College News Spring 2013

College News Spring 2013

150 years of CCF Royal visit from HRH The Earl of Wessex

College Variety Show extravaganza A stunning display of talent

Visit from an Olympic Hockey medallist An inspirational hockey master class

Geography Field Trip to Iceland Icelandic culture & spectacular geography

New clubs and activities From mountain biking to cooking for university 1

15 weeks and I hope that both staff and pupils look back with a feeling of deep satisfaction for all the hard work put in.

College News can but touch the surface of all the different spheres of College life that pupils immerse themselves in each term. The range of articles within these pages, many of them written by pupils, does however, showcase the breadth and depth of the education we offer, from hard-fought victories on the sports field to being a good citizen and supporting those in need.

Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster

The importance of subject choice Looking back at the Autumn Term, I find it difficult to believe that at the start we had green trees, flowers, and the last of the year’s sunshine on our backs. A huge amount was achieved over those

New Girls’ Boarding House We are delighted to report that progress on Westal, our new girls’ Boarding House, is going well and we remain on target for a September 2013 opening.

This term has seen all foundations being dug and filled, as well as internal and external walls being constructed. The first signs of the red facing brickwork are now visible and the last week of term saw the first windows going in. Even the internal spaces are beginning to take shape and by the time Spring Term 2013 commences, floor units for the first floor will be installed.

Westal is the latest major building project at College and is part of a continuing programme of development which began last year with the £1.5 million refurbishment of the Library and Big Classical Theatre. Once constructed, it will sleep around 70 boarding girls. As with all College Houses, the structure will be vertical, with 12 to 14 girls in each year group. In its first year of opening, the House will have 3rd Form and Sixth Form girls, with all year groups being filled by 2015. Mrs Jenny O’Bryan, current Head of Lower College, has been appointed as Housemistress.

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College News Spring 2013

On an academic front, the Autumn Term is fundamental to establishing foundations for public examinations. As many pupils now sit down to the first set of such exams, it is, perhaps, a good time to reflect on subject choice and decision-making.

All too often, choosing the right subject to study is overlooked by students as they rush about their school lives. Spending time researching options and talking things through with teachers, tutors and parents is crucial to making the right decision.

Selecting which GCSEs to take should largely be guided by enjoyment of the subject and aptitude; they often go hand in hand. Universities do not tend to worry too much about which optional subjects students have selected the grades just need to be good. In the Sixth Form, more careful thought needs to be given, not just in terms of aptitude and enjoyment

but in preparation for the future. Choosing subjects from completely different disciplines, for example Maths, Spanish, Biology and Art, may well limit options when it comes to some university courses and subsequent careers.

Choosing a degree course should be the culmination of a process of enquiry and experiences; it should not be a snap decision made in a hurry. For courses not taught at A Level, it is really important that students make an effort to find out more; this is a key part of the selection criteria for admissions tutors. Wider reading, completing independent learning projects, researching prospectuses and websites, taster days, travel, visiting museums, work experience and conversations with teachers and university tutors all form part of this enquiry process.

A final key question for all students to ask is: do I want to study for a full degree in a likely career straightaway (e.g. BA in Business, Law, Accountancy) or do I want to study a subject that I really love (always a good thing) and gain professional qualifications after graduation? It is this kind of thinking and research that will shape the best kind of decision-making.

Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster

National Maths success This term, around 50 Upper College students took part in the UKMT’s Senior Maths Challenge Competition, a national competition run by Leeds University to test ingenuity and mathematical ability.

College Santa Fun Run On the last Sunday of term, over 350 pupils, staff and parents took part in our inaugural College Santa Fun Run. The atmosphere was electric and the sight of so many Santas jogging round our glorious grounds was one not to be missed. Many thanks to everyone who made the event such a success and for raising over £600 for charity.

The results were excellent, with students winning 3 Gold certificates, 11 Silver and 7 Bronze.

Congratulations to Glenn Edwards (L6, S), Amy Foukes, (L6, Q) and Tom Lowde (U6, S) all of whom won Gold, with Glenn coming top of the school with a score of 89. Particularly impressive given that the papers were the same for both Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth students.

Academic Colours Congratulations to the following Sixth Form students who have been awarded full Academic Colours this Autumn Term: Seb Cheli (U6, L), Emma Furniss-Roe (U6, A), Tom Lowde (U6, S), Olivia Schofield (U6, A), Phoebe Hunt (U6, A), Amy Foulkes, (L6, Q),

Rosa Schofield (L6, A), Constance Tombleson (L6, Ch), Nicole Vanner (L6, Q), Maisy King (L6, Q) and Chai Tephabutra (L6, BH) Congratulations too to Olivia Clayton (5th, A) who was awarded a Headmaster’s Distinction for her essay on Albinism. We would also like to mention Georgie Gunn (U6, Q) who received Academic Colours last term, as well as Nicholas Liban (4th, XT) who received a Headmaster’s Distinction for his essay on ‘Gravity and Black Holes’ last term.

New Clubs and Activities An ever-expanding list of clubs and activities at College has seen some exciting new opportunities this term.

Finally, mountain biking club started up this last term and with Leckhampton Hill on our doorstep, it has proved to be an excellent way of improving stamina and fitness.

Clay pigeon shooting, previously limited to daylight hours, has now moved to College Field by floodlight. Our new laser clays system offers a good simulation of the real thing and keeps everyone sharp during the winter.

Especial congratulations to Rupert Brown, (L6, NH) who on the back of the club, took part in the Cirencester Duathlon (run – mountain bike – run) and came 8th out of 85 in his race.

Cookery has really taken off this term with two different baking clubs and another offering Cooking for University. War gaming, led by the Chaplain, has also proved incredibly popular, as has the Climbing Club whose members are making the most of the new routes on our recently refurbished climbing wall in Lower Gym.

Mr Dominic Faulkner Director of Activities

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Field Trip to Iceland October half term saw 25 geographers from the Fifth Form and Upper College spend six days in Iceland on a field trip, immersing themselves in Icelandic culture and witnessing first hand spectacular physical geography at work.

We based ourselves in the south-west corner of the island, but travelled far and wide thanks to our guide Lilja.

The first morning we scaled the south-western slope of Eldfell, a volcano which last erupted in 1973. Blustering gale-force winds did nothing to dampen the spirits and we made it to the top in time for toasted sandwiches (aptly named volcanic toasties). Much of Hiemay was victim to the lava flows from the 1973 eruption, and we were lucky enough to explore sites destroyed by this lava flow, currently being excavated. While most of the group stayed in the geothermal pool for longer than planned due to having far too much fun on the trampoline slide (much to the delight of the local Westmann Islanders), Mr Penny did manage to persuade Ross, Bruce, Blackburn, Weyers and Martin to join him on an evening hike up Heimaklettur. Despite some severe ladders,

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College News Spring 2013

they made it up and down in one piece with some stunning views taken in along the way.

The following morning we visited two majestic waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, before completing a glacier trek on the Solheimajokull ice sheet. This truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with the entire party donning crampons and ice-picks and spending two hours clambering over one of the most rapidly retreating icesheets in Iceland. On our way to our base in Laugarvatn that evening we stopped off at Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir hot spring. Unfortunately however, the latter succeeded in eluding many of the keen photographers in the group by refusing to erupt at the crucial moment.

We spent the majority of day four at Thingvellir, the famous rift valley between the North American and Eurasian plates. This was the founding place of Iceland’s parliament, but more importantly, it was the site of Mr Gasson’s and Mr Penny’s excellent outdoor geography lesson. Then it was onto Reykjavik where many of the party decided a swim in the sea was in order to establish just who could withstand three degree sea water…

This was swiftly followed by recovery in the nearest hot tub and a wonderful three-course meal in downtown Reykjavik.

The penultimate day was full of mixed activities: walking over delicate mosses to find a lava arch; lunch on a beach of black sand accessible only to those who crossed the lava field on foot; a (brief!) visit to the sulphurous mud springs, and an afternoon to explore the northern-most capital city in the world.

The final morning saw us arrive at the Blue Lagoon in time to be the first people in the world-renowned flooded lava fields, and we all took every opportunity to make the most of it (the silica mud face-masks were a particular highlight).

A final pit-stop allowed us to explore the delights of Grindavik fishing village before jumping on the plane back to Heathrow.

You can read more about the trip, and enjoy many more photos, by visiting the blog at http://welcometocheltenhamcollegegeography. blogspot.com/

Miss Emily Hartley Geography Department (Front cover picture is courtesy of this field trip)

Royal Visit commemorates 150 years of CCF Service On Thursday 27 September College hosted a visit from His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the College Combined Cadet Force (CCF).

The visit was also a fitting reminder of over 6, 000 Old Cheltonians who have served their country since College was founded in 1841.

With HRH landing by helicopter on College Field, Head of Corps, Cadet RSM Tom Gossage (U6, BH) had the honour of greeting him, alongside the Headmaster and other dignitaries. HRH commenced the visit by inspecting the College Colours and Honour Guard before moving into College Chapel for a service to dedicate a specially commissioned Memorial.

After Chapel, pupils showcased the rich heritage of the College CCF by participating in stands and activities representing each of the three services; the Navy, the Army and the Air Force. These included gun runs, the College assault course, command tasks and field-craft stands. Student sea kayakists, cyclists and hikers who had successfully completed The Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Gold Award were also on parade as a mark of respect to HRH who is a Trustee of the Award, as was the Junior School Scout Troop.

The adventurous theme continued later in the day when HRH also met the “Spirit of Wilson” group, which included students who have been abroad exploring on travel awards, volunteered at the Bradet Orphanage in Romania, completed their DofE Bronze or cycled the length of the UK for charity.

Following the Royal Visit, College became the first school in the country to place a public memorial

at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire. The Arboretum is a special place honouring those who have served, and continue to serve our nation. There are over 200 memorials and over 50, 000 trees in the 150-acre site and we are honoured to be the first school to be represented there. On Sunday 7 October, 150 pupils, staff, parents and OCs attended a Service of Blessing at the Arboretum, with our Colours paraded, wreaths laid and an anniversary cake cut. It was a glorious afternoon and a fitting celebration, both of 150 years of College CCF and of the commitment and dedication of OCs to their country.

Major Richard Penny Contingent Commander

“HRH was very approachable and interested to hear about what we have been doing in the CCF and at school generally. I told him about cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End over the summer to raise money for Help for Heroes.”

Tom Gossage (U6, BH)

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L6 Independent Projects success The Autumn Term saw in the second year of College’s L6 Independent Project; an initiative aimed at giving every Sixth Former the experience of truly independent academic work, requiring their own decision-making, evaluation and justification.

This year’s independent projects, submitted at the end of the Summer Term and marked in the Autummn Term, are a celebration of academic interest and individuality, as demonstrated by the diversity of topics explored and the unique way in which each student approached his or her project.

Although many students may at first have felt apprehensive about the level of independence the project requires, success brought them a great sense of pride in achieving a challenging goal. It also increased self-reliance and motivation and many now feel confident that they can embark upon university education with confidence.

In the next issue we shall report on those students who chose to undertake an Extended Project Qualification rather than the Independent Project; Andrew Swait (U6, S) whose scholarly investigation of the Wilton Diptych enabled him to explore a work shrouded in mystery, and Sophie Wilkinson (U6, W) who researched the sustainability of eco towns.

Dr Mary Plint, Director of Learning and Independent Project Co-ordinator

“Personally, I found the project a fantastic way to find out more about a topic that I had been curious about for a long time. It has certainly given me a better understanding of the style of work I will have to undertake at university and I thoroughly enjoyed the task. It has definitely cemented my desire to study economics at university.”

Alasdair Morgan (U6, XT)

Throughout the project, students were responsible for arranging meetings with mentors and for managing their time. Developing such skills, responsibility and proactivity has obvious relevance, not only for higher education, but for all future ventures. The project is also held in extremely high regard when it comes to University applications.

“I’m planning on studying Geography at university and therefore the Independent Project has been extremely relevant to contentious issues I will be studying at A2, as well as providing me with material to talk about in an university interview.”

The top 16 essays have been published in a perfect bound book available from January. The book provides a wonderful record of extremely fine work and I hope that each student feels a sense of great pride in this achievement.

Restoration of the 1882 Volunteer Rifle Corps uniform For the 150th anniversary, the CCF wanted to display the 1882 Volunteer Rifle Corps uniform that belonged to Henry Bath (1881-1883, BH) and is now in College Archives. The trousers, jacket and cap, made of grey twill-weave wool and trimmed with black and red braid, all needed conserving.

Whilst there was no evidence of any live infestation, previous insect infestation was evident by the presence of woolly bear moth cases, larva skins, frass, small holes and areas of grazing. The uniform was sent to Textile Conservation Ltd of Bristol, who surface cleaned the trousers and jacket and stabilised the moth holes.

The cap, however, needed more attention. The stiffened linen inter-lining had to be stabilised and the twill-weave silk lining re-formed and supported.

The loose headband and leather-covered peak were secured, stitching (where possible) through the original stitch holes. To help maintain the cap’s shape, both in storage and on display, the conservator also made a fabric-covered mount.

Finally, an archival box was purchased to provide suitable storage. The whole project was a joint venture between the CCF and Archives and the result was a very smart uniform displayed for the Earl of Wessex to see on his visit.

Christine Leighton, College Archivist

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College News Spring 2013

Olivia Schofield (U6, A)

College Fashion Show

On 16 November, a team of L6 students, helped by Miss Hetty Hubbard, organised and hosted an inspiring fashion catwalk, showcasing around 50 garments created by 4th Form, 5th Form and Sixth Form pupils over the past two years. From full-length evening gowns to punk inspired men’s waistcoats, the quality of the items on show was breath-taking. All garments were modelled by pupils, with Georgina O’Reilly (5th, Ch) helping with the lighting, Solene Tsitos (L6, Ch) in charge of photography and Lucy Schackell (L6, Q) and Megan McRobert (L6, A) compering the event.

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This year’s Annual Variety Show, in aid of the Gogar Primary School in Kenya and the Bradet Orphanage in Romania, was once again a great opportunity for pupils in College to exhibit their talents in skills other than academics, such as in music, dance, drama and comedy.

The performances were all amazing, from many types of musical performances to original comedy sketches, fairy tales and even a Preying Mantis wedding! The Show was a huge success, raising a total amount of £6,245 over the three evenings.

A successful production must, of course, contain a number of crucial elements: well-organised producers who are able to take the lead, a responsible crew, devoted performers and supportive audiences. We were very blessed to have all these committed and talented people who worked so well together to make this happen.

We therefore thought that we would speak to a few of them to get an insight into the Show:

Meet the Producer: Mrs McBride Q: What was the most challenging task during the production and how was it solved?

Setting the dance for the final number which was Queen’s “Don’t stop me now”. It was difficult because we had to co-ordinate the band, the dancers and the singers. We overcame this by rehearsing separately with a backing track and then spending an afternoon just running and running it.

Meet a Performer: Amelia Orchard Smith (L6, Ch) Q: Performing on stage is actually really nerveracking, how did you overcome this obstacle?

All you have to do is to take your mind off it. Tell yourself that performing on stage is not a frightening thing to do and just enjoy your show time. Chatting with friends is a really effective way to get rid of the anxiousness and since all performers are in the same situation, it makes you feel better as you are not alone.

Q: How did you manage your time to complete academic work and prepare for the performance?

It was a very busy time for everyone, with Variety Show rehearsals, House Singing practices and increasing workload from different subjects. Luckily, teachers were really understanding about the situation and showed their support by extending deadlines for prep that relieved a lot of my stress. There is always spare time such as study periods and before and after sport so you just have to learn to organize your time and use it effectively.

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College News Spring 2013

Meet a Performing Band: Ruta Drungilaite (L6, W), Andrey Gusak (L6, BH), James Lloyd Smith (L6, S), Ed Robbins (5th, L) and Jack Parry (L6, S) Q: How did you find each other and form a rock n’ roll band?

Originally, Ruta and Andrey wanted to perform “Tutti Frutti” so they went to the audition to show how they could perform the song. It just so happened that there were members of the drama committee there who had also planned to do a rock n’ roll medley. We proposed to join them and create a bigger band; they agreed without any hesitations.

Q: Two members in the group, Ruta and Andrey, were new to College - was it stressful to perform in a whole new environment with new partners?

Andrey: For me, I felt the least stressed performing on Thursday night than ever before! I suppose because performing in front of new people gave me energy and enthusiasm rather than making me worried. It was also a really nice way of getting to know people.

Ruta: Before I came to College, I had already gained a lot of experience performing on stage. Therefore, performing in front of unfamiliar people was never a problem for me. Of course we all had nervous feelings before going on stage but it seems that when we started to play, they all disappeared.

The presenters, Christian Humphries (U6, NH) and Albie Jopp (U6, L) were definitely one of the highlights of the show. Creating a jolly atmosphere and successfully drawing the audience’s attention, they did a fantastic job. There was barely any ‘dead air’ and everyone, including the audience, was involved at all times. Laughter in the audience never stopped and there were even comments asking for a 2-men talk show!

The performers and production team are really talented and all their hard work was appreciated by everyone. Thank you all for giving the audience such a fantastic night!

By Megan Leung (Ch, L6)

“The performance I enjoyed the most was the piano piece in Act 1, played by Luke Knudsen (3rd, NH).

The song was beautifully played and I was captivated by the melody. It was an unforgettable performance and as I know how to play the piano, it inspired me to search for the music and attempt to play it�

Audience Quote

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Jazz Appreciation Society A new “Jazz washes away the dust of every day life” Art Blakey

It is hard not to agree with Mr Blakey who was one of the most able drummers of the 20th century. This term at College, Jazz Appreciation Society opened its doors for the first time for anyone either wanting to develop musical taste or simply curious about the unique world of jazz.

Dr Davidson (who runs the society and who is an utterly fascinating speaker) has given us a real insight into historical context and tricky music theory. Here is what he has to say about jazz appreciation and that music genre on the whole:

Lower College Society This term’s two meetings of Lower College Society have provided an engaging and highly enjoyable exploration of two fascinating topics.

The first society meeting was entitled ‘Five Steps to Tyranny’, looking at what countless examples of tyrannies throughout history have in common.

Through pupil and staff presentations, videos and finally a whole-group activity, we all came away having learnt a great deal more about human

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College News Spring 2013

“Jazz is the music of the 20th century. It is democratic music: anyone, no matter from what background, no matter what language, should be able to jam with another jazz player. The rhythms and syncopations of jazz dominate popular music. Improvisation is at its heart and this is creativity at its purest. Jazz appreciation is not designed to make people like jazz but to help them understand what they are hearing in the light of its musical and historical significance. If they come to love it, or become curious, then that is enough.”

So far we have covered topics such as; “the relation between classical and jazz music”, “the most influential jazz singers of the 20th century”, and “the history of the most covered record of all time, Summertime”. Jazz Society is about giving it a go and trying to understand a kind of music that many of us rarely listen to. The only downside is that no cakes and tea are provided (neither are whisky and cigars!) although the lack of that is, without any doubt, compensated by the amount of excellent music we hear…

Andrey Gusak (L6, BH)

behaviour and the importance of playing an active and reflective role in society. For me, the highlight of the evening was an insight into the work of anti-racism activist Jane Elliott, whose experiment on American children to teach them about the assassination of Martin Luther King had captivating, yet disturbing, results.

In the second meeting we examined ‘Golden Ratio’, denoted by the Greek letter phi. The golden ratio is renowned as a proportion which is found throughout the natural world and, since ‘golden proportions’ are so pleasing to the eye, is also widely used in man-made objects (such as an Apple computer screen which is a perfect golden rectangle), art and architecture. We discovered golden proportions in the human body, peacock feathers and pineapples, and also heard about

Science Park

As part of our Eco Schools programme, a dedicated band of pupils has set to work establishing a new Science Park.

With the promise of a new greenhouse, the intention is to develop the area in front of the Science Department as an outdoor laboratory for environment related topics.

Currently work has focused on clearing the area and the very overgrown pond to improve the habitat for newts and fish. A new solar powered fountain will shortly be installed which will demonstrate the theory of energy transfer to younger pupils. We also hope to install bat boxes and even a hydroponics system in the greenhouse.

A new home in that same area will be found for the College biodiesel plant so that we can continue our work of recycling fat from the College kitchens to power College vehicles. Do continue to watch this space for further developments.

Mr Dominic Faulkner Director of Activities the use of phi in art and architecture throughout history, travelling from the ancient Greeks, to Leonardo Da Vinci, right up to the present day.

Next term we will be looking at ‘Medical Ethics’ and ‘The Psychology of First Impressions’.

Izzi Winstanley (4th, Q)

A new outlook in Art The Art Department has undergone some major changes this year. Under the leadership of Juliet Wallace-Mason, our new Head of Art, interesting and vibrant new spaces have been created within the splendor of Thirlestaine House.

Along with extensive building work, all studios are now equipped with new tables, their own materials and paper stores. Each year group has a designated studio, and each pupil their own equipped Art Box so that they can continue to develop their projects outside of their timetabled sessions.

The biggest change was the creation of an interactive Art Gallery which now hosts short exhibitions and open workshops. First up last term was an ‘Open Staff Exhibition’, where members of staff across all areas of College offered works in a vast range of media.

Second up was the transformation of the gallery into a white box as College took part in ‘The Big Draw’, a national incentive by galleries and community centres to get the local community

drawing. After lining the floors and walls with paper, the department simply opened its doors to the whole school and stood back to see what would be produced! This proved to be a real success, with lots of pupils, parents and staff coming into draw all over the space provided. The results were quite fantastic.

The final exhibition of term was an exhibition and series of workshops from our Artist in Residence, Peter Lelliott, with responses from Art Scholars and Exhibitioners. It was a stunning display of works of art from all stages of his career.

Cheltenham College Art Gallery presents

PETER LELLIOTT EXHIBITION 3: 19 Nov - 14 Dec 2012

YO V IE U R P R W IV 0 3 D IN V IT A T E e c e m A T IO N ber 4 m u ll .3 0 201 : 6 ed w in e .0 0 p m 2 &m in ce

p ie s

p.lelliott@cheltenhamcollege.org

Monday 3rd December 2012 Help celebrate the Private View in the new gallery in conjunction with responses from our Art Scholar: 4.30pm - 6.00pm

A truly inspirational exhibition from Cheltenham College’s first

Artist in Residence During the next 4 weeks, Peter Lelliott will be producing new drawings based on his latest theme. He will be working in our gallery, giving workshops to our students.

Please pop in to the gallery to see this artist at work (Entrance is via the middle door)

The work has been produced using a wide range of different methods & techniques

This exhibition of paintings & drawings is a rare opportunity to see works of art from all stages of Peter Lelliott’s career. The work is exhibited in TLG & the new gallery & is open all day, everyday.

The Art Scholars & Exhibitioners of Cheltenham College Senior School will be producing an independent response to this work & these images will be on display during The Private View.

This term, in conjunction with the Gloucestershire Education Business Partnership (EBP) and College’s Careers’ Department, 76 pupils from 3rd Form Challenge had the fantastic opportunity to spend a day inventing a ‘product’ to sell to some real ‘dragons’. In teams, the pupils were guided by business facilitators and local entrepreneurs from the business world, including managers from Co-op and Nationwide. They were given a hands-on experience of how to go about producing, presenting, marketing and budgeting a product before having to present it to the ‘dragons’.

Congratulations to the winning team of Alicia Lee (Q), Alex Yeates (L), Ella Mayes (A), Tiger Chan (NH) and Charlie Holloway (L). They each receive a £15 iTunes voucher and may well go through to a regional competition later on in the year.

Mr James Coull Head of Third Form Challenge

Cheltenham College Art Gallery, Thirlstaine House, Thirlstaine Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Gl53 7LD

M.U.N

On Monday 8 October, the Amnesty International and the Debating Society convened to have a debate on the death penalty, styled as a Model United Nations (M.U.N) debate. The exact resolution was:

lives for simple profit. The opposition also had some persuasive arguments however. The Vatican City stated that according to its religion, “Only God can judge”. Many voices clamoured for the argument that the death penalty is irreversible and in the case of a mis-trial, this would be tragic.

cast and with some skilled persuasion during the tea break and some strong arguments swaying their opinion, the undecided Nigeria decided to go with the death penalty. The use of the death penalty for certain crimes was thus passed into international law.

After many strong arguments and two rounds of debating, there had to be a decision. Votes were

Archie Charlton, (5th, NH)

‘Certain crimes should be punishable by death under international law.’

On one side were China, Saudi Arabia and Thailand arguing in favour of the resolution, with Canada, Australia and the diplomatic heavyweight of The Vatican City, arguing against. There was also the undecided country of Nigeria, currently considering whether to drop the death penalty, so everyone was vying for its deciding vote.

The proposition had some strong points: Saudi Arabia argued that Shari’ah law, in a similar vein to the Christian teaching, promotes “an eye for an eye”. Thailand argued that drug traffickers should be put to death as they degrade many people’s

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Selection for England U17 rugby squad

Congratulations to Ollie Thorley (5th, BH) who has been selected for the England U17 Rugby Squad.

Having only just turned 16, he will be one of the youngest players in the squad.

Andrew Stanley, Gloucester Rugby Academy Manager, said: “Ollie has proven himself to

Motorsport success

be a strong member of our Junior Academy, and has been rewarded for his hard work and commitment. He has been consistently outstanding for us both on the field and in training, and I am sure will flourish on the international stage.”

We wish Ollie every success and look forward to following his progress both at College and with the England U17 Squad.

An inspirational hockey master class with an Olympian On a very windy and wet Thursday afternoon, the girls’ 1st and U16 hockey teams were given the chance to meet local hockey player Ashleigh Ball. Ashleigh was a member of the Great British hockey team who competed at the London Olympics and went on to win Bronze after losing out to Argentina in the semi finals. Georgie Gunn (U6, Q) reports: The afternoon commenced with a session of basic skills and stickwork, with Ashleigh giving personal tips and advice for us to follow as well as handing round her treasured medal for us to look at. We then managed a competitive game of hockey, despite the incredibly blustery weather!

Congratulations to Jamie Chadwick (4th, Ch) who has won the Ginetta Junior Motorsports Scholarship, giving her a fully funded racing season worth over £40,000. Despite being the only girl and one of the youngest in the competition, Jamie beat over 60 young drivers from all over Europe. Jamie made her first public appearance on behalf of Ginetta in November at the Silverstone Motorsport UK show and in 2013 she will be racing at all the major race circuits in front of crowds in excess of 30,000 and live on ITV4. We wish her the very best of luck.

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College News Spring 2013

Following the session, we had the opportunity to chat to Ashleigh. Our first question was about how her career started. It was an inspiring story; prior to the Olympics her two international appearances had both resulted in a broken hand – the same one… It was also interesting how hockey had not

taken over from her studies – she graduated from Leeds University having studied Medical Sciences and then completed a masters in Nutrition at Kings College London. It was shortly after this that the opportunity arose to join the GB squad to begin training for the 2012 Olympics.

Her dogged determination to keep competing and keep trying, despite set backs, touched a nerve with many of us. Perhaps the most inspiring moment of all was Ashleigh’s admittance that she had never felt particularly destined to be an international hockey star. Along the way there were times when she hadn’t been chosen to represent her country and there were times when this was hard to take.

All in all it was an excellent afternoon and we came away, not only having learnt skills and tips but also having gained an insight into the strength of character needed to make it to the top. A huge thank you to Denys Shortt for donating the gift of this visit as part of the 1908 Club with England Hockey.

Georgie Gunn (U6, Q)

ISHL Hockey champions “This exclusive league, which runs alongside the girls’ usual league fixture card, gives the season an extra edge and gives the girls more experience of top class competition. It makes them engage different mind-sets going into each game and also enables them to practice different tactical ploys. I am immensely proud of the way in which the girls conducted themselves throughout the campaign. Well done to them all and my sincere thanks to Mrs Rebecca Faulkner whose role as 1st XI Manager brought dividends to the team.” Head of Hockey Gwyn Williams

Following the success of the ISHL (Independent Schools Hockey League) within boys’ hockey, 2012 saw the introduction of the same league for girls.

The inaugural ISHL Girls South Division was created this term, with Cheltenham College, Bradfield, Wellington, Marlborough and St Edward’s, Oxford, all participating. Congratulations to our talented College Squad who won the league!

Congratulations to Flora Peel (5th, A) who has been selected for the England U18 Girls’ Hockey programme. Flora competed against 200 girls from around the country in order to secure her place on the squad, attributing her success to ‘hard work’, the ‘numerous hours training in horrible English weather’ and, more importantly, the ‘amazing support from my coaches over the years.’

Over the coming weeks and months Flora will be taking part in England U18 training camps. If she continues to perform well, she will then be selected for various matches and tournaments throughout the year, including the Four Nations and European Championships.

U18 England Hockey Selection

ESSKIA selection Golf on the up

College golf is on the up and the team started this term with a great first round win against King’s Gloucester in the HMC foursomes. In the second round we knocked out King Edward’s Bath, the team that won the region last year and went to nationals. This terrific form has been continued with close wins against Marlborough and our closest

rivals Dean Close. We also produced a fantastic win over the Old Cheltonians in the annual golf match - a match that we rarely win.

Next term we look forward to building on this momentum in the third round of the HMC foursomes against Monmouth.

The Nationals loom!

Kier Roff-Stanion, (U6, H)

Congratulations to Bea MartinHarrington (5th, Q), who for the second year running has been selected for the English Schools’ Ski Association training camps this winter.

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Art History Trip to Amsterdam On Monday 5 November, History of Art students took their learning right out of the classroom and all the way to Amsterdam. Billie Portsmouth (L6, Q) reports on the day trip: After a very early start and a morning flight from Bristol, we arrived in Amsterdam ready for a busy day of museum visits. First up was Rijksmuseum, where there were many masterpieces of maritime art. Most memorable to me was a detailed crafted ship – every time I looked at it I saw something different due to the intricacy of its modelling.

There were many different paintings, the majority celebrating the Golden Age of Dutch Art – the 17th century. The Rembrandt masterworks, and most significantly ‘The Night Watch’, really made an impact on me. These are great tableau pieces imbued with his characteristic nocturnal light effects and trademark chiaroscuro. Getting so close to the masterpieces enabled us to study the impasted relief-work of some of the paintings; in

fact one self-portrait by Rembrandt is so densely encrusted that if laid flat on the floor, it could be picked up by his nose!

Our second visit was to the Hermitage where there was a superb Van Gogh Exhibition with a huge array of his work, expertly curated and organised really coherently to chart the various phases of his brief but prolific career. The exhibition reinforced how, 100+ years on, his works still hold a strident appeal. His self-portraits were captivating as insights into his mental condition, charting his descent into insanity. There was also an Impressionist Exhibition, which proved to be particularly beneficial to the U6 who were covering Impressionism in class. The en plein air freshness and outdoor spontaneity of the works was a pleasure to behold, and it felt good to be teleported from the classroom to the gallery for a brief sojourn into pre-modernist painterly experimentation.

Our third visit was to the rather surreal Rembrandt house, with several floors and a very narrow wooden spiral staircase. It was really interesting as each room had a different purpose. For example, the kitchen was still set up as an interior display in period mode and there was a painting room where people were painting with the materials that Rembrandt himself would have used.

Despite feeling pretty tired by the end of the day, it was an excellent trip and very worthwhile. It was also really nice talking to the students in the U6 class – something I may never have done at school. Now knowing what Amsterdam is like I really want to go back one day.

Billie Portsmouth (L6, Q)

Christowe and Queen’s House Debate

On Sunday 11 November, Christowe (XT) and Queen’s (Q) had the pleasure of hosting the annual inter-House debate – organised, chaired (and participated in!) by pupils.

The debate was divided into two main activities.

The first was a Lower College ‘balloon debate’ consisting of six mixed pairs with two representatives from each House per year. Each pair defended one invention or discovery that they thought modern society wouldn’t be the same without. From 3rd Form, Georgina Rigg and Harry Byrne chose to defend ‘Agriculture’, while Emily Lowde and Elliott Napier chose ‘Penicillin’.

In 4th Form, Jana Bourhill and Harry Steel

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College News Spring 2013

chose ‘Contraception’ while Antonia Stuckey and Edward Bryan chose the ‘Clock’ (measuring time).

Lastly in 5th Form, Bethan Morris and Hector Lopez-Valido argued the case for ‘Google’ while Sarah Kinsman with Nicolas Liban chose ‘DNA’.

All groups defended their cause valiantly, but after 3 rounds, only two remained; ‘Contraception’ and the ‘Clock’. Eventually, ‘Contraception’ won, thanks to a clever mix of wit and speed.

The second activity was the Upper College debate with two differing motions. The first motion was “This House believes that the introduction of girls into an all-boys school has enhanced the community.” This debate had a particular twist to it, since it had two U6 girls refuting the motion and two L6 boys defending it. Despite what appeared to be an evenly fought debate, the girls from Queen’s managed to win the debate, despite the amount of swing votes going in favour of Christowe.

The second motion was “This House believes that all prisoners should have the right to suffrage”.

Refuting the motion were two L6 girls while defending it were two U6 boys. This was a particularly heated debate, and it eventually ended with Christowe achieving victory.

It is safe to say that after the evening was over, pupils, teachers and parents had enjoyed a night full of fun and entertainment. This is the third year of our XT and Q House debating, and it continues to be a huge success.

Tomas Luksic (U6, XT)

Heads of Science convene at College In November, College hosted its inaugural Heads of Science morning, with around 10 Prep School Heads of Science joining us for a morning of lesson observations and discussions. Lessons included outlining the process of Genetic Engineering in Biology, the dual nature of Light in Physics and the extraction of metals in Chemistry. Discussions around the merits of the Common Entrance examination system and what feedback could be gleaned from the examination papers were also had. The morning, the first of what will be an annual event, was a great success and a real opportunity for professionals to meet up and discuss issues pertaining to science education.

An insight into Matisse This term, all of us studying History of Art were given the opportunity to hear a gripping and insightful lecture on the French ‘Fauvist’ painter Henri Matisse.

The lecture took us on a whistle-stop tour of Matisse’s life, from his youth in the small town of Le Cateau-Cambrésis to his later work in the Matisse chapel in Vence, France.

We learned that Matisse was known for being a failure, or the three-time failure, due to his inability to be able to keep a job. Matisse’s father owned a shop, which dealt with textiles and fabrics, and soon Matisse was an expert in cutting these fabrics. This was an interesting point as it showed us that this early influence affected his later work, such as the paper cut-out entitled ‘La Gerbe’.

The whole lecture was fascinating and really useful in showing us how to delve deeper into what we study and how to understand how lives lived affect works created.

Lizzie Uttley (L6, Q)

Davies and Partners Inter-School Debate The Davies and Partners Inter-School Debate was a chance for schools in Gloucestershire, including Cheltenham College and The Cheltenham Ladies College to pit their debating wits against each other.

The first motion was somewhat controversial: “Posh or Pleb: division not equality is what is needed for society to function”. Henry Tancred-Holmes (U6, BH) and I (Glenn Edwards L6, S) were in proposition, and suffice to say, we felt we had the more controversial side of the argument.

However, with further research, we became more comfortable with the idea.

Henry led the debate, putting forward that while the idea of equality is very noble, its implementation is far from practical and in fact it is division, defined by the principles of a meritocracy, that is the best way to meet the needs of the individual and society at large. Happily, we went on to defeat Balcarras School and win our first debate as a pair.

In the semi finals, we met some stiff opposition in Ribston Hall. The motion was rather daunting to say the least: “The European Union now has too much influence on the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the English judicial system in relation to the making of legislation and its interpretation”. After a robust performance, we were sadly narrowly beaten by Ribston Hall, who put in a staunch defence for the status quo. Ribston Hall then went forward to take on The Cheltenham Ladies’ College in the final, with the motion; “A free press will always benefit society more than a right to privacy” being both lively and highly impressive. After a good amount of careful

Reflections on College’s Leadership and Life Skills Course There are countless daunting, unexpected and irrational challenges that crop up in life and when these incidents arise, there is no preparation, no revision and no instruction manual.

However for the things that are inevitable for all of us students here at College (for example writing a CV, preparing a personal statement, presenting to an audience), preparation is key. This is where our Leadership and Life Skills course comes in so useful. Not only are we educated in the above skills, but we get to practise and use them until they become second nature. On a personal level, what I have gained most from the course is being able to reflect inwardly, to let my guard down and to be honest with myself. It has challenged me to think about certain actions and the aspects of my own personality that have previously been suppressed, mostly through shame. The course has helped me to develop into someone who I am both proud and satisfied to be. It has helped me to develop and understand myself, and I am honestly grateful for the opportunity.

Jacques Sharam (L6, NH)

deliberation, the esteemed judges pronounced The Cheltenham Ladies’ College as winners.

We both learnt a lot about debating from the competition and it was an amazing experience. I would like to say thank you to Miss Brodigan for all the hours she put in and also to Katie Stanton (4th, A) and the Debating Society at College for all their help with research. Of course, huge thanks also goes to Davies and Partners for organising the event. With House debates and Model UN conferences in the spring, a visit to Westminster and of course the Davies and Partners Debating competition next year, College debaters look forward with eagerness to more lively exchanges in the future!

Glenn Edwards, (L6, S)

A view from the floor

I have always been interested in debating because when you study History, you learn how powerful words can be: charismatic speakers can influence millions and shape public opinion. This was a wonderful chance for me to see how that works in reality. Of course, as a College student, I wholeheartedly supported our team and it was a bitter disappointment when we lost to Ribston Hall.

However, the team from The Cheltenham Ladies’ College proved themselves highly skilled in influencing people’s views and, in my humble opinion, deserved the prize. As for us, I believe we should listen to Rudyard Kipling, whose poem ‘If’ includes the line: ‘If you can meet with

Shortlisted for the School Library Design Award 2012 September 2011 saw the opening of the ChatfeildRoberts Library, the first phase of College’s extensive facilities development plan. The design brief was for a flexible space that could be changed to fit whatever is needed in a school library, both now and in the future. The result was a stunning blend of traditional features with modern design and functionality; perfect for a 21st century school.

In January 2012, the Library was submitted into the School Library Association’s ‘School Library Design Award’ for new-build or refurbished libraries. The Award recognises a number of different aspects of design including image, space planning, flexibility and future proofing, use of technology and of course, fitness of purpose. Following a thorough process, including presentations, visits, interviews and lesson demonstrations, we made it through to the final shortlist of just three schools - and the only independent school. While the ultimate winner was the Hub at the Duston School in Northampton with an ultra modern design, we took away a great deal from the experience and were thrilled with the Judges’ comments.

Mrs Ginette Doyle, Head Librarian

Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same…'

Onwards and upwards to greater success next time College!

Andrey Gusak (L6, BH) The main aim of the course is to take us on a journey of self-discovery, covering three main areas: Identity (Who am I?), Purpose (Who do I want to become?) and a ‘Toolkit’ (strategies and ideas).

The first topic we focused on was Goal Setting – a key area in all our lives. The next topic was on identity and being able to highlight our strengths and weaknesses. As we progressed, it was clear that this simple exercise had opened a door for most of us and helped to get us thinking about what we would like to do with our lives, and what we would be good at.

Another very important topic was the preparation of CVs – effectively our life story so far! We also looked at covering letters and how we can differentiate ourselves in a competitive world – valuable thinking for our UCAS applications. The next topic was Personal Values. We learnt that our values underpin our character and offer valuable insights and clues about what is really important to us as individuals. Knowing what our values are and making sure that we are aligned with them is essential for our self-confidence and integrity. With the guidance of this course, we can now better understand what the outside world expects of us and how to take on the daunting challenge of life after Cheltenham College.

Oli Soames (L6, BH) and Saskia Blumer (L6, Ch)

“It can be hard for independent schools to be able to merge the love of the old and traditional with the demands of the new in spaces such as libraries. But at Cheltenham College this has been accomplished very effectively.”

Award Judge

Congratulations to Mr Byrne, Mr Brian and Mr Coull for winning the Cheltenham Triathlon in September – 500m swim in Cheltenham’s outdoor Lido pool, a 15km cycle and a 3km run.

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A unique take on a classic novel This term saw Upper pupils College tackle Brontë’s classic novel ‘Jane Eyre’ in a stage adaptation by Polly Teale. With an ensemble of only 8 actors playing over 25 characters and with just 12 rehearsals over a space of just 4 ½ weeks, it was a significant challenge but ultimately a great success.

One of the cast members, Charles Jacobsohn (U6, NH) reports on the challenges of playing multiple roles: All the characters that I played are immensely different from one another. Mr. Brocklehurst is the tyrannical, dogmatic headmaster at Lowood School. Trying to portray his sadistic personality to the audience is a challenge in itself but then to switch out of his mindset and suddenly take on a completely different character such as St. John, the village clergyman who rescues a destitute Jane, was very demanding. St. John is an ambitious man who takes great pride in what he does in the name of Lord, yet wants to come across as humble and caring. Brocklehurst and St. John are two complete opposites, so to play them both I had to try to accentuate their differences in status, personality, physicality and voice to help the audience to differentiate between them.

My biggest challenge however was playing the role of Pilot, Rochester’s dog... This involved puppeteering, which until now I have been completely unfamiliar with. I found it far more challenging to adopt the mindset of a dog than any other character, but it is vital for the puppeteer to create the illusion of life in an inanimate object. It’s been great to learn a complete new performance skill that may be of use to me in further productions to come.

Overall, Jane Eyre was a really fun play to rehearse. There was never a moment of boredom and you never had time to get tired of one role before becoming someone else! So much work was put into the play by both the cast and the directors Mr Runciman and Mrs McBride; I really hope it was enjoyed by all who saw it.

Charles Jacobsohn (U6, NH) Congratulations to the eight talented cast members: Georgina Bond (L6, Q), Cessie Cox (L6, W), Cleo Cragg (U6, W), Chloe Hitchins (U6, A), Christian Humphreys (U6, NH), Charles Jacobsohn (U6, NH), Ben Rossiter (U6,H), Izzy Styler (U6, A)

Dates of Spring Term 2013 Start of Term: 20.00 Wednesday 9 January

Half Term: 11.00 Friday 8 February – 21.00 Sunday 17 February End of Term: 11.30 Saturday 23 March

Open Mornings 2013

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Note from the Editor

As always I would like to thank all members of Common Room and College pupils for their contributions, including Stephen Clark and Andy Banks for photography.

Rachel Vicary, Editor

09.30 Saturday 16 March and 09.30 Saturday 12 October

Cheltenham College, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD

Please call 01242 706 810 or visit www.cheltenhamcollege.org to register.

T: 01242 265 600 E: r.vicary@cheltenhamcollege.org www.cheltenhamcollege.org

College News Spring 2013