COLLEGE NEWS Summer 2013
An insight into the world of architecture College’s new Girls’ Boarding House
125 mile international canoe race Devizes to Westminster success
Headmaster’s Prize 2013 Third Form independent projects
Science trip of a lifetime Boston calling
Investor Challenge Success Regional Finalists
Honing field craft skills CCF Army trip
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strong competition for boys’ places. There has, however, been a strong decline in the demand for single sex girls’ boarding in recent years and an increase in demand for these places at College. Our numbers will rise to around the 630 mark this September, with a much more even spread of boys to girls. Of course, we are benefitting from hugely improved exam results (from 290th to the top 130 nationally in the past few years) but also from a real sense of being a school ‘on the up’. I for one, am extremely proud of the dynamic and forwardthinking team of teachers here at College, all of whom who are focused so intently on delivering depth and breadth of education. Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster
Co-ed credentials
This September, the opening of our new girls’ House will provide state-of-the art boarding accommodation for around 70 girls. On the surface it might seem strange that we are investing so heavily in boarding accommodation for girls in the midst of a deep recession and with
Oxbridge success
Congratulations to the following College students who have been offered places at Oxbridge next year. Sam Birkett (U6, BH) to read Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Selwyn College, Cambridge, Charlotte Furniss-Roe (U6, Ch) to read
Co-education is a huge part of this – having come from a tradition of boys only, we have made huge steps in ensuring that we are not a boys’ school with girls. Our pupils must be educated in an environment which prepares them properly for the challenges of university and the work place. We do our young people no favours if they leave school without a sense of equality and understanding across the genders and I am delighted that the new Westal House will bring benefits to all our pupils.
Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster Greek and Latin at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, Sebastian Cheli (U6, L) to read Engineering at Girton College, Cambridge on a deferred 2014 place and Phoebe Hunt (U6, A) to read Oriental Studies at Pembroke College, Oxford. Offers for other universities are still being received but already this is set to be a strong year for Russell Group University places. We wish all students the very best of luck as they progress through their final year here at College.
Lower College Lectures
Pupils attending the Lower College Lectures this term have learnt about diverse topics of interest beyond the curriculum, including two excellent content and visual presentations; ‘Death by Chocolate’ and ‘The Longest Climb’. In Mrs Mech’s lecture unravelling the mysteries of chocolate, an historical overview traced the increasing use of the cacao bean from its bitter, medicinal origins to the sweet products enjoyed today. The composition and properties of chocolate that make it enticing were explained. To complete the lecture, chocolate was, of course, sampled and appreciated. In Mr Faulkner’s lecture ‘The Longest Climb’, pupils were enthralled by the truly awesome feats of endurance and the meticulous planning. Cycling 5000 miles from the lowest point on earth at the Dead Sea to the base of Everest, thereby negotiating passage through several countries, would in itself have been a momentous achievement, even without the subsequent ascent of Everest. Pupils benefitted from the insights afforded into planning and executing such an ambitious trip – undertaken by Mr Faulkner and his EverestMax team. Congratulations and thanks to Lower College Art award-holders Alexander Cove and Edward Johnston for creating the winning posters that helped to advertise the lectures and attract strong attendance.
Dr Mary Plint, Director of Learning
Academic Colours Congratulations to Annabella Köhler (4th, Ch) for winning a Headmaster’s Distinction for her Biology work on Insect Traps and to Katherine Stanton (4th, A) for her French essay ‘Ma vie a changé’. Academic Half Colours were awarded to 4th 2
College News Summer 2013
Former Katherine Stanton (A), 5th Formers Will Timmis (H), Will Talbot-Rice (Xt), Toby North (Xt), Will Moss (Xt), Ludo Millar (BH), Thomas Dowley (L), Will Donlan (S) and Fran Ball (Ch) and Upper Sixth Formers Isabella Andrews (W), Ellen Arthur (Ch), Alex Barrett (S), Amelia Butler (W) and Cecilia Caffrey (Ch). Congratulations to all.
Westal; an insight into the world of architecture
College’s latest building project; Westal, the new Girls’ Boarding House, is now well underway and on target for a September 2013 opening. On Saturday 2 March, we were delighted to welcome incoming 2013 Westal girls into College for a behind the scenes tour of the building site, including an opportunity to look at mood boards and discuss interior design ideas with Mrs O’Bryan, Westal Housemistress Elect. For this issue of College News, we chatted to Sophie Wilkinson (U6, W) who, for the past few months has been working with the architects to gain an insight into the world of architecture – the subject she wants to read at University next year. Sophie, how did your involvement in the project come about? I initially visited the architects (Heath Avery) with Mr Nelson who runs a history of architecture course at College. This gave me the opportunity to talk to the architect; Old Cheltonian Charles Cox. I have since kept in touch with him and also with the site manager
Richard Joliffe. During site visits I have gained an insight into what really goes on behind the scenes and all the different people and areas of expertise it takes to keep the construction running smoothly.
definitely a project that included these. I also love traditional buildings, probably more so than modern builds, so I would enjoy a renovation project of an old manor house or farm.
Why do you want to be an architect and why?
Finally, you chose to do an Extended Project Qualification on sustainable development – tell us a little more about that.
I have wanted to be an architect for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories was in Spain at age 7 or 8, when on a napkin, I redesigned the restaurant that we were in because I thought it wasn’t very well laid out. During that same holiday I spent many hours at the pool designing ‘Sophie’s hotel’ – a 6 storey luxury hotel with a waterfall swimming pool. Since then I have become a lot more realistic! I want to be an architect because I love the idea that you can have a vision of a space in your head, and then be able to create it in real life. What have you learned from the Westal project? I have realised just how much organisation and joining of different professions goes on. There are always obstacles to overcome. I’ve also understood that an architect can’t just design a beautiful house - it has to be practical, comply with all the regulations and be within budget. I have also learnt that while it is not going to be the most glamorous of careers, it will be different each day and variety is something that I really wish to have in my future career. If you had a free hand, what would be your dream architecture project? That’s a really hard question - there are so many projects I would love to take part in. I am particularly interested in sustainability and new technologies so
I chose to research sustainable technologies because I am interested in both architecture and sustainability - and ultimately how the two can be integrated together. In my Uni course, I would like to specialise in sustainability and eco housing as I think being more resourceful and considerate of the environment is the future of architecture. The project also linked closely to both my Geography and DT courses, so not only sparking an interest in me but also giving me information that relates to and goes beyond my A level syllabus. Within my project I focused on three main developments; a small-scale brownfield development called The Triangle in Swindon (this highlighted the problems of lack on capital and how even well informed private investors can overlook simple things), a medium scale greenfield development called Northstowe in Cambridgeshire (this showed that projects can be successful but raised the question ‘how is this helping our global issue?’) and finally, a mega engineering project in Abu Dhabi called Masdar city (this showed that the location of a project is fundamental and that a project’s failures, even small ones, can undermine its successes). We wish Sophie the very best of luck in both her studies and her future career.
“I’ve understood that an architect can’t just design a beautiful house - it has to be practical, comply with all the regulations and be within budget.”
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A 125 mile international canoe race Over Easter weekend, while most of us were tucking into chocolate eggs, two intrepid young explorers from College; Orlando Giuseppetti (4th, BH) and Fernando Capelastegui (4th, BH), braved some of the toughest weather conditions to participate in the famous 2013 Devizes to Westminister International Canoe Race. Held annually since 1948 and considered to be one of the most demanding endurance events of its kind, the race is 125 miles long with 77 portages. This year, out of the 161 crews entered, 12 decided not to race because of the severe weather conditions (the coldest on record) while a further 49 retired. We are proud to report that not only did Orlando and Fernando complete the race, but that they were probably the youngest pair in the Junior Double Division. They finished the race in 25 hours and 23 minutes – a superb achievement and testament to their indomitable spirit and determination to succeed. Congratulations also to Mr Bullock, the boys’ Housemaster who competed in the race too, clocking up a final time of 24 hours and 34 minutes.
Before the race, Orlando and Fernando took a few minutes out of their hectic schedule to share with College News what it meant to them and what the learning curve has been like:
Orlando: “Our first experience of kayaking was at a training camp; we first of all hit the river in small sea kayaks which I imagined to have similar stability to a race kayak. After ten minutes we tried out the race boats, which, with a stability rating of ten, I thought would be easy enough – plus we were a determined bunch! One simple stroke later however and we fell straight out the other side into the freezing water. Fernando and I got back in and next time managed two strokes before the icy water claimed us. We were hooked. A few months later, having worked obsessively on our stability, we were well on our way towards our target training. We are as ready as we can be.”
Fernando: “When the opportunity to compete in the DW came up, I knew that if I was to complete it, I could say that I had achieved something great. Although the training has sometimes been difficult and painful, it is good to know that it is helping us prepare for a real event. Without such intense training we would never have been able even to consider competing – especially as we had never kayaked before. We also, of course, hope to raise a significant amount of money for charity and we would both like to thank Mr Bullock and Mr Gibson who has been training us over the past months and who will be our support crew during the race.” So far the boys have raised around £3000 for their chosen charity; Magic Breakfast, which helps underprivileged children. If you would like to donate money to their cause, please visit their Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/DWORLFER
The race was, of course, the culmination of many hours (and months!) of training both on and off the river. Many thanks must go to Mr Gibson who ultimately made the whole race possible, training the boys and supporting them throughout the race itself.
“This race is undoubtedly about paddling but it is also about meticulous planning, teamwork and endurance. I have huge admiration for these two boys who have decided to take it on. Blisters, breaking ice and backache have all been part of the training and to have completed the race in such harsh conditions is a fantastic achievement.” Housemaster Mr Sebastian Bullock
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College News Summer 2013
Queen’s performance evening UK Linguistics This was another successful event for Queen’s, showcasing our multitalents. We kicked off the evening with a performance of our winning House song, ‘Some Nights’ by Fun, with all girls on stage. Parents applauded from the tables which were all nicely laid out cabaret style with candles, wine and cheese. Other acts that followed were of a wide variety, from Mozart to Black Eyed Peas and Cindy Lauper to comedy sketches. All Queen’s girls were involved, either by performing, baking nibbles for the interval,
dancing on our House video, or displaying their artwork on the walls of TLG. Even our new Queen’s Jewel; Mr and Mme Bates’ baby daughter Eleanor, was on stage as we read her a bedtime story called “Baby Owls” - a very emotional moment for our House family spirit. Lily Owen (U6) and I hosted the evening and this will remain a clear highlight in our memories at College. We have announced our successors (Liberty Ford, Lizzie Uttley and Hebe Way) as Heads of Drama and Music; we hope they enjoy their roles as much as we did and we’ll definitely be back for support in the audience next year.
Grace Knudsen (U6, Q)
Olympiad success This term, a number of College pupils participated in the UK Linguistics Olympiad, a national competition challenging pupils to use their language skills and logic to manipulate untaught and previously unseen languages such as Bulgarian, Dutch, Phoenician and Bengali.
Congratulations to Charlotte Furniss-Roe (U6, Ch) who won a Silver Award, placing her in the top 20% of candidates nationally and to Libby Caffrey (L6, W) who won a Bronze certificate, placing her in the top 40%.
“The UKLO was a unique opportunity to find patterns in the ways that completely different languages work, as well as to look at language as a whole from a more panoptic angle.” Charlotte Furniss-Roe (U6, Ch)
Lower College Society
Lower College Society has continued to go from strength to strength, providing challenging and thought-provoking questions to stimulate the mind.
(4th, Q), who explained the biology behind pupil dilation and increase in heart rate when we meet someone for the first time. We then carried out an investigation, led by Dr. Norman, where we rated the similarity between male members of staff and their (real or fake!) father-in-laws. Our results mirrored the real psychological research, which suggests that women are more likely to marry men
who look like their fathers, because they associate particular features with their father’s own caring characteristics. We look forward to seeing what next term brings!
Jana Bourhill, (4th, Q)
The first meeting was led by Miss de la Peña, who talked about medical ethics with the help of the Third Form, who started us off with a rendition of the Hippocratic Oath in the original Greek. This was followed by Fourth Form presentations on some of the dilemmas that doctors face, such as deciding which patients should be prioritised and whether dealing with self-inflicted problems such as obesity should be covered by the NHS. We were then challenged to work out a strategy for British healthcare, allocating a £1m budget across different spending options, finishing off by having our groups’ options projected in graph format to check whether the areas we prioritised matched up with our initial value judgments. The second evening focused on first impressions. We opened with some of the Fifth Form’s favourite first lines of books, followed by Genni James
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This term, Boyne House and Westal performed ‘Love and Death and Mrs Bill’ – a biographical play on the life of Oriana Wilson, wife of Old Cheltonian Edward Wilson who died in 1912 with Captain Scott on his Antarctic Expedition. The play, written by Mr Bullock’s wife, Katherine MacInnes, was a truly impressive production. The structure of the play was very effective; the juxtaposition of the reminiscing Oriana of 1945 (Cleo Cragg, U6) and the experiences of her younger self (Lizzie Stack, L6) created an innovative structure that allowed for the extent of time covered by the play to flow without a sense of rushing. It also imbibed every scene from Oriana’s youth with a sense of the nostalgic melancholy that Cleo’s Oriana expertly expressed. Cleo’s acting was extremely impressive. On stage for the entire performance, she managed the difficult feat of keeping her character in sync with the development of her memories. She portrayed old Oriana with reminiscent tristesse. Likewise, Lizzie as the younger Oriana filled her role with personality and a convincing love of her Edward, 6
College News Summer 2013
played by Henry Tancred-Holmes (U6). Henry coped with the demanding role well, keeping the spirit of Wilson very much a part of the play. The famous story of Scott’s expedition to the Antarctic was done justice by Henry and his fellow expeditioners, Tom Gossage (U6) as Scott himself, Cameron Logan (5th) as expedition survivor Cherry Garrard, Ross Oliver (L6) as Teddy Evans, James Wheeler (U6) as Scott’s rival Ernest Shackleton and Andrey Gusak (L6) as Scott’s victorious opponent Roald Amundsen. Lizzie’s Oriana was joined by excellent performances from the Westal girls who played the women the expeditioners left behind - Pip Froud (L6) as Wilson’s sister Polly, Lorna Preece (U6) as Mrs Leighton Hopkins and Oriana’s secretary, Cessie Cox (L6) as Mrs Kinsey and Miss Jackson, Ruta Drungilaite (L6) as the capricious Kathleen Scott and Anna Buylakova (L6) as Hilda Evans. All in all, Love and Death and Mrs Bill did the timeless story of Edward and Oriana Wilson, both in terms of the writing and directing and of the actors’ performances, great justice and is a valuable contribution to College’s remembrance of our Old Cheltonian and his equally laudable wife.
Sam Birkett (U6, BH)
Rule of Three
Much of drama remains a mystery. How does it always seem to come together? How does that dodgy piece of scenery manage to stay standing? How can 10 actors not know their lines at the dress rehearsal, even though they’ve spent 8 weeks rehearsing? And how does it then seem to go so smoothly on the first night? In keeping with this sense of mystery, Ashmead and Newick House undertook Agatha Christie’s “Rule of Three”, a triplet of short, one act mystery plays, which enabled the two Houses to bring to the stage a large number of budding thespians, with a wide variety of experiences and talents. The range of roles was also varied, from the short, coruscating cameos to more developed, three-dimensional roles, but all played with a great deal of skill and verve, and with a great deal of enjoyment as well.
The performance began with “At the Seaside”, a glorious social satire intertwined with a classic heist deception. Domineering mothers and wives (played by Julia Mackness, L6 and Annie Townley, U6); long suffering sons and husbands (Archie Charlton, 5th and Angus Sinclair Maddocks, 4th); flirtatious couples (George MacDuff, 5th and Kate Langlands Pearce, U6); the blonde bombshell (Olivia Schofield, U6) and a sly crook (Theo Sacks, 5th); all combined to rich comic effect, where Agatha Christie met “Carry On…” The middle play was intriguingly entitled “The Patient.” Here was a classic drawing room mystery set up: a suspicious accident, with a warring family providing the likely suspects. Azm Perwaz (U6) starred with a calmly astute Detective, assisted by the ever practical and sensible doctor, played by Lawrence Xue (U6). The play was blessed too by some wonderful cameo acting: Harry Ferris’ pompous Casanova, and Rebecca Quince’s (L6) austere, jealous sister in particular caught the eye,
and provided great energy, leading up to perhaps the most unexpected of endings. The final piece, “Rats”, was the most serious of the three, and featured some excellent performances. Christian Humphreys (U6) and Chloe Hitchins (U6) as the adulterous couple gave superb displays, showing great sensitivity and range in their portrayals. They were very well supported by a dynamic Charles Jacobsohn (U6) and a moody, spiteful Olivia Burt (U6). Overall, this was just what a House Play should be – great fun and entertainment for the audience, and a really positive experience for all involved, whether on stage or behind the scenes. How it all came together though, still remains a mystery…
Victory at the Schools’ Head of the River Congratulations to the College coxed 1st IV who won the annual Schools’ Head of the River race. The talented crew of Stephen Abraham (L6, NH), William Martin (L6, NH), Harry Pratt (L6, H) and Boat Club Captain Rhys Edwards
(U6, S), with Ali Buchan (4th, H) as cox, won their event by one second over the 7km race, beating Shiplake College into 2nd place and defeating crews from King’s School Worcester, Monmouth School and St. Edwards School.
Rowing at College has seen significant investment in the past two years, with a new Head of Rowing and a new coaching team in place. Further redevelopment of the Boat House at Tewkesbury is ongoing and numbers are flourishing. Over 130 pupils now row in the Spring and Summer terms, including a rapidly increasing number of girls. The club is now aiming to build on its success in London and qualify a crew into Henley Royal Regatta in July for the first time since 2008. Watch this space…
“I am very proud of the hard work and commitment these boys have shown throughout the season in order to achieve this result. They have trained extremely hard, both in the gym and on the river, as well as successfully managing their academic and extra-curricular commitments. They have set a fine example to the rest of the Boat Club as to what can be achieved if you are committed and organised.” Mr Richard Jones, Head of Rowing
SUPA Champions once again
It’s been another successful term for Polo at College, with both the Senior Boys’ team and the Girls’ team winning their respective SUPA Arena Championships. Well done to all players and also to the Novice boys who, hot on the heels of the Senior Boys, beat nearly every team they played against.
Unbeaten hockey seasons
Congratulations to 3 Boys’ hockey teams – the Junior Colts C, the Colts C and the 3rd XI, all of whom finished their seasons unbeaten. Congratulations also go to the Boys’ U16 and U18 teams who made it through the Regionals and all the way to the West of England Finals. Finally, congratulations to Flora Peel (5th, A) who has had her place as a member of the England U18 National Hockey Squad confirmed. 8
College News Summer 2013
Water Polo success
Congratulations to our water polo club which had an excellent term, with both the U16s and U18s reaching the Finals of the English Schools’ Plate Competition for the first time in College’s history. The club also enjoyed fine wins over RGS Newcastle, Bradford Grammar School and Bedford Modern.
International Netball game Netball continues to grow in strength at College, with 13 teams now being fielded. This term, both the 1st VII and the Yearlings C won an impressive 8 out of 9 matches.
the upper hand through the second half. Going into the final sixth of the match, we possessed a narrow lead on our opponents and we were not going to give it away easily. In the end, however, the Welsh team just stole victory, with a final score of 30-32. Although we lost, we did win 4 out of the 6 sixths which surprised the Welsh team. More
importantly however, we surprised ourselves and our coach with our ability as a team. Woman of the match undoubtedly went to Ciss Thomasson but all players deserve a mention for their determination and strength against such a promising Welsh team.
The 1st VII were also given a rare opportunity to play the Wales U17 international team who were in the process of preparing for the European Championships. Annie Townley (U6, A) Lily Owen (U6, Q) report: Our team was very excited and nervous about playing the international girls, especially as the sides of the court were completely packed with supporters. We were all anxious to see the standard of these very tall players, in particular the 6ft 4 Goalkeeper! Within the first few minutes we were 2 goals down and our fear of an awful defeat seemed to be coming true. However, we soon got into the swing of the game, got used to the new lines of the different court and figured out our players. Then once in the game we never left it. After the first sixth, we were down but feeling positive that we could come back strong against the team of fresh legged Welsh giants. We were not mistaken, and with the encouragement of the crowd and the outstanding performance of Ciss Thomasson (L6, A) as Goal Attack we soon got ahead, much to the amazement of our coach, Miss Harvey and the majority of the supporters. We continued to improve as a team, with Lily Owen (U6, Q) making some incredible interceptions in defence which were well backed up by Fran Ball (5th, Ch) and Pippa Hughes (L6, Q). Our shooters Kate Langlands-Pearce (U6, A) and Venetia Schofield (5th, A), led by Ciss, were getting in roughly 95% of their first shots - many from the edge of the circle. Olivia Schofield (U6, A) and Amy Collinson (U6, Q) worked incredibly hard to get the ball up court while facing aggressive opposition who at one point knocked Olivia to the floor! At half time we were winning and took the opportunity to take a picture of the scoreboard, just in case the score started to slip‌ The goals on both teams continued to rise but we maintained
National Schools Trophy Competition
Squash is thriving at College under Master-in-Charge Steve Rice, with some talented Lower College players and competitive Lower Sixth players coming through. Congratulations to the U15 Boys’ squash team who progressed through to the National Schools Trophy Competition finals in March, beating Windsor Boys School 5-0, Cleeve School 3-2 and Trinity School, Croydon 5-0 along the way. In the finals, the boys acquitted themselves well, finishing a solid 4th. In the seniors, the 1st V also made it through to the main National Schools Championship for the first time in many years. Sadly, a draw against Millfield School, one of the strongest teams in the tournament, resulted in a loss in the knock out stages, despite some strong determination and excellent play from the College boys.
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Singing at King’s College
On 5 February the Chamber Choir embarked on a journey to King’s College, London. After a group photograph taken by Nelson’s Column, we proceeded to the National Gallery where the more cultured of the choir wandered around the gallery, looking at amazing artwork by Giotto, Cézanne and Monet. The other less cultured choristers opted to visit the café… After this interlude, we went on to the Strand Campus of King’s College London, where arts
and humanities are taught. Unusually, the chapel is on the 1st floor of the building and, as we passed, we admired the intricately decorated walls. We were then shown classrooms in the music faculty before visiting Somerset House, which is now the law faculty. Interestingly, as those of us taught by Dr Woodberry remembered, Somerset House was used in the 19th Century for the Poor Law Commission.
pleased with how polished it sounded. We have been invited to sing at King’s College again in the future, and I think we can all safely say that we would be both honoured and delighted to.
Ruth Matthews (L6, A)
It was then time for the rehearsal, followed by the evensong itself, during which we sang works by Howells and Parry with the University’s choral scholars. Singing with such a distinguished group was fantastic, particularly in such an ornate chapel. Mr Busbridge commented that when they sang without us, the sound was less full and less warm, confirming that our two choirs fitted well together. We were able to listen to the service recorded on Mr Ffinch’s phone and overall I think we were all
Music concerts, performances & master classes This has been a busy term for our musicians, with the Chamber Choir singing beautifully in the joint Choral Evensong at King’s College, London, which is one of the top universities for Music degree courses. Just after half-term our more advanced flautists enjoyed a super Masterclass with professional flautist Jennifer Raven which was an excellent opportunity for them to broaden their experience. We have also enjoyed some super performances from our pupils in Informal Concerts as well as the Solo Music Competitions in March. The Chamber Orchestra Concert in March featured a wonderful performance of ‘Summer’ from Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’ with William Beresford (U6, L) as Violin soloist. The Chapel Choir achieved quite a milestone in singing Benjamin Britten’s ‘Rejoice in the Lamb’ in Choral Evensong on 6 March; this has never been
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College News Summer 2013
sung at College before and included superb solos from Freddie Foster (3rd, NH) Amelia Butler (U6, W) and James Lloyd-Smith (L6, S). The Chapel Choir will be singing Britten again when they sing Choral Evensong at Worcester Cathedral on Tuesday 16 April at 17:30. Last but by no means least, a terrific Jazz Concert featuring JIG and Big Band ended the term on a real high, with JIG also laying on a special performance for our Junior School pupils.
“The flute masterclass really brought home the importance of warming up and of developing your sound. If you can develop your sound then you can develop your tone and I learnt several new ways to help me do this. I really enjoyed being able to focus so wholly on performing and getting the most out of my flute.” Libby Caffrey (L6, W)
Mr Gordon Busbridge, Director of Music
International Dinner Friday 22 February was the annual College International Dinner - a celebration of the cultural diversity throughout the school and a wonderful opportunity for students from all over the world to showcase their culture and national dress. The night consisted of a delicious three course meal kindly served by the catering staff, followed by performances from members of
the international community. Fourth Former Annabella Köhler (Ch) read a touching poem about unity and Lower Sixth Formers Andrey Gusak (BH) and Ruta Drungilaite (W) performed a beautiful rendition of the jazz classic “Feelin’ Good”. After the performances, Upper College international students and their guests were invited into the Sixth Form Social for music and after dinner drinks and coffee. I have been fortunate enough to attend the International Dinner for two years in a row now and am delighted to have been a part of it. It is a lovely
tradition that I’m sure will be carried on for many years to come. The evening could not have happened without the dedication and commitment of Miss Sarah Proudlove and the International Committee: Barama Tephabutra (U6, BH), Kanyalaat Yu (U6, Ch), Lawrence Xue (U6, NH), and Antonia Williamson (U6, W). On behalf of all who attended the Dinner, I would like to thank them for their effort in creating a very enjoyable evening. Internationalism is definitely worth celebrating and I’m proud to attend a school that acknowledges the importance of cultural diversity, creating unity throughout our community.
Cleo Cragg, (U6, W)
A trip to Montpellier
In the October half term, a group of Lower and Upper Sixth French students flew down to the beautiful city of Montpellier. The week consisted of intense morning language lessons followed by a variety of cultural trips in the afternoon, led by our eccentric fluteplaying tour guide, Jean-Paul.
Psychology trip to Cotswold Wildlife Centre This term saw Lower Sixth students head to Cotswold Wildlife centre to practise our recently studied topic; research methods and in particular, observation skills and inter-rater reliability.
Over the course of the day we participated in a lecture given by one of the members of staff which taught us about various animals’ behaviours and habitats. More importantly it taught us how the observational methods used on these animals could help us in understanding elements of our own Psychology course. My favourite animal we encountered would undoubtedly be the otter as it was interesting watching both its collective and individual behaviors. Luckily for us, the talk ran through the animals’ feeding time, enabling us to get close and gain a sense of their true natures.
Fully immersed in the language, we stayed in pairs with a local family, which really helped improve our French. Every evening we would discuss the day’s events over supper and while it was a struggle to begin with, even by the end of one week, I felt far more confident and speaking in French became more natural. My favourite days were when we visited ‘les arènes de Nîmes’ and also, our lovely afternoon on the beach at 25°C! What a shock when we landed back home the next day, to find England under snow… Thanks to Mr and Mme Bates for taking us on such an enjoyable and interesting trip - I thoroughly recommend it to any future linguists out there.
Lucy Shackell (L6, Q)
Prior to the trip, we produced a behavioural checklist for our chosen animal so that we could conduct a fifteen-minute observational tally on the day. My partner and I chose the Ringtailed Lemur, as we felt that this animal would express interesting behaviours. We were able to compare our inter-rater reliability and we found that although two people may be working in the same naturalistic setting, their results can vary significantly if the variables have not been controlled. Overall, the day was a great success and we gained a much deeper breadth of psychological knowledge. We even found time to relax in the wildlife café and to rekindle our inner childhood spirits through exploring the adventure playground!
Pip Froud (L6, W) 11
Headmaster’s Prize 2013 For the second year running, Third Form pupils produced a stunning array of independent projects for the Headmaster’s Prize.
This year’s theme was ‘The Senses’, with pupils encouraged to interpret the theme and format their project as they wished. It was a chance for them to explore an interest in depth, to think outside the mainstream curriculum and to start developing the kind of independent learning skills that will help them stand out from the crowd. The range of work was astounding and included movies, posters, games, textiles and DT projects, essays, scrapbooks, storyboards and many more. The range of interpretations was no less varied; as well as the traditional senses, pupils explored areas such as a sense of duty; the sense of fear; a sixth sense; the sense of awe and a sense of responsibility. Every single project was handed in on time and was marked by tutors and teachers, with the Headmaster and two Sixth Form prefects choosing overall prize-winners and commendations. All prizes were awarded at the end of this term in the Headmaster’s Assembly and since half term, the projects have been on display in an Open Exhibition for parents and pupils to view.
“I most enjoyed the challenge of writing my review and summing up my project - these were new skills for me.” Josh Dowley (L)
“I got a huge amount out of the project - not only was I able to do some art which I love but I learnt how to paint camouflage and how to look at the painting in more detail so that I could get the right colour.” Jack Burns (NH)
“I learned how easy it is to make something from recycled materials in and around the household. I also learned lots about how to use new tools and about solar energy which I will be able to apply to future class projects.” Josh Stanton (NH) Overall winner Elias Hirsi (BH) Runners up Josh Stanton (NH) & Molly Caesar (Q) Best video / documentary Christiaan Bruins (BH) Most creative / original Max Deakin (H) Best textiles project Josh Dowley (L) & Emily Lowde (Q) Best art work Jack Burns (NH) Best visual narrative AJ O’Neill (NH) Best photographic project Oliver Evans (S) Best cooking project Zoe Robbins (A) Best academic writing Will Hardy (S) Best scientific content Alexander Thorpe (BH)
“We wanted to give our pupils an opportunity to challenge themselves, to think creatively and to have the freedom to express themselves in whatever medium they choose. The standard of projects was even higher than last year and while I am delighted for the prize winners, I am also extremely proud of the way in which the whole year group not only rose to the challenge but celebrated each other’s work. Viewing the Exhibition has been a fascinating insight into the breadth of talent within the year group and every pupil deserves to be congratulated.” Miss Proudlove, Head of Third Form & Co-ordinator of the Headmaster’s Prize 12
College News Summer 2013
Best music project Luke Knudsen (NH) Best poster Georgia Whittal (A) Best exhibit notes Alexander Cove (XT) Best powerpoint Tom Vasiliou-Salter (L) Highly commended Jamie Orme (S) Edward Flower (XT) Gabe Frandsen (S) Kirsten Parry (Q) Lucy Kirkpatrick (A) Oliver Cook (S) Aiko Fukuda (Ch) Mahmoud Ismail (BH) Philip Edwards (S) Fergus McNeile (NH)
A Science trip of a lifetime February half term saw 34 pupils from the Fourth, Fifth and Lower Sixth Forms head to Boston for a Science trip of a lifetime.
From visiting establishments of scientific excellence, such as MIT and Harvard University, to attending the AAAS Conference (American Association for the Advancement of Science), pupils were able to hear from (and chat to) scientists involved in the cutting edge of their research areas. They also spent a day at Groton School in Boston, founded by Old Cheltonian Endicott Peabody, and even squeezed in an ice hockey match at Harvard University. It was truly an enlightening trip and did, I hope, open the eyes of our pupils to the overwhelming number of career possibilities open to them in the future.
Mrs Isabella Mech, Head of Science
Here’s what a few pupils had to say about the trip:
“Quite frankly, it was mind blowing. Each day provided a new experience that opened our minds. We started off with the visit to MIT and Harvard and I think it is fair to say that these universities inspired many of us to work towards new ambitions. The AAAS conference was enlightening and shed some light on the world to which many of us are aspiring. For me, the highlight was by far and away the time I spent with Ramesh Raskar, the pioneer in a new age of femto (i.e. ridiculously fast) photography which is now allowing us to take photos at relativistic speeds. It was such an eye opener to meet a man who was quite literally at the top of his field in science. It was the best experience of my life and a huge source of inspiration.” Glenn Edwards (L6, S) “The trip to Boston was full of experiences which will stay with me for the rest of my life. Being able to visit and learn about some of the world’s leading
educational institutes was an inspiring insight. The science conference was also another unforgettable memory. The gripping stands, the thought-provoking talks and the fascinating people made for a great introduction to the actual applications of the sciences. Our visit to Groton was an interesting introduction to the unfamiliar American school system and being able to interact with our equivalent American peers was really enjoyable. The whole trip was second to none and an amazing experience, thanks to the hard work and efforts of Mr Wild, Mrs Mech, Mr Nelson, Mr Rice and Mrs Harrison.” Stephen Abraham (L6, NH)
“For me, the highlight was the science conference and lectures. There was one man who particularly stood out to me, because not only was the topic he was talking about (the inadequacy of the spinal cord) highly interesting, but his presenting style was simple captivating.” George Abingdon (5th, BH)
At the end of the final week of term and in arctic conditions, 47 Lower Sixth geographers and six staff deployed to Rhyd-y-creau Field Study Centre in the heart of Snowdonia.
Despite Harriet Woodward (L6, Ch) being used to gauge the depth of a snowdrift, Mr Bates only just perfecting the 10 point turn and Tom Lushington (L6, L) finally realising that size isn’t everything when it comes to snowball guerrilla
tactics, all returned to College safe and sound after an exhausting but educational expedition.
Mr Richard Penny Head of Geography
With numerous weather warnings in place, everyone was suitably wrapped up for the Friday afternoon hike up to Cwm Idwall. No-one, however, could have predicted the névé being blown off the high peaks which drove up the black market value of Optrex on return to the centre… During the four day trip, the students showed great determination and resilience not to let the conditions get in the way of their studies – after all, as Billy Connolly once said; “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes”! The restorative power of tea and cake each afternoon recharged the batteries enough to allow evening study sessions to push on through until 21.30, at which point the rigours of snowballing and study, along with the threat of an 07.00 snowdrift run with Mr Penny, led everyone to make the most of the opportunity to get some early nights.
Snow in Snowdonia 13
Discovery of a The Big Bang dinosaur bone This term, Mr Stovold found something rather unusual in one of the Science labs; a dinosaur bone! The bone, sitting quietly in a box right at the back of a cupboard, was accompanied by a letter from the British National History Museum, sent in 1966 and signed by Dr Alan Charig, then Keeper of Paleontology at the Museum as well as an eminent research scientist, writer and broadcaster. The letter confirmed that it was a posterior trunk vertebra of a medium-sized plesiosaur such as Cryptocleidus and thus approximately 150 million years old. Needless to say it is now out of the cupboard and on show for all pupils to see!
This term, the Third Form set off to London for a unique experience at the Big Bang science exhibition.
us the perfect amount of time to experience all the exhibits on offer. It was both an entertaining and interesting trip – thank you to the Science Department for organising it.
Harry Byrne (3rd, XT)
First of all we watched an entertaining World Records presentation where actual record attempts took place. After this we split off into small groups to go and explore the exhibits. There were almost 200 different booths, from green energy and solar cars to tricking your senses and observing your ancestry. The wide range of topics meant it was very engaging, with lots of activities for us to do, such as testing reflexes or tasting different flavours. We wandered through the exhibition for about four hours (with a well earned break for lunch in the middle!) which gave
Even the Prime Minister thought the exhibition was worth attending!
Investor challenge success
Congratulations to four College boys Elliott Patrick (L6, BH), Ross Oliver (L6, BH), Harry Stannett (L6, BH) and Nikita Ilkevich (L6, NH) who made it through to the top four in the Regional Finals of the ifs Student Investor Challenge.
8, 000 school teams (32, 000 students!) from around the country competed to grow a virtual £100,000 fund using live market data - buying and selling shares as if on the trading floor. The teams were given four months, from November 2012 to February 2013 to increase their £100,000 by as much as possible. Nine teams from College entered, with these four boys finishing impressively in the top 100 of all school teams, with a final fund worth £119,997.56. This meant they made it through to the Regional Finals, held in Bristol just before the end of term. The boys had to answer a series of questions related to the world of economics, business, investment, trading, finance, current affairs and general knowledge. Ultimately finishing in an impressive
4th place, they only just missed out on the top two spots to make it through to the National Finals.
“The ifs Student Investor Challenge has been an invaluable aid in helping us with our Economic and Business Studies courses, not just for our examinations, but also for the real world. It has been eye opening for the team and has really broadened our knowledge on subjects such as the Stock Exchange and on how to read the market. Personally it has brought out a real passion and new hobby in the real world. Indeed, the competition was so successful that I am now considering the stock market as a possible future career!”
Elliott Patrick (L6, BH) Team Captain “The competition drew together the economic, political and business worlds, helping students begin to understand the complexities of what drives stock market prices. It has been a valuable learning experience requiring a significant amount of independent work - congratulations to all four boys who acquitted themselves very well indeed.”
Mr Mark Evetts Economics and Business Studies 14
College News Summer 2013
STEM Careers Conference
It can be very daunting thinking about careers, exams and the future, but luckily for the whole of Fourth Form this term, we had a great morning of talks on various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) careers. These talks provided a really valuable insight into the possible opportunities within that sector of work and not just in the traditional careers of doctors and scientists. For example, we learnt about careers in veterinary medicine and sport science. During one of the talks I went to, I learnt what it would mean to be a vet, what qualifications I would need, what job prospects there are and what being a vet is actually like. I found the talks very interesting and I now have a broader view of what I might like to do in the future.
Fernando Capelastegui (4th, BH)
Honing field craft skills On the Spring Term Field Day, the Army section deployed to familiar territory in the Nesscliffe Training Area near Shrewsbury, home of our summer camp in 2012. Arriving as night fell, the cadets had to navigate through the darkness to find the Forward Operating Base which was to be their home for the next 24 hours. The Rifle Company built their own shelters to brave the freezing conditions and most slept comfortably, although L.Cpls. Grimwade (5th, NH) and Sacks (5th, NH) went to the extreme measure of contracting norovirus in order to escape!
testing weather to take part in the escape and evasion exercise and in skinning their first rabbit under the watchful eye of Cpl Pippa Hughes (L6, Q). After a round robin of ranges, air rifles, navigation and patrol skills, the Recruit and Rifles Companies recovered to camp for a well-earned hot meal. As ever, huge thanks to all staff who gave up so much time for this important training event. It really does give cadets and NCOs the chance to progress and develop their leadership whilst testing themselves in the field.
The Recruit Company were treated to a range of lectures and lessons courtesy of two expert Rifles staff; Lt Hartley (brother of Geography teacher Miss Hartley) and Cpl Easterbrook, who were kindly seconded from the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick. They were hugely impressed by the cadets and in particular how they ignored the
Maths success
Around 130 Lower College pupils took part in the UKMT’s Intermediate Maths Challenge Competition this term. A national competition run by Leeds University, the questions test ingenuity and mathematical ability. Between them, pupils won 9 Gold certificates, 25 Silver and 28 Bronze. Congratulations to Jeffrey Kwong (4th, BH) who came top of the school and to Tom Dowley (5th, L) and Alex Thorpe (3rd, BH) who topped their respective year groups. With the same paper being sat by all three year groups, the fact that three Fourth Formers: Jeffrey Kwong (BH), Josh Dell (H) and Dmitry Usynin (NH) and a Third Former, Alex Thorpe (BH), managed to bag Golds is particularly impressive! Good luck to Jeffrey Kwong and Alex Thorpe who, having been placed in the top 500 pupils nationally for their year group, will now go on to compete against pupils from right across Europe.
Sword of Honour Parade This term saw the whole CCF contingent assemble for the Sword of Honour Parade, thanking the U6 cadets and recognising their contribution to CCF over the last four years. As is tradition, prizes were awarded, starting with the Adjutant’s Cup which was presented to Jack Forrester (5th, BH) of the Naval Section. The Nash Sword was awarded to Duncan Payne (U6, S), the Nelson Bust to Tom Lowde (U6, S), the RAF
Chocks Away Trophy to Lawrence Xue (U6, NH) for the second year running, the Rifles Bugle to Rhys Edwards (U6, S), the Rifles Sword of Honour to Seth Dowley (U6, L) and last but certainly not least, the RGBW Sword of Honour to Tom Gossage (U6, BH) for being the best cadet from all three sections. Throughout the parade we were thoroughly entertained by Sue Mills’ brass band, followed by a formal dinner for the U6 and their parents. Fantastic entertainment was provided by the Band of the Prince of Wales Division, including formation marching and even a variation of the ‘Post Horn’ which saw a coffee pot and hosepipe adding to the ensemble! Colours were presented, with excellent speeches from Tom Lushington (L6, L) and Tom Gossage (U6, L). The evening was also a chance to thank Major Stephen Clark MBE and his wife Julie who have given so much to College and the CCF over the past two decades; their contribution is hugely appreciated.
Major Richard Penny, CCF Contingent Commander
Flying solo
This term saw Eisuke Sakaguchi (U6, H) fly solo in a glider through CCF. We caught up with him to find out what the experience was like: “The main difference between training and a solo flight was the fact that I was now the Pilot in Command. The
instructor who used to sit on the right seat would not be helping me and I had to take full responsibility of the aircraft operation. It made me realise how sensitive I was to things such as a small change in engine noise or traffic flying the other side of the circuit. These were things that I didn’t really pay any attention to during training. On the day itself, the air condition was really gusty with crosswinds but I was
Gold winners: Tom Dowley (5th, L), Dewi Edwards (5th, S), Ben Traas (5th, NH), Will Moss (5th, XT), Jeffrey Kwong (4th, BH), Josh Dell (4th, H) and Dmitrii Usynin (4th, NH). Missing: Will Donlan (5th, S) and Alex Thorpe (3rd, BH).
Charity donation
Congratulations to Ashmead girls who raised £450 through a House quiz competition. The money has gone to the charity Smile Train which helps children with cleft lips. able to fly just as I would do normally in good weather conditions. It was an amazing experience and something I would never have been able to do without previous flying experiences through CCF. I’ve been finding flying really appealing and this course reconfirmed my passion. I am going to train for a private pilot licence during my gap year and I am hoping to fly as a commercial pilot in the future.”
15
Westal Performance Evening On Saturday 2 March, we invited the family and friends of both the current and the incoming September 2013 Westal girls to join us for our annual charity event in Thirlestaine Long Gallery. Being a small (but talented!) House, we were pleased to be able to put on a performance evening as opposed to the traditional charity quiz night. Performances included a monologue from Francesca Cox (L6), Tobi Ade-Odiachi (L6) playing the saxophone, Libby Caffrey (L6) playing the flute, dancing from Akunna Azusu (L6), various vocal performances and of course, our House song. The evening was a tremendous success and it was lovely to meet the girls who will be joining us in the new Boarding House this September. The money raised from the evening went towards a carpentry project in Tanzania run by TEACH (Time To Empower Africa’s Children), Westal’s charity of the year.
Izzy Andrews (U6, W)
Debating the big issues
Next term presents…
In the final week of term, 25 Upper Sixth students were hosted in the Common Room for the annual Geography Leavers’ Dinner.
A plane crashes on a deserted island. The only survivors are a group of school children. They live in a land of bright exotic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are inhabited by a terrifying beast. Before long this well behaved group descend into a bloodthirsty and murderous tribe. Next term, Lower College is proud to present William Golding’s modern classic Lord of the Flies, in a dynamic and thrilling adaptation by Nigel Williams. The production will run Thursday 9 and Friday 10 May at 8pm.
The dress code of “black tie with a hint of Geography” attracted a range of wellies, hiking boots and even an ordnance survey waistcoat. We enjoyed supper and speeches before decanting to TLG to debate issues linked to the A2 paper. It was a pleasure to see students lead on discussions surrounding hazard impacts, sustainable population growth and the removal of trade barriers and international agreements.
Tickets are FREE and can be booked online: www.cheltcollege.ticketsource.co.uk For more information, please contact boxoffice@cheltenhamcollege.org.
Sophie Wilkinson (U6, W) emerged as the victorious debater with Tom Gossage (U6, BH) providing insightful questions from the floor. Currently sitting on 63% A grade at AS, this has been a very special year group and we wish them all well in their summer examinations.
Mr Richard Penny, Head of Geography
Dates of Summer Term 2013 Start of Term: 20.00 Monday 15 April
Exeat: 12.10 Saturday 4 May – (between 18.00 – 21.00) Monday 6 May Half term: 16.30 Saturday 25 May – (between 18.00 – 21.00) Monday 3 June Term ends: 12.30 Saturday 29 June Cheltenham College, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD
Note from the Editor
As always I would like to thank all members of Common Room and College pupils for their contributions.
Rachel Vicary, Editor T: 01242 265 600 E: r.vicary@cheltenhamcollege.org www.cheltenhamcollege.org