The Cheltonian 2016-17 by Cheltenham College

Academic Year 2016-2017

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Contents

Introduction from the Headmaster. . . . . . . . . . . . 01 Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02

Academic Academic Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oxbridge News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Classics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Design and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Economics and Business Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Government and Politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . History of Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modern Foreign Languages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psychology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sports Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theology, Philosophy and Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theatre Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Speech Day Prizes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

05 06 06 10 10 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 17 17 18 20 21 22 23

Co-Curricular Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CCF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Duke of Edingburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sports Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Third Form Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25 26 30 31 32 34 34 35

College Community Archives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chatfeild-Roberts Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Internationalism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Supported Schools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

37 37 40 41 42 43 44

Houses Ashmead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boyne House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chandos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christowe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hazelwell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leconfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newick House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Southwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Westal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64

Sport Athletics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Badminton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Cricket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Equestrian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Footall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Golf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Hockey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Netball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Polo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Rackets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Rowing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Rugby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Shooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Skiing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Squash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Swimming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Tennis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Water Polo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Valete Our fond farewells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

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and now College Lawn, bringing us near to a 50/50 balance and, I don’t think it is exaggerating to say, leading the country in our co-educational provision. We have completely refurbished Big Classical, the Science Centre, both astroturfs, our tennis and squash facilities, built a new Estates building, transformed the Chatfeild-Roberts Library, created the Ben White Learning Centre, and at the time of writing, are currently completing the refurbishment of the Chapel organ and the Tewkesbury Boat House. Increasing from 560 odd pupils in 2010 to now approaching 700, it has been a very exciting period to say the least!

Dr Alex Peterken, Headmaster

Headmaster’s Introduction

It has been another heartening year for College; not just in terms of our own internal measurements of achievements and success, but also in terms of College’s impact on the community and world around us. With performance at A Level at record levels, we have seen some excellent examination results; over 55% of grades at A* and A and 81% at A*- B. This means the vast majority of students gained places at their first-choice universities; over three quarters going to the top Russell Group institutions and all those with Oxbridge offers successfully onto their courses. It’s so heartening to see our Upper Sixth being rewarded for their hard work and going off to university with such a strong set of A Level grades. We have also seen a year of developments to our pastoral and adolescent wellbeing programme, Floreat. We have fully rolled out the Extended Qualification Project in the Lower Sixth, which is producing some brilliant work and really helping students with their university applications, and we have started the first phase of our Sixth Form Electives programme, such as our Mini MBA and community placements, which is offered alongside A Levels to better prepare our students for life beyond these walls. We continue to be blessed with resources and investment. As part of the latest cycle of balanced expenditure we have focused on Music, and have been putting the new Steinway and electric pianos to good use in College and in Houses. Looking back, we have come a very long way since 2010. We have seen the opening of new girls’ boarding houses in Westal, Chandos Cottages

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Summer 2017 was also exceptionally busy. We are currently in the second year of a four year funded programme to enhance working, living and sleeping areas within the Houses; improvements to the accommodation for Third and Fourth Form boys are something which we will continue to prioritise. Of course, an increased number of pupils also creates a challenge in feeding them, and the £2.8m project to improve the dining experience in College, which began over the summer holidays, will make such a difference to the everyday experience of our pupils and their eating. Nothing could be more important than a vastly improved flow through the food counters, redesigned kitchens, entrance foyer, bag-drop and the ‘food court’ that will be created. Less queuing, great food and more choice is very much our aim. And the future is by no means just about facilities. Ashmead, Leconfield, Upper College and several academic departments have come under new leadership. The Co-Education Committee has broadened its remit to consider wider issues of equality, diversity and gender within College. With digital and emotional health remaining top of our agenda, we will further develop our Floreat Programme and continue to work closely with the pupil body to de-stigmatise mental health issues within College and beyond. Our co-curricular provision was updated from September. This offers more opportunities for pupils to lead and demonstrate what they can do for others in line with our servant leadership ethos. We also seek a better balance in what we offer: pupils will engage more and more with the local community and reap the rewards of that. Additionally, football will be introduced for boys and girls in certain year groups in the Spring Term and, at the same time, we will use external partners such as Reach Fitness and The Cheltenham Playhouse Theatre to expand our offer further. September saw the launch of the Wilson Cocurricular Diploma; a two year programme that will culminate in awards at Speech Day in 2019. Points will be awarded for academic effort, commitment to sports, public speaking, reading, responsibility, community service and support of peers.

In the past year 90 Lower Sixth students have gone out into the local Cheltenham community, offering their time to neighbourhood schools and care homes. The programme is shaped by the core aims of introducing pupils to communities of disadvantage, deprivation and disability outside of their life-experience, creating a culture of philanthropy and voluntary service, and giving them experiences and skills which will assist in their entry into the world of work. This programme will grow further in the coming academic year. We are currently creating a Fouth Form Community Service programme; the whole year group will experience seven weeks of Community Service placements. Partners helping us to create the programme include The Children’s Society, Cheltenham Open Door, as well as Trinity, St Matthew and Emmanuel Churches. We have forged and deepened partnerships with two local schools, All Saints’ Academy and St John’s Primary; schools which share our Anglican heritage. These partnerships cover academics, sport and music and aim to improve the experience and attainment of all pupils, both those from College and those from our partner schools. We also work closely with Naunton Park Primary School, St Gregory the Great Catholic school and St James’ Primary School and we continue in partnership with The Milestone School in Gloucester; a school dedicated to pupils with severe physical and mental disabilities. And, of course, all this against the usual backdrop of academic success, individual and team sporting achievements, varied music and drama performances, and many inspirational stories of transformed confidence and personal development. From nationally-recognised sporting success, to scoring a consolation try for the D team, from resilience shown, challenges surmounted, targets set and met, to burgeoning friendship, companionship and pure, sheer enjoyment; we strive to offer the very best breadth and depth that a true education of the whole person should offer. At College we understand that a constant drive for academic attainment and nothing else is utterly empty. Such a narrow approach has a diminishing effect on young people and their wellbeing and, I believe, risks producing people who may actually find the tough challenges of real life very difficult to deal with. Good education, in its fullest sense, must promote a sense of service, of duty to community and promote social cohesion not just individual success. Good education must seek the ‘double effect’ of academic attainment and wellbeing, of personal flourishing and happiness, and individual success. A good education should endure and last for a lifetime, not just until the A Level results are published.

Dr Alex Peterken

REFLECTIONS Head Boy, Luke Knudsen reflects on growing up in and with College.

I arrived at ‘The Junior’ in September 2002 and 10 years later, with the majority of this year’s leavers, I stepped up to College. Although we arrived with varying degrees of confidence, charisma, anxiety and acne, we all wanted to be cool and popular. Gradually, and in my case, very gradually, we transformed from spotty hormonal teens into confident and articulate young men and women. Why did our parents choose College for our education and why has this school become increasingly popular over the last 15 years? The reasons are many. It is clear that modern education does not focus exclusively on excellent results at GCSE and A level, important though they are. Not only in the classroom but, perhaps more importantly, beyond the classroom, College is a place of learning. On the sports field, not only do we learn what is needed to achieve victory; teamwork, ambition and practice: but we also learn the lessons of defeat; humility, resilience and sportsmanship. Off the sports field, our musicians and actors experience the unique joy of performance; of enthralling and entertaining. Fundraising events and hands on volunteering with local charities and organisations, teach us the value of giving; not just of money, but of ourselves. And in Chapel we get to think about our lives and the lives of those around us, as well as singing some absolute belters! Like its pupils, College has also matured and grown since I arrived 15 years ago. Some will especially appreciate the refurbished Science block and the Chatfeild-Roberts Library, others the new catering (…I certainly know which camp I’m in). Musically, in case any of you have missed it, we are now and ‘All-Steinway School’ and many more exciting developments are planned, including

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

the opening of our new girls’ boarding House, College Lawn and the redevelopment of the Boat Club. Perhaps most importantly, the dedication to delivering excellent pastoral care and nurturing individual talents is second to none. From the cleaners, the ground staff, the lab technicians and other unsung heroes, such as our matrons, to our tireless teachers and tutors, who encourage and support us, both academically and pastorally, it is the people that make College so special; the staff give of themselves far beyond what could reasonably be expected and I should know! So, thank you. The House structure allows and encourages all pupils to be an integral part of a larger family. Under the ever-attentive eye of our Housemasters and Housemistresses, who constantly attend to our welfare, everyone from Third Form to Upper Sixth contributes to the House culture and spirit, be it in House pots, House Singing, House charities, musical evenings or the much-coveted table tennis tournaments. Of course, a special mention has to be made of our parents because, ultimately, it is their enormous sacrifice that has given every one of us this matchless opportunity. Although teenagers are sometimes stereotyped as self-absorbed and inarticulate, we know what you have done for us and we are grateful. I am confident that this investment and trust in us has been and will continue to be worthwhile. In terms of the younger Cheltonians, it may seem a little clichéd, when some older pupil goes on about ‘making the most of it’. But I only realised how good we all have it in the past year or so. It would be a mistake not to embrace the multitude of varied opportunities that College provides. Get involved, find your niche and, most importantly, challenge yourself. Take the first step. You will reap the benefits: the more you give, the more you gain. I urge you to go to Romania on the post GCSE trip or visit one of our partner schools in Kenya or Nepal: be inspired by people who have so much less than all of us here today, whilst maintaining such a positive outlook on life. Few people enjoy what we have at College, so make your time count and remember it is also a privilege to serve. To those leaving College, remember, it doesn’t matter how far you may rise, at some point you are bound to stumble. If you are constantly pushing yourself higher, the law of averages, not to mention the myth of Icarus, predicts that

at some point you will fall. I believe the lessons learned and the skills gained here at College will equip us to meet failure and success and to learn from both. Whatever the future holds, whatever steps we may take, I doubt that we will experience such close support and so many opportunities as we have enjoyed here at College. We will look back often and our fond memories will last a lifetime.

Head Girl Ankita Mediratta reflects on life at College and the next big step.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Steps. Whether the word reminds you of your pedometer, the tiring staircase in the Music Department, the British pop group or the steps we take to achieve our goals, steps are all around us. Each one of us began our journey here at College with a single step, and as the academic year ends, those of us in the Upper Sixth, will be completing that journey and taking the next steps of our lives. We have all taken a number of steps whilst walking around College; the Third Form may only be on the figure of one million eight hundred and sixty thousand steps but they will soon all reach the nine million three hundred thousand steps that every student in the Upper Sixth will have taken by the end of their College career. But this figure pales into insignificance when compared to the other steps that we have taken. On our journey through Lower College and into the Upper Sixth we have taken many small steps: those taken when you know your next lesson is double Maths or the even smaller steps when first getting used to the Sixth Form skirt, or the tentative steps taken to talk to that new person.

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You have taken larger steps, such as your GCSE and A Level options and eventually hitting the button to confirm your university choices. You begin to realise that it is not good enough to just stare up that metaphorical staircase; you have to take that step, take that chance to go forward and see what happens. No one can know the future until they take that step to see it and live it. But taking steps is not always about going forward, sometimes we have to take a step back, step up or even step down. So, taking that step back. At times taking a step back, to evaluate what has happened and reassess is vital. I remember reading somewhere that when you are stressed, you should take a step back, inhale and laugh. But in life there are other instances where you will have to take a step back. Maybe it’s a rejection from a university or a career move that did not go to plan. Just remember that a rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success and no matter what life throws at you, step back, see the bigger picture and think about mounting that staircase again. This is a virtue that all Cheltonians possess: they will never let the fear of failure stop them and that is because of the amazing foundation College gives us. In fact, the word ‘step’ is derived from the word ‘base’ and to those leaving College, I say that this is exactly what College has given us: a strong base to launch from so that we can seize every opportunity we get. Which brings me to stepping up: when given such a strong base, it is so important to step up when we have the chance. Stepping up means coming forward to take responsibility even when you might feel reluctant (sentiments that I recall feeling when I had to step up in Chapel dressed as a nun to conduct Westal’s House Singing performance). The point is that you must take a chance when it is given to you: step up when you see a step in front of you. But as our leavers prepare to take their next big step, I must return to the idea of stepping forward. Taking that step forward into the unknown can be hard, but if things don’t work out, try again. What matters is that you have the courage to say, ‘I will try again’. Failure is only the opportunity to try again, only this time, try again more wisely. Your goals and dreams don’t have an expiration date on them: you can achieve a dream when you are 20 or when you are 70, it doesn’t matter. Anything that anyone in this world has ever achieved began with a decision to try: to take that step. And now for us Upper Sixth students, it is time for us to all take another big step in our lives: to step out of the familiar and into something new, one step at a time.

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Jackson-Matthews Chapel Prize for Best Address:

In today’s world, women have a lot of power. We’re on billboards, in offices, in the Houses of Parliament. I mean, our Prime Minister is a woman! Women can vote, women can take out loans, women can go to school. So why do we even need feminism? What else do women want? Isn’t that equality? Also, many women have rejected the movement. They claim that they themselves don’t need it, that they love men and feel respected, that they have never felt struggles on the grounds of their gender. So surely, if a considerable number of women reject feminism, wouldn’t that be a good enough reason to ignore the movement entirely? Something that many people tend to forget is that there isn’t a paradigm of Woman. Being a woman isn’t a ‘one-size fits all’ concept. Women have intersecting identities and can be impacted by multiple issues such as race, sexuality, religion, ability and class. If you actually think about it, it makes sense. Here’s a simple example: a white middle-class woman in America earns 78% of what white men do, but in comparison to black women, who earn 64% and Hispanic women who earn 55%, she is less likely to be discriminated further on the basis of race. Transgender people are six times more likely to experience police violence than someone who isn’t transgender. As a bisexual woman of colour, I am more likely to experience sexual violence than other women because of my sexuality, and I am also 55% more likely to be harmed in a LGBTbased hate incident, because of my race. Writer, feminist, and civil rights activist, Audre Lorde once said: ‘I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.’ Dismissing feminism usually comes from a place of privilege, when people may not acknowledge a problem because it may not affect them personally. Why do we forget about women in Egypt, where nine out of 10 of them will have experienced sexual harassment? What about the countless victims of racist police brutality, like Sandra Bland? Why do we ignore the

133 million women in the world today who have undergone female genital mutilation? And the record-high amount of men who die by suicide because society tells them to not ‘act like a girl’, to ‘man up’, to not have feelings? Have we forgotten about them? Although you may sit back and think, ‘Ah! These women! Always complaining, never satisfied!’ I want you to remember that only 57 of the 196 countries of the world have legislation that specifically addresses domestic and sexual violence, for men and women. I dare you to try and forget about the 2,000 Indian and Pakistani women who are killed by their own families every year to ‘restore honour’. This hits close to home. If I got married and decided to live in Malaysia, it would be legal for my husband to sexually assault me. I would have no law to protect me or serve justice. Also, my sister, my aunt, my best friend, who are gay, are not protected from discrimination back home, and neither are the rest of the LGBT community. Feminism isn’t about invoking power or superiority over men. It never has been. The media has been plagued by the idea that feminists hate men and choose to only show negative ‘men-hating’ stereotypes. Feminism is about giving a voice to the silenced: people of colour; the disabled; the LGBT community; the impoverished; the Muslim. We must honour the progress that we have made; we must remember the women that have been excluded for years. Without the women who fought in our history, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy half the things we do today. We have to raise the women in the world who do not enjoy the same privileges that we do. We must embrace the beautiful diversity of our world, but we must also be ready to acknowledge our privilege as children of a bright future, as children who live in a developed country. However, that does not excuse us from overlooking the struggles of the oppressed around the world. Call me a feminazi; call me a nasty woman, but let me tell you something, as feminist scholar Dale Spender, said: ‘Feminism has fought no wars. It has killed no opponents. It has set up no concentration camps, starved no enemies, practised no cruelties. Its battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions, for safety in the streets, for child care, for social welfare, for rape crisis centres, women’s refugees, reforms in the law.’ THAT is what feminism is about. So, I will leave you with this: don’t forget the people who fought for you, and don’t forget the people we still have to fight for. Thank you.

ShaSha Sosrowardoyo (U6, Ch)

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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ACADEMIC A celebration of academic independence and enrichment A Level 55% of results graded A* - A 81% of results graded A* - B 5 pupils achieved 4 A* grades

GCSE 85% of grades are A* - B Around a third of all grades are A* 32 pupils achieved 5A*s or more This past year has seen significant academic change across the nation as new A Levels, new GCSEs and new grading systems replace what we have known over the last fifteen years or so. We feel immensely proud of this year’s leavers who have taken these changes in their stride and whose hard work over their time at College means over four out of five grades were either an A*, A or B at A Level; these are College’s best ever results. Indeed, this year group has flourished within College’s academic ethos, which prioritises the development of independent enquiry, higher-order thinking and academic enrichment beyond examinations. It is essential for us to help develop the foundations for independent learning at College, and this year’s academic review will focus on the opportunities open to our pupils. The first terms in Upper College provided a rich foundation for our students to develop their autonomous learning habits as they were able to undertake an independent research project on a topic of their choice. For many, undertaking the project was their first experience of truly independent academic work, requiring them to develop their skills of decision-making, evaluation and justification. The projects were a celebration of academic interest and individuality, as demonstrated by the diversity and ambition of topics explored and the unique way in which each student approached their project.

The winning project was Jack Burns’ (U6, NH) multi-media project, ‘An ideal sustainable home for the 21st Century’; an outstanding example of fine research content and architectural skills developed in 3-D design, sketching and working to a brief. Beth Adams (U6, A), Alena Gorb (U6, A), Elias Hirsi (U6, BH) and Ankita Mediratta’s (U6, W) projects were Highly Commended. Their topics, respectively, give a flavour of the diversity of topics and approaches: ‘Help or hindrance: has human intervention benefitted the evolution of the domestic dog?’ (essay), ‘The placebo effect: a new treatment for Parkinson’s Disease,’ (essay), ‘Is the Labour Party at war?’ (a film of rallies, hustings and meetings) and ‘How does Aquinas respond to the problem of evil and is his response successful?’ (essay).

The success of the independent projects in developing research skills and in supporting university applications prompted College to embark on the Extended Project Qualification for the Lower Sixth in September 2016; a means to maintaining academic enrichment beyond the A Level curriculum. This nationally recognised qualification focuses on the development of skills required for successful Upper Sixth and university performance, and indeed counts alongside A Levels for university entry. 126 projects were submitted in Science, History, Geography, Art, Art History, Politics, Language and Culture, and we were delighted with the proportion of high grades in the EPQ’s main inaugural year at College. Topics ranged from an evaluation of the benefits of Catalonia becoming an independent state, to an investigation of CRISPR (pertaining to DNA sequences in bacteria) as a revolutionary genetic tool. Also in their inaugural year, the Electives met with great success, helping to take Upper College students well beyond the confines of the traditional College curriculum and into areas that will provide skills and experience for the future. Lower Sixth

students had their eyes opened to the complexities and consequences of Brexit, whilst developing their negotiating skills at the Macroeconomics Think Tank. Others embraced the wider world of business and commerce with the Young Enterprise Scheme and the introduction of the Mini MBA. As we are ever mindful of preparing pupils for their future beyond College, our Mini MBA Elective is a bespoke business management course, and it has been a huge success with our students. The programme was delivered by guests from backgrounds in both business and academia, who led fortnightly workshops covering all the major elements of running a business and sharing their own inspirational stories of entrepreneurship. The programme culminated with a day at the Head Offices of Smiths Group PLC in St James’s Square, during which students drew on all they had learned from the workshops to pitch their own business ideas to a panel consisting of Touker Suleyman (Dragons’ Den), Bruce Carnegie-Brown (Chairman of Lloyd’s of London) and our Headmaster, Dr Alex Peterken. The winners, Tom Smith (BH) and Kieran Thorley (BH), are now in the process of establishing their own, brilliantly conceived, business: Aquarii. Fifth form pupils got a good flavour of this independent research once their GCSE examinations came to an end as they undertook the challenge presented by the annual Fifth Form Essay Prize. Over the 2016 summer holidays, pupils researched and wrote essays in response to questions set by fifteen academic departments; those who participated devoted much time and effort to producing their essays and the resultant pieces were superb. Heads of Department who marked the essays according to specialism, were delighted with the depth, quality and ambitiousness of what was produced. Runner Up prizes were awarded to Dasha Romanyuk (L6, W, Chemistry), Jack McClure (L6, L, History), Georgina Pinchard (L6, Ch, Politics), Jess Steel

Independent Project Winner, Jack Burns

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ACADEMIC

(L6, Q, Psychology), Edward Winstanley (L6, S, Biology) and Paddy Christopher (L6, H, Classics). The winner, with his Biology essay on ‘The Use and Ethical Implications of Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques’ was Aiden Ali (L6, NH). At the time of writing, we are looking forward to seeing what our 5th form (2016-17) have produced this summer. But of course, such independence with academic inquisitiveness is not restricted to our examination year groups! Quite the contrary: our Third Form pupils completed their own independent project (The Headmaster’s Prize) at the end of their first term at College on the theme of ‘175: History and Heritage’, in celebration of College’s 175th anniversary. The range and quality of entries

were outstanding. The winning project came from Charles Hellens (L) who produced a book on ‘Music›s Reflection of Society›s Evolution Over 175 Years’ but there were many interesting timelines: an essay titled ‘The Sentinel’ by Sebastian Cornwell (Xt), an outstanding painting of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand Rama 9 by Proud Jeerawatanawart (A), and a booklet on ‘Female Emancipation in the UK 1841 – 2016’ be GeorgiaLili Robertson (W). The Third Form pupils showed a great deal of promise with their first major independent project, and this augurs well for all of the independent work ahead of them.

Mr Simon Brian

Art

As new Head of Department in September, I joined a Department buoyant with excellent results from the summer 2016 exams: 7A*s and A grades at A Level and 85% of GCSE candidates achieving A* to B. Where could I go with such excellent results? How should I develop the Art Department? I started with what I know: that pupils studying this creative subject should be taking possession of their learning, and that they should be bringing their own opinions and creativity to their work. The result of this philosophy is far-reaching, not least because it generates variety. Variety of outcomes and explorations, and variety of use of materials and processes: variety in the classroom. We have seen pupils grow in confidence to explore large scale construction, glass fusing, installation work, film and ceramics amongst many others. We are witnessing increased variety in pupil work and the Summer Exhibition 2017 was highly indicative of the talent, and how College is laden with creativity. The show demonstrated how, if pupils are enabled to engage in their thoughts at a deeper level, more challenging and expressive outcomes are created. The End of Year Show in The Long Gallery and the White Gallery, with DT and Textiles, is a great example of how this is true.

Oxbridge Bound! Six students from Cheltenham College are celebrating their offers from Oxford and Cambridge universities for September 2017. Alena Gorb (U6, A) is to read Natural Sciences at Jesus College, Cambridge; William Hardy (U6, S) to read Economics at Trinity College, Cambridge; and Aiko Fukuda (U6, Ch) to read Natural Sciences at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Sam Mendis (U6, Xt) is to read Mechanical Engineering at Lincoln College, Oxford; Kexin Koh (U6, Ch) to read Biochemistry at Christ Church, Oxford; and Dylan Adlard (U6, S) to also read Biochemistry at Merton College, Oxford. Many congratulations to these students; we wish them the best of luck in their future endeavours.

The main thrust of our philosophy is pupil centred learning. This year the Art Department’s priority was to enable all GCSE and Upper College artists to rely not on teacher-led instruction, but to explore and develop their own personal creative direction. With independent learning as the focus, our artists are pushing their learning and expertise, they are producing progressive pieces which challenge preconceptions of Art, and the world they live in. We continue to develop our strengths which generate our excellent results, but also develop rigour and freedom of thought, and confidence in self-opinion and a love of learning. We introduced a more rigorous learning programme in Third Form, enabling pupils to immerse themselves for a minimum of 10 weeks in Fine Art, Printmaking and Ceramics/Sculpture. Pupils develop more refined skills through extended focus in each specialist area with highly qualified staff, and personal enjoyment and dexterity, which in turn provides excellent foundation skills in readiness for GCSE. In direct response to this programme, we looked forward to another large uptake at Fourth Form, making for just under 70 pupils studying Art at GCSE. Working towards exhibitions, the Third Form theme for the year was ‘Conflict’. Pupils brought together learning of WW2 from English and History which made their learning stronger and more holistic. Visual language strategies were taught to facilitate an outpouring of political and social opinion, ethical standpoints and good moral fibre throughout the year. Exhibitions in November and February were of an incredibly high standard and revealed the excellent foundation they’ve received in readiness for their GCSE.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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In Fourth Form, we have challenged our pupils to be enquiring and curious, to personally answer questions such as ‘What is Art?’, and ‘What makes good Art?’. It is proven that pupils learn more through seeing a variety of processes and outcomes taking place in the studios, rather than from a purely teacher-led ‘one size fits all’ approach. It’s far more work for staff, but far more stimulating as a learning environment. Our pupils are delivering a personal and engaged response and this was readily highlighted in the three Fourth Form exhibitions during the year. The day trip to Oxford’s Pitt River and University Museums in March provided an excellent opportunity for pupils to experience cultural and anthropological artefacts to inspire their work.

forming: the layering of film onto mixed media relief, combining etching with acrylic impasto, acrylic sheet constructions, to name a few. The Summer Exhibition was heaving with alternative approaches to creativity: a real feather in every student’s cap to show how capable they are. Upper College has really taken the bull by the horns to break the mould at College. A trip to Tate Modern and the Switch Tower, just over a year old, inspired Upper Sixth examination projects to use LEDs, cut and fused glass, mixed media, photography film and sound-scaping. Installation pieces, and sculptures of a very large scale, indicate the confidence and passion our students have for Art as they prepare for their degree courses. Of our 12 students in Upper Sixth, seven are going on to study creative subjects: Architecture; History of Art; Creative Media and Foundation Art and Design.

Fifth Form pupils visited Tate Britain to gather inspiration for their exam project. We are incredibly fortunate to have such wonderful galleries in the UK, and Tate offers something for everyone’s taste, which enabled every pupil to benefit regardless of the exam question they needed to research. Our Moderator commended our Fifth Form pupils on the variety of outcomes to their exam project. Fifth Form pupils moving into Lower Sixth are thirsty for self-development and as they completed their year, more diverse creativity and outcomes were

In view of exhibitions, The Long Gallery and The White Gallery are never dull, and we ensure they are always full of thought-provoking pieces. There has been a rolling programme of shows, starting with the Third Form Memorial exhibition which ran in conjunction with the Archives Department, in November 2016. Fourth Form has had three exhibitions to showcase their developing work, while Third, Fifth and Upper College had two

shows each. Pupils are excited by the opportunity to display their work, and the opportunity to show to parents is something we’re developing. In January, Upper College artists were exhibited by the prestigious art dealer Trinity House Paintings in Broadway, for a three-day show. This is the first collaboration of this type, with students’ work displayed alongside the likes of Pissarro and Sisley. The private view was teeming with support for our artists; three students, Araminta Ramsey (U6, A), Lavinia Fairlie (U6, W) and Lili Sell (L6, Ch) sold pieces to private collectors. You will agree this is a real accolade for our students and College, and one of which to be so proud. To conclude my first year in post at College, in which I’ve concentrated on reshaping Art’s educational goals, the icing on the cake was the second annual Summer Show which filled The Long Gallery, The White Gallery and Rotunda, alongside Design and Technology. This was fabulous with impressive creativity on display for parents and family, staff and pupils. Visitors from schools in Bristol and universities attended, commenting on the high standard of creations at College; ‘hats off!’ to our pupils.

Ms Jo Millar

Rose Pearey (5th, Ch)

Shirley Lo (5th, A)

Shauna McLaren (U6, Ch)

Charlotte Jones (U6, Ch)

Alexander Cove (U6, Xt)

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Pei Toh Chung (5th, H)

Penny Salmond Smith (5th, A)

Third Form Photoshop response

Jack Burns (U6, NH)

Kelly Tang (L6, Ch)

Trinity House exhibition

Jasmine Ng (U6, W)

Georgie Elliott (5th, A)

Vanessa Keung (U6, Ch)

Iman Mirza (L6, Q)

Abby Aitken (5th, Ch)

Harriet White (U6, Ch)

Artem Smykovskii (5th, L)

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The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Olivia McDowell-Foord (U6, Ch)

Ellie Davies (5th, Q)

Lili Sell (L6, Ch)

Phoebe Janes (L6, W)

Ing-Tarn Ruckpanich (5th, Ch)

Third Form mixed media

Maia Tacey (U6, Q)

Ronke Adetona (5th, Ch)

Elle Sawamphakdi (U6, Ch)

Varvara Konyaeva (5th, W)

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Classics

about the arrival of new GCSEs and the prospect of the ‘super A*’ 9 grade at GCSE. We wish Lucy Hall, Vivi Radway (U6, Ch), Charles Tombleson (U6, L) and Daniel Wong (U6, L) every success as they embark on Classical degrees, and hope that Genevieve Alltimes (L6, A) will have similar success in securing her first choice Classical course.

This year’s crop of College Classicists proved as determined as ever to outdo their predecessors. A remarkable 22 A* and three A grades from our 25 entrants at Latin GCSE in summer 2016 vied for attention with a record-shattering year for Classical Civilisation and a 97% average from our Greek candidates.

Mr Tom Lambert

Design and Technology

Under Lucy Hall’s (U6, Ch) Presidency, the Classics Society put fun on an equal footing with scholarship, including games or quizzes in every meeting, and even recreating a Roman dinner party. The committee, which uniquely featured Lower College representation in Judith Gibitz (5th, Ch), Izzy Kemp (5th, A) and Evie Webb (5th, Ch) went from strength to strength, arranging themes for several of the meetings, helping younger pupils to rehearse, and creating posters for events. A great highlight of the year was the innovative Languages evening, ably coordinated by Georgina Oates (L6, W), which brought together talks and ideas aimed at both modern and ancient linguists. We hope that incoming President Shakhin Zamani (L6, NH) and his new committee will be similarly creative as they take the Society forward.

Within Resistant Materials, projects have again ranged in size and complexity with interesting problems such as Andrew Chan’s (U6, Xt) ‘Recumbent Bike’ and Thomas Severn’s (U6, H) statuesque ‘Entertainment Bar’ to solve. All the work was again showcased in the combined

It has been a wonderful year and all the DT pupils should be very proud of their achievements.

Mrs Kirstie Naish

Ella Timmis (U6, Ch)

We now start the new A Level in Classical Civilisation which creates seven weeks of new teaching time, meaning that all students now have the opportunity to explore Classics even more broadly and deeply. We are also excited

Within the curriculum we have been preparing for substantial changes affecting DT at GCSE and A Level. The new GCSE sees new emphasis put on problem solving, engineering and a more holistic approach to materials selection. The course has been co-written by influential bodies such as the Design and Technology Association, James Dyson, the Royal College of Art and a number of other industry representatives. The new courses will include science and mathematics and will complement the studies of anyone wishing to pursue careers in the world of engineering or design.

In Textiles, we have seen GCSE pupils’ work inspired by a number of exciting design briefs including the 1960s, culture and punk rock. Pupils have gone above and beyond to create garments that are the highest quality we have seen in the Textiles Department to date. Garments included Ing-Tarn Ruckpanich’s (5th, Ch) Thai-inspired jacket with hand woven silk panels that she created independently in a small village outside her home town in Thailand last summer. Georgia Rattigan’s (5th, Q) 1960s-inspired two piece included hand dyed fabrics, oversized box pleats and delicate applique details. In Lower Sixth Libby Haddock (Ch) was awarded the coveted Speech Day prize for her dedication to Textiles. She created a two-piece sportswear garment out of stretchy lycra fabric. This is a challenging task even for a professional and her folder was outstanding. In Upper Sixth Theresa Schäff (Ch) was awarded the Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prize in Textiles for her Adidas project. She created a reversible jacket that included a wide range of materials including dye sublimation printing, phosphorescent piping, CAD/CAM machine embroidery, applique and much more. Her coursework folder was of degree standard and we will use her work as an example to others for years to come. The Fashion Show in May was organised by Lili Sell (L6, Ch) as part of her EPQ project. She organised a superb event that was professionally modelled by pupils in Lower College, alongside a raffle with wonderful prizes which raised a superb £226 for her chosen charity Winston’s Wish.

Nicholas Hill (5th, BH)

We looked beyond College; Greek and Latin were once more brought to life as our ‘County Classics’ squad headed to the regional speaking competition. Alfie Watkins (3rd, S) blazed a trail as our first ever entrant for Junior Greek; Giuseppe D’Istria (L6, H) picked up an Honourable Mention in Senior Latin; Izzy Reid (3rd, Q) and Freya Coull (3rd, Q) made the final six of the 27-strong Junior Latin category. At the business end of the competitions, Izzy Kemp took Bronze in Intermediate Greek, whilst in Senior Greek, Shakhin Zamani scooped Silver; most impressively, Max Pemberton (5th, H) received the Gold medal and even inspired predictions of a Hollywood career, for his portrayal of a forlorn Aeneas. Our Senior students enjoyed a challenging Gloucestershire Classical Association lecture on the history of panegyric in ancient texts, visits to the Ashmolean and the British Museum enhanced our knowledge of Greek art and architecture, and College pupils enjoyed the usual array of Cheltenham Literature Festival talks.

This year the Design and Technology Department has seen immense changes both in College and in the wider curriculum. New to the Department is Mr Gavin Johnson, who joined us from Woodmancote School. He has a background in the textiles manufacturing industry and transferred to teaching a couple of years ago. Mr Johnson is also an enthusiastic Duke of Edinburgh instructor and a rowing coach.

Art and Design show in May, accompanied by a fantastic Textiles fashion show. The quality of the work was typified by the number of cash offers made for products such as the Thomas Maclaren’s (U6, S) ‘Garden Hammock’, Tommy Ladds’s (5th, Xt)‘Bow Fronted Drinks Cabinet’ and Alfie Weston’s (5th, BH) ‘Space Shuttle Lamp’.

Andrew Chan (U6, Xt)

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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Thomas Severn (U6, H)

Nathan Wong (5th, NH)

Phina Wilson modelling Kaela Wilson’s (5th, Ch) garment

Edward Shaw (5th, L)

Poppy Williams modelling Libby Haddock’s (L6, Ch) garment

Poppy Williams modelling Emma Hechle’s (5th, W) garment

Oliver Coker modelling Sebastian Villars’ (L6, S) garment

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Economics and Business

It has been a remarkable academic year for College’s Economics and Business Department. The October excursion to Cuba was a huge success, giving students of both subjects first-hand experience of a vastly different economic system and of the effects of the country’s on-going transition from central planning to free market openness. The Departmental society, led by Upper Sixth presidents Emily Campbell (Ch) and William Hardy (S) hosted a range of events: a compelling presentation of the experiences of those who went to Cuba; talks by James Cooper (Chief Executive of Associated British Ports) about the future of UK trade and Gaynor Hall and Edward Hazzan (Croft Solicitors) about their involvement in the Supreme Court Brexit case; and a practical economics experiment by Dr Richard Fairchild (Senior Lecturer in the School of Management at the University of Bath and College’s Economist in Residence) testing the theoretical results of the economic, business and political location model of Harold Hotelling. The Department has also delivered an interactive, four-part course on behavioural economics to the Year 8 academic scholars at The Prep, helping them reflect on how they make decisions and how they can more fully harness their minds. Perhaps most exciting of all, though, has been the incredibly successful launch of the Department’s Mini MBA: a bespoke Business Management course available to Lower Sixth students as an addition to their A Level choices. Selected by 14 students in its pilot year, the programme has been primarily delivered through fortnightly workshops led by external speakers from the worlds of business and academia, and which culminated with the students, working in pairs to pitch their own business ideas to a panel consisting of Touker Suleyman (Dragons’ Den), Bruce Carnegie-Brown (Chairman of Lloyd’s of London) and Dr Alex

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Peterken in the boardroom of Smiths Group PLC in St James’s Square, London. Tom Smith (L6, BH) and Kieran Thorley (L6, BH) are now executing their winning pitch. The Mini MBA has not only enriched business education at College, it has also raised the profile of the Department nationally, having already been reported in publications such as Independent Schools Magazine, Independent Education Today, Cotswold Life and, most recently, School House Magazine. With a trip to the Coca-Cola plant in Milton Keynes rounding off the year, and with exciting plans being developed to further expand the Mini MBA and the Department Society, the future promises even more. We wish Miss Anna Williams, who has been such an integral and hugely valued member of the Department this year, all the very best as she moves on to exciting new opportunities at Dean Close School, and we warmly welcome Mr Todd Freedman into our ranks.

Dr Graham Mallard

English

The 2016-17 academic year brought to fruition an exciting period of change for the English Department, with both the new 9-1 GCSE in English Language and the new linear A Level reaching their respective conclusions. For GCSE pupils this has meant tackling two rigorous English Language exams that have included tasks comparing non-fiction texts from the

19th and 21st centuries alongside the usual range of creative and transactional writing tasks. Having enjoyed a respite from external exams in the Lower Sixth, this year’s A Level students prepared to answer a range of complex essay questions on the five literary texts they had studied over the course. The new syllabus has been thoroughly enjoyable to teach and has given colleagues greater flexibility over text selection, resulting in students studying work from a much wider range of genres. Whether it was Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Stoker’s Dracula, Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, or Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, it has been brilliant to read examples of students’ work that has successfully engaged with complex themes and issues across diverse contexts. The English Department has continued to offer an array of co-curricular opportunities over the last year. In early October, 50 of the Fifth Form travelled to London to watch Jonathan Pryce’s acclaimed performance in The Merchant of Venice at The Globe Theatre. The third annual A.C Bradley Memorial Shakespeare Lecture was a clear highlight with Professor Ewan Fernie, Chair of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Birmingham joining us to deliver an impressive address on the playwright and radical politics. Big Classical was again packed with pupils and staff from schools across Cheltenham, with guests joining us from the Cheltenham Ladies’ College, All Saint’s Academy, Pate’s Grammar School, Dean

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Close School and St Edward’s School. In a detailed exploration of Shakespeare’s cultural legacy, Professor Fernie guided us through a range of historical evidence including the hymn books of The Chartists and the prison reading material of Nelson Mandela, which, as he put it, points to Shakespeare as ‘a vital force for existential and political revolution over the centuries.’ Throughout the year, Dr. Davidson’s Lit. Soc. has continued to grow, imbued by a committed group of pupils in the Fifth Form and Lower Sixth. The regular meetings have been intellectually stimulating and have offered pupils the opportunity to engage with literature outside of the constraints of exam syllabi. Members of staff from a number of Departments have supported the society and we are immensely grateful to those who have been willing to share their passion for different genres, writers and texts. This year, the programme has included sessions on French Literature, T.S Eliot’s poem ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’, the work of James Joyce, and the concept of being ‘well read’. In addition, the society hosted a seminar by psychotherapist Diana Hedges, author of Poetry, Therapy, and Emotional Life, who shared with us her experience of using poetry in her work with patients who are seeking to heal emotional hurts and losses.

strategies, both past and future. The Summer Term began with a very pleasant Upper Sixth Geography Leavers’ Dinner and debate to prepare them for the final hurdle of their A2 exams. The Bingen Society continues to go from strength to strength and this year our inaugural Third Form Essay Prize proved to be a huge success. Charles Hellens (L) and Holly Ellis (Ch) produced the winning entries on ‘If the wars of this century were fought over oil, the wars of next century will be fought over water.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? and ‘The world is one bad harvest away from disaster.’ To what extent do you agree? respectively. The standard of all entries was exceptionally high and shows that the future of Geography at College is very bright indeed. In the Spring Term, the Geography Department was delighted to welcome back Dr Peter Mackie from Cardiff University, who spoke on ‘Slums: Places of Squalor or desirable, thriving communities’, along with OC Taya Sellers (2014-

2016, W), who gave an insight into studying Geography at university. Mr Nick Worthington of the Canal and River Trust and College’s Health, Safety and Risk Manager, Mr Jim Onions, spoke on ‘Flood management and the 2007 Gloucestershire Floods’ in the Autumn Term. We say a fond farewell to Mr Andrew Gasson, who leaves College after 30 years. It would be remiss of me not to finish by saying a huge thank you to him. He has been a stalwart in the Geography Department throughout his time here, and he will be remembered for not only his passion for the subject and his utter dedication to ensure his pupils fulfil the very best of their potential, but also for the steadfast support he has shown his colleagues, his sensational photographs and his wit and humour. He will be greatly missed as a colleague and a friend by those who have worked with him and we wish him all the very best for his next chapter.

Miss Emily Hartley

Overall, English at College continues to flourish, both in terms of the teaching and learning and in the commitment that pupils and staff have shown to co-curricular opportunities. Much of this success has been thanks to the outstanding leadership of Mr Tim Brewis, whose seven-year tenure as Head of Department came to an end. Thankfully, he is not leaving College and will still teach in the Department, having been appointed Assistant Head (Academic) from September 2017.

Mr Andrew Straiton

Geography

My first year as Head of Geography corresponded with a seismic shift in the A Level specification and our inaugural trip to Nettlecombe Court with the Lower Sixth in June to prepare them for their independent investigations. Blessed with excellent weather on one of the hottest weekends of the year, one of the main challenges was adapting to sharing the very popular Minehead beachfront with swathes of people hoping to benefit from the rays. All Lower Sixth students conducted themselves exceptionally well, and were wonderful ambassadors for College throughout the trip. I speak for all Department staff when I say that it was an incredibly busy, productive and enjoyable four days, ice cream queues and sunburn aside! Back in College work continued as normal with annual fieldtrips to Cadbury World, Sand Bay, Lydney (which this year saw the added excitement of one group disturbing a wasps’ nest at one location) and Cheltenham (from the racecourse back to College along the Honeybourne Line). We also reinstated the Lower Sixth Birmingham trip to evaluate rebranding

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Government and Politics

It has been a busy year in Politics (what an understatement!), and the Department has been keeping up with the twists and turns of global events. The Department looks slightly different from last year. In September, Mrs Alexandra Eldred became Head of Department, and alongside Mr Chris Reid, welcomed Mr Dominic Nelder to the Politics team. We also greeted two new classes of Lower Sixth students. The academic year commenced in the wake of the EU referendum. The country was divided: the defeated Remainers versus the victorious Leavers, and many said the issue was too complex to have been put to the electorate directly. Corbyn’s Labour Party seemed to be suffering from intense factionalism, and ‘Brexit Britain’ was under the leadership of Britain’s second female prime minister, a Remainer, Theresa May. The Lower Sixth students sunk their teeth into UK politics, following the party conferences and challenge to Corbyn’s leadership with great interest. This intensified as the year progressed, and gained momentum with the Supreme Court case concerning the triggering of Article 50, and May’s announcement of a snap general election. On the other side of the Atlantic, by September the race for the White House was really heating up and the Upper Sixth students were fixated. They conducted a successful mock US election in College, running votes in their Houses and counting the ballots the next day. Following the election of Donald Trump on 8 November there has not been a lesson that has commenced without the latest headline. The Upper Sixth has been fully engaged with what has been going on in the USA and it has been fantastic to debate complex issues with them. The Morley Society has been active this year. The students prepared an extension session with activities for the Scholars at The Prep. Pablo Espona (L6, L) delivered a lecture. The activities helped to explain the US election, and the

similarities and differences between the US and the UK systems of government. Furthermore, in the run up to the General Election, Terezia Michalikova (L6, Ch), Charles O’Bryan (L6, BH), Anna McIntyre (L6, Q), Thomas Maddinson (L6, S), and Pablo Espona interviewed candidates Martin Horwood and Alex Chalk in Chapel. Finally, representatives from Croft Solicitors came to College in May to talk to the Society about the Article 50 court case. Overall it has been a year full of interest, debate and discussion.

Mrs Alexandra Eldred

History

We have been joined, this academic year, in the Centenary (‘New’) Block by Mrs Sarah Dawson and Mr Dominic Nelder. They have been busily promoting reading alongside a notably active approach towards the teaching and learning of History: the air in New Block has of late been thick with the hum of Spitfires and kamikaze pilots, and every time Rooms 1 or 2 are visited, it turns out that they’ve been re-designated – most lately as Japan, Egypt and Arabia. The History and Politics Morley Society has been similarly active throughout the year, with various moustachioed bootleggers, Elvis, the odd Roman, a 1940s RAF pilot (in immaculate lipstick), a 1960s SNCC activist (in regulation dungarees) and a singularly unreformed nun all visiting Newick House orchard for the elderflower pre-prandials. Dr Kristofer Allerfeldt of the University of Exeter, without ever dipping into apologia, got Morley going with his challenging of conceptions that massive resistance in America’s South was driven simply by redneck beer-swilling racists or peacocking governors. His engagement as a university teacher with the issues facing school historians as they mature in the subject was both refreshing and a fantastic advertisement for Exeter’s teaching.

C Heardman (3rd) and Archie Faskin (3rd and descendent of Private Alexander Faskin of the Gordon Highlanders) helpfully team up to demonstrate for the group exactly what, and what not, to wear for the foggy Somme battlefields in October!

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

As the centenary of the First World War also matures, the Third Form pupils picked up the OC baton, following on from Gallipoli 2015, by again taking poppies and their independent research out to specific OC graves and memorials. Last year we stood knee deep in the Aegean and noted of our Gallipoli OCs that it beggared belief that they could survive the lofty Nek and Chunuk Bair… only to face the Somme in 1916. At Thiepval we found family members for Archie Faskin (H): Private Alexander Faskin of the Gordon Highlanders, killed in November 1916, and for Joe Murphy (L), who went rather quiet (for a bit!) on seeing his great-great-uncle’s name, Lt Col Maurice Nicholl Kennard, at the very head of lists running panel after panel around one of the central pillars, as senior Commanding Officer of the West Yorkshires. Kennard was killed in the ‘Big Push’ of 1 July, leading the Bradford Pals up a particularly deadly slope into No Man’s Land, just a bit further north, at Serre. A ‘new’ cemetery for Cheltonians was Flat Iron Copse, a very beautiful 1916 site in the heart of the Somme: the valley was the main supply route during attempts to advance the line at High Wood. We have two OCs here: Lieutenant James Hunt (1908-1913, Xt) and Second Lieutenant Desmond Scott (1910-1914, H). Dogged ongoing research by fellow OC Paddy Stevens (1967-1971, BH), at the National Archives in Kew, recently turned up a poignant list of Scott’s personal effects as found on him when he died, aged 19: ‘a prismatic compass, knife, fountain pen case containing 3 watches and chain, 1 wrist watch (glass broken), flask, prayer book, 4 pipes, tobacco pouch, 2 cigarette cases, 2 cigarette holders, lighter, silver pencil, and whistle’. Paddy

Tommy and Fritz enjoy the warmth of the Old Blighty Tearooms, La Boisselle, Somme

Christowe boys out in No Man’s Land, the Somme, remembering Captain Edward Matthey, who died with his men, July 1 1916

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has noted how these represent the very typical accoutrements of a privately educated member of the officer class. Historical research thus continues both in and out of classrooms and indeed the Common Room, with Mrs Phoebe Aitken (of the Science Department, no less!) touring her family around to visit our four Irish OCs this summer, taking with them wreaths and photographs. As a result of such collaboration, our number of known (and increasingly visited) fallen OCs now totals over 690, placing College below only Eton, Marlborough and Wellington in terms of the numbers lost by the public schools: ‘we will remember them’.

Miss Jo Doidge-Harrison

History of Art

The academic year began with a compelling presentation by Mr Daniel Evans in September, entitled ‘Deceiving the Scholars’. This illustrated talk focused on the infamous mistakes, apparent forgeries and possible cover-ups in the art world, featuring works by Simone Martini, Diego Velázquez and Michelangelo. This was followed by a lecture by Mrs Fiona James, former head of History of Art at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, on how British painters reacted to the horrors and destruction of war. In the same vein, on the eve of 11 November, our commemoration of the First World War through the arts, culminated in a cross-curricular event for the Upper College. Within the setting of the First World War Centenary Exhibition in The White Gallery and The Long Gallery, students explored WW1 links across Art, Literature, Music and Science. In January, we welcomed back OC Charlie Thomas (1992-1997, L) to speak on ‘Provenance – adding extra value: Private collections at Auction’. As current director of the House Sales and Private Collections Department at Bonhams, London, Charlie provided insight into noteworthy former sales of high profile collections, including The

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Savoy and Hooton Pagnell Hall. Current students have since followed-up this connection with a visit to Bonhams in London. Oliver Smith (L6, S) also managed to secure a tour of Foster and Partners Architects in London. Alexander Cove (U6, Xt) was highly commended for his staunch defence of Marcel Duchamp’s controversial ‘Fountain’ ready-made sculpture at the annual ARTiculation Competition, Bristol in January. Alexander also submitted a short film based on a Bill Viola installation at The Wilson as a submission for the SPoKE Art Film Competition, established and hosted by St Mary’s School, Ascot. Departmental talks in February and March respectively featured the representation of women in Pre-Raphaelite art and Velázquez in the Spanish Court: the latter by Dr Jacqueline Cockburn, Formerly Head of History of Art at Westminster School, London. An encouraging number of History of Art based EPQs were undertaken by this year’s Lower Sixth, on Waterhouse’s interpretation of the Lady of Shalott, Saatchi as collector, and Vogue cover designs. Students enjoyed further stimulus for future vocations in March, when OC Jessica Smith (nee Watts, 1998-2000, Ch) returned to Chandos to deliver her ‘10 Tips on How to Survive the Commercial Art World’. As the new Director of the New Art Centre, Roche Court, Salisbury and formerly Blain Southern Gallery, London, Jessica came with a wealth of experience and sage advice. London exhibitions on Picasso’s Portraits and the work of Baroque heavyweight Caravaggio suited our Upper Sixth students well, and closer to home, the current Lower Sixth attended a talk by the Curator of the Victoria and Albert Museum on the Pop Art in Print exhibition at The Wilson Gallery in Cheltenham.

Fair at Godolphin and Latymer School in London served to stimulate aspiring Lower Sixth students. With places to read History of Art at Edinburgh, UCL, Bristol and The Courtauld Institute, we brace ourselves for the move to the Pre-U course in September.

Mr Nick Nelson

Mathematics

The Department continues to enjoy success in national Mathematical Challenge competitions. Every year we enter the UK Mathematics Trust challenges, where papers are designed to test not only mathematical skills and knowledge but also ingenuity. At the Senior level, 41 received certificates for creditable performance. The top place at College was achieved, again, by William Hardy (U6, S) who, along with seven others (a new record for College), gained Gold certificates for being placed in the top 6% nationally. At the Intermediate level, an encouraging 64 pupils achieved recognition with the award of certificates, of which 13 featured in top 6% nationally and received Gold awards -our second-best results ever. Particular credit and congratulations must go to Ivy Zhu (4th, Ch) and Finbar McConnell (5th, Xt) who were placed first in their year groups with scores which put them in the top one quarter of a percentage nationally. Eleven pupils (a new College record) were also invited to compete in the follow up rounds in which they did very well indeed. Special mention must go to Saul Kim (3rd, H) who came top in

Invaluable insight into studying History of Art at university was gained in May via presentations from visiting speakers: Emily Wilford (2014-2015, W) on studying at University of Edinburgh; Francesca Hall (2004-2008, Q) on studying at University of York; and Miss Jessica Lowes on studying at The Courtauld Institute. Furthermore, the Art History Higher Education and Careers Conference and

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Lower College, despite being in Third Form. More impressive was the fact that he scored full marks; only one of 80 pupils to do so from the 250,000 nationally- a truly remarkable result. The Department has continued to support the Gloucestershire Mathematics Association at talks given by academics and the highlight this year was a talk held at Cheltenham Ladies’ College by Dr Vicky Neale from the Mathematical Institute at Oxford University. Vicky spoke with passion about the topic of Prime Numbers and what it is like to complete research in Mathematics at university. This was a wide-ranging and excellent talk which was enjoyed by all. College’s Mathematics Society, now in its tenth year, is going extremely well, with talks from pupils, members of staff and external speakers. The highlight of the pupil presentations were the many talks given by this year’s president, Chuen Leik Low (U6, Xt). His talks on Artificial Intelligence and the impact of technology on our lives were superb. I would like to thank Chuen for his outstanding leadership of the Society; he has done an excellent job of promoting the Society and Mathematics in general at College. In particular, the way that he has encouraged the younger members of College to become involved has been really impressive. The new president will be Benedict Schallamach (L6, BH) and the vice president is Ian Wan (L6, NH). Mr Richard Peacock leaves the Department for a position at Charterhouse after an excellent seven years of service. We wish him and his new wife Monika all the best for the future. He is replaced by Miss Ellen Mathews, who joins us after a very successful time at Oundle School.

with flags; tables scattered with fliers giving basic greetings in 10 different languages; and lively international music created a celebratory atmosphere. Catering excelled with a series of traditional dishes from different countries, and lessons too, in Italian, Swedish and Russian. Great fun was had by all! MFL has also played an active part in open mornings throughout the year, running a multi-lingual café for prospective families in the Thirlestaine House entrance, where pupils served coffee and traditional breakfast fare, including croissants and churros. In October, Lower Sixth students attended lectures at the University of Bristol: ‘Les nouveaux visages de la famille française’, ‘Berlin - arm, aber sexy!’ and ‘La identidad regional: lengua, cultura y geografía’. They all really benefitted from having an insight into studying a language in a university environment. In November, Upper College fielded teams for French, Spanish and German and took on Dean Close School, Pate’s Grammar School and Balcarras School in the annual Modern Languages Debating Evening. The competition was fierce, and the students defended diverse motions. Upper Sixth Spanish pair, Lucas Bonfante (H) and Ankita Mediratta (W) won the Spanish competition, while the French pair came runnersup in the regional event. Third Form pupils enjoyed a screening of French film Les Choristes, and then bravely sang ‘Sentiers de Gloire’ from the movie in front of the whole of Chapel as part of Ambition and Failure week. The Fourth Form pupils participated in some debating

of their own and a lot of extra work went into studying the French Presidential election. In January, we welcomed GCHQ speakers, who enthralled and intrigued the Fifth Form by explaining the importance of languages in the code-breaking and intelligence gathering work that they do. In May, we welcomed 50 pupils from a school in France, with Fourth Form French pupils giving a tour of College before quizzing them on the differences between their school and ours. Many of the pupils involved set up penfriend arrangements and really enjoyed putting their language into practice. For the first time, two Upper Sixth linguists were appointed as Heads of the Modern Languages Society. Leah Shiu (A) and Benjamin Wood (NH) did a fantastic job of putting on a wide number of events over the course of the year. Additionally, Leah organised a ‘Murder Mystery Cluedo’ evening, with games in each language encouraging the pupils to speak entirely in that language. Leah’s legacy will be the introduction of a brand new Modern Languages tie and she is the first student to be given Full Colours in Modern Languages. We thank her for her leadership this year and look forward to seeing the Society develop even further under student direction in the next academic year. In the Summer Term, the MFL Department played an active role in a number of prep schools’ taster days. Third Formers had the opportunity to opt for a trip in Activities Week to Salamanca. This year’s trip attracted 50 pupils all looking forward to a week of immersion into Spanish culture, food and language lessons in Colegio Delibes.

Dr Brendan Enright

MFL Department

The Modern Foreign Languages Department has had an action-packed year, with pupils taking part in a huge range of activities, both inside and outside the classroom, to boost their language‑learning. The year got off to a flying start with our European Day of Languages: the Dining Hall was festooned

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Over the summer, a number of pupils attended language schools and exchanges of their own. Last but not least, this year has seen a number of staffing changes in the Department. In September 2016, we welcomed Mr Ben Page as Head of French and Ben takes over as Head of Modern Foreign Languages as I move on to become Housemistress at Ashmead. Additionally, Mrs Sarah Checketts will be taking on the role of Second in Department. There have also been additions to the MFL families with Mrs Wandrille Bates’, Mrs Ana Lopez Reyes’ and Mrs Vanessa Gonzalez’ babies. Our thanks go to Miss Elma Abad, who joined us in March to cover Mrs Lopez Reyes’ maternity leave. Finally, we are saying goodbye to Mr James Chaloner, who is leaving College to pursue a career in business. We are sincerely thankful to Mr Chaloner for all his efforts, both in the Department and in the many other aspects of College life to which he has contributed during his three years in post.

Mrs Ester Leach and Mr Ben Page

Music

An exciting, varied and practically based course for class music has been huge fun, and resulted in some fantastic work produced by classes in all year groups. Music Technology continues to be very popular, both as an individual pursuit, but also as part of the Third Form, GCSE and A Level courses. The Third Form follows a foundation course, which particularly looks at the key areas of classical music, world music, pop music and music

technology, as well as building composition and performance skills. This year has been particularly enthusiastic, and the impressive skills that have been shown and developed have resulted in record take-up for next year’s GCSE course. The current Fourth Form is a talented group with a range of interests and preferred styles. Pupils have enjoyed exploring the new course with contrasting set works as well as building on their compositional techniques in preparation for next year’s coursework. Composition has been a particular area of success, and we look forward to pupils’ work being featured on College’s weekly videos in due course. The talented and large Fifth Form has been a vibrant and hardworking group, who are particularly accomplished in performance in a number of different styles. There have been a number of fine performances given as part of the Lunchtime Recital programme and the highly successful coursework composition work employed a number of different pieces of software and techniques, reflecting the diversity of styles and skills within the group.

Upper Sixth students have enjoyed the challenge of the advanced study of harmonic techniques and stylistic composition and detailed study of the most influential English Choral works of the 20th Century. They also had the opportunity to perform one of them, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, in the Autumn Term. Performance opportunities have abounded throughout the year. In addition to ensemble performances, the set has given acclaimed solo performances as part of the recital series as well as in College’s various instrumental and vocal competitions.

Mr David McKee

Psychology

The Lower Sixth has also embarked on a new course. Students have explored new areas such as music for media and new composers, which has been exciting and rewarding, as well as adding an energy to the significantly increased academic rigour required for A Level Music. The enthusiasm that has been shown in delving into the set works and exploring musical analysis has been impressive and highly enjoyable. A particularly gifted year group in terms of performance, there have been numerous high quality performances which bodes very well for the significant weighting of the A Level recital next year.

Psychology continues to flourish at College both in lessons and with the growing Psychology Society. It provides an excellent foundation for those choosing to study it at university, evidenced by six of our students achieving places for Psychology degrees following their strong results in summer 2016. This year the Lower Sixth has studied a range of introductory topics some of which include how attachment affects later friendships and relationships; why we forget and factors affecting eye witness testimony; explanations of conformity, obedience, resistance and social change; explanations and treatments of phobias, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. A major part of the course is the research methods topic and students have learned the features of designing good research studies as well as developing skills as practical psychologists.

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This year the Upper Sixth has looked in detail at a number of topics including relationship formation and breakdown; explanations of aggression; the structure and function of areas of the brain; and explanations and treatments of schizophrenia. Teaching takes a varied and practical approach and students have found themselves as participants in replications of famous research. They have also had a variety of opportunities to collect and analyse their own data by carrying out several small pieces of research. This has also involved them covering the least popular topic of the course: statistics! The Psychology Society met half termly and students benefitted from some excellent talks from in-house student speakers. In particular, the talk on the Psychology of the television series ‘Hunted’ delivered by Phoebe Williams (L6, Q), Anna Buck (L6, W), Shauna McLaren (U6, Ch) and Tara Wasdell (U6, W) was informative, interesting and very well delivered. John Marabayev (U6, H) also gave an outstanding talk on ‘Deception Detection’; looking at the body language behind lying. These talks afford students the opportunity to share their passion for Psychology topics beyond the course and I am always impressed at the quality of the talks they produce. This year the students were also treated to a fascinating ‘Brain Day’ in College by visiting speaker Dr Guy Sutton. The day included watching the dissection of a sheep brain and as well as providing some useful revision of the biopsychology aspect of the course, it also gave students the chance to cover some degree level aspects of neuroscience. This was so well received by the students that it will be repeated in future years, hopefully expanding to overlap with other Departments in College. We say goodbye to our Upper Sixth students, a number of whom are going onto university to study Psychology; we are delighted to have enthused so many of our students to continue their pursuit of this subject. We wish them all the best for the future.

Dr Tricia Norman

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Science

I write my final Science report for The Cheltonian with mixed feelings; excitement for the future of Science in College under the new leadership of Mr Dan Townley, slightly tinged with feelings of sadness as it has been an extremely rewarding and exciting five years for me. The successes have been immense; excellent academic results over the past few years at GCSE and A Level, all Science students going to Russell Group universities and five Oxbridge Science offers in the summer of 2017. None of this would have been possible without two key ingredients: my colleagues in the Science Department and the pupils. I am so fortunate to have worked with people who are committed to making teaching and learning of the highest quality. My sincere thanks go to all of them. In particular, I am grateful to the three Science Heads of Departments who have made my role in raising the profile of Science at College so much easier. Finally, I am grateful to our pupils; their enthusiasm for learning is infectious and reminds us every day of how wonderful it is to be a Science teacher.

Mrs Isabella Mech

Biology

In summer 2016, the Biology Department celebrated significant public examination success. At A Level 44% of our students achieved A*/A grades and 65% grades A* to B. At IGCSE there was an incredible performance with 98% of our triple award pupils entered for this exam achieving an A* or an A grade. This year, the Department also celebrated a number of successes in the national competitions, such as the Institute of Biology Sixth Form Biology Olympiad, where Aiko Fukuda (U6, Ch) achieved a highly prestigious Gold award. We also had three students with Silver awards, Alena Gorb

(U6, A), Dylan Adlard (U6, S) and Isobel Salmond Smith (U6, A) and four Bronze award winners, John Marabayev, (U6, H) Edward Winstanley (L6, S), Georgina Rigg (U6, Q) and Anna Buck (L6, W). In the Lower College Biology Challenge the Fourth Form was similarly successful, and we were proud to see a total of 11 Gold awards, 12 Silver and 19 Bronze. We had a very busy year hosting events. In the Fourth Form Biology brain dissection evening, pupils were able to dissect a pig’s brain themselves and discover about its anatomy. The Third Form came along to investigate plant anatomy and prepared slides looking at xylem vessels and stomata. Two pupils won Venus fly traps for the knowledge they demonstrated in the quiz. We also linked up with the Psychology Department and hosted Dr Guy Sutton, an honorary professor from University of Nottingham Medical School, who came to talk to the Upper College Biologists and Psychologists about the anatomy of the brain. St Gregory’s Primary School has also visited us and explored the joys of dissection using owl pellets. The Upper Sixth students visited At-Bristol for a DNA analysis day and the Lower Sixth headed out towards the end of the Summer Term to Swanage for the annual A Level Biology field trip, where they faced several ecological challenges such as sampling plants and aquatic life, and studying succession, adaptation and biodiversity. The Department’s support of Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary applicants continues to be very strong, under the expert leadership of Mrs Isabella Mech, and we are proud to say that the vast majority of our applicants were successful in securing offers. Our thanks go to the hard work and invaluable organization of Mrs Mech and we are sad she will be stepping away from this role in order to assume her Head of Sixth Form responsibilities. Many of our students have been inspired to further their biological studies in some form and many have earned places at some of the top universities in the country.

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A number of staffing changes have happened in the last twelve months and we have said goodbye to Miss Charlotte Knowles, who has gone on maternity leave. I took over as Head of Biology at the start of the year, and the Department welcomes Mrs Amy Lang from Badminton School, who will also be Assistant Housemistress of Westal.

Miss Ruth Kramer

Chemistry

The Chemistry Department has had yet another exciting year. August 2016 saw the Department celebrate its best results in recent years with 72% of A Levels being graded A or A*. Results at IGCSE were equally impressive with 100% of triple award Chemists being awarded an A or and A*. The Department also celebrated a number of successes in the Chemistry Olympiad with four Silver awards and seven Bronze awards. A special mention must go to Aiko Fukuda (U6, Ch) who missed out on a Gold award by a single mark. Other Silver award recipients were Isobel Salmond Smith (U6, A), Ian Wan (L6, NH), and Benedict Schallamach (L6, BH). The Department looks forward to the performance of these Lower Sixth candidates in next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olympiad.

graduate students from the university to deliver a workshop on Spectroscopy; a key skill that is assessed in the new A Level course. The Summer Term saw a unique Department Day with Lower Sixth students visiting an industrial chemistry plant, a brewery, and a pharmaceutical processing plant. This gave students a taste of a life in Chemistry after leaving College. The Department is now part of the InstituteÂ for Research in Schools (IRIS). IRIS is a charitable trust supporting young people and teachers to develop authentic research in schools. It gives pupils access to the world of real, cutting edge science by bringing university and industrial experts and equipment into school laboratories. Our first project will be assisting in the monitoring of carbon monoxide levels in the local area around College. A number of staffing changes have occurred in the past twelve months. In September, we

welcomed Mrs Sarah Orwin-Henderson as a full time Chemistry teacher from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge, Dr James CopelandJordan from Huxlow Science College in Northamptonshire and before that the University of Cambridge. Dr Copeland-Jordan has assumed the role of Head of Chemistry. We also welcomed back Miss Lara Beere, who was on maternity leave following the birth of her son, and who leaves us again for the birth of her second child. We see the departure of Mrs Jo Smith after seven years of service to the Department. Jo leaves College to assume the role of Housemistress at Wycliffe College in Gloucestershire; we wish her and her family all the very best. Mr Tom Wilson was welcomed to the Department in April and he will be a full time teacher of Chemistry and Resident Tutor from September onwards.

Mr Dan Townley

The Department continues to forge links with the University of Bristol, and this year was no exception. We entered teams in the Top of the Bench Competition and also the Young Analyst competition. We also welcomed two post-

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Physics

This has been a year of goodbyes in Physics. After a very long period of distinguished service, Mrs Christine Harrison has retired. She has certainly earned a rest and can look forward to spending some time with her first grandchild. Mr Pip Ash is also moving on, back to the Law; his first calling. He will be a real loss to the teaching profession. Finally, Mr Dom Faulkner is going on sabbatical for

a year, which will no doubt involve climbing up some very large mountains once again. We are fortunate to have recruited two outstanding young teachers to replace those leaving and the Department should continue to go from strength to strength with this infusion of new blood as well as balancing the age profile! The new A Level and IGCSE specifications are putting a renewed emphasis on problem solving and so we have encouraged pupils to get involved with the Isaac Physics project online as well as entering the various Olympiad competitions in record numbers. Special mention must go to Ian Wan (U6, NH) and Finbar McConnell (5th, Xt) who excelled in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad and Physics Challenge competitions respectively although many others gained awards too. There is a pleasing enthusiasm for the subject in Lower College with very healthy numbers attending various pupil run Science Society and Lower College Society events on Martian weather, Dark Matter and OWL (the OverWhelmingly Large telescope – its real name!).

Mr Stuart Cooper

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Sports Science

This year has seen the Sports Science Department begin the new linear A Level course and embark on the hugely improved IGCSE Cambridge course. The new specifications have a more scientific approach and prepare pupils more effectively for later courses in the field of Sports Science. The IGCSE specification links more effectively with the A Level course and introduces pupils to topics they will later develop at A Level. These topics include biomechanical principles, sports psychology and the role of technology in sport. This year we have incorporated more variety into teaching and focused lessons on independent learning. Pupils lead in the majority of lessons and really benefit from a structured ‘flipped learning’ focus. This has helped not only their understanding of the course but also their confidence and ability to present and work with others. Practically the Fourth Form has enjoyed and more importantly benefitted from an Athletic Development programme. This has introduced

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pupils to weight training, functional movement patterns and biomechanical analysis. Once again, we have welcomed speakers to College to enhance our Sports Science curriculum and help to inspire our pupils. These lectures allow pupils valuable opportunities to learn about the bigger world of sports science and the diverse career options available. Speakers included Alex Danson of the Gold medal winning Olympic hockey team and Jonathan Bird, a PhD student from Brunel University, who is currently researching the importance of sports psychology. This interactive talk identified the importance of the mind and the huge influence it has on performance. Many pupils were surprised by the mixed responses and reactions to different psychological tests. Lower Sixth students have enjoyed being put to the test at a local indoor cycling centre, Suffershire. They were put through their paces on the Wingate test, performing to

exhaustion, as well as numerous speed tests to identify maximum power output. The students were surprised at the intensity of the Team Sky’s warm up session. I think for most of them it was a full blown high intensity training session rather than a warm up. The exam results in 2016 were again encouraging, with more A grades appearing at A Level and a majority of A/ A* at GCSE. The Department continues to flourish and I feel confident the new linear courses will allow the Department to go from strength to strength.

Mrs Rebecca Faulkner

Theology, Philosophy and Ethics

Jemma Robson, winner of the Cheltenham Endowment Trust Prize for Sports Science

This year the Department has tried to emphasise the importance of personal engagement with the issues we study and as a result, both A Level and GCSE pupils have been busy across the board, attending a range of conferences and lectures over the course of the year. These have focused upon issues of feminism, terrorism, and the meaning of life. Starting in October with an interesting talk by Dr Hampson on post Christian possibilities for believers, pupils were challenged to reconsider their use of gender-tied language ; the inaugural Meyers Lecture in May, hosted by College in Chapel, asked pupils to carefully evaluate the complicated and nuanced issues when tackling terrorism from a political perspective; and as if that were not demanding enough, they ended the year with Alister McGrath’s thought provoking lecture on ‘God, Science and Faith: Richard Dawkins vs CS Lewis on the Meaning of Life’.

As well as these larger events, the weekly extended discussion group ran throughout the Autumn Term, with pupils being encouraged to present papers on a range of issues that furthered both their curriculum understanding and more wide-ranging topics. Personal reflection and a supportive group ethic were hugely important in the success of these, and all of those who participated rose to the challenge. Issues such as the moral importance of voting, the concept of beauty, the issue of grace, and whether there are ethical boundaries in science, were all considered in great depth. Personal responsibility and moral worth have featured heavily as a focus this year, and we look to develop the synoptic links more closely across the three disciplines as we move forward into next academic year.

Mrs Rebecca Mace

Amber Beachus, winner of the L6 Prize for Sports Science.

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Theatre Studies

It was another exciting year for Academic Drama, not least because it has been our first year teaching the new linear A Level and a new GCSE specification. Both teachers and pupils have enjoyed the new academic rigour of these qualifications, including the increased focus on the study of set texts through practical exploration and workshopping. Our new texts included Miller’s The Crucible and Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. The new qualifications provide pupils with an opportunity to approach the text from numerous perspectives including as a designer, director and performer.

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In the final year of the legacy course we continued our tradition of producing high quality, Band One performances for the A2 practical moderations effectively showcasing the outstanding talents of our many students. This year we devised an exceptional creative adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ Girl on The Train. All students gained an impressive 80% or over, a reflection of not only their natural ability, but also their total commitment to devising original work, which was worthy of the professional stage. The GCSE scripted performances were equally accomplished, with a number of pupil’s being awarded full marks for their performance by the moderator. A diverse range of plays was performed from Polly Teale’s Bronte to Jim Cartwright’s Two.

As always, excellent learning in the classroom has been enriched and developed by an extensive programme of trips. This year we have seen numerous high quality live performances and productions broadcast live in the cinema, which have served as an invaluable inspiration for our pupils. Highlights this year have included the innovative adaptation of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog and Night-Time and Frantic Assembly’s Things I Know to Be True. Our pupils’ understanding of these productions were further developed during a private four-hour workshop in Big Classical with one of Frantic Assembly’s top choreographers.

Mrs Sian McBride

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Speech Day 2017 - Prizes The Adams Prizes

Third Form Boys Krish Patel

Third Form Girls Georgia-Lili Robertson

Lower Sixth Max Taylor Baggs

Upper Sixth Ella Timmis

Duleepsinhji Cup (girls): India Blake

Stidworthy Cup (boys): Jono Jamieson-Black

Sloan Cup (girls): Charlotte Ball

Games

Duleepsinhji Cup (boys): James Palmer

CCF prizes

The Army Leadership Prize Jemma Robson

Academic Excellence

The Millennium Trophy Benjamin Wood

All-round contribution

The Cadbury Cup Pippa Hickey

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The John Bowes Cup Frederick Foster

The Galahad Cup William Hardy

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CO-CURRICULAR Activities

Monday Clubs started the year in the traditional way, with the Activities Fair in the Lower Gym. Thirty different clubs were on offer this year, with pupils from the Third, Fourth and Fifth Forms and Lower Sixth given a wide and varied choice from the complete co-curricular spectrum. For the Autumn Term, pupils chose an activity for the whole term and were given the option of swapping to a different club for the Spring Term.

Some new clubs were set up and in existence for the first time at College. Mr Dominic Nelder ran a basic Life Support Club for a number of Fourth Form pupils, which culminated in the pupils teaching some of their subject teachers the skills they had learnt in the 12-week programme. Mr Will Bates ran a Current Affairs Club for the Lower Sixth, where students discussed and debated on a range of different themes such as the US Election and Brexit. Mr Antonio Leonardis

formed a Basketball Club. Both the rock band and Third Form drama group performed at the Variety Show. The Summer Term saw the Third and Forth Forms separated into seven different groups and experience taster sessions in a number of sports on a carrousel basis. Many pupils experienced a few of the sports for a first time and learned new skills from these opportunities.

Mr Will Packer

The Climbing Club, run by Dr Gill Ward enjoyed two trips to a climbing wall in Gloucester and Mrs Tammy Penny’s Cookery Club, baked and delivered Christmas canapés to local elderly residents of Cheltenham. The Computing Club had visits from an employee from GCHQ and the pupils got to grips with programming helped by the purchase of Raspberry Pi devices. Many of the minor sports such as rackets, squash, water polo, cross country, polo and equestrian benefitted by running sessions on a Monday. Duke of Edinburgh’s Award also ran a Monday Club to aid route planning in preparation for their summer expeditions. The Debating Society worked hard to devise and run Model United Nations crisis meetings for Upper and Lower College Societies, in order to resolve tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

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CO-CURRICULAR

CCF

It seems that every year is a busy year for Cheltenham College CCF. Be it a navigation exercise over the Cotswold Way in very challenging winter conditions or the ability of cadets to stay calm under pressure whilst the tank they are in fills with water, the CCF has very much fulfilled its aims. This year we been very lucky to have the assistance of Mr David Hunter with the RAF

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section who brings the technical knowledge and experience that I know the cadets appreciate. As one member of staff arrives we have to say goodbye to others. Mr Antonio Leonardis unfortunately moves on to a new role at Bristol Grammar School, but leaves us having made a committed and significant contribution to the Navy section. We thank him for his time. After over 10 years as part of the CCF, eight as Officer Commanding the Navy section it is a huge loss for the CCF as Mrs Christine Harrison retires. Mrs Harrison has been an incredible

stalwart of the Navy section and it was absolutely correct that her contribution to the CCF was recognised at Buckingham Palace this month. Mrs Harrison optimises the values CCF tries to promote and has inspired a generation of young men and women. We will miss her loyalty, determination, expertise and friendship and wish her all the best in herÂ retirement.

Major Ben Rees, Contingent Commander

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Army

The Army section continues to go from strength to strength. A year which ends in an Apache helicopter landing on College Field and a successful, challenging Summer Camp to Okehampton can be considered a good one. In what is quickly becoming our second home, the new recruits travelled to Caerwent for the Autumn Term Field Day. This year we have been lucky enough to have a very strong contingent of Seniors that kicked off the year teaching the basics of field craft to the Fourth Form. The new recruits continued their introduction on the Field Day which included camouflage and concealment, shelter making and the reasons why items are seen. Some fantastic help from the 1st Battalion, The Rifles (1RIFLES) meant that the Senior cadets received a day tutorial on section attacks, in which they made great use of the paintball guns, culminating in a platoon attack onto targets in front of the recruits. The Spring Term concentrated on the important skills of navigation. These were tested with a walk over the Cotswold Way in, at times, arduous conditions. Despite some navigational embarrassment, great fun was had by all and it was good to see the sense of achievement on the

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cadets’ faces. The final term of the year is always a tough one given the demand on the cadets to pass their weapon handling tests, which qualifies them to be able to fire on a live range on Summer Camp. The incentive this year was being able to visit the Apache helicopter flown by OC Captain Olly Snell (1999-2004, L) from 4 Regt Army Air Corps, Wattisham. This was a fantastic opportunity for the cadets to get up close to an incredible machine and hear the path Olly has taken since leaving College. My thanks again go to Capt Snell and 4 Regt AAC. The following week the Army section left sunny Gloucestershire for Dartmoor to attend the Brigade Summer Camp. Arriving late on the Saturday, after sporting fixtures, the cadets were quick to settle in preparation for the ‘Contingent Day’. The Sunday consisted of archery, laser clays, paintballing and laser tag; the latter being great fun, for the staff included, whose enthusiasm unfortunately didn’t make up for their skill level. The day kicked off the camp well and spirits were high heading into the ‘military skills’ and ‘range day’. Luckily the weather was fantastic but that did not make the training any easier as cadets got to grips with section attacks using blank ammunition, battle preparation, regrouping and an evening ambush. Thankfully, the cadets were able to relax under the ponchos overnight and savour the tastes of military ration packs. It was a great day’s training; one that pushed the cadets to

their limits and offered a unique experience for all. Max Pemberton (5th, H) and Jilly Woodward (5th, Ch) received special mention for their skills and leadership from the instructors. The following day saw the cadets firing live rounds at 100 and 200 metres as well as being introduced to the cadet air rifle, observation stand, dummy grenades and foreign weapons. There was some very impressive shooting as a whole but JamesHamish Anderson (4th, H) and Will Buttress (4th, S) received special mentions for their accuracy. Two relatively clear days were followed by Dartmoor’s legendary ‘mizzle’, a mixture of drizzle and mist that made the day of skills challenge and adventure training extremely testing. However, enthusiasm was not dampened as the cadets pushed themselves physically and mentally; be it tackling the high ropes course, learning to windsurf, building rafts or leading a team around stands that included dealing with casualties in a road accident or identifying parts of the cadet rifle. The camp was a fitting way to end a great year. If CCF’s aim is to challenge pupils and provide opportunities to take them out of their comfort zone, then it has certainly achieved that.

Major Ben Rees, Contingent Commander

CO-CURRICULAR

Navy

With the introduction of the new syllabus the recruits have completed their Ordinary Cadet Test, and Seniors have worked towards Able 2*, and S/Lt Leonardis completed his officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. In the Autumn Term, a sailing crew enjoyed a Sunday sail on the Solent in the Sigma 38 CCF yacht. The Senior cadets organised a Trafalgar supper for the evening before a successful Field Day afloat at Portsmouth; the cadets crewed yachts, RIBs and smaller powered boats. During the half term holiday, a crew of four cadets completed RYA Competent Crew near Plymouth and gained offshore experience. For the Spring Term Field Day, we stayed overnight at HMS Raleigh, Plymouth, and most cadets visited the Fire Fighting facility where they learned to put out a fire with a powerful hose. The highlight of the trip was the Damage Repair Instructional Unit; a large tank that simulates a sinking ship at sea. As the tank is flooded with water the cadets must repair the damage whilst

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being tossed about. Some other cadets went to Jupiter Point, to be taught the basics of power boating on RIBs and Champs, and then to drive a Fast Motor Launch to Plymouth Sound. In the Sword of Honour Parade, Warrant Officer William Jury-Simpson (U6, BH) was awarded the Anthony Nash Sword of Honour for his outstanding leadership of the section and Petty Officer Mahmoud Ismail (U6, BH) was awarded the Nelson Bust for his commitment. Chief PO Alexander Thorpe (U6, BH), POs Georgina Rigg (U6, Q), Araminta Ramsey (U6, A) and Emily Lowde (U6, Q) have also given invaluable service, and PO Jamie Orme (U6, S) used his Day Skipper skills to teach cadets on several CCF yacht trips. The new Diamond TrophyÂ for representing CCF in the community was presented by Lt C Harrison to Cadet Robbie Carson (5th, S) who has attended nine CCF camps and courses in two years; he is an excellent representative of College CCF. During the Summer Term, the recruits enjoyed afloat training at South Cerney. A novice crew sailed on the CCF yacht and during the half term holiday, a crew of five girls completed their RYA Competent Crew. At the end of term, the Fourth and Fifth Form cadets had a very productive week

at the Weymouth SCTC. All the cadets completed an RYA course in dinghy sailing, windsurfing or power boating. During this year cadets and officers have attended over 30 Naval CCF courses in Junior or Senior leadership, scuba diving, power boating, first aid, adventure training, pool lifeguard and sailing to the Channel Islands. These courses are heavily subsidised by the Ministry of Defence. They provide excellent opportunities for cadets to increase their skills, have fun and become independent. I encourage more cadets from any CCF section to apply. The section is grateful to Dr Paul Gibson, for his kayaking instruction, and the enthusiastic support of S/Lt Aitken, and S/Lt Leonardis, who is moving to Bristol Grammar School. I hope that all the Naval cadets have enjoyed the opportunities, fun and skills they have learned; I have been Head of Section since 2009 so can I look back on the amazing experiences that CCF has given me, and I wish S/Lt Aitken and her new officers every future success.

Lt Christine Harrison (RNR)

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RAF

It has been another positive year for the RAF section. A strong crop of new recruits was able to experience an enviable range of exercises, activities and opportunities locally and on RAF bases, enjoying and learning a great deal in the process. Our Head of Section, Joshua Stanton (U6, NH), and his supporting Junior officers have also acquitted themselves very well indeed, delivering more training than previously carried out by cadets, while showing excellent leadership and managing to maintain the high standards now so firmly associated with the section. Apart from the expected lessons on the RAF and its rank structure, identifying aircraft, history of flight and the principles of airmanship, the cadets developed their leadership and teambuilding skills with a range of command tasks over the course of the year. The cadets were also instructed in navigation and map-reading skills, culminating in the annual ‘nav-ex’ (navigational exercise) from Cleeve Hill back to College. The cadets showed good cheer in boggy conditions and successfully put these new skills to the test on the five‑hour hike. Trips to operational military bases are something of a privilege and, importantly, put much of what is learned throughout the year into context. This is

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a vital aspect of what CCF offers: seeing uniforms worn correctly and with pride by servicemen and women; the professional and courteous manner they show to each other and to guests; and the personable yet tough-minded attitude they exhibit in carrying out their duties. All this allows the cadets to realise and appreciate the inherent values of the CCF: servant leadership, teamwork and respect.

official RAF activities. A quiz night on the Tuesday evening and a bowling night on the Wednesday allowed the cadets some much-needed respite before Thursday’s flying at RAF Buscombe and RAF Benson. In this, half an hour at the controls of a Grob Tutor, performing aerobatics and taking in the unparalleled view of the English countryside is an annual highlight for many of the cadets. It was no different this year.

That said, the visits this year to Cosford and Brize Norton were also great fun! The day trip to Cosford was an opportunity for the cadets to train on low ropes, visit the cyber-security wing and the fantastic museum there. The camp at Brize Norton at the end of the Summer Term though was undoubtedly the best camp any air cadets in the country will experience this year, or indeed ever! Day One alone saw the group visiting the Survival and Rescue unit, participating in: ‘dinghy drills’ on a life raft; a PT session with RAF instructors, followed by an impromptu talk on the helicopter ambulance service; a trip to the parachute school and training ‘jumps’; as well as a visit to the base’s fire section. Everyone got the chance to fire a water cannon!

All in all, it was a truly exceptional experience, and our deepest thanks must go to Group Commander Martin Cunningham for all of his work in facilitating such an incredible programme of events, and to Corporal Michael Skirving for hosting us so conscientiously (and with a great deal of patience!) over the week. Thanks must also go to Maj Stephen Friling (recently retired from College) and Pilot Officer David Hunter (volunteer with the CCCCF), for assisting Dr Vicki Hawkins and myself with the staffing on this trip. Without their enthusiasm, forbearance and expertise, it simply would not have been possible.

Over the next few days, cadets were given a tour of the inside of a C-17, a Voyager, a Hercules and the new A400. Of the last two, the cadets went up for three hours of actual flying time, with tactical approaches providing plenty of thrills (and more than a few stomach-in-mouth moments). Visits to Air Traffic Control and the shooting range, as well as training on flight simulators, completed the

The year finished with a final parade at which Charlotte Kirkham (4th, Q) was awarded Most Improved RAF Cadet and Max Sutton (4th, NH) gaining the Best RAF Cadet Award as well as immediate promotion to the rank of Lance Corporal. Jack McClure (L6, L) takes over as Head of Section next year and I am sure that the RAF will continue to thrive under his leadership.

Civilian Instructor Mr Beren-Dain Delbrooke-Jones

CO-CURRICULAR

Co-curricular Drama

It has been another exciting year, with nearly a third of all College pupils performing on the Big Classical stage. In October, Newick and Queen’s staged a high energy and entertaining musical revue ‘A Night at the West End’, which showcased the amazing vocal talents of over 40 pupils, singing an array of famous and muchloved songs from The Lion King, Mama Mia and Grease, to name but a few. This was followed in early December by the ever-popular Variety Show. It was particularly pleasing to see the first ever male/ female duo presenting in the form of Lucy Hall (U6, Ch) and Jono Jamieson-Black (U6, H). For the first time, the show also featured representatives from every House and every year group. It was also marvellous to see the show open with a self-written sketch performed by College’s very own Third Form Drama Club. In the Spring Term, we began with an ambitious production of Simon Levy’s The Great Gatsby. The production featured 35 of some of our most talented Upper College students. We were so overwhelmed with the high quality of the auditions in November that we double cast the whole production and rehearsed two totally separate casts. It was an innovative and exciting reworking of this American classic. Big Classical was transformed into a 1920s jazz club with the audience surrounding the performers and the cast mingling at the interval. The mature naturalistic performances of the actors were underscored by jazz versions of modern pop songs, which were sung live throughout.

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Our final House play of the year saw a departure from previous House choices as Ashmead and Christowe took on the challenge of staging the full-length drama, Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers. A large cast, during a very brief rehearsal period, pulled together admirably to create a brilliantly funny and often genuinely moving performance, which highlighted the injustices of the British class system. Our final production of the year was Helen Edmundson’s Swallows and Amazons. Edmundson said of the play; ‘Imagination is at the very centre of the book, and holds the key to staging the play, where there is no need for real boats on real water, simply creativity and imagination’. With this in mind, it was a production that required the audience to suspend their disbelief and to accept that, at times, the floor of Big C was a wide expanse of water and the very next moment it was the rocks of Wildcat Island. Our talented young performers used their considerable skills, working together as an ensemble, to transform our performance area into the wilds of the beautiful Lake District and to draw the audience into the adventures of the brave and honest Swallows and the savage Amazons as they battled for control of the lake. This year also saw the full launch of our LAMDA programme. In just one year our numbers tripled and we have now been recognized as an independent LAMDA examining centre. Five of our pupils achieved the very highest grade of distinction. Also this year, for the first time we entered pupils into the Cheltenham Performing Arts Festival. Pupils were entered into four different categories and all were rewarded with Merits and above. A particular highlight was Arabella Finch (3rd, Q) achieving the top mark in the category for reading from their favourite book.

Mrs Sian McBride

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Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The Bronze Award, run in Fourth and Fifth Forms, has continued to thrive and attract high numbers of pupils. The aim of this nationally recognised personal achievement Award, is to complete physical, volunteering, skill and expedition activities with the aim of recording improvement in all areas as endorsed by an agreed assessor. This year, the new participants met regularly in the Monday afternoon activity session and benefitted from the input of two additional members of staff to the team: Mr Richard Peacock and Mr Gavin Johnson. Whilst sections on physical sports and skill acquisition continued in the regular games, CCF or music times, many of our pupils made valuable contributions with their volunteering activities in various venues including the Chapel, Library and The Prep. Many others have given of their time freely in roles based from home. It is the cross-section of personal, sports and vocational pursuits that make the Award valued by all. As always, the expedition was the most enjoyable yet most challenging part of the programme. After weeks of preparing routes and maps the practice expedition went to the Forest of Dean. This year’s pupils were excellent in their ability to work in teams and be independent. Navigating in dense woodland is one of the greatest challenges of route-finding; there were errors on the way, of course, but this is the nature of training and overall our boys and girls acquitted themselves very well by learning from their mistakes. It was the hottest two days of the year to that date (and the hottest for 41 years according to some reports) but the pupils got on with the task in hand without grumbling and completed two difficult days; tired but still smiling. Many lessons were learned in anticipation of the Cotswolds qualifying expedition to be held in the Autumn Term. Our Fifth Form cohort undertook their qualifier in the Cotswolds, by camping overnight in a damp Cranham. We have enjoyed reading their expedition presentations, which give an insight into the less public moments of the pupils’ trip. A great many of this group completed their entire Award, with strong assessments in all four categories: mission accomplished!

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This year saw eight of our students completing their Gold Awards whilst still in the Upper Sixth: Georgina Rigg (Q), Emily Lowde (Q), Tara Percival (Ch), Max Dymoke (NH), Benjamin Wood (NH), Jemma Robson (W), Leo Shen (S) and Sam Mendis (Xt). They all received ties and will soon be invited to St James’s Palace for a presentation ceremony in the company of royalty. This year’s group prepared their expeditions in similar fashion with a practice in the Brecon Beacons before Easter. The weather was mostly kind but strong winds and 60 mph gusts at the tops of the Western Beacons made the going difficult yet invigorating. After three days, the students completed in Penderyn, in good shape and with their hill and route-finding skills somewhat more honed. After a hiatus in May as groups were re-formed to accommodate others’ commitments, we went to Snowdonia in July for our, now customary, sortie for the Gold qualifying expedition. As often is the case, we saw Snowdonia in its full majesty: in dreary and mysterious wet but also in glorious, hot sunshine. The lack of certainty in the terrain underfoot and the element of self-sufficiency added a great weight to the load carried, thus making this one of the hardest challenges students undertake in College. Our candidates this year did well but were clearly relieved to see the finish line in Capel Curig on the fourth day. Again, our assessor was Gill Beazely, who gets to know the boys and girls during the week, briefs them in detail at the outset and listens to their highs and lows at the end. It is interesting that, once again, the common highlight for many was the opportunity for wilderness camping off the beaten track, and that feeling of isolation which is a rare thing in our modern, connected society. We hope the confidence instilled will encourage Cheltonians to go on to bigger adventures of their own in the not too distant future. Mr Andrew Gasson has been a huge supporter of DofE at College in recent years and we thank him for his interest and enthusiasm as he retires. He leaves the Award in a position of strength. This year College had been successful in renewing its license to operate as an independent provider of the Award and so we are moving on with confidence for the next three years. This, and the prospect of a wider expedition offering, will lend the Award confidence for the future at College.

Mr John Jones

CO-CURRICULAR

Co-curricular Music Choirs

Chapel Music has continued to be central to College life and the Music Department. To allow all members of the choirs to have more weekends off to and focus on the upcoming repertoire in rehearsals, a redesign of the choir structures has split the services between the Schola Cantorum and Canticum. Schola Cantorum, take care of the Choral Evensongs, many of the important Sunday services and the Advent Carol Service and Canticum provide excellent singing at the remaining services. Both choirs have come together on several occasions to form the more familiar Chapel Choir for whole College events such as Speech Day and the Christmas Carol Services. In the future, we will see boy and girl choristers from The Prep forming separate treble lines, to sing regularly with the altos, tenors and basses from Schola Cantorum in weekly Choral Evensongs. All choirs, including the Chamber Choir, directed by Mr Alexander Ffinch, came together in two large scale choral performances. The first in November was Elgar’s seminal work The Dream of

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Gerontius, in which, in addition to our acclaimed soloists from the vocal teaching team, there were around 150 singers from the combined College choirs, staff, parents and guests, and accompanied by an orchestra comprising both professional players and some of College’s advanced instrumentalists. The Chamber Choir did an absolutely superb job of providing the semi-chorus and the whole performance was extremely well received. The Choral Concert in the Spring Term featured all of the individual choirs, including the Girls’ Pop Choir, Boys’ Quintet and Girls’ Trio. With the repertoire ranging from Renaissance Polyphony, to 20th Century arrangements of Spirituals and close harmony pop arrangements, it was a showcase concert featuring the full diversity of different vocal styles on offer in College.

Piano Recitals

One of the most exciting events this year has undoubtedly been College’s accreditation as an All-Steinway School, a result of our acquisition of no fewer than 18 of the finest pianos in the world. This includes five grand pianos, two of which are the famous ‘Model D’ Concert Grand.

A celebratory concert was held in Big Classical on the day they arrived, with two pieces featuring all 18 pianos being played simultaneously. The difference this has made to our provision has exceeded even our own very high expectations. Predictably, rates of piano practice are up, but so too are rates in other instruments. At any given time in the Music Department there are myriad rehearsals and private practice sessions, resulting of course, in higher standards of performances, and waiting lists for Lunchtime Concert programmes. The quality of the instruments themselves is second to none, and pupils have commented on how significant the improvement has been in terms of the level of sophistication of performance, lightness of touch, depth of sound and subtlety of tone. College held a residential piano course in the Easter holiday, which was attended by 20 university and conservatoire piano students, all eager to take advantage of the outstanding facilities. Participants were also treated to a celebrity recital given by Mr Barry Douglas as part of the course. This course will now expand to include other instrumentalists and ensembles.

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Instrumental Ensembles

In another new partnership, both College and Prep musicians have been privileged to work with members of the world-renowned City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) throughout the year. Members of this esteemed ensemble have visited College, taken rehearsals, played alongside our pupils in concerts and performed to visiting prep schools. This partnership will continue to develop alongside the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, who will deliver composition masterclasses and permit our GCSE and A Level candidates to record their coursework compositions in the CBSO centre. Chamber music has flourished, particularly with help of the CBSO members and the regular guidance of College’s new Head of Strings, Ms Pippa Ginns. Ensembles of varying genres and sizes have performed in primary schools, College concerts and even at the new Mayor’s inauguration at the Town Hall. The Autumn Concert featured all of College’s major instrumental ensembles in a fantastically varied evening of music. Wind Band, the Cello Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra and jazz bands all came together for a popular evening celebrating the diversity of music on offer at College. Lunchtime Concerts have continued to provide less formal opportunities for performance, and a huge number of pupils have developed their performance skills in this way. Some of these

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performances have also included masterclasses and performance workshop sessions, aiming to increase the stagecraft that goes hand in hand with instrumental virtuosity. The College Instrumental Competition took a different format this year, in that instrumental heats took place as part of the lunchtime concert series. Finalists from these sections were chosen and each performed a concerto movement accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra in a Young Musician of the Year style final. This year’s winner of the cup was Fergus McNeile (U6, NH) with his performance of a Mozart Horn Concerto. The second half of the orchestra concert was a particular highlight of the year, and saw the Symphony Orchestra deliver a stunning rendition of Rachmaninov’s famous 2nd piano concerto, with a dazzling solo performance by College piano teacher and international recitalist Mr Jeremy Carter. Notable solos from within the orchestra were also given by Emily Heardman (4th, Ch), Lois Short (L6, Q) and Fergus McNeile.

Jazz

As in previous years, Jig entertained and impressed a delighted audience at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival. They performed instrumental standards as well as songs featuring a number of different College vocalists. Ever in demand, they have also provided music for pupil-led events as well as the 24 Hours event for Year 7s.

Singing

A new event in the College calendar was the College Singing Competition. This took place in informal heats during the Spring Term in the three categories of Classical, Musical Theatre and Pop. The final round, held in Big Classical, was adjudicated by opera singer and musical theatre star, Jonathan Veira. Winners of the three categories were: Classical- Talis Harris (L6, NH), Musical Theatre- Libby Barnes (L6, W) and PopCharlotte Burnett (L6, Q). As ever, huge thanks must be extended to the visiting Music teachers who not only do such a fantastic job in the individual lessons inspiring, helping and supporting the development of instrumental and vocal skills but also in leading and coaching the regular ensemble rehearsals during the week. Without their valuable professional experience, so much of what we do would not be possible. The biggest accolade of course goes to the hugely talented, dedicated and hardworking musicians of our pupil body, who manage their busy schedules and perform and rehearse with such enthusiasm. They achieve so much and exceed expectations so often; contributing enormously to this very important aspect of College life, they are a huge asset!

Mr David McKee

CO-CURRICULAR

Academic Societies Lower College Society

The Society has had an outstanding year, with high attendance levels and contributions from a wide range of Lower College pupils. The manner in which pupils have engaged in debate, research, presenting and question asking has been an absolute credit to College. We have seen a breadth and quality to the ideas and research, along with courageous and confident presentation skills, from all three year groups. As an example of the rich crosscurricular exploration that has taken place, our evening on States of Mind: Tracing the Edges of Consciousness, featured presentations on Philosophy of Body and Mind from Sebastien Cornwell (3rd, Xt) and Duncan Pinchen (4th, Xt); Consciousness and Human Rights from Victoria Brain (3rd, W); Language and Consciousness from Verity Peterken (5th, W); Unreliable Narration in Literature from Abby Aitken (5th, Ch); Artificial Intelligence from Henry Parsons (5th, BH); Freud from Hattie Prothero (5th, Q); and Dreams and Altered States from Rob Caesar (5th, S). Our Debate ‘This House believes Britain is better off after Brexit’, fostered great independent thinking and a genuine spirit of enquiry. Speakers Max Pemberton (5th, H), Annabelle Rigg (5th, Q) and Charlotte Maddinson (4th, Q), Anna Kuptosova (4th, A), Gaurav Mediratta (4th, L), and Charles Meecham-Jones (5th, Xt) were articulate, persuasive and well informed. Thanks must go too to our expert helpers Dr Stephen Morton, Chuen Leik Low (U6, Xt), and Georgina Oates

(L6, W). Next, the superb Model United Nations Kashmir crisis event devised and run by Debating Society member Zara Qadir (L6, Ch) and ably assisted by Genevieve Alltimes (L6, A) and Jack McClure (L6, L) saw our pupils using strategic thinking, lobbying skills, and some convincing techniques of diplomatic persuasion. Alongside all this, we attracted a number of eminent university experts to our lecture series, ‘Ice Ages on Mars’ by Professor Peter Read, (Trinity College, University of Oxford), ‘21st Century Telescopes’ by Professor Mike Merrifield (University of Nottingham), ‘From Reality TV to Snapchat: Telling Stories Through Pictures’ by Miss Claire Levy, (Film-maker and Senior Lecturer in Film, Bath Spa University) and, in association with the Bingen Geography Society, ‘Slums Places of Squalor or Desirable and Thriving Communities?’ by Dr Peter Mackie (Cardiff University). The lectures attracted excellent turnouts, and College pupils brought their customary courtesy and curiosity to each event, often staying behind for long informal discussions with the speakers. Pupils have given so much to and gained so much from the Society this year and I thank them for their very fine energy and commitment.

Bethany Adams (U6, A) the prize for best speaker for her insightful paper on the biology of dog breeding; he then went on to introduce us to the cutting edge science being done at Nottingham. Zara Qadir (L6, Ch) devised and chaired our Model United Nations on Kashmir. The most popular events however, were the debates with the Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Both schools went head-to-head on the topics of safe spaces and Down’s Syndrome; impressively articulating and defending their positions under penetrating criticism. On behalf of all those who attend the Society, I must thank Dr Adrian Samuel for all the work he puts into running the Society and to all the students who help with this. I encourage everyone to participate as it’s an excellent way to prepare for university life.

Ankita Mediratta, (U6, W)

Sports Leaders

Dr Liz Gerry

Upper College Society

This year a new group of Fifth Form pupils took on the challenge of the Sports Leaders Level 1 Award as part of their Monday Activities programme. This was a new course that maintains the core values of the national qualification. This course develops the pupils’ self-confidence, their planning, organisational and communication skills and allows them to coach younger pupils and support a teacher in games sessions. Essentially, the pupils learn about different leadership styles, the skills a leader needs, how to plan a session, what to consider when leading a group of pupils, plus they have the opportunity to lead the session they have planned.

Professor Philip Moriarty of Nottingham University judged our science evening, awarding

The pupils met regularly for both theory and practical sessions. Over the course of two terms they were able to develop their leadership skills and practise what they had learned in the classroom with their peers and younger pupils.

Upper College Society challenges students to read around their subjects and to confidently explain their ideas to their peers. The Society started the academic year with student presentations on Islam, approaching this religion from a range of perspectives. Professor Alison Scott-Baumann of the School of Oriental and African Studies at University of London judged the student papers, offering helpful feedback on how to improve. Other evenings have included papers on the history of music, with students illustrating their points by performing pieces from different historical epochs.

We worked with the Third Form pupils, coaching them for parts of their hockey sessions. To complete the course, the sports leaders planned, organised and successfully ran a seven-a-side football tournament as part of Third Form Challenge. They found this final activity quite a challenge but were able to put all they had learned in the theory sessions into practice. I am pleased to report that a well-run and most enjoyable football tournament resulted. All of the pupils passed their assessment and are now fully qualified Level One sports leaders, well done to: Phoebe Barnes (Q), Thomas Birch (Xt), William Dyke (NH), John Kite (H), Mollie Lyle (Q), Yusuf-Ali Perwaz (NH), Angus Thomson (NH) and Max Williams (NH)

Mrs Kate Hornsby

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Third Form Challenge

Third Form Challenge on a Wednesday afternoon has seen a huge variety of activities covered and enjoyed by the pupils. The Challenge started with the annual fitness test and swimming galas. Then the focus changed to presentation skills and an introduction to Sway technology amongst other techniques. Later in the year their ICT skills were further developed and included work with iMovie, Python and audio. The Autumn Term finished with a lecture on College history.

on code breaking and the Upper Sixth on the travels undertaken after being granted Travel Awards by the Cheltonian Society’s Endowment Trust. First Aid was covered in the Summer Term, alongside preparation for the trips in the last week of term: Salamanca; Forest of Dean; a cricket tour to Ardingly and a climbing group to the Three Peaks. All were very successful and rounded off a superb programme.

Mr Simon Conner

The two Field Days involved a Dragons’ Den-style event and this year’s winners represented the school at GCHQ where they came third in the county school final. There was also the wellestablished Coding Day, which saw six external companies giving the pupils a taster of the possibilities of coding. Debating was the focus of the Spring Term and all pupils had an attempt in front of their peers to argue the case for ‘The Best Fictional Character’. This was interspersed with talks by the Head of Mathematics, Dr Brendan Enright,

Headmaster’s Prize

This year the Third Form attempted an independent project over the Christmas holiday on the theme of 175: History and Heritage, linked to College’s 175th anniversary. The range and quality of entries were outstanding and the judges found it very hard to decide on final winners. The winning entry came from Charles Hellens (L) who produced a book on Music’s Reflection on Society’s Evolution Over 175 Years. There were many interesting timelines including an essay titled ‘The Sentinel’ by Sebastian Cornwell (Xt), an outstanding painting of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand Rama IX by Proud Jeerawatanawart (A) and a booklet entitled ‘Female Emancipation in the UK 1841 – 2016’ be GeorgiaLili Robertson (W). All the offerings were displayed in The White Gallery.

Mr Simon Conner

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COLLEGE COMMUNITY The College Archive: A New Project The year 2016-17 has seen 12 months of change for the Archive Department. I arrived in January 2017 as Records and Heritage Manager and was immediately struck by the great variety of records that have been collected since our foundation in 1841. From official council minutes going back to our foundation, to personal artefacts and items including sketchbooks, photos and trophies. As I’ve had the opportunity to delve into our stores, a few records in particular caught my attention during the first few weeks.

The first highlights were the minute books of the Debating Society. One of the earliest references to debating comes from an article in The Cheltonian (January 1874). It has been a popular society at College, with the exception of 12 months at the beginning of World War I, when nearly all the speakers left to take part in military service. Over the decades, we see many pupils develop their ability to persuade, occasionally for just a bit too long: ‘Mr L B Maby said, in an essay read from a note book, the pages of which we interestedly watched being turned over...’

was featured as a joint debate with Rugby School on 10 November 1951. The House considered whether “[The] Emancipation of Women was a Mistake” and the proposer of the debate challenged women’s rights to vote, amongst other freedoms. With girls admitted to College just 30 years later, much has changed since that debate was won 40 to 27 votes! Alongside records about our Senior pupils, The Prep archive is a great source of material and one which we will be growing in the coming years. Our ‘mini’ exhibition in the Homfray Room by The Prep Reception features photographs and staff sketches of Junior sport dating back to 1910. A particular favourite is the photograph of the ‘Parents’ Race’ (1947) during which, for some reason, a one-shoe-off-one-shoe-on approach was required; and the pupils were more than happy to take part in competitive eating during the obstacle course the following year!

If you would like to keep up to date with our progress follow our Twitter page (@CollegeArchive) or get in touch by post or via archives@cheltenhamcollege.org. We would love to hear from you. Ms Rachael Merrison

Chapel

The Headmaster began the year by preaching on the themes of togetherness, friendship and unity. He emphasised that the key to real happiness is through self-discovery and escaping from the ‘herd‑mentality’. In early October, we welcomed the Reverend Garth Hewitt to Chapel. Reverend Hewitt is both an Anglican priest and the Director of the Amos Trust, and he has been touring and recording his own songs for over 40 years. During the service, he was asked about how his experiences in deprived areas of the world have shaped his lyrics and message. As well as enjoying his singing, it was a delight to hear a man speak so passionately about global justice, and to reaffirm that the dignity, rights and value of each human being rest in being made ‘in the image of God’.

Parents’ Race 1947, CCJS Scrapbook (1947-1951)

Topics aimed to challenge the pupils and were often sparked by events of the day. After just over a year of war, on 18 October 1915 pupils tackled the motion: ‘That this House considers the present conscription agitation opposed to the best interests of the country’ and considered the difficulties faced by both British politicians and citizens. We can also see how opinions have changed at College over the years. One controversial topic

The Obstacle Course 1948, CCJS Scrapbook (1947-1951)

College can clearly be proud to hold so many records and artefacts that commemorate our heritage, and which may be accessed by anyone interested in exploring the history, values and traditions of College generations over 176 years.

‘Have you ever been to a Debate?’ 10 February 1952, minute book Vol. IV, Loc. Ref. 602

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With this in mind, we are delighted to announce the start of a new project to continue opening up the Archive to pupils, parents, Old Cheltonians and staff. Over the coming years we aim to catalogue our entire existing collection and create an accessible digital archive for the College community. Although this will be challenging, excellent progress has already been made over the past five months. More than 1,300 documents, volumes and artefacts have been listed and referenced in preparation for the future catalogue and we look forward to discovering much more during the course of the project.

In November, we welcomed the Right Reverend Rupert Hoare, formerly Dean of Liverpool Cathedral and Bishop of Dudley as our guest preacher for Remembrance Sunday. He was followed soon after by the former Bishop of Guildford, the Right Reverend Christopher Hill, who preached memorably on the 150th anniversary of Newick House, Christowe, Leconfield, and Hazelwell. Bishop Christopher talked about the importance of the House system and its role in forming character. During the Autumn Term, Chapel also marked the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster (21 October) and World Aids Day (1 December).

COLLEGE COMMUNITY

Reverend Dr Adrian Samuel also introduced a new type of Chapel experience: a guided session of mindfulness. These sessions are designed to help pupils to centre themselves, become more self-aware, and to use their minds more effectively. The goal is to help pupils to overcome the temptation merely to react to events, and instead, to mindfully respond to them. It is extraordinary seeing over 600 pupils in Chapel become still and focused as they cultivate mindfulness together. The Christmas collections were taken for the work of the Langa Pre-School Township Trust. Since 2000, Gordon Gaddes, grandfather of OC Ben Pickles (2010-2015, S), has been helping to raise money for two pre-schools in the township of Langa, Cape Town. Because of the very generous level of giving, it was possible to send this fantastic charity £5,000 in the New Year. In the February half term holiday, I was fortunate enough to visit the pre-schools and to advise on how the money could be best spent.

Dr Mary Plint began the New Year with a sermon on the theme of Epiphany and, at the start of March, we welcomed the Reverend Joanna Jepson as one our Sunday preachers. Reverend Jepson is an author and broadcaster and has recently published her autobiography A Lot Like Eve. She is much in demand as a conference speaker on the topics of body image, spirituality and fashion, and College was fortunate to be able to listen to her reflections on faith in the contemporary world. Most compelling were stories from her own life in which she underwent major facial surgery as a teenager, and contested the legality of abortions on the grounds of minor facial deformities. Mr Simon Brian began the Summer Term with a sermon celebrating Easter. A few weeks later 14 candidates were confirmed by the Right Reverend Robert Springett, the new bishop of Tewkesbury. This marked the first visit to College of the newly minted Bishop Robert who had previously served as the Archdeacon of Cheltenham. Nearly 300 friends, relatives, teachers and supporters poured into Chapel on Sunday 14 May to witness this significant rite of passage.

In June, Chapel also welcomed two of the local Parliamentary candidates: Alex Chalk and Martin Horwood, who were both standing for election in Cheltenham. In front of the whole College, both men were grilled by a panel of Lower Sixth Politics students: Charles O’Bryan (L6, BH), Terezia Michalikova (L6, Ch), Pablo Espona (L6, L), Thomas Maddinson (L6, S) and Anna McIntyre (L6, Q).

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We have been fortunate this year, to hear sermons from the following visiting preachers: Reverend Natalie Burfitt (Cheltenham), Reverend Dr James Saunders (Uppingham School), the Venerable Robert Jones (Worcester), the Reverend Naomi Cooke (Cheltenham), Reverend John Horan (former President of Council), Reverend Canon Dr Tudor Griffiths (Team Rector of Cheltenham), Reverend Canon Dr Mark Pryce (Chaplain to HM the Queen), and Father David Mills (Cheltenham). Representatives from the charities supported by College pupils also came and spoke in Chapel: Karl Gwilliam (Young Gloucestershire), Liz Thatcher (Winston’s Wish), Melissa Atherton (The Nelson Trust) and Ashok Rathod from Mumbai (the OSCAR Foundation). Many of us in College were saddened to hear, in May, that the former Senior Chaplain, Father Reynaud de la Bat Smit, had passed away. On Speech Day, with the whole College community assembled, and with pupils present who still remembered Father Reynaud from their time at the old Junior School, this prayer was said in his memory: ‘Heavenly Father, receive into your eternal rest the soul of your servant Reynaud. We give thanks for his marvellous ministry as Chaplain both to College and the Junior School; we recall with gratitude his kindness, intelligence, passionate convictions and integrity. Shield and strengthen his family as they mourn his absence. May they be comforted by the love of friends and the rich memories of a father, husband and priest. And help all of us to place our hope in your loving purposes, made known to us in the face of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.’

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Pupils continue to volunteer to speak in Chapel services, especially on weekday mornings. Having a theme upon which to ‘hang’ their thoughts certainly encourages members of the pupil community to step forward and address their peers. The themes explored in Chapel this year were: togetherness; soul; fairness; harvest; brothers and sisters; sanctity of life; bodies; Christlikeness; prisoners; Children of the One God; ambition and failure; servanthood; birth; honour; jubilee; trials and troubles; feminism; numbers; mistakes; intimacy; brokenness; the Passion; racism and slavery; pilgrims; my favourite poem; fruit of the vine; peace with God; rescue; poverty and contentment. This thematic approach remains a truly distinctive feature of College life and this year College has heard fantastic talks from the following pupils: Ankita Mediratta (U6, W), Luke Knudsen (U6, NH), Cheun Leik Low (U6, Xt), Benjamin Wood (U6, NH), Milly Fair (U6, A), Lucy Hall (U6, Ch), Holly Keefe (5th, Ch), Dasha Romanyuk (L6, W), Elisabeth Trachtmann (L6, Ch), Anna Kuptsova (4th, A), Charlotte Ball (U6, Ch), Pablo Espona (U6, L), Oliver Cook (U6, S), Alena Gorb (U6, A), Jasmine Ng (U6, W), Frederick Foster (U6, NH), Joshua Stanton (U6, NH), William Hardy (U6, S), ShaSha Sosrowardoyo (U6, Ch), Millie Broom (U6, W), Ellie Davies (5, Q), William Cooper (L6, L), Tara Percival (U6, Ch), Jemma Robson (U6, W), Amy Small (U6, W), Paddy Christopher (U6, H), Lucas Bonfante (U6, H), Tommy Severn (U6, H), Jasmine Murphy (U6, Ch), Kiana McDonald (U6, W), Leah Shiu (U6, A), Florence Channing (U6, W), Ankita Mediratta (U6, W) and Benedict Schallamach (L6, BH). Furthermore, small groups of Upper College students from four different Houses collaborated to present a House Chapel: Newick (racism and slavery); Christowe (brothers and sisters); Boyne House (jubilee) and Westal (ambition and failure). With so many pupils speaking in Chapel, the judges adjudicating the prize for best Chapel address had their work cut out for them. However, for many there was one clear winner: ShaSha Sosrowardoyo’s talk on feminism. This talk, delivered with great passion, attracted spontaneous applause from the congregation, and the text can be read at the front of this publication in the Reflections section. The members of the Common Room who spoke in Chapel this year were: Mr Stephen McQuitty, Mr Andrew Straiton, Mr Jonathan Mace, Dr Jim Ropner, Mr Tim Brewis, Mr Dan Townely, Mr Graham Cutts, Dr Alex Peterken, Mr James Coull, Dr Luke Davidson, Mr Nick Nelson, Mrs Isabella Mech, Mr Richard Penny, Mr James Stubbert, Mrs Anna Cutts and Mr Crispin Dawson. In addition, Mr James Hayden, Mr Stephen McQuitty, Mrs Jo Millar and Mrs Christine Harrison all volunteered to be interviewed as part of ‘Chapel Island Discs’.

pages in length and presents an overview of Myers’ research into the unconscious mind. What is of great interest today is the fact that Myers’ work on the collective unconscious is now being re-evaluated by academics. Some even place his writings alongside that of Swiss psychoanalyst, Carl Jung.

bringing the instrument up to date in terms of its versatility, longevity and in line with contemporary practice. All 3,000 (approximately) pipes have been removed and cleaned on site but some have been repaired and reworked in Durham, in order to bring them into line with the present tonal scheme.

In honour of Myers’ memory, the inaugural lecture was given by Julian Rivers, Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Bristol Law School. Professor Rivers’ lecture examined the Government’s counter-extremism policy. This policy has thrown up a series of ethical and religious questions about ‘fundamental British values’. These issues were examined by Professor Rivers in his lecture, which he entitled ‘Opening windows into souls - conscience and counterextremism policy’.

Stage three was due to begin in July and formed the most exciting part of the project. Firstly, any cracks in the woodwork of the enclosed divisions (Swell and Choir) were repaired, followed by the reinstallation of reservoirs and bellows systems and soundboards. The console was refitted and the woodwork surround crafted in an attractive teak (more in line with the shade of Chapel pews).

I continue to remain indebted to my fellow chaplains, Adrian and Kerry Samuel, for all the support they provide during the year.

Reverend Dr Adam Dunning

Organ refurbishment

It could appear to an unsuspecting visitor to Chapel over the past months that, due to the front casework pipes remaining in situ, the organ is still with us. There has in fact been absolutely nothing whatsoever inside this magnificent case since February. As we approached June, stages one and two of the restoration were fully completed and we awaited stages three and four with keen anticipation. Stages one and two have involved: timely restoration of the Great and Swell soundboards (where the corresponding pipes sit); all reservoirs and bellows systems; and the entire console (where the organ is played). All of which were removed and taken to the Harrison and Harrison workshops in Durham.

This was followed by the repositioning of the fully cleaned and restored pipe work and the final revoicing stage. This involved three weeks of intensive and detailed work to regain the instrument’s resplendent tonal scheme and to balance each individual stop. The aim has been for the organ to sound magnificent, exactly as it always did, along with a considerable improvement in the Swell upper work voicing and also, more thrillingly, with a slight increase in volume due to the cleanliness and newly restored interior.

Mr Alexander Ffinch

The newly crafted console will, of course, still retain all of the original features. It will, however, demonstrate some fantastic new additions

In early May, Chapel was the venue for the inaugural Frederic W H Myers Lecture. Myers, who was born in 1843, was a pupil of Cheltenham College. He taught at Cambridge and founded the Society of Psychical Research. He was friends with William James, the American philosopher of religion and author of The Varieties of Religious Experience. In 1903, two years after Myers’ death, his great work Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death was published and quickly became the key work of British psychical researchers. This work comprises two large volumes at 1,360

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COLLEGE COMMUNITY

Charity

There has been a real change of ethos this year in the area of charity-focused work. College pupils have moved away from a simple fundraising model, to being more actively involved in the life of local charities. What made this possible was that each House adopted a local charity in September 2016. To pair Houses with charities whose aims spoke to the aspirations of different groups of pupils, I turned to Gloucestershire Community Foundation for guidance. Below is the list of the adopted charities: Hazelwell: The Cornerstone Centre Boyne House: The James Hopkins Trust Ashmead: The Nelson Trust Queen’s: Powerchair Football Christowe: Cheltenham Recycling Project Chandos: Gloucestershire Young Carers Southwood: Insight Leconfield: White City Project Westal: Meningitis Now Newick: The Guidepost Trust These 10 local charities are now forming relationships with each of our Houses. These relationships will develop further over the next couple of years, but already significant bonds have been established. In order to help incentivise the Houses in their charitable endeavours, a local charity (The Bellamy

Trust) has funded the new House Charity Cup. The cup was presented in memory of Ken and Jean Bellamy, who lived locally in Leckhampton for most of their lives. They admired College greatly and for many years enjoyed supporting rugby and attending Chapel services. They were strong advocates for small local charities and led by example when it came to serving their community. They would be thrilled to see the efforts that College pupils have made in support of those less fortunate than themselves. The Bellamy Cup was presented for the first time on Speech Day 2017 to the House that made the greatest contribution to their chosen House charity. This year the charity committee had to consider submissions of evidence from each of the Houses. The committee’s decision was based not only on the amount of money raised, but on the extent to which House members had become involved in the life and activity of the charity. Ashmead, Boyne House and Chandos each entered very strong submissions, but the committee was unanimous that the first winner of the Bellamy Cup should be Hazelwell for its amazing work with the Cornerstone Centre. Particular praise should be given to the boys who visited the centre, cooked and served soup for the homeless, and who also negotiated with a local branch of Sainsbury’s so that Cornerstone could make use of unwanted perishable goods. A very pleasing and perhaps unexpected consequence of changing the focus away from fundraising has been that the total amount of money raised by College and The Prep increased significantly this year. Last year, the total raised was £38,000. This year, I was very surprised to see

that figure increase to £47,000. Of this, £10,000 was raised for the Prefects’ charity (Winston’s Wish) and £8,000 was raised for the charities adopted by Houses. Other significant donations were made to the following: £4,800 to Langa Township Pre-School Trust in Cape Town, £5,300 to Afghan Connection; £1,600 to Young Gloucestershire; and £1,000 to the Mayor of Cheltenham’s charitable appeal. In February, I was privileged to visit two pre-schools in the Langa Township of Cape Town. College pupils and parents made a £5,000 donation to this incredible charity four years ago and it was good to see with my own eyes where the money was being spent. A similar sized donation taken during the Christmas season of 2016 will help transform the internal buildings of the pre-school. Grandfather of OC Ben Pickles (2010-2015, S) Gordon Gaddes, is the director the Langa Township Pre-School Trust. College has also begun the process of being a more ‘outward focused’ school, more engaged with the local community in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire. A key factor in this has been the keen support we have received from the Mayor of Cheltenham, Klara Sudbury. As ward councillor for College, Klara has been a good friend for many years, and in this, her mayoral year, she asked me to be her Chaplain. This has opened many doors into the local community and the long-term benefits for College pupils will be enormous. At the time of writing, plans are being drawn up with the local hospital to make it possible for all members of Upper Sixth to do voluntary service next year. Keen to help, the Chatfeild-Roberts Library was made available for the launch of Klara’s charity appeal in early June, and Chapel will host the Mayor’s celebration of Christmas service in December. College has continued to invest in its partnership with All Saints’ Academy. The Academy has opened up a number of community service places for College pupils. Since September 2016, our pupils have been undertaking voluntary work as sports coaches, classroom assistants and lab technicians. Making the journey the other way, Academy pupils have attended our Careers Fair; talks on Higher Education and workshops on how to write a Personal Statement for application to university. Some have been given the experience of rowing on the Severn, whilst potential medics

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have benefitted from the College’s Medical, Dental and Veterinary Programme. At the time of writing, the final touches were being put to an academic focus programme, the aim of which will be to help raise the attainment level of the top 30 students in the All Saints’ Sixth Form. A really exciting partnership development took place this year: College and The Prep established a new partnership with Saint John’s Church of England Primary School in Cheltenham, led by OC Juliette Moxham (nee Taylor, 1983-1985, Ch) this town centre school celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017. A really good school and under excellent leadership, it was being held back by the lack of open space and sports facilities. A partnership agreement is now in place to enable pupils from St John’s to use College sports facilities. This partnership, which in time will cover academic opportunities, is being driven by Mr Jonathan Whybrow and his team at The Prep. Already College has put on an exciting sports programme, organised by Mr Gwyn Williams, for the Year 6 pupils who completed their SATS earlier in the year. One last feature of our community work should be noted. College is seeking to transform its historic Thirlestaine House on Bath Road. The vision for the property is to create a publicly accessible heritage and arts facility. Current ideas include: a social action café; an art exhibition space; a free programme of adult education; venues for lectures; recitals and festival events, and a licenced space for weddings. College is currently working alongside a range of possible future stakeholders: Cheltenham Festivals, National Star College, the local authority, and Young Gloucestershire.

Reverend Dr Adam Dunning

Prefect Chair of Charities and Community

This year has been a real success in the fundraising for our chosen charity, Winston’s Wish. I have thoroughly enjoyed leading a team of 10 charity representatives (one from each House) as well as the rest of the prefect body. We have organised some fantastic charity events including the 24-hour Charity Prefect Run where the prefects took on the challenge to run and cycle for 24 hours. We had some amazing support from the rest of the school, which made it an event that will never be forgotten. We also held a very successful black tie Charity Ball for Upper College with fantastic food and lots of fun with some fundraising games. All of the money raised this went to Winston’s Wish. Every House in College adopted a local House charity with whom they worked closely to raise money and to give hands-on help. It was great to see how much our help aids those people in need. This year has been so positive for our charity partnerships, so I hope that this continues for years to come at College. Many thanks must go to Ankita Merdiratta (U6, W) and Joshua Dowley (U6, L) for all their amazing support this year.

Millie Broom (U6, W)

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Momentum and the Refugee Cricket Project

life there and how easy it is to take the wrong route, why he set up the OSCAR Foundation and what it provides. He also gave examples of how it has changed lives. OSCAR is an acronym that stands for the Organization for Social Change, Awareness and Responsibility. Ashok delivers his message through the medium of football. OC Woody Rankin (2009-2014, H) has spent time in Mumbai working for the charity with Mrs Lucinda Sowerbutts, mother to three boys who were in Hazelwell. In May, I organised an inter-House world cup six-aside football tournament to raise funds for Ashok’s proposed football tour to the UK in October 2017, when they will play a College team using our facilities.

From 2017, Cheltenham College has partnered with the Momentum charity and All Saints’ Academy. Momentum aims to give academy schools access to the alumni networks of public-school partners to increase opportunity and social mobility. A small number of pupils from the academy are selected to attend a twoweek placement in London where they are mentored through different business options and take part in ‘Apprentice’ style training sessions to develop business acumen. College financed two places on the London course for summer 2017. At a more local level, the partnership will be developed to help offer work experience, interviews and mentoring opportunities for both gateway careers (where work experience is needed, such as medicine) and also more specialist roles. The Refugee Cricket Project is a charitable offshoot of the Refugee Council and aims to cater for Afghan asylum-seeking minors so that they have a sense of community and identity away from their daily lives with foster families and in homes. They train once a week at their base in London and have a number of summer fixtures, which culminate in a week-long tour to Gloucestershire where they stay in Boyne House. College provides the accommodation, facilities and transport free of charge, and our pupils take the lead in arranging fixtures. In addition, we have funded an additional cricket coach for their Tuesday-night training and send a vehicle full of whites, bats, kit, blazers and training clothing so that the boys’ identity is as cricketers rather than refugees when they take part in games. The first tour was in 2016, and this has now been established as an enduring commitment.

Mr Richard Penny

The OSCAR Foundation

Ashok Rathod from the Mumbai-based OSCAR Foundation spoke in Chapel on 25 April 2017 to contextualize the work of the foundation. Ashok moved our pupils when he spoke of his time growing up in the slums of Mumbai. He described his

The tournament involved co-educational teams from the Third and Fourth Forms, who dressed in their appointed international team’s colours for the occasion. Whilst the football tournament took place, and with the aid of Mr John Jones and Mrs Kate Hornsby, round the pitches of The Prep, Fifth Form D of E pupils ran stalls. Each stall had a football-based theme such as face-painting national colours, ‘beat the goalie’ etc. Furthermore, Phoebe Williams (L6, Q) who is taking a Leadership Diploma used the opportunity to run a bake sale. We also raffled a giant football-pitch cake made by College’s pastry chef. Funds raised amounted to £1,000, and this will go towards the OSCAR Foundation’s under-14 football team England Tour, in October this year. Words of gratitude from the Mumbai pupils below: ‘A very warm thank-you-so-much for your generous donation, which will both educate and enrich the lives of underprivileged children from one of the most over-populated slums in Asia. The OSCAR team is so excited about the opportunity and we know for sure it will be an experience of a life time. A few donors have asked to be kept up to date but not left a name. If you do want to hear more please do email me. Thanks so, so much. Lucinda and all at The OSCAR Foundation’

Mr Nick Nelson

Community Service

Ninety students from Lower Sixth have taken part in Community Service this term across 18 placement options of schools (including specialneeds schools such as Milestones in Gloucester), care homes and charity shops. For the first time in some years, the majority of students have been attending their visits without staff accompaniment. I am pleased to report that the students have shown great leadership and have stepped up well to this new responsibility. During the year, they have developed excellent relationships with their placements and, most importantly, put smiles on the faces of those in their care. Miss Olivia Sheldon, Deputy Head at The Catholic School of Gregory the Great, Cheltenham, said: ‘Being proactive in their approach and really lending support whenever possible, the students have been superb. Many of the class teachers have asked me to pass on to you just how helpful they have been.’

COLLEGE COMMUNITY

At Abbeyfield care home on St Luke’s Road, the students had been so busy each week preparing activities that included baking, painting and playing charades that the residents themselves wanted to treat the students to a rest in the final week and provided them with afternoon tea!

Street has truly been a journey. When we started, none of us knew quite what to expect, and I think it is safe to say the first week came as a shock. Some of the residents in our wing were in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and I think we all found our first trip quite upsetting.

In December, 50 members of our Lower Sixth spent the afternoon packing Christmas hampers, for the charity Hamper Scamper, who distribute them to disadvantaged local families. Making use of the old BHS store in Regent Arcade, students helped the charity to pack, sort and stock count the donated food and presents. Manager Chris Knight praised the students for the enthusiasm they showed and also for going about their work with smiles on their faces. It was particularly touching to see the presents arranged according to what children had asked for at Christmas. The students left with the impression that Chris and his team were as close to Father Christmas as the real thing! They hope to support this charity more as they move into Upper Sixth. A very worthwhile cause, indeed.

‘However, as the weeks went on, we realised it was precisely the severity of their conditions that made our time with them so rewarding. It seemed we genuinely were of use, whether as a source of entertainment for a few hours a week or simply as a sounding board. A special mention should be given to Oliver Ferris (L6, NH) who played the piano for the residents and to Hannah and Jess on the Windsor Street Activities Team who made us feel so welcome.

In previous years, Community Service has been constrained as a Wednesday afternoon activity. Now there is the option for Lower Sixth students to make community visits on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday lunchtime. This means that for the first time, every Lower Sixth student can make a weekly Community Service visit. Oliver Pritchard (L6, Xt) reflects on his time at Windsor Street care home: ‘Our time at Windsor

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‘Each time we returned we encountered new personalities and heard new stories as well as seeing some of the familiar faces. Each of us found a few people that really struck a chord with us; personalities that were hard to leave behind. To see the amazing work that the staff at Windsor Street do and to take part in walks, exercise afternoons and even magic shows was an inspiration and their kindness to us was amazing. I’m sure I am not alone in my hope to return to the care home soon.’

Mr James Stubbert

Chatfeild-Roberts Library

‘Shift happens,’ a fellow-librarian at one of Leicestershire’s pre-eminent independent schools assures me. The ‘shift’ which Mr T (no, not that one) is referring to is the progressive and, most importantly, welcome shift in emphasis that schools everywhere are experiencing: the shift towards facilitating empowered, independent learning. This year’s launch of the Lower Sixth Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), in further development of the College’s Lower Sixth Independent Project that has run for several years, is a perfect example of College leading the way in this culture-change and has brought about a very encouraging reaffirmation of the Library’s role at the heart of College’s academic life. The sheer number of requests the Library has received since the start of the year shows how significant the EPQ has been in encouraging students to be more proactive and inquisitive. More than ever, the Library’s space, services and resources are sought after, engaged with and enjoyed by pupils and staff alike. Exciting times, indeed. Besides the EPQ, the Library is helping develop research skills elsewhere, too. The long-standing

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Third and Fourth Form Chemistry and Biology class projects continued to take place in the Library this year, with great success. Much of this success was due to the ‘shift’: pupils’ higher order thinking skills were put to the test by the Chemistry Department’s challenging set of research questions, while the process, rather than the product, of research was given greater stock. Pupils were introduced to the ‘Big 6’ research model to help embed such Information Literacy skills as: information sourcing; critical investigation; and referencing and citation. In an age awash with (mis)information and (fake) news, Information Literacy is vital for navigating and interpreting our hectic world. As such, it will continue to be at the forefront of future Library developments. Watch this space. Visits to the Library are fortunately not limited to research, however. Classes have come in en masse this year to enjoy some quiet reading time, while a great number of Upper College students continue to choose the Library as their base for study throughout the day. What is especially pleasing is the number of younger pupils also beginning to make use of the Library. Designated lunchtime slots, with biscuits and background music on offer, have provided Lower College pupils with a quiet reprieve, while The Prep’s Year 8 are some of our most avid readers, visiting us regularly for some ‘R&R’ (Reading and Relaxation); our sincere thanks to Mrs Pippa Carson and the English Department at The Prep for facilitating this. Besides all this, the Library has continued to be not only a haven for quiet learning and reading, but at times a vibrant hub. We have hosted our first lunchtime concert – thanks here to Mr David McKee – with a number of pupils performing a range of classical and modern pieces exceptionally well. Some of Dr. D’s Lit. Soc. meetings have also been held in the Library, with discussions covering anything from ‘Poetry as Therapy’ with guest speaker, Diana Hedges, to Philip K Dick’s dystopian oeuvre, to French Literary History, (Thank you, Dr D!). March saw the Third Form enjoying the annual World Book Day inter-House Literature Quiz, with the format including every Third Form pupil for the first time. The competition was held in Big Classical, with William Hardy (U6, S), Chair of the Academic and Library portfolio on the Prefect body, playing quizmaster. As one would expect, the competition showed how impassioned literature can make us. At times tense, at others raucous, the competition allowed some to reveal their inner-bookworm, whilst others enjoyed the breadth of questions superbly put together by William and the Academic Committee. In a keenly fought final round, Christowe’s cultured crew overcame Leconfield’s literati to be named deserved winners, gaining a £50 book token for their House. Thanks once again to Mr Simon Conner for his support and for allowing this event to take place in Third Form Challenge time.

how beautiful and imbued with meaning books can be. Meanwhile, a far more reliable start to our digital quests for knowledge has been ensured with the launch of our subscription to BritannicaSchool Online. All this and so, so much more: new book ‘Nook’ collections for Houses and the Common Room; shelf reshuffles; countless loans; endless book displays; bespoke service to academic departments; spotting, scanning and distributing articles of interest from our extensive range of periodicals and newspapers; book orders aplenty and so we grow, with the ‘shifts’ and shakes of busy College life. Our Library is as alive as ever and we look forward to what the year ahead may bring.

Mr Beren-Dain Delbrooke-Jones

Internationalism

With a new Chair at the helm in ShaSha Sosrowardoyo (L6, Ch) we aimed to take Internationalism at College a step further this academic year, building upon an excellent platform established by OC Iurii Kovalev (2011-2016, Xt). New aims included more of a voice in Chapel, alongside utilising better Lower and Upper College Societies as forums in which to raise contemporary international affairs in the media spotlight. World Religion Day was raised in Chapel along with World Interfaith Harmony Week and International Mother Language Day. Furthermore, a successful Model United Nations debate for the Upper and Lower College Societies, alongside Brexit for Lower College Society, provided excellent opportunities for ‘student voice’. International Induction this year was very successful, encompassing a tour of College, filmmaking, bowling in town and an introduction to sports and co-curricular activities at College. Furthermore, our visit to Oxford, alongside ‘how to tie a tie’ made for an eclectic and interesting set

of activities aimed to mitigate any sense of culture shock. My thanks go to our excellent pupil helpers who made the initial settling-in process both easy and informative. Hosted by the Cutts and Penny families in their respective boarding Houses, Ashmead and Boyne House, we are grateful for their support also in making our new pupils’ introduction to College a warm and welcoming experience. Following our valiant collective efforts to recreate the Loy Krathong Festival Event for Thai pupils and friends on The Prep lake, naturally, we were also keen to recognise both the mid-Autumn Festival for the Chinese in September and the Chinese New Year in late January. For the former: a candlelit get-together with Moon Cake, and for the latter a whole school-themed banquet meal plus a feast for Chinese pupils at The Golden Mountain restaurant in Cheltenham. During this period, we were grateful to Alena Gorb (U6, A) and Jasmine Ng (U6, W) for their sage advice in Chapel on 31 January, tackling the weekly theme of ‘trials and tribulations’. A good balance of light humour and empiricism made this address both interesting and informative. For many, however, the highlight of the year was our annual International Dinner in March. This year, we enjoyed a brief period of pre-dinner entertainment in the form of modern street dance courtesy of Kelly Tang (L6, Ch), and a performance by Tiger Chan (U6, NH) and Ankita Mediratta (U6, W) in ‘Jack’s Band’. This was the prelim’ to an international feast of some magnitude, comprised of French, Mexican and Chinese cuisines. After our thanks and short speeches, the Upper College retired to the Upper College Common Room for some chill time, only to be broken by some burlesque opera singing by Pablo Espona (L6, L) and Giuseppe D’Istria (L6, H). Mr Crispin Dawson kindly spoke in Common Room of the convivial atmosphere at this event and the strong bonds that clearly exist within our international contingent at College.

Mr Nick Nelson

British politician Augustine Birrell pointed out that: ‘Libraries are not made; they grow.’ This special space of ours has continued to do just that over the past year. A sizeable donation of books from the family of one of College’s alumni, Christopher Daintree (Xt, 1941-1945), has come as a timely reminder of the importance of community; of the power of legacy; and of just

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COLLEGE COMMUNITY

Supported Schools

The Variety Show in aid of the Residential School for Children with Special Needs in Bradet, Romania, the Shamrock School in Pokhara, Nepal, and the children of Gogar Primary School near Nakuru, Kenya, raised £4,000. The money was spent in a number of ways, detailed below.

Education Sponsorship in Gogar, Kenya

The sponsorship of two under-privileged students’ education administered through the Vanessa Grant Trust is going well. Ernest Mwangi, 16, lives with his mother and brother and sister near Gogar and is continuing his secondary education at the local boys’ secondary school. He is making super progress.

Kitchen then

Diana Chelal, also 16 and from a poor background with four siblings, joined the private Vanessa Grant Secondary School for Girls on the Gogar Farm site this year and is making ‘excellent’ progress. She is being set ambitious targets for her academic subjects and is enjoying a range of sports as well. College has also donated funds for the building and equipping of a new school kitchen for Gogar Primary School and for 90 new desks.

Miss Jane Brodigan

Kitchen nearing completion

Shamrock School, Nepal

After what has been a challenging year the Shamrock School is now in a new building and the worst of the changes are over. The landlord of the previous building had given notice to the students and teachers and, after much searching, a new building was found. The move required an enormous effort from all concerned and happened to clash with a busy exam period, so time was very tight. True to form, the students coped admirably and we have recently heard that the school received 100% in the SLC (School Leaving Certificate). Of course, being in new premises brings a fresh set of challenges and financial support is crucial. College continues to play a major role in this and is supporting 12 students (about a fifth of the school roll) on a long-term basis. Over the summer two College students, Euan Bourhill (L6, S) and Harrison Campbell (L6, L) visited the school to do some teaching and the Cheltonian Endowment Trust has also granted Mrs Christine Harrison a Travel Award to spend some time teaching there.

Mr Dom Faulkner

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Residential School for Children with Special Needs, Bradet (Romania) In June, a group of 21 post-GCSE pupils embarked on their trip to Bradet for five challenging and rewarding days of play work, DIY, crafting and the hokey-cokey!

Miss Jane Brodigan is indebted to Miss Elizabeth Rawkins, Mrs Kate Hornsby, Mr Richard Peacock, Mr Gavin Johnson, Mrs Fiona Parry, Miss Charlotte

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Hornsby, Mr Steve Apps and the inimitable Mr Chris Rouan for their work making this trip so successful. Sadly, there was a terrible fire at Bradet in January 2017, which began in the chimney and destroyed the girls’ accommodation, theatre, clothing and bike stores. Luckily, no one was hurt. College has been able to buy a solar panel for heating water; timber to re-build the bike shed; replacement tools and equipment lost in the fire. Other donations include £150 of craft materials and £900 of bike-repair equipment for the annual

servicing of the BMX bikes donated by College pupils more than 10 years ago. We are also grateful to Mrs Fiona Parry who fundraised for new curtains for all the accommodation areas by taking part in the Cheltenham half marathon and also to OC Tom Bond (2011-2016, NH) for the donation of a sound system.

Miss Jane Brodigan

COLLEGE COMMUNITY

ASHMEAD Welcome

We welcome into the House as our new Housemistress Mrs Leach who has lived in Ashmead for the past year as Assistant Housemistress, getting to know us. She, her husband, Mr Leach, and their two daughters Zara and Tula, have already settled into Ashmead life and are firmly at the heart of the House. We also welcome Mrs McBride who, with her husband Gareth and two daughters Niamh and Aoiffe, arrives as Resident Tutor.

Life in Ashmead House Editor: Genevieve Alltimes

The End of an Era

Although this has been an exciting and fun-filled year, it also has a somewhat sad ending. After 10 years, three children, two dogs (with a few puppies along the way) and one cat, the Cutts family is moving on. Mrs Cutts has served as a wonderful Housemistress for a decade and there is no way the House would have run as well as it has without her at the helm. Every single day she has given her absolute all to make sure that Ashmead has been a happy and homely place for all the girls. We are truly grateful to her. Mr Cutts has been a key part of our lives too, providing us with some excellent barbeques, great outdoor movie nights and an ever-cheery face. It has been truly special for all the girls, past and present, to watch the Cutts’ children, Lily, Imogen and Fin, grow up. The entire family has been an amazing attribute to this House and they are going to be sorely missed by everyone.

This academic year was kicked off to a great start when Ashmead sung ‘Uptown Girl’ by Billy Joel in House Singing. We gave an enthusiastic performance, which was truly appreciated and met with massive applause from the rest of College. As the year ended we had our House Christmas Dinner at The Storyteller in the centre of town where we not only had a delicious meal but prizes were awarded to those who had made outstanding contributions to House life. In the Spring Term, we had The Great College Road Pancake Race against Boyne House, Hazelwell and Leconfield. This was undoubtedly a highlight of the year for many of the girls in Ashmead. Innovative as always, we released our new House tracksuit bottoms, which have proved to be very popular with everyone as they are perfect for lounging around. Finally, in the Summer Term we had a hugely successful Charity Yard Sale in the House car park where many of the girls sold their as-new clothes and toys. The money raised was given to The Nelson Trust, our chosen charity for the year. Without doubt it has been a busy and exciting year and everyone has thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ashmead and Christowe House Play

This year Ashmead teamed up with Christowe to perform Blood Brothers by Willy Russell. Izzy Kemp (5th) played the lead role of Mrs Johnstone. She put on a fantastic performance which captivated the audience; drawing us in with her beautiful singing. Isabella Barber (5th) played the lonely housewife, Mrs Lyons; with her knack for taking on the full persona of a character, she owned this role. Many other Ashmead girls also took more minor parts and helped behind the scenes. It was a resounding success and showed the true colours of the talented girls we have in House.

A Third Form perspective, from Molly Harland

This year has been a huge new start for all of us. We have all really enjoyed ourselves and have loved all the new opportunities that Ashmead and College have given us. For me, I have loved making new friends and we have become so close as a tutor group. Ashmead is a big, happy family and there has not been a dull moment. I especially enjoyed being given the opportunity to be in the House Play Blood Brothers as I got to act and work alongside many other girls from the House and across all year groups.

House Swimming

Ashmead has had a very successful year for House Swimming. In September, there was a Third Form gala and we managed to get a very well-deserved second place. Bluebell Clayton led the team and everyone on the team was proud to represent the House. We were also very successful when it came to the College gala. The Junior girls came first while the Senior girls came joint first with Westal. Despite the great swimming talent of the likes of Bluebell and Sammy Rowland (L6), House Swimming is a prime example of what can happen when the whole House comes together with spirit and commitment.

Honours

Our congratulations go to Arabella Johnson who has been named as Head Girl. We wish her well with the demands of the role. Jaime Carter is our new Head of House with Isla Flint as her very able deputy.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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Speech Day Prizes: Huge Congratulations to all!

Fourth Form Attainment: Arabella Hoodless Elmslie Drama: Georgina Grimwade (5th)

Upper Sixth Subject Prize: Tanner Biology: Alena Gorb

Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes: Business Studies: Holly Graveney (U6) Modern Languages: Leah Shiu (U6) Headmasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award for Outstanding Commitment: Bethany Adams (U6) Lucy Kirkpatrick (U6) Marcan Prize for Music: Isobel Salmond Smith (U6)

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HOUSES

BOYNE HOUSE the year and all the other years have responded well to their new responsibilities as they move up through the House.

Sports

House Editor: Charles O’Bryan This year Boyne has continued to thrive in a variety of aspects of College life. Be it on the sports pitches, in the classroom or in far flung corners of the world, the boys have been fantastic ambassadors for the House and College. Our calendar has been very busy, with the annual trip to the Green Dragon, invitational dinners for all Sixth Form, charity events such as hosting the James Hopkins Trust for a sensory sports day and a wide range of inter-House and external sporting fixtures and competitions. The new Third Form has settled in fantastically well over the course of

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Sports this year has been a strong point in the House. In the Autumn Term both the Yearlings’ and Senior B Colts’ teams won the new House Sevens pots, with the Junior Colts’ team coming a close second in a compelling final against Southwood. The team spirit that is fostered in Boyne was highlighted that day in the relationship of boys between years; all teams fought off stiff opposition together to earn these welldeserved victories. Boyne also reached the final of the Eminson Cup, a six-a-side House football tournament in which we have historically performed well. Other areas of note include crosscountry running, where the Senior Boyne boys had five of the top 10 runners, ensuring a win for the House.

Academic

The academic year for Boyne got off to a great start, with six boys being presented their scholarship ties in Sixth and Third Form. There is strength in depth in Boyne, with all years performing well both in their exams and in the classroom generally. Of note was the Third Form winning the Mathematics Challenge, having gained the highest points from a quiz involving

the whole year group. The Lower Sixth also had the highest average effort for any year in a House across the whole school in the Autumn Term, with no-one falling below an effort score of 3.0, demonstrating the excellent work ethic that goes on behind the scenes in Boyne.

Co-curricular

Boyne is very proud of its defining feature; cocurricular involvement. The Boyne to Boyne bike ride is a tradition started by Mr Penny where a group of boys cycle 90 miles from the Boyne Arms in Shropshire to Boyne House over two days. This year saw the crashes and punctures that are inevitable with cycling, some more spectacular than others, but the weather was kind and the resolve of the boys doing it was shown as we reached Boyne in record time. Tom Smith (L6) and Kieran Thorley (L6) were victorious in their pitch to business leaders in London for their Mini MBA project. They won investment for their water bottle business and were so convincing, the offer has been taken further by Touker Suleyman (a College parent and a Dragon from Dragons’ Den) who wants to help build the business. Another event undertaken exclusively by Brooksmithites this year has been the Devizes to Westminster kayak race. William Jury-Simpson (U6), Thomas Hill (U6), Darren Hague (U6) and Joshua Berry (L6) devoted huge amounts of time and effort training for this event over the

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course of two terms. It culminated in a gruelling 125-mile race in challenging conditions but they outperformed many expectations and in doing so raised a fantastic amount of money for charity. The House charity this year has been the James Hopkins Trust, and this term Boyne and Ashmead hosted 20 families that rely on this life changing organisation for a sensory sports day. This was a huge success, with all boys in House getting stuck in and making it the event of the year for College pupils and Trust children alike.

Staff and people

The House would not be what it is without the people that make it. Sadly, we must say farewell to Mr Rees, who has been a Resident Tutor in Boyne but now moves out to spend more time with his young family. He will remain a Tutor in House. We also welcome a new addition to the Boyne family. Our Resident Tutor Mr Delbrooke-Jones and his partner Miss Knowles have had a baby girl, Yavanna. As the Upper Sixth take their next steps the House would like to wish them good luck in whatever it is they have chosen to do, and we hope that they will always remember their days here in Boyne. We look forward to greeting the next Third Form too, and hope they will settle in quickly and learn what it is that makes Boyne special.

Congratulations

Max Taylor Baggs has been named as Head of House. Jason Soames is College Prefect for Sport while Freddie White is College Prefect forÂ Coâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;curricular.

Speech Day Prizes:

Fourth Form Endeavour: James TaylorKimmins Fifth Form Endeavour: Jonnie Gunn

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Abbott Mathematics: Benedict Schallamach

Upper Sixth Subject Prizes: Ronald Marsden Classics: Benjamin Adams

Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes: History: Benjamin Adams (U6) Sixth Form Endeavour: Max Taylor Baggs (L6) Marcan Prize for Music: Freddie White (L6) The Adams prize: Lower Sixth (for progress): Max Taylor Baggs The Duleepsinhji Cup for games: James Palmer (U6)

Academic Shield Winners! We are proud to say that as a House, Boyne also won The Hart shield for Lower College.

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HOUSES

CHANDOS However, we are very lucky to be able to welcome a new leadership team. Lucinda Gardiner (L6) is the newly appointed Head of House and the two new Deputy Heads of House are Libby Haddock (L6) and Zara Qadir (L6). In addition to this we also are very proud to announce that Georgina Pinchard (L6) will be the Prefect for Pupil Voice. We wish them all luck in their appointed positions.

House Events

House Editor: Daisy Wildman

Message from the Head of House, Tara Percival

I’ve been in Chandos since Third Form and it’s been great to see how House has changed over these five years! I’ve always loved the atmosphere of the House, regardless of whether it is competing in House pots or the iconic Toastie Tuesday. In my final year at College I was fortunate enough to be Head of House and it has been such a great opportunity to help organise events for House such as the performance afternoon or the Upper Sixth invitational dinner. I’ll really miss Chandos and the close friendships we have made in my year group, but I look forward to being able to come back in the future to see all the staff, who I will miss so much.

Prefects

Thank you to our amazing and very hardworking Prefect team this year lead by our amazing Head of House, Tara Percival (U6) along with her two Deputy Heads, Lucy Hall (U6) and Pippa Hickey (U6).

Speech Day Prizes:

Congratulations to all the people who won prizes at Speech Day Third Form Attainment: Anna Forde

Co-curricular

German: Shauna McLaren (U6)

Upper Sixth Subject Prizes:

Politics: Charlotte Ball (U6)

Ian Marsden Chemistry: Aiko Fukuda

Many congratulations to Ella Timmis for being awarded The Adams prize, to Charlotte Ball for being awarded the girls’ games Sloan Cup, and Pippa Hickey for winning the Cadbury Cup for all-round contribution.

Art: Lili Sell

Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes:

Business Studies: Terezia Michalikova

Design (Resistant Materials): Ella Timmis (U6)

Design (Textiles): Libby Haddock

Design (Textiles): Theresa Schäff (U6)

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

We bid a fond farewell to the current Upper Sixth and wish them luck in their lives outside of school. Sadly, we must also say goodbye to House Tutor Mrs Smith, who is leaving us to join Wycliffe as Housemistress, and one of our beloved Matrons, Mrs B, who is transferring to work in Boyne. Mrs Harrison has retired after 18 years at College. We wish them all the very best for the future.

Geography: Emily Campbell (U6)

Upper Sixth Prizes

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes:

Farewells

Physics: Sherry He

Fourth Form Endeavor: Ana Laura Fernandez de las Moras, Emily Heardman and Ivy Zhu

Anthony James Art: Abigail Aitken

Chandos started the year with a victory in Netball House pots for the Junior teams. Charlotte Ball (U6) was named top tennis player of the year for the second year in a row after her win in the Gloucestershire Schoolgirls’ U18 Doubles event. Pippa Hickey and Kiara Munn (U6) were awarded their tennis Half Colours. Katya Jennings (4th) has been selected to play in the Severn Stars U19 Team as well as the U17 team. Cindy Lai (5th) broke a College swimming record. Evie Webb (5th) represented College playing alongside the boys in the Senior cricket teams.

Psychology: Amina Al Kuthubdeen

Hornsby French: Polina Kulish

Fifth Form Endeavour: Judith Gibitz and Jilly Woodward

Sports

We have had a number of great plays over the course of this year, with many of the Chandos Lower College participating in the production

Third Form Endeavour: Frankie Pinchard

Fifth Form Attainment: Abby Aitken

We started the year with a House trip to Jumptastic and had a House-bonding weekend at the beginning of the year involving a barbeque and inflatable obstacle course. We even went go-karting one weekend. The House Prefects went on a laser tag trip just before the Upper Sixth invitational dinner which had the theme of A Mad Hatter’s Tea Party! They did a magnificent job of recreating the atmosphere of Wonderland. During the first term, we also had a charity bake sale for Macmillan, organised by Georgina Pinchard. This was a great success and managed to raise over £500. Chandos has also managed to organise fundraisers for Winston’s Wish. This included a talent show during which we were treated to cake and scones in front of numerous talent acts. Lili Sell (L6) organised the annual fashion show and raised £226. ‘I consulted the necessary departments who helped me deliver an impressive and enjoyable evening. I invited pupils, parents, staff and friends and we had a charity raffle in aid of Winston’s Wish. I am so very grateful to all the pupils who volunteered to model, help with make-up and work behind the scenes. Everyone was really enthusiastic and a tremendous help.’

of Swallows and Amazons. Whether behind the scenes or as main characters, it was great to see so many Chandos girls taking part in the play. There was an especially amazing performance from Frankie Pinchard (3rd) as Peggy. In addition to this, we also had the Upper College play The Great Gatsby, in which we saw a good number of Chandos girls, including Lucy Hall (U6) as Jordan, demonstrating their acting talent. Meanwhile Lydia Wong (U6) impressed us all by playing the organ during Chapel.

Theatre Studies: Lucy Hall (U6) Headmaster’s Award for Outstanding Commitment: Pippa Hickey (U6) The Wilson prize (for best Travel Award, Cheltonian Society’s Endowment Trust): Tara Percival (U6) The Jackson-Matthews Chapel Prize (for best address): ShaSha Sosrowardoyo (U6)

Academic Shield Winners We are very proud that as a House, Chandos also won The Robertson shield for Lower College.

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HOUSES

CHRISTOWE 150 Years

Christowe has a rich history as one of the oldest Houses at College and celebrates its 150th Birthday this school year. Looking back through the Christowe records, which date back to the turn of the 19th Century, it is clear that many core values have remained the same. In honour of this anniversary, I will be referring to early editions of the record - which offer rather humorous accounts of life in Christowe - some more relatable than others!

Academic House Editor: Oliver Pritchard From a pupil’s point of view, life in Christowe couldn’t be easier. The welcoming atmosphere, friendly staff and caring matrons truly make for a home away from home. There is also a vast variety of culture, personality and talent in the pupils that surround you, ensuring a nurturing and exciting environment. Christowe is a mixing pot for talents, spreading itself far but not thin across every aspect of school life, and this year has been no different. In recognition of this I will try to outline the last year and some, but unfortunately not all, of the XT achievements.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Perhaps spurred on by the brilliant Tutors at our disposal or the previously mentioned nurturing environment, Christowe’s academics have always been strong, and this year was no exception. Our Fourth Form were recently victorious in the Puzzle Week challenge that pits Houses against each other in a maths orientated test. Moreover, in both Upper and Lower College we were placed highly in the Academic shield rankings, only narrowly missing out on top position. With Elliott Napier hoping to go to a top American university, Sam Mendis with an offer from Oxford and Finlay Milton preparing to study Medicine, our departing Upper Sixth has been a brilliant year academically as well as in all other respects.

Sporting

The description of XT sport being ‘good without being brilliant’ as it was described in 1907, would I think be a little harsh. This year we showed tremendous effort as a House collectively, as well as displaying some inspiring individual achievements. In rugby, we did well to adapt to the new Sevens format that was adopted by College. However, in the Senior rugby we narrowly missed out in the elimination rounds, beating a strong Southwood team but not quite making it against Boyne. It seems this is a recurring theme as it was written in 1911: ‘again the gods selected Boyne as our first opponent in first pots and again we were defeated!’. Special mention here must go to Andrew Chan (U6) and Zeno Burchi-Khairy (L6), along with some outstanding efforts from the Fifth Form on the pitch. Once again Third Form also showed outstanding ability, coming second overall and promising to provide some entertaining rugby in years to come. The Summer Term saw the Senior House Cricket team reach the final of House pots for the first time in years, captained valiantly by Finlay Milton (U6). We started with a clean victory over Southwood, before moving on to crush the confidence of competition favourites: Newick. Unfortunately, our winning streak was ended by a strong Leconfield team after a compelling fight from Christowe. Amazingly, this was much as it had been in 1917

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when we also played Leconfield in the final of House Cricket pots, almost exactly 100 years ago! In Lower College cricket, Christowe were equally successful, beating the favourites and making it to the final, but narrowly missing out on victory. Christowe also came away as House Tennis champions, beating some tough competition. On another note, specific mention must go to some of the more spectacular individual achievements. Jeremy Wahome (U6) continues to excel in Formula 3 racing, with a best finish of sixth place at Rockingham as he sets his sights on a podium finish in 2018! Theo Taylor (L6) has had a brilliant cricket season for the first team, with a top score of 39* and has also been made captain of rackets for next year; he is deserving of many congratulations. Equally, Nicholas Siu (L6) has been made captain of badminton and basketball!

Music and Drama

Drama this year has also flourished, most notably in the Christowe-Ashmead House Play. The performance of Blood Brothers was a resounding triumph with extremely positive feedback coming from all over. Star performances from Kieran Brown (L6), Oscar Bromage-Henry (5th), William Hechle (3rd) and Tom Buxton (3rd) made for an engaging show, with wonderful narration from Andrew Luk (U6) and brilliant support from all cast members from both Houses. On another note, Christowe was also well represented in the school performance of The Great Gatsby with leading roles played by myself as the eponymous hero, Felix Stevens (L6), Elliott Napier (U6) and Oscar Bromage-Henry. Once again, we were robbed in House Singing with our performance of ‘All Star’ by Smash Mouth failing to even gain third place!

This appears to be another recurring theme as our dubious ‘lack of fortune’ has been mentioned repeatedly in the House records. Christowe remains strong musically with many boys showing ability in a variety of areas. This was exhibited especially well this year in the Variety Show in contributions from Felix Stevens (L6) and Oscar Bromage-Henry.

Final Notes

In summary, it has been a brilliant year, superbly led once again by our fantastic staff team, not to mention Mr and Mrs Mace and family, whose constant and attentive care and support is the back bone of the House. We will sadly be saying goodbye to our all-important Resident Tutors, Mr Packer and Mr Chaloner, who will both be missed greatly from House. We are also saying goodbye to a memorable Upper Sixth who have been friends to us all. In particular, we must thank our Head and Deputy Head of House, Elliott Napier and Finlay Milton, respectively, who are

responsible for keeping the House ticking over as well as providing some first class entertainment. I welcome Theo Taylor and Gus Roberts as their successors for next year and wish them the best of luck. I am sure they will be fantastic.

Speech Day Prizes: Third Form Endeavour: Luke Browning and William Hechle Third Form Attainment: Sebastian Cornwell and Simon Oates Fifth Form Endeavour: Tommy Ladds Fifth Form Attainment: Finbar McConnell and Boris Pustoshinskiy Elmslie Drama: Oscar Bromage-Henry (5th)

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Design (Resistant Materials): Hugo Oglina Davenport Drama Award: Oliver Pritchard

Upper Sixth Subject Prizes: Sir Frederick Page Fellowship of Engineering: Sam Mendis Gasson Cup for co-curricular: Jeremy Wahome

Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes: English Literature: Harry Byrne (U6) History of Art: Alexander Cove (U6) Mathematics: Chuen Leik Low (U6) School Prefect Appointments: Oliver Pritchard (Social and Food), Theo Taylor (Head of House)

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HOUSES

HAZELWELL over the year and we won it! As well as the cup, we were all treated to a wonderful meal out at a local Thai restaurant; a lovely occasion to be all together as a House.

Sport

House Editor: Theo Hunt It has been another busy year for Hazelwell in all areas of College life. From academia to sport to co-curricular, Hazelwell boys have excelled in one way or another, doing their best for their House. However, one particular area in which the boys have taken enormous pride has been in their support of others; they have by carried out a whole host of activities to support our local charity of choice, The Cornerstone Centre. For the first time this year a cup, The Bellamy Cup, was awarded to the House who had made the most outstanding contribution to charitable causes

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

In sport this year, we appear to have been quite unlucky and despite having a tremendous amount of sporting talent among the boys in House, we did not make any finals in the three main team sports. With key rugby players missing due to injury, Gloucester Academy demands or age restrictions, the Senior Sevens competition did not work in our favour and rather frustratingly the boys could not compete as they would have done had it been earlier on in the season. Looking very strong on paper, hockey and cricket boded better, but unfortunately things did not work out for us here either. Yet that’s sport for you and I am certain that the boys learned some valuable lessons for next year. However, it was not all bad news for the boys and we obtained some excellent results including being runners up in House Tennis pots, and winning both the Senior Swimming pots (coming second in the Juniors) and, for the fourth year running we won the House Rackets pots; this year we were led to victory by Oscar Butcher (5th) and Jono Jamieson‑Black (U6).

Eminson Cup

Perhaps one of Hazelwell’s proudest team victories this year was in the Eminson Cup competition; an inter-House football tournament held each year in memory of John Eminson, a former teacher at College who was passionate about his football. Captained by Charlie Boyce (L6), the team also comprised of John Marabeyev (U6), Benedict Sutton (L6), James Davies (L6), Thomas Stanton (L6) and Giuseppe D’istria, (L6), Tom Maber-Jones (5th), William Whittal (5th) and Demilade Edwards (5th). The team headed out onto the pitch in high spirits and came back victorious.

Individual Sport

As well as fantastic team efforts, there have been some outstanding individual, co-curricular and sporting achievements among the boys in House. With his team from Cheltenham Hockey Club, Max Pemberton (5th) won the National Hockey Competition at the Olympic Park. In rackets, Oscar Butcher (5th) played against Tonbridge School in the final of the singles at Queen’s Club for the Eric Angus Cup (U16) which he narrowly lost after a close semi-final. Oscar also narrowly lost out in the doubles competition with his partner Oliver Baker (NH). Jack Cunningham (4th) has been busy on the ski slopes again this year. He has continued

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with his alpine development throughout 2016/17, training with Team Evolution. For a full report, see the sport section. The Junior Colts’ rowing squad has been making headlines this year with Tommy Haddock (4th) and Charlie Callon Hine (4th) both national finalists. Volunteering by William Lait (U6) Three students from the Upper Sixth, William Clayton, Lucas Bonfante and myself, visited The Cornerstone Centre where we served and ate lunch with the people there. Whilst some were quiet others told stories of ‘the old days’, with much enthusiasm. The centre gives them a chance to meet new people and for some, it is the only time they see other people throughout the week. One elderly woman, Gwen, laughed the entire time we were there, which is a testament to how much this weekly event meant to her. Over the course of the year, we wrote to various supermarkets and persuaded them to donate food products that may be just out of date to the community centre so that they can be used for the lunches. This has been hugely welcomed and added some variety in the meals that are prepared. Other Sixth Formers have been to help (Paddy Christopher, Thomas Stanton and Jimmy Daly) and we aim to continue our support of the centre over the course of next year. It has given us a real sense of pride and we can see the immediate benefits. Following our contribution from the House Charity event in January, The Cornerstone Centre has managed to buy and replace some much needed chairs. Dragons compete for charity by James Webb (L6) We took advantage of the first closed weekend of the new year to hold a charity triathlon with

all the boys in the House involved. We wanted to raise a substantial sum for our nominated charity, The Cornerstone Centre. Our task was to run, row and cycle the length of the Thames (364 km) within two hours. To create a more competitive edge, we competed against each other in our eight Dragon teams; the team that completed the most kilometres would win (no prize, just glory!). The House came together in competitive spirit and completed 54km in an extremely quick time of 50 minutes; a whole 70 minutes earlier than anticipated! It was the fantastic brainchild of our new Resident Tutor, Mr Walton, who must be thanked for organising the event so well. We hope this event can become inscribed into Hazelwell’s tradition for many years to come. Further funds were raised from popular pancake stalls held in the Autumn Term and ably led by Jordan Pemberton, our Lower Sixth organised a ‘Beach Pardy’ (sic) in the Summer Term, which was a lot of fun and a real stress reliever following a week of practice exams.

Farewells

We wish Mr Townley a fond farewell and the very best of luck as he moves to take over the Science Department at College. He remains a Tutor in Hazelwell but will still be missed as our Resident Tutor and the atmosphere will not feel the same without his positive attitude and his humorous wisecracks. Miss Huckle left in the Spring Term, to follow her dream of coaching rowing professionally as well as to finish her Master’s degree. Her enthusiasm and joy for life has been missed. Mr Fenn has been a wonderful Tutor in Hazelwell over the last two years and

Tutor to Fourth and Fifth Form. As well as playing a huge part in College rowing, he has also taught Science. His good humour will be missed and we wish him every success with his new career as an accountant. We are grateful to Mr O’Bryan for covering the Third Form tutees following Ms Huckle’s departure. His professionalism and fastidiousness has been first class and the boys will miss him. We will especially miss Jono Jamieson-Black; the last of three brothers who were all Head of House. He has excelled in sport this year and has captained Senior hockey, rackets and cricket and been an exemplary leader and inspiration for the boys. We wish him well at uni! All in all, Hazelwell has thrived as a House this year, and we look forward to next year, with Paddy Christopher as the new Head of House and Deputy Head Boy.

Speech Day Prizes:

Hannam Clark Reading: Max Pemberton (5th)

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Bingen Human Geography: Jordan Pemberton Ronald Guthrie Bedford History: Paddy Christopher Spanish: Theo Hunt

Upper Sixth Subject Prizes: Lionel Wells Physics: Parth Patel

Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes:

Spanish: Lucas Bonfante (U6) The Stidworthy Cup for boys’ games: Jono Jamieson-Black (U6) Hazelwell is so proud to have been awarded The Bellamy Cup for charitable endeavor. The prize was received on Speech Day by William Lait (U6) on behalf of the House.

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HOUSES

LECONFIELD Over the past year, Leconfield has become second to none when it comes to our sporting prowess. The much awaited House Rugby pots is finally ours, after a thrilling final against Southwood, who proved to be the toughest of opponents. We are also proud of our Senior cricket team, who after an intense match against Boyne, managed to bring the cup home thanks to Benedict Frisby’s leadership (U6). Leconfield also remains the owner of the House Golf cup and proved to be extremely capable in hockey, tennis, football and athletics. Everyone had the chance to represent our House in one sport or another.

House Editor: Pablo Espona This year has undoubtedly been defining in the history of Leconfield. The House has once again made a mark in College due to our spirit and determination, securing unprecedented achievements whilst strengthening the bond between and within year groups and with staff. Moreover, this year will be the last for many key Leconfield family members, as some members of staff and certain students move on to fulfill their ambitions. This year marked the 150th anniversary of the House, and many Porcherites returned to College to celebrate.

Leconfield also gained the House Quiz cup, where six proud members of the House demonstrated their wide knowledge and wisdom in a vast range of topics. Head of House, Roderick Phillips led the team and ensured Leconfield was seen by all as a House to be reckoned with in the academic field. Moreover, various members of Leconfield were rewarded on Speech Day, making the House deeply proud. Finally, we are extremely glad to be the highest placed boys’ House in the House Singing competition. Our rendition of ‘Billy Brown’ by Mika was subject to no criticism from the highly experienced judge.

The future

We now turn our eyes to the future of Leconfield, and many of our upcoming projects. Mr Evans, who will take over from Mr Reid this following

September, is highly enthusiastic about all of his exciting plans for Leconfield, which will undoubtedly ensure every aspect in the life of the pupils is optimised fully. Those interested in Drama will have their hands full next year due to the upcoming House Play which we will perform in October with Westal.

Farewell

We are sad to announce the departure of many of the key members of staff that make Leconfield so great. Mr Ash will return to studying Law, a task that will ensure his already abundant skills are improved even further. Our Resident Tutor, Mr Peacock leaves to pursue his dream job and join his wife at Charterhouse. Miss Warden is also departing after nine years of taking care of dozens of Porcherites as our well-loved Matron. She will be a tremendous asset to her new school. Last but by no means least, Mr Reid passes on the reins of Leconfield after a tremendous nine years of leading waves of Porcherites. The boys know that he has worked tirelessly to ensure the best possible experience for those in Leconfield. He should be extremely proud to leave the House, knowing that he did everything in his power for the boys to get the most out of College. We thank him and his family for all they have done and we wish them all, all the very best for the future.

A word from Head of House elect Oliver Ruthven (L6)

Firstly, I would like to say how honoured I am to be Leconfield’s new Head of House, taking over from Roderick Philips for this coming year. I am truly excited about the structural development that will take place over the summer. However, accompanying this excitement, there is also huge sadness to see the departure of Mr Reid as Housemaster, who all the boys have grown to admire and respect.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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Speech Day Prizes: Third Form Endeavour: Krish Patel

Fourth Form Attainment: William Gibson and Gaurav Mediratta

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Ronald Guthrie Bedford Economics: Rodrigo Peralta Martin German: Jack McClure

Sixth Form Endeavour: Jack Gibson (L6)

The Adams prize: Third Form for Progress: Krish Patel

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HOUSES

NEWICK HOUSE Charities

House Editor: James Lewin In the words of Dr Peterken: ‘it really has been another successful year for the College’. However, the words could not be more fitting for Newick this year. The House has seen grand success not only individually but also collectively. The work put in by an exceptional year of House Prefects has really paid dividends. Their determination and aspiration has resulted in exponential progress in every aspect of House life. Newick is soaring at even greater heights and every Muglistonite is reaping the benefit.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Newick decided to support two charities that are a major part of the House’s heritage. Guideposts Trust has done incredible work in helping Commander Richard Kent, a previous Housemaster, who suffered a stroke a few years ago. The charity has been helping hugely with his recovery, particularly through music therapy. We were very fortunate for Commander Kent to join us at the recent 150th anniversary dinner. The British Lung Foundation is our other chosen House charity which we are supporting in remembrance of Mr Stovold who died from lung disease shortly after stepping down as Housemaster for Newick. To this end, often in partnership with Queen’s, we have held a number of fundraising events: a triumphant cake sale in February; the Race Night in March; and our House Play in November.

Prefects

This year has seen an unprecedented number of ties awarded to the Upper Sixth; testament to the substantial pool of talent and commitment within the year group. Led by the outstandingly loyal Benjamin Wood (Head of House), the Prefect team has achieved wonders in the running of the House. In fact, the standard has been set rather high for the in-coming Prefect team if they are to reach the soaring heights of an exceptional year.

Not only has the year made vast improvements in House, they have also represented the House at College too with numerous College Prefects and Head of School, Luke Knudsen. This year, the Prefects have taken the initiative to lead many House events such as the launch of the termly Cornflower newsletter (edited by the Lower Sixth) and the relaunch of the House Twitter account as a form of informing and updating the wider Muglistonite community. In addition to this, there was a significant reshuffle to the House Tribes system led by AJ O’Neill (Head of Tribes) which continues to reap benefits every week. Oliver Ferris has been duly appointed the new Head of House and will be supported by Jack Mitchell and Josh Hughes as his deputies. Congratulations must go to Aiden Ali who is the new Head Boy.

Sport

House sports continue to be at the forefront of Newick’s successes. The rugby season saw Joshua Stanton (U6), Cameron Terry (L6), Aiden Ali (L6), Josh Hughes (L6) and Daniel Ward(L6) all wear the prestigious Colours of the College’s 1st XV. It was an incredible season and end with Cameron being awarded his Full Colours. Frederick Foster (U6), Joshua Stanton and Max Dymoke (U6) all represented the 1st XI in an almost unbeaten hockey season. Max Dymoke ends his successful two-year spell in the cricket 1st XI while Daniel Ward (L6) hit a magnificent 127 runs against the revered and highly respected Marylebone Cricket Club. Alexander Sharam (5th) also begins his career in the1st XI. Tiger Chan(U6) finished off his service to the College Badminton Club with impeccable victory whilst Charles Turk (L6) and Shakhin Zamani (L6) continue to be successful in clay shooting. The sporting year ended on a high as Josh Hughes led the Senior House Athletics team to an inspiring victory at Sports Day.

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Speech Day Prizes

Third Form Attainment: Denis Solovyev Fourth Form Endeavour: Max Sutton

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Abbott Mathematics for Science: Ian Wan Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes: Music: Luke Knudsen (U6)

Headmasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award for Outstanding Commitment: Jack Burns (U6)

Sixth Form Endeavour: Aiden Ali (L6) Dagley-Morris Prize (Chapel Music): Frederick Foster (U6) Marcan Prize for Music: Fergus McNeile (U6) and Talis Harris (L6)

Upper Sixth Prizes: CCF Millennium Trophy: Benjamin Wood John Bowes Cup for all-round contribution: Frederick Foster

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HOUSES

QUEEN’S the opportunity to take part in the coming year’s Grotton Boston exchange. Stephanie Symcox (L6), Rose Jones (L6), Jess Steel (L6), Lucy Thompson (L6) and Iman Mirza (L6) were successful in being granted Travel Awards from the Cheltonian Society’s Endowment Trust for the 2017 summer holiday.

Sport

House Editors: Georgie Baillie-Hamilton and Georgie Fowler

Prizes

Queen’s girls this year have made some outstanding achievements. To name a few, Anna McIntyre (L6) has won a national prize for her Geography essay and both Georgina Rigg (U6) and Emily Lowde (U6) were successful in attaining their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Freya Coull (3rd) was also successful in getting

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Matilda Dunkerton Bennett (4th) has been extremely successful with her dressage this year while Sophie Morton (4th) has become the number one boxer in Great Britain in her age group. India Blake (U6) won the Duleepsinhji Cup at Speech Day and Brittany Sutton-Page (L6) has reached regional level hockey. Abbie Whybrow (4th) has also played for the boys’ cricket A team for her year group. Queen’s once again fully displayed their sporting abilities with the Seniors winning House Hockey and Tennis pots and both the Juniors and Seniors winning all four cups at the House Athletics. The Senior House Hockey pots was won decisively by Queen’s; once again thanks to the superb captaining of Stephanie Symcox (L6). In House Netball pots, the Juniors were again very successful and came first and second overall. In House Tennis pots, the Seniors battled through the harsh weather conditions and managed to have a clean sweep of wins. A record number of Queen’s girls took part in House Swimming this year and lots of people stepped

up to help; even if they had little competitive swimming experience. The biggest achievement of the year was clearly winning all four cups at Sports Day for the third year running! All girls participating showed real determination and commitment to the House throughout the day.

Music

It has been another busy year for Queen’s girls regarding musical activities. House Singing was one of the most memorable moments for the whole House; winning first place as a result of Zara Wynne’s (U6) excellent and effortful leadership in a mix of ‘Beautiful Girls’ and ‘Stand By Me’. Emily Lowde (U6), Charlotte Burnett (L6), Jess Steel (L6) and Annabelle Rigg (5th) contributed further by competing in the House Part-Song contest with an original arrangement of Adele’s ‘Rumour Has It.’ Individual efforts in singing have also not gone un-noticed. Izzy Reid (3rd), Lily Cutts (4th) and Annabelle Rigg were highly commended in their categories of College’s yearly Singing competition, whilst Charlotte Burnett (L6) gave a spectacular performance, which led to her winning the Pop Song category. Singing is however only a small proportion of Queen’s girls’ involvement within music. Lois Short’s (L6) performance on College’s stunning new Steinway pianos in the introductory concert was memorable, and there have been many other

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amazing performances by many other girls in the Thursday Lunch-Time concerts. Annabel Watkin (4th) deserves a mention for her progress learning to play the bagpipes this year.

Events

This year’s House events commenced with the Newick and Queen’s joint House Play, led by Jess Steel (L6), Alicia Burd (U6) and Zara Wynne (U6). The play was comprised of tasters from The Lion King, Grease, The Sound of Music, Mamma Mia and Oliver to form a vibrant musical with a range of new faces performing. Zara and Alicia then continued to impress us when hosting one of Queen’s favourite evenings of the year: the House Performance Evening. This year saw new acts such as Lower Sixth’s arrangement of Titanic’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ with assistance from Third Form’s Freya Coull and Imogen Cutts and their wonderful choreography. It was also very sad to be watching the Upper Sixth singing ‘Swing Low’ and ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ which has proved so entertaining for the past two years.

Family Competition

Throughout this year, the six families in Queen’s took part in various events and competitions, allowing all five Year groups to mix and get to know one another. The family competition kicked off this year with a rounders competition which was a highly competitive event and the well-deserved winners were Rubies. Families then accumulated points in both the baking competition and the annual Easter Egg Hunt, which as usual was extremely competitive and displayed the girls’ love for chocolate! Once

again, the Garden Olympiad was a great success, with all the girls taking part and showing a lot of enthusiasm. Organised by Stephanie Symcox, the families took part in fun games in the garden including a very competitive wheel barrow race and doughnut eating competition, to name a few. The overall winner of the family competition this year was Emeralds, with Diamonds coming in second place.

Goodbyes

This year, we are sadly saying goodbye to Genny Richardson (3rd) as she moves back to America and Victoria Edwards (5th) as she goes to Sixth Form at Cirencester College. They have been top assets and we hope they will visit us again. Also, Caitlin Brister (3rd), Annabella Bifulco (5th), Georgia Mitchell (5th), Gemma Taylor Baggs (5th) and Phoebe Williams (L6) are transferring from being day girls in Queen’s to being full borders in other Houses at College. We wish them the best of luck in their new Houses but beg them not to forget their time in Queen’s.

Charity

Team spirit and camaraderie were never more evident than in the quest to raise money for charity this year. The House Play and Race Night with Newick were the highlights, raising money for Cheltenham Power Chair Football Club. As part of her leadership course, Phoebe Williams (L6) organised a Queen’s bake off and proceeds from this and the subsequent cake sale went to the OSCAR Foundation. A special mention must go to our current Third Form who organised a bake sale for one of our mum’s who was receiving

pioneering treatment for cancer in the U.S. The slogans ‘Kick Cancer’s Butt/Fight like a Girl’ were the anthem of the day and over £200 was raised for the flight to the USA. Congratulations go to our new Head of House Brittany Sutton-Page, Jess Steel who is College Prefect for Marketing and Development and Charlotte Burnett who is College Prefect for Wellbeing.

Speech Day Prizes

Third Form Attainment: Grace White Third Form Endeavour: Izzy Reid Fourth Form Attainment: Charlotte Maddinson and Maja Matschey Fourth Form Endeavour: Meg Knight Fifth Form Endeavour: Georgia Rattigan

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Classical Civilisation: Annabel Merheim-Kealy Physical Geography (John Morse): Anna McIntyre Music: Lois Short TPE: Charlotte Burnett

Upper Sixth Subject Prizes: Rea English Literature: Rheanna Hopkins

Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes: Psychology: Lucy Cieslik (U6) Marcan Prize for Music: Jess Steel (L6)

Upper Sixth Prize: Games Duleepsinhji Cup: India Blake

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HOUSES

SOUTHWOOD

House Editors: Euan Bourhill and Henry Vivian

Academic

As ever, the 2016-2017 year has been one of notable academic success for Southwood. The Fourth Form has seen three members (Patrick Merheim-Kealy, James Boyle and Jasper Lowde) take the IGCSE Mathematics exam a year early. Special mention should be given to Jasper for also taking Latin in advance. The Fifth Form has had a tough year of hard work and constant revision. The Lower Sixth has been outstanding

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

academically for yet another year. At Speech Day Thomas Maddinson (L6) received the Politics prize and Edward Winstanley (L6) gained not only the Biology award, but the Classics prize also. In the Upper Sixth, we send congratulations to William Hardy (U6), gaining an offer from Trinity College, Cambridge, to study Economics, and Dylan Adlard for his offer to attend Merton College, Oxford, to study Biochemistry.

in hockey; Jamie Orme (U6) for captaining tennis; and Louis Hillman-Cooper (4th) for retaining his title of Best Lower College Male Athlete on Sports Day. George Kemp (4th), Jago MacInnes (4th), Max Morris (4th) and Paddy Merheim-Kealy (4th) were all part of the J15 crew who came third in the National Schools Regatta, while Tom O’Bryan (4th) was selected for the South West Dressage team at the Inter Regional competition.

Sport

House Events

This academic year has seen Southwood enjoy considerable success on the sports field. Both Junior and Senior House pots competitions have continued the flow of silverware into the House. The Autumn Term saw the Junior boys’ team emerge as champions in House Rugby pots, whilst the Senior boys came runners up in a tightly contested final. The Spring Term saw the Senior boys’ team dominate the House Hockey pots and the Summer Term saw the Juniors winning the House Cricket pots. On Sports Day, Southwood continued its success, winning the overall Junior boys’ competition and finishing runners up in the Senior boys’ competition by two points! These achievements have demonstrated the level of commitment to, enthusiasm for and enjoyment of sport for many in Southwood, and we hope to continue this success in the years to come. Notable individual successes include: Roger Mortimore (L6), who was awarded his Full Colours

Within weeks of resuming school in September, the House gathered under the watchful eye of William Hardy (U6), to prepare for House Music. In the same vein, there was a significant number of participants in Southwood’s Music Evening; notable performances took the form of Lucas Tanir (5th) and Rob Caesar’s (5th) drum duo, and Archie Garbutt (4th) gave a world class cello performance. Southwood members had a lovely opportunity to socialise with Queen’s at the annual Southwood-Queen’s barbecue. Thankfully, the weather was nice and we all look forward to the same event next year. Due to hard work from our brilliant Head of House Oliver Cook, the year saw a new clan system introduced into the House. This allowed House football competitions to take place, and formed new bonds and friendships within Southwood, across year-groups.

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Last words

This year has seen Southwood continue to grow and develop. Phenomenal achievements in all areas of College life have been highlighted. This is a true testament to the boys’ resilience, vigour and determination to achieve highly in every arena. Thanks must be given to the Upper Sixth leavers; they have been fantastic role models, leaders and, most importantly, friends for boys in Southwood of all ages. They will be sorely missed and we wish them every success in their lives beyond College. At the end of his College career, Oliver Cook steps down as Head of House after a brilliant year of service and leadership, for which the entire House is infinitely grateful. Next year, the position is passed on to Killian Hughes, and we wish him and his Prefect team the best of luck in their roles. Finally, our thanks go to all of the House staff: our matrons, tutors and Mr Coley. The House simply would not run without them and the boys would not feel so comfortable and relaxed without their constant support, guidance and professionalism. This year has seen some overwhelming successes for Southwood and long may Southwood’s legacy as a superb House continue. Congratulations must go to Finlay Berry, new College Prefect for Charities, Community and Chapel.

Speech Day Prizes Fifth Form Attainment: James Wheeler and Taliesin Kauffman Fifth Form Endeavour: Robbie Carson

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Tanner Biology and Saville Classics: Edward Winstanley Politics: Thomas Maddinson

Upper Sixth Subject Prizes: Borchardt Mathematics: Leo Shen

Cheltenham Endowment Trust Prizes: Classical Civilisation: Shazad Karim (U6) Economics: William Hardy (U6) Science: Dylan Adlard (U6) Marcan Prize for Music: Sam Hamilton (L6) Sixth Form Endeavour Prizes: Oliver Smith (L6) and Harry Potter (U6) Galahad Cup for Academic Excellence and Hannam Clark Orchestra Prize was awarded to William Hardy (U6) Southwood was also awarded The Marsden shield for the excellent academic achievement of all the Upper College boys this year.

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HOUSES

WESTAL year’s highlights have included: going to South Cerney on a glorious day to get involved in our chosen activities such as canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding; and going bowling locally and returning to House for a fully catered Indian meal from The Spice Lodge.

Hockey

Once again, the Autumn Term saw the arrival of the House Hockey pots, in which this year’s Westal teams were particularly enthused by a strong desire to beat our sporting rival, Queen’s. Although very close, the girls were unsuccessful but despite the loss they showed great team spirit and drive; both of which were also seen in their notable wins against Ashmead and Chandos.

House Editor: Tusmo Ismail With Miss Willey’s return as a Resident Tutor, and the growth of our community with 16 new girls joining us in September 2016, Westal has had a fantastic year creating some great memories that will long be cherished…

House Activities

The Prefect body works closely with Mrs O’Bryan to organise activities that the girls will not only enjoy but that will also create opportunities for everyone to get involved. Some of this

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

House Music by Verity Peterken

Westal has maintained its musical reputation this year, with many House members performing at musical events and concerts at College in the last couple of terms. With the amount of musical experience in Westal, we were able to put together a three-part song choir as well as a piano trio for the House Music competition in October. Impressively, we secured first place in both of these categories. In addition, for House Singling, we put on a great performance of our

chosen song: a mash up of ‘Take me to Church’ and ‘Like a Prayer’ which was brilliantly conducted by Ankita Mediratta (U6). Having come second in this category, Westal won the House Music competition overall.

Netball

One of our strengths in Westal lies in netball, and this year saw the Upper College girls achieving substantial wins against Ashmead, Queen’s, and Chandos in the Spring Term House pots. Despite missing out on first place, the Lower College teams played well and worked together strongly as a team.

Lower Sixth House Dinner

In celebration of the end of the Lower Sixth exams, we hosted our very first invitational House Dinner. Our multi-themed dinner saw us donning a multitude of creative outfits ranging from Harry Potter and Barbie and Ken to Flower Power and Aladdin. Having planned the dinner as a year group, we decided on using a new caterer to provide the food and used a mixture of both old and new decorations to dress our common room in hues of white and gold to complement our brightly coloured and bold outfits. The decorations were innovative and quite often

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homemade to keep costs down. The tables were brilliantly decorated with name places made by Dasha Romanyuk (L6). Laura Morris (L6) acted as our personal photographer for the evening; not only capturing wonderful shots during the dinner but also before and after in our homemade photo booth. All in all, it was a fantastic evening for everyone and something we hope to do more often in the future.

Congratulations must go to our new Head of House Louise Hall, Libby Barnes the incoming Deputy Head Girl, and Georgina Oates, new College Prefect for Academic and Library.

A Fond Farewell

Although Mrs Jackson will sadly be leaving her position as our Resident Assistant Housemistress, she will be with us part-time next year. Without her constant presence in Westal, this year would not have been as good; Mrs J has fostered great relations with all of the girls and we know that we can always count on her for both moral and organisational support. Despite the struggles she endures because of us, her sense of humour and kindness are always the defining features of her interactions with us. We wish her all the best in her new home and look forward to seeing her again next year!

Speech Day Prizes

Third Form Attainment and Hannam Clark Orchestra: Victoria Brain Third Form Endeavour: Georgia-Lili Robertson Fourth Form Attainment: Boudica Yi Fifth Form Attainment: Vavara Konyaeva

Lower Sixth Subject Prizes: Chemistry: Dasha Romanyuk

Hornsby French: Martha Elliott History of Art: Phoebe Janes Sports Science: Amber Beachus Theatre Studies: Libby Barnes

Upper Sixth Subject Prizes: Anthony James Art: Lavinia Fairlie

Allen Divinity: Theresa Grafin Pachta

Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prizes:

Sports Science: Jemma Robson (U6) Sixth Form Endeavour: Birdie Chen (L6) Marcan Prize for Music: Georgina Oates (L6) The Adams prize: Third Form for Progress: Georgia-Lili Robertson

Upper Sixth Prize:

Army Leadership Prize: Jemma Robson (U6) Academic Shield: We are proud that our Upper College girls were awarded The Lldarin shield..

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HOUSES

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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SPORT Athletics

The Athletics season started with a bang with our first two fixtures taking place in the first week. A whole squad competition at Bromsgrove School was quickly followed by the Radley Relays on a cold April evening. Here the 4x100m intermediate boys’ team were a shining light, setting a brilliant time of 47.7seconds, narrowly losing out to Eton College and Harrow School. Ali Pearce (5th, Xt) was a standout performer on the night, running a blisteringly quick 800m leg in the medley relay to bring College back in contention for the top three. After the early exeat, we entered the busiest period of the season with a massive five fixtures in nine days. The Achilles Relays were a chance to compete at the famous Iffley Road track, Oxford, home of Roger Bannister’s record-breaking 1954 four-minute mile. The Third and Fourth Form then had their opportunity to compete for College in the English Schools’ Athletic Association (ESAA) Track and Field Cup. This was a real team effort, with many individuals taking part in events that they hadn’t huge experience in. Sadly, it was not enough to gain entry into the next round, but there were superb performances from Meg

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Knight (4th, Q), Louis Hillman-Cooper (4th, S), Flora Fletcher (3rd, A), Charlie Davison (3rd, BH), Molly Clarke (4th, W) and James Whittal (4th, NH) amongst others. The district athletics competition gave a great opportunity for those not doing athletics as their games choice to compete in a high-standard event. A record number of College athletes took part, with a good number making it through to the county championships, and one or two to the South West regionals. Sports Day was again a big success, and we were blessed with some beautiful weather and competitive events across all year groups. More school records fell, and it was a great end to the day to have both the boys’ and the girls’ Bannister Cup teams running on the track, cheered on by the whole of College. The girls’ team broke a 10-year-old record to set a new record time of 4.50. Following the half term break, we had one final whole squad event at Marlborough College, which was a very relaxed competition that allowed athletes to compete in events that they otherwise would not. It was a lovely way to end what was a successful and jam-packed couple of months. Huge thanks must go to Mr James Coull, Miss Elizabeth Rawkins, Mrs Annette Poulain and

Mr Stuart Cooper who have provided support and guidance for the athletes, as well as expert coaching in a number of different disciplines. Thank you also to Rheanna Hopkins (U6, Q) for captaining the squad in her final year at College. On a personal note, thank you to all staff and pupils who have contributed to the success of the athletics squad over the past three years. This was my final year as the Head of Athletics, which has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Mr Henry Davies

Badminton Coach: Mr Sol Griffiths

This year has been a happy and productive one for the Badminton Club. For the first time ever in its history, it has had more girls than boys; a few years ago, we had only one girl! One of the most gratifying features of this year has been to see girls of all standards stay behind for the sheer enjoyment of it. Their enthusiasm has been infectious. Our first team remained very strong. It was the last year of two exceptional players, Andrew Chan (U6, Xt), the Gloucestershire U17s singles champion, and Tiger Chan (U6, NH) the captain,

SPORT

now in his unprecedented fifth year as a First Pair player. It seems hardly credible to me that five years have passed since Tiger first arrived as a diminutive player in Third Form, the brother of an equally good player, Jeremy. Since that time, if no less diminutive, Tiger has lived up to his name in the way he has served the club and his House, Newick. As for Andrew, no one is likely to forget his brilliant singles play, his bountiful numbers of trick shots, and his great cross-court net shot. They were supported by an admirable posse of Chuen Leik Low (U6, Xt), Nicholas Siu (L6, Xt), Ken Leung (L6, NH) and Pumi Su-Ngan (L6, BH). Chuen Leik deservedly won the Bygrave Trophy for most improved player, transforming his powerful play with the incorporation of a more subtle net game. Ken and Pumi consolidated their skills as a strong doubles partnership; with more consistency, they may become one of the best duos College have fielded. Nicholas remained throughout a wonderfully positive presence, with the strongest smash in the history of College badminton, and a sublime touch. Needless to say, our record against other schools was extremely strong, with victories against Abingdon College, Bromsgrove College, Malvern College, Balcarras School, Pate’s Grammar School and the University of Gloucestershire. The disappointing feature of this year was the number of cancellations we had to endure from other schools; far too many let us down. I think our pupils deserved better. We also had to say goodbye to some stalwarts from the girls’ game. Alena Gorb (U6, A) and Aiko Fukuda (U6, Ch) have tended to outsmart other girls’ pairs and have always played the game with great humour. Jasmine Ng (U6, W) has served the girls’ game with great loyalty and passion. We are really going to miss them, and all the Upper Sixth girls. The girls do not have the roster of matches of the boys, something I should have loved to remedy, but delivered notable victories against Cheltenham Ladies’ College as well as Malvern College and Bloxham College.

Dr Luke Davidson

Cricket

College and Winchester College. The Radley game was to set the tone for many of the games that the XI played in the competition this season with batsmen getting starts and then getting themselves out leaving the opposition to chase relatively small targets from their allotted overs. Radley were set a target of 172 to win which they managed for the loss of only three wickets.

1st XI

Record: played 20; won 9; drawn 1; lost 9; abandoned 1

An exciting, although frustrating game followed at Clifton College. A low scoring 35 over game came down to the last over with the XI needing nine to win. Sadly, the XI fell three runs short in a game that they should have won comfortably. A few too many dot balls throughout the innings put them too far behind the required run rate. Next came a home fixture against Sherborne School and the opposition only managed 186 for 9 from their 50 overs which on the College square was a target that should have been relatively easy to achieve. However, some poor shot selections saw wickets tumble and at 15 for 4 the XI were up against it. A late, 7th wicket partnership of 53 between Daniel Ward and Theo Taylor edged the score closer to the target but with Theo bowled for 30 the game was up and the XI were 44 runs shy of their goal.

Jono Jamieson-Black (Captain, U6, H)**, James Palmer (U6, BH)**, Jason Soames (L6, BH)*, Daniel Ward (L6, NH)*, Max Dymoke (U6, NH)**, Benedict Frisby (U6, L)**, George Wells (L6, S), Theodore Taylor (L6, Xt), Oliver Hill (L6, L), Alexander Sharam (5th, NH), Jack Clement (5th, S), Alister Pearce (5th, Xt), James Webb (L6, H), Jonathan Gunn (5th, BH), Felix Watson-Smyth (5th, Xt)

A comfortable 7 wicket win followed against Abingdon School with some of the top order batsmen finally finding some form. The Rugby School fixture was sadly lost to the only rain of the term but the first T20 game of the term against a University of Bristol XI saw a thrilling 4 run victory. Jono Jamieson-Black scored 78 from just 46 balls to set a target of 152 to win. Some lively fielding and tight bowling meant that the opposition finished on 147 from their 20 overs.

Coaches: Mr Matt Coley and Mr Mark Briers ** denotes Full Colours * denotes Half Colours The 2017 season began early this year with preseason commencing on Easter Monday! Three early wins against Gloucestershire U17s, University of Exeter, and University of Bristol meant that the XI went in to the first main fixture weekend in confident mood. The first block fixture against Radley College was also the first fixture of the 2017 John Harvey Cup, the other opponents in the 50 over league competition being St Edward’s School, Oxford, Bradfield College, Marlborough

The traditional Speech Day game against the Gloucestershire Gipsies was next and featured a number of returning OCs. James Palmer scored 46 and Jason Soames 68 to enable a target of 152 to win to be set. Figures of 4 for 23 from Jono kept

1st XI Batting Averages Batting (100+ runs)

Innings

Not Out

Runs

Highest score

100s

Average

J. W. Jamieson-Black

715

124

51.07

D. J. Ward

491

127*

35.07

J. C. Soames

460

116

28.75

J. K. Palmer

380

21.11

M. H. Dymoke

256

23.27

B. Frisby

246

18.92

O. Hill

188

26.85

G. M. Wells

164

13.66

1st XI Bowling Averages

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Bowling (10+ wickets)

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wickets

Best bowling

Average

B. Frisby

131

515

4-36

19.80

J. W. JamiesonBlack

138

529

4-23

26.45

A. Sharam

108

471

3-11

26.16

M. H. Dymoke

113

449

3-20

29.93

J. C. Soames

355

2-19

27.30

J. Clement

283

4-11

25.72

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the game in the balance but the Gipsies reached their target with one over to spare for the loss of nine wickets and retained the Martin Stovold Cup. The M.C.C. arrived after half term with a side featuring five OCs. OC Guy Mitchell (2006-2011, NH) batted superbly for his 115 runs to help the M.C.C. set a challenging target of 273 to win. At 31 for 4 the game looked all but over when Daniel replied with his first century for the XI and his 127 earned him a trip to Lords. It also set up a fantastic run chase and a 7th wicket partnership of 101 between Daniel and Theo (39) saw the XI home with two overs remaining. A seven-wicket defeat to a very strong King’s College, Taunton XI followed but was memorable for a superb 124 from 118 balls for Jono. A further two T20 victories followed over Charlton Kings C.C. and Cheltenham C.C. where Jono continued his form with 87 not out from 41 balls and Ali Pearce scored his maiden 50 for the XI. In the John Harvey Cup, the next opponents were St Edward’s School, Oxford, who were expected to be the side to beat this year. Batting first, the XI posted 207 in their 50 overs and James Palmer top scoring with 49. The St Edward’s openers then set about the run chase and gave our players a lesson in how to build an innings. 39 overs later their partnership was broken with the score at 192. The target was reached four overs later and highlighted the fact that the XI were going to have to work harder with the bat if they were going to be competitive in the remaining games of the competition. A trip to Bradfield College for game three followed and with the opposition batting first, our bowlers set about their task. Benedict Frisby and Max Dymoke bowled with pace and accuracy and were ably supported by the leg spin of Alexander Sharam. At lunch Bradfield were 130 for 6 from 34 overs and the XI were definitely on top. Some post lunch lethargy let the opposition back into the game but their final total of 206 for 6 was well within their reach. Only scoring 11 runs from the first 12 overs put them on the back foot and the pressure once again forced batsmen to give their wickets away cheaply. Some stout resistance from Jono with 56 and Max with 45 kept them in the hunt but sadly they fell 28 runs short of the total. A similar story followed against Marlborough College where the XI bowled and fielded well to restrict the opposition to 209 from their 50 overs; Benedict being the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 35. At 50 for 1 from 13 overs they were well

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placed but losing 5 wickets over the next 10 overs yet again left them in a precarious position. A 9th wicket partnership of 49 between Benedict and Jack Clement gave them hope but they were finally bowled out for 149, 60 runs short of the target.

team for the work that they have done this term. College remains one of the finest places to play cricket anywhere in the country and the standard of the pitches and outfield were outstanding once again.

The final cup game against Winchester College was a chance to salvage some pride and the XI finally produced a competitive batting display. A 78-run opening stand between Daniel and Jason enabled the XI to set a total of 195 for 5 from 35 overs. A fine opening spell from Jack of 4 for 11 from 7 overs took out the Winchester top order and our first victory in the cup was completed in 26 overs with the opposition all out for 75 runs.

2nd XI

Mr Matt Coley

Record: played 8; won 5; lost 2; abandoned 1

The final week of the term saw the XI host St Andrew’s College from Grahamstown, South Africa. Jason scored a solid 57 in the XI’s total of 190 for 9 from 40 overs. The opposition then showed why they had been one of the strongest sides in South Africa this year and chased down the target in just 33 overs. The long standing two-day game against Haileybury completed the term but it was sadly a dull game with the opposition showing little interest on the second day in chasing 314 to win. First innings centuries from openers Daniel and Jason were some memorable highlights along with 67 from James Palmer and 56 not out from Jono in the second innings. Haileybury limped their way to 187 for 4 from 75 overs to hold out for a frustrating draw. Nine wins and nine losses was a reasonable return on what remains an extremely strong fixture card. Despite some inconsistency with the bat, the players worked with energy and enthusiasm throughout the term and were well led from the front by captain Jono. He completed four years in the XI with another strong all-round display to be the leading run scorer for the second consecutive year and took 20 wickets. Four centuries were scored to go on the new honours boards in the pavilion and Full Colours were awarded to Max and Benedict. Daniel and Jason were awarded their Half Colours. As always, all of the above would not have been possible without the dedication and technical expertise provided by our cricket professional, Mr Mark Briers. He remains hugely committed to the all-round development of all the cricketers at College and I am enormously grateful for all the hard work that he puts in. I must also thank our Head Groundsman, Christian Brain and his

Sam Mendis (U6, Xt), William Lait (U6, H), Sam Cook (L6, NH), Frederick Foster (U6, NH), Hugo Bradshaw (U6, L), Cameron Terry (L6, NH), James Thorley (L6, BH), Thomas Stanton (L6, H), Tom James (L6, L), Finley Milton (U6, Xt), James Webb (L6, H), Edward Winstanley (L6, S), Jack Mitchell (L6, NH), Kieran Brown (L6, Xt), Oscar Butcher (5th, H), Felix Watson-Smyth (5th, Xt), Jacob David-Ward (L6, S), Joshua Pimlott (L6, L), Jonathan Gunn (5th, BH) It was a fantastic Summer Term of cricket for the 2nd XI, with victories against Radley College (home), King’s College Taunton (away) and Marlborough College (away) being the standout performances. A strong depth to the Senior cricket club ensured the Summer Term unavailability did not affect the quality of the sides that took the field. The five Upper Sixth students playing their last term of College sport were completely committed during a busy period and contributed greatly to the successes of the team. None more so than captain Frederick Foster who did not miss a game and led by example with some spectacular batting (126 v Gloucestershire Gipsies, 63 v Sherborne School, average 40.00) and with very efficient bowling spells (6.1.21.6 v King’s College, Taunton, average 16.00), whilst proactively guiding his team with great humility. With an improving game understanding and tactical awareness

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throughout the term, the side’s performances in the second half were emphatic and just rewards for their tireless effort. Notable contributions this season included: Sam Cook (42 v Sherborne School, 47 v Clifton College, average 38.60) and Cameron Terry (59 v King’s College, Taunton) with the bat whilst Jacob David-Ward (6.1.13.5 v Bradfield College) and Thomas Stanton (6.0.42.5 v Abingdon School) enjoyed ‘fifers’ with the ball. After reflecting on the season and the quality of cricket on show, praise must go to all involved for their attitude and dedication throughout. The manner in which they conducted themselves was a credit to College; it is evident this talented group will continue to develop and contribute greatly to College cricket in their final year.

Mr Nick Runciman (Coach)

3rd XI

Record: played 5; won 1; drawn 0; lost 3; abandoned 1 Jack Burns (U6, NH), Finlay Milton (U6, Xt), Jimmy Daly (L6, H), James Lewin (L6, NH), Dougal Rees (L6, Xt), Charles Turk (L6, NH), Tom James (L6, L), Kieran Brown (L6, Xt), Christian Campbell (5th, BH), Philip Leenart (L6, L), Benedict Sutton (L6, H), Aryia Patel (5th, H), William Dyke (5th, NH), Ben Southall (5th, BH), Oliver Pritchard (L6, Xt), Yusuf-Ali Perwaz (5th, NH), Oliver Baker (5th, NH) A youthful 3rd XI started the season with lots of promise. An away trip to Radley College is always a good test of the potential of the team. Although the result ended in a loss there were some positives; Tom James taking 4 wickets and knocking 30 runs as well as some initial positive fielding. However, disciplined 4th stump bowling by Radley won out and the 3rd XI probably ran a little out of steam in the 30 over match. This was certainly not the case in the following match against Clifton College. In a 20 over match the team totalled an impressive 196, namely down to a lovely 93 off 55 balls from Jimmy Daly supported by Aryia Patel and Charles Turk with 43 and 30 respectively. Unfortunately, rain prevented the win despite Kieran Brown taking an early wicket.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

The good form continued onto the best performance of the season against a strong, seasoned Sherborne School side. Fielding first the team restricted Sherborne to 171 all out off 30 overs thanks to some fine swing bowling from Kieran and Jimmy, backed up by some precise maiden overs from Benedict Sutton and dynamism in the field. After a solid opening to the batting it was Ben Southall with 40 and Philip Leenart’s 44 that did the damage, achieving the total with 7 overs to spare. A great team effort. An away fixture to Abingdon School was next. On a difficult wicket, the team struggled to find the right bowling length. Despite a gritty 53 from Ben, the team fell short in a game we all knew we should have won. Arguably the game of the season for the spectator was against King’s College, Taunton who ran out winning by 1 run in the final over. The team did well to limit the opposition run rate with Jack Burns finishing with figures of 5-19-2: the stand out bowler. Although Yusuf Perwaz scored a lovely 63 batting alongside an exciting Oliver Baker, the 3rds never really capitalised on the solid start and finished the one lonely run short. A great season with some real highlights. We wish our leavers well and look forward the team’s development.

Mr Ben Rees (Coach)

4th XI

Record: played 4; won 0; drawn 0; lost 2; abandoned 2 Elliot Napier (Captain, U6, Xt), Merlin Miller (U6, L), Euan Bourhill (L6, S), Harrison Campbell (L6, L), Freddy Horlock (L6, L), Finlay Berry (L6, S), Sam Hamilton (L6, S), Rodrigo Peralta Martin (L6, L), Oliver Pritchard (L6, Xt), George Elliot (5th, NH), William Dyke (5th, NH), Aryia Patel (5th, H), Alfie Weston (5th, BH), Ben Southall (5th, BH), Christian Campbell (5th, BH), Charles MeechamJones (5th, Xt), Evie Webb (5th, Ch) The weather claimed the chances for the glorious 4th XI to shine this year. As whites were dusted down and an early season fixture versus Radley College beckoned, the squad bristled

with enthusiasm in the nets. Captained by our facilitator, Elliot Napier (not an all-rounder), the team took shape. As Colts joined in, our adventure began… Away at Radley College, we lost the toss and Radley elected to bat. A promising opening spell of bowling from William Dyke and Euan Bourhill contained the opposition but no more. Oliver Pritchard, Freddy Horlock and Finlay Berry coupled with some slightly more eccentric deliveries from George Elliot and Rodrigo Peralta Martin kept Radley to 221 for 5 off their 35 overs. After Sam Hamilton’s early dismissal to a peach from the Radley opener, William and Freddy guided College to the fringe of batting respectability. Ably supported by George, Elliot and Finlay - before a cameo 50 not out by Aryia Patel coming in at number 6 - we edged our way closer to the Radley total; it was good, but not quite good enough; a loss by 40 runs. Against Sherborne School, two weeks later, a number of debutantes entered the fray. Batting first, Elliot, Finlay, Freddy and Sam all drove a lively Sherborne attack back towards the boundaries with Euan and Elliot adding a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the performance in the later stages. All out for 153 off 25 overs. In response, Evie Webb bowled superbly, bagging a couple of wickets in the process. Alfie Weston, too, halted the Sherborne charge. Freddy and Finlay were line and length personified. Harrison Campbell, donning the gloves for the first time, caught most things moving, and Charles Meecham-Jones chased and chased in the field. But in truth, we needed 30 more runs as Sherborne reached the total with 3 overs and 6 wickets in hand. Sighs of relief were audible from North Cerney Cricket Club and Rugby School once weather claimed our remaining two fixtures. It was a shame that we were not able to show off the hours of nets practice or perhaps it wasn’t. We ended the season in the knowledge that both batters and bowlers were less rusty than they were in April and, quietly and proudly, all had enjoyed their moment in the sun. What fun.

Mr Karl Cook (Coach)

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Colts A

Record: played 4; won 3; drawn 0; lost 1 Ali Pearce (Captain, 5th, Xt), Oliver Isherwood (5th, L), Oscar Butcher (5th, H), Harvey Edwards (5th, S), Ollie Frisby (5th, L), Joseph Hughes (5th, L), Jude Parsons (5th, L), Thomas Styler (5th, H), Felix Watson-Smyth (5th, Xt), Yusuf-Ali Perwaz (5th, NH), Oliver Baker (5th, NH), Jack Clement (5th, S), William Dyke (5th, NH), Ben Southall (5th, BH), Jonnie Gunn (5th, BH), Alexander Sharam (5th, NH) This has been a tremendous season for the team and their development as cricketers. This team contained a variety of bowlers; all of whom can be trusted to bowl at any time, in an innings. There have been 15 players exposed to A team cricket and also five of the squad have been involved with the 1st XI at some stage this term, which bodes well for next season. The season did not get off to the best of starts with a loss at Radley College by 8 wickets. Only captain Ali Pearce offered at real resistance to the Radley bowlers with a gritty 53. The disappointing factor with this game was how the team had been poised at 95-5 off 18 overs but capitulated to 130 all out in 25 overs. The group reflected on this display and it seemed to galvanise them as they approached their next fixture with Sherborne School at home. A dominant batting display saw the team post 2542 off their 30 overs. Ali carried his bat for a good display of power hitting of 110 not out, which included 8 sixes and 11 fours. Oliver Isherwood offered some good support as the innings drew to a close with an unbeaten 64 and put on a stand with Ali Pearce for 152. Some disciplined bowling from all ensured Sherborne were always behind in their chase and finished on 211 giving the team a 43-run win. Bradfield College was the next fixture and a reduced game of 25 overs. This presented a different set of challenges but ones the boys responded too. Yet again the batting display was able to set a big target for the opponents to chase with 171 coming off the allotted overs;

Oliver Isherwood contributing 52. Bradfield were able to capitalise on some lack lustre bowling but once the bowlers were able to establish their dominance and control, Bradfield fell 13 runs short in a tight finish. The final game of the season was a 50 over match at Marlborough College. A superb piece of swing bowling by Jonnie Gunn claiming 3 wickets for 3 runs in his 4 overs had Marlborough at 90-6. Unfortunately, the team were not able to finish them off and Marlborough had a dominant spell adding 100 runs in the next 10 overs. This game then took another turn as College bowlers found their discipline and restricted Marlborough to 266. At the break, the group discussed how they felt this was not enough; they had the momentum of the match and needed to take this into their batting. A poor start saw College slump to 11-2 and this brought to the crease Alexander Sharam and Jack Clement. These two produced a tremendous display of disciplined and mature batting in their stand of 194 to ensure a 5 wicket win for College with 11 overs to spare. This was a real class display of batting by both individuals; rotating the strike continuously, Alexander scored his 93 of 97 balls, which allowed Jack to display his power hitting to include 17 fours and 2 sixes in his 123.

Mr Gwyn Williams (Coach)

Junior Colts A

Record: played 15; won 6; drawn 0; tied 1; lost 7; abandoned 1

Sebastian Blake (Captain, 4th, BH), Max Sutton (4th, NH), Harry Jinks (4th, S), Louis HillmanCooper (4th, S), Harry Stewart (4th, L), Gaurav Mediratta (4th, L), Guy Beazley (4th, NH), Abigail Whybrow (4th, Q), William Buttress (4th, S), James Boyle (4th, S), Kit Ely (4th, L), Gus Milton (4th, Xt), William Stanton (4th, NH) The summer cricket season of 2017 was definitely not for the faint hearted. The number of matches going down to the wire and experiencing close finishes was incredible. One and two run losses, a tie, a one wicket and a four run win saw this squad compete in some epic battles; experiencing supreme disappointment one week and huge elation the next. The season was a pretty even in terms of wins and losses which is a fair reflection of the efforts of this team. There was plenty of talent on display and on paper they should probably have notched up a few more wins, however, talent alone will not win matches. It took a while for the team to learn from their mistakes but when they finally clicked they were a fabulous side to watch. Their success should not be measured in results but in how much they have developed as individuals and as a team; this will bode well for their sporting futures at College. This is clearly a team who love their cricket, enjoy each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company and are always upbeat in their approach to training and competition. Their ability to see the positives in all situations is refreshing and being surrounded by such energy is very rewarding. The season ended with a cricket festival at Norwich School where the team played three matches in three days. The team came away with two wins from three, a fitting end to the 2017 Summer Term and well deserved. It has been an absolute joy to coach the team of 2017; a little nerve racking at times but nonetheless hugely satisfying. We all take a lot away from this campaign.

Mr Matt Walton (Coach)

Junior Colts B

Izzy Crossland (4th, W), Edward Ferris (4th, NH), William Gibson (4th, L), Dominic Kelly (4th, NH), James Kirk (4th, BH), Gaurav Mediratta (4th, L), Sid Mitchell (4th, NH), Frankie Russell (4th, S), Paddy Scudamore (4th, BH), William Stanton (Captain, 4th, NH), Harry Stewart (4th, L), India Turner (4th, W), James Whittal (4th, NH) Coach: Mr James Chaloner The team had a mixed bag of results this season ranging from three wins and a draw to three losses. During these matches whatever the result, there were a number of outstanding

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SPORT

performances. These included 50s from Harry Stewart, Sid Mitchell and Frankie Russell and 5 wickets for 17 runs from the bowling of Gaurav Mediratta. Additionally, William Stanton scored 101 not out from 33 deliveries, which is a College record. Overall, we had a very enjoyable and successful season. Personally, I think the team pulled together best when we were in the losing position, which is, after all, what the sport’s about. As a bonus, on many occasions, this spirit helped us to come out on top!

Junior Colts C Record: played 4; won 2; drawn 0; tied 0; lost 2; abandoned 0 Edward Hitchins (4th, NH), Freddie Scott (4th, S), Frankie Russell (4th, S), William Westlake (4th, S), Theo Kace (4th, BH), Piers Morgan (Vice Captain, 4th, Xt), Joshua Naylor-Higgs (4th, S), Maximilian Pini (4th, NH), Milo Watkins (4th, S), Charlie Gardiner (4th, NH), Bryn Fair (Captain, 4th, BH), Harry Lyle (4th, S), Jonathan Chai (4th, Xt), Ethan Harney (4th, L), Thomas Kinsella (4th, L), Imaan Khyra (4th, H), Fedor Sokolov (4th, H) The 2017 Cricket season saw a spirited and energetic team have their best season in at least 10 years. A combination of committed fielding, varied and inventive batting, and reliable bowling meant for a competitive year at C team level. The opening fixture against Radley College proved to be our biggest challenge. Dogged batting and some excellent bowling meant the boys could leave the field with their heads high, despite defeat. A sunny day in May saw the arrival of Abingdon School to College. A flamboyant display from Bryn

Fair (91) and Edward Hitchins (50) (127 partnership) with contributions from Imaan Khyra (33) set one of the highest totals Upper Reeves has seen (264-7, 30 overs). Superb bowling from Piers Morgan (4-2-10-2) and Freddie Scott (3.5-0-4-2) sealed an emphatic victory.

Yearlings A

Record: played 20; won 13; drawn 0; tied 1; lost 6;

An away trip to Bradfield College saw a depleted team take on a strong home side. A short boundary on the leg side leant itself to the impressive leg side batting seen against Abingdon. Sensational bowling from Piers (5-0-18-2) and Freddie (5-0-27-2) limited Bradfield to 131-8. Bryn (45) again helped attack this total, with contributions from Piers (19), whose Geoffrey Boycott inspired innings saw him bat with nearly the whole team, and Edward (hitting a six to win) allowed us to reach the total with ease. The final fixture of the season was Marlborough College at home. An achievable total of 194 was set by Marlborough and some simple yet effective bowling from Edward (5-0-23-2) and Piers (5-126-1, including an exceptional run out) curtailed Marlborough’s advances. Good batting by Bryn (38) gave us a fighting chance, however, a mini collapse at the hands of a Marlborough bowler who preferred the yorker delivery sent the bails tumbling to floor on no less than 6 occasions in 10 balls! Nevertheless, in the face of defeat the team can hold their heads extremely high in their contributions to the club, improvements to their game this season and achievements won. Special mention goes to Bryn whose batting average of 45 is a testament to the progress he has made in the game, especially his off-side play.

Mr James Copeland-Jordan (Coach)

Charlie Davison (3rd, BH), Simon Oates (3rd, Xt), Seb Kimber (3rd, NH), Sebastian Cornwell (3rd, Xt), Piers Brown (3rd, BH), Zach French (3rd, H), Edward Hartley (3rd, H), William Blowers (3rd, BH), Oliver Walker (3rd, NH), William Taylor (3rd, BH), Joseph Murphy (3rd, L), Munaki Munjanganja (3rd, BH), Charlie Anton-Smith (3rd, S), Ned Hanbury (3rd, BH), Monty Graveney (3rd, L), Edward Calder (3rd, BH), William Hechle (3rd, Xt), Charles Heardman (3rd, BH) The team had a very busy season, with a dry Summer Term allowing them to complete 20 matches and play in excess of 900 overs of cricket. 18 different players represented the side and the team improved steadily throughout the season, earning 13 wins and an exciting tie in a T20 match against Rugby School. The first match of the season took place away at Radley College. In a low scoring affair, a superb unbroken 9th wicket partnership of 52 between Charlie Anton-Smith and Oliver Walker edged College over the line with only 4 balls to spare. College were also involved in a thriller down at Clifton College where Simon Oates held his nerve to hit the winning runs from the final ball. There were many strong performances throughout the season. Piers Brown, Zach French, Simon and Munaki Munjanganja all hit half centuries and William Taylor scored a magnificent 106 from 53 balls versus St Edward’s School, Oxford and later in the season scored 89 in the County Cup semi-final. Perhaps the individual batting performance of the season was Charlie Davison’s 143 from 81 balls against St Joseph’s College, Ipswich at the Ardingly Festival. Charlie had gone past 50 on four previous occasions but this year, managed the take full advantage of the 40 over format. The ball spin twins Edward Hartley and William Blowers both bagged 4 wicket hauls and Sebastian Cornwell and Charlie Davison were both instrumental in leading the team’s seam bowling attack. The last day of the season, saw the team take on Wycliffe College in the County Cup final. In wet and damp conditions, College managed to restrict their visitors to an under-par score of 94-7 in the allotted 20 overs. Seb Kimber was the pick of the bowlers with his 3 wickets only costing 9 runs. Zach (43*) and William Taylor (38) made easy work of the run chase, with College winning by 9 wickets; more than 10 overs to spare. This result enables the team to play in the ESCA U15 one-day

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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cup next season; competing nationally with the other 42 county champions. Charlie Davison finished the season as the team’s leading run scorer with 625 runs at an average of 52.1. William Taylor also had a productive season with the bat, averaging 36.9 and amassing 517 runs in total. With the ball, the leading wicket taker prize was shared between 3 bowlers: Charlie Davison, Sebastian and Edward Hartley all claimed 23 scalps each and the off spin of William Blowers was only 2 wickets further back. Wicketkeeper Zach collected 10 catches and 20 stumpings as well as 460 runs opening the batting. Lastly, with 13 victims, Simon ended the season with the most catches.

Mr Will Packer (Coach)

Yearlings B

Record: played 9; won 6; drawn 0; lost 3;

Yearlings C

Record: played 6; won 1; drawn 0; lost 5;

Gus Edwards (3rd, H), William Kace (Captain, 3rd, BH), Alexander Sparkes (3rd, Xt), Ben Percival (3rd, NH), Felix Taylor-Kimmins (3rd, BH), Billy Mayes (3rd, H), Tom Beazley (3rd, NH), Charlie Redvers (3rd, NH), Kirill Shcherbakov (3rd, H), Deji Adetona (3rd, L), Charles Hellens (3rd, L), Krish Patel (3rd, L), Jude Bridge (3rd, S), Wing Yan Cheung (3rd, L), Denis Solovyev (3rd, NH) Unlike previous years, the season started with some fantastic weather conditions: it was dry and warm- amazing compared to the first fixture of last year, which had to be called off because of snow! Our first fixture of the season saw us face an extremely talented Radley College side, who won by an incredible 148 runs. We were out batted and out fielded by a well drilled side who went on to win most of their matches.

Charlie Anton-Smith (3rd, S), Charlie Baker (3rd, NH), Edward Calder (3rd, BH), Ned Hanbury (3rd, BH), Charlie Heardman (3rd, BH), William Hechle (3rd, Xt), Munaki Munjanganja (3rd, BH), Joe Murphy (3rd, L), Ben Percival (3rd, NH), Rory Southall (3rd, BH), Alexander Taylor (3rd, H), Tigue Torode (3rd, H), Dan Ursell (3rd, NH) The team have enjoyed an extremely accomplished season and recorded the best results for the last 10 years. The season started with a very narrow one wicket loss against a strong Radley College side. However, it was clear at this stage that this was a talented bunch of cricketers. This was followed with two very convincing wins over both Clifton College and St Edward’s School, Oxford with big runs from Munaki Munjanganga (103*) and William Hechle (75 and 74*). These strong batting performances were supported by tight bowling and fielding displays.

Sherborne School was probably our most competitive fixture of the season. College were in to bat first and scored an embarrassingly low 57 all out. After a team talk, that Jim Telfer would have been proud of, the team put in an incredible fielding performance and restricted them to 59 for 7. A loss, yes, but a gallant effort nonetheless. Unfortunately, the team came second in many of our fixtures. However, they managed to secure a convincing victory over Wycliffe College near the end of the season; winning by 7 wickets. It was an impressive performance, which saw Billy Mayes, William Kace and Felix Taylor-Kimmins take two wickets apiece. This fixture also saw our best batting performance, with Ben Percival scoring 26 off 19 balls and Felix scoring 52 off 26 balls. I was really pleased to see the boys finish the season on a high and I hope many of them continue their development within the sport and hopefully enjoy more victories.

Mr Fraser Dobney (Coach)

Girls Cricket

Record: played 4; won 4; cancelled 2

Abbie Whybrow (Captain, 4th, Q), Molly Clarke (4th, W), Hannah Wood (4th, W), Olivia Elliot (4th, A), India Turner (4th, W), Amelia Kitson (4th, A), Flora Fletcher (3rd, A), Honor Skelding (4th, A), Izzy Crossland (4th, W), Florence Needham (5th, W), Annabelle Rigg (5th, Q), Emily Drysdale (5th, W), Evie Webb (5th, C), Eloise Harrison (3rd, A), Violet Levinson (4th, A), Izzy Reid (3rd, Q), Emily Conner (3rd, W), Sanaya Gheewala (4th, W) What a thoroughly enjoyable and successful season this talented squad of girls experienced. Their success can be measured in a number of ways: a 100% win rate; the participation increasing from a team of 11 to a squad of 18; an historical encounter on Speech Day against Dumbleton Cricket Club; and above all, their ability to gel as a team and work hard for each other was outstanding from start to finish. I can honestly say that this is possibly the liveliest squad of players that I have had the pleasure of coaching in my time so far at College; their zest and enthusiasm to perform was truly refreshing and long may it continue. From a cricketing perspective, it was important that the girls built on their achievement in the indoor Lady Taverners competition and they didn’t disappoint. The momentum certainly continued and four strong wins against testing opposition cemented a great effort by all. I would like to end by saying thank you to Mr John Whybrow for assisting with the team and umpiring throughout the term and to all those that came to support. However, it is the girls that deserve the lion’s share of the appreciation as it was they who made the season hugely enjoyable. Well done.

Mr Matt Walton (Coach)

In the second-half of the term we won all of our games against schools such as Bradfield College and Marlborough College and a number of players including Ned Hanbury, Joe Murphy and Munaki were rewarded with promotion to the A squad. As a coach, I have genuinely enjoyed taking this side and I am really looking forward to watching them develop as they move through College.

Mr Will Bates (Coach)

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SPORT

Equestrian

It has been another great year for the equestrian team at College, with pupils competing in a range of disciplines: dressage, showjumping and eventing. It has been good to build on our second year of this being a school sport; we have been very lucky to have some specialised training from Tom Rowland, one of the country’s leading eventers, and Nicola Mahoney, a Grand Prix dressage rider. We competed at many competitions. The year started with a great win at Allens Hill, with the team of Poppy Pitt (4th, W), Honor McFarlane (5th, W), Tom O’Bryan (4th, S) and Laura Bingham (The Prep, Y8) in the showjumping, followed by another fab win for Tom in the dressage at Kings Equestrian, Bromyard, Hertfordshire, the following weekend. A few weeks later Poppy, Tom and Honor won the 1m level Eventers Challenge at Wickstead, which

qualified them for the Eventers Challenge Schools Championships at the All England Hickstead Show Ground. The following weekend the team qualified in the 90cm Eventers Challenge. With Poppy gaining an individual placing as well, we knew we would have a busy weekend at Hickstead in May! The One Day event at Calmsden, Cirencester saw a new rider for College, Georgia-Lili Robertson (3rd, W) who posted a promising result, along with Harriet and Joanna White (both U6, Ch), Tom and Laura. This was followed a few weeks later by our eventers being out at Swalcliffe Park, Banbury, with some top ten finishes. Lucy Pope (3rd, Ch) also started her eventing for College with a good placing at Elmwood. Hickstead saw a great weekend for the College team. The qualified team came 10th in the Eventers Challenge; Tom gained individual sixth in the jumping with style and Poppy also came first, second and third in numerous showjumping classes.

Tom, Poppy and Honor then bought out their inner dressage divas: the team won the dressage at Hartpury College and Honor was placed first individually in her class and Tom third in his class. The following day the riders were out in force at the Dean Close Inter Schools Showjumping competition, it was great to have some new riders with us: Lucy and Martha Llewellen Palmer from The Prep (Year 6) joined Tom, Georgia-Lili and Honor. We fielded teams in many classes and many of the riders came home with rosettesnotably third in the 1m team competition. It has been an exciting year for many of our riders and especially exciting that Poppy qualified for showjumping at the National Schools Championships in October 2017 and has been placed against adults in the British Eventing National Jumping and Style Championship. Tom has been selected to ride for the South West British Young Riders Dressage Squad and Honor has been selected for the South West and Central region team at the British Eventing U18 Championships. A massive thank you to all the parents who support College riding and drive their children endless miles to represent College, and especially to Mrs Jenny O’Bryan for heading up the team and organising all the training and entries.

Honor McFarlane (5th, W) Captain of Riding

Football

Topologically, a rugby ball and a football are equivalent. However, the games are very different. It was my great pleasure to take a football team to Wycliffe College for our first ever official match. Displaying superior passing and a genuine team ethic, the team played exceptionally well. The boys were led ably by Harry Potter (U6, S), whose robust defending meant that our goal was rarely threatened. Demilade Edwards (5th, H) played a blinder; scoring two goals. The final result was 1-4 to College; a deserved victory.

Dr Brendan Enright

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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Golf

Intouch Ruckpanich (U6, L), Parth Patel (U6, H), George Wells (L6, S), Olly Evans (U6, S), Jamie Orme (U6, S), William Clayton (U6, H), Paddy Scudamore (4th, BH), Sam Mendis (U6, Xt), William Cooper (U6, L), Thomas Maclaren (U6, S), Joshua Stanton (U6, NH) Captain: Intouch Ruckpanich (U6, L) The heights of a National Final at St Andrew’s last year were always going to be hard to repeat but this was once again an excellent year on the golfing front. The side was ably captained by Intouch Ruckpanich, whose consistently excellent ball striking and fine touch around the greens was a real benchmark for all of those in his ranks. An early season victory away to Marlborough College, in which William Clayton and George Wells brought home the vital last point, was a real boost of confidence heading into important HMC and Independent Schools Golf Association (ISGA) matches. A tricky away fixture to The King’s School, Worcester around a quirky golf course, in the ISGA Matchplay, saw the side come out second best to a team that exploited home advantage. A friendly against Malvern College at Puckrup Hall Golf Club quickly followed, but a dose of thunder and lightning rolling in off the Malvern Hills saw the fixture abandoned after only nine holes. Although the inclement weather and a shortened match was not ideal preparation for the HMC game

against Clifton College, the team dug deep and were victorious in sudden-death holes at Bristol and Clifton Golf Club. One of the highlights of the season came in mid-October when Intouch and Parth Patel represented College at the prestigious HMC singles. This is a competition held annually at the splendid Red Course at the Berkshire Golf Club and is open to single figure golfers from across the country. Both boys played some very solid golf, with Parth quickly realising the premium for hitting the fairway and as a result the driver remained firmly in the bag! On the drive home both boys were vocal in their admiration for one of the best courses they had ever played. Following a winter break, the boys returned to action at the end of the Spring Term in the annual West of England Public Schools Championship at Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. Typical links-like conditions greeted the boys but they fought the strong winds and quick greens admirably before finally bowing out to Marlborough College in the semi finals. Cotswold Hills Golf Club has once again been the base for the year, with this fine parkland golf course proving an exacting test for the boys week in, week out. Likewise, the practice facilities have allowed the squad, rain or shine, to get purposeful practise under their belts, even in the depths of winter. Plans are already afoot for next year including structured practise sessions with the local Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) professional, and an inaugural fixture for the girls

against Marlborough College. My thanks must go to Dr Brendan Enright for all of his efforts this year and to Mr Simon Conner who stepped in so kindly at the last minute to take the team to Burnham. We are all looking forward to teeing it up again next season.

Mr Jon Mace

Boys Hockey

This has been one of the most successful seasons in recent times for boys’ hockey. The 1st XI have led the way; their culture and displays inspiring the younger teams to match their efforts on the pitch. Of the 85 matches played in the term, there were 40 wins and 16 draws which produced 47% wins; an increase of 9% from the previous season. Additionally, 65% of matches were a win or draw for College; an increase of 11% from last season. Credit must be given to both the coaches and players, who always looked to push themselves to enjoy and perform whenever they were out on the astros. The standard of hockey displayed by teams throughout College has certainly improved and been elevated to a new high throughout the club. The top Seniors teams of the 1sts and 2nds only lost four games out of their sixteen. In fact, the 1sts only lost one game all term. At the Junior end, the Yearlings’ teams across the board were phenomenal: the Yearlings’ A had an unbeaten season; the B team lost only one game; and the C team, under Mr James Chaloner, recorded the best set of results for a C team in recent times at College. Of the 25 games played at this age group 88% finished in a win or draw for College and in total 76 goals were score; an average of three per game. The block fixtures included a new addition in Kingswood School and remained very competitive, and in addition, the standard of the Independent Schools’ Hockey League (ISHL) continues to rise. There were some extremely good club performances across the block fixtures: against St Edward’s School, Oxford, six wins and a draw were secured out of the ten matches of which all Yearlings were undefeated. The Wellington College fixture saw all Junior teams remain undefeated and of the eleven games, College won five and had four draws. In the Marlborough College block, both the 1sts and 2nds were winners and out of the twelve matches, College was once again on top for five games and had two draws. The arrival of Bromsgrove School brought a dominant display from College teams. Five wins and a draw resulted from the eight fixtures and again all Yearlings’ teams were undefeated as well as the top Senior teams. To complete a truly remarkable Yearlings’ season, in the final fixture of the term with Abingdon School, all teams were once again unbeaten in their games; from the eleven matches played, College won five and drew two. Within the ISHL set up, College again showed its strength with involvement in the race for five titles. In his first term with us Mr James Copeland-Jordan led his Yearlings’ B team to an unbeaten run in their league and the title. The Yearlings’ A team were unfortunate to finish

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runners up in their league, even though they too were unbeaten. Both the 2nd XI and Junior Colts’ A team finished a creditable third and the 1st XI performed exceptionally well- just missing out on the title but only losing to the eventual champions Abingdon. The standard of play transferred across to House pots, where both finals for the Seniors and Juniors were fiercely contested and tight matches. The Junior final between Boyne and Southwood finished at a 1-1 draw. Boyne managed to keep their composure in the resultant penalty shuffles and win. Southwood were present in the Senior final too, but with Newick this time. The level of play on display was fantastic and a great credit to both Houses but Southwood just came out on top to win 1-0. Yet again there are a number of Cheltonians representing College within the hockey world. OC Hattie Bevan (2010-2015, A) in her first year at Cambridge gained her hockey Blue and Max Pemberton (5th, H) was part of the Cheltenham U16 team that was crowned National Champions at Lee Valley Hockey Centre. Emily Drysdale (5th, W) made her debut for Wales U18 girls against Ireland, Switzerland and Scotland. This is a fantastic achievement for her and even more remarkable as she was still 15 years old on her debut. Both Mr Gwyn Williams and Mr Will Packer remain major components as coach and manager for the Wales U18 boys’ programme. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire hockey staff involved this term. My job is made much easier by the commitment, passion and drive the staff demonstrate towards their respective teams. It is a great strength of College that these members of the Common Room are striving to make sure pupils have a positive and enjoyable experience of hockey. This takes time and energy, for this I am truly grateful to a unique set of staff. The results have been a just reward for all their efforts.

1st XI

Record: played 10; won 6; drew 3; lost 1; goals for 24; goals against 13; goal difference 11; Independent Schools’ Hockey League (ISHL) position: second

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Jamie Thorley (U6, BH), James Palmer (U6, BH), Olly Hill (L6, L), Harvey Edwards (5th, S), William Clayton (U6, H), Joshua Stanton (U6, NH), Roger Mortimore (L6, S), Ali Pearce (5th, Xt), Jamie Orme (U6, S), Oscar Butcher (5th, H), Max Dymoke (U6, NH), Frederick Foster (U6, NH), Jason Soames (L6, BH), Jono Jamieson-Black (Captain, U6, H), Paddy Christopher (L6, H) Coaches: Mr Gwyn Williams and Mr Will Packer Once again, the XI held its pre-season training camp initially at College and then transferred up to Rugby School for their annual tournament. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Jon Mace for allowing us to stay in Christowe over this period. It allows us the time to develop our team culture and establish our team structures and goals for the short term ahead. Although there were some Senior players missing, the camp proved to be of great value. In the conditioning session, it transpired that this was the best conditioned squad in College and players began to take ownership of where the XI was heading. At the tournament, a win was recorded over Gresham’s School and a draw with Bloxham School. The squad suffered some injuries and headed into the last game with Rugby School with only eleven fit players. Even so they managed to demonstrate their resilience to win the game 2-1, which resulted in winning the whole tournament. This was a just reward for the effort they had demonstrated over the three days. The arrival of those missing players soon added value to the squad and enhanced the training

environment. This experienced group of players was certainly looking forward to the start of the fixture card and ISHL season. Winning the tournament at pre-season had given the squad a great sense of confidence and belief in the way they were going to play throughout the term. Kingswood School was a new block fixture and a tough start but one the squad responded to under the leadership of Jono Jamieson-Black and, for this instance, Mr Packer, while Mr Williams was away with Wales U21s at the European Indoor Championships. In a fiercely competitive game, which was going to be the tone for each match of the term, the XI came away with a 2-2 draw. Unfortunately, the freezing weather forced the cancellation of the Bradfield College fixture and the XI were heading into the exeat break with the prospect of only one ISHL fixture against St Edward’s School, Oxford completed. The lack of match intensity can at times hinder a team but this XI had ensured its training environment not only had intensity but also improvement and challenge. Although the XI went 1-0 down quite early on to St Edward’s they responded in the manner that would define their season: don’t panic, trust what we had done in training and ensure we pressed and played with relentless intensity. This tactic was becoming our biggest strength, squeezing the opposition into errors and taking our opportunities when they were presented. The XI were rewarded with a 5-2 win and Jason Soames scored his first hat-trick for College. The attitude of the group was summed up at the end of the game, where the reflection was on the ten minutes where they let St Edward’s back into the game to 3-2 and the missed opportunity to go six or seven goals up in the end. Next up after the break was Wellington College, and although the XI again started a little slow, the experience and expertise of James Palmer in goal ensured Wellington could not take advantage and College was able to once again score at the right times to seize control of the game and a 3-0 win. That was two games in the ISHL and two wins with a bonus point and a great atmosphere and belief was amongst the group. Mr Packer summed it up by saying all we could ask for was to get into the last game and be in contention for the league title. Each game was to be taken as it came.

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Marlborough College always presents a challenge and this was a group that contained players who had been at National Finals the previous year as Colts, and were also unbeaten in their fixtures. A tight game with both teams going at each other, was decided by two clinical strikes; one each from Roger Mortimore and Oscar Butcher, who both were outstanding that day in controlling the flow of the game for College and the 2-0 win. Travelling away to Radley College was going to be a very stern challenge, but this group had demonstrated that whatever challenge was presented to them they responded to it positively and worked as a group to adapt and overcome it. Again, both teams were seeking a win and the lead changed hands throughout the game; though Radley were able to covert three corners, College responded with some delightful open play and Jason, again, grabbing two goals. He demonstrated throughout the term his ability for goal scoring: aware of where the goal is, where he needed to be and how to finish it off. Despite being 3-2 down with a few minutes to play, the XI came away with a draw and continued their unbeaten streak. The Bromsgrove School fixture saw a break in ISHL action and this again could have gone against the group as they began to look at the Abingdon School fixture. Sport is about momentum and grasping it; the group discussed this notion and were determined to maintain their focus and intensity. A slightly nervy first half saw College begin to take control of the game and two goals from Jono and a fantastic solo effort from Jamie Thorley saw the XI eventually win 3-1. So, the final game of the season with Abingdon was as a simple as it could be; a win for the XI and they would achieve an unbeaten season and a league title. The fixture with Abingdon over the years has produced some fantastically tight but intense games and this one did not fail to deliver. In the opening fifteen minutes of the game, College were dominated by a skilful Abingdon team and placed under an immense amount of pressure. Again, the talented James Palmer demonstrated why he had been number one choice for the previous three seasons. The XI got through this phase only 1-0 down, and started to play with belief in each other. For the majority of the second

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half, College were encamped in the Abingdon half and putting their opponents under an intense siege but could not find that final finish to all the pressure and creativity they were displaying. Unfortunately, time ran out and Abingdon came away with a 2-1 win. Although the XI did not come away with an unbeaten season or the title, they achieved so much as a group in the term. The culture in which they trained was fantastic; a sense of no blame was evident throughout and each individual was willing to work for the other to achieve the group’s outcome. It has been an absolute honour to work with this group this term, and especially the captain Jono; a true winner and sportsman in his mentality that filtered down throughout the group. With his skilled displays on the pitch and his chats off it, his leadership has been a major part of what has been achieved this term. For those leaving, I thank them for all their effort and time committed to hockey here. For those staying on, they have the responsibility to take this legacy on and to strive to do better in all aspects of this great game of hockey and all it has to offer in learning about yourself and your teammates. I would also like to take this opportunity to publicly say a massive thank you to Mr Will Packer for his guidance, his words of wisdom and life management chats with both me and the XI over this term. He has stepped up on numerous occasions to ensure the boys have had the best possible experience in their hockey here and, importantly, that they have enjoyed it. Colours Re-Award: James Palmer Full Colours: Jono Jamieson-Black, Roger Mortimore Half Colours: Will Clayton, Jamie Orme, Oscar Butcher, Max Dymoke, Freddie Foster, Jason Soames, Jamie Thorley Players’ Player: James Palmer Coaches Player: Roger Mortimore Clubman of the Year: Joshua Stanton

Mr Gwyn Williams

2nd XI

Record: played 6; won 3; lost 3; cancelled 1; goals for 15; goals against 12; goal difference 3; Independent Schools’ Hockey League (ISHL) position: 3rd

Theo Taylor (L6, Xt), Jack Mitchell (L6, NH), Finlay Milton (U6, Xt), Oliver Ruthven (L6, L), Killian Hughes (L6, S), Edward Winstanley (L6, S), Eduardo Capelastegui (L6, BH), Edward Johnston (U6, L), Thomas Maclaren (U6, S), Jordan Pemberton (L6, H), Charlie Holloway (U6, L), Daniel Ward (L6, NH), Sam Cook (L6, NH), Hugo Bradshaw (U6, L), Merlin Miller (U6, L) The team have had an encouraging season. It would be fair to say that the team have grown in stature and maturity especially during the second half of term. We started the season against Kingswood School really well. A fast paced game that was end to end unfortunately took its toll on our goalkeeper Theo Taylor, who badly injured his shoulder saving a one against one. Oliver Ruthven stepped in having never played in goal and put in a performance out of the top drawer. It was an extremely close game and although we lost 2-1, it felt like a victory having overcome the injury early in the game. Next, we faced Wellington College, which was probably the most frustrating game of the season as countless opportunities failed to find the goal. Some fantastic finishing early on from Hugo Bradshaw and electric pace from Charlie Holloway showed the capabilities of the team but unfortunately a few lapses in concentration allowed Wellington back in to win 4-3.

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Marlborough College was the next big challenge in the Independent Schools’ Hockey League (ISHL) and with it being our first home game of the season, the boys were keen to put in a big performance. They didn’t disappoint and with Eduardo Capelastegui at the heart of everything good, as well as the link play of Hugo and Daniel Ward, we came away with a great 2-1 win. The next challenge was probably one of the best performances I have seen from a 2nd team in the shape of Radley College. Sometimes you have to applaud the opposition and in this case, they were excellent. It was a big learning curve for the players and one in which they certainly bounced back from when playing Bromsgrove School the following week. This was a great game, especially with the new addition of Merlin Miller, from the 3rds, who almost grabbed a hat trick. This then followed nicely into our final game against Abingdon School where we played some outstanding hockey: some great interplay between Thomas Maclaren and Jordan Pemberton freed up Hugo to open the scoring. The floodgates then opened in the second half and it finished 3-0. With six fixtures and a cancelled game against Bradfield, it felt that the team had only just got going by the end of term but the improvement and skill shown throughout has been fantastic. We finished against Abingdon having played some of our best hockey and ended the season third in the ISHL league. Well done especially to leavers Charlie, Edward Johnston, Hugo, Finlay Milton, Thomas Maclaren and Merlin.

Mr Olly Morgan (Coach)

3rd XI

Record: played 6; won 4; lost 2; goals for 14; goals against 13; goal difference 1

down at half time, as William Cresswell (aka The Wall) made numerous show-stopping saves. In the second half, however, it was a different story, with Talis Harris poking in a cheeky goal at the beginning. With this, spirits lifted and we were determined to break their nine-year winning streak. It was 10 minutes before the end of the game when we had a short-corner converted by Talis which firmly put an end to Kingswood’s winning streak. In playing St Edward’s School, Oxford, we were up against the U18 B Team and thus one team higher than us. For this game, we witnessed the inaugural appearance of Tom James, who turned in a star performance. However, it was Jack Burns who scored two screamers and contributed towards our convincing 4-0 win. Riding on the crest of a wave following a 4-2 victory over a vanquished Wellington College 3rd XI, we set our sights on Marlborough College. Despite the confusion over what appeared to be mufti day for Marlborough, their 3rd XI actually produced some quite intoxicating hockey at times. The ‘bow-tie and beanie’ combination took us unawares, and although we had inherited Charlie Boyce from the 2nd XI, we found ourselves 4-1 down at half time. Miss Charli Roberts delivered a compelling motivational address during the break and we did manage one goal, but sadly this wasn’t enough to fend off Marlborough in a painful 2-6 defeat. Our match against Radley College certainly lived up to its billing as one of the biggest games of the season. Although we turned in what was, in my opinion, the performance of the season, we were unfortunate in that Radley scored a couple of quick goals and we found it hard to bounce back afterwards. Unfortunately, we lost the game 4-1 but conceded with magnanimity to arguably our most impressive opponents of the term. In our last game of the season and the toughest opponents on paper, we were pumped to get a win in our game against Abingdon School (away). Merlin ‘the Magician’ Miller played for us immediately following his 2nd XI fixture, cementing further why he was undoubtedly our Player of the Season. We dominated this game from the off and were gifted umpteen chances. However, it took Tom in a retro Roger Federer headband to knock in a forehand from close range to score our only goal. It was a fantastic and fitting end to a great season for the mighty 3rd XI.

Benedict Frisby (Captain, U6, L)

Benedict Frisby (Captain, U6, L), William Cresswell (U6, BH), Jack Burns (U6, NH), Merlin Miller (U6, L), Charles Tombleson (U6, L), George Stubbs (U6, NH), Dougal Rees (L6, Xt), Talis Harris (L6, NH), George Symes-Thompson (U6, BH), Charlie Boyce (L6, H), Jack Gibson (L6, L), William Lait (U6, H), Laurence Davies (U6, S), Tom James (L6, L) Coach: Nick Nelson Our first game of the season was against Kingswood School and a fixture we had never played before, thus it was very highly anticipated. Rumours spread quickly that Kingswood’s 3rd XI hadn’t lost a game in nine years! Furnished with this knowledge we were very keen to upset their supreme reign. We were lucky to be only 1-0

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

4th XI

Record: played 3; drew 1; lost 2; goals for 1; goals against 5; goal difference -4 Henry Johnson (L6, H), Benedict Sutton (L6, H), Tom Smith (L6, BH), Thomas Maddinson (L6, S), Oliver Smith (L6, S), Kieran Thorley (L6, BH), George Wells (L6, S), Kieran Brown (L6, Xt), Jacob David-Ward (L6, S), Parth Patel (U6, H), Sam Mendis (U6, Xt), James Lewin (L6, NH), Benjamin Wood (U6, NH), Henry Vivian (L6, S), Jago Skelding (L6, BH), Harrison Campbell (L6, L), Philip Leenart (L6, L), Jeremy Wahome (U6, Xt), Giuseppe D’Istria (L6, H) In typical 4th XI style the season was full of determination and positivity. A large squad each

week in training meant that there was heavy competition for places and a great desire to play for the team. The first fixture, away at Dean Close School, was a game the team should have won. They played with a high level of skill but succumbed to a late goal against the run of play before the team showed great resolve to press and equalise with two minutes to go. It was an early sign that when the team put their mind to a task they were more than capable. The following match against Marlborough College was a similar story. The team played the better hockey and put some good phases of hockey together but struggled to deal with a route-one style of play from the opposition, who sneaked a goal, and held on for the win. Radley College away drew the season to an end. A very strong outfit, who played with an unusually high tempo and work rate, meant they stretched out to a 2-0 lead at half time. Despite a much more resolute and gritty performance in the second half, Radley secured the win. The team can look back on the season with their heads held high. They all showed some skilful play, beyond what one would expect from a 4th XI and an increasing team spirit through the season. This young team will be in a very strong position for some good victories next season.

Mr Ben Rees (Coach)

Colts A

Record: played 7; won 1; drew 3; lost 3; goals for 15; goals against 21; goal difference - 6

Oliver Baker (5th, NH), Tommy Birch (5th, Xt), Robbie Carson (5th, S), William Dyke (5th, NH), George Elliot (5th, NH), Ollie Frisby (5th, L), Jonnie Gunn (5th, BH), Oliver Isherwood (5th, L), Sebastian Lee (5th, NH), Charles Meecham-Jones (5th, XT), Max Pemberton (5th, H), Alexander Sharam (5th, NH), Felix Watson-Smyth (5th, Xt), Max Williams (5th, NH), Jonny Kite (5th, H) With a fairly new squad this season due to players moving up into the 1st XI and injuries, the boys knew it was going to be a challenging season ahead. Nevertheless, they trained hard and had some pleasing draws to start off the ISHL season, including tough opposition from St Edward’s School, Oxford, Wellington College and Marlborough College. The latter saw the team coming back into the game from 3-1 down to draw 3-3. Following these close results, the team had a huge confidence boost and there was evidence of improvement in individuals that really showed true resilience and determination. A specific

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mention should be made of William Dyke, who came from the U15 B/C team, and scored goals and developed his game throughout and Charles Meecham-Jones, the goalkeeper, who hadn’t played in goal before. He improved considerably throughout making some game changing saves.

Junior Colts A

Record: played 11; won 5; drew 2; lost 4; goals for 24; goals against 17; goal difference 7

Junior Colts B

Record: played 7; won 1; drew 1; lost 5; goals for 11; goals against 20; goal difference -9

One of the highlights was a friendly game against Bromsgrove School winning 6-1 at home. After a tough defeat in the ISHL against Radley College away the week before, the boys were determined to win and played great hockey. Big thanks go to Mr James Coull who supported and coached the team all the way and encouraged them throughout the season. Due to more injuries and less availability for the last fixture against Abingdon School it was due to be a battle of the fittest. With Charles in goal, making some outstanding saves having already played another game beforehand, it was very even for the majority of the game. There were new positions and players again but the team fought hard and stopped Abingdon from scoring more goals in the second half for a 5-1 defeat. Captain Max Pemberton was integral to the midfield and led the team with determination and pride. A special mention goes to Oliver Baker and Alexander Sharam for their consistent and competent defending. Although there were disruptions and tough opposition, we cannot fault their commitment to improve in training and determination to fight in matches. It has been a pleasure coaching the team for two years and I wish them luck in the Senior teams.

Miss Charli Roberts (Coach)

Colts B

Record: played 5; drew 1; lost 4; goals for 15; goals against 10; goal difference 5 Christian Campbell (5th, BH), Nicholas Hill (5th, BH), Edward Nelson (5th, BH), Benjamin Southall (5th, BH), George Wilford (5th, Xt), Max Williams (5th, NH), Jack Clement (Captain, 5th, S), Aryia Patel (5th, H), James Burden (5th, BH), Zac Robertson (5th, NH), Hugo Bailey (5th, B), Benjamin Anton-Smith (5th, S), Edward Shaw (5th, L), Thomas Styler (5th, H), Oliver Frisby (5th, L), Nicholas Avery (5th, NH) The 2017 hockey season for the team could be described as disappointing in terms of results and the statistics above would certainly go a long way to reinforce this. It would be fair to say that the stats do not tell the complete story and it was evident that the squad enjoyed their hockey despite the results not going their way. The boys trained and played with smiles on their faces, they never threw in the towel and their effort levels during the games were outstanding. A few of the players were maybe left wondering what could have been if the same effort levels had been applied in the training sessions. It was a shame that the team weren’t more successful but if success was to be measured in enjoyment, then one could argue that this had certainly been achieved.

Jude Clayton (4th, BH), Will Buttress (4th, S), William Gibson (4th, L), Bryn Fair (4th, BH), Harry Jinks (4th, S), William Stanton (4th, NH), Ethan Harney (4th, L), Sebastian Blake (4th, BH), Gus Milton (4th, Xt), Louis Hillman-Cooper (4th, S), Sid Mitchell (4th, NH), James Boyle (4th, S), Edward Ferris ((4th, NH), Paddy Scudamore (4th, BH), Harry Stewart (4th, L) With a strong team spirit, a tireless work rate and an endeavour to grow as a team, the boys had an excellent Spring Term of hockey. This talented group showed qualities beyond their years and will continue to develop and contribute greatly to College hockey in their Senior years. William Gibson and Bryn Fair were rewarded for their resilience and focus by being elevated to the A team, where they gave performances worthy of recognition. With an improved game understanding and awareness of their role in the team, each member of the squad ensured some fantastic team hockey was played. They did well to implement tactics themselves in order to play to their strengths. With the team losing or drawing fixtures in which they had performed dominantly but without reward, our results did not always tell the full story The Marlborough College away victory 4-1 and the draw against Abingdon School 2-2 after trailing 2-0 were the highlights of the term. Some outstanding attacking hockey was put on show and Sebastian Blake, Louis Hillman-Cooper and Harry Stewart gave performances beyond their years. A big thank you goes to all involved for their positive attitude and dedication throughout the term. The manner in which they conducted themselves was a credit to College.

Mr Nick Runciman (Coach)

William Buttress (4th, S), Javier Peralta Martin (4th, L), Archie Garbutt (4th, S), Dominic Kelly (4th, NH), Joshua Read (4th, Xt), Joshua Naylor-Higgs (4th, S), Tom O’Bryan (4th, S), Paddy Scudamore (4th, BH), William Westlake (4th, S), Edward Hitchins (4th, NH), Freddie Scott (4th, S), Max Sutton (4th, NH), James Kirk (4th, BH), Miles Watkins (4th, S), Maximilian Pini (4th, NH) On looking at the team’s playing record you would not be blamed for thinking that this has been a poor season for this squad. It has been quite the opposite and although the team secured very few victories, they all finished the season better hockey players. Our first fixture against Kingswood School was a physical encounter, with many of the boys forgetting that the rugby season had finished and the hockey one had begun. The team put in a great performance and secured what would be our only victory of the season. A frustrating fixture against St Edward’s School, Oxford, saw us lose out to a last-minute strike that came off the back of a well worked counter-attacking move. Our match with Wellington College was probably our most competitive match and even though we enjoyed most of the possession, their goalkeeper was fantastic; he stopped everything that we threw at him and single-handedly earned a draw for his team. Our final match saw us face an unbeaten Abingdon School side. The boys had trained well that week and I was quietly confident going into the fixture. Abingdon took a two-goal lead quickly but the College boys fought back to bring it level just after half time. Unfortunately, the Abingdon boys moved up through the gears and took two more well worked goals securing victory and an unbeaten season. The team have come a long way since the beginning of the season and I know that as they mature as hockey players, they will become a more formidable unit. They began playing more intelligently near the end of the season and if they can build on this further, then I can see no reason why they should not enjoy more success in the future.

Mr Fraser Dobney (Coach)

Mr Matt Walton (Coach)

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Junior Colts C

Record: played 5; won 3; lost 2; goals for 11; goals against 5; goal difference 6

Guy Beazley (4th, NH), Charlie Gardiner (4th, NH), Theo Kace (4th, BH), Kamil Khayrov (4th, NH), Imaan Khyra (4th, H), Kit Ely (4th, L), Harry Lyle (Captain, 4th, S), Piers Morgan (4th, Xt), Oscar Stevens (4th, Xt), Milo Watkins (4th, S), James Whittal (4th, NH), Maximilian Pini (4th, NH) Winning three of our five fixtures and scoring eleven goals in the process, the team have enjoyed a fine season. We got off to a shaky start, being overpowered by a superb Bradfield College side (3-1). However, the team learned a number of valuable lessons from this match and changed shape and personnel for our second match against St Edward’s School, Oxford. As a result, our fortunes changed and we won this match in style 2-0. We continued this running style for the rest of the season and Kit Ely, James Whittal and Maximilian Pini were always a threat whenever in front of the goal. The team were also indebted on a number of occasions to Oscar Stevens, who was excellent in goal and the defensive efforts of the back four. It was fitting that we completed the season with a 6-0 victory over Abingdon School. Overall this was an enjoyable season and the team worked hard and improved immensely throughout.

Mr Will Bates (Coach)

Yearlings A

Record: played 10; won 8; drew 2; goals for 39; goals against 11; goal difference 28

The statistics above are just a small window into the outstanding season that this group of boys put together. As a team they were creatively destructive in attack (averaging just under four goals per game) and relentlessly dogged in defence (only conceding on 11 occasions). Yet these statistics don’t relay the effort levels in training, the unwavering support for each other and the sportsmanship with which they conducted themselves. The first two games of the season, against Kingswood School and Bradfield College, were tight victories as they gained an understanding of both their style of play and their individual strengths. They really kicked up a gear on a freezing cold January afternoon just before exeat, when they dispatched St Edward’s School, Oxford 9-0, including a wonderful drag flicked short corner from Simon Oates. The two toughest games on paper (Wellington College and Marlborough College) appeared in quick succession and, despite being up with minutes to play, the 3-3 draw against Wellington was ultimately hard to stomach. The game away against Marlborough was the real highlight of the season, with both teams going into the fixture undefeated. Despite going down early in the game, the boys fought back to be 2-1 up with 15 minutes to play. These proved to be 15 minutes of real defensive resilience coupled with a steely resolve to close the match out and ultimately bag a brilliant win. Victories continued to follow with a solid 2-0 win at home to Radley College and a 5-2 victory away to Bromsgrove School. As the last game of the season against Abingdon School approached, it became clear that this was to be the ISHL title decider. The boys produced a wonderful first half display to go into the break 2-0 up but Abingdon fought back with some superb hockey in the 2nd half to leave honours even at the final whistle (2-2). With a better goal difference, Abingdon just pipped the boys to the league title spoils. The aforementioned result should not though detract from a season of the highest of standards. Captained by William Hechle, they were a wonderful group to coach. They were receptive of advice, unrelenting in their efforts and good humoured to the end. The future of College hockey looks very bright indeed.

Mr Jonathan Mace (Coach) and Miss Dani Black (Coach)

Yearlings B

Record: played 8; won 5; drew 2; lost 1; goals for 24; goals against 7; goal difference 17

Edward Calder (3rd, BH), Charlie Anton-Smith (3rd, S), Sebastian Cornwell (3rd, Xt), Charlie Davison (3rd, BH), Gus Edwards (3rd, H), Monty Graveney (3rd, L), William Hechle (Captain, 3rd, Xt), Seb Kimber (3rd, NH), Munaki Munjanganja (3rd, BH) Simon Oates (3rd, Xt), William Taylor (3rd, BH), Tigue Torode (3rd, H), Edward Walker (3rd, Xt), Oliver Walker (3rd, N)

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Edward Hartley (Captain, 3rd, H), Munaki Munjanganja (3rd, BH), Billy Mayes (3rd, H), Hector Mur Lopez (3rd, NH), Tigue Torode (3rd, H), Kirill Shcherbakov (3rd, H), William Bradley (3rd, L), Piers Brown (3rd, BH), William Blowers (3rd, BH), Alexander Taylor (3rd, H), Felix TaylorKimmins (3rd, BH), Zach French (3rd, H), Deji Adetona (3rd, L), Ben Percival (3rd, NH), Oliver Schallamach (3rd, BH), Rory Southall (3rd, BH), Charlie Baker (3rd, NH), Dekhan Dodo (3rd, L), Joe Murphy (3rd, L), Gus Edwards (3rd, H), Archie Faskin (3rd, H), Sebastian Cornwell (3rd, Xt), Andre Zamora Morales (3rd, S), Edward Walker (3rd, Xt). The start of the hockey season is always a challenging one. The team bring a range of ability and skills from a plethora of prep schools. Therefore establishing a team from only one session is tricky. The first fixture against Kingswood School reflected this poor readiness with a 1-0 defeat at home. Despite this, a trip to Rendcomb College saw a strengthened team renew their confidence and self-belief with a stunning 6-0 win. Outstanding performances from Alexander Taylor, Edward Hartley and Munaki Munjanganja helped seal the victory. This fixture set the tone for the season to come. A frosty Saturday morning the following week cancelled our trip to Bradfield College; our first ISHL match of the season. St Edward’s School, Oxford were therefore our first challenge in the ISHL. A bitterly cold January afternoon in Oxford saw the team bring the momentum they had gathered from Rendcomb and delivered an emphatic 5-0 victory. Our next fixture was Wellington College at home. A cold morning on the Linton Astroturf saw a nervy squad edge a 2-1 win over a strong and physical Wellington side. Memories of the Kingswood defeat were clearly cast aside in the minds of the boys, who extolled many of College’s Floreat virtues on the pitch. Marlborough College was to be our biggest challenge. A fixture that will remain long in the memory of this coach and of the boys who voted it their favourite match of the season. College were 2-0 down to a very capable and skilful Marlborough side. Despite this, in the final three minutes of the game, with a tiring opposition, the tenacious pairing of Zach French and Edward Hartley managed to scrape back a 2-2 draw; all we needed was an extra minute and it could have been 3-2! Clearly ebullient with this stunning display of resilience, grit and determination, College dismissed Radley College the following week with a 3-1 win at home. The following week saw a trip up the M5 to Bromsgrove School. College faced a recalcitrant opposition with very strong defensive and offensive plays. Goal keeping duties fell to Andre Zamora Morales to whom we owe the 2-2 score line. His almost catlike reflexes managed to save many well-executed Bromsgrove attacks and without him the score would be very different. The final fixture of the season saw Abingdon School travel to College on a surprisingly warm March afternoon. A confident and very physical College side slowly dismantled the Abingdon Yearling’ B team. A dogged performance from Zach and sensational goals from Deji Adetona (2), Piers Brown and Joe Murphy sealed a 4-0 victory. It was clear from the outset that a win would bring together the momentum and passion displayed

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in the previous fixtures and mean the ISHL title would be ours. Securing the title with a 9-point lead is a phenomenal achievement in this, their first year at College. They will certainly be a team to watch in the future.

built an early lead, only for the opposition to score twice in quick succession in the second half. In the final minute of the match, Charlie Redvers threaded a delightful ball through to Dekhan, who lifted the ball over the rushing keeper and into the far corner.

Yearlings C

As the boys had the chance to break the Yearlings’ C team record for the most wins in a season, a large crowd gathered at Cotswold for the final game of the season against Abingdon School. Dekhan scored with a superb reverse stick in the first half before Joe finished from a short corner. A swift counter attack then brought Stanley Mok a well-deserved goal at the end. The defence was stubborn throughout, thanks to Tom Beazley, Charlie Heardman, Charles Hellens and Peter, who had formed an excellent partnership over the course of the term. It was a fantastic end to a magnificent record-breaking hockey season, and the squad will only improve next year.

Mr James Copeland-Jordan (Coach)

Record: played 7; won 4; drew 1; lost 2; goals for 13; goals against 13; goal difference 0

Mr James Chaloner (Coach)

Girls Hockey Peter Marstrand (Captain, 3rd, S), Charlie Baker (3rd, NH), Tom Beazley (3rd, NH), Jude Bridge (3rd, S), Seb Burden (3rd, BH), Wing Yan Cheung (3rd, L), Dekhan Dodo (3rd, L), Ned Hanbury (3rd, BH), Charlie Heardman (3rd, BH), Charles Hellens (3rd, L), William Kace (3rd, BH), Hector Mur Lopez (3rd, NH), Stanley Mok (3rd, Xt), Andre Zamora Morales (3rd, S), Joe Murphy (3rd, L), Charlton Ngan (3rd, H), Krish Patel (3rd, L), Charlie Redvers (3rd, NH), Oliver Schallamach (3rd, BH), Rory Southall (3rd, BH), Alexander Sparkes (3rd, Xt), Ethan Tsang (3rd, BH), Alfie Watkins (3rd, S), Thomas White (3rd, H), Zhong Zhuang (3rd, S) The season began with a defeat away at Bradfield College on a freezing afternoon in Berkshire. In spite of the loss, it was clear that the boys were very motivated and full of industry on the field. College enjoyed much more possession against St Edward’s School, Oxford in the next fixture, running out comfortable 3-0 winners, with Rory Southall scoring twice and Krish Patel rounding off the win with an emphatic finish. Indeed, with some excellent counter-attacking play from Joe Murphy and Ned Hanbury, there could have been more goals. The boys battled to a brilliant 2-1 victory over Wellington College in the next game, demonstrating resolute defence and plenty of grit. Ned and Hector Mur Lopez both scored with excellent strikes. College’s defence was under constant pressure for the final 10 minutes, but a well-organised unit, marshalled by the superb captain, Peter Marstrand, stood strong. Unfortunately, illness and injuries depleted the squad for the away trip to Marlborough College, which resulted in defeat, but Seb Burden scored an absolutely cracking goal as consolation. The final three games of the season will live long in the memory. In front of a stellar crowd on Cotswold, Dekhan Dodo bundled home a last-minute equaliser against Radley College to draw 1-1. Andre Zamora Morales pulled off the save of the season too to deny a potentially match winning strike. The following week at Bromsgrove School, goals from Alexander Sparkes and Joe

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This was undoubtedly one of the most successful seasons in recent years for not only the 1st XI but also the Girls Hockey Club as a whole. Of the 121 games completed in the term, 46% were wins rising to 53% when including matches finishing in a draw. The U14 team qualified to West Hockey Association finals as County Champions, and the U18 reached the semi-finals of the West Hockey Association Indoor. In the block fixtures there were some outstanding achievements with seven wins and one draw in the eight matches with Bloxham School. Against Bromsgrove School, seven out of nine games were won. All Juniors were victorious against St Edward’s School, Oxford and in total nine teams won out of the 11 matches. The strength of the club was further demonstrated with eight wins from 10 matches and again all Juniors claimed wins. Not to be outdone, all three Senior teams remained undefeated in matches with Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Wellington College. When faced with local opposition once again in Dean Close School, of the nine matches, the girls recorded five victories and a draw. The last notable achievement from a block was in the new fixture with Prior Park College and of the eight matches, five wins and a draw occurred. The club has truly performed well throughout the term and this was seen in the final standings in the Interscholastic Hockey League (ISHL). Of the eight leagues, top three places were achieved by five teams. There were second place finishes for the 1st XI, 2nd XI and 3rd XI, then third place spots for the Junior Colts’ A team and Yearlings’ A team. In the House competition every girl that played hockey during the term was able to represent their House. In the Junior pots Queen’s won both the Plate and Cup competition and in the Seniors, Queen’s once again prevailed in the cup competition whilst Westal managed to secure the Plate competition. There are a number of players that have been involved and are still training at a regional level. But it is worth noting that two players made

it to the next level, and were chosen to play in the Futures Cup as part of England’s hockey selection process for their National Age Group squads. Brittany Sutton-Page (L6, Q) was chosen to represent Wessex Leopards U18, achieving a runners up medal, and Emily Drysdale (5th, W) was chosen to play for the Celtic Jaguars U16 and was also voted their Player of the Tournament. Both have since been selected nationally: Emily becoming part of the U18 Wales training squad and Brittany, England’s Advanced Apprenticeship in Sport programme. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Common Room staff involved in Girls’ hockey for their time, dedication and efforts both on and off the astro in ensuring the girls, no matter what level they played, enjoyed their time and experiences of College hockey.

Mr Gwyn Williams

1st XI

Record: played 12; won 6; drew 0; lost 6; goals for 26; goals against 24; goal difference 2

ISHL position: Runners Up India Blake (Captain, U6, Q) and Millie Broom (Captain, U6, W), Charlotte Ball (U6, Ch), Zara Wynne (U6, Q), Jemma Robson (U6, W), Brittany Sutton-Page (L6, Q), Juliette Lamden (U6, Q), Emily Drysdale (5th, W), Ella Mayes (U6, A), Rose Jones (L6, Q), Stephanie Symcox (L6, Q), Sophie Baillie-Hamilton (U6, Q), Amber Beachus (L6, W), Martha Elliott (L6, W), Emily Campbell (U6, Ch) The girls arrived at the pre-season camp in good spirits and soon it was very evident that this group were committed to creating their own culture for the XI; a positive learning environment and a desire to inspire others in future years. This was also a group that would later in the term demonstrate their togetherness when faced with any challenge. Based at Westal, the camp was split between team building, fitness testing and training. To finish there was a trip to Rugby School for their annual tournament. A major strength of this group was its leaders, and this season it was decided that two was better than one with India Blake and Millie Broom being made co-captains. This seemed to galvanise the group and bring the best out of each person both as leaders and players. The rest of the team also rose to the challenge laid down by the leadership group and looked to excel at all times. I cannot single out individuals as this was indeed a squad unified in its goals and strengthened by its culture. They were a group who loved to play for each other.

SPORT

The start to the season was indeed a tough set of matches on paper with away games at Rugby School and Repton School and a home match with Wellington College. But the group took each game in their stride and were able to reflect on each performance and thus look to improve every time we were together. The Rugby loss was an even match but showed the group they could not afford to switch off their concentration at any stage. A tight game against Wellington ended in a well-worked goal from a penalty corner and a deserved 1-0 win. There was a tremendous defensive effort against Repton, a major contender for the national title this season. From this moment the girls showed their true commitment to the values they had set down in pre-season. Through sheer grit and determination the group decided it had now played against three top teams and had developed as a unit. The girls had made errors and would learn from them. The decision was that they now had to maintain their intensity levels for the next set of games and ensure each time they went out they performed. This they did. I witnessed one of the best starts I have ever seen by a team at College in an effective pressing game which was implemented against Bloxham School that blew them away. Within the first 10 minutes or so the XI were 3-0 up and ‘buzzing’. Bloxham had no answer to the relentless pressure being applied and a final score of 7-1 was true reward for a mature and disciplined display from all the players.

came to life in the final few minutes with the XI scoring to make it 1-1. Going for the win they were unfortunate to see St Edward’s score a winner with 20 seconds to go from a breakout. This could have been the end for some teams but again in reflection the XI were honest. They set about re-assessing their goals for after the break and the final run into the end of term. The next three games saw the best attributes of the XI, in what was one of the best matches at this level witnessed at College recently. College beat a strong and fancied Malvern College team 3-1. They then travelled to Prior Park College and once again set about dominating an opponent from the start with intensity in their play. They were rewarded with a 4-0 win. An evening game under lights against Dean Close School brought a fascinating encounter where the XI tactically played the game to near perfection. Only for one moment loss of concentration and Dean Close won by a single goal. Not to be deterred by a loss to Clifton College, the group was again able to look to the leadership duo and feel confident going into what was to be their final game together. The final fixture with Bradfield College was cancelled due to illness. The Cheltenham Ladies’ College fixture has in recent times been played for the Emily Sumaria Cup. A rather large crowd, made up mostly of the angelic voices of the Rugby XV, witnessed a very intense end-to-end derby game. Both sides were going for the win and playing with purpose and tenacity. Nothing could come between the two sides. A final score of 2-2 soon morphed into a win for the XI as they won on penalty strokes due to some magnificent saves from Charlotte Ball plus calm and composed flicking from the penalty takers. What was more pleasing for this group, and a sign of their commitment and willingness to perform, was the fact that some of these players had played only four days earlier in the West Indoor finals.

The confidence was carried forward to Marlborough College at home but there lacked that final sense of clarity and again, in a tight game, the girls were unfortunate to end up on a 2-1 loss. By recognising that they had not played to their full capabilities and being honest with each other, they ensured that in their next game against Bromsgrove School things were different. Another strong performance from both teams saw the XI leading 1-0 until the final minutes when a good team goal showed how this team were prepared to keep going no matter what and a 2-0 win was secured.

West Hockey Association Indoor finals

St Edward’s School, Oxford always presents a challenge. A game packed with excitement

After the fixture with Clifton College, eight girls from the XI represented College at the finals.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

These were Charlotte Ball, India Blake, Millie Broom, Jemma Robson, Brittany Sutton-Page, Stephanie Symcox, Emily Drysdale and Sophie Baillie-Hamilton. The girls had qualified for this as runners up in the county cup with a draw, a loss and wins over Wycliffe College and St Edward’s School, Cheltenham. There are no easy matches in a finals pool format and the girls played some fantastic indoor hockey. It was a true testament to how they had trained over the past 10 weeks that they secured wins against Monkton Combe School 3-1, Blundell’s School 3-0 and Queen’s College 2-1. A loss to Millfield School placed the girls in the semi-final draw with Dean Close School. This was a very exciting game of indoor hockey. The girls can be extremely proud of how they played and also the manner in which they conducted themselves, especially as a couple of close calls could have affected them and the result. The College girls continued to play the game as they wanted but unfortunately lost out. I would like to point out that this group has probably had its most successful season in recent times: some strong results, a runners up spot in ISHL, and the defeats have come to schools pushing at a national level. At pre-season it was agreed this group was about enjoying its time together, performing, being honest with each other and leaving a legacy for others to follow. I believe they achieved all their goals and more. This group produced some special memories and it has been an absolute honour and pleasure to work with each of them. I would like to thank each and every one of them for their commitment and time they dedicated to College hockey in making it what it is today. To the captains Millie and India, again I thank them for their support, their ability to always make me laugh and for buying into what we wanted to achieve here. My final thanks go to Mrs Rebecca Faulkner for all she does for the girls both on and off the pitch, for her support and for her relentless energy and drive on the touchline; it has been a great pleasure to work with her once again. Colours re-awarded to India Blake, Millie Broom, Jemma Robson

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Full Colours: Emily Drysdale Half Colours: Zara Wynne, Sophie BaillieHamilton, Emily Campbell, Charlotte Ball, Brittany Sutton-Page Players’ Player: India Blake /Charlotte Ball Club Player of the Year: Emily Drysdale Coaches’ Player of the Year: Juliette Lamden

Mr Gwyn Williams (Coach)

2nd XI

Record: played 12; won 8; drew 0; lost 4;

The girls represented College sport very well indeed, displaying sportsmanship, determination and encouragement for their teammates and I feel fortunate to have coached them. The leavers, Tara, Florence, Eleanor, Pippa, Lily, Rheanna and Kiana have contributed a huge amount to College sport and I hope that they will continue to enjoy playing it at university and beyond. I would like to thank the parents for their support on the side-lines and the College hockey professionals for their help and advice with coaching.

Mrs Jane McQuitty (Coach)

3rd XI

Record: played 11; won 6; drew 1; lost 4; goals for 22; goals against 13; goal difference 9

Tara Percival (Captain, U6, Ch), Caroline Daly (5th, W), Louise Hall (L6, W), Jaime Carter (L6, A), Isla Flint (L6, A), Georgie Baillie-Hamilton (L6, Q), Florence Channing (U6, W), Pippa Hickey (U6, Ch), Eleanor Jones-Perrott (U6, A), Lily Stewart (U6, A), Grace Wackett (L6, W), Maddie Moorsom (L6, Ch), Rheanna Hopkins (U6, Q), Kiana McDonald (U6, W) A fantastic sense of team spirit and a real will to win quickly became apparent after a tough start to the season for the 2nd XI with a loss away at Rugby School. Caroline Daly was robust in goal from this very first game right through to the end of the season; giving the whole team confidence in defence. This was further strengthened by a solid group of defenders who supported and worked hard for each other. Team captain Tara Percival, led by fine example and was complemented by the dependable Jaime Carter, committed Isla Flint, skilful Louise Hall and unflappable Georgie Baillie-Hamilton. The relationship between Kiana McDonald, Maddie Moorsom and Rheanna Hopkins up front brought us our first goal in the match against Rugby, and the first win of the season against Wellington College the following week, plus many more goals throughout the term. The team grew stronger and more confident as the season progressed and our losses were mainly confined to the beginning of the season.

The next match was against Wellington College; the first league game. Passing the ball accurately and at speed and showing assertion and determination in front of goal, the team played some fabulous hockey. Goals were scored by the forwards, Harriet and Joanna White, Alicia Lee and some were set up by the hard work from the midfield players. The final score of 6-0 was our best win of the season. The match against Repton School was as tough as we expected it to be, but we defended well. Caroline Daly (5th, W) had an outstanding game in goal and the defence held out against a run of eight short corners from Repton without a goal being scored or a shot on goal from Repton. There was a fantastic piece of defending from Lucy Kirkpatrick, India Kirkness, Jemma Keefe, Jasmine Murphy and Leah Shiu and we ended with a very creditable 1-0 loss. A close match against Bloxham School followed, where despite not playing our best hockey, we won 4-3. The midfield of Kiara Munn, Theresa Schäff, Ella Timmis, Rosie Mahoney, Araminta Ramsey and Holly controlled the middle well and the attackers moved the ball into goal effectively, leaving it to the last minute to score the winning goal in a tight game.

Milly Fair (U6, A), Holly Graveney (U6, A), Jemma Keefe (U6, Ch), India Kirkness (U6, Ch), Lucy Kirkpatrick (U6, A), Alicia Lee (U6, Q), Rosie Mahoney (U6, Ch), Kiara Munn (U6, Ch), Jasmine Murphy (U6, Ch), Araminta Ramsey (U6, A), Georgina Rigg (U6, Q), Zoe Robbins (U6, A), Theresa Schäff (U6, Ch), Leah Shiu (U6, A), Ella Timmis (U6, Ch), Harriet White (U6, Ch), Joanna White (U6, Ch). The season started with an away match against Rugby School which proved to be one of the best matches the team played. College took the lead and held this until the last 10 minutes of the match when Rugby equalised. The defence were solid, especially Milly Fair and Jemma Keefe, while Holly Graveney controlled the centre, supporting the attack.

With a couple of losses against Marlborough College and Malvern College in the middle of the season, we needed a win. This came against St Edward’s School, Oxford. We beat them 1-0 in a very close match. Georgina Rigg in goal was outstanding in this game and her efforts frustrated St Edward’s hugely. This was our second win in the ISHL. A 2-0 win against Dean Close School, in what was a closely fought, feisty and physical game set the team up well for the game against Clifton College. They played with confidence and determination and came out 1-0 winners with the midfield of Araminta and Ella linking with defence to support the attack and control the Clifton players. The final game of the season was against Cheltenham Ladies’ College. This included some players from the 3rd team and the 4th team. Winning 5-0, we were victorious: what a great way to end a successful season.

Once the girls became familiar with each other they were a formidable force. This culminated in a five game winning streak (against Bromsgrove School, St Edward’s School, Oxford, Malvern College, Prior Park College and Dean Close School) plus a 7-0 win away against Bloxham School, where Rheanna scored a hat-trick. The midfield worked tirelessly in every single match supporting both the attack and defence; Lily Stewart, Eleanor Jones-Perrott, Pippa Hickey, Florence Channing and Grace Wackett were industrious and creative in equal measure, enabling the team to have the success it did. The season ended on a high with a well-deserved victory against Cheltenham Ladies’ College, which included an exciting penalty stroke taken by Maddie.

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SPORT

Throughout the season the girls showed great resilience, determination and a real desire and drive to win. The goals were scored mainly by the strikers; Joanna and Harriet, working well together with Alicia and Zoe Robbins supporting. The midfielders also made a strong contribution and goals were scored by Kiara, Theresa and Rosie.

Mrs Kate Hornsby (Coach)

4th XI

Record: played 9; won 3; drew 1; lost 5; goals for 25; goals against 23; goal difference 2

Ella Owens and Chanelle Moller assisted and scored goals. It was an end-to-end match against Malvern College and the defenders Libby Barnes, Lucinda Gardiner, Phoebe Janes, Georgina Pinchard, LolaLou Torode and Imogen Williams worked tirelessly to prevent Malvern getting the opportunity to score more than one goal. The final result was a well-deserved 5-1 win. The Dean Close School fixture was against an evenly matched team and the midfield players; Genevieve Alltimes, Holly Graveney, Cordelia Shorthouse, Isabelle Stannett, Sascha Taylor and Isobel Turner did a sterling job of feeding the ball to the attackers, resulting in a 5-1 victory. The final full team fixture was against Clifton College at home. The opposition had the height advantage and were leading 3-0 at half time. The break provided the opportunity for regrouping and the team came back to score three goals in a thrilling second half. Sadly, they couldn’t keep Clifton at bay and the final score was 4-3 to Clifton.

Genevieve Alltimes (L6, A), Libby Barnes (L6, W), Georgie Fowler (L6, Q), Lucinda Gardiner (L6, Ch), Holly Graveney (U6, A), Phoebe Janes (L6, W), Chanelle Moller (L6, A), Ella Owens (L6, Q), Georgina Pinchard (L6, Ch), Cordelia Shorthouse (L6, A), Isabelle Stannett (U6, A), Jessica Steel (L6, Q), Sascha Taylor (L6, Ch), Lola-Lou Torode (L6, W), Isobel Turner (L6, A), Imogen Williams (L6, Ch), Phoebe Williams (L6, Q). The team’s first fixture was away against Rugby School and our keeper Phoebe Williams had an outstanding game saving many attempts on goal and therefore confining the score to a respectable 1-3. There were further losses against Wellington College, Marlborough College, St Edward’s School, Oxford and a 2-2 draw against Prior Park College. Yet, they played a skilful game to triumph with a victorious 5-1 against Bloxham School, persevering through a 15-minute deluge of torrential rain. Jessica Steel, Georgie Fowler,

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

The girls should take great pride in their overall performance. They worked with commitment and enthusiasm throughout the season and their team spirit and exemplary attitude is a credit to all of them.

Mrs Phoebe Aitken (Coach)

5th XI

Record: played 4; won 0; drew 0; lost 4; goals for 1; goals against 19; goal difference -18

Amy Small (Captain, U6, W), Ronke Adetona (5th, Ch), Olivia Ladkin (5th, Ch), Atalanta Thynne (5th, Ch), Hattie Prothero (5th, Q), Rebecca Smith (5th, A), Gemma Taylor Baggs (5th, Q), Victoria Edwards (5th, Q), Valeria Popeta (5th, Q), Shaista Sosrowardoyo (U6, Ch), Daisy Wildman (L6, Ch), Chantal Kittony (L6, Ch), Lois Short (L6, Q), Darina Shutina (L6, A), Laura Morris (L6, W), Libby Haddock (L6, Q), Lili Sell (L6, Ch), Ciara Ward (L6, W), Lucy Thompson (L6, Q) It is fair to say that the team have experienced mixed success this term, yet developmentally there are some strong players who made up our numbers, and who will no doubt go on to shine in Upper College hockey next season. Amy Small led by example, proving a tough and gritty defender and a dependable captain, who needed at times to galvanise her troops to dig deep during our tougher encounters. Notable skill was supplied in spades by Lili Sell, and I am sure should she pursue hockey next year, she will no doubt rise to 4th or 3rd XI level. I was delighted to witness the industrious endeavours of such determined players as Chantal Kittony and Shaista Sosrowardoyo, who proved almost impenetrable at the back. Libby Haddock controlled a good deal of the midfield play with her height and strength as a player. Despite our low goal scoring conversion rate, Atalanta Thynne looked very skilful, and at times gave the opposition a tough time in their half of the pitch. We were without a consistent keeper all term, yet ably supported with the cat-like performances of Georgina Rigg (U6, Q). Whilst lessons were learned on the field, we also bonded well as a group, facing gruelling conditions at times on a lonely Linton, yet remaining ebullient due to our group quizzes, and our keen sense of bonheur de vivre and camaraderie. We adapted well to the heightened topography and the thinner air in Malvern, as well as sand to a water-based surface at Marlborough College. Showing resilience learned through the Floreat programme, we overcame such obstacles to great aplomb.

Mr Nick Nelson (Coach)

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Colts A

Record: won 1; lost 7; drew 0

scoring three quick goals to bring it back to 3-3. The amount of effort put in was incredible and it was only in the last 10 minutes when Dean Close were able to break down the defence and put two more past the keeper. It was a tough defeat and the team were again disappointed not to come away with a result. The final game of the season against Clifton College arrived. The girls had worked hard in training and were ready to finish the season on a high. With some excellent offensive and defensive play, the first half was even at 0-0 . Georgina was Player of the Match for some outstanding saves but unfortunately a well drilled Clifton side were on top in the second half and managed to put four past the team.

Romy Bodington (Captain, 5th, A), Paige Baker (5th, A), India Deakin (5th, W), Georgina Grimwade (5th, A), Mollie Lyle (5th, Q), Olivia Mitchell (5th, W), Florence Needham (5th, W), Annabelle Rigg (5th, Q), Annabel Slatter (5th, A), Octavia Slatter (5th, W), Evie Webb (5th, Ch), Phoebe Barnes (5th, Q), Honor McFarlane (5th, W), Abby Aitken (5th, Ch), Isabella Channing (5th, W) With many players coming up from the B team the previous year, the team had four tough fixtures to start the season. There was no doubt that they all adapted to the changes and demonstrated determination that they wouldn’t give up until the final whistle. The team displayed a fighting spirit against Rugby School in the first game to come back from 0-5 in the first half to score two goals in the second which yielded a 2-2 draw in the second half. There were certainly things to learn from but some positives that could also be recognised and taken forward into the next few matches. After three losses away from home, the girls were really up for their first home game against Marlborough College. There was some great hockey displayed from both sides and the 2-5 score did not reflect how well they played. The team were beginning to gel and there were some very strong performances from the captain Romy Bodington and keeper Georgina Grimwade. A friendly game with Bromsgrove School was one of their best performances. However, the girls were disappointed with a narrow loss of 1-3, which was largely due to losing a few players to injury that week. India Deakin, who scored the goal, had a very convincing game in the midfield and the girls were not going to give up and were determined to turn the season around. The next game proved this and playing St Edward’s School, Oxford at home really spurred the girls on. It was an end-to-end game with lots of chances both ends and an incredibly nail-biting finish with a couple of short corners to St Edward’s. However, Georgina played her best game of the season and was not going to let this one slip. They won the game 3-2. Dean Close School was going to be a tough fixture but after a half term break and the team still on a high from their win, they were up for it. After an unfortunate incident during the beginning of the game with one of the girls, they had to adapt fast and listen to instruction. It was going one way to Dean Close for a while, but College had an extraordinary 20 minutes

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I cannot fault the girls for the effort and hard work they put in during the season. From beginning to end I could see such an improvement in every single player. They should take pride in how far they came to overcome some heavy defeats to win a game and to only lose narrowly to some top hockey teams in the second part of the season.

Miss Charli Roberts (Coach)

Colts B

Record: won 2; drew 2; lost 2 goal difference 5

Sima Kheyfits improved immeasurably in her goalkeeping skills as the matches progressed, learning to make quick decisions and proving her bravery on numerous occasions. Throughout the season Isabella Channing, Yasmin Mayes, Penny Salmond Smith, Holly Keefe and Verity Peterken all proved themselves to be consistent scorers. However, it was Annabel Slatter who scored the most impressive goal of the season, against Marlborough College; from the very edge of the circle, it shot home with such resounding force the Marlborough defence was left slightly unnerved. As a team we worked on a holistic view of improvement, and although the girls were not all the keenest on the fitness elements of training, they did all participate in even the toughest of sessions with a good sense of fun. Some, however, were happier to push their fitness boundaries, running endless laps of the school field and increasing in pace and distance each week, whilst others preferred to do shorter sprint and agility sessions. The team also enjoyed the expert advice of Mr Henry Davies in the Performance Gym, working on their strength and conditioning. This all paid off and the season proved them to be, without exception, strong players; to the extent that one opposition team (who shall remain nameless!) asked that we not hit the ball so hard as it was scaring their players! Unfortunately, the final match proved to be the decider with regards to goal difference for the season and, with a depleted team due to illness, the High School for Girls, Gloucester A team were just too strong for us. The girls were downhearted, but still looked at the match carefully for coaching points to take forward.

Abigail Aitken (5th, Ch), Isabella Barber (5th, A), Annabella Bifulco (5th, Q), Isabella Channing (5th, W), Sumaya Dowling-Membrado (5th, A), Georgie Elliott (5th, A), Judith Gibitz (5th, Ch), Emma Hechle (5th, W), Holly Keefe (5th, Ch), Sima Kheyfits (5th, Ch), Yasmin Mayes (5th, A), Honor McFarlane (5th, W), Georgia Mitchell (5th, Q), Poppy Pearey (5th, Ch), Verity Peterken (5th, W), Georgia Rattigan (5th, Q), Penny Salmond Smith (5th, A), Annabel Slatter (5th, A), Kaela Wilson (5th, Ch), Jilly Woodward(5th, Ch)

The girls have every right to feel pleased with their achievements this term. Accompanying them to matches has been a real pleasure, and they have been excellent examples of well-rounded sportswomen of whom College can be proud.

Mrs Rebecca Mace (Coach)

Junior Colts A

Record: played 11; won 6; drew 2; lost 3; goals for 19; goals against 18; goal difference 1

Team spirit was strong and there was a real sense of camaraderie and support amongst the girls for one another; people were keen to be involved in building a strong team. After a shaky start and an early defeat against Rugby School, the girls were the embodiment of the Floreat characteristics; able to identify their weaknesses and immediately looking at areas to work on in order to fix them. They focused upon drills to improve their ball technique and, as a result, their stick skills improved hugely as the term went on. As the team slowly grew in confidence, they tried to remain calm under pressure and keep possession; this proved to be a successful tactic, resulting in strong wins against both Wellington College and Bromsgrove School.

Megan Knight (Captain, 4th, Q), Jemima Rees (4th, A), Abbie Whybrow (4th, Q), Beth Jenkins (4th, Q), Katya Jennings (4th, Ch), Molly Clarke (4th, W), Georgia Perrott-Jones (4th, W), Georgie Maclaren (4th, Q), Izzy Crossland (4th, W), Megan Message (4th, Q), India Turner (4th, W), Honor Skelding (4th, A), Poppy Pitt (4th, W), Emily Heardman (4th, Ch)

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The season got off to a tough start this year with the opposition being extremely strong. The girls demonstrated fantastic determination and learned a lot from the first three matches.

nail-biting final few minutes concluded with an opposition goal being scored. However, the girls saw the positives and were boosted by the close result and potential as a team.

Megan Knight led the team by example as captain for these matches and the team started to gel and work together. Although injuries impacted the positional play, it never became an issue for the girls to pick up a different position. Their ability to be diverse has definitely made them a better team.

The squad were encouraged with the improved performance and this growing confidence rewarded them with a 7-1 win against Bloxham School. In their next match, against Marlborough College, the girls played well but a team by illness, resulted in a loss as the team struggled to complete the finish. The departure of goal keeper Daisy Broughton saw Jemima Piggott step forward as a replacement and she immediately made an impact with decisive saves and a calm disposition.

After some hard matches to begin the season, the girls soon started to demonstrate their winning ability. Great wins over Malvern College, 4-1, and St Edward’s School, Oxford, 3-0, gave the girls the motivation and confidence for the rest of the season. Abbie Whybrow demonstrated her high level of skill; able to drop into defence when needed but also play as a midfielder and up front. Emily Heardman played a calm and controlled defender who could always be relied upon. India Turner and Beth Jenkins were able to use their speed to break away from the opposition in all games and thus enabling the team to attack. The team finished the season with a great win over Clifton College. The Player of the Season goes to the goalkeeper Jemima Rees. She has developed so much this season and been a huge influence on the team. The girls should be very proud of their season and it has been a pleasure to coach them.

Mrs Annette Poulain (Coach)

Junior Colts B

Record: played 11; won 6; lost 5; goals for 29; goals against 30; goal difference -1

The squad’s determination to succeed and strong team ethos, encouraged the girls to approach the next match against Bromsgrove School with a positive attitude. Amelia Kitson’s speed across the pitch saw many goal opportunities while effective forward interaction and a strong defence resulted in a 3-0 win. This was followed by another win, 3-0, against St Edward’s School, Oxford. Additional coaching and development from Mr John Bass resulted in a vast improvement in the technical play of the squad. With a winning hat-trick in sight, the squad travelled to Malvern College and faced close competition but managed to remain focused to achieve a 3-2 win. Demonstrating her ability as a consistent key player, Bella Wilkinson created goal opportunities and the whole team supported each other in ensuring a secure 5-1 win against Prior Park College. This was followed by a confident 5-0 win against Clifton College. The season finished with a positive result and the girls should all be proud of their efforts, their ability to work together, the development of their skills, their resilience and determination, but above all else, their ability to simply enjoy playing as a team.

Miss Anna Williams (Coach)

Junior Colts C

Record: played 8; won 4; lost 4;

Tabby Barnes (4th, Q), Daisy Broughton (4th, W), Jenny Carson (4th, A), Molly Corbett (4th, W), Lily Cutts (4th, Q), Matilda Dunkerton Bennett (4th, Q), Olivia Elliot (4th, A), Yuriko Fukuda (4th, A), Sanaya Gheewala (4th, W), Georgia Jones-Perrott (4th, W), Amelia Kitson (4th, A), Violet Levinson (4th, A), Charlotte Maddinson (4th, Q), Mia Naylor (4th, Ch), Annina Nonnengaesser (4th, A), Jemima Piggott (4th,W), Marina Pitman (4th, A), Taya Suleyman (4th, Q), Bella Wilkinson (4th, Q), Hannah Wood (4th, W) It was a challenging start to the season for the team with tough matches against Rugby School and Wellington College but the girls made a determined effort against strong competition. Coming back from two goals down in the first half to draw level, they demonstrated their resilience in their third match against Repton School but a

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

The first match faced by the girls was Rugby School and the girls played hard and never gave up. You could tell that it was their first match of the season as there was little team cohesion but we focused on this the following week. The next fixture against Wellington College proved to be a complete mismatch for the girls. Wellington played with prowess and a clear strategy, whereas our girls were still struggling with the basic principles of the sport. However, I was so proud of the way that they conducted themselves throughout the whole match despite the tough opposition they faced. For the next week in training the girls worked hard on the basics: passing, moving into the space and defending. All this hard work paid off with a fantastic win against Wycliffe College. It was great to see the girls put into practice what we had been working on in training. This was the first of four wins for the team. The girls were also victorious over Bromsgrove School, St Edward’s School, Oxford and Malvern College. The highlight of the term for me was the victory over St Edward’s. The girls played with commitment and hunger. There was a noticeable improvement in their hockey skills and they were passing effectively and with purpose. I wish the girls every success in their hockey next year. It was a privilege to coach them.

Miss Betsy Willey (Coach)

Yearlings A

Record: played 12; won 8; drew 1; lost 3; Anabelle Wells (3rd,Ch), Bluebell Clayton (3rd, A), Daisy Hunter (3rd, W), Emer Hughes (3rd, A), Caitlin Brister (3rd, Q), Flora Fletcher (3rd, A), Isabella England (3rd, W), Emily Connor (3rd, W), Georgia-Lili Robertson (3rd, W), Freya Coull (3rd, Q), Anna Goff (3rd, Ch), Rose Dillon (3rd, W), Fionnuala Dowling-Membrado (3rd, Ch) The season started strongly with an excellent 3-1 win against a strong Rugby School team. This was followed by a win against Wellington College and it quickly became evident that this team had great potential. In the match against Repton School, which ended in 4-4 draw, the team showed their strength in attack, scoring some exciting clinical goals. It was at this point that our hockey pro Dani Black took over and built on the skills and work ethic instilled by Laura Smith. Further evidence of the girls’ powerful attack was the comfortable victory over Bloxham School during which Flora Fletcher and Freya Coull showed their dominance.

Annina Nonnengaesseer (4th, A), Annabel Watkin (4th, Q), Boudica Yi (4th, W), Emily Aitken (4th, Ch), Emily Fowler (4th, Ch), Lilly Cutts (4th, Q), Marina Pitman (4th, A) Min Pantisoontorn (4th, Ch) Miu Pantisoontorn (4th, W), Nina Hindmarch (4th, Q), Rosie Wiggin (4th, W), Tuesday Rose Roberts (4th, Ch), Violet Levinson (4th, A)

The next fixture, away at Marlborough College, was more challenging and saw the girls face their first defeat against an impressive opposition. A poor start meant that we were playing catch up and despite some excellent second half play, the game ended 2-4. In the last two fixtures of the first half of term the girls returned to their winning ways by beating both Bromsgrove School at home and St Edward’s School, Oxford away. A clean sheet against Bromsgrove was the first of the season and showed the excellent progress in defence. Emer Hughes was named Player of the Match.

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After the half term break, the team faced disappointment at Clifton College where hopes were high but dashed. A win against Malvern College later that week restored confidence with Georgia-Lili Robertson winning Player of the Match for her excellent work rate and skilful play. The match against Prior Park College was the most frustrating of the season. The 2-1 defeat did not seem to reflect the play. The girls dominated possession in the second half but an excellent opposition goalkeeper made scoring difficult. The 6-0 victory at home against Dean Close School was the best performance of the season. It was fantastic to watch the team working together and putting into practice all they had worked on over the term. Bouncing back so convincingly from defeat the previous week, showed fantastic strength of character from each member of the team. Unfortunately, the season ended with a defeat against Clifton College as our final match against Bradfield College was cancelled. It has been a pleasure to work with the girls. Whilst there are some talented individuals within the team, it is the way that the girls play together and their excellent work ethic which has led to a highly successful and enjoyable season.

Mrs Sarah Dawson (Coach)

Yearlings B

Record: played 11; won 4; drew 1; lost 6; Imogen Cutts (3rd, Q), Holly Ellis (3rd, Ch), Arabella Finch (3rd, Q), Anna Forde (3rd, Ch), Isabella Greenwood (3rd, W), Jessica Hale (3rd, Q), Victoria Larsen (3rd, A), Lucinda Nicholson (3rd, Ch), Francesca Pinchard (3rd, Ch), Alexandra Raphael (3rd, A), Izzy Reid (3rd, Q), Genny Richardson (3rd, Q), Talia Somen (3rd, W), Poppy Williams (3rd, Ch), Phina Wilson (3rd, A) The team experienced a tough start to the season, encountering Rugby School, Wellington College and Repton School in their first three fixtures. Although victory proved elusive, all members of the team battled hard against these strong opponents and made significant progress in their game play. A frustrating 1-1 draw against Bloxham School followed. Despite dominating for most of the match, a blend of first-term fatigue and a lack of conviction unfortunately prevented them from securing a win. A subsequent 0-5 loss to Marlborough College might have dampened the spirits of lesser teams but being victims of Marlborough College’s excellent pressing only spurred them on to make huge gains in their own ‘setting the W’. The team’s sterling resilience was no less apparent in their next fixture against Bromsgrove School. Despite suffering three injuries, the girls fought courageously to the bitter end, losing 0-3. The team’s thirst for victory was finally satisfied in the form of a thoroughly deserved 3-0 defeat of St Edward’s School, Oxford. This was a just reward for the focus, discipline and determination all members had shown throughout the season. This fantastic result was merely the start of greater things to come. After triumphing over Malvern College 3-0 the following week, the girls went

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on to defeat Dean Close School and Prior Park College; a glorious 5-1 each time. It is very much to the team’s credit that, undeterred by darkness, freezing conditions, and illness, cries of (genuine) misery and anguish were heard in response to the cancellation of the subsequent fixtures against Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Bradfield College. A closely fought match against Clifton College, which showcased College’s excellent sportswomanship and ambition, thus concluded the season; despite losing 0-1, the team were rightfully pleased with their excellent performance. Many thanks, without exception, go to the entire squad for their commitment, energy and enthusiasm, and to Mr Gwyn Williams and Mr John Bass for their brilliant coaching, umpiring and support.

Miss Elizabeth Rawkins (Coach)

Yearlings C

Record: played 7; won 2; drew 1; lost 4; goal difference 11 Aanya Patel (3rd, W), Care Luangviriyar (3rd, A), Eloise Harrison (3rd, A), Grace Dening‑Smitherman (3rd, A), Grace White (3rd, Q), Lucy Pope (3rd, Ch) Molly Harland (3rd, A), Nathalie Kranich (3rd, W), Olivia Fisher (3rd, Ch), Praew Jeerawatanawart (3rd, W), Proud Jeerawatanawart (3rd, A), Rebecca Cook (3rd, Q), Tomiris Marabayeva (3rd, A), Victoria Brain (3rd, W)

Club and International Honours There have been a number of fantastic achievements from Cheltonians playing club hockey with Cheltenham Hockey Club and reinforcing our continued link in their development as players. Max Pemberton (5th, H) was part of the U16 team that beat Beeston 5-4 to be crowned National Champions at Lee Valley Stadium. Not to be outdone, Cheltenham Hockey Club Girls U18 team contained five College players: Jemma Robson (U6, W), India Blake (U6, Q), Brittany SuttonPage (L6, Q), Sophie Baillie-Hamilton (U6, Q) and Amber Beachus (L6, W). Defeating Sevenoaks 3-0, won them the National Plate Final. India was also named U18 girls Club Player of the Year along with Emily Drysdale (5th, W), who won the same award for the U16 age group. Emily has had a tremendous season; she won her first international cap for Wales U18s against Ireland and then scored her first goal in her third match against Switzerland- all at the tender age of 15 years old.

Mr Gwyn Williams

Netball 1st VII

Record: played 11; won 3; lost 8

The team started the year’s training sessions with great enthusiasm, which, even with the turn in weather after half term, never diminished. This is in no small part due to the excellent coaching from Yvie Seville (2011-2016, Ch), last year’s Head Girl and first team player. The girls were keen to understand the drills and use them to improve their general ball skills. They particularly enjoyed some special techniques, such as the ‘back-hand bunt’, which Grace Dening-Smitherman used to particularly good effect in several matches. Our first few matches were tough, especially as this was the first time many of the girls had played a competitive hockey match. Rebecca Cook showed great tenacity in goal from the start; managing some spectacular saves throughout matches and helping to ensure the scores were more reflective of the effort from the team. However, as the team gelled together and started to understand the importance of staying in assigned playing positions, the girls triumphed over St Edward’s School, Oxford, with all our key strikers having an opportunity to score. We finished the season playing Clifton College away. The girls were nervous as they wanted to make the most of this final opportunity. After a tentative start, they got into their stride and noticed how their improved ball skills and playing out wide were giving them the possession advantage. This led to a couple of spectacular goals from Eloise Harrison and a victory to cap off the season.

Mrs Jo Smith (Coach)

Amber Beachus (L6, W), Florence Channing (U6, W), Holly Graveney (U6, A), India Blake (U6, Q), Juliette Lamden (U6, Q), Louise Hall (L6, W), Olivia Mitchell (5th, W), Rheanna Hopkins (U6, Q), Zara Wynne (U6, Q). The 1st VII started the season with a two-day pre-season camp. During these two days, the girls focused on technique and tactics with court sessions, gym sessions, goal setting and fitness testing. This was the first year for a pre-season camp and the girls were tested throughout. We even had Mr Olly Morgan, Head of Rugby, in to do a rugby session with the girls so that they could apply their invasion game skills to a different ball sport. After pre-season, the team looked strong and were ready for the first weekend of fixtures: the triangular against Bromsgrove School and Malvern College. The girls had a tough game against Bromsgrove. If they had started the match as strongly as they finished, I believe that the girls could have won the game but first home-game nerves were apparent from the start and it took a while for the girls to settle. However, they bounced back with an exceptional win against Malvern in the second game. There were some great passages of throughcourt play with the defence turning over a lot of balls and putting pressure on the Malvern shooters. The next fixture was a nail biter and unfortunately

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one that the girls threw away. We had eight minutes left of the game and were five goals ahead. All the girls needed to do was keep possession and score off their own centre passes. However, the girls panicked and Clifton College capitalised on this. A draw would have been a fair result but Clifton scored in the last 30 seconds of the match to take the game. This was a really tough game for the girls to lose and showed the importance of possession and composure under pressure and fatigue. The following week’s training concentrated on this, which was a tough week for the girls. Despite this, the same thing happened against Royal Grammar School Worcester. We were once again ahead but RGS pulled away in the last quarter and we didn’t have enough time to claw it back, despite a great fight from the squad. The following Thursday, the team travelled to Wycliffe College. As a team, we were up for it but Wycliffe took the lead early on and despite the girls’ best efforts they couldn’t overcome the deficit, which remained close throughout the match. The run after half term was a pretty daunting one due to the big schools that we were playing but it was good for the girls to come up against

these teams and the team progressed with every match. The lessons learned from Rugby School and Marlborough College were well and truly used with an emphatic win over Bradfield College. This match was the performance of the season. Putting everything that they had learned over the season from training and previous matches, the whole team played their part to put together a fantastic performance.

2nd VII

Record: played 11; won 7; lost 4

The final weekend was a mini tournament between ourselves, St Edward’s School, Oxford, Bloxham School and Stowe School. The format was great and a really nice way to finish the season. The girls beat Bloxham; lost by one to Stowe and were beaten by St Edward’s. It has been a season of ups and downs and some very narrow losses, which is shown by the small goal difference. I wish the best of luck to the girls who are leaving at the end of this year and I hope that they have enjoyed their time in the netball club and that they have fond memories to look back on.

Miss Betsy Willey

Lavinia Fairlie (U6, W), Phoebe Janes (L6, W), Eleanor Jones-Perrott (U6, A), India Kirkness (U6, Ch), Maddie Moorsom (L6, Ch), Zoe Robbins (U6, A), Leah Shiu (U6, A), Cordelia Shorthouse (L6, A), Stephanie Symcox (L6, Q), Sascha Taylor (L6, Ch) The season started with a triangular fixture at home against Bromsgrove School and Malvern College. The girls contested well against Bromsgrove, but the lack of match practice began to tell and Bromsgrove pulled away, eventually winning 10-39. The girls were determined to end the afternoon on a high and returned to the court full of purpose and resolve. They quickly took control of the game against Malvern and raced into a 9-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. The team continued to dominate, they did not concede a single goal in the final quarter, and won the game 25-7. The winning streak continued with a comfortable 30-20 win against Clifton College. The match against Royal Grammar School Worcester was an end-to-end affair, with the teams very evenly matched. However, Cordelia Shorthouse held her nerve in the dying seconds of the game and scored the winning goal, which took the score to 21-20. The girls started brightly against Wycliffe College and produced some fantastic, fast-flowing netball. It was another close match but again Cordelia and Leah Shiu maintained their composure and the girls won 31-28. After half term, the team faced their two toughest fixtures: Rugby School and Marlborough College. They competed well in both games but lost 19-26 and 11-39 respectively. The penultimate match of the season was away at Bradfield College and the team were determined to put in a winning performance after the disappointment at Marlborough. It was a hotly contested game, which led to some erratic moments of play on both sides. However, once again College’s teamwork paid off and they emerged 21-13 victors. Their last match saw the girls travelling to St Edward’s School, Oxford, for a mini-tournament with the hosts plus Bloxham School and Stowe School. First up were Stowe and despite a positive start, the team could not maintain their composure and lost 17-27. The conditions were becoming colder by the minute, but the girls showed great resilience and won their following matches against St Edward’s and Bloxham 14-10 and 15-9 respectively.

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The Seconds had a successful season and the girls should take pride in their ability to close out close games and their resilience during the more challenging matches. Coach’s Player: Cordelia Shorthouse

Miss Claire Rowland (Coach)

3rd VII

Record: played 11; won 4; drew 1; lost 6

By half term we had realised that the dizzy heights of last year’s almost unbeaten season were not going to be emulated, however we were still feeling positive and determined to try our best. Nonetheless, our losing streak sadly continued. We lost 25-16 to Rugby School, having beaten them 30-20 last year. We could not match Marlborough College, as the score line of 10-39 demonstrated, but this was not unexpected as their teams are always very strong. Bradfield College was a defeat of 22-26: again, we did not feel too low about this as the Bradfield match is always close and we only narrowly won last year. Our last fixture was a mini-tournament held at St Edward’s School, Oxford. We were back to better form and secured a resounding victory of 21-4 against Bloxham. We then produced a convincing victory against Stowe School of 18-13. Finally, we secured a draw of 7-7 against St Edward’s, the only team that had beaten us last year, making that result a good note on which to end the season.

Mrs Alexandra Eldred (Coach) Harriet White (Captain, U6, Ch), Joanna White (Vice-captain, U6, Ch), Sophie Baillie-Hamilton (U6, Q), Tara Percival (U6, Ch), Zoe Robbins (U6, A), Jaime Carter (L6, A), Grace Wackett (L6, W), Georgina Rigg (U6, Q), India Kirkness (U6, Ch), Ella Owens (L6, Q), Eleanor Jones-Perrott (U6, A).

4th VII

Record: played 8; won 1; drew 1; lost 6

The team have had another great season, despite being unable to match the playing record of last year. We worked just as hard and the same feeling of team spirit, positivity, fun, and cohesion remained. Those who were in the squad last year were crucial to this. The team have remained a pleasure to coach and a fabulous bunch of young women to spend time with. The season commenced with a triangular at home. We lost 5-36 to a reinvigorated Bromsgrove School side that we had narrowly beaten last year, and won convincingly, 29-20, against Malvern College. We then lost to Clifton College, 15-25, whom we defeated 23-8 last year. The two matches before half term provided mixed results: a conclusive victory of 21-11 against Royal Grammar School Worcester, and a very narrow mid-week away loss of 23-21 at a freezing Wycliffe College.

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Genevieve Alltimes (L6, A), Alicia Burd (U6, Q), Georgie Grimwade (5th, A), Charlotte Jones (U6, Ch), Jemma Keefe (U6, Ch), Alicia Lee (U6, Q), Rosie Mahoney (U6, Ch), Ankita Mediratta (U6, W), Jasmine Murphy (U6, Ch), Verity Peterken (5th, W), Vivi Radway (U6, Ch) Looking at our overall statistics for the term, one might consider this an unsuccessful season

of netball for the 4th VII, but nothing could be further from the truth. The girls played some excellent netball, were enthusiastic throughout the term and steadfastly committed to the team. The season started with difficult fixtures in the first weekend to Bromsgrove School and Malvern College. Despite losing both (very narrowly against Malvern), we learned much about our patterns of play and what the girls’ strongest positions were. Clifton College, the following Saturday, were simply too strong for us and despite competing with conviction and determination, the opposition moved the ball too quickly up and down the court for us. The girls responded in wonderful fashion, displaying admirable resilience, and trained very well in the week leading up to our sole victory of the term against Royal Grammar School Worcester. Charlotte Jones and Vivi Radway were excellent in the mid-court positions and our shooters, Rosie Mahoney, Ankita Mediratta and Alicia Burd, all found their range. The half term concluded with a most competitive fixture against Wycliffe College, where we managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory! In truth, their goal shooter was in inspired form and we lost in the very final moments of the match. Rugby School and Marlborough College were always going to be difficult fixtures, on paper, and so it proved after the half term break. Again, the girls battled with great purpose and the score line somewhat belied the closely fought battles on court. Our final game of the season was against St Edward’s School, Oxford, and in a see-saw match, we finished with an 18-18 draw, which was a fair reflection of the side’s strengths. The squad had many leavers, who have contributed much to sport at College, not just in netball. I wish them all the very best for the future and I hope that they will continue to play sport for many, many years to come, whatever the future may hold. I would like to thank the parents whose support, humour, and company I greatly appreciated by the side of the court.

Mr Steve McQuitty (Coach)

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5th VII and 6th VII Record 5ths: played 4; lost 4

Record 6ths: played 4; lost 4

The squad worked hard in every training session and significantly developed their defensive and ball-handling skills. This improved the speed and accuracy of their play up the court. Their performances in subsequent matches were much stronger and this resulted in four of the squad being called up to play for the 4th VII. Though the statistical summary of the season leaves a lot to be desired, the team can be proud of the commitment and enthusiasm they showed throughout. Their team spirit and exemplary attitude was a credit to them all.

Mrs Phoebe Aitken (Coach) and Mr Andrew Straiton (Coach)

benefited the team immensely throughout the season. The team went on to demonstrate their strength, winning against Wellington College, 2013, Bradfield College, 53-24, Bloxham School, 20-11 and St Edward’s School, Oxford, 16-11. Paige Baker and Florence Needham also debuted for the 1st team, which was a fantastic experience for them. The team have been a pleasure to coach and they should be very proud of their season.

Mrs Annette Poulain (Coach)

Colts B

Record: played 5; won 2; lost 3

Colts A Genevieve Alltimes (L6, A), Libby Barnes (L6, W), Rosa Bond (U6, W), Victoria Edwards (5th, Q), Tusmo Ismail (L6, W), Chantal Kittony (L6, Ch), Emily Lowde (U6, Q), Olivia McDowell-Foord (U6, Ch), Chanelle Moller (L6, A), Laura Morris (L6, W), Rutendo Mudange (L6, A), Valeria Popeta (5th, Q) Hattie Prothero (5th, Q), Zara Qadir (L6, Ch), Araminta Ramsey (U6, A), Lois Short, (L6, Q), Isabelle Stannett (U6, A), Lily Stewart (U6, A), Maia Tacey (U6, Q), Lola-Lou Torode (L6, W), Georgia Whittal (U6, A), Daisy Wildman (L6, Ch), Phoebe Williams (L6, Q) This year the 5th and 6th netball squads trained together and the teams were selected on merit from the entire squad each week. The first fixture for the 5th VII was against Bromsgrove School and proved a challenge, primarily due to the mismatching of the opposition teams. Despite the odds being against them, the girls played with consistent determination and enthusiasm throughout. The 6th VII’s season began with heavy losses against King Edward’s, Bath, and Rugby School. Despite these results, both teams made clear progress as the season went on, closing with narrow losses to Marlborough College away. Hattie Prothero and Libby Barnes were chosen as the Player of the Match in each game for excellent defensive performances under constant pressure from the Marlborough attack.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Record: played 7; won 4; lost 2; drew 1

Annabelle Rigg (5th, Q), Paige Baker (5th, A), Kaela Wilson (5th, Ch), Florence Needham (5th, W), Mollie Lyle (5th, Q), Holly Keefe (5th, Ch), Emily Drysdale (5th, W), Abby Aitkin (5th, Ch) The team played their first match against a new rival; King Edward’s, Bath. This was going into unknown territory and we discovered that they were a very strong team. The team fought back after a slow start and finished in a hard and wellearned draw: 31-31. The team developed their attacking skills over the following weeks and fitness continued to improve. Annabelle Rigg led from the front and always gave 100% to practice sessions and matches. It was fantastic to see the girls demonstrate their diverse level of skill when asked to step into different positions. This

Isabella Barber (5th, A), Phoebe Barnes (5th, Q), Annabella Bifulco (5th, Q), Caroline Daly (5th, W), Ellie Davies (5th, Q), Georgina Grimwade (5th, A), Emma Hechle (5th, W), Yasmin Mayes (5th, A), Honor McFarlane (5th, W), Rose Pearey (5th, Ch) Verity Peterken (5th, W), Annabel Slatter (5th, A), Octavia Slatter (5th, W) Our first match of the season was away at King Edward’s, Bath. Despite little training time, the girls put in a good performance and showed plenty of ability. This was especially apparent in Annabella Bifulco, who was our Player of the Match. The following Saturday we faced Wellington College at home. The week’s training paid dividends and the girls won what was a competitive game. College were ahead for the first two quarters. Then Wellington pulled back a number of goals but an exciting final quarter saw Honor McFarlane shoot exceptionally well and secure the victory. It was a real team performance with all 13 girls contributing to the win.

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Unfortunately, we had a long wait until our next fixture at Marlborough College and our lack of match play told. College lost the first two quarters but then we found our form again and went on to win the final two quarters. Momentum was with us but time was not and so the game ended as a 14-18 defeat. The game was played in excellent spirit and yet again the girls put in a good team performance with Emma Hechle receiving Player of the Match and Annabel Slatter defending extremely well. The Bradfield College match did not start well and we were quickly 7-1 down. This was hard to fight back from but the half time score was only 13-5. Bradfield’s excellent shooting in the final quarter ensured a victory for them. It was a tough game as we only had seven players due to illness, with Ella Owens stepping in to help us out at the last minute. All the girls deserved Player of the Match for their efforts that day but Phoebe Barnes put in a commendable effort in defence to claim the honour. Our final game of the season was against St Edward’s School, Oxford, at home. At half time, College were 10-6 up and in control but then St Edward’s fought back to make it 13-12. Thankfully, Honor did a fantastic job shooting in the final quarter to secure a 22-13 win. It was great to finish on a high and I would like to thank all the girls for their commitment and contributions over the netball season.

Mrs Sarah Dawson (Coach)

Junior Colts A

Record: played 11; won 7; drew 1; lost 3

Throughout the season the girls demonstrated the ability to respond to match feedback and to work hard on improving individual and team skills during training. However, during fixtures, there was a consistent preference to revert to comfortable and familiar game play. This, in part, led to a defeat against Royal Grammar School Worcester, a consistently strong opposition, although by a small margin. When faced against an opposition with a reputation for excelling within netball, the team took to court with no less focus or resolve to triumph. The match against Rugby School was a hard-fought game where calm heads and strong teamwork resulted in a defeat by a margin of just seven goals, which although a loss, gave the squad a confidence boost that no team is unbeatable. A strong home win against Marlborough College then led into a trying away match against Bradfield College. A strong opposition demanded strict discipline on court, which was unfortunately lacking. Shortly into the second quarter, Jemima Rees sustained a painful ankle injury that saw her out of the match and our remaining fixtures. Yet, the girls showed a great resilience and flexibility in response to this for the remainder of the match. With more than one of them playing out of position, they took this spirit through to the final games but their team spirit and tenacity saw a dominant win and satisfactory draw to round off the season.

teams were a clear indication that opportunities to score goals could not be missed. The team worked tirelessly to feed the shooting circle and stayed persistent in defence. The addition of Georgie Maclaren from the Junior Colts’ C team from this point of the season on was hugely beneficial and she supported the centre-court combination of players extremely well. Two further challenging fixtures against Marlborough College and Bradfield College showed the girls to be fantastic examples of Floreat in action. Never once did we see them with their heads down. They continued to work with determination and positive spirit, incorporating the skills that they had covered with the professional coaches, in training sessions, into their match play. A new triangular fixture at home against Bloxham School and St Edward’s School, Oxford, was a real success and it was great to see the girls secure two wins that afternoon to round off the season in such a positive light for them. We have enjoyed working with the team this season and wish them the best as their netball careers here at College continue.

Mrs Sarah Checketts (Coach) and Mrs Rebecca Faulkner (Coach)

Junior Colts C

Record: played 8; won 6; lost 2

Mrs Jemma Last (Coach)

Junior Colts B

Record: played 8; won 4; lost 4

Katya Jennings (4th, Ch), Jenny Carson (4th, A), Honor Skelding (4th, A), Beth Jenkins (4th, Q), Meg Knight (4th, Q), Georgia Jones-Perrott (4th, W), Emily Heardman (4th, Ch), Jemima Rees (4th, A), Poppy Pitt (4th, W) The team started their 2017 season with a commanding win against Bromsgrove School. Pre-season training had established players’ positional strengths and all individuals took to court with a passion to demonstrate why they had been selected to play for the team. The success continued in the triangular, where we secured another win against Malvern College. The match against Cheltenham Ladies’ College was played outside on a bitterly cold afternoon but the girls did not let that impact their competitive spirit. Jenny Carson should be commended for displaying resilience and commitment to the squad by overcoming an uncomfortable injury during warm up to go on to display a high level of court awareness and balancing movement in the shooting circle.

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Jemima Piggott (4th, W), Mary Foster (4th, W), Megan Message (4th, Q), Taya Suleyman (4th, Q), Tabby Barnes (4th, Q), Sanaya Gheewala (4th, W), Hannah Wood (4th, W), Amelia Kitson (4th, A), Izzy Crossland (4th, W), Georgie Maclaren (4th, Q), India Turner (4th, W), Olivia Elliot (4th, A), Yuriko Fukuda (4th, A) The season started well for the team with a positive win away at Clifton College with the side-line support of the players, who had been on court previously. Attacking play was strengthened by solid defensive and centre-court play and the shooters worked well to turn opportunities into goals. A win against Cheltenham Ladies’ College further strengthened team spirit and it was clear that the girls were starting to work extremely well together. The next four fixtures proved to be extremely difficult. The away losses at Royal Grammar School Worcester and Rugby School against very strong

Hindmarch (4th, Q), Arabella Hoodless (4th, A), Charlotte Maddinson (4th, Q), Maja Matschey (4th, Q), Mia Naylor (4th, Ch), Marina Pitman (4th, A), Tuesday Rose Roberts (4h, Ch), Bella Wilkinson (4th, Q), Violet Levinson (4th, A), Olivia Elliot (4th, A), India Turner (4th, W), Georgie Maclaren (4th, Q) This was an outstanding season for netball’s most successful team of the year. Very well done to all of them. The season started with an unbeaten run of three matches: Clifton College, 10-2; Cheltenham Ladies’ College, a comfortable 25-11; and Wycliffe College, 23-12. In these games, the team played some excellent netball. The defence was strong at the back; stopping the ball from getting into the opposition “D” and marking the shooters closely, so that any shots on goal were made under good defensive pressure. The mid-court players controlled the centre of the court and fed the ball through to the College shooters, who were on target; showing a high percentage of success throughout the game. In the match against Clifton, Emily Aitken was voted Player of the Match by the opposition for her solid, consistent shooting and good support play in the centre third and around the “D”.

SPORT

The next two matches proved to be much tougher for the team. We approached Rugby School with our confidence high, but knew that this would probably be the hardest match of the season for us. We made a flying start, in fact, we scored first, and as it turned out that was to be our only goal! Despite the score, the team played well and showed great resilience in the face of some consistent shooting by Rugby. We moved the ball confidently up the court through our centre-court players and the defence kept strong. Our shooters were unlucky not to score more. The Player of the Match was Georgie Maclaren as voted by Rugby. The match against Marlborough College was a very tight one and could have gone either way. Going into the last quarter we were level on nine goals each. They scored twice; we levelled, then matched them goal for goal until the last minute when they turned over an attack, scored and then followed this with another goal to win by two. An exciting end to an excellent game. Olivia Elliot was Player of the Match as voted by Marlborough. We ended the season with a hat-trick of wins over Bradfield College (who we lost heavily to last season) 17-13, Bloxham School, 13-1 and St Edward’s School, Oxford, 15-2. Again, the team were solid in defence; intercepting almost everything that came near our defending circle. The centre-court players proved to be versatile in moving the ball forward and feeding it into our shooters, who had regained their form from the beginning of the season. Mia Naylor was Player of the Match against Bradfield and India Turner against Bloxham. These last three matches proved to be a fitting end to an excellent season and one that I shall remember for years to come. Very well done to all the girls who played.

Mrs Kate Hornsby (Coach)

Junior Colts D

Record: played 6; won 3; lost 3

Ana Laura Fernandez De Las Moras (4th, Ch), Annina Nonnengaesser (4th, A), Bibi LewinSanderson (4th, Ch), Boudica Yi (4th, W), Lilly Cutts (4th, Q), Marina Pitman (4th, A), Min Pantisoontorn (4th, Ch), Miu Pantisoontorn (4th, W), Molly Sanders (4th, Ch), Tuesday Rose Roberts (4th, Ch), Violet Shorthouse (4th, A) The team had a tough start to the season against Clifton College. It was a steep learning curve for some girls who had never played netball before. However, they kept their spirits high and now knew what a competitive match of netball was like. This experience was shown with a fantastically convincing win over Cheltenham Ladies’ College just five days after the Clifton match.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Unfortunately, it was quite a while until the girls’ next match, so they lost some of their momentum and struggled against Rugby School but the girls gave a good account of themselves and never gave up against a very tough opposition. However, the following week the girls had their match of the season in which they beat Marlborough College by one! This victory was one of only two for the whole weekend. The week after was not so strong but the girls finished on a high, with a narrow win against St Edward’s School, Oxford, on the last weekend. This team have developed so much over the past season and should be very proud of their performances, in which they beat some very strong schools. The goal difference also shows how close all of their games have been and the girls should look to build on this next year.

Miss Betsy Willey (Coach)

Yearlings A

Record: played 9; won 6; lost 3

consistency of shot was outstanding, and her partnership in the circle with Eloise Harrison began to gel really well. Flora Fletcher also produced a great performance and with Freya once again dominant in defence, the team were able to sneak the victory by just 25 goals to 22. Facing Royal Grammar School Worcester and Wycliffe College next, the team really stepped it up against what is always tough opposition and pulled off two great wins; 24-16 and 24-19 respectively. Clinical play throughout court from defence through to goal played a big part of these two victories. The next two games saw the tide turn as they lost against local rivals Marlborough College and Bradfield College. Their final fixtures saw another triangular day take place and playing Bloxham School for the first time, the team came out of the blocks at great speed. Victoria Larsen dominated in the circle defence, intercepting and rebounding strongly, and in turn, the fast-paced attack through court saw them take a comfortable win; 21-6. The final game against St Edward’s School, Oxford proved the tougher of the two games and the girls had to work hard throughout all areas of the court. They soon got into an early lead and never looked back, winning the game 16 goals to 9. The team have been an impressive group of athletes and their understanding of the game has improved hugely this season. This squad have great potential and already Rose has been promoted through the England Performance Pathway into the South West Regional Academy and is currently one of the youngest players in this environment. A great season and one they should all be proud of.

Rose Dillon (3rd, W), Bluebell Clayton (3rd, A), Freya Coull (3rd, Q), Flora Fletcher (3rd, A), Annabelle Wells (3rd, Ch), Georgia-Lili Robertson (3rd, W), Anna Forde (3rd, Ch), Eloise Harrison (3rd, A), Fionnuala Dowling-Membrado (3rd, Ch), Izzy England (3rd, W), Victoria Larsen (3rd, A)

Miss Gilly Salter (Coach)

Yearlings B

Record: played 7; won 1; drew 1; lost 5

The team started the season in dominant style and at the Gloucestershire County U14 Tournament won all four of their section games. They went on to win the semi-final and final where they became Gloucestershire County Champions. This was an excellent start to their season and enabled them to attend the South West regional finals where they played with great purpose and came respectably mid-table in their group; it was a great experience for all of the girls who attended. The first home fixture saw them play in a triangular fixture against Malvern College, where they won by a huge margin, 32-7, with outstanding shooting by Rose Dillon and excellent defending by Freya Coull. The second fixture on the day against Bromsgrove School saw a to-the-wire fixture, which sadly didn’t go in our favour and we lost narrowly by just five goals. Maintaining focus and keeping momentum going over two games in one day, particularly against a tough Bromsgrove side played a part in this first loss. Their outing to Clifton College in Bristol brought out the best in the squad, and a match that went end to end and goal for goal, had parents and supporters on the edge of their seats. Rose’s

Alexandra Raphael (3rd, A), Annaliese Goff (3rd, Ch), Aanya Patel (3rd, W), Caitlin Brister (3rd, Q), Frankie Pinchard (3rd, Ch), Genny Richardson (3rd, Q), Holly Ellis (3rd, Ch), Isabella Greenwood (3rd, W), Phina Wilson (3rd, A), Poppy Williams (3rd, Ch), Talia Somen (3rd, W) The season got off to a slow start with the first two matches against Bromsgrove School and Malvern College being cancelled due to poor weather. The first major test for the squad came against a strong Clifton College team, who were stronger in size, speed and consistency. The team fought hard, maintaining enthusiasm and a positive team spirit but lost 8-30. The second match against Royal Grammar School Worcester saw the team make a strong

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start and take the lead early in the first quarter. However, Royal Grammar School Worcester came back stronger and the end result was another loss; 13‑18. Rugby School were next on the fixture list and again the team seemed to be overshadowed in stature and strength but demonstrated their resilience to keep their heads up, despite a final loss; 9-27. This experience appeared to be repeated in the next match against Marlborough College, where the squad faced yet another formidable opposition. Despite a sterling effort by the squad, many of whom had been plagued with injury throughout the season, the team lost again; 7-22. Bradfield College appeared as giants to us and the opposition’s height advantage, along with accurate skills and stamina ensured that the team faced yet another defeat; 9-39. However, the final two matches of the season provided a well-deserved break from our negative results. The team presented a strong and united team against Bloxham School, which resulted in the first win of the season; 9-8. This was closely followed by an evenly matched game against St Edward’s School, Oxford, which ended in a reflective 6-6 draw.

Injury also hit some of our strongest players; Jessica Hale spraining an ankle in training and us then losing her great skills on the court for half a season. Equally, it was wonderful when Arabella Finch re-joined us from injury to play in any position with the huge amount of energy that she had stored up for half a season! Our most consistent shooting was from Phina Wilson, who eventually played for the B squad in the final few matches. In general, our shooters would do well to get out and shoot goals every day next year as their talent was apparent, but, in comparison to other schools, their consistency was lacking. This is something they could easily improve with more hours committed to practise. Overall, these girls made every match a joy to be a part of and I thank them for their enthusiasm and company. I hope they have learned much for next year and they keep playing the game.

Record: played 6; lost 6

Cheltenham College Polo Club has enjoyed another successful year. With Club captains: Benjamin Hilditch (L6, S) and Benjamin Kinsman (L6, S), we have played school matches and tournaments. Rebecca Cook (3rd, Q), Olivia Fisher (3rd, Ch), Molly Harland (3rd, A), Proud Jeerawatanawart (3rd, A), Praew Jeerawatanawart (3rd, W), Nathalie Kranich (3rd, W), Care Luangviriyar (3rd, A), Tomiris Marabayeva (3rd, A), Lucinda Nicholson (3rd, Ch) A win was disappointingly just out of reach for the team this year, and considering the improvement over the term during their practices, they most certainly deserved one. They were often put against very strong schools, but the girls never let the tough matches and difficult losses dampen their spirits as they battled on throughout.

Victoria Brain (3rd, W), Emily Conner (3rd, W), Imogen Cutts (3rd, Q), Arabella Finch (3rd, Q), Jessica Hale (3rd, Q), Lucy Pope (3rd, Ch), Alexandra Raphael (3rd, A), Grace White (3rd, Q), Poppy Williams (3rd, Ch), Phina Wilson (3rd, A) The season started well with many wins under our belt and confidence growing. Then the season got tougher as we played some of the big schools and lost some of our key players to the B squad. Despite any loses we faced, this team of girls enjoyed the game, put in tremendous energy into every quarter and always fought to the bitter end. Often in our tougher games we would get stronger as the game progressed; it was how we started a match that put us on the back foot. It was always a delight to see our fighting spirit and improved performance when times were challenging.

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Polo

Yearlings D

Miss Anna Williams (Coach)

Record: played 8; won 3; lost 5

Miss Helen Davies (Coach)

Miss Lara Beere (Coach)

Throughout the season the girls showed resilience in the face of tough competition and flexibility as a squad. The girls should take great pride in consistently working hard in training, approaching each session with enthusiasm and a willingness to develop their skills. The positive end to the season should boost their determination to come back stronger next year and ambitious to succeed.

Yearlings C

Marabayeva and Nathalie Kranich enjoyed leading the warm ups for every practice session and match. Rebecca Cook played as our goal shooter, often marking very tall players, but her technique led her to score some excellent goals. Care Luangviriyar, Proud Jeerawatanawart and Praew Jeerawatanawart had never played netball before, but ended up creating a very effective team on the centre court. Olivia Fisher was a strong goal keeper, often stepping up to play at the very last minute. Molly Harland was a star player when showed true sportsmanship when she agreed to play for the opposing team due to low numbers.

The season started with a match against Clifton College, with a final score of 6-22. Wycliffe College followed with a closer score of 7-10. Rugby School was a much tougher match, finishing at 7-29. Similarly, Marlborough College was a strong opponent, with a match score of 3-22. Bradfield College was a little more well matched ending at 12-18. The final match against St Edward’s School, Oxford, was the most exciting, with St Edward’s scoring the final goal in the last few minutes, that tipped the balance in their favour. They finished the match one goal up and we were left with a frustrating score line of 19-20. The whole team were deserving of medals. Lucinda Nicholson was often our team captain; she encouraged the others and gave team and individual targets for each game. Tomiris

In March, we entered three teams into the Schools and Universities Polo Association (SUPA) Arena Championships at Rugby Polo Club. The first team of Thomas Severn, (U6, H), Denis Antonov (5th, Xt) and Monte Swain-Grainger (4th, L), came up against some tough opposition and finished fifth in the Open. Our intermediate team of Charlie Turk (L6, NH), Danyaal Choudhary (5th, Xt), and Edward Walker (3rd, Xt), played brilliantly and won the division quite easily. College’s novice side of Benjamin Kinsman, Benjamin Hilditch and Gus Roberts (L6, Xt), did extremely well to come third. Moving on to grass, College was invited to play in the prestigious Copenhagen Cup at Guards Polo Club. The tournament was reduced to a single day due to poor weather and our team of Thomas, Monte, Edward and Denis faced sides from Eton College, Harrow School, Wellington College, Stow School, Millfield School, Radley College, and Marlborough College. Having fought into the final we were narrowly beaten by a strong Wellington team. Danyaal stepped in to complete a Marlborough team, who were very grateful for his last-minute goal which secured them a place in the Plate final. Sadly, Marlborough was beaten by Harrow School. The College Polo Day took on a different format this year with all players given the opportunity to play, rather than just the first team. In the first of three matches, the boys from the Copenhagen Cup faced a highly handicapped team of OCs.

SPORT

College were awarded a four-goal start due to the huge difference in handicap. The team performed above all expectations and beat the OCs without needing their four goals. A second Cheltenham team played a side from Longdole Polo Club and in a closely fought and exciting match, won by half a goal. Beaudesert Park School fielded a strong and experienced side to take on The Prep, and won by 5 goals to 1.

Mrs Sarah Styler

Rackets

Coach: Mr Mark Briers

age-group. Coupled with some fruitful support from Ali Pearce (5th, Xt) and Max Pemberton (5th, H), the age group secured 10 victories from 14 and it will be key for them to continue in such a vein next season. Our U15s had, on balance, a season that promised more than it delivered, despite some excellent individual performances from Max Sutton (4th, NH), Sebastian Blake (4th, BH), Gus Milton (4th, Xt), and William Stanton (4th, NH). A most promising crop of Yearlings pushed these U15s every step of the way: particular mention must be made of Will Hechle (3rd, Xt) and Gus Edwards (3rd, H), who remained unbeaten playing within their year group and who contributed to a Yearlings’ record of winning 10 of their 12 fixtures; Zach French (3rd, H), Simon Oates (3rd, Xt), Will Taylor (3rd, BH), Munaki Munjanganja (3rd, BH) Tigue Torode (3rd, H) and others took to the court impressively. At the National Championships at Queen’s Club, only at the Colts’ age group did we manage to progress past the quarter-finals: Oscar went all the way to the final of the U16 singles in December before being unseated by a hard-hitting Tonbridge School and, together with Oliver, the pair reached the U16 doubles, again falling foul of Tonbridge. Encouraging and impressive achievements, nonetheless.

College’s ‘Black Room’ remained as busy as ever this year and, with newly mounted Honours Boards of Old Cheltonian feats as well as the ever-watchful MPB looking down from the gallery, there was a need for strong performances. This was delivered, in part, very successfully. As the two end-ofseason squad photographs demonstrated, there was much to celebrate.

Domestically, Jono won the Bridgeman Cup for College singles, Hazelwell won the KA Cook House doubles for the fourth year in succession, and Max Sutton won the COAL Plate for Junior singles.

Girls

Boys

Jono Jamieson-Black (U6, H) captained a team which, amidst some fine successes, struggled to sustain a consistency. At First Pair level, Max Dymoke (U6, NH), Theo Taylor (L6, Xt), Sam Cook (L6, NH), Jack Mitchell (L6, NH), and Colt, Oscar Butcher (5th, H) all represented College at the top but never really staked a claim for permanent inclusion. We won 11 of our 22 fixtures at top level reflecting a one-step forward, one-step back season. Impressive performances against Marlborough College, Winchester College, St Paul’s School and Wellington College ensured that we could still ‘frighten’ stronger schools and there were some encouraging victories at Second and Third Pair level where Finlay Milton (U6, Xt) and Jason Soames (L6, BH) added their ‘twopenneth’, but again, looked secure without ever really sparkling. Oscar, together with Oliver Baker (5th, NH), ensured that our U16s were a more successful

College Girls stormed to some tremendous successes this year as the benefits of regular court time and a more challenging fixture list became evident. At national level College’s performances were second to none. With Wellington College, in particular, along with Haileybury, Rugby School, Clifton College, Malvern College and Marlborough College providing the competition. Three pairs reached the final of their respective age groups at Queen’s in December. In an all-College U18 final,

captain India Blake (U6, Q) and Rose Jones (L6, Q) beat India Deakin (5th, W) and Millie Broom (U6, W) in a thrilling exhibition of girls’ rackets. At U16 level, Emily Drysdale (5th, W) and Jenny Carson (4th, A) lost out to a very competent Wellington College pair in the final but gained excellent experience. Domestically, at all age groups, we only lost a handful of games and the hard work of the likes of Georgie Baillie-Hamilton (L6, Q), Martha Elliott (L6, W), Fionnuala Dowling-Membrado (3rd, Ch), Emily Heardman (4th, Ch), Molly Clarke (4th, W) and Flora Fletcher (3rd, A), who managed to reach the semifinals of the U16 competition in her first season playing the game, must not be underestimated. In the national singles, Rose beat partner India Blake in another all-College final, whilst India Deakin lost out to Wellington College’s talented left-hander in the U16 final. Such performances meant that the girls qualified not only for the Ladies British Open but also the preliminaries for the Ladies World Championships. Within College, the Girls’ doubles competition was won by Queen’s House and the inaugural Girls’ singles competition was won by Rose. Whilst the support of other sports is crucial, for which I thank you, none of this would be possible without the enormous dedication and dulcet tones of College’s professional, Mark Briers: he is at the core of our successes.

Mr Karl Cook

Rowing

This year has seen a few changes in rowing. Mrs Vicki Huckle, the Head of Rowing, left in December to return closer to home. Mr James Bracey joined us as replacement and began a programme of fleet refurbishment. This resulted in seven boats being completed to as-new standard. In January, the first Boat Club dinner in many years was held at College, celebrating rowers past and present, in the company of their friends and families. It was also a chance to herald the Boat House refurbishment and announce the £500,000 investment in rowing. We were fortunate to have Jack Beaumont as our guest speaker who, fresh from the Olympic Games in Rio, had a truly remarkable comeback story to tell. The Spring Term marked changes in training methodology and approach that began to bear fruit in the Schools Head of the River, in which the Junior 15 VIII came fifth in their category; the highest finish by a College crew for some years. During the Easter holidays the Senior Boys and Girls were joined by the J15 and J16 Boys and Girls for a week of intensive training in Arnoia, Spain. Rowing in endless sunshine that reflected on the mirror-flat water, huge gains were made technically and some 300kms, per crew, were covered in the seven days. This camp set the pace for the racing season ahead. A busy regatta schedule saw racing at: Bedford, Avon (Bath), Worcester, National Schools’ Regatta, Reading Amateur and Reading Town Regatta’s, not to mention the Henley qualifiers. Bedford saw us win races to get through rounds but we were pipped in the finals. The J15 Boys’ and the J16 Girls’ fours had the best showing.

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

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In the week before Avon in Bath, the crews began to build speed and had some great racing to produce memorable wins for J14 Boys, J15 Boys, Senior Girls and Senior Boys. We left with a haul of medals and a boost in confidence. We moved on in training again and raced at Worcester shortly after with more wins and some fantastic racing against university crews. The J15 Boys fell to Hertford College, Oxford’s top men’s boat buy just three quarters of a length (2 secs). Wins and trophies were collected by Senior Boys, Senior Girls, J15 and J16 Girls.

They raced the qualification races with our girls outperforming last year’s crew and the boys missed out on qualification by just four seconds. We hope to see these crews qualify next year.

Mr James Bracey (Coach) and Mr Ed Fenn (Coach)

At the start of half term, the Boat Club competed at the National Schools’ Regatta on the Olympic course at Eton Dorney. There were strong performances by our crews with a top 15 finish from the Senior Girls’ IV, and a top 10 from the Senior Boys’ pair and the J16 Boys’ IV. The J15 Boys’ VIII were the stand-out performers, getting through a gruelling time-trial and semi-final, only to have a 2,000m stroke-by-stroke battle with Westminster School in the final to win the Bronze medal. This is the first medal for College at the National Schools’ Regatta in 14 years – a lifetime for the boys who just won!

J15 Boys’ 1st VIII

National Schools’ Regatta Medallists Bow: Charlie Callon-Hine (4th, H) 2: George Kemp (4th, S) 3: Max Morris (4th, S) 4: Jude Clayton (4th BH) 5: Cameron Stevens (4th, BH) 6: Jago MacInnes (4th, S) 7: Tommy Haddock (4th, H) Stroke: James Taylor-Kimmins (4th, BH) Cox: Paddy Merheim-Kealy (4th, S) Coach: Mr David Lait After the half term break we moved on to Reading Amateur Regatta, where on the Saturday the Senior Boys’ VIII beat the University of Leicester, and the J15 Boys’ VIII rowed into the final only to lose by three feet to a strong novice crew from the University of Southampton. On the Sunday, the J15 Boys’ IV raced brilliantly to beat strong crew from Winchester College and win a coveted medal. A young Senior Boys’ VIII and a young Senior Girls’ quad decided to test their mettle against the best UK and International crews at Henley Royal Regatta.

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SPORT

Rugby 1st XV

Record: played 12; won 9; drew 0; lost 3; points for 250; points against 190; points difference 60

Aiden Ali (L6, NH), Tom James (L6, L), Harry Potter (U6, S), Max Taylor Baggs (L6, BH), Oliver Ruthven (L6, L), Benedict Frisby (U6, L), Edward Johnston (U6, L), Roderick Phillips (U6, L), Charlie Boyce (L6, H), Thomas Severn (U6, H), Lucas Bonfante (U6, H), Cameron Terry (L6, NH), Josh Hughes (L6, NH), Josh Stanton (U6, NH), Oliver Hill (L6, L), Thomas Stanton (L6, H), Joshua Pimlott (L6, L), James Davies (L6, H), Jamie Thorley (U6, BH), Andrew Chan (U6, Xt), Daniel Ward (L6, NH), Paddy Christopher (L6, H), James Palmer (U6, BH) The 1st XV have had a fantastic season. It all started with our four day pre-season camp at University of Leeds where I feel a lot of this season’s success stemmed from. Fitness, strength/conditioning,

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

pitch training and recovery were all areas we covered. The students worked extremely hard and we began to see structures and patterns take shape. This was showcased in the Kings Macclesfield tournament where we performed very well against tough opposition; winning three and drawing one. Edward Johnston captained the XV for the season and the team started extremely well against Malvern College, winning 37-0. James Davies and Max Taylor Baggs were notable performers and highlighted the potential of the team. This was followed by a close match against Marlborough College where the team were tested defensively but a couple of fantastic tackles from Joshua Pimlott and Thomas Stanton showed the grit and determination of the team. Then came a very testing three-week period where we faced three very good teams: Clifton College, which was a special occasion playing as part of a memorial match in memory of former Clifton pupil Ryan Bresnahan; Rugby School who were unbeaten; and Abingdon School, who fielded two internationals. The boys played with passion but unfortunately the power of the three teams was too much. However, the beauty of weekend fixtures is that you get the chance to wipe the slate clean and move on. The XV did just that at St Edward’s School, Oxford. A hat trick of tries from vice-captain Thomas Stanton and a superb defensive display from Thomas Severn gave the players a much needed boost going into Radley College. In the past, this game has given fantastic memories to players and spectators alike, however, an ‘ugly’ win would be best to describe this match. With limited fluidity and lots of errors, both teams found it frustrating. A forced error in midfield and a line

break from Cameron Terry, who offloaded to the supporting James Davies, meant that College went into half term with two consecutive wins. The second half of term presented itself with four very tough games in Stowe School, Monmouth School, Sherborne School and the newly added Blundell’s School. Stowe was arguably our performance of the season with what can only be described as one of the best team tries I have seen; some fantastic handling at the restart and a superb line from Edward moved play up to the opposition half way. This followed with some lovely offloading by Tom James and Cameron paved the way for Daniel Ward to finish under the posts. Monmouth School and a winless record for the past 10 years, was the next challenge. As always, a tight affair in wet conditions, the boot of James Davies proved to be the difference and we ended up with a 6-5 victory; a great scalp for the players. Momentum carried on against Sherborne School, which again was a nail biter. Notoriously a team that are physical and skillful, College defended for their lives and showed incredible resilience not to concede at the end and win the game 8-5. The final match of the season was a trip down to Devon which saw College rekindle its fixture with Blundell’s School. It was fitting that being the last game of rugby for the Upper Sixth, this performance was one of our best. The tries that were scored in torrid conditions just showed how far the team have come and it was a pleasure to see the structure come to life against an opposition that have been right up there on the national scale. Six consecutive wins for the XV showed the quality of the players and their resilience to come back

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from a tough middle period. The students also finished the season with the accolade of the most successful 1st XV since the 2008 unbeaten team. Well done to all involved; a thoroughly enjoyable season. Full Colours: Thomas Stanton; Cameron Terry; Jamie Thorley Half Colours: James Davies; Max Taylor Baggs; Joshua Pimlott; Daniel Ward; Edward Johnston Coaches’ Player: Jamie Thorley Players’ Player: James Davies Most Improved Player: Andrew Chan

Mr Olly Morgan (Coach)

2nd XV

Record: played 11; won 6; drew 1; lost 4; points for 236; points against 185; points difference 51

a 12 point lead to narrowly record our first defeat of the season in what was arguably our worst performance of the year. This disappointment was soon forgotten with one of the most exciting games of the season played against Rugby School on a beautiful October afternoon. The kind weather allowed an attractive brand of rugby to be played and it was a fascinating battle between the far heavier Rugby pack and College’s quick backs. An exciting finish to the match saw College score with the last play of the game and James Palmer convert from the side-line to end the match in a draw which was probably a fair result. The momentum generated by this last-minute score was carried through to the next fixture against St Edward’s School, Oxford which resulted in a comfortable away win for College. It would be fair to say that we were outplayed by a very strong Sherborne School side. This was not helped by some early mistakes which meant we struggled to get a foothold in the game. Despite rallying in the second half the damage had been done in the first ten minutes when defensive lapses meant we shipped four tries in quick succession. However, the team responded to this setback superbly to record a fine win in the following match against Blundell’s School on a rain-sodden afternoon in South Devon. The set piece in particular, performed well with the Southwood trio of Max Hindmarch, Harry Potter and Oliver Cook stepping up in the energy-sapping boggy conditions. Second team Colours: Max Hindmarch; Zeno Burchi-Khairy; James Palmer; Roderick Philips

James Palmer (U6, BH), Zeno Burchi-Khairy (L6, Xt), Charlie Holloway (U6, L), Talis Harris (L6, NH), Jacob David-Ward (L6, S), Max Hindmarch (U6, S), Oliver Ferris (L6, NH), Oliver Cook (U6, S), Gus Roberts (L6, Xt), Finlay Berry (L6, S), Jimmy Daly (L6, H), Christiaan Bruins (U6, BH), Jack Burns (U6, NH), Sam Mendis (U6, Xt), Oliver Ruthven (L6, L), Roderick Philips (U6, L), Harry Potter (U6, S), Jordan Pemberton (L6, H), Paddy Christopher (L6, H), Joshua Stanton (U6, NH), Andrew Chan (U6, Xt), Josh Hughes (L6, NH), Oliver Pritchard (L6,Xt), Benedict Frisby (U6, L), William Cooper (L6, L), Lucas Bonfante (U6, H), Elliott Napier (U6, Xt), Tom James (L6, L), Roger Mortimore (L6, S), Fergus McNeile (U6, NH), Henry Vivian (L6, S), Henry Fong (U6, H), Felix Stevens (L6, Xt) On balance, the season should go down as a successful one with some memorable performances both before and after half term. With many of the 2nd XV taking part in a productive pre-season, the hard work on the training field paid real dividends in the opening fixture of the season where College proved far too strong for Malvern College. A very solid platform secured by the front five forwards gave the backs licence to exploit any space on the field. This was duly done with aplomb with College running in nine tries. The confidence that resulted from this excellent start helped the side overcome a very strong Marlborough College XV with captain James Palmer in particular, having an outstanding game. Another win over Pate’s Grammar School saw the side go into exeat unbeaten. A sluggish start against Abingdon School, followed by some defensive lapses meant that College blew

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Mr James Hayden (Coach)

3rd XV

interesting start to the campaign as the customary spirit and “All for one” mentality seemed to be missing. This was backed up by the following week’s encounter where the team lost to Marlborough College. It must be said that had this fixture been later in the term, the result may have been very different. Encouragingly, the boys learned from this defeat and quickly bonded as a squad. This change in team dynamic saw them win the next four matches and Chapel pitch became a fortress that would be hard to breach. The next five encounters gave the team three wins from five with a narrow loss to Radley College and a nail biting 17-19 loss to Sherborne School at home on Fortress Chapel. Alas, the home unbeaten record had been cracked and the disappointment was plain to see. However, there was a positive reaction to this defeat and in our last game of the season a convincing win at Blundell’s School ensured the season finished on a high. Despite falling just short of their goal of an 80% win ratio, congratulations must go to the squad for a very successful and enjoyable rugby season. A little more effort on the training pitch may have seen them go unbeaten but this is 3rd XV rugby! Well done on a fantastic effort. You should all be proud of your achievements. You have been a pleasure to coach and I wish you all the very best for the future.

Mr Mat Walton (Coach)

4th XV

Record: played 7; won 2; drew 0; lost 5; points for 76; points against 148; points difference -72

Record: played 11; won 8; drew 0; lost 3; points for 244; points against 142; points difference 102

Merlin Miller (Captain, U6, L), Henry Vivian (L6, S), Henry Fong (U6, H), Hugo Bradshaw (U6, L), William Cresswell (U6, BH), Roger Mortimore (L6, S), Freddy Horlock (L6, L), Olly Evans (U6, S), Killian Hughes (L6, S), Philip Leenart (L6, L), Fergus McNeile (U6, NH), Elliott Napier (U6, Xt), Edward Winstanley (L6, S), Henry Johnson (L6, H), Oliver Pritchard (L6, Xt), Felix Stevens (L6, Xt), Oliver Smith (L6, S), Charles Tombleson (U6, L), Harrison Campbell (L6, L), Grigory Karagulakov (U6, Xt), Michali Asprou (U6, S) The 3rd XV season was one of huge success and a win ratio of 72.7% shows just how well this squad gelled as a team. The season started with a solid win against Malvern College on Chapel Pitch. It was an

Freddy Horlock (L6, L), Michael Tomlinson (L6, H), Benedict Sutton (L6, H), Sam Hamilton (L6, S), Victor Reznikov (L6, L), Felix Stevens (L6, Xt), Kai Ho Chan (L6, H), Eduardo Capelastegui (L6, BH), Benjamin Kinsman (L6, S), Dougal Rees (L6, Xt), Harry Piggott (L6, Xt), Izzuddin Tunku Nasiruddin (L6, Xt), Jack Gibson (L6, L), Jago Skelding (L6, BH), James Webb (L6, H), Joshua Berry (L6, BH), Kieran Brown (L6, XT), Kieran Thorley (L6, BH), Charles O’Bryan (L6, BH), James Lewin (L6, NH), Rodrigo Peralta Martin (L6, L), Darren Hague (U6, BH), Benjamin Wood (U6, NH), Benjamin Hilditch (L6, S), John Marabayev (U6, H), Tom Smith (U6, BH), William Jury-Simpson (U6, BH), Laurie Davies (U6, S), Jamie Orme (U6, S), Oliver Smith (U6, S), Henry Fong (U6, H), Charles Tombleson (U6, L), Michali Asprou (U6, S), Anthony O’Neill (U6, NH), Edward Flower (U6, Xt), Oskar Elliott (U6, L), Wai Kit Wong (U6, L)

SPORT

The season proved to be a mixed bag for the 4th XV. There were, as always, some tough matches and some very close results. With a large squad consisting of players returning from injury and players coming up from the 5th XV, it was always going to be a challenge to gain some consistency in the initial team put on to the field of play.

Colts A

Record: played 11; won 7; drew 0; lost 3; abandoned 1; points for 191; points against 134; points difference 57

The first half of the season proved to be our Achilles’ heel, with inconsistency both in play and players. Winning only one game (Abingdon School at home) of the four scheduled before half term did not do justice to the effort put into training and on the field. However, stability in the second half of the season saw marked improvement in performances, even if it did not result in a trio of wins. A good win at home against Sherborne School was the highlight of the second half of term, followed by two close matches against Stowe School and Blundell’s School. A few key players worthy of acclaim are: Rodrigo Peralta Martin for his mazy running and tryscoring accomplishments; John Marabayev for his attitude and work rate; Charles O’Bryan for his endless enthusiasm and being the ‘jackal’ master; Darren Hague and Laurie Davies for their desire and positive attitude in their last term of rugby at College; and Freddie Horlock for being the mainstay in the centres. All the boys should take great pride from overcoming some very hard early season losses. Their willingness to continue to train hard and to continue to learn and improve their game is a credit to all of them.

Mr Jason Gwynne (Coach) and Mr Antonio Leonardis (Coach)

The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Alexander Sharam (Capt) (5th, NH), Ali Pearce (Vice-Capt) (5th, Xt), Diben Dodo (5th, L), Sebastian Lee (5th, NH), Aryia Patel (5th, H), Tom Creed (5th, H), Ben Southall (5th, BH), Oliver Baker (5th, NH), Oscar Keene (5th, S), Artem Smykovskii (5th, L), Felix Watson-Smyth (5th, Xt), Boris Pustoshinskiy (5th, Xt), Tom MaberJones (5th, H), Harvey Edwards (5th, S), Jack Clement (5th, S), George Elliot (5th, NH), Jonnie Kite (5th, H), William Whittal (5th, H), Lucas Tanir (5th, S), Angus Thomson (5th, NH), Ollie Frisby (5th, L), Max Williams (5th, NH), Jonnie Gunn (5th, BH), Tommy Birch (5th, Xt), Jude Parsons (5th, L) It was a fantastic Autumn Term of rugby with the team displaying a strong spirit, self-discipline and determination throughout. With seven games before half term and with injuries to key

individuals in the early stages, it was to be a real test of character for the group and one which the squad embraced. Victories against Malvern College (12-7), Abingdon School (14-12) and St Edward’s School, Oxford (41-15) in the early part of the season were just reward for the endeavour and resilience shown. With some superb free-flowing rugby resulting in crowd pleasing tries and also a gritty and well organised defence, the characteristics of the team were emerging. With a bit of luck, the hard fought losses on the road against Marlborough College and Rugby School could also easily have been victories. With each game came more belief and a greater game understanding, and this culminated in a very exciting and successful end to the term. There were three victories from the last three fixtures including, most notably, a triumph in the last fixture against a very strong Blundell’s School team. A great memory and a fitting end to a successful term for the team. It was one to cherish as their last game as an age group together. Consistency of performance was to be a key trait and was instrumental to the team’s successes. Quality beyond their years was shown week in, week out, by Ali Pearce, Jack Clement, Jonnie Kite, Alexander Sharam and Boris Pustoshinskiy, to name a few. The back three of Max Williams, William Whittal and Jude Parsons were not bettered all season and the trio provided many of the most eye-catching moments of skill and pace. Jonnie Gunn emerged as a pivotal figure in the team; his mixture of quality running and passing setting the back line moving, whilst interesting the opposition’s defensive line.

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Efforts throughout the term from pupils who were new to the game are also worthy of recognition including: Diben Dodo, Tom Creed and Artem Smykovskii. In particular, these three played their part in a dominant scrummage led by pack leader Oliver Baker, who also ran the lineout with considerable success. Felix Watson-Smyth and Sebastian Lee were two of the real workhorses in the pack and the team usually went well when both played. It was evident to see that this talented group will continue to develop and contribute greatly to College rugby in their Senior years.

Mr Nick Runciman (Coach) and Mr Stuart Cooper (Coach)

Colts B

Record: played 9; won 2; drew 0; lost 7 points for 110; points against 328; points difference -218

Oscar Keene scored two great tries from the base of the scrum to seal a 24-15 victory. The score line didn’t do the performance justice. This was a side that we thoroughly dominated at the breakdown and outclassed with the ball in hand. The game, and the celebrations afterwards, were a joy to watch. From then on, we simply got better. In the final game of the season on another gloomy, miserable day, we put 20 points on Blundell’s School, with memorable tries and performances from Max Pemberton, Thomas Styler, Rob Caesar and Tom Creed. What I really appreciated about this group was their camaraderie: turning bad situations into good ones through gallows humour and hard work. They wanted the wins that had eluded them for a long time and when they came, they were thoroughly deserved. They held each other to account and by the end of the term, they were a team that was greater than the sum of its parts: something that any coach wants to see. I hope that they go on to enjoy their rugby further in Upper College and take what they have learned from this season into future matches.

Later in the term, the team were outclassed by a strong and organised side from Stowe School. Disappointingly, brave work in the backs from George Wilford and William Dyke and strong tackling from Nicholas Avery did not result in a well-deserved try. Five cancellations from other schools meant that the team did not have another fixture for the rest of the term. Though the team did not have the most successful season, the boys can be proud of the positive and perseverant manner in which they approached their matches and training. The team were led through the captaincy of Hugo Bailey against Marlborough and Rafal Dovgialo against Stowe.

Mr Andrew Straiton (Coach)

Junior Colts A

Record: played 16; won 12; drew 0; lost 3; abandoned 1; points for 289; points against 186; points difference 103

Mr Ben Page (Coach)

Colts C

Record: played 2; won 0; drew 0; lost 2 points for 21; points against 165; points difference -144

Yuwakar Gurung (5th, L), Charles Meecham-Jones (5th, Xt), Danyaal Choudhary (5th, Xt), Tom Creed (5th, H), Henry Parsons (5th, BH), Hugo Bailey (5th, BH), Tom Maber-Jones (5th, H), Eddie Nelson (5th, BH), Oscar Keene (5th, S), George Elliot (5th, NH), Max Pemberton (5th, H), Thomas Styler (5th, H), Lucas Harrison (5th, L), Naut Rodanant (5th, BH), Rob Caesar (5th, S), Tommy Birch (5th, Xt), Rafal Dovgialo (5th, L), Joseph Hughes (5th, L), Oscar Bromage-Henry (5th, Xt), Alfie Weston (5th, BH), Yusuf-Ali Perwaz (5th, NH) This was a tough, but ultimately very rewarding season. We started out against Malvern College at home and though two excellent tries from Jude Parsons and Thomas Styler put us in contention, we couldn’t quite get over the line and we lost out in spite of a spirited performance. Hard fixtures and losses to Marlborough College, Abingdon School, St Edward’s School, Oxford and Radley College followed (although we did lead Radley for all of five minutes in the highlight of the first half term) and things looked bleak. However, what was most impressive about this group was that even when the score lines didn’t necessarily show it, they kept giving their all and kept seeing the positives in their improving performances. Typically, teams like this simply give up and assume that nothing good will come, but they trained on and worked hard. Then along came Monmouth School. On a wet, dismal day, when many a team with a 0-6 record would have simply given up, we did not and everything that we had been working on over the course of the season suddenly came together. With outstanding performances across the board, a first win of the season was thoroughly deserved:

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Sebastian Blake (4th, BH), Charles Gardiner (4th, NH), Cameron Stevens (4th, BH) Archie Garbutt (4th, S), Bryn Fair (4th, BH), Harry Jinks (4th, S), Edward Hitchins (4th, NH), Jude Clayton (4th, BH), Edward Ferris (4th, NH), Gus Milton (4th, Xt), Sid Mitchell (4th, NH) Louis Hillman‑Cooper (4th, S), Harry Stewart (4th, L), Ethan Harney (4th, L), James Whittal (4th, L) Rauf Aliyev (5th, H), Denis Antonov (5th, Xt), Ben Anton-Smith (5th, S), Nicholas Avery (5th, NH), Hugo Bailey (5th, BH), James Burden (5th, BH), Christian Campbell (5th, BH), Danyaal Choudhary (5th, Xt), Tom Creed (5th, H), Rafal Dovgialo (5th, L), William Dyke (5th, NH), Demilade Edwards (5th, H), Henry Foster (5th, NH), Nicholas Hill (5th, BH), Ted Kim (5th, H), Finbar McConnell (5th, Xt), Zac Robertson (5th, NH), Thomas Styler (5th, H), Adrian Szeto (5th, Xt), Alfie Weston (5th, BH), George Wilford (5th, Xt), Michael Wong (5th, Xt), Robbie Yan (5th, BH). The team began their season with a heavy loss against Marlborough College. After a disastrous start that saw the team more than 30 points behind at the end of the first half, they fought back effectively to score two brilliant tries in the second. The first was scored through a fine interception, taken 10 metres from the opposition try line, by Robbie Yan. The second came from some excellent footwork from Zac Robertson: eluding two opposition tacklers and diving over the line just inside the corner flag. Accurate kicking from Thomas Styler supported both tries; he was named Man of the Match and played for the Colts’ B team for the rest of the season.

This has been an incredibly successful season for a talented group, who trained well and reaped the rewards. The success was built around excellent, spirited defence and a strong pack. The season started with two difficult games: away at Malvern College and home to Marlborough College. Both these games were extremely hard fought and we won both through superb defence and by taking our chances when they arose. Against Malvernm, Harry Jinks was superb in defence and turned over a great deal of ball and Louis Hillman-Cooper’s strong running made the difference against Marlborough. These wins set the tone for the majority of the season. Archie Garbutt was a rampaging bull throughout, the following match against Pate’s Grammar School was a one-sided affair. The one down period of the season followed with defeats to Abingdon School and Rugby School. They were more aggressive than us and we did not raise our levels to match them. Sebastian Blake and Louis were the ones who really managed to raise their games against Rugby and nearly made the difference at the start. The matches against St Edward’s School, Oxford, Radley College, Stowe School, Monmouth School and Blundell’s School were all won comfortably.

SPORT

The Man of the Match was different in every game: Harry Stewart and James Whittal for strong running, Gus Milton’s composure at fly-half, tackling from Bryn Fair and Cameron Stevens. The other constant highlight was the driving maul that worked well all season and made ground. Throughout the season the team were entered into the NatWest Cup and had matches interspersed within the normal season. Comfortable early wins against Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School and King’s School, Worcester saw the team progress into the more difficult stages. Matches followed away against Bromsgrove School and Oakham School who had both had very successful seasons. In addition, several A team players were unavailable due to age restrictions. In both of these matches, the team were severely under pressure and time and time again they stood up and tackled everything that was thrown at them. Their resilience and determination deserved the two thrilling victories. This saw the team into the last 16 in the country and the match against Warwick School was played in the Spring Term. In this match, the opposition were well drilled from numbers 1-15 and we were soundly beaten. Again, in this match Sebastian and Louis stood out and it is no surprise that they were named the two Players of the Season.

Mr Simon Conner (Coach) and Mr Matt Kelly (Coach)

Junior Colts B

Record: played 9; won 4; drew 0; lost 5 points for 152; points against 212; points difference -60

into a lovely golden colour. These are all the telling signs that we are beginning the Autumn Term and it is the start of a new rugby season. The start of the season is always tough in terms of getting the boys match fit and ready for the first fixture of the season. However, it was clear from the start that this team was made up of a bunch of boys who were keen to develop and improve. They started well with a very convincing win over Malvern College, beating them 55–17, but the celebrations were short lived as they slumped to successive defeats against Marlborough College (12–50), Abingdon School (0–25) and Rugby School (15–41). Although the score lines suggest that College was well beaten in each of these matches, the squad in fact played some fast, flowing and entertaining rugby, but often struggled to match the physicality of their opposition. To add to the disappointment, key players such as William Stanton (fly half) and Theo Kace (flanker) were injured during these fixtures: and due to injuries suffered in the Junior Colts’ A team, Ethan Harney (full back), Monte SwainGrainger (second row, flanker) and Joshua NaylorHiggs (wing) were promoted to the Junior Colts’ A team leaving the Junior Colts’ B team a little short. A greater focus on tackling technique and controlled aggression in training sessions, saw the team win a very physical game against St Edward’s School, Oxford, beating them 12-0. This gave the team a confidence boost before what was to be a tough mid-week fixture against Radley College. It was a tight game until the effects of a tiring CCF field day took hold around 10 minutes before the end. At this point (21-15 down), College only needed a converted try to win the game, but instead finished losing the game 45–15. A very harsh score line for what was a much more competitive game than the result would suggest. After half term, we were faced with three away fixtures in a row: Stowe School, Monmouth School and Sherborne School. We knew it was going to be tough but the team were up for the challenge! The Stowe fixture was played with great enthusiasm and again College should have been rewarded with a few tries after some brilliant attacking play, but a few loose passes and missed tackles handed the win (17-0) to our hosts.

Guy Beazley (Captain, 4th, NH), James Kirk (Vice Captain, 4th, BH), Max Morris (4th, S), Will Buttress (4th, S), Charlie Callon Hine (4th, H), Tommy Haddock (4th, H), Oliver Coker (4th, H), Jack Cunningham (4th, H), Elias Gonzalez Albizuri (4th, H), Max Sutton (4th, NH), James Boyle (4th, S), Javier Peralta Martin (4th, L), George Berger (4th, H), George Kemp (4th, S), Hamish-James Anderson (4th, H), Monte Swain-Grainger (4th, L), Jago MacInnes (4th, S), William Stanton (4th, NH), Duncan Pinchen (4th, Xt), Joshua Naylor-Higgs (4th, S), Theo Kace (4th, BH), Ethan Harney (4th, L), Dominic Kelly (4th, NH), Tom Hartley (4th, Xt), Games Buri (4th, NH), Kit Ely (4th, L) Boots still muddy from the season before, rugby top a little tighter after a summer of indulgence, whistle full of pocket fluff, a new crop of slightly taller and more confident Fourth Form boys, does it usually take this long to walk to Reeves Field? Ground still hard after being baked by the now slowly fading summer sun and the trees, on the slopes of Leckhampton Hill, gradually changing

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The Cheltonian 2016-2017

After a short hop over the Forest of Dean we faced a Monmouth side that had notched up the same number of wins as we had by that point in the season. A close and physical game was anticipated by players and supporters. College dominated the first half with some great work put in by the forward. This allowed the backs to put together some well worked moves to put us ahead before half time. It was a slightly different story in the second half and Monmouth came out more determined and scored two early tries. The last remaining minutes of the game dragged on but College played good possession rugby to ensure that the victory (10-12) was secured. It was clear after waking up on the morning of our final fixture against Blundell’s School that the team would be relying heavily on the forwards. The rain poured down all day and the pitch felt like slightly over done porridge. The team started well and registered their first points within the first 10 minutes: James Boyle ran a fantastic line and broke through the Blundell’s School back line to score a try directly under the posts. At half time,

the score was 14–7 and the game was still very much open. The second half was tough going but the boys remained disciplined and worked hard to keep their structure. Their patience paid off and late into the second half saw one of the best plays of the season: a break down the right wing from Will Buttress who off loaded to James Kirk, who had to work hard to control the very wet ball with one hand. A ruck formed and the ball was quickly dished out to the backs who perfectly executed a well-worked move, which saw the ball move down the line and into the hands of Joshua Naylor-Higgs. Joshua turned on the afterburners and shot down the left wing to score arguably the best try of the season. The game finished 31-7 and was a fantastic result to finish on, with many parents commenting that it was the best the team had played all season. It was an absolute pleasure to coach such an enthusiastic bunch of boys who thoroughly enjoy their rugby. I wish them all the best for their future in the sport and I will look forward to seeing them develop as a team. I hope they continue to enjoy celebrating many moments of glory together during their time at College.

Mr Fraser Dobney (Coach)

Junior Colts C

Record: played 7; won 0; drew 0; lost 7 points for 78; points against 337; points difference -259

Javier Peralta Martin (4th, L), Tom Hartley (4th, Xt), Paddy Merheim-Kealy (4th, S), Imaan Khyra (4th, H), Elliot Wilcox Routledge (4th, L), Charlie Callon Hine (4th, H), Elias Gonzalez Albizuri (4th, H), Freddie Scott (4th, S), Paddy Scudamore (4th, BH), Milo Watkins (4th, S), Timur Guliev (4th, L), James Barltrop (4th, Xt), Oscar Stevens (4th, Xt), PK Somwong (4th, Xt), Joshua Read (4th, Xt), Duncan Pinchen (4th, Xt), Piers Morgan (4th, Xt), Harry Lyle (4th, S), Maximilian Pini (4th, NH), Dominic Kelly (4th, NH), George Kemp (4th, S), Japan Supanichvoraparch (4th, L), Kamil Khayrov (4th, NH), Jasper Lowde (4th, S), William Westlake (4th, S), Giorgio Iamoni (4th, BH), Tommy Haddock (4th, H), Jonathan Chai (4th, Xt), Oliver Coker (4th, H), Theo Kace (4th, BH), Kit Ely (4th, L) The season began with a tough encounter against a strong Marlborough College team. Elias Gonzalez Albizuri impressed with some excellent ball carrying; bulldozing his way over from the base of a scrum. The Abingdon School fixture brought a far closer result; the team were competitive for most of the match before leaking a few tries in the final five minutes. Javier Peralta Martin was the star player, crossing the line twice

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and kicking well too. Piers Morgan topped the tackle count and impressed with his immense work rate, whilst Milo Watkins showed some deft touches in the midfield. October brought a multitude of injuries to the team, meaning that College travelled to Rugby School for a 10-a-side fixture. The team showed a lot of heart but struggled against the large Rugby squad and their rolling substitutions. The depleted team again fought hard against St Edward’s School, Oxford just before half term but the game ran away from College. Tom Hartley showed aggression and ran well with the ball, thoroughly deserving his try under the posts. After half term, the boys travelled to Stowe School for a gruelling match against a very strong team. Once more, Piers was unwavering in his defensive duties, which he repeated against Monmouth School the following week. Despite narrowly losing to Monmouth the team spirit was strong and showed resolve in the face of defeat. In the final fixture of the season, a packed crowd of 83 watched the boys on a cold Thursday afternoon against Rendcomb College’s A team. Kit Ely pulled the strings at fly half with an intelligent kicking display whilst Javier scored the try of the season; gathering the ball on his own 10 metre line before waltzing his way through seven defenders. Despite losing this final match, the team’s progress from the start of the season was clear for all to see.

Mr James Copeland-Jordan (Coach) and Mr James Chaloner (Coach)

Yearlings A

Record: played 11; won 9; drew 0; lost 2 points for 310; points against 106; points difference 204

Charlie Davison (3rd, NH), Munaki Munjanganja (3rd, BH), Simon Oates (3rd, Xt), Charlie Anton-Smith (3rd, S), Ben Percival (3rd, NH), Tigue Torode (3rd, H), Seb Kimber (3rd, NH), Sebastian Cornwell (3rd, Xt), Deji Adetona (3rd, L), Alexander Sparkes (3rd, Xt), Dan Ursell (3rd, NH), Piers Brown (3rd, BH), William Hechle (3rd, Xt), Zach French (3rd, H), Edward Hartley (3rd, H), William Blowers (3rd, BH), Dekhan Dodo (3rd, NH), Oliver Walker (3rd, NH), Tom Beazley (3rd, NH), William Taylor (3rd, BH), Charles Hellens (3rd, L), Louis Dessalles (3rd, S), Max Pinkham (3rd, S), Denis Solovyev (3rd, NH), Edward Calder (3rd, BH), Alexander Taylor (3rd, H).

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The season started with an away visit to Malvern College, which saw College succumb to a disappointing defeat, despite there being a Simon Oates driving lineout try to the good at half time. The home side was a well-organised outfit and was well-deserving of their three second half scores. The only other defeat in the season also happened on the road, at Abingdon School, with our opponents winning a closely contested game 14–7. Tighthead-prop Dan Ursell helped himself to a try in the first half and was unlucky to have a second score disallowed in the second half. Sandwiched between the two losses were two excellent home victories: firstly, over Pate’s Grammar School (36-14), and a hat trick of tries from Charlie Davison saw Marlborough College defeated 17-14. After the initial four games, the side went on an impressive unbeaten run, winning all seven remaining games. Highlights included comfortable wins against some of the traditional powerhouses of schoolboy sport: namely Rugby School, Monmouth School and Sherborne School. Perhaps the most impressive and complete performance came against Radley College in the traditional pre half term fixture. A nine try 57-0 performance ensured that the return to Reeves Field for a former Cheltenham College Yearlings’ A coach was not a happy one. The season ended with an excellent away win at Blundell’s School, which saw the side break the 300-point barrier for the season, as well as score their 50th try of the season in the last minute of the game, courtesy of dynamic hooker Piers Brown. Looking back on the season, it was without doubt a successful one but perhaps, with a little more luck in the two games which ended in defeat, we could have seen the side go the season unbeaten. What was most pleasing about the season was the way that the team gelled quickly, despite the boys arriving from a large number of different prep schools. The team improved each week and raised their standards, both in matches and in training. Sebastian Cornwell captained the team excellently and a total of nine players represented the squad’s NatWest Cup campaign. Charlie Davison ended the season topping both the try and points scoring charts with his 14 tries and 25 conversions seeing him score 120 points. Simon, Zach French, Ben Percival and Charlie Anton-Smith were the only players to appear in all 11 fixtures throughout the season.

Mr Will Packer (Coach) and Mr Beren-Dain Delbrooke-Jones (Coach)

Yearlings B

Record: played 11; won 5; drew 1; lost 5 points for 277; points against 222; points difference 55

Rory Southall (Captain, 3rd, BH), Deji Adetona (3rd, L), Charlie Baker (3rd, NH), Tom Beazley (3rd, NH), William Blowers (3rd, BH), William Bradley (3rd, S), Jude Bridge (3rd, S), Luke Browning (3rd, Xt), Seb Burden (3rd, BH), Tom Buxton (3rd, Xt), Edward Calder (3rd, BH), Dekhan Dodo (3rd, L), Gus Edwards (3rd, H), Archie Faskin (3rd, H), Ned Hanbury (3rd, BH), George Hardy (3rd, S), Charlie Heardman (3rd, BH), William Hechle (3rd, Xt), Charles Hellens (3rd, L), William Kace (3rd, BH), Billy Mayes (3rd, H), Stanley Mok (3rd, Xt), Joe Murphy (3rd, L), Max Pinkham (3rd, S), Charlie Redvers (3rd, NH), Denis Solovyev(3rd, NH), Alexander Sparkes (3rd, Xt), Alexander Taylor (3rd, H), Will Taylor (3rd, BH), Felix Taylor-Kimmins (3rd, BH), Ethan Tsang (3rd, BH), Nikita Vashchenko (3rd, Xt), Oliver Walker (3rd, NH), Thomas White (3rd, H), Andre Zamora Morales (3rd, S). A windy and wet away day at Malvern College could not dampen the enthusiasm of a large, keen squad. Aggressive running from Denis Solovyev and Alexander Taylor softened up the opposition while backs like William Hechle, Tom Beazley and Player of the Season, Edward Calder, proved too elusive. A home loss against Marlborough College was a wake-up call: despite heroic resistance and effort from captain Rory Southall, the team were a step behind and slow to rise to the physical challenge. No surprise then, that Pate’s Grammar School suffered a reinvigorated performance, with Joe Murphy pulling the strings confidently, George Hardy and Charlie Redvers showing their dancing feet, and the outstanding Alexander Sparkes, a whirling dervish as he tumbled over for three tries. Away losses to St Edward’s School, Oxford and a strong Abingdon School side sandwiched a dominant victory against Rugby School, where Edward Calder bagged a hat trick. This was followed by a terrifically narrow loss to Radley College and a demolition of Wycliffe College. By this stage, it was clear that runners like Tom Beazley, Oliver Walker, and Deji Adetona provided real threat out wide, while the work of unselfish players like Thomas White and Charlie Heardman made us very effective at the breakdown. Frustratingly, lapses in defensive organisation meant we were yet to make a meaningful stand when games became close. The breakthrough came at Monmouth School. An epic, see-sawing game, it featured five tries, four lead changes, and a long range penalty from

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Felix Taylor-Kimmins: the first I have seen at this level in nine seasons. It finished, memorably, with Monmouth’s star player flying down the wing, a single defender left to beat to win the game, the home crowd cheering, disaster looming: only for William Kace to chop him down and bundle him into touch. Monmouth 15 - Cheltenham College 15. A tough day against Sherborne School preceded a fitting end to the season: Blundell’s School found the likes of Max Pinkham and Will Taylor unstoppable as we ran in 11 tries. The squad were terrific to work with all season and I wish them every success in their rugby careers.

Mr Tom Lambert (Coach)

Yearlings C

Record: played 6; won 1; drew 0; lost 5 points for 49; points against 247; points difference -198 Tom Buxton (3rd, Xt), Andre Zamora Morales (3rd, S), Peter Marstrand (3rd, S), Seb Burden (3rd, BH), Vladimir Afanasyev (3rd, L), Gus Edwards (3rd, H), Jude Bridge (3rd, S), Nikita Vashchenko (3rd, Xt), Charlie Baker (3rd, NH), Billy Mayes (3rd, H), Luke Browning (3rd, Xt), Ethan Tsang (3rd, BH), Theodore Cheung (3rd, Xt), Ned Hanbury (3rd, BH), Stanley Mok (3rd, Xt), Omaan Khyra (3rd, H), Archie Faskin (3rd, H), Oliver Schallamach (3rd, BH), Charlie Shannon (3rd, Xt), Zhong Zhuang (3rd, S), Wing Yan Cheung (3rd, L), Hector Mur Lopez (3rd, NH), Will Dangerfield (3rd, S), George Gardner (3rd, S), Sunny Chung (3rd, NH), Krish Patel (3rd, L) This team will be remembered for their commitment, positive attitude and progression. Early season defeats by Marlborough College and Rugby School signalled that the boys would have to work hard to improve if these results were to be turned around. Undeterred by the task, strong characters within the team such as Jude Bridge, Tom Buxton, Gus Edwards, Ned Hanbury and Peter Marstrand (and many others) led by example and trained hard, in order to try to turn defeats into wins. Improvements indeed began to come midway through the season, where we scored tries against St Edward’s School, Oxford, Radley College and Monmouth School. The highlight of the season and the cumulation of the effort of the whole team came against Sherborne School. Determined to record a victory, the team responded well when an early try was scored by Sherborne as their fast centre cut through our defence. From then on however, the intensity and determination showed by College was too much for Sherborne to handle. By the second half the Sherborne defence was tiring after the relentless efforts by the College pack, and the tries duly followed. Jude Bridge’s tackling was a great asset to the team as he captained by example; he would always put himself on the line for the team. Theodore Cheung’s and Ethan Tsang’s lightning pace was causing problems in the right areas and Hector Mur Lopez was finally revelling in being involved in the attacking parts of the pitch. Meanwhile Stanley Mok’s considerable kicking ability ensured that the score board ticked over nicely in our favour. A welldeserved 40-10 victory was the end result. What was most impressive about these players

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was how they embraced (rather than shied away from) the early defeats and used them as a basis to learn and improve. Even in matches where they lost heavily, their team spirit always shone through and was often noted by the opposition. In short: it was a wonderful season to be part of and the win against Sherborne showed clearly the potential of the team in the years ahead.

Mr James Stubbert (Coach)

Rosslyn Park-Round Up

After a total of seven tournaments across the term for the 14s, 16s and 18s, the rugby sevens season ended with a climax in the shape of the Rosslyn Park Nations Schools Sevens tournament. Some 750 schools compete across the five days, making it the largest school tournament in the world. The Seniors, largely made up of Lower Sixth students bar the exception of Edward Johnston (U6, L) and Jamie Thorley (U6, B), entered the tournament in good form knowing that the potential in the squad could progress them into the knock out stages. The opening rounds against King’s School, Bruton and Mount Kelly School were a steady test and took their toll on the squad; we lost James Davies (L6, H) to a dislocated shoulder in the first carry. However, this didn’t deter the players and we went into our third match of the group against Merchant Taylors’ School knowing that the winner would top the group and progress into the knock out stages. College played fantastically from start to finish and starved the opposition of the ball. Some lovely touches from Daniel Ward (L6, NH) and Josh Hughes (L6, NH) freed up Jamie Thorley (L6, BH) to touch down early on and some heroic defending from Thomas Stanton (L6, H) kept Merchant Taylors’ at bay. The game finished 28-7 and this form continued into our last game of the group against Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr, where College, on a wider pitch, played some free flowing rugby that resulted in a comfortable win. The squad then progressed into the knock out game against Loughborough Endowed Schools, who had also won their group. The players had saved their best till last and produced the performance of the day, scoring some length of the field tries through fantastic support play and offloads. The team went into the group quarter final having only conceded four tries on day one. On day two we faced two teams who were previous winners of the tournament in Stowe School and Monmouth School and also regular opponents in the fifteen man game. Both games were great spectacles and College came from behind in each to snatch victory. The sheer ‘never say die’ attitude from the players was quite remarkable.

progress into the final. It was a nervy start and some uncharacteristic errors allowed Bromsgrove to get the upper hand. With four minutes remaining, the team were 17-7 down and looking to go out of the tournament. However a moment of brilliance from Josh Hughes (L6, NH) split the defence open and some fantastic support play from Jamie Thorley (U6, BH) meant College had yet again come from behind and progressed into the final of Rosslyn Park; the first time in 12 years. The final, being streamed live, was watched by many back at College. St John’s School, Leatherhead, who had arguably been the form side in the tournament, were the opposition. They started extremely well and through errors of our own, went into half time 21-7 up. But yet again College wouldn’t give in and a great pick up from Josh Hughes (L6, NH) freed Zeno Burchi-Khairy (L6, XT) on the left wing, who went in to score unopposed and set up a tense finish. College had the momentum and a great turnover at the scrum, freed Thomas Stanton (L6, H) to dive in the corner to set up a kick to tie the game. It unfortunately was an extremely difficult kick to make and just dropped short meaning St John’s took the title. Nevertheless, throughout the tournament the team went above and beyond what was asked of them. Playing 10 games over two days is some challenge. Led fantastically by Edward Johnston (U6, L), the sheer will and desire to come from behind on countless occasions and perform the way they did was a credit to themselves and the school. Well done! Each team did fantastically well and represented themselves and the school with distinction. Overall the four teams played:

28 Games; Won 21; Lost 4; Drew 1 A huge thank you must go to all the coaches who trained the players and took teams to tournaments around the country. We look forward to doing it all again next year!

Shooting Clays

Shooting at College this year has been a great experience; the team have grown from strength to strength and we have been coached by some great people. Ian Coley’s Shooting Ground has been excellent in catering for all our training needs and we are certain that this excellent facility has been one of many key factors in our success this year. Those successes have come in many forms: in our team we have had the Ladies’ High Gun of three competitions and the runner up of plenty more.

Naturally the six teams left in the competition are the top rugby schools in the country and with each player needing every ounce of energy, we faced another tough group in St Peter’s School, York, who were unbeaten in their XV season and back-to-back Natwest Cup Champions, Bromsgrove School. The first game against St Peter’s was a physical encounter which College managed to hold on and win 14-10. The team therefore needed a win against Bromsgrove to

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This is the same for the boys: we have had our fair share of runners up this year but have not yet managed to secure a Boys’ High Gun. As a team, we came fourth in the Marlborough School Challenge with Thomas Hartley (5th, H) and Alisa Sedova (5th, W) coming second in the individual competition. At the Millfied School, invitational the team came fifth with Thomas again coming second in the individual but Alisa went one better winning the Ladies’ High Gun. At the Warwick challenge the team came fifth. The result of the year was saved for the Harrow School Fido May Challenge, where the team of Thomas, Jack McClure (L6, L), Charles Turk (L6, NH) and Henry Johnson (L6, H) beat Millfield School and Marlborough College, who had been the only previous winners. Alisa won the individual Ladies’ High Gun. At the Nationals at Sporting Targets we placed sixth in the country with our top scorer, Thomas, placing ninth in the individuals for boys. Alisa placed fourth in individuals for the ladies. Outside of school Thomas is progressing well in the Great Britain Olympic Pathway for Olympic Skeet and is into his second year. He is showing signs of moving up the ranks to even better things. Our coaches this year have been invaluable; their years of experience on the refereeing circuit have given us the best tips of how to behave when on the stand to ensure whoever is shooting gets the highest possible score. The advice given to us by our outstanding coaches has been no less than vital in securing our victories and other placings. It is now time to focus on a discipline called DownThe-Line (DTL) that offers us a new challenge and keeps us energised as we carry on shooting. DTL breathes a breath of fresh air into the system and lets us explore the other fields of shooting. We intend to enter a DTL competition at Ian Coley’s and, as we have some great talent on the team, we will be in good standing to place well.

This has been the first full year at College that shooting has been a main sport in many years and long may that remain.

Squash

Thomas Hartley (5th, H)

Boys

Target Rifle shooting

Record: played 11; won 7; lost 4

1st V

This year has very much been one of transition for the target rifle team; clays and rifle shooting have merged, in line with our British Shooting partnership, and a lack of coach for much of the year hampered development of the team. However, with Major Tony Ayres joining the club in the Summer Term, things were starting to look much brighter. Major Ayres was able to use his considerable experience to enable College to compete as a team at Bisley in the Ashburton 4 as well as several individual competitions as well. The Ashburton 4 team were a mix of experience in William Jury-Simpson (U6, BH) and Andrew CK Luk (U6, Xt), and debutants in Charles O’Bryan (L6, BH) and Thomas Hartley (5th, H). They represented College well but it was always going to be a tough ask. However, they finished fourth; missing a Bronze medal by less than 3 points, which was a fantastic achievement. There were also some excellent individual performances from William and Andrew; with William winning the Bronze medal in the 600 Aggregate and Andrew coming 21st. William came 46th in the Wellington competition and Andrew came 68th in the Schools 100 out of a field of 470. I am pleased to announce that Thomas Hill (U6, BH), Andrew CK Luk and Jasmine Ng (U6, W) were awarded their shooting Colours.

Mr Chris Reid

Skiing

Jack Cunningham

Jack has continued with his Alpine Racing Development throughout 2016/17, training with Team Evolution. Moving into the U16 GB group has seen the competition and quality of his race opponents elevate markedly. Opening the season at Hinterriet in Austria, saw Jack achieve a podium position from the outset and he was selected once again to represent GB in Slovakia at an international race series. As well as taking part in competitions in Bormio in Italy and Tignes in France, the season ended brilliantly: Jack was selected to represent GB in the largest international race of the season and achieved a top 20 placing against many skiers older than himself. Over the summer, Jack headed to Chile to speed train and is working hard to combine his training and work for GCSEs in 2018.

Mr Martin Cunningham

Jono Jamieson-Black (U6, H), Max Dymoke (U6, NH), Oscar Butcher (5th, H), Bogdan Shulzhenko (U6, L), Freddie White (L6, BH), Pei Toh Chung (5th, H) Starting the year in the newly refurbished squash courts, the Senior 1st V led the way with their talent and tenacity, despite many changes due to injury. The team played hard to secure some excellent wins against Marlborough College, Bromsgrove School and St Edward’s School, Oxford, proving their caliber. The key victories across the Autumn Term meant that College progressed through to stage two of the National Schools competition, losing a tough match against Winchester College, away, to prevent progression to the quarter finals. Throughout the year, Jono Jamieson-Black played some particularly exceptional squash, with victory over Winchester being achieved despite the knowledge that we had already lost the fixture. Freddie White worked tirelessly at his game to become an extremely formidable opponent, and Pei Toh Chung deserves much credit for his superb improvement in his matches throughout the season. Indeed, it was only against those schools where pupils play at a club or national level, Radley College and Wycliffe College, that they were ever outclassed. The team deserve much praise for the spirit with which they played each fixture, and I am sure that those members who are leaving us this year will find much enjoyment from the game outside College. Next year brings much hope for the 1st V, with Oscar Butcher developing into an incredibly strong player indeed.

2nd V

Record: played 4; won 3; lost 1 Joshua Dowley (Captain U6, L), Tom VasiliouSalter (U6, L), Sam Cook (L6, NH), Theo Taylor (L6, Xt), Jack Mitchell (L6, NH) Despite not having regular matches, our 2nd V maintained their momentum and played tremendously well this season, comfortably winning all their home fixtures. Led by Joshua Dowley, the team played dynamic squash full of energy and determination. Notable wins over Radley College and St Edward’s School,

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Oxford, proved the quality of the team, and a special mention must go to Tom Vasiliou-Salter for his almost unbeaten record in the fixtures. In particular, the excellent sportsmanship demonstrated by the Lower Sixth players adds impetus for the team next year, and I look forward to them bringing their unrelenting enthusiasm to the 1st V.

Girls 1st V

Record: played 7; won 3; lost 4 Squad: Eleanor Jones-Perrott (U6, A), Jemma Robson (U6, W), Charlotte Ball (U6, Ch), Pippa Hickey (U6, Ch), India Deakin (5th, W), Millie Broom (U6, W), Kiara Munn (U6, Ch) The Senior team enjoyed a successful season, reaching the second round of the National Schools draw, and with each member of the team making significant progress in their

personal game. Jemma and Charlotte enjoyed training in the mixed second group, consistently beating boys in the group to climb higher up the ladder. This helped them succeed when faced with tough opponents and maintain a fiercely competitive edge throughout the term. Pippa’s relentlessly cheery, yet ferocious game play took her to the top of Group Three, challenged only by Kiara; a late-comer to squash who immediately proved her place. The team are to be commended for their fabulous attitude, maintaining their positive disposition despite some difficult defeats against nationally ranked players; they were excellent ambassadors for College and the Upper Sixth ladies will certainly be missed next year.

Miss Charlotte Knowles

Swimming Coach: Andy Osborne

This year has been another successful one where Cheltenham College Swim Club is concerned. Internally, we began the year with two Third Form galas, with victory to Boyne House for the boys and Westal in the girls’ competition, with success emulated by Westal in the Senior girls’ House pots competition later in the year. The Senior boys’ House pots was won by Hazelwell and the Junior competitions by Ashmead and Christowe respectively. Externally, we have enjoyed a full and varied fixture lists with participation at local, regional and national-level events. For the first time ever, our College girls’ team qualified to swim the finals of both the medley relay and freestyle relay

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at the National ‘Otters’ swimming gala at the Olympic stadium in London in March. This was a fantastic achievement, especially as two of our swimmers were from the Third Form. The boys managed to win one of their heats and came second in another; a great performance across the board. There have been a number of key wins this year in fixtures where we usually find competition especially stiff; Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Bromsgrove School are prime examples of this. With dogged and hard-fought races ensuring that we won the events, this was a boost to our squads, who have continued to work hard to improve as the year has gone on. We have also beaten a number of other schools including King’s College, Taunton, which was a new fixture this year and a thoroughly enjoyable affair. Our captains this year, Kelvin Lai (U6, BH) and Sam Rowland (L6, A) have both been excellent: they have stepped up, rallied the teams and performed well individually. Sam excelled at the Cayman Islands National Championships winning a Gold medal, a Silver medal and two Bronze medals; she has also racked up an impressive nine school records this year. Where school records are concerned, we have had a bumper year with 13 pupils involved in individual or relay records being broken; this is unprecedented.

Mrs Zoe la Valette-Cooper

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Tennis

The 2016-17 season began back in the second week of September where our Winter Tennis programme sparked into life. With regular training sessions for our top tennis-playing pupils, alongside some national cup competitions that began before the Summer Term, by the time April came, we were on a roll.

Boys

Senior Boys

Record: played 5; won 4; lost 1

1st VI

Record: played 6; won 4; lost 2

As a school, we are still continuing to put out a large number of competitive teams, with 90 pupils competing on certain Saturdays, which is down to both the commitment of our pupils and staff that are involved with the sport. Our girls and boys have followed the fantastic examples set by captains Charlotte Ball (U6, Ch) and Jamie Orme (U6, S). Highlights include our Junior boys beating Radley College in a rain-soaked fixture; a clean sweep of nine victories out of nine from our block fixture v Malvern College, and our 18 and under First Pair of Charlotte and India Blake (U6, Q) retaining their Gloucestershire School Girl doubles crown with comprehensive wins over Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Dean Close School and Pate’s Grammar School.

2nd VI

Theo Hunt (L6, H), Ian Wan (L6, NH), Roger Mortimore (S, L6), Oliver Smith (L6, S), Henry Vivian (L6, S), Killian Hughes (L6, S) Jamie Orme (U6, S), Lucas Harrison (5th, L), Giuseppe D’Istria (L6, H), Freddie White (L6, BH), Javier Peralta Martin (4th, L), Charlie Boyce (L6, H)

The 1st and 2nd boys’ tennis teams had a fantastic season. With a largely youthful squad, it certainly bodes well for the coming years. We did, however, start a little slowly, which is natural due to some new pairings finding their feet.

With the induction of such a talented Third Form group, College tennis looks to be carrying on from strength to strength.

Mr Chris Warner, Head of Tennis

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Our first match against St Edward’s School, Oxford, was a great introduction. A difficult day for our 1st team highlighted how important it was to stay in the point and force opposition errors. However the 2nds match came right down to the last set. Roger Mortimore and Oliver Smith showed great composure to see out a tight 7-5 victory. Our next match was against tough opposition in Radley College. A solid start meant both teams went into the final round of matches needing a win. Lucas Harrison and Jamie Orme formed a strong pairing showcasing great ground strokes and volleying. The end result, unfortunately, went in favour of the home team but College left with a much-improved performance.

despite falling down in the ‘like-for-like’ round of two sets. The squad enjoyed a super double-set win in their round, and in the end, we settled for a 3-3 draw overall. The conditions were rather beautiful on an English balmy summer’s day, with some pleasantries exchanged on court also.

Mr Nick Nelson (Coach)

Girls 1st VI

Record: played 11; won 5; drawn 1; lost 5; points difference 5

The following matches against Monmouth College, Dean Close School and Malvern College really emphasised how improved both first and second pairings have got over the term. Theo Hunt and Ian Wan didn’t drop a set in all three fixtures and Charlie Boyce and Javier Peralta Martin showed glimpses of how dangerous they could be from the back of the court. Led superbly by the consistent Jamie and Theo, both the 1st and 2nd team finished the season with an emphatic win against Bromsgrove School. The performances across the board in 30-degree heat were outstanding and with Bromsgrove providing some tough opposition, the 8-1 and 7-2 score-lines showed how well College had played. The underlining factor for the success of this season was the character the players showed in the ‘make or break’ points and how difficult they were to break down throughout the set. It certainly bodes well for next year as the majority will all be returning. A fantastic season, well done to all involved.

Mr Olly Morgan (Coach)

Junior Boys

Record: played 2; won 1, drew 1. Monty Graveney (3rd, L), Javier Peralta Martin (4th, L), William Hechle (3rd, Xt), William Stanton (4th, NH), Gus Edwards (3rd, H), Joe Murphy (3rd, L) The first exposé for this young cohort was against a Radley College VI of very similar standing. This proved to be a very worthy contest and a fairly close-run thing, making for a welcome break, historically, from the Radley rout as a precedent. Arguably, the pairing of Monty Graveney and Javier Peralta Martin led to a rise in temperature, adding mercurial pockets of flair to the occasion. William Stanton provided the constant in finding an early rhythm unmatched by his partner. As we entered the final round (like-for-like) the home crowd had congregated, providing that catalyst for tail-end talent to win through 6-3 on the day, which brought with it a welcome win for the growing talent that is Lower College tennis.

as the team welcomed some 2nd team players in with some players not available. The 1st and 2nd team really came together this year and even some of the 3rd team and recreational players were involved in a 2nd team match. Rugby School was a tough fixture in rather warm conditions and although the girls did their best, they lost out by 2-7. We were lucky enough to play the last fixture with the team back together and at full strength against Shrewsbury School. Outstanding performances from all pairs made for a convincing 9-0 win to finish. Accolades go to Kiara Munn and Pippa Hickey, who last year started in the recreational group and have moved up through the teams. They have shown great enthusiasm and team work and were rewarded by winning all three games in their last match for College. India and Charlotte played some extraordinary tennis as First Pair and India Deakin and Martha have shown tenacity and performed to a high standard throughout the season, which is encouraging for next year.

Miss Charli Roberts (Coach)

2nd VI Charlotte Ball (U6, Ch), India Blake (U6, Q), Pippa Hickey (U6, Ch), Kiara Munn (U6, Ch), Martha Elliott (L6, W), India Deakin (5th, W)

Record: played 6; won 1; drawn 0; lost 5; points difference -16

From the winter tennis, the team beat Red Maid’s School in a league fixture. They have come second overall in the National Cup Rounds and India Blake and Charlotte Ball were winners of the Gloucestershire Schools Girls’ doubles. To start the Summer Term off, the girls had a well-fought match after only one training session against St Edward’s School, Oxford, and a very tense game against Bloxham School in the last match to win 5-4. India and Charlotte were a consistent First Pair and had some very close encounters with Dean Close School, as did India Deakin and Martha Elliott, but they just caught shy of a 3-6 loss. Some excellent performances all round from each pair, including Pippa Hickey and Kiara Munn who came off court saying they played to their best potential and left everything on the court. Head of Tennis, Chris Warner, and I said to the team that if they came off court knowing they couldn’t have done any more, then they should be really proud of themselves, no matter what the outcome. This encouraged the girls to perform well throughout their matches and again they had a very close match with Cheltenham Ladies’ College just losing 4-5. They then went away against Malvern College and had a good 6-3 win, which gave the girls a boost

Millie Broom (U6, W), Eleanor Jones-Perrot (U6, A), Emily Drysdale (5th, W), Rutendo Mudange (L6, A), Sascha Taylor (L6, Ch), Rose Jones (L6, Q), Georgie Baillie-Hamilton (L6, Q), Cordelia Shorthouse (L6, A) The team have had many games where some players have not been available and have welcomed other players into the team and really tried their best. They have had some tough fixtures and, unfortunately, only had one convincing result against Malvern College, winning 7-2. The scores do not reflect their performance and they had some really closely contended matches; losing to Bloxham School and Cheltenham Ladies’ College 4-5 and Dean Close School 3-6. Through these challenges, the girls have progressed and learned to adapt and be

The second major encounter of the term was an away contest against Malvern College. On one of the hottest days of the year, we risked altitude sickness and sunstroke in a ‘hotly’ contested fixture against an amicable Malvern Junior squad. Whilst one or two individuals stood out, namely Monty and Javier, inevitably, in order to steady the ship, we turned to stalwart William Stanton, who remained in control in the first set in particular,

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resilient every week to try again and it has been enjoyable to coach them this season.

Miss Charli Roberts (Coach)

3rd VI

Record: played 3; won 2; lost 1

Vivi Radway (U6, Ch), Cordelia Shorthouse (L6, A), Isla Flint (L6, A), Jaime Carter (L6, A), Kaela Wilson (5th, Ch), Mollie Lyle (5th, Q), Rutendo Mudange (L6, A) The girls’ 3rd team played with great commitment and determination all term. Displaying a real willingness to listen, learn and improve their own game, they were impressive in training. St Edward’s School, Oxford, were our first away fixture of the term and the girls played a fine standard of tennis to win 6-3 overall. Vivi Radway, as captain, and Cordelia Shorthouse led the way, notching up three wins from three by dominating at the net and playing steadily from the baseline. Our next fixture continued in much the same vein, with the girls winning 7-2 against Bloxham School. The combinations of Isla Flint/Jaime Carter and Kaela Wilson/Mollie Lyle played particularly well, building on our training and playing ‘two at the net’ doubles. Dean Close School was our final match of the year and one that, on reflection, could have gone either way. We eventually lost 7-2, but three of our matches were lost on a finalgame tie-break and the girls were left to rue what might have been. I wish Vivi, as our only leaver, all the very best for the future and I do hope she will continue to keep playing the game.

Mr Stephen McQuitty (Coach)

4th VI

Record: played 3; won 2; lost 1

Isabella Barber (5th, A), Romy Bodington (5th, A), Rose Pearey (5th, Ch), Sumaya DowlingMembrado (5th, A), Emma Hechle (5th, W), Tilly Fletcher (5th, W), Caroline Daly (5th, W), Olivia Ladkin (5th, Ch)

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The girls’ 4th VI, as with the 3rd VI, enjoyed a most encouraging season, only losing one match all year. After a faltering start against St Edward’s School, Oxford, when we lost 8-1, the girls responded in fine fashion; displaying great tenacity and enthusiasm in training. They worked hard on the basics of serving, court placement, volleying and communication, and this reaped its reward against Bloxham School. The girls played most positively, with Rose Pearey/ Sumaya Dowling-Membrado and Emma Hechle/ Tilly Fletcher dispatching their opposition comprehensively. Our final challenge, Dean Close School, was met with exactly the right focus and attitude and the girls richly deserved to win 6-3. The girls represented College sport in the finest way possible throughout the term, displaying good sportsmanship, determination and encouragement for their teammates, all whilst juggling exams and revision schedules. Finally, I would like to thank the parents whose support, humour, and company I greatly appreciated by the side of the court.

Mr Stephen McQuitty (Coach)

Junior Colts A

Record: played 9; won 5; lost 4

The third game was against Dean Close School. This was a much closer affair with College having to play at their best in all games to secure a win 6-3. Notable performances came from Poppy Pitt and Molly Clarke, who won all their games 6-4; the pair were steady and consistent and delivered some strong and effective serving to secure the wins. The match against Cheltenham Ladies’ College the following week was a tough one for College and was finely balanced with either team having the possibility of winning at the beginning of the final round of matches. Emily and Jenny Carson beat their equal pair 6-4 in a closely fought match dominated by some excellent net play. The Second and Third Pairs both lost their games, which handed the win to Cheltenham Ladies’ College five matches to four. Very close. The match against Clifton College also proved to be a tough one. All the games were keenly fought and, again, it went down to the final round of matches. Poppy and Molly proved to be the most successful pair; winning two out of their three matches. Despite College winning a total of 41 games and Clifton winning 39, Clifton won the match: this is one of the anomalies of tennis matches. The next match against Malvern College was a straightforward affair with College proving too strong. Both Emily with Jenny, and Taya Suleyman with Megan Message, won all three of their matches showing some strong groundstrokes and dominant net play. The final result was College seven matches to Malvern’s two. Another convincing win.

Jenny Carson (4th, A), Emily Heardman (4th, Ch), Molly Clarke (4th, W), Poppy Pitt (4th, W) Taya Suleyman (4th, Q), Megan Message (4th, Q), Sanaya Gheewala (4th, W), Annina Nonnengaesser (4th, A) The season started really well with a very comfortable victory over St Edward’s School, Oxford. College won this fixture 9-0 winning a total of 54 games and giving away only 19, making this our best win of the season. The girls all played well and gave away very few points to St Edward’s. The serving was effective and our groundstrokes were accurate, powerful and consistent throughout all the games. Our next match against Bloxham School was another strong performance across the board, resulting in a win; eight rubbers to one. We lost a player at short notice so Sanaya Gheewala was called up to partner Emily Heardman. This proved to be a successful combination with Emily guiding Sanaya to all three wins; she used her experience and skill to encourage Sanaya to play her strokes effectively and confidently. The match saw College win 48 games against Bloxham’s 22. Another convincing win.

Played in overwhelming heat, the match against Rugby School was a tough one. We found Rugby a difficult opposition but despite this, the girls all played hard and did not let the strength of their rivals phase them. The best match was the final one played by Emily and Jenny: they lost 5-6 but only after an epic tie-breaker that went to 10-8. During the game there were some great long rallies, with both pairs trading shots from the back of the court and matching each other at the net. Despite the heat, they chased down every ball. It was a shame that someone had to lose the tie as they both deserved to win. This was probably the best match I have seen Emily and Jenny play this season. The penultimate match of the season was against Marlborough College, who are always tough opposition for us. Despite some strong and determined play we lost 3-6. The final match of the season saw us end on a high by soundly beating Shrewsbury School 8-1. This was a fitting end to a season that saw some good solid groundstrokes and some effective net play. The area of play most improved over the term has to be our net play with all of the girls becoming more confident and assertive at the net.

Mrs Kate Hornsby (Coach)

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Junior Colts B

Record: played 9; won 7; lost 2

us in the penultimate match of the season. Despite some courageous net play and baseline to baseline rallies, the girls lost the tie 8-1.

Yearlings A

Record: played 8; won 5; lost 3

The final game of the season saw the team finish on a high by beating Shrewsbury 6-3. Again the team played some effective tennis and dominated at the net. Over the season the players have shown great resilience and have been able to improve their overall game, with the biggest improvement being in their movement around the court and their desire to win points at the net.

Mrs Kate Hornsby (Coach)

Colts C and D Record: played 7; won 3; drew 0; lost 4 Olivia Elliot (4th, A), Beth Jenkins (4th, Q), Charlotte Maddinson (4th, Q), Honor Skelding (4th, A), Violet Levinson (4th, A), Georgia JonesPerrott (4th, W), Sanaya Gheewala (4th, W), Annina Nonnengaesser (4th, A)

Freya Coull (3rd, Q), Fionnuala DowlingMembrado (3rd, Ch), Izzy England (3rd, W), Flora Fletcher (3rd, A), Eloise Harrison (3rd, A), Alexandra Raphael (3rd, A), Annabelle Wells (3rd, Ch).

The team have had a most successful season this year; consistently throughout the term, they played some high-quality tennis against strong opponents.

Yearlings B:

The opening match against St Edward’s School, Oxford, proved to be a relatively straightforward affair with College winning the tie eight games to one. The First Pair of Beth Jenkins and Olivia Elliot won all of their games easily, losing no more than five games in the three matches they played. They won many of their rallies through Olivia covering the back of the court and Beth the net. The second match was against Bloxham School. This was a little closer with College winning the tie seven games to two. Notable performances came from Charlotte Maddinson and Honor Skelding who won all of their games, showing some good rally play and winning many of their points at the net. The third match, against Dean Close School, proved to be much closer and the outcome of the fixture came down to the final round of matches. College needed to win two of the final games to take the tie. Fortunately, the Third Pair of Georgia JonesPerrott and Violet Levinson won their game 6-4 with some strong groundstrokes and consistent serving to take the overall score to five matches to four; our closest fixture so far. The next match was against Cheltenham Ladies’ College and again there were some close matches played; some long rallies and good net volleys. The new pairing of Annina Nonnengaesser and Sanaya Gheewala as the Third Pair proved to be very successful and they were the only pair to win all of their matches in the fixture; this was a great start. The final overall score was a 6-3 win for College. The following two matches against Clifton College and Malvern College were good wins for College, with both scores being nine games to nil. In both fixtures, the team showed dominance in all areas of the court. Serves were accurate and consistent, their groundstrokes were powerful and the girls showed some excellent net play to win both ties comfortably. The match against Rugby School was played in very difficult, hot conditions so the matches were shortened to the first to four games rather than six. Despite some valiant rally play, Rugby proved to be too strong for College. Georgia and Violet were the only pair to win a game in the fixture. Marlborough College proved to be too strong for

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Record: played 8; won 5; lost 3

Mary Foster (4th, W), Yuriko Fukuda (4th, A), Sanaya Gheewala (4th, W), Nina Hindmarch (4th, Q), Bibi Lewin-Sanderson (4th, Ch), Maja Matschey (4th, Q), Annina Nonnengaesser (4th, A), Georgia Jones-Perrot (4th, W), Jemima Piggott (4th, W), Marina Pitman (4th, A), Jemima Rees (4th, A), Violet Shorthouse (4th, A), Hannah Wood (4th, W), Tabby Barnes (4th, Q) It has been an enjoyable season but one with mixed success. The Junior Colts’ C team first fixture was against St Edwards School, Oxford, and despite some strongly contested matches, particularly from Sanaya Gheewala and Hannah Wood, and a close overall game score, we lost. Sanaya’s performance meant that for the remainder of the season she played for the B team, as would Annina Nonnengaesser. Our next fixture was a comfortable win against Bloxham School with College winning 46 games to Bloxham’s 2 and in which Mary Foster and Jemima Piggott only dropping one game in their three matches. Unfortunately, this was followed by two defeats against Dean Close School and Cheltenham Ladies’ College. The D team played their sole fixture against Cheltenham Ladies’ College and whilst they won some good games, they lost to a strong team. It was a shame their last fixture was cancelled by Marlborough College, as many of them had made good progress by the end of the term and were ready for the challenge of another fixture. The C team went on to win their next two fixtures against Clifton College and then Malvern College pretty convincingly with consistent performances from Mary, Jemima Piggott, Marina Pitman and Jemima Rees. The season ended in a defeat at Rugby School on an extremely hot afternoon. The girls made good progress across the term and demonstrated an excellent attitude when asked to make up pairs. I hope they have enjoyed their tennis this season and I thank them for their efforts.

Mrs Sarah Dawson (Coach)

Emer Hughes (3rd, A), Nathalie Kranich (3rd, W), Victoria Larsen (3rd, A), Izzy Reid (3rd, Q), Georgia-Lili Robertson (3rd, W), Frankie Pinchard (3rd, Ch), Phina Wilson (3rd, A) It has been a pleasure working with both teams this term. They have worked hard in training, listened to feedback and endeavoured to improve their own performances as an individual and as a pair. The season started convincingly for both squads against a traditionally strong St Edward’s School, Oxford, with both the A and B teams winning their fixtures 6-3 respectively. The girls played some fabulous doubles despite only having one training session before their fixture. They continued their superb doubles play with a fantastic win against Bloxham School: the A team winning 7-2 and the B team winning 9-0. The focus in their training was on hitting their volleys and being aggressive at the net, which many of the girls did during this fixture, hunting for any ball that they could intercept and finish the point off with. The next two weeks were Derby Week with Dean Close School followed by Cheltenham Ladies’ College. The girls played superbly at Dean Close and focused on their serves, which they had been working on that week. This, coupled with the volleying work that they had been working on in the previous week, made both teams a force to be reckoned with. The A team won 8-1 and the B team won 9-0. Unfortunately, the girls could not repeat this performance against Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Despite a great fight, both teams lost narrowly; 4-5 in both matches.

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The next fixture was against Clifton College, and once again went down to the wire. Our girls unfortunately came out on the wrong side of this result; both teams once again losing 4-5. The girls in both teams were playing some great points but were losing out on the points that mattered. It was now about how they kept cool when under pressure and being able to see out the game and match when they had the opportunities.

winning two of their matches 6-1, 6-1. This was swiftly followed up with 9-0 wins over Bloxham School and Dean Close School. The girls were feeling confident heading into their block fixture against Cheltenham Ladies’ College. However, strong winds and unfamiliar courts left the team struggling to find their rhythm and, despite some encouraging individual performances, they lost 2-7 and 3-6 overall.

After the half term break, the girls were ready for their last three fixtures of the term. First up was Malvern College where the girls dominated their fixture winning an impressive 8-1 at U14A and 9-0 at U14B level. The next fixture was the performance of the season! On an extremely hot and humid day away at Rugby School, the girls gained two of only three wins across the club that weekend.

The girls bounced back with a 6-3 win over Clifton College and followed this up with another emphatic 9-0 win over Rugby School. The last fixture of the season was another tough one and the girls went down 3-6 and 2-7 to strong competition at home against Marlborough College. The girls have been a delight to coach and it will be exciting to see them go from strength to strength over the course of their time at College, as a number will be challenging the A and B teams for their spots next summer.

This fixture saw some superb doubles play from every single player and some great pairs work as well. Groundstrokes were hit with powerful but accurate force; volleys were put away and serves put their opponents under pressure. The A team won 5-4 and the B team won 6-3. The final match of the season was against Marlborough College. Once again, it was a very tight fixture in which, unfortunately, the girls did not triumph; the A team lost 4-5 and the B team lost 3-6.

Miss Claire Rowland (Coach)

Water Polo U18 Team

Hugo Bailey (5th, BH), Boris Pustoshinskiy (5th, Xt), Amber Beachus (L6, W), Kieran Brown (L6, Xt), James Lewin (L6, NH), Theo Taylor (L6, Xt), Piers Renaud (U6, BH), Darren Hague (U6, BH) (Captain), Jago Skelding (L6, BH), Kieran Thorley (U6, BH), Jacob David-Ward (L6, S), Josh Hughes (L6, NH), Artem Smykovskii (5th, L), Daniel Ward (L6, NH), Dougal Rees (L6, Xt)

It has been an absolute pleasure coaching this very talented group of girls. They have applied themselves fantastically during training and every single one of them has reaped the benefit of this hard work. I look forward to seeing what these talented individuals can do next year.

Miss Betsy Willey (Coach)

Yearlings C

Record: played 7; won 5; lost 2

With the team formed of a mixture of experienced and new players, the U18 team had a tough season but they have progressed massively as the season went on. With the team formed mostly from Lower Sixth players there is the potential to improve and build next year, particularly given that Fifth Formers Hugo Bailey and Boris Pustoshinskiy have been regular members of the Senior squad over the last season, and that Boris finished as top scorer overall. After qualifying for the semi-finals of the English Schools National Competition following a tough game against Torquay Boys’ Grammar School, College drew a tough group including Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital (QEH), Northampton School for Boys, the Habershashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School (Habs) and Warwick School. Whilst, the

boys did not qualify for the finals, they showed real determination and sportsmanship against some experienced opposition and should be congratulated on reaching this stage of the competition. Their attitude when battling in some of these matches was exemplary and demonstrated some real grit and courage. Throughout the season, College teams have also celebrated wins in friendly matches against Radley College, Marlborough College, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, the University of Gloucestershire and All Saints’ Academy. Particular mention must go to Amber Beachus, who as the sole female representative in the Senior team, has worked tirelessly all season holding the back; earning herself a reputation as a defender you don’t want to take on. In addition, Kieran Brown has selflessly stepped in as goalkeeper on several occasions, showing himself as a real team player. The U18 team was captained by Darren Hague, who has led the team with a maturity beyond his years and sets the example for everyone to follow. We also say goodbye to Piers Renaud, who working hard in both attack and defence, has progressed to become a very adaptable player. We wish them well and we are sad to see them depart, but look forward to welcoming new members to the club next year. Full Colours have been awarded this year to Darren Hague and Daniel Ward. Half Colours have been awarded to Boris Pustoshinskiy, Amber Beachus and James Lewin. Boris Pustoshinskiy takes the Baldwin Trophy for U18 Top Scorer, with the Edwards Cup for MVP going to Daniel Ward. The Most Improved Player is James Lewin.

Top Goalscorers

Player

Goals scored

Boris Pustoshinskiy

Daniel Ward

Darren Hague

Dr Vicki Hawkins

Praew Jeerawatanawart (3rd, A), Nathalie Kranich (3rd, W), Anna Forde (3rd, Ch), Annaliese Goff (3rd, Ch), Rose Dillon (3rd, W), Jessica Hale (3rd, Q), Frankie Pinchard (3rd, Ch), Proud Jeerawatanawart (3rd, A), Aanya Patel (3rd, W), Phina Wilson (3rd, A)

Yearlings D

Record: played 2; won 0; lost 2 Annaliese Goff (3rd, Ch), Aanya Patel (3rd, W), Jessica Hale (3rd, Q), Holly Ellis (3rd, Ch), Poppy Williams (3rd, Ch), Tomiris Marabayeva (3rd, A) The team have had a stellar season. They are a talented group of players who have made match selection very difficult. The girls began the season with a commanding 8-1 win over St Edward’s School, Oxford, with Rose Dillon and Jessica Hale

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The Cheltonian Society has an ever growing network of over 8,000 members across 80 countries. All those with an association to College are automatically members, which includes pupils, alumni, We endeavour to organise events that appeal to all sections of our audience and hope to welcome you at one of our events in the future! You can follow us on social media: Facebook - @CheltonianSociety Twitter - @CheltonianSoc Instagram - @CheltonianSociety LinkedIn - Search for Cheltonian Society

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OUR FOND FAREWELLS Pip Ash

Pip embodies many of the qualities that we look for in a really good teacher. He is intellectually strong and has a real desire to see all of his pupils succeed to the very best of their ability. He achieved this by getting to know each of them extremely well and could talk about individuals’ strengths and weaknesses in impressive detail after teaching them for only a short time. Pip’s vocabulary is impressive and he has, I am sure, sent many of us to the dictionary after reading one of his reports to look up the meaning of a word! His reports were always a joy to read and were, one felt, the sort of reports that Boris Johnson would write were he to take up teaching. He had the charisma and showmanship which inspires a genuine love of the subject in his pupils. Pip was therefore a natural choice to assist with the regular visits of various prep and junior schools to the Science Department. The current popularity of Physics at College can be attributed in no small part to Pip. As an Upper College tutor attached to Leconfield and by contributing to Third Form Challenge, Pip threw himself in to countless areas of school life apart from his teaching. With his beautiful cello playing and singing, he was especially involved in the musical life of College; contributing with great talent and generosity to a range of musical performances. Perhaps playing less to his natural talent, in coaching rugby he proved himself the epitome of a schoolmaster by turning his hand to this as well. Pip leaves College to return to Law; his first calling. He will be a real loss to the teaching profession and we wish him all the very best for the future.

Mr Stuart Cooper

James Chaloner

James joined College in September 2014. Having graduated from Oriel College, Oxford with a degree in French and Italian in 2009. A spell in media and communications followed for James before a change in career path steered him west along the M4. From the outset James has thrown himself wholeheartedly into College life. From the classroom, to the games field to the wonderfully insightful relationship he has with his tutees, James is a schoolmaster of significant quality. I was fortunate to see James teach early on at his time at College and his passion for languages was evidently infectious. There are not many teachers that can deliver the line ‘three vowels

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in a row in that word… how cool is that?’ and for it be greeted with genuine enthusiasm from his charges. James always looked forward to Games afternoons. Mr ‘Lower Reeves’ himself would never let his mighty C teams off the hookespecially when resources were lacking: a practice where a boy’s rugby boot was used as a replacement for a missing ball was, without doubt, one of his coaching highlights. I know that there are a number of things that James won’t miss about teaching, including wake ups in the boarding house and dealing with truculent tutees, but I know he will miss his Saturday afternoon away trips with his rugby, hockey and cricket sides. These trips with James were full of sportsmanship, camaraderie, good humour and a real understanding and love of team dynamics. These are all traits that I have valued hugely over the last year in Christowe, where James has been my Resident Tutor. James is a genuine schoolmaster and one that will be sorely missed but his inner entrepreneurial urges proved too strong and an exciting start-up venture is already afoot. I have no doubt that the freedom of running his own business will allow James to nurture his inner oenophile and to spend Saturday afternoons watching live sport with his lovely wife Caroline; passions which they both share. I wish James all the very best for what I know will be an exciting future and I look forward to our continued friendship over the years to come.

Mr Jon Mace

Ed Fenn

After three successful years serving, predominantly, College’s Boat Club, Ed leaves us to embark upon the ‘grown up’ career (his choice of words) of accountancy. In addition to his rowing responsibilities, for the last two years, Ed was a wonderful Tutor to Fourth and Fifth Form boys in Hazelwell and he also taught in the Science Department. As an avid rower at school and university himself, Ed joined us as Assistant Rowing Coach and Boathouse Manager in 2014 from the University of Bristol. From the outset, he was honest and determined in his approach to the role: at the drop of a boater, he was willing to commute between College and the river and to enhance our rowing provision. Despite the failing fabric of the boathouse, Ed ensured that there were systems in place and College’s fleet management was controlled. It became obvious that he would be the natural successor to the Head Coach role that became available a year later. Crews coached by Ed took to waters at both Tewkesbury and

Gloucester with passion, an excellent technique and a loyalty. He provided the Boat Club with energy, resilience and a certain Wykehamist’s wit in working with the Head of Rowing to re-align the Club’s position within College. In navigating the Club through a little turbulence this year, College is grateful for his understanding, administration and commitment: he ensured that everything from the more glamorous Boat Club dinners, pre-season training Camps and National Schools successes to the more prosaic moving and storing of ergos and oversight of late suppers, were completed with a calm cheer. His good humour will be missed and we wish him every success with his new career as an accountant. We wish him the very best as he pens his next chapter.

Mr Karl Cook and Theo Hunt (L6, H)

Stephen Friling

Stephen retires after 17 years as Finance Bursar and, more latterly, Deputy Bursar. He joined College in 1999 at a time when, it’s safe to say, our finances were less healthy than they now are. His detailconscious approach to accounting, and a passionately held view that every penny College spends should be spent wisely, were contributing factors to the school moving forward into the new century on a firmer financial footing. He has worked very closely with Council and with the Bursar to help deliver the outstanding improvements we’ve seen in recent years; in particular the building of Westal and the refurbishment of the Science Block. Stephen’s commitment to College has gone way beyond his beloved Accounts Department; he was always ready to become involved in other aspects of the school. For example, Stephen played a central role in the development of Chandos Cottages when they were first converted to boarding accommodation, as the original Westal. When I say ‘involved’ I mean really involved, from the initial engagement of an architect and contractor to ultimately pressganging Pam, his wife, in the final hours before opening, to assemble furniture and hang curtains! I am given to understand that the House was actually finished about an hour before its first resident arrived. Stephen has contributed to College in so many ways; qualified to drive the rescue launches, he could often be found helping out with the 24 Hours rowing events; an excellent shot, he joined the shooting team at Bisley each summer, winning medals himself on many occasions and, as a former soldier, he gave freely of his time to the CCF. Whatever the challenge or task, Stephen could be relied upon to give 100% of his time and ‘know-how’.

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College will certainly miss Stephen; his knowledge of the school, its people, its history and its finances will be sorely missed, but most of all we’ll miss Stephen for the occasionally brusque but unfailingly kind-hearted and supportive friend he has been to us all. We wish Stephen and Pam a long and happy retirement together.

Mr John Champion

Andrew Gasson

Having taught previously at Eton and Abingdon, Andrew was appointed to College by Richard Morgan in 1987 into a Geography Department that featured three Cambridge graduates assisted only by a ‘BBC B’ computer and a single television as teaching aids. Within a year he was Head of Department and the rest is history as they say. Geography has long since been an academic powerhouse at College and Andrew should take much of the credit for its excellent results and high standards of teaching and learning over a very long period. In more recent times Andrew has supported various new teachers and has been a selfless and instructive advisor to several new Heads of Department. Andrew is famed for his detailed lessons, his conscientious marking, clear and unambiguous advice, up to date research and for his resultant excellent grades of his charges in public exams. In 2000 Andrew was appointed as Senior Tutor and he carried out a restructuring of the tutoring system which continues to operate today. He also took responsibility for academic reporting and, amongst other things, developed induction programmes for new staff and pupils. Throughout his time at College, Andrew demonstrated a passion for pastoral matters and pupils getting the best possible support and supervision in the boarding houses to enable them to flourish. In this capacity, Andrew took a leading role in modernising attitudes to pastoral care at College in the 1990s. In 2011 Andrew agreed to take on the newlycreated role of Assistant Head (Co-Curricular) and used his superb organisational skills to pull together many different and independent domains in order to create a coherent whole. This was not easy work, but Andrew achieved a great deal on which his successor has been able to build. Andrew was a Tutor in Christowe for 26 years and also ran the Junior Colts’ A hockey team from 1987 to 2009 (losing only 30 of 146 matches as coach). He also ran the Yearlings’ A cricket team for 17 seasons (winning 238 of 332 matches!) He has even turned his hand to assisting in the Admissions office; there was nothing he wouldn’t do if College was in need. Most of all Andrew has been a civilising influence in College, his loyalty, integrity, good humour and commitment to the cause is second to none and he has been a great ambassador for College and colleague to so many over the years. Andrew leaves a huge hole in College and will be sorely missed. We wish him every success in the future.

Dr Alex Peterken

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The Cheltonian 2016-2017

Christine Harrison

Christine joined College in 1999 arriving into a school that was very different to today’s fully coeducational model. Girls were still very much in the minority and all the more so in Physics. Christine tackled these stereotypes head on and proved that ‘school mastering’ was not the preserve of male teachers. Although she has taught mainly Physics, she has also taught extensively in Mathematics as well as in Chemistry and Biology. Her experience and knowledge have benefitted a generation of pupils along the way and she has been a great example to girls whom she has consistently encouraged into STEM subjects. The same applied with staff where Christine for some years tutored PGCE students as well as guiding newly qualified teachers through their first year of teaching. She played a leading role in taking students to CERN in Geneva and the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston as well as numerous trips to Cambridge, careers trips and science festivals. Christine has made a huge contribution to the co-curricular life of the College. She managed the considerable commitment of coaching College rowing for 10 years and was a great example to the pupils in her care. Christine’s first foray into the College CCF Naval section was when she was asked to help on a sailing trip to Southport in May 2006. In June of the same year she was asked to drive a minibus load of cadets up to Scotland for a week to accompany them on their trip to stay on Arran, based on a Clyde Fleet tender for the week. They visited the Royal Naval base at Faslane and had the opportunity to board a Vanguard-class submarine. Christine was hooked! Her leadership of the CCF Naval section since 2009 has been outstanding. After taking over the unit she has taken it from strength to strength. Many cadets have benefitted from her attention to detail and encouragement to attend courses in the holidays. She has organised some first-rate Field Days, evening sessions at South Cerney and away days at Weymouth and Portsmouth. Many cadets have gained qualifications in sailing and power boating, first aid and diving along the way. For the 150th year celebration of Cadets in 2010, Christine had the opportunity to watch four cadets from College, take part in the marching band that marched along The Mall and afterwards attended the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. In October 2013 Christine was bestowed the great honour of being awarded the HM Lord Lieutenant for Gloucestershire Certificate for Meritorious Voluntary Service. Christine will be sorely missed by College. She has been a great support to many Cheltonians, pupils and staff alike. She has an exciting retirement planned and a new grandson will keep her very busy. She has also been granted a Staff Travel Award to visit the Shamrock School in Nepal. It speaks volumes that she still has much to offer teaching and a lifetime of skills and experience to use to good effect. We wish her the very best.

Mr Dom Faulkner and Mrs Phoebe Aitken

Vicki Huckle

Vicki was at College for three years in the Boat Club, moving from fixed hours rowing coach to post grad rowing coach before she stepped up to take over as Head of Rowing at College in 2015/6. She gave the Club a real sense of stability, leading by example in her cool and cheerful way. She steered the Club to its best National Schools Regatta result for many years as well as better integrating it into the fabric of College. Vicki joined Hazelwell as a Third Form Tutor and then Assistant Housemistress. She was a real support and inspiration to the boys in her care. She led the competitions in House and was a real support to everyone. Vicki leaves us to develop her involvement in research on behalf of the University of Worcester with Sports Coach UK and UK Sport. She is devoting more time to this in order to follow her dream of coaching professionally. Obviously, we will be very sorry to see her leave the House, where she has been an absolute stalwart over the past two years. Renowned for her bright colours and cheerfulness, Vicki always brought a sparkle to a room. We will all miss her positivity, energy and enthusiasm.

Mr James Coull and Mr Ed Fenn

Maureen Jenkins

College was very sad to say goodbye to Maureen earlier this year. Maureen, or ‘Mo’ as she is affectionately known, has worked in our Catering Department as the Salad Chef since 1996 and the mind boggles at the number of salads she must have prepared and served pupils and staff in her 21 years’ service. The affection in which she is held was demonstrated in true College fashion on her last day: the entire Dining Room erupted into an enthusiastic, warm and impressively sustained round of applause. As firm upholder of manners and with an eagle eye for those without trays, Mo’s ability to keep order and a sense of decorum in her hungry charges was admirable. Yet, this sense of discipline was perfectly balanced by her kindness; Mo always had a kind word for those who took the time. Mo will miss the fantastic Catering team, with whom she worked so hard and had so much fun over the years and she was touched by all the warm wishes received from the pupils on her last day. For Mo, the best bit of her job, was seeing the children come in as small and shy Third Formers and watching them grow. She is missed in the Dining Hall and we wish her all the very best for a long and happy retirement, with lots of time with her family, including her beloved partner-in-crime, great granddaughter, Lola.

Miss Jane Brodigan

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Christine Leighton

Writing Chris’ valete is an honour that I approach with no small sense of trepidation: not only has she accomplished so much in her nearly 22 years at College and in a previous life at The National Archives, but any error, technical or factual, will be spotted and quickly admonished! Chris’ contribution to preserving and honouring College’s heritage is remarkable and far too substantial to do justice here. But in short, in her time she has fielded what must be thousands of wide ranging and often esoteric enquiries from within College and from the wider public. Through careful research, she has provided the names for two of our girls’ boarding houses: Ashmead (named after a local apple, which may well have grown in the Boyne House orchard upon which Ashmead is built); and Westal (the name of the Wilson family home in Cheltenham and which sadly now lies below Eagle Tower car park). Of great importance to Chris are two relatively recent commemorations. Firstly, Chris rightly takes pride in her work serving on the local Wilson steering committee for the national Scott 100 commemorations, which marked the fateful second Antarctic expedition, led by Scott and accompanied by OC Edward Wilson (1886-1891, Day Boy). In addition to researching the Wilson exhibition and the commemorative Chapel service (both held in Spring, 2012), Chris also researched then sourced the designer for the beautiful Wilson public display panels that can be found near the Accounts Lodge, near the Wilson family home and at his memorial in town. Secondly, it is down to Chris that the 692 OCs, who gave their lives in the First World War, are remembered; those who died before 11/11/1916 being commemorated in three First World War exhibitions (2014, 2015, 2016). Every year, at the heart of this meticulous and moving exhibition is the growing wall: poignant portraits of the men lost up to that point 100 years ago. College, families of those we have lost and the general public are very grateful to Chris for her work on this important commemoration. It was Chris’ fastidious persistence that resulted in the award of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant needed to digitise and print the portraits of these men for the growing wall and to purchase the panels upon which to display the images. Highly regarded and much loved in College, Chris is also deeply respected by those in her profession. A member from the early days of the School Archivists’ Group, aptly known by the acronym SAG (to reflect the archivists’ feelings of buckling under their workload), Chris has sat on the national committee for many years and, happily, will continue to do so. Since the majority of school archivists are not qualified, for the last 10 years, Chris has led an annual training day at

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College for school archivists from the south-west of the country, thus providing these stalwarts of their school communities with precious time to share problems and find solutions on wide ranging topics, such as practical conservation, oral history, records management, social media and the nuances of copyright law. Of course, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Chris for the superlative skill, dedication and professionalism that she brought to her role as technical editor of The Cheltonian (2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015). I am especially grateful to Chris for all that I have learned from her and of course for her dear friendship. Chris’ comprehensive institutional knowledge of the facts and the written archive, of the stories of the people who have made College what it is today and a terrier-like determination to hunt down and protect the intricacies of our heritage, marks her out, surely, as one of the finest custodians of heritage that a school could wish for. In short, Chris has been our ‘go to person’ for any enquiry regarding College’s extensive heritage archive and she will be sorely missed. Yet her legacy is such that her great commitment to College’s heritage archive and indeed her own consummate skill, will be honoured long into the future. We all wish her all the very best!

Miss Jane Brodigan

Antonio Leonardis

Always ready to greet all with a smile and friendly word, Antonio brought great reserves of positivity and willingness to the pupils and staff of the Classics Department over his two years at College.

A heartfelt interest in areas of Classics as diverse as Latin verse and archaeology has led not just to well-received talks at Classics Society, but frequently to lungbursting virtuoso performances that echo down the Classics corridor. Outstandingly caring of all his charges, he has forged really close ties with his tutees, who appreciate the time he gives them and the genuine interest he shows. As well as in the Department, he will be missed in the CCF, where he rapidly won praise for his ‘can do’ attitude and commitment to the cause; on the basketball court, where he has unearthed hidden talents and arranged new fixtures for College; on the rugby field, where he won not only Coach of the Season at his first attempt, but also widespread sympathy and a charity appeal when an opposition referee stole first the match, and then his shoes, at an away fixture. Antonio leaves us to take up an exciting new role at Bristol Grammar School, where we wish him every success.

Mr Tom Lambert

Tim Osburn

College would like to thank Tim for his many years of service in a variety of roles. Tim has been well known and very well liked to College staff and pupils for 37 years: first as a driver employed through Eagle Line, then as hall porter from 2001 and later as one of the team of College drivers. During this tremendous length of service, Tim has driven thousands of Cheltonians to countless sporting fixtures, CCF Field Days, academic trips and DofE expeditions. One hundred percent reliable and always ready with a cheery smile, College will miss Tim’s benevolent presence. We wish him all the very best for his retirement with his dear wife, Christine.

Mr John Jones

Richard Peacock

After completing a Physics degree at Bristol University, Richard spent a few years as an accountant; I am glad to say that he made a full recovery from this and completed a PGSE in Mathematics and arrived at College in September 2010.

As a newly qualified teacher it was clear from the very start that he had a great deal of potential. What was also apparent was that Richard was willing to work hard and to throw himself into the many facets of College life. He moved into Leconfield as Resident Tutor where he stayed for the next seven years. Here he was a loyal and proactive tutor who got to know his charges well. Richard has been fully involved in the co-curricular programme too. Over his time at College he has been involved with cricket, hockey, multisport, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, mountain biking, football, basketball and tennis. Also, in his final summer with us, he accompanied the College post GCSE trip to the Residential School for Children with Special Needs in Bradet, Romania. Richard rapidly developed into an excellent teacher of Mathematics. In particular, he always tried to get pupils to take responsibility for their own learning and he was dogged in his pursuit of those that could be working harder. Richard also volunteered to teach Further Maths A Level, which is typical of his can-do approach. Richard leaves us for a post at Charterhouse, where he will join his new wife Monika who has recently been appointed Head of German. Richard is an excellent teacher and schoolmaster and he will be missed by many at College. I would like to thank him for his loyal and significant contribution to the Department over the last seven years. We wish him good luck for what I am sure will be a very successful new chapter.

Dr Brendan Enright

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Brian Pond

Brian joined College on 17 March 1975 and after more than 40 years’ service, all served within the Estates Department, Brian has left College. He will be missed by all within the Estates team as well as by the wider College community, not least by pupils and parents in The Prep who, for quite a few of those 40 plus years, have seen him, rain or shine, in the car park at the morning rush. He has worked in both schools, predominantly as a carpenter and caretaker, and there can’t be a room or department he has not visited within that time. His knowledge of our grounds and buildings is second to none and his flexibility and loyalty will be very difficult to replace. Brian has been a committed, skilled and trusted member of the team and we wish him all the very best in the future.

Mr Andy Banks

Elin Schofield

Elin Schofield joined us in September 2016 straight after graduating from Leeds University with a First in Drama as our fourth Director in Residence. She brought with her endless energy, positivity and creativity and which was soon put to good use as she began to tackle the challenges of managing her first production after only four weeks. This was an ambitious Newick and Queen’s House play: a musical revue, featuring the songs of five West End hits. During this whirlwind rehearsal process, she demonstrated excellent resourcefulness, brilliant choreography skills and a much-needed sense of humour. This feat was followed quickly with the Variety Show. However, her greatest achievement with us was her direction of the highly innovative and engaging production of The Great Gatsby. Again, her choreography skills were utilised as she directed huge ensemble party scenes, and she also worked brilliantly with the principals, helping them to develop a sense of their character in characterisation exploration. Elin left us at Easter after being offered a position of Learning Project Worker for Sheffield Theatres in her hometown. She also continues to co-run her own company Footprint Theatre Company, which has just completed its 30th performance of its highly acclaimed production Daniel. This has been performed as part of the Incoming Festival, which celebrates the work of the most exciting new theatre groups. It was also performed at The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. We would like to thank her for all she did for us in her short time with us and wish her the very best for the future.

Mrs Sian McBride

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Jo Smith

Jo was a natural choice when she was appointed to College in 2010. A graduate of Nottingham and an experienced teacher, she had much to offer in the classroom but it became quickly apparent that she had more to contribute in co-curricular and pastoral roles; the latter, of course, shaping her decision to head for Wycliffe College and her post as a Housemistress. In the classroom Jo’s pupils have always had confidence in her ability to guide them carefully to successful outcomes in their exams. Many would not have made it in Chemistry without her input, as she has the ability to make pupils believe in themselves and increase their reach. A great support in all we have tried to achieve in Chemistry, she has been an enthusiast for cocurricular activities: always there for our parent invitation evenings, extension workshops for Lower College, national competitions such as Top of the Bench and Young Analyst, Sixth Form presentation evenings, brewery visits (chemistry of alcohols topic!), prep schools workshops and open mornings. Always to be relied upon for sensible activities which also created the ‘wowfactor’ for our guests, she warmly invited people into her lab alongside pupils. In the wider school context, Jo has been part of the Third Form Challenge programme, tennis, hockey, DofE and Chapel. Lending her reliable support in all areas, she has been a part of a great many pupils’ development and all pupils recognise her warmth and care. A highlight of College for Jo, will have been the 2013 College expedition to Nepal, consisting of visits to Kathmandu, Pokhara and a 12 day trek in the remote and enclosed area of Mustang. She was, as always, a companionable colleague on a mission to broaden the horizons of our pupils. At the heart of Jo’s career has been pastoral care and it is, therefore, natural that she should move on to become a Housemistress in Wycliffe College. Chandos, Hazellwell, Ashmead and ‘old’ Westal’s Thirlestaine Cottages have benefitted from her growing expertise in caring for boarders and providing a home-from-home experience. Supported by her husband Robin, she will be terrific at it and Wycliffe has been fortunate to acquire her dedication and commitment. Wycliffe gains not only a Housemistress, but a knowledgeable and resourceful chemist and an all-round schoolteacher. It has been a privilege and lots of fun to teach with JLS and she leaves with our great thanks and best wishes.

Mr John Jones

Graham Stuckey

Graham has been looking after the IT network amongst numerous other jobs at College since 2000, and quite simply he did an amazing job. As to be expected in this field, there has been a great deal of change during this time and under his leadership, College’s IT provision was excellent. He undertook his role with a smile and a high degree

of professionalism. One of the hallmarks of a great leader is the ability to build an excellent team around themselves and Graham did exactly that. He was held in extremely high regard by all IT and teaching staff. Graham is the archetypal team player, always willing to help, giving advice freely and going out of his way to help colleagues on a regular basis. Graham also played a very full part in the Common Room at College. He was involved in staff cricket, football, hockey, and rackets. Graham is very much a family man, and we wish him, Sandy and their three children, all of whom went through College, the very best for the future. To copy the style of some of his emails, the above was the long version. The short version is that he is a great man who has been a great servant to College and who will be missed.

Dr Brendan Enright

Mike Todd

Mike joined College in 2008 from Hilton College, a private boarding school of high repute in South Africa. Hilton, his alma mater, was his first teaching post having spent 17 years in commerce which included time with Deloitte, Investec Bank and in the sports marketing business As a member of the Business Studies and Economics Department, Mike focused on building rapport with his students and understanding each individual’s needs. His teaching drew empirically from his practical experience in business and the financial world and he expected high levels of application from his students. His passion is undoubtedly the pastoral element of education and in particular leadership, life skills and wellbeing. His tutoring, teaching and sports coaching were underpinned by a ‘coaching’ approach, aimed at helping students to achieve their full potential. Mike has a real love for sports coaching; particularly hockey and golf. His 2009 Colts’ A hockey team made the National Finals while his 1st golf team made the ISGA National Finals in 2014 and 2015 and the HMC Foursomes National Final in 2014. During his tenure the Morgan Cup was introduced against Radley College along with House Golf pots, which he named the Wild Cup after his predecessor, Mr Barry Wild. In his role as Head of Charities, Mike repositioned the profile of charity and the importance of community at College. His legacy has to be conceptualising, implementing and managing the annual 24-Hour College Prefect charity fundraiser which, since 2010, has become a focal point in the annual College calendar. As Head of Leadership Development at College, Mike developed and implemented the Leadership and Life Skills programme for the Lower Sixth; notably the first of its kind in a UK Independent School. He also really enjoyed his role nurturing and mentoring the College Prefects and each year ran the Prefect training day, which was highly acclaimed by external companies. He introduced

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a range of leadership philosophies, most notably Robert Greenleaf’s Servant Leadership approach. Mike has had an indelible impact on College, introducing a number of fresh initiatives which drew upon his invaluable experience in business. Mike had a deft approach with the perennial miscreant (he was a valued Tutor in Christowe) and his tutees enjoyed a special bond with him. His empathy towards youth, candid perspectives, dry humour and passion for learning in the broadest sense will be sorely missed. We wish him well as he continues to establish Elevate Education in South Africa. We also wish his wife, Sue and their three great children James, William and Rebecca (all past pupils of The Prep) the very best of luck in their future endeavours.

Mr Nick Nelson

Anna Williams

Anna joined the Economics and Business Department in September 2016 having been the SEND Local Coordinator for Wiltshire Council and, before that, having held a range of positions in leading business and educational organisations. With no experience of A Level teaching, being thrown into a full timetable of

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Upper College Business lessons was very much a plunge into the deep end. But driven by a selfless determination to ensure the absolute best for all her students, all with crucial examinations at stake, Anna more than rose to the challenge. Ceaselessly innovative, Anna has led the way with ICT use in the Department, putting the Head of Department to shame. Anna has engaged whole-heartedly with the Department, participating in Economics and Business Society events throughout the year, making instrumental contributions to the on-going evolution of the Mini MBA programme and even drawing on her own contacts to advise students about work experience possibilities: going far beyond that which was ever expected of her.

little touches of kindness, and gifts to raise spirits, have been very gratefully received, as have the personalised mugs! I cannot thank her enough for the way she has worked tirelessly for her students and for everything she has done in the Department this year. We are exceptionally lucky to have had Anna as a colleague this year and we wish her all the very, very best as she moves on to Dean Close School.

Dr Graham Mallard

STOP PRESS

We would also like to thank and bid farewell to James Bracey. Many thanks to you for all you have done for the Boat Club. We wish you all the very best for the future!

Taking an interest in the holistic development of students, Anna has shown herself to be a teacher with a model set of motivations. This has been nowhere clearer than in her Fifth Form tutoring, in which Anna has continually toiled to deepen her understanding of each of her tutees, an understanding she has then acted upon to individually support, encourage and care for them. Anna has also taken enthusiastically to the hockey pitches, netball courts and drama studio, relishing these opportunities to strengthen her bonds with pupils across College. Anna is the very embodiment of College’s Floreat message! Anna has never stopped looking out for each of us Business, Economics and EAL teachers, as well as for her students and tutees. All of Anna’s

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Editorial note

ize / ise suffix: please note that due to popular demand the ‘ise’ suffix has been chosen in this publication, despite the fact that the OED and Chambers’ spelling guidance recommends ‘ize’. Apostrophe: please note that when a noun acts as a determiner rather than a possessive, the apostrophe has not been used. For example: The Yearlings A team, singles championship, Chatfeild-Roberts Library, Pallister Library

Acknowledgements

The editors would like to thank the following for allowing the use of their photographs in this publication: Andy Banks The Cheltonian Association Cheltenham College Archives Childcare Department, Brasov, Romania Rebecca Crowther First Class images Gillman & Soame UK Ltd* Rob Hall  Sports Leaders UK Vanessa Grant Trust Shamrock School, Nepal *Note: the photographs on the Speech Day Prizes page have been reproduced by kind permission of Gillman & Soame UK Ltd and can be ordered by contacting Gillman & Soame on 01869 - 328200

Our thanks Too many to list here, but many thanks go to the great number of pupils, teachers, support staff and House parents who have kindly provided articles, information and high-resolution photographs for this edition. On behalf of Cheltenham College, the editor, Miss Jane Brodigan, would like to express the school’s gratitude to Mr Mat Jolly of Jolly Good Design for his excellent graphic design and endless patience! The editor would like to thank Mrs Laurette Thomas for her exhaustive technical editing, proof-reading, patience and moral support.

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