COLLEGE NEWS Spring 2014
Blood thirsty plants Historic Drama production
Driving a hard bargain Salvage Hunters visit College
Organ enhancement New 32-foot ‘Double Ophicleide’ stop
United voices The role of Chapel interview
Sporting success Gloucester debut for College pupil College News Spring 2014
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Breadth & Depth This edition of College News celebrates both recent developments at College, including the opening of our new girls’ boarding house and enhancements to our College organ, and the breadth and depth of interests and activities seen throughout the Autumn Term. Many of the features have been written by pupils and reflect a sense of College life from debates and societies to sporting achievement, drama and art.
Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster
From an academic perspective, we were pleased with both A Level and GCSE results and it is very heartening to see, in particular, so many Upper Sixth being rewarded for their hard work. With around three in four leavers going to Russell Group universities, in addition to those with places at US
and other international universities, we are a school that opens doors whilst creating and preparing students for the world of work and beyond. I also wanted to give special mention to this year’s Lower Sixth Independent Project. It is really encouraging to see such high quality work from pupils when given the opportunity to work in genuine depth on a topic of their choice. These projects, ranging from the effects of endurance cycling to the sustainability of houses, give students an opportunity to stand out from the crowd when it comes to university applications and provides a very important focus for the all-important personal statement.
Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster
Westal Opening In September, Westal, the new girls’ boarding house, opened to its first cohort of 51 girls from Third Form to Sixth Form, including 12 Fourth Form Founders’ Scholars. The building of Westal is part of a continuing programme of development at Cheltenham College that started with the £1.5 million refurbishment of the Library and Big Classical Theatre in 2011. Mrs Jenny O’Bryan, Westal Housemistress, commented “It is wonderful to finally welcome the girls to Westal. The facilities in the House are state-of-the-art with large rooms, modern bathrooms and single, ensuite rooms for all Sixth Formers. It is a fantastic building and will be a real ‘home from home’ for all of the girls who live here.” Dr Alex Peterken, Headmaster, commented “The completion of Westal means that Cheltenham College is now at the forefront of co-educational schools. Heath Avery Partnerships have designed a fabulous building that will surely become the standard all boarding schools will aspire to in the future”.
Academic Colours
Congratulations to the following students who have been awarded full Academic Colours since the last edition of College News Hattie Bevan (L6, A), Thomas Dowley (L6, L), Alex Hall (L6, L), Xavier Houben (L6, L), William Moss (L6, Xt), Lucy Shackell (U6, Q), Katherine Stanton (5th, A), Oliver Thorley (L6, BH), Georgina Thorpe (L6, Ch) and James White (U6, Xt). Congratulations too to Sunny Lu (L6,Q), Gianluca Mech (5th, Xt), Harry Ferris (5th, NH), James Webb (3rd, H), Nathan Lau (3rd, H) Dmitri Usynin (5th, NH) and Yuri Kovalev (5th, Xt) who have all received Headmaster’s Distinctions.
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Nobel Prize Winner Sir Paul Nurse
The Cheltonian Association hosted a reception at the Royal Society in London for Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse and over 100 Old Cheltonians, current students, parents and staff. The Royal Society is a Fellowship of the world’s most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.
The science reception gave members of Cheltenham College a chance to hear from Sir Paul, President of the Royal Society and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Leland H Hartwell and R Timothy Hunt in 2001. He spoke of the importance of science in all our lives and the crucial role that education provides. Before Sir Paul gave his address, three Cheltenham College pupils, Jacques Sharam (U6, N), Alexander Hilditch (U6, S) and Amy Foulkes (U6, Q), also had a chance to address the guests.
Speaking at the Royal Society, Sir Paul said: “There is almost nothing that you will do today that will not be touched and influenced by science – from waking up in the morning to a radio alarm to taking a pill if you have a headache to even making your breakfast.” He went on to say: “We need to teach our young about what Science is. Science contributes a lot to society but it will only do that if we can get the education of science right. Science requires fantastic teaching so you can communicate what is, quite honestly, a difficult subject.”
we must ensure that the story continues and the inquisitive nature that is inherent in the young is nurtured.’ And that is a vocation we will continue to take very seriously at Cheltenham College.” The refurbishment of Cheltenham College’s science laboratories continues as part of a major on-going development programme.
To read the full transcript of Sir Paul’s address please visit our website. In thanking Sir Paul, Dr Alex Peterken, Headmaster, commented “In his foreword to the book Seeing Further which celebrated the 350th Anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Society, Sir Paul wrote: ‘Today, science not only continues to improve our lives … it constantly offers wonderful opportunities to enchant us … as we look forward
Salvage Hunters If you’re not familiar with the Quest TV series Salvage Hunters the plot goes a little like this: Drew Pritchard is one of Britain’s leading decorative salvage dealers. Along with sidekicks Tee and Gavin, Drew travels the country scouring historic buildings for weird and wonderful objects that he and his team of renovators transform from ‘junk to gems’. We didn’t have any ‘junk’ to offer Drew when he and the Quest TV crew visited College, but we did manage to drive a tough bargain on two or three redundant items including an old oak refectory table that had definitely seen better days.
Drew, who has a real passion for beautiful buildings as well as quirky objects, was clearly smitten with College. If he could, he would have spent all day in the Chapel and his parting words, as he and Gavin are seen driving away, seemed to sum up perfectly his impressions of us. He says, “I wish I’d gone to that school. Imagine going there, imagine the difference that would make to your life going to that school”. You can’t buy advertising like that! The programme [Episode 10 of Series 3] was first aired in late November and is expected to be shown again later this year.
Mr John Champion, Bursar
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Female Brooksmithites?
Three people recently visited Archives to research their ancestors. Nothing unusual in that. However, two were the great, great, grand-daughters of John Brook-Smith, one of the first Housemasters.
Edward, after Cambridge, was a Maths Master at King’s College School, Wimbledon (1869-1903). He was also a member of the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral for 20 years. Eldred John became a Maths Master at Derby School, then Professor of Maths at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich (1889-1903); he also published Maths books. In 1907 he emigrated to Saskatchewan, Canada, where he became a leading pioneer.
On New Year’s Day 1853, he married Mary Nicholson. They had two sons and two daughters, all born in Boyne House.
John Brook-Smith was appointed Head of the Military and Civil Department (equivalent to Deputy Head) in 1888 at the annual salary of £500. Sadly he died a few days later on 5 May. Nonetheless, his name appears on the Heads of Military brass behind the Deputy Headmaster’s seat in Chapel. In the Chapel entrance there is a marble memorial, originally in the old Chapel (now the Dining Hall). Unfortunately, the whereabouts of the full-length portrait by one of his pupils, Charles Napier Kennedy (1864-1870, BH), originally in the ‘large room of the College’ is not known.
Eldred John (born 1856) was a pupil from 1863-1873; his son, Eldred Stuart, also attended College (1903-1904) and, of course, boarded in Boyne House.
Mrs Christine Leighton, College Archivist
John Brook-Smith (later Brooksmith), MA, LLB, was one of 17 children of John Smith and his wife Sarah Brook of Huddersfield. In 1850, at the age of 25, he was appointed Senior Assistant Master of the Military and Civil Department of Cheltenham College. He then served as Housemaster of Boyne House for 35 years from 1853-1888.
John Brook-Smith, Housemaster, Boyne House, 1853-1888
Wilfred Lionel (born 1860) was at College in the 1870s before following a career in the army; both his sons also attended College: Wilfred John (1923-29, Junior and BH) and Eldred Franklin, just for one term in the Junior School in 1925. Edith (born 1859) attended Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Ethel (born 1866) probably did as well. John’s youngest brother, Edward (born 1844), also attended College from 1859-1863. John wrote several Maths textbooks, including Arithmetic in Theory and Practice, published in 1872 and reprinted many times. His mathematical ability obviously rubbed off on other members of his family, notably his brother Edward and son Eldred John.
Mary Halls and her sister Lesley Haughton, descendants of a 19th-century Housemaster of Boyne House, together with the current Housemaster, Sebastian Bullock, next to a photograph showing John Brook-Smith.
College organ receives new addition The organ in College Chapel has undergone an exciting modification and enhancement. The organ was originally built in 1897 and housed in the magnificent Prothero case by Norman & Beard.
It was rebuilt and extended by Harrison and Harrison first in 1930 and has continued to enthral College, not only when providing accompaniment for the famously robust congregational singing in Chapel, but also as an instrument capable of achieving a wide range of colour and dynamics. Its three manuals (keyboards) and pedals encompass a well-balanced traditionally voiced instrument which is very well suited to the liturgical and choral needs of an independent school with a renowned and highly regarded musical tradition. It is, therefore, to these fine qualities of the instrument, which is also fantastically versatile in recital, that the present addition of a 32-foot ‘Double Ophicleide’ stop will dramatically lend itself. So be warned, an even more profound bone-shaking depth of resonance is to be expected!
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Upper College Art Exhibition On 9 December The White Gallery held a Private Viewing to showcase the work that had been completed by College’s A Level students.
Surrounded by Christmas music, fairy lights and the smell of mulled wine and hot mince pies, invited guests, parents, staff and other College students were given tours around the exhibition by the artists, allowing them to have an in-depth understanding of how each student arrived at their final piece. A wonderful finale to the Autumn term. The work from our A Level students is currently on display in the Thirlestaine Long Gallery and is well worth a visit.
Cheltenham College welcomed its first Artist-in-Residence of the year, Victoria Young-Jamieson, for a week long residency. Victoria, a full-time student at Manchester School of Art, gave demonstrations to College pupils across all age ranges showing how she manipulates the vibrancy of coloured inks and combines them with other media to create pieces of work. Victoria discussed the developmental processes within her work, describing how she extracts the colours and shapes that are seen from her home on the North Cornwall coastline, and turns them into a range of paintings, prints and film. Miss Wallace-Mason, Head of Art, commented “It was wonderful to see the students become so fully involved during Victoria’s residency in trying out her approaches. The studio surfaces seemed to turn into one huge abstract inky mess! The students not only formed an understanding of how to mix and blend colour, but also the importance of controlled experimentation when handling new and exciting media.”
Artist-in-Residence College News Spring 2014
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LITTLE SHOP OF
HORRORS
From Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 December, Cheltenham College students put on their spectacular annual performance. Little Shop of Horrors arrived at College’s newly revamped theatre with 3 sell out performances to an audience of 270, with a cast and crew of 33 students. The play is a rip-roaring parody of (and homage to) science fiction and horror ‘B-list’ films of the 1950s, and is based on the film by Roger Corman. This was College’s first major musical production in over 5 years. Musicals are notoriously difficult to stage and Little Shop is no exception, not least because of the man-eating plant with a taste for
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human blood taking up a large part of the stage! The fantastic set included the phenomenal, 6 foot, life-size puppet, named Audrey II, who was big enough to gobble up some of College’s performers! The puppet grew in size throughout the production and was operated by three College students throughout. The students have worked incredibly hard with 9 weeks of preparation and two full dress rehearsals. The lead roles were taken by Benjamin Ketley (L6, NH) who played Seymour Krelborn, a nerdy florist who has an admiration for strange and interesting plants, and Francesca Ball (L6, Ch) who took the role of Audrey, the sweet co-worker and Seymour’s love interest. Their remarkable singing sent shivers down the spines of the audience.
Other memorable performances came from James Lloyd-Smith (U6, S) the voice of Audrey the plant, Thomas Dowley (L6, L) who played the role of Mr Mushnik, the grumpy flower shop owner and from Woody Rankin (U6, H) who gave an excellent rendition of Orin Scrivello, the sadistic Dentist. College students helped to operate the sound and lighting as well as manage the stage, scenery, costumes and make up. A member of the audience said that it was “a really fabulous event enjoyed by all. On a par with West End performances!” The outstanding and historic performance brought a superb end to a very busy Autumn Term at College.
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L6 Independent Projects
The College’s L6 Independent Project is now in its third year and continues to give every Sixth Former the experience of truly independent academic work, requiring their own decision-making, evaluation and justification.
The top 15 essays have been published in a bound book which provides a wonderful record of extremely fine work.
Dr Mary Plint, Director of Learning Mr Simon Brian, Director of Studies The Independent Project that College runs is one of the first opportunities students will have to actually study in depth a topic that truly interests them. The nature of subject syllabi means that there will be topics that students will not be able to study yet have a keen passion for. This can vary from subject to subject, whether it be an investigation into homeopathic immunology or the rise and fall of the Inca Empire. The Independent Project can also direct those who are perhaps struggling to determine what to study at university or even what field of work they might enter later in life. Similarly, it provides a medium for differentiating oneself when it comes to applying for universities or possibly jobs; there is no better indication of passion and pro-activity than researching in-depth a topic outside of what is expected in a course syllabus. For my Independent Project, I discussed whether the break with Rome (under Henry VIII) was a succession crisis gone badly wrong. I found it an enjoyable experience examining the intricacies of the debate in historiography over the issue and it has certainly put me in good stead when tackling my A2 History coursework. James White (U6, Xt)
At College we place value on promoting preparation for life beyond the Sixth Form. The Independent Projects represent a celebration of extended academic study. They reflect the self-directed engagement and scholastic rigour that will serve students well as they progress to university. The Independent Project enables students to develop the vital attributes of self-motivation and proactivity in a student-mentor relationship that mirrors the model they will encounter at university. The thinking skills required for success at university are also developed; thinking logically about arguments and showing sensitivity for counter-arguments, presenting information in a balanced and persuasive fashion and adopting a critical stance towards sources. Essential skills practised include: researching and referencing, essay planning and handling language and data in a precise way. The areas researched by our students highlight not only their independent study, but also their creativity, breadth of thought and pursuit of excellence, with topics as diverse as sustainable architecture, French literature, clothes design, HIV, Perestroika and endurance cycling. The works are not merely informative; the students’ enthusiasm and passion render them fascinating and entertaining in equal measure. College is very grateful to Global Philanthropic for supporting the prizes for the projects in recognition of their Chairman, OC Malcolm Hutton (Cheltondale 1959).
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For my Independent Project I wanted to do something which I was proud of and which stretched me beyond my school-taught knowledge and skills. I wanted to do something creative which would boost my portfolio and personal statement. This is exactly what my project has done for me. I believe that if I had not had the project to speak about in my personal statement and at interview, I would not be in such a strong position with university offers. For my project, I set up my own business called ‘ElePants’ this consisted of a range of clothing and accessories which all included elephants in the design – hence the name ‘ElePants’. I hand make a range of hareem-style trousers in different prints, I also sell jumpers, bow ties and scrunchies. The project has taught me a lot about the fashion industry and business in general. For university I have applied to do Fashion Marketing; for which the IP has helped me experience different marketing techniques first hand by using social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as a way of reaching my target market. I also learnt how to build my own website, www.elepantsoriginal.co.uk.
I really enjoyed the experience of building up something from scratch which is my own and something which I can keep developing into anything I want it to be. I believe that the project has given me confidence to believe in myself and my abilities to achieve anything I set out to do. Megan McRobert (U6, A)
The value of happiness In December, Cheltenham College had a great pleasure hosting Steve Head, who is a highly regarded motivational speaker and coach. He not only speaks to over 140 audiences a year, he also puts his words into practice through coaching young sports stars including the England Wheelchair Rugby League World Champions and many other organisations.
During our session, Steve Head brought up an important question of ‘the true value of happiness’. What is happiness? How valuable is it in our daily lives? How can we really achieve it more consistently and improve our performance along the way? These questions are not normally asked much, simply due to the business of our lives. People forget to be happy and it is a major mistake that can lead to poor performance or even self-doubt. However, thanks to our speaker, we found out that there are a lot of ways in which you can make sure you are in the best shape possible. According to Steve, bringing happiness to the workplace is a huge growth opportunity and optimism is the key to success. Unfortunately, many people underestimate the power it has on our lives and instead, choose to focus on negativity, which, according to Steve, is the wrong route to achieving success. It is time to stop doubting yourself and start paying attention to specific areas you are good at. Engagement in self-talk is a good strategy in feeling better about ourselves, but if we have prolonged self-criticism, it can affect our performance and also contribute to depression. Be positive. Keep eye contact and smile whenever someone you know is walking past. That was Steve Head’s advice to us. Smiles can never run out of style and they are the best things one could wear. A smile is a weapon as it
can create a positive environment and people feel more collected, therefore we should use it to our own advantage.
As the talk went on, we discovered five important qualities that can make us successful and motivate us under pressure. Knowledge, skill, desire, determination and drive are the ones that can affect our performance the most, however, Steve also mentions one particular quality that successful people posses: confidence. It is not necessary always to be the best. Confidence is all about “The belief that I can be the best that I can be”. Steve believes that we can make the most of the lives we’ve got by simply building our self-esteem and confidence in ourselves and people around us. It is important to understand the impact we have on others and use it to our advantage. We all enjoyed this fast paced interactive session, which included a variety of challenges and team exercises. In my opinion it has been the most riveting speech so far this year; it motivated all of us to reach new levels and to use our gifts to the full.
By Yulia Ovchinnikova (L6, Ch)
Third Form pupils had a chance to compete in an exciting Dragons’ Den style competition sponsored by GCHQ and led by Gfirst LEP and Gloucestershire EBP. The pupils worked in small groups with over 20 professional mentors developing products based on communication/mobile devices, business technology or cyber security. The Third Form pupils embraced the day working collaboratively with their peers and being open to suggestions from their business facilitators. All of the teams delivered their presentations to a panel of professionals before the six finalists were chosen. The winning team of Reid Anderson (L), James Daly (H), Dougal Rees (Xt), Cordelia Shorthouse (A), Thomas Smith (BH) and Daisy Wildman (Ch) designed an innovative application aimed at combatting cyber bullying in schools. As well as taking away £15 worth of iTunes vouchers, they will receive some extra coaching from their very own business facilitator and will go to the Gloucestershire Schools’ final at GCHQ in April. We wish them good luck in the final.
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Lower College Society Model United Nations
Lost in Translation
The first Lower College Society meeting of the year was a clear success. Entirely run by two pupils, Annabella Koehler (5th, Ch) and Katie Stanton (5th, A), the room had been set up to emulate the layout of a United Nations meeting.
The Lower College Society met again on Thursday 7 November to discuss the topic of Translation. We began by exploring cases of mistranslation, with examples of the tattoos sported by many famous celebrities, including Britney Spears, who asked for a tattoo of the word “mysterious” in Chinese, but instead got the word “strange”! This is one of a number examples where translation can go wrong because people who don’t know a language are reliant upon those who do.
Each pupil was assigned a country group: USA, Russia, South Korea, China and the UK. Each of these countries had been called to the UN Conference because North Korea had released information that they had developed missiles with the potential to reach the United States of America. With the help of information cards, groups had to think about the viewpoint their country would take, and justify this stance to the general assembly, with excitement building as disagreement arose. Throughout the evening, several countries found themselves in conflict, and many individuals were forced to answer complex questions regarding their decision about the North Korean situation. The event was a clear example of the high standards of debating at the Lower College Society. Everyone spoke and played a key part in the thought process of their country. The tension in the room soared with the announcement that North Korea had aimed missiles at South Korea, due to be released within 48 hours. Countries
Science Expedition to the Galapagos Islands In October 2014 thirty Sixth Form students will be heading off to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for ten days to take part in an ‘Opening Minds’ expedition. Students will be taking part in a conservation project run by
After this, Isabelle Winstanley (5th, Q) and Jana Bourhill (5th, Q) presented on the subjects of the translation of the Bible and the Qur’an. They provided an insight into the challenges and opposition that the translators came up against throughout history while trying to achieve their goals, as well as conveying the power of translation as a tool for modernising societies and ensuring that religion is accessible to all. were now forced to make a final decision about their position, and decide what action should be taken to protect South Korean citizens. Overall, the evening was a great success, and we are grateful to Katie and Annabella, as well as to Miss Smith and Miss Brodigan for making this evening possible.
By Euan Bourhill (3rd, S) the Galapagos Conservancy, the aim of the which is to collect data which will contribute to efforts to conserve important species on the islands. There will be opportunities for exploring the islands, snorkelling and discovering the wealth of life in the surrounding seas. The students will also be spending two days in Quito, Ecuador where they will have the opportunity to learn about the culture and history of the country. This is an exciting opportunity with numerous cross-curricular links.
Miss Smith then led us in a discussion of the technical difficulties of translation, and the conflicting priorities of a translator: for instance how to keep both the meaning and the rhyme scheme of a poem. We divided into groups and discussed in detail six different English translations of Victor Hugo’s Demain dès l’aube. This showed us how differently language can be interpreted, and how hard it is to stick closely to the actual meaning of the original, when you are also trying to preserve poetic devices such as metre, rhyme and alliteration. Many of the poems compromised the meaning in order to keep the rhyme scheme the same. Despite this, the translations which used poetic language, despite some deviance from the original French, tended to be more popular than the others.
By Edward Winstanley (3rd, S) Lower College Society Presents:
TRANSLATION THURSDAY 7 NOVEMBER
ð
8pm, TLG ð Open to all Lower College Pupils. Academic award holders are expected to attend. Dress: School Uniform
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Pick Up Time: 9.10pm
Dive Trip On Sunday 15 September, a small but dedicated group of divers headed to Vobster Quay, South of Bristol, with Mr Morton and Miss Smith. The old quarry site is now a buzzing dive centre and College pupils lapped up the atmosphere alongside hundreds of other underwater enthusiasts.
Snugly encased in several layers of neoprene wetsuit, the group descended to the depths of the lake (around 15m), enjoying vast shoals of fish as well as the eerie sight of an aeroplane cockpit, a car and a boat.
Maths Challenge Around a hundred Upper College students took part in the UKMT’s Senior Maths Challenge Competition last month. This is a national competition run by Leeds University, where the questions test ingenuity and mathematical ability. Results this year were excellent, in particular the students achieved 7 Gold certificates. Chai Tephabutra (U6, BH) came top of the school with an impressive score of 101. William Moss (L6, Xt) and Thomas Dowley (L6, L) were invited to take part in the next round, ‘The European Kangaroo’. This is a much more difficult paper and they will now be competing against pupils from right across Europe.
Gold Certificates: Chai Tephabutra (U6,BH) Savio Leung (U6, L) Tobi Ade-Odiachi (U6, W) Hadrian (Glenn) Edwards (U6, S) Thomas Dowley (L6, L) William Moss (L6, Xt) Toby North (L6, Xt)
CCF Building
A new classroom has been built adjoining the CCF building and range to the rear of the Sports Hall. This classroom enables pupils to monitor targets on the range through CCTV, but also enables the full breadth of CCF instruction to take place. Taking only five and a half weeks to build, the CCF classroom completes, for now, the building work in the CCF/Westal area of College and is a very useful addition to the College infrastructure.
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Oliver Thorley debuts for Gloucester in Rugby’s LV=Cup
Yearlings Rugby The Cheltenham College U14 A’s are celebrating an unbeaten season. They played 11, won 10 with only one draw. In the process this talented team amassed an incredible 448 points for and only conceding a mere 69. Josh Pimlott (3rd, S) was their top try scorer with 23, beating the previous record by one try - set by
Ollie Thorley (L6, BH) at aged just 17 years and 59 days, less than half the age of World Cup winner Mike Tindall who lined up alongside him, became the youngest player by 71 days to debut for Gloucester in the professional era overtaking Billy Burns, who made his first appearance in February last year. In his first match for Gloucester Rugby’s First Team, Ollie played at centre in the LV=Cup against Northampton Saints. Ollie, who has excelled in sport throughout his school career, joined Cheltenham College Junior School (now The Prep) in Reception just before the age of 5 and went on to become a Sports Scholar at the age of 11. He was selected for the England Under 18 Squad 2013/2014 and has trained with the England U18 Performance Camp in the Autumn Term. He played for the England U18s in a match against Northampton Saints Academy where the England U18s triumphed 27-19. Nigel Davies, Director of Rugby at Gloucester Rugby told This is Gloucester, “Ollie is an exceptional talent – he is very young and has only just turned 17 – but he is very mature for his age. He is a quality player and has a big future ahead of him. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but, the fact that we’re involving him in the match day squad, speaks volumes about what his potential is.” Tom Richardson, Head of Rugby at Cheltenham College added, “We are tremendously proud of Ollie. Although the match was won by Northampton, Ollie had an excellent game and clearly deserved his place on the pitch alongside a number of big names in the professional game”.
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Shooting Success Chris Bowring (U6, S) has been selected to represent the United Kingdom Cadet Rifle Team known as the ‘Athelings’. The team of 18 cadets will tour Canada in July, competing in the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association meeting just outside Ottawa. The highlight of the tour will be the Michael Faraday match against the Canadian Cadets. This is a three range shoot at 300, 500 and 600 yards.
Cheltenham College is not only supplying a cadet member of the shooting team this year. Mr Jonathan Cload (College Shooting Coach and a regular member of the GB Rifle Team) is the Athelings’ Commandant, whilst Miss Sarah Proudlove (Head of Third Form and EAL) is the team’s Adjutant. College has an excellent reputation for being one of the top shooting schools, having provided a member of the Athelings team almost every year since 1982, but for three members of the team to come from one school is exceptional.
a certain Ollie Thorley (L6, BH) 3 years ago. Josh is involved with the Gloucester Academy, along with 4 others: Tom Stanton (3rd, H), Jordan Pemberton (3rd, H), Harrison Ottley-Woodd (3rd, S) and Max Taylor-Baggs (3rd, S). The boys had a number of big 40 plus point wins, with the highlights being emphatic victories over Radley College, Clifton College, Rugby School and Kings College, Taunton. Charlie McKegney, the coach of the side, commented: “The boys worked incredibly hard. They always gave 100% in every training session and were determined to take their rugby to the next level, both individually and as a team. We did have some really good wins, but it was in the tight games where they showed real strength of character.” The season culminated in 10 of the U14’s starting for the U15’s in the NatWest Vase game against St Peters, Gloucester, where fly half Stanton and wingers Pimlott and Barnaby Harris (3rd, H) all scored in the 24-10 win.
Girls’ Hockey
Millie Broom (4th, W) has been selected for the High Performance Assessment Camp (HiPAC) – a 3 day international, residential training camp for U15 and U17 players led by regional and national coaches, in preparation for potential future involvement in National Age Group Squad (NAGS). Hattie Bevan (L6, A) has been invited onto a new initiative – the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence, having represented the Wessex Leopards at both U16 and U18 Futures Cup for the past 3 years. This government-led scheme is designed to measure athletes’ ability to plan, apply and evaluate their development in the appropriate aspects of hockey. This is a fantastic achievement for both girls involved following training both in and outside of College.
Rackets 25
On Friday 11 and Saturday 12 October Cheltenham College celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the re-opening of the Rackets Court. The game of Rackets has been played at College since 1868. The court closed in 1938, just before College was requisitioned by the War Department, and lay dormant for 50 years. In 1988 the court was reopened. To mark the occasion of the 25th Anniversary College had a number of Rackets exhibitions over the weekend. On Friday evening pupils had a chance to watch some world class Rackets involving the World Doubles Champions and the World Singles Champion, James Stout (1997-2002, H). Saturday was opened to a wider audience and saw the British Open Doubles Champions, Ben Snell (1997-2002, L) and Nick James (20012006, BH), in action. Given the relatively short history of modern day rackets at Cheltenham College, it is impressive that College has won over 30 national titles in the past 25 years.
England U16 Golf
Following a recent selection process Harrison Ottley-Woodd (3rd, S) has been selected to join the England Golf U16 Regional Squad. The team will receive instruction from a specially selected professional coach who will assist with all sections of the game including preparation for tournaments and course management. We wish him the very best of luck.
Cricket Gianluca Mech (5th, Xt) and Joe Warner (5th, S) have been selected to play cricket for the U17 Gloucestershire County Cricket Development Squad. Ben Frisby (4th, L) has gained a scholarship to Gloucestershire Junior Cricket Academy and EPP.
GB Junior Rowing Congratulations to three senior members of the Boat Club: Kieran Connolly (L6, Xt), Morgan Williams (L6, H) and Harry Pratt (U6, H), who were selected to attend the GB Junior potential camp over half term. Sixty boys from across the country were invited to attend the three day residential camp, where they were coached by some of the top GB and school coaches in the country. Kieran Connolly and Harry Pratt were part of the 1st VIII who qualified for the Princess Elizabeth Cup (the School Competition in VIIIs) at Henley Royal Regatta in July. The first College crew to qualify for the main regatta since 2008.
We would like to congratulate Bea Martin-Harrington (L6, Q) for being selected for the ISF World Schools Ski Championships. Well done!
We look forward to following their continuing rowing success.
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l a v i t s e F e r u t a r College at the Lite d for having a College is renowne al events, and loc at e nc strong prese ception. The Times last year was no ex of ture Festival is one Chelten ham Litera ltural cu s m’ ha en elt Ch the highlights of of year many groups calendar, and this y arb ne the to ntured College students ve re we We d. en att s to Montpellier Garden variety of seminars ad bro a by d ille thr of the most and talks from some ir fields. the in s me influential na
ght Poland, whom we cau former journalist Nancy way the all d elle trav She had up with one evening. l, tiva Fes the for especially from Philadelphia, USA full ten the for m nha elte Ch and was staying in . The st one event each day days, attending at lea tival and enthusiasm Fes the of e her osp vibrant atm re was contagious; this of all those working the members of the public influenced many of the
pils. tainly the College pu we spoke to, and cer this hugely of t par a be to ts, For College studen was non on our doorstep significant phenome our e iev ach to ve us to stri a true motivation for perhaps return and rs, rne lea ng potential as you ourselves. one day as speakers
By Sophie Caws (L6,
Q)
l ts attended the Festiva Many A Level studen aden bro to and s die their stu events to expand on t matters ranged jec Sub e. dg wle kno their cultural rs of Histor y’ to ‘Taming from ‘A Hundred Yea a edienne Ruby Wax. As com by en giv d’, the Min cinating talk on fas a ed end att I t, French studen , given ert Camus’ L’Etranger the translation of Alb rsit y ive Un e, lleg Co inson by Sandra Smith of Rob larly exciting ticu par s wa talk The of Cambridge. s ts who attended, as Mis for the College studen ore bef ht nig the t jus e Colleg Smith had come into literature. This gave nch Fre on r ina sem to give us a to read what it might be like us a real insight into . sity ver languages at a top uni y College pupils that onl not Of course, it was as ights of the Festival, benefited from the del public flocked to the of ers mb me of hundreds to be corners of the globe Cheltenham from all was son per h suc e On nt. par t of this unique eve
e t a b e D l o o h c S MFL InterLang uage (MFL) The Modern Foreign is an event that inter-school debate d the past 3 years an has occurred over te ba de e Th n. tio cep this year was no ex L department on took place in the MF an rival schools of De 21 November. The d an d de en att r amma Close and Pate’s Gr tes ba de e Th . ete mp all were ready to co languages and ranged over three ating motions: a number of fascin
ates The Spanish Deb free - Alex Morgan uld be University education sho Grimwade (U6, A) and (U6, BH) and Antonia and Will Moss (L6, Xt) Sophie Caws (L6, Q) u’. the formal form of ‘yo of e enc def in ng speaki
The French Debatce-e:Smith (L6, Q) Red is better than black and Alex Hall (L6, L).
- Boo Bru
e The German Debat - Ellie
better than today Life 100 years ago was Liz zie Uttley (U6, Q). and Q) , (U6 Pember ton
I interviewed While at the debate, out what it was d fin to Soph ie Caws etitor’s angle: like from the comp Q: How did you find
the debate?
t t glance it was difficul A: Challenging. At firs for both e par pre to had we to prepare for as sides of the debate.
Q: What did you enjoy
most about it?
e to discuss relevant A: I enjoyed being abl . in different languages
least ab Q: What did you enjoy the debate?
issues
out
d s debate, as it was har A: The open 5 minute and think of the nts poi id val h wit to come up nt language! arguments in a differe
ved the Q: How would impro dynamics? A: I would allow que
Overall, the
debate
stions from the audien
ce.
were: results of the debate
. Pates won the Spanish French. Dean Close won the won the German. Cheltenham College who competed! Well done to all those
By Sophie Henders
on (L6, W)
To
college MFL I Third
Photo
14
College News Spring 2014
Third Form Challen ge
On a Wednesday aft ernoon, you can be sure to find a numb of Th ird Form pupil er s eit her trying to fig ure out how to cap a kayak or roasting size marsh mallows on a camp fire. These on ly a few of the ac are tivities on offer for the youngest year.
Mr Coull, Head of Thi rd Form Challenge said that, “In a way it is a CCF and Duke of Edi precursor for nburgh, it’s a gentle introduction to team a way of get ting the activities and Third Form to interac t and get to know the year.” When asked to rest of their sum up Third Form Ch allenge in three words “Teamwork, Leadershi he said p, Endeavour.” There are a number of activities for the Thi rd Form to par ticipat from face painting to e in, ranging rock climbing, gymnas tics to cooking. The members of
staff involved choose which activit y they wo uld like to introduce Third Form. The Low to the er Six th leaders are vol unteers and when ask describe their experie ed to nce this is what they said: Ludo Millar (BH being a group leader ) said that was “amazing”; Will Mo ss (Xt) called it an “inc enriching experience redibly ” and Isabel Tudsbe ry (Ch ) said she “gained ben skills for later life”. Eve eficial n if they are half way up a climbing wall or around an obstacle cou being led rse blindfolded, Third Form are finding the to be riveting. Libby experience Haddock (Ch), regard ing face painting, said artistic person, so I lov that “I’m an e this” and Jago Ske lding (BH), enjoyed roc and juggling the mo k climbing st, and as a whole the Third Form Challeng an “once-in-a-lifetim e has been e experience.”
By Gabi Lushington
(L6, A)
do:
estival e at the Lit F event Inter-school form Challenge
os
Young Journalists College News Spring 2014
United Voices Chapel is a place where different voices become one. Whether these be singing voices, the voices of College staff and pupils, or the voices of external speakers, they undoubtedly make Chapel a place of variety, but also one of unity. For some, it is regarded as an old-fashioned, outdated approach to school assembly. Nevertheless, a daily Chapel service remains at the heart of the College community. The united voices of two of the College’s Chaplains, Rev Dr Adrian Samuel and Rev Dr Adam Dunning explain why. What is the role of Chapel within the College community? Dr Samuel: In my previous job, I worked at a secular Sixth Form College. I found that it had no way of celebrating and exploring together any shared values or ethos. I have experienced a sharp contrast on my move to College; there is a culture of self-respect within a strong sense of community here. Our daily morning Chapel service, in particular, nurtures this. It’s a place to reflect upon a shared purpose and our dependency upon each other. Dr Dunning: I believe that Chapel offers manifold roles to the College community. The most important of these is, perhaps, to create a sense
of physical corporate identity, cementing each and every Cheltonian’s place in College. I consider Chapel important in that it introduces Cheltonians to the Christian faith, and even to the spiritual and ethical customs of civilisation as a whole. Adolescence is the time when a child is the most impressionable; therefore I believe that it is my duty to be the disperser of moral wisdom. Kieran Reilly (L6, L): For me, Chapel is about bringing people together, to teach us about religion and God. Although this is a principal part of Chapel, I think that another role of Chapel is to provide ‘time out’ from busy school life, and to ensure that we have the time to reflect on life in general. Alongside academic lessons, Chapel also broadens our minds, teaching us about different aspects of life from the ones we learn about in class.
When you address College in Chapel, what kind of themes do you consider speaking about? Dr Samuel: When I give an address, I most of all aim to impact someone’s life, in such a way that they will not forget, and their appreciation of life and of each other will be deepened. The themes I discuss are all shaped by this fundamental purpose. Dr Dunning: For me, the process of composing a Chapel talk is complicated, as I not only have to consider the subject about which I want to talk, but also plan the addresses for the rest of the week. Answering this question, I would like to talk about Chapel as a place where different voices are heard. I believe that talks in Chapel given by external speakers and pupils, although somewhat in the minority, are just as important as those
given by chaplains such as myself. Some people may say that addresses given in Chapel have overtly religious themes, and are too centred on the Christian faith, but I simply say this: Christianity does not have a monopoly on goodness. Think on that.
Would an assembly in a place such as Big Classical be just as effective? Dr Samuel: No. To me at least, an assembly in a place like Big Classical would lack that sense of sacred space which Chapel provides. It is difficult to state clearly what sacred space is, but it’s fundamentally characterised by respect. In the architecture of Chapel, in its statues, in its stained glass and in the approach to the altar in which we celebrate a man who gave his life for others, there is a meditation on a life of respect. By entering into Chapel, we are in some sense entering into that life of respect – we are not just going to Big Classical to hear what someone wants to say. We are rather belonging to something that is greater than any one of us. Sophie Caws (L6, Q): No. The setting of Chapel adds so much to the services themselves. Undeniably, Chapel is a very beautiful place, and the tranquility of the building defines Chapel as a place which is separate from those aspects of College life which a place such as Big Classical might represent, like academic work, exams, and social functions.
Is singing in Chapel important? Dr Dunning: I love it! However, that is my personal point of view. Even from an unbiased point of view, hymn singing is definitely a good way of bringing people together through power and volume. I believe that hymn singing makes each individual feel like a part of something great, and that when singing, we all share a profound sense of togetherness and unity. Gabi Lushington (L6, A): I think singing is a great way of creating bonds between the College community. For example, in the past, when grave events have occurred making the mood in College darken, singing hymns has pulled us all together and made people feel as if they are not alone to deal with their grief. Also, during times when I have been under a lot of pressure from exams or College life in general, I have enjoyed singing hymns almost as a relief of pressure; I have been able to forget my troubles for a while. Overall, it is clear that Chapel is an aspect of College life which is both experienced and enjoyed by students and staff alike. Encompassing a broad range of themes, and a wide variety of speakers, Chapel services should remain a prominent feature of College life for many years to come.
By Isabelle Winstanley (5th, Q)
Term Dates
End of Term 11:00, Friday 28 March Summer Term begins 20:00, Tuesday 22 April Open Morning Saturday 15 March from 09:30 Cheltenham College, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD
Note from the Editor
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the Common Room and College pupils for their contributions, Andy Banks (Photography) and the Young Journalist group for their assistance, led by Jane Brodigan.
Andrew Hussey, Editor T: 01242 265 600 E: A.Hussey@cheltenhamcollege.org www.cheltenhamcollege.org