position is that they pro-actively undertake a specific role.They will be expected to take responsibility for that area of school life, influencing positively the school community.This enhanced role will replace the existing roles of ‘prefect’ and ‘head of house’ – each of these roles will be fulfilled by pupil leaders.There will be an increase in the number of leadership roles available and pupil leaders will have a much clearer idea of what is expected from them. All Lower Sixth pupils were invited to apply for specific roles, focussing on areas including academic life, performing arts, sport, environmental issues, equality, global awareness, and also the role that used to be called ‘head of house’. The first group of pupil leaders (pictured) were appointed during the Summer Term and their period of office will extend to Easter 2019.The demands of new linear A Levels means that Upper Sixth pupils will not have time to fulfil these roles in the final term of their studies, when they will need to concentrate on exam preparation.There are job descriptions for each role, but the hope is that pupil leaders will each focus on and develop a role, depending on the needs of the school community. For instance, the pupil leaders concentrating on environment will be expected to chair a pupil focus group, campaign and raise awareness of environmental issues and to run a focus week each year on a specific area of their choice. Nick Hunter, Deputy Head (Pastoral)

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Beaufort

It’s always a pleasure to see the support in Beaufort for those who need a helping hand: from a hug and a kind word from one of their year group, to an older girl taking time to sit with younger years to listen and give advice. Early in the year, those endearing moments help new girls settle in quickly and happily, while later on, they calm nerves around exam times and help those with too much on their plate to keep perspective. Equally admirable is the competitive spirit fostered by the many house competitions of the year. Starting with House Music it was clear that this year the girls would be a force to be reckoned with. We were all thrilled to win the House Song category and later in term the junior hockey players triumphed in fine style, while both senior and junior cross-country cups were won by Beaufort. The success of both junior and senior teams winning in netball was quite an achievement as they played one round in the snow! The achievements continued with the House Drama festival with a witty and fast-paced mash-up of Grimm’s Fairy Tales which delighted the audience. In House Art, the remit this year was to build an artistic campaign which highlighted the need to help conserve swifts. Along the way we discovered that young swifts have ‘screaming parties’ – which sounded to me very much like the Fourth Form at lights out! It is clear that Beaufort girls feel that they are important and capable in their own right but as a team their impact is even greater. Never has that been more apparent than at House Athletics. Over half the house competed in at least one event. Many won their competitions in fine style, many more coming runnersup. Equally striking, though, was the performance of those who do not find athletics easy but competed nevertheless. They were cheered on by friends, and it gave them an extra surge to receive such support and to recognise the esteem in which they are held. Along the way there was time for some great social events: Christmas dinner, pizza nights, Miss Saigon, the Sixth Form wine and cheese tasting evening and the waterpark visit all provided fun outlets in an otherwise busy year. Clare Ives

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Court

Court’s colour is green, for many reasons. We’re an optimistic and cheerful lot; full of life and vigour on and in the great greens of Canford. And we feel aligned with the passing of the seasons. So, in the short time it took for the oak outside my window to strip off its summer finery and autumnal undergarments, the Court boys had already packed in a lifetime of experiences. Our chaps found unity and communal spirit through collectively pounding the mean pavements of Canford Magna for our weekly house run, and we cheered as one when the ageold ‘unbreakable’ house record was smashed: first by Charlie Bird (Fourth Form) and then by Ed Kendall (Upper Sixth). A happy by-product of this was winning both senior and junior competitions in house crosscountry. House Music also proved a triumphant affair, with Ed Loveridge (Fourth Form) and Ben Read-Ward (Upper Sixth), accompanied by Liam Saw (Upper Sixth), winning House Contemporary, and all our boys jubilantly belting out ‘Uptown Girl’ in a glorious display of collective pride. We filled the blank canvas of winter with flurries of green activity – and some of the mightiest snow constructions and battles Dorset has ever seen. Inside, we dominated the courts, bringing home both junior and senior house squash, and outside, the junior house hockey crown. Back indoors, we played a lot of chess, created a gorgeous Grayson Perry-esque bird box for House Art and greenwashed the House Drama festival awards. As spring sprang and our colour became evermore ascendant, the Courtiers took on examinations with aplomb – typified by JC Zhang and Will Jones being awarded academic scholarships for their GCSE excellence and Charles Pilato and Oscar McLean securing three A*s at A Level. We had fun on the fields with the Court House Football League, bringing home silverware in senior House Cricket, intermediate House Tennis, and a slew of House Athletics and House Rowing wins. Recognition of our regal manner was seen in the selection of Michael Galley, Anthony Graham and James Fountain (all Lower Sixth) to play Real tennis with HRH Prince Edward. Although the seasons change, we’re proud to call Court our home, where we share in the joys of Pizza Fest, Court House Dining Society, Fun30, volleyball, waffle nights, fire-pit evenings and so much more. Sindre Vandvik

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de lacy

This year I had the pleasure of being acting housemistress while Mrs Deblander was away on maternity leave. We welcomed new girls into the de Lacy family and all settled well and quickly, such is the nature of this ‘family feel’ house, where everyone is welcome. I have been so impressed this year with the spirit of the house, the resilience and the determination. With painted blue faces, we have thrived in all house events such as House Drama, Art, Hockey, Netball, Lacrosse, Chess, Tennis – just to name a few. The girls do not need to win to have fun, just simply to participate. Not only have we been busy with representing in house events, our talented girls have played vital parts in co-curricular events such as orchestra, DofE, trips, sports, musicals and plays. In the Easter Term they braved the ‘Beast from the East’, putting up with many last-minute changes to schedules, yet still stayed on top of their academic studies and enabled many brilliant snowball fights and snow walks. A big thanks to heads of house Tasia Soskin and Josie Smailes, as well as all of the Upper Sixth, for being fantastic role models, keeping the house in good shape and for engineering house breakfasts, supper trips out to the beach and the introduction of de Lacy Weekly, keeping the house informed of what was happening. In the Christmas Term we enjoyed our annual house dinner, which is always just full of great memories and sheer laughter at events that occur during school life – including some rather creative re-writing of classic Christmas songs! Our ‘at home’ might have been rather cold, but in the spirit of the house we all piled out into the garden for games, entertainment and food. We welcomed Mrs Katie Salmon, Miss Rachael Smith and Miss Barr to the tutor team, who are all fantastic additions. Spending time in the house is really fun. After a long day, you enter a warm, energetic, cheerful atmosphere – full of laughter. Whilst all the girls work incredibly hard at Canford, they are always there to support each other in house and, having spoken to many OCs from de Lacy, I know that those friendships last a lifetime. I am very proud of all the girls and what they have achieved this year. Emma Bennett

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franklin

As education is about enabling the blossoming of an individual’s talents, it is one of the joys of being Franklin housemaster to watch that happen and occasionally even help it along. So I thought you might enjoy two photos, alongside at top left, showing our leavers on their Familiarisation Day five years ago (A) and then on Speech Day with their parents (B) – young men looking forward to their future and with all the knowledge, skills, confidence and hopefully also humility that Franklin (and Canford) has given them. The Upper Sixth made this a great year, starting with a fabulous House Music entry; winning best boys’ House Song again set the tone for a year where everyone got stuck in. A few highlights were: the 22nd year of our weekly Franklin house runs; leading lights in both the 1st XV rugby and the school musical; depth in every sport, especially hockey, where we won the interhouse competition; regular house suppers; a packed family day bbq; mixed year group volleyball; and much, much more. Not to mention a lot of hard work to get those grades. One of the highlights of the year was our joint drama production with Beaufort House, led on our side by the Lower Sixth and our keen thespian, Toby Skinner. A play is a complicated thing involving substantial numbers of more or less motivated and (dis)organised pupils; leading it is one of the biggest leadership opportunities the school has to offer, and the final performance is on a very public stage. The team threw themselves into a compilation of fairy tales including Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel and more. A good number of the actors admitted that they had never been on stage before but now regretted it – let that be a lesson to everyone to go out and grab those opportunities. During all of these activities, Franklin retained its friendly reputation – it is amazing how different pupils come together to live in community and support each other such as the seniors coming to cheer on the juniors in house events. The Lower Sixth spent some time thinking about what Franklin stands for and I’m sure you would agree with Friendly, Responsible, Ambitious, Noble, Kind, Lionhearted, Inquisitive and Natural. The future looks good, the future is blue. Henry Bishop

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lancaster

Organisation and approachability are the two words that spring to mind when I think back to how the prefects showed in the run-up to House Music how they were going to lead us. Separate practice sessions took place in different parts of the house for the song, ‘Goodbye My Hay’ (poignant!). To have 81 of us performing in the song was the best yet. Thanks to high skill and extraordinary devotion to practice, Lancaster came away with the House Classical prize – well done to Zarah, Alby Stevens and Tom. Our charity concert in November was a funfilled occasion but also raised £1500 for the Louis Ross Foundation. The Upper Sixth came through as champions with their rendition of a classic Abba song, while the Lower Sixth definitely won best dance routine of the decade – but there was no such prize! Drama took centre stage for the house this year with many Lancastrians involved in Cabaret, Poppy Pinner excelling in the lead role. Ned Vessey and Scott Montague took both lead roles, Dickens and Christian Andersen, in the senior play. George Baugniet and Scott formed the key partnership in the house play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which was directed by Ned Vessey and brought three trophies to the house, including best actor. Once again, the House Art trophy found its way back to the Lancastrian cabinet with a team of talented filmmakers and designers under the watchful eye of Chris ‘the Swift’ Rutland. On the sports field an excellent example was set right at the start of the year by the senior rugby team. The Fifth Form played a key part in almost winning the final, so all bodes well for the future here. Hockey was strong with both senior teams almost making it into the final. An awesome effort in the senior cricket saw us in the final, in the pool the junior boys were champions – Tom Johnson and Adam Kwan were key in this victory – and two silver medals in the cross-country was a good showing. However, the highlight had to be the Shell rowing where Lancaster had both singles champions in Mary Sorokina and Archie Gardiner but also the quad champions when Archie Gardiner, William Oliver, Ben Shaw and Louis McCamish powered over the line – great stuff! Owen Parkin

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Marriotts

In September 2017, we welcomed fifteen new girls to Marriotts. Many new friendships have been forged and kindnesses shown, and the girls can feel proud of all they have accomplished. The feeling of inclusivity and cross-year-group interaction is very strong in Marriotts, and the girls in the Upper Sixth house prefect team have been approachable, given their time generously and earned the respect of the whole house. The way they have kept up a positive tone when under pressure with work has also been very impressive. The Upper Sixth have been key in a new initiative: Marriotts ‘families’. They, the ‘parents’, have two Shells, two fourth-formers, two fifth-formers and two Lower Sixth in their family. Each family meets, shares treats, airs views and then the Upper Sixth convey their family’s feelings back to the housemistress. The innovation has been generally well received. The year has been super-busy, with plenty of cocurricular activities alongside the academic demands on the girls. Marriotts winning House Music overall was extremely pleasing but totally justified. The new garden room extension was put to good use that night, with a whole-house disco! For House Art, we were to design an awareness campaign about the falling number of swifts. Ideas were collected through our ‘family’ system, and a printed, fabric-covered limited-edition swift box, along with many other original campaign strategies, caught the eye of the judges, who awarded Marriotts the cup for collaboration and audience engagement. For the drama festival, Imo Young and Liv Barker directed and produced The After Party in a joint venture with School House. The play was full of energy, funny and very professional. A special mention should go to Deya Shergill and Imo: Deya for being part of it right up until the night before the performance, when she became unwell and had to be held captive in the Health Centre, and Imo for learning Deya’s part in less than 24 hours. The show must go on! In sport, House Hockey saw Marriotts making both the junior and senior finals. The seniors beat de Lacy in a very close game but the juniors were pipped at the post by Beaufort. House Netball saw the juniors and seniors reach the final, too. And in one final piece of news – Marriotts has acquired a pizza oven! Cathy Byng

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Monteacute

Each year the house has a very different feel. The impact of the Upper Sixth can be very positive indeed and it was great to see our top year lead by example. They have been a class act all the way through school and it was a delight to see them flourish in their last year. Sport has been a major factor in their school lives and the list of successes at house, school, and representational level was impressive. There was also plenty of hard academic work completed along the way and there was certainly a sense of togetherness as they went along the tough A Level journey. Rowan Greenwood, our head of house, epitomised all that we hope our pupils will aspire to. The willingness to embrace new pupils into the house was demonstrated with the arrival of Luka Corsovic from Montenegro. Before long he was at the heart of the house, playing in the winning House Football team, getting to the final of the House Debating competition as well being a fine host to a number of our boys who managed to make the journey to see him at home in Montenegro. The same can be said for the Fifth Form. Fine academic results were balanced with a desire to get a great deal from the Canford experience and the range of successes, from DT projects through commitment to the CCF to outside school charity work, showed how much room there is for individuality. They have the potential to be excellent leaders in the school. Our junior pupils showed their normal spirit and enthusiasm. The junior play was dominated by younger members of the house and there is plenty of talent in the creative arts. It was great to see so many take lead roles in House Music and the fantastic art project linked to the conservation work of the RSPB. A number of our boys went on the school partnership visits this summer and worked on school enterprises such as the City Reach project. Well done to Freddie Porter for his outstanding work for the Honey Pot charity as well as to Max Taylor for dedicating his time to City Reach. Dylan Lloyd

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salisbury

Salisbury had a busy, productive and wonderful year. We kicked off with a big win in the Day House Song category of the House Music competition, a new category this year. We produced a fantastic rendition of Shrek for House Drama, which included a range of Salisbury House pupils from all age groups, and one of our Shells won an award for the best up and coming actor. In House Art we designed a campaign to raise awareness linked to RSPB @salisbury_saves_swifts and we also took part in all the house sport competitions. We won the House Rowing Trophy, the senior girls’ badminton, senior boys’ Day House Tennis and House Chess. We also came a close second in the junior swimming gala, junior boys’ athletics, boys’ House Hockey and girls’ shooting. This year Salisbury has started to gather more trophies and the black and red team is pushing our way up the sporting leader board while still retaining our excellent academic, musical and theatre performances. Three pupils in the Upper Sixth received Oxbridge offers and Salisbury was top of the merit leader board. During the course of the year we had several enjoyable occasions getting the house together, including the Salisbury Picnic by the River on the first weekend of term, where we had a large gathering of families. We are hoping for some sunshine this year! The house Christmas party was great fun, as was the Easter egg hunt and in the summer we enjoyed our end of year party where we had croquet, a bouncy castle, a bungee run (which led to some brilliant sibling rivalry!) football and a delicious hog roast. During the year the team was led successfully and enthusiastically by Brennan Dyball and Zoe Ko, our heads of house, who were superb. Our new house leaders for 2018/19 are Martha Baldwin and George Robson. They are supported by a team of deputies and house prefects who all have lots of new and exciting ideas to inject into the house. With our new leadership structure in place, Salisbury pupils are looking to achieve even greater things in 2018/19. Laura Linley-Adams

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school house

The lion has continued to roar in School House over the past twelve months. Looking back to September 2017, we welcomed fifteen new boys up the famous grand stairway, and the existing boys soon made them feel part of the house. Their first real experience of the house competitions was in House Music. Whilst we struggled to uncover the next Pavarotti, the boys sang with enthusiasm and commitment. However, it was not long until the first piece of silverware entered the trophy cabinet: the senior boys were victorious in the House Rugby competition after some fantastic performances by the top three year-groups. The Fifth Form were champions in the House Cross-country and away from house competitions, it was brilliant to see Freddie Hamilton of the Lower Sixth playing the lead role in the school musical, Cabaret. The first term ended with the inaugural house Christmas fancy dress party, where costumes ranged from Father Christmas to Donald Trump â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a truly festive affair! The Easter Term saw victory for the senior debating pair of Harry Mitchell and Matt Wilkinson. It was an absolute pleasure to watch them wow the judges with their powerful and persuasive arguments as well as their wit and humour. The same term saw the muchanticipated House Hockey competition take place. The seniors performed brilliantly in getting to the final, where they eventually lost out on penalty flicks. The House Art and Chess competitions simply highlighted some gaps in our skill set! During the Summer Term, the seniors continued to show off their talents, as they were victorious in House Swimming and House Athletics. The inters and juniors both performed well to finish third overall in their respective competitions. The term ended with a house trip to Sandbanks, where the tug-oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;-war was the main highlight, even if it did end in embarrassment for the tutor team. As always, a boarding environment is a collection of individuals who come together to produce a unique environment. Each pupil gets out of it what they put in, and the wonderful matrons, Penny and Tina, as well as a superb group of tutors, support them here. School House is a very special place and I cannot wait to see what the next academic year will bring. Richard Jones

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wimborne

It has been a really busy year in Wimborne, with the Fifth and Upper Sixth Forms preparing for their GCSEs and A levels. Without doubt, though, it has been a successful one, too. I joined Wimborne in September as a Shell, and it was lovely that everyone was so friendly. It is a truly calm environment (when it needs to be – we have plenty of fun, too). We have made lots of lifelong friends here. There has been masses of sport this year, in which Wimborne has been very successful, including interhouse netball, hockey, badminton, rugby, cricket, tennis, rowing, cross-country and athletics. We are very lucky in Wimborne to have so many talented people, and certainly in the Shells we have a number of people playing for the A teams. We also did very well in house chess, going deep into the tournament. Although we won no awards in House Music, it was still really enjoyable. Our house charity concert was lots of fun, where the Shells and fifth-formers did short drama pieces, and the fourth-formers did a fantastic dance, as did the Sixth Form. Through the kind donations of parents, we also had an auction which raised over £3000 for a mental health charity. Many of us have also taken part in the school plays: Cabaret, the whole school musical, and The Wardrobe, the junior play. Also, several of us were involved in the junior music festival at the start of the summer. With the summer inevitably came exams, but we have all got through them, and I am sure that I can speak for all of us when I say that we are glad that they are over. As I write, the Fifth and Upper Sixth Forms are due their results in late August, so it’s going to be a long wait – but well worth it! On the last Sunday of term we had our Wimborne Summer Celebration, where we had great food and great company. We also said goodbye to our leavers and we wish them well for their future exploits. Emma Jeffries

“Subjects as diverse as the development of Homo Sapiens sat alongside the physics and aesthetics of building bridges, or the development of political and social borders and boundaries.”

“This event, in the true spirit of a Festival of Ideas, drew many members of the audience into a lively discussion and sharing of ideas across the political lines.”

The Festival of Ideas

As with all Canford’s enrichment activities, the aim of October’s Festival of Ideas is to take education out of the classroom and to allow pupils to form and play with crucial ideas from the cultural and political worlds. It is based around a theme that seems to be in the airwaves: this year, with all the uncertainty in the nations of the world, it was Borders and Boundaries. The first talk took us to the heart of one of the greatest challenges of our time: the intelligence, clarity and fair-mindedness of Major General Rupert Jones, just back from 13 months in Baghdad as Deputy Commander of the US-led coalition fighting to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria, brought a sense of hope that peace can be eventually returned to this war-torn part of the world. Major General Jones’s incisive and practical exposition contrasted creatively with the wonderful poetry reading from the British Jamaican poet, Kai Miller, whose work crosses the boundaries between standard English and Creole, and explores the way the human and political

borders are shaped in his homeland, Jamaica. Copies of Kai’s latest collection, The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion, were rapidly purchased by pupils and I have rarely seen a more enthusiastic signing session. Amongst many other highlights, OC George Davis buzzed with enthusiasm in his talk to the Fourth Form about bee keeping and bee borders. Gifts of small honey pots were happily received! Professor Minesh Khashu, a Canford parent, challenged the Sixth Form audience with his ideas about exploring the boundaries within ourselves and between us and society. Dr Daniel Field, an evolutionary palaeobiologist, gave one of the most enthralling and scientifically literate lectures I have heard about the way fossil evidence is used to explain how birds have crossed geological borders boundaries, all of this illustrated with his own superb photography. Film-maker Matthew Knott (OC) enthralled with extracts and ideas on his films that courageously cross the complex and shifting borderlines between genders. Sir Anthony Seldon (pictured) led Heretics in a mindfulness exercise and spoke movingly about his work to develop a long-distance pilgrims’ route, the Via Sacra, along the lines of the World War 1 trenches as a symbol and celebration of unity. On the last day, another Old Canfordian, Dr Georgina Fozard, now also a Canford Governor, appeared in a candid, off-the record conversation with Hugh Pym about the NHS: The Borderlines and Boundaries of Health Care. This event, in the true spirit of a Festival of Ideas, drew many members of the audience into a lively discussion and sharing of ideas across the political lines.

Sixth Form Lecture Series

Each year the school welcomes a variety of external speakers to provide thought-provoking insights into the wider world. The lectures take place every Friday morning in the Layard throughout much of

the academic year. The aim of the lecture series is to broaden pupils’ minds, to give them the chance to think about global issues and to challenge them to empathise with those less fortunate than themselves. In the 2017/18 series, speakers have ranged from Fiona Hathorn, Managing Director of Women on Boards, who spoke about Leaders Fit for a Global World to reformed gang leader Divine Ampofo on The Real Elements of Success, from aboriginal activist and musician Scott Darlow to a question time with Bournemouth West MP and Boris Johnson henchman Conor Burns. Frank Ludwig, Director of Manufacturing at Rolls Royce, who lecture was entitled Spirit of Ecstasy, caused a stir by arriving in a purple Rolls! One sixth-former wrote in appreciation of the lectures: ‘They allow for a brief escape from the environment that we live in at Canford. The talks cover an incredible scope of topics and not only broaden our perception of various events but also allow us to gain different perspectives on life.’

Lower School Connections

The Connections programme aims to break down the barriers between the academic disciplines, encouraging pupils to think imaginatively. Teachers prepare courses that pick up the theme of the October Festival of Ideas, so this year, subjects as diverse as the development of Homo Sapiens sat alongside the physics and aesthetics of building bridges, or the development of political and social borders and boundaries. These courses are supplemented with a range of outside speakers from many different backgrounds. One fifth-former wrote about how Connections made him think about ‘so many things, from the divisions of power in the UK legal system and the morals of hereditary titles to the differences of opportunity between people who go to independent schools and state, which evoked much discussion and retrospection’. Another, already thinking about life after Canford, appreciated that ‘Connections offers me lessons that will affect my future life that the set curriculum does not cover. This year the stand-out lesson was based around the future, and what jobs would and wouldn’t be necessary due to

advancements in technology. Although this is based entirely on computer algorithms, the prospect of an AI future made me think about my education and realise that one of the best skills I can pick up is the ability to learn – a skill that will prevent me from being left behind.’

Spirit of Place

It is a Canford tradition that during the last week of the Summer Term, pupils take time out to enjoy a range of off-piste activities beyond the curriculum organised by academic departments. The project offers the chance to try something different and to develop skills such as teamwork and leadership. The aim of the project is to take pupils out of their regular teaching and friendship groups to explore something new, different and exciting. John Dant, this year’s co-ordinator of Spirit of Place, commented: ‘In the end, we had over 300 pupils working on twelve diverse projects. Going around the groups, it was evident that there was fun and laughter everywhere.’ One of this year’s highlights was creating a trebuchet as used by besieging Romans, and test-firing it using watermelons. According to one of those who took part, ‘The melons were ultimately a disappointment. Chaos broke out as we were dismayed to be constantly

cultural enrichment

Enrichment

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“More than ever, all the groups embraced the challenge and the heady end-ofterm atmosphere generated a positive and productively relaxed attitude amongst the pupils.”

missing the target! But it wasn’t all doom and gloom as we still learnt how the Romans would have attacked all those years ago, using science to get the trebuchet working.’ Other projects this year included: a Maths and Science programme, including a visit to the Science Museum in London and a selection of films linking to the study of Maths; a Football and Finance challenge, involving creating presentations on topics relating to the World Cup 2018, including ‘Is the financing of the World Cup fair?’ and ‘Based on their start, who is best placed to win the championship?’; creating clay tablets and writing on them in Akkadian, the language of ancient Mesopotamia; designing, building and racing a rocket car; and a beach clean project, with analysis of the samples found.

The Post-GCSE Cultural Odyssey

This summer event for the post-GCSE Fifth Form conversely involves cultural study on the move and a freeing-up of the imagination after weeks of hard exam room slog. This year, it was blessed with glorious summer weather which lifted the morale of the pupils. Nine groups of pupils headed off on separate cultural

explorations in London and closer to home. The challenge was to capture their experience in a multimedia presentation to the rest of their year group on the last day of term. More than ever, all the groups embraced the challenge and the heady end-of-term atmosphere generated a positive and productively relaxed attitude amongst the pupils. Countless visits took place, so only a handful of highlights can be mentioned. The ‘Birds and Beasts’ group had a fascinating encounter with OC Ben Chapple, who is researching African wild dogs at London Zoo, and then they went on to explore the amazing Etches Collection of fossils at Kimmeridge under the guidance of the remarkable collector Steve Etches and our own Darwinian fanatic, Mr Andrew Powell. ‘Forwards and Backward’ explored the amazing The Future Starts Here show at the V and A and Hope to Nope at the London Design Museum, both about the effect of technology on our private and political lives. In Somerset they did a drawing workshop at the exciting Hauser and Worth Gallery near Bruton. ‘Arcadians’ lived up to their title, luxuriating in Rodin and the art of Ancient Greece at the British Museum, swanning around the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the following day reading, sketching and wandering in Stourhead, some of the world’s most beautiful gardens, on one of the summer’s most perfect days. Their evocation of those idyllic days won them the prize at the presentations. ‘Politics, People and Power’, led appropriately by Mr Vessey, had a tour of the Houses of Parliament with Poole MP Mike Tomlinson and then had a Walk through British Art at Tate Britain. The following day they explored Britain’s former maritime power and glory at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. ‘Vineyards and Battlefields’ explored contrasts of humanity in war and at peace with tours of the Holocaust and World War 1 exhibitions at the War Museum and then, in deliberate contrast, visits to the Langham Vineyard and the Hall & Woodhouse Brewery in Blandford Forum, where they learnt something about the different cultures attached to wine and beer. Naturally actual tasting was forbidden but one hopes that in the future they will discover the joys of Dorset ‘champagne’ and Badger bitter!

It is strange to look back over the year and realise that so much has been crammed into such a shor t space of time. In September the year stretches ahead of you, the possibilities seem exciting and incredibly daunting, and July seems a lifetime away! The Ar t School had a number of physical changes and re-organisation over the summer. The ar t library and computers were relocated to the mezzanine and created a calm study area with beautiful views across the campus to the main school. The categorisation for the books remains a work in progress as we created our own version of the Dewey Decimal System which, despite our confidence, needs attention! We are lucky to have many books and to have added to them this year with some really excellent contemporary volumes. Thanks to an influential mother, I have always been an avid reader and am keen to encourage pupils to use our library for their research; it is a pleasure to sit among the books with a well-earned cup of tea and look at creative things. Now we just need to agree a system of organisation! The sixth-formers have been given a studio with individual spaces where they can pin work up and leave it, coming back to their own working areas when they want. The freedom to work in

this way means that seeing each other’s visuals inspires them, and a shared studio creates a sense of companionship and shared vision. The end-of-year exhibition presented a very strong body of work in a variety of media. One of the pleasures of the show was the individual ‘voice’ that reflected each person’s project. The pupils had been inspired by many areas including music, family, sexuality, domesticity, and themes manifested in experiments with burying textiles and re-constructing the remnants, film and photography, illustration and painting. Digital work was exhibited alongside traditional painting and printmaking with consideration of how each collection would be viewed by visitors. Half of the cohor t is progressing to creative degrees and foundation courses after Canford, and this passion for visual language and creative practice created a positive dynamic. Christopher Rutland, Daisy Morse, Izzy Toovey, Annabelle Woodman, Rosie Southgate and Anya Kendall were awarded D3 grades at Pre-U Ar t and Design, which reflected their energy, creative intelligence and quality of execution. Lily Lloyd achieved a D1, which is an extremely high grade, higher than any A Level equivalent. It is reflective of a person who has been fully immersed in her creative

“The freedom to work in this way means that seeing each other’s visuals inspires them, and a shared studio creates a sense of companionship and shared vision.”

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journey and has produced exemplary work. She has been making work about Por tland, Margate and India using photography and film. In addition to her studies, Lily was granted a young ar tist bursary for the b-side Ar ts Festival in Por tland, jointly sponsored by the school and b-side, who describe themselves thus: ‘b-side ar tists are storytellers drawing inspiration from the island. Often working with members of the community, they unear th new stories connected to history, geology, ecology or myths, taking us to new locations and seeing familiar places anew…. It is the dynamics and

tensions between place and displacement, security and fragility that ar tists gently unpick and investigate with humour and sensitivity through aspects of our festival programme.’ Lily responded to the community and to local architecture around the area of Verne and Castletown, including details like bus stops, warehouses and communal washing lines in residential flats.  She focused on Fancy’s Farm in Por tland, which she says is ‘an exemplary microcosm of a Por tland community enjoying activities, while surrounded by a landscape of both austere beauty and functionality’. Fancy’s Farm is a community farm, home to the only flock of rare breed Por tland sheep on Por tland and wallabies, pigs, goats and a resident owl. It is an unusual place, perched on the hilltop with, on a clear day, a view of the Youth Offenders’ prison. When the sea mist is rolling in on Por tland, visibility can be down to a few feet, which was cer tainly our experience when we spent a weekend there on a residential trip at Easter time. As you begin to feel smothered and trapped by the grey that swallows up the landscape, it clears, as if someone has snapped their fingers and made it disappear. I think that is what makes Por tland so magical. It is unnerving and alien at times, but also comfor ting and akin to travelling back in time. The relaxed pace of life and insular sense of being cut off from the mainland is perhaps why some residents have never left! Our weekend was characterised by very overcooked eggs for breakfast, being tested by the weather, drawing in the 19th-century gun battery, walking through quarries and along clifftops, making collograph plates, finding pirate graves and competing in beach stone balancing. Not a typical weekend for any of us! Seeing Lily’s photography exhibited in the b-side festival a few weeks ago was the culmination of that experience for me. It presents some of the residents and visitors to Por tland and shows us the

fragility of the place as well as the deep roots which bind people to it. As a depar tment we know that Ar t is connected to every aspect of our world: from the clothes we wear, the films we watch, music we listen to, objects we fill our homes with to the images of our lives that we share with the world. To strengthen this connection we are determined to integrate as many aspects of creative practice into the curriculum and our visits to exhibitions and visiting ar tists are the life blood of that aim. Tim Holleyman delivered life drawing sessions this year for the Sixth Form. As a university lecturer,

professional concept ar tist and matte painter for film and animation, he lent a real pedigree to the experience and a very different approach for the pupils. Sarah Bagshaw ran a weekend of pattern design using traditional print and digital processes. An insight into her own work and the process of design from star t to finish was both informative and great fun. The Coldstream Gallery showed a programme of varied and visually exciting work intended to educate and suppor t the curriculum, from the scholars’ ‘Lost and Found’ photography collection to a show reflecting ‘The Book and Ar t’. It featured ar tists’ books, books made as an individual ar twork and many unusual illustrated volumes and connected National Book Day with Ar t and Design. The academic achievements have been exceptional this year, with very high GCSE grades. Pupils were ambitious with their ideas and fully engaged with the subject, which made them a pleasure to work

“As you begin to feel smothered and trapped by the grey that swallows up the landscape, it clears, as if someone has snapped their fingers and made it disappear.”

“It is the dynamics and tensions between place and displacement, security and fragility that artists gently unpick and investigate with humour and sensitivity.” 56

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“As a department we know that Art is connected to every aspect of our world.”

with. Jessye Phillips, Connie Doxat, Rachel Ko, Nicola Stonham, Jess Rees, Lucy King and Francesca Hibbit all achieved grade 9. Sixth Form internal scholarships were awarded to Lucy and Francesca as pupils who we felt had excelled and deserved recognition for their talent and dedication. Some challenging and exciting work was shown at the end-of-year GCSE exhibition including work by Sophie Alcock dealing with discrimination and LBGT issues, Rachel Ko’s investigation of prosopagnosia (the inability to recognise faces) through por traiture and Maddy Wells’s beautiful stitched por traits. The House Ar t competition was in collaboration with the RSPB. They set a brief that involved the production of a swift bird box in the style of a par ticular ar tist, and the presentation of a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the plight of the swift in our changing towns and cities. The outcomes were a visual feast, although I am quite cer tain that birds would not enjoy the results as much as we did – there will be no nesting in those boxes! Judges Dr Jane Taylor, Renny Henderson from the RSPB, and Alice Stevens, Senior Lecturer on the BA Graphic Design course at Ar ts University Bournemouth, had a very difficult task deciding on the winners. Lancaster were victorious, winning the overall prize with an elaborate creation based on Philip Treacy’s millinery and a shor t promotional film. Marriotts deservedly won the cup which was awarded for collaboration and audience engagement. Their campaign involved the whole house folding information leaflets into little paper cranes and literally creating a flock of birds. Our colleague, Andrew Kirkby, retired from the Ar t Depar tment after eleven years teaching at Canford. His legacy remains with the sculptures and ar tworks that he produced with pupils, including an impressive mosaic now in the Classics Depar tment and the latest creation, a ceramic tower of cakes, delicacies and little mice situated in the Tower entrance. In the

New Year he will be based near Limoges in France. As a professional public ar tist he continues to practise and is currently completing a commission for Dorset County Hospital: a monumental old oak tree inlaid with gold and mounted on a wheeled base will be installed in December 2018. And so to the new academic year : new staff, new pupils, new ideas and challenges. Let’s see where this goes! Nicola Will, Head of Art

As the political pendulum of the cultural zeitgeist continues to swing, we find ourselves surrounded by a seemingly increasing polemic division of opinions and beliefs. Emotion and rhetoric are playing an ever more significant role in government, opposition and discourse. Throughout history, as the world around us becomes increasingly complex to define or conceptualise logically, people have turned to the arts. There has been a national trend over recent years in which the uptake in Drama has been in decline – a subject too vague, too subjective and too unreliable to be of value. But as the pupils of Canford may be starting to realise as they begin to buck that trend, it is through the arts that we can start to make sense of ourselves. When our perception of our identity and position within this world becomes so complex that we can no longer use language to define ourselves, the arts offer further means of expression. That is what I have witnessed in the Drama Department this year. From the perceptive and problematic portrayal of a time dangerously similar to our own in Cabaret to the surprisingly familiar historical narratives presented in The Wardrobe, we have been reminded that our contemporary experiences are repeating the political cycles witnessed throughout the ages. Sensitive, insightful and considerate understandings of the self in a state of flux were apparent in the A Level exam performances of Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis and the pupil-devised Somebody that I Used to Know that effectively explored the experiences of dementia. The Fifth Form produced some outstanding work as they tackled

topics such as immigration and sexual harassment, just as the #MeToo movement was starting to gain traction. In addition to tackling many of the complex issues that surround us, the arts can also offer escape from the oppressive nature of that reality considered for too long. The House Drama festival provided a week of entertainment that involved many pupils and packed auditoriums, though not at the expense of intellectual rigour – Lancaster’s extracts from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Court’s winning production of Mojo were thought-provoking and stylish, a testament to the maturity and vision of the pupil directors and ensembles involved. Later that term, John James’s production of Andersen’s English proved a masterclass in performance, its subtle detail and skilful realisation proving utterly absorbing. So at the end of an incredibly busy and challenging year, the overwhelming feeling is one of hope. I have seen young people tackle complex issues with grace and sensitivity. I have seen our pupils embrace and celebrate difference and diversity, and I have witnessed their compassion and outrage when they have realised the existence of an injustice or oppression that they were previously unaware of. The depth, grit and rigour that I have witnessed this year have been inspiring, and the dialogues that have sprung from the art that has been produced have been provocative and engaging. There has been a slight shift in how we value the arts and how that helps us to express ourselves, and I am excited to see how that will play out into next year. Laura Blake, Head of Drama

“The depth, grit and rigour that I have witnessed this year have been inspiring, and the dialogues that have sprung from the art that has been produced have been provocative and engaging.”

Cabaret

“Another clever touch was the positioning of the orchestra at the back of the stage as though part of the club itself and in full view.” 60

Once described as ‘divine decadence’, Cabaret has been remarkably successful as a stage and screen show since its Broadway premiere in 1966, with an array of stars in its key roles. So an ambitious choice for the school musical, one might think, but a challenge that director Laura Blake met with characteristic equanimity. The choice of Cabaret is not altogether surprising in view of its themes, which resonate with current issues highlighted in the media. In her director’s notes, Laura commented: ‘During the time span of our rehearsal process, many powerful systems have been exposed after years of silence, dismissal and oppression: action from a small number of individuals enabling hundreds of others to stand against behaviours that in retrospect seem simultaneously outrageous and yet not unfathomable…. How many of us, when confronted by such power, would feel like the cast of characters portrayed in Cabaret: too unimportant to matter, too optimistic that it’s not as bad as it seems, too keen to focus on what is good about our own lives and unwilling to dwell on the difficult?’ An uncomfortable question at the heart of the piece. Set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, the musical focuses on the night life at the seedy Kit Kat Club. As has come to be anticipated, it was Kevin Wilkins’s striking set which expertly set the tone of this production. Upon entering the theatre, the audience felt physically transported to the murky world of the Kit Kat Club with its deep red velvet, gold-braided festoons and an array of circular tables awaiting customers. One’s eye was immediately drawn to the central, teary-eyed moon hanging low as the stage slowly began to fill with the girls of the Kit Kat club, staring provocatively out at the audience as it filed into its rows. Another clever touch was the positioning of the orchestra at the back of the

stage as though part of the club itself and in full view. Matilda Hubble was extremely impressive as the flamboyant and rather sinister figure of the Master of Ceremonies. From her elegant entrance, singing ‘Wilkommen’ in deep, vibrating tones, through her expertly executed forward rolls and her accented diction establishing the German ‘flavour’, to a subtly darker and more menacing presence at the end, she oversaw the action with control, interpreting the role as narrator with a maturity beyond her years. The plot itself revolves around young American writer Cliff Bradshaw and his relationship with an English cabaret performer, Sally Bowles. Big shoes to fill, but Freddie Hamilton established himself quickly as the slightly gauche figure lacking money and confidence on his arrival in Berlin. In contrast, the larger-than-life figure of Sally Bowles was convincingly played by Poppy Pinner with exuberance reflected in a powerful yet sweet singing voice. Her wilful obliviousness to what the Nazis represented gave rise to the idealistic Cliff ’s exasperated exclamation, ‘If you’re not against them, you’re with them, or you might as well be.’ Unfortunately, after weeks of rehearsal and having perfected the tricky role of Ernst Ludwig, Ned Vessey had to miss the opening two performances to attend an interview at Oxford and so it was left to George Farthing to fill the void. You would not have thought that he had taken on the challenge of learning so major a part only the week before, delivering the lines faultlessly. He was chillingly convincing and emulated Ned’s sensitive and subtle interpretation of the character closely. Another impressive duo were Scott Montague and Chloe Gadd as the courting older couple: Herr Schultz, a Jewish fruit vendor, and Fräulein Schneider, the boardinghouse owner. Their budding relationship was humorously

Cast

Emcee Matilda Hubble Clifford Bradshaw Frederick Hamilton Sally Bowles Poppy Pinner Fräulein Schneider Chloe Gadd Herr Schultz Scott Montague Ernst Ludwig Edward Vessey Fräulein Kost Annabelle Budd Cabaret Girls: Georgia Charlwood, Aimee Hairon, Helena Jackson, Tallulah Judd, Alice Kalmanson, Georgina Kearns, Hannah Lynch, Loveday Pride, Isabel Southgate Cabaret Patrons: Sachary Arnold, Jasmine Benamor, Yasmin Chadwick, Serena Chamberlain, Charles Cooke-Priest, Samuel Downey, Brennan Dyball, Nuala Dyball, Imogen Gallego, Cosmo Hamilton-Davies, Ellen Harvey Hills, Grace Hewett, Elena Howd, Sophie Hussey, Emma Large, Beatriz Mowat, Adam Phillips, Maria Price, Emily Rees, George Robson, Felix Spencer, Connor Williams, Isabella Woodward German Youth: Louisa Borneman, Amanda Cross Court, Imogen Edsall, Inés Ferard, Joshua Fulford, Amber Herrington, Isabella Hunter, Anabelle Kersey, Lucie Marns, Zara Macfarlane, Rebecca Morris, Sky Pilkington, Tommy Qian, Joanna Salmon

Band

Violins Matthew Butterfield, Angus Menzies, Fiona McKinley, Georgie Jack, Rachel Ko (also clarinet) Cello Zoe Ko (also clarinet) Bass Samuel Hopkins Piccolo, flute Zarah Warr Clarinet, saxophone Ruth Partington

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and touchingly presented, and both were utterly convincing in their roles. Scott’s accent and mannerisms were impressively maintained to project a believable character. A memorable moment in response to yet another present of fruit from her ‘greengrocer beau’ was Fräulein Schneider’s wry observation: ‘such little fruit… very poorly furnished!’ The big dance numbers were imaginatively choreographed and delivered with energy and enthusiasm, vividly capturing the spirit of Berlin in the 1930s. These were interspersed with shorter scenes such as the train journey and the unsettling Hitler youth scene morphing into a rotating swastika, which proved highly effective brief dramatic moments. The stage band under the expert direction of Chris Sparkhall never failed to impress, with its light and darker tones supporting the underlying changes in tone and atmosphere of the performers. Laura Blake paid tribute to all those involved in the final paragraph of her performance notes: ‘The joy of this musical is that the intellectual political and philosophical core is contained within an effervescent, humorous and endearing exterior – much like our band of cast, crew and musicians. They have worked together to create an occurrence greater than the individuals involved could have produced alone. They have chosen ensemble and action and performed it with commitment and compassion. As always, it has been a privilege to work with these talented young people and all the potential they possess.’ Sarah Holland

Clarinets Alby Stevens, Amelia Godel Tenor saxophone Benjamin Evans Baritone saxophone Charles Anstee Trumpets Thomas Davies, Dominic Hammond Trombone Finlay Boardman Percussion Patrick Perry Drum kit Om Ramchandani Piano James Aiken

Technical team

Stage managers Robert Way, William Toosey Deputy stage managers Madeleine Kearns, Felix Spowers Assistant stage manager Oliver Baldwin Follow spot operators James Barker, Jackson Kennett Lighting operation Fergus Longbottom, Kevin Wilkins Sound operation Noah Jonas Set and painting team: Oliver Baldwin, Charlotte Brook, Inés De La Cruz Saenz De Ormijana, Jessica Fry, Thomas Jack, Stella Jarvis, Lucie Marns, Darci Reeve, Imogen Thomas, Oscar Webb, William Yeatman

Production team

Director Laura Blake Choreographer Claire Camble-Hutchins Musical director Christopher Sparkhall Set design Kevin Wilkins Lighting design Kevin Wilkins, Fergus Longbottom Costume Claire Camble-Hutchins Set construction Kevin Wilkins, Colin Hoare, Jonathon Ledger Theatre co-ordinator Chloe Lazenbury Administration assistant Pam Wesley Housekeeping John Baxter, Sue Owen

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Andersen’s English

“These two characters provided the real moral heart of the play, and we felt total agreement with Andersen’s final words to her: ‘You are wise, little maid’.”

Andersen’s English by Sebastian Barry is a difficult play: its Irish author is playing with subtle ideas about nationality and language, about family and about conscious and unconscious abuses of power, at both a personal and a political level – it is no coincidence that the most sympathetic character in the play is Aggie,the 16-year-old Irish maid (played by a wide-eyed and engaging Tasia Soskin), and the least sympathetic, perhaps, that icon of Englishness, Charles Dickens (Scott Montague), giving an intelligent performance which helped us to engage with this often deeply unsympathetic character). This play presents numerous challenges for a professional company, let alone a student one. And yet once again John James’s choice of a highly literary play which made big demands of both actors and audiences proved to be well worth the risk. The excellent ensemble cast provided the audience with a sensitive, intelligent and brave interpretation of Barry’s complex dramatic rendering of the real-life meeting between Dickens and Hans Christian Andersen in 1858, at a point in the English author’s life just prior to the moment when – as Andersen tells us in the Prologue to the main action –’the great cataclysm, the great revolution in Dickens’s life occurred.’ Kevin Wilkins’s set perfectly captured the feel of a Victorian family home, with a fire for characters to gather around, an enormous dining table for an often uncomfortably strained family dinner, and a raised area, separated from the main action, on which Andersen’s

bed was placed. It isn’t easy to create what Barry describes in a stage direction as the ‘thrum and hum of family’, but well-observed performances from Annabelle Budd, Freddie Hamilton, George Baugniet and William Vessey as four of the many Dickens children quickly established the complex undercurrents of family allegiances and hostilities. This was matched by intelligent, finely nuanced performances from Hannah Lynch as Dickens’s long-suffering wife, Catherine, and Matilda Hubble as her – often very subtly – bitchy sister, Georgina; the battle for power between the two sisters was one of the most interesting relationships in the play, with the girls bringing to painful life Barry’s cruel dissection of Victorian ideas about ‘happy families’. The production’s opening moments set up what appeared an idyllic family scene. The piano played (Amelia Godel, seated onstage at the piano, provided the music which threaded through the production and contributed significantly to its melancholy feel) and Kate Dickens (a feisty and sympathetic Annabelle Budd) sang as the lights rose on a comfortable room, full of domestic activity – Catherine Dickens reading, her sister Georgina sewing, Charles Dickens in the garden with his 16-yearold son, Walter (played with real vulnerability by George Baugniet). Very quickly the impression of Victorian peace and family harmony was disrupted: the conversation in the garden presented Dickens as a dominating, even cruel, parent as he intimated to his son that he was surplus to requirements and must be packed off as a soldier to India.

Barry’s play doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to showing Dickens’s selfishness, and his cruelty towards his wife. Scott Montague did an excellent job of communicating this almost breathtaking cruelty at the same time as maintaining the audience’s awareness of the sheer charisma of the man. The ‘great cataclysm’ which is about to turn the Dickens family’s world upside down is Charles’ infatuation with the young actress, Ellen Ternan (a lovely cameo performance from Daisy Morse). Although this affair is the cause of Dickens’s terrible cruelty to his wife (he cuts her off completely, not only from himself but from her much-loved children), Scott managed to deliver with convincing bewilderment the lines in which the famous writer describes his desire: ‘I am like a man on fire – like a sailor in a plunging ship. ‘ Barry’s brilliant lines teeter on the brink between selfpity and passion, and it is a rare student actor who can convey that complex emotional state as vividly as Scott did. Although the intricacies of the Dickens family relationships were brilliantly evoked, it was the relationship between the two ‘foreigners’ in the play which most engaged my sympathies. The title of the play clearly draws our attention to ‘Andersen’s English’, which he describes as ‘a horror and a hindrance’, but in fact it brings humour, honesty and humanity into the play. From Ned Vessey’s first appearance on stage as the travel-sick and weary Danish writer, I warmed to him: his hesitancy came as a welcome contrast to Dickens’ assertiveness. It was a moving, deliberately tentative, often humorous performance. And Ned’s scenes with Tasia were a delight; their separate elevated area, Andersen’s bedroom, was the setting for scenes of real kindness and comedy. These two characters provided the real moral heart of the play, and we felt total agreement with Andersen’s final words to her: ‘You are wise, little maid’. Andersen’s English is not an easy play, either to perform or to watch; it is an enormous credit to the cast and the directors that Canford’s production so fully engaged both the hearts and the heads of those lucky enough to watch it. Caroline Barrett

Cast

Hans Christian Andersen Charles Dickens Catherine Dickens Walter Dickens Kate Dickens Georgina Hogarth, Catherine’s sister Aggie, an Irish maid Ellen Ternan, an actress Queen Victoria and pianist Stefan and Charlie Dickens ‘Plorn’ Dickens

Ned Vessey Scott Montague Hannah Lynch George Baugniet Annabelle Budd Matilda Hubble Tasia Soskin Daisy Morse Amelia Godel Freddie Hamilton William Vessey

Crew

Stage manager Madeleine Kearns Lighting operator Fergus Longbottom Sound operator Robert Way Set and props team: Charlotte Brook, Conor Charlwood, Inés De La Cruz, Hermione Gates, Roman Gill, Amelia Green, Lucy Hopwood, Alicia Hudson, Archie Liddle, Flora Lingafelter, Orlagh O’Donnell, Imogen Parker, Matilda Perei, Thomas Prest, Edward Stirling, Ellie Stocker, James Tazzyman, Joanna Way

Production team

Director John James Assistant to the director Laura Blake Lighting and set design Kevin Wilkins Set construction Kevin Wilkins, Colin Hoare, Jonathon Ledger Costumes Claire Camble-Hutchins

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The Wardrobe The Wardrobe was a brilliant choice for a junior play because it used a large cast without depending on one or two stars and because it brought to life an academic subject – British history – in such a way that performers and audience could relate to it. It provided twelve snapshots of moments in our country’s history, almost all of them seen through the eyes of ordinary people, not kings, queens or noblemen. It is not quite true to say that it was a show without a star: the star was the enormous wardrobe which occupied most of the Layard stage. Into this wardrobe crawled, clambered or fled a series of characters reflecting episodes and subjects from the battle of Bosworth, through the Great Plague and Jack the Ripper, to modern LGBT issues. Every member of the large cast had his or her moment in the sun and all tackled complex

“One of the innovations this year was that pupils were invited to submit their ideas for set design. The winning idea came from Louisa Borneman, whose concept was well-served by the – as usual – brilliant construction by Kevin Wilkins and Colin Hoare’.” 64

themes and emotions thoughtfully and most effectively. The wardrobe is a clever device for playwright Sam Holcroft to have chosen because it is a place both for secrets and (thanks to CS Lewis, who also has his moment in the play) a door to an unknown world. As a character in one of the 17th-century scenes said, ‘That’s what a wardrobe is for – to guard your secrets. Warden, warder, wardrobe. And it is nearly 150 years old, so imagine what secrets it has kept guard over in all that time.’ It would be wrong, though, to suggest that this was a ‘heavy’ play with an emphasis only on serious themes. One of Sam Holcroft’s hallmarks is her clever use of comedy and the cast took this in their stride as well. As an example, the scene between a Victorian chimney boy and errand boy was irresistibly reminiscent of Monty Python’s ‘Four Yorkshiremen’ sketch, yet their contest as to who had been worse-treated should have been anything but funny – it is appalling, but it happened. One of the innovations this year was that pupils were invited to submit their ideas for set design. The winning idea came from Louisa Borneman, whose concept was well-served by the – as usual – brilliant construction by Kevin Wilkins and Colin Hoare. Louisa had the wardrobe made as a semi-circle mounted on a revolve, so that the audience saw the outside while the necessary adjustments were made between scenes, and then the whole thing was turned through 180° to show the inside, where most of the action took place. On the base of the revolve were projected the years in which the scenes were taking place. Brilliantly simple, but very effective. An interesting display in the foyer told how the original idea was conceived and developed. Between scenes, the front of the stage was used for appropriate movement, mime or dance, so we had a stylised battle for the Civil War, soldiers marching to the front in 1916 and a rendition of ‘The Teddy Bears’

Picnic’ of which Henry Hall would have been proud to represent 1950. But attention focussed on the interior of the wardrobe for the most part. It was an incredibly small space – maybe fifteen feet across? – that directors Claire Camble-Hutchins and Sara Jane Newenham had to work with, but they kept the movements and the shapes interesting throughout. Claire was also credited in the programme with being in charge of the costumes, which, given their number and variety, must have been a massive task on its own. The pupils involved in the production will have learnt many useful lessons, not just about working collaboratively (‘Drama is the best team sport we offer,’ said one wise headmaster) but about how we as a society arrived at where we are. They may have realised in particular how values, attitudes and standards have changed: a number of the scenes were concerned with the relationship between master and man or mistress and maid. The virtues of the play were summed up by the ‘Director’s note’ in the programme: ‘It shows us that life goes on, time does not stand still, the clock keeps ticking but at the heart of everything are real live people with thoughts and feelings, hopes and fears.’ No praise is high enough for the skill and commitment of the actors who presented those ‘real live people’ to us. To end on the only negative note, it was a shame to see such an imbalance between the sexes in the cast: 27 girls to 12 boys by my count. It is quite understood that standing up on stage in front of their friends is not something that greatly appeals to boys of fourteen or fifteen, but one wishes more of them could be persuaded that it is likely to be an enjoyable experience and that it could lay the foundations for a hugely rewarding hobby – maybe even a career – in the years ahead. John Newth

Cast

Elizabeth Sophie Hussey Cecily Flora Peddie Ruth Eleanor Warner Daniel Freddie Young Jacob Tommy Jack Bernadette Louisa Borneman Rosalind Emily de Veulle Matilda Honor Williams Eleanor Alice Herbert Caryl Amanda Cross Court Sarah Zara Macfarlane Mary Mimi Edsall Anne Orlagh O’Donnell Martha Joanna Salmon One David Offer Two Hamish Ryan Dido Ellena Martin Phoebe Frances Fleming Victoria Lucie Marns

Nancy Matilda Perei Martin William Walters Robert Gabriel Wilkinson Tom Sebastian Gallego Hugo Josh Fulford James Beau Gater George Luke Zamoyski-Freitag Archie William Timberlake Anthony Zachary Arnold Nell Alice Hazell Rose Bella Hunter Maria Emma Jeffries Susan Amber Herrington Violet Buzz Borneman Arabella Georgina Litchfield Nurse Barton Joanna Way Friend One Alice Milton Friend Two Ella Mitchell Friend Three Milenka Soskin Friend Four Anna Preston

Crew

Stage manager Robert Way Lighting design and operation Oliver Baldwin Sound operators/ASMs Archie Gardiner and Alex Daniel Set decoration/painting team: Oliver Baldwin, Louisa Borneman, Alex Daniel, Jessica Fry, Archie Gardiner, Harrison Hill, Llewellyn Johnson, Sasha Mowat, Finn Pearson, Anna Preston, Ellie Stocker, Robert Way, Joe Webb

Production team

Directors Claire Camble-Hutchins and Sara Jane Newenham Set design Louisa Borneman Set construction and Kevin Wilkins and design support Colin Hoare Costumes Claire Camble-Hutchins

the arts - MUSIC

“Our philosophy is of introducing the pupils to repertoire and genres they did not know, drawn from the best of 1000 years of recorded musical history.”

In reflecting on significant accomplishments of our musicians this year and their hugely positive response to a Canford musical education, I was reminded of a question posed to me when I came for my job interview at Canford. The then Director of Studies asked whether I thought pop music was meretricious. ‘Pop’ as a commercially driven idiom deliberately panders to the broadest possible number of people. You don’t need to know much about music to be ‘moved’ by songs (and it is almost always songs) in this idiom. However, the achievements of Canford’s many musicians, and at this valedictory moment I think especially of those in the Upper Sixth of 2017/18, are founded in a much richer musical diet at the school. Our philosophy is of introducing the pupils to repertoire and genres they did not know, drawn from the best of 1000 years of recorded musical history. They have embraced the chance to broaden their experiences, and in doing so, to develop their understanding of the language of music in its effulgent glory. So it is, with this breadth of education behind them, that Samuel Hopkins (now in his fifth year of NYO membership) leaves us to read music at Pembroke College, Oxford, Alexandria Eyre to Surrey and Chloe Gadd to study singing at the Birmingham Conservatoire. All three leave with ARSM diplomas as well. Beyond them, Alby Stevens, Bea Fairbairn and Jen Jackson also leave us having achieved their diplomas, while numerous others have grade 8s, in some cases several, to their names. The 2018 leavers have been a rich seam of talent in Canford’s musical life. Tom Davis has led the orchestra with aplomb, and Zoe Ko been a committed stalwart in numerous ensembles. Fred Saunders and Dom Hammond have been enthusiastic ambassadors for all their musical endeavours (and prove that you can be a boy, sporty and a high-level musician). There are

many other Upper Sixths who have made a significant contribution to choirs and orchestras, and all are well placed to enjoy continuing music-making at university and beyond. Academic results remained a strength of the department, with the demanding new A Level qualification seeing all of our musicians achieving A grades, with notably all three achieving full marks in performing, and two achieving full marks in composing. At GCSE, the revised 9-1 grades saw six pupils gain the apparently ‘rare’ level 9, and a further four level 8. 75% of our grades were at these two top levels. Our concert programme has been full of highlights. The ongoing association with Britten Sinfonia (and grateful thanks to OC Charles Rawlinson for his continued support of this endeavour) saw some excellent workshops and a concert performance that included the composition of Alex Eyre, which was much complimented by our visiting musicians. Our ‘Film Music’ concert continued despite the snow – and the YouTube live stream was a popular way for those who couldn’t make it to see the event still to enjoy it. Taking the Chamber Choir to sing evensong in Winchester Cathedral and Merton College, Oxford, elicited glowing compliments on their singing from people who really do know ‘quality’ choral music when they hear it. A personal highlight was the concert in Christchurch Priory. 20th-century French masses are about as far from the accessibility of ‘pop’ as you can get, so it was a huge pleasure to hear the members of the choir waxing lyrical about their favourite movement – and even singing along to the dramatically angular organ part in rehearsal. Of all the music-making this year, that concert epitomised best just how willingly the pupils tread on an adventurous and demanding path. Christopher Sparkhall, Director of Music

Orchestra

Chamber Choir

Violins: Thomas Davis (Leader), Lucy Chapple, Ellen Harvey-Hills, Georgina Jack, Rachel Ko, Tessa Marley, Angus Menzies, Matthew Butterfield, Madeleine Harvey, Eve Hewett, Louisa Borneman, Edward Martch, Louis McHamish, Rupert Peach, Ben Shaw, William Timberlake, Honor Williams Violas: Katherine Jack, Amanda Cross Court, Gillian Tolliday Cellos: Madeleine Kearns, Zoe Ko, Benjamin Evans, Samuel Downey, Grace Hewett, Imogen Gallego, Serene Tan, Ines Ferard, Emily de Veulle Double Bass: Sam Hopkins Flutes: Zarah Warr, Jennifer Jackson Oboes: Sophie Patrick, Tabitha Trend, Madeleine Lyles Clarinets: Alby Stevens, Beatrice Fairbairn Bassoons: Richard Hare, Alice Herbert Horns: James Aiken, Kathryn Watts Trumpets: Dominic Hammond, Daisy Morse, Helena Jackson Trombones: Wilfred Saunders, Finlay Boardman, Timothy Downing Percussion: Patrick Perry, Felix Spencer, Tatiana Reed, Alexandria Eyre, Chloe Gadd

Charles Anstee, Annabelle Budd, Amanda Cross Court, Benjamin Evans, Alexandria Eyre, Chloe Gadd, Emily Garton, Amelia Godel, Dominic Hammond, Ellen Harvey-Hills, Grace Hewett, Samuel Hopkins, Matilda Hubble, Madeleine Lyles, Daniel Offer, Sophie Patrick, Wilfred Saunders, Alby Stevens, Zarah Warr

Canford String Ensemble Violins: Thomas Davis (Leader), Lucy Chapple, Ellen Harvey-Hills, Georgina Jack, Rachel Ko, Tessa Marley, Angus Menzies, Matthew Butterfield, Madeleine Harvey, Eve Hewett, Louisa Borneman, Rupert Peach, William Timberlake, Honor Williams, Charlotte Gallagher, Janine Forrester Violas: Katy Jack, Amanda Cross Court Cellos: Zoe Ko, Grace Hewett, Ines Ferard, Emily de Veulle Double Bass: Samuel Hopkins Continuo: Christopher Sparkhall

Symphonic Wind Orchestra Flutes: Zarah Warr, Barnaby Peddie, Alice Davies, Ella Sutton, Lucy Hancock, Serene Tan, Gemma Kendall, Isobel Place, Georgina Kearns, Matilda Child Oboes: Sophie Patrick, Tabitha Trend, Madeleine Lyles Clarinets: Beatrice Fairbairn, Tom Patrick, Jennifer Jackson, Amelia Godel, Stella Jarvis, Louisa Matthews Alto Saxophones: Benjamin Evans, Sophie Nichol, Molly Fairbairn, Poppy Keeping, Max Richards Tenor Saxophone: James Lees Baritone Saxophone: Charles Anstee Trumpets: Dominic Hammond, Daisy Morse, Helena Jackson, Jack Salmon, Henry Hughes, Samuel Downey Trombones: Tom Jack, Wilfred Saunders, Finlay Boardman, Adam Phillips, Timothy Downing Euphonium: JC Zhang Bass Guitar: Sasha Witter Percussion: Patrick Perry, Felix Spencer, Tatiana Reed

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Members of musical ensembles, 2017-18

Chapel Choir Charles Anstee, Zachary Arnold, Oliver Baldwin, Elizabeth Balls, Jasmine Benamor, Annabelle Budd, Zachary Buller, Matthew Butterfield, Yasmin Chadwick, Lucy Chapple, Ruth Colvile, Amanda Cross-Court, Alice Davies, Thomas Davis, Millie Dickins, Eleanor Dugdale, Nuala Dyball, Benjamin Evans, Alexandria Eyre, Samuel Ford, Joshua Fulford, Chloe Gadd, Sebastian Gallego, Emily Garton, Max Glowacki, Amelia Godel, Aimee Hairon, Dominic Hammond, Ellen Harvey-Hills, Grace Hewett, Samuel Hopkins, Matilda Hubble, Eve James, Alice Kalmanson, Anya Kendall, Jackson Kennett, Rachel Ko, Zoe Ko, Madeleine Lyles, Hannah Lynch, Tessa Marley, Finch Massam, Henry Moore, Daisy Morse, Beatriz Mowat, Imogen Nichols, Daniel Offer, Sophie Patrick, Finn Pearson, Barnaby Peddie, Courland Peppin, Adam Phillips, Tiancheng Qian, Hamish Ryan, Jack Salmon, Wilfred Saunders, Samuel Smith, Alby Stevens, Tabitha Trend, Zarah Warr, Annabelle Woodman

Cantabile Choir Grace Betts, Serena Blake, Isabella Borneman, Louisa Borneman, Emily de Veulle, Elizabeth Graham, Amelia Green, Lucy Hancock, India Herrington, Sophie Hussey, Emma Jeffries, Annabel Kersey, Louisa Matthews, Orlagh O’Donnell, Flora Peddie, Serene Tan, Eleanor Warner

Jazz Band Trumpets: Dominic Hammond, Thomas Davis, Helena Jackson, Jack Salmon Saxophones: Benjamin Evans, Rachel Ko, Max Richards, Charles Anstee, Ruth Partington Trombones: Wilfred Saunders, Finlay Boardman Double Bass: Samuel Hopkins Guitar: Barnaby Peddie Piano: Alexandria Eyre, James Aiken Percussion: Edward Kendall, Om Ramchandani

Concert Band Flutes: Evie Chippendale, Emma Jeffries, Rosie Ireland, Amelia Keen, Phoebe Kibble, Charlotte Speers, Scarlet Raymond, Amber Herrington Clarinets: Josh Fulford, Hattie Kent, Alice Hairon Oboe: Samuel Smith Bassoon: Hamish Ryan Alto Saxophones: Flora Peddie, Imogen Dunn, Bella Hunter Trumpets: Isabella Borneman, Annabel Kersey, Juliette Quick, Ben Ashton, Edward Raby Percussion: Oliver Banyard

“Rhythmic precision and a crisp togetherness at the beginning and end of phrases combined to show what a dozen of the older players could do – and they seemed to enjoy it all as much as the audience did.”

Your starter for ten is: what links one of Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, Tchaikovsky’s Waltz from Sleeping Beauty and Ride of the Valkyries? To an outsider it is that they were all written with three beats in a bar, even though their styles are very contrasting and each one shows off a different section of the orchestra. However, at the Christmas Concert the connection was that they formed the very ambitious start of the evening’s programme. We knew about the first link thanks to the pre-performance introduction from the conductor, Ruth Partington (‘Very useful,’ said the Norwegian next to me); but the other one left me wondering whether a very young group of players would cope, having only been practising together for a few weeks. I need not have worried: a slightly steadier tempo for two of the pieces meant that none of the excitement was lost, but the rhythms were crisp, the melodies came through clearly and the players were given a wonderful experience of performing some of the classical canon. In complete contrast, the Senior Strings closed the first half of the evening by playing some smaller scale pieces by Janacek and Kannilikov (a new name to me, but apparently a protégé of Tchaikovsky), which showed that delicate playing can have as much impact as fullblooded Romantic music. After the interval, the strings were able to rest and the woodwind and brass took centre stage. First the Concert Band, made up mostly from younger pupils, showed that the future of Canford music looks bright. As I enjoyed music from Mancini and others, I did wonder whether Christopher Sparkhall had ever previously

played the xylophone in a Mega-Mix. Such are the calls on a Director of Music; but soon he was in more familiar territory, conducting the Jazz Band. The string section might have been resting in this half of the concert, but that just meant that a number of the string players simply switched instruments as Tom Davis (who had previously led the orchestra) and Ben Evans (who had been in the cello section) were among the soloists in this excellent ensemble. Rhythmic precision and a crisp togetherness at the beginning and end of phrases combined to show what a dozen of the older players could do – and they seemed to enjoy it all as much as the audience did. Following that can’t have been easy, but the Wind Orchestra under James Aiken rose to the occasion. Sometimes the sheer exuberance of so many players can be a bit overpowering, but not so in this concert: Stephenson’s Rocket by Hess and a medley of American favourites were played with excellent balance, while each part came across clearly when it was their turn to shine. It was a great way to end a very enjoyable evening and it was good to see the Music School so full at the end of a busy week. I might add that it was equally pleasing, with the new concert hall windows in place, to listen to the first concert in twenty-two years (and probably longer for some) where I wasn’t disturbed by the Canford Magna bell ringers practising nearby! Compositions for string quartet and six church bells are now a thing of the past and, as was shown in this programme, the music can be enjoyed uninterrupted. Richard Knott

The Britten Sinfonia Now in its fourth year, the annual residency of musicians from the Britten Sinfonia took place in February, thanks to the generous support of Old Canfordian Charles Rawlinson MBE. The Britten Sinfonia is one of the world’s most celebrated and pioneering ensembles. Founded in 1992 and acclaimed for its virtuoso musicians and trail-blazing projects, the orchestra is inspired by the ethos of Benjamin Britten through world-class performances, illuminating and distinctive programmes where old meets new, and a deep commitment to bringing outstanding music to both the world’s finest concert halls and the local community. The visiting world-class musicians gave a series of workshops and masterclasses, and their time concluded with a thrilling concert. Our string players were able to take part in a workshop on Schubert’s ‘Trout’ quintet, playing with pianist Huw Watkins, and receiving expert coaching from Britten Sinfonia section principals, Jackie Shave and Caroline Dearnley. There was an oboe masterclass with Emma Fielding, and further string and piano masterclasses too. In what has become a particularly special annual highlight, some of our GCSE and A level composers had their music workshopped and performed by the visiting players.

There is nothing quite like hearing your music come to life in truly expert hands, and the pupils were delighted (and, perhaps, surprised) at just how good their music sounded. Samuel Hopkins had composed a particularly tricky piece of serial music, and the Britten players, who specialise in ‘new’ music, gave him some valuable help in performing the piece. Alexandria Eyre’s sonata form movement adopted a more conventional style, but was much admired by all, and was also performed in their concert as a ‘surprise’ item. Christopher Sparkhall

the arts - MUSIC

Christmas Term Concer t

An Evening of Film Music Given that the concert at the beginning of March coincided with the worst wintry weather that the ‘Beast from the East’ and Storm Emma could throw at us, the evening seemed to be facing Mission Impossible. Some musicians and many of the original audience were confined by the snow, but the Music Department pulled out all the stops, performers and staff were given beds for a couple of nights and caterers were ferried in to keep the wheels turning. And turn they did as the auditorium filled, the musicians rose to the occasion and the canapés appeared as delicious as ever; all washed down with some fine wine. The evening was another stunning triumph by the Music Department and the Friends of Canford Music. Christopher Sparkhall kicked off the evening with his characteristically warm welcome and launched the Symphonic Wind Orchestra, with James Aiken’s energy and improvisation, clicking fingers and vocal whooshes, into the Mission Impossible theme. ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ (or perhaps clarinet) from The Mission was stunningly played by Bea Fairbairn before Ben Evans displayed his talent on the saxophone with his solo in ‘Catch me if you can’ from Star Wars. The programme then went off-piste with an additional and mesmerising barber shop quartet with Sam Hopkins, Charlie Anstee, Dom Hammond and Ben Evans singing ‘Come fly with me’, before allowing the audience to recharge with the first serving of splendid canapés. The Jazz Band performed for the second session, opening with the main theme from Hawaii 5-0 in deference to the older members of the audience who remember it so well, before backing two of the stars from last term’s musical, Cabaret. There were beautiful performances from Matilda Hubble with ‘The way you look tonight’ from Swing Time and from Annabelle Budd: ‘A love that will last’ from Ugly Betty.

Ben Evans brought more of his brilliance with ‘I believe I can fly’ from Space Jam before giving way to Sophie Patrick and Millie Dickens who offered us a moving duet, ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ from Toy Story. Ellen Harvey-Hills injected her own energy and emotion into ‘Don’t rain on my parade’ from Funny Girl, telling the Headmaster: ‘Hey Mr Vessey, Here I am, I’ll march my band out …’: clearly Storm Emma was not going to hold Ellen back. The Jazz Band then closed with the timeless main theme from Fame before the audience were served with yet more delicious canapés. The Orchestra opened the third session with the Sunrise theme from Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra, perhaps more famous for being used in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Grace Hewett followed with a perfect rendition of ‘Tale as old as time’ from Beauty and the Beast before Alex Eyre and Chloe Gadd sang ‘Sull’aria’ from The Marriage of Figaro, bringing a similar brand of purity and depth to Canford as Edith Mathis and Gundula Janowitz did to the maximum-security prison in The Shawshank Redemption – not that there are any parallels between the two institutions, of course. The Orchestra then finished with the Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavalleria Rusticana, which was played in The Godfather Part III and Raging Bull. Lastly, the combined Orchestra, Jazz Band and Symphonic Wind Orchestra joined forces to lift the roof off and close the evening with Star Wars while two conductors, Darth Vader (Mr Sparkhall complete with gown, helmet and lightsaber) and Princess Leia (Miss Partington complete with hairstyle and lightsaber), fought for supremacy of the orchestra. Some of the brass section were attacked but bravely fought through and the combined forces brought a spectacular end to a triumph of an evening. Dan Culley

“Some of the brass section were attacked but bravely fought through and the combined forces brought a spectacular end to a triumph of an evening.”

French Masses in Christchurch Priory

“This was not to be a ‘school concert’, with strained faces on proud parents; it was to be a concert that anyone could enjoy, and be proud to be part of, in its own right.” 70

A cold evening merely served to accentuate the warmth of tone and expression in the various choirs who presented a selection of French masses and motets in the school’s Christchurch Priory concert in March. The Priory’s beauty and resonance added enormously to the occasion, but it was the precision and energy of the Cantabile Choir, the Chapel Choir and the Chamber Choir – assisted by the school’s choral society in the Vierne Mass– that made such a wonderful concert for the audience. The first of Durufle’s four motets opened the concert, with Dom Hammond singing the plainsong opening of Ubi Caritas et Amor. A beautiful canvas of sound – with a rich and sonorous bass line to balance the girls’ voices – set a perfect tone for the evening, with the dramatic opening pedal statement of the Vierne Messe Solonelle making us all sit up and listen. This was not to be a ‘school concert’, with strained faces on proud parents; it was to be a concert that anyone could enjoy, and be proud to be part of, in its own right. The Vierne is a great piece, with the drama of the opening Kyrie the first of many fine moments. The Amen ending of the Gloria invites applause – and only the clear ‘invitation’ to listen to the work in silence prevented an enthusiastic audience from interrupting until the very end, the pacem of the Agnus Dei indeed bringing peace after many crashing organ and choir chords. Three cheers for James Aiken and Katie Salmon, who played the parts originally taken on the organ by Widor and Vierne, with excitement, skill and passion.

I wonder if they were pleased to be playing on the newly refurbished Priory organs? Little wonder, anyway, that Christopher Sparkhall had described the work, in an unguarded moment during rehearsal, as ‘an organ concerto with choir accompaniment’. Following another Durufle motet (Tota pulchra es), the Cantabile Choir sang the Fauré Messe Basse. This, the lesser-known little brother of the Requiem, was a perfect vehicle for the full and convincing sound of the junior girls – led by excellent solos from Lizzie Graham, Sophie Hussey, Flora Peddie and Nory Warner. I was hugely impressed by the richness of tone of this young choir, directed by Katie Salmon. Once they settled into the acoustic of the Priory, they more than did justice to a lovely little piece that deserves to be better-known. The final two motets – Tantum Ergo and Tu es Petrus, introduced by Ben Evans’s fine tenor voice – led on to the final piece of the evening, the Langlais Messe Solennelle. This was a most ambitious piece for the full Chapel Choir and they delivered – in spades. Chromatic, even atonal in parts, this is not an easy piece for any choir, and I marvelled at the ability of our young singers to do justice to musical lines that certainly do not lie easily in the voice – or even to the ear at times! We are very lucky to have such hard-working musicians, who at this late stage of term could produce music of the highest quality, in such fine surroundings. Many thanks to Christopher Sparkhall and the rest of the Music Department for this and for all the other musical highlights of the term. Stephen Wilkinson

Echoing the weather’s crescendo to full heat in the final week of term, the Music Department’s preparations for the final concert of the year must have been fearsome. From a standing start (as most pupils were engrossed in exams or on study leave in the preceding weeks) the orchestra learnt to play eight concerto movements for this and the Speech Day concert, and gave secure support to the very able soloists. Impressively, they were quickly able to change to and from 17th, 18th and 20th-century styles, with dips into 19th-century for their own pieces – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Finale and Verdi’s Triumphal March from Aida, in which the brass sounded truly imposing. The evening began with a magical rendition by the Chamber Choir of Stanford’s ‘The Blue Bird’, which demands much vocal control at any time, let alone the start of a concert. Alex Eyre floated her solo line in admirably. They followed it with Colin Mawby’s beautiful ‘Ave verum’, which they repeated for us at the beginning of Speech Day. The Chapel and Chamber Choirs combined to demonstrate their ability to cover the full vocal range and wide dynamic contrasts in Philip Moore’s ‘All wisdom cometh from the Lord’. All three choirs sing with enviable poise and confidence. The Perfect Fourth close harmony quartet of Charlie Anstee, Ben Evans, Sam Hopkins and Dominic Hammond set the scene for the lighter musical items of the second half. Accomplished and stylish in this difficult genre, they were a hard act to follow, but the Jazz Band are ‘old pros’! If you listened with eyes closed you would hardly believe you were listening to a school ensemble, so tight and energetic was the performance. Bass player Sam Hopkins and vocalist Chloe Gadd delighted us with their performance of ‘Slap that bass’ after the band’s opening number, comprised of themes from The Incredibles.

The Symphonic Wind Band gave a stirring performance of Bach’s D minor Toccata, ending with a terrific crescendo, much fun being had in the percussion section. This was true in the final items given by the combined Wind Ensembles, too. In ‘Copacabana’ they were joined by all free hands among the music staff, who let their hair down on cowbells and maracas. The true stars of the evening were the soloists – Jen Jackson on clarinet played ‘The Pre-Goodman Rag’ with the Symphonic Wind Band – a quirky item which must have been tricky to put together as often the part for the soloist seemed to be quite unhinged from its surroundings! Her excellent rhythmical performance and delightful tone gave great pleasure. Thomas Davis, accompanied by the String Ensemble, admirably performed the first movement of Bach’s E Major violin concerto – no hiding place in Bach! Maddy Kearns gave us a memorably poised first movement of Elgar’s famous ’cello concerto and Alby Stevens intrigued us by playing the elegant second movement of Mozart’s bassoon concerto on the bass clarinet. Both kept our attention with their wonderful tone and phrase shaping, achieving real communication. We thank those who are leaving for all the pleasure they have given us in concerts over the years and wish them well in their future studies. Of course, none of these amazing performances would have been possible without the skill, dedication and energy of the music staff – both those we see on stage and all the ‘invisible’ peripatetic teachers who guide the progress of these emerging musicians week by week. Like the weather, they have to crescendo towards the end of each term into a large performance, encouraging flagging energies to climb one more mountain. We salute you! Elizabeth Rathbone

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Summer Concer t

“In ‘Copacabana’ they were joined by all free hands among the music staff, who let their hair down on cowbells and maracas.”

For the Shells and Fourth Form, Wednesday afternoons are devoted to a co-curricular activity other than sport, community service or the CCF. During 2017-18, these activities have included: • 4x4 Design and Build Challenge • Archery • Card Games • Ceramics • Chess • Chinese • Climbing • Computer Programming • Croquet • Cunieform Text • Drone Photography • Film Classics • Film-making • Formula 24 • Goatherding (Creative Writing)

• Greek for beginners • Greek for intermediates • Handball • Joy of Decks (Learn to be a DJ) • Juggling • Kayaking • Reading Group • Riding (Equestrian) • Roman Mosaics • Shooting • Table Tennis • The Week • Touch Rugby and Football for Girls • Volleyball • Zumba

On a Tuesday afternoon, Shells have taken part in the Shell Carousel, which gives them the opportunity to try out the wide range of sports and other activities that Canford can offer, and to learn new skills along the way. On a Monday afternoon, the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Forms have been involved in community service, the CCF, D of E Award or a skill-based activity such as first aid or powerboating. In addition, there are a variety of clubs, societies and groups – some whole school, some which have met mainly in the evening, and some attended exclusively by sixth-formers. They have included: • Astronomy • Engineering • Heretics • Junior Heretics

ACTIVITIES AND SOCIETIES

Activities and Societies

Spotlight on… Formula 24/24+ Schools taking par t in the Formula 24 racing series are issued with a carefully thought up specification (or formula as it’s called in the motorspor ting fraternity) along with a 24-volt electric motor and a set of lead/ acid car batteries. Cars are designed and built to the formula, then compete in a number of endurance races throughout the country, using well-known motor racing circuits. A team of seven pupils make up the drivers and pit-crew, but many more are involved in the project. Racing at speeds approaching 70kph using just four car batteries shows that an eco-mentality needn’t be dull with the correct application of science and technology. The activity promotes the school’s environmental and green agendas, and provides some serious fun motor racing at the same time! F24 is for ages up to 16, and the lower school F24 team have gone from strength to strength. The team have been busy in activity time completing the build of their latest creation, The Canford Kayakasi. Under construction for a couple of years now, it was finally completed and ready to race for the 2017-18 season and it was completed just in the nick of time to be put to the test at Goodwood in a trial by ordeal. The race went exactly as planned, with our car performing well in the low gear selected for its first outing, and putting in some consistent times. Pit stops were well practised, the team looked smar t, and all pulled together on the day. The next race at Castle Combe saw the team,

exper tly led by Jessie Shuttlewor th, put in another solid performance, but with the low gear still in the car, a qualifying time was unlikely to be on the cards. The team took it as a chance to practise pit stops and give everyone a go at the wheel, testing the long-distance performance of the car and its reliability under stress. It proved to be 100% reliable. Meanwhile the Sixth Form were readying their Formula 24+ car, The Millennial Falcon, for her maiden voyage. F24+ is for sixteen-year-olds and over, so she would be up against vehicles from top colleges, universities and big businesses from around the world. A car that had been three years in development and had been designed and built from scratch by the Sixth Form Canford engineers was definitely the underdog in this class. Having literally bolted together the last few par ts of the drive train the night before the race, there had been no time for a proper test run. Would she hold together? Indeed she would! Pilot Matt Wilkinson reliably drove her to twentieth place overall. The next race at Castle Combe saw us make step changes in performance with fur ther drive train modifications and cooling ducts, taking us to 16th overall with Rober t Way at the controls. Aided exper tly by engineers Dom Hammond, Stefan Perry and Teddy Hancock, the team were thus placed solidly in the middle of the grid for the international finals on aggregate – no mean feat for the first two tests of the car! Steve Excell

• Beekeeping • Global Forum • John O’Gaunt (Debating) • Philosophy Film Club

There are also a number of societies devoted to academic subjects. Mention of these will be found in the relevant departmental reports (pages 14-29).

“Moving the goalposts neither makes pupils smarter nor encourages them, but apparently the DfS knows better.” Like it or not, schools are judged by their academic achievements, so it was with much pride (and some relief) that August brought news of the best exam results in the academy’s history. For the third consecutive year there was a 100% pass rate at A2; but this year the top grades were much more evident, meaning that all university offers were met. For the first time four pupils will be heading off to Russell Group universities and that number will surely grow in future years.

Nerves were even more stretched as the GCSE results day approached, because most subjects are now marked under the new grading system, with no-one quite sure where the grade boundaries would be drawn. Fears here also proved unwarranted as more pupils than ever achieved a ‘good’ pass (ie. A*-C under the old grading system). This year the hope was that over 60% of the pupils would achieve the classic standard of five ‘good’ GCSEs (including Maths and English) and that barrier was duly broken. All this is excellent news, but the results come with a big caveat. Not for the first time, government initiatives are penalising schools with fewer able pupils – and, with grammar schools just around the corner, The Bourne Academy (TBA) certainly falls into that category. Firstly, the definition of a ‘good’ pass is changing. The new Grade 4 was designed to have the same pass mark as the old Grade C, so comparisons would be fairly straightforward but, in future, a Grade 5 will be required for a ‘strong’ pass. Moving the goalposts neither makes pupils smarter nor encourages them, but apparently the DfS knows better. Secondly, there is to be a new focus on measuring progress rather than raw achievement, a change which is to be applauded. However, as recent articles in the TES and research by Cambridge Assessment have shown, the system is biased against schools with lower-ability pupils. Never mind, we will ride out that storm, as have done the others, and continue to do what is right for TBA pupils. As, indeed, we will do with the wider curriculum. Faced with these new pressures, some schools have decided to drop subjects which do not count in the Progress 8 score (or are difficult to achieve good progress in) and focus on English and Maths which count double: they cut music lessons and have extra Maths lessons, and so on. There is no doubt that this

bourne academy

The Bourne Academy

is effective, as at least one local school has shown this year, but it can lead to a very narrow curriculum. For some TBA pupils, an Outdoor Education BTEC is the right qualification to get, even though it doesn’t count towards a P8 score, so we will continue to teach it. In the same vein, Music will remain a strength and will still be offered as part of the compulsory curriculum; and we will be prepared to suffer a slight hit on our results if it means that pupils are more interesting people when they leave the academy. Rarely, if at all, does any of those interesting people leave the academy as a NEET (not in education, employment or training) as the Careers Department, who offer advice across the academic spectrum, remains a major strength at TBA, with the academy continuing to collect awards and being asked to offer advice to other schools. That the arts remain a strength was demonstrated again and again this year, such as during the performances of Beauty and the Beast, or when indie band Indiecisive won an outside competition. A variety of sports is also on offer, but there is ability as well: the Year 11 football team, for instance, reached the semifinal of the county competition for the first time. The Duke of Edinburgh award is proving more and more popular. A trip to Buckingham Palace followed the first Gold Award to a pupil earlier this year, but five more girls are close behind. They spent up to twelve hours a day paddle-boarding down the Caledonian Canal for four days, and then came across to Canford to tell the Earl of Wessex about it when he visited earlier this year. If paddle-boarding isn’t your thing, how about car racing? Building and racing Greenpower F24 cars was one of the first joint enterprises between Canford and TBA and, while cars are now built on separate campuses, it is quite common to see the academy cars racing round the Sunken Lawn as they practise for races at Goodwood. The cars can reach 40 mph and, at the time of writing, both schools were about to travel together to the track at Castle Combe. With the inaugural Sixth Form Ball this year, a recording of Jay Rayner’s Kitchen Cabinet at the academy and trips to New York, Paris and other places closer to home, it’s easy to think that life is simply about having fun; but there is a serious side to the academy. Staff continue to address and often solve some major individual problems, often exacerbated or caused by issues at home. These may only affect the minority of pupils, but they can dominate the lives of the pastoral staff at times. Money, also, remains a key issue. Each year another hurdle seems to be erected. This year, for instance, pension contributions went up, requiring us to find the equivalent of two members of staff (or make them redundant). More long-lasting is the government’s insistence that our Sixth Form remains at 150, despite their own figures stating that anything under about 220 is uneconomic and unsustainable. When Ofsted visited earlier in the year, the lead inspector asked (off the record, of course) how we managed to balance the books. With increasing difficulty is the answer. And yes, Ofsted did confirm that we remained a ‘Good’ school with ‘Outstanding’ features, although they will be back soon to give us a fuller inspection, as this was a ‘light touch’ inspection when they only stay for a day and concentrate on a school’s supposed weaknesses. Success, of course, does not happen without

committed and talented staff. Recruitment is rarely easy, but September started with a full complement of enthusiastic teachers and support staff. What happens in the classroom is critical, but that couldn’t happen without efforts elsewhere as well. Two significant grants from the Talbot Village Trust (to refurbish the all-weather pitch and then, this year, the Science classrooms) do not just happen. And nor do the corridors and classrooms remain spotless by themselves. I am also increasingly thankful for the time and expertise that governors offer, many of whom are present or past Canford parents. After ten years John Lever, who was absolutely critical to the academy’s successful start, has stood down, but others are taking his place. For both his and others’ contribution, we are all extremely grateful. Such teamwork is also evident between Canford and TBA. Some early links, such as the Book Club and golf and cricket matches between the staff, still prosper, and others are just starting. So much is happening that, this year, we were finalists in the TES independent/state school competition, but whether we win in the future is less important than the fact that the relationship is working for both schools. Long may it continue. Richard Knott

“So much is happening that, this year, we were finalists in the TES independent/ state school competition, but whether we win in the future is less important than the fact that the relationship is working for both schools.”

community & partnerships

Community & Partnerships

Community Action “In the end we have managed to keep the project running, which we are all delighted about.”

It has been quite a year, but a successful one, in the Community Service Department. Our SHINE project, under which we work with three local primary schools to provide enrichment lessons for pupils at weekends, started in a disappointing and worrying manner. We were informed in July 2017 that we would no longer be able to receive funding from the SHINE Trust as the charity was relocating to the north of England and would be focussing its charitable giving on schools and organisations in that region. We tried to argue our case but were told that the decision had already been made. A meeting was arranged between

ourselves and the three partner schools and everybody decided that they wanted the project to continue to run, which was great news. The Friends of Canford kindly agreed to fund the school’s side of the expenses and the partner schools agreed to fund their own expenses, so in the end we have managed to keep the project running, which we are all delighted about. The SHINE team was bolstered by the addition of graduate assistants Penny Carpenter and Jack Newton and I am very grateful to them for the help they offered the programme. Penny in particular co-ordinated the SHINE graduation performance and gave a passionate speech about the importance of education that rounded off a very enjoyable evening in the Easter Term. We also hosted a successful morning of sport in June, where SHINE pupils were given cricket and tennis lessons as well as a sculling session. I would like to thank Ian Dryden, Helen Barr and Matt Keech for generously giving up their time to allow these activities to happen. We look forward to the arrival of the next cohort of SHINE pupils, which will have happened by the time you read these words. Links with City Reach in Southampton have continued to grow well and develop nicely. I am very grateful for the help pupils Lily Lloyd, Lauren Taylor, Claudia Jacobs and Rosie Southgate gave to me over the course of the academic year. The four Wimbornians visited the club a couple of times with me in both the Christmas and Easter terms, as well as giving up a weekend to take over

30 City Reach young people to the PGL centre at Little Canada on the Isle of Wight. They also masterminded the Christmas party (where well over 30 Canfordians helped with a Christmas meal, games in the sports hall, swimming and a party in John o’ Gaunt’s) and the sponsored walk from Boscombe Pier to Canford, which was also supported by more than 30 Canfordians, raising over £750. Lily, Lauren, Claudia and Rosie were not around to help with the summer camp at the school (sadly, A Level examinations got in the way) but this was well supported by a large number of other pupils. We had a great time at Studland Beach and I would like to thank Patrick Rossiter, Geoff Horton, Ieuan Weir and David Neill for giving up their Saturday evening to drive buses to the beach. I’d also like to thank Ieuan and his family for helping me get the tents down on Saturday afternoon. Our weekly Monday afternoon programme grew in size quite drastically in the Easter term. Due to a number of school-based activities not being able to run for a variety of reasons, we found ourselves in the position

of needing to find activities or placements for around twenty pupils. We were able to fill these places with a number of new activities. These included sending pupils to the world-famous Wimborne Model Town to help run an engineering project with some of the volunteers at the town. I am very grateful for the time, advice and enthusiasm Geoff Horton gave me in getting this project set up. Geoff was able to understand the needs of the project and recommend pupils who would benefit from this activity, as well as visiting the Model Town a couple of times with me to meet with the volunteers. I still don’t fully understand what the pupils have done but I do know it involves recycling water, building flow gauges and using a waterwheel. Unfortunately, Geoff was involved with the Bronze DofE programme so could not help out on a Monday, but Alex Graham was more than willing to take pupils there and help out where needed and I am very thankful to him for doing this. The other new projects we took on were sending pupils to Poole Day Care Centre and the Links care home in Broadstone. Both centres are specialist dementia

“I still don’t fully understand what the pupils have done but I do know it involves recycling water, building flow gauges and using a waterwheel.”

community & partnerships

Argentina

“It was really good to be able to offer something back to these care homes who gratefully accept our pupils every week.”

homes. Poole Day Care Centre is, as the name implies, for day patients only, but the Links, run by BUPA, is residential. Feedback from both centres regarding our pupils has been very complimentary and it is good to hear that our pupils are able to use their talents (for example, playing a musical instrument or painting) to help entertain and enhance the experiences of the residents. We also managed to find a placement for a pupil at Colehill community library. This library was due to be closed by Dorset County Council but was saved by a group of volunteers who now manage the running of it. They were very grateful for the help we were able to offer them and wanted to have a pupil’s help every day of the week! Aislinn Pearce started to run a recycling scheme at the school. No-one has been able to miss the numerous recycling boxes she and the pupils have placed around the site. Aislinn got in touch with the locally based charity, ‘Win on Waste’, who have asked for help collecting used pens and drink-can ring-pulls. These items are then shipped to the Philippines, where they are used to make new products which are then sold back here in the UK. St Mary’s Primary School in Poole were also very grateful to have our pupils in to help run their PE lessons. This did involve some leg-work on our part – they wanted to meet our pupils in advance and interview them. I am pleased to write that our pupils were successful and were warmly welcomed into the school. I am also very grateful to Mike Doherty and Annette Burgess in helping run our pupils to St Mary’s and Poole Day Care Centre (as well as the Lewis Manning hospice) as without their help, pupils would not have been able to support these worthy causes. It was also good to send a couple of Canfordians into Wimborne Minster to volunteer their time. Pupils were needed to help sort and catalogue a number of artefacts

at the Minster, as well as acting as welcomers to visitors to it. We are pleased to announce that we will build on all of these new links and projects in the 2018-19 academic year and hope that the links with our schools and these organisations continues to grow. We are also running a second after-school French club at St John’s First School, as well as sending a team of pupils to help with the gardening and upkeep of the grounds at Wimborne Minster. One last event to mention is the annual Christmas Carol Singalong we put on for the elderly on the last Monday of term. In addition to the usual people we invite, this year we were able to make contact with the ‘Mixed Blessings’ group that runs out of the Lantern Church in Merley and invited them to the event, as well as residents from the Aldbury, Fernhill and Streets Meadows care homes. It was really good to be able to offer something back to these care homes who gratefully accept our pupils every week. Well over 100 people attended the event, where they were entertained by our pupils, and we look forward to hosting them again this coming December. As ever, I am very grateful to Clive Jeffery for helping me run the programme. His advice, knowledge and experience has been invaluable and I really don’t know how I could run it without him. How he is able to co-ordinate fifteen minibus drivers and 90 pupils each Monday afternoon is well beyond my comprehension but I do know that the programme is well-oiled, slick and professionally run, so thank you, Clive! As one academic year draws to a close, I wonder how the programme will run over the next twelve months and what challenges will come our way, but I am left feeling very proud of what we offer our pupils and do believe that the programme is special and unique. Dave Allen

I am thankful for the opportunity to attend the Argentina Partnership and to highlight how important Canford’s involvement is. While we were at the Hogar El Alba orphanage this year, we renovated the sports hall, which was dilapidated and falling apart. We carefully cemented the holes between the bricks, sanded the walls and finally repainted them. This sports hall is used by the population of the surrounding neighbourhood and therefore benefits not only the children but a whole community. In addition to the sports hall, we also sanded, stained and built the frames for two greenhouses, which will allow the home to grow their own fruit and vegetables all year round. This helps their bakery and kitchen, where children from the neighbourhood as well as the Hogar come to learn a trade. The legacy of Canford lives on as we saw many of the projects that Canford had previously completed, and we were thrilled as a team to add to this legacy. Although the work we do affects a community, the children are without a doubt the most important aspect of the Argentina Partnership. They had an amazing impact on us and we spent a considerable amount of time with them, either playing with them, generally spending time entertaining them or listening to their stories. Over three weeks we all became incredibly close as we celebrated children leaving, children arriving, birthday parties and evenings together. However, we also learned of their horrific stories as they spoke with us individually night after night. For example, five years ago, Aaron, now aged twelve, was living under a bridge in a tarpaulin house with his older sister, mother and stepfather. The stepdad was an alcoholic and violently abused him and his sister. His mother was a drug addict and was unable to look after them. They were taken in by the Hogar, but Aaron’s sister left him there after three years when she decided to go and live with her biological father. Two years later and Aaron has been adopted by new parents and has earned himself a scholarship at a private school in Buenos Aires. Despite such horrible beginnings, the Hogar has given all the children their childhood back and is enabling happy endings for lots of children in their care. It is an extremely

happy place and nurtures and loves the children until they have a trade or a job and can build a life for themselves at 18, or beyond if necessary. The work that Canford does is invaluable and this was highlighted by something one of the residents of the Hogar said to one of our number, James Chapman, on the second day of the trip. Christian, who has been at the Hogar for many years, due to family issues similar to many kids but mental issues as well, said to James that ‘Everybody here waits all year for Canford to come and visit. It is the highlight of the year. We count down the days.’ The time Canford spends building and helping the home is important ‘but it’s what you leave in their hearts, which is far more important,’ Kareena, one of the owners, told us on our last night in Argentina. So I am grateful to have helped a community but, most importantly, to have given 53 children all our energy and love for three weeks and to have had them bring perspective to our own lives and help us understand how fortunate we are. I am grateful for the opportunity that Canford has given me and I hope it is one that many more pupils can enjoy. Kitty Arnold

“The time Canford spends building and helping the home is important ‘but it’s what you leave in their hearts, which is far more important,’ Kareena, one of the owners, told us on our last night in Argentina.”

community & partnerships

Ghana

“As a group, we strongly believed in targeting secondary education, as this is the age group that has the capacity to shape Ghana’s future and to encourage its development.”

Our partnership group of ten pupils and three teachers flew to Ghana to spend two and a half weeks at Awutu Winton High School. Before the trip itself, we raised a minimum of £500 each (some raised over £3000) by anything from running half-marathons to hosting dinner parties. Awutu Winton High School provides free secondary education and is totally reliant on charitable donations. The money we raised went towards new projects within the school such as buying chemicals for the newly built laboratory. However, the majority of our money funded the upkeep of the school, such as maintenance and staff salaries. Without such donations, it is likely that most of the 440 students aged 15-22 would never receive secondary education. As a group, we strongly believed in targeting secondary education, as this is the age group that has the capacity to shape Ghana’s future and to encourage its development. Much of their syllabus was almost identical to ours in the UK, and so we were able to help them revise for their Geography exams, but the Canfordians learnt as much as the Ghanaian students did because the trip itself was a truly valuable experience. The hospitality and goodwill shown by the Awutu students was unbelievable. From the moment we arrived, they were keen to welcome us and tell us about their traditions

and cultures. Almost every evening, the students would gather in the school playground and include us in all sorts of traditional (and not-so-traditional) dances, songs and games. Teaching us African dances undoubtedly provided the Ghanaian students with much entertainment! In turn, we taught them some popular songs and dances from the UK, which they found very amusing. The Ghanaian girls and boys were keen to set up Canford vs. Awutu volleyball and football games, for which large crowds of students would gather with high spirits, cheering and singing from the sidelines, no matter what the score. We also took part in their annual 16km walk down to the beach, which gave us the chance to get to know the students in an out-of-school environment. The sense of community and joy at the school was remarkable and it rubbed off on our group almost instantly, making us feel welcome and truly appreciated. Awutu invited us to join them in their end-of-term sermon, run by students, and their dedication to their faith was remarkable. In return, we gave them an assembly on moral values, acting out biblical stories such as Jesus walking on water. Our final day was emotional and extremely memorable. The Awutu students had a leaving service where they performed dances, sang and involved us in games. There was a competitive game of musical chairs between the teachers in front of the whole school, with Ms Read winning. Before we left, our penfriends and other friends we had made along the way gave us parting gifts such as shoes and handmade jewellery. Their gratefulness and gifts made it even harder to say goodbye. We left behind benches that we had built during the week for them to eat lunch on, but more importantly, we left Awutu Winton with a taste of our culture, just as we have all returned with a different outlook on life and a true love of Ghana. As we flew back (wearing the Ghanaian shirts and dresses that had been tailored for us) we were reassured by the fact that next year, another group of Canfordians will go over and provide even more support to the school. The trip was an experience of a lifetime and many of us are considering returning to Ghana during our gap years. Deya Shergill

India In early July, in company with twelve other Canfordians, I embarked on a two-week trip to Southern India. We were based in Thandiguidi, a small village in the state of Tamil Nadu, which meant fairly mild weather (only one torrential downpour) and a detachment from the busy cities. During our stay we visited several sites but lived mainly at the Goodwill Children’s Home in Thandiguidi. As a result we formed really strong bonds with all the children there, and between us we eventually knew all 97 of them by name! While we were in Thandiguidi, we spent our days teaching the children – aged five to eleven – predominantly English and Maths, along with arts and crafts, book readings and games. We were paired up with different Canfordians and taught different subjects to different year groups each time, which meant we were all a little better at Maths by the end – well, maybe all except Harry. In the afternoons we played for hours with the children and they taught us a number of playground games, some of which we were familiar with from our childhood but some which were completely new to us. Five-year-olds trying to teach us the rules to their favourite games with such a language barrier certainly proved interesting. We also visited a girls’ home and a boys’ home down on the plains, where the children from Thandiguidi go once they reach 11 and stay until they are 18. The girls enjoyed doing everyone’s henna and make-up (even for our boys) and we had the annual Canford vs India cricket match at the boys’ home - which we won! After we visited the boys, we went on to stay with a Tribal Outreach Program (TORP), which offers education to children living in tribal villages. Here we delivered stationery and school supplies and played with the children. We managed to walk through several villages, including the ‘Canford village’, with which we have a connection. All the villagers were curious and stood outside their homes while we walked past, but they

were all so friendly and some spoke to us – it was lovely to feel involved in their community. We had no showers during our stay in India and had to use buckets filled with cold water in order to wash. This was definitely something we were all a bit apprehensive about, but we all learned how to have the quickest ‘showers’ of our lives and it was certainly a memorable aspect of our time in India. Whilst it was amusing and sometimes frustrating, it made us grateful for the facilities and privileges we have at home that we often take for granted. Eating with our hands was also a new experience that took a while to get used to, but we were so good at it by the end! The India Partnership was an incredible experience that will undoubtedly be one of my most treasured memories of my time at Canford. We made a real difference to lives while enriching our own, and had our eyes opened to how lucky we truly are. Amelia Godel

“We had no showers during our stay in India and had to use buckets filled with cold water in order to wash.... it made us grateful for the facilities and privileges we have at home that we often take for granted.”

Combined Cadet Force

“With two factions ‘fighting’ each other, the patrolling, snap ambushes and base attacks took a new and competitive turn.”

The CCF remains as stimulating and challenging as ever, with its tried and tested menu of activities. We aim to stimulate, challenge and inspire the cadets, offering diverse experiences and teaching new skills while focussing on key life skills and in addition taking them out of their comfort zones and making them uncomfortable, scared even; but in the end it is the sense of achievement that bears testament to the learning and what is fast becoming a clichéd term in school’s inspectorate parlance, the ‘positive outcome’ of what we do. Our numbers continue to grow, while the organisation evolves accordingly. Our first term kicked off for the Marines and Army sections with the introduction of basic rifle handling skills, shooting, navigation, fieldcraft and endurance. It was, as ever, fast and furious and once again saw the cadets standing in oversized new shiny clothing before quickly changing into stronger, more confident and purposeful individuals.The

Navy section were equally dynamic, but they placed their focus on the water and enjoyed a September of sailing before travelling to Portsmouth for their Naval introduction on the Whole Day Enterprise weekend. The Royal Marines found themselves on their weekend completing their selection by yomping a distance of about six kilometres over the Lulworth Ranges with their kit before setting up their bashas and learning about the rigours and skills of existing in a covert manner in the field. Night recces and stalks immediately tested and developed their fieldcraft skills – movement, patrolling, navigation, communication and self-discipline – while the Army had to move across a large stretch of terrain undetected and uncaptured by the enemy. Various stands the next day saw further skills – compass-work, patrolling, first aid, improvised stretchers, target indication and observation – all being nurtured and developed.The Royal Marines then finished their exercise with the now famous river aka mud run patrol or more precisely crawl: an extraction along a river course, evading the enemy by crawling through the mud, under logs, through deep pools of water and finally running two kilometres wholly soaked up a long hill.The first half of term was concluded neatly with our annual Trafalgar Dinner with parents and NCOs toasting the Immortal Memory and Her Majesty in the Great Hall. The Pringle Trophy team travelled to Lympstone to test themselves against twenty other top RM Sections from CCF contingents around the UK. With a young team a top five result was always going to stretch us but in the end we managed tenth overall: a disappointing result but one which serves, given the character of such cadets, to fire them up even more next year. Next year’s team now has the experience, motivation and talent to do well. Also in their favour is a new instructor; Major Ben Coward, fresh from the Rifles, will bring his experience to bear. The remainder of the year saw the cadets developing their skills further in preparation for the final exercise in

“The Welsh Three Peaks Challenge saw three teams of six cadets depart Canford on the Saturday after Speech Day to climb Pen-y-Fan at sunset, Cadair Idris at sunrise and finally Snowdon within 24 hours.” May.The Army Section travelled to Bovington for higherlevel battlecraft drills, section attacks and ambushes and another night out under canvas, while the Marines returned to the seaside ‘resort’ of Braunton Burrows Training Area. With two factions ‘fighting’ each other, the patrolling, snap ambushes and base attacks took a new and competitive turn.There is nothing quite like a battle game to fire imaginations and after phase 1, the Marine cadets moved to Lympstone to learn the craft of fighting in urban environments, with laser weapons coming into play in the house clearance drills. Some work on the famous ‘Bottom Field’ (the Royal Marines assault course) contrived to ensure that they returned to Canford thoroughly exhausted.The Navy section enjoyed a weekend sailing to the Isle of Wight in the now-not-so-new small cruiser fleet, bringing together the year’s skills and enjoying the fine hot weather that the winter had stored up for us. The annual pilgrimage to Norway took place in February and saw twenty cadets go to Hovden to complete three days of cross-country skiing skills along with a three-day Arctic expedition.The initial training saw us enjoying clear skies and great snow, but the weather deteriorated markedly on the expedition with half the team having to spend two nights cooped up in a touring hut while the other half were able to enjoy a night in a snowhole or quinzee shelter.The second day found us sheltering from gales and heavy snow with very limited visibility and a day in the hut was inevitable apart from the odd foray to practise contrived search and rescue scenarios generated by the instructors. Overall though, skills had been learnt, boundaries extended, comfort zones broken and fun had by all. Our Snowdonia trip was another roaring success with the focus shifting to wild camping and mountaineering skills. Snowdon remained unconquered as we concentrated on the Carneddau and Glydders, but many kilometres were covered and metres gained with the help of a team of mountain instructors. The Ten Tors programme also kicked off in the Easter Term with 22 cadets heading for Dartmoor over two weekends to develop their navigation, walking and camping skills. Conditions this year were kind, both for the training weekends and for the real event, and the two 35-mile teams finished in fine style close to the top of the list for each of their respective routes, returning back at midday on the Sunday. In addition to the 35-milers, for the first time in several years, a Lower Sixth 45-mile team was viable and equally successful. Two new ventures have been embarked upon this year. The first was the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge, which saw

three teams of six cadets depart Canford on the Saturday after Speech Day to climb Pen-y-Fan at sunset, Cadair Idris at sunrise and finally Snowdon within 24 hours.The event was a stunning success except that the start on Pen-y-Fan coincided with another big event and lots of people. So much for the peaceful spectacular sunset we were hoping for. Cadair Idris, however, did not disappoint, and although we shared Snowdon with some large crowds, we finished the Three Welsh Peaks well inside the 24 hours. The second was the chartering of a 72-foot ketch from the Rona Trust which took eleven cadets and three staff along the South Coast. In stunning weather they all enjoyed a magnificent voyage and had a spectacular experience. This year also saw the partnership with Poole High School come to a successful end with the contingent breaking free from Canford to become fully independent with a number of cadets across three years.They will continue to use our facilities but the benefit to their cadets is significant. The Annual Parade, presided over by Brigadier James Coote DSO OBE, an OC and successful cadet in his time at Canford, was another spectacular affair around the Sunken Lawn. Watched by a large number of parents, the NCOs and the Fourth Form marched past before the Field Gun Challenge, with three Fifth Form teams racing their guns and limbers around the Sunken Lawn, removing wheels and manhandling the equipment in order to cross the obstacles and then ‘fire’ the guns to re-enact the relief of Ladysmith.The afternoon then proceeded with the training demonstrations through the woods further up the Park before the final address and prizegiving. Prizes were awarded to the following: Benner Award for Leadership Cdt WO1 M Kearns Clive Mayer Memorial Trophy for Services to the CCF Cdt WO2 E Vessey Best Junior Cadet: Navy Cdt F White Marines Cdt T Matthews Army Cdts J Harvey-Hills & S Jarvis. As another hugely successful year closes, it only remains for me to thank the units that have supported us, the parents, and of course the cadets but also the staff who have worked so hard to challenge the cadets. In particular, Maj. Craig Risbey and Lt Matt Cowlard, the SSI and QM respectively, who work tirelessly to deliver such a valuable education in life skills for the cadets, deserve our thanks. Lt-Col Dan Culley

outdoor enterprises

Outdoor enterprises

outdoor enterprises

The Canford Community “Three evenings with the unenviable choice between the infuriatingly persistent midges outside and the increasingly smelly inside is something I had never experienced before.”

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has been moving forward successfully with the Bronze programme growing from around 12 pupils in the Fourth Form in 2015 to 28 in 2018, while the Gold programme continues to accelerate from 12 in 2015 to 70 in 2018. Completions have also grown significantly from very few a couple of years ago to a dozen at Bronze level last year and nearly 20 at Gold level. This equates to 50%, which is above the national average. Consolidating the completions further has now become the focus and the prospects are bright, but challenges remain as numbers grow and the programme becomes more of a process demanding increasingly streamlined and pre-ordained solutions. Thus our ambition to allow the Thailand trip of 2017 to spawn a number of overseas expeditions capitalising on the pupils’ adventurous and original spirit has been blunted; after our brief forays further afield, we now anticipate getting to know the Welsh mountains well. We were privileged to be able to host in June HRH the Earl of Wessex, who was touring the world’s Real tennis courts raising money for the Duke of Edinburgh’s scheme. Two of our most recent Gold successes, Natasha Treagust and Alby Stevens, spoke at the fundraising dinner, highlighting some of their rather more formative experiences:

Alby: ‘Our four days of walking in the Scottish mountains took almost a year of preparations. Four days with almost no contact with people outside your group and three evenings with the unenviable choice between the infuriatingly persistent midges outside and the increasingly smelly inside is something I had never experienced before. But the views were consistently breath-taking, the challenge made it worthwhile and the tight-knit team spirit between the six of us will be hard to replicate.’ And Natasha: ‘You really can do anything if you set your mind to it! Just one example that sticks out is my Silver practice expedition to the Peak District. Due to a map-reading error, within the first half an hour of the two-day expedition I found myself waist deep in a bog. From then on it rained for most of the expedition and I spent three days in soaking wet kit and wet boots. I found another use for the empty plastic bags we kept our breakfast porridge in – anything for half an hour of dry socks!’ As the academic year closes in June 2018, we can report that the Bronze cohort have enjoyed their work on High Mead Farm, looking after the animals and the fabric, which is designed to help handicapped children, and were then blessed with terrific weather in the New Forest for their final fling. While this was happening, the Gold contingent travelled to the Brecon Beacons for their practice expeditions, where they enjoyed the full spectrum of conditions: sweltering heat through to cold, wet and windy conditions with only 40 metres visibility. ‘The worst day of my life’ was one comment I overheard, but then this can be taken a number of ways, depending on how the individual reacts; in any case, the candidates all learned a great deal and the assessed expedition was a real success as a result. In such instances, individuals will quickly forget the discomfort and exaggerate their achievements. Or alternatively, they will look at this as something they never want to do again. I hope that Canfordians tend to the former but even if the latter is the case, one must commend the individuals for trying. Overall, however, Canfordians have been thriving under the scheme, which continues to go from strength to strength. Dan Culley

What a year! We seem to be busier year on year with events and activities, and this provides an excellent opportunity to thank parents and OCs for giving up their time to support the Canford Community in so many ways. Involvement with Canford is fun and fulfilling and makes a difference to so many. Last year saw the culmination of the first year of the Canford Charitable Annual Bursary Fund. Exceeding our target of £51,000, it funded a deserving Sixth Form pupil to join Canford in September 2018. Arriving at this total involved many OCs and parents making one-off donations, setting up regular standing orders to the fund and of course attending our gala dinner and online auction which took place in November. Guests arrived in 1930s dress and the Great Hall was transformed with effective lighting and superb table decorations. A sumptuous three-course meal was interspersed with speeches from Tom Williams, screenwriter, and Joe Harmston, former Artistic Director for the Agatha Christie Theatre Company, who enthralled guests with his knowledge of the author and in particular the story of Murder on the Orient Express. Throughout the evening, guests were able to bid via iPads in the auction, with a frenzy of activity towards the end of the evening. The event was a great success, enjoyed by all, and raised just over £10,000 for the Annual Fund. This has become a regular fixture in the Canford calendar with the theme for 2018 being ‘Masquerade’! The Nineveh Society was set up some time ago to honour in their lifetimes those who have pledged a legacy to Canford. We were delighted to welcome Nineveh Legacy Society members to a new annual lunch in John o’ Gaunt’s in November. After lunch, they heard from Ben Vessey, Martin Marriott and a bursary recipient, Luke, who was at Canford during Martin’s time as Headmaster.

Guests were touched by the moving speech that Luke made about the difference a bursary made to his life. The Legacy Lunch will become an annual event to enable us to thank legators for their thoughtful gift to Canford. Another annual lunch was re-instated in February: the Friends of Canford Spring Lunch. On the Friday before half term, guests were treated to Canford hospitality with a talk from Sarah Eyton about her early years as an actor and moving into design work. A networking evening in London for those in the creative industries just escaped the perils of our snowy winter and saw OC Genevieve Fox talk about her book, Milkshakes and Morphine. This was a popular event, with Canford Sixth Form pupils also making the journey to attend. Parents and OCs volunteered to attend the Careers Symposium at Canford in March, which saw a keynote speech from OC Amanda Seabrook. In the Summer Term, rowing is always a feature. The House Regatta and Boat Club dinner in June saw a commemoration to the late Derek Drury, a former Canford rowing coach, with the boathouse being named after him. Sara Winckless MBE was the guest of honour at the Boat Club dinner. The 1st VIII qualified for Henley this year, making the lunch gathering popular with drinks flowing in the searing summer heat. The unfamiliar British weather continued and Outdoor Shakespeare was performed actually outside for the first time in two years! A beautiful evening ensued, as many watched the excellent performance of The Tempest by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. The year ahead will see a similar recipe of events, hopefully with tastes for all palates. Thank you once again for the part that you play in the Canford Community and we look forward to seeing you at our events in the coming year. Rowena Gaston

“Guests arrived in 1930s dress and the Great Hall was transformed with effective lighting and superb table decorations. ”

Parents and friends of the school tell us how much fun they have at our events and what a great way it is to meet other parents and friends and to help them feel

more involved with the school. Any extra funds raised are provided as grants to support the school’s community partnerships and broader learning activities. In the Christmas Term, alongside the ever-popular events like the school history tour, the quiz night and Noel Noel, we ran two new ‘have a go’ mornings thanks to Ian Dryden (rowing) and Michelle Bray (lacrosse). In the Easter Term, rifle shooting and Real tennis were added to our ‘have a go’ activities. There was the opportunity to learn about several unusual species of trees and two national collections as part of an Arboretum tour around Canford’s grounds. By popular request we also brought back the Spring Lunch. The weather was brilliant for the tennis tournament and golf day in the Summer Term, when the school is looking wonderful. Participants enjoyed the chance to socialise with other parents and friends, to have fun and to win matches and/or some fantastic raffle prizes. This year we also launched a Friends of Canford network group with house contacts, to help spread the word more widely about our events as well as the good causes around the school which they support. As always, everyone is welcome to come and join us. See www.canford.com/Friends-of-Canford for details. Anita Ambrose-Hunt

Friends of Canford Rowing The Friends of Canford Rowing is a parent-run group that helps the boat club provide a friendly and positive atmosphere. The major events of the year are the Schools Head of the River on the Tideway (the Boat Race course), the National Schools’ Regatta on the Olympic course at Dorney Lake and both the Henley women’s and Royal Regattas on the Thames. All these events take place at famous venues and the Friends go and provide a welcoming base for rowers, coaches and supporters. We are very lucky to have a terrific group who cooked a hot lunch in a gazebo at Putney for the Schools’ Head and catered in the marquee on all three days at Dorney for the National Schools’ Regatta. This is as well as the numerous generous parents who have provided cakes and snacks for all the hungry crews and coaches. The group has also taken the gazebo to numerous other

“Most parents (like the rowers) have little experience of rowing and we hope to make supporting Canford an enjoyable outing for all.” 86

events on the Thames and across the region, providing refreshments and sustenance to all attending. The main aims of the Friends are to provide a base for parents to meet at events and to provide information about them as well as to support the crews on the riverbank. Most parents (like the rowers) have little experience of rowing and we hope to make supporting Canford an enjoyable outing for all. Closer to home, the group helps with the fantastic House Regatta in June and the very enjoyable Boat Club dinner following it, as well as providing barbecues and drinks at several events hosted by Canford on the Stour at home. I am hugely grateful to all of the committee for helping, and to last year’s Chair, Elly Bailey, for making it such a great year. Jeremy Imms

CANFORD COMMUNITY

Friends of Canford School

Friends of Canford Music Vivace! The lively pace set in the Music School at Canford has continued, perhaps even accelerated this past year.The annual staples – Sung Evensong at Winchester Cathedral, Christmas concert, carol concert, jazz concert (despite the best efforts of ‘the Beast from the East’), French choral singing at Christchurch Priory, House Music (streamed on YouTube), Sounds of Canford concert series, leavers’ concert, summer concert (you get the picture) – were augmented with professional musicians’ concerts including the renowned soprano Julia Doyle and now-regular recording of A Level recitals and masterclass with members of the Britten Sinfonia. A date for your diary in 2019 is the school concert at St John’s, Smith Square, London, to include all music groups.

Events are regularly supported by Friends of Canford Music, comprised predominantly of parents. Its aim is to support the department both in publicity and in warmly welcoming you to events, often with a beverage and programme! The instrument donation scheme is operating: perhaps you have a good-quality but unused instrument gathering dust and would like to donate it, thereby helping more young people to make even more music? If you would like information on this, or to join the FCM mailing list, please email us at fcm@canford.com. Information on all events is on the school website. We look forward to welcoming you to the Music School very soon. Ben Davies

“Perhaps you have a good-quality but unused instrument gathering dust and would like to donate it, thereby helping more young people to make even more music?”

Old Canfordian Society The strengthening of links between Canford past and Canford present continues to grow as OCs and current pupils increasingly share their hopes and aspirations for this most beautiful and successful place of learning, and for assistance and continuing contact that leavers feel they need. We share in many ways: sixth-formers often attend our committee meetings and I, as President, relish the opportunity to lay the wreath at the school’s Remembrance Day service and to talk to the leavers before their special service in May, which this year was again held in the magnificent surroundings of Wimborne Minster. This was especially poignant for me as it was 50 years ago this year that I had the privilege of playing Becket in Canford’s production of T S Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral in that very place and gave a ‘sermon’ from that very pulpit! Listen – make the most of every moment of every day of every year, as the years do go by ever more quickly as you get older! I am delighted to say that five of our twelve committee members are female, which now reflects a truer proportion of the school itself, and that we are very fortunate to have had requests from two younger OCs to join us. This is an indication of how the OC Society is becoming ever more relevant to current pupils and to more recent leavers. Some sixth-formers

attended the annual London drinks party (pictured), held at the House of Commons. To those leavers I would say that the future of our (and your) OC Society will rest with your generation and those after you as the years go by. With a membership of around 7000, we cherish this society and the name of Canford that has meant so much to all of us. Robin Wright, President, OC Society

Old library, new dining rooms

“Fewer and fewer of our pupils chose to study in the library each year – the space, beautiful though it is, was simply not adaptable enough.” 88

As we draw ever closer to the school’s centenary in 2023, Canford’s governing body has been considering how to ensure that the school remains at the top of its game into its second hundred years and how we can provide an even better all-round educational experience for our pupils. A wide variety of proposals have been incorporated into an outline plan which incorporates a number of significant changes to the built infrastructure at Canford. The first elements of this exciting series of developments, involving the library and dining facilities in the main building, are already underway. The library at Canford has been housed in a stunning period room in the main grade1-listed building since 1923 and has served the school extremely well over the years. However, in recent times, the school has grown both in pupil numbers and in the demands it makes of its facilities. The library had become too small and inflexible to support the complex needs of a large, modern boarding school and fewer and fewer of our pupils chose to study in the library each year – the space, beautiful though it is, was simply not adaptable enough. The governors therefore approved considerable investment to replace the library with a much larger, thoroughly modern and more flexible library building

that will much better support the academic focus of the school. This building will provide significantly more study space as well as innovative and flexible working areas that will facilitate formal and informal study, meetings, virtual conferencing and social gatherings. It will be built on the site currently occupied by the CCF and shooting range, which will in turn be relocated to the southern part of the site. The new library will be centrally located, close to the performing arts venues and immediately adjacent to the assembly hall, allowing the library to be integrated into any redeveloped assembly hall in the future. We hope that the new library will be open in time for the start of the 2020/21 academic year. Another part of the main building that had been unable to keep pace with the evolving school was our dining facility, housed in the magnificent Great Hall. Unfortunately, although great by name, the hall is far too small to seat the numbers of diners required which, combined with its single servery, created a pinch point that led to long queues for our pupils at lunchtimes, behavioural problems, supervisory challenges for our staff and prefects, and timetabling complexities. Resolving this far from satisfactory dining experience had been seen as our highest priority for some time, but the solutions proposed in the past had

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been either impracticable or prohibitively expensive or both. Early in the last academic year, thanks to some imaginative and joined-up thinking, we devised a way forward that was affordable, relatively easy to implement and, importantly, allowed the whole school to continue to dine together in the heart of the school, the historic main building. A second servery in the East Hall has been created, reached from the east door from the Pineapple Lawn. This has hugely increased the rate at which we can serve pupils and has halved queuing times. At the same time, the existing library, already connected to the Great Hall by three sets of original double doors and conveniently moving to a new building, has been converted into two additional dining rooms. This has provided a substantial increase in seating capacity at meal times and considerable flexibility for a variety of dining experiences. Further dining capacity and flexibility has been achieved by converting the Nineveh Porch, which housed the Grubber tuckshop and was previously the home to the famous Assyrian frieze, into a café-style facility that provides light but nutritionally balanced lunches. Work began on the new servery, café and dining rooms straight after Speech Day last June and was completed before the new academic year started in September. In the Nineveh Porch, the original handcrafted tiled floor has been uncovered and the room has been decorated to show off the colours of the stained glass windows and the original hand-painted ceilings. During the work to create the new servery in East Hall, a poor-quality partition which had been added in the 1960s was removed and oak panelling and cornices were carefully repaired. New electric feeds for the new counters and plumbing services for the new drinking water taps were installed, and the room has been re-floored and redecorated. The Drawing Room was initially used by the school as classrooms, and in 1993 it was altered to become an extended part of the library. The maple floor has now been restored, the chandeliers have been cleaned and the room has been carefully redecorated. During repair and redecoration of the main ceiling, an area of a former painted ceiling was discovered beneath the existing white paint in the centre of the room. During a future summer we hope to investigate and properly reveal some of the least damaged areas of this original ceiling artwork. But the pièce de resistance was undoubtedly the Old Library. Once the large number of bookcases and desks had been removed, natural light flooded in, highlighting just what a magnificent room this is. Unfortunately over the years of hard use there had been some deterioration and so the oak floorboards were restored and re-polished, the chandeliers were carefully cleaned, all of the bookcase joinery was oiled, and the room has been redecorated. The lower wall fabrics have had to be partially removed because of their fragile condition. During the work we discovered that these wall fabrics were originally a stunning bright green, as revealed when we took down the mirror over the fireplace that had hidden the fabric behind from the damaging effects of UV light. A number of the original glazed bookcase cabinet doors were found in store and the complete pairs have been

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2018 restored and re-hung. Replicas are being made by specialist joiners and these will be installed to replace the missing doors in due course. The new facilities are now in daily use by staff and pupils with the Sixth Form having the privilege of dining in the Old Library and the new Nineveh Café. Parents have also been able to experience the new facilities with Saturday match teas being served in the Old Library. David Brook, Bursar

support matters

The Grounds and Gardens Team “Almost every one of these trees is protected by law and the school requires permission from the planning and conservation authorities before a tree can be felled or even have significant maintenance carried out.”

Grounds and Gardens Manager Kerry Mapp and his twelve-strong team are responsible for keeping Canford’s 200-acre estate in tip-top condition. Arboriculturist Chris Bartlett looks after the school’s collection of more than 3000 trees which includes a huge wellingtonia (giant sequoia), more than 100 feet tall and grown from seed imported from California in the 1850s, and a magnificent sweet chestnut which is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the largest-girthed trees in Britain. Chris works with an impressive array of tree varieties with names such as Persian ironwood, Japanese snowbell, shagbark hickory and a wedding cake tree. Almost every one of these trees is protected by law and the school requires permission from the planning and

conservation authorities before a tree can be felled or even have significant maintenance carried out. This is where Chris’s deep and expanding knowledge of arboriculture comes to the fore. With more than 450 sporting fixtures every year, the sports grounds team, headed up by Jim Scammell, often walk more than ten miles in a day while marking out the pitches and use 2500 litres of line-marking paint a year in doing so. But even when the various sporting seasons are over, the work goes on – the 1st team rugby pitch on Higher Park was treated to 100 tonnes of sand in the early summer of 2018 in order to ensure that it drains well and provides our pupils with the best surface on which to train and, hopefully, on which to show the opposition a clean pair of heels.

Almost two tonnes of grass seed are used every year to keep the sports facilities in perfect condition. Canford has arguably the best golf course of any school in the country, which is kept in great condition by our two greenkeepers, Leigh Dickens and Steve Farrant. Their dedication to the task is sometimes tested by having to have the course ready for those golfers who like to be on the first tee while the larks are still asleep (you know who you are, Headmaster and Padre). Steve and Leigh are experts at ensuring that the course can recover from more than 9000 rounds of golf that are played on the course each year, applying more than 50 tonnes of sand to the greens annually and getting to ‘play’ with some pretty wacky machinery. Last, but certainly not least, we come to the gardens team, who play such an essential role in keeping the school looking so impressive all year round. Visit as many independent schools as you wish and you will find that none comes even close to the standard of gardens that Tim Handyside’s team produce. Canford’s gardens must be better looked after now

than in the days when Lord and Lady Wimborne were in residence, and they provide staff and pupils with inspirational surroundings in which to work and study. More importantly, they perfectly complement the grade 1 listed building’s magnificence when prospective parents first come to Canford, and play a key role in recruiting pupils. With more than a mile of hedges to maintain and similar amounts of flowerbeds and borders to tend, this is no mean feat. In 2018 the grounds and gardens team’s job was made even more challenging by Mother Nature. Kerry and his band of merry men in Lincoln green used more than 2½ tonnes of rock salt keeping the school’s roads and paths safe when the Beast from the East descended in late winter, covering the whole site in a thick layer of solid ice. The remnants of a snowman were still visible on the Sunken Lawn as the sports team were preparing the cricket pitches at Easter. Then followed a summer that was perfect for beachgoers but turned our grounds into something more resembling a desert than England’s green and pleasant land.

“Canford’s gardens must be better looked after now than in the days when Lord and Lady Wimborne were in residence, and they provide staff and pupils with inspirational surroundings in which to work and study.”

The 1st XV squad. Back row, left to right: Rob Tolcher, Ollie Rankin, Nick Milton, John Ireland, Thomas Sykes. Middle row, left to right: Chris McIntosh, Charlie Ford, Brennan Dyball, Joe Kinnear, Tom Patrick, Ben Longrigg. Front row, left to right: Cosmo HamiltonDavies, Danny Beard, Luke Mehson (co-captain), Will Butt (co-captain), Tom Doyle, Ed Wilkinson, James Elwood.

Rugby “It helped this year’s 1st XV to have a competitive squad throughout the 2nd and 3rd XVs. It meant there was always the right amount of bite to teamwork sessions.”

Following hot on the heels of the success enjoyed by last year’s 1st XV, this season has been another memorable year on the rugby field. The 1st XV finished 12th nationally in the Daily Mail Merit Table, picking up victories over Millfield and recording back-to-back wins against Hampton, Sherborne, Marlborough and Bryanston. The team competed in the RFU’s National Schools Cup, reaching the quarter-final, where they met a formidable Warwick side who went on to win the competition. Results never give a full picture about the state of the club, and across the senior group there have been a number of boys rising to the challenges that rugby offers. Tom Sykes (year 11) continues to impress at fly-half, made his 1st XV debut this year and went on to feature throughout the season. James Priaulx and Brennan Dyball both put in huge amounts of work to anchor the scrum successfully at prop, having played

outside the A teams lower down the school. James Elwood, another boy who played outside the A teams as a junior at Canford, showed that patience pays off and was highly influential whether playing at 13 or 10. Ollie Rankin returned from his sabbatical on the football field and once again showed his tenacity in and around the contact areas. All of this was built around the nucleus of Luke Mehson, Rob Tolcher, Will Butt, Joe Kinnear and this year’s fearless ‘man of steel’, Nick Milton. Much of the fantastic rugby that we have been able to enjoy stems from the grunt work done up front by Ed Wilkinson, Cosmo Hamilton-Davies, Tom Patrick, Tom Doyle, Ben Longrigg and Lower Sixth John Ireland, whose experience will be invaluable next year as this season’s group is almost exclusively Upper Sixth. Dan Beard gave tireless performances marshalling the pack and threatening the opposition from half-back and Max Mallinson added his considerable nous as a games

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player to the back three, while it was also extremely pleasing to have Chris McIntosh back after a nasty ACL rupture last season. It helped this year’s 1st XV to have a competitive squad throughout the 2nd and 3rd XVs; it meant there was always the right amount of bite to teamwork sessions and provided those Lower Sixth boys with an excellent yardstick of how they are progressing. The 2nd XV enjoyed some fiercely competitive matches, of which perhaps the most pleasing was the victory against Marlborough, in particular the work of the pack in that game to dominate and dictate proceedings. I very much hope those involved in the 2nd XV are able to continue their development as they step up to take on the challenge as 1st XV players. The 3rd XV, too, have made their contribution to the overall club this year and the camaraderie that is often cited as a positive by-product is perhaps most clearly visible at this level. It was always exciting to see the ambitious and open style they tried to play. Lower down the school, the season was more varied, with some good victories mixed with plenty of ‘workons’ for the 2018-19 season. The new Shells enjoyed victories against PGS and Bryanston but faced tough opposition in the form of Marlborough, Sherborne and Clifton. The Junior Colts continue to battle manfully and a well-deserved victory against Bishop Wordsworth was a tribute to this. Their last-second loss to Lord Wandsworth in the National Vase was a great shame as they had dominated large parts of the game and been the side that played with greater ambition. The Colts is a key year in the dynamic of those who continue to push forward and those whose development begins to stall. With this in mind, it was pleasing to witness the progress made by the Canford Colts this year. As a group they are finding their playing positions, recognising the link between hard work and outcome and pulling together well to form the strong

bonds of teamship. With a number of these boys playing into the Easter Term with the 7s programme, it is not beyond the realms of possibility to see some of them making debuts for the 1st XV come September. On the 7s front, the weather played havoc with a number of tournaments, including the Canford tournament for U18s and Colts. At Rosslyn Park both the U18s and U16s struggled in their first matches before coming back strong. The U16s’ best display was against KES Bath, winning 19-0, and for the U18s their best performance was undoubtedly against group winners St John’s, Leatherhead. Whilst both teams acquitted themselves well, it highlights how difficult it is to progress to the second stage of the tournament. On an individual basis, Will Butt and Luke Mehson made their Bath A team debuts, joining OC Arthur Cordwell as they took on London Irish at the Recreation Ground. Following their involvement in the U18 academy matches, Will has been awarded an academy contract at Bath to begin over the summer. Chris McIntosh represented Jamaica U18s at the Las Vegas 7s. Thomas Sykes and Alex Rogers represented Dorset and Wilts and Bath U16s, which also involved inclusion in the RFU academy festival held over Easter at Wellington College. Freddie Charles continues to impress at U15 and is on Bath’s radar, as are Cory Pepin and Shells Tommy Davies, Seb Gallego, Roman Gill and Joel Bibby. Peter Short, Director of Rugby

“As a group they are finding their playing positions, recognising the link between hard work and outcome and pulling together well to form the strong bonds of teamship.”

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sport The 1st XI squad. Back row, left to right: Grace Leggett, Katie Ashcroft, Beanie Culley, Anouska Tucker, Nina Rowley. Middle row: Lizzie Balls, Lucy Chapple, Holly Hazzard, Hannah Fairchild, Sophie Saunders, Annabelle Budd, Bea Fairbairn. Front row: Hannah Cox, Martha Taylor, Emily Balls (captain), India Still, Lydia Harvey.

Girls’ Hockey

“We then learnt some tough lessons about game management, character and bounce-backability, following several defeats.”

In a very enjoyable 2017-18 season, Canford’s girls played with enthusiasm, skill and character, thereby gaining much success. The overall record for our 13 teams was P146 W95 L28 D23, with 451 goals scored and 173 conceded. The 1st XI comprised a combination of the best U16s and U18s, who, when not playing as separate entities, came together as the 1st XI. Encouraging early-season form was complemented by hard work in training, and a runners-up accolade in the U18 County Cup. We gained valuable experience at the regional finals against strong opposition. We then learnt some tough lessons about game management, character and bounce-back-ability, following several defeats, but recovered effectively to beat Kingswood and draw with Marlborough. Captain Emily Balls was a defensive rock and led the girls with empathy and drive, while the younger crop of players no

doubt benefited hugely in their quest for U16 nationals glory – more about them later. The 2nd XI enjoyed an unbeaten season which reflected the strength in depth of the squad. The standard of hockey improved throughout the term, and it was pleasing that success was by no means down to one or two superstars but to a genuine team effort. We had real power in our defence, while our forwards had not only genuine pace but also the ability to finish. Highlights included beating KES Southampton (6-2) and an end of season victory against Marlborough (4-0). Places in the 3rd and 4th XIs were very competitive, with players coming from across three age-groups of varying experience and ability. The 3rd XI started brightly with a 6-0 first outing victory over Blundell’s and there were further pleasing wins over Millfield and Kingswood on the way to an excellent run of seven wins on the spin. The strongest displays for the 4th XI were emphatic victories over King’s College, Taunton and Millfield. The 5th XI had fun representing the school and recorded two wins and two losses, the highlight being a clinical victory against Clayesmore. The U16 age group secured yet another impressive season, playing 18, winning 16, drawing one and suffering just one defeat. The girls showed their dominance throughout the season, scoring a total of 73 goals and conceding only 14. After winning the county cup and regional prelims convincingly, the girls then played brilliantly to win the regional finals, beating Marlborough College in the semis and Clifton College in the final. The national finals provided an opportunity for the team to stake their claim amongst the top eight schools in the country. They realised that, with some aplomb, beating Trent College (4-2) and the Leys (4-1) in the group

stages. Despite suffering defeat at the hands of the eventual winners, Wellington College, in the other group game, the team secured the bronze medal with a fine play-off victory over St George’s College, Weybridge (10). Status as the third-ranked U16 team in the country is some achievement, and such an accolade is the result of very hard work and determination from the whole squad, who were superb. Captain Martha Taylor, Sophie Saunders, Molly Fairbairn, Beanie Culley, India Still and Sasha Witter were particularly impressive, as were the travelling parental support network, who did us proud! The U15As kicked off the season strongly, winning five matches in a row, including the Sherborne tournament. A fantastic season boasted 37 goals for and only 8 against. The defensive unit consistently performed at a high level, keeping nine clean sheets. The U15Bs conceded just five times overall and enjoyed an impressive 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, in a season which saw the girls grow further in confidence. Notable successes were against Millfield, Blundell’s and Marlborough. The U15C team played an equally significant role in the success of the year group, with fine wins over Kingswood (7-0), QE (4-0) and Bryanston (3-0). The U14As retained the county title in style. Furthermore, there were some encouraging early season wins over Bryanston, King’s College, Taunton, Blundell’s and notable results against some strong opposition in the latter stages of term. Here, we

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beat KES Southampton and Kingswood. Having come through a tough group at the regional finals, a fantastic quarter-final clash with Marlborough was decided on penalty flicks; unfortunately, the girls lost 4-5. However, they bounced back to win against Marlborough late in the season. The highlight of the U14Bs’ season was the match against Millfield, with a last-minute short corner from Millie Keen clinching victory right at the death and sending players, coaches and parents into mass celebrations. The U14C team recorded five wins, most notably against Bryanston, Millfield and Kingswood. The girls developed the core skills of passing, receiving and ball-carrying effectively, and scored some fine goals in the process. The fielding of an U14D team meant that all 50 Shell pupils were involved in team hockey throughout the course of the term and this was a great credit to their enthusiasm. The Easter break saw the Shell girls travel to Scheveningen in Holland for their annual tour. Both A and B teams were hosted superbly by our Dutch hosts at Roomburg HC, Ring Pass HC and Zoetermeer HC, and our stay on the coast at the Boulevard Hotel was enhanced by the presence of a number of travelling parental supporters. My thanks to all of the coaching staff for their continued efforts throughout the year, and to the parents for their support. Matt Collison, Director of Hockey

“Status as the third-ranked U16 team in the country is some achievement, and such an accolade is the result of very hard work and determination from the whole squad, who were superb.”

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sport The 1st XI squad. Back row, left to right: Sam Stockton, James Elwood, Ben Longrigg, Harry Mitchell. Middle row: Richie Steavenson, Lachlan Fulton, Harry Minall, Matt Daubeney, Harry Pickard, George Baugniet. Front row: George Robson, Chris Rutland, Jack Taylor (captain), Max Mallinson, Jack Sherborne.

Boys’ Hockey In a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable season, the Canford boys’ hockey club has had much success, winning 48% of all competitive matches played. Overall, our 12 teams gained an impressive record of P88 W43 L31 D14, scoring 210 goals and conceding 121. The 1st XI had an excellent season, averaging over four goals a game with 70 in total, while a watertight defence allowed the opposition to score just 23. Following a very useful and well balanced pre-season abroad at the famous Hockey Reyes tournament in Barcelona, the key strength of the side was fostered through an unerring sense of team unity. An undefeated domestic campaign, including a number of confident victories, was complemented by a National Cup run to the quarter-finals following excellent wins over Millfield (3-2) and Queen’s Taunton (4-1). We went toe-to-toe with eventual winners Repton, missing out narrowly

“An undefeated domestic campaign, including a number of confident victories, was complemented by a National Cup run to the quarter-finals.” 96

(1-2) in a quality game in front of a vociferous home crowd. On another day, perhaps another result, but some of the 1st XI avenged this defeat by reaching the national U18 club final with Bournemouth HC, where they beat Marlow to be the best club side in the country. The captain and players’ player of the year, Jack Taylor, supported superbly by vice-captain Chris Rutland, led by example in fostering such a tight-knit group, and there were other notable contributions from Harry Minall, Richie Steavenson, Matt Daubeney and George Baugniet. The 2nd XI had a strong squad this season, providing the staff with selection headaches each week. After a draw to start against KES Southampton (1-1), the boys were very quick to understand their roles within the team and wins followed against Lord Wandsworth College (5-0) and Sherborne (3-1). The match against Bryanston’s 1st XI showcased how strong the team became: a decent performance saw us concede a lastminute goal to lose (1-2). A draw with Marlborough (22) was a great end to the season with the boys leaving everything out on the pitch. Tom Conibear claimed players’ player and Fergus Taylor was the most improved. The 3rd XI enjoyed an undefeated season, recording victories against Lord Wandsworth College (6-0), Sherborne (5-1) and QE (6-0). The boys showed great scoring ability, with 17 goals, and were more than solid at the back, conceding only once. A young 4th XI endured a tough set of games, losing to Lord Wandsworth College (1-3), Bryanston (0-8) and Marlborough (0-2). Following an opening day 1-2 reverse versus a talented KES Southampton side, the U16As won their next 10 on the bounce. These results qualified the boys for the regional finals, which saw them fall just short, losing in the semi-finals to Dean Close (0-4).

An impressive performance allowed them to beat Marlborough in the last fixture of the season (1-0). The U16Bs also played some exciting hockey, their attitude throughout the season was very pleasing and the boys should be proud of their progress. The U15As endured a tough season. After competing in a very strong age group, the boys dug deep to beat Bryanston (8-1). The U15Bs started off with a disappointing 1-5 loss to KES Southampton. Losing the next fixture 0-2 to Lord Wandsworth College gave the boys great motivation to put in some memorable performances. Winning three and drawing one of the next four games showed a pleasing level of improvement from the squad. The U14As season consisted of 4 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses. Unfortunately, this year the boys were not able to make it through the County Cup, but learnt valuable lessons in the process. A good second half of term provided three wins to finish the season off strongly. Hopefully the squad can take this latter form into next year’s fixtures. For a squad who were relatively inexperienced (or total novices in several cases), the U14B season produced more success than one might have expected. After three losses in the first three matches, a strong display against St John’s, Southsea (5-0) got the season started. A win versus Bryanston (4-0) and a solid performance against Marlborough (1-1) gave the boys a good end to the term. Similarly, the U14Cs were slow to start but improved their core skills rapidly to register wins against QE and Bryanston. My thanks to all of the coaching staff for their continued efforts throughout the year, and to the parents for their support. Matt Collison, Director of Hockey

1st 2nd 3rd 4th U16A U16B U15A U15B U15C U14A U14B U14C

16 5 4 3 16 4 6 6 4 11 6 7

12 2 3 0 12 2 1 3 0 4 2 2

1 2 1 0 2 1 0 1 1 4 1 0

3 1 0 3 2 1 5 2 3 3 3 5

“These results qualified the boys for the regional finals, which saw them fall just short, losing in the semi-finals.”

Netball Canford netball is continuing its growing success both in results and in the attributes that the sport gives the girls. The 1st and U16 squads qualified for the SW schools regional tournament this year. The 1st team found themselves in a tough group and narrowly lost to the team that qualified, but the U16 secured a place in the national finals after winning the regional competition in impressive style. Rosie Ireland, Alicia Hudson, Bella

“It was great to train in a highperformance environment and have access to strength and conditioning coaches, work which the girls have carried on throughout the season” 98

Hunter and Flora Lingafelter are in the Dorset satellite academy and Evie Corn was selected for the Team Bath futures pathway (Dorset hub). We started off our 2018 campaign with a pre-season in Cardiff for the U14s and 1sts, which put both teams in good stead for the season to come. It was great to train in a high-performance environment and have access to strength and conditioning coaches, work which the girls have carried on throughout the season. With a real emphasis on girls’ sport at Canford, we introduced a show court this year, to allow more spectators to view and get involved in the game. The 1st team match against St Edmund’s was a standout fixture that created unity and support from all our teams. It was a great display of netball, even if the score didn’t go in our favour after a hard-fought match. Another highlight of the season was against KES Bath, to whom we had lost in the SW schools tournament. We lost to them the previous year by one goal, so the girls were ready to put in a performance. The game was closely contested throughout and our netball clicked into place with a clinical attack and gutsy defence who were creating turnover. The game was played with true spirit and positivity and Canford took the win 38-33. The 2nd team unfortunately had a couple of injuries, combined with a highly competitive fixture list. With a new team coming together, they slowly improved as the season went on. They were full of enthusiasm and team spirit throughout and were led brilliantly by Issy Dixon. The 3rd team competed in some tough matches and, clinching wins by a couple of goals, was a team that has improved and gelled as a team, led at the front by Lulu Moakes. Both the U16 teams had a great term, only losing

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8 6 6 6 9 11 5 5 5 6 5 5 2

5 0 4 6 5 9 4 3 1 6 1 2 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 6 2 0 1 2 0 2 4 0 4 3 2

“Some of the house teams were disrupted, but it was an opportunity for others to take their place and wear that all-important house face paint.”

wear that all-important house face paint. Both the junior and senior finals were between Marriotts and Beaufort. The finals were extremely tense, Beaufort being victorious in both. Netball is on the rise both here at Canford and nationally after the success of the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games this year, which we hope will inspire the girls to give everything a go. Lucy Read, Director of Netball

sport

sport The 1st VII squad. Back row, left to right: Olivia Ellis, Millie Dickins, Sophie Nichol, Anouska Tucker. Front row, left to right: Lydia Harvey, Lucy Stalker, Bethan Burley (captain), Holly Hewitt, Lily Lloyd.

one game between them. The U16As completed their PEDSSA, county and regional rounds in sensational style, so they were in the national finals, which this team set their eyes on when they were back in the Shells. The national finals were played in challenging conditions with cold winds and snow falling throughout the day. The girls kept strong and battled for every goal, but in terrible conditions they fell short of qualifying for the semi-finals. Their stand-out match of the day was against Streatham & Clapham HS, who went on to compete in the final; this was full of physicality and skill, with spectators on the edge of their seats throughout the match. All the way through the day, the girls showed great support and team ethos to get each other through. They finished in the top ten of the country, which is an incredible achievement. The U16Bs only lost one game, which was against an U16A team. Great versatility and squad movement led to notable score lines against Wellington, Marlborough, Portsmouth GS and Bryanston. After a strong Shell year, for the U15s it was exciting to see what this group of brilliant athletes could produce: collectively 259 goals for and only 129 against through the season. They won the PEDSSA tournament comfortably, then at county level they faced Talbot Heath in the final: unfortunately, time slipped away and they lost by 1. The U15B continued their unbeaten streak from Shells and are proving to be a team that is hard to beat. Some of these girls have had the opportunity to play for the As after all their hard work and improvements on the court. The U15Cs and Ds have had lots of fixtures and have put out strong performances each week. The eagerness in training and to play has been great, and they both finished off the season strongly with good wins over Bryanston, where all their hard work in training paid off. The Shells had a fun and exciting season of netball, with some playing the sport for the first time. With some weekends seeing fewer numbers available, it was great to see the willingness to play out of position and give it a go for their school. The U14As had a superb season, being undefeated in their regular fixtures. The U14Bs saw a lot of changes throughout each fixture, which they had to adapt to. The U14Cs had fantastic fixtures against Sherborne Girls and KES Bath, winning 16-14 in both. They always had grit and determination while having fun, despite the rain most of the time. The inter-house games were played with true team spirit. With the U16 national finals taking place on the same day, some of the house teams were disrupted, but it was an opportunity for others to take their place and

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sport The senior boys’ squad. Back row, left to right: Fin Manley, Simon Jowett, William Evans, Thomas Jack, Oliver Scudds, Tom Dodd, Josh Bale (captain), Sean Herrington, Patrick Perry, Toby Brooks, Max Beaney, Charlie Bird, Fergus Longbottom. Middle row, left to right: Robert Way, Henry Hughes. Front row, left to right: George Vaughan, Mark Juchniewicz, Hamish Johnson, Jack Carpenter, Kitty Arnold, Rory Johnson, William Galbraith, George Hosking, Nathan Bulstrode.

Rowing The dynamic flow of rowing at Canford is as strong as ever, with 120 pupils rowing and sculling throughout the year. The boat club competed in around twenty different Head races and regattas.

“Time each afternoon was devoted to academic work and it was pleasing to see pupils across the age groups helping one another.”

Schools Head of the River Approximately 360 crews raced in fair conditions over the 4¼-mile course from Mortlake to Putney. Canford entered three crews. The 1st VIII started in 26th position and finished in 14th place, 58 seconds behind the winners, Bedford School. The J16 VIII raced in a highly contested division and finished eighth: a good performance from the colts and one they should be proud of. The girls’ quadruple sculls, in a new boat donated by parents, had a good race and benefited from the experience; they finished 16th out of 22 crews, some of which included junior internationals. Training Camp, Lago d’Orta, Italy The Easter holidays saw a very successful training camp, with Canford athletes joining pupils from King’s, Canterbury for a great experience of rowing and sculling. The weather this year was damp with a fair amount of rain over the six days, but this did not hinder the boys and girls as the lake conditions stayed calm for most of the time. A significant amount of technical and physical work was undertaken, but time each afternoon was devoted to academic work and it was pleasing to see pupils across the age groups helping one another.

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The senior girls’ squad. Back row, left to right: Charlotte Sullivan, Natasha Treagust, Helena Jackson, Ruth Colville, Anna van Wingerden, Grace Hewett, Olivia Imms. Front row, left to right: Tessa Marley, Rachel Ko, Imogen Galego, Lucy King.

Wallingford Regatta Amidst blue skies and flat calm conditions on the Olympic Lake at Dorney, the 1st VIII raced at the annual Wallingford regatta. The other schools competing were Hampton, Shrewsbury, Abingdon, Radley, Monmouth and, to add an international flavour, crews from South Africa. This is one of the most popular regattas in the country with many clubs competing, too. Canford held their own and finished fourth in their semi and qualified for the final. With another chance, the boys raced even harder against their national competitors. At the halfway mark at 1000m, Canford were just off the pace, but they did not give up and raced the whole course to finish sixth, acquitting themselves very well indeed. National Schools Regatta With 25 crews entered into this event, Canford’s newly formed 1st VIII had their work cut out against the best in the British Isles and Ireland. With substitute Charlie Bird, the day started with a time trial, where Canford finished 22nd and were placed into the C final. The J16 VIII also had their work cut out, finishing 16th and qualifying for the C final. Grace Hewett and Kiki Sullivan, Canford’s newly formed double scull duo, raced well in the time trial and finished in 16th position. This put them into the C final, too. The J16 girls’ quadruple sculls provided yet another time trial after which Canford, having finished 14th, were placed into the C final, where they took second place. To race at a national competition

with such a high standard of entries is without doubt one of the highlights of any young person’s sporting career: an experience that, win or lose, keeps them coming back for more. With hard work, anything can be achieved!

with a special thanks to the Sullivan and Hewett families for their continued support. It was a fantastic day with perfect weather and a real sense of community and camaraderie amidst the boat club with friends and families.

House Regatta Another successful Canford House Regatta saw pupils excel on the river over the 250-metre spring course. Families and the wider Canford community came together to enjoy Pimm’s and cream teas to the sound of Poole Borough Band. Among the highlights on the water was a showdown between Liv Imms and Natasha Treagust in the senior girls’ singles, with Liv ultimately winning by three feet for Marriotts. Marriotts also won the girls’ senior coxed fours, beating Beaufort by one foot. Lancaster’s Shell boys produced an exciting race in coxed quads, beating a Wimborne/Court/Salisbury composite crew by one length. The senior boys’ single sculls saw more close racing, with Josh Bale beating Max Beaney by one length. Salisbury House took the overall House Regatta plate for the second year running for securing the most points across the various races. In memory of Derek Drury, coach to Canford, the boathouse was named in his honor and his sons, Ralf and Arnie, unveiled the name on the west side of the boathouse. The naming of our new girls’ boat took place (Elisa M)

Henley Women’s Regatta The whole year builds up to seeing if our girls have what it takes to put their name in the mix at an international regatta, competing against crews from across the world as well as home grown internationals. Our J16 quad acquitted themselves well and came away with a great experience. Our senior double scull of Grace Hewett and Kiki Sullivan qualified for the first round of racing and drew York City RC. The lighter of the two crews, we could not contain the York duo and finally had to settle for a two-length defeat. Both our crews raced the full course and never gave up until the end: a testament to their courage in a top-class event. Henley Royal Regatta (Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup) Canford’s 1st VIII made a welcome return to Henley after a two-year absence. Their first-round race was against Monmouth School. At the start the crews were evenly matched, but Monmouth had rhythm and continued with a higher stroke rate. In turbulent water conditions, Monmouth maintained their lead and won by two lengths. Ian Dryden, Director of Rowing

“Canford’s 1st VIII made a welcome return to Henley after a two-year absence.”

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“It was partnerships when bowling that would enable us to create pressure and control the game.”

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Cricket For the 1st XI it really was a tale of two halves. With the glorious weather we enjoyed latterly, it is hard to believe that we did not manage to play a match through pre-season or the first two weeks of term due to rain. Due to availability, our first game against Millfield proved to be a mismatch, but our boys showed amazing character in what was a heavy defeat, and a comfortable win against Downside before half-term, thanks to a fine all-round bowling display, showed signs of what we could achieve. Tough games against a strong King’s, Taunton and Sherborne highlighted the need for batting partnerships

to go on past 50 to allow us to set bigger targets. Similarly, it was partnerships when bowling that would enable us to create pressure and control the game. Big improvements in these departments allowed us to win five out of the final seven games. An excellent win against Bryanston in the T20 was followed by a superb bowling performance against King Edward’s, defending a small total. Cricket Week began with a match against the Leopards SA touring side, over 600 runs being scored on a perfect wicket and Canford eventually winning by 18 runs. A loss to the MCC in a game we really should have won was followed by the final fixture versus Winchester Rifles CC, in which a superb innings of 117 from Jack Taylor, full of cuts and sweeps (with a touch of hockey thrown in), was the batting highlight of the season. Congratulations to our Leavers’ XI on winning the Speech Day T20 by four wickets and getting revenge for last year. In Max Mallinson we had a captain who showed maturity and a calm, composed nature. He did an excellent job with a young side and I’m sure will continue to captain throughout his cricketing life. The season showed how important momentum is to winning matches. With only five leaving, we have a young side that hopefully understands the importance of consistency not only in matches but also in training and practice. For the U15s it was a terrific season from a talented group of players. Between the normal block fixtures, the 40-over National Cup and the T20 National Competition, the U15s played 17 matches, winning 13 and losing just four. These included some epic performances, with wins against the likes of Clifton, Millfield, Sherborne and Stowe. What was most impressive was the team’s performance in the two national competitions, making it to the final eight in the country, and therefore the regional final, for both the

1st 2nd 3rd 4th U15A U15B U14A U14B

12 7 5 2 18 3 11 8

6 3 3 0 13 1 8 5

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

5 3 0 0 4 1 3 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1

Girls’ U15 2

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sport The 1st XI squad. Back row, left to right: S L C Ives (Master in charge), Nick Broad, Matt Longley, J H Shackleton (Cricket professional), Matt Daubeney, Zach Organ, M Keech (Director of cricket). Front row, left to right: Tom Prest, Ned Mitchell, Alby Stevens, Max Mallinson (captain), James Elwood, Jack Taylor, Tom Sykes.

40-over and T20 versions of the competition. It also meant that they were crowned county champions twice over. The team was captained all season by Freddie Peters, who stepped into the role after last year’s captain, Tom Prest, moved up to the 1st XI. He performed admirably in the role and developed as a leader throughout the year, taking on more responsibility and reacting positively to the changing situations that each game presented. In total, 19 pupils represented the team through the season and there is some real talent that should be battling for 1st and 2nd team spots next season. To all who took part, you should be very proud of what you have achieved: twice making the top eight school teams in the country is a rare accolade. For the U14s, played 11 and won 8 provided plenty of positives to build on as this group of young cricketers move on. The two biggest areas to practise and improve would be fielding and back-foot shots. Jude Organ captained the side with a positive approach and maturity. James Barker proved to be the most consistent runscorer and several of his fifties were the platform for Canford victories. His best innings was his 74 against Millfield, which saw us run a very talented side very close indeed. Jude Organ was the next highest runscorer; a real stroke-maker, he played some memorable shots. Other key runs came from Tommy Jack, Will Timberlake, Joel Bibby, David Offer and Jack Pocock, the latter sharing in some really strong partnerships as he showed a mature temperament. We were certainly stronger and much more

consistent with ball in hand. The opening attack of Milind Khashu and Harrison Hill proved too hot to handle for many sides and at the very least, runs were very difficult to score in the first eight overs. Although Tommy Davies and Joel Bibby did a job as back-up seamers, it was a late showing from Aman Iftikhar that gave us lots of wickets and dots. James Barker bowled the lion’s share of the spin overs but both James Ashurst and Tommy Jack pitched in nicely, both on their day bowling decent spells. Jack Pocock was a consistent, brave presence behind the stumps. Our fielding was definitely our least consistent discipline and unfortunately this cost us dearly in the county cup match. We were very unfortunate to lose the semi-final by losing more wickets than Sherborne once the scores were tied, but there was many an occasion when we could have saved the crucial one run and I hope this lesson was learnt by all, even if it was a cruel way of having to do so. This year was our first season of offering girls cricket as a summer option. Training every week with the opportunity of matches, the girls have greatly improved under the guidance of Steve Wilson, a win against Clayesmore being the highlight of the season. Matt Keech, Director of Cricket

“Training every week with the opportunity of matches, the girls have greatly improved under the guidance of Steve Wilson, a win against Clayesmore being the highlight of the season.”

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Athletics The first athletics match of the season saw a small meet take place with the girls competing against Parkstone Grammar and Godolphin School in a triangular competition and the boys in a head-to-head with Poole Grammar. For our senior boys there was no direct opponent, but the match gave them the opportunity for a competitive test of their progress so far. In the inter age category, both the boys’ and girls’ teams took first place and there were wins for Tabby Trend in long jump, Alice Milton in javelin, Lulu King in 800m and double wins for Polly Yule in 80m hurdles and shot, along with Lucy Norris in 200m and 300m. Amongst the boys there were double wins for Adam Phillips in shot and discus, Adam Kwan in 100m hurdles and high jump and Giacomo Perin in long and triple jump with other first places for Joba Agbedejobi (100m) and Mattie Effick in javelin. There was some great commitment and school spirit on show from Shell pupils Jenna Clews and Conor Charlwood. Our away fixture at Clayesmore saw Canford competing against Clayesmore, Sherborne, Sherborne Girls, Dauntsey’s, Godolphin, Milton Abbey and Bryanston The pupils put on some impressive displays to take first place in both the senior and junior ‘A’ string competitions for the boys and second place for the senior girls. With only a limited number of junior girls involved, we were unable to field competitors

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in all events, but despite finishing fourth, there were some good individual contributions. Particularly strong performances were seen by Adam Phillips, who gained the best senior boys’ field performance of the day, throwing the discus 43.47m; Adam Kwan for the best track and field performance in the junior boys’ competition, running the 80m hurdles in 11.69s and clearing 1.70m in the high jump; and Polly Yule, completing the hurdles in 12.69s and so earning the best senior girl track performance. Several athletes competed at the Dorset AA championships at King’s Park, Bournemouth. Adam Kwan continued to impress, setting a new school record in the inter boys’ 100m hurdles to take second place. Also in the inter boys age group, Adam Phillips took first place in discus, establishing a new school record and achieving English Schools entry standard. The strong inter boys

age group also saw Zach Fenwick take first place in the 3000m and he was runner-up in the javelin to fellowCanfordian Mattie Effick, who claimed first place with a new school record. In the inter girls, Polly Yule claimed second in the 80m hurdles and third in shot put and Bethan Burley took first place with a championship best performance in the shot put and third in long jump, setting another school record in the process. Canford entered two teams in the English Schools Athletics Association Track and Field Cup, consisting of Shells and Fourth Forms. The boys’ team unfortunately didn’t have the depth across all events to challenge for progression into the next round, although Adam Kwan and Eddie Stirling showed their athleticism in securing 45 and 40 points respectively. The girls’ team performed superbly to take second place overall – losing out by just 20 points. Pick of the team were Polly Yule and Alice Milton, who both scored 40 points. At the South West ESAA Track and Field ‘B’ Competition, twelve Shells and fourth-formers

competed in two events each, with the points scored in each event contributing to an overall team score. It was encouraging to see that a lot of the track events saw improvements from the Poole and East Dorset SAA round, especially Serena Blake in the 1500m, where she must be congratulated on her gutsy performance, knocking five seconds off her personal best. Adam Phillips made his debut at the English Schools athletics championships in Birmingham. Competing in the U17 boys’ discus competition, Adam managed to make into the top eight to qualify for the final and in doing so cemented selection to the Sainsbury’s School Games. This event took place at Loughborough University this September, where Adam represented the Midlands region and claimed a bronze medal. We say farewell and good luck to Bethan Burley after two years of captaining. She embarks on an exciting athletics journey as she takes up an athletics scholarship to Southern Methodist University, Dallas – go, Mustangs! Natasha Wilson

Swimming After a few friendly galas in the Christmas and Spring Terms, the Summer Term brought the more competitive events. We hosted a gala against Clayesmore and Sherborne where Izzy Pryce won all her events as the girls’ team finished just behind Clayesmore. The senior boys (Will Hedley, Scott Montague, Yernur Niyetkaliyev, Jacob Hill, Jorge de la Cruz, James Chapman and Henry Bourne) came very close to securing the second position in the overall event, but, like the junior boys, they finished third on the day. In a gala at Sherborne Girls against King’s Bruton, Leweston and Sherborne, the junior team of three Shells and two fourth-formers came up against girls one or two years older, but their gutsy performance resulted in a very good third place finish overall. The senior girls’ team was joined by Shell India Rose for both relay races, which was to her great credit and enabled the Canford team to finish a fine second against tough competition. The next gala was at home and fiercely contested. A special mention to Cory Pepin, who won the 50m

backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle for the junior boys. The junior girls’ team effort was exceptional, India Rose winning the 50m backstroke event quite comfortably. The senior girls put together their best performance of the term by some margin, with wining performances from Izzy Pryce (100m individual medley and 50m butterfly), Lydia Harvey (50m backstroke) and Izzie Breakwell (50m freestyle). The senior boys were victorious overall, thanks to wins for Yernur Niyetkaliyev (50m backstroke), Jacob Hill (50m breaststroke), Scott Montague (50m butterfly) and James Chapman’s (50m freestyle in 28.63 seconds). We have to thank the commitment and dedication of Nick Baugniet and Mark Rathbone, whose coaching contributed to the year’s overall success. Sadly for us, Mark Rathbone decided to step down as swimming coach at the end of the season after having been master in charge and coach for many years. Fran Compan

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“Participating in school fixtures and events is normal for all teenagers and should not be seen as something to give up to focus just on exams and tests.”

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The 2018 season has seen a rise in participation levels in schools, universities and female sessions. Across all schools, 19% of pupils play in the Summer Term. At Canford, 12% play tennis all year round, joined by a further 6% who just have lessons in the Easter Term, and 38% of Canfordians play tennis in the Summer Term. I’m always so impressed by the commitment that leads some year groups in a very busy term to come out to games sessions and to compete for the school. Participating in school fixtures and events is normal for all teenagers and should not be seen as something to give up to focus just on exams and tests. As with most things in life, it’s about balance. Rather than skate over the season in the space allowed me, let me describe in more depth one match played by each of our major teams, to give a picture of the character and resilience of Canford’s tennis players this season. As a gesture of goodwill against local rivals Bryanston, our senior girls gave the away team advantage of the draw for the 1st team match, meaning the rounds played against the respective opponents should have led to the visitors being 2-1 up. However, after a positive start, we managed to come out on top in the first round. We were relaxed, playing clever tennis and happy. By the next round it was clear that Bryanston had been told to start dominating at the net. It certainly made us nervous and they took the second round. With all to play for in the final round, we unfortunately just lost a little concentration and they got the better of us to take a narrow 5-4 win. The U15s played very well, given it was their first game of the season. Serving was good and groundstrokes steady. The last round was exciting as the Taunton girls began to get back into their matches and the first and third pair matches were particularly good, with excellent work from the baseline and the net. The U15s displayed some really strong and consistent play. Even when Taunton started to shake off the bus journey, our girls kept their cool and played well, with some consistent groundstrokes and clever placement of the ball.

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Tennis

Football

The U14s put in some great fighting performances; they managed to clinch wins after being 5-1 down to win 7-5. They had some tense encounters, winning by narrow margins; for example, drawing 4-4 in matches against Sherborne, the girls dealt with the pressure well and ended up victorious, 5-4. A long bus journey, a hot day and the first match of the year meant it was not the easiest way to start the tennis term for the 1st team boys. Taunton got off to a solid start, taking the first round of matches 2-1, but once the boys had loosened up, we began to look comfortable in the pairings and started to strike the ball more cleanly, winning the next six matches impressively and securing a fantastic 7-2 win. The U15s boys started slowly against Sherborne, even our first pair making a handful of unforced errors in their 6-0 win, evidently disappointed after going down 6-2 to a pair they really should have beaten. In the next few rounds the boys fought hard and competitively, winning two of the three matches to ensure a tie going in to the final. Unfortunately overall we lost, but credit to the boys for being incredibly resilient and really giving it their all. Congratulations to Harry Pickard for being invited to train with Team Bath Monte Carlo Tennis Academy/Bath University players for the day. Next year, I will look to create a wider fixture list and ensure that we maintain some of the new initiatives started this year such as the singles competition across the school and the new-look House Tennis, allowing more pupils to get involved. Emma Bennett, Director of Tennis

Football is thriving at Canford, and we are delighted to be able to accommodate a large group of boys – approximately 40 in each of the two terms – in three squads, with the Oaks (1st XI) and the Acorns (2nd XI) competing in competitive matches while the ‘gents’ enjoy recreational football and skills-based coaching. The fact that our coaching set-up has been augmented with the considerable expertise of Cherries legend Brian Stock has allowed the boys to reach ever higher standards technically, and, with this as a permanent feature, the future is looking bright in terms of our boys’ development as footballers. Still, the season proved tricky from a results point of view. Coming off the back of our greatest ever football season, 2017/18 was always going to be a tough proposition, with a young team very much in transition. Our 1st XI was dominated by a group of promising Lower Sixth, as demonstrated by the fact that the lionhearted Freddie Johnson was awarded the captaincy, and that Nick Broad, Ben Thomson, Zac Organ, Ben Suddards, Matt Ambrose-Hunt, Wilf Raby, Charlie Ford and Harry Mitchell were central members of the 1st XI. Although the Oaks swept aside Milton Abbey (twice) and Dauntsey’s, our inexperience was seen in our failure to secure a winner in a whopping five matches – and in the ten that ended in defeat. The statistics do not tell the whole story, though. In fact, the Oaks played some slick football throughout the year, and the team created a host of chances in virtually all their matches. The long-term injury of striker Max

Mourgue may have blunted our edge a little in the box, but the coaching team were, despite results, delighted with the group’s playing style, development and attitude. Epitomising this was vice-captain Lewis Wyatt, midfield dynamos Hector Sonley and Benny Doxat and the Bobby Moore-esque Ned Mitchell, all of whom invariably played in the best spirit and with a smile. Our 2nd XI had a much stronger season resultswise, winning half the matches played and – rather impressively – all bar one of the Easter Term. The one they did lose was their best of the lot, though, and the Acorns emerged with their heads held high after the footballing lesson they were given by the Dorset greats of the Corinthian Casuals. Indeed, we were honoured to be the first school to host both the Corinthian Casuals and their Dorsetbased chapter. The Corinthian Casuals is a legendary club widely held responsible for spreading the beautiful game to all corners of the world. What a fantastic occasion it was – men against boys, but not in the sense of the cliché, rather in a splendidly educational manner, with the Corinthian spirit very much in evidence. We have learnt a lot this year and look forward to vaulting on next season. Sindre Vandvik

“The Oaks played some slick football throughout the year, and the team created a host of chances in virtually all their matches.”

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A large number of leavers from the golf team in 2017, plus the retirement of Neil Watkins, left a big hole to fill in terms both of players and of someone to manage them. Fortunately, Morgan Taylor arrived in the Sixth Form as the second recipient of the Terrence Cobden-Pike award and, with a scratch handicap, was a very welcome addition. The school targeted two major competitions during the year: defending the HMC regional foursomes and entering, for the first time, the ISGA matchplay championship. In the HMC foursomes we defeated Exeter School but then conceded to Millfield. In the first round of the ISGA matchplay championship, which is a team of three playing singles scratch, we were drawn against Winchester A. The benefit of having a scratch golfer was immediately obvious as Morgan managed to win his match, 2up, and with Giacomo Perin winning his match, 5 and 4, we successfully negotiated our first hurdle. In a quirk of the draw, we played Winchester B in the next round and won 3-0. The area final was against Hampshire Collegiate, where Morgan this time narrowly lost, but Giacomo and Josh Brook both won their matches, which meant that we qualified for the national finals at St Mellion GC in April. The format changed in the finals to a strokeplay competition over 36 holes. This format, along with some windy cold weather and a lack of real practice over the winter, meant we struggled to compete. However, Josh put in two pretty good rounds, the three boys certainly learnt much about themselves and I learnt how best to approach the finals if we qualify again.

Real Tennis

“On his arrival he observed six excited boys from our local prep school, Castle Court, who have been playing at Canford for about eight months.”

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To see Good Tennis! What divine joy Can fill our leisure, or our minds employ? Let other people play at other things; The King of Games is still the Game of Kings. James Kenneth Stephen

Every pupil at Canford has the opportunity to experience this amazing sport as a Shell: from there on it is up to them. Those who badger the pros most get on the court most! The school has a number of keen players who are progressing well, with two senior pairs going to Queens and three junior pairs to Wellington for the National School Doubles Championships. Connor Elliot-Murray and Anthony Graham lost 4/6 in the second pair final to Seaford. We had fixtures at both junior and senior levels against Radley and Wellington and against the Hyde Club at Bridport. We lost 4, drew 2 and won 1. There were some excellent performances from Alice Milton, Jake Peterson, Charlie Anstee, Freddie Peters and Billy Pocock, who often had to play up an age group of two. A good number of fourth-formers played last year and it will be exciting to see how they progress in the Fifth Form and in the following years.

sport

Golf

In other school matches we put out a mixture of abilities and played some nine-hole matches (which I see as the future of school golf), losing to Marlborough and the Club but beating Milton Abbey home and away. There is some obvious talent coming through in the Fourth Form – Adam Reid, Tom Holtby, Robbie Lingafelter – which we hope to nurture through into a strong team in the years to come, especially when combined with the fifth-formers, Josh and Giacomo. Gary Shaw

Cross-country

We were honoured when HRH Prince Edward visited Canford in the middle of June as part of his plan to play every Real tennis court in the world in one calendar year. The objects of the tour are to raise the profile of Real tennis and to raise money for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. On the Wednesday the Earl chatted to the pupils about their experiences of DofE and what they had gained from taking part, and on the Thursday he played three doubles matches in the morning: one with three Canford pupils (Mike Galley, James Fountain and Anthony Graham), the other two sets with selected members and Old Canfordians including our captain, Connor Elliot-Murray. On his arrival he observed six excited boys from our local prep school, Castle Court, who have been playing at Canford for about eight months with James Ryan. He also loved the ‘Canford Gnome’! Steve Ronaldson, Head Professional

House cross-country involved over 450 pupils across the school and, as always, it was an exciting way to end the Christmas Term, culminating in probably the closest finish in living memory when Noah Jonas just pipped Eddie Kendall on the line to win the senior boys’ race. The annual Ken Baily event at Bryanston in January kicked off a busy term of races with club captain Ned Vessey and Noah Jonas securing top ten finishes in the senior boys’ race, helping the senior boys’ team to come 3rd overall. In the intermediate races, Lulu King, Serena Blake, Katy Jack and newcomer Bella Stanley helped our girls’ team to 6th place (out of 15 teams) and in the boys’ race, Finn Baker and Martin Bull continued their impressive form from the house event. The ‘Clayesmore Classic’ saw Lulu King secure 3rd place in the intermediate girls’ race, while newcomer Rupert Peach joined the intermediate boys’ team with Finn Baker and Martin Bull, securing 6th, 7th and 8th place in their race. In the seniors, Noah Jonas was placed 4th and Josh Davey, running in the age group above his own, came in 2nd. At the Dorset schools’ cross-country championships there were some outstanding runs, with Josh Davey (inter boys) and Noah Jonas (senior boys) being selected for the Dorset team to run at the South West schools’ championship. The inter girls’ team of Ines Mitchell, Lulu King, Katy Jack and Serena Blake also ran well to take 3rd place in the team event. Other races this term have included Milton Abbey

(famed for its very steep and even muddier hill!), the Studland Stampede, King’s Bruton and Sherborne. The season ended with a flourish at our own relays, with a number of outstanding individual performances, and all teams finishing in the top three for their category, with the intermediate boys successfully defending their title. Stuart Gordon

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Summer Ball 2018

sport

Lacrosse

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For the second year in a row, lacrosse was available for girls to play in the Christmas Term as well as the Easter Term. The Shells were also introduced to the sport through the Carousel. In the Christmas Term the small squad was able to play a couple of matches against Milton Abbey and a local club side, which was all good experience. We also introduced a few parents to the game in the first lacrosse Canford Society morning. Unfortunately the Easter Term fixtures were hit by bad weather and both Bryanston matches had to be cancelled, while hail and snow prevented us from attending the Marlborough Tournament. Alice Marns and Belle Woodman were co-captains for the first team and our best win of the season was a 9-4 defeat of the Sherborne 2nd team. We were able to put out one of our strongest squads and after starting 3-0 down, Josie Smailes’s determination and verve led the fightback to show how well a confident Canford team can play. As lacrosse is not a core sport at Canford, the decision was taken to enter the National Schools Competition only biennially, so 2018 was a rest year. The inter-house lacrosse tournament was, as ever, a hugely competitive affair but this year Marriotts successfully wrested ‘The Stick’ trophy away from de Lacy’s recent dominance.

Canford Colours went to Belle Woodman, Alice Marns, Bea Fairbairn, Imo Young and Anya Kendall. Nominations for the Scott Cup for Most Improved Player included Poppy Pinner, Lara Pilkington, Lucy Tompkins, Tasia Soskin, Yasmin Chadwick, Maddie Wells, Emma Crinks and Jenny Hancock. In the end it went to Lara Pilkington, whose intuitive interceptions, athleticism through the midfield and solid defending were impressive through both terms. Captains for the 2018/19 season will be Deya Shergill and Imi Nicholls. Michelle Bray

Basketball

Squash

With no leavers from last year’s team, the basketball looked to be in promising shape for an excellent season, and indeed that proved to be the case. With Luka Corsovic’s strength and Danny Beard’s skill (when we could pull him away from rugby 7s), and Cameron Feist and Leo Bishop’s height, we looked to be difficult to beat. The addition of some strong fifth-formers – Giacomo Perin and Fin Boardman – and handy new recruits from Hong Kong (Michael Ma and Giovanno Yan) added some skill and subtlety. The only real disappointment of the season was the weather, which resulted in four cancellations, to our frustration. So the strong fixture list at the start of term resulted in only five matches, of which we won three. Excellent victories against Ferndown, Clayesmore and Sherborne were good to add to the record book, but we were disappointed to lose to Dauntsey’s away, and in the home match to have to finish the match early, resulting in an ‘official draw’ – although we were looking like losing that one too, to a very strong Dauntsey’s team who have always been our toughest opposition. We do lose Luka this year, whose strong captaincy has been such a feature over the past two years. With him go Danny, Hamed Abdulla, Ben Krips, Brennan Dyball, Dom Hammond, Tom Armstrong and Alex Robertson, all of whom have made great contributions over their time, and really made progress as basketballers. The team will re-form next year, but still with height and skill from the existing players, to be added to by who knows what in the form of new players. We also say goodbye to Junior Paramore, whose ‘gentle giant’ approach to the game has helped so many Canfordians develop toughness and skill over the years. My thanks to all of these leavers, and my best wishes to the team for the future. Stephen Wilkinson

Numbers choosing squash continue to be strong, particularly in the Christmas Term, when we saw over 35 pupils on court; this is predicted to rise to over 50 in 2018. It has been interesting to see our top players duelling it out for the higher team positions. Joe Hollywood and Michael Galley shared the no. 1 spot over the season, but our recent leavers, Ben Krips, Alby Stevens and Oscar McLean, made real strides forward in their time at Canford – some big shoes to fill! However, we do have a number of keen up and coming players who have really started to impress: Charlie Anstee, Max Anand, Billy Pocock, Ollie Hilton and Ben Morris, to name just a few. David Offer, in his first year at Canford, has played for the county and impressed on court, being involved in a number of tough team matches against older and stronger opponents. Although results have often just gone against us, we have had a number of exciting battles with Bryanston, Clayesmore and Sherborne. Numerous players made their debuts for the school, often involved in hard-fought 3-2 matches, which has only increased their confidence and desire to improve. Court took both the junior and senior house squash trophies this year and continue to look a dominant force. Finally, a few words from our captain, Oscar McLean: ‘Whilst this year may not have been the most successful for the Canford squash team, the spirit of Canford sport was evident and the losses simply acted as an incentive to play even better or focus on particular parts of our games for the re-match. Many of our team were juniors, and it’s clear that with the support of our two excellent coaches, Mr Ryan and Mr Ronaldson, the quality of Canford squash will improve.’ James Ryan

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