Contents Page 1
Remove and Lower Fifth Ski Trip to Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine, USA
Page 2
Lower Sixth Ski Trip to Flaine, France
Page 3
The London Marathon
Page 4
Epping Forest Youth Council Opening of Science Labs Sta News Careers Convention Summer Ball School Fixtures
Page 5
Speech Day
Page 6
Duke of Edinburgh
Page 7
Choir Blue Calendars Holiday Activities on Site
Remove and Lower Fifth Ski Trip to Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine, USA
Forty-six Remove and Lower Fifth pupils
mountain to the full, were really pleased
left Chigwell at the start of the Easter
with their progress.
holidays to make their way to Sugarloaf Mountain for a week’s skiing in Maine, USA.
The first day brought some
challenging conditions, with a snow storm on the mountain, but the addition of twelve inches of snow set the rest of the week up for what locals called the ‘best conditions of the season’.
The
Chigwell party then enjoyed four days of perfect skiing conditions with beautiful blue skies and bright sunshine. All the pupils had a great time, and their instructors, who helped them enjoy the
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Lower Sixth Ski Trip to Flaine, France
All the students were a credit to the School and the Halsbury representative went out of his way to state how well behaved and courteous the students were. The group flew back on Friday evening after another full day’s skiing and arrived back at Chigwell at midnight exhausted but fulfilled after a very memorable week.
On Saturday 30th March twenty-seven students in the Lower Sixth flew out to Geneva to start a week of skiing at Flaine just south of Lake Geneva in the Haute Savoie region of France. The party stayed in a modern hostel close to the slopes and enjoyed wholesome local food and excellent spring time sunny weather. The students were divided into three skiing groups from beginners to intermediate, up to advanced. They all skied with expert tuition for five hours each day and the conditions were excellent especially at the top of the slopes. In the evening they went bowling one evening but most evenings the majority of the party were tired from their exertions during the day and this got worse as the week progressed!
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The London Marathon Congratulations to all members of the Chigwell community who took part in the London Marathon just over a week ago. Amongst these were Mr Freddie Meier who ran to raise funds for WWF; Miss Laura Thomas who raised over £6,000 with her fiancé for the M.S. Society; my wife Gill who has raised over £20,000 for Cancer Research U.K; and Old Chigwellian Raheem Chaudhary who ran in support of the Oxfam Syria Crisis Appeal. Thank you to everyone who generously supported the runners and in so doing, these worthy causes.
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Epping Forest Youth Council
Careers Convention
Every two years pupils from schools in the Epping Forest district are able to stand for election to the Epping Forest Youth Council which works to promote issues relating to young people. Youth Councillors work alongside the full councillors and receive valuable training. Imogen Padwick and Max Albert have completed their two year term on the Youth Council although Imogen stood for re-election and has been appointed as an Independent Youth Councillor for another two years. In addition, following elections held at school at the end of last term, Thomas Bromwich and Nathan Watkis-Popat have been elected to the Youth Council. We look forward to hearing about their work over the next two years.
As I mentioned in my last letter, we will be holding our careers convention on Thursday 24th April. There will be representatives from a range of careers and we hope that students will take the opportunity to learn as much as possible about the potential opportunities available to them and how they can best make themselves attractive to potential employers. Students from the Upper Fifth should attend but those from the Sixth Form and other year groups are also very welcome. We are grateful to parents, Old Chigwellians and friends who have given up their time to make this event possible.
Summer Ball A ticket order form and details of the Parents' and Leavers' Summer Ball to be held on the evening of Saturday 5th July are being been sent out by e-mail. This is always a very popular event and you are urged to apply for tickets as soon as possible as they are allocated on a first come first served basis.
Opening of Science Labs On the afternoon of Friday 2nd May, Mr Will Gater will open the two new science labs and the astronomy dome. Mr Gater has appeared on The Sky at Night, The Gadget Show and The One Show, and works to popularise science and astronomy through his books and journalistic writing.
School Fixtures During this busy time of year when many students have important public exams, we would appreciate your continued support in encouraging your sons and daughters’ commitment to sporting fixtures throughout the term.
Staff News Congratulations to Ms Emmy Creber and her husband Darren on the safe arrival of Eliot, who was born at the start of the holidays.
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Speech Day The programme for Speech Day and its related activities will follow the usual format: Friday 4th July 2.15pm Pre Prep, Lower I and Upper I Service in St Mary's Church 3.30pm Pre Prep Garden Party Sat 5th July
9.45am Junior School Service at St Mary's Church 11.30am Senior School Service at St Mary's Church 2.30pm Speeches and Prize Giving in the Marquee
The Guest of Honour at Speech Day this year will be Michael Pruss O.C. (19871998). Michael holds a 1st Class Hons Degree in English Literature & Drama from Royal Holloway, University of London, and an MFA in Film & TV Producing from Chapman University in Southern California. He began his film career in Hollywood working for Steven Spielberg’s company DreamWorks, followed by jobs at Paramount Pictures, Focus Features and Indian Paintbrush, where he worked on films such as Gus Van Sant's Academy-Award-winning Milk starring Sean Penn, The American, starring George Clooney, and the animated feature Coraline from Henry Selick. He most recently produced Breathe In, starring Guy Pearce, which was released last year.
Gangster, Prometheus etc.), and oversees all creative aspects for the company under its deal with 20th Century Fox. He is currently producing Equals, with Kristen Stewart, which begins production this summer in Japan. Michael lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Hilary, and their two daughters, Lucy and Juliette. The preacher at the services on Saturday morning will be Reverend Tony Miles, Deputy Superintendent and Media Chaplain at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster. Tony is a broadcaster and an occasional contributor on Radio 2’s Pause for Thought. He is also a trustee of the Chigwell Riding Trust for Special Needs and a President of the Rotary Club of Loughton and Buckhurst Hill. The preacher at the service on Friday afternoon is Reverend Gill Hopkins, Vicar of Holy Innocents, High Beech, and Chaplain of Lee Valley Regional Park and Epping Forest.
Michael is currently Senior Vice President (Production) for Scott Free, the Film & Television Company owned and operated by Sir Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Lousie, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, American
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Duke of Edinburgh For four days during the Easter break,
of Edinburgh assessors were very
twelve Upper Fifth students took time out
impressed with the group who did not get
from revision in order to participate in
lost, took good care of their kit and
their practice expeditions for the Silver
finished each day’s walking ahead of
Duke of Edinburgh award. Six chose
schedule. The assessors told them they
canoeing for their expedition, and were
were the best silver group they had ever
trained by staff at the Essex Outdoor
taken. They are now all looking forward to
Centre in Harlow. The students were
doing the assessed expeditions, which will
required to canoe 12 kilometres each day,
take place after they have sat their GCSEs.
taking all their kit, food and tents with
Approximately half of the Lower Fifth year
them. After a gruelling paddle, they then
group took their Bronze practice expedition
had to set up camp and cook their own
around Chelmsford at the end of the
meals. They responded to this with good
holidays. They showed great determination,
humour and a sense of fun, and coped
good humour and gained vital experience
extremely
which will stand them in good stead for the
well
with
the
physical
challenges. The other six walked sixty
real test in activities week.
miles of the South Downs Way. The Duke
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Choir On Saturday 28th June at 7pm the
and an interval bar but if you would prefer
Chigwell Choir will be performing their
not to sit on grass please bring
summer concert, conducted by Alexander
deckchairs.
Campkin, which will feature well known
Tickets: £10 Adults, £8 Concessions,
fun folk songs arranged by John Rutter
£5 Under 16 available on the door, in
and some familiar Gilbert & Sullivan, as
advance from Leonie 07958 763213 or
well as music from Britten, Ireland &
online from http://www.wegottickets
Bruckner. The Choir also invite you to
.com/event/268988
bring your own picnic to eat on the
More info. www.chigwellchoir.org
Swallow Lawn during the supper interval. There is indoor accommodation if it rains
Blue Calendars As usual, the Trinity Term calendars have been given to pupils who should also bring home a copy.
Holiday Activities on Site Apart from the school trips and expeditions that took place over the holidays, there were a number of other activities on the school site. We had record numbers of pupils from Chigwell and elsewhere on the cricket coaching course, and, once again, Barracudas rented the school facilities for their Easter multi-activity camp. Meanwhile, the maintenance team has renovated the 1st XI cricket pavilion, decorated Penn’s House and carried out work in the girls’ boarding house, Sandon Lodge.
With best wishes
The Trinity Term invariably passes very quickly. Thank you for all your continued
Yours sincerely
support and I look forward to seeing you at some of the many activities which will take place over the coming weeks.
Michael Punt
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